as those that have no interest in that inheritance that fadeth not away But Fourthly and lastly there is no power nor policy on Earth or in Hell that can deprive a sincere Christian of a Crown of glory 1 Pet. 5. 4. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of glory which fadeth not away as the garlands did where with the conquerours at games races combates were crown'd which were made of herbs leaves and flowers A Crown imports perpetuity plenty dignity It is the height of humane ambition The Greek word Amarantinon cometh from Amarantus which is a flower that fadeth not of which garlands were made in former times and wherewith they crowned the Images of the Heathen Gods A Believers Crown his inheritance his glory his happiness his blessedness shall be as fresh and flourishing after he hath been many millions of years in Heaven as it was at his first entrance into it Earthly Crowns are like tennis-balls which are bandied up and down from one to another and in time wear out When time shall be no more when earthly Crowns and Kingdoms shall be no more yea when the world shall be no more a Christians Crown of glory shall be fresh flourishing and continuing all the Devils in hell shall never wrangle a Believer out of his heavenly inheritance nor deprive him of his crown of glory The least thing in Heaven is better than the greatest things in this World all things on Earth are fading but the crown of glory never fadeth away Thus you see why Heaven the glory above is expressed by a crown sometimes it is called a crown of righteousness to note the grounds and rise of it sometimes it is called a crown of life because it is only to be enjoyed in everlasting life sometimes it is called an incorruptible crown to note the duration continuance of it and sometimes it is called a crown of glory to note the honour splendour and eternity of it Now let Devils let oppressors let persecutors do their worst they shall never be able to deprive the Saints of their blessed and glorious crowns But Sixteenthly If God be with us who can be Psal 89. 30. 35. Jer. â—1 31. cap. 32. 38 39 40 41. Isa 54. 10. Heb. 8. 8. 10. against us I answer none so as to make void our Covenant-relation or our covenant-interest as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margin together The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon Gods free love upon Gods everlasting love upon Gods special and peculiar love upon Gods unchangeable love so that God can as soon cease to be as he can cease to love those whom he has taken into covenant with himself or cease to keep covenant with them Those whom free-grace hath brought into covenant shall continue in covenant for ever and ever once in covenant and for ever in covenant The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon Gods immutable counsel and purpose The foundation Heb. 6. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 19. of God standeth sure that is the decree and purpose of Gods election stands firm and sure Now the purpose of Gods election is compared to a foundation because it is that upon which all our happiness and blessedness is built and bottomed and because as a foundation it abides firm and sure The Covenant of grace is John 10. 28. 29 30 31 32. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Jude 1. bottomed upon Gods glorious power upon Gods infinite power upon Gods supreme power upon Gods invinâ—ible power upon Gods independent power upon Gods incomparable power and till you can find a power that can overmatch this Divine power the Saints covenant-relation holds good The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the oath of God To perform the mercy promised to our Fathers and to remember his holy Covenant Luke 1. 72. 73. the oath which he sware to our Fathers Now to think that God will break his oath or be perjured is an intolerable blasphemy The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the precious blood of Christ the blood of Christ Mat. 26. 28. Heb 9 15. â—bid 13. 20. is called The blood of the everlasting Covenant Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant Now by these hints it is most evident that the Saints covenant-relation their covenant-interest holds good at all times in all cases and in all conditions It is not the indwelling power of sin nor spiritual desertions nor violent temptations nor heavy afflictions nor Divine delays that can dissolve our covenant-relation Though sin may work and Satan may tempt and fears may be high and God may hide his Isa 8. 17. Lam. 3. 44. face from his People and stop his ears at the prayers of his People yet God will still maintain his interest in his People and his Peoples relation to himself God hath not cast away his People whom he foreknew Rom. 11. 2. I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3. 6. I will betroth thee unto me forever Hos 2. 19. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. It is not all the powers of Hell nor all the powers on Earth that can make null or void our covenant-relation our covenant-interest But Seventeenthly and lastly If God be with us who can be against us I answer none so as to hinder our growth in grace or the thriving and flourishing estate of our precious and immortal souls The troubles afflictions persecutions and sufferings that the Saints meet with in a way of holyness shall but further the increase and growth of their graces grace never rises to so great a height as it does in times of persecution Suffering times are a Christians harvest times Let me instance in that grace of Psalm 69. 