Alamoth pro occultis for Gods hidden ones Psal 46.1 If the Saints are in the pit in which there is nowater now turn to your strong holds ye prisoners of hope satis praesidii in uno Deo Secondly Satan being the God of this world he doth alwaies rule the present world which God hath redeemed the Saints from Gal. 1.4 And the children of disobedience walk in the course of the present world The world is cast into variety of shapes but into what form soever the present evil world is cast into Satan is the god of the world and he doth apply himself to rule the world under all the forms into which the Lord doth cast it And therefore Hier om saith wel Erras mi frater erras si putas unquam Christum persecutione non pati c. If the world be Pagan Satan rules in the great Red Dragon and so brings the Saints into their time of straits If the face of the world change and it turn Christian then Satan rules also in that and casts out a flood after the woman If that Flood be dryed up then Anti-christ doth arise and he rules in him as a false Prophet and afterwards 2 Tim. 3.1,2 If a form of godliness be brought in under that he will rule and men be lovers of their own selves proud boasters treacherous high minded and despisers of those that are good and therefore there must needs be straits in all estates that shall await the Saints of God Thirdly the more spiritual light grows the greater are the straits that the people of God are brought into First because the more are their consciences seared 1 Tim. 4.2 It is not a cold Iron that will seare the Conscience but when there is evident clear convincing light and men be told of it and yet wil go against it their Consciences are seared by it and in Judgement they are given over unto a reprobate mind Secondly the more they are exasperated against the Truths of God because they do come nearer unto the sin against the Holy Ghost which is the Devils sin and it doth consist in malice upon a high and a rais'd light No men were so cruel as the Pharisees that did sin against the Holy Ghost and therefore if prophecying in sackcloth and ashes would satisfie the lusts of men in times past now killing is not sufficient but their dead bodies shall not be buried to express their former malice and rage against them and therefore in the latter times the straits of the people of God must needs be greater then ever they have been in times past Fourthly God wil by this make way for an utter ruin of the Churches Enemies the greater straits they do bring the Saints into the nearer is their destruction and the sooner will God arise I have seen the affliction of my people that are in Aegypt and I have heard their cry For the Churches Enemies must perish by the Churches hand and therefore they are said to be a cup of trembling and a burthe some stone The Church brought that mighty people into a condition fit to be consumed Jerusalem was to them a cup of trembling now they think to drink it off and it proves their poyson and when they have brought them to extremity that they thought all had been sure then they themselves perish It 's by the Churches straits that the Enemies are ruinâ—d When the ploughers plowd upon their backs and made long their furrows then will the Lord cut the cords of the wicked Psal 129.3 The Use is for Consolation to all the people of God and this I will reduce unto three Questions First with what mind God doth bring his people into straits What the thoughts of God are towards them when he doth it And here we shall see that God thinks thoughts of peace to them all the while and not of evil Jer. 29.11 Secondly in what measure will the Lord do it Thirdly unto what end For the first With what mind does the Lord bring his people into straits What are the thoughts of God towards them when he doth it First he doth it from a principle of Love and their Afflictions are grounded on the Second Covenant as their Mercies are other mens afflictions are from the First Covenant as a fruit of the Curse Mich. 7.9 the Church saies there I will bear the indignation of the Lord c. Why is God in indignation with his own people indeed he is angry with the wicked every day There is a double anger of God simplex redundans in personam he is angry at his peoples sins but yet he loves their persons and he afflicts them from a principle of faithfulness Psal 119.75 For he hath covenanted to keep them from the evil of the world he is to preserve them unto his heavenly Kingdom and he does as I may say sometimetimes preserve them in Salt and somtimes in Sugar as we use to doe with some things that we would preserve Secondly God looks upon your suffering as the suffering of Christ the Saints being one with him their services are Christs and their sufferings are Christs they bear fruit in him they live in him Col. 1.24 So they fill up what is behind of the sufferings of Christ Thirdly whilst he doth smite them he is afflicted with them in all their afflictions he is afflicted though Christ be in heaven yet he has the same nature there that he had here and he stands in the same relation to us now he is in glory that he did here he is not ashamed to call us brethren and therefore his compassion still remains Jer. 31.22 Since I spake against him I remembred him still my bowels are troubled for him The heart of God goes out unto all the Saints in their afflictions Fourthly whilst he doth afflict them he doth wait to be gracious Isa 30.18 He doth not defer deliverance because he is not willing to bestow it but because his people are not prepared for it that 's the reason they are so long out of glory Col. 1.12 because they are not yet meet to be partakers of the Inheritance with the Saints in life and to make them so he doth sit by as a Refiner and he will only purge away their dross by their afflictions Fifthly all the while they are in straits he doth take special notice of their sufferings and he is deeply displeas'd with the Instruments that afflict his people and he is preparing for their ruin all the while for he takes special notice of their wrong Rev. 2.2 I know thy work and thy labour and thy patience c. Exo. 3.7 I know their sorrows He hath a bottle for their tears Secondly he is deeply displeased with the Instruments Zach. 1.15 He sent his people into Babylon but yet I am sore displeased with the heathen I was but a little displeased and they helped forward the affliction So that whilst God doth use them as the rod of his anger
the hand of the Son as Mediator First a Government of Angels the spirit of the living creatures is in the wheels Ezek. 1.20 Had not Jesus Christ had the Government in his hand the Angels should never have been principalities and powers their authority came in with the Government of Christ Secondly the Authority and Government of Magistrates and Ministers came in with the second Covenant August istud nomen culpa meruit non natura so Augustine But there is another kind of Government And that is the Saints being taken into Covenant with Christ they have a great hand with him in the Government of Christ in Rom. 10.18 the Apostle saith their sound is gone forth into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world This is spoken of the Sun in Psal 19. how can this be applyed to the preaching of the Gospel I conceive the accommodation runs thus As the great God hath stretched out the Expansum caeli super mundum naturalem the heaven over the natural world so he hath stretched forth the glorious Expansum verbi super mundum rationalem the word over the rational world Now be pleased to consider when the people of God put Prophesies and Promises in suit beholding the several conjunctions aspects of them in the world truly those things that are done by Gods power they are done also by their prayers they have a strange hand in the Government of all things There is a double voice in the Book of the Rev. vox e throno vox e templo You read of a voice out of the Throne and a voice out of the Temple Bright Mr. Brightman I remember puts this difference and hath this hint vox e throno saith he is that quando immediate aliquid à Deo proficiscitur when any thing comes from God immediately But vox e Templo quando precibus sanctorum aliquid Impetratur that is when any thing is obtained by the prayers of the Saints that is a voice in the Temple Now I intreate you to observe this is the first thing This holy habitation is heaven in the Text. The Lord setteth so high a price upon the services of the Saints that they have a very great hand with him in the Government of all things It is Augistines speech that I have met withal sometimes in Luther August he professeth aliquid bonum opus licet agreste sordidissimum est pretiosius caelo terra the meanst good work of the Saints be it never so poor never so ordinary he saith it is more precious then Heaven and Earthâ— there is more in it because it hath so great a power with God it is no wonder then if the Lord be said to be raised up in his Temple Well that is the first thing Secondly but how is God said to be raised up how can it be said that God should rise the word in the Original that is here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies Eâ—…somno excitari for a man to be raised up out of sleep the very same word that you have used in Psal 44.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Awake Lord why sleepest thou awake Lord or arise Lord for it is such a rising as is after an awaking out of sleep How can God be said to sleep and how should God be said to awake and rise The cessation of acts of providence is Gods sleep the putting of them forth is Gods arising Gods awaking as when a man sleepeth sleep bindeth up his senses in reference to their proper objects that they cannot act why so when the Lord doth not act doth not appear for his people then is the Lord said to sleep when he doth act for them and providence puts forth it self gloriously now the Lord is said to be raised up God is awake Now observe I pray you when the Lord breaketh the designs of the Churches enemies when he bloweth upon their counsels smiteth them in the hinder parts puts them to a perpetual shame why then doth the Lord arise as a Giant refreshed with wine Psal 78.65 So that now the meaning is this When the Lord doth appear for his people as a return of their prayers when the Lord ariseth gloriously for them for their deliverances and their enemies overthrow then it is said the Lord is raised up out of his holy habitation But I must hasten The Observations that I shall give you from hence are two Doct. 1. The first is this The great comfort of the Saints in all their straits and difficulties lies in this when they see God ariseth for them for here is that now that they have pitched upon to comfort themselves with I say the great comfort of the Saints in all their straits and oppositions and difficulties is in this when they see God arise for them in his providential actings Doct. 2 Secondly Experiments of Gods rising in acts of Providence are great grounds to his people to stay their faitâ—hâ— that God will go on he will bring his work to perfection for both these I conceive are intended in the Text God is raised up therefore fear not though you have no men rising God already hath manifested that he is raised up do not doubt but he will carry on the work These two things I conceive the Lord intendeth in the words And this I mean to make the Doctrinal part of this Sermon I pray observe them I will begin with the first It is the great comfort of the Saints in the midst of all their difficulties and oppositions to see God arise for them in his providential actings In the opening of it I shall speak to three heads First there is a time when God seems to sleep when the Lord seems to set still as a mighty man that cannot save you know in Zach. 3.9 the vigilance of providence is compared to seven cyes and sometimes the Saints of God do even think that all these seven eyes are asleep together but yet you must know he that keepeth Israel never slumbereth nor sleepeth but as it is said of the Saints I sleep but my heart waketh in their spiritual failings So likewise it is true of the Lord in his providential actings his heart awaketh towards his people even then when every eye seemeth to be asleep There is a time when God will bring his people low and he doth it in design Observe it Jerusalem is sometimes put into a cup ready to be drunk off that the enemy should think it is no more to devoure them then it is to drink as you use to say to a proverb I can do it as easie as to drink The state of the Church is brought unto that low ebb But now mark then saith the Lord it shall be a cup of trembling there is a time when God seems to lay all his power aside Rev 11.16,17 he hath taken unto himself his great power God is alwaies omnipotent but for a great while the power
did seem to be in the enemies hands as if God had put all power out of his hand I but he can reassume it when he will he takes to himself his own great power and raiâ—eth himself it is a most glorious Scripture and full of all consolation that in Zach. 1.8 Jesus Christ was on horseback he had an Army following him in battle array all in a readiness the Church saw no succour all this while the enemy came on none appeared but the enemy he was behinde the mirtle trees in the bottom saith the text the Lord many times seems to sleep appeareth not when yet notwithstanding his heart is on the business as I say the Saints sleep but their hearts wake in their spiritual failings so doth the Lord towards his people in his providential actings Well that is the first thing for the opening of the Doctrine Secondly The great labour of the Saints in all their straits is to awaken God that God may arise their business is not to raise armies and forces powers of men no my Beloved their great business therefore is to raise up God Psal 68.1 Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered whether any body else rise or no that is nothing Let God arise in Psal 44.23 Awake Lord why sleepest thou stand up for my help lay hold of the spear I God must do it and stop the wayes O stand up for my help the great business of the Saints hath alwaies been to raise up God Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord that is the Churches prayer Art not thou he that didst cut Rahab and wound the Dragon it is spoken of the destruction of the King of Egypt the great business of Saints hath been alwaies to get God to arise There are two things commonly awaken God two things cause him to rise up presently The one is the prayers of the Saints Because of the crie of the poor and of the sighing of the needy I will rise saith the Lord Psal 12.5 the truth is my Brethren God cannot sleep when you pray it was a golden speech that of Tertullian Tertul. Deum orationibus ambimus caelum tundimus misericordiam extorquemus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Basil We knock at Heaven gates we environ God beleguer God by our prayers we as it were wrest mercy out of his hands Be pleased to consider this is one means when the Disciples were in the storm at Sea what was their great business their great business was to awaken Christ and then immediately the storm was over and there followed a great calm and they were at the Haven where they would be