Oh Samaria hath cast thee off c. and the Eastern part of the Empire Rev. 9.20 It was their Idolatry in worship that did it Fourthly it will bring vengeance upon the Nations as well as on the Churches Hos 8.7 They have sown wind and reapt the whirl-wind Ezek. 10.2 fire from the Altar and scattered over the City it burns the hottest 2. Chron. 7.20 I will pluck you up by the roots out of the Land saies God Thirdly keep close to the word in point of practise also personal holiness the Lord requires of them that would prosper in their way and have God with them in their Government 1 Sam. 12.24,25 they had set up a new Government and the Lord had answered their desires I but he saith fear the Lord and serve him in truth and with all your hearts and consider how great things the Lord hath done for you but if you shall still do wickedly c. there the wickedness of a people indulged by the Magistrate will bring a Judgement upon the Government 1 King 14.5,7 if thou shalt walk before me as David thy Father walked in integrity of heart then c. Here you see the Apostacy of the Governors will bring a Judgement upon the Nation nay though it be but a personal Apostacy hear and fear and tremble you that are the Rulers of the Nation Secondly this is the way to get you honour in the hearts of men when you reform your lives purifie your hearts and your houses as well as your hearts there is a double image that the Magistrate must gain authority by an Image in you as men as well as upon you as Magistrates the Elders were crowned and also cloathed with white garments Rev. 4.9 Thirdly not keeping close to the word in point of practice is the way to provoke God to lay you aside and not to delight in you he loves vessels fitted for the Masters use when you are faithful to God in waies of holiness as well as unto the Nation in waies of Justice Isa 8.2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record Uriah the Priest c. A man may be faithful in discharging some trust put upon him by men but yet be unfaithful to God in waies of holiness Contah was a despised broken Idol a vessel in whom God had no pleasure one that God will set himself to disgrace God will pour out contempt upon Princes and all ungodly Magistrates and if you also walk unholily there will be a shame poured upon all your glory they must be called and faithful and chosen that God will delight to use Consider the Judgement upon Shebna he and all his lumber was cast down Isa 22.16,17,18 if men in authority be vain-glorious and self-seeking though they have made many men their creatures and raised parties to strengthen their interest God will sweep away all such rubbish Fourthly this will be a testimony to you if you walk holily and faithfully that you are called to the imployment in mercy and not in wrath if the graces of the condition God hath placed you in be exercised indeed a man may exercise parts and gifts but â—…at doth not make a man acceptable in the sight of God if the imployment a man is in do draw out and improve his corruption certainly it was in wrath not in mercy that he was placed in it therefore Remember your first love 2 Chron. 17.3,5,6 walk in your first waies that yee may have an interest in God to attain mercy from him for your selves and for the people Oh how powerful would the prayers of gracious Magistrates be and how able are they as Moses was to stand in the gap and to turn away wrath they are the shields of the earth Psal 47.9 and they are to be scuta Deo hominibus to keep off Judgements from breaking in upon the people from God as well as violences one from another and can a man do that can he think to turn off wrath from a Nation who doth expect Judgement upon himself daily and is in continuall danger of it And if there be any amongst you that are unsound-hearted under all your shews the Lord will discover you for Iob 34.30 He will not have the hypocrite raign lest the people be ensnared the word signifies a man that walks in a cloud or hath an artificial covering that men may not see and observe his steps God hates such men in authority and for his peoples sake he will not have them raign therefore let me exhort you to be sincere and truly holy in your own persons many of you have been judged so to be continue in it manifest it let it appear that you are better by authority not worse you are called Gods upon earth Oh how unworthy the name of a God will such be A drunken God an unclean covetous God c. Oh let such things be not so much as named amongst you but with abhorrency as becomes Saints see to whom the promise of protection is made and of exaltation also Isa 33.15 he that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gain of oppression that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil he shall dwell on high and the place of his defence shall be the munitions of Rocks bread shall be given him and his waters shall be sure c. I le add but a few considerations a little to quicken you to this duty I le but name them Consider first the mercies that you have received Deut. 8.10 a people purchased with mercy redeemed with a mighty hand saved yea with great salvation Secondly the opportunities you have had Prov. 17.16 opportunity is a price talentum maximum there is a time when the Angels stir the waters and if you miss an opportunitie of doing good God may never honour you with one again Thirdly remember the promises that you have made in the daies of your distress c. What have you held forth to the Nation nay to all the world with hands lifted up to the most high and vowed the endeavour of a reformation and it is a snare after vows to make enquiry the delay of a vow was visited upon Iacob twentie years after c. Fourthly consider the expectation of the Nations all the eyes of the Saints all the world over are upon you and they look what you will do God hath made your cause leading let not your example hinder them that follow you in the way that you have gone c. Fifthly it will be a mighty testimony of your uprightness that your heart is for God and that you are set against evil things persons c. Psal 139.21,22 David appeals to God in it Oh that many of you could do so as he said amicum amo in Deo inimicum propter deum they are your corruptions that are snares both to you and the Nation Sixthly what account