7 8 9 12. of zeal I remember Moulin speaking of the French Protestants saith When Papists hurt us and persecute us for reading the Scripture we burn with zeal to be reading of them but now persecution is over our Bibles are like old Almanacks Michal's scoffing at David 2 Sam. 6. 20 21 22 did but inflame and raise his zeal If this be to be vile I will be more vile Look as fire in the Winter burns the hotter by an Antiperistasis because of the coldness of the air so in the winter of persecution that Divine fire the zeal of a Christian burns so much the hotter and flames forth so much the more vehemently and strongly When one desired to know what kind of man Basil was there was presented to him in a dream saith the Historian a pillar of fire with this Motto Talis est Basilius Basil is such a one he is all on a light fire for God Warm persecutions will but set Christians all on a light fire for God as you may see among the Apostles primitive Christians the Martyrs of a later date Grace
of Persia the spices of Aegypt the gold of Ophir and the treasures of both Indies to the glory of another world Augustin tells us that one day when he was about to write some thing upon the eighth Verse of the thirty sixth Psalm Thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy pleasures and being almost swallowed up with the contemplation of heavenly joyes one call'd unto him very loud by his name and enquiring who it was he answered I am Hierom with whom in my life time thou hadst so much conference concerning doubts in Scripture and am now best experienced to resolve thee of any doubts concerning the joyes of Heaven but only let me first ask thee this question Art thou able to put the whole-whole-Earth and all the waters of the Sea into a little pot Canst thou measure the waters in thy fist and mete out Heaven with thy span or weigh the mountains in scales and the hills in a ballance If not no more is it possible that thy understanding should comprehend the least of the joyes of Heaven and certainly the least of the joyes of Heaven are unconceivable and inexpressible But Thirdly there is no power nor policy on Earth or in Psalm 21. 3. Hell that can deprive a Believer of an incorruptible Crown 1 Cor. 9. 25. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things now they do it to obtain a corruptible Crown but we an incorruptible He alludes to the Olympick exercises now running and wrestling were two of the Olympick games now in these Olympick games the reward was only a corruptible crown a crown made up of Laurels or Olive-branches or Oaken-leaves or of Flowers and Herbs or at the highest of Silver and Gold which soon faded but we run for an incorruptible Crown of glory A man saith Chrysostom would dwell in this contemplation of Heaven and be loth to come out of it Nay saith Augustin a man might age himself in it and sooner grow old than weary 1 Pet. 1. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you Here are super-excellent properties of the Heavenly inheritance First it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an incorruptible inheritance All earthly inheritances are liable to corruption 1 An incorruptible inheritance Gen. 3. 18. Isa 23. 9. they are true gardens of Adoms where we can gather nothing but trivial flowers surrounded with many bryars thornes and thistles O the hands the hearts the thoughts the lives that have been corrupted by earthly inheritances O the impure love the carnal confidence the vain boastings the senfual joyes that have been the products of earthly inheritances If a mans estate lyes in James 5. 2 3 4 5. Mat 6. 19 20. Job 1. 14 15 17. See my Londons Lamentation money that may rust or the thieves may break through and steal it If in cattle they may dye or fall into the hands of the Sabeans and Chaldeans If in houses they may be burnt witness the late dreadful fire that turn'd London into a ruinous heap If in Lands a forreign enemy may invade them and conquer them All earthly inheritances are no better than the Cities which Solomon 1 King 9. 13. gave to Hiram which he called Cabul that is to say Displeasing or Dirty Earthly inheritances they do but durt laub and dust the children of men it is only the Heavenly inheritance that is incorruptible Secondly it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inheritance 2 An inheritance undefiled undefiled There are few earthly inheritances but some defilement or other sticks close to them many times they are got by fraud oppression violence injustice c. and as they are often wickedly got so they are as often wickedly kept They that will but go to Westminster-hall may every term understand enough of these things The Heavenly inheritance is the only undefiled inheritance there is no sin no sinner no Devil to defile or pollute the heavenly inheritance the incorruptible crown The Greek word Amiantos signifies a precious stone which though it be never so much soiled yet it cannot be blemished nor defiled yea the oftner you cast it into the fire and take it out the more clear bright and shining it is The Apostle may probably allude to this stone and it is as if he should say The incorruptible Crown that you shall receive shall be studded with the stone Amiantos which cannot be defiled no unclean thing shall Revel 21. 27. enter into Heaven to defile this Crown this inheritance The Serpent got into the Earthly Paradise and defiled Adam's crown yea he robbed him of his crown but the subtil Serpent can never enter into the heavenly Paradise But Thirdly it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inheritance 3 An inheritance that fadeth not away that fadeth not away A Metaphor taken from flowers the beauty of flowers and the sweetness of flowers withers in a moment and is quickly gone and then they are good for nothing but to be cast upon the dunghil So it is with all Earthly inheritances they soon lose their glory and fragrancy Where is the glory of the Chaldean Dan. 7. 