when it comes to that passe that point of extremity that all helps and meanes faile yet that he can and will help at such a pinch of need a dead lift when none else can here appeares his great care wisedome and goodnesse to his people as in delivering Israel out of Egypt where they had been so many hundred yeares and under so powerfull an enemy and Judah out of Babylon Peter out of prison Jonas out of the Whales belly 2. His justice appeares also in the destruction and confusion of the enemies of his Church as Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar proud and potent enemies Senacheribs great army Exod. 9.16 Rom 9.17 Of Pharaoh it is said and may be of the rest of them For this cause have I raised thee up to shew in thee my power and that my Name may be declared throughout all the earth God sometimes suffers his people to be brought into great extremity and their incorrigible enemies to goe far and prevaile much for a time but it is that his power and justice may be more cleare and remarkeable in their destruction Beloved his people into afflictions and troubles Tantum admittitur Dâ—â—â—olus tâ— nâ—â—re â—nâ—mii 〈◊〉 be proâ—est ut exeâ—â— arâ—â— ut â—â—â—beâ—â—â— uâ—â—â—ui â—e â—â—se â—baâ—â— teipso invemaris 〈◊〉 Aug. in Psal 61. these are the reasons and ends why the Lord things even into the Mount sometimes to the uttermost extremity to humble them the more and make them the more fit for mercy to prove their faith patience love and obedience to manifest the truth and strength of his owne grace in them to quicken them to duty to exercise and brighten their graces and increase grace to discover corruption purge out sinne purifie and prevent sinne to let them see the vanity of the creatures weane them from the world and draw them to relye wholly on him to make his Word and Ordinances sweeter to make them more thankfull and to shew his power wisedome providence and goodnesse in preserving and delivering his people and his justice also in destroying his and their stubborne enemies Now while I tell you what Gods end and ayme is I doe also tell you what is your duty it is to put you on to j yne with God to accomplish his ends Now the Lord hath brought us into the Mount almost to the very top I truâ—t for some great mercy to his people doe you now labour to answer Gods ends to be kindly and throughly humbled and so fit for mercy fit for deliverance fit for peace and reformation The great mercy that God intends therefore to manifest your faith and obedience your love and patience at this time of tryall to manifest to the world the truth and strength of your graces be quickened to duties of falling and prayer exercise grace and let your profiting appeare labour to finde out your lurking corruptions to be rid of them to be more carefull to av yde sinne for the time to come to see the vanity of all outward things and be weaned from the world long and labour after Heaven to rest wholly on God find more sweetnesse in the Ordinances be more thankfull for mercies when they come and admire Gods pure wisedome and goodnesse towards you and juâ—tice on his Churches enemies when God shall take vengeance on his adversaries and deliver his Israel 1. For terrour to the enemies of Gods people Vse If his owne people are subject to sufferings and troubles and are sometimes brought into such extremities that they know not what to doe or which way to turne themselves what shall then the wicked and the enemies of his people suffer If all that will live godly must suffer and sometimes undergoe hard things shall the wicked escape Doth God deale so with his children what then will he doe with his servants yea with his enemies the slaves and vassals of Satan will he not spare them that make conscience of their wayes that endeavour to live most holily to walke uprightly with God in all their wayes what will he doe with them that live prophanely loosely scandalously If God so lash them that sinne out of infirmity weaknesse ignorance want of watchfulnesse carelesnesse whose hearts are bent to please the Lord and honour him what will he doe with them that wittingly and wilfully goe on still in their sinnes after many faire warnings and admonitions If sinnes of infirmity be accompanyed with crosses and troubles and that in extremity sometimes what will be the end of bloud-shed of whoredome drunkennesse cursing swearing fearefull imprecations scorning and scoffing at goodnesse and envying purity and sincerity If he deale so hardly as it may seeme with Abraham Jacob David Jeremy and other his dearest ones what will he doe with prophane Esau's scoffing Ismaels cursed Cams and the rest of the rabble of wicked men Luk. 23 31. If it be thus with the greene Tree what shall be done to the dry If God deale thus with his owne people what will he doe with his and their enemies the common enemies of his Church bloud-thirsty enemies that seeke the suppression of his glorious Gospell the ruine and destruction of his Church people Prov. 11. â—1 Behold sayes Solomon the righteous shall be recompenced in the earth much more the wicked and the sinner I conceive the place to be meant of suffering for evill-doing God will correct and punish his owne people therefore much more the ungodly and most of all the professed bloud-thirsty enemies of his Church 1 Pet. 4.17 18. If Iudgement begin at the house of God where shall the sinner and ungodly appeare yea where shall the professed and publicke enemies of the Church appeare If Christ shall be revealed from Heaven in flaming fire 2 Thes 1.7 8 9 with his mighty Angels to take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ and punish them with overlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power what shall be the end of these men that despise and spurne at the Gospell and seeke to suppresse it suspend and silence the most able faithfull and conscionable Preachers of it See Jer. 25. ver 12 c. where God by his Prophet Jeremy after he had threatned the Jewes with 70 yeares captivity he prophesies of the utter destruction and perpetuall desolation of Babylon and other Nations that were the adversaries of his Church and people and ver 15. he causeth the Prophet to take the cup of Gods wrath and make all the Nations drinke of it but especially looke upon and weigh well ver 28 29. In case they refuse saith the Lord to take the cup at thy hand to drinke then shalt thou say unto them Thus saith the Lord of Hosts ye shall certainly drinke For loe marke the reason I bring evill on the City that is called by my Name and should ye be utterly unpunished ye shall not be unpunished
son my son would God I had died for thee How much more cause had Abraham to have mourned for â—saac had he been sacrificed especially by him his Father What would all the world say What is Abraham the onely precise fellow in the world become 1. a murtherer and that 2. of an innocent child 3. of his owne child 4. the child of his old-age 5. his only 6. beloved child now fie upon such a fellow he is not worthy to live these be your Professours these be the people of God see what a Religion they have and therefore he had great cause to rejoyce greatly â—t the preservation and deliverance of Isaac from so neare and imminent a death But 2. Much more cause had he to rejoyce if we consider the spirituall â—â—ound of his affection as 't is likely he did Gen. 12.3 That he was the child of promise the seed of the Church in whom God had promised that all the Nations of the Eâ—rth should be blessed and sâ—â—â—â— deliâ—erance was a puâ—like deliverance and mercy to all the Church of â—od Isaac the seed of the faithfull and of whom the Mâ—ssiah should come is now delivered and that after a wonderfull manner in the very nick of time when there was lâ—â—â— hope of so great a deliverance and mercy Here is the grouâ—â— of his â—ffection and occasion of erecting this Monument in token of thanâ—fulnesse for so great a mercy 3. How and by what meanes the remembrance of this great mercy and deliverance is perpetuated and that is two waies 1. In the name of the place Abraham called the name of the place Jehovah-jireh 2. In a Proverbe which is a short and pithy saying which therefore doth make more impression in the mind then other sentences usually doe and therefore is the better and more easily remembred As it is said to this day In the Mount of the * Iehovah LORD it shall be seene The scope of this place is to helpe the people of God against discouragement when they see it goe hard with the Church that they are brought into great straits and exigents that there is no helpe for them in the world yet they must not distrust or be discouraged flag and hang the wing as men out of hope for In the Mount of Jehovah it shall be seene i. e. in great straits or extremities the Lord will shew himselfe to be Jehovah the God that giveth being to his promises for his peoples comfort that will helpe them in the fittest time Whence observe 3. main points in order thus 1. That God sometimes brings his people into the Mount into some great strait into some great extremity or other 2. That God will be seen in the Mount he will helpe and deliver his people in their extremities 3. That such mercies and deliverances should be specially noted and the remembrance of them perpetuated Of these God willing severally and in order and first of the first That God doth somtimes bring his People into the Mount i.e. into some great strait or other Doct. 1. that they know not what to do nor which way to turne themselves Examples there are very many both in the sacred Scriptures and in ecclesiasticall Stories of which take a few which I will but mention and not largely relate unto you Abraham here was come into the very top of the Mount to the greatest extremity to the highest point before God called unto him and gave him a dispensation the Altar was made the wood laid on Isaac bound and laid on the wood and Abraham was putting forth his hand to slay his Son there wanted but a moment of time to doe that which all the world could not undoe Isaac had been slaine and offered for a burnt offering unto God So Israel was in Ægypt a land of affliction not in Canaan a land of promise that was somewhat to humble them Exo. 1 c. 5.7.8.9 10. the King was against them and oppressed them that was more he slew their male-children and afterward drowned others this was more grievous this riseth high after that their task was doubled which still added to their misery Then againe at the Red Sea the enemies were armed behind them the rocky mountaines on each side and the Sea before them nothing probable but death in their eyes In the wildernesse the fiery Serpents so great wants of water bread and flesh that Moses himselfe did doubt whether it were possible that so great a multitude could there be provided for 1 Sam. 13.22 unlesse all the flocks and heards be slaine All Israel in Sauls time was brought to that extremity that their mighty enemies the Philistines came against them they had neither Sword nor Speare save onely Saul and Jonathan So the Church of God 2 Chr. 13 14 15. all Iudah in Abijahs time were encompassed round about with their enemies a great army So againe in Asaes reigne when Zerah the Aethiopian came against Iudah and Ierusalem with an host of a thousand thousand and three hundred Chariots 2 Chr. 14.9 In Iehoshaphats days by the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir 2 Chr. 20.3 10 â—â— 22. against whom Iudah had no might nor knew not what to doe their enemies were so exceeding many and mighty Vnder Hezekiah 2 Chr. 32. when Senacherib and railing Rabshakeh came against him and his people Againe In the Babylonian Captivity Ezek 37.3 4 11. they were all as dead bâ—nes under a most potent enemy and that neare 70. yeares when they might have thought God had quite forgotten them So in Hosters dayes Host 3.7 12 13 14 15. the Decree was sealed to kill and destroy all the Iewes in all the Provinces under Ahashucrus Instances in particular persons we have many as in a 1 Sam 23 25. David in the wildernesse of Maon and sundry other times as at b 1 Sam. 30.6 Ziglag in c Ion. c. 2. 