Scripture Instances 1. Scripture Emblems and among many I will upon this occasion single out two or three principal ones In Ezek. 5. 1 2 3. And thou son of 〈◊〉 take thee a sharp knife take thee a Barbers razoâ— and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard then take the balances to weigh and divide the hair thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the City when the days of the siege are fulfilled and thou shalt take a third part and smite about it with a knife and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind and I will draw out a sword after them Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number and bind them in thy skirts You find this truth shadowed out in this excellent Emblem Ierusalem the capital City is the head the numerous inhabitants are the hair the King of Babylon the Razor the weighing it in balances is the exactness of Gods procedure in Judgment with them the fire knife and wind are the various judgments to which the people were appointed the hiding of a few in the Prophets skirt is the care of God for the preservation of his own remnant in the common calamity this is one Emblem clearing this point And then in Ezek. 9. 3 4. the same truth is presented to us in another Emblem as lively and significant as the former And behold six men came from the way of the higher gate which lieth toward the north and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand and one among them was cloathed in linnen with a writers inkâ—orn by his side and they went in and stood before the brazen Altar and the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the Cherub whereupon he was to the threshold of his house and he called to the man cloathed with linnen which had the writers inkborn by his side And the Lord said unto him go through the midst of the City through the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof The men that had charge over the City are the Angels appointed for that Service some with slaughter weapons whose work it was to destroy but one among them had a writers inkhorn by his side and he was imployed to take the names and mark the persons of Gods faithful ones among them whom the Lord intended to preserve and hide in that common overthrow and desolation of the City and these were to be all marked man by man before the destroying Angel was to begin his bloudy work Oh see the tender care of God over his upright mourning servants Once more the same truth is represented in a third Emblem Mal. 3. 17. And they shall be mine saith the Lord in the day that I make up my jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Where the world is compared to an house on fire God to the master and father of the family the wicked to the useless lumber therein the Saints to the children and jewels in the house about these his first and principal care of preservation is exercised these he will be sure to save whatever become of the rest Thus you have the chosen Emblems that illustrate this comfortable truth 2. As these Scripture Emblems illustrate it so there are many excellent Scripture Promises to confirm it Isa. 32. 2. A man shall be for an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place This man is the man Christ Jesus the tempest spoken of are the miseries and calamities of War which make the land on which it talls an hot dry and weary land in the midst and rage whereof Christ shall be to his faithful ones a covert for protection a river of water for supply and a shadow for refreshment that is to say whatsoever shall be necessary either for their safety or comfort Christ is not only a shadow to his people from the wrath of God but also from the rage of men Again Zech. 2. 5. I will be a wall of fire round about Alluding to Travellers in the desert who to prevent danger from wild beasts in the night use to make a circular fire round about the place where they lie down to rest and this fire was as a wall to secure them You have the like gracious promise also made to the poor captived Church in Ezek. 11. 16. Although I have cast them far off among the heathen and scattered them among the countreys yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countreys where they shall come A little Sanctuary the word is variously rendred and expounded Some Adverbially and render it paulisper a Sanctuary for a little while viz. during their danger at the shortness of which this Adverb points So Iunâ—â—s Others Adjectively as we translate it Templum paucorum as Votablus there were but a handful of them and God would be as a Sanctuary to secure and protect that remnant 3. And all these promises have in all ages been faithfully fulfilled to the Saints you have an excellent Scripture for this 2 Pet. 2. 4 5 6. when the floud was brought upon the old world there was one Noah a righteous man in it and for him God provided an Ark. When Sodom was overthrown there was one Lot in it a just man and God secured him out of danger upon which that comfortable conclusion is built ver 9. The Lord knows how to deliver the godly When Ierusalem was destroyed a Pella was provided as a refuge for the godly there Remarkable is that place to this purpose Isa. 25. 4. Thou hast been a strength to the poor aâ— strength to the needy in his distress a refuge from the storm a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible one is as a storm against the wall And this hath God been not only once or twice but in all ages Psal. 90. 1. Lord thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations Or as the Hebrew in generations and generations What he hath been in former generations to his distressed people that he is and will be without alteration in all generations SECT II. YEt we must remember that all who are preserved in common calamities are not the people of God nor are all that are indeed his people preferved He hath people enough to divide into two ranks as the Husbandman his corn some for the mill and some to reserve for seed There be stars enough in the heaven to shine in both Hemispheres and there are Saints enough in the world some to shine in heaven and some to preserve the Church on earth 1. All that are preserved are not the people of God in the Ark a wicked Cham was preserved and those that were preserved in Egypt many of them were afterwards destroyed for their unbelief
Prisoner and there put to this miserable choice either to forego his life or that which was more precious his liberty of Conscience neither could his liberty be procured by his great friends at any lower rate than to recant his Religion this he was very unwilling to accept of till his hard imprisonment joyned with threats of much worse in case of his refusal at last wrought so upon him whilst he consulted with flesh and bloud as drew from him an Abrenunciation of that truth which he had so long professed and still believed Upon this he was restored to his liberty but never to his comfort for the sense of his own Apostasie and the daily sight of the cruel butcheries exercised upon others for their constant adherence to the truth made such deep impressions upon his broken spirit as brought him to a speedy end of his life yet not without some comfortable hopes at last Our own Histories abound with multitudes of such doleful examples Some have been in such horror of Conscience that they have chosen strangling rather than life they have felt that anguish of Conscience that hath put them upon desperate resolutions and attempts against their own lives to rid themselves of it This was the case of Peter Moon who being driven by his own fears to deny the truth presently fell into such horrour of Conscience that seeing a sword hanging in his Parlor would have sheathed it in his own bowels So Francis Spira before mentioned when he was near his end saw a knife on the Table and running to it would have mischieved himself had not his friends prevented him thereupon he said O that I were above God for I know that he will have no mercy on me He lay about eight weeks saith the Historian in a continual burning neither desiring nor receiving any thing but by force and that without digestion till he became as an Anatomy vehemently raging for drink yet fearful to live long dreadful of hell yet coveting death in a continual torment yet his own Tormentor and thus consuming himself with grief and horror impatience and despair like a living man in hell he represented an extraor dinary example of Gods justice and power and so ended his miserable life Surely it were good to fright our selves by such dreadful examples out of our sinful fears is any misery we can fear from the hands of man like this O Reader believe it it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God Hadst thou ever felt the rage and efficacy of a wounded and distressed Conscience as these poor wretches felt it no fears or threats of men should drive thee into such an Hell upon earth as this is 2. And yet though this be a doleful case it is not the worst case your own sinful fears will cast you into except the Lord overcome and extinguish them in you by the fear of his name they will not only bring you into a kind of hell upon earth but into hell it self for evermore For so the righteous God hath said in his word of truth Rev. 21. 8. But the fearful and unbelieving c. shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Behold here the Marshal Law of Heaven executed upon Cowards and Renegadoes whose fears make them revolt from Christ in the time of danger Think upon this you timorous fainthearted professors you cannot bear the thoughts of lying in a nasty Dungeon how will you lie then in the lake of fire and brimstone You are afraid of the face and frowns of a man that shall die but how will you live among Devils Is the wrath of man like the fury of God poured out Is not the little finger of God heavier than the loyns of all the Tyrants in the World Remember what Christ hath said Matth. 10. 33. But whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my father which is in heaven Reader The time is coming when he that spake these words shall break out of Heaven with a shout accompanied with myriads of Angels and ten thousands of his Saints the Heavens and the Earth shall be in dreadful conflagrations round about him The last Trump shall sound the Graves shall open the Earth and Sea shall give up the dead that are in them Thine eyes shall see him ascend the awful throne of judgment his faithful ones that feared not to own and appear for him in the face of all enemies and dangers sitting on the bench as Assessors with him and then to be disclaimed and renounced for ever by Jesus Christ in the face of that great assembly and proclaimed a delinquent a Traitor to him that deniedst his name and truths because of the frowns of a fellow Creature long since withered as the grass O how wilt thou be able to endure this now put both these together in thy serious consideration think on the terrors of Conscience here and the desperate horror of it in Hell thiâ— as a perboiling that as a roasting in the flames of Gods insufferable wrath These as some scalding drops sprinkled before hand upon thy Conscience that tender and sensible part of man that as the lake burning for ever with fire and brimstone O who would suffer himself to be driven into all thiâ— misery by the fears of those sufferings which can but touch the flesh and for their duration they are but for a moment Think and think again upon those words of Christ Mark 8. 35. He that will save his life shall lose it It may be a prolonging of a miserable life a life worse than death even in thine own account a life without the comfort or joy of life a life ending in the second death and all this for fear of a trifle compareâ— with what thou shalt afterwards feel in thine own Conscience and less than a trifle nothing compareâ— with what thou must suffer from God for ever 3. Rule He that will overcome his fears of sufferings muâ—â— foresee and provide before hand for them The fear of Caution is a good cure to the fear of Distraction the more of that the less of this this fear will cure that as one fire draws forth another Heb. 11. 7 Noah being moved with fear prepared 〈◊〉 Ark. In which he provided as much for the rest anâ— quiet of his mind as he did for the safety of his person and family That which makes evils so frightful as they are is their coming by way of surprize upon us Those troubles that find us secure do leave us distracted and desperate Presumption of continued tranquillity proves one of the greatest aggravations of misery Trouble will lie heavy enough when it comes by way of expectation but it is intolerable when it comes quite contrary to expectation It will be the Lot of Babylon to suffer the unexpected Vials of Gods wrath and I wish none but she and her children may be so surprized
death in this extremity it is now in The Mother answered I refer that to the will of God But said her friend if God would â—â—fer it to you what would you chuse then Why truly said she if God would refer it to me I would even refer it to God again This is the true committing of our selves and our troublesome concerns to the Lord. 4. The committing act of Faith implies our renouncing and disclaiming all confidence and trust in the arm of flesh and an expectation of relief from God only If we commit our selves to God we must cease from man Isai. 2. 22. To trust God in part and the Creature in part is to set one foot upon a Rock and the other in a Quick-sand Those acts of Faith that give the intire glory to God give real relief and comfort to us 2. Let us see what grounds and encouragements the people of God have to commit themselves and all the matters of their fear to God and so to enjoy the peace and comfort of a resigned will and there are two sorts of encouragements before you let the case be as difficult and frightful as it will you may find sufficient encouragements in God and somewhat from your selves viz. your relation to him and experiences of him 1. In God there is all that your hearts can desire to encourage you to trust him over all and commit all into his hands For 1. He is able to help and relieve you let the case be never so bad yet let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord is plenteous redemption Psal. 130. 7 8. Plenteous redemption i. e. all the stores of power choice of methods plenty of means abundance of ways to save his people when they can see no way out of their troubles Therefore hope Israel in Iehovah 2. As his Power is Almighty so his Wisdom is Infinite and unsearchable He is a God of judgment blessed are all they that wait for him Isa. 30. 18. When the Apostle Peter had related the wonderful preservations of Noah in the Deluge and of Lot in Sodom one in a general destruction of the world by Water and the other in the overthrow of those Cities by Fire He concludes and so should we The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation 2 Pet. 2. 9. Some men have much Power but little wisdom to manage it others are wise and prudent but want ability in God there is an infinite fulness of both 3. His love to and tenderness over his people is transcendent and unparallelled and this sets his wisdom and power both a work for their good hence it is that his eyes of providence run continually throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose hearts are perfect i. e. upright towards him 2 Chron. 16. 9. Thus you see how he is every way fitted as a proper object of your trust 2. Consider your selves and you shall find encouragements to commit all to God For 1. You are his children and to whom should children commit themselves in dangers and fears but to their own father Doubtless thou art our father saith the distressed Church Isai. 63. 15 16. Yea Christian Thy maker is thy husband Isai. 54. 5. Is not that a sufficient ground to cast thy self upon him What! a Child not trust its own Father A wife not commit her self to her own husband 2. You have trusted him with a far greater concern already than your estates liberties or lives you have committed your souls to him and your eâ—rnal interests 2 Tim. 1. 12. Shall we commit the â—ewel and dispute the Cabinet Trust him for heaven and doubt him for earth 3. You have ever found him faithful in all that you trusted him with all your experiences are so many good grounds of confidence Psal. 9. 