3. to the 8. Persian Graecian and Roman Kingdoms Sic transit gloria Mundi hath been long since written upon them all Isa 40. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 24. yea all the glory of the world is like the flower of the field that soon fadeth away How many great Men and great Kingdoms have for a time shined in great glory even like so many Suns in the Firmament but are now vanished away like so many blazing Comets How hath the Moon of great Mens honours been eclipsed at the full and the Sun of their pomp gone down at noon How soon is the Courtiers glory eclipsed if his Prince do but frown upon him and how soon does the Prince become a peasant if God does but frown upon him The Greek word Amarantos say some is the proper name of a flower which is still fresh and green after it hath hung up in the house a long time It is as if the Apostle had said Your incorruptible Crown shall be garnished or adorned with the precious flower Amarantos which is alwayes fresh and green and flourishing And indeed this is the excellency of the Heavenly inheritance that it fadeth not away that it is a flower that never withereth all the glory of that upper-world is like God himself lasting yea everlasting This never fading Crown is like the flower we call Semper vivens it keeps alwayes fresh and splendent the glory of Believers shall never fade nor wither it shall never grow old nor rusty Thrice happy are those souls that have a share in this incorruptible Crown When Alexander heard the Philosophers discourse of another World in which he had no part he 1 Thes 4. 13. wept to speak with the Apostle as one without hope None on earth have such cause to weep
A WORD IN SEASON To this Present GENERATION OR A SOBER AND SERIOUS DISCOURSE About the favorable Signal and eminent Presence of the LORD with his PEOPLE in their greatest Troubles deepest Distresses and most deadly Dangers WITH THE Resolution of several Questions concerning the DIVINE PRESENCE as also the Reasons and improvements of this great and glorious Truth All tending to encourage Christians in the way of their Duty in the face of all Afflictions Oppositions and Sufferings that they may meet with for Righteousness sake from the Serpents seed or from Wolves in Sheeps-cloathing By THOMAS BROOKS the Author of the Golden Key to open hidden Treasures But will God indeed dwell on the Earth Behold the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee how much less this House that I have builded 1 Kings 8. 27. Deus unus est ubique totus diffusus Cyprian Maximilian the Emperour was so delighted with that Sentence of PAUL Si Deus nobiscum If God be with us who shall be against us that he caused it to be written upon the Walls in most rooms of his Palace LONDON Printed for Dorman Newman at the Sign of the Kings Arms in the Poultrie THE SIGNAL PRESENCE OF GOD With His PEOPLE In their greatest Troubles deepest Distresses and most deadly Dangers 2. Tim. 4. 17. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me that by me the preaching might be fully known and that all the Gentiles might hear and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion IN my Text you have three things that are most remarkable Preached in March and April 1675. First you have Paul's commemoration of that singular experience that he had of the favourable presence Acts 23. 11. of Christ with him and of his strengthening of him Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 4. 16. 2 Tim. 1. 15. by me and assisted me though I was deserted by men yet I was ayded and assisted by Christ though all men left me to shift for my self yet the Lord stood by me and strengthned me with wisdom prudence courage and constancy in the want of all outward encouragements and in the face of all outward discouragements Secondly here is the end for which the Lord stood by him assisted strengthned and delivered him viz. Rom. 11. 13. Phil. 4. 22. That he might preach the Gospel to the Nations That he might have more time and further opportunity to spread abroad the everlasting Gospel among the Gentiles whose Apostle he was Rome at this time was the Queen of the World and in its most flourishing condition people from all parts of the World flockt to Rome Now when they should hear and see Paul's prudence courage constancy and boldness in professing of Christ and in preaching and professing the Gospel even before that grand Tyrant that monster of mankind Nero they could not but be wrought upon and the fame of the glorious Gospel could not but by this means be spread all the World over Thirdly here is the greatness of the danger from which he was delivered viz. From the mouth of the Calv. In. Estiâ—â— c. Lyon Some Authors do conceive these words and I was delivered from the mouth of the Lyon to be a Proverbial speech noting some eminent present devouring danger I was delivered from the extremest hazard of death even as a man rescued out of a Lyons Beza A Lapide Vide Euseb hist l. 2. c. 22. mouth and pull'd from between his teeth Others more genuinly and properly by the mouth of the Lyon do understand Nero's rage and cruelty who for his potency in preying on the flock of Christ is here fitly compared to a Lyon which devoured and destroyed the flock of Christ This cruel Lyon Nero put a world of Christians to death and made a bloody Decree That whosoever confessed himself a Christian he should without any more a do be put to death as a convicted enemy Dedicator damnationis Christianoruâ— Tertul. of mankind Tertullian calleth