and put his posterity according to His faithful word in possession of that promised land he should incontinent after He had brought them thorow the red sea and brought them to the very border of Canaan have entered them into Canaan Yet we see He caused them to wander in a waste houling Wilderness Fourtie Years Againe when He brought them over Jordan we would think He should in all haste with great expedition have destroyed the Canaanites that in a short time Israel might have had peacable possession of the whole Land Yet we see the Lord thought good to do other wayes And how many a time doth He think good to exercise the Patience and Faith of His People and for this end delay the carrying on and perfecting of the work He intendeth And this He doth not for want of strength to go over all Opposition nor for want of Wisdom as if he were put to new Resolutions and to a stand in carrying-on his old Purposes But that he may give proof of His Majestick Soveraignity and shew how Stately and Glorious He is in His Operations performing all according to the Counsel of His own will cutting short His Work when we might think it could not be finished in haste and againe drawing it forth to a longer period of time when we would think that all things cry for His hastning of it 10. The Lord hideth Himself in His workings when He suffereth Enemies at once to destroy and overthrow a work that hath been long in building and hath been carried-on with much trouble toile work and care by prayers fastings and blood We understand not what that meaneth which the Lord saith by Ieremiah unto Baruch Ier. 45 4. Behold that which I have built will I break down and that which I have planted I will pluck up even this whole land But this is a piece of His working who loveth sometimes to be a God that hideth himself It is a sad complaint which the Church hath Psal. 74 vers 4 5 6 7 8. Thine Enemies roar in the midst of thy Congregations they set up their ensignes for signes A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers They have cast fire into thy sanctuary They said in their hearts let us destroy them together They have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the Land Thus was there more destroyed in one Year than was built-up in many Is not our Lord in such a case a God that hideth Himself Who can see thorow such a Dispensation as this 11. There is a time also in which we may say the Lord is a God that hideth himself and that is when his Dispensations are so mixed and composed to speak so of mercy and judgment that People shall not know which to regaird most or what to judge of the complex Business As it was when the Ark came to the Bethshemites there was great joy and offering of brunt Offerings and Sacrificeing of Sacrifices 1 Sam. 6 vers 13 15. But behold ere the day was ended their mourning was as great as their joy for the Lord slew Fifty Thousand and Threescore and Ten Men because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord v. 19 Whereupon the people lamented because the Lord had smitten them with a great slaughter and they said vers 20. Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God and to whom shall he go up from us A wonderful dispensation wherein the Lord shewed himself to be a God that hideth Himself 12. We may adde to these another case in which the Lord may be looked upon as one that hideth himself and that is when He is unwilling to make use of holy and useful Instruments of whom much might be expected and who would willingly spend themselves and be spent in the service of the Lord. As the Lord thinketh good to make use of Instruments in his work so it is an hopeful business when the Lord raiseth up fitteth and animateth Instruments for carrying on of his work and the Lord is then appearing in His power on the head of His work But when He saith by His dispensations that He will not make use of hopful and steadable Instruments for beginning or carrying on of His work then He is as it were hid and his footsteps cannot be seen Whether 1. He expresly declareth that he will not make use of such or such a worthy Instrument that would gladly be Imployed in the work as when David did so earnestly desire to be imployed in building of Gods House yet the Lord said he should not build Him an House He would not have that service from him 2 Sam. 7. but would employ one out of his loines for that end and David must be content to prepare money and materials for the work Or 2. When the Lord taketh away Instruments before their work be ended as He did Moses who would faine have passed over Iordan to have seen that good Land and have perfected his work of leading the people thereinto Or 3. When He suffereth worthy and eminent Instruments to be snatcht away basely and unworthily as we see in Iohn Baptist a man that had not a marrow that day upon the face of the earth the only forerunner of Christ greater then any Prophet that was before him and a man that had done much good yet see how unworthily he is taken away he is cast in prison and at the desire of a light dancing damesel prompted thereto by a base and unworthy harlot and taken away in a most unworthy manner murthered in his prison and his head given as a propine and satisfying gift to that girle What a wonderful dispensation was this that the Lord should suffer them to do to this non-such and eminent man even what they would and listed But in these and the like workings of the Lord He is a God that hideth himself We have thus declared how the Lord is a God that hideth himself even when He is about to do good to and to deliver his People and have for further clearing and explaining of the mater given some instances of cases wherein the Lord may be said to be a God hiding himself If we should now enquire Why and for what Reasons doth the Lord choose to work so and bring about deliverance to His people in such an hid and unobservable manner It should satisfie us for an answere That thus it pleaseth Him to do for his own glorious ends which we may not too curiously prye into Yet seing all that God doth is done in great wisdom both for matter and method and for holy ends which His word mentioneth we may so far with soberness and humility enquire into these to the end we may be able to observe something of the wise holy workings of God and so be in better case with knowledge understanding to carry
