we joyned to him by the same spirit does he dwell in our hearts by faith is he in us and we in him and abides in us as the hope of our glory our interest in him is a sure and infallible evidence of our interest in the Father He is the only Jacobs ladder whereby we can climb up to communion with the God of Jacob. His foot is on Earth but his top in Heaven The second is our covenant obligation to him I entred into a covenant with thee saith God and thou becamest mine Ezek. 16.8 Isa 55.3 There is a mutual covenant between God and his People as he hath engaged for their salvation so have they for his service O Lord I am thy Servant quoth David and so the Church Micah 4.5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his God and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever She gives up her self to God not only in a way of single considence but resolute obedience The relations are mutual between God and his People he becomes theirs and they his They are betrothed in the marriage-covenant to him in judgement righteousness tender mercies and faithfulness and they know the Lord. Art thou then O soul brought into covenant with God hast thou broken off that accursed league with sin and Satan by righteousness and engaged thy soul solemnly to become a faithful servant to him as thy only Liege-Lord and no other Art thou resolved to fear love and serve him in holiness and righteousness all the daies of thy life and to glorifie him in thy soul body and spirit which are his Thy engagement for his glory is an hopeful sign of his engagement for thy good Thirdly Intimate acquaintance and indeared communion with him Abraham had great interest in God and as great acquaintance with him We may see in Sodoms case how boldly he goes to him Friendship with God breeds an holy familiarity So Moses had a large share in Gods favour and God spake to him face to face and he talked with him again as a man with his familiar friend There are sweet communications of counsel between God and a gracious soul Our fellowship is with the Father 1 Joh. 1.3 David was a man after Gods own heart and had intimate acquaintance with God went to him by faith and prayer on all occasions It 's good for me saith he to draw near to God and one daies communion with him is worth a thousand It was said of Charls the great he conversed more with God than men As all communion is founded in union so true union discovers it self by flowing forth in acts of communion Now Christian what communion maintains thy soul with God in prayer private secret in meditation in publick Ordinances Is it thy meat and drink thy joy and rejoycing to work righteousness and meet him in his waies Thou canst have no interest in God if thou livest without him in the world nor canst call him Father truly if thou hast not or dost not know him Fourthly Sympathy and fellowship with him Gods interest and the souls are not two but one they are like two Turtles if one dies the other never lives comfortably after but sorrowing for the loss of her Mate God is sensible of and well-pleased with all the good done to his People his language is Inasmuch as ye have done it to these ye have done it to me And his people are affected with and rejoyce in all the glory is brought to him and had rather lose their comfort than their God should lose his honour They desire he alone should be magnified and are willing to be made stirrups for him to rise by though it be by their utter downfall And as they are satisfied in each others good so sensible of each others evil God sympathizeth with his Peoples sufferings In all their afflictions he is afflicted And they with his affronts and injuries The interest of God lies nearer their hearts than any thing else in the world They count not their own lives dear so they may but save his honour and so he be magnified though they be reproached impoverished imprisoned bamshed pâ—rsecuted they think themselves well apaid What sympathy hast thou with Gods cause and interest dost thou account the glory brought to him as good done to thee and take the injuries he suffers as offered to thy self Canst thou wish thy self a shield to sence off those dishonours which are cast on the face of thy Lord and Master Art thou meek as a Lamb in thy own cause but fierce as a Lion in Gods zealous for the Lord God of Israel how art thou affected when thou hearest his holy Name torn by the black mouths of the wicked and their tongues set on fire from Hell when thou seest his Creatures abused his Ordinances prophaned his People trampled under foot his Truth despised his Attributes blasphemed his Sabbaths unhallowed his Worship polluted If thou beest in the relation of a Son thou wilt not endure to see one spit on thy Fathers face or an ingenuous Servant wilt not bear thy Masters wrong behind his back Fifthly Suitable affections Where there is interest in God all the affections of the soul have their out-goings after him Thou hast First An high esteem and valuation of him Whom have I in Heaven but thee Interest raiseth estimation The Father esteems his Child and the Husband his Wife and so vice versà above all other though