3.6 Ionas d Hest c 3. 6. Mordecai e Dan c. 3. 6.16 Daniel the three Children f 2 Cor. 11.23 24 25. Paul often g Act. 12. Peter and many others So if need were we might out of the Histories of the Church bring many instances to this purpose from the Primitive times hitherto even a large Volume of them but what needs more instances to proove so evident a truth which none denyeth Now The Reasons why the Lord will sometimes bring his people into great straits Reasons may be taken from the ends of the Lords providence in afflicting his people and bringing them into great extâ—emities which are these 1. To humble his people the more and so make them more fit for mercy every godly man is not fit for every mercy fit for deliverance much lesse others that are not such they would be proud unthankfull abuse mercies An humble man is the onely fit man for mercy as an empty vessell is only fit to receive not
the full vessell all precious liquour is spilt that is powred on it and the seed lost that is cast on unplowed ground as the hony combe to a full stomack so are mercies and deliverances to an unhumble people therefore it is said 1 Pet. 5.5 God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble and meeke as the Baker doth not set his bread into the Oven though it be handled and ready till the Oven be through hot so neither doth God bestow especially great mercies upon a person or people till they be humbled heated with desire after and prepared for it as a Husband-man doth not cast his seed into the ground till the time and season of the yeare and the ground be plowed and fitted for it so here And this is the first reason God doth sometimes bring his people into extremities to humble them and make them fit for mercy So now to make them fit for the mercies preparing I doe not say that all the people in the Land must be prepared that will never be but a considerable number is needfull and all should labour to be such 2. The Lord doth it to prove both the affection and obedience of his people 1. Their Affection their faith patience and love to him to see how they will trust in him and cleave to him in evill times and how they will beare evils whether they will love their ease liberty profit or any other thing or himself most v. 1. it is said God did proove Abraham and therefore said unto him Gen. 22.1 Take now thine onely Sonne Isaac whom thou lovest and offer him up for a burnt Offering c. Now Gods intent being to prove Abrahams faiâ—h and love to him to see whether he would cleave unto him and did love his God or his son most therefore hee lets him goe on to the very point he might have given him a dispensation before he came out of his doores when he saw him preparing or in the way but he did not till it came to the uttermost that he might fully try him and then God sayes Lay not thine hand upon the child Vâ—â— 11 12. for now I know that thou fearest me seeing thou hast not with-held thy son thine onely sonne from me As among men many friends promise faire but when it comes to the very point then it appeares what they are indeed So here such as professe friendship unto God are knowne when they are tryed at a pinch or strait 2 So likewise to prove their Obedience the Lord doth sometimes put them on it to the uttermost sometimes hee gives them such commands that they are put into many straits So it w s wâ—th 〈…〉 so with Daniel Dâ— c. 3. 〈◊〉 6. as here Abraham if he should kill his son all the Heathen would cry out upon him for it if he should tell them that God commanded him so to doe what would they thinke of the true God How blasphemously would they thinke and speake of him and of the true Religion If neither of these yet he should loose his child his onely sonne whom he loved deerly and the child of promise If hee doe it not then he incurres Gods displeasure This the Lord puts his children upon it to see if they will obey him when it comes to matter of great lesse or suffering 3. God doth it to manifest to the whole world and to themselves the truth and strength of that grace he hath given them and so will glorifie himselfe in the worke of his owne grace wrought in his people v. 1. it is said After these things God tempted Abraham So Christ after he was baptized Mat. 4.1 and had received extraordinary evidences of Gods favour from Heaven He was led into the wildernesse to be tempted of the Divell and so tryed And Paul had a Messenger of Satan a thorne in the flesh to buffet him long though he prayed earnestly to have it remooved this to manifest the truth and strength of grace he had given them whereby hee brings much glory to himselfe 3 Cor. 12.7 8 9. their chearefull going on through great streights doth arguestrength of grace and Gods great power in them All the while the godly are in prosperity wicked men are apt and oft doe charge them with hypocrisie and call them hypocrites but afflictions doe discover the truth of their graces All the while Iob was in prosperity his sincerity was not knowne to his enemies therefore Satan challenged Iob to God for an hypocrite Iob 1. but his great affliction did manifest him to be no hypocrite but a sincere upright hearted man truly fearing God Virtus magis conspicitur in adversis Virtue is most conspicuous in adverse times as a Candle shines clearest and gives the best light in the night and so the starres which are not seene in the day shine brightest in the darkest and coldest winter nights So grace will then most shew it selfe when a man is brought to the greatest exigent under heaviest affliction Pauls excellent graces patience wisdome faith courage c. had never beene so conspicuous had it not been for his great afflictions and troubles nor Abrahams faith nor Iobs patience nor Moses meekenesse If there were none or no difficult diseases there could be no tryall of the Physitions skill the house builded on the sand seemed to have as faire and good a foundation as that on the rocke till a great storme came and the windes blew Prosperity is as the grave that buries many excellent graces of Gods children but affliction like Christs resurrection as it were opens the graves and manifests them to the world and so Gods gâ—â—dnesse and power in them As to others so to themselves the truth and strength of their graces are apparent often times hereby they come to see that grace and strength not of but in themselves which they saw not before hereby it appeares they are sonnes and not bastards seeing their heavenly Father so tendering their soules welfare that he will rather punish them and that sharply afflict them and that sore sometimes then let them goe on in sinne to their hurt and destruction See full to this purpose Hebr. 12.6 7 8. 4. The Lord often brings his people into great straits to quicken them to duties meditation searching of the Promises and passages of Gods providence to his people formerly especially to fasting and prayer Those that at other times are negligent and superficiall in duties yea wholly neglect them prophane persons will in their straits seeke unto God and others will be more frequent and fervent in duties I will goe and returne unto my place saith God In their affliction they will seeke me early Hos 5.15 Isa 26.16 Lord saith the Propheâ— in trouble they have visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them All the while the Sea was calme the Souldiers and Marriners were merry and thought not on God but when in
also in this sense it discovers much corruption and the greater the tryall is the more corruption will appeare witnesse Jobs carriage in his sufferings The flesh is like a cunning enemy that will not discover all his strength till he come to a pinch of need and then puls out all he hath Quest But you will say what good will this doe Answ Much for sinne being discovered may more particularly be confessed bewailed repented of opposed and amended but more of this in the next 8. The Lorâ— sometimes brings his people into great straits as to discover Tunc anima purgatur quum propter Deum premitur Chrys Is 1.25 27.6 so to purge out corruption and pur sie his people from the drosse and filth of sinne J will turne my hand upon thee saith God i e. bring troubles upon thee and marke what followes and purely purge away all thy drosse c. And Cap. 27. By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sinne by this that is by afflictions and troubles as appeares by v. 7. So in Daniel Dan. 11.35 Some of them of understanding i. e. of the godly who onely are truly wise shall fall i. e. into afflictions and great troubles not to breake and destroy them Dan. 12.10 but as it followes to try and to purge them and make them white And againe Many shall be purified and made white namely by the great troubles of the Church So godly Zechariah I will bring the third part thorough the fiâ—e Zach. 13 9. and will refine them as silver is refined c. now we know the end of the Refiners casting his metall be it of silver or gold is not to waste and consume it but to purifie doe a way the drosse and