he faithful Sayings of God that it is hid to none â—ut those that perish whose eyes the God of this World hath blinded So absurd a thing is Atheism that even those who serve the Devil cannot want their God At the Birth of Jesus there appeared a Star in the East which guided the Wise-men by their Presents seeming to have been Greatmen to the place where the was But the Scripture like the Sun is the great Light that ruleth the day of the Gospel circling the World as long as the Sun and continuing while the Moon endureth Rom 10. 17. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God But I say have they not heard yes verily their sound went out into all the Earth and their words unto the Worlds end In the Creation the first-born Light of the first day lasting but three dayes concentred and ceased in the enduring Luminaries the product of the fourth day So in the Regeneration the light of Christs personal Preaching lasting just as many Prophetical dayes Dan. 9 27. hath given place to the Scripture-light that endureth for ever and the sure word rf Prophecy to which we do well to take heed as to a Light that shineth in a dark place This is the Light that maketh all things manifest even the thoughts and intents of the Heart that discovereth all things to Men and a Man to himself both what he is and what he ought to be And what manner of persons ought we to be 2 Pet 23 â—1 Truly this Light is sweet and intertaineth uâ— with variety of delightful Objects Amongst which of late happening to be detained with these last words of Nehemiah and seeing them like a well done Portrait in all stances looking towards me with an eye of Instruction walking and returning and still more desireously beholding hardly could I be satisfied with a sixth View Remember me O my God for good Nehem. 13. last THESE words at the very first view do clearly hold forth That There is a God And that both by an express Testimony of his blessed Name that heard in all the Scripture and seen in all his Works â—e Man of Wisdom shall see thy Name Mic. 6. 9. And force of Reason from the inclination and motiâ—â— of the Soul which finding nothing but emptiness home goeth forth in quest of Happiness and but â—arpening its desires with all that is imperfect is â—â—tisfied only with a perfect Good And that is â—od So unhappy by necessity is every one that is ungodly The Pythagorean and Hermetick Method of â—ence is the best Instructer of this Truth which euery Man may read off his own Soul Be still and know at I am God How shall I know that By my own desires and Expectations which can take up with other thing Whom have I in Heaven but thee and Earth what desire I beside thee And now Lord what â—â—t I for my hope is in thee If a raving Stoick or petulant Dialogist shall say that these Soul-ardors â—e but the intemperat extravagant heats of a working Fancy quickned by the touch of a Platonick Iâ—a rather to be starved to extinction than indulâ—â—d to satisfaction It is Answered seriously That â—â—icile est hominem exuere Or can any of them by an â—ey of Fancy quiet an earning Stomack or cure a â—erish Body let be without quenching the Spirit â—d starving the Soul still otherwise than by Satisfaction and enjoyment of the desired Object these Soul-longings and Desires which are ever strongest â—â—d most eager in the greatest serenity With my Soul â—â—ve I desired thee in the night by night upon my Bed â—ought him whom my Soul loved And the Lord is in â—e still voice To make good the Argument let it be added That the Sagest Holyest Noblest Soâ— are alwayes the hottest in this pursuit such as Pâ—â— Isay Nehemiah David Now after what is the King of Israel come out after what doth he pursue aâ—ter a Flea after a Fancy or should a wife Man â—â—ter vain knowledge and like Simon Patricks Pilgrim fill his Belly with the East-wind Now shall aâ— Man be so unmerciful to conclude all the Worâ—â— unavoidably miserable that they may be Atheist or shall they be so unwise thus to be abused to tâ—â— hazarding even of a possibility of Happiness Fâ—â— if there be Happiness there is a God and if theâ— be no God there can be no Happiness And wâ— then are all Men made in vain If there be no Men for what do we Hunger if no Drink what do 〈◊〉 Thirst for if no Glory saith Cicero for what 〈◊〉 all Men labour if no Rest way weary we our selves in vain if no God no Happiness what is this oâ—â— Souls do so importunately pursue with a serioâ—â— loathing of all that is seen or what hath wakenâ— in them those desires that can never be stilled till thâ— get what they seek And what say these Soul-longings Thirstings Pantings Breathings but that 〈◊〉 thou beest an Atheist thou must put out the Soul aâ— put off the Man How seasonable may this Reflection be in a Woâ—â—â— where Atheism is acted in so various Guises by some with a Fools Heart in a Fools Coat saying in 〈◊〉 Heart There is no God by others in a Philosopher Garment for in the judgement of God The Worâ—â— by wisdom knew not God by some in the dress of Hypocrite In words professing to know God but â—â— works denying him By others in the person of Amhitryo thinking that God is altogether such a one â—s himself By some in Epicurus his person complementing God with the Kingdom of Heaven â—nd offering to relieve him of the abaseing pensive and expensive charge of these his Low Countries saying He will neither do Good nor Evil But he is a God that judgeth in the Earth By others in the Robs of Pharaoh the Egyptian Tyrant braving and defying God Who is the Lord that I should obey him or harken to his voice By some in the Pontificalls of Antichrist With a Mouth speaking great things against the most High boasting himself that he is God exalting himself above all that is called God or is Worshiped By others in the Equipage of a Souldier fighting against God with Wit and Power Pen and Sword But let such as Make War against the holy Covenant and Saints of the most High that hate the Gospel and hinder the Preaching thereof take Gamaleels counsel and beware lest they be found even to fight against God For there is neither Counsel nor Strength against the Lord and who ever hardned himself against him and prospered The Second View of these Words presents to us clearly The Immortality of the Soul This is establisht 1. Upon the same ground with the former For if the Souls Happinessly in the enjoyment of a perfect and so necessarly an unchangeable Good sit must undeniably be Immortal both to enjoy and praise its Obiect Et miserum est fuisse felicem There is no Happiness not perpetual else
their Spectacles is sufficiently conspicuous and may be discerned that it is the hand writing of the Lord for that it hath a peculiar stampt of Divinity that cannot be counterfited If God creat but a louse in Egypt that is an original whereof the greatest Magicians can give no copy because it is the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. And yet many read the Epistle without the inscription many see the hand work and not the hand the Work and not the Worker Not to speak of Heathen Atheists of whom some have been darkned with the fancy of a voluble blind Fortune others dammished with the impression of on inflexâ—â—â—e inexorable fate both equally opposed to the â—th of a wisely contrived and freely exercised â—â—ovidence Nor to speak of heretical Manicheâ— who attributed all evil events of sin or pain to â—e Daemoniacal influence of a malum principium an dependent unprincipiated Principle of evil in â—ain speech a Devil-God nor of malicious blasâ—emous Iews who albeit that they could not â—ny that notable Works and Miracles were â—ought by Christ yet calumniously attributed at which was the finger of God to Beelzebub â—e Prince of Devils I say not to mention these â—w many are there in all Generations who have â—gmatically received the true principles of a geneâ— Providence that either of neglect do not of infirmity and mistake cannot or of malice â—ill not see the hand of God in particular events â—nd therefore we have this frequent Conclusion Gods dispensations whether of mercy or Judgâ—ent then shall they know that I am the Lord. Unbelief of a providence looseth all the pins and â—aketh the whole frame of Religion and the â—â—th and actual observation of a Providence sixeth that Atheisme looseth Upon this pin of an observed Providence the Saints do hang many excellent vessels of greater and smaller quantity â—nd what doth not David build upon this foundation the Lord reigneth Let us then observe â—rovidence ruling in all dispensations and in every one of these let us with old Eli both see â—d say it is the Lord and whether dispensations be prosperous or cross let us remember him thâ— hath said I make peace and I creat evil Onâ—â— let not the observation of providence either slaken our hands in any good Duty This evil iâ— the Lord wherefore then should I wait any longer 〈◊〉 him was an ill use of Providence And this is bâ— like the rest of Satans and Unbeliev's Conclusion Nor 2. Let it strengthen our hands in any sinâ— project or practice It was the Devil that 〈◊〉 cast thy self down from the pinacle because he hath â—â—ven his Angels charge of thee Let us not take Providence 3. for approbation of our practice Senacherib who could say that he was not come without the Lord against Ierusalem It was a wickâ—â— word in David's enemies to say God hath forsâ—â—â— him let us persecute and destroy him But David 〈◊〉 of another spirit when God delivered Saul iâ— his hand let not my hand saith he be upon bâ— for wickedness proceedeth from the wicked saith the Proverb of the Ancients 4. Let dispensations of Providence be determining evidences of our state before God for all things 〈◊〉 alike unto all and and no man can know either â—â— or hatred by all that is before him Eccles. 