labour to be for God every one of you in your places Oh lay out your selves with all your might to do something for God though the service you are to perform in your generation may be tedious may be laborious and toilesome to the flesh yet be willing to lay out your selves for God lay down strength for God and lay down life for God Why consider there is a long rest that is prepared for the people of God this is the day time and here you must work for God there shall come a time of rest yeâ— they shall rest in their grave there is sleeping time enough and they shall rest in Heaven and there they shall rest enough they shall rest for ever and for ever and therefore be content to do for God and lay down all your strength for God Oh there is a resting time a long resting time that is prepared for you I have glorifiâ—d thee on earth saith Christ to his Father and now Oh Father glorifie me in Hâ—aven labour every one of you in your places in your callings to exalt the name of God to glorifie God on earth I would not have you glorifie God that God may glorifie you that is not the end of your work but glorifie God because he will glorifie you because he hath declared that there is rest for you that are his people and there is an eternal rest in which he will glorifie you with himself Oh glorifie him therefore with your lives with your strength with your abilities with your parts with your riches with all you have glorifie God in your lives I shall conclude all with one word of Exhortation doth God rescue the lives of his servants in such a wonderful manner why let his servants for ever trust him as great mercies do call for great thankfulnes so they call for great faith in the Lord expect a great deal of future confidence in him when he hath declared his name to his people when he hath once made his goodness and mercy and power and faithfulness and truth to pass by before them in some special providence he expects then that they should trust him in the lowest condition in the faddest condition that you should take hold of him and live upon him he expects that you should reason upon former experiences and remember the years of the right hand of the most high remember such and such yeers when the right hand of the most High was declared when God wrought such works of deliverance such and such wonderful mercies the Lord expects that such kind of deliverances should be ingagements to trust in him to trust in him at all times Many times we will not beleeve unless we see signes and wonders and the Lord he is pleased to condescend to our weakness and Christ he shews us a Miracle yea he shews many wonderful works mercies and deliverances that he works for his people and now God he may wonder at the weakness of our faith if after all these wonders we shall distrust him See what the Psalmist saith in Psalm 96. 10. Be still and know that I am God why in all your afflictions in all your temptations in all your crosses in all sad conditions God would have you to be still and know that he is God and when ever we have received any special mercy from God we should urge this upon our owâ— souls if at any time we are ready to distrust God and repine at any of the dealings of God Oh my soul be still and know that God is Jehovah remember the years of his right hand remember what he did for such and such of his servants and for thee in such a condition how he made his power and mercy and truth and faithfulness to pass before thee and wilt thou again murmur and repine and distrust him Oh my soul be still and know that he is God know that he is Jehovah and that he gives existence to his promises know that he is as good as his word know that he is better then his word when ever any rebellious lust doth rise up in thy heart after we have received mercies which is a great ingagement yet still beat it back with this know that the Lord is Jehovah the Lord hath a mighty Arm and as he hath done so he will do and he will not leave his people the power and the goodness of the Lord it should sound in our ears when ever we are in any strait this is a glorifying of God for mercies received And Brethren upon all occasions Remember the years of the mercy of the most High See what the Psalmist saith with which I will conclude all Psal 62. 11. God hath spoken once twice have I heard this that power belongeth unto God God hath spoken how hath he spoken in some glorious deliverance he hath spoken in some great mercy for God speaks in his providence as well as in his words and when God speaks in his mercy he expects that we should hear him nay that we should not only hear him but that we should hear him often he expects that we should hear what should we hear we should hear this That power belongeth to God * When ever God worketh any glorious deliverance this should sound in our ears That power belongeth to God and mercy belongeth to God and loving kindness and free grace belong to God and so loving kindness it belongs to God The Attributes of God that do found in evâ—ry mercy in every deliverance and in some special mercies we should not hear it once but twice God spoke once and I heard it twice that is often 't is an allusion to an Eccho a man speaks sometime that it raises an Eccho and the words will be repeated again he shall hear it round about him the words sound again he speaks once and it sounds twice often so there is such a voice in many mercies many deliverances and many special providences they sound lovd as the Eccho of a man doth The Lord speaks once we should hear twice that power belongs to God Well remember that the Lord expects that thou should'st hear it often and when ever thou art brought into a low condition remember this what thou hearest in thy former low condition that power belongs to God and mercy belongs to God And thus should we trust the Lord in straites former mercies are ingagements for the future and this is part of the glory the Lord expects this is part of the In-come that he desires for mercy for deliverance poor creatures that have seen much in it they should never forget the loving kindness of God when they are in straits in great straits still to make use of former experiences and to remember the years of the right hand of the most High Thus you hear what improvement there should be of our afflictions THE Third Sermon On DAN III. XXV He answered and said Lo I see four men loose walking in the midst
danger eminent danger at such a time they were nigh to death and what great promises and what great purposes came into their hearts and mouths and yet notwithstanding all that God hath done for them they have turned again to folly nay sometime they have seen and tasted as it were of the power of the world to come that God hath convinced them many times of the excellency of the way and the necessity of walking with him and the happy condition of the Saints they it may be have had some tasts some drops to cool their tongue and though they have had that Miracle of Mercy yet notwithstanding their hearts have gone back again and they have not bin converted and perswaded to come to Christ after a hearty draught of his love and good ness which might abundantly satisfie them others that have seen even Miracles of judgment God many many times hath wrought strong conviction in their conscience they have been as it were for the present hung over the flames of Hell and great thoughts have been darted into their spirits convincing thoughts of the necessity of seeking after faith they have seen as it were the mighty consequence of the soul the mighty consequence of the things of Eternity and yet have worn out all hints that have been made upon conscience and soon returned to their former ways of folly to folly desperate madnes others taken up in vanity taken up in the world others taken up in their own righteousness and think themselves whole and need no Physician notwithstanding all these Miracles of judgment how many are there that have seen them and have felt them and have not been brought home savingly by them But you will say how come this to pass what cannot miracles of works bring home a soul to God what then what miracles I answer first of all God would have it so that he might put a great glory upon his word he will Reason 1 have it known what the word of the Lord is he will make known the power and efficacy of it his word is more dear to him then his work more then all his works of Creation of Providence or Miracles though all perish yet the word of the Lord that endures that abides God will put a great deal of glory upon his word and therefore he hath chosen his word rather then Miracles though men think Oh Miracles are glorious and surely if God shew miracles that will convert that will bring home the soul to God but Gods thoughts are not our thoughts his waies are not our waies he knows that miracles cannot do it therefore he hath chosen his word he will make that glorious in the Conversion of sinners for the most part God works by his word it is true the word it self neither cannot do it the word without the Spirit is a dead letter but God is pleased to send his spirit along with his word when hee intends this work the spirit of the Lord shall come with some word from heaven that shall be effectual to turn the heart of a sinner when Miracles of judgment or mercy cannot do it it seems a weak thing to men but the word of the Lord is mighty and powerful When God is intended to catch any soul to bring it home commonly this is his Net he takes his word and throws that over them and that shall catch them When he is intended to beat down strong holds mighty Towers of lusts sinful imaginations that do exalt themselves against Himself and his Son and his Gospel why God is pleased to use his word as the battery which will do this great and glorious work Secondly It comes to pass from the desperate Reason 2 hardness that is in mans heart that aversness that is in the soul naturally to God it is the hardest matter in the world to bring God and the soul together Oh what striving is there in the gracious heart before it is brought to God it flies off from God and the soul is forced to put Arguments upon himself it may be again and again Why art thou cast down Oh my soul why art thou disquieted why trust in God Why trust in God He repeets it again and again and all too little to trust in God and to have confidence in God but there is much more aversness in a natural mans heart to God there is an infinite distance there is a contrariety and 't is a hard matter to bring off a soul to close with God to submit to him the greatest Miracle in the world cannot do it why when there is much peace in Gods heart there is war in the sinners heart yea when there is peace in Gods mouth too there is war in the sinners mouth when God doth call upon them come and behold the face of my Son and behold the face of my righteousnes I give thee leave to look to either me so thou look to me through my Son yet still he will have his heart draw back and he wil look to God through his own righteousness that of a creature or else run away from God hide himself in his own shame and confusion and dare not come to God And truly 't is a very hard thing to overcome the heart in this cause to trust God to rely upon him the heart is fille'd with slâ—very and 't is a very hard matter to overcome that slavery that is in the heart I tell you Miracles will not do it though it should see never so many Miracles when it is in that condition Miracles would not overcome the heart to trust in God to beleeve in God Miracles they declare tâ—e power of God and the glory of God hold forth the beams of his Majesty ay but there must be a declaration of the love of God and the mercy or God in Christ there must be a discovery of this to the soul before he can come in and submit to God and trust in him before the slavery can be overcome that is in the heart I tell you you must have a word a sure word to go upon for the soul dare not go to God he looking upon himself as stubble and upon God as a consuming fire and still he keeps off from God and therefore nothing but the word of the Lord can perswade the heart to come in and to trust and Application of the Point rely upon God Now let us make some Application Is it so that the greatest Miracle cannot convert a soul to God Why then First of all take notice what a Miracle of iniquity Vse 1 of sin is in every mans heart a stâ—aâ—ge thing that the heart of a man should be so haâ—dned against God and his own good who would think it that there should be so much stoutness in such a poor thing as the heart of man so small a pâ—ece of flesh to be so stout and so hard against God that no sword should be able to pierce it it
