Jerusalem Instructed and Warned

Wm. Dudley, Speaker.

p. 1AN Election-SERMON.

BE thou instructed, O Jerusalem, left my Soul depart from thee: left I make thee desolate, a Land not inhabited.

THE words are a moving Exhortation from GOD to a provoking People, whose multiplied and hainous Transgressions had ripened them for the Vengeance of Heaven, and for Disolating Judgments. If we look back to the preceeding Chapter, we shall find a heavy Charge drawn up against a Professing People of GOD, as an Evidence of their woful Apostacy p. 2and Declension: Yea their Case is represented as if there was scarce a Godly Man to be found among them all. Ver.I. Run ye to and fro through the Streets of Jerusalem, and see now and know, and seek in the Broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth Judgment, that seeketh the Truth, and I will pardon it. A sad Case truly, if there were not one such to be found. Jerusalem would then be worse than Sodom that was destroyed by Fire from Heaven, for even there a Righteous Lot was found. But doubtless the Words are to be taken not absolutely, but in a comparative sense, to denote the fewness of the Godly there, and the general Corruption reigning among all Ranks and Orders of Men. More particularly, they are Articled against for their false swearing, their Incorrigibleness under the Judgments of God, their Idolatry and Adultery, their contempt of God's Word and Prophets, together with their criminal regardlessness of him whose Power is great, and for which he is to be feared, their Deceit, Injustice & Violence, and delight in false Prophets. The Prophets prophesy falsely, and the Priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so. And in the midst of these Charges we have once and again such sharp Interrogatories, as one would think should have awakened and wounded them. How shall I Pardon thee for this? Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? Hear ye not me? p. 3saith the Lord: Will ye not tremble at my presence? And again, Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: Shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this? In this Chapter therefore we find a justly offended GOD giving a Commission to the Chaldeans the Enemies of His People, to go up against and destroy them for their very great Wickedness: which Commission, with the ground and reason of it, we have opened, Ver. 6, 7. Thus hath the Lord of Hosts said, Hew ye down Trees, and cast amount against Jerusalem: this is the City to be visited, she is wholly oppression in the midst of her. As a Fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: Violence and spoil is heard in her, before me continually is grief and wounds. Thus is Jerusalem convicted and threatned. Nevertheless, such are the Compassions of a Merciful GOD, that before he brings the threatned Ruin upon a sinful People, he will give them warning and advise them of their Danger; that they may Repent of their wickedness, and thereby prevent the evil coming upon them, which he threatens to do unto them.

p. 3BE thou Instructed, O Jerusalem; or as it is in the Original, Be thou Corrected, O Jerusalem: i.e.

By the Correction thou hast felt already, and which is further threatned, Be perswaded to Repentance before it be too late.

Let the Rod and Reproof teach thee Wisdom. Nor were they at any loss what to do in this p. 4Case, being well enough acquainted with what GOD tells them by this Prophet, Chap. 18.7, 8. At what Instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down and to destroy it: If that Nation against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

LEST my Soul depart from thee; or according to the Marginal Reading of our Bibles, be loosed or disjointed from thee: which doubtless, as our English Annotatours observe,

is a Metaphor taken from the Dislocation of a Limb, the loosing it from it's natural Place and Posture, and putting it, as we say, out of Joynt: intimating what a Pain and Grief it is to GOD to leave or cast off a People, whom he hath taken into Covenant with himself, and with how much difficulty he is drawn thereunto.

LEST I make thee Desolate, a Land not Inhabited. Lest I both cast thee off, and cut thee off. So that the Exhortation is grounded upon the most Important and weighty Considerations Imaginable.

THERE are Four Doctrines I shall offer you and briefly speak to from the Words.

DOCT. I. THAT the Happiness of a People consists in having the Gracious Presence of GOD with them.

p. 5DOCT. II. THAT GOD is not so engaged to any People, but that upon Just Provocation given him, his Soul may Depart from them.

DOCT. III. THAT the Departure of GOD from a People, opens a Door for Desolating Judgments to enter in upon them.

DOCT. IV. THAT it is both the Duty & Interest of a People, to do all that in them lies, to prevent so great a Calamity, as the Departure of GOD's Soul 〈…〉 them will certainly carry in it.

DOCT. I. THAT the happiness of a People consists in having the gracious Presence of GOD with them.

p. 5THIS Doctrine, tho' not express'd, is yet necessarily implied in the Words. For if the Departure of GOD from a People be threatned as the sorest Judgment that can befal them, and they be earnestly called upon to use their utmost endeavours to prevent it, then nothing can be more plain than that his gracious Presence with them is their Happiness and Glory.