God is awakened with the prayers of the Saints Secondly the Lord he is awakened likewise by the blasphemies of the enemies truly you have many times even my Brethren beheld how that the very end of Gods rising for you was because of the rage of the enemy I will awake and set him at rest from him that puffeth at him because of the rage of the enemy the enemies cruelty doth cry loud in the ears of God as well as the Saints prayers Now this being the great end that the people of God propound truly when God ariseth they are satisfied let God arise and they can sit down secure be the difficulties and oppositions what they will be in fine acquiescit appetitus efficientis It was a strange spirit that possessed Steven you will say that he was able to lie down to sleep when the stones flew about his ears having so said he fell asleep what is the reason why I see heaven opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God Christ was up for him Christ standing why Christ is said to sit at the right hand of God how doth Steven see him standing standing tanquam sui sudex vindex as one that would judge and one that would avenge his quarrel and truly he could lie down and sleep securely Lord Jesus receive my Spirit and when he had so said he fell asleep The great business of the Saints then in all their difficulties is to get God to arise that is the second thing In the third place The consolations of the Saints must needs be very great from the arisings of God for them in his providential actings though men do not rise though Armies do not rise yet I say they are mighty consolations to see God arise And that upon these three grounds Observe them I pray you In the first place When the Lord doth arise whatsoever standeth in opposition must fall God will rise up alone that assure your selves whatsoever stands in opposition I say must fall yet many times poor creatures we look upon Armies and multitudes of men and we think now Oh alas here is now no hope but the Church will presently be overwhelmed mark you have seen sometimes a black smoke arise out of a Chimney that you would think it would threaten even to darken the Sun in its orb but mark in Isa 13.3 I wilscatter them saith God as smoke out of a chimney when you see Nations and multitudes combine they are confederate as thorns when you see them confident drunk with confidence as the Drunkard then shall they be consumed like stubble fully dry Nahum 1.10 it was a good intimation that of Cyprian Cyprian ne attendas numerum never observe the number they be so many thousands and so many thousands certainly when God ariseth whatsoever stands in opposition must fall for God will rise alone that is the first ground of the Saints consolation Secondly when God ariseth he over-ruleth the spirits of men over-ruleth the malignity of the spirits of men so as they shall effect and accomplish his end â—…ou may see Psal 76.9,10 When God shall arise to Judgment the wrath of man shall praise him verily and the mainder of wrath thou shalt restrain my Brethren though we consider little of it yet we owe very much to restraining grace I say we owe very much to restraining graceâ— in the Saints indeed I conceive restraining grace and renewing grace to be one and the same habit as Justifying faith and Historical faith is the Saints owe very much to restraining grace that in their own persons but they owe much to restraining grace in reference unto others This is exercised two wayes There are restraints upon mens actions and there are restraints upon mens lusts God restrains not the Devils lusts he lets them out to the utmost but he restrains his actings but for men the Lord sometimes restrains their acts and sometimes their lusts No man shall desire thy Land God would lay a restraint upon their lusts now when God ariseth then I say he so orders the spirits of men that so much of their rage shall be let out as shall accomplish his ends and the remainder he will restrain In the third place the Saints have a great comfort in Gods rising for them upon this ground when
God ariseth he hath abundance rise with him I say if the Lord old rise alone he is able to do it but whensoever he ariseth he hath aboundance rise with him When the Lyon roars all the Beasts of the forrest tremblâ— Observe I pray you when the Lord comes to Judgement against a people if he doth but say cause the instruments of vengeance to draw neer they come every man with a slaughter weapon in his hand immediately Ezek. 9.1 so when the Lord riseth up to execute vengeance upon an enemy I will give you but one place but it is a very glorious Scripture observe it I pray you Dan. 10.20 there is an Angel come to comfort Daniel and instruct him and he tells you now saith he I go forth against the King of Persia and when I am gone forth the Prince of Grecia shall come mark God riseth up as the Text tells you for it referrs to the same when God riseth up once then truly there is an Angel up and together with him all the power of the Grecian Monarchie When I am gone forth saith he then the Prince of Grecia shall come mighty wars there were between the Grecian and the Persian until the Persian were subdued before him Now how came it to pass the Angel went out first to fight against the King of Persia when God riseth up then I say there be abundance rise with him These are the grounds of the consolation that the people of God did take from the rising of God in his providential actings for them There is a word more that I would speak to A question will rise now in every one of your mouths Oh But how should a people know when by his spiritual eyes can he discern that God is raised up we see men rise an arm of flesh but how shall we be able to say God is raised up out of his holy habitation that were comfort indeed if we could conclude that but what if men rise without God Why now in answer to that I intreate you give me leave a little When God is raised up for a people he useth to cause magnam conjunctionem a great combination as it were and a joyning together of these five things observe them I beseech you and truly I think we may speak it with thankfulness to the glorious praise of our God they have very far concurred in the Lords rising among his people in England In the first place When the Lord is awakened by prayer that is the first thing prayer is Gods way by which he is raised up Iob 8.5,6 If thou make thy supplication to him he will surely awake for thee If thou make thy supplication to him what is the reason that God was raised up for his people here he was raised up by prayer look into Zach. 11.12,13 the Lord Christ he comes and prayeth how long will it be ere thou have compassion upon Ierusalem against whom thou hast had indignation these three-score and ten years why now what is the return The Lord answereth the Angel with good words with comfortable words I am jealous for Sion as soon as ever Christ prayeth my Brethren he prayes your prayers if ever prayer arise God ariseth I am jealous for my people That is the first You shall know when God ariseth if he be awakened by prayer and truly we had cause to hope in the beginning of our troubles that the Lord did pour a large measure a plentiful measure of the Spirit of prayer upon his people Secondly when the Lord defeateth the counsels of the enemy turns their plots upon their heads I beseech you observe the Lord is known by the judgements that he executeth when the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands when the Lord takes men and burns them like Bees in their own Hive truly that is an argument God is up men could not do that God brings mens waies eminently upon their own heads you have a Scripture very remarkable Micah 4. for I dare speak nothing to you but what I have a word for I the enemy say that they would come together and they would thresh Sion why now saith God they know not the thoughts of the Lord these are their thoughts I buâ— they do not know mine why what were 〈◊〉 thoughts Gods thoughts were to make their 〈◊〉 against the people of God to be the means of their own ruine their own counsels should destoy them for so he saith they shall be gaâ—hered togeâ—er as sheaves in a flore arise and thresh O daughter of Sonâ— they thought to come together to thresh the Church I but saith God they themselves shall be threshed they shall be gathered together as sheaves to be threshed it would be horrible ingratitude for any of us to overlook the manifold appearances of God in this kind in these latter daies and not confess the Truth That is a second ground how we may know whether God arise for his people In the third place when the Lord takes away the hearts of his enemies truly my Brethren the discipline of Spirits is not in men but in the Father of Spirits when it shall be truly said the men of might have not found their hands when that shall befall them that the Lord threatneth in Nahum 3.17 their Captains shall be like the great Grass hoppers in a Sunny day the Sun ariseth and they are gone when their strong holds shall be like ripe figgs falling into the mouthes of the Eaters when God shall make the very names of men terrible to the enemies certainly God hath the Discipline of Spirits when it shall be said the sword of the Lord and the sword of Gideon and that as it is said a Barley Cake shall overthrow the Tent this is the Lords doings Certainly God doth arise In the fourth place when the Lord acteth the Spirits of his people unto high and noble and invincible resolutions draws them out to resolutions more then men when he guides their strength when he girds up their spirits to the busineâ—s in Zach. 4 6. Not by power nor by might but by my Spirit how did the Spirit of God do it truly it is the Spirit of God working in the hearts of men raising up their hearts to encounter with the greatest difficulties to look a thousand deaths in the face with boldness and elevating the spirits of men beyond what or linarily is in men this is the Lord the Lord riseth when it is so And then in the last place when the Lord goes on in waies of mercy and draws out his loving kindness sometimes the Lord may step forth for his people and he may withdraw himself again and then the misgivings of their hearts will be ready to say it is the Lord is upon us but when the Lord holds on a continual tenor of mercies when it shall be said as it was to Ioshua there is no man shall stand before thee all the daies of thy life I am with
But what is there in their destruction that is such matter of joy to hear of the shedding of blood and the destruction of many thousands and those many of them poor souls very unfit to dye to see them in garments rouled in blood is this matter of joy a man would rather think you should rather sit down and sigh to the breaking of your loins There are many things in it matter of joy and triumph unto the Saints as first they rejoyce in the Judgements of God Rev. 19 2. True and righteous are thy judgements for thou hast judged the great whore they do taste a sweetness even in the judgements of God as Ezek. 3.1 it was in my belly as honey even that roll which contained nothing but bitter lamentations yet it was very sweet to him the Saints love to see Christ with his sword girt upon his thigh and cloathed with a vesture dipt in blood and treading the wine-press alone travelling in the greatness of his strength Isa 63.1,2 Secondly because God hath appeared for the Churches cause and hath owned their quarrel and hath avenged the blood of his servants at their hands Rev. 19.2 when God doth appear for them and doth not leave them unto the will of their enemies but doth awake as a Giant in the behalf of his people this hath alwaies occasioned songs and rejoycing in his people the Lord hath triumphed gloriously over the horse his rider Exo. 15. not that they do triumph meerly upon the account of their own safety but they triumph because God hath triumphed over his enemies else to see so many drowned in the mercyless grave who would not have pittyed them Thirdly of all the Churches enemies that ever were this is the cruelest enemy the fourth beast is worse then any of the former and in the fourth beast the little horn was more fierce then his fellows they have been alwaies drunk with blood and their endeavour was to weare out the Saints of the most High Fourthly it shall be the last enemy for as soon as they shall be destroyed the seventh Trumpet sounds and then shall the mystery of God be finished it hath been an enemy to the Church of longest continuance of any their oppressions have lain longest upon the Church of God and the longer a burthen doth lie and hath been complained of the greater mercy you would count it to have it taken off if to be 430. years in Egypt and 70. years in Babylon be a long time for the people of God to indure yet this is a bondage that lasts 1260. daies in the greatest tyranny and rage that can be they Tread down the Temple Rev. 11.1,2 Fifthly when this enemy shall be destroyed the cup of her fornication shall be removed by which the men of the earth but specially the Kings of the earth have been made drunken Rev. 18.11 Now there is no man shall be their merchants more they had Chap-men abundantly before but now there shall be a dealing in that trade no more the same God that did cast out Satan in the Pagan way of Idolatry will also cast out Satan in the Antichristian way of Idolatry but they shall not deceive the earth by such sorceries any more for there is by this means a cloud that hath filled the house and no man could enter into the Temple Rev. 15.8 there was no considerable number of menconverted there was such a darkness and a smoake upon the ordinances of God and all his dispensations but all shall be removed Sixthly Lastly from the glorious fruit and consequences that shall follow upon the destruction of Antichrist the people of God will have great cause to rejoyce and praise God I le name only these four First then the Kingdoms of the world shall become the Kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 there shall be multitudes converted unto the Lord. Secondly it shall be the inlet of all the promises now Christ shall be called the word of God he was so before but now he is called so for the accomplishment of it as Exod. 3.6 by the name Jehovah God was not known unto them Thirdly then all persecutions shall cease Rev. 20. Satan shall be bound so that he shall not stir up the world to the persecution of the Saints as he had done in times past Fourthly New Jerusalm shall come down from God out of Heaven there shall be that glory of the Church that the Kingdom and dominion under the whole Heavens shall be given up to it and they shall possess it for ever and ever Dan. 7. the mountain of the Lords house shall be exalted on the top of the mountains there is a triumphant state of the Church that is yet to come in this life when all the glory of the world shall be brought unto the Church and people of God Vse Seeing God hath in a degree accomplished this in this late mercy do you rejoyce with Triumph and say great Babylon is fallen for they are some of the most blind and Jesuited Papists in the world and those that profess oâ—herwise yet they do enter upon the Popish interest and engage in the same quarrel with them and take heed you be not deceived with vain words we see how not only this but the neighbor Nations do declare against them that seek to promote that cause of tyrannie and oppression which you have hitherto fought against let not your discontents carry you to the quite contrary point of the compass and your zeal against sects and heresies make you to succor their prophaness and to enter upon their interest and thereby to destroy that which you have endeavoured to build and to pluck down with your own hands that which you have so much with your purses and prayers laboured to set up I le only speak briefly to these five particulars to quicken you in this duty of praising God First it is a command that God doth give to all his Saints to rejoyce at Babylons downfal Rev. 18.20 rejoyce over her thou heaven universa sanctorum multitudo all the Saints but specially the Prophets and the Apostles the saithful Preachers of the word of God let not them be last in their joy and praises that had the great hand and were first in praying for it it is your duty and it lies as a command upon you and if you make conscience of other commands do not for fancies dispence with this Secondly they be Romes merchants only that be sad at it let them say Rev. 18.10 Alas alas that great City Babylon that mighty City this doth not befit the Sons of Zion but the merchants of Babylon and truly let me tell you a man may receive the mark of the beast in his right hand and may strongly promote the Popish interest that doth never wearâ—t by profession in his forehead Thirdly if Babylon shall fall then come out of her my people saith your God when Rome doth fall now is the time