One Heart and one Way Preached 1639. ZACH. 14.9 And the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one GOD leaves not himself without witness nor his Church without witnesses and therefore he did in all ages raise up Prophets not only for his Churches present Direction and Consolation but also to shew unto them what should come to pass in the latter daies God having now opened the graves of his people commanded deliverances for Jacob and turned their captivity as the Rivers in the South sent forth his prisoners by the blood of the Covenant out of the pit in which there was no water Chap. 9.11 being now come again into their own Land they were apt to please themselves with thoughts of ease and peace as if they should now live in an I le of providence where they should enjoy a perpetual summer therefore in this captivity the Lord doth fore-warn them of greater sufferings that they were to undergo in the last times Wherein we have first the Judgement it self denounced setting forth an utter over-throw and a perfect conquest the day of the Lord cometh when the spoil shall be divided in the middle of thee ver 12. which being spoken after their return from Babylon must needs be understood deultima clade of the last destruction of their City and the present dissipation of their Nation Secondly here is a description of their miserable condition at this time the light shall not be clear nor dark ver 6. non stabilis aliqua temporum ratio there shall be nothing certain in doubtful times we are subject alwaies to new fears daily changes are continual dangers quasi in continuo crepusculo it shall be neither day nor night mixtures of hope and fear they cannot say it is so dark as there is an end of their hopes c. nor so light as there is an end of their fears Thirdly after this he comforts his Church with an assurance of deliverance and that by divers Arguments First though it were sharp yet it should be short but as one day for a thousand years with the Lord is but as one day and a day that the Lord knoweth that is he hath limited for the desolations are determined Dan. 9.26 Secondly the issue shall be happy though the day should neither be clear nor dark yet he promises laetum fore exitum the evening shall be light Thirdly the Author of their deliverance shall be Jehovah he that before gathered all Nations against Jerusalem ver 2. he that provided the thorns to scatter Judah provided also the carpenters to fray them away Chap. 1.20,21 then shall Iehovah go forth and fight against this Nation ver 3. Fourthly the manner of the deliverance God shall so do it that he will make it appear to be his work God doth many things by second causes wherein his hand doth not so clearly appear his hand is in his glove his arm in his sleeve but when it doth appear to be wholy his work then he doth make bare his arm in the sight of the Nations Isa 52.10 The Lord should be as plainly seen here as if his feet did stand upon Mount Olivet Fifthly the glorious condition of this Church after this deliverance and that in these particulars First after this Jerusalem shall be made eminent and honourable Ierusalem stood in a Valley and the Mount of Olives hid it that it could not be seen but now the Mount shall cleave asunder in the midst and all shall become a plain what ever might hinder the sight of the glory of the City or else might hinder the flocking in of her own people and of all Nations to her God will remove great obstacles Mounts shall not stand in the way of his people either to hinder their deliverance or to over shaddow their glory Who art thou Oh great Mountain that thou shouldst stand before Zorobabel thou shalt become a plain cap. 4.7 Secondly after this deliverance Jerusalem shall be exalted as the mother Church then living waters shal go forth of Ierusalem unto the uttermost parts of the earth Ver. 8. which was in a measure accomplished when the Law went out of Zion but it was not fulfilled for this fountain in Ierusalem was soon dryed up and therefore here is some further thing aimed at for the promise is summer and winter shall they run and therefore I doubt not from hence to conclude that after the coming in of the Iews great profit and enlargement both in knowledge and graces shall come upon all the Gentile Churches Thirdly the blessed and glorious Government of this state after this deliverance the Lord had for their sins broken both the staff of beauty and the staff of bonds by which he fed them in times past but now he would return and be their King again for so I should rather express he Emphatical particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super totam terram illam And it is exceeding probable that after their conversion the Lord shall in a more glorious manner undertake the Government of that people surely it is not for nothing that it is so often repeated And David my servant shall be their Prince for ever Ezek. 37.24,25 Lastly here is the fruit and consequence of this Government and that is double in this verse Iehovah shall be one and his name one c. We know the name of God is exceeding diversly taken in the Scripture but here I conceive is meant the Religion that God hath set forth in his word and the worship that he hath set up in the Church so I conceive it is used in Mich. 4.5 All people will walk every man in the name of his God we wil walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever that is the greatest part of the world as their gods are Idols so they are addicted unto a superstitious worship of these according to the inventions of men but as our God is but one and his rule of worship one this worship according unto this rule we will keep our selves to and never change for any humane invention so long as the world shall endure So that the meaning of the promise seems to be this whereas before they worshiped many Gods as there be Gods many and Lord many they served both the Idols of their hearts and of their hands now they should turn from dead Idols and serve only the living God they should say What have I to do any more with Idols and then Iehovah shall be one And whereas in the times of their ignorance as they served many Gods so in the worship of these Gods they had many superstitious and carnal rites according as every mans fancy led him and so there were as many names and several names of worship as they had many Gods But now the Lord promiseth that as all the Idols shall be taken away so all Idolatrous and superstitious worship also so that
