1.1 God hath done this for his own Names sake: If you go to the Church-yards and Burial places in and about the City, and see the heaps of dead bodies, and ask, Why hath God done this? We must answer, We all have sinned. If you go into your houses and dwelling places, and find 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 displeased him, but it is removed because Mercy hath pleased him: We had deserved the inflicting of it, but could not merit the removing of it. In this late Providence Justice and Mercy have been wonderfully magnified; Justice in removing so many thousands, and laying them in their graves; Mercy in sparing so many thousands, ⟨p. 50⟩and maintaining them in life that have been so long walking in the Valley of the shadow of death: This is, because God in the midst of Judgement hath remembered 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 do 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 remember your own evil ways, and your doings, that were not good, and shall loathe your selves in your own sight, for your Iniquities, and for your Abominations. V. 32. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you; be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel. 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.
1.1 God hath done this for his own Names sake: If you goe to the Church-yards and Burial 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 sinned. 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 displeased him, but it is removed because Mercy hath pleased him: We had deserved the inflicting of it, but could not merit the removing of it. In this late Providence Justice and Mercy have been wonderfully magnified; Justice in removing so many thousands, and laying them in their graves; Mercy in sparing so many thousands, ⟨p. 50⟩and maintaining them in life that have been so long walking in the Valley of the shadow 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 remember 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 Abominations. 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 Israel. 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.
- 1Reasons are, 1. From God.