of bread cleaness of teeth invasions of Enemies but never any like unto this and therefore does the Prophet call it an onely evil Ezek. 7.5,6,7 it 's come and it is not a high sound the eccho of the mountains but it shall be so in truth and in reality in which the fury of the Lord shall be poured out upon them he would give the dearly beloved of his soul into the hand of his enemies Secondly there 's none like it if we also compare Gods dealing with them and with other people The Lord hath not dealt so with any Nation as he hath done with Jerusalem and therefore they are afflicted and in captivity with the heathen Nations who are at ease and sit stil Zach. 1.13.14 For judgement must begin at the House of God and there is at the last a worse end remaining for them that obey not the Gospel c. Secondly here 's a consolation also Jacob shall have his time of trouble but it is yet but a time the people of God never enter into affliction without a promise and therefore they are prisoners of hope when they are in a pit in which there 's no water Zach. 9.11,12 There are three great promises that the Saints have under all their afflictions First they are promised support in the affliction I will be with you and there 's a River the streames whereof do make glad the City of God Gen. 15. there 's a light that goes between the peeces in the middle of the darkness the bush in the fire is not burnt a peculiar providence watches over them to keep them from fainting under the affliction Secondly they are promised Sanctification This is the fruit of the affliction to take away their sins by this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged they shall be made partakers of his holynesse and of his glory for these light afflictions that are but for a moment shall work for us a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Thirdly there 's a promise of deliverance out of affliction Israel shall not dye in Aâ—gypt though it be four hundred years before they come forth though the Temple be trodden down of the Gentiles and the woman be in the wilderness 1260. dayes yet she shall not alwaies be in a wilderness estate and though they be in Babylon yet the Lord by the blood of the Covenant will send them forth out of the pit and he will break the yoke from off the neck of the anointing c. And some think as Calvin that to be the meaning of Is 9.1 Her dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation when he first lightly afflicted the land of Zabulon c. that was in the inroads formerly made upon them by Tiglah Pileser and was that greater then the captivity when the City should be destroyed and the Temple burnt with fire and there was no comparison in the affliction but yet the darkness should not be such and the reason is this huic certa permissionem esse additam cum in prioribus nulla esset better be as low as Hel with a promise then in Paradise without it the darkness of the bottomless pit would not be utter darkness if there were but the light of a promise for the soul to look upon for there is a time of the pro nise Acts 7.17 when it will truly speak and not lye But what are the grounds why God will not spare his own people Hence the grounds are these two First God will not spare his own people there 's a time of Jacoh's trouble when even Gods own people shall be reduced to extremity and there shall come upon them a time of straits Secondly Jacobs trouble is but for a time there 's a day of deliverance for them they shall be saved out of it The Doctrine is this Doctrin There is a time of Jacobs trouble Gods own dearest people are many times brought into a time of straits It 's true that through a mans whole life Christianus must be crucianus he must take up his cross that will follow the Lord There 's no son that he receives but he chvstises Affliction is a Childs portion in the ways of holyness their correction is as truly from the hand of their father as their provision is But my purpose at present is to speak of some special times of Jacobs trouble a great day a day of straits And God doth many times bring his own people unto this It will appear to be true from all the dealings of God with the Saints the children of Israel were in bondage in Aegypt long and their affliction was great but there was a time when the bricks were doubled and the opposition heightned so that they were as dead carrion cast out to the Ravens Gen. 15. And though Israel were hated of all the Nations which God called their evil neighbours yet there were some special straits that befell them as in the dayes of Asa 2 Chron. 14.9,10 When there came an Army of the Ethiopians an host of a thousand thousand men and in the dayes of Hezckiah when Senacherib besieged Jerusalem it s a day of trouble of rebuke and of blasphemy Isa 37.3 But yet there was a time of greater straits when they must be carried into captivity and the glory of the Lord removed from his own habitation And the Gospel was no sooner placed in the world but the great Red Dragon raised a persecution the Heathen Emperours and all the Powers of their Empire Rev. 12.1,3 And that Power was no sooner broken and the Church obtained of God a Man-child but immediately there was a flood cast out after the woman the Arrian Heresie and they persecuted the Church more then the Pagans had done before and then the Earth helped the Woman c. Then doth Anti-christ arise and the people of God do prophecie in sackcloth and ashes Witnesses they are and two Witnesses for their paucity and for their sufficiencyâ— and yet there is a time of greater straights that remains for them there is the time of their fulfilling and of their killing so that God doth reserve a time of straits for his own people there 's a time of Jacobs trouble c. First because the Lord will give unto them some eminent experiences of his providence under which they walk it 's true that he is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that beleeve and upon all the glory there is a covering at all times Isa 4.5 but the greater the straits are the more eminent shall the protection be if Daniel be in the Lyons den and the three children in the fiery furnace the wonder had not been so great if the bnsh had not been in the fire but to see it in the fire and yet not to consume that was the greatest sight that ever Moses saw before When the Earth is removed and the Mountains cast into the midst of the sea then there is need of a Song upon
John 17. Sanctifie them by thy Truth c. Take away Truth and ye destroy Holiness at the root Let men pretend holiness whilest they will unclean opinions will ever be accompanied with unclean practises and therefore it is a vain thing for men to hope that a holy conversation can be maintained without truth which is the instrument which the Lord useth of mens sanctification Job 6.14 he forsakes God that forsakes the fear of the Lord. Secondly What is it for a people to be forsaken of God First when God withdraws the influence of his Spirit from the Ordinances that though the Ordinances continue yet the influences are gone it is the first step of the Lords removing from a people and this is properly the removing or departing of his glory from off the Temple though the Lord is everywhere present yet there was a gracious presence there Deus ubique est sed non eadem ubique praestat And therefore there is a darkness that fills the house when the glory of the Lord was departed its true that the Temple and the Sacrifices did continue but it was but barely an outside for the presence of God in glory and mercy was not among them and therefore when the Lord returns to a people in mercy the glory of the Lord doth in this manner return unto their Ordinances Ezek. 43.4 while he may be found seek the Lord the time of the Spirits working in the means is the day of salvation Heb. 6. unto that people there is a ground that drinks in the rain not only of Ordinances but of Influences and the Lord will say My Spirit shall not alwaies strive there is an oath that may go forth against a people and then they are undone for ever for the Lord is not as a man that he should repent and this is the greatest Judgement that can befall a person or a people in this life for if the Spirit of the Lord depart from them and evil Spirit from God in Judgement comes upon them a Spirit of giddiness a vertiginous Spirit which doth cause them to err in all the works of their hands there is by some a great talk of conversion that abundance have been lately converted it is true if turning unto a new opinion or being brought off from such a party be conversion there are abundance of such turnings in this Nation but such a general conversion that if we look into the conversation of men yea even of them that do profess Religion and the power of godliness and the good old way of holiness in the practise of it is even wholly forgotten amongst us Secondly he takes away the Ordinances also the presence of God is in them he is by these said to dwell amongst us now when God departs from a people he is said to take away the Ordinances which are the visible tokens of his presence Ier. 23.33 they say the burden of the Lord and they were weary of the Ordinances of God amongst them saies God this shall be your burden I will forsake you Nulla posthac erit Prophetia Calvin Calvin But what if it be so its that in a special manner that we desire but consider 2 Chron. 7.20 I will cast this house which I have sanctified for my name out of my sight and I will pluck you up by the roots out of my Land which I have given you when God once forsakes his Ordinances he will the Land too Thirdly the Lord doth forsake a people by taking away the former assistances that they have had and denying of them to his people therefore the promise is Isa 62.4 thou shalt be no more termed forsaken whilst they were under the power of the enemy and given up into the hands of their oppressors so long they were a people forsaken of the Lord Iosh 1.5 I will not leave thee nor forsake thee when God forsakes them they shall not have the wonted presence of God amongst them the Lord will neither bless their counsels nor go forth with their Armies but he will delight to make that people vile that all their enemies should take encouragement thereby and say God hath forsaken them persecute them and take them for there is none to deliver them as the presence of God is the great terror unto all that are round about he being a wall of sire about them and the glory in the middle of them so the greatest encouragement to the enemies is when they shall see that Gods people have not the wonted presence or assistance of God with them and they shall be a derision to all the Nations round about ha ha so would we have it Fourthly God doth forsake a people in respect of his returns of their prayers Psal 22.1,2 My God why hast thou forsaken me and why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring O my God I cry in the day time and thou hearest not and in the night season am not silent and this is the true greatness and the glory of a people Deut. 4.7 that they have God nigh them in all that they call upon him for and this hath been your glory in former times in the sight of your adversaries that you could say Tertullian Caelum tundimus misericordiam extorquemus And the prayers of the people of God have been the fire that hath gone out of the mouthes of the people of God that hath consumed your enemies on every side as Rev. 11 5. We did no sooner make our prayers but we might as it were with Stephen lift up our eyes to heaven and see Iesus standing at the right hand of God tanquam causae suae Judex vindex But if God forsake a people they may cry but the Lord will not hear them he will shut out their prayers in displeasure and will cover himself with a cloud that they shall not pass through when God takes away the spirit of prayer from his people there is not a greater Argument that I know that God doth intend to forsake them and to shut out their prayers Vse Having thus spoken of the Doctrinal proposition let us take the particular application to our selves If you forsake him he will also forsake you our own hearts cannot but testifie against us that there is a great forsaking of God in the middle of us look but upon the generality of the Nation and for all manner of prophaness we go beyond the worst of times and under a pretence of liberty every man doth that which is right in his own eyes and there is no master of restraint to put them to shame It may be the fault is immediately to be laid upon inferiour officers but ye know their neglects and yet you do not force your own Laws misera vis est valere ad nocendum it is woful liberty a liberty of sinning the horrible oppressions such as have not been heard of you have made an act against it and what