the tails of two smoking fire-brands and they intend to enlarge their Dominions to take in Iudah and set up a King there No saith God the head of Syria is Damascus I have set them their bounds they are at their height they shall go no further the Lord hath divided the earth then to the sons of Adam but hath divided the earth to the sons of Adam according to the number of the children of Israel the fewest in number of all people the meaning I conceive to be this that the Lord did take special care in the first Division of the earth that he would chuse an inheritance in the earth for this people for so the Psalmist tells us he chose an Inheritance for them so that he that chose a people out of the earth to be his peculiar people he in the division of the earth made choice of a peculiar Inheritance for them certainly the people of God need not fear an Inheritance then When the Lord divided the earth among the sons of Adam he took especial care of them the Lord in all his Providential Dispensations hath a constant respect to his Church and a continual care of them and he adds the reason of it v. 9. though all the earth be the Lords yet the Lords portion is his people this is the first thing that is matter of history in the context Secondly he then sets forth the condition of this people when they were in the wilderness Ver. 10. he found him in a Desart Land in a vast howling wilderness the meaning is not as if this people were strangers to God till then or that the Lord took no notice of them or had no care of them for ever when they were in Egypt Exod. 4. then the Lord 〈…〉 Israel is my son my first born therefore Gods 〈…〉 did not then begin But then they began to be the Lords separated people they were its true Gods people by a Covenant before Now they are brought into a wilderness and separated from other Nations therefore because they then began to be the Lords people by a National Covenant therefore it is said he found them there is indeed another meaning of that expression found that is he is alwaies present with them as a help alwaies found of them so you find the word used Psal 46.1 God is a present help he is a help found in the needful time of trouble and so I conceive that place explains it Hos 9.10 I found Israel as grapes in the wilderness as a poor traveller in a desart wilderness hath a great refreshment by this if he meet with a Vine that hath but a few Clusters upon it so I found Israel in the wilderness which was as great a delight to me even as if a weary Traveller had found Grapes in the Wilderness Thirdly here is a further description of the Land of Canaan Ver. 13. the Lord made them to dwell upon the high places of the earth It was a Land of Mountains and Vallies and upon that account called the high places of the earth but it was a Land also where the Lord destroyed the enemies and carried them without danger in the midst of the greatest dangers thus they were made to walk on the high places of the earth as men that walk on high out of Gun-shot And then fourthly here is the plentie of the Land that flows with milk and honey where they eat the fine kidnies of the wheat and drank the pure blood of the grape a Land wherein there was no lack of any thing that was upon the earth Deut. 8.7,8 all this is but historical In the words that I have read to you comes in that which is Prophetical for Moses did not bring them into the Land of Canaan Moses dyed in the Land of Moab on the other side of Jordan and was gathered to his Fathers It was Ioshua that gave them rest and divided this Land for an inheritance to them Moses prophesied when they came unto the Land of Canaan this shall be their Condition But Jesurun waxed fat and kicked A godly man from a principle of spiritual wisdom without Divination will be able to give a great guess of men what they will be Moses might much guess by seeing how disobedient they had been in the Wilderness what they would prove when they came to Canaan but yet here is a discovery that the Lord made by Revelation to Moses what the condition of this people would be the Lord doth not only certainly know what we are but he knows what in such cases and conditions we will be Nay the Lord knows in those conditions that we shall never be put into what we would be if we were in it this is clear the Lord foretells to Moses what this people would be when they came to the Land of Canaan having such a place and such enjoyments and this is also clear when David was in Keilah shall the men said he give me up to Saul they will give thee up and yet David went out of the City that night and was never given up and according to this we may guess if we consider there are many of us some would have wealth some honour some would have higher imployment some more grace some more comfort some more assurance and the Lord denies it It is because he knows what in such a condition if thou wert put into it thou wouldst prove and that which thou lookest upon as a great affliction the Lord doth it with a very merciful hand But Jesurun waxed fat and kicked there are two things in the words to be opened First their name and Secondly their sin The denomination that is given to them here and the transgression that is charged upon them I shall briefly explain both these and then come to the point that I would insist upon from them the denomination what is their name they be called Jesurun It is used three times in this Book of Deuteronomie in Deut. 33.5 Moses was King in Iesurun and in 33. Chapter Ver. 26. Who is God like the God of Iesurun and in this place and it is used for ought I can find but in one Scripture more in all the Old Testament In Isaiah 44.2 Fear not oh Jesurun my servant and Jacob whom I have chosen there are three different apprehensions that men have of it according to the threefold derivation of the word Some from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rectum that signifies right and they are so called as the people that had only the right way both to know God and to worship God the Lord had given his Statutes to Jacob and his Laws to Israel he had not dealt so with other Nations they were only the right people and so it may be explained by Isaiah 42.19 where the Lord saith Who is blind as my servant Who is blind as he that is perfect What perfect and yet blind yes perfect in Ordinances and priviledges and yet blind Forelius and