His end The King of Assyria had it in his heart to destroy and cut off Nations not a few But God had another end in raising him up to be a scourge and therefore suffered him not to do all he would Esai 10 6 7 12. Upon this ground it is that he debateth with his people in measure when he sendeth forth his rod and stayeth his rough winde in the day of his east winde Esai 27. 8. 5. The Season and time of the affliction and trial is likewise determined of the Lord which is another Circumstance sometime very considerable and weighty He hath determined the minute of time when it shall beginne and with what occasion it shall be trysted He determined the precise time when the Messiah should be cut off after threescore and two weeks Dan. 9 vers 26. 6. The Duration of the Trial is also determined by the unchangable decree of God to a day yea to an houre and a minute He decreed the length and duration of the affliction that was to come upon the posterity of Abraham four hundereth and thirtie Years Gen. 15 13. Exod. 12. vers 13. And at the end of these Years even the self same day it came to passe that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the Land of Egypt where these Years of servitude were to end So he determined seventy Years for the captivity of Iudah in Babylon Ier. 25 12. and 29 10. Dan. 9. vers 2. 7. He hath also determined who shall be the Instruments of the trouble He said he would hisse for the flie that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt and for the bee that is in the Land of Assyria Esai 7 18. He appointed the ruine of Iudah to be by the Babylonians or Caldeans He determined to raise evil against David out of his own house 2 Sam. 12 11. These particulars might have been further enlairged and confirmed but because I suppose the truth herein will not be denied or questioned by the Lords people it will be much more useful to speak a few things concerning the right use making of this Truth That there is a Decree past in heaven from all Eternity touching our Sufferings and all the Ingredients and Circumstances thereof concerning the manner and way of our troubles the time when and how long the Instruments by whom and all the other particulars considerable in the same all are fixed by a peremptour and unalterable Determination Now the faith and beleeving Consideration of this would still and calme the risings of our proud spirits and the insolent stirrings of our corruptions when the Affliction that is bitter and unpleasant to the flesh is lying on and make us patiently endure all and sweetly submit to all saying the will of the Lord be done Let him do what seemeth him good as good old Eli said when he heard the determination of the Lord concerning him and his family wherein were many sad and bitter ingredients as may beseen 1 Sam. 2. and 3. Chapters and goâ—…d is the â—…rd of the Lord as good Hezekiah said when he heard by Esaias that the Lord had determined that all that was in his house and all which his fathers had laid up in store untill that day should be carried to Babilon nothing should be left and of his sones that should issue from him which he should beget should they take away and should be Eunuchs in the palace of the King of Babylon Esai 39. vers 6 7 8. Whether 1. Our thoughts be troubled at the kind of the Cross or Affliction which is upon us so as we are ready to say had the Lord sent any other rod or affliction upon us than this wherewith we are exercised we could better have born it Had he visited me will one say with Poverty and not with Disgrace I could have born it and another had my affliction been any other than just what it is I could have comported with it but the consideration of this that God hath decreed that that even that same crosse should be thy cross and no other will make the Soul sit down and say seing the Lord hath from all eternity appointed and shapen-out this even this and none else for me I must bear it and submit to his will who is wiser than I am and seeth further than I do and knoweth what is good and best for me better than I my self do His holy will be done This is a grief and I must bear it saith Ieremiah Ch. 10 19. 2. If our heart be troubled and vexed at the Consideration and thoughts of the particular Ingredients in and Parts of our mixed and compounded cup of affliction whereof every one seemeth more bitter than another and we be saying we are compassed with evils on all hands trouble of Body is upon us and trouble of Mind also we are wrestling with paines inward and outward with poverty with disgrace with perils and hardships and all at once This will compose our spirits if we call to mind that God hath willed and decreed all this He thought good to have it so He hath ordered as a wise Physician all the Ingredients of our bitter cup and what have we to say against him Iob we know had many a bitter ingredient in his cup and this compesceth the tumultuatings of his spirit Iob 23 13 14. But he is in one mind who can turn him And what his soul desireth even that he doth For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me and many such things are with him As if he had said what He will do He will do none can turne him or make him change his mind He performeth what He hath appointed and decreed for me and He can do much more yet and what know I but he shall do much more against me than he hath done This did so far put him from quarrelling at what was done that he was troubled and afraid at the thoughts of the Majesty and Soveraignity of this great King who doth what he will and so might adde yet moe ingredients in his cup as long as he was left breathing and thereby make his case worse 3. If the thoughts of the exceeding great weight and measure of the Trouble vex us this may counter-work that and calme us if we should suppose that God doth not measure-out our calamitie by drachmes and unces but by pounds and ston weights and thereupon cry out that our Trouble is greater than we can bear and give way to sinful murmurings and complainings we should do well in that case to call this to mind That all the doses are weighed and appointed for us from eternity He hath measured every scruple or graine weight thereof and what he hath appointed for us we must have He knoweth best what dose or measure of such or such a simple and what weight or quantity of all together will worke best on our humors and this will helpe to calme our spirits knowing