9 1. â—â— a great vanity in a wicked man to think the 〈◊〉 of himself for prosperity And it a great weakâ—â—â—â— in a Saint to think the worse of himself for affliction and adversity albeit all these come from the hand of the Lord. And yet none are hereupâ—â— allowed to be Stoically or stupidly unconcerned 〈◊〉 the vicissitudes of differing dispensations for â—â—cles 3 4. there is a time to weep and a time to 〈◊〉 time to mourn and a time to dance And chap. 7. 14. the wise God by the wise mans mouth bids us in â—he day of prosperity be joyful but in the day of adâ—ersity consider The 3d. thing to be observed in the works of God and his ways to his People is the Properties and Attributes of those his works for as omne â—actum refert suum factorem every thing made reâ—embles its maker so in the works of God generally and more specially in his ways and dispensations to his own we have a lively draught and â—elineation of all the attributes of the blessed Worker Here is displayed the soveraignity of God which is exalted equally above limited â—oyality and licentious Tyranny for the Kings â—â—rength loveth judgment Psal. 99. 4. The Soverignity of God flows from his unlimited Indendâ—nt nature is founded upon his transcendent unâ—erived right in his creatures and runs in this method 1. he is over and before all things 2. all things are of him 3. all things are his and therefore 4. he may do with his own what he will â—e is the only potentat and to him belongs the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever Amen This â—overaignity of the works of God or of God in â—is works is a common pass-key that will open all â—he Adyta the secret passages of the most mysterious reserved works of God in his most surprizing â—ispensations to his People and gives the only answer to Questions about many of his dispensations otherways unanswerable instance these few Question Why hath the Lord elected one to Salvation and appointed another to Damnation and that it may be of two Brethren as Iacaâ— and Easu Twins born where all things are equal in the Object Answer Because the Potter hath power over the clay to make of the same lump one vessel to honour and another to dishonour Rom. 9. 21. Question 2 Why iâ— pursuance of the design and accomplishment of the work of our Salvation did the Lord bruise his own Son and put him to grief It pleased the Lord Isai 53. 10. Question 3. Why doth the Lord shew mercy to one and harden another Answer So he â—â— Rom 9. 18. Question 4. Why to all those that anâ— really in a state of Grace doth the Lord dispensâ— Grace so differently in time measure method manner and other circumstances Answer thâ—â— is as the spirit of God will 1 Cor. 12 11. Question 5. Why doth the Lord distribute an equal reward of Glory to those whose works and service iâ— very unequal in the World Answer Because it is lawful for the Lord to do what he will with â—â— own Math. 20. 15. Question 6. Why doth the Lord vouchafe Grace to those most ordinarilâ— who naturally ly at the greatest disadvantages â— that the Poor the Fools Babes yea the most desperat forlorn sinners Publicans and Harlots aâ— called and do receive the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and enter thereinto whilst thâ— Wise the Mighty the Righteous Civil Well Natured and Well bred Pharisees are passed by Whâ— should all this be Answer Even so father for so seemed good in thy sight Math. 11. 26 Question 7. Why doth the Lord choose one People and â—ation to make them
youth there is no lot so ill but a well exercise Soul can make good of it 3dly From the hope â— an out-gate in the issue verses 31. 32. the Lord will not cast off for ever but though he can grief yet will he have compassion according â— the multitude of his mercies 4. From the Lords unwillingness to afflict verse 33. for he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of men 5. From the Lords Soveraignity verse 37 38 out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not evil and good 6. From mens deserving justly the saddest things verse 39. wherfore doth a man complain for the punishmentâ— his sins and verses 35. 36. the Lord approvâ— no unjust dealing But true submission is not stupid idle heartless thing and if we suffer oâ— hearts wholly to be idle they will not fail like unemployed Souldiers to mutin and so find themselves both unhappy and unlawful Worlâ— therefore they must be diverted to that which good Take we then the 4th Use of present Dispensations to imploy our hearts with all and that is Seâ—â— examination verse 40. Let us search and try oâ— ways a pertinent and very necessary work for suâ—â— a time Amongst the many things we get leisuâ—â— now to think on let this be minded as none the least as the â—yning Pot for Silver and the Furnace for Gold so is affliction to a sinner a discovering and purging thing Affliction as I not before will cause men hear on the deafest side of their head it will open their ears to discipline it will cause them see things that before they would not see Let us then set in earnest to the Work of â—elf-examination while we have the advantage of â—uch a help The 5th Use of present Dispensations is Repentance in that same 40 verse and let us turn again to the Lord What ever by Self-examination is discovered to be amiss as hardly any man shall search himself faithfully but many such things will be â—ound with him let all that be amended for if â—ur scum be only discovered and go not out from â—s we shall be in hazard to be consumed in the Furnace Repentance well becomes a sinner at any â—ime but especially when God with rebukes is â—hastising man for iniquity and persuing sin with â— Rod And Gods hand will fiul be stretched out nor will his anger turn away till the People turn to him that â—nites them Isai 9 12 13. If we would freely turn to the Lord from all iniquity we needed neither fear the wrath of men nor be beholden to their kindness the Lord should then command deliverances for Iacob as it is said Psal. 44 4. and should cause the best of them be glad to go his Erands and serve at his Commands But our iniquities turn away and with hold good things from us Ier. 5. 25. O if once that sweet Word were going thorow the Land Hosea 6. 1. every one sending it to his neighbour and saying come and let us return unto the Lord. The 6th Use of present Dispensations is much Prayer verse 41. Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the Heavens and if the People of God set once to Prayer in good earnest it will be high time for their enemies to fear a mischief for sure the cloud of the Saints Prayers will break in a tempest upon their fatal heads The three last verses of the Chapter are dreadful to them Render unto them a recompence O Lord according to the Work of their hands give them sorrow of heart thy curse unto them persecute and destroy them in anger from under the Heavens of the Lord. And if the destitute People of God were mighty in Prayer wrestling with God weeping and making supplication to the Angel as Iacob did I could tell the Church of God good news that then the Lord would build up Zion and would appear in his Glory and thaâ— he would regard the Prayer of the destitute and noâ— despise their Prayer Psal. 102 16 17. For the Lord is even waiting his Peoples Call Isai 30. 18. 19 the Lord waiteth to be Gracious he will be very Gracious to thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall hear it he will answer thee And what will he give us he will give us our removed Teachers with the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel in a plentiful and powerful Dispensation of the Word Isai 30. 20 21. O then Let all that love Ierusalem Pray and let us wrestle together by Prayer and each Pray with another and for another and to anothers hand and let us all join hands and see who can give the kindest lift and go nearest to raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen that we bear not the shame that this breach is under our hand Now all these uses of afflicting Dispensations are as pertinent to the Cases of particular Persons whose heart knows its own grief and who know every one the plague of their own heart And by all the rest Prayer by the Holy Ghost is prescribed as a chief ingredient in all the cures of an afflicted case Jam. 5 13. Is any man afflicted let him Pray Prayer hath its famous witnesses in the Scriptures of the great things that it hath done neither wants it its witnesses in the breasts all the Saints One word of sincere Prayer will cause Devils and men and lusts and fears and cares all run and will burst the strongest bands One word of sincere Prayer from the end of the earth will at a call bring God to the Soul and with him light joy peace inlargment and Soul-solace But if any be so obstinate as the Jews were in the case of the Blind man that they will not believe famous well qualified witnesses who know what they speak and speak that which they have seen I say but of Prayer to them as the blind mans Parents said to those of him John 9 21 ask him he shall speak for himself Try but Prayer in earnest and I have no fear to be found a false witness for its own works shall praise it self best and then I shall be thought to have spoken within bounds And thus I have answered the questions proponed for instruction in the Observation of divine Dispensations all which may serve as I said to state a clear difference betwixt Athenian curiosity and a Christian inquiry into the works of God and his ways towards his People Having already prosecuted the Doctrine in a way as I hope not unuseful there remains the less to be said to it by way of Use distinctly in the usual way Only be it remembered that we observe the Lords Dispensations in manner aforesaid and for incouragment take but one place Psal. 107. 42 43. the righteous shall see it and rejoyce and all iniquity shall stop her mouth Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. And so much for the