make it more precious and so doth God deale with his people when he casteth them into the fire of affliction Indeed afflictions and troubles in their owne nature drive men from God if God follow a wicked man with grievous plagues and troubles if they have their owne proper worke and effect they make him more impatient and raging even to blaspheme sometimes and the more grievous are their troubles Rev. 16.9 11. the more outragious evill men are They were scorched with great heat and blasphemed the name of God and repented not to give God the glory but blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their paines but God makes them to worke this good e fect in his people contrary to their owne nature therefore saith Job When he hath tryed me I shall come forth as gold Iob 23.10 Hos 2.5 7. When Israel went a whoring after her Idols God hedged up her way with afflictions and troubles there resembled to thorns and that made her to returne to God 2 Chron 32. All the while Manasses had his Kingdome and prosperity he did multiply transgression but when God had stript him of his honour and pleasure and carried him into Babylon and bound him with chaines then he humbled himselfe greatly and turned from all his evill waies to God Luk. 15. So the Prodigall while his mony and credit lasted he swagger'd it out in voluptuous courses but great extremities of want drove him to consider his wayes leave his evill courses and returne with teares in his eyes and sorrow in his heart As of waters the running water is purest and wholes mest but that which stands st ll will gather mud and purifie so it is with the godly and the way to refine them is to drive them as men doe their wines f om off the lees from vessell to vessell from one trouble to another that is the way to refine them from the lees of sinne which otherwise they will be apt to settle upon Ier 18 11. as Moab did Moab hath bin at ease from his youth he is setled on his lees hath not bin emptied from vessell to vessell neither hath he gone into captivity therefore his taste remaineth in him and his sent is not changed 9. The Lord doth it to keepe his people from committing many sins for the future If we had all things to our desire and lived in prosperity but a while we should waxe wanton goe on securely in our owne wayes Dâ—ut 32.15 Ezek. 16 7. to 16 2 Chro. 12.1 2 Chro. 26.16 and be ready to lift up the heele against God as Jâ—jurun did when he waxed fat So also did Israel in Ezekiels time So did Rehoboam when he had established the Kingdome and strengthened himselfe He forsooke the Law of the Lord and all Israel with him and Vzziah when he was strong his heart was lified up to his destruction and so Hezekiah and what did Salomons great peace and prosperi y Isa 39.2 but beget in him abundance of lusts Because they have no changes Ps 55.19 therefore they feare not God saith David Troubles especially great straits make men stand in awe of God and so doe prevent sinne as well as purge out sin afflictions are like a hedge of thornes or wall by the way side that keepe men from breaking out and stepping a side as otherwise they would Afflictions are Gods rod to keepe wicked men and Gods owne children in awe As the Wolfe makes the Shepheard that before slept to watch and stand upon his guard to prevent the spoyling of his stocke so troubles make men to stand upon their watch and be more carefull to avoid sin for the future 10. The Lord doth sometimes bring his people into the Mount of troubles to let them see the vanity and emptinesse of the creatures that they are but as a broken cisterne that is empty and wanting when there is most need of water like a hollow reed or a broken stâ—ffe that will faile a man at a pinch of need and lay him in the dirt or midst of the ditch when it should beare him over When a man is brought into great straits even to extremity then he sees that there is no helpe in the creature that vaine is the helpe of man that Physitions Friends and all leave him because they can doe him no good and so in other cases of extremity when a man sees that other outward meanes will doe him no good but like a broken Bow will start aside and faile him when it is hard drawne then men see the vanity and nothingnesse of the creatures We are apt to thinke there are great matters in them that much helpe and comfort is to be had from them and therefore eagerly desire them and doat on them and neglect God therefore the wise God doth sometimes bring his people into the Mount into such a condition that outward meanes and friends faile them and will doe them no good to let them see the vanity of all things under the Sunne 11. To weane us from the world make us weary of it and long after Heaven Afflictions and troubles are
into the fire The sacred Scriptures are cleare and full to this purpose and abundant in examples of this kind And assuredly he is still the same God as powerfull as wise as loving and good as ever to his people as faithfull in his promises and as just and full of indignation against his and their enemies as ever he was and therefore will still shew himselfe for his people and against their enemies as much as ever heretofore So that the Turke the great enemy of the Christians and Antichrist the grand enemy of the true Church of Christ must downe and fall and perish It is prophesied long agoe in Saint Johns time and by him Rev. 18.2 Babylon the great viz. mysticall Babylon Rome is fallen is fallen and in truth also in part already and is declining in number wealth greatnesse power glory and credit every day more and more It remarkeably began to fall when Luther that renowned servant of God did so publickely set up the standard of the Gospell and so many thousands did resort unto it and many thousands fell off from the Pope to Christ in Germany France the Low-Countries in England and Scotland And it was no small wound to the Antichristian beast that that Nation gave to it the other yeare And surely beloved the downefall of Antichrist the Pope that Man of sinne and his Adherents the Papacy and Romane Hierarchy cannot I conceive be far off if not very near at hand Thirdly this may be of good use to suport and comfort us for the present and in future times against all extremities and troubles whatsoever God will be as good still to his servants all that walke in the steps of the faith and obedience of Abraham as to the faithfull in former ages For our greater comfort let us instance in 5. cases namely in case of extremity of want or danger of losse of violent temptations of Gods seeming not to heare prayer and of spirituall desertion 1. In case of extreame want or danger we should seeke unto God and depend upon him the al-sufficient and faithfull God as Abraham did here He will be seen in the Mount As for instance suppose thy ease should be like Elijahs or Sampsons that was ready to perish with thirst or the poore Widow that had only a little oyle in a cruse and a little meale in a barrell that thou shouldst be in want have nothing to keep soule and body together and maintaine life no money in the purse no bread in the enâ—bord no meale in the barrell no friend in the world that thou knowest of and it may be greatly in debt also that thou seaâ—se darest shew thy face for feare of an Arrest as was the poore widow 2 â—ing â— 1. All is gone saith she and the Creditour is come to take unto him my two sonnes to be bondmen All is gone nothing left to preserve life nor affoard me comfort but my two sonnes and now the Creditor is come to deprive me of that also Here is a sad complaint â— King 17.6 yet God did provide for Elijah bread and flesh in the Morning and bread and flesh in the Evening by a Raven which in reason would rather have robbed then relieved him Iudg. 15. â—8 Naâ—â—â— 20.7 8 11. 2 Kin. 4.3 4 7. He provided drinke for Sampson even out of the jaw-bone of an Affâ— for Israel out of the stony rocke and the poore widow increased her oyle whereby she was inabled both to live comfortably and pay her debts so if thou canst by faith looke up unto God and depend upon him in the moderate use of lawfull meanes if any be he is able and will surely provide and doe that which shall be best for thee Therefore resolve with faithfull Habakkuk in the person of the Church Hab. 3.17 Although the fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vines the labour of the Olive shall faile and the field shall beare no meat the flocke shall be cut off from the field and there shall be no herd in the stalles yet will reioyce in the Lord I will ioy in the God of my salvation The Lord God is my strength Againe suppose thou be in any great danger as sometimes was David 1 Sam 23. Act. 27.18 â— Cor. 1.8 9 10 Jonas or Paul when the ship was broken and when he and the rest of his brethren with him were pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that they despaired of life and had the sentence of death in themselves that they should not trust in themselves but in God God did deliver them from so great a death Though I say it be thy ease yet despaire not be not discouraged why shouldst not thou hope in God as well as they did Oh! out they were most eminent persons for faith humility c. but I am a poore vile wretch full of unbeleefe pride c. Well be it so Yet know that God though he expect and command us to grow in grace yet he lookes not in the hearing of prayer at the measure of grace in the petitioner but to the truth of grace and the sincerity of the heart Yea the rather will God help because thou art a poore weake soule that canst not wait long or beare much Isa 60.2 To him will I looke saith God even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit to such a soule as sees nothing in himself but abundance of sinne and emptinesse of God 32.3 He will not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised reed saith the Prophet Isay Thus in respect of private so also in respect of the publicke troubles and straits of the Church abroad in Germany in Ireland and here at home whatsoever or how evill soever our condition seeme to be yet let not any fathfull soule be discouraged God will not destroy his people he will not deliver them up into the hands of their enemies but will be seen in the Mount and will help and deliver them when it comes to the point when outward meanes faile 1. All the former examples and many more upon record both in divine and humane Histories which might be mentioned of Gods goodnesse towards his people in their straits are encouragements to us Rom. 15.4 For whatsoever was written afore time was written for our instruction that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope And therefore why should we be discouraged humbled for our owne and others sinnes and Gods dishonour indeed we should be but not discouraged hang downe the head as men without hope Therefore 2 Weigh also those 5. Reasons which doe over-power my spirit dispell such feares and carry it on high as it were above the Sun 1. God spared England when it was at the worst when Religion Lawes and all went downe the winde and sâ—â—â—se a man durst publickely shew his face for God when prophanenesse superstition and idolatry increased greatly without