they be deformed and others beautiful they weak and others healthful they rich and others poor they ignorant and others learned and knowing because of their propriety in them A Saint values God above all the world above all things visible or invisible counts all loss dross and dung in comparison of him He alone is to him the Pearl of true price Gods People are precious to him above all others and so is he to them likewise They will part with all for him preferring him before all and venture all rather than lose their hold of him or sacrifice their interest in him omnia levia preterquam quod tui carendum How stands their esteem poised Secondly Thou hast an ardent and affectionate love towards him I will love the Lord my strength saith holy David Psal 18.1 Self-interest makes a man love his own Whom believing we love The applications of faith are alwaies seconded with the imbraces of love He that hath God for his God hath had experience of his love in Christ some tastes of his love shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost and he cannot but love him by whom he was first loved This love constrains him Amor meus Pondus meum Does mercy love misery and shall not misery love mercy beauty affect deformity and shall not deformity re-affect beauty glory shine on dust and they not reflect on glory Nimis durus animus qui etsi amorem non vult impendere tamen non vult rependere Bernard
save them by bow nor by sword nor by battel by horses nor by horse-men Gods people many times see the salvation of men more of man than of God is visible in it but often they behold the salvation of God Stand still saith Moses to Israel and see the salvation of the Lord which he shall shew you to day The Lord shall fight for you Exod. 14.13 14. God now was in the van and head of their Army The Lord thy God shall go before thee Sometimes went in the heart or body of it The holy One of Israel in the midst of thee And sometimes in the rear The glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward Isa 58.8 How elegantly doth the Prophet express Gods immediate conduct of them through the red Sea and Wilderness Isa 63.12 Where is he that brought them up out of the Sea with the Shepherd of his flock that led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious Arm dividing the water before them to make himself an everlasting Name God can rend the Heavens and come down and make the Hills tremble and Mountains flow at his presence The Sea saw it and fled Jordan was driven back the Mountains skipped like Rams and the little Hills like Lambs the Earth trembled at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob whose voice breaks the Oak of Bashan and shakes the Cedars of Lebanon God can blow on his enemies and with one ireful frown of his providence can look them into destruction as with one smile of his countenance look his people into salvation This is the Argument of Asa's prayer to God when that invincible Host of a thousand thousand came out against him 2 Chron. 14.11 Lord it is nothing with thee to help whether with many or with them that have no power He can save by many by few nay without any at all with means without means yea against means can he bring about his peoples help and salvation Secondly Mediately and so he helps either by Angelical ministration or by humane assistances â—irst By the Mâ—nistry of Angels They are all ministring spirits unto those who are heirs of salvation Not one single but all the Angels are the Churches and every particular members I feguard both their servitors and saviours They shall bear them up in all their waies Their miâ—stration though secret and invisible is most certain and powerful to the Church They serve for her enemies offence and her own defence When the four Angels were destroying we finde another protecting Rev. 7.2 An Angel helps Hezekiah by destroying Senacheriks Army â—sa 37.36 When Herod smote the Christians an Angel of the Lord takes their part and smites him to the earth Act. 13. The Angel of the Lord inâ—ampeth round about them that fear him and dâ—â—ivereth them Psal 34.7 So that there is no room â—â—ft for destruction to enter An Angel preserved Daniel in the Lions den Dan. 6.22 The Angel of the Lord stood in the bottom amongst the myrtle-trees Zach. 1.8 They grow by the rivers side Sea shore or in the valley and are plants of a low stature When Gods people are at the â—owest then are they under the most High his special safeguard and protection Gods Angels gave Jacob a comfortable meeting when he was expectant of so sad a greeting from his Brother Esau Gen. 32. When Flijah was in his solitude an Angel of the Lord comes to him with an incouraging repast and refreshment 1 King 19.5 Satan and his evil Angels may combine the Saints destruction but God and his good Angels take care of their welfare and preservation We are oft on a sudden delivered out of great dangers not knowing how we came out of them nor which way deliverance came which is from no other but their ministry over us Secondly By the assistance of men And so God helps first by direct and proper means appointed by him to that end Thus God raised up Israel Saviours Nehem. 