power of God and the wisdome of God His ingaged Love must be carried along through so many secret mysterious marvels as the Angels themselves desire to looke into and shall for ever adore Though the effecting of it required that which man could not do and God could not suffer yet his wisedome will find out a way that he shall both do it and suffer it who is both God and Man To make good his engagement to his elect he spared not his onely Son and in him were hid and by him layd out all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Now this is a president of Gods proceeding in all other engagements whatsoever What ever it cost him he will spare nothing to make them good to the uttermost He is our Rock and his worke is perfect A good man if he want not power will go through with his serious promises though he be ingaged to his own hurt Psal. 15. 4. The power of the mighty God is serviceable to his will to the utmost He cannot will what he cannot do His will and power are essentially the same And his power shall not be wanting to execute what his goodnesse hath moved him to engage unto for his own glory Deut. 32. 4. Hee is the rock and his worke is perfect all his wayes are judgement a God of truth and without iniquity Here are many Attributes of God to make good this one thing that his worke is perfect His {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} selfe-sufficiency Perfection Righteousnesse I will pitch on One He is a God of Truth So he is againe called Psal. 31. 5. and in other places The Truth of God in his promises and engagements requires an accomplishment of them what ever it cost what power soever is required thereunto This the Saints make their bottome to seeke it Remember thy loving kindnesse which thou swarest in thy Truth Psal. 89. 4. It is impossible but that should come to passe which thou hast sworne in thy Truth No stronger plea then Remember the word wherein thou hast caused thy servants to put their trust Jacob sayes he is lesse then all the Mercy and all the Truth of God Gen. 32. 10. He sees Gods Truth in all his Mercy by causing all things to come to passe which he had promised him It is true some particular promises have their conditions whose truth consists not in the Relation between the word and the thing unlesse the condition intercede But the great condition under the Gospell being only the good of them to whom any ingagement is made we may positively lay down that Gods Truth requires the Accomplishment of every engagement for his peoples good It is neither Mountaine nor Hill King Kingdome nor Nation Hell nor Mortality nor all combined that can stand in the way to hinder it His people stand in need of all that God hath engaged himselfe to them for Gods promises are the just measure of his peoples wants Whatever he hath promised that his people do absolutely want And whatsoever they want that he hath promised Our Wants and his promises are every way commensurate If thou knowest not what thou standest in need of search the Promises and see What ever God hath said he will do for thee that thou hast absolute need should be done Or if thou art not so well acquainted with the promises search thine own wants what thou standest absolutely in need of for thy good that assuredly God hath promised If then this be the case of engagements they shall all be made good Thinke you will God let his people want that which they have absolute necessity of By absolute necessity I meane such as is indispensible as to their present estate and occasions That may be of necessity in one Generation which is not in another according to the severall imployments we are called to Does God call forth his Saints to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishments upon the people to bind their Kings with chaines and their Nobles with fetters of Iron to execute upon them the judgement written as Psal. 149. 