from Isa 8. 12. 13. 14. Say ye not a Confederacy to all them to whom this People shall say a Confederacy neither fear ye their Fear nor be afraid Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your Fear and let him be your Dread And he shall be for a Sanctuary c. Others will complain of heavy Burthens and the insupportable Pressures Cares and Troubles inevitable and they are so puzled and perplexed as they know not how to get Rid of them It 's usual with such Male-contents to know more what makes against them than what makes for them Wherefore let them be advised to take Counsel from the Word of God Particularly we are Commanded To cast our Burthen upon the Lord to be careful in nothing but Psal 55. 22. Phil. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 7. to make our Requests known with Prayers and Supplications and to cast our Care upon him for he careth for us If God makes us drink the Wine of Astonishment and Eat the Bread of Affliction If we drink Water and Gall and have a bitter Cup of Affliction mingled for us let 's not revile Instruments let 's not murmur against second Causes but let us imitate Job who neither railed against the Sabeans nor the Chaldeans nor at Satan but he acknowledged God in all and quietly submitted unto him Job 1. 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away | 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 70. Isa 30. â—5 Blessed be the Name of the Lord. In times of great Affliction we are Exhorted to a silent and quiet Behaviour Jer. 8. 14. Let us be Silent for the Lord God hath put us to Silence And Zach. 2. 13. Be Silent O all Flesh before the Lord for he is raised up out of his Holy Habitation And Amos 5. 13. Therefore the Prudent shall keep Silence in that time for it is an Evil time That time was a time of Persecution for we Read in the 12. v. They afflict the Just and they turn aside the Poor in the Gate from their Right What 's the Duty incumbent now but to be Silent i. e. Taciti perferent injurias quicunque laesi fuerint â—orabunt intus suos gemitus quia non audebuâ—â— conquaeri Calv. not to murmur rage and fret and fume against Evil Instruments And it 's a great Point of Prudence to exercise such a quiet Behaviour in such Evil times The meaning of that place is not that Men should be Tongue-ty'd in God's Cause but that they should forbear all callumniations and reproaches which are usually belcht forth by way of personal Revenge Christ in a special manner Commends the Practice of Patience Luk. 21. 19. In your Patience Possess ye your Souls It 's the more Remarkable that this Charge was given by Christ by way of a Preparative to fit and prepare them for those great Calamities which should befall Jerusalem Christ foretold Jerusalems Destruction and he Commends this excellent Grace of Patience which at such a time will be of singular use and benefit Thus you see Evidently that there is a necessity of Precept CHAP. VII Proving the Doctrine from the necessity of Means in Four Particulars NOw Secondly Consider there is Necessitas 2. From necessity of Means Medii For a quiet contented submissive Spirit which patiently yields and resigns all to God is either a means to remove the Trouble or else to Alleviate and Mitigate it or 3dly To have it Sanctified and made Profitable or 4thly To make Compensation for all Losses Let 's warily understand all these Particulars not as if they were efficient or meritorious Causes but only as instrumental Means Subservient and Subordinate to God's Assistance And so understanding them we will inlarge them particularly as followeth First I say a submissive quiet yielding A Submissive Spirit is a Means to remove the Burthen Spirit oftentimes gets the Burthen and Trouble removed Thus it fared with Jehoshaphat 2 Cron. 20. 12. We know not what to do but our Eyes are upon Thee And see the Blessed Success vers 22 23. And Hanani the Seer tells Asa 2 Chron. 16. 8. Were not the Aethiopians and Lubims an huge Host with many Chariots and Horse-men Yet because thou didst rely on the Lord he delivered Tantum in nobis fidei staâ—bilitate Dominus esse desiderat ut certius esse quod credimus quam quod patimur judicemus verius habeamus sperando quam sensibiliter Hieron them into thine Hand When we can Believe and cast our selves upon God and wait with Patience then are we in a capacity of receiving Mercy Faith establisheth and quieteth the Heart and prepares it for reception of Mercies Secondly If the Trouble yet remain 2. A submissive Spirit is a meaus to ease the Burthen and still grieve us however if the Heart can trust in God and quietly submit unto him the Burthen is alleviated and facilitated and the smart much Mitigated It was a hard Tryal for Aaron to submit so quietly when two of his Children were struck Dead before his Eyes yet questionless his Grief was much abated and his Affliction lessened by his silent and patient Deportment under that heavy Stroke of God Lev. 10. 3. Then Moses said unto Aaron this is that which the Lord spake saying I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh Silet audita voluntate Dei Cajetan me and before all the People I will be Glorified And ‑ Aaron held his peace It was an unwelcome an astonishing Message which Samuel told Eli from the Lord of the Destruction of his Sons and utter Extirpation of his Family Yet Eli discovered such an excellent temper of Spirit in resigning his Will to Gods Will as thereby his Burthen was made far Lighter 1 Sam. 3. 18. And Eli said it is the Lord let him do what seemeth him Good How dreadful was that Prophecy of Isaiah to Hezekiah that all his Treasures should be carried to Babylon and that his Children should be Eunuchs in the Palace at Babylon Yet Hezekiah acknowledged all Good that came from God 2 King 20. 19. Good is the Word of the Lord which thou hast Spoken In all Job's Sufferings he acknowledged that the Hand of God had Touched him Job 19. 21. He received message after message of sad Tydings and each Messenger worse than the former One brings the News of Job 1. the Sabeans carrying away his Oxen and Asses Another tells him of the Burning of his Sheep and Servants A Third tells him of the Chaldeans taking away his Camels and Slaying his Servants A Fourth brings the Saddest News of all that the House fell upon his Children and Slew them The Messengers of Afflictions were so swift in running to meet with Job as if the Second Messenger made hast to Tread upon the Heels of the First and the Third upon the Second and the Fourth upon the Third Velut unda superveâ—â—â— undae All these came upon Job like
our Signs there is no more any Prophet neither is there among us any that knoweth how long Eligat opportunitatem qui libere dat misericordiam Aug. However it is a grand Duty incumbent on us to be earnest in Prayers and Supplications in the behalf of the Church as Psal 14. v. ult Psal 126. 4. Isa 62. 1 7 8. Some others there are who are inwardly Wounded and that Wound must needs be more full of dolour and Prov. 18. 14. anguish A wounded Spirit Who can bear God withdraws Deus unus animum fractum quassatum erigere restaurare potest idque verbo suo â—uâ— innitentes e naufragio emergemus caput attollemus Carthw the Light of his gracious Countenance from them and this is their greatest affliction They complain frequently of their Troubles by reason of Gods hiding his Face from them The Terrours of the Almighty affright them and Sorrow drinks up their Spirits To such are many suitable Promises to be applyed and the Application of them to themselves in particular is matter of singular Consolation Particularly let them Read and Meditate on what they Read viz. Psal 94. 11. Psal 112. 5. Isa 50. 10. He that Woundeth can only Heal Hos 6. 1. Una eademque manus vulnus opemque tulit Whether the Wound be outward on the Body or Estate or inward on the Soul and Spirit we must make our Adresses and Applications to that one only Healer the great God of Heaven and Earth Exod. 15. 26. For I am the Lord that healeth thee And our Duty is to make use of Gods healing Medicines Jer. 8. 22. What then is our great Duty but to hearken what God speaks in his Word and beware of Relapses Corporal Relapses are dangerous but Spiritual much more Psal 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will Speak For he will Speak Peace unto his People and to his Saints But let them not turn again to Folly CHAP. IV. Contains a Third Argument drawn from God's Providences A Third Argument shall be drawn Arg 3 from divine Providences from divine Providences God's Providences fulfil his Promises As God promiseth help supplies and succours unto his People so by his good Hand of Providence he performs what he hath Promised God Promised great things to Abraham Gen. 17. 