thee I will make them to come and fall down and worship thee I will make them to acknowledge that God is with thee this is a promise that Christ hath given out and he will fulfil it to his Churches those that have kept the word of Christ those that are faithful to the truth of Christ to the ways of Christ in the worst times though they may suffer reproach for a time yet at last he wil make the very enemies to confess that he was with them That 's the second Demonstration Thirdly Therfore it is that God hath put so much power into his word to convince the men of the Demonst 3. world and to force them to make them acknowledge that the Lord is with his people and that he hath loved them and that he deals graciously with them I say for this end the Lord hath made his word powerful he hath made it sharper then a two edged sword that it shall serve not only for the conversion of some but for the conviction of many that are not really brought home to God The Gospel where it comes it shall lay chains upon men it shall lay a restraint upon men See what is spoken of the power of the word of God in the first Epistle of the Corinthians and the 14. 24. 25. verses But if all Prophecie and there come in one that beleeveth not or one unlearned he is convinced of all he is judged of all Verse 25. And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling down on his face he will he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth See the power that God hath put into his word for the convincing of the hearts of wicked men that God is in his word and that God is with his people the secrets of his heart shall be made manifest when he comes in he shall fall down on his face and say God is in you of a truth It may be before he came he had hard thoughts of the people of God it may be he was ready to say that folly was in them and madness was in them nay they were ready to say that the Devil was in them Ay but when his conscience lay before the word when he comes and sees your way when he hears that God speak in you such a power shall go along with the word that it shall lay chains upon him and it shall make him to fall down and say I was deceived I was wrong in that I did judge amiss of the people of God Now I see that God is in you of a truth Fourthly Therefore it is that when God hath dealt graciously with his people when he hath given out great mercies or great deliverances he hath ordered it so that their greatest enemies should be eye witnesses and sometimes Agents against their will in doing good to his servants you shall finde it so that when God hath so ordered to do great things for his people he hath made his peoples enemies to be great eye witnesses and ear witnesses You see here in the Text how God doth order the King Nebuchadnezzar that he should be present to see this Miracle that so a work of conviction should pass upon his conscience it is a wonder that the King should be present and would have thought it should not have stood with the State of the King to be with three poor Captives he might â—ave left them to his Officers but God did â—o order it that he should see that he should be present and therefore in the 6. of Dan. There you may see the Lord made him to be an eye-witness After Daniâ—l was câ—st into the Lions Den he could not sleep nor râ—st that night and he rose betimes in the morning to see the Miracle to see the wondrous deliverance that God wroâ—ght for his Servants Yea God makes his peoples enemies to be Agents sometimes in doing good to his Servants though agaiâ—st their wills that so he might convince them and exâ—ort confession from them that he is with his people In the promotion of Mordecai which you read in the 6 oâ— â—stâ—er God did order it so that the King did command that Haman Mordecais great enemy should be an Agent in his promotion He was Arrayed by Haman with Royal Apparrel Hâ—man was one that sought Mordicais life and God orders it that this man Haman should be an Agent in his promotion that hâ— should Array him that he should lead his Horse and he should cry Thus shaâ—l it bâ— done to the man whom the Kâ—ng will dâ—light to honour Fiftly Therefore it is that God many times Demonst 5 works deliverance for his peoâ—le because he God works for his people in such away that Enemies mustt needs confes that Goâ— is with his people works it in such a manner and in such a way as must needs leave convâ—ction upon the hearts of the men of the world if they be not given up to that fearful judgment of hardness of heart I say if they be not given up to hardness of heart God works in such a way that they must needs confess â—hat God is with his people First The Lord he works freely for his people he works freely for his name sake when there is nothing at all in them that might deserve the least mercy God many times gives out great mercies when they can apprehend nothing in themselves Nay when the men of the world of look upon them and see nothing in them they themselves through their grace and humility see nothing in themselves and the men of the world see nothing in them why God should do them good yet the Lord then many times he gives out great mercies and works great deliverances for his people Secondly As God works freely so he works unrxâ—ectedly and this helps to work conviction in mens hearts when God works unexpectedly for his servants when he gives out mercies contrary to expectation when enemies conclude Oh they are brought down into such a condition that it is impossible that ever they should be brought up yet the Lord he works unexpectedly that so he might work conviction in mens hearts See that fourth of Micah you shall see how God works contrary to mens thoughts Verse 11. Now also many Nations are gathered against thee that say let her be defiled and let our eye look upon Sion Vers 12. But they know not the thoughts of the Lord neither understand they ais Counsel for he shall gather them as the sheaves into his floor And v. 13. Arise c. When they say let her be defiled and let our eyes look upon Sion Why she is utterly undone she is brought down she is destroyed she lay in her blood she lay in her heaps she lay in her ruins why you are deceived say's God I will work unexpectedly above your thoughts you know not the thoughts of the Lord you say let your eye look upon Sion
Jonathans son took him and set him at his Table so doth Jesus Christ deal he remembers the kindness of his Father the kindness the Father shewed him in his low condition says he is there none of the seed of God are there none of the children of the most high that I may shew kindness to for the fathers sake Because he shewed kindness to me in my low condition and though he can hear of none but poor lame Mephibosheth yet he shews kindness to them takes them into communion with himself sets them at Table with him and in the midst of their low conditions will afford his presence because his Father their Father did not leave him alone when he was in low conditions Again The Lord Jesus he is bound unto this by many ingagements I say he is bound to be present with his people in low conditions He is bound by his Word by his Promise by the Law of love that is in his heart All my delight is in the Saints and those that be excellent it is a second Heaven to him next to the presence of the Father he delights to be in the presence of his Saints and therefore because he delights in them he will be present with them though they be in the prison in chains and fetters though they be in the fiery Furnace yet it is a Heaven unto Christ to be with them for all his delight is in his Saints He is bound also by the Law of friendship to be with them in low conditions a friend is tryed in adversity it was a reproof to Hushai when he left David in straits and therefore says Absolom is this thy kindness to thy friend that thou wouldst not go along with thy friend It shall never be said so of the Lord Jesus it shall never be said of him Why didst thou not go along with thy friend for he will go along with his friend in the greatest adversity he will not leave them but afford them his presence Again He is bound because his work is in hand A Physician is bound to look after his Patient because he hath given him a Purge And so the The Lord Jesus is bound to look after his Patient when he hath given him a Purge Gold-Smith is bound to look after his Gold when he hath put it into the Furnace And so the Lord Jesus is bound to look after his Gold when 't is in the Furnace of affliction But I come to the Application First of all for Instruction This lets us see the wonderful unparalel love of Jâ—sus Christ I beseech Vse you take notice of it and get your hearts affected with it here is such love as creatures cannot shew a friend that will never leave one a friend that will always afford his presence in the greatest straits afford his presence that 's a friend indeed a man may be brought into such conditions as all his friends may forsake him all men upon earth may leave him David was left of his best friends Father and Mother forsook him and Jesus Christ was left of his best frsends they all forsook him and fled and truly this may be the condition of any man upon earth cast out and forsaken of friends of most friends of best friends will a friend venture his own life for a friend will a man keep his friend when some deadly infectious disease is upon him when he hath a plagâ—e sore upon him will he â—hen lye down in the bosome of his friend when a man is condemned to the flames of fire when a man is cast into the fire will a friend follow him into that condition Truly such friends you will hardly finde upon earth but this is the friendship of Jesus Christ to his people when he first lookt upon them he saw how many plague sores infectious diseases were upon them and yet that could not hinder him from drawing nigh and affording his presence and from working mightily by his spirit upon their hearts Nay when they are brought to fiery tryals to great afflictions yet even then he will not leave them and he will not forsake them and this makes the love of Christ the more remarkable that he should thus condescend when he was at the highest for he is now advanced above the Heavens he sits down at the right hand of the Father he is at the highest condition and yet he is pleased to condescend to the lowest condition he is pleased to come down when they are in the depths in the greatest straits that possibly can be what love was that the Spouse speaks of in the 5. of Canticles and the last verse she speaks a great deal of the beauty of Christ and in the last words she makes her boast of her Beloved This is my Beloved and this is my Friend Oh Daughters of Jerusalem I will compare with you all I will compare my friend to all the friends in the world This is my Belovâ—d and this is my friend she compares him for for his beauty and so you may compare him for his love you may make your boast of the Lord Jesus you may say This is my Beloved and this is my friend Secondly What a strong Motive may this Doctrine be unto such as are strangers unto Jesus Vse Christ to come in and submit unto him What glorious Benefits may you be partakers of What a desireable thing is it to have such a friend as Christ is which will be present with his friends in their lowest conditions Oh that every man would set down and consider that which Solomon speaks of to remember the days of darknesse which will be many many days of darknesse may come upon the earth what a favour will it be to have a friend in the darknesse a friend that will stick by thee when thou art in the dark a friend that thou mayst take hold of his skirts when thou art in the dark Entry a friend that will hold thee fast when thou art in the dark such a friend is Jesus Christ to all that do embrace him Oh what a favour what a mercy will it be to have a friend stand by thee that is both able and willing to help thee when all Creature-comforts shall fail when the very strength of body shall fail to have a friend stand by to help and succour and truly such a friend is the Lord Jesus what saith the Psalmist in the 73. Psalm vers 26. My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever heart and flesh fail and then there is a strength above nature the Lord then is the strength of my heart and of my flesh and blood What a mercy will it be to have one stand by you when you go through the valley of the shadow of death a friend then to comfort a friend then to uphold such a friend is the Lord to his people David was confident of this therefore you see how his