Lyons mouthes with the 3. children in the fiery furnace to restraine the force of the fire that it hurt them not and so with others in their troubles and tryals Isa 43 2. and hath promised to be with all his When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee and when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt Iosh 1 5 8. Heb. 13.5 neither shall the flame kindle upon thee I will never leave thee nor forsake thee In what condition or extremity soever thou be yet still wait patiently upon God he will help in the most seasonable time Oh but my sinnes are great I am a vile unworthy creature he will not regard such a vile wretch as I am beside all outward meanes faile Answ But take heed doe not limit the Holy One of Israel neither for the thing time manner nor meanes he is al-sufficient his mercies are great and free and he knowes the fittest time therefore feare not but relye wholly on God trust perfectly in him There is in many a trusting in God but 〈◊〉 is imperfect they seeke to and trust in other things with God yea without God in themselves friends and other things and meanes This ought not to be so we should trust wâ—â—â—â—y and only in God and wait patiently on him he will be sâ—en in due time Consider the Husbandman I am 5.7 8. he waiteth for the fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it be ye also patient stablish your heart saith James If the Husbandman doe with patience undergoe all weathers and casualties and wait long for the fruit that he may have a joyfull harvest then much more ought they to wait that sow seed in Heaven gracious and precious seed teares and prayers and doubtlesse they shall reap in due time we have Gods owne word for it Psal 137.7 8. They that sow in teares shall reap in ioy Secondly as it may and ought to teach and encourage all to goe on and rest perfectly and patiently on God so particularly to You the Worthies of Israel who are now imployed by God the King and Countrey in the great service of the Kingdome You have a great worke before you mighty Adversaries and great opposition the Devill the Pope that Balaam of Rome that curseth the people that will not adhere to him and all the rabble of popish and prophane wretches who are digging as deep as hell to undermine you and your honourable proceedings and blow all up their continuall desperate designes and hell bred treasons and bloudy threatenings witnesse to all the world the extreame height of their malice and your dangers You seeme to be now even in the very top of the Mount of extreame dangers and the whole Kingdome our Religion Lawes liberties and free Courts of Justice with you are upon the verticall point yet be not discouraged much honoured Patriots God will be seen in the Mount doe you continue daily to seeke unto God wholly deny your selves and depend upon him walke with him and seeke him and the publicke good in all your undertakings and be assured God will ever protect direct preserve and deliver you Hath he not preserved directed and protected you hitherto even to admiration when there was but a step but a word betwixt you and death and he will ever protect and in due time deliver his Majesty and the Kingdowe with you if you still walke with him God will be seen in the Mount when it comes to the very point when the enemies of Sion thinke to strike the fatall blow But when God shewes himself in the Mount helps and delivery you and the Kingdome with you in our extremities and treâ—â—s the enemies under the foot of justice then beware you doe no forget to returne all possible praise and thankfulnesse to God for so great a mercy but with Abraham here erect a Monument to perpetuate the memory of such divine mercies to posterity And in the meane time you must set up your Eâ—en-ezer â— Sam 7.12 Hitherto hath God helped us as Samuel and all Israel did And so I come to the third and last point observed in these words which is this That mercies and deliverances in our extremity or great troubles Dect 3. ought especially to be noted and the remembrance of them continued Here Abraham in memory of so great a mercy that so eminent a passage of divine providence might never be forgotten he as it were sets up a pillar or Monument to all posterity with this inscription Jehovah-jirah the Lord will see and provide with this proverbiall speech also In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen All the while Abraham was busied in making the Altar laying on the wod c. God saw but was not seen did not shew himselfe but when it came to the act of striking the fatall stroake which was even falling downe then God was seene i.e. did manifest his gracious pleasure in preserving Isaac and therefore Abraham labours to perpetuate the memory of this great mercy in the name of the place He called the name of the place Iehovah-jirah And so should we doe of speciall mercies and deliverances Indeed we should be thankfull for all even for the least mercy and deliverance even nature common honesty and equity require that where we receive a benefit Nihil est aequè Deo gratu a â—â—q grati esse anime Chrysost Orat. 2. ad Cor. 1. we should returne thanks beside it is a most excellent duty more displeasing to the Devill but more acceptable to God then prayer for prayer argues want and misery which the Devill desireth and rejoyceth at but thankfulnesse argues plenty at least a comfortable condition which the Divell envies Invitat al magna qui gratanter suâ—â—â—pâ—â— mudica Caâ—siod in Psal Grav ssimum vâ—tâ—um 〈◊〉 homine indigâ—um it doth more argue sincerity of the heart then prayer doth and shall continue when prayer shall cease It is very advantagious to our selves it conciliates favour with God is as I may say an encouragement to our heavenly Father to go on to do us good and to bestow better and greateâ— mercies and deliverances But unthankfulnesse is a grievous fault in the opinion even of the very Heathens displeasing * Spiritus gratiae contumeliam sâ—â—â—t qui bâ—ne ficium dantis gratâ— mente non suscipit Ber. Ex. 17.14 to God and seldome goes unpunished in this world God takes notice of it though against man much more if against himselfe records it to their infamy instance in Pharaohs chiefe Butlers forgetfulnesse of Joseph it hinders good things from us shuts up the fountaine of Gods goodnesse causeth him to take away or blast what he hath already given a people and often brings down judgement upon the head of the unthankfull as the Scripture witnesseth But especially hould we be thankfull for take speciall notice of and
record to posterity speciall mercies and deliverances For 1. So we are commanded after God had delivered Israel and discoâ—sited Amalek Gen. 35.1 God commanded Moses saying Write this for a memoriall in a booke Likewise when God had brought Jacob safe home againe to his native country and delivered him from the wrath of his brother Esau God bad him goe to Bethel and make there an Altar unto God Josh 4. â— namely to offer sacrifice of thankesgiving unto God who appeared unto him when he sled from the face of his brother Esau and had now delivered him Likewise when God had delivered Israel and brought them out of the wildernesse and through the river Iordan he commanded Joshua to take twelve â—tones out of the middest of Jordan and set them up to bee a memoriall to future generations of what God had that day done for them 2. Therefore the people of God used to record speciall mercies and deliverances in their Chronicles in the names of their children of places and the like Ex. 15.1 Jud. 5.1 Isa 38. â— Also in spirituall Songs and Psalmes So did Moses Israels deliverance out of Aegypt Deborah and Baruk their great deliverance from and victory over Sisera and Iabin King of Canaan And Hezekiah his Song of thanksgiving after his recovery from so eminent a danger of death Hest 9 10. c. ver 29 30 31 and the Jewes feast of Purim And thirdly there is great reason for it 1. From the lesse to the great I argue thus If we must be thankfull for particular and smaller even fâ—r the least mercy as it is Psal 103.2 Forget not at all i.e. any of his benefits and there is good reason for it then much lesse may we forget or be unthankfull for great and extraordinary mercies and deliverances out of extremities wherein Gods goodnesse power wisedome mercy Reas 1. c. are most remarkably seen 2. From the equity of the duty 2. wayes First because Gods mercies to the fathers are mercies to their posterity future generations are the better for them Here the mercy shewed to Abraham in saving Isaac was a mercy to all ages He was to be the seed of the Church In him i.e. in the Messiah that was to be borne of him all Nations should be blessed So we this day reape the fruit of those great deliverances in 88. and from the Gun-powder treason and others since if either of those 1588 1605. or these had taken effect either we had not now been at all or been miserable slaves to Antichrist both in our soules bodies and estates without the wonderfull and extraordinary mercy of God and therefore great reason such great mercies and deliverances should be recorded and the memory of them perpetuated that the generations to come after us who have the beneâ—it of them should know them and blesse God for them Psal 102 18. This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. Secondly It is equall also that there should be some proportion between our receits and our returnes our mercies are great extraordinary lasting standing mercies for future times and therefore great reason our returnes of praise should be more then ordinary lasting and continued in our posterity 3. Such mercies and deliverances should be specially noted and the remembrance of them perpetuated to testifie our love to God desire of his glory and hearty thankefulnesse for his goodnesse care and providence over us which appeares in that we would have his goodnesse to be remembred and his praise to live when we are dead So