SECT. XI.
*Why God is pleased to remove Judgements, though many men are worse than they were before?
THat God should stay his hand, and put up his Arrows into his Quiver, and his Sword into his sheath, and call in the destroying Angel, is indeed matter and cause of great admiration; Page 49 that when men sin still, God doth not slaughter stil; when men provoke him still, that he doth not by the Plague punish them still: The sins that were offensive unto God at first, are amongst us still; the sins continue, the Judgement re∣moved: Oh stand and wonder at this, that when Justice hath cut down so many, that Mercy yet hath spared so many; especially if you seriously consider Gods holiness and purity, Gods justice and severity, Gods infinite hatred unto sin, and that it is not the death of thousands that can sa∣tisfie Gods Justice, nor the death of those that are gone down into the grave, that have paci∣fied Gods wrath for us that do yet remain alive. What may be the Reasons?
1.* God hath done this for his own Names sake: If you goe to the Church-yards and Bu∣rial places in and about the City, and see the heaps of dead bodyes, and ask, Why hath God done this? We must answer, We all have sin∣ned. If you goe into your houses and dwelling places, and finde so many living, after so great a Mortality, and ask, why hath God done this? We must answer, It is for his own Name sake. The Plague was inflicted because we had dis∣pleased him, but it is removed because Mercy hath pleased him: We had deserved the in∣flicting of it, but could not merit the removing of it. In this late Providence Justice and Mer∣cy have been wonderfully magnified; Justice in removing so many thousands, and laying them in their graves; Mercy in sparing so many thou∣sands, Page 50 and maintaining them in life that have been so long walking in the Valley of the sha∣dow of death: This is, because God in the midst of Judgement hath remembred Mercy. Ezek. 36.21. But I had pity for mine holy Name,—ver. 22. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God, I doe not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy Name sake. So when God gives good things, as well as when he removeth evil, it is for his Name sake. God hath taken away your sickness and plague-sores, and given you health. Vers. 31. Then shall ye re∣member your own evil wayes, and your doings, that were not good, and shall loathe your selves in your own sight, for your Iniquities, and for your Abomi∣nations. V. 32. Not for your sakes doe I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you; be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes, O house of Is∣rael. Oh if you have been spared for his Names sake, then let all the praise of your life be unto his holy Name. But then you must not be worse but better than you were.
2. *God hath removed his Judgement in an∣swer to the Prayers of his people. Prayer hath been an ancient Antidote against the Plague, and ma∣ny have been preserved from the grave as a re∣turn to prayer; and so it hath of old been pre∣valent for the removing of the Plague: And therefore Magistrates commanding the people to fast and pray, proceeded in Solomons course to have it removed: 1 King. 8.37. If there be in the Land Famine, if there be Pestilence— what∣soever Page 51 Plague, whatsoever sickness there be. What must they do then? Vers. 38. What prayer and sup∣plication (prayer you see is a Panpharmacum, a re∣medy for every disease) soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands towards this house. Vers. 39. Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive— Prayer is the remedy prescribed by Solomon, But what are the persons whose prayers shall prevail for the removing of so sore a judgement? Not those that have Plague-wishes so often in their mouthes, but the prayer of any man, that know∣eth (i. e. seeth and is sensible of) the Plague of his own heart.
3.* God may remove judgements for the bene∣fit of his Elect that yet may be unconverted, and in mercy to them, who may be yet in their sins, God may stay this Plague, it might be for some yet unborn, that may proceed from the Loyns of some that are now worse than they were be∣fore. The patience and long-suffering of God is conducible to the conversion and salvation of Gods Elect, 2 Pet. 3.15. And doth lead men to repentance, Rom. 2.4. Many peradventure have not yet repented, whom God will bring to glo∣ry; and he that hath designed them to the end, will preserve them in life till the means have been effectual to fit them for that end.
4. *God may spare some that are worse, by removing judgements, because as yet they are not Page 52 ripe enough for slaughter: The Oxe is spared lon∣ger time, because not yet fit for the Shambles. Thus God spared Jerusalem till they had filled up the measure of their sins, Mat. 23.32. And so God exercised patience towards the Amorites, till their iniquity was full, Gen 15.16 God may remove and keep off judgement from some; and this may be in judgement to them, as he may in mercy, deny some mercies unto some.