10. Well then resolve to trust God over all and quietly leave the dispose of every thing to him he hath been with you in all former streights wants and fears hitherto he hath helped you and cannot he do so again except you tell him how O trust in his wisdom power and love and lean not to your own understandings The fruit of resignation will be peace 5. Rule If ever you well get rid of your fears and distractions get your affections mortified to the world and to the inordinate and immoderate love of every injoyment in the world The more you are mortified the less you will be terrified 't is not the dead but the living world that puts our hearts into such fears and tremblings If our hearts were once crucified they would soon be quieted 'T is the strength of our affections that puts so much strength into our afflictions It was not therefore without great reason that the Apostle compares the life of a Christian to the life of a Souldier who if he mean to follow the Camp and acquit himself bravely in fight must not intangle himself with the affairs of this life 2 Tim. 2. 4. Sure there is no following Christ's Camp but with a disintangled heart from the world for proportionable to the heat of our love will be the strength and height of our fears about these things more particularly if ever you will rid your selves of your uncomfortable and uncomely fears use all Gods means to mortifie your affections to the exorbitant esteem and love of 1. Your Estates 2. Your Liberty 3. Your Lives 1. Get mortified and cooled hearts to your Possessions and Estates in the world The poorest age afforded the richest Christians and noblest Martyrs Ships deepest laden are not best for encounters The believing Hebrews took joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and induring substance Heb. 10. 34. They carried it rather like unconcerned Spectators than the true Proprietors They rejoyced when rude Souldiers carried out their goods as if so many friends had been bringing them in And whence was this But from an heart fixed upon Heaven and mortified to things on Earth Doubtless they esteemed and valued their Estates as the good providences of God for their more comfortable accommodation in this world but it seems they did and O that we could look upon them as mercies of the lowest and meanest rank and nature The substance laid up in Heaven was a better substance and as long as that was safe the loss of this did not afflict them They could bless God for these things which for a little time did minister refreshment to them but they knew them to be transitory enjoyments things that would make to themselves wings and flee away if their enemies had not toucht them but the substance laid up for them in Heaven that was an enduring substance So far as those earthly things might further them towards Heavenly things so far they prized and valued them but if Satan would turn them into snares and temptations to deprive them of their better substance in Heaven they could
the terrible voice of his judgments startle and rouze the secure world more than all the warnings and exhortations of his Ministers could ever do Those that slept securely under our Ministry will fear and tremble under his rods those that are without faith are not without sense and feeling their own eyes will affect their hearts though our words could make no impression on them SECT II. BUt of what use soever these National Judgments are to others to be sure they shall be beneficial to Gods own people when others die by fear they shall live by faith If they be baneful poison to the wicked they shall be healthful physick to the Godly For 1. By these calamities God will mortifie and purge their corruptions this Winter weather shall be useful to destroy and rot those rank weeds which the Summer of prosperity bred Isa. 27. 9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged Physick in its own nature is griping and unpleasant but very useful and necessary to purge the body from noxious and malignant humours which retained may put life it self in hazard and it is with the body Politick as with the body Natural 2. National Judgments drive the people of God nearer to him and one to another they drive the people of God to their knees and make them pray more frequently more fervently and more feelingly than they were wont to do in this posture you find them in ver 8 9. of this Chapter Yea in the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early 3. In a word by these distractions and distresses of Nations the people of God are more weaned from the world and made to long more vehemently after heaven being now convinced by experience that this is not their rest When all things are tranquil and prosperous Gods own people are but too apt to fall asleep and dream of pleasure and rest on earth to say as Iob in his prosperity I shall die in my nest I shall multiply my days as the sand And then are their heads and hearts filled with many projects and designs to promote their comforts and make provision for their accommodations on earth The multiplicity of earthly cares and comforts take up their time and thoughts too much and make them that they mind death and eternity too little But saith God this must not be so things must not go on at this rate the prosperous world must not thus enchant my people I must imbitter the earth that I may thereby sweeten heaven the more to them when they find no rest below they will surely seek it above These and such like are the gracious designs and ends of God in shaking the world by his terrible judgments but yet though National troubles must necessarily come the wisest of men cannot positively determine the precise time of those judgments we may indeed by the signs of the times discern their near approach yet our judgment can be but probable and conjectural seeing there are tacite conditions in the dreadfullest threatnings Ier. 18. 7 8. Ionah 3. 9 10. And such is the merciful nature of God that he oft times turns away his anger from his people when it seems ready to pour down upon them Psal. 78. 38. The consideration whereof no way indulges security but encourages to repentance and greater fervency in Prayer CHAP. III. Opening and confirming the second Proposition viz. That Gods own people are much concerned in and ought to be suitably affected with those Iudgments that befal the Nation wherein they live SECT I. IF Gods people have no concernment in these things why are they called upon in this Text to run into their chambers hide themselves and shut their doors till the indignation be overpast Certainly though God hath better provided for them than others yet they are two ways concerned in these cases as much as others Viz. Account 1. Upon a Political 2. Upon a Religious 1. Upon a Political account as they are members of the community and so are equally concerned in the good or evil that befal the Nation in which they live their Cabbins must follow the fate of the Ship in which they Sail their Lives Liberties Estates and Interest sink and swim with the publick The good figs were carried away with the bad Ier. 24. 5. In these outward respects it often times bears as hard upon the righteous as upon the wicked Ezek 21. 3. I will draw forth my sword out of his Sheath and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked In these outward respects as it is with the good so with the sinner Eccles. 9. 2. The same fire that burns the dry tree oftentimes burns the green tree too Ezek. 20. 47. Grâ—ce is above all hazards but creature enjoyments and comforts are not The sins of the Sodomites involve not only their own houses and estates but Lots also in the ruine and overthrow wicked men often fare the better for the company of the godly and the godly often fare the worse for the company of the wicked And it is not to be wondered at if we consider that even the Saints themselves have an hand in the provocation of these judgments as well as others Deut. 32. 19. And when the Lord saw it he abhorred them because of the provoking of his sons and of his daughters We have contrihuted to the common heap guilt and therefore must justifie God if we partake with others in the common calamity 2. They are greatly concerned in such judgments upon a Religious and Christian account for it is usual for the floud of Gods judgments not only to sweep away our civil and natural but our spiritual and best enjoyments and comforts Thus the Ordinances of God ceased in Babylon and there the faithful bewailed their misery upon that account Ps. 137. per totum we wept when we remembred thee O Zion Not only Israel flies but the Ark is taken prisoner by the enemy 1 Sam. 4. 11. And you find the people of God more deeply concerned upon this account than for all their outward losses and other sufferings Zeph. 3. 18. I will gather them of thee that are sorrowful for the Solemn assemblies to whom the reproach of it was aburthen For by how much our souls are more excellent than our bodies and the concerns of Eternity over ballance those of time by so much more are we concerned in the loss of our spiritual more than of our temporal mercies and enjoyments Grace indeed cannot be lost but the means and instruments by which it is begotten may the golden candlestick is one of the moveables in Gods house Rev. 2. 5. Thus you see a twofold concernment that the people God have in the effects of National Judgments SECT II. THis being So how
in the Seas and all deep places You see Divine pleasure is the only rule according to which Divine Power exerts it self in the world we are not therefore to limit and restrain it in our narrow and shallow thoughts and to think in this or in that the Power of God may help or secure us but to believe that he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think Thus those Worthies Dan. 3. 17. by Faith exalted the power of God above the order and common rule of second causes Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand O King Their faith resting it self upon the Omnipotent power of God expected deliverance from it in an extraordinary way 't is true this is no standing rule for our faith ordinarily to work by nor have we ground to expect such miraculous Salvations but yet when extraordinary difficulties press us and the common ways and means of deliverance are shut up we ought by faith to exalt the Omnipotency of God by ascribing the glory thereof to him and leave our selves to his good pleasure without straitning or narrowing his Almighty power according to the mold of our poor low thoughts and apprehensions of it For so the Lord himself directeth our faith in difficult cases Isa. 55. 8 9. For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord for as the Heavens are higher than the earth So are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts He speaks there of his pardoning mercy which he will not have his people to contract and limit according to the model and platform of their own desponding misgiving and unbelieving thoughts but to exalt and glorifie it according to its unbounded fulness as it is in the thoughts of God the fountain of that mercy so it ought to be with respect to his power about which his thoughts and ours do vastly differ the power of God as we cast it in the mould of our thoughts is as vastly different and disproportionate from what it is in the thoughts of God the fountain thereof as the earth is to the heavens which is but a small inconsiderable point compared with them 2. The power of God is a Supreme and Sovereign power from which all creature power is derived and by which it is over-ruled restrained and limited at his pleasure Nebuchadnezzar was a great Monarch he ruled over other Kings yet he held his Kingdom from God it was God that placed not only the Crown upon his head but his head upon his shoulders Dan. 2. 37. Thou O King art a King of Kings for the God of Heaven â—ath given thee a Kingdom power and strength and glory Hence it follows that no creature can move tongue or hand against any of Gods people but by vertue of a Commission or permission from their God albeit they think not so Knowest thou not saith Pilate unto Christ that I have power to crucifie thee and power to release thee Proud worm what an ignorant and insolent boast was this of his own power and how doth Christ spoil and shame it in his answer Iohn 19. 10. Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above Wicked men like wild horses would run over and trample under foot all the people of God in the world were it not that the bridle of Divine providence had a strong curb to restrain them Ezek. 22. 6. The Princes of Israel every one were in thee to their power to shed bloud And it was well for Gods Israel that their power was not as large as their wills were this world is a raging and boisterous Sea which sorely toffes the passengers for heaven that sail upon it but this is their comfort and security The Lord stilleth the noise of the sea the noise of the waves and the tumult of the people Ps. 65. 7. Moral as well as natural waves are checked and bounded by Divine power Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee and the remainder of wrath thou shalt restrain Psal. 76. 10. As a man turns so much water into the channel as will drive the mill and turns away the rest in another sluce Yea not only the power of man but the power of Devils also is under the restraint and limitation of this power Rev. 3. 10. Satan shall cast some of you into prison and ye shall have tribulation ten days He would have cast them into their graves yea into hell if he could but it must be only into a Prison He would have kept them in prison till they had died and rotted there but it must be only for ten days Oh glorious Sovereign power which thus keeps the reins of Government in its own hand 3. The power of God is an everlasting power time doth not weaken or diminish it as it doth all creature powers Isa. 40. 28. The Lord the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary Isa. 59. 1. The Lords hand is not shortened i. e. He hath as much power now as ever he had and can do for his people as much as ever he did time will decay the power of the strongest creature and make him faiâ—â— and feeble but the Creator of the ends of the eartâ— fainteth not Thou saith the Psalmist abidest for ever thy years flee not Psal. 102. 27. In Gods working there is no expence of his strength he is able to do as much as ever he did to act over again all the glorious deliverances that ever he wrought for his people from the beginning of the World to do as much for his Church now as he did at the Red sea and upon this ground the Church builds its Plea Isa. 51. 9 10. Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord awake as in the ancient days in the generations of old art thou not it that hast cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon q. d. Lord why should not thy people at this day expect as glorious productions of thy power as any of them found in former ages SECT II. LEt us view the power of God in the vast extent of its operation and then you will find it working beyond the line 1. Of Creature power 2. Of Creature expectation 3. Of Humane probability 1. Beyond the line of all created power even upon the hearts thoughts and minds of men where no creature hath any jurisdiction So Gen. 31. 29. God bound up the Spirit of Laban and becalmed it towards Iacob So Psal. 106. 46. He made them also to be pitied of all them that carried them captives Thus the Lord promised Ieremy Ier. 15. 11. I will cause the enemies to entreat thee well in the time of evil This power of God softens the hearts of the most fierce and cruel enemies and sweetens the spirits of the most bitter and enraged foes of