fit nourishment for the rest of the members so do these Brightman Brightman Dividendo distinguendo nodos solvendo obscura illustrando dentium funguntur munere c. These for their purity are like a flock of sheep newly washed and for their fruitfulness they bear twins and not one is barren amongst them but by their labours they bring forth much fruit and they bring home many a soul to the Lord but if once God withdraw his Ordinances his people become barren as it is in the Church of the Jews and it is true of the seven Asian Churches and many other forsaken Churches of the Gentiles the barren hath born seven and she that had many children is waxen feeble Isa 5.4 Fourthly its a glory to a people to have store of all things in it so that they may be able to communicate to others in their necessities but need not borrow of any this was the advancement that the Lord promised unto his people Deut. 28.12 you shall lend unto other Nations and shall not borrow this is that wherewith God hath exceedingly honoured this Nation of ours and when that we many times vainly boast that we need not for outward things be beholding to any people but much greater is this glory in things spiritual and all this is by the Ordinances if the embryos in the womb of the Church want nourishment her Navil is like a round Goblet that wants not liquor and by it the children in the womb are nourished unto life Cant 7.2 if babes want milk they may suck and be satisfied with these breasts of Consolation Isa 66.11 if the children want bread the belly of the Church the Sacrament of the Lords supper the belly which receives the sustenance for the rest of the body is like a heap of wheat set about with Lillies Cant. 7.2 if strong men want meat it is to be had in them Heb. 5.12 and if they need water for their spiritual refreshment here are the wells of salvation Isa 12.3 and that you may not think that in the daies of drowth these will be drye the Lord tells you that there are springs to feed them all my springs are in thee Psal 87. ult But when the Lord takes away the Ordinances then the tongue of the sucking child cleaves to the mouth for thirst then the children cry for bread and there is none to break it to them then they that fed delicately upon the purest Ordinances they are desolate in the streets and they that were brought up in scarlet imbrace dunghills it is spoken by the Prophet of a bodily famine Lam. 4.5,6 it is much more true of a spiritual famine when men shall run from Sea to Sea to seek the word of the Lord and shall not find it Amos 8.12 this is not only a misery but also a dishonour unto any people Fifthly it s a great advancement when the Lord makes a people flourish in outward things making them the head and not the tail as the Lord promised Deut. 28.13 and how comes it to pass that a people do not flourish all the outward prosperity that we have in which we so much glory it is only by the Ordinances 2 Chron. 7.19,20 the Lord threatens that if they did forsake his Ordinances and serve other Gods then he would remove his Ordinances from them and the House that I have sanctified for my name I will cast out of my sight c. And what follows then saith the Lord I will pluck them up by the roots out of the land that I have given them when the Ordinances were removed and the Lord called them Loammi all their outward prosperity did quickly vanish Hos 2.9 I will take away my corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and I will recover my wool and my flax given to cover thy nakedness c. Ezek. 16.39 I will break down thine eminent place that is the Temple where they did play the Harlot and set up the Image of jealousie before the Lord Cap. 8. therefore the Lord will remove the Ordinances and what then then they shall strip thee of all thy cloathes and leave thee naked and bare we therefore that count our outward prosperity our glory consider we hold it by the Ordinances Sixthly it s a great advancement to a people to be well fortified so as to be able in danger both for defence and offence to secure themselves not to fear their enemies this was the glory that God did vouchsafe the Jewish Nation and was sometime the glory of the English also the fear of thee shall fall upon all Nations round about Deut. 2.25 These are spiritually the Towers of Zion Psa 48.12,13 that we are bid to tell and the bulwarks that we are wished to mark it is because of this that the Church is described to be terrible as an Army with banners Cant. 6.10 that is because the weapons of our warfare in them are not carnal but mighty through God therefore they are as great a dread unto the enemies as an Army set in battle-array But as they are either corrupted by a people or removed from them so doth their defence depart as the Lord threatens Isa 5.5 I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up I will break down the wall thereof and it shall be trodden down Now what was this hedge and this wall nothing else Musculus as Musculus interprets it but the Ordinances the Word and Sacraments c. which did serve for two ends as a hedge and a wall ad separationem ad munitionem therefore when the Lord took away the Ordinances their defence departed from them and as men corrupt them so they break the Hedge and pluck down the wall of our protection it is true it may not fal at once but one picks out one thing and another another till at last they make a plain way for the Beasts of the field to break in upon the Vineyard of the Lord In all these respects and in many more the Ordinances of the Gospel in their purity and power are a great advancement to a people Surely then they are in an errour that esteem the Ordinances in their power to be a matter of disgrace a note of indignity upon any place or person First make it your glory Secondly walk toward it as your glory for that which is so great an advancement to a people must needs be an honour to a person also yet such is the enmity and the folly of our nature that we are apt to glory in any thing yea many times in those things that are our shame the wise man in his wisdom the strong man in his strength and the rich man in his riches c. Jer. 9. and pass by that as an aspersion which indeed would make us truly honourable and in comparison of others advance us up to heaven for any thing else to be pointed at men count an honour
these did labour to their utmost to retard the settlement of this people newly returned into their own Land again laboured to keep the City and Temple in their ruines and to that end by their interest and power in forraign Nations they had engaged against them even the whole authority of the Persian Monarchie Now when the hopes of the enemy grew high and when the hearts of the Saints fell low what is the way God takes to remove them now why now a Prophet must go to them he sendeth Zachariah the Prophet and bids them Return to your strong holds ye prisoners of hope your strong holds why their City was laid wast their Temple burnt with fire strong holds they had none satis praesidii in un Deo Calvin Calvin There is enough strength in one God even then when walls and fortifications fall Why now that the Lord might bear up their Spirits in this condition he reveals his mind as the manner of the Lord was in those times unto his Prophet by several Visions in an especial manner in this Chap. and the latter end of the former Chap. he doth it in a double vision In one the Lord tels him that be the powers of the enemy what they would be though they saw no help none to oppose them yet the Lord would raise up an adverse power that should break them though they knew not whence it should come And he tels them in the 21. ver of the former Chap. there were four horns that did push Ierusalem and the Lord saith I will raise up four Carpenters and they shall beat them in pieces equal to the horns so shall the Carpenters be In the next place in this Chapter the Lord shews him another vision a man with a line in his hand taking me asure of the City Ierusalem and of the Temple as the manner of Builders and Artificers is to do Jesus Christ doth usually appear to his people according to those great things that he is about to effect for them when the people were to be carried into Captivity Jesus Christ then appears cloathed in linnon with a writers Inkhorn by his side Ezek. 9.1,2 and when the instruments of vengeance come Iesus Christ comes in the midst of them the man with a writers Inkhorn was in the midst of them what to do to mark those that were written to life in Ierusalem First before the instruments of vengeance can stretch out their hands against any the man with a writers Inkhorn will set his mark upon those that are written for life But when the people returned out of captivity now Jesus Christ appears with a line in his hand for he it is that must build the Church so you have it in the 6. Chap. 12. ver Behold the man whose name is the Branch he shall build thee he shall build the Temple of the Lord no wonder then that when the Temple and City is to be built Jesus Christ appears with a line in his hand This is the Vision Now observe in this Chapter three things that I may bring you home to the words read to you First you have the Vision it self the man with a line in his hand Secondly you have the interpretation of the Vision Ierusalem shall be built and the City shall be inhabited Thirdly you have a threefold Apostrophe that the Lord infers from this First directed unto the Jews that yet continued in Babylon the Lord calls them deliver thy self Oh Sion that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon It is barrenness and lowness of spirit not to accept deliverance it is pitty but those men that say they love their Task-masters they should have their ears bored as a token of perpetual service The Lord calls upon them Oh Sion that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon deliver thy self Secondly the next is to the enemies that were their neighbours the truth is my Brethren it was a good observation that of Tertullian unto the Church Tertul. there are tot hostes quot extranei all that be strangers be enemies now the Lord speaks unto these and tells them I will shake my hand against you and they that spoyl you they shall be a spoyl to their servants their own servants shall spoil them The third and last branch of this Apostrophe is in the words that I have read unto you the words of the Text and it referrs partly to the enemies and partly to the people of God that were returned out of captivity be silent Oh all flesh for the Lord is raised up out of his holy habitation Let the enemies silence their murmurings silence their slanders Be silent Oh all people Let the Saints silence their frettings silence their doubtings for the Lord is raised up out of his boly habitation You have then in the words two things First a Proposition The Lord is raised up out of his holy habitation Secondly an inference by way of Exhortation or Command thereupon Be silent before the Lord Oh all flesh The Proposition is first in nature though it be last in place and therefore I must first speak of that and then afterwards of the Application First then the Proposition is this the Lord is raised up out of the habitation of his holiness Here are two things to be explained before I can come unto those points that I purposed to commend to you First I must shew you what is meant by the habitation of his holiness And Secondly I must shew you how the Lord is said to be raised up The habitation of his holiness is used two waies in the Scripture It is sometimes put for heaven in 2 Chron. 30. ult it is said their prayer came up to his holy habitation even unto heaven So in Isa 63 15. look down from the habitation of thy holiness and thy glory why then the habitation of the holiness of God is Heaven Secondly it is many times put for the Temple the place of Gods presence amongst his people manifested in Ordinances so the Tabernacle is called Gods habitation in 1 Sam. 2.29 And the Lord is said to be at Ierusalem Brusius Brusius interpreteth it of the former Calvin Mr. Calvin of the latter we may very well by way of subordination take in both for I conceive the sense will be made up with both all the Churches deliverances as well as all the enemies destructions they come out of heaven the sword is bathed in heaven before it comes down upon the people of Gods curse in Iudgement in Isa 34.3 and yet all these whether deliverances or destructions are obtained by the prayers of the Saints in the Temple so that you may well ascribe it to both Observe I beseech you and it is a mighty truth the Saints have as glorious a hand in the Government of the world as they shall have an eminent hand in the Judgement of the world There is a threefold Authority that was erected by Christ when the government was taken into
comfort your selves with this the Lord is raised up out of his holy habitation he hath begun and he will carry on the work And so much now for the first branch of the Text the Proposition the Lord is raised up out of his holy habitation The inference that followeth upon it I shall speak but briefly to only I pray you lend me your diligent ear and with that I shall conclude I would be loth to trespass in respect of time The Lord is raised up out of his holy habitation what then be silent Oh all flesh before him That is the inference be silent O all flesh before the Lord. These words Interpretets referr both to the Churches enemies and to the people of God who were returned from the Land of their captivity The particle Interjectio est silentium Imperans Jerom. Ierom. Oh that is here used is a kind of Interjection by which the Lord commandeth silence and not a silence of the tongue only but silence of the soul My soul keep silence unto God There is a double silence in the world Some men keep silence in policy because they would not discover themselves till a convenient time But all the people of God that will approve themselves they must keep silence in duty Well First then Let us look upon enemies and as it is a direction to them a command laid upon them Oh all flesh be silent before the Lord. I here is a double ground of all ungodly mens silence and I find it used so in Scripture First there is a silence from shame Psal 31.19 let the lying lips be put to silence that cruelly and despightfully speak against the righteous silencing may be by shame Secondly there is a silencing of men wiâ—h fear and astonishment Psal 107.41 he setteth the poor on high with Princes the righteous shall see this and rejoyce and all wickedness shall stop their mouth men shall be amazed to see it There is a silence from shame there is a silence from fear then it is as if so be the Lord should have said unto all the Churchs enemies for shame or if not for shame for fear suppress your murmurings away with your boastings your censurings your slanderings Keep silence Oh all flesh before the Lord why now give me leave to inforce it a little All those that are enemies unto Gods actings among his people give me leave to speak a word to you if any such are here as in most of our Congregations it is like there are When the Lord is raised up out of his holy habitation doth gloriously appear in providential actings for his people then see that you keep silence I say away with your murmurings your disputings your censurings your slanderings and let me inforce it upon these four grounds remember them First know the Lord hears all your murmurings the Lord takes notice of all your censurings sometimes men in design keep silence because they dare not speak out But remember what the Lord told his people when they murmured against Moses Exod. 16. the Lord tells them that they have not murmured against thee at the 7. ver they have not murmured against thee but they have murmured against me When God appears in Instruments and you evidently see the hand of God with them then when you murmur at these Instruments you murmur against God remember that and the Lord takes notice In the second place It is a far greater Judgement for a man to be given over to a froward fretful spirit under an affliction then any affliction that can