1 2. And when Abraham was Ninety Years Old and Nine the Lord appeared to Abraham and said unto him I am the Almighty God Walk before Me and be thou Perfect And I will make my Covenant between me and thee and will Multiply thee exceedingly And God made his Word good to a tittle to him For God gave him Riches in abundance and a numerous Posterity and in him were all the Families of the Earth blessed At God's Command Abraham Heb. 11. 8. left the Land of his Nativity he disputed Valde commendat Abrahamum credulitas promissionis quoniam immediate credidit Deo relinquendo presentia dulciâ— chara ut obediret Deo propter absentia quae non videbat Tena not the Command but yeilded Obedience thereunto And where ever he went he had abundant experience of God's gracious Providence He and his Wife though exposed to great Temptations were safely preserved in the Court of Abimelech As soon as he went Gen. 12. 10. into Canaan there was a Famine in the Land yet God made Provision for him and Preserved him whither ever he went and he obtained Favour both in the Eyes of God and Man Not to multiply many more Instances In Joseph there was a Concatenation of several signal Acts of Providence Although he was envyed by his Brethren cast into the Pit sold to the Ishmaelites and by them to Potiphar Yet God was with him And when Act. 7. 9. through the false accusations of his Mistress he was cast into Prison yet God Gen. 39. 29. was with him in Prison and gave him favour in the Eyes of the Keeper of the Prison It 's very probable that there were several Prisons in Egypt but Joseph was cast into that very Prison where the King's Servants the chief Butler and Baker were Prisoners And it came to pass that each of the King's Servants Dreamed and Joseph Interpreted their Dreams and the Interpretation accordingly was Fulfilled for the chief Butler was restored unto his Place and the Gen. 40. 21 22. chief Baker was Hanged Joseph might hope that he had now purchased a good Friend at Court he reckoned upon the chief Butlers Friendship but he as soon as restored to his Place forgot Joseph Gen. 40. 23. He ungratefully past an act of oblivion of his Ingagements to Joseph But God's time is not yet come for Joseph's Deliverance Wherefore Pharaoh himself Dreams and then the chief Butler remembers his faults and becomes a Remembrancer of Joseph's Skill in Interpreting Dreams Hereupon Joseph is sent for and Interpreteth Pharaoh's Dreams and for his great Wisdom and Understanding is preferred by Pharaoh to be Ruler over all the Land of Egypt And here 's a further Remark of Providence that Joseph hath a Price put into his Hand to be not only under God a Saviour of all Egypt but likewise of his Father and Brethren For when the Famine was in Egypt Cannan and other Places Joseph supplyed their Wants and through God's Blessing upon his wife and provident care preserved multitudes of Families from Perishing Joseph himself acknowledged Act. 7. 9. Non esâ— sine exâ—mplo quod Deus benefacit iis quibus vos nocetis maxime Grot. God's Hand in all things And St. Stephen making an Historical Narration of the several signal Providences exercised towards Joseph ascribes all to the Hand of God remarkable in Joseph's Preservation notwithstanding the envy hatred and malice of his Brethren To this History of Joseph we may add a series of divine Providences fastned together concerning the deliverance of the Jews from the bloody Designs of Haman Although Haman was highly advanced by Ahassuerus and obtained the King's Seal and Pur was cast even a day design'd by Lot for a barbarous Massacre yet Esther by a wonderful Providence though she was a Jew was advanced to be Queen instead of Vasthi She certified the King of Mordecai's faithfulness in discovering a Treason and Mordecai's Loyalty was Chronicled In perpetuam rei memoriam Esther Invited the King to a Banquet and Haman was Invited likewise She then interceded for the People of the Jews and Haman's intended Mischief was seasonably prevented and his horrid Design'd Wickedness fell upon his own Pate The Table proved a snare and the Banquet a forerunner of Hamans Destruction Mordecai was a Loyal and true hearted Subject to the King but Haman hated him for not doing | Non solum consuetudo sed etiam lex domestica Iudaeorum diserte vetat honorem deo debitum ulli mortalium exhibere Drus. in Est 3. 2. that reverence which he expected from him Some are of Opinion that Haman expected more
Drowning amidst all the Tossing of Waves one following upon the Neck of another even then will the Believer be safe and secure from Danger A Third and last Case I shall mention 3. Case How to behave ones self in Afflictions is How should the Children of God behave themselves as to the Wickeds Prosperity and as to their own Adversity For Answer I shall lay down Twâ— Answ Negatives 1. That those that fear God ought not to Envy the vilest of Men. 2. They ought not to act any Personal Revenge against them After I have proved these Negatives I shall produce and prove several Affirmatives as so many Remembrances and Frontlets which ought to be set before the Eyes of all good Men. First For the Negatives The First 1. Propos We ought not to envy Wicked Men. Mat. 27. 18. Act. 7. 9. Act. 13. 45. Gal. 5. 21. Prov. 27. 4. Proposition is That Good Men in their greatest Sufferings ought not to Envy Wicked Men Envy is frequently Forbidden in the Word of God particularly Psal 37. 1. Prov. 23. 17. Envy caused the Jews to Crucify Christ. Envy moved the Patriarchs to sell Joseph into Egypt Envy caused the unbelieving Jews to contradict Saint Paul's Doctrine Envy is one of the Deeds of the Flesh It Slayeth the silly one it 's the cause of Confusion who is able to stand before it And therefore its Ipse Hercules qui omni generâ— monstrorum terras liberavit non prius invidum debellare vâ—luit quam eâ—rebus humanis exemptum esset Baud Orat. unbeseeming any Christian to Envy the Greatness and Riches of the worst of Men. That old Mnason and Eminent Servant of Christ Mr. Dod wished thus I would saith he I were the worst Minister in England not meaning that he himself would be worse than he was but that all Ministers were better than he Saint Augustine saith Tolle invidiam quod meum est habes Tolle invidiam quod tuum est ego hâ—beo August in Psal 136. Take away Envy and what is mine you have and take away Envy and what is yours I have Luther saith That Envyous Men Feed upon the Dung of other Men. They are like Flies that love to fasten upon Sores Erasmus tells of one who Collected all the lame defective Verses in Homer and passed over all those that were Excellent Parisiensis a learned Author and one of the most Ingenuity that I know of amongst his Party brings in Gregory saying That all the Poison in the old Serpent is in the Sin of Envy as if it had Emptied it self of its Poison and Vomited it self in this Sin Envy by some is called Serra animae a Saw to Cut the Heart-strings Asunder Envy caused the first Division and Breach that ever was in the World and that was between Cain and Abel and wherefore was Cain so Envions against Abel as to Slay him The Apostle gives the Reason 1 Joh. 3. 12. Because his own Works were Evil and his Brothers Good Let all Christians therefore be perswaded to lay aside all Envies Why should any Envy any Man Tormented with the Gout although he wear a Golden Slipper Why should a Man Envy a Murtherer therer upon the Gallows because he is Cloathed with Tissue and Hanged in a Silken Halter I have read a Story of a Souldier who upon his March left his Colours and Rob'd a Vineyard whereupon he was Condemned to Dye and as he was going to Execution he fell to Eating a bunch of Grapes whereupon saith one of his fellow-Souldiers Doest not thou take Notice whither thou art going and wilt thou now be Eating of Grapes O saith the Condemned Person My Friend Envy me not these Grapes for they Cost me Dear There 's no cause of Envying Wicked Men their Pleasures which are but Bitter-sweets 2. Propos That Good Men ought not to act any personal revenge A Second Proposition is That Good Men ought not to act any Personal Revenge against those Wicked Men who are their bitter Enemies and such as are Inveterate and Implacable None may presume to Rob God of his Prerogative nor wring the Sword of Justice out of his Hand God hath said Vengeance is mine I will Repay saith the Lord Rom. 12. 19. A place took out of Deut. 32. 35. It was the high Commendation Nihil obâ—ivisci solebat praeter injurias of Julius Caesar That he was wont to forget nothing but Injuries When a Philosopher was railed at by a prating malicious Fellow he caused his Servant to Light him Home with a Candle and a Lanthorn Remarkable is the Story of Doctor Cranmer Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in forgiving Injuries even to Admiration of all insomuch as it became a Proverb Do Bishop Cranmer an ill Turn and you shall have him your Friend ever after Christians should shew a generous Spirit in passing by Injuries and recompencing Evil with Good This is their Honour as Solomon saith For a Man to cease from Strife Prov. 20. 