he was a Fool who spoiled his Mirth with the thoughts of a Sword hanging over his head 2. It is confirmed clearly by the expectation of a future Reward Remember me O my God for good Till I see good Ropes twined of the Sand and the Sea beaten to powder I cannot be inclined to think that the World was made of Atoms And if it be ruled by chance what are Counsel and Art Wisdom and Folly Good and Evil Law and Justice but names of Fancies large as ridiculous as he who should command the motes of the Sun to dance a Measure or be who scourged the Sea for its disorder We know that pure chance obtaineth impunity by the Law both of God and Man Now this matter belongeth to the Ruler gravly to consider how inconsistent Atheism is with Government For to the Atheist Treason and Robbery is neither Plot nor Fellony but simple chance medley a French Aire or merry Jigg of Volage Atoms But by this fortuitous Act of Indemnity as the Atheist can do no wrong so neither can he complain of injury if he chance to be baffled robbed or dispatched violently If the World reel I cannot say properly be ruled by chance is not the Atheist not by Scripture only which never speaks good of him but by his own Principle also proven a forlorn Fool lyable in all things to unavoidable surprisal yea a liar also who knowing and warned of a continual surprisal can therefore never be surprised except into the absurdity of a Self-contradiction whereof his Principles of Fortuity are a fair Essay But to a wise Man If the World must be ruled by Counsel and Law how is it that Justice is not in this life universally and fully executed and every Man rewarded according to his Works But that there is a Court of Referrs A day of the restitution of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of righting all wrongs and settling all disorders Rom. 2. 6. to 13. Some are rewarded in this life to convince us of a Divine Providence others are not rewarded to warn â—s of a World to come Or what can perswade Nehemiah with all the wisest and best of Men deliberatâ— to chuse willingly to forgo the Worlds favour and measures and undergo all its toil and displeasure but â—â— eye to the recompence of reward by far more â—â—e better than it is the later The sence of the Souls â—nmortality is the indelible Character and solid â—â—reats of Authentick Nature exactly rendered in â—â—ery Man's coppy Only it is not illuminated in some â—â—rk Hereticks and desperate Monsters Satyres or â—â—ch doleful Creatures in humane shape where you â—â— as little of the Man as of Immortality for these â—â— all appear equally Yet it is shaddowed in all â—ens practice For look we backward What but â—â—e Aire of Immortality maketh Men so conceit an â—â—cient Pedegree Or foreward What moveth â—â—en to call their Children and Lands by their own â—ame and to endeavour to perpetuat all together it the expectation of Immortality Say it is their â—â—â—ty yet omne malum est in bono and there must some reality under that same vanity And truâ—â— the Souls Immortality is the early dictat of Naâ—â—re our Religious Mother the uncontroverted â—â—d universal Sentiment of all her posterity of whatever Religion Jewish Pagan Christian Mahumeâ—â— The Sadducees might well be the first Deniers O Lord O Lord I beseeth thee send now prosperity Yet all that will live goaly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution and through much Tribulation we must enter into the Kingdom of God But let no man add affliction to the afflicted and scornfully with Apostate Iulian alledge to Christians this Doctrine to make their burdens heavier God will not be mocked but He will avenge his own Elect who cry day and night to him Though he bear long with them I tell you that he will avenge them speedily Luke 18. 7 8. And men would remember that there is Suffering for evil-doing as well as for well-doing and he who inflicts the one may be rewarded with the other For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup and the Wine is red it is full of mixture and he poureth out of the same but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them Psal. 75. 8. And it â—â— a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance c. 2 Thess. 1. 6 7 8. 2. The belief of the Souls Immortality teacheth men effectually the Fear of God Fear not them that kill the Body and when they have done that have no more that they can do But fear ye him who can cast both Soul and Body into Hell I say fear him Luke 12. 4 5 Psal. 76. 11. He ought to be feared And why verse 12. He cutteth off the Spirits of Princes he is terrible to the Kings of the Earth Who would not fear thee O King of Nations For to thee doth it appertain Jer. 10. 7. 3. It teacheth moderation in the desire and use of all things worldly We look not at the things that are seen which are Temporal but at the things that are not seen which are Eternal There is indeed the high spirit of Christianity courting immortality with so great disdain of all Worldly things that it cannot see them in its way This is the true Nobility of the Soul that exempteth it from the Egyptian slavery and servil drudgery of loading it self with thick clay for the brick-kilns of worldly projects and setteth it far without the reach of this Temptation And woe be to him who buildeth his House by Blood and his City by Oppression and delivereth it from the sâ—art of him Who will be Rich till He be peirced with many Sorrows and drowned in Damnation But this I say Brethren the time is short even short enough to him who every Evening may hear This night thy Soul shall be taken from thee It remaineth That they who possess the World be as they possessed it not they that use it as if they used it not and as not abusing it for the fashion of this World passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 29. and foreward But alas for pitty that this same Moderation and Indifferency should be both practised and applauded in the matters of God! And that it is so rare to be Seriously and positively Holy that Godliness may say O ye Sons of Men how long will ye turn my Glory into Shame How long will ye love Vanity and seek after Leasing Psal. 4. 2. 4 It teacheth us the best managry This Age hath learned to be wonderful Thrifty But O that they could study to be rich toward God! And could be perswaded that Alms and Charity is the best Husbandry and surest Art of Managry and would learn of the
Unjust Steward To make to them-selves Friends of the unrighteous Mammon that when they fail they may receive them into ever-lasting habitations Mat 6 19 20 Lay not up for your selves Treasures upon earth c. But lay up for your selves Treasures in Heaven The meâ— of the World have their portion in this life But as for me when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likness Psal. 17. 14 15. Alas most meâ— first have so little desire for Heaven that next theâ— come to have as little hope of it and so at last and fain to take up with the World and for Jaâ—â—â— blessing must with Esau be content with the fâ—â—ness of the earth Gen. 27 39. Or else what meaâ— the unhandsome unhallowed and unhappy Practises of catching gripping and inhancing which have prevailed so far that now mens Covetousness hath strengthned it self with Pride lest they should be reputed less witty for how do they boast oâ— such exploits But such boasting is not good and theâ— glory is their shame for they mind earthly things Phiâ— 3 19 And they have hearts exercised with covetouâ— Practises cursed Children 2 Pet. 2. 14. But alas I findâ— one great fault in most mens accounts that theâ— never count upon the Soul They count their thousands and ten thousands and hundred thousands and the Poor soul sayes how many count you meâ—â— I stand Debter for ten thousand Talents upon your score Yea I am already destressed and what will you give in exchange for me Not a groat sayes the wretch while I havelife though after that he would give ten thousand Worlds So much there is betwixt market-dayes 5. It teacheth patience in well doing who by patience in well doing seek for Glory and Honour and immortality is eternal life to them Rom 2 7. Therefore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmovable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor 15. last And this is the Conclusion of the Apostles vindication of the Resurrection and the life to come The Saints have a long and sore service in the World But God is not unrighteous to forget their labour of love a cup of cold water shall not be forgotten And for whatsoever any have forsaken they shall have a hundred fold in this life and in the World to come life everlasting And we reckon that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in the Saints Therefore let us not be weary in well doing for in due Season we shall reap if we faint not Galat. 6 9. 6. It supporteth the Christians hope For if in this life only we have hope in Christ of all men we are most miserable 1 Cor. 15 19. It is certainly the interest of every good man to believe the Souls immortality and as much their Duty to live so as it may be their interest for it is not Reason and Judgement that prompt men to deny it but fear and and an evil Concience that tells them it will be ill for them The Souls immortality is the hope oâ— Israel that maketh them diligent in well doing patient in Tribulation and desirous of their change for we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5. 