befall him I desire that it may sink deep into all your hearts I say to be given over under an affliction to a froward and a fretful spirit is a greater judgement then any affliction can befall him for a man to be like a wild Bull in a Net full of the fury of the Lord the cross he cannot bear and yet he cannot avoid it I intreat you consider it is worse then any other judgement can befall you it is the Devils sin and it is the Devils punishment mark this I say it is the Devils sin and it is the Devils punishment the Lord crosseth him in all his designs and yet notwithstanding for all that still his spirit risseth up against all his acting and so envy is his sin and his plague now do you mark it is true all sins are from the Devil but yet some are from him per modum servitutis others per modum Imagini in some sins you do the Devils work but in some sins you bear the Devils image and I beseech you consider this is the condition of every man so far as he is given over to a froward fretful perverse discontented spirit under the providential actings of God towards his people Consider I beseech you it is this that makes Hell this makes Hell when a man is under the hand of God that yet he cannot bear it nor he cannot avoid it It was a good speech of Bernard Bernard Ubi non est propria voluntas non erit infernum take away a mans self-will and truly you take away hell this is that my Bretheren makes it be so when an affliction lies upon a man all that while his will continually riseth against the dealings of God and he frets against the hand of God upon him it is the greatest Judgement could befal him In the third place This will certainly hinder your repentance It is a sad Scripture that so much the more sad because it hath an aspect upon the times in which we live Rev. 16.9 you read of the Vial poured out upon the Sun the highest authority in Church and State so far as it holds to Rome Now the Text saith that men should be scorched the same Vial that was poured out upon the Sun I say now that men should be scorched exceedingly fretful perplexed in spirit and what follows why the text saith they blasphemed God that had power over these plagues and they repented not to give God the glory My Brethren there is not a greater Judgement befalls men in these daies then through a fretful spirit against the instrument to neglect the hand of God and not repent and turn Yea in the last place that I may draw to wards a conclusion This will provoke the Lord I assure you for to bring greater plagues upon you therefore take heed to it to keep silence before him when you see Gods hand upon you Isa 26.11 When the hand of the Lord is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their envy at the people saith the Text. My Brethren God worketh Judgements in lesser characters at first and truly if men cannot read it he will write them in more eminent and capital Letters small judgements they will not open wicked mens eyes truly neither will they stop wicked mens mouthes and if they will not do so assuredly God will have a way for all wicked men
the pulpits in times past sound with such words as these Lord remember bleeding and dying Ireland Lord this is Ireland that is a cast-out peoplâ— hat none cares for but when thou makest inquisition for blood remember them c. and those prayers which were put up from many a gracious heart which are now answered though now many of them haply are displeased and discontented with the return of their own prayers Secondly it is a mercy given in when all things were desperate and even all hope of a deliverance was gone Now is God a help found in the needful time of trouble when the enemies power and confidence was high and they said Ireland is our own we will pursue them even take them and satisfie our lusts upon them we will surely root out the English name from amongst us and we will try if they can swim into England it may be their faith will bear them up as that partie hath alwayes scoffed at godliness in all their successes but be no more mockers least your bonds increase Now when you had not an Armie in the field the whole Kingdom was their own and not a Garrison left in the whole Kingdom but one and that brought to the very brink of destruction also and must have been surrendred speedily after they made their approaches to it Now God gives in the mercy now doth the Lord judge his people and repent him concerning his servants when he sees that their power is gone and that there is none shut up or left Deut 32.36 when there is no Army in the field no souldiers in garrison now is the time that the Lord doth appear and take to himself his great power and raign Thirdly when the Lord doth therein exceed the expectations of his servants a deliverance they hoped for but not so great not so sudden so that when it came they seemed as men that dream and they can scarce believe that God would do so great things for them when the Lord is come to do them when the son of man comes shall he find faith upon earth its a faith in reference to the coming of Christ for to take vengeance on the Churches adversaries Isa 64.3 thou didst great things for us which we looked not for for God doth not answer prayers according unto our hopes but according to his own mercies as he doth not reward our services according to the measure of our duty but in the mouth of mercy Hos 10.12 a man doth sow in duty but he doth reap in ore misericordiae Fourthly when it is by the hand of those whom they have oppressed when the witnesses that were slain shall rise again and they shall destroy their persecutors by the sword that comes out of their mouthes then it is the greater mercy and far the greater confusion unto the enemy Isa 41.15 When the worm Jacob shall thresh the mountains and when the arm of the Lord should be made bare in it and his hand more immediately seen beyond the purpose courage and intention of men they are engaged before they are aware and victorie is won before they know they are engaged in a Battle when the Lord shall bend Judah for him and fill his bow with Ephraim and they shall have the honour of the conquest that have had their great share in their Torments and were by the enemies designed for destruction and they shall fall by their hand it makes the mercy far the greater Fifthly when it is such a mercy as lets us see still that God owns the same cause and however men warp and turn too and fro yet the good old cause in which the people of God were engaged against the Antichristian party the Lord owns that cause still and gives unto his people hereby hopes of a settlement For the Lord Christ when he rides forth in the conquest of the Gospel he doth ride forth conquering and to conquer not all at once but by degrees and doth give to his people yet a ground of their faith to see if they be of the seed of the Jews before whom they have begun to fall they shall surely fall God hath given us therein Hos 2.15 the vally of Achor for a door of hope it is true that Achor was a pleasant vally and it was sweet in it self therefore it was joyned with Carmel and Bashan but yet it was much more sweet in reference to the hope for it was at the first entrance into the Land of Canaan and as the first fruits gives them possession of the whole Sixthly it is still a carrying on of the grand design that the Lord Christ hath to do in the world in the latter daies for Christ in glory hath not only Saints to gather home to himself and to bind them all up in a bundle of life and he doth raign for their sakes for he is the head over all things for the Churches sake but the Lord hath also enemies to be subdued he must raign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet and he will be faithful as the Fathers servant in the one as well as in the other therefore Rev. 14. there is a harvest of all the Saints to be reaped and there is a wine press of wicked men at the same time to be trodden c. Now the great enemy unto Christ in the latter daies of the world is that wicked one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Baylon the great the Mother of Harlots Now so far as this tends to the promoting of that great design as it doth exceedingly so far should the Saints of God rejoyce therein for they must by degrees go into pâ—rdition and though all the former subjects would be fit matter for our meditation throughout this day and might have given us several Considerations of very publike concernment in reference to the mercy of the day yet at present I have chosen this rather to draw out your praises thereby concerning which I shall present you but with these three considerations First the least return that you can make of a mercy is praise to God for it and it is all that the Lord doth expect of you Hos 14. and we will give thee the calves of our lips it is all the promise that the Lord would have his people make to him in the time of their straits Afflictions they are stupefactive and of a confounding nature and they close the mouth Jâ—r 8.14 let us enter into our fenced Cities and let us be silent there for the Lord our God hath put us to silence but mercies they are of an expansive and dilating nature and they open the mouth as Hannah not only her heart 1 Sam. 2.1 was filled but her mouth was enlarged also Secondly if you do not return praises for mercies God will surely add Judgements unto mercies and will turn his hand against you do you evil after he hath done you good Hezekiah received a mercy but he did not render according to
acceptation and they stand in the relation of an officer unto that people only and unto none other so that though by vertue of their commission from Christ they preach as the ministers of the Gospel unto any people yet by vertue of the election of the people they have the relation of Pastors to none but those that chose them so to be Fourthly the office of a Pastor is to be reduced to two heads First the duties that he doth owe to the people Secondly the dispositions with which those duties are to be performed First the duties that he doth owe to the people and which he is by vertue of his calling bound to perform and these duties are First he is bound to instruct them Christ is the great Shephard of the Sheep they are but Shepherds under him Christ feeds the flock and so they must do Jer. 3.15 the promise is I will give them Pastors after my own heart that shall feed them with knowledge and understanding therefore 1 Tim. 3.2 He that is a Pastor he must be able and apt to teach he that is not able to feed a people with knowledge and understanding he is not qualified for this office feeding you know is a constant and a daily thing he must supply them with new food from day to day bring out of his Treasury things new and old Mat. 13.52 First he must be one that hath a Treasurie a stock to spend upon that will not be spent or drawn dry Secondly he must have all sorts of knowledge things new and old what ever may be either profitable or taking to the people he must be furnished with it is an allusion Par. observes of new and old wine some are taken with old wine and some desire new and some say Give us both new and old that is the knowledge of the Law and of the Gospel or else it may be their meaning in new notions and old experiences and he must bring them forth also for the people silk worm-like weave it out of themselves continually And the Pastors duty in point of teaching is reduced to three heads First it is the duty of the Pastor to catechize them and instruct them in principles in the foundations of the Doctrine of Christ they that are unskilful in the word of righteousness must have milk Heb. 5.13 and so the Pastors office is set forth Gal. 6.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that is catechized in the word and so he is to take care of the weak ones in the Church and of the children of the Church-members that they be instructed also Secondly he is to lead them to perfection Heb. 6.1 for their care must be to build them up further Acts 20.32 not that they should stand at a stay in knowledge but grow in knowledge that the whole connsel of God may be known to them and the word of God may dwell richly in them their knowledge praised and thereby their graces improved for the Pastors are debters unto men for meat as well as unto babes for milk Thirdly they are to convince the gain-sayers Tit. 1.9 that if there be corrupt tenents and wicked Doctrines vented the Pastor should take care to strengthen and stablish the people against them that they may not be as children carried away with every wind of Doctrine Eph. 4.14 For it is whilest men slept through the carelesness and negligence of the Pastors it is that the enemies have such power and opportunity of sowing tares as they have Acts 20.30 he bids them watch against the Wolves Secondly he is to pray for the people Rom. 1.9 God is my witness that I make mention of you alwaies in my prayers Col. 1.3 praying alwaies for you and in this though Paul was an extraordinary officer yet he is a standard and an example for our duty we are to pray for the people and to do all that doth belong to them to do for the Church and here consider three things First they are to acquaint themselves with the state of the flocks that so they may know their particular necessities and wants that they may go to God for them for sutable supplies he that is a Shepherd must know the state of his flock Secondly they are to pray for them not only ex charitate ut fratres but ex officio the brethren are to pray for one another as brethren it is their duty but the Pastors they are to do it as men in office and as those that God hath appointed and hath instituted unto that work and therefore they may expect to be answered for them in what ever petition they put up to God they may look for a gracious return of their prayers as we see under the Law it was enjoyned Joel 2.17 Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weep between the Porch and the Altar and let them say Spare thy people O Lord c. Thirdly they must pray for particular persons according to their necessities and engage their interest unto God for them James 5. Is any sick amongst you let them call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray c. Labouring to keep the Judgement off from the body of any particular member of it if any man be sick the Elders of the Church may pray over him and they shall save the sick and labour to attain the pardon of the sins that occasioned the sickness c. Thirdly he must watch over them Act. 20.28 Take heed of all the flock not in a careless and a formal manner for the Lord says Son of man I have made thee a VVatch-man and thou shalt watch over this people Ezech. For I will require their blood at thy hands But how must he watch over them First he must observe diligently that they be not corrupted in Doctrine and he must contend carnestly for the faith that they be not turned away from the Truths of the Gospel Secondly he must watch over them that they be not defiled in their conversations that there do no root of bitterness spring up amongst them that he neither suffer the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans or the woman Jezebel one by Doctrine and the other by practise to corrupt the Church Thirdly he is to observe and watch that their graces do not decay and that they do not fall from their first â—…ve but he is to quicken them in duty and stir them 〈◊〉 from day to day Eccl. 12.11 He is to fasten the goads and nails given by one Shepherd Fourthly if any be sick he is to visit them the Elders of the Church are to be sent to them Fifthly if any of them be offended or mis-led he is to labour to reduce them the wandering sheep he is to bring home upon his shoulders if any be going astray he shall seek that sheep and bring him back again to the fold Sixthly if any be weak he is to comfort them he is to bear the Lambs in his