3. And it 's a Character of Discretion and Glory both To defer Anger and to pass over a Transgression Prov. 19. 11. To render Good for Good that 's a Common Civility even amongst Heathens themselves to render Evil for Good is Diabolical But to render Good for Evil is well becoming a Christian And by forgiving our Enemies and doing Good to them that do Evil to us we Imitate the Example of Christ Who when 1 Pet. 2. â—â— he was Reviled Reviled not again when he Suffered he Threatned not Christ Prayed for his Enemies and so did Stephen And so ought we to do By Meekness and Patience in Suffering and by passing an Act of Oblivion for Injuries we Heap Coals of Fire on the Heads of our Enemies and we shall melt and mollify them For as Bucer observes He being ashamed by thy Kindness will descend into Ille beneficentiâ pudefactus in sese descendet â—um enim ignis quem ejus Conscientâ— accendisti exuret in eo quicquid est erga te Bucer his own Heart and then the Fire which thou hast Lightned in his Conscience will burn up all Malice against Thee and Thou shalt Save him Yet notwithstanding a Christian ought to Study to forgive and forget Injuries hereby he is not prohibited any Appeal to Good and wholesome Laws for Justice when necessity and equity Compel thereunto Rom. 13. 4. Rom. 13. 3. For the Magistrate beareth not the Sword in vain And Rulers are not a Terrour to Good Works but unto Evil. However let all Christians follow the things that make for Peace and evidence their patient and meek Spirits by overcoming the Evil of Anger with the Goodness of Meekness the Evil of Pride with the Goodness of Humility the Badness of Revenge with the Goodness of Forbearance having before their Eyes the Charge of the Apostle Eph. 4. 32. And be ye kind one to another tender Hearted forgiving one another as God for Christ's Sake hath forgiven
to be understood of a mean moderate estate or mediocrity And the same Author concludes thus To whom Câ—i parum non est satis â—i nihil est satis câ—i quod satis est non est satis â—i nihil est satis Peâ—er in Geâ— 28. 20. a little is not enough to him nothing is enough And he that hath enough and thinks he hath not enough to him nothing is enough The Patriarch Jacob did not beg great matters onely bread to eat and raiment to put on He did not capitulate for delicate food nor gorgeous attire And the Apostles commands 1 Tim. 6. 8. Having food and rayment let us therewith be content The expressions are Emphatical Three words I 'le explain in the Text. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not high feeding but such only as may nourish us what 's enough for nourishment to keep us alive should content us Another word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enough to cover our nakedness no rich and costly apparrel is here meant 3. The other word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We should be contented and count them sufficient This excellent Spirit of contentment will help us to bear our burdens and to undergo hardships with alacrity of Spirit 4. Whatever thou fearest most to lose Duty 4. Cast all upon God and what thou desirest most to keep cast them upon God and trust God with them What God is entrusted withal is in the best and safest custody Are thy burthens great put in practice the Psalmists counsel Psal 55. 22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved But are not the Righteous moved and tost up and down and chased to and fro as the Partridge on the Mountaines Yes they are thus moved and they are tost up and down with Storms and Tempests but as Calvin observeth on the Quia autem nihil miserius est quam inter continuos aestus versari finem tandem fore promittit quia Deus passurus non sit ut semper anxietatibus obnoxij sint vel periculis curis concutiantur sed daturus sit tranquillum statum Calo. in Loc. place that they shall not alwayes be thus troubled at last they shall have a quiet state Are thy fears many by reason of potent Adversaries Jehu-like drive furiously to whom he that departeth from evil is made a prey Remember the Council of Christ Math. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul But rather fear him which is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell The worst that men and Devils can do to the Saints is to deprive them of a temporal life only Eternal life is out of their reach none are able to deprive them of that life Dogs may bark at the Moon but they cannot bite it The most mischievous Enemies cannot hinder Christ from communicating himself to his Children nor them from enjoying Communion with him But are thy cares great insomuch as thou art bewildered and knowest not how to wind thy self out Here 's Counsel and Incouragement for thee 1 Pet. 5. 7. Casting all your care up on him for he câ—â—eth for you The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same word is once more mentioned Omnem nostram curam conjicerâ— de bâ—â—us in â—eum tum quia opem nobi◠〈◊〉 potest u◠〈◊〉 Deus tum â—uia curam nostrum gerit ut 〈◊〉 Pater 〈◊〉 in Loc. Luke 19. 35. It 's a thâ—owing a mans self upon God a committing himself unto Gods disposing Now when we can â—ast our selves upon Goâ—â— Providence rely upon his Wisdomâ— stay and depend upon his promises and quietly wait for his Salvatiâ—â— then even then amidst the most boysterous 〈◊〉 and tempests there wiâ—â— be a Serenity and quietness upon our Spirits CHAP. XII Containing an Use of Reprehension to threâ— Sorts of Persons viz. Unbelievers Murmurers and rash Censurers NOw in the last Place to infer the Use and Application particularly unto all our Consciences There are four Uses to be made of this Doctrine 〈◊〉 For Reprehension Exhortation Examination and Consolation The first Use is for Reprehension and Vse 1 Of Reprehension severe Redargâ—â—ion unto several sorts of Persons Three of them â—e single out viâ— Unbelievers Murmurers and rash Censurers who in an especiall manner come under the verge of this Repoof 1. Here 's matter of Reproof unto all 1. Unbelievers Unbelievers who neither will trust God upon his threatnings nor upon his promises These live by Sense and not by Faith They imitate those who will part with nothing without Money in hand When Creature-Comforts faile them their Faith failes with them Hence it comes to pass that they traduce the Divine Providence with profane â— King â— 33. Jehoram saying Behold this evil is of the Lord why should I wait for the Lord any longer Now what 's the reason that men are to seek for help and comfort under their greatest pressures and know not how to get any help but because they trust not God they go to King | Hos 5. 13. Idololatrâ— aâ—xiliis buâ—aâ—is confiduâ—â— sed hâ—c â—ultum Lepe eos fallunt Nam quum Assyrius debebat 〈◊〉 ipse incipiehat vastare Historiae testantur plerunque exterâ—s Reges 〈◊〉 advocantes 〈◊〉 Taâ—mou Jareb and to the Assyrian i. e. They go to broken reeds to outward means which will no way help nor heal them Job was of an Excellent Spirit who would take a curse upon himself If he made Gold his Hope or the fine Gold his Confidence Job 31. 24. Not to stay in Generals An Unbeliever who resâ—â— satisfied in his Unbelief is no better than an Heathen a Lyar and a Thief Such would fly in that Mans Face that should call them by such Ignominious Names and yet so they are branded by the Word of God 1. An Unbeliever is an Heathen First An Unbeliever is an Heathen Mat. 6. 31 32. Therefore take no Thought sâ—ying What shall we Eat or what shall we Drink or wherewithal shall we be Cloathâ—ed For after all these things do the Gentiles Seek for your Heavenly Father knowâ—th that ye have need of all these things Now shall not Christians out-strip Pagans Heathens pore only upon the present Life and understand not any thing concerning a Life to come What a shame is it for Christians to imitate Heathens Salvian saith It 's the Guilt Minoris criminis reatus est â—egem neâ—cire quam spernere Salv. lib. 4. of a less Crime to be ignorant of the Law than to Despise it Heathens who know not Scripture shall fare better than knowing Christians who abuse their Knowledge and confute what they know by the practice of a contrary Life and Conversation Second An Unbeliever is a Lyar and 2. An Unbeliever is a Lyar. puts a Lye upon God himself To give a Man the Lye is accounted