4. The Third view of these words giveth this manifest Reflection That Communion with God is the Souls Sanctuary and Solace We have this Prayer of Nehemiah thrice Recorded in this Chap. and in the close of the 5 Chap besides frequent Addresses of the like nature such as that solemn Ejaculation Chap. 24. And that Chap. 6 14. and another in this same Chap. ver 29 Besides his ordinary attendance on publick worship and Solemn and extra-ordinary Fasting Chap. 9. By all which it is evidenâ— how Seriously and constantly Godly this renounced worthy was Like David who could say what timâ— soever I awake I am with thee And truly the Soul is either sleeping or worse when not with God Affaires and weight of Business quickned their Devotion as much as it extinguisheth ours And the matter is they were not cool indifferent Latitudinarians in Religion but men of another Spirit serious Men. And if that be true which I hilosophers have said that that is not the Man which is seen Alas what Puppyes what Mock-men are we who can be any thing but Good and Serious This Observation proven by the experience of Saints in all Generations Who sat down under the shaddow of the Almighty with great delight and his fruit was sweet to their taste Cant 2. 3. will make it self good by the strongest Reason when we have seen a little what Communion with God is and wherin it consists And 1. It stands in Reconciliation the immediate result of Justification by faith Amos 3 3. â— Can two walk together except they be aggreed Rom. 5 1. Being justifyed by faith we have peace with God and 10. v. We are reconciled by the death of his Son This giveth access to God and bringeth us near who sometimes were far off This of Enemies maketh Friends even as Abraham believed and was called the Friend of God 2. In a mystical spiritual and Supernatural Union the product of Regeneration for he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit and is made partaker of the divine Nature This maketh us Sons and plantâ—th us in God John 1 12 13. To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God 1 John 4 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit and v. 16. God is love and he that loveth dwelleth in God and God in him Iohn 17. 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Iohn 15 5. I am the vine ye are the branches 3. In likness of natures compliance of minds and conformity of manners 2 Cor 3 last he that hath Communion with God is changed into the same â—mage and Colos. 3. 10. is renewed after the image of him that created him 1 Cor 15. 49. As we have born the image of the earthy so must we also of the heavenly Christ is the image of his Father and Saints are the image of Christ. And how much are they of one Humour pleased in and pleasing one another The Lord is a God to the Saints mind in Heaven or earth he sees nothing to him whom have I in heaven but thee Or who is a God like unto thee Nec viget quidquam simile aut secundum And the Saint is a David a man to Gods heart What is the book of Canticles but one continued proof of this matter What
Ruler Isay 3 6. Be thou our Ruler and let this ruine be under thy hand Nor can he love to have it recorded that in his dayes such evils prevailed unreformed it was when there was no King in Israel that every man did what was right in his own eyes If the health of the People be not recovered it sayeth there is no Physician there Ier 8 22. But a good Ruler scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheel over them and he may say with David Psal 75 3. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved I bear up the pillars of it he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 name and thing a Ioseph the Ston of Israel Such a one was Moses the Law-giver such was Iosua his successor such were the Judges of Israel such was Samuel such were all the good Kings of Judah such was Ezra the Scribe and such was Nehemiah the Tirshatha an eminent Reformer of Religion and state of Church and Kingdom For Religion in general Gods Holy Commandments were broken by all ranks of persons prophanity and iniquity prevailed and abounded that is solemnly confessed and amended Chapters 1. 9. In particular oppression reigned that is quashed Chap 5. and the People relieved false Prophets were hired by the enemy and bribed to compliance to weaken the Rulers hands and hinder the work of Reformation they are discovered and marked Chap 6. The ordinary worship of God and his Solemn Feasts were disused these are restored ch 8. For advancing and establishing the whole Reformation a Solemn Fast is kept ch 9. and a Covenant subscribed ch 10. The Holy Seed had mingled themselves and matched with strangers People of heathen abominations they separate themselves and that is amended ibid. The offerings of the Lord were neglected these are renewed ibid The Sabbaths were horribly prophaned That is strictly and with certification discharged and they not suffered to lodge about the walls Chap 10 31. and 13 15. and foreward The service of God was neglected by non-residence of the Priests through calamity and want that also is helped Chap. 10 11 12 13. ver 10. The orders and services of the Preists and Levits were confused these are cleared and they set to their charges as appointed by David Chap 7. 63 12. 45. and 13 30 Strangers uncircumcised had entred and defiled the Congregation of the Lord these are removed chap 13 3 Profane Persons of the Princes of the heathen had lodgings in the Lords house they are expelled and the Chambers cleansed Chap. 13. 8. 9. Some of the chief of the Preists had defiled the Covenant of the Preisthood by strange wives they are branded and that also is amended For the State the city the place of their Fathers sepulchres lay waste and the gates thereof were consumed with fire First these are repaired The people and their work are strongly opposed and sore reproached they are vindicated and their hands strengthened Chap. 2 4. When the City is built it is not manned therefore inhabitants and defendants are appointed Chap. 11. The People suffer sore by morgage the great sin of the oppressors belonging to the former head and calamity of the oppressed pertaining to this part that is redressed Chap 5. Open and secret enemies correspond and plot against the work and the Ruler these are discovered and disappointed Chap. 6. They are in great reproach and distress God is sought and means are used Chap. 4 and 6. They are poor husbandry and traffick is practised only the Sabbaths work and markets are discharged Oppression is born down and the People relieved of publick burdens Nehemtah the Governour and his brethren neither exacted the bread of the Governour nor bought Land nor refused to work as others O for such Rulers to a nation scattered and peeled a nation â—meâ—ted out and troden down whose land is spoiled Isay 18 2. Our Rulers if they had a mind have a fair occasion for I bs Gloriation Chap. 29. 13. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me c. In this time are great decayes desolations abuses and unsufferable corruptions let it not be thought an Error proceeding from the Ruler And here People would be warned to enencourage and comply with Reforming Rulers not as they were in Hezekiahs and Josiahs times inveterate incureable and obstinate in their corruptions lest they hear that Hos. 10 3 4. A King can do them no good because they feared not the Lord and spake words swearing falsly in making a Covenant But this pertaineth to the Ruler That whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven be diligently done for the house of the God of Heaven lest there be wrath against the realm of the King and his Sons Ezra 7-23 And that Judgment run like a river and righteousness like a mighty stream That he take his pattern from the type and Antitype who also is the Archetype Ruler Psal. 72. So shall there be abundance of peace and also in Judah things shall go well 3. The good Ruler hath a natural Fatherly and tender care of the People Thus it s said I say 49. 23. Kings shall be nursing Fathers And in Israel they were wont to mourn for good Rulers with this expression ab my brother Ier 2â— 18. Yea he is the breath of our nostrils Lament 4 20. by whom in the publick body we lead a quiet life and peaceable in all Godliness and honesty 1 Tim. 2. 2. He is pater patriae parens Reip. Nor can I see what should have moved those dissembling Emperours who in semblance refused the title of Lord to make so nice of the endearing name of Father of the Countrey but simply the conscience that they did as little deserve the name as they designed the thing But surely as a Rich man will never want an heir a good Ruler can never want Children nor needs he fear Coniahs fate Write ye this man Childless for if he have the heart of a Father he shall have the nameth 〈◊〉 better than sons and daughters We find not that Nehemiah was marryed yet his name flourisheth in the records of his eminent services more than if his line had continued uninterrupted to this day The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Four things are proper to the care of a Father Affection Instruction Correction and Provision all which are evident in Nehemiah the Governour Great is his Affection Chap. 1 3 4. And how Sadly taketh he on for the reproach and affliction of his brethren he sat down and weept and mourned certain dayes and fasted and Prayed before the God of Heaven He cannot digest their grief Chap 8. 9 10. When the People Weept he said Go your way eat the fat and drink the sweet and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared for this day is holy neither be ye sad for the joy of the Lord is your strength For Instruction he causeth the Priests read to them the book of the Law of