he is angry with them Thirdly he is all the while the Enemies are afflicting of his people preparing for their overthrow Zac. 1.21,23 When he doth raise up horns he doth provide Carpenters also And Jesus Christ all the while is preparing for to be his peoples rescue though they see him not yet he is behind the Mirtle-trees at the bottom Zach. 1.8 Sixtly he will make their affliction to be the great means of their exaltation Jacob shall arise when he is small The killing of the Witnesses made way for their Resurrection the more glorious These are the thoughts and the mind of God towards Jacob in the day of his trouble Secondly in what measure will he do this Jer. 30.11 I will correct thee in measure but not leave thee altogether unpunish'd And here consider these five particulars First it shall not be according to the desert of your sins Ezra 9.13 I have punished you lesse then your iniquities deserve He will not stir up all his wrath Psalm 28.38 It 's the Lords mercy we are not consumed We might have been in Hel as well as in Babylon Secondly it shall be but according to the measure of your necessities He doth afflict but when need is 1 Pet. 1.6 And it shall be no farther than need is Isa 28.24 He will not alwayes be ploughing there is a sowing time so much breaking of the ground as wil prepare it for the seed and no more Thirdly it shall be proportionable to a mans place in the mystical body of Christ There are some vessels of Gold and some of Silver 2 Tim. 2.20,21 Christ the head was the first born amongst many brethren Rom. 8.29 And as all the brethren are not called forth to the like eminent services so all are not called to the like eminent sufferings Fourthly it shall be proportionable to their strength 1 Cor. 10.13 He will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able and he will give in supplies of graces suitable unto the suffering 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient c. Isa 28.27 He doth not turn the cart wheele on all the Corn but he hath a staffe for the fitches and a rod for the cummin c. He takes measure of your graces of your spirits and of your strength and he doth give it unto you proportionable to your need Fiftly there are alwaies some mitigating circumstances that do abate and sweeten the affliction non dantur purae tenebrae there is a light between the peeces Gen. 15.17 First God doth sometimes give them favour in the eyes of their enemies Psal 10.6.96 he made them to pitty them that carried them captive Joseph shall find favour with the Keeper of the prison and Daniel with the chiefest of the Eunuchs Secondly what is wanting in outward blessings he will make up to them inspiritual ordinances Isa 20.20 Though he doth feed them with the bread of affliction and the water of trouble yet their eyes shall see their Teachers Thirdly if they have none of these yet they shall have his gracious presence with them inlarging of their hearts that with Paul and Silas they shall sing in a prison and be able to say it was good for me that I was afflicted As one of the Martyrs sayd I was in prison till I came into prison nil crus sentit in nervo dum animus est in coelo Thirdly unto what end doth the Lord do this Every wise Agent works for an end and the more wisdom he hath the higher ends he aims at in every action and the more ends he doth make to meet in every thing that he doth Isa 30.18 The Lord is a God of Judgement It 's there put for Wisdom He orders and moderates all things in reference unto the end that he doth aim at and as the Lord in all his waies is wonderful in wisdom and counsel so he is in all the afflictions of the Saints there is much wisdom seen in his high ends that he has in afflicting his people and in making many ends to meet I 'll name four great ends First the Lord doth bring his people to straits to prevent sin 1. In the rising of lust 2 Cor. 12.9 that I might not be exalted c. 2. The acting of lust if it doth arise Job 33.17 He doth chastise a man with strong pain it is to keep man from his purpose and to hide pride from his eyes When he hath taken up an evil purpose there is a cross interposeth interactum primum secundum 3. For the finishing of sin Hos 2.6,7 He hedg'd up their way they were going on in it but God doth put a stop in their way as men do to beasts their way is hedg'd up Secondly the Lord doth bring his people to straits for their Instruction Mich. 6.9 There 's not a rod but it hath a voice Beasts feel the rod but the Saints they hear it 1. God does it to let them see the evil of sin for a man is held with the cords of his own sin Prov. 5.22 Ezek. 7.10 As pride doth bud so doth the rod blossom 2. God doth it to let them see the emptiness of the creature Gal. 6.14 I rejoice in the cross of Christ for by it the world is crucifyed unto me and I unto the world He was thereby enabled to look upon the world as a crucified thing that they may see they are but strangers and pilgrims and therefore should seek a country and hasten home 3. To let them know what it is to have fellowship with the suffering of Christ Phil. 3.10 There 's a fellowship of the sufferings of Christ that the Saints desire to know experimentally in themselves that as Christ was supported under suffering so may they and as he was perfected by suffering so may they also be for he did in suffering leave himself an example 1 Pet. 2.21 as well as in dying Thirdly for their sanctification 1. To purge their corruption the bundle of folly the rod of correction must drive out Zach. 13,8,9 Two parts shall be cut off and dye and the third part shall passe through the fire to refine them as silver and they shall call upon my name and I will hear them 2. To improve their Graces for he doth it to make them partakers of his holyness Heb. 12.10 And he will do it in a higher way by a cross sometimes then by an ordinance he will make the way foul and the soul fruitful Jam. 1.3.4 Tribulation works patience and patience experience and experience hope c. There 's a sweet influence in these showres of affliction that ripen the graces of the Saints Thirdly it 's to prepare them for services 1 Cor. 1.5,6 He comforted us in all our tribulation that we might be able to comfort others with the same consolation 1 King 4.31 Heman is counted one of the wisest men of the world and in Psalm 88. we see how he attained it by being train'd up in the
contention in its purity convey it unto our posterity you take care that they shall inherit their Fathers Liberties and Honours be as careful that they inherit their Fathers Ordinances also else contend by prayers put in thy stock for them there also Rom. 15.20 say not that it is too late now 1 Kings 8.42 Thirdly honour it Adorn the Doctrine of God and our Saviour in all Titus 2.16 it is but reason that we should honour it which doth so highly honour us First by studying it despise all other knowledge in comparison of it with the Angels stoop down to pry into it Secondly prefer it above all your own counsels set it up in your hearts as the only rule to walk by Thirdly have recourse to it upon all occasions as your only refuge as the Anchor of the soul in every spiritual Tempest as a staff to lean upon in your greatest darkness as the ministration of righteousness for thy Justification the Instrument to convey grace for sanctification as the Golden pipes to convey the oyl of grace from the two anointed ones Zac. 4.14 by looking into which glass thou art transformed from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3 ult Fourthly walk worthy of your honour as it becomes the Gospel Phil. 1.27 great honours stand not with base courses sedes prima vitaima dignitas in indigno quid est nisi ornamentum in luto Salvian Salvian It is not agreeable to your honour who are exalted up to heaven that you should walk as if you lived in hell not for you that are honoured as Christians to live as Heathens for know the Lord is now come nigh unto you for his truth his Gospel and the honour thereof if you walk not answerable will make your sins more filthy it is like a Taper in the hand of a Ghost which makes him appear the more gastly it will ripen them the sooner they are like to summer fruit Amos 8.1 and all the glory of it will be unto you but as pitch to the barrel it will make you burn more fiercely in those eternal flames Fifthly strive to have the excellency of every Ordinance there is a special power in every one powerful preaching 1 Cor. 2.4 Iam. 5.16 Content not thy self with the Letter without the Spirit be of Elisha's mind here is the mantle but where is the God of Elijah they are wells that must be drawn Isa 12.3 breasts that must be sucked Isa 66.11 Sixthly be sensible of the spiritual absence of God the Ordinances continued and they saw nothing but the Prophet saw the glory of the Lord departing and he departed not all at once but by degrees a soul should strive to be sensible of each degree of his removal when the waters encrease a soul should take notice and so when they decrease and grow low amongst a people Ezek. 47.34 Seventhly Lastly take heed of those sins that may cause your glory to depart and may provoke God to remove the Candlestick take heed of all but there are some sins in a special manner That cause God to go far from his Sanctuary Ezek. 8.8 First when men corrupt the Ordinances with humane inventions Ezek. 10.4 set up the Image of jealousie Secondly when the Ordinances become a burden to a people this is the burden of the Lord Jer. 33.33 Thirdly when men set up their lust against them Psalm 78.58,59 The Lord was wrath so that he greatly abhorred Israel and forsook his Tabernacle in Shilo Fourthly unprofitableness and unfruitfulness under Ordinances even that ground that drinks in the rain and brings not forth fruit answerable is nigh to cursing Heb. 6.8 even those sins which may seem small in mens account for them God will come and remove the Candlestick except you repent Rev. 2.5 for know this in Conclusion The foundation of all true peace and tranquillity in a Common-wealth is from the Gospel and from them that shew forth the power thereof and therefore if by sin you provoke the Lord in the Gospel to depart from you you must expect it will not depart alone but all prosperity with it Rev. 4.5 Out of the Temple proceeded Lightening Thundering and Voices the Lord saith Ezek. 10.2 before the destruction of Jerusalem sill thy hand with coals from between the Cheruhims and scatter them over the City the Jews gloried in their Temple and they thought Ignem Sacrum tantum valere ad scelera expianda that it did serve for nothing but to expiate their sins but the Lord will manifest also that it will serve to burn the City The two COVENANTS Preached in Bartholomew Lane Iune 22. 1652. GAL. 4.21,22 Tell me you that desire to be under the Law do you not hear the Law For it is written Abraham had two sons the one by a bond-maid and the other by a free-woman which things are an Allegory c. IT was sometime the complaint of one Drex de cultu consc that this is a misery that befalls us in the Ministerie above all other callings whatsoever that we can never find our work as we leave it let a Plowman sow his seed and as he leaves his field so he finds it after dolabra semel dedolares c. let a Joyner plain a board and when he returns he sees the fruit of his former labours but if a Minister sow the seed of the word after his departure the enemie comes and sows Tares let him take never so much pains to plain and fashion a people yet after a while he finds a rough-cast of corruption over them let him take never so much care to lay firm the principles of the Doctrine of Christ yet he shall find them soon moved away from the truths of the Gospel It was the Apostles case here he had with much labour and many travelling pains planted this Church but after his departure there arose men of corrupt minds speaking perverse things defaming his ministery and opposing his Doctrine In this Epistle the Apostle justifies his person against their calumnies Chap. 1.2 and confirms his Doctrine against all their Cavils Chap. 3.4,5 The principle that they oppose is Justification by the righteousness of Christ without an addition of the works of the Law for it hath ever been the manner of false Teachers they have loved mixture This principle the Apostle labours to confirm them in in these words by setting before them the miserable condition that they must needs be in that are under the Law in matter of Justification they thereby become subject to bondage children of the bond-woman and forsake the liberty wherein Christ hath made them free and this he proves by setting before them an antient and known history wherein he tels them a spiritual mysterie was contained the history this Abraham had in a manner two wives of different conditions the one bond and the other free and by these he had two sons of like condition with their mothers for the rule is partus sequitur ventrem the son of