7 8 9 doth he bring them forth to burne the whore to fight with the Beast and overcome him and his followers it is of indispensable necessity that he give them glorious assistance in their undertakings They shall be assisted protected carried on though it cost him the making of his Bow quite naked According to the severall conditions he calls them to the severall issues of Providence which he will have them serve in so want they his Appearance in them with them for them and it shall be present Let them be assured they are in his way and then though some prove false and treacherous some base and cowardly though many combine and Associate themselves against them in many places in all places though whole Kingdomes and mighty Armies appeare for their ruine be they reviled and clamoured by all round about them all is one Help they need and help they shall have or God will make his Bow quite naked This day is this Doctrine fulfilled before us Gods Bow made quite naked according to his Word We are lesse then all the Truth hee hath shewed unto us Though great working and mighty power hath been required such as he hath not shewen in our dayes nor in the dayes of our Fathers yet the Lord hath not stood at it for his words sake wherein he hath made us put our trust I speake of the Generall mercies we have received The surrender of Colchester the particular celebrated this day though marching in the Reare for time is for the weight in the Van A mercy of the first magnitude Essex hath seene more power in a three moneths recovery then in the protection of six years That the mouths of men are stopped and their faces filled with shame who made it their trade to revile and threaten the Saints of God that the adverse strength which hath lien hid these seven years should be drawn forth united and broken to pieces that the people of God divided and mutually exasperated through their abuse of peace should by the sword of a common enemy and the help of a common friend have their wrath abated their counsells united and their persons set in a hopefull way of closing or forbearance that God by their owne counsells should shut up men collected from su dry parts to ruine others in a City with Gates and Walls for their own ruine that they should deny peace tendred upon such conditions because of the exigencies of the time as might have left them power as well as will for a further mischiefe that such salvation should go forth in other parts as that the proceedings here should not be interrupted that the bitter service which men here underwent should ever and anon be sweetned with refreshing tidings from other places to keepe up theie spirits in wet watching cold and losse of bloud All these
measured the earth he beheld and drove asunder the Nations and the everlasting mountaines were scattered the perpetuall hills did bow his wayes are everlasting Two things are here considerable 1. The Lords exact fore-view of the promised land he stood and measured the earth and beheld the Nations 2. His operation at that time he drave asunder the Nations and the c. 1. Hee stood and measured The Prophet here representeth the Lord on the frontire of Canaan as one taking view of a piece of Land and exactly measuring it out as intending it for his own weighing and considering the bounds and limits of it to see if it will answer the end for which he purposeth it Gods exact notice and knowledge of his peoples possession is in those words held out He views where the lines of every tribe shall run Nothing happens or is made out to any of Gods people without his own carefull providentiall predisposition He views the circuit of the whole where and how divided and separated from the dwellings of the unclean and habitations of the uncircumcised Fixed bounds measured limits of habitation is a necessary ingredient to the making up of a natâ—â—all Church 2. What he did which is two wayes expressed 1. in reference to the inhabitants 2. to the Land it selfe 1. For the inhabitants he drove them asunder {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and he made to leape out of their old chanels Those Nations knit and linked together amongst themselves by leagues and civill society he separated disturbed divided in counsels and armes as in the case of the Gibeonites persecuted by the sword that they suddenly leaped out of their habitations the residue wandering as no people Gods justly Nation-disturbing purposes are the bottome of their deserved ruine 2. For the Land The everlasting Mountaines c. Those strong firme lasting Mountaines of Canaan not like the Mountaines of sand in the desart where the people were but to continue firme to the worlds end as both the words here used {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} perpetuity and everlasting do in the Scripture frequently signify Now these are said to be scattered and to bow because of the destruction of the Inhabitants of those lasting hills being many of them high and mighty ones like perpetuall Mountaines they being given in possession to the sons of Israel even the cheife things of the antient Mountaines and the pretious things of the lasting hills Deut. 33. 