for outward mercies I even for spiritual mercies Secondly give some grounds and reasons to demonstrate the truth thereof how it comes to pass that there should be so much danger that a people should become the worse for mercies For the proof that you may understand the more distinctly let me lay it down in a double distinction of mercy Mercies are either Privative or Positive Privative that is deliverances preservations from varieties of evils and dangers which otherwise we were liable unto and indeed it is a good rule that some Divines have Majores sunt gratiae Privativae quam Positivae our Privative mercies are greater and more then our Positive mercies are though we perceive them not the dangers that we are delivered from are more then the present mercies we do enjoy Now let us see whether Privative mercies make men the worse when men are delivered do they grow the worse for their deliverance look to this Deut. 32.26 the Lord speaks of a great Privative mercy I said I would scatter them into Corners I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy least their adversaries should behave themselves strangely least they should say Our hand is high I delivered them from their enemies when I took no argument from them for their deliverance then I took an argument from their enemies the Lord made use of that argument I would have given them into the hand of their enemies but I feared least they would wax proud what good now did this deliverance do this people in the 32. Verse Their Vine is the Vine of Sodom and their grapes are the grapes of Gomorrah here is the fruit now that these men brought forth of their Privative mercies that the Lord did not give them into their enemies hands for all that the people grew more wicked under these and their grapes were c. in this manner they improved their corruptions then certainly deliverances Privative mercies men are in danger to grow the worse by them In Psal 78.38 Many a time he turned his wrath away and would not suffer his whole displeasure to arise Were the people the better for it afterwards No they grew so much the more rebellious I will give but one instance more of Privative mercies and it is a famous one And it were well we made these our looking glasses Jonah is sent to prophesie against Niniveh VVithin fourtie dayes and Niniveh shall be destroyed the King with the City were awakened and humbled themselves before God and the Lord was pleased to defer the Judgement they were delivered were the people ever the better or was this deliverance in mercy No the people were never the better as appears if you look to the prophesie of Nahum where you have the destruction of that people threatned to be at hand this people that had fasted and prayed yet notwithstanding vengeance comes upon them with greater fury afterwards In Nahum 3.3,4 Woe to this City that is full of blood and lyes God spared her for a time and respited his wrath but then his wrath came upon them to the utmost thus Privative mercies may make men grow the worse And men may be delivered and a Nation delivered and they growing worse for it the Lord may reserve them to further plagues Secondly there are Positive mercies and they are of two sorts and men are in danger of growing worse by both of them Either temporal or spiritual mercies as if the Lord give men the Scriptures they are in danger to wrest them to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.6 if God give them his Gospel they are in danger to turn his grace into wantonness In the Epistle of Iude ver 4. Not the word of grace but the priviledges of grace if God give men the Ordinances they say The temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord And we are delivered to commit all this abomination Ier. 7.8,9 and so in Heb. 6.7,8 there is the ground that drinks in the rain of Ordinances and Influences and yet brings forth Briers and Thorns So if men receive spiritual priviledges they may be the worse for them Mat. 3.9 Nay spiritual divination and be in danger to be the worse for it Paul was so 2 Cor. 3.7 there was sent a Messenger of Satan to buffet him least he should be lifted up overmuch Nay spiritual motions and operations Heb. 6.5,6 there are men enlightned that have tasted of the good word of God been made partaker of the gifts of the holy Ghost and tasted the powers of the world to come these are great works and yet notwithstanding what do these do these fit a man for the great Apostacy such as can never admit of a renovation thus When the unclean spirit goes forth out of the man which is a great common work too yet he returns with seven worse spirits then certainly spiritual mercies indanger men they that know most of God and Christ are in great danger to be the worse for such mercies And so it is true of temporal mercies too if you will take notice of that Hosea 1. it is a whole proof of the point in hand the text tells what is the mother of all the decay there spoken of even until they are called Loami they are not my people What is the mother of all this Diblaim and that properly signifies bunches of dryed Figgs and it is and was commonly interpreted to be a great dainty among them Cakes of Figgs were part of Abigals present to David By this the Lord sets forth their great plenty and abundance this is the mother the people had abundance and their hearts were set upon it What was the daughter to this people Gomer the word doth signifie perfection or defection commonly Interpreters take it in the last sense that is brought forth that great defection that great consumption that came upon the whole Land then certainly men may be the worse for temporal mercies that instance I am sure is plain enough in Dan. 7.2 out of the four winds that contended upon the great Sea there arose four beasts When they were grown great so as to become Monarchs they forgate to be men and became beasts and never till then never beasts till they became Monarchs thus there is a great deal of danger that men should grow the worse for temporal mercies I shall give one instance more in Neh. 9.25,26 they took strong Cities and a fat Land and possessed houses full of all goods c. and did eat and were filled and became fat c. Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against thee here were men that were a great deal the worse for their plenty the Scripture is full of such instances Let this serve for the proof of the point But you will say to me What is the reason are the mercies of God of such a malignant nature so invenomed that they make men grow thus and thus the