where I was saith he whether I was in the body or was taken out of the body I cannot test the Lord he knows and therefore still I say there is no cause why any of Gods people should inordinately fear affliction seeing you may meet with the presence of Christ in that condition and the presence of Jesus Christ will countervail the loss of all Creature comforts and the sweetness of it will be equivalent to the bitterness of it let thy condition be never so low That 's the third Use Fourthly Let the people of God expect the presence of Christ in their affliction in their low condition seeing Christ hath promised his presence do you expect his presence look for his presence Oh that we might labour to improve our affliction for this end that we may meet with more of Christ that we may enjoy more of the presence of Christ in our affliction truly there is a great deal lost Gods people loose abundance of sweetness which they might enjoy both in Ordinances and in afflâ—ction if their hearts were raised up to look for the performance of that which Christ hath promised if we would believe that Jesus Christ will be as good as his word did our souls expect the fuâ—lfilling of this word that â—e shall see the presence of Christ in affliction why then should we be so loth to suffer for Christ and be unwilling to submit to low conditâ—ons seeing it is the will of God that we should suffer Therefore I beseech you you that are the people of God get your hearts enlarged in affliction that so you may get above your â—ffliction if that you shall certainly meet with the presence of Jesus Christ in your afflicted conditions he hath spoken it he hath given out the word and therefore he will fulfill it what confidence had the people of God in their affliction when they remembred this I will fear none ill though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death And see what David saith in the 27. Psalm the beginning of it The Lord is my light and my salvation whom should I fear the Lord is the strength of my liâ—e of whom should I be afraid I cannot tell who the enemy is who is it he looks and he fiâ—des none in all the world whom should I fear and be afraid of so long as the Lord is with me I see no such enemy and therefore I beseech you that you would look after the presence of Christ expect the presence of Christ in all your afflictions that you meet with Object But you will say I have no such word as David had David might well belâ—eve that the Lord would uphold him for David had a particular word God spake to David he â—ware to David He swore by his Holiness that he would not fail David and so others of the Sainâ—s they had a particular word the Lord spake to Joshua Fear not I will not leave thee be couragious but we have no such word and therefore how should we expect to meet with Christ in afflicted conditions Answ I Answer first of all Though God does not speak now from Heaven by Visions he doth not reveal himself by Vrim and Thuâ—mim as unto David yet we have a larger word then David had and Joshuah had the Scripture is larger now we have abundance of the word there was but little of the Scripture writ in Daâ—ids time and less in Joshuahs time there was none of the written word but only the Book of Moses but now we have the word of God compleat we have a sure word a large word and 't is full of gracious invitations and incouragements and therefore the Saints now may be incouraged as well as they to whom God spake Secondly Yea Secondly I say God hath sent forth more of his spirit now in a Gospel way in a way of Gospel dispensation there is a great deal more of the Spirit of Christ poured out Now 't is the work of the Spirit the Office of the Spirit to particularize those promises to the soul to take thâ— promises and bring them home to this and that particular soul Now where the Spirit of God comes â—â— comes with evidence and he brings home the word of grace to thâ— soul that the soul cannot gainsay it nor resist it Object But you will say How shall I know 't is the Spirit of God that doth speak to me Answ I Answer The Spirit of God always speaks according to the word of God I say it speaks according to the written word that is given to us it speaks according to the word of grace for the spirit and the word do bear mutual testimony one of another But I Answer 'T is in the power of the Spirit to resolve the soul the Lord Jesus sends forth the Spirit with so much evidence â—s to convince the heart that it is the spirit that speaks the Lord Jesus he is able to perswade the soul that it is not a delusion but speaking according to the word of grace it is indeed the voice of the Father the voice of the Spirit that speaks Objct. But you will object further If the Lord Jesus be present with mâ— according to his promise if the Lord were present with me in affliction why how is it possible that it should be thus with me as it is How is it possible that there should be so much deadness and so much of the world and unbelief Surèly the presence of Christ is not with me in my affliction Answ I Answer to such a poor soul that looks after the presence of Christ and fain would enjoy the presence of Christ but cannot see him in affliction I say first of all Undoubtedly there is the presence of Christ with thee and thou canst not but thou mayst see something if unthankfulnesse doth not lye before thine eyes he is there the Lord Jesus is there and he will make good his word certainly if he hath promised to be with his people in afflicted conditions he will make good his word anâ— he is with thee at the door though he may be behind the Curtain and undoubtedly he is not far as I said before Joseph was with his Brethren when they did not know him and so the Lord Jesus is present with his people and they do not see him he doth feed them support them and maintain their lives and they not know it Secondly Yea I say secondly That if thou dost not see more of the presence of Christ the fault is in thee 't is not in the Lord not in the word of the Lord he is present according to the word that he hath spoke and therefore Christ may be present and thou seest him not because through negligence thou dost not stir up thy self to take hold of him thou givest way to a slothful spirit and so thou dost not stir up thy self to take hold of him or else thou dost not exercise faith in thy afflicted
Lord hath put it into your hand and therefore now seek after an interest in Christ with all your might To you that have an interest in Christ I shall say no more but what I said before I laid you your work before you get more acquaintance with God get your hearts established upon the truth of the promises that you may not be left at uncertainties and lift up God in your generations and get your hearts made sensible of your frailty to dye daily to wait upon God with all your might in Ordinances to get your hearts subdued and your corruptions mortified This is your work and Oh that the Lord would help you to do it with all your might To you that are the Fathers of the City I have one word to you from the Father of Heaven Oh that the Lord would make you willing to receive it and to do it with all your might There is something that is your work that the Lord requires you should do with all your might I shall but briefly give you a few hints and shal leave it to the blessing of the Lord. First of all There is a work of Judgment and Justice that the Lord hath put into your hands I say the first work that God hath put into your hands it is a work of Justice to punish sin to punish sin is the work that is in your hand to do to puâ—ish the breaches of the moral Law and the contempts thereof that Law of nature which is written in the heart of all men the Lord hath put it into your hand to punish the breach of this Law What ever your hand finds to do in this case I beseech you do it faithfully do it with your might God requires it of you that you should do it with your might yea let your hand find out sinners let your hand do this work of the Lord to punish the drunkards and the swearers and the prophane persons the deceiver the lyar and the stealer and all other workers of iniquity here is no fear of smiting Christ smite here and spare not where there is no danger of smiting Christ smite on and spare not do it with all your might the Lord lays it before you as your duty Secondly There is a work of Righteousness and Equity that the Lord puts into your hands to do and Oh that you would do this also with all your might to judge betwixt man and man do it faithfully to accept no mans person to know no friend in the matter of Justice but to decide every mans cause with wisedom and with faithfulnesse and with sincerity not to know Father nor Brother nor Son nor Daughter as Levi did not in the cause of God That so Justice and Righteousness may run down as a mighty stream That there may be no oppression that there may be no complaining in our streets This is the second work that the Lord puts into your hand And Oh that you would do it with your might The third work is a work of Mercy There is a work of mercy the Lord puts into your hands to relieve the poor and the needy and the fatherless to take care that the poor be provided for that they may have work that they may have employment and that they may have maintenance this is a work of mercy that the Lord puts into your hands to do Oh it is one of the crying sins of England it is the sin of the whole Land and Oh that it were not the sin of this City that the poor are not yet imployed and provided for that God would put it into your hearts to do it Oh that some blessed hand might find out this way to employ the poor this would be an acceptable work of mercy Know that the Lord hath given you something for the poor though I think every man hath a propriety in his estate yet I also think that God hath given every man something for the poor and truly before God the poor hath a right in it though not to take yet it is your duty to give and to provide for them And I fear if this work do not go through the whole land that there be not some provision made for the work of the poor and for the relief of the poor That God will level this Land and that God will bring down all the pomp and pride and stain the glory of all flesh in it this is a work of mercy There is a fourth work and that is a work of Piety that God puts into your hand to seek the good of poor souls to provide that all that are under your power in this City may be instructed in the knowledg of the Lord Jesus to send into the dark corners the Suburbs of this City and not only to confine men to the heart of the City but send to them that will not come out for it The Lord Jesus came to seek as well as to save and therefore send forth to seek them they know not what they do in rejecting the means of life But Oh send to seek them and instruct them in the knowledge of the Lord that they may not perish for want of provision And what though my Fathers and Brethren every man cannot see his way clear to take a Pastoral charge of such a people where he knows there is but little of Christ yet if he do the work what though he do it not under that notion If he preach Christ to them if he bleed for them If his desires be to instruct them and be willing to instruct them in publique and private and to pray for them that the Lord would give them repentance and bring them into the number of Christs Sheep-fold I say if this work be done what though it be not done under that notion why should the work of the Gospel be hindred If in all other things men be conscientious and able and fit to teach and instruct the people in the knowledg of Jesus Christ this will be a work of Piety to send into the dark corners of the City that there may be no place in which the word of the Lord shall not be heard There is a work of Love to Christ and of wisedome to your selves and I will name no more I commend this to you as the last And Oh that your hand would finde to do it a work of love to Christ and of wisedom to your selves And that is to protect the Saints and those that have an interest in Christ and desire to walk unblamably before you if they be such as walk according to the Law of God and not disobey the Law of Magistracy it is the work of the Magistrates to protect them The Magistrate is set up to be a praise to them that do well What though they may differ from you in particular opinions I am pâ—rswaded it will not excuse before Christ not to have protected them If you be convinced that they are