15. God takes an exact foreview of his peoples portion and inheritance Like a carefull father he knows before hand what he intends to bestow upon them Hee views it measures it prepares it to the utmost bounds They shall not have a hayrs bredth which hee hath not alotted them nor want the least jot of their designed portion Learne to be contented with your Lot He is wise also who took a view of it and measured it and found it just commensurate to your good had he known that a footes bredth more had bin needfull you should have had it Had he seen it good you had had no thornes in your Lands no Afflictions in your lives O how carefull how solicitous are many of Gods people how full of desires Oh that it were with me thus or thus possesse your soules in patience As you cannot adde too no more shall any take from your proportion He took the measure of your wants and his own supplies long since That which he hath measured out he will cut off for you He knows how to suit all his children It is dangerous incroaching for any of the sons of men upon Gods peoples portion lot priviledges or inheritance God hath measured it out for them and he will looke that they injoy it g Shall men remove his bounds and land-markes and be free will it be safe trespassing upon the Lands of the Almighty will it be easy and cheape will he not plead his Action with power especially seeing he hath given them their portion If he hath given Seir to Edom what doth he vexing and wasting Jacob Shall they not possesse what the Lord their God gives them to possesse Jud. 11. 24. He hath cautioned all the world Kings and others in this kind Touch not mine annointed do my prophets no harme Psal. 105. 14 15. Touch them not nor any thing that is theirs harme them not in any thing I bestow on them They have nothing but what their Father gives them and Christ hath bought for them Will a tender Father thinke you contentedly looke on and see a slave snatch away his childrens bread If a man hath ingaged himselfe to give a Jewell to a deare friend will he take it patiently to have an enemy come and snatch it away before his face God is ingaged to his people for all their injoyments and will he quietly suffer himselfe to be robbed and his people spoyled Shall others dwell quietly in the Land which he hath measured for his own See whence the great destructions of People and Nations in these latter ages have come Is it not for touching these forbidden things The holy Vessels of the Temple at Hierusalem ruined Babylon Is not the wasting of the Westerne Nations at this day from hence that they have served the whore to deck her selfe with the spoyles of the spouse helped to trim her with the portion of Gods people taking away their Liberties Ordinances Priviledges Lives to lay at her feet Doubtlesse God is pleading with all these Kingdomes for their incroaching They who will not let him be at peace with his shall have little quiet with their own The Eagle that stole a coale from the Altar fired her nest I know how this hath been abused to countenance the holding of Babylonish wedges God will preserve to his people his own allowance not Romes supplyment This Nation hath yet itching singers and a hankering minde after the inheritance of Gods people Let them take heed he hath knocked off their hands an hundred times and sent them away with bloudy fingers O that we were wise that we be not quite consumed Of you I hope better things and such as accompany salvation yet give me leave to cautionate you a little 1. As to priviledges and liberties of this life Their liberties and estates are not as other mens but more exactly measured for their good and sanctifyed to them in the bloud of Christ If in these things God hath called you to the defence and protection of his he will expect a reall account You had better give away a Kingdome that belongs to others then the least of that which God hath made for his Saints Think not any thing small which God accounts worthy to bestow on his If he hath meted out liberty for them and you give them slavery you will have a sad reckoning 2. In point of Ordinances and Christ purchased priviledges r Here