Word Remember whereby they referr particulars to him who is able to do abundantly above all that they are able either to ask or think David sayeth remember me Ieremiah sayeth remember me Hezekiah and Nehemiah say remember me and Augustine sweetly rendereth Psal. 8. 4. ver Domine quid est homo nisi quia memor es ejus Lord what is man but that thou art mindful of him And happy he whose name is written in that Book of Remembrance that is before the Lord Mal. 3. 16. And when each man comes to be rewarded malicious opposers of reformation and profane corrupters of Religion and the Covenant of the priesthood may readily come to be remembred Chap 6 14 and 13. 29. 2. In his retreat he goes off with an eye to himself Remember me c. The Ruler who would make a honourable retreat and come fair off would look to 5 Things chiefly that concern himself 1. His conscience Can he say with Nehemiah chap. 5. 19. Remember me O my God for good according to all that I have done for this People and chap. 13. 14. Remember me O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deeds and I have done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof Or with Hezekiah 2 King 20. 3. I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Or with Samuel 1 Sam. 12 3. I have walked before you from my Child-hood to this day behold here I am witness against me before the Lord and before his anointed whose ox have I taken or whose ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you Or if in any thing as a man he hath erred for that he must say to God with Nehemiah chap. 13 22. Remember me O my God and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy A good conscience is a strong comforter but Gods sweet and tender mercies are the sinners last refuge and sure salvation and it is Bellarmines own Conclusion Tutius tamen est adherere Christs Justitiae And if so why should unhappy men so voluminously dispute against their own mercy Psal. 119. 77. Let thy tender mercys come unto me that I may live was the suit of the man according to Gods heart the pattern of Rulers And truely this Generation would be advised to amend their manners before they change their Religion lest under the gilded large net of Popery by the Doctrine of merits they be involved and held in the inextricable grin of desperation Or if indulgence and pardon in end must do it what ails them at Gods which is infinitly better than the Popes and incompareably surer beside that it is manifestly cheaper But for the Conscience of a Ruler who can say with Titus that darling of mankind Non extare ullum suum factum Paeniteneum excepto duntaxat uno 2. His soul The Soul and Conscience are of such affinity that he who destroyes the one cannot save the other And what doth it profit a man though he should gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Or what is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his soul The soul is the man and he hath got his prize who gets that for a Prey The end of our faith is the salvation of our souls Psal. 119. 175. Let my soul live and it shall praise thee was the rare and suit of that excellent Ruler And what a pitty is it to see a Ruler upon a retreat from the World and from the Body going off with such a amentable Dirgie as did Adrian the Emperour in Aelius Spartianus Animula vagula blandula Hospes comesque eorporis Quananc abibis in loca Pallidula rigida nudula Nee ut soles dabis â—ocos Or with such a hideous rage as Tiberius in Sueâ—onius like one speaking out of Hell Du me Deaeque ejus perdant quam quotidie perire sentio 3. His fame and memory a matter that highly concerneth the Ruler as in the last view shall be showen more fully â— His posterity natural or politick 5. His Works both which are expressed together in that Prayer of Moses the man of God Psal 90. 16 17. Let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy Glory unto their Children and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and establish thou the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it The good Ruler not like the Ostrich which God hath deprived of wisdom neither hath he imparted to her understanding that is hardned against her young ones as though they were not hers her labour is in vain without fear Iob 39. 16 17. This regard to the work of God and to the good of posterity made Moses record his Song Deut. 31 and 32. and moved him to bless the People chap. 33. This moved Ioshua to make a Covenant chap. 24 25. This begot in David such a desire to build house unto the Lord. This made Hezekiah weep bitterly that the begun Reformation was like to cease by his death This incited Paul that great Church Ruler so zealously to warn and guard thâ— believers against what should happen after his departure This made Moses and David before the death so carefully give charge to their successor concerning their duty This moveth all men naturally at their death to leave their Counsel and Blesing to their posterity And finally this induceth good Rulers in their time to establish good Ordinances by which being dead they may speak to posterity 3. Like Moses he makes his retreat with a respect to the recompence of reward Remember me O my God for good And that boâ— proposed in the promise 2 Sam. 23. 5. He hath made with mean everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my Salvation and all my desire Or pledged in the testimony of a good Conscience 2 King 20. 3. Remember O Lord how I have walked before theâ— in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is right in thy sight He who can say with Iob My witness is in Heaven and my record on high may justly say with Isaiah my work is with the Lord and my reward with my God For surely there is an end and the expectation of the righteous shall not be cutt off Now by these last words of the Tirshatha the Ruler would be warned in time to think of his retreat how he may make it good with honour For whether slow footed Time which changeth not his pace for fair weather or foul for Summer or Winter advance at the ordinary rate of Journey or whether death take post or changes take wing and calamity come suddenly or whether all these hold the ordinary road with
of the Dispensations of GOD AND OF The pertinent Duties and Comforts of His PEOPLE in these Times WITH A Preface of the fulness of Scriptur sufficiency for Answering all Cases Hosea 9. 10 I found Israel like Grapes in the Wilderness Jer. 2 2. I Remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thine espousals when thou wantest after me in the Wilderness in a Land that was not sowen Numb 33 1. These are the journeyes of the Children of Israel which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron 2 Verse And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeyes by the Commandment of the Lord and these are their journeyes according to their goings out 1 Epistle of John 1 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you Written in the Wilderness Edinburgh Printed by George Mosman and are to be Sold at his Shop in the Parliament-Close Anno Dom. 1692. THE PREFACE THE Jews have a Tradition of that Manna wherewith God fed Israel in the Wilderness fourtie years that the taste thereof was such and so various that it answered every mans Appetit and tasted to him of whatsoever food his soul desired And look how uncertain is that Jewish Tradition of the materiall Manna that was gathered off the Earth for the space of fourty years in the Wilderness of the land of Egypt So certain is this Christian Truth of the Spiritual Manna the word of God that bread of Heaven that Angels food wherewith God feeds his Church in all ages successively and every Child of his House the Israelite indeed respectively throughout the whole course of their life and travel in the World which is the great Wilderness that it hath in it a real supply of all their necessities and hath always in it a word in season to all persons at all times and in every condition To the Dead it is life to the living it is health to the weary it is refreshment to the weak it is strength to Babes it is milk to strong men it is meat to the hungry it is bread to the thirsty it is waters To the drooping soul and sorrowful heart it is wine to the faint it is apples and Pomegranats cinnamon safron spiknard Calamus and all spices of the merchant To such who love dainties it is marrow and fatness honey of the rock and droping from the honey-comb to the wounded it is the balme of Gilead to the blind and weak sighted it is eye salve and oyntment to annoint the eyes To such neat souls as love to be all Glorious within and to keep clean Garments it is a Crown chains of the neck braceless ear-rings pendents and Ornaments of all sorts and if they like to be in fashion and to go fyne in the court of a Heavenly Conversation and communion with God it presents them a bright large glass whereat they may dayly adorn themselves to purpose This Glass is no falsifying nor multiplying Glass but a just discovering and directing one here are also discovered not only all the obliquities of gesture and faults of feature and all spots upon the face or cloaths but likwise the very in most thoughts and intents of the heart with the most subtile imaginations of the mind are here manifested Here ye are directed to sit all your Soul-ornament in the fynest spiritual fashion and to compose your gestur and order your motion so as you may be able to stand in the presence of him who is greater than Solomon This large bright Glass doth stand in King Solomons bed-Chamber in the Pook of Canticles and in it you may see your self from head to foot There ye see the head beautiful with locks Cantic 4 There ye see the sweet comly Countenance of the Saint which the Lord is so much in love with that he is in continual desire to see it there you see those eyes that ravish his heart and so throughout even to the feet that are very beautiful with shooes Chap. 7. 