that are heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 and all the dealings of God do tend to prepare them for that great end but to qualifie them for their inheritance being they are as yet but in their nonage that they may be made meet inheritors c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.12 there is a spiritual preparation by which the soul is fitted for so great mercies as the Lord doth intend in reference to eternity to bestow upon man and so the Saints have an interest in the soveraignty of God over all things in the providential in reference unto the spiritual Kingdom that as the Lord Jesus Christ hath undertaken the government of it in order unto this end Eph. 1. ult and therefore all things work together for good Rom 8.28 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things that is omnis creatura omnes eventusâ— shall work together that is not of themselves but by a gracious concurrence or co-operation of God with them and Ministers are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 workers together with God 2 Cor. 6.1 by a gracious concurrence of the principal cause together with the instrument for instrumentum agit dispositive in virtute principalis agentis Others do refer working together unto the creatures themselves that is not apart they may not seem so but by a blessed disposition and a sweet combination and concatenation they do work together for good the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is ad aeternam salutem for sine summo bono nil bonum There is nothing good to him that is without the chief good there is nothing good but that which is in order to the chief good the Ordinances of God are good and they are therefore good because they are Ordinances that God hath appointed for so good an end as to fit us to enjoy the chief good Heb. 6.7 The ground that drinks in the rain that it may bear fruit meet for him that drâ—sseth it and so receive a blessing from God and so Paul c. is yours 1 Cor. 3.22 that is given for your sakes and with a special tendency to your good and so also it is true of providences there shall be deliverance Isa 35.7,8 The parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water that which had nothing but barrenness now shall become fruitful and that which was no way profitable but hurtful for men a habitation of Dragons that shall now bear grass for the use of man for the Lord will make a way for their return into their own Land and it shall be a way of holiness that is via sanctitatis sanctificata for a way in which they that are holy shall walk and a way that shall tend to make them to become more holy Joel 3.17 Then shall Jerusalem be holy and no strangers shall pass through her any more their deliverance shall come upon their holiness and Dan. 11. ult when Daniels people shall be delivered by the overthrow of the Turkish Empire for that great Empire shall fall by the hands of the Jews in the glorious Land and it is the coming together of bones Ezek. 37.7 the noyse and the shaking that is spoken of is tidings out of the North and the East and there he shall come to an end and none shall help him and whereas Canaan was not called the holy Land nor Jerusalem the holy City after the death of Christ yet until this time it was called so ver 41. the glorious or the pleasant Land but now it should be a mercy bestowed upon a holy people and it should be sanctified to make them holy and now it is called the glorious holy Mountain and so it s said of Jehosaphat 2 Chron 17.3,4,6 His Kingdom was established they all brought him presents he had silver and gold and he walked in the wayes of David his Father Secondly there are some things that are given unto men but it is for the good of others such as tend not unto their own salvation at all So some men shall be raised and exalted not for their own sakes Isa 44.28 Cyrus is my Shepherd saith the Lord he shall perform all my pleasure I will hold his right hand and subdue Nations before him I will loose the loyns of Kings break the gates of brass in pieces and cut asunder the bars of Iron give him the treasures of darkness and the hidden riches of secret places for Jacob my servants sake and for Israel my elect Isa 45.1,3,4,7,14 There is authority given also for the sake of others as many times power and success is given for the sake of others and yet they that are in power c. themselves have no good by it he hath not known me saith the Lord. So there is many a man makes riches his glory that his house is increased but it is not for his own sake but the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just Prov. 13.22 He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor Prov. 28.8 And a man may say of such Bees in all their gatherings Sic vos non vobis it s not for your selves but it is for the good of others that all this is done and indeed all good things that ungodly men do receive it is not for their own good as it is not for their own sake it is for the Saints sake and it is by their Covenant and therefore Luther saith omnia conservantur propter verbum sanctum semen Deus non curat Politiam Oeconomiam nisi propter Ecclesiam It is true that there are many that receive great mercies great deliverances but it s not for their own good but for their hurt Eccles 5.5 Biches are for the hurt of the owner and so it is also of honours and victories which are mercies in the things but not to the men as Cyprian saith of the Sacrament Petro â—…emedium Iudae venenum so it is of all blessings unto one in perniciem unto the other in salutem to the good of others which he himself had no good by Doctrine 2. The gifts bestowed by God and the talents that are committed they are committed they are not given unto all in the same measure but according to different measures some have much and some have little some have two Talents and some have five Talents and here are two things to be considered First He doth not give in the fame measure unto all persons it is true that there is no servant that is without his talent to trade with for the Lord doth not expect to reap where he hath not sown or to gather where he hath not strawed but yet he doth not sow alike plentifully everywhere and that neither of grace nor of gifts nor of opportunity First Not of grace Ephes 4.7 Unto every one of us given according to the measure of the gift of Christ but not