I say and sundry others such like things as these are the Lords doing and marvellous in our eyes Especially let us Remember how in three things the Lord made his Bow quite naked in this late deliverance 1. In leavening the counsells of the enemy with their own folly 2. In ordering all events to his Owne prayse 3. By controlling with his mighty power the issue of all undertakings 1. In leavening their counsels with their own folly a Gods Power and the efficacy of his providence is not more clearely manifested in any thing then in his effectuall working in the debates advises consultations and Reasonings of his Enemies compassing his ends by their Inventions When God is in none of the thoughts of men by his feare he is in them all by his providence The Sun is operative with his heate where he reacheth not with his light and hath an influence on pretious Mineralls in the depths and darke bottomes of Rocks and Mountaines The allpeircing providence of God dives into the deepe counsells of the Hearts of the sons of men and brings out pretious Gold from thence where the gratious light of his countenance shines not at all Men freely advise debate use and improve their own Reasons Wisdome Interests not once casting an eye to the Almighty and yet all this while do his work more then their own All the counsellings plottings of Josephs Brethren all the transactions of the Jewes Herod and Filate about the death of Christ with other the like instances abundantly prove it Take a few instances wherein God made his Bow quite naked in the counsells of his and our enemies In generall they consult to take Armes wherein God had fully appeared against them when in all probability their work would have bin done without Had they not fought by this time they had bin conquerers One halfe years peace more which we desired on any termes they would on no termes beare in all likely hood had set them where they would be Their work went on as if they had hired the Kingdome to serve them in catching weather What with some mens folly others treachery all our divisions had not their own counsells set them on fighting I think we should suddainly have chosen them and theirs to be umpires of our quarrels God saw when it was time to deale with them In their undertaking in our own County I could give sundry instances how God mixed a perverse spirit of folly and error in all their counsels A part of the Magistracy of the County is seized on therein their intentions towards the residue clearly discovered yet not any attempt made to secure them which they might easily have accomplished although they could not but suppose that there were some gentlemen of publick and active spirits left that would be industrious in opposition unto them Was not the Lord in their counsells also when they suffered a small inconsiderable party in a little Village within a few miles of them to grow into such a body as at length they durst not attempt when they might have broken their whole indeavour with halfe an hundred of men Doubtlesse of innumerable such things as these we may say with the Prophet The Princes of Zoan are become fooles the Princes of Noph are deceived they have seduced the people even they that are the stay of their Tribes the Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the middest of them they have caused the people to erre in every worke as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit Isa. 19. 13 14. Doubtlesse the wrath of man shall praise the Lord and the remainder of it will he restraine 2. In ordering all events to his own praise The Timing of the enemies eruptions in severall places is that which fills all hearts with wonder and all mouths with discourse in these dayes From the first to the last they had their season Had they come together to the Eyes of flesh the whole Nation had bin swallowed up in that Deluge In particular let Essex take notice of the goodnesse of God The high thoughts and threats of men which made us for divers weeks feare a Massacre were not suffered to break out into open hostility untill the very next day after their strength was broken in the Neighbour Country of Kent As if the Lord should have said I have had you in a chaine all this while though you have shewed your teeth you have not devoured now go out of my chaine I have a net ready for you For the Armies comming to our Assistance I cannot see how we needed them many dayes sooner or could have wanted them one day longer Further these homebred eruptions were timely seasoned to rouse the discontented Souldiery and divided Nation to be ready to resist the Scottish invasion God also being magnifyed in this that in this sweet disposall of events unto his glory the counsells of many of those in whom we thought we might confide run totally crosse to the appearance of God in his providence What shall wee say to these things If the Lord be for us who shall be against us All these things come forth from the Lord of Hosts who is wonderfull in counsâ—ll and excellent in Operation Isa. 28. 