proposed against sinners that are obstinate God doth reserve and proclaim Mercy unto sinners that are penitent When a Consumption is decreed yet a Remnant iâ— reserved to return Isa. 10.22 23. The Lord will keep his Vineyard when he will burn up the thorns and the bryars together Isai. 27.3 4. When a day of fierce anger is determined the meek of the earth are called upon to seek the Lord Zeph. 2.3 When the Lord is coming out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the Earth for their iniquity he calls upon his people to hide themselves in their chambers until the indignation be overpast Isai. 26.20 21. The Angel which was sent to destroy Sodom had withall a Commission to deliver Lot Genes 19.15 God made full provision for those who mourned for publick abominations before he gave order to destroy the rest Ezek. 9.4 6. Men in their wrath will many times rather strike a friend then spare a foe But Gods proceedings are without disorder he will rather spare his foes then strike his servants as he shewed himself willing to have done in the case of Sodom Gen. 18.26 Moses stood in the gap and diverted Judgments from Israel Psa. 106.23 Yea God seeks for such Ezek. 22.30 and complains when they cannot be found Ezek. 13 5. And if he deliver others for them certainly he will not destroy them for others How ever it go with the world and with wicked men it shall go well with the righteous there shall be a Sanctuary for them when others stumble and they shall pass through the fire when others are consumed by it Isa. 3.10 11. Isai. 8.14 15 16. Zech. 13.8 9. Reasons hereof are Gods Iustice he will not punish the righteous with the wicked he will have it appear that there is a difference between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Gen. 18.23 Mal. 3.18 Gods love unto his people He hath a book of Remembrance written before him for them that fear him and think upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my jewels and I wil spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Mal. 3.16 17. Here is a climax gradation of arguments drawn from Love In a great fire and devouring trouble such as is threatened there Chap. 4.1 property alone is a ground of care a man would willingly save and secure that which is his own and of any use unto him but if you add unto this preciousness that increaseth the care A man will make hard shift to deliver a rich Cabinet of Jewels though all his ordinary goods and utensils should perish But of all Jewels those which come out of the body are much more precious then those which onely adorn it Who would not snatch rather his childe then his casket or purse out of a flame Relation works not onely upon the affection but upon the bowels Ier. 3â— 20 And lastly the same excellency that the word jewel doth add unto the word mine the same excellency doth service add unto the word sonne A man hath much conflict in himself to take off his heart from an undutiful sonne Never a worse son then Absalom and yet how doth David give a charge to the Commanders to have him spared How inquisitive after his safety How passionately and unseasonably mournful upon the news of his death But if any child be more a jewel then another certainly it is a dutiful childe who hath not onely an interest in our love by Nature but by obedience All these grounds of care and protection for Gods people in trouble are here expressed property they are mine preciousness they are jewels treasures ornaments unto me Relation they are sons usefulness they are sons that serve none could look on a thing so many ways lovely with the same eye as upon a professed and provoking Enemy Lastly Gods name and glory He hath spared his people even in the midst of their provocations for his Names sake Deut. 33.26 27. Iosh. 7.9 How much more when they repent and seek his face He will never let it be said that any seek the Lord in vain Isa. 45.19 But it may be objected Doth not Solomon say that all things happen alike unto all and that no man can know love or hatred by that which is before him Eccles. 9.1 2. And is it not certain and common that in publick desolations good as well as bad do perish Doth not the Sword devour as well one as another It is true God doth not always difference his servants from wicked men by temporal deliverances Troubles commonly and promiscuously involve all sorts But there are these two things considerable in it 1. That many times the good suffer with the bad because they are together corrupted with them and when they joyn in the common provocations no wonder if they suffer in the common judgments Revel 18.4 Nay the sins of Gods people do especially in this case more provoke him unto outward judgments then the sins of his professed enemies Because they expose his name to the more contempt 2 Sam. 12.14 and are committed against the greater love Amos 3.2 and he hath future judgment for the wicked and therefore usually beginneth here at his own sanctuary Ezek. 9.6 1 Pet. 4.17 2. When good men who have preserved themselves from publick sins do yet fall by publick judgments yet there is a great difference in this seeming equality the same affliction having like the Pillar that went before Israel a light side towards Gods people and a dark side toward the Egyptians God usually recompencing the outward evils of his people with more plentiful evidences of inward and spiritual joy A good man may be in great darkness as well as a wicked man but in that case he hath the name of God to stay himself upon which no wicked man in the world hath Isa. 50 10. The metal and the dross go both into the fire together but the drosse is consumed the metal refined So is it with godly and wicked in their sufferings Zach. 13 9 Eccles. 8.12 13. This reproveth the folly of those who in time of trouble rely upon vain things which cannot help them and continue their sins still For Iudgments make no difference of any but penitent and impenitent Sickness doth not complement with an honorable person but useth him as coursely as the base Death knocks as well at a Princes palace as a poor mans cottage wise men dye as well as fools Yea poyson usually works more violently when tempered with wine then with some duller and baser material In times of trouble usually the greater the persons the closer the judgments When Ierusalem was taken the Nobles were slain but the poor of the Land had vineyards and fields given them Ier. 39.6 10. Therefore in troubles we should be more humbled for our sins then our sufferings because sin is the sting of suffering That mercies
did when he prayeth for pardon unto Israel lest Gods Name should be blasphemed Numb 14.15 16 17. So Ioshua did when Israel turned their backs before their enemies what wilt thou do unto thy great Name Josh. 7.9 So Solomon in his prayer at the dedication of the Temple Heare thou in heaven thy dwelling place and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for that all the people 〈◊〉 the earth may know thy Name 1 Kings 8.43 So David in his for Israel and for the performance of Gods promise to the seed of David Do as thou hast said let it even be established that thy Name may bee magnified for ever 1 Chron. 17.23 24. So Asa O Lord thou art our God let not man prevail against thee 2 Chron. 14.11 So Iehosaphat Art not thou God in heaven and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the Heathen and in thine hand is there not power and might so that none is able to withstand tâ—ne c. 2 Chron. 20.6 So Hezekiah when he spread the blasphemies of Sennacherib before the Lord O Lord our God save us from his hand that all the kingdomes of the earth may know that thâ—u art the Lord even thou onely Isa. 37.20 So the Church of God in the time of distresse Help us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy Name and deliver and purge away our sinnes for thy Names sake wherefore should the Heathen say where is their God Psal. 79.9 10. As every creature of God was made for his glory Prov. 16.4 Rom. 11.36 so every Attribute of God doth work and put forth it selfe for his glory If he shew mercy it is to shew the riches of his glory Rom. 9.23 Eph. 1.11 12. If he execute justice it is to make his power known Rom. 9.17.22 2 Thes. 1.9 When he putteth forth his power and doth terrible things it is to make his Name known Isa. â—4 1 2 3. If he engage his truth and make his promises Yea and Amen it is for his own glory and that his Name may be magnified in doing what he hath said 2 Cor. 1.20 2 Sam. 7.25 26. â—xod 3.14 15. Exod. 12.41 Iosh. 11.45 Whensoever therefore we pray unto God and therein implore his mercy on us his justice on his enemies his truth to be fulfilled his power wisedome or any other Attribute to be manifested towards his people the highest and most prevailing medium we can use is the glory of his own Name Gods ultimate end in working must needs be our strongest argument in praying because therein it appears that we seek his interest in our petitions as well and above our own This serveth first to encourage us unto prayer because God doth not onely hear and answer prayers which is a sufficient motive unto his servants to call upon him O thou that hearest prayers unto thee shall all flesh come Psal. 65.2.66.20.86.5 6 7.102.17 but because he oftentimes exceedeth the modesty the ignorance the fearfulnesse of our Requests by giving unto us more then wee ask When poore men make requests unto us we usually answer them as the Eccho doth the voyce the answer cuts off halfe the petition The Hypocrite in the Apostle Iam. 2.15 16. when he saw a brother or sister naked or destitute of daily food would bid him be warmed or filled but in the mean time give him nothing that was needfull and so did rather mock then answer their requests We shall seldom finde amongst men Iaels cuâ—tesie Iudg. 5.25 giving milk to those that ask water except it be as hers was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 munus cum hamo an entangling benefit the better to introduce a mischief there are not many Naamans among us that when you beg of them one Talent will force you to take two 2 Kings 5.23 But Gods answer to our prayers is like a multiplying glasse which renders the request much greater in the answer then it was in the prayer As when we cast a stone into the water though 〈◊〉 be but little in it selfe yet the circles which come from it spread wider and wider till it fill the whole pond so our petitions though very weak as they come from us and craving but some one or other good thing yet finding way to the fountain of life and unsearchable treasure of mercy which is in Christ are usually answered with many and more spreading benefits The Trumpet exceedingly strengâ—hneth the voyce which passeth through it it goes in at a narrow passage and the voyce is but a silent breath as it comes from the mouth but it goes out wider with a doubled and multiplyed vigour So our prayers usually go up narrow to God but they come down with enlarged answers from him againe As the root is but of one colour when the flower which groweth out of it is beautified with variety Now this should be a great encouragement unto us to call upon God with sincerity of heart because he multiplyeth to pardon because we know not the numbers of his salvation Psal. 71.15 we cannot count the summe of his thoughts towards us Psal. 139.17 18. If there were any man so wealthy that it were all one with him to give pounds or pence and who usually when he were asked silver would give gold every indigent and necessitous person would wait upon this mans mercy Now it is as easie with God to give Talents as farthings as easie to over answer prayers as to answer them at all It is as easie to the Sunne â—o fill a vaste Palace as a little closet with light as easie to the Seâ— to fill a channell as a bucket with water He can satisfie with goodnesse and answer with wonderfull and terrible things Psal. 65.4.5 Oh who would not make requests unto such a God whose usuall answer unto prayer is Be it unto thee as thou wilt Matth. 