thee Is it so my Brethren then all men must conclude surely the Lord is raised up out of his holy habitation And this is the first point The second I shall speak a little to but very briefly that I may come to the second general in the Text I am loth to trespass or to straighten him that succeeds in the service The second Doctrine that I propounded to you was this Dostrine That the experiments that the Saints have of the rising of God for them in some Providential actings are a sure pledge to their faith that he will go on the will not leave the work till he hath brought it to perfection so observe I will give you but one Scripture Psal 74.14 he smote the head of Leviathan in the water and he gave him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness the Lord here doth encourage them against those great difficulties that they were to meet withal in the wilderness after they came out of Egypt why now what is the use that they must make of the affliction of Pharoah and his Army called the head of Leviathan there his power his policy his strength the Lord brake the enemy Why the text saith he gave it to be meat to the people Why did the people of Israel in the wilderness feed upon the dead bodies of the Egyptians No that is not the meaning of it but this he gave it to be food to their faith not to their bodies for their faith to feed upon in all those ensuing difficulties that they were to meet withal in a howling wilderness in decretis sapientium nulla est Litura Wise men make no blots when the Lord hath begun he useth to go on if he open the first seal against Rome Pagan he never leaves till he comes to the seventh seal If he sounds the first Trumpet against Rome Christian he goes on to the seventh So having begun to pour out some of the Vials against Antichristian Rome surely the Lord will never leave till the last vial be poured out So it is a great encouragement to the Saints the great experiments they have had of the Lords rising for them in his providential actings that the Lord certainly will go on Oh but will you say to me If we could be assured of that but what if the times should turn there are changes in the right hand of the most high what if we should see a new face upon things I know these are the suppositions of every heart here Now I intreate you consider I confess there is an ultima clades adhuc metuenda there is a great cloud that yet hangs over all the European Churches pray observe what I say the killing of the witnesses I cannot look upon as past because I cannot find the time of the prophecying in sackcloth and ashes to be expired and Rome Antichristian as well as Rome Pagan under Iulian shall have its three years and a half but yet for your comfort let me tell you the experiments that you have had of Gods providential actings may secure your hearts that they shall never prevail so as to put out that lâ—ght of the glorious Gospel that God hath set up among you they shall never prevail so far Rome hath a time of seduction and a time of persecution the time of Romes seduction is over though it is true the grand persecution is to come Angustine I remember tells us that there is a threefold persecution that the Church of God should undergo August The first is violenta by force The second is fraudulenta that is in a way of heresie A third should be violenta fraudulenta there should be a deceit mixt with force Now I intreate you be pleased to consider there be these three arguments that I have looked upon as a great stay to my own thoughts in this respect I shall crave leave to propose them to you In the first place the Apostle Heb. 12.27 tels us that the Lord doth shake the things that are made that the things that cannot be shaken may remain he shaketh the things that are made that they may be removed that the things that cannot be shaken may remain then the end why the Lord hath shaken in Church and State whatsoever is of man what the Lord will not have to continue it is that he may remove it Why now this is the great end then that the Lord hath that things that cannot be shaken should remain Whatsoever Jesus Christ hath removed all the power of men shall never exalt for he did shake it to that very end that he might remove it I say what the Lord hath removed as a thing made moveable all the powers of men shall never be able to establish again Jesus Christ will maintain the ground he hath won That is the first Argument Yea In the second place when Christ rides forth for to Conquer he conquers not at once but he will go on to conquer that is another argument you may see him going forth Rev. 6.1,2 he rideth forth conquering and to conquer he did not conquer all at once but he carries on the victory Luther I remember said when he began Luther brevi efficiam ut Anathema sit esse Papistam it shall not be long saith he but by the grace of Christ I shall bring it about that it shall be looked upon as a cursed thing to be a Papist God hath carried on the work still and I remember it was the speech of Latimer one of our Martyrs when he came to be burnt I hope I shall kindle a fire this day in England shall never be put out Romanum nomen de terra tolletur Certainly the Lord Christ will carry on his work for he conquers not all at once he goes on conquering and to conquer In the third place Consider I beseech you the ten Kingdoms shall destroy the whore that is my third argument the ten Kingdoms are the Instruments God will use Antichrist riseth in a double beast Rev. 13. in his civil power so he makes up one beast with the ten Kingdoms In his Ecclesiastical he makes up his ten Kingdoms in the Clergy that is the Beast that hath two horns like a Lamb he speaks like a Dragon Now observe I beseech you these ten Kingdoms the Lord will make use of to destroy the Whore therefore he must reserve a considerable party Nay a major party that shall hate the Whore who shall become chosen and faithful the Lord hath been pleased to make this one of the ten Kingdoms certainly the Lord will uphold a major party here those that shall keep themselves that be Virgins not defile themselves with the fornications of Antichrist and the Lord will raise them up for this great service and they shall stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion Consider I beseech you this and then when you look about upon those glorious providential acts of God for you truly you may
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and doth arise meerly from the compacts and agreements betwixt men Rex debet esse sub Deo sub lege quia Rex Regem facit Bracton Bracton 4ly It is a Judgement God threatens on Magistrates Zach. 11.16 that their right arm shall wither they may lose their ruling power amongst men and that justly both in reference to God and men Fifthly in all difficult cases it is best to go the safest way that a whole Nation perish not through their own wilfulness I shall add no more When the Lord riseth when the Lord is raised out of his holy habitation then as all unregenerate men let them silence their murmurings silence their slanderings and censurings So all you that fear God for you are but flesh silence your doubtings silence your srettings before the Lord. And so much now shall serve for this Text The Lord give you understanding in all things THE Duty and Dignity OF Magistrates A Sermon Preached at Laurence Iury Sep. 29. 1651. at the Election of the Lord Maior ZACH. 10. ver 4. Out of him shall come forth the Corner Out of him the Nail Out of him the Battle bow Out of him every Oppressor together LAws are in Scripture called the foundations of the Common-wealth Psal 11.3 Magistrates also they are the Pillars when the Lord intendeth to go fotth in Judgement against any people he goes forth against them in both these he gives them Laws that are not good and â—udgements by which they shall not live Ezek. 20.25 And he doth send them Magistrates also that shall establish iniquity by these Laws Psal 94.20 But when the Lord returns unto a people in mercy he doth give them righteous Laws and gracious Rulers In this Chapter you have the Lord returning unto his own people in mercy There is a double visitation of God One of his enemies in wrath the other of his people in mercy His enemies in wrath in the former verse before the Text. I was angry with the Shepherds and I did punish the Goats it is spoken of those former tyrannical Governors that ruled over them sometimes called Shepherds in the 11. Chap. ver 5. their possessors slay them and hold not themselves guilty and their own Shepherds pitty them not Sometimes stiled Goats oppressing Governors are commonly so called in the Scripture Isa 14.9 All the Rulers of the earth it is the same word in the Original all the Goats of the earth for Goats feed high they are of all creatures most lustful and yet amongst the creatures very unuseful nec ad bellum prosunt nec ad aratrum a fit resemblance of Oppressors This was the Lords visitation now of his enemies in wrath Secondly he visiteth his people in mercy and though the appearances of God in this visitation were glorious for he was mightily seen in their deliverance yet he makes themselves to be the instruments to effect it God doth it but he doth it by themselves I will make Iudah as a goodly horse in the battle the excellency of the horse is in the battle Iob 39.21 he meets he goes forth to meet the armed man he doth mock at fear and he turneth not back from the sword for thou hast clothed his neck with thunder such a goodly horse now doth the Lord make his own people to be in the battle it is ordinary in Scripture for God to resemble his people to all sorts of war-like instruments Zach. 9.13 I will bend Judah for me and fill the bow with Ephraim Iudah is the bow Ephraim the arrows as there they are resembled to a bow in the battle so here they are Gods charging horses they are my goodly horses It is true indeed the Lord is the rider the motions of these horses are ordered by him and when the victory is now it is not the horse wins it is not the horse conquers but the rider yet notwithstanding they are my goodly horses for the battle Thus you see the Visitation of God First of his enemies in displeasure Secondly of his people in mercy Now the words that I have read to you set forth a glorious promise that God makes unto his people when they were delivered Out of Iudah shall come forth the corner for I should not read it as it is in your books out of Iudah came forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the original is in futuro out of Judah shall come forth this is the promise when God hath delivered them Out of Judah shall come forth the Corner Out of him the Nail Let us look into the meaning and the difference of these words a little surely all Scripture was written for our learning First then the promise is Out of him shall come forth the Corner what is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word in the original is and is commonly a Metaphor used for Magistrates and Governors I shall give you several places Look into Iudg. 20 2. and all the chief of the peeople came together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the corners of the people came together 1 Sam. 14.38 draw neer hither all the Corners of the people all the chief of the people that is all the corners of the people Isa 19.13 the Princes of Zoan are become fools they have seduced Egypt even they that are the stay of their tribes you read it is in the original they that are the corners of the Tribes Then by the Corner is here meant Magistrates And there are three great Reasons thereof or three things wherein the Analogy doth lie why the Magistrates should be called the corners of the people First the corner-stone laid in the foundation aedificium sustinet it upholds the building the main weight of the building lies in the corner-stone so you shall find it used Isa 28.16 behold I will lay in Sion a precious Corner-stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a foundation the Lord Jesus Christ is made the foundation upon which the building of the Church stands and there is the main stress in the corner-stone 1 Pet. 2.6 Secondly the corner-stone doth not uphold the building only but parietes conjungit the corner-stone joyns and coupleth the wall it is a uniting stone so you shall see the Metaphor used Eph. 2.20,21 Christ is said to be the Corner-stone in which all the building is fitly framed together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly framed together Thirdly and lastly the corner-stone aedificium ornat it adorneth the building so you shall find the Metaphor used Psal 144.12 Your daughters shall be as corner-stones polished after the similitude of a Palace because there is more labour spent in polishing the corner-stone then in the ordinary stones of the building Anguli prae aliis aedificiorum partibus exornari solent Meller Meller Now in all these respects see how fitly Magistrates are called the corner the weight of the building they uphold The several parts of the building they unite And the whole building in both
Lord makes of a glorious estate unto his people after their deliverance But it is the first only that I am to speak to as being only proper for the present occasion Out of him shall come forth the corner Doct. The Observation that I shall deliver to you from thence is this When the Lord returns to his people in mercy he will give unto them Governors that shall support them that shall be for the supporting for the uniting and for the adorning of the Common wealth I say when the Lord returns to a people in mercy he will give unto them Governors that shall be for the support the uniting and adorning of the Common-wealth Here are but two things that the time will give me leave to speak to Therefore I shall omit the third I shall shew you that when the Lord returns to a people in mercy he gives them such Governors as support the Common-wealth they shall be as the Corner-stone upon which the weight of the building may lie Secondly he doth give them such Governors as shall be as the Corner stone that may unite the Common-wealth I shall begin with the first First good Magistrates are as the Corner-stone to support the Common-wealth it is true all the stones in the building do conduce to the upholding thereof for as it is in the spiritual building so it is in the Politick men are built as living stones but I say the main weight of it lies upon the Corner-stone because the weight of the building the burden of all lies upon the Magistrate therefore I say he is here resembled to a Corner-stone Now that a Magistrates business is to uphold the Common-wealth take notice of these four denominations in the Scripture First Magistrates are called the foundations of the earth Psal 82.5 and Mich. 6.2 where he speaks of the oppression of Magistrates he saith all the foundations of the earth are out of course I have said yee are Gods why you that are the foundations of the earth to pull up Magistracy is to pluck up all by the foundation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly they are called the breath of your Nostrils Lam. 4.20 the breath of our Nostrils it is spoken of Zedekiah who was an evil Prince yet he hath this honourable title given him by the Prophet it is as possible for a man to live without breath as it is for a Common-wealth to subsist without Magistracy Thirdly they are called the shoulders upon which all the weight is born Isa 22. I will give him the key of the house of David I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulders a key is Symbolum potestatis an emblem of Government Now saith the Lord I will not put the key in his hand but I will lay it upon his shoulders Isa 9.6 Unto us a child is born the Government is upon his shoulder Principes mundani onus gubernandi rejiâ—iunt in humeros servorum it is but to let you see the weight of Government therefore it must be laid upon the shoulder and men must lay their shoulders to it In the last place Magistrates are called the Arms of the people the Arms of Moab are broken Ier. 48.25 I am not able to bear this people alone saith Moses Moses had not Arms sufficient to bear such a weight My beloved the great burden of all I say lies upon the Governors they are the Arms by which the people are born up Unus tantum subditus in Civitate Magistratus est Luther saith Luther there was but one subject in a City and that is the Magistrate the weight of all yes upon him And it must needs be so if you take his reason for he saith Ante peccatum Politia nulla fuit politia est remedium necessarium naturae corruptae all civil Government was but a necessary remedy that was brought in for corrupt nature Now if it be a remedy against corrupt nature the burdens of corrupt nature are exceeding many in so much as the Lord himself complains in Amos 2.13 I am pressed under your abominations as a Cart that is full of Sheaves therefore I say the weight of all the supporting of all lies upon the Magistracy they are the corner-stone upon whom the weight of the building lies But the great enquiry