The third Case. Obstinacy and Impudency in Sinning.

[ 3] VVHen Sinners are obstinate and shamelesse in sinning, the Dayes are evil, the Times are perillous. Such was the state of the People of Israel, be∣fore their utter Destruction. Moreover (saith the Lord to the Prophet Jeremy†) thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, shall they fall, and not arise, shall he turn away and not return? [q. d. If men do fall, will they lie still, and not rise a∣gain? If a man be gone out of the Way, when he perceives it, will he proceed, and not rather turn back again?]

*Why then is this Peo∣ple of Jerusalem slid∣den back, by a per∣petual Back-sliding? Page  133 [Or, why is this Peo∣ple of Jerusalem, this my People, become refractory and Re∣bellious, and have turned away from me with such a stub∣born and obstinate, impudent and pertinacious Aversion, so stout and stiff-necked a Rebellion?] They hold fast deceit, they refuse to re∣turn. I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wic∣kednesse, saying, what have I done? Eve∣ry one turned to his course, as the Horse rusheth into the Battel.

And further, saith the LORD†, Were they ashamed when they had committed A∣bomination? Nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush. And what follows? Therefore shall they fall a∣mong them that fall, in the Time of their Visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. I will surely consume them, saith the LORD; there shall be no Grapes on the Vine, nor Figs on the Fig-tree, and the Leaf shall fade, and the Things that I have gi∣ven them shall passe away from them. Why do we sit still? Assemble your selves and let us enter into the defenced Cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us wa∣ter of Gall to drink, because we have sinned Page  134 against the LORD. We looked for Peace, but no Good came; and for a time of health [or, healing*] and behold trou∣ble.* The snorting of his Horses [sc. of the Chaldean Army] was heard from Dan: the whole Land trembled at the sound of the neigh∣ing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the Land, and all that is in the City, and those that dwell there∣in.

Thus when men will not forbear sinning, God will not spare them in punishing; when they will not be reclaim'd from their Wickednesse, they shall be consum'd by his just Judgements. When the Preaching of the Word, by the Prophets and Ministers of the Lord, will not prevaile with men to forsake their sins, and seriously to engage in the service of God, then Punishment is at hand, and the sword of the Lord is rea∣dy drawn to cut off such an obstinate and rebellious people.

Thus its said†, The LORD testified a∣gainst Israel, and against Judah, by all the Prophets, and by all the Seers, saying, Turne ye from your evil wayes, and keep my Commandments, and my Statutes, according to all the Law which I command∣ed your Fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the Prophets. Notwith∣standing they would not heare, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their Fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their Page  135 God. And they rejected his Statutes, and his Covenant that he made with their Fathers, and his Testimonies which he testified against them, and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the Heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them. And they left all the Commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten Images, even two Calves, and made a Grove, and worshipped all the Host of Heaven, and served Baal. And they caused their Sons and their Daugh∣ters to pass thorough the Fire, and used Di∣vination and Enchantments, and sold them∣selves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to Anger. Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed th•m out of his sight, there was none left but the Tribe of Judah onely. Also Judah kept not the Commmandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the Sta∣tutes of Israel which they made. And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.

Thus the multipli'd Abominations of a pertinaciously wicked People, provokes the Lord to an utter extirpation of them out of the Land. Justly may the Lord give their Land to Strangers, who are con∣tinually provoking the eyes of his glory by their sins.

Custome in sinning takes away the Con∣science of sinne: and so do men confirme themselves in their evil wayes, and (with Pharaoh) harden their hearts to their own Destruction. For, sayes the LORD by the Prophet*, Can the Ethiopian change his skinne, or the Leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the winde of the Wildernesse.

How severely will the Lord deal with stub∣borne sinners, that wilfully walk in their own wicked wayes! Take heed therefore lest there should be among you (saith the LORD to his people Israel†) a root that beareth Gall and wormwood, and it come to passe when he heareth the words of this Curse, that he blesse himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the im∣agination [or, stubbornnesse*] of mine Heart, to adde Drunkennesse to Thirst: The LORD will not spare him, but then th• Anger of the LORD, and his Jealousie shall smoke against that man, and all the Curses that are written in this Book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his Name from under Heaven. If then multitudes of People shall be thus obstinate in their e∣vil wayes, is it not enough to bring down the most dreadful judgements of God upon the whole Nation?

So the Prophet Hosea, having repro∣ved Page  137 the People of Israel for their multi∣pli'd Abominations, does thus represent their Refractorinesse, and prophecy their Ruine; yet (saith he†) let no man strive or reprove another: [q. d. let not men contend with them any longer with the Words of Reproof, for God himself is now coming to plead his Cause against them with the Sword of Justice:] For this Peo∣ple are as they that strive with the Priest. [Opposition of Ministers, as it proceeds from obstinacy in sinne, so does it prog∣nosticate Destruction from God. For] Therefore shalt thou fall in the Day, and the [false] Prophet also shall fall with thee in the Night, and I will [cut off* or] destroy thy Mother, [the whole Kingdom,* or the body of the Nation.]

And when Impudency is joyn'd with obstinacy, it aggravates the sin, and more strongly sollicits the Justice of God to the speedy execution of Judgement upon such sinners. For this does the Lord complain of the People of Judah, and threatens a confounding Judgement.† Thou hadst a Whores Fore-head, thou refusedst to be a∣shamed.* I spake unto thee in thy Pro∣sperity, but thou said'st, I will not hear: this hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyest not my Voice. The Winde shall eat up all thy Pastours, and thy Lovers shall go into Captivity; Surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for Page  138 all thy Wickedness. But this sin is yet ca∣pable of a higher aggravation; when men are so farre from being asham'd of their sin, that they glory in their shame, and boast themselves in their Impieties, as the Thief in his cunning craftinesse to deceive; and the Drunkard in his† strength to poure in strong Drink, and bear it without distemper; and the impious Politician in the success∣fulnesse of his wicked Designes. But we know that the Judgement of God is just a∣gainst those that do such things; and that their* end is Destruction, whose glory is in their shame.