prohibited 2. An effectual remedy prescribed 3. A singular encouragement to apply that remedy 1. An evil practice prohibited Fear not their fear neither be afraid This is that sinful principle which was but too apt to incline them to do as others did scil to say a confederacy Sinful fears are apt to drive the best men into sinful compliances and indirect shifts to help themselves Their fear may be understood two ways 1. Subjectively 2. Effectively 1. Subjectively for the self same fear wherewith the carnal and unbelieving Iews feared a fear that enslaved them in bondage of Spirit a fear that is the fruit of sin a sin in its own nature the cause of much sin to them and a just punishment of God upon them for their other sins 2. Effectively Let not your fear produce in you such mischievous effects as their fear doth to make you forget God magnifie the creature prefer your own wits and policies to the Almighty power and unspotted faithfulness of God if you say but how shall we help it 2. Why in the next place you have An Effectual remedy prescribed But sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your fear and your dread The fear of God will swallow up the fear of Man a reverential awe and dread of God will extinguish the slavish fear of the creature as the Sun-shine puts out fire or as one fire fetches out another so will this fear fetch out that By sanctifying the Lord of Hosts himself is meant a due ascription of the glory of his Sovereign power wisdom and faithfulness not only in verbal and professed acknowledgments thereof but especially in those internal acts of affiance resignation and intire dependence on him which as they are the choicest respects of the creature towards its God and give him the greatest glory so they are certainly the most beneficial and comfortable acts we can perform for our own peace and safety in times of danger If a man do really look to God in a day of trouble and fear as to the Lord of Hosts i. e. one that governs all the creatures and all their actions at whose beck and command all the Armies of Heaven and Earth are and then can rely upon the care and love of this God as a child in danger of trouble reposes on and commits himself with greatest confidence to the care and protection of his Father O what peace what rest must necessarily follow upon this Who would be afraid to pass through the midst of Armed Troops and Regiments whilst he knows that the General of that Army is his own Father The more power this filial fear of God obtains in your hearts the less will you dread the power of the Creature When the Dictator ruled at Rome then all other Officers ceased and so in a great measure will all other fears where the fear of God is Dictator in the heart This is the Remedy 3. And to enable us to apply this remedy in the worst and most difficult times we have a singular encouragement proposed If we will thus sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself by such an acknowledgment of and child-like dependence on him in times of danger then he will be to us for a Sanctuary i. e. he will surely protect defend and provide for us in the worst times and cases then will the Lord Create upon every dwelling-place of mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence and there shall be a Tabernacle for a shadow in the day-time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a covert from the storm and from rain Let the winds roar the rain beat the lightnings flash you are in safety and have a good roof over your heads Hence these two points of Doctrine offer themselves 1. Doctrine That the best men are too apt to be overcome with slavish fears in times of eminent distress and danger 2. Doctrine That the fear of God is the most effectual means to extinguish the sinful fear of man and to secure us from danger These two points take in the substance and scope of the Text but because I design to treat in the following Chapters of the Kinds Nature Uses Causes Effects and Remedies of Fear I shall not distinctly prosecute them but proceed in this order in the following Chapters CHAP. II. Wherein the kinds and nature of Fear are opened and particularly the distracting slavish Fear of Creatures SECT I. THere is a threefold Fear found in men viz. Fear 1. Natural 2. Sinful 3. Religious 1. Natural Fear of which all are partakers that partake of the common nature not one excepted Natural Fear is the trouble or perturbation of mind from the apprehension of approaching evil or impending danger The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes from a Verb that signifies Flight this is not always sinful but it is always the fruit and consequent of sin Since sin entred into our nature there is no shaking off Fear no sooner had Adam transgressed but he feared and fled hiding himself among the Trees of the Garden Gen. 3. 8. when he had transgressed the Covenant he presently feared the execution of the Curse First he eats then he hides And this afflictive passion is from him transmitted and derived to all his children To this natural Fear it pleased our Lord Iesus Christ to subject himself in the days of his flesh he was afraid yea he was sore amazed Mark 14. 33. For though his humane nature was absolutely free from â—in yet he came in the likeness of sinful flesh Rom. 8. 3. This fear creates great trouble and perturbation in the mind 1 Iohn 4. 18. Fear hath torment in proportion to the danger is the fear and in proportion to the fear the trouble and distraction of the mind if the fear be exceeding great reason is displaced and can conduct us no farther as the Psalmist speaks of Mariners in a Storm they are at their wits end Psal. 107. 27. or as it is varied in the Margin all wisdom is swallowed up and this is the meaning of Deut. 28. 25. that they should go out against their enemies one way and flee before them seven ways i. e. so great shall be the fright and distraction that they shall attempt now one way then another striving every way but liking none for fear so far betrays the succours of reason that their counsels are always in uncertainty and at a loss and the usual voice of a man in this condition is I know not what to do I know not which way to turn Evil is the object of fear and the greater the evil is the stronger the fear must needs be and therefore the terrours of an awakened and terrified conscience must be allowed to be the greatest of terrours because in that case a man hath to do
points soundly according to his light then he was called to a Synod at Millain and afterwards in the Lateran where opposing a proposition of the Pope about burdening the Church with a new Holiday he was brought into much danger and escaping very narrowly from Rome he bought him a Bow and Weapons but as he was riding he began to bethink himself That the cause was not his but Gods and not to be maintained with sword and bow and if it were yet what could such a decrepit old man do with weapons Upon which he threw away his weapons committed himself his cause and his journey to God relied upon his promises more than sword or bow and came home safe and afterward died quietly in his bed 2 The sinfulness of Fear lies in the excess and immoderacy of it when we fear more than we ought for it may be truly said of our fears as the Philosopher speaks of waters difficilé suis terminis continentur 't is hard to keep them within bounds every bush is a Bear every petty trouble puts us into a fright our fear exceeds the value and merit of the cause 'T is a great sin to love or fear any creature above the rate of a creature as if they were Masters of all our temporal and eternal comforts Thus when the men of Israel heard of the confederacy and conjuction of their enemies against them the Text saith their hearts were moved as the Trees of the wood are moved with the wind Isai. 7. 1. or as we use to say proverbially like an Aspine leaf 't is a sad sight to behold men shaking and quivering as the trees do in a windy day yet thus did the house of David partly through the remembrance of past calamities but especially through incredulity in Gods protecting care in their present and future dangers yea this is too often the fault of good men in creature fear as well as in creature love to transgress the due bounds of moderation 'T is noted of Iacob though a man of much Faith and one that had the sweetest encouragements to strengthen it both from former experiences and Gods gracious promises to be with him yet when Esa◠was come nigh he was greatly afraid and distressed Gen. 32. 7. It was but a little before that God had graciously appeared to him and sent a Royal guard of Angels to attend him even two hosts or armies of Angels verse 1 2. and yet assoon as Esau approched him he was afraid greatly afraid yea greatly afraid and distressed notwithstanding such an encouraging vision as this was 3. The sinfulness of our Fears lies in the inordinacy of them to fear it more than we ought is bad enough but to magnifie its power above the power of a creature to exalt the power of any creature by our fears and give it such an Ascendent over us as if it had an Arbitrary and absolute dominion over us or over our comforts to do with them what it pleased this is to put the creature out of its own Class and rank into the place of God and is therefore a very sinful and evil fear To trust in any creature as if it had the power of a God to help us or to fear any creature as if it had the power of a God to hurt us is exceeding sinful and highly provoking to God This inordinate trust is taxed and condemned in Isai. 31. 3. They would needs go down to Egypt for help and trust in their horses and horsemen because they were strong i. e. in their opinion they were able to secure them against all those dangers the Prophet from the Lords own mouth had threatned them with but to take them off from this sinful and inordinate dependence on the creature he tells them v. 3. Now the Egyptians are men and not God and their horses flesh and not spirit when the Lord shall stretch forth his hand both he that helpeth shall fall and he that is holpen shall fall down and they shall fail together q. d. 'T is a sinful and dangerous mistake for one creature to give that trust and dependence to another creature which is due only to God to look upon men as if they were Gods and horses as if they were Spirits All creatures even the strongest are but as the Hop the Vine or the Ivy if they clasp about the pole the wall or the oak they may be supported as you also may by leaning upon God but if they depend and intangle themselves one upon another as you and the Egyptians do you shall fail and fall all together And as one creature is apt inordinately and sinfully thus to trust and lean upon another so there is as great a proness in the creatures inordinately to fear and dread each other as if the creature feared were rather a God than a man rather a Spirit than flesh and thus our fear magnifies and exalts the creature and puts it as it were into the room and place of God This was the sin which God rebuked in his own people Isai 51. 12 13. I even I am he that comforteth thee who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of man that shall die and of the son of man which shall be made as grass and forgettest the Lord thy maker c. See how fear exalts man and depresseth God it thinks upon the noxious power of men so much that it forgets the saving power of God as if that stood for nothing thus a mortal worm that shall perish as the grass eclipses the glory of the great God that stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth And this was the evil against which Christ cautioned his own Disciples in Matth. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell q. d. Have a care you never fear any man be he armed with never so much power and rage as if the power of making or marring you for ever were in his hands as if you lay at the feet of his will and pleasure to be saved or ruined for ever Fear not him that can only touch your bodies as if he would damn your souls invest not any creature with the sovereign and incommunicable power of God 4. The sinfulness of Fear consists in the distracting influence it hath upon the hearts of men whereby it discomposeth and unfits them for the discharge of their duties Fear sometimes puts men into such an hurry and their thoughts into such disorder that for the present they have scarce any succour or relief from their graces or from their reason for under an extraordinary fear both grace and reason like the wheels of a watch wound above its due height stand still and have no motion at all It is rare to find a man of that largeness and constancy of heart and mind in a day of fear that was found in
fears troubled with a bad heart and a busie devil 〈◊〉 well as you they also had their clouds and damps as you have yet the Almighty power of God supported them and out of weakness they were made strong Despond not therefore but get a judgment satisfied Psal. 44. 22. A Conscience sprinkled 2 Tim. 1. 7. And a Call cleared Dan. 6. 10. Exercise Faith also with respect to Divine assistances and everlasting rewards as they did and doubt not but the same God that enabled them to finish their course with joy will be as good to you as he was to them Consider Christ hath done as much for you as he did for any of them and deserves as much from you as from any of them and hath prepared 〈◊〉 same glory for you that he prepared for them â— that such considerations might provoke you to shew as â—uch courage and love to Christ as any of them ever 〈◊〉 7. Rule If ever yi will get above the power of your own fears in a â—â—ffering day make haste to clear your interest in Christ and your pardon in his blood before that evil day com The clearer thâ—â—s the bolder you will be an assured Christian wâ—â—â—never known to be a coward in sufferings It is impoâ—â—â—ble to be clear of fears till you are cleared of the â—â—ubts about interest in and pardon by Christ. Nâ—thing is found more strengthening to our fears thâ—â— that which clouds our evidences and nothing â—â—re to quiet and cure our fears than that which clears â—r evidences The shedding abroad of Gods love iâ— our hearts will quickly fill them with a spirit of gâ—â—rying in tribulations Rom. 5. 5. When the beliâ—â—ing Hebrews once came to know in themselves tâ—â—t they had an enduring substance in Heaven they quickly found in themselves an unconcerned heart for the loss of their comforts on earth Heb. 10. 34. and so should we too For 1. Assurance satisfies a man that his treasure and true happiness is secured to him and laid out of the reach of all his enemies and so long as that is safe he hath all the reason in the world to be quiet and chearful I know saith Paul whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day 2 Tim. 1. 12. And he gives this as the reason why he was not ashamed of Christs sufferings 2. The assured Christian knows that if death it self come which is the worst men can inflict 〈◊〉 shall be no loser by the exchange nay he shall 〈◊〉 the best bargain that ever he made since he 〈◊〉 parted with all in his afflictions to follow Christ There are two rich bargains a Christian makes 〈◊〉 is wheâ— he exchanges the world for Christ in his â—â—rst choice at his conversion in point of love and stimation the other is when he actually parts witâ—'he world for Christ at his dissolution both thâ—e are rich bargains and upon this ground it waâ—â—the Apostle said To me to live is Christ and to die is â—â—ain Phil. 1. 21. The death of a believer in Chrâ—â— is gain unspeakable but if a man would maâ—â— the utmost gain by dying he shall find it in dyinâ— for Christ as well as in Christ And to shew you werein the gain of such a death lies let a few particulâ—â—â— be weighed wherein the gain will be cast up in bâ—â—h he that is assured he dies in Christ knows 1. That his living time is hiâ—â—labouring time but his dying time is his harvest tiâ—â— whilst we live we are plowing and sowing in all teâ—â— duties of Religion but when we die then we reap 〈◊〉 fruit and comfort of all our labours and duties Gal. 6. 8 9. As much therefore as the reaping time is better than the sowing and plowing time so much better is the death than the life of a believer 2. A Believers living time is his fighting time but his dying time is his conquering and triumphing time 1 Cor. 15. 55 56. The conflict is sharp but the triumph is sweet and as much as victory and triumph is better than fighting so much is death better than life to him that dieth in Jesus 3 A Believers living time is his tiresome and weary time but his dying time is his resting and sleeping time Isai. 57. 2. Here we spend and faint there we rest in our beds and as much as refreshing rest in sleep is better than tiring and fainting so much is a Believers death better than his life 4. A Believers living time is his waiting and longing time but his time of dying is the time of enjoying what he hath long wished and waited for Phil. 1. 23. Here we groan and sigh for Christ there we behold and enjoy Christ and so much as vision and fruition is better and sweeter than hoping and waiting for it so much is a believers death better than his life 2. As the advantage a Believer makes of death is great to him by dying only in Christ so it is much greater and the richest improvement that can be made of death to die for Christ as well as in Christ For compare them in a few particulars and you shall find 1. That though a natural death hath less horrour yet a violent death for Christ hath more honour in it To him that dies united with Christ the grave is a bed of rest but to him that dies as a Martyr for Christ the grave is a bed of honour To you saith the Apostle it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe but also to suffer for his sake 1 Phil. 29. To you it is granted as a great honour and favour to suffer for Christ all that live in Christ have not the honour to lay down their lives for Christ. It was the great trouble of Ludovicâ—s Marsacus a Knight of France to be exempted because of his dignity from wearing his chain for Christ as the other Prisoners did and he resented it as a great injury Give mâ— saith he to his Keeper my chain as well as they and create me a Knight of that noble Order 2. By a natural death we only submit our selves to the unavoidable consequence of sin but in dying a violent death for Christ we give our testimony against the evil of sin and for the precious truths of Jesus Christ. The first is the payment of a debt of justice due by the fall of Adam the second is the payment of a debt of thankfulness and obedience due to Christ who redeemed us with his own bloud Thus we become witnesses for God as well as sufferers upon the account of sin In the first sin witnesseth against us in this we witness against it and indeed it is a great testimony against the evil of sin We declare to all the world that there is not so much evil in a Dungeon in a bloudy Ax or consuming flames as there is in sin That it is far better to