to all Cheating Tricks whatsoever However as Beza notes Though they be Subtile Vt cunque sunt vafri Eos tamen Dâ—minus capiet cum eorum artes reipsa declarabit illud ipsum esse quo sese in volve rint Beza in Loc. and Crafty yet God will catch them and discover them to be what they are Now from this instance of the Wisdom of God we may give an abundant proof of his All-Sufficiency For when we are Intangled and be wildred with worldly Cares and Fears and know not how to get out when we are involv'd in Mazes Perplexities and Labyrinths and know not how to extricate our selves and we are at our Wits end then Wisdom from heaven makes a Way for our Evasion sets us at Liberty When Isaac was bound on the Altar and Abraham Stretcht forth his Hand to give the Deaths Stroke all the Wisdom of the wisest Men on Earth would have been Non-plust not knowing how to contrive a Deliverance But the Wisdom of God exerteth it self and interposeth in that needful instant between the lifting up the Hand and the Striking of the Blow and a Voice speaks from Heaven Lay not thine Hand upon Gen. 22. 12. the Lad. However Isaac was unexpectedly delivered yet Abraham would gladly Offerâ— a Sacrifice and he knew not where upon such a sudden to make Provision Behold further How the Wisdom of God contrives and provides a Ram for a Burnt Offering What then vers 13. must we do in all our doubts and difficulties but make our Addresses and Supplications unto God God is a God Jam. 1. 5. of Wisdom of Him we must ask Wisdom Christ is the great Counsellor The Wisdom of God He hath the Spirit Isa 9. 6. of Wisdom and Understanding When 1 Cor. 1. 24. Isa 11. 2. Troubles befall us we wander up and down like Noahs Dove finding no rest for the Sole of her Foot till Noah took her into the Ark. We in our Afflictions use to go from Creature to Creature and Consult with Flesh and Blood like Squirrils we leap from Bough to Bough or like curious Palates Tast of all Waters and try all manner of Projects hence it comes to pass that we miscarry by many sad Disapointments and Frustrations How dreadful a Woe is threatned against them who take not Counsel of God Isa 30. 1. Woe to the Rebellious Children saith the Lord that take Counsel but not of Me and that cover with a covering but not of my Spirit that they may add Sin to Sin There 's a grand Curse also threatned in Ezekiel That the Law shall Perish from the Priest Ezek. 7. 26. and Counsel from the Ancients Here then consists our great Duty amidst Troubles and Sufferings to learn to deny our own Wisdome our own Reason and Counsel and whatsoever is selfish in us neither any more to sacrifice to our own Net and Drag but to rely depend and wholly lean and stay our selves upon the Wisdom of God Solomon fully Prov. 3. 5. 6 7 8. prescribes our Duty in several choice and excellent Lessons Trust in the Lord with all thine Heart and lean not unto thine own Understanding In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy Paths | Ne in tua teipsum sapientia contemplari velis Eam elige disciplinam in quam cum inspicias non taâ— teipsum quam Deum ipsum intuearis Be not Wise in thine own Eyes Fear the Lord and depart from Evil. It shall be Health to thy Navel and Marrow to thy Bones I proceed to another Instance drawn from the Power of God The Power and Omnipotency of God abundantly prove His All-Sufficiency This Attribute of Power Omnipotency is the Strong-hold of all Gods Children This is their 2. Attribute viz. The Power of God Shield Buckler Deliverer what not It 's all in all And the Power and Omnipotency of God is a Terror to the Wicked to crush them to peices and to destroy them utterly God is the Universal Omnipotent Soveraign Lord and Commander over the whole World Bildad speaks a great Deal in so short Job 25. 2. a Chapter Dominion and Fear are with him c. God hath all Power in his Hand and can put it forth more or less when and where he pleaseth All the Granaries Treasures Magazines and Fortifications All the Cattle on a Thousand Mountains are at the sole command disposing of the Soveraign Lord and Governour of Heaven and Earth God gives one Creature a Commission to help another God knows such an one to be in sore distress and he saith go Creature Relieve Refresh and Comfort such a One he is my Servant Another is in great danger of being Rob'd Murthered or Drowned as he is a Travelling God sends his Angel to preserve him | Ingens Bonitas Dei cura paterna erga Ecclesiam describitur quod tales nobis Presides adjungit Molles Angeli sunt Domestici Dei caeli cives Bern. And how much we ought to give God thanks for the Ministry of Angels how few of us are sensible Likewise the Hearts of all Men are at Gods Command even the Hearts of the greatest Kings are at Gods Command Prov. 21. 1. As the Rivers of Water he turneth them whithersoever he will The Hearts of inveterate and implacable Enemies are new Molded and Wrought on effectually by the Power of God Amongst others that 's a pregnant instance in Esau in whose Heart lodged an old grudg of Twenty Years standing against his Brother Jacob. And it seems very probable that when he came to meet Jacob with Four Hundred Men that he had in his Heart Rancor and Malice and his Intentions were as Mischiveous as Jacob feared to destroy The Mother and Gen. 32. 11. the Children Yet God who hath the Hearts of the worst of Enemies in his Hand affected the Heart of Esau and melted it into Tears we Read Gen. 33. 4. And Esau ran to meet Him and embrac'd Him and fell on his Neck and kissed Him and they Wept Hence that Proverb of Solomon is an Experimental Truth that When a Mans ways please Prov. 16. 7. the Lord he maketh even his Enemies to be at Peace with him The best way to obtain Friendship with Men is first to make God our Friend The Duty mainly incumbent on us all is to believe Gods Omnipotency and stay and depend thereupon Thus let 's argue from what hath been done by the Almighty Gen. 1. 3 4. Power of God In the Creation God brought Light out of Darkness Order out of a Chaos of Confusion God made Exod. 14. 22. the Red-Sea to become Dry-land and passable for the Israelites but the Sea returned to his strength and overthrew the Egyptians in the midst thereof God ver 27 caused the Flinty-Rock to become a Springing-Well to quench the Thirst of the Israelites God fed them by a Numb 20. 11. Exod. 16. 13 14. Deut. 25.
9. Judg. 15. 19. Josh 10. 13. 2 King 20. 11. 2 King 7. 16. Miracle with Quailes and Manna God Cloathed them by a Miracle in that the same Cloaths lasted Forty Years together God caus'd the Jaw-bone of an Ass to pour out Water to quench the Thirst of Samson God caus'd the Sun to stand still at Joshuas prayer and return back upon Hezekiahs Prayer God caus'd plenty in Samaria beyond all expectation of Man after a sore and grievous Famine From all these Instances Potens Deus est causam suam libenter servare lapsam erigere si nos digni non erimus fiat per alios Melct Adam in vita Luther we may certainly conclude that the same Omnipotent Lord God Reigneth His power is no whit diminished he hath helped and is able to help This Instance of the Power of God abundantly proves his All-Sufficiency and should be a ground 3 Attribute of Mercy of singular Support and Comfort unto all the Children of God I proceed to a Third Instance drawn from the Attribute of Mercy God is abundant in Goodness and Mercy He is Merciful Gracious Long-Suffering Mercy Micah 7. 18. Psal 25. 10. â— sal 103. 8. Eph. 2. 4. Psal 145. 9. Isa 16. 11. Psal 68. 5. Psal 103. 13. Isa 63. 9. is Gods Delight All his Paths are Mercy He is slow to Anger and plenteous in Mercy His Mercies are rich Mercies tender Mercies they are over all his Works They are so many as they exceed all Number for Multitude They are so great as they exceed all Dimensions for Magnitude The Lord by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declares the Sounding of his Bowels His Fatherly pitty and compassion and a sympathy and fellow-feeling with us in our Afflictions Isa 63. 9. In all their Afflictions he was Afflicted and the Angel of his Presence saved them in his Love and in his Pitty he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the Days of Old And who this was see ver 1. O! How did the Bowels of Christ Yearn over those that were in Affliction He had Compassion towards a fainting Multitude and Fed them He had Compassion on the Diseased Joh. 11. 35. Luke 19. 41. Heb. 4. 15. People he Healed them He Wept for Lazarus he Wept over Jerusalem And now he is in Heaven he is Touched with the feeling of our infirmities From what hath been mentioned we may conclude That Gods Mercy moves him to afford seasonable Helps Supplies and Succours unto his People when they are involved in the greatest Straits and Difficulties God is a Present Psal 46. 1. Gen. 22. 14. help in the needful time of Trouble In the Mount the Lord will be seen The Proverb is no more common than true That Mans Extremity is Gods Opportunity When Hagars Bottle of Water was spent and she and her Son like Gen. 21. 19. to have perished with Thirst then the Lord opened her Eyes and shewed her a Well of Water When Egypts Flower Josh 5. 12. was spent and when Manna ceased then the Children of Israel did Eat of the Fruit of the Land of Canaan When the Widdow of Zaraphath had left only for her self and Son to keep them a little while alive a handful of Meal in a Barrel and a little Oyl in a Cruse then the Lord sent the Prophet Elijah with a comfortable Message 1 King 17. 14 15 16. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel The Barrel of Meal shall not wast neither shall the Cruse of Oyl fail until the Day that the Lord sendeth Rain upon the Earth And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah and she and he and her House did Eat many Days And the Barrel of Meal wasted not neither did the Cruse of Oyl fail according to the Word of the Lord which he spake by Elijah When Gods People have been in such great Straits as not knowing where to turn or how to help themselves out of them then some signal Mercy hath appeared for their Deliverance In Deut. 32. 36. there 's a gracious Promise and there 's a real performance thereof 2 King 14. 26 27. For the Lord saw the Affliction of Israel that it was very Bitter for there was not any shut up nor any left nor any helper for Israel And the Lord said not that he would blot out the Name of Israel from under Heaven But he Saved them by the Hand of Jereboam the Son of Joash Add hereunto another promise suitable to the former Isa 33. 9 10. The Earth Mourneth and Languisheth Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down Sharon is â—ike a Wilderness and Bashan and Carmel shake off their Fruits Now will I rise saith the Lord now will I be exalted now will I lift up my self And David experimentally acknowledges the truth of God's Promises Psal 136. 23. | Ista ob id commemoravit admoneamur quam non obliviscatur suorum Deus qui tribulationibus oâ—primuntur sed ubi tempestivum est e manibus illos inimicorum suorâ—m afferat eripiat Musc in loc who remembred us in our low Estate For his Mercy endureth for Ever Let 's then stand admiring and adoring the riches of Mercy the multitude of tender Mercies the Bowels wide opened of a gracious and compassionate Father God stands by his People in their Swooning Fits and gives them his sweet Cordials and Restoratives He is with them in Prison and gives them inlargement of Spirit | Sanctorum prâ—ces caelum terram concutiunt Beza Hinc colligimus quam constanter animati fuerint ad crucem ferendam Calv. in Loc. Dan. 3. 25. The Apostles Act. 16. 25. Paul and Silas Prayed and sang Praises in a Prison Communion with God reviv'd and rais'd their Spirits even when their Feet were made fast in the Stocks God was with the Three Children in the hot fiery Furnace Three were only cast into the Furnace but the King saw Four and he acknowledged that the Form of the Fourth was like the Son of God Daniel had an Angel in the Lyons Den for his Companion and he was sent from God to shut the Lyons Mouth What shall I add further We live upon Mercies every Moment and have fresh experiences of renewed loving Kindnesses Each Step we Tread whether at home or abroad each Work we go about each bit of Bread we Eat each Bed we Lie on each Journey we Travel All these cry aloud and proclaim the Mercies of God And so wonderful is the Mercy of God as he condescends to our Infirmities and applieth himself with all gentleness to our respective Conditions Two places I shall only mention as a full proof thereof one is Isa 40. 11. He shall Feed his Flock like a Shepherd he shall gather the Lambs with his Arm and carry theâ—â— in his Bosome and shall gently lead those that are with Young The other is Mat. 12. 20. | Donec rectam veram Evangelii doctrinam docuerit
Chrisost Hom. 9. ad Heb. No Man can hold the Tâ—â—e when it comes nor stop an Arrow shot out of a Bow nor hinder the Motion of the Sun no more can any Man hold fast these sublunary things None can keep Riches sure and stable and make them last to Eternity For under the Sun is nothing of a durable Substance If we desire that which is durable and never fading we must seek for it in Heaven it 's not to be had here below Further to instance in honours promotions and the preferments of the World They that have most of them are oft times by the revolutious of times made sensible that they possess a very slippery standing So that †Nunquid in honore sine dolore in praelatione sine turbatione in Sublimitate sine vanitate quis esse potest Bern. in Test Nicholai Serm. Honours are oft times burthens and objects of envy and malice and many are the machinations for supplanting and undermining the possessours of them Have we not frequently seen many great Personages degraded and devested of their Robes have not their Honours lain in the dust Haman in sacred Story is a signal example of Honours uncertainty And forraign Historys of Andronicus Bajazet Bellizarius our own English History of Wolsey and others give abundant testimony of this Truth That Honours are transient fading uncertain things And what are promotions and high places though many are so eager and greedy in the pursuit after them and often times for the attaining of them make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience What are they better I say than a Ficta omnia celeriter decidunt nec Simulatum potest quicquam essâ— diuturnum Cic. L. 2. Off. vid. Bp. Morton of Ezekiels Wheels Mushrome or a Jonah's Gourd which in one Night had its Original and Period Sesostris Wheels turning that spoke lowermost which was erst while uppermost are an embleme of the frequent revolutions of all things in the Universe I shall conclude this particular with that infallible Testimony of the Psalmist Psal 75. 6 7 8. For promotion cometh neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South But God is the Judge he putteth down one and setteh up another For in the Hand of the Lord is a Cup and the Wine is Red it is full of Mixture and he poureth out of the same but the Dregs thereof all the Wicked of the Earth shall wring them out and drink them And to secure support and preserve us safe amidst the worst of Changes I shall mention two or three establishing Scriptures one is Psal 73. 26. My Flesh and my Heart faileth but God is the Strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever Another is Psal 89. 43. I will not suffer my Faithfulness to fail A third is Heb. 13. 5. | 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Here then we may be preserved from danger by relying on these promises And if Five negatives which more vehemently deny Fieri non potest ut te abjiciam plane aut etiam ad tempus deseram Grot. any danger come then here is a Shield to ward of Blows Here 's a cordial a stay and a staff a restorative and supporter when we seriously consider that notwithstanding changes failings disappointments and treacheries which we meet with from Creatures yet our Creator is unchangeable And his immutability is a Fort-Royal an invincible Bulwark and a Rock impregnable unto all true Believers CHAP. III. Containing a Second Argument drawn from God's Promises I Proceed to a Second Argument drawn Arg. 2 drawn from God's promises Isa 12. 3. Isa 66. 11. Judg. 16. 17. from God's Promises And they are as so many Wells of Salvation and Breasts of Consolation Divine Promises are the Magna Charta or Title and Interest whereby the Saints make a claim to Heaven It was said of Samson that his great Strength lay in his Hair So a believers great strength lies in the divine Promises All the Promises attest the truth of the Doctrine That God is All-Sufficient And if we make a survey of particular Promises we shall by an Induction of particular cases and particular promises suitably applyed clear our assertion or point of Doctrine For Instance one Man is in great want and necessity hunger-bit and by reason of extream poverty afflicted with great cares and troubles and is still a carking and projecting and contriving which way to go about what means to use for supply of his pressing wants and exigencies Let such study the Promises and they will speak to them abundance of Incouragement viz. Psal 34. 9 10. Psal 37. 19. Psal 84. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 4. 19. It 's said there My God shall supply all your need i. e. shall fill up all your necessities we have a Promise for supply of necessities not for superfluities | Deus cui servio abunde sufficiet quicquid vobis opus erit Calv. in loc Calvin observes on the place That God whom I serve will abundantly suffice you what ever you have need of Another is much perplexed with variety of Fears as of loss of Life Livelyhood Liberty c. He 's oftentimes afraid of the fury of malitious and violent Adversaries To such the Promise speaks Comfort and Counsel Isa 8. 13. But it will be further replied that the â—ondition is dangerous and the hazards are apparent To such replies I 'le rejoyn Isa 43 1 2. Yet further some will complain O! We are a despised a shiftless and helpless People weak distressed impotent and apt to be trod down and trampled upon by every Foot Let such Read Isa 44. 10 14. 15. Isa 51. 12. Mat. 10. 28. What shall I add further Read also Isa 33. 23. Jer. 37. 10. Nay more than all this even Dry Bones shall become an Army of Men | Haec visio prophetica imago quodam modo fuit futur Resurrectionis licet ad literam restitutio Israelis in ierram suam per eam signifiâ—â—tur Clâ—rius inter critic sacr Ezek. 37. 3 10. Some understand this concerning the deliverance from Babylon Others hence allude to the conversion of the Jews in the days of the Gospel The Church may be in a dying condition yet it shall revive Isa 26. 19. There will be a Resurrection of the Church a Resurrection of the Names and Reputations of the People of God however blasted and defamed There will be a Resurrection of the Cause of the Church against Anti-Christ that Man of Sin And although the Witnesses and Professors thereof may be Dead for a time yet they shall Rise again and their Resurrection will be Glorious and Astonishing even in the sight of their Persecutors These things shall certainly be fulfilled in their Season although the punctual instant when this shall be is not within our cognizance to Determine We can resolve no otherwise than according to Psal 74. 9. We see not