evils of their lives 53 3. For the prolonging of their lives amplified in three particulars 54 55 4. For spiritual Mercies 57 Quest When mercies received may be helps to trust God for the future shewed in six particulars 58 Quest How to improve mercies so as to strengthen faith for the future in two particulars 62 Two things premised and two Cautions how to rest on former experiences 63 The fourth Sermon Wherein is shewed who it was that bare witness to this Miracle viz. Nebuchadnezar And a Question propounded whether he was hereby truly converted Arguments for the Affirmative given by some p. 73. And determined in the Negative 74 Doct. 2. That it is not in the power of greatest Miracles to convert a soul to God unless the spirit of Christ step in 75 This is cleered by Scripture-examples ibid. By Scripture testimony 76 And by experiences in our own times 78 First Ground of the Point To put the greater glory on the word 80 2. From the desperate hardness of mans heart 81 Use 1. Take notice what a Miracle of iniquity there is in mans nature 82 Use 2. What a Miracle it is that any soul is converted 83 A three-fold Miracle is shewed in the conversion of every sinner Of Wisedom Of Power Of Mercy 84 Use 3. Bless God for his word and look to it more then to Miracles 87 The fift Sermon Doct. 3. God many times makes his peoples enemies to acknowledg and confess that the Lord is with them and that he hath dealt graciously with them 92 The Point cleared by five Demonstrations 1. Christ put up a petition to his father for it 94 2. Christ hath promised it to his people 95 3. God hath put a power into his Word to convince enemies though it convert them not 96 4. God makes enemies oft to be the eye and ear witnesses of his peoples mercies and Agents therein 97 5. God works for his people in such away that enemies are forced to acknowledg the same so freely unexpectedly suddenly solitarily 98 Two Reasons why God will make enemies to acknowledg this truth 101 Use 1. A ground of Patience and encouragement to the Saints in tribulation 103 Use 2. Let not wicked men look with delight on the miseries of the Saints 104 Use 3. Let the people of God acknowledg this as a very great mercy ib. Use 4. Let the people of God much more acknowledg the gracious dealing of God toward them 105 The sixt Sermon Doct. 4. That all the persecutions which the Devil or his Instruments raise against the Saints shall not diminish their number but rather increase them 111 The point evidenced by manifold examples out of the history of the Church in all ages 112 The first Reason God delights to walk contrary unto men 115 2. Reason The Lord Jesus is a mighty King and will improve his power for the Saints ibid. 3. Reason From the impotency of enemies to hinder Christs Kingdom 116 Use 1. To let us see the vanity of all attempts of men against the truth and people of Christ with an item to the Powers of the world concerning it ibid Use 2. To give a ground of patience and comfort to the Saints against opposition of men 119 Doct. 5. That the Lord Jesus Christ is never nigher to his people then when they are in great afflictions in fiery tryals 121 Some instances given to prove it ibid Quest What presence of Christ the Saints may expect in their tryals 121 1. His supporting presence 2. His enlightening and teaching presence 3. His sanctifying presence 4. His quickning presence 5. His comforting presence A warning to the Saints to improve this Doctrine they not knowing what tryals the Lord may ere long bring them into 126 The further handling of this Point is in the eighth Sermon The seventh Sermon Wherein is considered the restraint the Lord layd upon the fire it could not hurt them only loosed their bonds whence note Doct. 6. At the command of the Lord the fiercest of Creatures shall not only not hurt his people but shall take part with them and do them good 130 Two Branches of the Point 1. They shall not hurt them 2. They must do them good both illustrated from Scripture instances 131 132 1. Reason The Creatures are Gods Host they go along with him where he is a friend they are friends 134 2. Reas From the Covenant and League made with the Creatures which hath two Branches 1. To do no hurt 2. To take part and do good 137 3. Reas God hath a special providence over his people 139 4. Reas The Creatures are all reconciled in Jesus Christ 140 Use 1. Take notice of the mighty power of the Lord what a great King he is that hath all Creatures at his command ibid. Use 2. What a shame to man that he should not be at the command of God 141 Vse 3. A strong Motive to those that be strangers to God to come in and submit to him till then they are lyable to be harmed by the Creatures 142 Use 4. It is not in tho Creatures power to do good without God 143 Use 5. Comfort to the people of God and encouragement to their faith 145 The eighth Sermon Wherein the fifth Doctrine is further handled Concerning the presence of the Lord Jesus with his people in afflictions 150 1 Reason The Lord Jesus knows they have most need of his presence then 1. Because of the weakness of the flesh 152 2. Because of the strength of Temptations 154 2. Reason The Lord Jesus remembers his Fathers kindness to him in being near to him in his afflictions 155 3. Reas Christ remembers his engagement to his people 158 1. By promise 2. By a Law of Love written within him 3. By the Law of friendship 4. That he may see to his work he is doing upon his people by afflictions Quest By what way doth Christ communicate so much of himself to his people in affliction 161 c. Answ 1. He raises up his peoples faith to an high pitch 2. He pours upon them the Spirit of Supplication 3. He draws the hearts of his people nigher to him 4. He manifests much of himself by his word which he sends with affliction Objections Answered of such as complain they have found little of Christ in their Afflictions 164. The ninth Sermon Use 1. To shew the unparrallell'd love of Jesus Christ who will never forsake his in afflictions no friend on earth like him 173 Use 2. To draw in those that be strangers to Christ to submit to him and get interest in him that they may have a friend in an evil day 174 Use 3. There is not so much evil in affliction then as men apprehend 176 Two things may make the people of God not to fear afflictions 176 1. Because they shall certainly injoy the presence of Christ in affliction 177 2. The presence of Christ will countervail the bitterness of affliction 180 Use 4. Let
of the righteous in the Psalm 126. v. 2. you may see there God he made the very Heathen to confess that God was with his people and that he had done great things for them Then said they among the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them The Lord hath done great things for them Thirdly God brings glory to his Name by such kinde of Deliverances for he makes it appear that he hath the sole prerogative over the times of men and over the lives of men he will make it appear that the times of his creatures are in his hand and not in their own hand and not in the hand of enemies Above all things in the world God is said to keep this in his hand the times of men and the lives of men See what Daniâ—l says to Nebuchadnezzar in Dan. 5. 23. And the God in whose hand thy breath is and whose are all thy ways hast thou not glorified See here the breath that is in mans Nostrils it is in Gods hand and he can withdraw it when he please thy breath 't is in his hand and he will dispose of it he keeps it in his hand and he will not give it out of his hand and therefore when any life is communicated to any creature 't is given him of God Iob he will acknowledg this that his life was given out by way of favour and free grace Iob 10. 12. Thou hast granted me life and favour See here he doth acknowledge it that the giving out of his life 't is Gods prerogative 'T is granted of God Princes they grant such and such a favour so life and favour is granted of God He will keep it in his own hand He will not make any Lease and Tearm to any man living they shall have it from Moment to Moment the creatures shall have their lives from Moment to Moment but for any tearm God will not that shall be at his own disposiâ—g and therefore the Lord hath exercised wrath and anger when the creature hath gone about to make this their prerogative to promise life to themselves and grant life to themselves You know what is said of the fool in the Gospel when he had been very prodigal he would make many promises to himself Soul saith he thou hast goods laid up for many years why how doth God take this why he is called fool for his labour he reckons without the Landford and therefore God he comes and turns him out of his Farm Thou fool saith God thâ—â— night shall thy soul be taken from thee 't is Gods only prerogative he makes it appear so the giving out of life is in his hand and therefore it is said in the Scripture that the Issues from death belong to God See that place in the 68. Psal v. 20. T is our God that is the God of salvation and unto the Lord belongeth Issues from death Issue that is the way that God leads to death and from death The Door the Gates of death both to and fro they belong to God to the Son of God he keepeth the door Behold saith he I have the keys of Hell and death so that the Issues to death belong to him He shuts the door when he pleaseth and the Issues of death belong to him he opens the door when he pleaseth Sometime a man hath this conceit of himself well I am brought lower and weaker wasted and decayed in my strength and in my body but there is such a means as will surely help me such a Friend such a Physician they will certainly help me if it were not for them I should despair there is my hope why you are deceived saith God I will have you know that I keep thee door of life and the Issues of life belong to me if God shut the door of life man cannot get back again notwithstanding all his friends Again sometime a man is brought low that friends give him over and then we say he is gone all means are used and none effectual and we say surely there is no hope for him to come back again You are mistaken saith God I will have you to know that the Issues of life come from me and I will open a door for life and say life come back again and thus God makes it appear that the Issues of life belong to him and that is for his glory That is the first ground of the Point Secondly God doth work such Deliverance Second Ground of the Point for his Servants that so he may afford great matter of rejoicing both to themselves and to others I say that he may afford great matters of rejoycing great Mercies and great Deliverances they commonly bring along with them great joy 't is not only a Mercy but a Duty great Mercies call for great joy See it was their duty in Psal 126. 1 2 3. When the Lord turned again the Captivity of Sion we were like them that dreamed them was our mouth filled with laughter and our Tongue with singing Then said they among the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them the Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad or rejoyce The Spirit of joy 't is the life of Heaven 't is the inheritance that the Saints shall have there Wâ—ll done good and faithful servant enter into thy Mâ—sters joy Now God whilest they are upon earth he will cause part of that joy to enter into them that they shall have some of that joy now have a little taste of the joy of Heaven whilest they are here upon earth therefore God he will will work such deliverance for his people that they may see much of the glory of God in the Mercy much of the glory of God in the Deliverance that so they may have their hearts lift up to rejoyce in God Yea Again God will have others to rejoice with them and therefore some Mercies are spreading Mercies such a Mercy as God gave to Saraâ— See Gen 21. 6. And Sarah said God hath made me to laugh so that all that hear will laugh with me her own â—ffection was too narrow to rejoyce in the goodness of God and therefore I saâ— God many times he gives out such Mercies such Deliveranceâ— that they shall be spreading Mercies the joy and the sweetness of them shall spread abroad and his people shall say we rejoyce in the goodness of tâ—e Lord and all the people that fear his Name shall rejoyce with us That 's the second Ground Thirdly God he works â—uch Deliverances for his people that so he might strengthen their confidence Thirâ— Ground of the Point for the future that he might encourage their hearts and the hearts of many that trust in the Lord that whensoever they are brought down into low conditions they might look back and see what God did sometime for them See what the Psalmist saith in Psalm 77. see what a help this was when he was in a low condition the 77.