Nothing like the fear of God enables us to such a prevision and provision for them Heb. 11. 7. 4. Do â—e relieve our selves against Fear by committing all to God Surely 't is the fear of God that drives us to him as our only Asylum and sure refuge Malachi 3. 16. They feared God and thought upon his name i. e. they meditated his name which was their refuge his Attributes their chambers of rest 5. Must our affections to the world be mortified before our fears can be subdued This is the instrument of mortification Nehem. 5. 15. 6. Do the worthy examples of those that are gone before us tend to the cure of our cowardise and fears Why the fear of God will provoke in you an holy self-jealousie lest you fail of the grace they manifested and come short of those excellent patterns Hebrews 12. 15. 7. Is the assurance of Interest in God and the pardon of sin such an excellent Antidote against slavish fear Why he that walks in the fear of God shall walk in the comforts of the Holy Ghost also Acts 9 31. 8. Is integrity of heart and way such a fountain of courage in evil times Know Reader no grace promotes this integrity and uprightness more than the fear of God doth Prov. 16. 6. Prov. 23. 17. 9. Do the reviving of past experiences suppress sinful fears no doubt this was the subject which the fear of God put them upon for mutual encouragement Mal. 3. 16. 10. Are the providences of God in the world such cordials against fear The fear of God is the very character and mark of those persons over whom his providence shall watch in the difficultest times Eccles. 8. 12. 11. Doth our trusting in our own reason and making it our rule and measure breed so many fears Why the fear of God will take men off from such self-confidence and bring them to trust the faithful God with 〈◊〉 doubtful issues and events as the very scope of my Text fully manifests Fear not their fear their fear moving by the direction of carnal reason drove them not to God but to the Assyrian for help follow not you their example in this But how shall they help it Why sanctifie the Lord of Hosts and make him your fear CHAP. VII Answering the most material Pleas for slavish Fears and dissolving the common Objections against courage and constancy of mind in times of danger THe Pleas and excuses for our cowardliness and faintness in the day of trouble are endless and so would his task be that should undertake particularly to answer them all 'T is but the cutting off an Hydra's head when one is gone ten more start up what is most material I will here take into consideration When good men for with such I am dealing in this Chapter see a formidable face and appearance of sharp and bloudy times approaching them they begin to tremble their hearts faint and their hands hang down with unbecoming despondency and pusillanimity their thoughts are so distracted their reason and faith so clouded by their fears that their temptations are thereby exceedingly strengthened upon them and their principles and professions brought under the derision and contempts of their enemies and if their brethren to whom God hath given more courage and constancy and who discern the mischief like to ensue from their uncomely carriage admonish and advise them of it They have abundance of Pleas and defences for their fears yea when they reason the point of suffering in their own thoughts and the matter is debated as in such times it 's common betwixt faith and fear O what endless work do their fears put upon their faith to solve all the Buts and Ifs which their fears will object or suppose Some of the principal of them I think it worth while here to consider and endeavour to satisfie that if possible I may prevail with all gracious persons to be more magnanimous And first of all 1. Plea Sufferings for Christ are strange things to the Christians of this age we have had the happy lot to fall into milder times than the Primitive Christians did or those that strugled in our own land in the beginning of Reformation and therefore we may be excused for our fears by reason of our own unacquaintedness with sufferings in our times Answer 1. One fault is but a bad excuse for another why are sufferings such strangers to you Why did you not cast upon them in the days of peace and reckon that such days must come Did you not covenant with Christ to follow him whithersoever he should go to take up your cross and follow him And did not the Word plainly tell you that All that will live godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3. 12. And that we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Acts 14. 22. Did we fall asleep in quiet and prosperous days and dream of Halcyon days all our time on earth that the mountain of our prosperity stood strong and we should never be moved That we should die in our nest and multiply our days as the sand Babylon's Children indeed dream so Rev. 18. 7. but the Children of Sion should be better instructed Alas how soon may the brightest day be overcast The weather is not so variable as the state of the Church in this world is now a calm Acts 9. 31. and then a storm Acts 12. 1 2. You could not but know what contingent and variable things all things on earth are Why then did you delude your selves with such fond dreams But as a learned man rightly observes Mundus senescens patitur Phantasias The older the world grows the more drowzie and doting it still grows and these are the days in which the wise as well as the foolish Virginâ— slumber Sure 't is but a bad Plea after so many warnings from the word and from the rod to say I did not think of such times I dreamed not of them 2. Or if you say though you have conversed witâ— death and sufferings by speculation yet you liveâ— not in such times wherein you might see as otheâ— sufferers did the encouraging faith patience an zeal of others set before your eye in a lively patteâ—â— and example Sufferings were not only familiarizeâ— to them by frequency but facilitated also by the dailâ— examples of those that went before them But think you indeed that nothing but encouragement and advantage to followers arose from the trials of those that went before Alas there were sometimes the greatest damps and discouragements imaginable the zeal of those that followed hath often been inflamed by the faintings of those that were tried before them In the Seventh Persecution under Decius there were standing before the Tribunal certain of the Warriours or Knights viz. Ammon Zenon Ptolomeus Ingenuus and a certain aged man called Theophilus who all standing by as Spectators when a certain Christian was examined and there seeing him for fear
as the fears of such a misery awaken you to prayer for the prevention of it it may be serviceable to your souls but when it only works distraction and despondency of mind it is your sin and Satans snare The Prophet Ieremy made a good use of such a supposed evil by way of deprecation Ier. 17. 17. Be not a terror unto me thou art my hope in the day of evil q. d. In the evil day I have no place of retreat or refuge but thy love and favour Lord that is all I have to depend on and relieve my self by I comfort my self against trouble with this confidence that if men be cruel yet thou wilt be kind if they frown thou wilt smile if the world cast me out thou wilt take me in but if thou shouldest be a terror to me instead of a comforter if they afflict my body and thou affright my soul with thy frowns too what a deplorable condition shall I be in then Improve it to such an end as he did to secure the favour of God and it will do you no harm 2. It is not usual with God to estrange himself from his people in trouble nor to frown upon them when men do The common experience of Believers stands ready to attest and seal this truth that Christians never find more kindness from God than when they feel most cruelty from men for his sake consult the whole cloud of witnesses and you will find they have still found the undoubted verity of that tried word in 1 Pet. 4. 14. That the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon sufferers The expression seems to allude to the Dove that Noah sent forth out of the Ark which flew over the watry world but could not rest self any where till she returned to the Ark. So the Spirit of God called here the Spirit of Glory from his effects and fruits viz. his chearing sealing and reviving influences which makes men glory and triumph in the most afflicted state This spirit of God seems like that Dove to hover up and down to flee hither and thither over this person and that but resteth not so long upon any as those that suffer for righteousness sake there he commonly takes up his abode and residence 3. And what if it should fall out in some respect according to your fears that heaven and earth should be both clouded together yet it will not be long before the pleasant light will spring up to you again Psal. 112. 4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness You shall have his supporting presence till the comforter do come When Mr. Glover came within sight of the stake he suddenly cries out O Austin he is come he is come 6. Plea O but what if my trial should be long and the siege of temptations tedious then I am perswaded I am lost I am no way able to continue long in a Prison or in tortures for Christ I have no strength to endure a long siege my patience is too short to hold out from month to month and from year to year as many have done O! I dread the thoughts of long continued trials I tremble to think what must be the issue Answer 1. Cannot you distrust your own strength and ability but you must also limit Gods What if you have but a small stock of Patience cannot the Lord strengthen you with all might in the inner man unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness according to his glorious power 1 Coll. 11. And is it not his promise to confirm you to the end 1 Cor. 1. 8. You neither know how much nor how long you can bear and suffer It is not inherent but assisting grace by which your suffering abilities are to be measured God can make that little stock of patience you have to hold out as the poor Widows cruise of oyl did till deliverance come he can enable your patience unto its perfect work i. e. to work as extensively to all the kinds and sorts of trials as intensively to the highest degree of trial and as protensively to the longest duration and continuance of your trials as he would have it If this be a marvellous thing in your eyes must it be so in Gods eyes also 2. The Lord knows the proper season to come in to the relief of your slideing and fainting patience and will assuredly come in accordingly in that season for so run the promises The Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone and that there is none shut up or left Deut. 32. 36. Cum duplicantur lateres venit Moses In the mount of difficulties and extremities it shall be seen The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the Righteous lest the Righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity Psal. 125. 3. Ubi desinit humanum ibi incipit divinum auxilium Gods power watches the opportunity of your weakness 7. Plea But what if I should be put to cruel and exquisite tortures suppose to the rack to the fire or such most dreadful sufferings as other Christians have been what shall I do do I think I am able to bear it Is my strength the strength of stone or are my bones brass that ever I should endure such barbabarous cruelties Alas death in the mildest form is terrible to me how terrible then must such a death be Answer Who enabled those Christians you mention to endure these things They loved their lives and sensed their pains as well as you they had the same thoughts and fears many of them that you now have yet God carried them through all and so he can you Did not he make the devouring Flames a bed of Roses to some of them Was he not within the fires Did he not abate the exâ—remity of the torment and enable weak and tender persons to endure them patiently and chearfully some singing in the midst of flames others clapping their hands triumphantly and to the last sight that could be had of them in this world nothing appeared but signs and demonstrations of joy unspeakable Ah friends we judge of sufferings by the outside and appearance which is terrible but we know not the inside of sufferings which is exceeding comfortable O when shall we have done with our unbelieving ifs and buts our questionings and doubtings of the power wisdom and render care of our God over us and learn to trust him over all Now the just shall live by faith and he that lives by faith shall never die by fear The more you trust God the less you will torment your selves I have done the Lord strengthen stablish and settle the trembling and feeble hearts of his people by what hath been so seasonably offered for their relief by a weak hand Amen THE END THE RIGHTEOVS MAN'S REFUGE IN THE Evil Day OR A Treatise upon the Attributes of GOD as they are opened in his Promises and Providences
one working upon their fear the other upon their hope 1. That which works upon their fear is a supposition of a storm coming the indignation of God will fall like a tempest this is supposed in the Text and plainly expressed in the words following For the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth ver 21. 2. The other is fitted to work upon their hope though his indignation fall like a Storm yet it will not continue long it shall be but for amoment better days and more comfortable dispensations will follow From all which the general observation is this Doctrine That the Attributes Promises and Providences of God are the Chambers of rest and security in which his people are to hide themselves when they foresee the â—orms of his indignation coming upon the world The name of the Lord saith Solomon is a strong Tower the righteous run into it and are safe Prov. 18. 10. And his Attributes are his name Exod. 34. 5. For by them he is known as a man is known by his name and this his name is a strong Tower for his peoples security now what is the use and end of a Tower in a City but to receive and secure the Inhabitants when the outworks are beaten to the ground the walls scaled and the houses left desolate And as it is here resembled to a Tower so in Isa. 33. 16. It s shadowed out unto us by a munition of rocks His place of defence shall be a munition of rocks How secure is that person that is environed with rocks on every side Yea you will say but yet a rock is but a cold and barren refuge though other enemies cannot yet hunger and thirst can invade and kill him there No in this rock is a store-house of provision as well as a magazine for defence so it follows Bread shall be given him and his water shall be sure And sometimes it is resembled to us by the wings of a fowl spread with much tenderness over her young for their defence Psal. 57. 1. Yea in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge until these calamities be overpast So Psal. 17. 8. Keep me as the apple of thine eye hide me under the shadow of thy wings No part of the body hath more guards upon it than the apple of the eye God is as careful to preserve his people as men are to preserve their eyes and he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eyes But we need not go from one Metaphor to another to shew you where the Saints refuge is in time of danger you have a whole bundle of them lying together in that one Scripture Psal. 18. 2. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my buckler and the horn of my salvation and my high tower Where you find all kinds of defence whether natural or artificial under a pleasant variety of apt Metaphors ascribed to God for the security of his people Now for the casting of this great point into as easie and profitable a Method as I can I shall resolve this general truth into these following Propositions which are implied or expressed in the Text and Doctrine thence deduced and the first is this 1. Proposition That there are times and seasons appointed by God for the pouring out of his indignation upon the world 2. Proposition That Gods own people are concerned in and ought to be affected with those Iudgments 3. Proposition That God hath a special and particular care of his people in the days of his indignation 4. Proposition That God usually premonishes the world especially his own people of his Iudgments before they befal them 5. Proposition That Gods Attributes Promises and Providences are prepared for the security of his people in the greatest distresses that befal them in the world 6. Proposition That none but Gods people are taken into these chambers of security or can expect his special protection in evil times And then I shall apply the whole in the proper uses of it CHAP. II. Demonstrating the first Proposition That there are times and seasons appointed by God for the pouring out of his indignation upon the world SECT I. THis is plainly implyed in the Text that there are times of indignation appointed to befal the world yea and more than this not only that such times shall come but the duration and continuance is also under an appointment Hide thy self for a little moment until the indignation be overpast The Prophet tells us in Zeph. 2. 2. that these Stormy times are under a decree and that decree is there compared to a pregnant Woman which is to go out her appointed months and then to travel and bring forth Even so it is in the judgments God brings upon the world We see them not in the days of provocation sed adhuc faetus in utero latet but all this while it is in the womb of the decree and at the appointed season they shall become visible to the world As there are in Nature fair Halcyon days and cloudy overcast and stormy So 't is in providences Ecâ—les 7. 14. God hath set one over against the other Yea one is the occasion of the other for look as the Sun in a hot day exhales abundance of vapours from the Earth and Sea these occasion showers thunder and tempests and those again clear the Air and dispose it to fair weather again So it is here Prosperity is the occasion of abundance of sin this brings on adversity from the justice of God to correct it adversity being sanctified humbles reforms and purges the people of God and this again by mercy procures their prosperity So you find the account 〈◊〉 in Psal. 107. 17. Fools because of their iniquities are afflicted then they cry to the Lord in their troubles and he saveth them out of their distresses And this appointment of times of distress is both profitable and necessary for the world especially Gods own people in it In general hereby the Being and righteousness of God is cleared and vindicated against the Atheism and Infidelity of the world Psal. 9. 16. The Lord is known by the Iudgments that he executeth Impunity is the occasion of many Atheistical thoughts in the world Ier. 48. 11. Moab hath been at ease from his youth and he hath setled on his lees and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel neither hath he gone into captivity therefore his taste remained in him and his scent is not changed So Psal. 55. 19. Because they have no changes therefore they fear noâ— God Kingdoms Families and particular persons like standing waters and ponds are apt to corrupt by long continued peace and prosperity the Lord therefore sees it necessary to purge the world by his judgments When thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness Those Sermons that God preaches from heaven by
should all that fear God be affected with the appearances and signs of his indignation So was David Psal. 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgments He that feared not a Bear a Lyon a Goliah yet trembleth at Gods judgments So did Habakkuk chap. 3. v. 16. When I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voice rottenness entred into my bones Expressions denoting the deepest seizures of fear and greatest consternations not that I would perswade you to such slavish fear or unchristian dejection as it is not only sinful in it self but the cause and inlet of many other sins But to a due sense both of the evils of misery that will befal the Nation when Gods indignation comes upon it and the evils of sin that have incensed it and to such a fear of both as may seasonably awaken us to the use of all preventing remedies And first 1. O that all would lay to heart the National miseries that Gods indignation threatens upon us It is said Psal. 107. 34. A fruitful land is turned into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein It was long since told England by one of its faithful watchmen The Nation and Church in which we are is the common Ship in which we are all embarked and if this in judgment be cast away whether dashed against the rocks of any Foreign power or swallowed up in the quick-sands of Domestick divisions it must needs hazard all the Passengers Or if you were sure that for your parts you might be safe would it not be a bitter thing to stand upon the shore and see such a glorious vessel as this Nation is to be cast away To see this glorious Land defaced the blessed Gospel polluted the golden candlestick removed it cannot but affect men that have any bowels Or if this move you not yet to see a stranger to Lord it in thy habitation and thy dwelling place to cast thee out for your delightsome dwellings your fruitful pleasant and well tilled fields to be made a prey for you to sow and another to reap Impius has segetes for the delicate woman upon whom the wind must not blow to be exposed to the lust and cruelty of an enemy and be glad to fly away naked to prolong a miserable life which they would be glad to part with for death were it not for fear of the exchange For the tender Mother to look upon the Child of her womb and consider must this child in whom I have placed the hope of my age for Omnis in Ascanio stat chari cura parentis He that hath been so tenderly bred up must he fall into the rough hands of a bloudy Souldier skilful to destroy It had been well for me if God had given me dry breasts or a miscarrying womb rathan to bring forth children unto murtherers or if you might be safe how could you endure to see the miseries that should come upon your people and the destruction of your kindred Thus far he But alass What security have any of us as to our earthly comforts from the common calamity We may please our selves as Baruch did Ier 45. 4 5. and dream of exemption but by so much the greater will our distress be when it shall surprise us 2. You that are the people of God ought to be deeply affected with the spiritual miseries that threaten us in the day of Gods indignation do you consider what the removing the Candlestick out of its place is A departing Gospel the going down of the Sun upon the Prophets the loss of your sweet Sabbaths and Gospel Feasts and the gross darkness of Popery to fill the earth O it is hard parting with these things it 's said 1 Sam. 7. 2. when the Ark was removed that all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. Pity your own Souls and be deeply affected with the misery of others the poor Christless world who are like to perish for want of Vision Prov. 29. 18. In the Year 1072 saith Matthew Parâ—s Preaching was suppressed at Rome and then Letters were framed by some as coming from hell in which the Devil gives them thanks for the multitude of Souls sent to him that year 3. But especially labour to affect your hearts with the sins that have incensed Gods indignation So did the Saints in Ierusalem Ezek. 9. 4. they sighed and mourned for all the abominations committed in it So did Lot 2 Pet. 2. 7. He vexed his righteous soul from day to day So did David Psal. 119. 136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because men kept not thy law O who that loves God can refrain tears to see the God of pity the God of tender mercies a father full of bowels of compassion so incensed and provoked to indignation Oh it is an heart-melting consideration where there is any ingenuity If our afflictions grieve God to the heart as it doth Iudg. 10. 16. Our souls should be grieved for his dishonour 4. To conclude get upon your hearts such a sense of Gods indignation as may quicken you to the use of preventing duties So Amos 4. 12. Because I will do this prepare to meet thy God O Israel So the Prophet Zeph. 2. 1 2. Gather your selves together before the decree bring forth It was Moses his honour to stand in the breach Psal. 106. 23. And Abrabam's to plead so with God though he did not prevail CHAP. IV. Confirming the third Proposition viz. That God hath a special and peculiar care of his own in the days of his indignation SECT I. PRopriety and Relation engages Care and Solicitude in times of Danger we see God hath put such a Storge and inclination into the very creatures that they will expose themselves to preserve their young and it cannot be imagined that the fountain of Pity which dropt this tenderness into the bowels of the creatures should not abound with it himself is there such strong inclination in the very birds of the air that they will hazard their own lives to save their young â— much more is God solicitous for his people Isa. 31. 5. As birds flying c. to their nests when their young are in danger So will the Lord of Hosts defend Jerusalem No mother is more solicitous for her dearest Child in danger and distress than the Lord is for his people Isa. 49. 15. Can a Woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb Yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee A woman the more affectionate Sex forget her child a piece of her self her sucking child which together with milk from the breast draws love from the heart This may rather be supposed than that the Lord should forget his people Two things must here be cleared 1. That it is so 2. Why it is so 1. That it is so will appear from 1. Scripture Emblems 2. Scripture Promises 3.
expectations of Gods righteous judgments It is indeed below faith to expect evil days with despondency and distraction but surely it is a noble exercise of Faith so to expect them as to make due preparation for them SECT II. ANd if we enquire for what End God gives such warnings to the world and premonishes them from Heaven of the judgments that are coming on the earth know that he doth it upon a threefold account 1. To prevent their Execution 2. To leave the Careless inexcusable 3. To make them more tolerable and easie to his own people 1. Warning is given with design to prevent the execution of judgments this is plain from Amos 4. 12. Therefore will I do this unto thee there is warning given and because I will do this prepare to meet thy God O Israel There is the gracious design of preventing it by bringing them seasonably upon their knees at the foot of an angry God You see the Lord expects it from all his Children that they fall at his feet in deep humiliation and fervent intercession whenever he goes forth in the way of judgment What else was the design of God in sending Ionah to Nineveh with that dreadful message but to excite them to repentance and prevent their ruine This Ionah guessed at and therefore declined the message to secure his credit well knowing that if they took warning and repented the gracious nature of God would soon melt into compassion over them Free grace would make him appear as a liar among the people for to that sense his own words sound Ionah 4. 2. Was not this my saying when I was yet in my Countrey Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish for I knew that thou art a gracious God q. d. I thought before hand it would come to this I knew how willing thou art to be prevented by repentance therefore to secure my credit I fled to Tarshish 2. He forewarns of judgments to leave the Incorrigible wholly inexcusable that those who have neither sense of Sin nor fear of Judgment before might have no cloak for their folly nor plea for themselves afterward What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee Ier. 13. 21 22. q. d. What Plea or Apology is left thee after so many fair warnings You cannot say you were surprized before you were admonished or ruined before you were warned 3. God warns of Judgments before they come to make them the more easie to his people when they come indeed thus in Iohn 16. 4. Christ foretold his Disciples of their approaching sufferings that when they came they should not be found amazed at them or unprovided for them for unexpected miseries are astonishing to the best men and destructive to wicked men Luke 17. 26 27 28. Well then if it be so let all that are wise in heart consider the Signs of the times and seasonably hearken to Gods warnings The Lords voice crieth to the Citâ— and the man of wisdom shall see thy name hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Mica 6. 9. 'T is our wisdom to way-lay our troubles and provide for the worst estate whilst we enjoy the best happy is he that is at once believing and praying for good days and preparing for the worst Noah's example is our advantage Heb. 11. 7. Who by faith being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark. Preventing mercies are the most ravishing mercies Psal. 59. 10. And preventing calamities are the sorest calamities Amos 9. 10. And let us heartily bewail the supiness and carelesness of the world in which we live who take no notice of Gods warnings but put the evil day far from them Amos 6. 3. who will admit no fear till they are past all hope they see God housing his Saints apace yet will not see the evil to come from which God takes them Isa. 57. 1 2. The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come he shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness They hear the cry of sin which is gone up to heaven but cry not for the abominations that are committed nor tremble at the judgments that they will procure O careless Sinners drowned in Stupidity and sleeping like Ionah under the Hatches when others are upon their knees and at their wits end do Saints tremble and are you secure Have not you more reason to be afraid than they If judgments come the greatest harm it can do them is but to hasten them to Heaven but as for you it may hurry you away to Hell They only fear tribulation in the way but you will not fear damnation in the end Believe it Reader in days of common calamity both Heaven and Hell will fill apace CHAP. VI. Demonstrating the fifth Proposition viz. That Gods Attributes Promises and Providences are prepared for the security of his people in the greatest distresses that befal them in the World SECT I. HAving more briefly dispatched the foregoing preliminary Propositions it remains that we now more fully open this fifth Proposition which contains the main subject matter of this Discourse here therefore our meditations must fix and abide and truly such is the deliciousness of the subject to Spiritual hearts that I judge it wholly needless to offer any other motive besides it self to engage your affections Let us therefore view our Chambers and see how well God hath provided for his Children in all their distresses that befal them in this world it is our fathers voice that calls to us Come my people enter thou into thy chambers And the 1. Chamber Which comes to be opened as a Refuge to distressed Believers in a stormy day is that most secure and safe Attribute of Divine Power into this let us first enter by serious and believing meditation and see how safe they are whom God hides under the protection thereof in the worst and most dangerous days In opening this Attribute we shall consider it 1. In its own Nature and Property 2. With respect to the Promises 3. As it is actuated by Providence on the behalf of distressed Saints And then give you a comfortable prospect of their safe and happy condition who take up their lodgings by Faith in this Attribute of God 1. Let us consider the Power of God in it self and we shall find it represented to us in the Scriptures in these three lovely Properties viz. Power 1. Omnipotent 2. Supreme 3. Everlasting 1. As an Omnipotent and All-sufficient Power which hath no bounds or limits but the pleasure and will of God Dan. 4. 34 35. He doth according to his will in the armies of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him What dost thou So Psalm 135. 6. Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in Heaven and in Earth