Tempestuous Waves of the Sea dashing one upon another with renewed Violence Now though Job could not remove these heavy Afflictions yet he found the Sense of them much abated and his Spirit much quieted by Praising God for all and acknowledging the Hand of God in all as appears Job 1. 21. Third However though Afflictions 3. Afflictions are Sanctified continue very great and painful and neither removeable nor sense of Mitigation appears at present yet the worst of Afflictions are through Mercy Sanctified to the Children of God Affliction in it self is not Bonum yet it 's turn'd in Bonum to the Good of all true Believers The Good Figgs were carried away Captive for their Good Jer. 24. 5. The Tribe of Judah resembled by those Good Figgs was carried away Captive into Babylon but God wrought Good for them out of their Captivity Men would be apt to pass Censures because of the Sufferings of Judah in their Captivity but the Lord Corrects their Censures in promising that all shall be for their Good Quasi diceret prepostere fieri judicium de calamitate paucorum annorum sed expectandum esse finem Calvin in Jer. 24. 5. Luther in Gen. 6. As if he should say That a Judgment of the Calamity of a few Years is made preposterously but the End must be expected as Calvin observes on the place fore-quoted Jer. 24. 5. The Lord Professeth that he humbled and proved his People and his end was to do them Good in the latter End Deut. 8. 16. We are Corrected for our Profit Heb. 12. 10. Luther used to say Schola crucis est Schola lucis non est Christanus qui non est crucianus It 's a common saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corrections are Instructions so they should be and they are happy where Correction and Instruction meet together as the Psalmist Cum vibices dorso meo imprimeres precepta tua cordi meo insculpsisti Rivet in Psalm expresseth Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the Man whom thou chastneth O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law Joseph's Brethren when they were in distress in Egypt reflected upon their Sin and were perplexed for it which was committed many Years before and lookt upon their present Suffering as a just Punishment for that Sin Gen. 42. 21. And they said one to another we are verily Prius quam urgeret eos afflictio tor pebant nunc ingredi coguntur in suas conscientias Calvin in Gen. 42. 21. Guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the Anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this Distress come upon us They are good Observations Oculos quos culpa claudit poena aperit vexatio Qui tribulantur Sacras Scripturas melius intelligunt Secundi prosperi eas leguâ—â— sicut Oviâ—ii carmen Luther dat intellectum The Fiery Furnace did not hurt the Three Children Only Three were cast into the Furnace but there appeared a Fourth even the Angel of God for their Deliverance The nature of Fire was changed insomuch as it had no power so much as to Singe an Hair of their Heads The Mouths of the Lyons were stopt and could not hurt Daniel Daniel was Dan. 7. 22. cast alone into the Den but he was not alone there for he had the company of an Angel of God who was sent to shut the Lyons Mouths The Deluge of Water which Drowned the whole World did not drown Noah's Ark. but bare it up so Afflictions when Sanctified are so far from hurting God's Children as they help them and lift them up nigher to Heaven Afflictions are as a vantage ground to raise them higher to see a great deal further or like so many Looking-Glasses to represent to the Children of God their Stains and Deformities I shall apply a saying of St. Ambrose Quod pateris unde plangis Medicina est tibi non poena castigatio non damnatio noli repellere flagellum Domini nisi vis repelli ab haereditate Tribuâ—atio est aqua salsa quae Scabiem purgat abstergit Guil. Paris de morib 9. It 's reported that salt Marishes cure disseased Sheep I am sure Salt preserves Meat from Putrifaction Scullions scoure away Rust from Vessels The Fan separates the Wheat from the Chaff much more do Afflictions when Sanctifi'd advantage God's Children But we must know that it was not the moving Veniet tribulatio mea veniet purgatio mea August Psal 61. Joh. 5. 4. of the Waters of the pool of Bethesda that made them Healing but it was the coming of the Angel at a certain Season who troubled the Waters and afterwards who ever stept in first was Healed It was not the Mantle of Elijah that divided the Waters but the God of Elijah neither will Troubles Losses Sufferings meerly considered as in themselves do us any good unless the Lord Sanctify them to us and by them Purge Purify Refine and Cleanse us and make us partakers of his Holiness Wherefore our Duty is with a calm and sedate Spirit to submit unto God's Correcting Hand and act Faith on Promises and exercise Patience and Pray Job 36. 10. that God would open our Ears to receive Discipline and Purge out our Dross and Tin so that by Afflictions and Corrections our Sins and Corruptions may be wrought out and Graces wrought into our Hearts If Afflictions produce such good Effects we shall be exceeding great Gainers by our Losses and after a deliberate reflecting upon all our Sufferrings we shall Experimentally conclude with David every one of us in particular as Psal 119. 67. Before I was Afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy Words Comp. with vers 17. It is good for me that I have been Afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes What great benefit God's People get by their Sufferings is evidently Represented Psal 68. 13. Though ye have lain among the Pots yet shall ye be as the Wings of a Dove covered with Silver and her Feathers with yellow Gold | Etiam jacueritis inter vasa plena fuliginis i. e. oppressi fueritis magna calamitate candidi laetique reddemini ob liberationem Vatab. This as good Authors observe sets forth the happy Issue of Afflictions and the great Benefit which the People of God get by them but of this more largely in the next particular Fourthly and lastly though Afflictions 4thly Vnde sequitur non semper jucunda serenitate frui Ecclesiam sed ex tenebris erutam splendorem recuperare ac si ab omni malo intacta foret Calv. may be heavy for a time yet the exceeding great Compensation and Profit acruing in the close will make amends for all So it was with Job Jam. 5. 11. Ye have heard of the Patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord. And what that was we have Recorded Job 42 10. | Scriptura monet ipsi duplo facultates amissas fuisse
Lam. 1. 18. The Lord is Righteous for I Rebelled against his Commandement A Wise Man will inquire into the end of all God's Chastisements and Labour to answer God's End and that is A Deo putimur sed ipsi facimus ut puniamur Id. lib. 8. Isa 9. 12. 13. to Repent and Turn unto God For this very Reason The Anger of God is not turned away but his Hand is Stretched out still For the People turneth not to him that Smiteth them neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts Here then lieth the great Wisdom to understand God's Meaning and end in Chastising and that is to reform purify and new mold us and to bring us forth out of the Furnace purified Seven times Every Good and Wise Man should ponder in his Heart and practise accordingly that excellent Speech of Elihu Job 34. 31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born Chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not Teach thou me If I have done Iniquity I will do no more This is the right use of Wisdom under the Rod of Correction Second The excellency of this Spirit â— Faith Shines in a strong vigorously acting Faith The Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 5. 7. We Walk by Faith not by Sight Sense fail'd in the time of a dark Vision but Faith failed not Heb. 2. 4. The just shall Live by his Faith Estates Contrivances Friendship and Favour of Men Projects and Expectations all these may Fail A Believer cannot Live by any oâ— these but the Life of Faith is such an excellent Life as we may compare it to Goliahs Sword and say of the Life of Faith as David said of that Sword 1 Sam. 21. 