him The Dedicatour of the condemnation of Christians This bloody Monster Nero raised the first bloody Persecution To pick a quarrel with the Christians he set the City of Rome on fire and then charged it upon the Christians under which pretence he exposed them to the fury of the People who cruelly tormented them as if they had been common burners and destroyers of Cities and the deadly enemies of mankind yea Nero himself caused them to be apprehended and clad in wild beasts skins and torn in pieces with Dogs others were crucified some he made bonefires off to light him in his night-sports To be short such horrid cruelty he used towards them as caused many of their enemys to pity them But God found out this bloody Persecutor at last for being adjudged by the Senat an enemy to mankind he was condemned to be wipt to death for the prevention whereof he cut his own throat The words being thus briefly opened the main point I shall insist upon is this viz. That when the People of God are in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then the Lord will be most favourably most signally and most eminently present with them The Schoolmen say that God is five wayes present 1. In the Humanity of Christ by hypostatical union 2. In the Saints by knowledge and love 3. In the Church by his essence and direction 4. In Heaven by his Majesty and Glory 5. In Hell by his vindictive Justice Hemingius saith There is a fourfold presence of God 1. There is a presence of Power in all men even in the Reprobates 2. A presence of Grace only in the Elect. 3. A presence of Glory in the Angels and Saints departed 4. An hypostatical presence of the Father with the Son But if you please you may take notice that there is a sixfold presence of the Lord First there is a general presence of God and thus he Psal 139. 7. Nâ— quam est Deus c. ubiquâ— est Câ—rysost in Col. 2. H. 〈◊〉 5. is present with all Creatures Whither shall I flee from thy presence Empedocles the Philosopher said well That God is a Circle whose center iâ— every where and whose circumference is no where God is included in no place and excluded from no place saith another Non est ubi ubi non est Deus They could tell us that God is the soul of the World and that as the soul is Tota in totâ— tota in qualibet parte so is he his eye is in every corner c. To which purpose they so pourtrayed their Goddess Minerva that which way soever one cast his eye shee alwayes beheld him Though Heaven be Gods Palace yet it is not his prison Diana's Temple was burnt down when shee was busie at Alexander's birth and could not be at two places together but God is present both in Paradise and in the Wilderness
at the same time 1 Kings 8. 27. But will God indeed dwell on the Earth behold the Heaven and Heaven of Heavens God is higher than the Heaven deeper than Hell broader than the Earth and more diffuse than the Sâ—a Bern. cannot contain thee how much less this House that I have builded By the Heaven of Heavens is meant that which is by the learned called the Empyreal Heaven where the Angels and the Saints departed do enjoy the glorious and beatifical vision of God and it is called the Heaven of Heavens both because it is the highest and doth contain the other Heavens within its orb and also by way of excellency as the most holy place in the Temple Isa 66. 1. Prov. 5. 21. Heb. 4. 13. Job 26. 6. is called the Holy of Holies because it far surpasseth all the rest in splendour and glory Jer. 23. 24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I should not see him saith the Lord. Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord. Prov. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All-eye The poor Heathen couly say Deus intimior nobis intimo nostro God is nearer to us than we are to our selves Repletively he is every where though inclusively no where Job 34. 21. For his eyes are upon the wayes of man and be seeth all his goings V. 22. There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Sinners shall never be able to shroud themselves nor their actions from Gods all-seeing eye The Rabbins put Makom which signifies Place among the names of God Bithâ—er brings them in expounding that Text in Esther 4. 14. Deliverance shall arise from another Place that is from God they called him Place because he is in every place though in the Assemblies of his Saints more eminently and gloriously God is Math. 5. 45. Acts 17. â—7 â—8 Psalm 33 13 14. present with all his Creatures 1. Via productionis by raising them up 2. Via sustentationis by staying of them upâ—â— they are his Family and he foods and clothes them 3. Via inclinationiâ—â— by giving unto them power of motion man could neither live nor move unless the Lord were with him 4. Via observationis by taking notice of them he observeth and marks both their persons and their actions he sees who they are and how they are employed 5. Via ordinationis by governing and ruling of Acts 4. 25. to 29. them and all their actions to the service of his glory and the good of his poor People But this is not that presence that we are to discourse of Secondly there is a miraculous presence of Christ Mat. 7. 22. Mark 3. 15. and this some of the Prophets of old had and the Apostles and others had in Christ's time and by vertue of this miraculous presence of Christ with them they cast out Devils healed diseases and did many wonderful things But this is not the presence that falls within the compass of that main point we purpose to speak to Thirdly there is a relative presence of Christ and See Psalm 46. 4. 5. Cant. 7. 5. Joel 3. 21. Zach. 2. 10. 11. cap. 8. 3. Ps 135. 