his people 2. Beyond the line of all Creature expectations Eph. 3. 20. God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think He doth so in Spirituals as appears by those two famous Parables Luke 15. 19. 22. And am no more worthy to be called thy son make me as one of thy hired servants But the Father said to his servants bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet The Prodigal desired to be but as an hired servant and lo the fatted Calf is 〈◊〉 for him and musick to his meat and the gold ring upon his finger And in Matth. 18. 26 27. The Debtor did but desire patience and the Creditor forgave the Debt O thinks a poor humbled Sinner if I might have but the least glimpse of hope how sweet would it be But God brings him to more than he expects even the clear shining of assurance It is so in Temporals the Church confesses the Lord did things they looked not for Isa. 64. 3. And in both Spirituals and Temporals this power moves in an higher Orb than our thoughts Isa. 55. 8 9. My thoughts are not your thoughts nor my ways your ways but as far as the heavens are above the earth so are my thoughts above your thoughts The earth is but a punctum to the Heavens all its tallest Cedars Mountains and Pyramids cannot reach it He speaks as was said before of Gods pitying pardoning and merciful thoughts and shews that no Creatâ—re can think of God as he doth of the creature under sin or under misery Our thoughts are not his eitâ—er First by way of simple cogitation we cannot thiâ—k such thoughts towards others in misery by way of pity or under sin against us by way of pardon as God doth Nor Secondly are our thoughts as Gods in respect of reflexive comprehension i. e. We cannot conceive or comprehend what those thoughts of God towards us are when we fall into sin or misery jâ—st as he thinks them they are altered debased and straitened as soon as ever they come into our thoughts See an excellent instance in Gen. 48. 11. I had not thought to see thy face and lo God hath shewed me all thy seed A surprizing providence and thus the Divine power works in a Sphere above all the thoughts prayers and expectations of men 3. It works beyond all probabilities and rational conjectures of men this Almighty power hath â—â—ted deliverances for the people of God when things have been brought to the lowest ebb and all the means of salvation have been hid from their eyes We have diverse famous instances of this in Scripture wherein we may observe a remarkable gradation in the working of this Almighty power It is said in the 2 Kings 14. 26 27. The Lord saw the affliction of Israel that it was very bitter for there was not any shut up nor any left nor any helper for Israel A deplorable state how inevitable was their ruine to the eye of sense Well might it be called a bitter affliction Yet from this immediate power arose for them a sweet and unexpected Salvation and if we look into 2 Cor. 1. 9 10. we shall find the Apostles and choicest Christians of those times giving up themselves as lost men all ways of escape being quite out of sight for so much those words signifie We had the sentence of death in our selves i. e. We yielded our selves for dead men But though they were sentenced to death yea though they sentenced themselves this power which wrought above all their thoughts and rational conjectures reprieved them And yet one step farther in Ezek. 37. 4 5 6 7. The people of God are there represented as actually dead yea as in their graves yea as rotted in their graves and their very bones dry like those that are dead of old so utterly improbable was their recovery Yet by the working of this Almighty power which subdueth all things to it self their graves in Babylon were opened the breath of life came into them bone came to bone and there stood up a very great Army it was the working of this power above the thoughts of mans heart which gave the ground of that famous Proverb Gen. 22. 14. In the Mount of the Lord it shall â—eseen And the ground of that famous Promise Zech. 14. 7. At evening time it shall be light i. e. Light shall unexpectedly spring up when all men according to the course and order of Nature expect nothing but increasing darkness How extensive is the power of God in its glorious operations SECT III. LEt us view the power of God in its relation to the promises for so it becomes our Sanctuary in the day of trouble if the Power of God be the Chamber 't is the Promise of God which is that Golden ' Key that opens it And if we well consult the Scriptures in this matter we shall find the Almighty power of God made over to his people by promise for many excellent ends and uses in the day of their trouble As 1. To uphold and support them when their own strength fails Isa. 41. 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness And which of the Saints have not sensibly felt these everlasting arms underneath their spirits when afflictions have pressed them above their own strength So runs the promise to Paul in 2 Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness i. e. It is made known in thy weakness Our weakness adds nothing to Gods power it doth not make his power perfect but it hath the better advantage of its discovery and puts forth it self more signally and conspicuously in our weakness as the stars which never shine so gloriously as in the darkest night 2. To preserve them in all their dangers to which they lie exposed in Soul and Body 1 Pet. 1. 5. You are kept saith the Apostle by the mighty power of God Kept as in a Garison this is their arm every morning as it is Isa. 33. 2. O Lord be gracious unto us we have waited for thee be thou their arm every morning our salvation also in the time of trouble The Arm is that member which is fitted for the defence of the body and for that end so placed by the God of Nature that it may guard every part above and below it but as good they were bound behind our backs for any help they can give us in some cases It is Gods Arm that defends us and not our own This invisible power of God makes the Saints the worlds wonder Psal. 71. 7. I am as a wonder to many but thou art my strong refuge To see poor defenceless Creatures preserved in the midst of furious enemies that is just
bring it to pass 3. Encourage your selves from this when the Church is in the greatest danger and most sorely shaken O that is a blessed promise Zech. 3. 9. Upon one stone shall be seven eyes Meaning Christ and the Church built on him as the chief corner stone the seven eyes are the seven eyes of Providence which are never all asleep CHAP. VIII Opening that glorious Attribute of Divine Faithfulness as a third Chamber of Security to the people of God in times of distress and danger SECâ— I. HAving viewed the Saints Refuge in the Power and Wisdom of God we next proceed to a third Chamber of Safety for the Saints refuge viz. The Faithfulness of God In this Attribute is our Safety and Rest amidst the confusions of the world and daily disappointments we are vexed withal through the vanity and falsenes of the Creature As to Creatures the very best of them they are but vanity yea vanity of vanity the vainest vanity Eccles. 1. 2. Every man in his best estate is altogether vanity Psal. 39. 5. Yea those that we expect most from give us most of trouble Micah 7. 5. Nearest Relations bring up the rear of sorrows Iob 6. 15. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook Especially their deceit appears most when we have most need of their help Psal. 142. 4. How great a mercy is it then to have a refuge in the Faithfulness of God as David had I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me refuge failed me no man cared for my soul. And likewise the Church Micah 7. 7. I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will hear me A time may come when you shall not know where to trust in all this world Let me therefore open to you this Chamber of rest in the Faithfulness of God against such a day and this I shall do in a two sold consideration of it viz. 1. Absolutely in its own Nature 2. Relatively in the Promises and Providences of God 1. Absolutely and so the Faithfulness of God is his sincerity firmness and constancy in performing his word to his people in all times and cases So Moses describes him to Israel Deut. 7. 9. Know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God And Ioshua appeals to their experience for the vindication of it Iosh. 23. 14. Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to pass and not one thing hath failed thereof And it is also fully asserted Ier. 31. 35 36 37. and greatly admired even in the darkest day Lam. 3. 23. Great is thy faithfulness And it is well for us that his faithfulness is great for great is that weight that leans upon it even all our hopes for both worlds for this world and for that to come Tit. 1. 2. In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began It was a very dishonourable character that Suidas gave of Tiberius Eorum quae appetebat ne quicquam prae se ferebat eorum quae dicebat ne quicquam facere volebat i. e. He never made shew of having what he desired to have nor ever minded to do what he promised to do But God is faithful and that will appear by these following Evidences of it 1. Evidence By his exact fulfilling of his Promises of the longest date So Acts 7. 6. Four hundred and thirty years were run out before the Promise of Israel's deliverance out of Egypt was accomplished yet Acts 7. 17. when the time of the Promise was come God was punctual to a day Seventy years in Babylon and at the expiration of that time they returned 2 Chron. 36. 21. Men may forget but God cannot Isa. 49. 15 16. 2. Evidence By making way for his Promise through the greatest difficulties and seeming impossibilities So to Abraham when old Gen. 18. 13 14. Is there any thing too hard for the Lord At the appointed time will I return unto thee according to the time of life and Sarah shall have a son And likewise to the Israelites Can these dry bones live Ezek. 37. 3. Difficulties are for men not God Gen. 18. 14. What art thou O great Mountain Zech. 8. 6. If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people should it also be marvellous in mine eyes saith the Lord of hosts 3. Evidence By fulfilling promises to his people when their hopes and expectations have been given up So Ezek. 37. 11. Our bones are dry our hopes lost we are cut off for our part And Isa. 49. 14. Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me There may be much unbelief in good men their faith may be sorely staggered yet God is faithful men may question his promises yet God cannot deny himself 2. Tim. 2. 13. 4. Evidence By Gods appealing to his people and referring the matter to their own judgments Micah 6. 3 4 5. O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee Testifie against me for I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of servants and I sent before thee Moses Aaron and Miriam O my people remember now what Balak King of Moab consulted and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. q. d. If I have failed in a Punctilio of my promise shew it did not Balak and Balaam court me and try all ways to win me over to them by multitudes of Sacrifices yet I did not desert you So Ier. 2. 31. O generation see ye the word of the Lord have I been a wilderness unto Israel a land of darkness wherefore say my people we are lords we will come no more unto thee Isa. 44. 8. 5. Evidence The Faithfulness of God is abundantly cleared by the constant testimonies given unto it in all Ages by them that have tryed it they have all witnessed for God and attested his unspotted faithfulness to the generations that were to come So did Ioshua 23. 14. All is come to pass and so did Daniel Chap. 9. 4. O Lord the great and dreadful God keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him With which David's testimony concurs Psal. 146. 6. Happy â—s he that hath the God of Jacob for his â—elp whose hope is in the Lord his God which made the heaven and earth the sea and all that therein is which keepeth truth for ever Thus his people have been witnesses in all generations unto the faithfulness of God in his promises the consideration whereof leaves no doubt or objection behind it SECT II. ANd if we enquire into the grounds and reasons why God is and ever must be most Faithful in
these permissions of Providence prove singular advantages and blessings to you SECT III. WHat remains then seeing God is Unchangeable in his love to his People pursuing the the great ends of all his gracious promises in a steddy course of Providence wherein he will never effect or permit any thing that is really repugnant to his own glory or their good but that we enter also into this Camber of Rest shut the doors about us and comfortably improve the unchangeableness of God while we see nothing but changes and troubles here below 1. Enter into Gods Unchangeableness by Faith take up your lodgings in this sweet Attribute also and to encourage your Faith thereunto seriously consider a few particulars 1. Consider how constant firm and unchangeable God hath been to his people in all times and streights not one among the many thousands of his people that are passed on before you but by frequent and certain experience have found him so What a singular encouragement should this be to our Faith in the case before us Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee So Isa. 25. 4. Thou hast been a strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress a refuge from the storm a shaddow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as the storm against the wall Neither is there any thing in your experience contradictory to the encouraging reports others have made of God you must acknowledge that notwithstanding your own changeableness who have hardly been able to maintain your hearts in any Spiritual frame towards God for one day together yet his mercies towards you have been new every morning and great hath been his Faithfulness You have often turned aside from the way of your duty and have not followed God in a steddy course of obedience and yet for all that his goodness and mercy have followed you all the days of your life as it is Psal. 23. 6. 2. Consider how often you have doubted and mistrusted the unchangeableness of God and been forced with shame and sorrow to retract your folly therein God hath many times convinced you that his love to you is an unchangeable love how many changes soever in the course of his Providence have passed over you consult Isa. 49. 14. and Psal. 77 78. and see how the cases parallel both in respect of Gods constancy to them and you and the inconstancy of his peoples Faith then and yours now your fears and doubts are the same with theirs though his goodness and love have been as unchangeable to you as ever it was towards them 3. Consider the Advocateship and intercession of Jesus Christ in Heaven for you by vertue whereof the favour and love of God becomes unalterable towards his people If any thing can be supposed to cool or quench the love of God towards you nothing in the world is more like to do it than your sin and this indeed is that which you fear will estrange and alienate the heart of your God from you But Reader if thou be one that sincerely mournest for all the grief and dishonour of God by thy sin appliest the bloud of sprinkling to thy Soul by Faith and makest mortification and watchfulness thy daily business comfort thy self against that fear from that singular encouragement given thee in this case 1 Iohn 2. 1 2. My little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins Look as the death of Christ healed the great breach betwixt God and thy Soul by thy reconciliation at first so the powerful Intercession of Christ in Heaven effectually prevents all new breaches betwixt God and thy Soul afterwards so that he will never totally and finally cast thee off again 2. Shut the door behind you against all objections scruples and questionings of Gods immutability and by a resolved and steddy Faith maintain the the honour of God in this point by thy constant adherence to it and dependence upon it and especially see that thou give him the glory of his unchangeableness 1. When thou shalt see the greatest alterations and changes made by his Providence in the World What though thou shouldest live to see all things turned upside down the foundations out of course all things drawing into a Sea of confusion and trouble Yet in the midst of those publick distractions and distress of Nations Encourage thou thy self in this thy God and his love to his people is the same for ever Psal. 46. 1 2 3 4 5. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble Therefore will we not fear though the earth be moved and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved 2. Live by Faith upon Gods unchangeableness under the greatest changes of your own condition in this world Providence may make great alterations upon all your outward conforts it may cast you down how dear soever you be to God from riches into poverty from health into sickness from honour into reproach from liberty into bondage thou mayest overlive thy comfortable relations and of a Naomi become a Marah Thou hast lifted me up and cast me down said as good a man as you Psal. 102. 10. Yet still it is your duty and will be your great priviledge in the midst of all these changes to act your faith upon the never changing God as that holy man did Hab. 3. 17. Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither fruit be in the vine the labour of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flocks shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation q. d. Suppose a thousand disappointments of my earthly hopes yet will I maintain my hope in God O Christian with how many yets notwithstandings and neverthelesses must thy faith bear up in times of trouble or thou 'l sink 3. See thou live upon Gods unchangeableness when age and sickness shall inform thee that thy great change is at hand though thy heart and thy flesh fail comfort thy self with this thy God will never fail thee Psal. 73. 16. O God saith David thou hast taught me from my youth and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works now also when I am old and gray headed forsake me not Psal. 71 17 18. 4. Live upon the unchangeableness of God under the greatest and saddest changes of your Spiritual condition God may cloud the light of his countenance over thy Soul he may fill thee with fears and troubles and the comforter that should relieve thee may seem to be far off yet still maintain thy faith in