1. For such as are destitute and unprovided the word of God is a portion to the poor it is Riches of treasure of choice Silver and fine Gold Here is that which dispelleth darkness cleareth doubts dissolveth hardness dissappointeth fears dischargeth cares solaceth sorrows and satisfieth desires Here is counsel and strength for peace and war Here is daily intelligence from Heaven And in a word here is the best Companion that ever a soul did choose And blessed they who can spiritually tone that short but high note Psal. 119. 98. Thy Commandments are ever with me And that they are not with the soul as a burden of idle attendants are with a man see what good offices they perform by their presence Prov. 6. 22. 23. They are as Hobab to Israel and David to Nabal Eyes and a Guard to us in the Wilderness In the World and chiefly in this World we change seats and Societies we shift conditions and habitations we go thorow the Wilderness of Baca from troop to troop we are driven from Temple Altar and Oracle and we are divided from our relations and dearest acquaintance whom we loved as our own Soul we are spoiled of our Companions with whom we took sweet counsel and went into the house of God But blessed that Soul who in all this can say I am not alone my good old friend the word of God the Bible the guide of my Youth hath not yet forsaken me it is with me yea it is in me in the midst of my heart and I bear about me daily a living coppy of those livly Oracles and they are more near me than my very self for my heart is within me and they are within my heart I may be separated from my self by death that parts the dearest Friends my heart may be pluckt from my breast and my Soul dislodged of my Body but my Companion the word of God and me shall nothing part Prosperity shall not cause me forget it And adversity will not cause it forget me I will never forget thy Precepts for with them thou hast quickned me Psal. 119. 93. As those who live upon the shoar have a very just diall of the measure and motion of the water which they can make use of without the sun so are the ebbings and flowings of our affections to the word of God the surest most universall and constant witnesses of our daily condition for albeit the darkness that is upon the face of our Souls may pretend that it is night with us yet if it be full sea in our affection to the word of God we may be sure it is noon day and when it is low water in our affection to the word sure then it is mid night and the sun was never seen at mid night Be sure it is ill with that Soul that is out of conceit with the word of God Now to say nothing of the malignant qualities of gross ignorants prophane
mercy is here I will bid them look to the inner-siâ—â— for we must not judge by appearance but we mâ—â— judge righteous Iudgment There is a disappeariâ—â— white threed of mercy on the innerside of all blackest and most afflicting lots of Saints and â—â— any have not the faith to believe this in an hâ—â— and power of darkness yet I shall wish them â—â— patience to wait till they see the white threed â—yth again in its own place and till they find undenyable mercy that will not suffer it self to be mistaken tryst them upon the borders of that dark valley for mercy follows them all the days of their life Psal. 23. 6. and sometimes it will compass them round about Psal. 32 10. In a word all the very outfallings that are betwixt God and his People they are amantium irae that is but amoris redintegratio â—overs cast out and agree again and they cast not out but that they may agree again and so are God and his People mercy shall conclude all that passes betwixt them and that mercy is joyned with truth for God hath said it and he was never yet worse than his word to any but to many very oft much better You see here which confirms the point not a little what a wilde â—iece she is to whom the Lord does all this neither minding God nor his Covenant nor Commandments but courting her lovers and following her lightness and yet the Lord pursues her â—ight and litle worth as she is courts her and invites her to come home All this is strange and yet all this is but like God that the Holy One of Israel should thus like the Adullamite Judah 's friend Gen. 38. go to seek a Harlot by the way side But consider 1. That when the Lord Married her he knew all the faults that followed her and â—ook her with them all If God had not known before what she would prove it might be strange that thus he suits her but if there be any thing to be admired here it is his first love to her whom he knew to be such an one But 2dly consider where will the Lord do better Where is there any in the World that without his own undertaking would serve him otherwayes And therefore till the Lord find a better match he thinks and with all reason even as good hold him at his first choise Especially since 3. He knows of a way how to gain her And 4. sees her already rewing her courses and saying that she will return to her first husband And by all this 5. he will let it be seen that he is not so unstable and light as she is She could find in her heart to entertain others in his place and surely she was not ill to please that could take an Idol in his rooms but yet he will make it manifest to all the World that he is God and changes not and therefore he will mantain his old kindness to her and will remember the love of her espousals and the kindness of her youth For 6. Foolish as she was he had gotten more love of her in former times than he had gotten of all the World besides And thus the very case stands betwixt God and his deboarding Children and backsliding People unto this day III The third great Scripture truth that is here solemnly confirmed is this That Gods way will his People is not the manner of men 2 Sam. 7 19 Hosea 6 7. They like men transgress the Covenant and Chap. 11. 9. He like God and like himself and there is none like unto him for if any were like him he were not himself will not exeâ— cut the fierceness of his anger nor return to destroy them because he is God and not man Jer. 3 1. Theâ— say if a man put away his wife and she go from him and become anothermans Shall be return unto her again â—â—all not that land be greatly polluted but thou hast â—ayed the Harlot with many lovers yet return again â—nto me saith the Lord. Now that Gods way with â—is People is not the manner of men warrands them to expect from him things not ordinary â—or it was the greatness of his extraordinary kindness to David that made him say so of God yea â—â— warrands them to expect above expectation Isai. â—4 3. Thou didst terrible things that we looked not â—â—r Yea more it even warrands them to expect above admiration Zech. 8. 6. If it be marvelous â—â— the eyes of the remnant of this People in these dayes should it also be marvelous in my eyes saith the Lord of Hosts And the Ground of all is Isai. 55 9. Because as the Heavens are higher than the earth so are â—â—e Lords ways higher than our ways and his thoughts than our thoughts This is solemnly confirmed in â—he Text proposed where we have such a stupendious strange inference a Therefore that considering what hath been last said all the World cannot â—ell Wherefore a Therefore that if it had been left â—o all the World to supply what follows it considering what hath immediatly gone before I doubt it could have entered into any created heart to have once guessed it She went after her lovers and forgot me saith the Lord and therefore I will allure here and comfort her To this Therefore is well subjoined Behold which observation teacheth Admiration of what we cannot reach to satisfaction Only from all this let us consider whether the great sin of limiting God be not too ordinary and too litle abhorred an evil amongst us We frame to our fancy a litle modest God forsooth that must not take too much upon him and by those fancies we model our Prayers and returnes and pardons of sin and accounts of Providences and events of dispensations and all things And if that be not to have another God before the true God I have not read my Bible right nor do I understand the first Commandment But now after that I have wandered so long before though I hope not beside the purpose I am yet but entering the Wilderness SERMON Hosea 2 14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak Comfortably unto her A Wilderness is a land of darkness Ier. 2 31. and whilst I but look into the Wilderness I am surrounded with the darkness of a mysterious transition in the particle Therefore But when I begin to enter and while my foot standeth even upon the borders of darkness I see a light shining out of darkness Psal. 119. 130. the enterance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple This lights me over the border where being come I hear a voice which bids me Behold and beholding I see a strange Wherefore of this strange Therefore and it is this that by any means the Lord must have his Peopl's heart and be sole owner of their love without a Rival or partaker In the close of the former verse she forgot mâ— saith the