15.28 Nay who answers us beyond our own wils and thoughts Ephes. 3.20 and measureth forth mercy by the greatnesse of his own grace and not the narrownesse of our desires The shekell belonging to the sanctuary was as many learned men think in weight double to the common shekell which was used in civill matters To note unto us that as God expects from us double the care in things belonging unto him above what wee use in the things of the world so he usually measureth back double unto us againe good measure pressed down shaken together and running over into our bosomes When the man sick of the palsie was carried unto Christ to bee healed Christ did beyond the expectation of those that brought him for he not only cured him of his disease but of his sinne gave him not onely health of body but peace of conscience first Be of good chear thy sinnes be forgiven thee and then Arise take up thy bed and go to thy house Matth. 9.2.6 The Thief on the Crosse besought Christ to remember him when he came into his kingdom but Christ
they be not quenched 2 Tim. 1.6 So to rejoyce in the Lord as withall to work out our salvation with fear and trâ—mbling Psal 2.11 Phil. 2.12 13. never to let the grace of God puffe us up or make us forgetfull of our own weaknesse but as the Apostle sâ—ith of himself in regard of Gods grace When I am weak then am I strong 2 Cor. 12.10 so to say of our selves in regard of our own naturall corruption when I am strong then I am weak Secondly This must not so humble us as to deject and dismay us or make us give over the hope of holding out to the end when our nature is so weak our enemies so strong our temptations so many but we must withall be quickned by these considerations with prayer to implore and with faith to rely on and draw strength from the word and grace of God to have alwayes the window of the soule open towards the Sunne of righteousnesse whereby the supplies of his grace to prevent exciâ—e assist follow establish us and carry on every good thing which he hath begun for us may be continually admitted This is one of the most necessary duties for a Christian to hold constant and fixed purposes in godlinesse the Scripture frequently calls upon us for them that with purpose of heart wee would cleave unto God Act. 11.23 That we would continue in the grace of God Act. 13.43 that we would bee rooted and grounded in love Ephes. 3.17 that we would hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering Hebr. 10.23 thâ—t we would be stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 that we would look to our selves that wee may not lose the things which wee have wrought 2 Ioh. ver 8. that we would hold fast and keep the works of Christ unto the end Revel 2.25 26. and it is that which godly men are most earnestly solicitous about and do strive unto with greatest importunity I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgresse Psal. 17.3 Vnite my heart to feare thy name Psal. 86.11 My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Psal. â—7 7 Therefore in this case it is necessarie for us to draw nigh unto God who onely can ratifie all our pious resolutions who giveth power to the faint and to them that have no power encreaseth strength Isa. 40.29 who onely câ—n settle and stablish the â—earts of men 1 Pet. 5.10 The conscience of our duty the sense of our frailtie the power malice and cunning of our Enemies the obligation of our Covenant should direct the souâ—e perpetually unto God for the supply of his grace that that may in all our weaknesses be sufficient for us and hold us up that we may be safe as the Psalmist speaks Psal. 119.117 and may never through infirmitie or unstablenesse of spirit violate our own resolutions Thirdly This is matter of great comfort unto the godly that in the midst of so many temptations snares impediments amongst which we walk not onely the sâ—fetie of our souls and securitie of our eternall salvation but even our present condition in this life our conversion our obedience all our pious purposes of heart all the progresse we make in an holy conversation do not depend upon the weaknesse and uncertainty of an humane will but upon the infallible truth the constant pâ—omise the immutable purpose the invincible power the free love the absâ—lute grate the omnipotent wisdome and working of God who doth whatsoever he pleaseth both in heaven and earth and worketh all things by the counsell of his own will I the Lord change not therefore you sonnes of Jacob are not consumed Mal. 3.6 We poore and weak men change with every winde strong to day and weak to morrow fixed and resolute to day shâ—ken and staggering to morrow running forward to day and revolting as fast to morrow no hold to be taken of our promises no trust to bee given to our Covenants Like Peter on the water we walk one step and we sink another All our comfort is this our strength and standing is not founded in our selves but in the rock whereon we are built and in the power of God by which we are kept through faith unto salvation out of whose hands none are able to pluck us our verie actions are wrought in us and carried on unto their end by the power of Christ who hath mercy wisedome and strength enough to rescue us as from the power of hell and death so from the danger of our own fickle and froward hearts To see a man when hee is halfe a mile from his enemie draw a sword to encounter him or take up a stone to hit him would be but a ridiculous spectacle for what could he do with such weapons by his own strength at such a distance But if he mount a canon and point that levell against the enemie this we do not wonder at though the distance be so great because though the action be originally his yet the effect of it proceedeth from the force of the materials and instruments which he useth to wit the powder the bullet the fire the canon It seemed absurd in the eye of the enemy for little David with a Shepheards bagge and a sling to go against Goliah an armed Gyant and it produced in his proud heart much disdaine and insultation 1 Sam. 17.41 42 43. But when we heare David mention the name of God in the strength and confidence whereof he came against so proud an enemy this makes us conclude weake David strong enough to encounter with great Goliah It is not our own strength but the love of God which is the foundation of our triumph over all enemies Rom. 8.38 39. But some will then say then we may be secure If Gods grace and power be our alone strength then let us commit our selves and our salvation unto him and in the meane time give over all thoughts and care of it our selves and live as wee list no act of ours can frustrate the counsell or the love of God To this we answer with the Apostle God forbid Though the enemies of Free Grace do thus argue yet they who indeed have the grace of God in their hearts have better learned Christ For it is against the formall nature of the grace and Spirit of Christ to suffer those in whom it dwelleth to give over themselves unto securitie and neglect of God for grace is a vitall and active principle and doth so work in us as that it doth withall dispose and direct us unto working to The propertie of grace is to fight against and to kill sinne as being most extremely contrary unto it and therefore it is a most irrationall wâ—y of arguing to argue from the being of grace to the life of sinne How shall wee that are dead to sinne live any longer therein Rom. 6.2 If we be dead to sinne this is argument
Thus when in one and the same time Mercies and judgements are intermixed then is the most solemne season to call upon men for repentance If we felt nothing but fears they might make us despair if nothing but mercies they would make us secure If the whole year were Summer the sap of the earth would be exhausted if the whole were Winter it would be quite buried The hammer breaks mettall and the fire melts it and then you may cast it into any shape â—udgements break mercies melt and then if ever the soul is fit to be cast into Gods mould There is no figure in all the Prophets more usuall then this to interweave mercies and judgements like those Elegancies which Rhetoricians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to allure and to bring into a wildernes Hos. 2.14 And this of all other is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Physicians call it the Criticall time of diseased people wherein the chief conjecture lieth whether they be mending or ending according to the use which they make of such interwoven mercies I have cursorily run over the first part of the Context the Invitation unto Repentance as intending to make my abode on the second which is the Institution how to perform it Therein we have first a General instruction Take unto you words Secondly a particular form what words they should take or a petition drawn to their hands Take away all iniquitie c. Of the former of these I shall speak but a word It importeth the serious pondering and choosing of requests to put up to God The mother of Artaxeâ—xes in Plutarch was wont to say that they who would addresse themselves unto Princes must use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silken words Surely he that would approach unto God must consider and look as well to his words as to his feet He is so holy and jealous of his worship that he expects there