the unchangeableness of his loves trust in the name of the Lord stay thy self upon the God when thou walkest in darkness and hast no light Isa. 50. 10. Thus shut thy door 3. Improve the unchangeabless of God to thy best advantage in the worst times by drawing thence such comfortable conclusions as these 1. If God be an uchangeable God in his promises and in his love to his people what should hinder but the people of God may live happily and comfortably in the saddest times and greatest troubles upon earth As sorrowful yet always rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6. 10. Certainly nothing ought to quench a Christians mirth that is not able to separate him from the love of Christ Rom. 8. 35. 2. If God be an unchangeable God in his love to his people then it becomes all that have special interest in this God to be unchangeable and immoveable in the ways of their obedience towards him God will not cast you off see that you cast not off your duties no not when they are surrounded with difficulties he loves you though you often grieve him by sin see that you still love him though he often grieve and burden you by affliction he will own you for his people under the greatest contempts and reproaches of the World see that you own and honour his ways and truths when you are under most reproach from a vile World CHAP. X. Opening the Care of God for his people in times of trouble as the fifth Chamber of Rest to Believers SECT 1. CAre in the general Notion of it as it is applyed to the Creature imports the studiousness and solicitousness of our thoughts for the safety and welfare of our selves or those we love and highly value Now though there be no such thing properly in God at whose dispose and pleasure all events are and to whose counsels and appointments all difficulties must give way yet he is pleased to accommodate himself to our weakness and express his regard and love to his people by such things as one creature doth to another to which it is endeared by relation or affection To this purpose we find many significant Synonomous expressions in Scripture all importing the careof God over his people in a pleasant variety of notion and expression as Nah. 1. 7. The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him He knoweth them i. e. he hath a special tender and careful eye upon them to see their wants supplyed and to protect them in all their dangers for in the common and general sense he knoweth them that trust not in him as well as those that do and further to clear this sence of the place it is said Ps. 40. 17. The Lord thinketh on them Importing not only simple cogitation but the immoration or abiding of his thoughts upon them as our thoughts are wont to do upon that which we highly esteem especially when any danger is near it And yet farther to clear this sense it is said Iob 36. 7. He withdraweth not his Eye from the righteous As when Moses was exposed in the Ark of Bulrushes where his Life was in eminent hazards by the waters of Nilus upon one side and the Egypan Cut-Throats on the other his Sister Miriam kept watch at a distance to see what would be done to him Her eye was never off that Ark wherein her dear Brother lay fear and care engaged her eye to keep a true watch for him Thus the Lord withdraweth not his eye from the righteous To the same purpose is that expression Deut. 33. 3. Yoa he loved the People all his Saints are in thy hand That which we dearly love and prize above ordinary we keep in our own hands for its security as not thinking it safe enough in any other hand or place And once more Isa. 49. 16. God is said to engrave them upon the Palms of his Hands alluding to what is customary among men who when they would charge their memories with something of special concernment use to change a Ring or bind a Thred about the Finger to put them in mind of it Thus is the care of our God expressed to us in Scripture notions The amount of all which is given us in that one proper and full expression of the Apostle 1 Pet. 5. 7. He careth for you To open this Chamber of Divine care as a place of sweetest rest to our anxious and perplexed minds in times of difficulty and hazard it will be necessary that you seriously ponder Of the care of God 1. The Grounds and Reasons 2. The Extent and Compass 3. The Lovely Properties 1. The grounds and reasons of Gods care for his people which are 1. The strict and dear Relations in which he is pleased to own them Believers are his children and you know how naturally children engage and draw forth the Fathers care for them This is the argument Christ uses Matth. 6. 31 32. Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eat Or what shall we drink Or wherewithal shall we be cloathed For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things Children especially when young disquiet not themselves about provions for back or belly but leave that to the care of their Parents from whom by the tye and Bonds of Nature and Love they expect provision for all those wants Every one takes care for his own much more doth God for his own Children and indeed he expects his children should live upon his care as our children in their minority do upon ours 2. Gods precious estimation and value of them engages his constant care for them Believers are his Jewels Mal. 3. 17. his peculiar people 1 Pet. 2. 6. his special portion or treasure in this world Deut. 32. 9. and as such he prizes and esteems them above all the people of the earth and accordingly exerciseth his special care in all the dangers they are here exposed to Special love engageth peculiar care 3. The dangers and fears of the people of God in this world are many and great and were it not for the Lords assiduous and tender care over them they must necessarily be ruined both in soul and body by them The Church is God's Vineyard its Enemies as so many wild Boars to root it up Upon this account he saith Isa. 27. 3. I the Lord do keep it lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day And indeed it is well for Israel that he that keepeth it never slumbereth nor sleepeth Psal. 121. 4. that our houses are in peace that we and our dear relations fall not as a prey into cruel and bloody hands skilful to destroy that we find any rest or comfort in so evil and dangerous a world it is wholly and only to be ascribed to the care of God over us and ours 4. Jesus Christ hath solemnly recommended
make but such observations upon the care of thy God as follow and then tell me whether the world with all its pleasures and delights can give thee such an other entertainment 1. Reflect upon the constant sweet and suitable provisions that from time to time have been prepared for thee and thine by this care of thy God From whence soever thy wants did come I am sure from hence came thy supplies it hath enabled thee to return the same answer the disciples did to that question Luke 22. 35. Lacked ye any thing and they said nothing 2. Reflect with admiration upon the various difficulties of your lives wherein your thoughts have been entangled and out of which you have been extricated and delivered by the care of God over you How oft have your thoughts been like a ravelled skeyn of silk so entangled and perplexed with the difficulties and fears before you that you could find no end but the longer you thought the more you were puzled till you have left thinking and fell to praying and there you have found the right end to wind up all your thoughts upon the bottom of peace and sweet contentment according to that direction Psal. 37. 5. Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass 3. Observe with a melting heart how the care of thy God hath disposed and directed thy way to unforeseen advantages had he not ordered thy steps when and as he did thou hadst not been in possession of those Temporal and Spiritual mercies that sweeten thy life at this day Surely the steps of good men are ordered by the Lord and as for thee Christian what reason hast thou with an heart overflowing with love and thankfulness to look up and say My father thou art the guide of my youth It is sweet to live by faith upon Divine care Oh what a Serene life might we live careful for nothing but making known our request unto God in every thing Phil. 4. 6. casting all our care on him that careth for us 1 Pet. 5. 7. perplexing our thoughts about nothing but rolling every burthen upon godly Faith Thus lived holy Musculus when reduced to extreme poverty and danger at the same time then it was that he solaced his Soul with that comfortable Distich a good lesson for others Est Deus in coelis qui providus omnia curat Credentes nusquam deseruisse potest The Provident care of his heavenly father made his heart as quiet as the child at the breast Christian thou knowest not what distressful days are coming upon the earth nor what personal trials shall befal thee in this world but I advise thee as thou valuest the tranquility and comfort of thy life Shut up thy self by Faith in this Chamber of Divine Care it is thy best security in this world Reflect frequently and thankfully upon the manifold supports supplies and salvations thou hast already had from this fountain of mercies and be not discouraged at new difficulties When an eminent Christian was told of some that way-laid him to destroy him his answer was Si Deus mei curam non habet quid vivo In like manner thou mayest say if God had not taken care for thee how couldst thou have lived till now How couldest thou have overlived so many troubles fears and dangers as thou hast done CHAP. XI Opening the sixth and last Chamber viz. The Love of God as a resting place to believing Souls in evil times SECT I. THough all the Attributes in the name or Chambers of this house of God are glorious and excellent yet this of love is transcendently glorious Of this room it may be said as it was of Solomon's royal Chariot Cant. 3. 10. The midst thereof is paved with love In this Attribute the glory of God is signally and eminently manifested 1 Iohn 4. 9 10. And upon this foundation the hopes and comforts of all Believers are built and founded Rom. 8. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distress 〈◊〉 persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword He defies and despises them all because neither of them alone nor all together by their united strength can unclasp the arms of Divine Love in which Believers are â—afely enfolded In this Attribute Gods people by Faith entrench themselves and of it a Believer saith Hic murus aâ—enus esto this shall be my strong hold and fortress in the day of trouble and well may we so esteem and reckon it if we consider 1. That wherever the special love of God goes there the special presence of God goes also Iohn 14. 23. He shall be loved of my father and we will come unto him and make our abode with him And O how secure and safe must those be however times govern with whom God himself maketh his abode For as the Psalmist speaks Psal. 91. 1. He that dwells in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty And he that is overshadowed by an Almighty power needs not fear how many mighty enemies combine against him 2. Wherever the special love of God is placed that person becomes precious and highly valuable in the eyes of God he appretiates and estimates such a man as his peculiar treasure which naturally and necessarily draws and spreads the wing of Divine care over him for his protection Deuteron 33. 12. The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him and the Lord shall cover him all the day long Things of greatest value are always kept in safest custody 3. Upon whosoever the special love of God is seâ— there all events and issues of troubles are sure to be over ruled to the eternal advantage of that Soul Rom. 8. 28. Which consideration alone is sufficient to unsting all the troubles in the world and make the beloved of the Lord shout and triumph in the midst of tribulations But let us enter yet further into this glorious Chamber of Divine love and more particularly view the admirable properties thereof though when all is done it will be found a love passing knowledge our thoughts may admire but can never measure it 1. And first you will find it an ancient love whose spring is in eternity it self Believer God is thine ancient friend who foresaw and loved thee before thou yea before this world was in being the fruits and effects thereof thou gatherest in time but the root that produces them was before all times Prov. 8. 22 23. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was Thus was the love of God contriving and providing the best of mercies in Christ for us while as yet there were no such creatures in the world nor a world prepared to receive us 2 The love of God to his people is a free and altogether undeserved love it must needs be