times The plague of a general defection which as the Pest doth other deseases hath engrossed all abominations is now so common that except it were with Aaron Numb 16. 48. to stand between the dead and the living with the incense of much intercession that if it be possible the plague may by stayed I should think him a person of that stoutness which they call rashness and of a pretty well confirmed if not of a much hardned heart who otherwise could gladly come into the Company of or mix himself with the men of this Generation We say when all freits fail fire is good for the farsey if God cure this Generation of one Plague by another I shall think it no more than is necessary for Psal. 14. 3. generally they are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one And now I think I hear a voice from Heaven saying of this Generation as that other Rev. 18. 4 said to Iohn of Mystical Babylon come out of her my people that ye may not be partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues And there is another great mischief that the Lord leads his People out of its way in bringing them into the Wilderness and it is the Plagues that come upon wicked men and all Gods enemies The People of God want not their own visitations but they are not like the Plagues of the wicked their enemies Isai. 27. 7. hath he smiten him as he smote those that smote him or is he slain according to the slaughter of those that are slam by him Yea the Saints Afflictions are excellent Antidotes and preservatives against the Plagues of their enemies who are not as but indeed are the Ungodly and the Wicked We see the properity of the Saints Afflictions Psal. 94. 12 13. Blessed is the man whom thou chasteness O Lord and teachest him out of thy law that thou may est give him rest from the days of adversity till the pit be digged for the wicked A strange thing a mans motto to be perussem nisi perussem I had perished if I had not perished and that chastisment should hide a man from the day of adversity But both the History of Scripture and the Saints experience from time time in all Generations do yeeld abundance of particular instances in confirmation of this General assertion It appears by Lots slowness to depart that he took it as a grief to go out of Sodom filthy as it was and yet the Lord by that is sending him out of the midst of the overthrow It is no doubt a grief and great Affliction to many of the Saints and Servants of God that they are removed from their people and place But when judgements come upon aplace better to be away than in place And in the judgment of judicious and great Divines it prognosticats no good to a place when the Saints and Servants of God are driven out thereof Let any read Muscuus upon Math. 24. Alas then for her that bare me and whose Breasts gave me suck for the City the place of my Nativity and education for the word that is past upon her and the Prophesy When it shall be said to faithful Ministers of the Gospel go here or go there go to the south or go to the north but go not to Edinburgh then wo to thee O Edinburgh These are the words and Prophesy of Mr. Robert Rollock which are to be seen in Print before the translation of his book upon the Colossians And is not this the time spoken of 5. The Lord brings his People into the Wilderness to Humble them that they may know of whom they hold mercies and learn afterwards in prosperity to carry soberly When Israel was upon the entry of a land flowing with milk and honey Moses insists wisely throughout the book of Deuteronomy upon the Memory of their case in the Wilderness and tells them plainly Chap. 8. verse 2. The Lord did all that to humble thee To this end it was that the Lord commanded the pot of Manna to be kept by the Ark and for this was institute the feast of Tabernacles Prosperity is an insolent Piece and will readily cause men forget their maker that hath done all these things for them and came a free-hold of mercies we are Lords say they and therefore we will come no more unto thee Jer. 2. 31. Or els they will give the Glory of their mercies unto Idols in this same Hosea 2. 5. I will go after my lovers says she who give me my bread and my water my wool and my flax mine oil and my drink and therefore the Lord is concerned for the mantainance of his right to put them out of possession till they make a legal entry by a humble acknowledgment to him their righteous superior and be repossessed by a novo damus as is clear from this Chapter And many other ways the insolency of Prosperity is expressed to the dishonour of God and damnage and hurt of our neighbours by Prophanity Presumtion carnal Confidence Intemperancy Oppression and the like and therefore sayeth the Lord Zeph. 3. 12. 13. I will leave in the midst of thee on afflicted and poor People and they shall trust in the name of the Lord and the Remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity He that knows how he has gain'd his Estate should know how he imploys it and they that come to mercies hardly should use them well and humbly If ever God bring his Church and People again to good days and Prosperity O! Let it be remembred that once we were in the Wilderness And thus to the second thing in the point viz. Wherefore doth the Lord bring his People into the Wilderness Follows the Use which is the 3d thing in the point The first Use is of warning and I would sound an alarme and proclame a march into the Wilderness to all the People of God Our Leader and Commander Iesus Christ the Captain of our Salvation hath long since taken the field and is gone out on our head Heb 13. 12 13. Let us then who have taken the Sacrament and Military Oath of Christ and have given our names unto him go forth unto him without the camp bearing his reproach The cloud is now lifted up from over the Tabernacle and therefore it is time for the Children of Israel to set forth yea the Ark of the Lord his Ordinances and his People with the best of their Leaders are already in the fields and are suffering hardship as good souldiers Let us not then for shame lunch at home let us learn the Religious Gallantry of Uriah the Hittite that valiant man 2 Samuel 11. 11. And Uriah said unto David the Ark and Israel and Iudah abide in tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are incamped in the open fields shall I then go into mine house to eat and to drink and to ly with my Wife
in Intimate and more than ordinary fellowship with God as I cited of Moses before we would enter the Clouds and go up into the Mount to God and we shall be no homlier than welcome Cant 4 8 invites us to this We never find David higher upon it than in the Wilderness We owe that sweet 63 Psalme to the Wilderness of Iudah in the 8 verse where of it is said my soul followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholdeth me and in the 5 verse my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyfal lips If a Soul make a visit to God from the Wilderness they may expect Joseph's Brethrens entertainment they may resolve to Dine with him at noon Our Lord Jesus learned this of his Father This is a desart place says he and we cannot send the People away fasting lest they faint by the way Yea and after they may have that sweet Musick my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips and Psal 57. 7 8. my heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed O Lord says he I am now well at my heart I will sing and give praise Awake up my Glory awake Psaltery and harp I myself will awake early and that was also a Wilderness Psalme We owe the 4 Psalme to the Wilderness likwise and the 84 whereof more anone Take we then the direction that the times of our affliction be times of more than ordinary Communion with God 5. In the Wilderness we would be diligent to seek good occasions and means for the relief of our Afflictions and supply of our wants Need must make vertue with us Psal. 84. 5 6. Blessea is the man in whose heart is the ways of them who passing thorow the vally of Baca make it a well We must not like the unjust Steward refuse in this case both to dig and beg we must use all means lawful both spiritual and natural with God and men we must with Nehemiah both Pray to the Good God of Heaven and supplicat the King Nehemiah 2. 4 5. The day has been when the Nobles and Estates of Scotland and our Courtiers would have suted and courted the King for a Commission to build the City of the Lord and of their Fathers Sepulchers the Church owning that Faith wherein their Fathers Died who have left there to Posterity the Sepulchers and lasting Monuments of their Fidelity Zeal and Religious gallantry when a Great man would have pleaded for a liberty and protection to a faithful Minister Then Israel and the Lords People in their bounds in commendation of their Zeal and Diligence sang that song Numb 21. 17 18. Spring up O well sing ye unto it the Princes digged the well the Nobles of the People digged it by the direction of the Law-giver with their staves But now since our Princes and Nobles turned herdmen to the Philistines and servants to Prelates their work hath been to stop and take away and strive for Isaac's wells to deprive the People of God moe ways than one of those occasions of pure and plentiful Ordinances which they had digged and drunk of had with labour provided and with refreshment enjoyed See the case in ane Allegory Gen. 26. from the 17. verse to 23. I fear when this generation is gone and if carcasses fall not in the Wilderness if God make not a clean field if he do not root out and make a speedy riddance of this evil Generation from the face of the earth wiser men than I are much deceaved that Nigrum theta or black mark shall be found written upon the Sepulchres of most of our Nobles Nehemiah 3. 