9.27 He gave them Moses for a deliverer Act. 7.35 So Jepthah Sampson Joshuah David and others God raiseth up instruments to execute his temporal will and providence When Tolias and Sanballat with others disaffected conspired against it God raised up Ezra and Nehemiah who carried on the work of the Temple against all opposition Rather than fail of instruments Cyrus is Gods Shepherd who shall perform all his pleasure Isa 44.28 Secondly By improbable means and very improper God puts such a spirit of valour into Davids breast as he destroies monstrous Goliah and routs the Army of the Philistines He curtails and new-models Gideons Army to three hundred men and by them overthrows a puissant Host He marshals the stars and makes them in their courses to fight against Sisera The walls of Jericho fall down at the sound of Ramms horns The Philistines run at the noise on the top of Mulberry-trees 2 Sam. 5.24 Earthen pitchers are the trumpets which alarum the Midianites The stretching out of Moses's Rod becomes effectual to divide the waters Exod. 14.16 A very unlikely means to humane apprehension The Hornet drives out the Nations and the Plague which one would have thought should have ruined the Israelites is made Gods weapon to expel the Canaanites Hab. 3.5 One poor fire-ship breaks and scatters in pieces an invincible Armado As the Fly and the Bee may be Israels correctors so the Gnat Adrians destroyer Thirdly By wicked means or rather wicked men God makes use of bad men to do his people good Judas's Treason is a poison out of which he makes a soveraign Treacle for the salvation of the world Ehud a left-handed man becomes a Saviour to Israel Judg. 3. Gibeonites become serviceable unto his Sanctuary Troublous times forward the building of his Temple Dan. 9. When no other helper could be found for Israel God saves them by the hand of Jeroboam the Son of Joash 1 King 14.27 A traiterous Letter proves the Treasons discoverer and bewrayer That wicked men intend evilly God brings about for good to his Church What the envious Brethren of Joseph meant for his ruin God ordered for his rise and advancement Gen. 50.20 He makes the wrath of men praise him and the remainder of their violence doth he restrain Psal 76.10 The wise horse-man makes use of so much of the horses metal as serves to keep him in his pace and carry him on his journey and the remainder he bridleth The wise God useth mans violence to his own praise Fourthly By contrary and destructive means Clay and Spittle which if any thing does one would think should daub up a mans eyes and make him that sees blind our Saviour makes use of to cause the blind man to see by The red Sea which any one would have imagined should have been the Israelits grave became their way and thorow-fare and by passing thorow which a man would have thought had been the ready way to be drowned was accomplisht the way of their escape
them but he gives a way of escape Or secondly more insensibly and indiscernably He helps them under their sufferings 1. By supplying them with necessary influences of Grace He causeth all Grace to abound in them Faith and Patience Self-denial Humility Heavenly-mindedness to have its perfect work gives them all Graces in their power and efficacy vigour and activity makes the spirit of Glory to rest upon them As they have doing so suffering Grace from Heaven Philip. 1.29 To you is given not only to believe but suffer They have the honour and assistance too to bleed for Christ as well as believe in him to lay down their necks and â—ives for him to offer him their blood as well as â—pply his to give up themselves dying sacrifices â—or him as well as living to him 2. By assisting them with seasonable supports â—f spiritual strength in their Souls He settleth them stablisheth them strengthneth them He helps and upholds them too Isa 41. that they Ho not succumbere fall into any spiritual deliquium He is a stay to them a Crutch under them to keep them from falling They are alwayes supported and succoured when they are not delivered His grace is sufficient for them 2 Cor. 12.9 And if any spiritual qualms or fainting fits come upon them so as they despair of Life he raiseth â—nd restores them Gods people need never nor would not be so afraid of sufferings as they are â—f they knew but their strength God gives his a back to every burden fits a constitution to every bitter potion bears them up so as they â—aint not under his chastening but endure whereâ—n they are happier than by escaping It s all one â—ay far better to be supported under trials than want the honour of being exercised with them God always stands at his peoples back to encourage them and saith to them as to Abraham Jacob and Paul Fear not As to the Church Fear none of the things thou shalt suffer And this divine support is that which hath created even in Women noble generous and masculine spirits as appears in that heroick Matron the Apostle pomts at in his short Martyrology Heb. 11.34 35. Out of weakness they were made strong God gives a shoulder proportionable to every burden and fits no Coat of affliction to his