men doe with benefactors record their kindnesse and bounty set up a Monument with inscriptions that after times may reade their kindnesse and bounty towards us whom we love and desire to honour for their beneficence towards us especially if publicke and much more should we labour to perpetuate the mercies and praises of our good and bountifull God and Saviour to testifie our love to him and desire of his glory In this case a gracious heart may use the words of Paul who said The love of Christ constraineth us If we truly love God 2 Cor. 5.14 and desire to honour him we shall endeavour to perpetuate his praises 4. We should take speciall notice of and labour to continue the remembrance of speciall deliverances and mercies for the benefit of future ages for the strengthening their faith comfort and support in evill times For this cause saith David shall every one that is godly pray unto thee We have heard with our eares O God Psal 32.6.44.1 c. say the faithfull in evill times Our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their dayes in the time of old and marke what use the Church makes of Gods former mercies and deliverances to his people Thou art my King O God v. 4 5. command deliverances for Jacob through thee we will push downe our enemies through thy name we will tread them under that rise up against us The remembrance of former mercies to his people though long before doth strengthen their faith and put courage into them in their straites makes them confident in evill times and to rest on God in their greatest exigents and this use wee should ever make of former deliverances as did also David 1 Sam. 17.34 2 Cor 1.10 Paul and others Vse of Reprehension This being a duty so apparent and necessary it may serve to reprove and condemne the great ingratitude and vile practise of most men and of our selves in particular who are so far from perpetuating the remembrance of Gods mercies and deliverances to our selves and the Land That 1. Many doe not returne thanks to God for them no scarce while they are fresh and new before our eyes especially for smaller more ordinary and common mercies and deliverances We cannot looke any way beside mercies If we looke into our selves we have our being our soules and bodies all our members faculties and abilities from God with the continuance of them If we looke without us on the Heaven the Earth and Seas meat drinke clothing houses the fire water ayre we breathe in every creature is a mercy There are also spirituall mercies God gave us his Sonne a wonderfull mercy and deliverance wrought by him for man the Gospell the Word and Sacraments great mercies and these with many others we doe enjoy hitherto with peace plenty and liberty no small blessings God hath compassed us about with mercies and delivers us every day from many knowne and more unknown dangers that might befall us If we looke upon mercies in the Mount in time of extremity we may say much both of publicke and private of privative and positive mercies If God had not put in and holpen us may many of us say I had certainly dyed in such a sicknesse in such a danger I had been utterly undone in such a lesse I had been
preferment reputation in the world ease liberty or any carnall contentments we affect therefore get thy heart off from those deny thy selfe in those or whatsoever worldly thing is deare unto thee and then it will be an easie matter with Abraham to follow God into the Mount to doe or suffer any thing at his command and for his sake 5. That a man may undergoe with comfort greater tryals he must begin and exercise himselfe with smaller sufferings to beare them cheerfully He must doe as men doe for temporall skirmishes to sight with men First they learne in private Schooles and it may be with woodden swords or with blunted points that will doe little or no hurt They that will be victorious in set-battles doe first traine themselves at home and see how they can carry themselves learne their severall postures for every sadden emergent occasion shoot first with powder at marks c. So a Christian that would behave himselfe bravely in Christs field in Christs cause with Abraham Job c. must learne and exercise himselfe at home and before hand learne to suffer at home and beare the thrusts of woodden Swords the persecutions of Protestants the scoffes scorns reproaches and other vile carriages of carnall Protestants before he enter into the field to encounter the bloody perfections of Papists and their Adherents He that cannot indure the frownes disgraces threats and such like petty in juries from evill men prophane wretches though they be great persons in the world will never by any ordinary providence stand out to shed his blood in the cause of God for the Lord Christ and his Countries good So againe he that cannot beare petty losses crosses or troubles will hardly ever great tryals with more then ordinary assistance from God It is therefore good to begin betimes to accustome our selves to beare and slight all scoffes scornes and custome our selves to beare and slight all scoffes scornes and frownes of men cheerfully to undergoe all small losses and troubles sicitur ad magna and so we shall in time be inabled t undergoe great things with little alteration in our affection yea with much patience cheerfulnesse courage and constancy 6. Labour to have a strong well rooted and well grounded faith and love of God and Christ 1. Faith a well planted and well grounded faith this will enable to cleave unto God in the hardest times to cast our selves and rely wholy on his providence in hope above hope when all worldly means helps and hopes faile 2. Love Eph. 3.17 labour to be rooted and grounded in love as the Apostle speakes what is the reason that many fall away in evill times in times of suffering is it not because they have no true sincere love to Jesus Christ and his Truth Many waters are not able to quench Love neither can floods of water drowne it i. e. no afflictions Cant. 8.6 7. Rom. 8.37 38 his cause and waies but as he in the Story if one hand be cut off he will hold by the other if that also be cut off he will catch hold with his teeth He will resolve with Ruth for Christ and the cause of God and his Countries good Whither thou goest I will goe Ruth 1.16 17. and where thou lodgest I will lodge where thou diest I will die c. Therefore Beloved in the Lord labour for a well grounded faith and a sound unfained love to God to Jesus Christ and your Countries peace and welfare sound love I say not superficiall a lip-love but a deepe rooted and well grounded love The reason why the good seed that was sowne and sprang up quickly wither'd when the Sunne rose was because it had not sound rooting it wanted root be carefull therefore to have a well grounded love that hath good rooting root of judgement and root of affection to have such a love as Christ hath to us even to dye for us so doe you love him so as to be willing to part with an Isaac with any thing be it life it selfe for his sake Now treasure up faith and patience and love as Joseph did corne seeing a day of utterance will come a day of spending not of getting a day wherein all wee have may bee little enough 7. To adde one more for we cannot say too much we cannot be too well prepared for the evill day I say with the Apostle Tut on the whole Armour of God Eph. 6.11 12 13. that you may be able to withstand in the evill day and having done all to stand for we wrestle not with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers c. If a man be to fight with his enemy in the field he will put on his armour to defend himselfe in the best wise he can and great reason he should doe so his life is in danger In like manner should the true Christian doe we in our suff rings and tryals have to encounter not onely with outward troubles and inward corruptions but also with Satan who is not flesh and blood but a spirit mighty in power and policy therefore called Principalities Powers the Rulers of the darknesse of this world the god of this world c. and therefore we have great need to buckle about us all the peeces of our spirituall armour and be well skilled in the use of them and they are these 7. The 1. Pecce of the Christians spirituall Armour ver 14. is the girdle of Truth that is Vprightnesse Sincerity and single heartednesse to sticke to the Truth for the Truths sake to take Christ for himselfe Religion for Religions sake A girdle is for use and ornament it is comely and profitable and so is this it will be of great use for a Christian in evill times as a girdle was in those dayes when men wore long garments to bind them together that they might better apply themselves to their worke runne goe or doe any thing which a long loose garment would hinder Therefore buckle on this peece of Armour labour to be sincere upright hearted in all your wayes and dealings with God and men and to imbrace Christ the truth and Religion for themselves not for by-respects 2. The Breast-plate of Righteousnesse or Justice Ver. 14. Put on the Brest-plate of Righteousnesse saith the Apostle Righteousnesse or Justice I meane distributive Justice whereby a man doth carry himselfe righteously and justly in all his wayes toward God and men giving unto God that beliefe love feare honour praise and obedience that is due unto him and to men that love respect obedience c. that is due unto him I meane in respect of unfained desire and endeavour This is a Brest-plate what is the use of a Brest-plate to guard the heart liver and other vitall parts from darts arrowes shot and the thrusts of the enemies so doth Righteousnes guard a man against temptations in times of tryall Therfore labor to manifest the truth and power of godlines
