A81131:42
The arraignment of unbelief, as the grand cause of our nationall non-establishment
The arraignment of unbelief, as the grand cause of our nationall non-establishment: cleared in a sermon to the Honourable House of Commons in Parliament, at Margarets Westminster, upon the 28th. of May, 1645. being the day of their public fast. / By Joseph Caryl, late preacher to the Honourable Society of Lincolns-Inn, now pastor at Magnus near the bridge, London.The arraignment of unbelief, as the grand cause of our nationall non-establishment: cleared in a sermon to the Honourable House of Commons in Parliament, at Margarets Westminster, upon the 28th. of May, 1645. being the day of their publike fast. / By Joseph Caryl, late preacher to the Honourable Society of Lincolnes-Inne, now pastor at Magnus neer the bridge, London.
London: printed by G. Miller for Giles Calvert, 1645
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The Psalmist assigns this to the unbelief of the works of God, as well as of his word (Psal. 78. 32, 33.) They believed not his wondrous works, therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble. But ⟨p. 10⟩are not the days of all men consumed in vanity? Is not man at his best estate altogether vanity? Yes: but here was a special vanity, and somewhat more penal and judicial lay upon that generation, for their unbelief, then lies upon man-kind, as the fruit of sin in general. And what was that? even the evil threatened in the text; they could not be established: God lets them wander forty years in a wilderness, up and down, forward and backward, now in hope, anon in fear; now in joy, anon in sorrow; now a success, by and by a disappointment. They looked for Canaan, but to Canaan they could not come; they looked for a settled condition, but God kept them upon uncertainties; they went toiling about the wilderness to seek a passage out, yet most of them found none, but at the door of the grave: this was the spending of their years in vanity; and they spent them thus, because of their unbelief. The land of Canaan was so much promised to the Israelites, that it was called the land of promise, yet unbelief kept them out forty years. The Apostle is as plain (Heb. 3. 19.) So we see, they could not enter in, because of unbelief: Their unbelief built a wall between them and Canaan; it locked up the passages so fast, that they could not enter in. And as it blocked up the way against the unbelieving Israelites, so against Moses, the Captain and conductor of Israel: he must deliver up his leading staff, and resign his Commission to his servant Joshua, he must die on this side Jordan: The reason is given (Numb. 20. 12.) And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, Because ye believe me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel; therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the land which I have given them.
The Psalmist assignes this to the unbelief of the works of God, as well as of his word (Psal. 78. 32, 33.) They beleeved not his wondrous works, therefore their daies did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble. But