Peoples backs but first he takes a measure or scantling of their spiritual strength 3. By filling their hearts with abundance of holy joy and comfort They have strong consolation and good hope through grace Thou hast holpen me and comforted me Psal 86. ult As their afflictions abound their consolations superabound measure heaped pressed down and running over God fills out the generous Wine of Consolation into the hand of suffering Saints They have heavenly and ravishing Musick sweet Airs upon the top of the Waters with the noise of thunder and tumult of waters there is also the voice of Harpers Songs in their Pilgrimage Rev. 14.2 The Oyl of spiritual Consolation swims upon the top of the waters of all Earthly discomfort the lively sense and feeling whereof makes them with the Swan sing when dying and with the Nightingale in the darkest night when the sharpest Thorn of affliction is at their breast This we finde evidenced in that sweet singer of Israel 2 Sam. 23.5 The consideration of his interest in God and his Covenant made his dying heart to revive and when expiring his last breath to leap into the World again and dismiss it with this comfortable Farewell The Apostles had experience of this which made them not only content patient thankfull blessing a taking as well as a giving God but cheerfull and joyfull yea exulting and triumphant in their sufferings Act. 5.41 They rejoyced that they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were honoured in being dishonoured to suffer for Christs sake That which to others would have been matter of grief to them became matter of joy and not only did they joy â—ut glory in tribulation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5.2 And so the Primitive Christians took joyfully the spoiling of their goods Heb. 10.34 A strange contraâ—â—ction to the carriage of the world whose joy is not in a plunder but rather in the dividing of the spoil And this made the Martyrs request the people not to mourn for them but rejoyce with them The joy of the Lord was indeed their irength In the feeling of present miseries they rejoyced in the sight of the approaching reward of glory This made Ignatius when his body was grinding between the teeth of wild beasts to try out Now am I preparing fit manchet for my Lord and Saviour This made holy Philpot when â—hrust into the Bishop's Cole-house to say Now â—hall I be scoured and made fit to set on my Fathers â—igh shelf in Heaven This made Mr. Glover call â—ut when at the stake He is come he is come Yea such are the streaming comforts of Gods â—eople in times of suffering as they esteem them â—ot only their honour and profit but even their â—ery pleasure also and delight and so there is no â—ead of Arguments wanting to make them comâ—rtable 2 Cor. 12.10 Therefore saith the Apostle I take pleasure in infirmities in reâ—roaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses A very Hell of sorrow with the enjoyment of God â—s better than an Heaven of happiness without â—im That 's the third notion An help for reâ—ress under sufferings and afflictions Fourthly and lastly An help for and accurrence â—o and relief and recovery from under disasters and disappointments Thus Abraham helped his Brother Lot when he recovered his person and goods both taken captive Thus David helpt the people when he pursued the Amalekites who had burnt up their City and taken their wives and goods and recovered all 1 Sam. 30.19 Thus a man help his neighbour when he furnishes him at an unexpected disappointment or pressing necessity as he in the Parable did his friend with the loaves at his need Thus the Sea-man helps the shipwrackt when the ship being split all to pieces and he floating on the top of the waters and swiming to save his life he receives him into his boat or vessel and carries him safely to shore And in this sense is God an help unto his people secunda tabula post naufragium a plank after shipwrack when all hope of being saved being gone he comes in with unexpected relief And this I conceive the proper notion of the Psalmist here whose design is to proclaim the sufficiency of Gods help in the deficiency or treachery of all creatures in never so high an orb of never so powerful an influence here below in this world And so God is an help to his both under the failure of expected mercies and comforts and also under the feeling of unexpected evils First Under the failure of our expectations When we look for peace and no good comes and for healing and behold nothing but trouble When our eyes fail with beholding vanity and our hearts