guided and governed by it in all things and doth answer all temptations carnall friends and their reasonings as our Saviour did Satan with a Scriptum est It is written thou shalt not doe this or that This will first backe temptations to evill as a sword held to the breast of a theefe will if any thing will keep him from doing that mischiefe he intends 2. It serves to direct a man in all conditions how to carry himselfe Psal 119. Thy word is a light unto my paths and a lanthorne unto my feet Ps 119.105 99.104 it giveth understanding to the simple c. 3. It comforteth the upright with it's most gracious and most sweet promises so it did David In the multitude of my thoughts within me Ps 94.19 thy comforts delight my soule When David was cast downe with manifold straits and troubles on every side that he knew not what to doe the word afforded him sweet comfort Againe Ps 119 92. Vnlesse thy Law had been my delight I should have perished in mine afflictions Againe Though I walke in the vallâ—y of the shadow of death I will feare none evill for thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me The rod and stâ—ffâ— is the word of God especialâ—y the promises that are as a stâ—ffe to trust upon It is of singular use as alwayes so especially in evill times to a gracious heart therefore take to you this weapon also labour to have the word of God dwell in you richly i. e. plentifully to be well skilled and versed in it Col. 3.16 that you may have it ready upon all occasions to make use of it 7. To thâ—â—â—st adde Prayer 〈…〉 Praying saith the Apostle alâ—ayâ—◠〈◊〉 We â—â—y not at any time much lesse in times of tryall 〈…〉 boâ—tomes râ—lye on our owne strength but 〈…〉 he will inable us to undergoe all suff rings and 〈…〉 â—â—nnot see how the Martyr could possibly endâ—re 〈…〉 â—â—ous flames if they had not often and earnestly bâ—sought 〈◊〉 to prepare them for evill times and inable them to undergoe them to his glory and with comfort to themselves and others therefore labour to get and buckle on all those peeces of spirituall armour and to use them and that with prayer for to have this spirituall armour and not to use it is like the foole in the Proverbs Pâ— â—â— 17.16 that hath a price in his hand but hath not the wit or an heart to use it to have a sword and not draw it when his enemy assaults him Yet so it is that many Christians who have this rich and precious armour that is more precious then gold as is said particularly of faith doe for want of a right use of it 2 Pet. 1.1 live uncomfortably and carry themselves unevenly in evill times are well nigh overwhelmed sometimes therefore I beseech you be carefull to get and use these graces and peeces of spirituall armour that you may be able to stand and with comfort to hold up your heads in evill dayes That is the second use we should make of this point to prepare for the Mount for evill and hard times Thirdly Vse 3. This point should teach us not to marvell much lesse murmure if great afflictions and troubles doe come whether personall or Nationall Thinke it not strange saith the Apostle concerning the fiery tryall which is to try you as though some strange thing hâ—ppened unto you Though a man should be brought to this exigent That either he must part with his liberty goods reputâ— in the world life and all or deny the truth and disobey God yet he should not thinke it strange much lesse murmure but cheerfully undergoe it It is no strange thing to be brought into straits and troubles to be afflicted yea sometimes to be brouâ—ht into great extremity It is ordinary it hath often been so with the Church of God in all ages as well as with particular persons as all those instances above mentioned and this Nation can witnesse by often experience by reason of the many malicious designes of malignant and bloud-thirsty Papists who of all enemies the Christian Church hath are the most cruell bloudy inhumane and barbarous as bad or worse then the Heathens and Pagans ever were to the Jewes under the old or Christians under the New Testament Therefore let not us or any wonder at it as if a strange thing happened to us such as never or rarely fals out to any much lesse faint under it and murmure or repiue but with cheerfulnesse courage and constancy undergoe it Motives not to murmure but cheerfully undergoe afflictions and tryals Ioh 16.33 1 Thes 3.3 2 Tim. 3.12 Therefore consider 1. That afflictions and troubles are the lot of the godly Psal 125.3 The rod i.e. affliction troubles persecutions of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous lest the righteous put forth their hands to iniquity In the world ye shall have tribulation said our Saviour That no man be moved by these afflictions for you your selves know that we are appointed thereunto All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution if not of the hand yet of the tongues of evill men and sometimes great straits and extremities It is the common lot of all his people There is no temptation hath befallen you 1 Cor. 10.13 but such as is common to man saith the Apostle even the Prophets themselves those extraordinary servants of God Abraham Gods faithfull servant friend and favourite likewise Jacob Job Daniel David and others David though a King was the Song of the drunkards and Job the greatest and godliest man in the East was laughed to scorne Jeremy was had in derision daily So the Apostles those immediate followers and speciall Embassadors of the Lord Jesus and if they suffered such things and were subject to the rage of most malignant and impetuous enemies such as Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar Rabshecah Haman and their adherents shall we thinke it strange marvell much lesse murmure if the like condition from the like enemies befall us or if we suffer other grievous tryals from the hand of our wise and good God Yea the Lord Jesus the beloved of the Father the first borne of God the first borne of all his sonnes and the first borne of all creatures the glory of the Father escaped not he dranke of the cup of affliction he tooke not a sippe but dranke deep deeper then ever any of his did not of mans simply but of Gods divine wrath not for himselfe but for us not by constraint but willingly Joh. 18.11 Shall I not drinke said he of the cup my Father hath given me He suffered the vials of Gods wrath the extremity of his fuâ—y Lam. 1.12 never any suffâ—ring like his and should we thinke it a strange thing to suâ—fer Should not the Souldiers follow their Captaine and Leader Is it not well that we fare no worse then our Lord and Saviour
Joh 15.18.19.20 If the world hate you said our Saviour you know it hated me before it hated you If yee were of the world the world would love it's owne Remember the word that I said unto you The Servant is not greater then the Lord If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you And therfore seeing it is common that the very best most faithfull and renowned servants of God and the Lord Christ himselfe have suâ—fered much bin sometimes brought to great exigents we should chearfully undergoe whatsoever evils we meet with A common lot no man shrugs at who quarrels Summer for heat or Winter for cold though it be sometimes more then ordinary seeing it is a common lot who is angry because he hath as many fingers and toes and other members as other men have seeing there is use of all the members anâ— they serve to make the perfection of the whole man so afflictions and troubles wisely managed do helpe to make a man a compleat Christian That yee may be perfect sayes the Apostle James entire and wanting nothing Jam 1.3 4. entire for parts not for degrees of obedience why then should any shrinke much lesse murmurre at them 2. Consider that afflictions and troubles come not out of the dust but from God what or whosoever be the instruments yet God a good wise and gracious Father is the authour of them Is there any evill viz. of punishment in the City and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3 6 Deâ—t 32 3â— 2 Ch. 〈…〉 .13 14. saith the Prophet I kill and I make alive I wound and I heale saith God therfore this should make us not onely patient but chearfull also under afflictions as it did Job when God had by the Sabeans and others taken away all his Cattle a mighty Estate Servants and Children saith he Nâ—ked came I out of my mothers wombe Jâ—b 〈…〉 and naked shall I returne thither The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. He did not cry out of misfortune or ill luck curse the Divell rayle at the Chaldeans or others but patiently receives it as from God himselfe and willingly submits to his will The Lord gave c. So did David Psal 39 9. I was dumbe and held my peace because thou Lord did dest it And the Lord doth justly and in mercy to his 1. Justly though evill men doe what they doe against the godly most unjustly against all right and reason yet God doth it most justly Righteous art thou ô Lord sayes David and righteous are thy iudgements Psal 1â—9 117 45 17. Rom. 2.6 11. The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his workes For with God is no respect of person Therefore we should patiently beare all afflictions and troubles whatsoever because we suffer justly and most deservedly the Lord is righteous in afflicting us 2. God afflicts his people in mercy out of love to them and for their good though their adversaries doe it out of malice and rage against them yet God doth it out of love and in mercy to them that they may not perish Heare what Paul saith When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.32 Heh 12.5 c. that we should not be condemnea with the world Againe My sonne despise not thou the chastening of the Lord ver 10. nor faint when thou art rebuked of him for he chasteneth us for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse The Lord useth afflictions and all troubles that befall his children as the wise Physitian doth physick to cure diseases and as the Chyrurgian doth lancing scarifying and plaisters to let out corrupt matter and heale his Patient 3. Consider the necessity of suffering and tryals it cannot well be otherwise in respect of our condition in respect of our enemies and the place where we live First in respect of our condition both present and future in Heaven 1. In respect of our present condition The faithfull the godly are Souldiers Labourers Sowers c. Now consider all these and see if there be not a kind of necessity in respect of their condition of meeting with troubles 1. The true Christian is a Souldier and a Souldier must meet with straits hard services sometimes fight hard before he gets the victory endure blowes and dangerous wounds sometimes runne through the pikes as we say before he gets the victory so must a Christian A Christians life is a warfare and you know it is no new thing for Souldiers to heare the Drum beat Trumpets sound the Cannons roare and Bullets fly about their Ears and Heads and somtimes dangerously pierce their bodies so it is not to be wondred at much lesse murmur'd at If Satan and evill men let fly at us if afflictions and troubles come Therefore if we be Christs Souldiers let us looke for such things make a sure account of them yea and sometimes to have them thick and three-fold like Jobs Messengers 2. A true Christian is a Labourer A Labourer must work early and late labour hard undergoe much paine and travell So the husband-man must not onely