should be preparation in Our accesses unto him Preparation of Our persons by purity of life Iob 11. â—3 Preparation of Our Services by choice of matter Iob 9.1 Luk. 15.17 18. Preparation of Our Hearts by finding them out stirring them up fixing them fetching them in and calling together all that is within us to prevail with God The services which we thus prepare must be Taken from him They must not be the issues of our own private and fleshly hearts For nothing can go to God but that which comes from him and this phrase seemeth to import these three things 1. We must attend unto his will as the Rule of our prayers 2. We must attend unto his precepts and promises as the Matter of our prayers 3. We must attend unto the Guidance of his Holy Spirit as the life and principle of our prayers without which we know not what to ask And prayers thus Regulated are most seasonable and soveraign duties in times of Trouble The key which openeth a doore of mercy the slâ—ce which keepeth out an Inundation of judgements Iacob wrestled and obtained a blessing Hos. 12.4 Amos prayed and removed a Curse Amos 7.1.7 The woman of Canaan will not be denied with a deniall Mat. 15.24 27. The people of Israel will begge for deliverance even then when God had positively told them that hee would deliver them no more Iudg. 10.13 15. Ionah will venture a prayer from the bottome of the Sea when a double death had seised upon him the belly of the deep and the belly of the Whale and that prayer of his did open the doores of the Leviathan as the expression is Iob 41.14 and made one of those deaths a deliverance from the other O let the Lords remembrances give him no rest There is a kinde of omnipotencie in prayer as having an Interest and prevalence with Gods omnipotency It hath loosed iron chains It hath opened Iron gates It hath unlockt the windows of heaven It hath broken the bars of death Satan hath three titles given him in the Scripture setting forth his malignity against the Church of God A Dragon to note his malice a Serpent to note his subtiltie and a Lyon to note his strength But none of all these can stand before prayer The greatest malice the malice of Haman sinks under the prayer of Esther the deepest policy the counsell of Achitophel withers before the prayer of Daivd the hugest Army an hoast of a thousand thousand Ethiopians runne away like Cowards before the prayer of Asa. How should this incourage us to treasure up our prayers to besiege the throne of Grace with armies of supplications to refuse a deniall to break through a repulse He hath blessed those whom he did cripple he hath answered those whom he did reproach he hath delivered those whom he did deny And he is the same yesterday and to day If he save in six and in seven troubles should not we pray in six and seven Extremities Certainly in all the afflictions of the Church when prayers are strongest mercies are nearest And therefore let me humbly recommend to the Cares of this honourable Assembly amongst all your other pressing affairs the providing that those solemne dayes wherein the united prayers of this whole Kingdom should with strongest â—mportunities stop the breaches and stand in the gaps at which Iudgements are ready to rush in upon us may with more obedience and solemnity be observed then indeed of late they are It is true here and in other Cities and populous places there is haply lesse cause to complain But who can without sorrow and shame behold in our Countrey towns men so unapprehensive either of their brethrens sufferings or of their own sins and dangers as to give God quite over to let him rest that they themselvs may work to come in truth to Iehorams resolution Why should we wait upon God any longer to grudge their brethrens and their own souls and safeties one day in thirty and to tell all the world that indeed their daies work is of more value with them then their dayes worship multitudes drudging and moyling in the earth while their brethren are mourning and besieging of heaven I do but name it and proceed The second part of the Institution was the particular form suggested unto them according unto which their addresses unto God are to be regulated which consisteth of two parts a prayer and a promise The prayer is for two Benefits the one Remove all of sin the other Conferring of Good In the promise or Restipulation we have first their Covenant wherein they promise two things 1. Thanksgiving for the hearing and answering of their prayers 2. A speciall care for the Amendment of their lives Secondly the Ground of their Confidence so to pray and of their Resolutions so to promise Because in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy My meditations will bee confined within the
in this place under severall considerations for we may consider it I. Ut materiam pacti as the matter of a Covenant or compact which we promise to render unto God in acknowledgment of his great mercy in answering the prayers which we put up unto him for pardon and grace It is observable that most of those Psalmes wherein David imploreth helpe from God are closed with thanksgiving unto him as Psal. 7.17.13 6.56 12 13 57 7 10 c. David thus by an holy craft insinuating into Gods favour and driving a trade between earth heaven receiving and returning importing one commodity transporting another letting God know that his mercies shall not be lost that as he bestows the comforts of them upon him so he would returne the praises of them unto heaven again Those CounCountries that have rich staple commodities to exchange and return unto others have usually th freest and fullest trafick and resort of trade made unto them Now there is no such rich return from earth to heaven as praises This is indeed the onely tribute we can pay unto God to value and to celebrate his goodnesse towards us As in the fluxe and refluxe of the sea the water that in the one comes from the sea unto the shore doth in the other but run back into it self again so praises are as it were the returne of mercies into themselves or into that bosom and fountain of Gods love from whence they flowed And therefore the richer any heart is in praises the more speedy copious are the returnes of mercy unto it God hath so ordered the creatures amongst themselves that there is a kinde of naturall confederacy and mutuall negotiation amongst them each one receiving and returning deriving unto others drawing from others what serves most for the conservation of them all and every thing by various interchanges and vicissitudes flowing backe into the originall from whence it came thereby teaching the souls of men to maintain the like spirituall commerce confederacie with heaven to have all the passages between them and it open and unobstructed that the mercies which they receive from thence may not be kept under and imprisoned in unthankfulnesse but may have a free way in daily praises to return to their fountain again Thus Noah after his deliverance from the flood built an Altar on which to sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving that aâ— his family by the Ark was preserved from perishing so the memory of so great a mercy might in like manner by the Altar be preserved too Gen. 8.20 So Abraham after a weary journey being comforted with Gods gracious appearing and manifestation of himself unto him built an Altar and called on the Name of the Lord Gen. 12.7 and after another journey out of Egypt was not forgetfull to returne unto that place againe Gen. 13.4 Gods presence drawing forth his praises as the returne of the Sun in a spring and summer causeth the earth to thrust forth her fruits and flowers that they may as it were meet do homage to the fountain of their beauty If Hezekiah may be delivered from death Isa. 38.20 If David from guilt Psal. 51.14 they promise to sing aloud of so great mercy and to take others into the consort I will teach transgressours thy way and we will sing upon the stringed instruments Guilt stops the mouth and makes it speechlesse Matth. 22.12 that it cannot answer for one of a thousand sins nor acknowledge one of a thousand mercies When Iacob begged Gods blessing on him in his journy he vowed a vow of obedience and thankfulnesse to the Lord seconding Gods promises of mercy with his promises of praise and answering all the parts thereof If God will be with me and keep me I will be his and he shall be mine If he single out me and my seed to set us up as marks for his Angels to descend unto with protection and mercy and will indeed give this Land to us and returne me unto my fathers house then this stone which I have set up for a pillar monument shall be Gods house for me and my seed to praise him in and accordingly we finde he built an Altar there and changed the name of that place calling it the House of God and God the God of Bethel And lastly if God indeed will not leave nor forsake me but will give so rich a land as this unto me I will surely return a homage back and of his own I will give the tenth unto him againe So punctuall is this holy man to restipulate for each distinct promise a distinct praise and to take the quality of his vows from the quality of Gods mercies Gen. 28. v. 20.22 compared with v. 13.15 Gen. 35.6.7.14 15. Lastly Ionah out of the belly of Hell cries unto God and voweth a vow unto him that he would sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving and tell all ages that salvation is of the Lord Ionah 2.9 Thus we may consider praises as the matter of the Churches Covenant II. Ut fructum poenitentiae as a fruit of true repentance and deliverance from sin When sin is taken away when grace is obtained then indeed is a man in a right disposition to give praises unto God When we are brought out of a wildernesse into Canaan Deut 8.10 out of Babylon unto Sion Jer. 30.18.19 then saith the Prophet Out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry c. When Israel had passed thorow the red Sea and saw the Egyptians dead on the shore the great type of our deliverance from sin death and Satan then they sing that triumphant Song Moses and the men singing the Song and Miriam and the women answering them and repeating over again the burden of the Song Sing to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his rider hath he thrown into the Sea Exod. 15.1.20.21 When a poore soule hath been with Ionah in the midst of the seas compassed with the floods closed in with the depths brought downe to the bottom of the mountaines wrapt about head and heart and all over with the weeds and locked up with the bars of sin and death when it hath felt the weight of a guilty conscience and been terrified with the fearful expectation of an approaching curse lying as it were at the pits brinke within the smoak of hell within the smell of that brimstone and scorchings of that unquenchable fire which is kindled for the divel and his angels and is then by a more bottomles unsearchable mercy brought unto dry land snatched as a brand out of the fire translated unto a glorious condition from a Law to a Gospel from a cuâ—se to a Crown from damnation to an inheritance from a slave to a Sonne then then onely never till then is that soul in a fit disposition to sing praises unto God when God hath forgiven all a mans iniquities and