21. that is his presence in his Ordinances and with his Churches Of this presence the Scripture speaks very largly Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my Name I will come unto thee and I will bless thee Exod. 25. 8. And let them make me a Sanctuary that I may dwell amongst them Exod. 29. 45. And I will dwell among the Children of Israel and will be their God Levit. 26. 11. And I will set my Tabernacle amongst you and my soul shall not abhor you V. 12. And I will walk among you and will be your God and ye shall be my People Psalm 76. 1. In Judah is God known his Name is great in Israel V. 2. In Salem also is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion Isa 8. 18. From the Lord of Hosts which dwelleth in mount Sion Psalm 9. 11. Sing praises to the Lord which dwelleth in Sion The Churches are said to 1. Cor. 3. 16 17. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Heb. 3. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Rev. 2. 1. be the Temples in which the Lord doth dwell and the House of the living God and the golden Candlesticks amongst which he doth walk O how much do's it concern all the Churches to prize their Church-state and to keep close together and to walk sutable to that gracious presence of God that shines in the midst of them But this is not that presence that falls under our present consideration But Fourthly there is a Majestical and glorious presence of Christ and thus he is said to be in Heaven Psalm 2. 4. Job 16. 19. 2. Thes 1. 9. Psalm 16. 11. 1 Tim. 6. 14 15 16. Rev. 3. 21. He that sitteth in the Heavens will laugh the Lord shall have them in derision Heb. 1. 13. But to which of the Angels said he at any time sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool Cap. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into the boly Plâ—oes made with hands which are the figure of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Not that Heaven is circulus concludens a place wherein Christ is shut up but Palatium resplendens the Court as it were where his Majesty in acts of wisdom and power and mercy and conjunction of grace and glory doth most of all appear As the soul of man though it be in every part of man yet it doth principally appear and manifest it self in the heart and brain so here c. Manica Austin's Mother standing one day and seeing the Sun shine raised this meditation Oh if the Sun be so bright what is the light of Christ's presence in glory But this is not the presence we design now to discourse of Fifthly there is a Judicial or wrathful presence of the See Exod. 9. 14. Isa 6. 9 10. cap 64. 1 2 3 4. Psal 81. 12. 2 Thes 2. 11 12. Psalm 68. 2. Jer. 4. 26. Eze. 38. 20. Hab. 1. 12. Lord and thus he is present with wicked men sometimes blinding of them sometimes hardning of them sometimes leaving of them to their own hearts lusts sometimes giving them up to their own hearts lusts sometimes filling their faces with shame and their Consciences with terrours He is Judicially present with wicked men by a particular observation of their persons and wayes Psalm 33. 13 14. Job 34. 21 22. He sees who they are and how they are employed against his honor his interest his Saints his wayes and by a special detestation of their persons and wayes c. But this is not that presence that at this time falls under our consideration and therefore Sixthly and lastly there
afflict or annoy the People of God for God himself is very sensible of it and accordingly he will certainly requite it Acts. 9. 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me They that persecute the Servants of Christ they persecute Christ himself who liveth in them and is mystically united to them Look as there is by virtue of the natural union a mutual sympathy betwixt the head and the members the Husband and the Wife so 't is here betwixt Christ and his Saints for he is a most Heb. 4. 15. c. 5. 2. Col. 1. 24. Heb. 13 13. Isa 53. 4. sympathizing compassionate tender-hearted Saviour Those that shoot at the Saints hit Christ their sufferings are held his and their reproaches are counted his He that bore the Saints griefs when he was on Earth really and properly he â—ears them still now he is in Heaven in a way of sympathy Christ in his glorified state hath a very tender sense of all the evil that is done to his Children his members his Spouse and looks upon it as done to himself A great Lord said to another great Lord of the Council in King Henry the Eighths dayes concerning Cranmer Let him alone for the King will See the first part of my Golden Key p. 277 278. 279. more of this not suffer his finger to ake So say I to the persecutors of the day Let the People of God alone for if you do but make their finger ake God will make your heads and hearts ake for it before he has done with you But Tenthly the Lord doth manifest his favourable signal and eminent presence with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers by pouring out upon them a greater spirit of prayer and supplication in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers than formerly they have had Isa 26. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited Before they would say a Prayer but now they poured out a Prayer thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them They poured out their still prayer The Hebrew word Lachus signifieth properly a soft or low kind of muttering which can hardly be heard The Prophet hereby would intimate to us that in their great troubles and deepest distresses they sighed or groned unto God and prayed in a still and silent manner Saints never visit God more with her prayers than when he visits them most with his rod. Saints never pray with that seriousness that spiritualness that heavenlyness that humbleness that brokenness that servency that frequency as they do when they are under the mighty hand of God and all this is from that signal presence of God that is with them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses c. When it was a day of great trouble of great distress of great danger to the People of God in Germany God poured out a very great spirit of prayer upon Luther at length he comes out of his closet triumphingly saying to his Fellow-labourers and Friends Vicimus vicimus We have overcome we have overcome At which time it is obâ—â—rved that there came out a proclamation from Charles the Fift that none should be further molested for the profession of the Gospel In dayes of â—roubles and distress Luther was so warm zealous and powerful in prayer that made one of his best Friends say Iste vir potuit quod voluit That man could have of God what he pleased Being once very warm in prayer he let fall this transcendent rapture of a daring faith Fiat mea voluntas Let my will be done and then falls off sweetly Mea voluntas Domine quia tua My will Lord because thy will It is reported in the life of Luther that when he prayed it was tanta reverentia ut si Deo tanta fiducia ut si amico It was with so much reverence as if he were praying to God and with so much boldness as if he had been speaking to his Friend I have read of a fountain that at noon day is cold and at midnight it growes warm so many Christians are cold in praying in hearing c. in the day of prosperity but yet are warm and lively in praying and wrestling with God in the day of adversity Manasseh got more by 2 Chr. 33. 11 12 13. Jonah 2. Dan. 6. Ps 84 Luke 23. 42. 2 Ch. 20. 1. to the 13. Isa 37. 14. to the 12. Gen. â—2 6. to the 13. and from v. 24. to 3â— now he oyles the Keâ— of prayers with tears Hos 12. 4. prayer in his iron-chains than ever he got by his golden Crown Afflictions are like the prick at the Nightingals brest that awakes her and that puts her upon her sweet and delightful singing A sincere Christian never prayes so sweetly as when under the rod. One reports of Joachim the Father of the Virgin Mary that he would often say Cibus potus mihi erit oratio Prayer is my meat and drink When a Christian is in trouble then prayer is his meat and drink O what a spirit of prayer was upon Jonah when he was in the Whales belly and upon Daniel when he was among the Lyons and upon David in his wilderness-state and upon the Thief when he was on the Câ—oss and upon Jehoshaphat when Moab and Ammon and others came against him to battel and upon Hezekiah when Sennacherib had invaded Judah and upon Jacob when his brother Esau came to meet him with four hundred bloody cut-throates at his heels As there be two kind of antidotes against poyson viz. hot and cold so there are two kind of antidotes against all the troubles of this life viz. fervent Prayer and holy Patience the one hot the otehr cold the one quenching the other quickning When a Christian under great troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers prayes more for the sanctification of affliction than the removal of affliction when he prayes more to get off his sins than to get off his chains when he prayes more to get good by the rod than to get free from the rod when he prayes more that his afflictions may be a refining fire than a consuming fire and that his heart may be low and his graces high and that all his troubles may wean him more from this World and ripen him the more for the glory of that upper World It is a great demonstration of the signal presence of God with him in all his troubles and deep distresses But Eleventhly the Lord doth manifest his favourable signal and eminent presence with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers by drawing the hearts of his People nearer and closer to himself by all the afflictions troubles distresses and dangers that do attend them in this World Psalm 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I weut astray but now have I kept thy Word God brought David nearer to Chrysostom himself by weeping cross Affliction is fire to purge
accounted as sheep for the slaughter It is a question when and upon what occasion this Psalm was written Some think that it was written upon occasion of the 70 years captivity in Babylon but this can't Dan. 9. 11 12 13 14. be because that captivity was the fruit and product of their high iniquities as the Scriptures do every where evidence They could not say in Babylon for thy sake we are killed all the day long but for sins sake for our wickedness sake we are killed all the day long It is more probable that this Psalm was prenned upon the occasion of the horrible persecution of the Church under Antiochus Epiphanes unto which I guess Paul hath reference towards the latter end of that 11. to the Hebrews In this 22. Verse you have three things observable 1. The greatness of their sufferings They were killed amplified by a similitude As sheep to the slaughter 2. The cause not for their sin but for thy sake 3. The continuance how long even all the day long Their sufferings are great and long that Tyrant Antiochus made no more Dan. 11. reckoning of taking away of their lives than a Butcher doth of cuting the throats of the poor sheep and as Butchers kill the sheep without making conscience of the effusion of their blood even so did that Tyrant Antiochus destroy the Saints of the most high without making the least conscience of sâ—eding innocent blood and as Butchers think well of their work and are glad when they have butchered the poor sheep so did this Tyrant Antiochus he thought he did God good service in butchering of the holy People and rejoyced in that bloody service and yet notwithstanding all the dreadful things that these blessed souls suffered they still kept close to God and close to his Covenant and close to his wayes and close to his worship And Austin observes Aug. liâ— 22 de Civit. Dei c. 6 Exod. 1. 