worke hard but endure many a cold blast many a storme before he gets the crop into the Barne so the godly must looke to undergoe many a hard service indure many a storme of affliction before he comes to the harvest to triumph in Heaven This in respect of our present condition 2. In respect of our future condition Heaven is a time of rest of triumph and reaping a harvest Now rest is after motion and there can be no triumph before victory and no victory with sitting still Quies est finis motus without blowes Before a man can reape he must endure a great deale of labour wet and dry heat and cold hunger and thirst a husbandmans life is a laborious and painfull life and so it must be with the true Christian before he comes to tryumph and reape the fruits of a sound profession and a wel-led life in Heaven Thus in respect of our condition both present and future Secondly in respect of our enemies it cannot bee otherwise 1. The Divell a most implacable enemy who continually goeth about like a roaring Lyon 1 Pet. 5.8 seeking whom he may devoure by all wayes and meanes and at all times seeking to marre our peace imbitter our lives yea to destroy our soules 2. Wicked men have a most invenomed nature all of them against godlinesse and an inveterate enmity against the righteous though they doe not alwayes equally shew it God restraines them all more or lesse for the good of his people there should otherwise be no living for the righteous upon the earth among evill men and of all Sects and Religions none are more cruell and blood-thirsty then the Papists are especially the Priests and Jesuites and therefore it cannot be expected but that the godly should
in the Mount and deliver his people in their extremities to manifest his glorious Attributes of knowledge power truth faithfulnesse and goodnesse 1. For the glory of his omniscience Ezek. 1.18 In Ezekiels vision at Chebar the living creatures had wheeles and the wheeles had foure faces and the rings of the wheeles were full of eyes round about them was a type signifying the al-seeing eye of God that sees and takes notice of all things especially of his owne people The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous Pâ—al 34. â—5 8â— 1.121.3 4. He is therefore called the Shepheard of Israel and the Keeper of Israel that doth neither slumber nor sleep When his sheep the people of Israel are among the wolves the enemies of the Church he doth see and watch them as well yea better then any shepheard can oversee his flocke For 1. a shepheard may looke well to his flocke but cannot at all times he must have some times to rest and sleep himselfe but God doth neither sleep nor slumber he hath ever a waking eye upon his 2. A shepheard cannot see all his flocke in all places at once but God oversees all as well them afar off as them near home whatsoever they be in the vallies or in the mountaines he is the God of both though the blasphemous Syrians said otherwise Now that God can and doth manifest his al-seeing eye over his people for good every where in all places and parts of the world at once and takes notice of their condition and of their enemies to deliver his people and plague their enemies in the fittest time doth worke much for his glory 2. His Almighty power is marvellously seen and made glorious by plucking the prey out of the mouth of the Lyon even of the most mighty adversaries of his people when they thinke themselves most sure as Israel out of Egypt and Judah out of Babylon which was as dry bones Ezek. 37.3 4. Sonne of man said God to Eâ—â—kiel in the vision can these bones live O Lord God said the Prophet thou knowest I cannot see how it can be so but thou art omniscient and almighty thou knowest God bade him prophesie and he did so and the bones came together every one to his place stood up and lived and became a mighty great army When this is done to dry bones very dry bones scattered bones i. e. to the house of Israel Ver 11. the Church of God which were brought into so low a condition that they said Our bones are dried our hope is lost we are cut off from our parts It shewes there is an al-seeing and an almighty God that they may see and give him the glory of his omniscience and of his almighty power So his power was wonderfully seen in restoring Hezekiah againe and raising up Lazarus foure dayes dead Jairus daughter Dorcas and others and delivering his people when it is come to such a dead lift that no creature can 3. For the manifestation of his truth and faithfulnesse he hath promised his people to heare their prayers and deliver them Call upon me saith God in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee Psal 50 15. and thou shalt glorifiâ— me and he is faithfull and true abundant in truth Now if the Lord will help and make good his promise he must then doe it or not at all and so breake his promise and saile them that trust in him One man will not faile another that trusteth in him for that were treachery so to doe much lesse will God faile his people that trust in him and therefore he will then help and deliver them God promiseth to be seen in the Mount Now if he bring them into the Mount to the very top and doe not there shew himselfe in due time to their comfort then he will faile them and breake his promise which is impossible 4. His glorious wisedome goodnesse providence and care over his people put them altogether is manifested in this That be hath wayes and meanes and can and doth provide for his people and deliver them when all meanes faile in humane reason Exo. 16.2 4 12 Numb 20.28 Iudg. 15 18. 1 King 17 6 10 14. 2 King 4.2 As in providing Manna and Quailes and water for Israel in their wants plenty of food in the famine of Samaria relieving Sampson when he was ready to perish with thirst feeding Elijah lengthening the Widowes meale and increasing the oyle in the cruse In all which and the like his wisedome care and provident goodnesse is seen as well as his power and especially in restoring lost man fallen in Adam Eph. 5.10 by a most mysterious and unsearchable way in respect of many things in it that the very Angels those knowing creatures desire to pry into and wonder at it Reas 3. God will then deliver his people that the world may know that he is the Helper of Israel Now Isa 37.20 O Lord our God say the faithfull in their great troubles save us from his hand â—â—at all the Kingdomes of the earth may know that thou art the Lord even thou only When it comes to an extremity to such a point that all outward helps and meanes faile so that there is no help or such as is not considerable it is so small and weake then Gods armes his divine power and wisedome appeares then all men cannot but acknowledge that it is the Lords owne doing and so give him the praise But so long as there are outward meanes and helps that in an ordinary providence can relieve we are wonderfull apt to ascribe deliverance to the meanes to second causes But when there is no help in the creature then it must needs be the hand of God and so acknowledged Therefore it was that the Lord would not let Gideon fall upon the Midianites and Amalekites with his thirty two thousand men lest the victory might be thought to be from man and not from God but caused all to returne save 300 an inconsiderable number to conquer such an innumerable army and gives them victory without giving a blow till the enemies themselves sled The people that are with thee saith God are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands lest Israel vant themselves against me Iuâ—â—â— 2 〈◊〉 â— â— saying mine â—wâ—â— hana hath saved me Therefore the Lord 〈…〉 to the Red Sea where there 〈…〉 way fâ—r them 〈…〉 and then againe into the midst of 〈…〉 that it might appeare to all the world that â—â—raâ—â—â— liver â—â—ce and the Fâ—â—ptians overthrow and destruction was from God and so his right hand became glorious in power That is the third Reason why the Lord will deliver his people in their extremities that the world may see that deliverance is from the Lord and that it is he that is the Helper of Israel that they might ascribe it to him and seeke to him only in time of need 4. The Lord
will deliver his people in their extremity that his people may have an experimentall knowledge of him both to support themselves in evill times and be the better inabled to comfort others and support the feeble-minded It is a great comfort and will help much in evill times when a man can looke backe and say Such a time I was brought to such a straite and the Lord delivered me into such an extreame want and God provided for me into such diseases and weaknesse that all friends and Physitians forsooke me and gave me over for a dead man yet then the Lord did raise me up againe beyond all expectation into such and such a trouble and the Lord carried me through or delivered me when there was no hope as a 1 Sam. 17.34 c. David and b 2 Cor. 1.9 10 Paul did and so c 2 Cor. 1.4 might be able to help others also The godly know by faith that God is the supporter and helper of the Saints The word saith it and they beleeve it but when God doth indeed bring them into the Mount into some great trouble extremity or other doth awhile leave them there yet dâ—th support them in it or deliver them out of it then they see and know God by experience to be such That is observable to this purpose in 2 Câ—ron Then Manasses knew that the Lord he was God 2 Chr. 32.13 â— i.e. then he knâ—w it by experience in himself 5. The Lord will be seen in the Mount and then help and deliver his people that they may be truly thankfull more affected with his goodnesse prize mercy more and be more thankfull for it O! how welcome is the Haven to a weather-beaten Mariner that every moment looked to be shipwrackt bread to an hungry man that is even ready to perish pardon to a condemned wretch that is upon the Gallowes ready to be turned of the ladder how will he prize such a mercy how thankfully will he accept it but let the Mariner be safely batboured so soone as the storme begins to arise or the hungry man have meate so soone as his appetite craves it or the malefactor have his pardon given him as soone as he is apprehended or imprisoned it will be sleighted he cannot be so affected with it and thankfull for it as otherwise he would How greatly Abraham here was â—ffâ—cted with this mercy and thankfull for it when God appeared to him in the Mount this Chapter doth testifie and this verse is a divine record of it He called the name of the place Jehovahâ—â—ch 6. And lastly The Lord will be seen in the Mount help and deliver his people that their faith faile not and they behave themselves untowardly and uncomely in his Covenant If God bring his people into the Mount into great extremity and they wait and wait still and no help come the feeble Christians faith will be apt to faile and he to faint and behave himselfe uncomely shame himselfe staine his profession and dishonour God discourage others and open the mouthes of evill men against the truth and wayes of God Now the Lord will not breake a bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flaxe Isa 42.3 1 Cor. 10.13 Isa 57.16 not suffer a poore weake Christian to faint and therefore will help in due time that he may not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised reed not quench but increase grace not destroy but build un faith I will not contend for ever sayes God neither will I be alwayes wroth for the Spirit should faile before me and the soules which I have made And these be the Reasons why the Lord will be seen in the Mount help and deliver his people in their extremities and so we come to application And first behold here this truth verified in our dayes Vsâ— 1. and in these Realmes of his Majesty Was not God seen in the Mount to Scotiand our neighbour-Nation given them a wounderfull deliverance and a happy peace 1639. 