5. that the put not their necks to the work of their Lord. And when it is come to that then who knows but the sons and little ones of our Nobles may be Well-diggers And as it was in the case of the drought Ier. 14. 3. may come to the waters and to the pitts may be such as shall seek out and labour for the means of their Souls refreshment The Lord may bring the little Ones of those transgressors whose carcasses fall in a Wilderness into a land flowing with milk and hony Numb 14. 31 32. Mean time let us be digging in the Wilderness let us seek occasions for our Souls and where we do not find them let us make them 6. In the Wilderness we would thankfully receave and improve thriftily all offers of accidentall occasions that providence layes to our hand Psal 84. 6. the rain also filleth the Pools that is the Lord will now and then be giving his out-wearyed People some unexpected means of present relief and refreshment which they must acknowledge and use till they get better and more lasting occasions Rain water in a Pool is neither so good nor so enduring as a spring or fountain of living Water and yet the former is good where the latter cannot be had for to the hungry Soul every bitter thing is sweet and little will do a poor man good If God give us an occasion of a good Sermon or a Communion or make any other good means to drop upon our heads as unexpectedly as the rain falls from the Heaven or if we have the benefit of the neighbour-hood of a faithful Minister for the time these things howbeit for their nature and vertue they be fountain water yet herein the best of them is but like a Pool that they are of an uncertain endurance For such is the condition of these Wilderness-times that where one day you have a fountain the next day you have nothing or an empty cistern nor is there throughout all the land so much as one Rehoboth Gen. 26. 22. one well that the Philistines do not strive for Therefore we must drink for the drought that is to come we must hear for the time that is to come Isai. 42. 23. we must make the best we can of every occasion that remaines or accidentally offers for the time and we must feed upon the little Oyl in the crâ—ise and the handful of Meal in the barrel till there be plenty in the Land 7. In the Wilderness we would make use of good Company yea we would make much of it where ever we can have it Psal. 84 7. they go from sirength to strength as our Translation reads it but the Original hath it They go from company to company or from troop to troop Indeed solitude and want of good Company is not the least of the evils of the Wilderness as I shewed above in the description of the wilderness and I believe the People of God in these times will bear me witness in this But we would seek good Company and make use of it Mal. 316 the fearers of God that were then in the Wilderness spake often one to another But wandering and unsettlment another great mischief of the Wilderness will not let the Saints lodge
tryed the Experiment of all things Sublunary that they are but vexation of Spirit and a very Vanity And will a man fill his Belly with the East-wind The most refined Spirits and artificial Extracts of natures fullness hath no more fitness and congruity to satisfy a Soul than Chaff or Sand hath to nourish a humane Body Nor did Nebuchadnezar eat Grass with the Oxen until his heart was made like the Beasts Moreover the Glory of all things transitory hath not the Civility to see the Soul to its rest But serve it like wicked Companions who have debauched a man all the day and leave him to dry a Kennel at night O when the Soul shall run out into Eternity and Death shall draw the Courtain upon all things Worldly Then it shall be seen that the things that are seen are but Temporal And then if the Soul would return to call but for a cup of cold water of all its sensual Pleasures it cannot have passage For there is a great Gulf fixed betwixt So that they who would pass from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence Luk. 16. 26 To close this consideration Remember that the wise God called him a fool a great fool a rich fool Who for that his Barns were full would say to his Soul Soul thou hast much good laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry Luke 12. 19 20. But O! the revenue of Godliness God and the Light of his countenance Christ and his Merits the Holy Ghost with his Comforts and Graces the Justification of Faith the Peace of God the Joy of the Holy Ghost the hope of Glory are things of great Beauty to please our Souls withall 3. The Consolations Joyes Pleasures and Delights of Godliness are the choicest of any For however as the Proverb is a small thing will make fool fain and as little makes him sad Yet the Delights of a Wise-man are such as are the things he delighteth in Ps. 4. 7. Thou thorough the light of by countenance hast put gladness in my Heart more â—â—an in the time when their Corn and their Wine inâ—eased O Lord I am as far above the envy of the ungodly as they are below mine The Worlds great prejudice against Godliness is that they fancy it an unpleasant thing void of delight But â—â—tum est in organo And no doubt if men found that delight in Holiness which they do in wickedness we should quickly have the World a Proâ—lyte to Godliness O then that my Words were weighed and that the World would give me a air hearing but in this one consideration no doubt I had then gained Delight is a very alluring thing and trahit sua quemque voluptas every one follows whither his I leasure and Delight â—ads him Nor is it any wonder that so it be â—r Delight and Pleasure is the very flower and â—ossome of Happiness the accomplishment and â—st act of Blessedness differing from Vertue and Godliness as the Flourish from the Tree the Rose â—â—m the Bush. The Scripture placeth the Saints â—lessedness both in the Estate of Grace and Glory Pleasure and Delight That Delight is a mans â—lessedness in the state of Grace see the Command Psal. 37. 4. the Promise Isai. 64 5. the â—â—ints professed practice of whom Christ is the chief and chiefly meant Psal. 40. 8. The Motive given by the Spirit of God Prov. 3. 17. And that Delight hath the same place in Glory if any that have heard of such a thing as Heaven did ever once doubt of it it is more than clear from Psal. 16. 11 Revel 21. 4. with many the like places If men knew to do the Epicureans right in their opinion of Felicity and could speak as Philosophers and not as taunting Satyricks I could rather be than be called an Epicurean For Imperious custom even like Diotrephes who in all things loveth the preheminency hath usurped sofar upon the World that she prevaileth equally in mens Words and practices calling things as she lists Whence a sensual Sow wallowing in the mire of Lust must bear the name of an Epicurean whercas in Truth an Epicurean is no other than a man placeing Happiness in rational Pleasures and intellectual Delights worthy of men Even as I according to the Scripture have placed it in those Delights that are Spiritual and becoming a Saint The cutting off of a Member deserves not the name of a Cure but is the Uncomfortable result of the desperate wits of Extremity and Necessity in a deplorable Case and an expedient intending the preservation of the whole with the loss of the part For better it is to go to Heaven with one Eye Hand or Foot than to be cast into Hell with two The Stoical Apathetick method if the Stoick be not as much wronged as the Epicurean is but a pitiful cutting at best a curb no wayes a Cure of a corrupt World A man will suffer much before he suffer the loss of his Limbs and he hath wrought but an undesirable Cure that by cutting off of a Member hath made a man creple or maim The World will want much before they want their Pleasures and Delights And indeed who would choose to be miserable Wherefore the only expedient method in this case will be diversion whereby men may save their Members the World may enjoy Delights and Pleasures for measure as much greater as for quality better than formerly in their courses of Iniquity only they must not run any more in the Channel of Sensuality but in the vein of Religion and Spirituality Consider then the Delights and Pleasures of Godliness and then let reason say who hath the sweetest Life the Saint or the Bruit 1. For their nature they are unspeakable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. the Word is significant in its own Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a glorifyed â—oy a very Heaven upon Earth A Joy of the same Nature though not to the same degree with that in Heaven The Saints Delights in Earth are a cup of the same Wine for kind which they shall drink in the Kingdom of their Father though it be not of so high a colour nor of so rich a relish to us here in the Cellar as it is to them at the Kings Table Holiness is much mistaken in the World and so is Heaven and Happiness which is no other than the top and upper â—nd of Holiness or Holiness in its Holy-dayes Cloathes If men would consider this I suppose some should be as afraid of Heaven as they are of Holiness Yea I am really of the mind if God should open a door in Heaven to a Prophane Liver and say Come up hither that he should not dare to enter The Beauty and Light of that Glory so contrary to Darkness would dazle and confound and utterly undoe him If a man should be permitted yea commanded to throw himself into a burning Fiery Furnace like that of