deliverances for Jacob. Yea this is a firm coâ—clusion of her faith Isa 33.22 The Lord is oâ— Judge our Law-giver our King he will save 〈◊〉 They are stiled his portion and heritage Isa 54 1â— Deut. 32.9 As he is their so they his portioâ— and he will not suffer that to be wasted and eâ—bezelled His Jewels in comparison of whom aâ— the world besides are but as so much lumbeâ— Mal. 3.17 He will not admit their spoil oâ— plunder His Turtle Psal 74.19 which hath aâ—waies a sympathy with its mates affliction Hiâ— beloved favourites for whom he hath a choicâ— respect and endeared affection in whom hâ— takes singular delight and complacency Psaâ— 18.19 and 60.5 Their heart is set on God and his heart on them and because he loveth them he compasseth them with favour as with a shield Psal 5.12 The apple of his eye Zach. 2.8 Now as the eye is the tenderest part of the body so is the apple of the eye They are his hidden ones for privacy and value worth and excellency more excellent than their neighbours the least meanest of them more worth than all the world a people of whom the world is not worthy Heb. 11.38 His precious ones Isa 43.4 In comparison of whom all other are but vile in his account His holy ones Psal 86.2 which he will not suffer the world to prophane His chosen ones or the people of his choice The Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself and Israel for his peculiar Treasure Psal 135.4 His redeemed ones or the people of his purchase Isa 43.3 which he will in no wise lose either by fraud or violence his Garden or Paradise wherein he delights Isa 58.18 His Vineyard which he both â—â—ters and watches every moment Isa 27.3 〈◊〉 a word his Jacob and Israel against whom â—â—ere is no inchantment or divination Numb 13. â—nd the work of his hands which he will in â—o case forsake Psal 138. ult And concerning â—hich he will not only be intreated but also comâ—anded Isa 45.11 There is a mutual interest â—â—d propriety between God and his People God â—â—th made over himself to them in the Covenant 〈◊〉 Grace and they have reobliged themselves to 〈◊〉 They are said to have surrendred or given â—o themselves to the Lord 2 Cor. 8.5 He shall â—â—â—se our inheritance for us saith the Psalmist â—sal 47.4 They have a stock of prayers going â—â—th God and he hath a stock of mercy and â—ory going with them Their interests are so â—â—ited and twisted together as they cannot be â—â—vered His cause is concern'd in his People â—â—d his own honour highly ingaged upon their â—ccount yea the vindication of all his Attriâ—utes his Power Wisdom Holiness Mercy and Goodness Truth and Faithfulness is obliged in â—heir sublevation which else would be wholly â—â—â—t and utterly impaired in the world They â—re so linked in an holy league and sacred conâ—â—deracy with him That it 's observable in â—heir addresses to him in prayer against their â—nemies they level them as against Gods interest and not their own and all they need request is only that God may be glorified So Daâ—id Psal 83.2 Lo thine enemies make a tumult and they that hate thee have lift up the head He doubts not to call his Gods enemies And so Asa in his solemn supplications put up to God oâ— the approach of that innumerable host against him 2 Chron. 14.11 O Lord saith he thou art 〈◊〉 God let not man prevail against thee Not us buâ— thee As Gods glory is bound up in the samâ— bundle with his Peoples eternal so is it also witâ— their temporal salvation Secondly In respect of the manifold Promise and Engagements he hath made to them Goâ— hath ingaged for their security and bounâ—â— himself for their protection as well as thâ— provision so far as is necessary They are stiled The People of his Covenant Psal 111.12 And thâ— stipulation is mutual They are in covenanâ— with God obliged to his service and devoted tâ— his fear O Lord truly I am thy Servant I aâ— thy Servant saith David Psal 116.16 They are engaged to walk in his waies and to be founâ— faithful And God is a God in covenant witâ— them and as they never leave him so will he never leave them in their enemies hand Psal 37.33 As they defend his glory so will he their intereâ—â— and cause If God be a God keeping Covenant even with them while in lesser things they some times break with him Psal 89 34. Much more will he keep Covenant with them while aâ— they fear him Though salvation be far from thâ— wicked his salvation is with them that fear him And as they are included in a general Covenant so have they entailed upon them many graciouâ— promises of special protection He hath said He will never leave nor forsake them Heb. 13.5 The same promise he made to all Israel Deut. 31.8 and made good to Joshua in person he also accomplisheth to all Believers He will not forâ—â—ke his People or cast off his Inheritance He will have compassion on his dwelling-place he will comfort Sion and chuse Jerusalem They have Gods promise for help and deliverance in the day of trouble Psal 50.15 which is good security They are under a reserved promise under the Judgements of Sword Famine or Pestilence Amos 9.8 Isa 33. Psal 91.10 Which kind of promises though not absolute engagements yet are seasonable directions and comfortable incouragements 〈◊〉 times of calamity and affliction They are alwaies prisoners of hope for by the blood of the Covenant God will send them out of the pit wherein there is no water Zach. 9.11 Covenants of old were confirmed by Sacrifices Psal 50.5 Jer. 34. Et caesa jungebant faedera porca Virgil The Lord Jesus Christ by the blood of his Covenant hath bought outward and common as well as saving and eternal mercies for his People Thirdly In regard of those conditions of obtaining Divine Help which are