9. Give me that there is none like it What Wonders Faith did the 11. Chap. to the Hebrews gives an ample Catalogue Sense fail'd Job on the Dunghill he saw no visible means of Restauration to his former Enjoyments yet how strenuously did his Faith act Job 13. 15. Though he Slay me yet will I Trust in him And on his Dunghill he saw Job 19. 25. his Redeemer Reason was non-plust concerning Sarahs bringing forth a Son against the Course of Nature But Abraham against Hope believed in Hope that he might become the Father of many Nations c. See Rom. 4. 18 19 20 21. Stephen when the Stones were clattering about his Ears saw Christ standing Acts 7. 56. on the Right Hand of God We often Read in Scripture of Christ sitting in Majesty and Glory but when Stephen was a Stoning Christ was said to be a Standing a ready posture to vindicate the Credere impossibilia rationi Sperare dilata amare deum cum se praebeat inimicum Luther Quarrel of his Suffering Servant Luther gives Three grand Properties of Faith viz. 1. To believe things impossible to Reason 2. To hope for things defer'd 3. To love God when he shews himself an Enemy There are also two great Properties of Faith One is Prophetick to foresee Deliverance Answers of Prayers Removal of Judgments and such like Another is Magnetick to have an attractive Vertue to draw things near that may seem to be afar off Faith will Approximate a Promise and by a patient waiting Spirit acquiesce in the same not doubting the performance thereof in the appointed Season Faith will trust God upon his Word Third Hope acts vigorously in a disconsolate 3. Hope Condition Ezra Comforts the People thus Yet now there is Hope Ezra 10. 2. in Israel concerning this thing Hope is like a Prop or Pillar to support and stay a Building from falling It 's an Anchor cast out in a Storm to stay the Ship The Church quietly bore those sad Calamities incumbent on them Lam. 3. 26. It is good that a Man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord. ver 29. He putteth his Mouth in the Dust if so be there may be Hope But what 's the Ground of Hope Read ver 21. The Lord will not cast off for Ever There 's Hope that the Rod will not alwaies be on our Backs And there 's Two strong Grounds for our Faith 1. There are Multitude of Mercies in God ver 32. 2. He doth not Afflict willingly We may add further that God poureth not out his whole Wrath Heb. 3. 2. but in Wrath he remembers Mercy God hath not forgoten to be Gracious nor shut up his loving Kindness in displeasure Were it not for Hope we should not receive such Comforts from the Scriptures as we do But amidst all the Troubles of God's People they draw singular Grounds of Hope and Consolation from the Scriptures And to this purpose are the Scriptures Wrote Rom. 15. 4. The Saints rejoyce in Hope Rom. 5. 2. Rom. 12. 12. Although they are cast into Prison they learn their Duty there Rev. 2. 10. And though they are close Prisoners they are Prisoners of Hope Zach. 9. 12. Hope is the Saints Helmet 1 Thes 5. 8. In great Troubles and Perplexities there 's a Door of Hope to get out of them For after Achan was Stoned it was promised that the Valley of Achor should be a Door of Hos 2. 14. Hope Times of Jacobs Troubles should be special times of Jacobs Trust It was a dismal day mentioned Jer. 30. 5 6 7. But there 's Comfort near approaching It is even the time of Jacobs Trouble but he shall be Saved out of it In the Grave though the Body moulder into Dust there 's a certain Hope of a Resurrection Psal 61. 9. comp with Acts 2. 9. Now the same God that can raise the Body out of the Dust can raise up those that lye in the Dust though despised and trampled upon by malitious and inveterate Enemies Anti-christ shall fall and never rise more A Mill-Stone shall be put about his Neck and he thrown into the Sea But Gods People though they may fall they shall rise again though their Sufferings be Sharp yet they shall be short as Athanasius said of Julians Persecution Nubecula est cito transitura And the greater the Sufferings of God's People are for Righteousness sake their Resurrection shall be more Glorious There 's Matter of Comfort and Duty by them to be put in Practice mentioned Micah 7. 8 9. Rejoyce not against me O mine Enemy when I fall I shall arise when I sit in Darkness the Lord shall be a Light unto me I will bear the Indignation of the Lord because I have Sinned against him Levius fit patientia quicquid corrigere est nefas Horat. Eccles 7. 8. Fourthly There followeth the Exercise of Patience And this will make an hard Yoak easy and an heavy Burthen light The Patient in Spirit as Solomon tells us is better than the Proud in Spirit The Reason a Learned Author gives is because Anger is Rash and Precipitate Quia ira praecâ—ps est finem nunquam expectabit quod faciet patiens ira
every one something or other that they most rejoyce and delight themselves in the serious Meditation thereof Some fancy one kind of Joy some another and there are many varieties of Fancies as Philosophers reckon upon several Apprehensions of Felicity We Read in Scripture of Joy in Harvest Joy in Espousals and Joy in taking of Spoils but none Quam suave mihi subito factum est carere suavitabus nugarum quas committere metus fuerat jam dimittere gaudium erat Aug. Confes l. 9. c. 1. of these are lasting Joys But a Believers Joy is in God He never fails Upon a serious deliberate Consideration there 's no Joy elsewhere What 's the joy of debaucht Jovialists but like the Crackling of Thorns a blaze and suddenly gone What 's the joy of Ambitious Men such as Haman's were but dasht upon a sudden When the King was Angry at him His Face was covered and he immediately was carried from a Banquet to a Gallows What became of the Joy of Belshazzar amidst his Dan. 5. 5. Quaffing and Carrowsing He was suddenly doomed to Judgment Laughter and Mirth are vanity and Joy and Rejoycing in the World are but that Laughter which is called Risus Sardonicus Tumultuosis varietatibus dilaniantur cogitationes meae intima viscera animae meae donec in te confluam purgatus liquidus igne amoris tui August Confes l. 11. c. 29. which endeth in Bitterness and Mourning Here then lieth our Duty To make God our Joy So did Nehemiah comfort the Jews in a time of Heaviness Nehem. 8. 10. The Joy of the Lord is your Strength Amidst variety of perplexing Thoughts Comforts from God refreshed David's Soul Psal 94. 19. Amidst the great decay and failing of Creature-Comforts there was still matter of joy and rejoycing in God Hab. 3. 17 18. If then we can amidst Sorrows and Troubles make God our Joy and Rejoycing if we can delight and comfort our selves in God's Consolations when all Worldly Consolations fail this evidently proves our Trust in and Dependance upon God Joy in God as Aaron's Rod swallowed up the Rods of the Egyptians swallâ—weth up Worldly Joys and Worldly Sorrows To rejoyce in Wife and Children Corn and Wine and Gold and Silver are uncertain Joys But Joy in God is an abiding Joy The greatest Worldly Joys may have their Changes Worldly Joys are fading and deceitful like the River Jordan that emptieth all its Sweetness into a stinking and sulphureous Lake But Heavenly Joys are lasting and bend not to a Declination Therefore it 's an excellent Expression of | Aug. Sol. c. 35. an Ancient Father speaking of this Joy O Gaudium supra Gaudium Gaudium vincens omne gaudium extra Verum gaudium non desinit nec in contrarium vertitur Sen. Epist 59. quod non est gaudium CHAP. XVII Containing the Fourth and last Use for Consolation THe Fourth and Last Use for a Conclusion Vse 4 fâ—r Consolation of this Treatise is for singular Consolation unto all true Believers who depend on God's All-Sufficiency and Faithfulness Their Benonies will prove their Benjamins Though they Sow in Tears they shall Reap in Joy Amidst their greatest Losses it 's a Ground of Singular Consolation unto them That God is able to give them much more c. And if God see it good for them he will give them much more and abundantly Recompence their Losses What Though they be tost up and down with Boisterous Waves yet they have a Rock to climb upon which David Prayed to be led into Psal 61. 2. When my Heart is overwhelmed lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. | Deduxisti me i. e. in temetipso quia es Dux meus tu es viator meus Quia factus es spes mea vox Ecclesia ad Christum q. d. Quo modo tu resurrexisti immortalis nos sic eredimus resurgâ—re Hieron The Psalmist disclaimes all other Rocks God is the only Rock and if we climb upon any other Rock that is not higher than our selves we shall non be safe What Though Enemies have great Wrath and Flourish yet the greatest of them have but a short time Rev. 12. 12. And notwithstanding Prosperity at present yet inevitable Destruction is the Portion of Prosperous wicked Men Psal 92. 