29. Who so is wise will ponder them and they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord 3. In controlling mighty actions I meane giving successe to his people in all their undertakings The Commander in chief of all the forces in this Kingdome since his sitting down before Colchester was proffered a passe to go beyond the Seas for his security Whence is it that he hath now the necks of his enemies and hath given any of them their lives at their intreaty greater Armies then this have bin buried under lesser walles did not the number of the besieged at first exceed the number of the besiegers were not their Advantages great their skill in war amongst men of their own perswasion famous and renowned so that the sitting down before it was judged an action meete only for them who could believe they should see the Bow of God made quite naked It had bin possible doubtlesse to Reasons eye that many of those fictions wherewith a faction in the great City fed themselves of the many Routings Slaughters and Destructions of the Army might have bin true Some of them I say for some were as childish as Hellish In briefe they Associated themselves and were broken in peices they Associated themselves and were broken in peices High walls Towring imaginations lofty threats all brought down So let all thine enemies perish O Lord but let them that love him be as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might and let the Land have rest for many years Judg. 5. 31. This will discover unto us the bottome and rise of all Gods appearances for his people even the ingaging of his own free Grace He doth not make his Bow quite naked according to their deservings but
question about your enlargement could Answer only the Lord alone he knowes And now behold the Lord hath chosen you out to be examples of his loving kindnesse in fetching mercy for you from beyond the ken of Reason yea from above the reach of much pretious Faith He hath brought water for you out of the flint Reckon your deliverance under this head of operations and I hope you will not be unthankfull You that have received so great mercy we that have seen it and all who have heard the Doctrine confirmed let us learn to live by Faith Live above all things that are seene Subject them to the crosse of Christ Measure your condition by your interest in Gods All-sufficiency Do not in distresse calculate what such and such things can effect but what God hath promised Reckon upon that for it shall come to passe If you could get but this one thing by all your sufferings and Dangers to trust the Lord to the utmost extent of his promises it would prove a blessed captivity All carnall feares would then be conquered all sinfull compliances with wicked men removed c. Be exhorted to great f Thankfulnesse you that have bin made partakers of great deliverances In great distresses very nature prompts the sons of men to great promises You have heard the ridiculous story of him who in a storme at Sea promised to dedicate a Wax-candle to the blessed Virgin as big as the mast of his Ship which he was resolved when he came on shore to pay with one of 12 in the pound Let not the Morall of that Fable be found in any of you Come not short of any of your engagements no greater discovery of an Hypocriticall frame then to flatter the Lord in trouble and to decline upon deliverance in cold bloud The Lord of Heaven give you strength to make good all your resolutions as private persons in all godlinesse and honesty following hard after God in every known way of his as Magistrates in Justice Equity and faithfull serving the Kingdome of Christ Especially let them never beg in vaine for help at your hands who did not beg help in vaine for you at the hands of God Consider if there be so much g sweetnesse in a temporall deliverance Oh what excellency is there in that Eternall Redemption which we have in the Blood of Jesus If we rejoice for being delivered from them who could have killed the body what unspeakeable rejoysing is there in that mercy whereby we are freed from the wrath to come Let this possesse your thoughts let this fill your soules let this be your haven from all former stormes and here strik I sayle in this to abide with you and all the saints of God for ever FINIS Lubens meri toque â—ut de Iside Osir Kent Essex SERM. 1. a The time of his prophesie is conceived to be about the end of Josiahs raigne not long before the first Caldean invasion Obser. 1. Prov. 18. 10. b Preces et la chrimae sunt arma Ecclesiae Tertul. Obser. 