ever found in them They are under a fitness and aptitude of disposition to receive it There are four conditions or qualifications especially which make them meet for this divine influence which are to be found in them The first is of Humility or spiritual Poverty Psal 34.8 The Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken heart and saveth them that be of a contrite spirit He beholds the proud afar off as scorning his tuition but he graciously beholds the humble Isa 66.2 In him the fatherless finde mercy A Father of the fatherless and Judge of the Widow is he out of his holy habitation Psal 68.5 6. The Lord helpeth those that are cast down The Lion puts as it were into his bosome those that bow before him or he down at his feet but tears in pieces them that run away from him or bid resistance to him so generous and noble is his nature and disposition satis est prostrasse And so doâ—s the Lion of the Tribe of Judah he
afflictions though oft-times not so sincerely at least not throughly God will come in for their help as Judg. 10. 2 Chron. 12. Especially where there is a spirit of true humiliation Faith and Prayer that conjunction is a sure Prognostick of mercy and sign of deliverance Zach. 12.10 compared with cap. 13.1 No sooner Daniel begins his Prayer but the Captivity makes its end Hos 5. ult I will goe to my place till they acknowledge When they come to seeking God soon comes to saving God never puts his people hard on begging or inclines them to asking but he stands ready handed with and fully bent and disposed to mercy When the Sea gets into the Ship and Peter cryes out Christ reacheth out his arm to save him Sixthly Let this be a ground of adherence and firm conjunction and cleaving to God at all times always cleave to this God who is such an help with full purpose of heart As Ruth to Naomi going where he goes and living where he lives Let nothing separate you from your God Like the Spaniel couch close to your Master It 's good for you to draw near to God lose all rather than lose him part with all the World before him Better God your Friend to stand by you than all the World without him God is faithfull to you be you so to him and though all else do do not you forsake him Forget your Kindred and Fathers house love not father or mother wise or children house or land but hate them if coming in competition with him Throw off your Father as holy Jerom said though he hangs about your neck and trample on your mother though she lay in the way to go out unto him Give not up the cause of God to Satan or the common Enemy because ye meet with a little trouble Though the Captain hath not present relief he will not deliver up the City if in any hope or expectation of it but hold out if possible he knows not how nigh he is relief Sacrifice not God's interest help may come before you expect it Christians on your first coming in you gave your selves up to the Lord and indeed as that Noble person said In undertaking Religion you might be deceived if you thought to save any thing but your Souls Oh take heed of making a breach of promise Take heed of using any sinister course any unlawfull and indirect means to evade the sufferings of the Gospel never accept a deliverance which is worse than bondage better have help Gods way than your own as finding it than as making it Infinitely farr better that trouble which ends in peace than that peace which ends in trouble Fight therefore the good fight of Faith so as at last ye may lay hold on the Crown of eternal life So run as ye may obtair Go on securely and couragiously in the way of your duty whatsoever occurres fear the Lord only and keep his way Esther though under strict interdiction yet ventures to approach the King having fasted and prayed with her Maydens in hope of divine benediction The Apostles though under a prohibition if not a suspension to preach chuse to obey God before man Act. 5.29 Be neither drawn or courted by the fawning allurements of the world nor yet frighted by it's terrours to give up or in in your profession Take our Saviours advice Luk. 12.4 Fear not him that can only kill the body but rather him that can destroy both body and soul in Hell Lastly A word to sinners and strangers from God and his hope and help concludes all This offers first a word of direction to poor sinners whether they must go for help They are all lapsed fallen creatures plunged into a state of guilt and corruption brought under the supremacy and dominion of Satan and have no power or sufficiency of themselves to recover but God alone is their help Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help to be found Man fell by his own free will but cannot recover without Gods free grace Homo libertatem quam accepit nisi Christo liberante non recipit as Saints therefore must bless him so sinners go to him as their only help go to him for light life by Prayer in the use of Ordinances which are media cultus and gratiae too and though God will not hear you as sinners he may as creatures Secondly Labour all to get an interest in God that he may be your help Time may nay will come when you will stand in need of an help