12. that though the Heathen sought to suppress the growth of Christianity by binding butchering racking stoning burning c. yet still they increased and multiplyed and still they kept close to God and his wayes The Church was at first founded in blood and it has thriven best when it has been moistned with blood it was at first founded in the blood of Christ and ever since it has been moistned or watered as it were with the blood of the Martyrs The Church of Christ in all Ages hath been like the oak which liveth by his own wounds and the more limbs are cut off the more new sprouts O how close to God his wayes and worship did the Saints keep in the Ten Persecutions they have followed the Lamb whither ever he went If they would have complyed with the wayes of the World and the worship of Rev. 14. â— 5. Heb. 11. 35. the World and the customs of the World they might have had case honour riches preferments c. but nothing could work them off from God or his wayes and therefore he will certainly stand by them and cleave to them and be signally present with them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers But Tenthly the Lord will be signally present with his 10 Reason Mat. 5. 12. Lu. 6 23. People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers that they may be joyful and cheerful under all their troubles and that they may glory in all their tribulations It is good to have a patient Spirit but it is better to have a joyful Spirit in all our sufferings troubles distresses c. that we meet with in a way of well-doing Acts. 5. 40. And to him they agreed Gre. Rejoyce leap for joy 2 Cor. 12. 10. and when they had called the Apostles and beaten them they commanded that they should not speak in the Name of Jesus and let them go Verse 41. And they departed from the presence of the Council rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name In the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they were honoured to be dishonoured for Christ They looked upon it as a high honour to be dishonoured for Christ as a grace to be disgraced for Christ It was the Divine presence that made Acts 16. 20 22 23 24. Paul Silas to sing when they were accounted trouble-towns and when they were beaten with many stripes and cast into prison into the inner prison and laid neck Beza and heels together as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes The Divine presence made Paul and Silas to glory in all Ephes 6. 17. Rom. 5. 3. their stripes sores and wounds as old Souldiers glory in their scars and wounds which they receive in battle for their Prince and Country The Divine presence might well make Paul and Silas to say of their stripes sores as Muncer once said of his ulcers Hae sunt gemmae pretiosa ornamenta Dei These are the Jewels and the precious ornaments with which God adornes his dearest Servants It was the Divine presence that made Ignatius say in the midst of all his sufferings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I bear my bonds as so many spiritual pearls So 2 Cor. 7. 4. I am filled with comfort Tam exceeding joyful in all our tribulations Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I do over-abound with joy Verse 5. For when we were come into Macedonia our flesh had no rest but we werâ— troubled on every side without were fightings within were fears Verse 6. Novertheless God that comforteth those that are cast down comforted us It was the Divine presence that filleth the Corinthians with exceeding comfort and joy when their fiesh had no rest and when they were troubled on every side this signal presence of God with them in all their tribulations filled their souls with such an exuberancy of joy that no good could match it nor no evil over-match it It was the Divine presence that made the Martyrs both ancient modern so comfortable cheerful under all their hideous sufferings It was the Divine presence that made Francisco Soyit say to his Adversaries You deprive me of this life promote me to a better which is as if you should rob me of counters furnish me with gold Oh how my heart leapeth for joy said one that I am so near the apprehension of eternal bliss God forgive me mine unthankfulness and unworthyness of so great glory In all the dayes of my life I was never so merry as now I am in this dark Dungeon believe me there is no such joy in the world as the People of Christ have under the cross Act. and Mon. fol. 1668 1669. 1670. said blessed Philpot that went to Heaven in flames of fire Let God but withdraw this fignal presence from his People in their sufferings and you will quickly find their hearts to droop their spirits to fail and they overwhelmed in a sea of sorrows as