so much of God as should draw forth your hearts for ever in all conditions to put your trust in God Now know that the outward mercies were given for this end It is one end I say wherefore God gives mercie that so he might ingage his people for the future to trust in him it would be a great discredit to God if his people after all experiences he hath given them shall not trust in him for the future and there is nothing that doth provoke God more then this If Israel after all the experiences that God hath given them after all the wonders they had seen in the Land of Aegypt and in the red Sea and after all this shall distrust God through unbelief God does look upon it as a great provocation See what God says in Ps 78. about the 19 20 verses 't is said in v. 18 That they tempted God yea they spake against God in the 19. vers They said can God furnish a Table in the wilderness behold he smote the Rock and the water gushed out and the streams overflowed can he give bread also can he provide flesh for his people Now 't is said in the next verse therefore was the anger of the Lord kindled against them therefore was the anger of the Lord kindled because they had seen his wonders at the red Sea and his wonders at the Rock yet they distrusted him can God prepare a Table in the wilderness this was a limiting of God and this their unbelief it cost them dear Therefore the Lord sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest Object But you will say Whether can any mercies or deâ—iverances that a man hath received be any help unto him for the future Answ I answer they may and I will shew you when When mercies received or deliverances How mercies may be helps to the soul for the future are helps unto the soul concerning his confidence and trusting in the Lord for the future First of all when the soul is careful to lay up the experiences of mercy when a man is careful to remember the goodness of God a man may receive a thousand mercies a thousand deliverances such as he might make experience of for his own benefit and for the help of others and yet be never the beter I say if they be not carefully laid up if they be not carefully treasured up a man looseth all the sweetness of them for there are two things that God doth intend in every mercy First of all There is present comfort and refreshment that he presently gives out and then there is something in the mercy to be laid up for the future there is something in every mercy that God would have his people lay up something that will stand them in stead another day now when a man does not remember the mercy that the Lord dispenceth to him though he may take some comfort in them yet he looseth the greater comfort of them that which he should lay hold on is the fruit of experience or else all the mercy is lost Secondly Mercies become helpful when as the soul can see the love of God in the present â—â—rcy when the soul sees the love of God in every present mercy this puts life into the mercy when the soul receives mercy and doth not eye love in it that mercy it proves a dead mercy or if there be any sence it will not last long because there was not special love seen in it Now when the soul can eye the love of God in the mercy then is the heart affected with the mercy and then is the sence of the mercy most like to be continued When a man can look at every mercy as the off spring of love he will be careful to nourish the sence the remembrance of that mercy one mercy that the soul can see love in is more dear more precious then many mercies See it in Hezekiah he saw special love of God to him in that mercy Is 38. part v. 17. But thou hast in love to my soul delivâ—red it from the pit of corrupâ—ion for thou hast cast all my siâ—s behind thy back Hezekiah was taken with the mercy why because he saw the love of God in the mercy Thou in love to my soul hast doâ— it and therefore he set a high price upon the mercy Those fifteen yeers that God added to his life was more then all his life before because he saw a special hand of God here and he saw the love of God here and therefore this was a long-lived mercy it was remembred it continued it remained in Hezekiahs heart so long as Hâ—zekâ—ah lived Thirdly Again Thirdly present mercies bâ—come helpful to the soul for the future when as the heart is fully convinced of the unchangeableness of the love of God to his people When he is fully perswaded of this truth That where God loves he loves to the end and where he begins in a way of mercy he goes on in a way of mercy he goes all aâ—â—ng in free grace saith the Psalmist All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth unto his people When a soul is once convinced this will help much to turn mercies into experiences and therefore that Doctrine which doth teach falling away from grace that a man may be beloved to day and cast off to morrow 'T is a most uncomfortable Doctrine and 't is impossible then that a man should make any experience at all of the mercies that he hath received If God be changable in his love if he cast off his people that he hath received in his free grace why then though a man hath never so much of God to day and know never so much and have never so much of the presence of God in the mercy he can have no experience and therefore that which concerns the soul it is to be grounded in the unchangeableness of Gods love to his people Fourthly Again Fourthly A man may make use of present mercies to be helpful for the future if he be careful to keep faith in action if he be careful to keep faith upon the wings To act faith in every condition upon the free grace of God and the mighty Righteousness of Jesus Christ it is faith that puts a lustre upon all mercies and if faith be down a man cannot see the goodness of God in any mercy that he hath received if saith be dead then the sense of the mercy is lost precious mercies they become useless they are as a treasure locked up that a man cannot come by to make use of a treasure buried in the earth that will do a man little good and therefore it concerns the people of God to keep faith upon the wings act faith and keep that fresh and lively and then all mercies and all deliverances that you have received they will be fresh in your eye for faith puts a varnish upon the mercy and though they be old yet
there was not a thorow work of grace at this time wrought upon his heart Many works he did but yet they seem to be effects of a temporary faith Nebuchadnezzer notwithstanding all this he fell back again to his old way of supposition for in the fourth Chapter you shall read there of his Superstitious ways He dreams a Dream and he fends for the Sorcerers to tell his dream and he would have cut them off because they could not tell him his dream and reveal it to him which belongs to God to reveal secrets So that though great conviction I say post upon him which did rise from the present sight of the Miracle that was wrought yet Nebuchadnezzer at that time he was noâ— truly brought home to God So then we may observe this Proposition of Doctrine The second Proposition of Doctrine That it is not in the power of the greatest Miracles to convert a soul to God unless the Spirit of Jesus Christ step in I say it is not in the power of the greatest Miracle to convert a Soul to God Neither Miracles of Judgment nor Miracles of Mercy will do it Pharaoh King of the Aegyptians Instances to clear it he saw as many Miracles of judgment as one would have thought would have broken the most stoniest heart and made the most obstinat wretch to submit to God and yet notwithstanding Pharâ—ohs heart was not softened but hardned And all those Miraculous works of Judgment they made him harder The people of Israel they saw Miracles both of judgment and mercy and yet for the most part they were secure hard hearted unbelieving people they were a burden to God and a provocation to his Spirit All the time they were in the Wilderness what Miracles of judgmement did they see God smote some of them with fire from Heaven and consumed them God smote Miriam with Leprosie in the 12. of Numbers for her murmuring And the Lord consumed Corah Dathan and Abiram in Numbers 16. they were consumed and yet the people rebelled against God he sent fiery Serpents amongst them in the 21. of Numbers another Miracle of judgment and yet notwithstanding for all that they rebelled against the Lord They saw Miracles of Mercy also What wondrous works did God do for them in the Land of Aegypt What wonders at the red Sea in dividing the waters and made a path of life and death to go through life to the Israelites and death to the Aegyptians they saw his wonders in the Wilderness God led them in the day time by a pillar of light and in the night time by a pillar of fire He rained Manna from Heaven they eat Angels food he gave them water out of the Rock Moses smote the Rock and the water came out He rained feathered foul into their Camp that they all eat and wâ—re full And many other Miracles of Mercy they saw many Mercies which are expressed in the 78. Psalm but notwithstanding for all this you may see what this people was at the 8. verse of the 78. Psalm A stuborn and rebellious generation a generation that sets not their hearts aright and whose spirit was not stedfast with God This is the description that is given of their fore-Fathers They were a stubborn generaâ—ion rebellious a generation that set not their hearts aright and whose spirit was not stedfast with God Secondly As we have instances to prove it so we have the word of Christ to prove it to make it evident that it is not in the greatest Miracles of the world to convert a soul to God See what our Saviour saith in that 16. of Luke and the 31. 'T is the word of Abraham in the Parable he said unto them if you hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will you be perswaded though one rose from the dead The rich man in Hell he desires that one may be sent from the dead to give them warning why Abraham tells them they have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them and if they hear not Moses the Prophets nâ—ither wil they be perswaded though one rose from the dead The greatest Miracle in the world what ever it wil noâ— turn the heart to God it wil not make them to believe in his name though one should come from the dead thou God should send an Angel a Saint from Heaven that should be as a flying Angel to fly up and down in the world to speak the voice and tongue of an Angel though he should declare this to all the world that the glory of Heaven is unspeakable incomprehensible eternal the joy is everlasting they shall never be able to declare it though he should declare one hours injoyment of the presence of God and the Lamb it is more worth then ten thousand injoyments of all the pleasures of the world though he should declare it that there is but one way to Heaven there is but one door o enter in at and that 's only by Jesus Christ and his Righteousness and should tel you of ten thousands that shal not come there that sought to enter in their own way and by their own works and their own righteousness and they are all shut out though he should further declare that God hath now set Heaven doors wide open and that he is willing that poor sinners the worst of sinners should come to him by his Son and they shall be accepted and all their former iniquities shall be no block no rub in the way he will embrace them as freely as if they had never sinned against him I say if such a thing should be it would be a Miracle of Mercy but yet for all this it would not perswade the heart of one sinner to submit to God This could not overcome the heart of man to Jesus Christ And again on the other side if one should come from the dead God should send one from the pit of destruction to declare to bear witness of the unspeakable Torments that are there and should declare that way is broad and many walk in the way to destruction and that unbelief it is the readiest way Though he should declare that every man and woman living that seek not after Jesus Christ and hath not an interest in him are like sooner or later to come into the same Lake of condemnation It would be a tirrable Miracle of judgment but yet all this would not work upon the heart of one sinner no our Saviour says to such men and women that sit under the Gospel and hear what I speak from day to day and thereby are not wonted to submit to God Why neither would they beleeve though one should come from the dead Thirdly The Point may be further cleered by our own Experiences I say by experiences of our own days are there not many poor Creatures that have seen Miracles of Mercy that have seen God many times in wonderful way of deliverance towards them at such a time they were in