can expect with comfort and therefore let thy heart say Amen unto this promise be it unto thy servant according to thy word Luke 1.38 And to stir you up to it consider first the means by which God will do it and they be all desirable First he hath promised to take away the unclean spirit out of the Land for if the unclean man were taken away new would arise therefore the promise is to take away the unclean spirit Zach. 13.2 Secondly he will take off the hearts of his people from these mixtures that Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with Idols Hos 14.18 Thirdly he will root out all these Idolatrous spirits amongst us that will not be reclaimed they that purifie themselves in gardens shall be consumed when God comes to purifie his Church Isa ult 17. there shall be no Canaanite in the Land any more for ever Zach. 14 ult and when they are cut off no more of his name shall be sown Nahum 1.14 Secondly to move you to it you have Gods command Isa 62.6 Ye that are the Lords remembrancers keep not silence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords recorders and a main thing that the people of God do record is the promises which as yet remain unaccomplished unto the Church Thirdly we have a concurrence of all the prayers of the Church of God that have gone before us for the prayers of the Church be like the acts of a State they dye not with the man that made them for they are made unto an eternal God grounded upon an everlasting righteousness offered by an eternal spirit and therefore they are eternally acceptable and of an eternal efficacy in after ages Davids prayer Psal 109.8 took effect upon Judas Act. 1.2 therefore as we must preach for after ages as the Prophets did and the Apostles entred upon their labours so must we pray for after ages and be content that other men in time to come shall reap the benefit of our prayers Lastly God hath begun already and now we have great cause to be earnest with him to go on with it Chrysost hom for he hath said shall I bring to the birth and shall I not bring forth Isa 60.9 Experiences of former mercies are a special pledge of future Psalm 74.14 he smote the head of Leviathan in the waters and gave him to be meat to his people inhabiting the wilderness it is spoken of Pharoahs army which God destroyed in the red Sea that is the destruction of the Egyptians was a pledge to him of the accomplishment of the mercy that God had promised to cast the Canaanite out of the promised Land and to give them possession of it many hardships they were to pass through in the wilderness but God gave them this mercy as food not to their bodies but food to their faith while they were in the wilderness therefore those former great and glorious promises were accomplished So that former mercies are food that God gives unto the faith of his people to feed upon till he hath perfectly accomplished whatever he hath promised unto his Church Let no man say who shall live when God doth this but be sure for thy time have a stock going in the Churches ship for there is no knowledge nor work nor labour in the grave where thou art going therefore sow thy seed and if the harvest come not in thy time yet thou shalt be no loser for in glory God will reward thee according to the fruits of thy doing Ier. 17.10 the Lord tells thee Go thy way Daniel thou shalt rest and stand up in thy lot in the end of thy dayes Dan. 12. ult comfort and encourage one another with these words Grace is Wisdom AND Wisdom the Principal thing Preached at a meeting of the Company of Black-Smiths Octob. 29. 1647. in Fish-street London PROV 4.7 Wisdom is the principal thing therefore get wisdom c. WHen the Lord gave Solomon his option 1 King 3.5 Ask what I shall give thee the choice that he himself made was wisdom Give unto thy servant an understanding heart and his request pleased God so well that the Lord gave him wisdom and understanding exceeding much and largeness of heart even as the sand upon the Seashore And this Book seems to be an Epitome of that large heart that God gave unto the Author of it the Book of the Canticles indeed sets forth the knowledge and the mysterie of Christ and Ecclesiastes sets forth the knowledge of the vanity of the creatures but here en totum Solomonem that there is not any part of the revealed will of God or the duty of man for knowledge or practice but in this book it is more or less touched at And we have great reason to admire the goodness of God that hath not suffered this Sun to set but being dead he yet speaketh and the Lord having honoured him with wisdom above all men that ever were except the Lord Jesus Christ we should hearken to his advice concerning wisdom in the text wisdom is the principal thing c. In the words you have these two things First a commendation of it Secondly an exhortation to it First the commendation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies either purity or dignity and so some interpreters render it principium sapientia wisdom is the principal thing Montanus and others of a purity in order and so Tremelius renders it quia caput est sapientiae eam acquirere the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom this is the chief excellency therefore let it be gotten in the first place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies to get a thing as a mans own possession to have a title to it and a propriety in it to make it his own to have it in his own heart and to possess it for himself and whereas there are many waies of gain that men do follow in the world and many other possessions that men do strive for and seek after the wise man here sayes in the middle of all your other gettings let this be the principal care of every one of you it being above all others the principal thing and though the world flow in upon you and you wash your steps in butter and be great gainers otherwise and the earth bring forth her encrease to you yet with all your other gains get understanding whatever you get or lose make sure of this above all But what is meant by wisdom By wisdom in this book is meant two things First Christ the wisdom of God So Prov. 8.30 I was by him as one brought up with him c. Secondly Grace which is the only wisdom in a man and so the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom or caput the chief and the principal part of it but it is only in the latter of these senses that I shall speak to at this time Doctrine First that grace only is true wisdom Secondly that