were much greater The not using of mercies is the being unthankfull for them And it is an heavie account which men must give for abused mercies Deut. 32.6 Amos 2.9.13 Luke 13 7. Heb. 6.7 Sins against mercy and under mercy are the first ripe fruâ—â— when the Sun shines hottest the fruits ripen fastest Amos 8.1.2 Ier. 1.11.12 God doth not beare so long with the provocations of a Church as of those that are not a people the sins of the Amorites were longer in ripening then the sins of Israel When judgement is abroad it will begin at the House of God II. We should be so much the more earnestly pressed unto this by how much it is the greater evidence of our conversion unto God and by how much more apt we are to call for mercies when we want them then with the Leper to returne praises when we do enjoy them Ten cried to be healed but there was but one that returned glory to God Vessels will sound when they are empty fill them and they are presently dumb When we want merâ—cies then with Pharaoh wee cry out for pardon for peace for supplies for deliverances but when prayers are answered and our turne served how few remember the method which God prescribes Call on me in the day of trouble I will hear thee and thâ—n shalt glorifie me Psal. 50.15 yea how many like Swine trample on the meat that feeds them and tread under foot the mercies that preserve them How many are so greedily intent upon the things they desire that they cannot see nor value the things they enjoy Omniâ— festinatio caeca est It is noted even of good King Hezekiah that he did not render according to the benefits which he had received 2 Chron. 32.25 Therefore we should be exhorted in our prayers for pardon and grace to do as the Church here doth to promise the Sacrifices of Thankfulnesse and obediene not as a price to purchase mercy for our good extends not unto God Psal. 16.2 but as a tye and obligation upon our selves to acknowledge and return the praise of mercy to him that gives it And this the Apostle exhorteth us unto that our requests should be made known unto God not onely with prayer and supplication but with Thankesgiving Phil. 4.6 1 Thess. 5. 17.18 1 Tim. 2.1 which we finde to have been his own practice Eph. 3 14.20.21 We should keep a Catalogue of Gods mercies to quicken us unto dutie as well as a Catalogue of our own sins to make us cry for mercy And unto this duty of Thanksgiving we may be excited I. By the consideration of Gods greatnesse Great is the Lord and therefore greatly to be praised Psal. 145.3 The praises of God should be according to his Name Ps. 48.10 Ps. 96.8 All things were made for no other end but to return glory to him that made them Because al things are of him therfore all must be to him Ro. 11.36 And this the very Figure of the world teacheth us For a Circular line ends where it began and returns back into its originall point by that means strengthning and preserving it self For things are usually strongest when nearest their originall and the more remote from that the weaker they grow As a tree is strongest at the root and a branch or bough next the trunk or stock and the further out it grows from thence the smaller and weâ—ker it grows too and the further it is from the originall of its being the nearer it is unto not Being So all creatures are hereby taught both for preservation of that being they have for supply of what perfections they want and in both for the setting forth of the greatnesse of their Maker out of whose infinite Being all finite beings are sustained perfected to run back unto God for whose sake they are and have been created Rivers come from the Sea and therefore run back into the Sea again The trees receive sap from the earth and within a while pay it back in those leaves that fall down to the earth again Now as God hath made all creatures thus to shew forth the glory of his greatnes so he will have them do it by these Principles and in that maner of working which he hath planted in them Inanimate and meere naturall creaâ—ures are bid to praise the Lord Psal. 148.8.9 but this â—hey do blindly and ignorantly like the arrow which flies toward the marke but understandeth not its own motion being directed thither by an understanding without and above it self And thus when every thing by the naturall weight and inclination of its own form moveth to the place where it may be preserved or draweth to it those further degrees of perfection whereby it may be improved and have more of being communicated to it it may truly be said to praise the Lord in that it obeyeth the Law which he planted in it and is by his wise providence carried back towards him to derive its conservation perfection from the same fountain from whence it s Being did proceed But now reasonable creatures being by God enriched with Internall knowledge and that knowledge in his Church exceedingly raised by his manifestation of himself as their utteâ—most blessednesse in the Word unto them He therefore requires that we should worke actively and with intention of the End for which he made us guiding all our aimes and inclinations towards his glory by that internall knowledge of his Excellency which he hath implanted in us and revealed to us And indeed all other creatures are in this sense said to glorifie God because the infinite power wisdom goodnesse and perfection of God which are in their beings and workings so notably relucent do become the object of reasonable creatures to contemplate upon and by that means draw forth admiration and adoration of him II. By the consideration of Gods goodnesse He deserves it at our hands He gives more to us then we are able to render unto him The Sun shines on the Moon with his own glorious light the Moon retâ—rns but a 〈◊〉 spotted light upon the world We can return nothing unto God but that which is his own 1 Chro. 29.16 and it goes not with that purity from us as it came unto us We cannot send forth a thought round about us but it wâ—ll returne with a report of mercy and that mercy calls for a returne of praise But above all the goodnesse of God mentioned in the text Taking away iniquity and receiving graciously this calls for the Calvâ—s of the lips to be offered as in the new Moons with Trumpets and solemnity Num 10.10 The beams of the Sun the more directly they fall on the body of the Moone doe fill it with the more abundant light so the more copious and notable Gods mercies are unto us the more enlarged should our praises be unto him Therefore true Penitents that have more tasted of mercy are more obliged unto thanksgiving Psal.
Thus we have taken a view of the Patient Sick weake pained consumed deformed wounded and sore bruised without power or help at home without friends abroad no sense of danger no desire of change patient of his disease impatient of his cure but one meanes in the world to helpe him and he unable to procure it and being offered to him unwilling to entertaine it who can expect after all this but to hear the knell ring and to see the grave opened for such a sick person as this Now let us take a view of the Physician Surely an ordinary one would be so farre from visiting such a Patient that in so desperate a condition as this he would quite forsake him As their use is to leave their Patients when they lie a dying Here then observe the singular goodnesse of this physician First though other Physicians judge of the disease when it is brought unto them yet the Patient first feels it and complaines of it himselfe but this Physician giveth the Patient the very feeling of his disease and is faine to take notice of that as well as to minister the cure He went on frowardly in the way of his heart saith the Lord and pleased himself in his owne ill condition I have seene his way and will heale him Isay. 57 17.18 Secondly other Patients send for the Physician and use many intreaties to be visited and undertaken by him Here the Physician comes unsent for and intreates the sick person to be healed The world is undone by falling off from God and yet God is the first that begins the reconciliation and the stick of it is â—n the world and not in him and therefore there is a great Emphasis in the Apostles expression God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not himself unto the world He intreats us to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.19.20 He is found of them that sought him not Isai. 65.1 and his office is not onely to save but to seeke that which was lost Thirdly other Physicians are well used and entertained with respect and honour but our Patient here neglects and misuseth his Physician falls from him betakes himself unto Mountebanks and Physicians of no value yet he insists on his mercy and comes when he is forsaken when he is repelled I have spread out my hands all the day unto a Rebellious people Isai. 65.2 Fourthly other Physicians have usually ample and honourable rewards for the attendance they give but this Physician comes onely out of love heales freely nay is bountifull to his Patient doth not onely heale him but bestows gifts upon him gives the visit gives the physick sends the ministers and servants who watch keep the Patient Lastly other Physicians prescribe a bitter potion for the sick person to take this Physician drinketh of the bitterest himself others prescribe the sore to be launced this Physician is wounded and smitten himself others order the Patient to bleed here the physician bleeds himselfe yea he is not onely the Physician but the Physick and gives himselfe his own flesh his own blood for a purgative a cordiall a plaister to the soul of his Patient Dies himselfe that his Patient may live and by his stripes we are healed Isai. 53.5 We should from all this learne First to admire the unsearchable Riches of the mercy of our God who is pleased in our misery to prevent us with goodnesse and when we neither felt our disease nor desired a remedy is pleased to convince us of our sinnes Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity To invite us to repentance O Israel returne unto the Lord thy God To put words into our mouth and to draw our petition for us Take with you words and say unto him take away all iniquity c. To furnish us with arguments we are fatherlesse thou art mercifull To incourage us with promises I will heale I will love To give us his Ministers to proclaime and his Spirit to apply these mercies unto us If he did not convince us that iniquity would be a downfall and a ruine unto us Ezek. 18.30 we should hold it fast and be pleased with our disease like a mad man that quarrels with his cure and had rather continue mad then be healed Ioh. 3.19 20 21. If being convinced he did not invite us to repentance we should run away from him as Adam did No man loves to be in the company of an Enemy much lesse when that enemy is a Iudge They have turned their back unto me and not their face Jer. 2.27 Adam will hide himselfe from the presence of the Lord Gen. 3.8 and Cain will goe out from the presence of the Lord Gen. 4.16 Guilt cannot looke upon Majestie stubble dares not come neere the fire If we be in our sins we cannot stand before God Ezra 9.15 If being invited he did not put words into our mouthes we should not know what to say unto him We know not wherwith to come before the Lord or to bow before the high God if he do not shew us what is good Mic. 6.6 8. Where God is the Judge who cannot be mocked or deceived who knoweth all things and if our heart condemne us he is greater then our heart and where ever we hide can finde us out and make our sinne to finde us too Gal. 6.7 1 Iohn 3.20 Num. 32.23 where I say this God is the Judge there guilt stoppeth the mouth maketh the sinner speechlesse Matth. 