1640. when nothing was before their eyes but ruine and destruction intended and threatened against them by the publike enemies of both Kingdomes who thought to raise and settle themselves by their ruine Did not God appeare in the Mount to poore Ireland 1641 Octo. â—3 in saving the head-City of the Kingdome and consequently the Kingdome the very night before it should have been surprized Was not this Nation broâ—â—ht into the Mount and did not God wonderfully deliver it in 88 from the Spanish Armado â—â—8◠〈…〉 5. stiled invincible by the adversâ—â—es themselves in their vaine boast of it In the yeare 1605. from the Gun-powder treason that transcendent and most horrid villany a few houres before it should have taken effect In the yeare 1639. from the Spanish Navy 1639. too little heeded and too much forgotten by us And many late desperate designes of the enemies of Christ and his people and particularly of this Church and State in which we still live by the goodnesse of the same God who shewed mercy to Abraham and Israel and Judah in their extremities and delivered them out of the hands of their enemies Pharaoh Senacherib Haman and others Secondly Vse 2. if God be seen in the Mount help and deliver his people in their extremities then hence by considering withall Gods usuall dealings and carriage towards his and their enemies when he delivers his people we may inferre That God will destroy his and their enemies the present and future enemies of the Church of Christ See a few instances when God delivered Israel out of Egypt Exod 1â— â—9 14.23 15.1 he at the same time to make the more for their delivery and security he destroyed first all the first borne of Egypt beside the other destructions that before did befall their cattle corne fish c and then Pharaoh himselfe and all his Princes and army in the Red Sea So when God brought Israâ—l out of Babylon â—er 25.12 he first by the Grecians destroyed the Babylonians Monarchy that had wasted and grievously oppressed his people 2 Câ—r 13 14.14 11. When he delivered Abâ—…ah and Judah he destroyed of their enemies 500000. When he delivered Asa and his people he destroyed Zerah the Ethyopian and many of his great army 20.10 22. When he saved Jehosaphat Judah and Jerusalem he destroyed the Moabites Ammonites and the inhabitants of Mount Seir. 32.1 21 When he saved Hezekiah he destroyed 185000 of Senacheribs numerous army When he saved the Jewes he destroyed Haman the Jewes enemy Hâ—st c 7. 9. and his sonnes and all those that rose up against them Likewise often when he delivered Israel under the Judges and in the time of the Kings he destroyed or grievously punished the proud enemies of his people For God useth wicked men but as rods to correct his children and when they are corrected and bettered that he will use that rod no more then he throwes the rod
and the Parliaments vigilancy discovered prevented and disappointed in a great part that all hath turned to their dis-advantage and the good of the Church and furtherance of the worke of God that is upon the wheeles and the whole carriage of all things through Gods great goodnesse seemes to me to give great ground of comfort to his people blessed be God And therefore Brethren be not discouraged doe not feare suffer not your hearts to be cast downe whatsoever the present dangers seeme to threaten But looke up unto God and depend upon him It is a great fault for a Christian to let goe his hold when dangers are great and imminent though we be too too apt to doe so upon all occasions yet we should not David did so but when he had recollected his thoughts he did much blame himselfe for it Why art thou cast downe ô my soule and why art thou disquieted in me Ps 43 5. And therefore plucke up your spirits prepare for the worst yet looke beyond the cloud and behold with an eye of Faith Gods great power wisdome goodnesse faithfulnesse and the like and thinke upon what he hath done for his Church formerly and of late yeares for our selves in particular how he hath still discovered the Papists plots and designes and preserved his people and then thinke of what Manoahs wife said to her distrustfull timor us husband Jud. 13.22 23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not then have received a burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands neither would he have shewed us all these things nor would at this time have told us such things as these So if the Lord had a purpose to destroy this Nation or give us up into the hand of our enemies he would not have done thus and thus for us as he hath done for though the Lord doth not or very rarely worke miracles now yet he works wonders and is as able and willing to doe as great things as ever he was yea and doth so too when there is the like occasion and hath often within these few years last past done very great things However let us doe our duty look up unto God and depend upon him and resolve every one of us with Ioh Though the Lord slay mee yet Job 13.15 will I trust in him I will not deny but risings may be and some bloud be shed God will surely repay blood with blood and if not by the Sword yet at least by the execution of Justice on such as have shed the blood of his Saints and bin the grand enemies of his Church but I cannot conceive our trouble will be much or long I hope but a brunt Indeed when I looke upon our many great crying sins Gods Justice Purity and Holines and the unwillingnes of many to be healed yea obstinacy in their evill wayes c. I can look for no mercy but rather wonder we were not destroyed long agoe but when again I look upon the considerations above mentioned the whole course of Gods providence all along to this day laying open persons and things discovering and preventing most dangerous plots and designes and bringing on his worke still notwithstanding yea by the adversaries plots though full sore against their minds and when I also looke upon the intolerable insolency impiety blasphemies and confidence of victory in many of that party I cannot conceive they shall go on long or doe much hurt Is not I will onely move the Question but determine nothing Is not or may not this be thought to be the time when the witnâ—sses the godly Ministers slaine by the Prelacy and their procuring in respect of their office thrust out of their livings and calling wherein they might have bin usefull in the Church of God and so dead in respect of office are risen againe from the dead restored to their Ministery to the wonder of all that see it and knew what havocke was made of them when fifty able and godly Ministers within two yeares space were excommunicated deprived silenced and suspended by one man but the other day Aâ—tiâ—les agaist B Wrâ—n and so upward for divers yeares together Observe what is said by Saint John of the witnesses v. 12. And they ascended up to Heaven in a cloud Rev. 11.12 13 and their enemies beheld them of the Churches enemies v. 13. And the same houre was there a great earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell and in the earthquake were slaine of men seven thousand and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven At the same houre marke it namely when the faithfull witnesses were raised up restored to life to their offices and places in the ministery againe there was a great earthquake i.e. a great alteration and change in the Church and it must needs be here from the worse to the better and a tenth part of the City fell By City some understand Rome it self which say some is but a tenth part of that which once was others rather of the Romane Hierarchy and power of Antichrist in his Adherents Abettors and Supporters and in the earthquake were slaine of men 7000. of men in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of men but of the names of men Names are sometimes taken for Titles and Offices were slaine viz. in this earthquake alteration and reformation of the Church Now if there be found about 7000 of the Prelates Chancellors Arch-Deacons Officials with an Et caetera suppose what may be the issue of this earthquake that now shakes in these Kingdomes of his Majesty especially in this of England But the thing I chiefly note this place for is this to shew as I conceive that our troubles cannot be long nor great in respect of the downfall of our adversaries the enemies of the Church and who can tell whether the Lord will not by such a way take occasion to single out the enemies of his Church which hee hath appointed to be the objects of justice which otherwise could not be so obnoxious to justice as by such a way they may be But I affirme nothing positively times and meanes are in Gods hand but doe assure my selfe that the issue whensoever it be will be the Churches greater good and the enemies downefall That is the first case of extreame want or danger Secondly In case of losse as it was with the worthies Heb 11. that suffered the losse of all and the faithfull Jewes Heb. 10 34. 1 Sam. 30.6 that tooke ioyfully the spoyling of their goods and David who when all was gone and the people also talked of stoning of him he comforted himselfe in God and Moses Heb. 11.24 25 26. who refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne that last but for a season You know also how it was with Job he lost all he had