the Red sea was divided before the children of Israel such a desperate spirit seized upon Pharoah that in their pursuite he should follow them into the Red Sea Consider here lies the mysterie of Providence God sets on such an apprehension upon the spirits of men that they shall run on to their own ruine In the fourth place God many times raiseth up Instruments and he qualifies them for his work girding up their loyns and strengthening their hands that they shall go through that at one time that you would have thought ten thousand instruments could not have done it at another This now is Gods season Cyrus the Lord raised him up I will hold his hands saith he I will gird his loyns Isa 45.1,2 and then God laies the same instrument aside again at another time Mark many times the Lord will make a combination and there shall be a conjunction of Instruments and afterwards the Lord will make use of these even to destroy one another here are the mysteries of Providence Abimilech and the men of Shechem joyn they make him King who would have thought but that certainly the men of Schechem would have stuck to Abimelech for ever having now renounced the house of Jerubaal but mark when they had done the work that God appointed their conjunction falls why then then fire comes out of Abimelech devoures the men of Shechem and fire comes out of the men of Shechem and destroyes Abimelech Here now are the strange mysteries of Providence In the fifth place God many times destroyes men by those means by which in all humane judgement they think they shall be preserved I say God doth usually destroy men by those means by which in humane judgement they think they shall be preserved The people of Israel when they were in any necessity then by and by unto King Jareb which some expound to be a helping King sometimes in the way of Assyria sometimes in the way of Egypt yet notwithstanding they were destroyed by those that they brought in to their help When Israel was low why truly they would needs have a King the King ruined their Nation almost the earth is weak I should read it the Land is weak and the inhabitants thereof I should bear up the Pillars thereof Saul was weak and destroyed the Land When David came to the Crown he did bear up the Pillars thereof I beseech you consider it it is an ordinary thing therefore Isa 44.25 the Lord turneth wise men backward the meaning of it is take all their counsels and the events no way answer the design but the quite contrary the quite contrary unto what they did design is brought to pass wise men are turned back Now these are the strange actings of Providence They bound Paul that he should not preach My bonds tend to the furtherance of the Gospel They banished the Church out of Jerusalem on purpose that so they might have destroyed it but that is the Churches preservation when Ierusalem is destroyed These are the strange actings of Providence In the last place when things are brought to the lowest ebb the means weakest and the confidence of the enemy and their expectation highest then many times God is pleased to destroy the power of the mighty When Gideon hath but three hundred men he is fit to fight Gods Battles yea Sisera must fall by the hand of a woman This is mighty considerable in Nahum 1.10 When they are drunk as the drunkards and folden together as thorns that is when they are unanimous as one man their combination strong they are folded together as thorns you cannot pull them asunder and by this means they are drunk with confidence as a drunkard for such a drunkenness is there spoken of What then they shall then be consumed like stubble that is drie they are never so neer destruction these are the mysterious actings of Providence why certainly then the Government of the world is like a Wheel in a Wheel the actings of Providence are very intricate and mysterious I am sorry the time hath so out-gone me indeed it was the Application I aimed at Let this serve for the Explicatory part let us now come to the Application If this be so I have two Uses to make of it but it is the last I shall insist upon The first is In all actings of Providence subscribe to his wisdom The second is In all actings of Providence submit to his will Well these are the two Uses First I say If there be such great mysteries in Providence then subscribe to his wisdom acknowledge that God only is able to govern the world he is wonderful in counsel and mighty in working Luther I remember it was a handsom reproof that Luther did once give to Philip Melancthon when the Protestant cause lay very much at the stake Melancthon was mightily troubled how things would go Luther sent him this message Monendus est Philippus saith he ut desinat esse mundi gubernator you must admonish Melancthon that he leave off to govern the world alas government of the world belongs to God Subscribe to his wisdom say only that he is fit to rule the world That I did think a little to have enlarged my self upon but I dare not because I shall transgress But the second I would willingly though I begg a little time of you to speak something of it As you should subscribe to his wisdom because his providence is mysterious So likewise submit to his will I say submit to his will Oh it is a sad thing that those that profess obedience unto Gods commanding will should yet harbour in their souls so much discontent at Gods effecting will then notwithstanding Truly this is an evil that may befal a gracious heart I will give you the example of a Saint Ionah in Ionah 4. God had caused a Gourd to spring up as a shade to Ionah in the night and the Lord smote the Gourd at the root and it withered the text saith Ionahs heart rejoyced because of the Gourd his heart was shortned to the present contentment and upon that cause God takes away the Gourd Ionah is angry with this act of God Now I intreate you if it be but a smal content a conceit a petty advantage why yet notwithstanding if God act contrary to my design that party goes not up that I would have it may be or I have not those waies of advantage or friends one way that I could make another for that cause truly that man is angry this is consider I beseech you this is the true cause of all the grudgings in the world and of all those repinings and discontentments that there are in the world because men do not submit their wills unto the effecting will of God Now I beseech you be pleased to observe two or three things Observe in the first place you sin in this in a high degree in three things you sin in a high degree First you exalt