7. What Though God respite the Deliverance of his People and Answer not speedily It is but to prepare them for the better Reception of Mercies to humble them prove and refine them And though Offences must of necessity come yet wo be to them by whom they come Let all that fear God make it their Study to give no just Offence neither by imprudent Words nor imprudent Actions The Wisdom of the Serpent is as needful as the Innocency of the Dove Neither let any Man limit the Holy One of Israel nor prescribe Times and Seasons to him Let 's rest contented and satisfied with all God's Dispensations If Poverty Prisons Disgrace Exile be allotted for us let 's justify God's Dealings in all and leave of Murmuring at and Censuring of Second Causes What said Job in Answer to his Wise Job 2. 10. Shall we receive Good at the Hand of God and shall not we receive Evil Hath not Christ foretold that in The World ye shall have Tribulation but he addeth a singular Word of Comfort in the same place 1 Thes 3. 3. viz. John 16. 33. Be of good Comfort I have overcome the World This is That we are appointed unto Let not any of God's Children be discouraged by their Sufferings provided that they Suffer for Righteousness Sake neither let them faint in the Day of Adversity For if thou faint in the Day of Adversity thy Strength is small Prov. 24. 10. There 's a Learned Author who hath Ascendisti in navem cum Christo quid expectabis sâ—renum Imo ventum procellas fluctus navem operientes ut mergi incipias sed hoc Baptismo Baptizandus prius es tum sequetur serenum Excitato implerato Christo qui saltem dormieâ— aliquando Melch. Adam in vita Hessi a Saying Thou hast Ascended with Christ into the Ship What wilt thou expect a Calm Nay rather Winds Storms and Waves over-whelming the Ship that it may begin to be Drowned But thou art First to be Baptized with this Baptism Christ being Awakened and Prayed unto who will sometimes Sleep Let not any ante-date Deliverances nor precipitantly Carve out Wayes of their own devising and Means according to their own Imaginations as if at such a Time and in such a Way they should be delivered from their Troubles Let 's Patiently and Believingly wait on that Promise 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations and to reserve the Unjust unto the Day of Judgment to be Punished But still let Christians remember Silently and Patiently to wait on God Both Primitive Martyrs and those of | See the large declaration of
the Word read nor from the Word preach'd Both are Instruments to get and increase Faith 3. Both to reading and hearing let 's 3. The Word Meditated joyn Meditation otherwise we may loose the fruit of our Labours Meditation is the Spiritual Digestion of the Soul It Psal 4. 4. â—uk 2. 19. Jâ—r 8. 6. consists in a Communing with our own Hearts a pondering a calling our selves to an account and asking the Question What have I done It 's a ruminating digesting a making what we hear or read our own by a particular application 'T is true the work is difficult it is as it were the climbing up a great Hill but it 's exceeding profitable and comfortable For this Meditation is a Divine Contemplation whereby we have a view and Prospect of Eternity It 's the Wing of the Soul by help whereof it soars aloft as high as Heaven Wherefore that we may profit by the Word read and by the Word preach'd we must exercise our selves seriously and frequently in this Divine art of Meditation This was the frequent practice of David Ps 63. 6. Ps 119. to Meditate on God in the night watch He both Meditated on the Word of God â—â—n the Works of God He awakened with God in the Morning and lay down with him in the Evening by heavenly meditation The Character he gives of a blessed Man is that his delight is in the Law of the Psal 1. 2. Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night This was Isaac's practice to meditate in the Field at the eventide Gen. 24. 63. He went out and sequestred himself from other Company that he might enjoy Communion with God This then is the choice and excellent means for Christians to thrive in Faith Love and all the Graces of the Spirit and to be good Proficients in the School of Christ when they addict themselves unto frequent and serious Meditation A Second External Means both of getting 2. Prayer is a means of getting encreasing Faith and encreasing Faith is Prayer Faith is worth the asking for Let 's then â—e earnest and sollicitous to the Throne oâ— Grace to obtain it Let 's pray with the Disciples Lord increase our Faith For he that hath true Faith is desirous of accessions thereunto He finds many things wanting in his Faith and therefore he prays for daily Supplies and Augmentations Let 's pray as the Man in the Gospel did Lord I believe help my unbelief There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 3. 10. may be the Root of the Matter even true Faith in a Christian yet he is sensible of his Unbelief He apprehends the remainders of Infidelity vexing him as a broken Bone he meets sometimes with Fears Doubtings and Perplexities distracting Thoughts but these things are his Burthen and a Perplexity upon his Spiritâ—â— Herein consists our Duty to be much iâ— Prayer that God would give us the Spiriâ—â— of Faith The Spirit is promised to thosâ— that ask for it And it 's the Spirit thaâ— works Faith in us and Prayer is an Instrumental means to get the Spirit God promiseth his Spirit Luke 11. 13. Mattâ— 7. 11. He promiseth to give good things tâ—â— them that ask him which evidently shewâ— that God by giving his Spirit gives aâ— good things Let 's then be quickned tâ— our Duty to pray in Faith and to pray for more Faith and then we shall be surâ— to speed Matth. 21. 22. And all thingâ— whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer believinâ— ye shall receive Go then to God and complain of thy unbelieving Heart mourâ— for it be earnest and importunate foâ— Faith As Rachel cryed out Give me Chiâ—dren or else I die so cry out Lord givâ— me Faith or else I am undone Loâ—â— strengthen my weak Faith quicken mâ— dull Faith thus making our applicatioâ— to God in the Name of Christ we shaâ— receive a gracious Answer 3. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper â— The Sacrament â—â— the Lord's Supper is a great means to confirm our Faith is a great means to confirm our Faith It 's to be necessarily presupposed that before we come to the Lord's Table we must have Faith otherwise we cannot discern the Lord's Body There is a great difference between the Word and the Lord's Supper For the Word both begets and encreaseth Faith but the Lord's Supper ordinarily encreaseth Faith where it was begun before The Sacrament is a Seal and God doth not set his Seal to a Blank An ignorant Person is as a Blank and he hath no right to approach unto the Lord's Supper An ignorant Person is more fit to go a gâ—azing with Nebuchadnezzar amongst the Beasts of the Field than to participate of the Sacramental Elements of Bread and Wine exhibiting Christ Sacramentally to the Faith of true Believers And profane Persons are uncircumcised in Heart No uncircumcised Person ought to participate of the Passover neither may the uncircumcised in Heart any debauch'd scandalous Liver presume to approach unto the Lord's Table There was but one Man who came without a wedding Garment and Christ found him out and doom'd him to Judgment Such then as walk in their Pollutions and with profane Hands and Hearts receive the Holy Eucharist expose themselves to dreadful Judgments both temporal and eternal 1 Cor. 11. 28. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation unto himself not discerning the Lord's Body It 's of absolute necessity that we should labour for Faith pray for Faith read the Word hear it preached and meditate on it that we may get Faith And upon survey of our Hearts and diligent Inquisition when we find our Faith weak and flagging we should adde more unto our Prayers and apply our selves to the sealing Ordinance of the Lord's Supper Sometimes we may not meet with God in the Word read our dulness may not apprehend the manifestation of God's gracious Countenance unto our Souls Therefore we must apply our selves to the Word preached It may be through our inadvertency and distractions we may not meet with God in the Word preached Let 's then fall upon our Knees in earnest Prayer It may be God may hide his Face from us Some Jonah we must cast over Ship-board and then there will be a Calm Some Achan must be ston'd and then the Valley of Achor will be a Door of Hos 2. 14. Hope And to hearing reading and praying let 's with preparation receive the Holy Sacrament Before we go thither let 's do as the Jews did in case of Leaven They first made diligent inquisition and took a Candle and searched every Corner throughout Having found Leaven they cast it out And iâ— they found none they took a voluntary curse upon themselves if willingly they left any Leaven in their Houses Let us go and do likewise Let us light up a double Candle viz. the Candle of the Word and the Candle of our own Consciences then upon discovery