should not be only Musquet proof but Cannon proof stand out not only agaiâ—st afflictions lesser judgments but stands out against great judgments many times against miraculous judgments why here is a strange stoutness and hardness in every mans heart Oh what a dead sleep is every man by nature cast into you will say that man is in a dead sleep that though he be shot at it cannot wake him that he should sleep secure when the house is on fire about his ears truly this is the condition of every man by nature though God do lay Cannon shot against him and though God set on fire the world about his ears yet still he sleeps what a strange condition is the state of nature Let us all take notice of it and set us all bewail it in the presence of God seeing how woful it is and what we are like Secondly If Miracles cannot convert a soul Vse 2 then what a Miracle is it that any soul is converted truly we may stand and wonder that any soul should be brought home to God how many Mâ—racles is in this work of conveâ—sion to convert a soul to God 't is a greater Miracle then to open the eyes of the blind to give strength to lame to give life to the dead a greater Miracle then to turn darkness into light a greater Miracle then to beat down strong Cities with seven Râ—ms horns 't is a greater Miracle then to make the world he spake and it was done it was made he spake his word and the world was created but God speaks again and again once and twice and often before the new creature is formed before Many Miracles in the conversion of a soul to God faith is created in the heart of man and truly Brethren you need not wonder that so few are brought home to God that 's not the Miracle but stand and wonder that any should be brought home to God there are many Miracles in the conversion of the soul to God I beseech you take notice of them there is a Miracle of First Miraclâ— of wisâ—dâ—m of wisdome there is a Miracle of wisdom I say in the conversion of a soul that God should find out a way to reconcile himself to a sinner and then reâ—oncile the sinner to himself here is infinite wisdom to finde out a way to reconcile himself to the sinner to find out a way to satisfie both justice and mercy that they should meet each other and kiss each other and both be satisfied that justice should say I have enough and Mercy should say I am well pleased and both be glorified in Christ Brethren here is a way that men and Angels could never have found out here is a Miracle of wisdome to reconcile the sinner to God also here is abundance of the wisdom of God that God should finde out a way to make a rebellious sinner come in and submit when he had stood out long and stood many batteries that God had layd against him that the Lord should bring him in by a word of his grace that God should come and catch a poor soul and take him before the soul be aware here is abundance of holy wisdom truly none could do this but only God And as there is a Miracle of wisdom so there Secondly Therâ— is a Mirâ—â—le of Power is a Miracle of power in every souls conversion Oh wonderful power hath God put forth to overâ—ome the creature and to overcome himselâ— To overcome the creature to make a stubborn stout hearted sinner relent to shake the Oaks of Bashan and make the Cedars of Lebanon to stoop Yet truly this is the work of God he put abundance of power into a word of his and when an obstinate sinner hath stood out boâ—h the allurements of Mercy and hath out stood all the batteries of Judgment that God hath laid against him God hath sent out many Armies of judgments to bring him in and they have returned back again and have not done their work and that yet the Lord at last should be pleased to arme a word of his a poor naked word of his with so much power â—o give such authority and to give such commission as to go and bring in the stout hearted sinner and make him fall down at the footstole of Jesus Christ here is a Miracle of power and then that God should overcome all his wrath and all his fury and indignation and say it is not in me I give thee leave to draw nigh to me in my Son fury is not in me that God should overcome himself to stoop to the creature that the Majesty of Heaven should first stoop to the creature that the Prince should come and beseech the Rebel to accept of mercy offer the first tearms of peace and not looking to the infinite distance that is between him and the creature but lay that aside and beseech a poor creature to accept of mercy here is a Miracle of power And then there is a Miracle of goodness a Miracle of mercy in every souls conversion a Miracle of mercy that God should pardon the sin of his people from Eternity Oh the Miracles of mercy writes the pardon gives the pardon into the Sons hand that he should work it over by Covenant and make all sure for his people in Christ even from Eternity even to give Christ a pardon for his peoples sins many thousand years before the sins are committed I do not say the pardon is given out to them before they are brought in to submit to Christ but it is given out into the hand of Christ that if they come and submit to Christ 't is in his hand to give it out 't is already written and Sealed here is a Miracle of Mercy Again that the Lord should so freely and so fully bâ—ot out transgressions that he should make the sins committed to be as if they had not been committed there shall no more remain of them as if they had never been acted to bury them to cast them behind his behind his back to throw them into the depth of the Sea to carry them into the wilderness into a land of forgetfulness that when they are sought for they shaâ—l not be found they shall be as if they had never been what a Miracle of mercy is this that God should bear no old grudge to a poor sinner a Rebel one that have stood out against him and yet that God should retain no grudge in his heart but receive a poor soul into his Bosom as if he had never been defiled to receive him into his own boâ—els into intimate communion and acquaintance with himself in love as if he had never bin a Râ—bel to bear no old grudg here 's wonderful rich mercy Again for God to account the soul righteous to look upon him as righteous when he is unrighteous to look upon him as righteous in Christ when he is full of spots and polutions and deâ—ormity
in himself at that very time to look upon him in Christ and behold him as righteous as if he had no spot no defilement in him Brethren all these are Miâ—acles of mercy Again that God should pour out his spirit upon a poor lump of flesh that his spirit should work upon a poor creature and take a poor creature into union with himself and communion with himself that he should be working in the heart and cleanse a poor creature from pollution both of flesh and spirit all these are Miracles Miraracles of Wisdom Miracles of Power and Miracles of Mercy that doth shine in the bringing home of a soul to God And therefore to conclude all in the last place Let us bless God for his Word and look more Vse 3 to the word of God then to Miracles seeing what power God hath put into his word and how he â—s pleased to accompany his word with his spirit and do great things and now why should we look to Miracles and why should we stand upon miracles truly if you will not beleeve the Word of the Lord without Miracles neither would you beleeve though God should work Miracles why there is more power in the word to perswade the heart that it is indeed the word of God and so to overcome the soul to beleeve to rest on it then there is in all Miracles that can be shewed and therefore in this case if any look for a Miracle they may hear Christ say no Miracle shall be given to such a generation He that beleeves nâ—t the word he will not beleeve though one rose from the dead Nebuchadnezzar he saw three men that had a resurrection from the dead they were dead in all their accounts they â—hought that they had been all consumed they have an unexpected life they are all loose walkâ—ng in the midst of the fire and yet I say Nebuâ—hadnezzars heart was not firmly wrought upon by this Miracle but he returned again to hiâ— own folly And therefore Oh praise the Lord for his word bless the Lord for his word if it had not been for the word of his grace how should a poor creature have been brought in and what should poor creatures have relyed upon what foundation to build upon what can give boldness and confidence to a poor soul to draw nigh to God truly it could not be it is impossible that the heart should be overcome to submit to God without the word of his grace Oh bless the Lord for his Word we are more beholden to the Lord for his Word then for all Miracles that possibly can be shewed THE Fifth Sermon On DAN III. XXV He answered and said Lo I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God THere is witness given to a Miraculous deliverance that God wrought for his three Servants who through their faith overcame the violence of the fire Nebuchadnezzar makes a large confession here I propounded this question the last time Whether Nebucadnezzar was truly brought home to God or no he did a great deal he spake a great deal there was a great work of conviction past upon his spirit he doth acknowledge his Error and sin he doth rejoyce in his own disappointment that God did not suffer him to have his will he doth reâ—oyce in the goodness of God that was shewed to his Servants he rejoyces in their constancy that they did not obey the Kings command worship his Gods he did rejoyce in their deliverances