men of the greatest measures and degrees of holiness have alwayes enjoyed the greatest measures of the Divine presence witness Enoch Genes 5. 24. Noah Genes 6. 8 9 17 18. So Abraham Jacob Joseph Job David Daniel John Paul c. they were all famous for holiness and accordingly they had a famous presence of God with them as hath been shewed in part and might more fully have been discovered but that the press calls upon me to hasten to a conclusion and therefore I shall now but hint at things consider First That the more holy any person is the more excellent that person is all corruptions are diminutions of excellency the more mixt any thing is the more abased it is the more you mix your wine with water the more you abase your wine and the more you mix your gold with tin the more you abase your gold But the purer your wine is the richer and better your wine is and the purer your gold is the more glorious and excellent it is so the purer and holier any person is the more excellent and glorious that person is Now the more Divinely excellent and glorious any person is the Dan. 9. 23. more he is beloved of God and the more he is the delight of God and the more he shall have of the presence of God Consider Secondly The more holy any person is the more that person pleases the Lord Fruitfulness in holiness fills Heaven with joy the Husbandman is not so much pleased with the fruitfulness of his fields nor the Wife with the fruitfulness of her womb as God is pleased with the fruitfulness of his People in grace and holiness Now certainly the more God is pleased with any person the more he will be present with that person they commonly have most of our presence that most please us Heb. 11. 5. Genes 5. 24. The Hebrew word ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Hithpael and notes a continual walking with God without ceasing Enoch had this testimony before his translation that he pleased God or gave God content as the original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports Enoch eyed God at all times in all places and in all companies and this pleased God Where ever Enoch was his eye was still upon God Enoch walked constantly with God his whole life was but one continued day of walking with God and this pleased God Enoch kept himself from the corruptions and pollutions of the times which were very great he was not carried away with the stream of the times he kept a constant counter-motion to the corrupt courses of the times and this pleased God Enoch maintained and kept up a clear choice and standing communion with God and this pleased God Enoch made it his business his work his Heaven to approve his heart to God and his wayes to God and this pleased God Enoch was very serious and studious to avoid every thing that might be a dishonour to God or displeasing to God and this pleased God Enoch had great and high and honourable thoughts of God and this pleased God God was so pleased and taken with Enoch that he translates God took him up in a whirl wind say the Hebrew Doctors as Elias was he changed his place but not his company for he still walked with God as on Earth so in Heaven him from Earth to Heaven from a gracious to a glorious presence It was a singular mercy for God to be with Enoch on Earth but it was a far more glorious mercy for Enoch to be with God in Heaven The gracious presence of God is very desirable but the glorious presence of God is most comfortable Enoch pleases God and God translates Enoch We can never have those Friends near enough to us who take a pleasure and delight to please us So here Enoch was a bright morning Star a rising Sun for vertue and holiness and therefore God could not satisfie himself to speak after the manner of men that he should live at so great a distance from him and therefore translates him from Earth to Heaven Well my Friends the greater measures of holiness you reach too the more you will please God and the more you please God the more you shall be sure to enjoy of the presence of God Consider Thirdly The more holy any person is the more like to God he is and the more like to God he is doubtless 1 Pet. â— 15 16. Leâ—ir 11. 44. Can. 19. 2. and 20. 7. the more he is beloved of God it is likeness both in nature and grace that alwayes draws the strongest love Though every Child is the Father multiplied the father of a second Edition yet the Father loves him best and delights in him most who is most like him and who in feature spirit and action does most resemble him to the life and so does the Father of Spirits also he alwayes loves them best who in holiness resemble him Heb. 12. 9. most There are four remarkable things in the beloved Disciple above all the rest 1. That he lay nearâ—st to John 13. 23. Cap. 18. 16. Cap. 19 26 27. Mark 14. 50. Christ's bosom at the Table 2. That he followed Christ closest to the high Priests Palace 3. That he stood close to Christ when he was on the Cross though others had basely deserted him and turned their backs upon him 4. That Christ commended the care of his Virgin Mother to him Now why did Christs desire love and delight run out with a stronger and a fuller tide towards John than to the rest of the Disciples doubtless it was because John did more resemble Christ than the rest it was because John was a more exact picture and lively representation than the others were Now the more any man in holiness is like to Christ the more any man in holiness resembles Christ the more that man shall enjoy of the presence of Christ the more that man shall lay in the bosom of Christ The Father loves to be most with that Child that is like him most So here As ever you would enjoy the presence of God in your greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers be sure that you keep up holiness in your hearts and lives be sure that you grow in holiness and flourish in holiness and then you shall be sure of the presence of God with you in all your troubles and deep distresses A holy God will never leave the holy Christian and thus much for this use of Exhortation The last use of all is a use of comfort and consolation to all the Pâ—â—ple of God in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses Now here consider First of all That God himself hands out this as a rare comfort of his People in all their troubles distresses and dangers viz. That he will be graciously present with them in the midst of all their sorrows and sufferings Isa 43. 2. Psalm 91.