22.12 Rom. 3.19 Nay the best of us know not what to pray as we ought except the Spirit be pleased to help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 When we are taught what to say If God do not withdraw his anger we shall never be able to reason with him Iob. 9.13 14. Withdraw thine hand from me let not thy dread make me afraide then I will answer then I will speak Job 13.21 22. If he doe not reveal mercie if he doe not promise love or healing if he do not make it appeare that he is a God that heareth prayers flesh will not dare to come neere unto him 2. Sam. 7.27 We can never pray till we can cry Abba father we can never call unto him but in the multitude of his mercies As the earth is shut and bound up by frost and cold and putteth not forth her pretious fruits till the warmth and heat of the Summer call them out so the heart under the cold affections of feare and guilt under the darke apprehensions of wrath and judgement is so contracted that it knows not to draw neere to God but when mercie shines when the love of God is shed abroade in it then also is the heart it selfe shed abroade and enlarged to powre out it self unto God Even when distressed sinners pray their prayer proceeds from apprehensions of mercy for prayer is the childe of faith Rom. 10.14 Iaâ— 5.15 and the object of faith is mercy Secondly The way to prize this mercie is to grow
conversion unto him our greatest businesse And I doe verily believe that England must never thinke of outliving or breaking thorow this anger of God this criticall judgement that is upon it so as to returne to that cold and formall complexion that Laodicean temper that she was in before till she have so publickly and generally repented of all those civill disorders which removed the bounds and brought dissipation upon publick justice and of all those Ecclesiasticall disorders whch let in corruptions in doctrine superstions in worship abuses in Government discountenancing of the power of godlinesse in the most zealous Professors of it as that our Reformation may be as conspicuous as our disorders have beene and it may appeare to all the world that God hath washed away the filth and purged the blood of England from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Iudgement and by the Spirit of burning Secondly That Gods love is the true ground of removing Judgements in mercie from a people Let all Humane counsells be never so deep and armies never so active and cares never so vigilant and Instruments never so unanimous if Gods love come not in nothing of all these can doe a Nation any good at all Those that are most interested in Gods love shall certainly be most secured against his Judgements Hither our eyes our prayers our thoughts must be directed Lord love us delight in us choose us for thy selfe and then though Counsells and treasures and armies and men and horses and all second causes faile us though Sathan rage and hell threaten and the foundations of the earth be shaken though neither the Vine nor the Olive nor the figg-tree nor the field nor the pastures nor the heards nor the stay yeeld any supplies yet we will rejoyce in the Lord and glory in the God of our Salvation sinne shall be healed anger shall be removed nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. THE FIFTH SERMON HOSEA Chap. 14. ver 5.6 7. 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his reâ—ts as Lebanon 6. His branches shall spread and his beautie shall be as the Olive Tree and his smell as Lebanon 7. They that dwell under his shadow shall returne They shall revive as the Corne and grow as the Vine the sent thereof shall bee as the wine of Lebanon c. IN these verses is contained â—ods answer unto the second part of Israels petition wherein they desired him to doe them good or to receive them graciously And here God promiseth them severall singular blessings set forth by severall metaphorâ— and similitudes all answering to the name of Ephraim and the ancient promises made unto him Deu. 33.13 17. c. opposite to the many contrary courses threatned in the former parts of the Prophecy under metaphors of a contary importance Here is the dew of grace contrary to the morning cloud the earthly dew that passeth away Cap. 13.3 Lillies Olives Vines Spices contrary to the Judgments of Nettles Thornes Thistles chap. 9 16.10.8 Spreading roots contrary unto dry roots chap. 9.16 A fruitfull vine bringing forth excellent wine contrary to an empty Vine bringing fruit only to it selfe that is so sowre and usavory as is not worth the gathering chap. 10.1 Corne growing instead of corne taken quite away chap. 2.9 instead of no staulk no bud no meale chap. 8.7 Fruit promised in stead of no fruit threatned chap. 9.16 Wine promised in opposition to the failing of wine Chap. 9.2.2.9 Sweet wine opposite to sowre drinke Chap. 4.18 Safe dwelling in stead of no dwelling Chap. 9.3 Branches growing and spreading instead of branches consumed Chap. 11.6 Green trees instead of Dry springs Chap. 13.15 And all these fruits the fruits as of Lebanon which was of all other parts of that Country the most fertill Mountaine full of various kindes of the most excellent Trees Cedars Cypresse Olive and divers others affording rich gummes and balsomes full also of all kinds of the most medicinall and aromatick herbs sending forth a most fragrant odour whereby all harmfull and venemous Creatures were driven from harboring there And in the Vallies of that Mountaine were most rich grounds for Pasture Corne and Vineyards as the Learned in their descriptions of the holy Land have observed The Originall of all these blessings is the heavenly dew of Gods grace and favour alluding to that abundance of dew which fell on that Mouniaine descending upon the Church as upon a garden bringing forth Lillies as upon a Forrest strengthning the Cedars as upon a Vineyard spreading abroad the branches as upon an Olive yard making the trees thereof green and fruitfull and as on a rich field receiving the Corne. Here is spirituall beautie the beautie of the Lillie exceeding that of Solomon in all his glory spirituall stabilitie the rootes of the Cedars and other goodly trees in that mountaine spirituall odors and spices of Lebanon spirituall fruitfulnesse and that of all sorts and kinds for the comfort of life The fruit of the field bread to strengthen the fruit of the Olive trees oyle to refresh the fruit of the Vineyard wine to make glad the heart of man Psal. 104.15 Wee esteeme him a very rich man and most excellently accommodated who hath gardens for pleasure and fields for corne and pasture and woods for fuell for structure for defence for beautie and delight and Vineyards for wine and oyle and all other conveniencies both for the necessities and delights of a plentifull life Thus is the church here set forth unto us as such a wealthy man furnished with the unsearchable riches of Christ with all kinde of blessings both for sanctity and safety as the Apostle praiseth God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ viz. Election to eternall life adoption to the condition of sonnes and to a glorious inheritance redemption from misery unto blessednesse remission of sinnes knowledge of his will holinesse and unblameablenesse of life and the seale of the Holy Spirit of Promise as we find them particularly enumerated Ephe. 1.3 13. The words thus opened doe first afford us one generall Observation in that God singleth out so many excellent good things by name in relation to that generall petition Doe us good That God many times answereth prayer abundantly beyond the petitions of his people They prayed at large only for good leaving it as it becommeth us who know not alwayes what is good for our selves to his holy will and wisedome in what manner and measure to doe good unto them And he answers them in particular with all kinde of good things As in the former petition they prayed in generall for the forgivenesse of sinne and God in particular promiseth the healing of their Rebellions which was the greatest of their sinnes God many times answers the