he doth acknowledge that it was God that delivered them he takes care of the worship of God to promote it he makes a penal Statute That whosoever did profane the name of God should be cut in pieces and yet notwithstanding for all this we concluded probably That Nebuchadnezzar was not converted for in the next Chapter he â—eturned to his old way of sin of superstition he dreams a dream and he sends for the Sorcerers to tell â—im his dream which belongs to God to reveal secrets as Daniel told him So then we observed that It is not in the poâ—er of the greatest Miracle to convert Observat a soul to God Nebuchadnezzar saw great Miracles Miracles of mercy and Miracles of judgment We told you Pâ—araoh saw Miracles and Israel saw Miracles in Aegypt and at the red Sea in the Wilderness Miracles of mercy and Miracles of judgment sometimes their plagues were wonderfull stung with fiery Serpents and Miracles of mercy God he fed them with Man a and water out of the Rock and notwithstanding for all this they were a stubborn Generation and dwelt in unbelief our Saviour tells us in that Parable in the 16. of Luke but they are the words of Abraham They have Moses and the Prophets and if they will not hear them and bâ—leeve neithâ—r would â—hey beleeve though one rose from the dead Though God should shew the greatest Miracle yet that would not convince them that would not bring off their hearts to believe in the Son of God 't is the hardest matter in the world to bring God and the heart together they are at such a great dâ—stance Infinite distance and the heart of the creature is filled with such slavery and lay under bondage that it dares not go to God when God calls to behold his face in his Son but run to the bush as Adam did but though Miracles will not do it it hath a word of grace a sure word of grace to draw nigh to God and therefore we should look upon that Miracle of iniquity that is in the heart of all the sons of Adam it is a strange thing that the heart of man should out-stand so many blows that so small a piece of flesh as the heart of man is should withstand those great batteries that God many times is pleased to make by judgments wonderful judgments when he declares his wrath from Heaven to sinners and consider what a Miracle of mercy it is that any soul should be converted and brought home to God seeing Conversion is so hard a thing and Miracles will not do it What a Miracle it is for a soul to be brought home to God! I shew how many Miracles were in this work Miracles of wisdom Miracles of power Miracles of mercy Oh we should bless the Lord that hath given us his word we should prefer the word before Miracles we should not look to Miracles but we should look to the word of the Lord God hath made that to bring home souls and therefore we are infinitely beholden to the Lord for the word of his grace that we have the word of his grace to trust in We proceed Consider who it is that bare witness to the Miracle 'T is Nebuchadnezzar that was an enemy to the Saints a persecutor a scorner a contemner of God Who is that God that shall deliver out of my hand and yet the Lord makes him
you say her destruction is come already but you know not the thought of the thoughts of the Lord I will work unexpectâ—dly Thirdly God he works sometimes suddenly that he might give convâ—ction to men when God gives mercies he doeâ— it sudâ—â—nly when God brings judgements upon the wicked oâ— the world he doth it suddenly their destâ—uction is liâ—e wâ—arlewâ—nde it shall not come like oâ—her windes that â—o rise by degrees but as a whirlewind it shall come suddainly and carry them away before they think of it aâ—d so sometime he compares the judgments that he brings upon wicked men as the bâ—â—ach or a wall that cometh suddainly See the 30 of â—aiâ—h and the 13. verse Therâ—fore this iâ—iquity shall be to you as a breach â—eâ—dy â—o fâ—ll sweâ—ling oâ—t in a high wali whose breaking comâ—th sâ—â—daâ—nly at an instant And so when God works deâ—iverance for his people many times God works it in a sudden way look into the 1 6. Psâ—lm you shall see how suddainlâ— God wrought for his people how suddainly he brought them forth from Bâ—bâ—lon Verse 1. Wâ—â—n the Lâ—rd turâ—ed again our Captivity we were like to them tâ—aâ— dreamed Verse 2. Thâ—n was our mouth filled with lâ—ughter and our â—â—ngue with singing then said they among the Heathen the Lorâ— hath done great thâ—ngs for them Verse 4. Turn again our Captivity O Lord as the streams in the south He prays and beâ—eeves that God would turn again their Captivity as the streams in the souâ—h the streams of the South they come suddenly the streams there they do not arise as other Rivers they come from several Heads and so they increase aâ—d come broader and broader that when the rain falls mightily then the land floods come down suddainly Why in such a way doth God work for his people their deliverances shall be as the Rivers in the South as streams in the south that shall come suddainly in a moment before enemies are aware And thus doth God many times work conviction Fourthly God he works soliâ—arily he doth it by his own Arme when eâ—emies can see none to roule away the stone none to open a door of deliverance why then God himself he stretches out his Aâ—me when there is none to bring salvation his own Aâ—m shall bring salvâ—tion he will role away the stone he will open a door of deliverance and when God doth thus work this tends mightily to the conviction of those that are by-standers Quest If you ask but wherefore doth God thus work Wherefore doth God make very enemies to confess that he deals graciously with his people Why should they be eye-witnesses oâ— it Answ First of all because their eye looks upon the afflictions of the Servants of God and therefore God he will make them to look upon their mercies they look upon the mâ—sery of the Saints and they look upon them with delight and therefore God he will 〈◊〉 them to look upon their mercies and see theâ—â—â—eliverances They say â—et â—ur eye look upon Sion and let her he defâ—led Let our eye look upon her that is let us behold her ruin-in let us glut our sense and say thus we would have it Let our eye look upon Sion so in the 22. Psalm you shall finde how the wicked do look upon the affliction of Jesus Christ for 't is spoken of Christ Psalm 22. vers 17. I may tâ—ll all my bones they stare upon me they look and stare upon me When Christ was upon the Cross they stood looking upon him and did stare upon him the word signifies they looked with delight to stand gazeing insatiably When a man looks upon an object that pleaseth him he thinks he never looks enough he doth enlarge his sense to take in the speciousness of the thing and he thinks he never sees enough the same word is used by the Propet Isaiah 53. verse 11. He shall see the travel of â—is soul and be satisfied He shall see the travel of his soul he shall look upon it with delight he shall gaze greedily upon it it shews his wonderful affection that Chriâ—t looks upon his Spouse with wonderful desire that he looks upon the travel of his soul to see the fruit of his righteousness to see the benefit of his death he shall look upon the travel of his soul he shall gaze upon it with delight and so do enemies they look upon the affliction of his people and gaze upon it with delight and therefore God makes them to look upon the mercies of his people the deliverances of his people they shall see their glory God will make them eye-witnesses God will make them to confess that he hath dealt graciously with his people Secondly God doth 〈◊〉 mercy to the sons of men God would do even wicked men good and doth them good even by this while he works such conviction upon their heart by eyeing the mercies and deliverances that he doth give out to his people God by this he would allure them he would make them to stand and wonder while God not only in word but in his providence doth proclaim before them Thus shall bâ— done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour At least God doth this out of pitty to men that they might not go on to contemn the Gospel God he will give a check for this and therefore he works glorious deliverances that he might restrain them in the ways of persecution and thus doth the Lord pitty his very enemies he is better to them then they are to themselves God he would lay rubs in their way that they might not go leaping and jumping to Hell God he will not let wicked men dâ—â—â—ne themselves as they would if God should leave them to themselves And thus doth the Lord pitty his enemies A word for Application And so I conclude First of all Here is ground of patience and incouragement to the Saints in all tribulations in all adversities in the midst of your greatest afflictions in the midst of all the persecution you meet with for Christs sake for his Gospel sake for his truths sake though the world cast shame upon you timâ— is a coming that the Lord will roul away reproach and he will make your very enemies to see it and they that have stood looking upon your misery with delight they shall be forced to look upon your mercy and therefore here is a ground of patience to you in al daversity what ever you suffer from the world for Christs sake time is coming that God will make them to condemn themselves and to acquit you they shall see your mercy and they shall say of a truth God is with his people 'T is a ground of great comfort to the Churches of Christ in the midst of all the opposition that they meet with for the keeping of the word of his patience Oh see the promise that is made to the Churches in tâ—â— 12. of Zachariah verse 5. And the Gouernours of Judah