do not enjoy the same light they do not see the days of the son of man Kings and righteous men have desired to see the days that you see and have not seen them and to hear the things that you hear yet have not heard them Plus uno die vident pueri quam per totius vitae tempora philosophi Gerhard in his Chronology speaks of Infoelix seculum exhaustum hominibus ingenio doctrina claris Gerhard there are dark times and there are times also when the light of the Moon is as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun sevenfold Esay 30.26 One age hath much and another age hath little Secondly They have not the same deliverances for three hundred years she travelled under cruel persecution under the power of the Red Dragon but at last the Church brought forth a man-childe who was exalted upon the throne of God as the fruit of all their travels all their prayers and as the price of all their blood principem à quo libertatem exemplum fidei mundus accepit Sulpic. There is a time when the Lord doth lift up the rod of the oppressour and there is a time when he doth break their yoke from off the neck there is a time when the enemies do plough upon the backs of the people and make long their furrows and there is a time also when God doth cut their harness and they are able to plough no longer there is a time when God gives his people to be troden down as 〈…〉 in the streets and there is a time when no stranger shall any more pass over it there shall be no more a grieving thorn or a pricking bryer there shall be none to hurt or destroy in my holy Mountain c. there is a time when God doth bend Judab for him and when he doth raise the worm Jacob to thresh the Mountains c and the Lord delivers the land out of the mouths of the Enemies c. Doctrine 3. Whether men have received little or much it is all in reference to an account there is a time when the King will take an account of his servants for he will come to reckon with them Mat. 18.23 There is not a talent that the Lord bestows but it is in reference to this account all mercies received must surely be counted for every one of us must give an account of himself unto God and there are not only personal but there are national accounts he that is Judge of all the world he is the Judge of all Nations Isa 5.3 Iudge I pray you between me and my vineyard he that refers unto men to judge he will be the Judge himself also and he will surely judge them with righteous judgement For First All their mercies are recorded by him they may forget them but he records them what is a great part of the Scriptures but the records of God Chronicles of his several mercies and deliverances that he hath bestowed upon his people in succeeding ages Micah 6.5 Remember from Shittim to Gilgal it was the place of their Transgression when they committed abominations with the daughters of Moab and sacrificed unto Baal Peor did eat the offering of the dead and Gilgal was the first place that they set their foot upon in the Land of Canaan when the Lord rolled away from them the reproach of Egypt from whence it had its name and in the very places the Lord wrote in their names the memorials of his mercies that the very names of the places might be a witness of his mercies to them in memoriam and in testimonium Jehovah jireth Gilgal Berachah c. as you record your victories by the names of Dunbar and the name of Worcester c. the 78. Psalm is nothing else but the Lords records in which he hath written the memorial of that continued Tract of mercies which he gave unto them and the Lord wrote the memory of their mercies in the months Exod. 12.2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months the Lord changed the beginning of their years in the remembrance of his mercy Ver. 14. This day shall be unto you for a memorial How should the third of September be for a memorial unto you c. though the Canon of the Scripture be consigned and the Lord will write this story by an infallible spirit no more to remain upon records amongst men yet they are all of them recorded before him as the Law is written in the hearts of the people of God not with paper and Ink but by the spirit of the living God so doth the Lord record his mercies which he doth multiply upon his people not with pen and Ink but by the spirit of the living God in the heart of God for ever as it s said of the sins of men Deut. 31.34 Is it not laid up in store with me and sealed up amongst my Treasures they are laid up amongst the treasures of God so God hath treasures of mercy also as well as of sins by him c. Secondly they are numbered by him as the Miracles of Christ in the daies of his flesh were numbered as it s said this was the first Miracle that he did and this was the second Miracle that Jesus did after he came out of Judea into Galilee So also the Miracles that Christ did work in glory are all numbered as the Lord numbers the several degrees of his enemies downfal in seven Seales seven Trumpets and seven Vials so he doth number also the several degrees of his peoples deliverances and 2 Numb 14.22 he doth number their sins answerable unto the number of his mercies they have seen my Miracles in Egypt and in the wilderness and they have provoked and tempted me now these ten times it is true that the mercies God bestows on us are a multitude of mercies and it is as easie for us to number the stars as it is to count them all but though we cannot do it yet God can do it and he doth it who can tell the number of the stars and call them all by their names Psal 71.15 David saith that he would shew forth the salvations of God all the day long for I know not the number of them c. and we must consider God hath his set number of mercies for a people if they abuse them and walk unworthy of them he will not shew mercy for ever he will not draw forth his loving kindness from generation to generation Cessat descensus si in perpetuum ascensus cessat as Belishazers Kingdom was numbered the Lord wrote a memorial for him so he will write a memorial upon some mercies as the number of sins is finished as Antichrist hath his Numbers the number of the beast is the number of a man c. and mercies may have their number also even your mercies the Lord may say Now your prosperity is numbered your deliverances victories are numbered I will