answers him farre beyond his petition assuring him that the same very day he should be with him in Paradise Luk. 23.42 43. The poore man at the gate of the Temple beg'd for nothing of Peter and Iohn but a small alms but they gave him an answer to his request far more worth then any other alms could be namely such an alms as caused him to stand in need of alms no longer restored him in the name of Christ unto sound strength that he walked and leaped and praised God Act. 3.6 In like manner doth God answer the prayers of his people not alwayes it may be in the kinde and to the expresse will of him that asketh but for the letâ—er and consequently more to his will then himself expressed Secondly This should encourage us in prayer to begge for an answer not according to the defect and narrownesse of our owâ— lowe conceptions but according to the fulnesse of Gods own abundant mercies It would not please one of us if a beggar should ask of us gold or jewels silke or dainties wee would esteeme such a petitioner fuller of pride and impudence then of want But God delights to have his people begge great things of him to implore the performance of exceeding great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1. â— to pâ—â—y for a share in the unsearchable riches of Christ to know things which passe knowledge and to be filled with the â—ulnesse of God Ephes. 3.8 18 16 to ask things which eye hath not seen nor eâ—re heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive 1 Cor. 2.9 to ask not as beggers onely for an Almes but as children for an inheritance Rom. 8.15 17 â—3 Gal. 4.6 7. not to ask some thing or a few things but in every thing to lâ—t our requests be made known unto God Phil. 4.6 because with Christ he giveth us freely all things Rom. 8 3â— even all things richly to enjoy 1 Tim. 6. â—7 As Alexander the Great was well pleased with Anaxarchus the Philosopher when he desired an hundred talents of his Treasurer He doth well sâ—ith he in asking it and understands his friend aright who hath one both able and willing to give him so great a gift God allows his children a spirituall and heavenly ambition to covet earnestly the best gifts 1 Cor. 12.31 to aspire unto a kingdome and accordingly to put up great and honourable requests unto him To think what great things Christ hath purchased what great things God hath promised and proposed to us and to regulate our prayers more by the merits and riches of Christ and by the greatnesse of Gods mercies then by those apprehensions which we cannot but have of our own unworthinesse Now next from the particulars of the Text thoguh many particular observations might be raised yet I shall reduce them unto one generall which may comprehend the particulars namely That whom God loves and pardons upon them he powreth forth the benediction of his grace and spirit as the dew of heaven to quicken them unto an holy and fruitfull conversation The generall promises nakedly set down before I will heale I will love are here further amplified by many excellent metaphors and elegant figures which are nine in number multiplyed into so many particulars partly because of the difficulty of the promise to be believed which is therefore severally inculcated and represented Partly because of the dejectednesse of the people under the variety of their former sufferings who are therefore by variety of mercies to be raised up and revived and partly to represent the perfection and compleatnesse of the blessings intended which should be of all sorts and to all purposes and the foundation of all the rest is this that God promiseth to be as the dew unto Israel For Ephraim having been cursed with much drouth and barrennesse now when God blesseth him again he promiseth to be unto him as dew is to the weary and thirsty ground which so refresheth it that the fruits thereof doe grow and flourish againe Lillies flowers trees vines corne are very apt especially in such hot Countreys as Iudea without much refrewing dew and showres from heaven to dry up and wither away so would Ephraim have been quite consumed by the heavie wrath of God if he should not with the supplies of his grace and holy spirit and with his heavenly refreshments and loving countenance revive them againe Dew in the naturall signification of it importeth a comforting refreshing encouraging and calling forth the fruits of the earth as being of a gentle insinuating vertue which leasurely soaketh into the ground and in that sense is mentioned as a blessing Gen. 28.39 In the mysticall and spirituall sense of it it signifieth Christ Psal. 72.6 who by his holy word and heavenly grace dropping down and distilling upon the souls of men Deut. 32.2 Iob 29.22 23. by his princely favour and loving countenance which is as a cloud of the latter rain Prov. 16.15.19 12. by his heavenly righteousnesse and most spirituall efficacy Isa. 26.19.45.8 doth to quicken vegitate and revive the hearts of men that they like dew from the womb of the morning are borne in great abundance unto him as multitudes of men and believers use to be expressed in the Scripture by drops of dew Psal. 110.3 Mich. 5.7 In one word That which dew is to the fields gâ—rdens vineyards flowers fruits of the earth after an hot and a scorching day That the favour word grace loving countenance holy Spirit of Christ will be to the drooping and afflicted consciences of his people From this metaphor then we learn 1. That we are naturally dry barren fruitlesse and utterly unable to do any good to bring forth any fruit unto God like an heathy and parched lâ—nd subject to the scorching terrors of the wrath of God and to his burning indignation So Christ compares Ierusalem unto a dry withered tree fitted unto judgement Luk. 23.31 And hee assureth us that out of him we can do nothing Iohn 15.4.5 In us of our selves there dwelleth nâ— good thing Rom. 7.18 we are not of our selves as of our selves sufficient unto any thing 2 Cor. 3.5 He is the Sun that healeth us Mal. 4.2 he the rain that disposeth us Psal. 72.6 he the root that deriveth life and nourishment upon us Revel 22.16 As naturall so much more spirituall fruitfulnesse hath its ultimate resolution into him who alone is the father of the raine and begetteth the drops of dew Hos. 2.21.22 Iob. 38.28 2. That the grace of God is like dew to the barren and parched hearts of men to make them fruitfull And there are many things wherein the proportion and resemblance stands First None can give it but God It comes from above it is of a celestiall originall the nativity thereof is from the wombe of the morning Are there any amongst the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause raine or can the heavens give showres Art not thou he
to kill we doe first preferre unto some fat pasture And sometimes God gives over punishing not in mercy but in fury leaving men to goe on quietly in their owne hearts lusts that they who are filthy may be filthy still Psal. 81.12 Hos. 4.14.17 Esay 1.5 Ezek. 24.13 God was exceeding angry with Israel when hee gave them their hearts desire and sent them Quailes Num. 11.32.33 Many men get their wills from Gods anger by murmuring as others doe theirs from his mercy by prayer but then there comes a curse along with it Now therefore when our own sword doth devour us when our Land is through the wrath of the Lord of hoasts so darkened that the people thereof are as fuell of the fire no man sparing his brother every man eating the flesh of his owne arme it is the sad character which the Prophet gives of a Civill Warre Esay 9.19 20. Let us take heed of Gods complaint In vaine have I smitten your Children they receive no correction Ier. 2.30 Let us make it our businesse to recover God It is he that causeth Warres to cease in the earth Psal. 46.10 And it is he who powreth out upon men the strength of battell and giveth them over to the spoylers Esay 42.24 25. A sinfull Nation gaines nothing by any humane Treaties policies counsels contributions till by repentance they secure their interest in God and make him on their side God being prevailed with by Moses in behalfe of Israel after the horrible provocation of the Golden Calfe sends a message to them I will send an Angell before thee and will drive out the Canaanite And presently it followes when the people heard these evill tidings they mourned Exod. 33.2 3 4. What were these evill tidings To have an Angel to protect and lead them to have their enemies vanquished to have possession of a land flowing with milk and honey was there any thing lamentable in all this yes To have all this and much more and not to have God and his presence was heavy tidings unto Gods people And therefore Moses never gave God over till he promised them his own presence again with which he chose rather to stay in a wildernesse then without it to goe into the land of Canaan If thy presence goe not along carry us not up hence Exod. 33.13 14 15. Secondly we should from hence learne whatever our spirituall wants are to looke up to heaven for a supply of them Neither gardens nor woods nor vineyards nor fieldes nor flowers nor trees nor corne nor spices will flourish or revive without the Dew and concurrence of heavenly grace Christ alone is all in all unto his Church though the instruments be earthly yet the vertue which gives successe unto them comes from heaven 1. The beauty of the Lillies or as the Prophet David cals it the beauty of holinesse ariseth from the Dew of the morning Psal. 110.3 He is the ornament the attire the comelinesse of his Spouse For his people to forget him is for a mayd to forget her ornaments or a spouse her attire Ier. 2.32 The perfect beauty of the Church is that comelinesse of his which he communicates unto her Ezek. 16.14 Of our selves we are wretched miserable poore naked our gold our riches our white rayment we must buy of him Revel 3.18 He is the Lord our righteousnesse whom therefore we are said to put on Rom. 1â— 14 He hath made us Kings and Priests unto our God Rev. 5.10 and being such he hath provided beautifull Robes for us as once he appointed for the Priests Exod. 28.2 Revel 4.4.6.11.7.9 This spirituall beauty of holinesse in Christs Church is sometimes compared to the marriage ornaments of a Queen Psal. 45 14. Revel 18.7 8.21.2 Sometimes to the choyce flowers of a garden Roses and Lillies Cant. 2.1.2 Sometimes to a most glorious and goodly Structure Rev. 21.11.23 Sometimes to the shining forth of the Moone and the brightnesse of the Sunne Cant. 6.10 Revel 12.1 All the united excellences of the creatures are too low to adumbrate and figure the glories of the Church 2. The root and stability of the Church is in and from him he is the root of David Revel 5.5 Except he dwell in us we cannot be rooted nor grounded Eph. 3.17 All our strength and sufficiency is from him Phil. 4.13 Eph. 6.10 1. Pet. 5.10 The graft is supported by another root and not by its owne This is the reason of the stability of the Church because it is founded upon a Rock Matth. 16.18 not upon Peter but upon him whom Peter confessed upon the Apostles onely Doctrinally but upon Christ personally as the chiefe corner stone elect and precious in whom whosoever beleeveth shall not be confounded or by failing in his confidence be any wayes disapointed and put to shame Eph. 2.20 21. 1 Pet. 2.6 This is the difference between the righteousnesse of Creation and the righteousnesse of Redemtpion the state of the world in Adam and the state of the Church in Christ. Adam had his righteousnesse in his own keeping and therefore when the power of hell set upon him he tell from his stedfastnesse there was no promise given unto him that the gates of Hell should not prevaile against him being of an earthly constitution he had corruptibility mutability infirmity belonging unto him out of the principles of his being But Christ the second Adam is the Lord from Heaven over whom death hath no claime nor power and the righteousnesse and stability of the Church is founded and hath its originall in him The powers of darknesse must be able to evacuate the vertue of his Sacrifice to stop Gods eares unto his intercession to repell and keep back the supplies and influences of his spirit to keep or recover profession against his ejectment in one word to kill him againe and to thrust him away from the right hand of the Majesty on high before ever they can blow downe or overturne his Church As Plato compared a man so may wee the Church unto a tree inverted with the root above and the branches below And the root of this tree doth not only serve to give life to the branches while they abide in it but to hold them fast that none can be able to cut them off Ioh. 10.28 29. 3 The growth and spreading abroad the branches of the Church is from him whose name is the branch Esay 11.1 Zach. 3.8 Unto him are all the ends of the Earth given for a possession and all the Kingdomes of the world are to be the Lords and his Christs In regard of his first dispensation towards Israel Gods first born so the Land of Canaan is peculiarly called Immanuels Land Esay 8.8 But in regard of his latter dispensation when he sent the rod of his strength out of Sion and went forth Conquering and to conquer and gave commission to preach the Gospell unto every creature So the whole world is now under the