so seeing it prevented our very being which had it not done yet no motives had been found in us to allure it to us more than others Deut. 7. 7. The Lord did not set his love upon you nor chuse you because ye were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loved you So that we cannot find one stone of our own merit in the foundation of this love for those whom it embraceth in its arms are Immerentes malè merentes ill deserving as well as undeserving we were loved of God before we were lovely in our selves it is freely pitched upon us not purchased by us Isa. 43. 24. 3. The love of God to Believers is a bountiful love streaming forth continually mercies both innumerable and invaluable to their Souls and Bodies 2 Pet. 1. 3. Christian it would quickly weary thine arm yea let me say the arm of an Angel but to write down the thousandth part of the mercies which have already flowed out of this precious fountain to thee though all thou hast received or shalt receive in this world are but the beginnings of mercy and first-fruits of the love of God to thee 't is the love of God which daily loads thee with benefits as the expression is Psal. 68. 19. And if thou art daily loaded with mercies what an heap of mercies will the mercies of thy whole life be 4. The love of God to believers is a distinguishing love not the portion of all no nor yet of many besides thee 1 Cor. 1. 26. The generality of the world dwell in the Room of common Providence not in the Chamber of special love into which God hath admitted thee this consideration should make thee break out in admiration as it is Iohn 14. 22. Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to me and not to the world 5. The love of God to believers is a love transcendent to all creature love it moves in an higher Sphere than the love of any creature doth Rom. 5. 6 7 8. We read of Iacob's love to Rachel which is so celebrated in the Sacred story for the fervour of it and yet all that it enabled him to suffer was but the Summers heat and the Winters cold a trifle to what the love of Christ engaged and enabled him to suffer for thy sake We read also of the love of David to Absalom which made him wish would God I had died for thee O Absalom my son my son This love was only manifested in a wish which haply might have been retracted too had there been an exchange to be made indeed but the life of Christ wortâ— millions of his life was actually and willingly staked down for thy Soul We read of the love of one Disciple manifested to another Disciple in a cup of cold water but Christ hath manifested his love to thee in pouring out his warmest heart bloud for thy redemption Oh what a transcendent love is the Divine love 6. To conclude though alas little is said of the love of God it is an everlasting and unchangeable love Hills and moutains shall sooner start from their Bases than his loving kindness depart from his people Isa. 54. 10. Though he afflict us still he loves us Psal 89. 32 33. Nay though we grieve him yet still he loves us Mark 16. 7. Tell the Disciples and tell Peter Peter had grieved Christ denied Christ yet will he not renounce nor cast off Peter SECT II. WEll then if God have opened to your Souls such a Chamber of love where your Souls may be ravished with daily delights as well as secured from danger and ruine O that you would enter into it by Faith and dwell for ever in the love of God! I mean clear up your interest in it and then solace your Souls in the delights of it Need I to use an Argument or spend one Motive to press you to enter into such an Heaven upon Earth If the deadness of thy heart doth need it take into consideration Reader these few that follow 1. Motive Ponder with thy self how sad and miserable the case will be with thee in the days of calamity and distress if the love of God shall then be clouded to thy Soul in those days such as love thee will either be absent from thee or impotent to help thee all thy friends and familiars may be removed far off and whither then wilt thou turn should God be far off too This was that evil which Ieremiah so vehemently deprecated Chap. 17. v. 17. Be not a terrour unto me thou art my hope in the day of evil q. d. O Lord my Soul depends upon refreshment and comfort from thee when all the springs of earthly comfort are dried up Shouldest thou be a teâ—rour to me in the day of evil it will be the most terrible disappointment that ever befel my Soul if thou be kind I care not who be cruel if I have the love of God I value not the hatred of men but if God be a terrour who or what can be a comforter The love of God is the alone refuge to which the gracious Soul retreats upon all creature disappointments and failings This therefore is the main thing to be feared against the evil day 2. Mot. The knowledge and assurance of the love of God is a mercy attainable by a gracious Soul notwithstanding the imperfections of Grace Peter had his falls and failings as well as other Christians yet when Christ puts the question home to him Ioh. 21. 15. Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these he was able to return a clear positive answer Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee Study thy heart Christian and study the Scriptures if thou canst find the sincere love of God in thy heart that Scripture will clear the love of God to thy Soul 1 Iohn 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us If thou lay thine hand upon a stone wall and feel it warm thou mayest conclude the Sun beams have shone upon it for warmth is not naturally in dead stones Our love to God is but the reflex beam of his love to us and we know there can be no reflex without a direct beam Thousands of Christians do at this day actually possess the ravishing sense of Divine love whose fears and complaints have been the same that thine now are that God who indulged this favour to them can do as much for thee 3. Mot. Think how well thou wilt be provided for the worst and difficultest times when the love of of God shall be well secured to thy Soul when the love of God i. e. the sense of his love is once shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost which for that end among others is given unto us we shall then be able to glory in tribulation Rom. 5. 3 5. We may then bid defiance to all the adverse powers of hell and earth and say
Direction and Advice THe providence of God in these days giving us such loud warnings of approaching judgment How are all that are wise in heart and of understanding of the times now more especially concerned to clear their interest in these blessed Attributes of God which have here been opened as their only refuge in the evil day Let me therefore persuade and press you to betake your selves to God your refuge and strong hold in trouble and that more especially in these two great duties viz. 1. Of Fervent Supplication 2. Of Universal Resignation 1. Betake your selves to God by fervent Prayer and Supplication Let me say of these times as Holy Mr. Perkins did of his Non sunt ista litigandi sed orandi tempora These are no times for Christians to contend and strive one with another but with their united cryes to strive with God and among other requests strongly to enforce and follow home that of David Psal. 71. 2 3. Deliver me in thy righteousness and cause me to escape incline thine ear unto me and save me be thou my strong habitation whereunto I may continually resort That 's a true and weighty Observation of Austine Non facilè inveniuntur praesidia in adversitate quae non fuerint in pace quaesita A refuge is not to be found in trouble except it be provided before-hand in peace For this saith the Psalmist shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou maist be found surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him Psal. 32. 6. Had not Noah prepared and secured himself in the Ark before the floods of great water came he had not sate as he did Medis tranquillus in undis Sleeping quietly when others were perishing in the waters Gather your selves therefore together before the Decree bring forth seek the Lord all ye meek of the earth be more frequent and more â—ervent in Prayer now than ever you have all the encouragements in the world to incite you to this duty the nature of your God is exceeding pitiful tender and compassionate Iam. 5. 11. The endeared relations betwixt God and you gives singular encouragement of success Shall not God hear his own Elect which cry unto him day and night Luk. 18. 7. The sweet returns and answers of former Prayers are so many motives and encouragements to follow close that thriving trade Psal. 52. 1 2 3. And above all your prevalent Advocate in the heavens should encourage you to come frequently and boldly to the throne of Grace that you may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need Heb. 4. 16. In two things I shall briefly offer a little Direction here viz. of Prayer 1. As to the matter 2. As to the manner 1. As to the matter of Prayer I mean such as the state and condition of the times now more especially suggests 1. Unite your Prayers and cry mightily to the Lord that if it be his good pleasure this cup of wrath which seems to be mingled and prepared may pass from his people Now cry to God as they are directed to do Ioel 2. 17. Spare thy people O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the people Where is their God O pray That England may not be delivered into the hands of blood-thirsty Papists that the golden Candlestick may not be removed that Idolatry may not return into those places where God hath been so sweetly Worshipped that a Land so peculiarly blessed with Gospel-Light wherein so many thousand sons and daughters have been born to God may not at last become an Aceldama a great Shambles to quarter out the Limbs of his dear Saints that the pleasant Plant of Reformation planted with his own right hand and watered with so many tears yea with so much blood may not at last be rooted up by the wild Boar out of the Forrest 2. Pray indesinently That you may be kept from the sins and temptations of the times O watch and pray that you enter not into temptation if you cannot prevail with God to turn away his anger yet be importunate with him that you may be kept from sin that if you lose your outward peace you may be able to keep inward peace that you may never sacrifice your consciences to save your flesh that you may never fall under the displeasure of God to avoid the rage of men Ah friends we little think what a fearful havock an hour of temptation will make in such a professing Nation as this is then shall many be offended Matth. 24. 10. O pray that you may never give offence to others by scandal or take offence your selves at the ways of God whatever sufferings and sharp tryals shall come 3. Pray earnestly for the sanctification of all your troubles to your eternal good an unsanctified comfort never did any man good and a sanctified trouble never did any man hurt be more earnest therefore with God rather to have your troubles sanctified than prevented to get the blessing than to avoid the smart of them if they cannot be turned away from you pray they may be turned to your salvation 2. Betake your selves to God your refuge by Faith resigning and committing all into his hands Now the just shall live by faith Heb. 10. 38. The more you can trust God the more you secure your selves from danger he that can live by Faith shall never die by Fear and be sure to inform your selves well in two things viz. 1. What it is to trust God over all 2. What grounds you have so to do 1. Be well instructed in the Nature of this duty there are six things imported in such acts of Resignation 1. An awakened sense of our dangers and hazards At what time I am afraid I will trust in thee Psal. 56. 3. Suffering times are resigning times 1 Pet. 4. 19. Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful creator And the greater and nearer our dangers are the more frequent and vigorous should the actings of our faith this way be Be not far from me for trouble is near 2. Resignation to God necessarily implies our renunciation and disclaiming of all other refuges Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses neither will we say any more to the work of our hands ye are our Gods for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy Hos. 14. 3. He that relies upon God must cease from Man resignation to God excludes not the use of lawful means but it doth exclude dependence upon them 3. Resignation to God is always grounded upon an interest in God we have no warrant nor encouragement to expect protection from him in trouble except we can come to him as Children to a Father It is the filial relation that gives encouragement to this fiducial
resignation and the clearer that relation and interest is the more bold and confident those acts of Faith will be Psal. 86. 2. Preserve my soul for I am holy O thou my God save thy servant that trusteth in thee And again Psal. 119. 94. I am thine save me I speak not here of the first act of Faith which flows not from an interest but gives the Soul an interest in God Nor do I say that poor doubting and timorous Believers whose interest in him is dark and dubious have no warrant to resign themselves and their concernments into his hands for it is both their right and duty to do it But certainly the clearer our interest is the more facile and comfortable will those acts be 4. The committing acts of Faith imply a full acknowledgement and owning of Gods power to protect us be the danger never so imminent Psal. 31. 15. My times are in thy hand deliver me from the hands of mine enemies and from them that persecute me q. d. O Lord I am fully satisfied my life is not at the dispose of mine enemies 't is not in their hands but in thine all the traps and snares they lay for it shall not shorten one minute of my time I know thine hand is fully able to protect me and therefore into thine hands I resign my self and all I have 5. Resignation involves in it an expectation of help and safety from God when we see no way of security from men O Lord saith Iehoshaphat We have no might nor no strength neither know we what to do but our eyes are unto thee 2 Chron. 20. 12. So David Psal. 62. 5 6. My soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him he only is my rock and my salvation he is my defence I shall not be moved 6. Resignation to God implies the leaving of our â—elves and our concernments with him to be disposed of according to his good pleasure the resigning Soul desires the Lord to do with him what he will and is content to take what lot Divine pleasure shall cast for him 2 Sam. 15. 25. And the King said unto Zadok carry back the Ark of God into the city if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation but if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him And so much of the Nature of this Duty that we may understand what to do 2. Next let me shew you what encouragements you that are the people of God have to this duty and they will appear to be great and many 1. The Sovereignty and Absolute Dominion of God over all Creatures is a singular encouragement to commit our selves into his hands and trust him over all Psal. 59. 9. Because of his strength will I wait upon thee for God is my defence If a man were in danger amidst a great Army of rude and insolent Souldiers and were to put himself under the protection of any one it should be the General of that Army to chuse in such a hand he cannot but be safe all the Souldiers being at his beck Christian the God into whose hands thou committest thy self is Lord General of all the Hosts and Armies in Heaven and Earth how safe must thou then be in his hands 2. The unsearchable and perfect Wisdom of God is a mighty encouragement to commit our selves into his hands with him is plenteous redemption Psal. 130. ult i. e. Choice and variety of ways and methods to save his people we are but God never is at a loss to find a door for our escape 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation 3. The infinite tenderness and compassionateness of our God is a sweet encouragement to resign and commit our selves and all we have into his hands his mercy is incomparably tender towards his people infinitely beyond whatever any creature felt stirring in its own bowels towards another that came out of its bowels Isa. 49. 15. This compassion of God engageth the two forementioned Attributes viz. his Power and Wisdom for the preservation and relief of his people as often as distresses befall them Yea 4. The very distresses his people are in do as it were awaken the Almighty power of God for their defence and rescue our distresses are not only proper seasons but powerful motives to his saving power Deut. 36. For the Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servant when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left God makes it an argument to himself and his people Plead it as an argument with him be not far from me for trouble is near for there is none to help 5. We have already committed greater and weightier concernments into his hand than the dearest interest we have in this World we have intrusted our souls with him 1 Pet. 4. 19. 2. Tim. 1. 12. Well therefore may we commit the lesser who have intrusted the greater with him what are our lives liberties estates and relations compared with our Souls and the eternal safety and happiness of them 6. The committing act of Faith is the great and only expedient to procure and secure the peace and tranquillity of our minds amidst the distractions and troubles of the present World the greatest part of our affliction and trouble in such days is from the working of our own thoughts these torments from within are worse than any from without and the resignation of all to God by Faith is their best and only cure Proverbs 16. 3. Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established A blessed calmness of mind a sweet tranquillity and settlement of thoughts follows immediately hereupon Psal. 94. 19. Oh then leave all with God and quietly expect a comfortable issue and for the better settlement and security of thy peace in times of distraction and trouble I beseech thee Reader carefully to watch and guard against these two evils 1. Caution Beware of Infidelity and distrustfulness of God and his Promises which secretly lurks in thy heart and is hugely apt to bewray it self when great distresses and troubles befall thee thou wilt know it by such Symptomes as these 1. In an over hasty and eager desire after present deliverance Isa. 51. 14. The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed and that he should not die in the pit nor that his bread should fail The less Faith always the more impatience and the more ability to believe the more patience to wait 2. It will discover it self in our readiness to close with and catch at sinful mediums and methods of deliverance Isa. 30. 15 16. And this is the handle of temptation and occasion of Apostacy But he that believeth will not make haste Isa. 26. 18. No more hast than good speed 3. It will