shall say in â—hâ—ir hearts the Inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of Hosts their God I will put glory upon my people saith God and I will maâ—e their Governours to acknowledge it and they shall say The Inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength they are the Pillars they are those that bear up the Land they are our Chariots they are our Bulwarks the Lord Jehozah is with them they shall be my strength Secondly Let it be an Item to the men of the world Oh take heed how you look with delight upon the miseries of the Saints upon the afflictions of the Saints I tell you God will not bear with it he will punish you for it how did God threaten Edom because he stood and looked upon his brother in the day of adversity he stood in the high-way gazeing upon his brothers misery and delighted in it I tell you you that laugh at the misery of the Saints God he will make you lament and they shall not only rejoyce but they shall shout for joy the time is a coming that he will make you to see the mercy and that he is with them and deals graciously with them Thirdly Let Gods people acknowledge this as a great mercy that God should work conviction many times in the hearts of the wicked that he should deal in such a way with them that might convince the hardest heart that God is with his people I tell you 't is a great mercy 't is no ordinary mercy admire God in it bless God for it that God should thus reprove men and convince men for your sakes The Jews did look upon it as a great mercy in the 126. Psalm When God turned again our Captivity our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with singing Then said they among the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them They looked upon it as a great mercy that the Lord should thus convince the Heathen 't is a mercy for they writ it they pen'd it as a great mercy worth the singing worth the glorifying of God for that God should work so powerfully upon the hearts of men and make the Heathen say The Lord hath done great things for them In the last place to conclude all Doth God make enemies confess that he hath done great things for his people why then the people of God should much more confess that the Lord hath done great things for them if enemies say it you may well say it you have more cause to say it that 126. Psalm verse 2. They say among the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them and what say the people of God will not they say so yes in the very next words The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad shall the Heathen say it and shall not we say it yes we are bound to say it and to acknowledge The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad Remember I beseech you remember God cannot endure his mercies should be slighted he loves that you should have great thoughts of him and of his mercies that you should say he hath done great things When God works deliverance for you he will make the very Heathen to say so he will make by standers to say so and shall not we honour him for the mercy who are the receivers of the mercy shall not we say so The Lord hath donâ— great things for us shall Nebuchadnâ—zzar say The Lord haâ—h donâ— great things for thâ—m and shall not the three children say so yes sure they will lift up the name of God in their song And therefore I beseech you all you that have received mercy from God you should aggravate the mercy as much as you can though not compulsively you should freely say The Loâ—d hath done great things for us you shall find this always hath been the frame of Gods people to aggravate the mercy to aggravate the deliverance that God hath wrought for them See the 40. Psalm and tâ—e 5. verse Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which tâ—ou hast done anâ— thy thoughts which are to us ward they cannot bâ— reckoned up in order unto the if I would declare and speak of them they are more then can be numbered See what an aggravation there is of the mercy received they are many and they are wonderâ—ul and very many more then can be numbred they cannot be reckoned up in order and so Ezra when he and the people received mercies see how they do aggâ—avate it how they do acknowledge it in the 9. Chap. verse 13. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass seeing thou â—ur God hast punished us lâ—ss thâ—n our iniquities deserve and hast given us such deliverance as this should we again break thy Commandmeâ—t He knows not how to speak it Oh 't is a great mercy he stands and wonders at such a deliverance such a mercy and so aggravate all our mercies we should say with Ezra seeing thou hast wrought such deliverance such salvation seeing thou hast wrought in such and such a way this is a great ingagement to God when mercies are thus eyed and reviewed when a man looks into the depth of them and eye the mercies seeing thou hast given such deliverance should we again sin against thee he looks upon it as an ingagement to stand close seeing it was great mercy And Oh so should we in all our mercies as Ezra saith so we should say Seeing thou hast wrought such deliverance for us should we again sin against thee Oh no let thine mercies be an ingagement us to to love thee and serve thee and for ever to cleave to thee THE Sixth Sermon on DAN III. XXV He answered and said Lo I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God I Have made some further progress in the words We considered who it was that gave testimony unto this miraculous Deliverance that God wrought for his servants It was Nebuchadnezzar a proud and an insolent man an enemy to God and his people and so he continues still in his heart for 't is probable he was not converted not really brought home to God for in the next Chapter you may sâ—e he did return to his very old ways of Idolatry he sent for the Magicians to interpret his dream and yet God makes him here bear witness what he hath done for his people So then we observed this Proposition That God sometimes works such deliverances for his people as he makes his very enemies and their very enemies to acknowledge that God hath done great things for them It was â—aid among the Heathen in the 126. Psalm Whâ—n God turned again the Captivity of Sion They saâ—d amongst the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them The Lord Jesus many times did
faith triumpheth in the consideration of it in Psal 23 vers 4. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear none ill Why For thou art with me see what a mighty confidence was raised up in Davids heart and what was the ground of it The presence of the Lord Though I walk in the vally of the shadow of death I will fear none ill why For thou art with me he doth put cases of the most uncomfortablest condition that may befall him valley of the shadow of death though I be brought down from the Mountain and walk in the valley and though this valley be a dark way though it be a shadow of death that is though it be never so dreadful and though it be so nigh that all the world cannot save you even then when I am in such a condition and walk in the valley of death I will fear none ill for thou art with me so long as I have thy presence my soul is upholden you read in the 4. of Revelations at the 6. verse that the world is like a sea of Glass I saw before the Throne a sea of glass there the world is shadowed out unto you and the condition of men that are in the world the world is like to a sea of glass and Oh that men would remember this if it be a Sea of Glass what need have you of a friend to stand by you you that are Travelers in the world you walk upon a Sea of Glass Oh what need have you of a friend to take you by the right hand to uphold you there is none but Jesus Christ none but his presence can uphold you in this Sea of Glass and if this world be a Sea of Glass Oh what need have we to take Jesus Christ into the Ship into the heart that so he may be our Pilot and he may guide you safe Oh do but think in what steed Jesus Christ will stand you when the storms arise and the waves shall beat when it may be the body of the Ship shall be split in pieces Oh what will it be then for a Saviour to uphold the Spirit to bear up the spirit and take the soul upon his own shoulder to bear it above wrath and amazement Now do you apprehend this to be desireable Oh that the Lord would make your hearts to close with Christ to accept of Christ and the tenders of mercy now held forth in these days of grace I tell you the time is coming when you shall see weaknesse written upon the tops of the Mountains they will say look to your selves for we cannot help you now will not the presence of Jesus Christ be desireable to you in such a condition Oh then I say accept of him he freely tenders himself to you now in this day of grace and Oh that the day of grace might not be slighted his presence is desireable in such a strait and is he not now desireable that so you may have him in such a time of need But Thirdly This let 's us see that there is not such great evil in affliction as men apprehend men fear affliction and flee from affliction as from Toads and Serpents and connot endure to think of affliction cannot endure to think of the day of darknesse I say there is not so great an evil in affliction as men apprehend for the Lord Jesus is present with his people in affliction and there is no reason why you that are the people of God should inordinately fear affliction and why you should inordinately seek to be delivered from affliction seeing you may possibly enjoy more of the presence of Jesus Christ in affliction then ever you did in other conditions would â— loving wife be afraid to go into a dark place when she shall meet with her Beloved Why should you be afraid to go into a dark place when you shall meet with the presence of Christ Remember that Expression of tâ—e Martyr when he was ready to suffer death he breaks forth into this expression Come fire and come wild beasts Come rack of the body Come breaking of the bones Come all the torments in Hell that all the Divels in Hell can afflict with I care not so I can meet with the presence of Jâ—sus Christ Remember how many of the Martyrs have ventured into the flames to meet with Christ they have willingly sacrificed their lives that they might meet with Christ shall Peter venture into the water and shall the Martyrs venture into the fire and shall you be afraid to enter into an afflicted condition where you may meet with the presence of Jesus Christ There are two things that make the people of 2 Things that make the people of God to fear affliction God to fear affliction inordinately 1. First of all Either they do not beleeve that they shall meet with the presence of Christ in an afflicted condition Or 2. Secondly They do not beleeve that the presence of Christ will countervail the bitterness of affliction Now I shall endeavour to clear both these and to perswade you that are the people of God First of all that you shall certainly meet with Christ in affliction And then that his presence will countervail the bitterness of affliction First I say You shall certainly meet with Christ in your affliction for first of all he hath spoke it he hath promised it he hath set a part the time and place of his own appointment he hath given out the word the word is out of his mouth and 't is under his own hand written 't is under his hand and seal that he will meet with his people in afflicted conditions he hath said in the 5. of Job vers 19. that he will deliver thee in six troubles and in seven and every Promise is under the Hand and Seal of Christ and so in the 43. of Isaiah God promiseth there to be with his people in all their afflicted conditions in their greatest afflictions In the 43. of Isaiah and the second verse When thou passest through the water I will be with thee and through the Râ—vers they shall not overflow thee when thou passest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee the fire that is in the greatest straits in thy greatest affliction when the waters are ready to overwhelm thee I will be with thee and lift up thy head I will be with thee in fiery tryals when flames are ready to consume thee I will be with thee I say you may be confident of it because the Lord Christ hath given it under his hand and seal that he will give your souls a meeting in such a condition is there any thing that can hinder Christ from performing this his promise he cannot forget his word he cannot mistake the time and place he cannot be hindred by any outward impediment I say 1. First of all He cannot forget his Promise