Gospell become Immanuels Land and he is King of all the Earth Psal. 47.7 King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 Gentiles come in to the light of his Church and Kings to the brightnesse of her rising and the Nation and Kingdome that will not serve her shall perish c. Esay 60.3.12 Now every Countrey is Canaan and every Christian Church the Israel of God and every regenerate person borne in Sion and every spirituall worshipper the Circumcision now Christ is crucified in Galaâ—ia and a Passeover eaten in Corinth and Mâ—nna fed on in Pergamus and an Altar set up in Egypt and Gentiles Sacrificed and stones made children unto Abraham and Temples unto God See Ioh. 4.21 Mal. 1.11 Zeph. 2.11 Gal. 6.16 Esay 44.5 Esay 14.1 Zach. 8.23 Rom. 2.29 Psal. 87.4 5. Phil. 3.3 Col. 2.11 Gal. 3.1 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Revel 2.17 Esay 19.19 21.23 Rom. 15.16 Luk. 3.8 Eph 2.11 In Christs former dispensation the Church was only Nationall amongst the Iewes but in his latter dispensation it is Oecumenicall and universall over all the world a spreading tree under the shadow of the branches whereof shall dwell the foule of every wing Ezek. 17.23 4. The Graces of the holy spirit wherewith the Church is annoynted are from him He is the Olive tree which emptieth the golden oyle out of himselfe Zach. 4. â—2 Of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace Ioh. 1.16 with the same spirit are we anoynted animated by the same life regenerated to the same nature renewed unto the same image reserved unto the same inheritance dignified in some respect with the same Offices made Priests to offer spirituall Sacrifices and Kings to subdue spirituall enemies and Prophets to receive teaching from God and to have a duplicate of his law written in our hearts 2 Cor. 1.21 Ioh. 14.19 1 Cor. 15.48 49. Rom. 8.17 1 Pet. 2 5. Revâ—l 1.6 Ioh. 6.45 Ier. 31.33 5. The sweet perfume and scent or smell of Lebanon which ariseth out of holy duties the grace which droppeth from the lips of his people the spirituall incense which ariseth out of their prayers the sweet savour of the Gospell which spreadeth it selfe abroad in the ministry of his word and in the lives of his servants they have all their original in him and from his heavenly dew Of our selves without him as we are altogether stinking and unclean Psal. 14 3. Prov. 13.5 so we defile every holy thing which we meddle with Hag. 2 13 14. Prov. 28.9 Esay 1.11.15 insomuch that God is said as it were to stop his nose that he may not smell them Amos 5.21 they are all of them as they come from us gall and wormwood and bitter clusters Deut. 29.18.32 32. But when the spirit of Christ bloweth upon us and his grace is poured into our hearts and lips then the spices flow out Cant. 4.16 Then prayer goes up like incense and sweet odours Revel 5.8 then instead of corrupt rotten contagious communication our discourses tend to edifying and minister grace to the hearers Eph. 4.29 then the Savour of the knowledge of Christ manifested it selfe in the mouthes and lives of his servants in every place where they come 2 Cor. 12.4 6. The shadow and refreshment the refuge and shelter of the Church against storme and tempest against raine and heat against all trouble and persecution is from him alone He is the onely defence and covering that is over the Assemblies and glory of Sion Esay 4.5 The name of the Lord is a strong Tower unto which the righteous flye and are safe Prov. 18.10 So the Lord promiseth when his people should be exiles from his Temple and scattered out of their own land that hee would himselfe bee a little Sanctuary unto them in the Countreys where they should come Ezek. 11.16 He is a dwelling place unto his Church in all conditions Psal. 90.1.91.1 2 a strength to the needy a refuge from the storme a shaddow from the heat an hiding place from the winde a covert from the Tempest a Chamber wherein to retire when indignation is kindled Esay 25.4.26.20.32.2 Every History of Gods power every Promise of his love every Observation and experience of his providence every comfort in his word the knowledge which we have of his name by faith and the knowledge which we have of it by experience are so many arguments to trust in him and so many hiding places to flie unto him against any trouble VVhat time I am affraid I will trust in thee Psa. 56.3 VVhy art thou cast down O my soule still trust in God Psal. 42.5 11. He hath delivered he doth deliver he will deliver 2 Cor. 1.10 Many times the children of God are reduced to such extremities that they have nothing to encourage themselves withall but their interest in him nothing to flye unto for hope but his Great name made known unto them by faith in his promises and by experience of his goodnesse power and providence This was Davids case at Ziklag 1 Sam. 30.6 and Israels at the red Sea Exod. 14.10 13. and Ionahs in the belly of the fish Ion. 2.4 7. and Pauls in the shipwrack Acts 27.20 25. God is never so much glorified by the faith of his servants as when they can hold up their trust in him against sight and sence and when reason saith thou art undone for all help sailes thee can answer in faith I am not undone for he said I will never faile thee nor forsake thee 7. The power which the Church hath to rise up above her pressures to outgrow her troubles to revive after lopping and harrowing to make use of affliction as a meanes to flourish againe all this is from him That in trouble we are not overwhelmed but can say with the Apostle As dying and behold we live as chastened and not killed as sorrowfull yet alwayes rejoycing as poore yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things like the corne wich dies and is quickned againe like the vine that is lopped and spreads againe all this is from him who is the Resurrection and the life Ioh. 11.25 who was that grain of wheat which dying and being cast into the ground did bring forth much fruit Ioh. 12.24 the branch which grew out of the rootes of Iesse when that goodly family was sunk so low as from David the King unto Ioseph the Carpenter Lastly as God is the Author of all these blessings unto his people so when he bestowes them he doth it in perfection the fruits which this dew produceth are the fruits of Lebanon the choycest and most excellent of any another If hee plant a Vineyard it shall be in a very fruitfull hill and with the choycest plants Esay 5.1 2. a noble Vine a right seed Ier. 2.21 When in any kinde of straights wee haue recourse to the Creature for supply either wee find it like our Saviours figg-tree without fruit or like our Prophets vine
makes the name smell better then sweet ointment Eccles. 7.1 Sixthly He promiseth That they who dwell under his shadow shall returne Which words admit of a double sense and so inferre a double promise and a double duâ—y first we may by an Hysteron Proteron understand the words thus when Israel have repented and are brought home to God again they shall then have security defence protection refreshment under the comforts of his grace against all the violence of temptation as a spreading tree doth afford a sweet shade unto the weary Traveller and shelter him from the injuries of the heat Iob 7.2 Isa. 4.6 Mich. 4.4 Zach. 3.10 Whereby is signified the secure quiet and comfortable condition of Gods people under the protection of his providenâ—e and promises And as he promiseth such a condition so should we in all troubles not trust in an arme of flesh or betake our selves to meer humane wisedome and carnall counsels which are too thinne shelters against Gods displeasure or the Enemies of the Church But we must flie unto him to hide us we must finde spirituall refreshment in his ordinances promises and providence get his wing to cover us and his presence to be a little sanctuary unto us and the joy of the Lord to be our strength Psal. 57.2 Psal. 91.1 Isa. 26.20 Nehem. 