Part 5

Now followeth the last point: the reason of all. Why should we search ourselves? The reason is included in the fourth point: For there is a decree come forth against you. And although the execution be defeated, and though God be unwilling to take it out, yet without repentance, it is most certain, it shall come forth, and be executed at the last. In one word, this is the reason. Repent, or else certainly God will take vengeance: But (will man's heart say) is this true? Or rather these be but words to fear men, and to keep them in awe. I answer, for proof and experience hereof, never go further [illegible] this place, and present example we have in hand, the Prophet bids them Search, Search, and Repent, else, as certainly as there was a judgment conceived, so certainly it should be executed upon them: they would not hear, nor Search, nor repent: but what followed; let all men judge, whether God is not true of his word to them or no: yes alas, who sees not that God has travailed indeed, and has brought forth a fearful judgment on them, and has made them for these thousand years, and a half, the gazing-stock, the byword, and the amazement of all the world.

Thus was it threatened to the Jews, and thus is performed: and certainly thus has it been threatened, and thus shall it be performed to you, Oh England, except you prevent the judgments that are coming. Oh happy England, that I may say to you, it is yet but coming. For as for the miserable Jews, upon them (alas) it is come already: to those poor souls it can be said no more, Repent before the Decree come forth: for it is now past: but you are happy, for your Day is not yet come: yet I may say to you, Repent before the Decree come forth: and Oh happy England, that you may hear this word: (Before) sounding in your ears.

Therefore my beloved brethren, who are here assembled out (almost) of every corner of this Kingdom, hear my words: and carry them home with you into all countries, God is the same God still, as just, and as jealous, as ever he was: our sins are as ill, no, much viler than the Jews were: how can it be then, but that must fall to us that fell to them? Therefore the zeal of God's glory, and my desire of your salvations, make me, that I dare not flatter, but tell you the truth: that is, that out of all question, if we search not ourselves and Repent: there is a general judgment in preparing for us: certainly the Decree is out, and what can stop the execution of it, but Repentance: God has long spared, and he has been long in travailing, therefore (though nothing can be said in way of prophecy) I am in my conscience persuaded to fear, and that out of infallible grounds of the word of God, that a plague, and a judgment, and that most fearful, hangs over England: and that it is already pronounced upon this Nation, and shall be as certainly executed, without a visible reformation: and because I may seem to speak somewhat large, give me leave to give you the reasons inducing me hereunto.

1. First, the Gospel has been preached these five and thirty years, and is daily more and more, so that, the light therefore never shone more gloriously, since the Primitive Church: yet for all this, there is a general ignorance, general of all people, general of all points, yes, as though there were no Preaching at all: yes, when Popery was newly banished, there was more knowledge in many, than is now in the body of our Nation: and the more it is preached, the more ignorant are many, the more blind, and the more hardened (even as a Smithy the more it is beaten upon, the harder it is) so they, the more they hear the Gospel, the less esteem they it, and the more they contemn it: and the more God calls, the deafer they are: and the more they are commanded, the more they disobey. We Preachers may cry till our lungs fly out, or be spent within us, and men are moved no more than stones. Oh alas, what is this, or what can this be: but a fearful sign of destruction? Will any man endure always to be mocked? Then how long has God been mocked? Will any man endure to stand knocking continually? If then God has stood knocking at our hearts five and thirty years: it is now time to be gone, unless we open presently?

But if we will know what this argues, to contemn the Gospel, and not to repent, when the Word is so abundantly preached: read the story of Eli, his wicked sons. He spoke to them, and gave them godly counsel, but they hearkened not to the voice of their father: But will some say, that is no great matter, not to hear their Father a common thing: but mark what follows. They would not hear their father, because the Lord would destroy them: a fearful thing. Even so it is with a nation, or a people: are they taught, and are they worse and worse? Take heed: If Eli's sons obey not, it is, because God will destroy them.

If therefore Eli, and many Elis have spoken to England, and England hears not, England obeys not, England repents not: take heed the Lord in heaven say not, England will not hear the voice of the Prophets, because I will destroy it. Let no man say, we take upon us to prophesy: we only give warning, and show the danger, by example of the like.

My second reason is this. One judgment executed, and not working repentance, is always a forerunner of another: that rule is certain, and an evident truth, and needs no proving. Now, we have been visited with famines, earthquakes, pestilences, inundations, thunder and lightnings in winter, and most strange and unseasonable weather: but alas, all these have taken no effect: where is the humiliation, repentance and reformation which they have wrought? Therefore it must needs be, there remains behind a greater judgment. Men may be so mad to think these to be ordinary things, and to come by course of nature, and ordinary causes: but certainly they are the shaking of the rod, and forerunners of a great judgment, unless repentance cut off their course. For look as one cloud follows another, till the sun consume them: so one judgment hastens after another, and repentance only is the sun, which must dispel them.

3. Thirdly, it stands with the justice of God, according as he has revealed it in the Scripture, especially in Deuteronomy 28, out of the whole chapter, it must needs be gathered as a rule. I will curse that people that break my laws: now we may not deny but this land of ours, is for abundance of sin, a people of Sodom. All kind of sins, in all estates of men, rage and reign every day more and more: therefore I conclude, that unless we repent, and so dissolve this cloud of judgment, that hangs over our heads: it cannot be, but a most fearful tempest is to come at the last, and when it is come, it will be too late to wish they had done it. Therefore in the bowels of Christ Jesus, let this be to entreat and exhort you all, to search and look into yourselves, that so repenting and changing your ways, you may get the sword again into his sheath, which is already drawn out, but yet has not stricken home, and may quench the wrath which is already kindled, but yet burns not out as it will do, if by repentance we quench it not: and do this every one, as you tender the salvation of your own souls, and the continuance of the Gospel to this glorious Nation, and the peace and prosperous state of this Church and commonwealth. For let men make what causes they will, it is certainly sinfulness that overturns kingdoms, and changes states, as all these kingdoms and states have felt, who have continued finally to contemn the Gospel.