will be how are Magistrates the corner-stone of the Common-wealth how do they or how must they support the Common-wealth that their duty may answer their dignity that they may indeed prove corner-stones I shall give you five directions as briefly as I may First that the Magistrate may be a corner-stone to support the building he must take care that he uphold Religion that must be his first that must be his great care that which should be mainly in our eye in praying for them should be chiefly in their eye in practising 1 Tim. 2.2 Pray for Kings and those that are in Authority that you may lead a peaceable and a quiet life in godliness and honesty peace without godliness is but a vain and a mock-peace but because now this is made a controversie I shal offer three considerations which truly are to me unanswerable that the Magistrate is to take care of Religion Nay his great care his first care is to be of that pray observe them well because you are every where told now Magistrates have nothing to do with matters of Religion In the first place every Magistrate ought to rule with God Hosea 11. ver ult Judah rules with God the throne of the Magistrate is therefore called the throne of God When Constantine was exalted to the seat of the Empire it is said he was taken up into the throne of God Rev. 12.5 then the great care of Magistrates must be that they do not rule alone but that they have God to rule with them it is true the most high rules in the Kingdoms of mortal men Dan. 4.17 but he rules but as he doth rule in the Kingdom of the Devils he rules but by a way of providence but you that fear God should endeavour that God should rule among you as he rules among his Saints in waies of grace in waies of grace I say Now I beseech you consider let Religion be neglected or corrupted presently God forsakes that people Look but into the 10. and 11. Chapters of the prophesie of Ezekiel it is true the Lord doth not remove all at once but the glory of the Lord goes up first from the Cherubims to the threshold of the house from the threshold of the house to the midst of the City and from â—he City to the Mountains my Brethren if the glory of God leave your Ordinances once be well assured he will leave your City next the next move is that therefore whatsover you do if you would rule with God take heed that by this means he be not provoked to depart for a Magistrate ruling alone and a Minister preaching alone
it by this if you hate your own iniquity if that be your great care Psal 18.23 Ezech. 7.19 they shall not satisfie their souls because it is the slumbling block of their iniquity c. 13. neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life that is the whole comfort and delight of their lives doth come in by it it is all the pleasure and the joy they have men looking upon the vanity of the world every man hath his Treasure something that he doth chuse to himself either in his age Psal 119.9 or in his calling or in his acquaintance in his custom and if ever a man do meet with an opportunity of temptation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is then he is to take heed to himself as the exhortation is in Luke 8.13 you have been Conquerers take heed now you be not overcome with the Devil and you have fought for liberty take heed you be not the worst of slaves as that man is that is a servant to his lust You have asserted the liberty of others maintain your own liberty also and be not the servants to sin Fifthly if you be holy you will have respect unto all the commandments Psal 119.6 he that doth despise any one Commandment makes conscience of none it is universality that is the great note of sincerity now to live in the willing neglect of any known duty and the Law of God comes in against a man and the man is afraid to hear of such a duty because his guilt arises and his trouble is renewed thereby and therefore the man would shift it off would disburden himself of the sens of it surely then that soul has cause to fear holiness is not his aim but now when the commandment comes and the man is a co-worker with God as it were and is willing it should be set on upon his soul and is not willing to give himself a dispensation from it but he saith I must walk up to the extremity of the rule and observe it to the uttermost extent of it for I must be Judged by it God will lay Judgement to the line c. this is the sense of a holy heart Sixthly if you are holy your holiness will answer the Law of God for it is the Law written in the heart that you must come up to you have obeyed from the heart that forme of Doctrine which was delivered to you we are cast into it as into a mold and therefore it must be a perfect form there are the great things of the Law Rom. 11.17 Heb. 13.8,9 and it was the sin of the Pharisees that they only regarded lesser things and left the great things of the Law undone and it s the great sin of hypocrites whether it be in point of sin or in point of duty to be only zealous against lesser things therefore trie your selves by these rules for it is a matter of the greatest concernment of your lives c. By these may you know if you are in the way to the Beatifical vision by these may you judge of your holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Babylons utter ruine THE SAINTS Triumph At a Thanksgiving for the victory of Ireland against the Irish Aug. 29. 1649. REVEL 18.2 Babylon the great is fallen is fallen c. THE great works of the Saints in this life are to believe Gods promises and to serve his providence and reflect his praises and it is the great thing that God doth expect as the fruit of all his marvellous works that when his works do praise him that is give matter of praise his Saints should bless him Psal 145.10 and for this cause there are three titles given unto the Saints in the Scripture First they are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that take delight in the works of the Lord they being all of them wonderful and glorious and only to be admired whereas other men only study the works of men and be taken with them but they only take pleasure in studying the works of God Secondly they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking pleasure in them they study them and search into them that they may find out all the excellency and glory that is in them which at first sight no man is able to find out Psalm 111.2 Thirdly they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords Recorders Isa 62.6 they received the promises of God and their accomplishment of these things the hearts of the Saints are a faithful Register his mercies are written in their hearts as well as his Laws the one that they may serve him and the other that they may rejoyce in him Now you that have pleasure in the works of God ye are come before the Lord this day to enter an eminent National mercy upon publike record and if ye search into it after a diligent scrutiny ye will find there are these six things specially to be observed therein First it is a return not only of late but of antient prayers It is one of the great Questions that the Saints of God have as matter to dispute in all the mercies that they receive whether they have them as effects of providence or as the heirs of the promise whether they have of them only a jus Politicum or Evangelicum the one indeed non fundatur in Gratiâ but the other is now if it be given in answer to prayers it is a birth of the promise which the prayers of the Saints help to deliver Isa 37.3 but specially when mercies have been long delayed and the answers of prayers have been long deserr'd wheâ— Abraham had prayed for a child twenty years then to have the promise speak and when thechildren of Israel had prayed 70. year then when they were even out of hopes and gave their prayers for lost now to be answered in them made them to be like them that dream to recover an old debt and to receive a ship safe home and richly laden that hath been long at Sea and we know not what was become of it it comes home with the greater joy Why doth the Lord delay the answers of the prayers of his people not that he doth not intend to grant them for Bernard Bernard Priusquam engrâ—ssa est oratto ex ore tuo ipse scribi jubet in libro suo But he doth wait to be gracious Now delaying of the mercy doth raise the price of it now ye come to reap of the harvest of many of your prayers that are past and gone that you even now gave for lost there is a twofold joy that the Scripture speaks of as transcendent the joy of harvest and the joy of souldiers when they divide the spoil and truly there is matter of both these joyes in this mercy administred to you for you divide the spoil of the enemie and with all you reap to your selves the harvest of all your former prayers and petitions Oh how did
these they adorn Then this is the first Out of him shall come forth the corner Secondly Out of him shall come forth the Nail What is that It is a Metaphor used likewise for Governors You have that clear place in Isa 23.23,25 there is the removing of one bad Governor and the setting up of a good Shebnah is removed Eliakim is exalted the Lord saith of them both they are a Nail fastned in a sure place A Nail fastned in a sure place shall be removed saith the Lord speaking of the displacing of Shebnah and I will fasten him as a Nail in a sure place speaking of the exalting of Elikaim There is a double Analogy or proposition in that Metaphor First Clavibus connectuntur compinguntur inter se trabes the beams of the building are fastned and united by Nails one to another so that the Corner-stone doth not only unite the foundation but the Nails they unite the roof Secondly vasa suspensa pendent upon the Nails all the Vessels hang that is the Metaphor used there I will fasten him as a Nail in a sure place and you shall hang upon him all the glory of his Fathers house the off-spring and the issue all the Vessels even from cups to flaggons all the necessary Utensils of the house they all hang upon this Nail so then the meaning is this That out of Iudah shall come forth a Magistrate who shall be as a corner-stone to support to unite to adorn the Common-wealth of Israel And he shall be as a Nail he shall be for union above as well as a Corner-stone below and upon him all the building of the Common-wealth shall hang even from the highest to the lowest all sorts of Vessels even from flaggons to cups Thirdly Out of him shall come forth the Battle Bow the Bow was an Instrument of war much in use in antient times and therefore is here put for all the weapons of war all their ammunition for and all their discipline of war now the Lord had said before Hos 1.5 I will break the bow of Israel and then there should be no success in any of their undertakings there should not be any instrument of war nor any success in the use of them and so that Zach. 9.10 it s said the Battle-Bow should be cut off from Ierusalem whereas formerly they had no strength for war but fell before their enemies continually and were given to them as a prey it was the Lord had broken the battle-Bow and therefore they did hire in the neighbour Nations for to be their strength and sometimes they are found in the way of Egypt sometimes of Assyria but when the Lord returns unto them in mercy for their deliverance they should have strength of their own against all the neighbour Nations so that out of themselves should come forth the Battle-Bow and they should be successful in war and tread down their enemies as mire in the streets because the Lord is with them So that when the Lord did return to them in mercy he would give them power for and success in war also Fourthly Out of him every Oppressor or Exactor which I put both together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word properly signifies an Exactor or one that gathers taxes or tribute of others Isa 60.17 I will make thy officers peace and thy Exactors righteousness or else the word signifies to exact a mans work as is used of Pharoh task-masters Exod. 3.7 I have heard their cry because of their tack-masters an Exactor of labour and of tribute are both fitly to be understood here for God doth not only deliver his people from the power of the enemy but doth also put the enemies into their power so that they rule over them for that is the promise Isa 14.2 They shall take them for servants and for handmaids they shall take them Captive whose Captives they were and they shall rule over their Oppressors Isa 60.5,6 The Rulers of the Gentiles shall come unto thee the Dromedaries of Midian and the gold of Shebnah They shall bring Gold and Incense The sons of strangers shall build the walls their Kings shall minister unto thee and the Nations that serve thee not shall perish so that they shall not only subdue their enemies but rule over the Nations this shall be the glorious condition of the Church when the Lord shall arise and have mercy on Sion the fulness of which time is not yet come because the whole mysterie of God is not yet finished but it is Lactantius his observation Lactan. de divin praem l. 7. cap. 19 Cadet repente gladius e coelo ut sciant Justi ducem sanctae militiae descensurum There is a great sword fallen from heaven amongst all the Nations of Europe yea even of all the world which shall be a signal to the Saints that the Captain of the Lords host shall surely come unto their full and perfect deliverance and therefore they are to lift up their heads for their redemption draws nigh Bellum saepe renovabit Antichristus saepe vincet donec consectis omnibus Impiis debellatus it is he hath drawn in all the wicked of the earth in his quarrel But that is now the work of the Lord that he is doing making preparation for that great and last battle the battle Armageddon and you will find a confederacy of all those of the Popish Interest and that have received the mark either in the right hand or in the forehead and they shall some on one account and some on another be engaged that they may perish together and then the Kingdoms and Dominions under the whole earth shall be given to the Saints of the most high But that is not until the fourth Beast be destroyed The God of heaven shall set up a Kingdom by it self and after the destruction of the fourth monarchy and therefore that which now doth hinder the setting up the Kingdom of God in the world shall be destroyed with an utter destruction This I conceive to be the meaning of the words You have then in these words the state of the people set forth after their deliverance what it shall be and that is double Look upon them first in statu Politico and afterwards in statu Polemico First in reference to their Politick state so saith the Lord they shall never want a Governor a faithful Magistrate but he shall be to them as the Corner and as the Nail their enemies shall rule over them no more the Scepter shall no more depart from Judah they shall have those of their own that shall be able to uphold the Government and unite the Common-wealth Secondly look upon them in statu Polemico so he saith Out of him shall go forth the Battle-Bow they shall have all sotts of war-like provisions in themselves and they shall be very successful in war they shall tread down their enemies and they shall rule over their oppressors These are the promises that the