8.10 When the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the laâ—d for their iniquity when flood and fire storme and tempest the fury of anger the strength of battell are powred out upon a people when a destroying Angel is sent abroad with a Commission to kill and slâ—y Ezek. 9.5 6. when death the King of Terrours rideth up and down in triumph stripping men of treasures lands friends honours pleasures making them an house in darkness where Master and Servant Princes and Prisoners are all alike to have then an Ark with Noah a Zâ—ar with Lot a Goshâ—n in Egypt to have one arme of this Olive tree spread over us to have one promise out of Gods word one sentence from the mouth of Christ promising Paradise unto us is infinitely of more value to a languishiâ—g spirit then all the Diadems of the earth or the peculiar treasure of Princes 2. If we take the words in the order as they lye Then the mercy here promised is that when God shall restore and repaire his Church they who dwell under the comforts of it should return and be converted to the knowledge and obedience which should be there taught them when the branch of the Lord is beautifull and glorious and the fruit of the earth excellent and comely then he that remaineth in Ierusalem shall be called holy Isa. 4. â— 3. then every vessell in Iudah and Ierusalem shall be inscribed Holinesse unto the Lord Zach. 14.20 21. then the heart of the rash shall understand knowledge and the tongue of the slammerers shall speak plainly Isa. 3â— 2 â— 4. And this should bee the endeavour of every one who liveth under the shade of this tree under the puritie of Gods Ordinances under the pious government and constitution of such a Church or family as is here described especially in such times when on the one side the world is so much loosned and estranged from us and on the other side Reformation in the Church is so much desired to convert and turn unto the Lord. All endeavours of Reformation in a Church are miserably defective when they come short of this end which is the ultimate reason of them all namely the repentance and conversion of those that dwell undâ—â— the shadow of it When God promiseth to give unto his Church the glory of Lebanon and the excellency of Carmel and Sharon the consequence of this beauty and Reformation in the Church is The eyes of the blinde shall be opened the cares of the deafe shall be unstopped the lame shall leap the dumb shall sing the parched ground shall be a poole the thirâ—â—ie land springs of water Isa. 35.2 7. The Woolf the Leopard the Lion the Beare the Aspe the Cocatrice shall be so turned from the fiercenesse and malignity of their natures that they shall not hurt nor destroy in all the holy Mountain but a little childe shall lead them all Isa. 11.6 9. It is a great happiâ—esse and advantage to live under the shadâ— of a godly goverment many men have reason to blesse God all their dayes that they were in their childhood trained up in such a Schâ—ole where Piety was taught them as well as Learning where they had meanes as well of Conversion as of Institution That they lived in such a Family where the Master of it was of Ioshuahs minde I and my house will serve the Lord Iosh. 24.15 Salvation comes to a whole house when the governor thereof is converted Luk. 19.9 Act. 16.33 34. I shall never look upon a Church as Reformed to purpose till I finde Reformation work conversion till piety and charity and justice and mercy and truth and humility and gentlenesse and goodnesse and kindnes and meeknesse and singlenesse of heart and zeal for godlines and mutuall edification and the life and power of Religion are more conspicuous then before When thâ— very head-stone was brought forth and the last work in the building of the Temple â—as finished yet the people must then cry Grace grace unto it Zach. 4.7 intimating that Reformation is never indeed consummate till tâ—e blessing of God make it effectuall unto those uses for which it was by him appointed Church Reformation should be like Pauls Epistles which alwayes close in duties of obedience Seventhly he promiseth That they shall revive as the corne and grow as the vine in which two expâ—essions are set forth two excellent and wholsome consequents of Affliction 1. The Corne though it dye first and suffer much from frost hail snow tempest yet when the Spring comes it revives and breaks through it all so God promiseth to his Church in the saddest condition a Reviving againe and that it shall be brought forth into the Light Ezek. 37.12 Mic. 7.9 2. The Vine when it is pruned and lopped will not only Revive and spread againe but will bring forth the more fruit and cast forth the more fragrant smell so God promiseth unto his people not only a reviving out of their afflictions in which respect haply it was that Christ was buried in a Garden to note that death it selfe doth not destroy our bodies but only sow them the dew of Herbs will revive them again 1 Cor. 15.42 44. buâ— further a profiting by afflictions that we may say with David it was good for as when wee finde it bring forth the peaceable fruits of Righteousnesse after we have been exercised therein And as he promiseth these things so we should learn to turn these promises into prayer and into practise when we seem in our own eyes cast out of Gods sight yet we must not cast him out of our sight but as
into kisses Gen. 33.4 and when Saul hath compassed David and his men round about and is most likely to take them he can even then take him off by a necessary diversion 1 Sam. 23.26 27 28. This is the comfort of Gods people That what ever men say except God say it too it shall come all to nothing He can restraine the wrath of men whensoever it pleaseth him and he will doe it when it hath proceeded so farre as to glorifie his power and to make way for the more notable manifestation of his goodnesse to his people Psal. 76.10 And thus farre of Gods answer to the Covenant of Ephraim They promised to renounce Idols and here God promiseth that they should renounce them Now there are two things more to be observed from this expression What have I to doe any more with Idols 1. That in true Conversion God maketh our speciall sinne to be the object of our greatest detestation which point hath beene opened before 2. From those words any more That the nature of true repentance is To break sin off as the expression is Dan. 4.27 and not to suffer a man to continue any longer in it Rom. 6.1 â— It makes a man esteeme the time past sufficient to have wrought the will of the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4.2 3. and is exceeding thrifty of the time to come so to redeeme it as that God may have all doth not linger nor delay nor make objections or stick at inconveniences or raise doubts whether it be seasonable to goe out of Egypt and Sodome or no Is not at the sluggards language modo modo a little more sleepe a little more slumber nor at Agrippas language almost thou perswadest me nor at Felix his language when I have a convenient season I will send for thee but immediately resolves with Paul not to conferre with flesh and bloud Gal. 1.16 and makes haste to flie from the wrath to come while it is yet to come before it overtake us Luk. 3.7 doth not make anxious or cavilling questions What shall I doe for the hundred talents How shall I maintaine my life my credit my family how shall I keep my friends how shall I preserve mine Interests or support mine estate but ventures the losse of all for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Matth. 13.46 Phil. 3.7 8. is contented to part with a skie-full of Starrs for one Sunne of Righteousnesse The Converts that returne to Christ come like Dromedaries like Doves like Ships no wings no sailes can carry them fast enough from their former courses unto him Esa. 60.6 7 8 9. Abraham is up betimes in the morning though it be to the sacrificing of a Son Gen. 22.3 David makes haste and delayes not when he is to keepe Gods Commandements Psal. 119.60 when Christ called his Diciples immediately they left their nets their Ship their Father and followed him Matth. 4.20 22. This is the mighty power of Repentance It doth not give dilatory answers It doth not say to Christ goe away now and come to morow then I will heare thee I am not yet old enough or rich enough I have not gotten yet pleasure or honour or profit or perferment enough by my sinnes but presently it heares and entertaines him I have sinned enough already to condemn to shame to slay me I have spent time and strength enough already upon it for such miserable wages as shame and death come to Therefore I will never any more have to doe with it This is the sweet and most ingenuous voyce of Repentance The thing which I see not Teach me and if I have done iniquity I will doe no more Iob 34.32 There is no sinne more contrary to repentance then Apostacie for godly sorrow worketh Repentance unto salvation which the soule never findes reason to repent of 2 Cor. 7.10 11 Let us therefore take heed of an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God Heb. 3.12 and of drawing back unto perdition Heb. 10.39 of dismissing our sinnes as the Jewes did their servants Ier. 34.16 and calling them back again for Satan usually returnes with seven more wicked spirits and maketh the last state of such a man worse then the first Luk. 11.26 Ground which hath been a long time laid downe from tillage unto pasture if afterwards it bee new broken will bring a much greater crop of corne then it did formerly when it was a common field And so the heart which hath been taken off from sinne if it returne to it againe will bee much more fruitfull then before As lean bodies have many times the strongest appeâ—iâ—e so lust when it hath beene kept leane returnes with greater hunger unto those objects that seed it A streame which hath beene stopped will runne more violently being once opened againe Therefore in Repentance wee must shake hands with sinne for ever and resolve never more to tamper with it Now in that the Lord saith I have heard him and observed him we learne hence First That God heareth and answereth the prayers only of penitents When a man resolves I will have no more to do with sinne then not till then doth his prayer finde way to God Impenitencie clogs the wing of devotion and stops its passage unto Heaven The person must be accepted before the petition Christ Iesus is the Priest that offereth and the Altar which sanctifieth all our services 1 Pet. 2.5 Esay 56.7 And Christ will not be their Advocate in Heaven who refuse to have him their King on earth The Scripture is in no point more expresse then in this If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare me Psal. 66.18 Prayer is a powring out of the heart if iniquity be harboured there prayer is obstructed and if it doe break out it will have the sent and savour of that iniquity upon it The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 both because it is impure in it selfe and hath no Altar to sanctifie it He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be an abomination Prov. 28.9 Great reason that God should refuse to heare him who refuseth to heare God that hee who will not let God beseech him as hee doth in his word 2 Cor. 5.20 should not be allowed to beseech God Prov. 1.24.28 Esay 1.15 His eare is not heavie that it cannot heare but iniquitie separates between us and him and hides his face that he will not heare Esay 59.1 2. Ezek. 8.18 God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9.31 the prevalency of prayer is this that it is the prayer of a righteous man Iam. 5.16 And indeed no wicked man can pray in the true and proper notion of prayer It is true there is a kinde of prayer of nature when men cry in their distresses unto the God and Author of nature for such good things as nature feeleth the want of which God in the way of his generall providence