2. Verse 1. c Graviter in eum decernitur â—ui etiam ipsa conectio denegatur Prosp Sent. Obser. 3. d Duplicantur lateres quando venit Moses Gen. 37. 3. e Namque bonos non blanda inflant non aspera frangunt sed fidei invictae gaudia vera juvant Prosy Epig in sent August Reas. 1. Psal. 119. 67. Hos. 5. 15. Heb. 12. 10 11. 1 Pet. 1. 6. f In caelo non in terramercedem promisit reddendam quid alibi poscisquod alibi debitur Ambros. Offic. lib. 1. cap. 16. Reas. 2. Vse g Cum vexamur ac premimur tum maxime gratias agimus indulgentissimo patri quod corruptelam nostram non pati tur long ius procedere hinc intelligimus nosesse Deo curae Lactan. Vse 2. Obs. 4. Iob 14. 4. Ch. 15. 15. 16. Prov. 16. 2. Chap. 20. 9. h 2 Sam. 24. 15. 2 Chron. 32. 25 i Omnes seculi plagae nobis in admonitionem vobis in castigationem à Deo veniunt Tertul. Apol. cap. 42 Obs. 5. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the inward of years Obser. 6. Reas. 1. Rea. 2. Vse k Bonum Agonum subituri estis in quo Agonothetes Deus vivus est Christarchos Spiritus Sanctus corona aeternitatis brabium Epithetes Jesus Christus Tertul. ad Mar. Verse 3. Cen. 36. 15. Jer. 49. 7. Obad. 9. Deut. 1. l Gloria est frequens de aliqua fama cum laude Ci. lib. 2. de inv. Consentiens â—â—us bonorum incorrupta vox bene judicantium de excellente virtute Idem Tusc l. 3. Obs. 7. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Vse n No place in the County so threatned No place in the County so preserved Small undertakings there blessed Great opposition blasted Non nobis domine non nobis Verse 4. o Deut 33. 17. Psal. 75. 10. Zech 1. 18. Obser. 8. Reason 1. John 12. 35. Revel 16. 10. Reason 2. Vse Verse 5. l Exod. 9. 15. Levit. 26. 25. 2 Sam. 24. 13. Ezek. 14. 19. Mat. 24. 7. Obser. 9. Vse 1. Vse 2. Verse 6. Josh. 9. 3. Numb. 13. 33. Obs. 10. Vse Obser. 11. g Vid. Tertul. ad Scapulamde persecutione Vse 1. r Nero primus in Christianos ferociit â—ali dedicatore damnation is nostrae etiam gloriamur qui enim scit illum intelligere potest non nisi aliquod bonwn grande à Nerone damnatum Tertul. Apol. s Nova inaudita est ista praedicatio quae verberibus exigit fidem Grego Ep. 52. t Magistrum neminem habemusmsi solum Deum hic ante te est nec abscondi potest sed cui nihil facere possis Vse 2. Obser. 11. Isa. 26. 22. Vse 2 Sam. 5. 24. Verse 7. 2 Kings 19. 9. Jer. 13. 23. Joseph Antiq. Chap. 1. Isa. 37. 9. u Tantos invidus babet paenâ justa tortores quantos invidiosus habuerit laudat tores Prosp vita contempt Num. 25. ch. 27. 31. Obs. 12. Reas. 1. Rom. 10. 6 7. Reas. 2. Vse 1. Obs. 13. Reas. 1 Reas. 2. Vse Gen. 20. 6. Psal 76. 10. Obser. 14. Reason * Quisfacile potest quale sit hoc malum verbis exprimere quo invidus odio hominis persequitur divinuÌ„ munus in homine Pros. vit cont. Invidia est tristitia de bonâ— proximi prout proprium malum aestimatur est diminutivum proprii boni Aqu. 22. ae q. 36. A. 1. c. Noctu dubitant Vse Obser. 15. Reas. 1. Vse Verse 8. x Caetera licet abscondere in abdito alere ira se profert et in faciem exit Senec. de ira Obser. 16. Vse Obs. 17. v Euseb. vit. Con. Const. Orat Reas. Vse 1. Vse 2. Obs. 18. z {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Arist. Hist Anima 6. pellant nidis pullos sicut Corvi Plin. Nat. Hist. Verse 9. SERM. 2. Obser. 19. 1 Cor. 1. 24. 1 Pet. 1. 12. Col. 2. 3. Reas. 1. Rom 8. 28. Mat. 16. 18. Reas. 2. Revel. 17. 14. Vse a Quod homines peccant eorum est quod peccando hoc velillud agant ex virtute Dei est tenebras prout visuÌ„ est dividentis August de praed. Oportet haereses esse sed tamen non ideo bonum haereses quia eas esse oportebat quasi non et malum oportuerit esse nam et dominum teadi oportebat sedvae traditori Tertul. praef. ad Haer. Cen. 45. 7. Gen. 50. 20. Acts 4. 27 28. Vse 2. Deut 7. 7 8. b In beneficio reddendo plus animus quam census operatur Ambs offi li 1. c. 32. Vse 3. Vse 4. c {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Iraenae Epist. ad Vict. apud Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 23. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Clem Ep. ad Cor. Psl 105. 15. Vir bonus Commune bonum Gen. 39. 3. Obs. 19. Preached at the Committee at Rumford Gen. 22. 14. Gen. 39 c. 3 Reas. 1. Rea. 2. Psal 58. 1. 1. 1 Sam 6. 10. Vse 1. e Idem huic ur bi dominandi finis erit qui parendi fuerunt Senec. de Ro. Vse 2. Vse 3. f Erunt Homicidae Tyranni fures adulteri raptores Sacrilegi proditores infra ista omnia ingratus est Senec. Benef. l. 1. Gratiarum cessat decursus ubi recursus non fuerit Bern. Serm 50. g Si Tanti vitrum quanti Margaritum Tertul. Vse 4.