You may have many storms in your journey to eternity It 's good in a Sun-shine to provide for a storm A day of affliction may come of death and dissolution must come A sword a plague a fire a famine a captivity may come and what will ye do in the evil day All worldly helps will then be in vain ye may kindle a fire of your own sparks but the end will be to lye down in sorrow You may with him that took up an hand-full of Gloworms in a dark night hope to warm your fingers with them but it will be a false fire and afford no heat with its light These Gloworms may shine till you come to the light of Sun or Candle These fair-fac'd nothings may please till you come to be convinced of a better beauty but then will vanish What will it profit to have a little comfort from them for a moment and at last be cast into the hellish dungeon Though ye have all creatures for you and God against you your case is as sad and miserable as had you God for you and all the world against you it were comfortable Time may come too that you may have all the world against you and the Devil too yea your own consciences and what will ye do if ye have not a God a Christ to stand for you Created-comforts cannot help you if God hath once forsaken you though he can supply their absence who is the Sun of Righteousness and make day though there be not the star of any creature visible yet they cannot his If the Sun be gone down it 's night for all the stars They have no Oyl for themselves much less can afford to others There is no trust in riches friends men Angels they are all a vain hope The Parent may leave his Child the Husband his Wife the friend his friend when time of trial comes God hath stood on Mount Ebal and blasted all carnal confidence as well as on Mount Gerizim and blessed confidence in himself Yea he may justly give us up to our own trust and those things we have confided in if we repose in any thing short of himself so he did them Jer. 2.28 And will the creatures Mantle be a sufficient covering to us Will the great Tree of outward mercies profession priviledges protect us under the soaking and lasting storm of Gods wrath The whole 49 Psalm is a conviction of the vanity of all the Pageantry of this world They are as birds or a string that at one time or other will deceive us And is not God in the mean time a necessary free universal sole sufficient help Who ever trusted in the world and was not deceived and who ever trusted in God and was disappointed The ends of the earth look to him and are saved O cease then from these lying vanities and endeavour to make God your God that so he may become your help And if you would do so labour first to get an humble sense of your own helpless and hopeless condition by nature Bethink your selves and see the plague of your own hearts As long as the soul hath any crutch to lean on it will never go alone while it knows whither to run it will never go to its God O labour to be weary and heavy laden in your selves and disclaim all creature-dependance as Paul did Phil. 3.7 8. Renounce all for Christ and Gods free grace and mercy in him And when in this wilderness lean on the arm of your Beloved Secondly Fly to Gods Name and Covenant by faith in Christ If ever God be yours it must be through Christ For there is no other Name God hath laid help on his almighty arm you must lay your hope there All Gods help runs through Christ he hath determined never to pardon one guilt or give out one dram of grace but through his blood He is the only daismen the true Sampson by whose strength the heavy weights of sin and wrath may be removed your souls All the souls fresh springs are in him He is the well head of salvation Without union no interest or influence No flying or abiding Gods presence escapeing or enduring his wrath unless your souls get under the skirt of his love He that would have interest in God by any other proxy must expect salvation by a deputy only O come to him then by faith venture on him as the Lepers did on the Camp 2 King 7 s. Do not only take Ropes about your necks and put Sackcloth about your loyns but come before this King of Heaven he is a merciful King And thirdly and lastly Strike Covenant with God enter into a confederacy with him Kings keep those confederate and in league with them The wickeds is a vain a strumpets confidence that challenge God as their Father and Husband and yet wantonize from him and care not for his company and communion Jer. 3.4 A good conscience only is the ground of a good hope and conndence 1 Pet. 3.16 God may help and save by the wicked but never will he be the Saviour of them Break off from sin then by righteousness and engage in yea keep covenant with God There 's a league both offensive and defensive between God and his People and the Promise made to Abraham observing the conditions stands good to all his faithful children Gen. 15.1 If we walk before God and be perfect he will be our shield and our exceeding great reward To conclude all with the Apostles options Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost And 2 Thes 2.16 17. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work FINIS