In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent. Acts 17:30
“To the honorable the House of Common, now assembled in Parliament. A Sermon preached before the Honorable House of Commons at their extraordinary Day of Humiliation, 22 October 1644.”
“Acts 17. Verse 30. latter part.‘But now commandeth all men every where to repent.’ The former part runs thus.‘And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but…’
Among all the texts that are in the Bible, there is no one text more suitable to these times, then this that I have read unto you; But now God commands all men every where to repent: God hath been preaching repentance to England by the Ministry of his Word almost these hundred years; but England hath turned a deaf ear to Gods preaching, and God is now preaching repentance, not only by his Word, but by the sword; (for the sword hath a voice as well as the Word, Micah 6:9. And the sword speaks louder then the Word).
God is riding throughout all England, upon His red and bloody horse, thundering out repentance to every city, county, town and family… Repent Oh England, repent, repent; The text is very suitable, the Lord make it as profitable as it is suitable. If any shall object and say; that the doctrine of repentance is a doctrine that we all know already. I answer, if you know this doctrine so well, the more shame you practise it so little.”
Edmund Calamy in “England’s antidote against the plague of civil war presented in a sermon before the Honorable House of Commons on their late extraordinary solemn fast, 22 October 1644” Apple Books.
As the number of COVID-19 cases grows and the death toll climbs, we can gain insight from Edmund Calamy’s “suitable” and “profitable” sermon to the House of Commons during the plague. In dark days, God has an agenda. He wants people everywhere to humble themselves in fasting, prayer, and confession of their sins.
Take time this weekend to do this. Skip a meal. Read these Scriptures and journal your response. Renounce wrongdoing (Proverbs 28:13). Change directions (Matthew 3:2). Walk in the light (1 John 1:7). Experience times of refreshing (Acts 3:19). The most generous thing we can do during a plague is to surrender our lives afresh to God.