I wil raise up evil against thee out of thine own house and I will take thy wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy Neighbour and he shall lye with thy wives in the sight of this sun for thou didst this secretly but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun And this accordingly was done by that wicked wretch Absalom 2. Sam. 16. vers 22. And because of the high holy and soveraigne hand which God had in this sore aâ—…iction He saith by Nathan the Prophet that He would do it 3. We finde in the Scriptures that the wicked Enemies in following prosecuting their malicious designes against the People of God are held forth and spoken of as God's Instruments in that work As Esai 10. vers 5. Where the Assyrian is called the rod of God's anger and the staff in their hand is said to be His indignation So Vers. 15. They are compared to an aâ—… in the hand of him that heweth therewith and to a saw to a rod and to a staff all which we know can do nothing but as moved and ordered by the principal Actor To the same sense are they compared to a rasour wherewith God will shave the head and the haire of the feet and the beard Esa. 7. vers 20. Thus is Babylon called a golden cup in the hand of the Lord Ier. 51. vers 7. Likewise the Enemies are compared to a net which God will spread over his people Hos. 7. v. 12. and to a snare Ezek. 12. vers 13. They are likewise called God's sword Psal. 17. vers 13. and His hand vers 14. All which and the like expressions show That God hath a principal hand in the afflictions which his people meet with at the hands of wicked Instruments and that the wicked are but as so many Instruments and Lixes imployed by him for that effect howbeit they minde no such thing but drive on their own designes to satisfie their own wicked lusts 4. The Scripture speaketh of the Lord as raising up these wicked Instruments as leavying them and sending them to execute his will So Esai 5. vers 26. And He will lift up an Ensigne to the Nations from far and will hisse unto them from the end of the earth and behold they shall come with speed swiftlâ—… So Esai 7. vers 18. And it shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall hisse for the flie that is in the uttermost parts of the rivers of Aegypt and for the bee that is in the Land of Assyria By which we understand that as these Enemies cannot stir notwithstanding of all their malice rage and anger against the Lord's people till God send for them and hisse for them and as it were subscribe and seal their commission so they are wholly at his disposal as the armie is at the disposal of the General or of him who leavyeth them and employeth them In like manner we read 1 Chron. 5. vers 26. that the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul King of Assyria against the Reubenits the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh So it is said Psal. 105. vers 25. That God turned the heart of the Egyptians to hate his people and to deal subtilly with his servants And 2 Cbron. 21. vers 16. that he stirred up against Iehoram the spirit of the Philistines and of the Arabians that were neer the Ethiophians 5. We finde the Lord said frequently to deliver up his people into the hands of these Enemies and to sell them unto them as it were to give them wholly up to their devotion and disposal see Iudg. 3 8. and 4. vers 2. and 6. vers 1. and 10 7. Dan. 1 2. 2 King 17. vers 20. Thereby showing that these Enemies could do nothing against the people of God untill the Lord had permitted the same and given way thereto and had as it were withdrawn his protection and taken away his hedge of defence and so left them naked and exposed unto the rage and cruelty of their brutish Enemies 6. This is also manifest from the grand and noble Purposes and Designes which the Lord bringeth about by those meanes far diffâ—…rent from what these wicked Instruments intend as we see Gen 45. and 50 Ioseph's Brethren meaned evil against him but God meaned it for good So Esai 10. vers 7. The Assyrian meaneth not so as God doth neither doth his heart think so but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few but the Lord hath another work upon mount Zion and on Ierusalem Vers. 12. to wit to punish them only by his smiting with a rod and lifting up his staff after the manner of Egypt V. 24. or as it is Esai 27 9. to purge away the iniquity of Jacob and to take away sin Wherefore seing the Lord hath such soveraigne ends as the chastisement and trial of his people the exercise of their graces c. to bring about He cannot but have a special hand in and about the meanes which serve to bring about these ends This being sufficient to cleare up what was first to be spoken to we come Secondly to speak a little of the manner and way how the hand of the Lord is to be observed in and about the sharpe afflictions of his people by the hand of wicked persons who are active therein And in speaking to this we shall wave all subtile debates concerning God's Decreeing the event of sin His Predetermination and His Concourse with second causes in those Actions which are sinful and shall onely pitch upon some particulars which are more plaine and undeniable and also more useful to the point in hand As 1 There is the Lord 's holy permission giving way to and not restraining the furie and rage of Enemies when He hath a mind to make use of them for a scourge He must loose as it were the chaine with which they are bound and restrained and take away the hedge of protection wherewith he guardeth and protecteth his people and all that belongs to them Satan could do nothing against Iob nor stirre so much as one lambs tail that belonged to him untill the Lord for holy and wise ends gave way thereunto therefore he said unto the Lord Iob 1. vers 10. Hast not thou made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side This is also imported in the Lords giving up his people into the hands of Enemies and selling them and delivering them as a judge doth a Malefactor into the hand of the Executioner Yet we must not conceive of this Permission as if it were in all things like unto the bare naked permissions of men but as sutable to him who is a most pure and simple Act 2. There is herein considerable the Lord's Commission to speak so not that He will warrand and approve of them in their wickedness or give them any moral Authoritie or
Church here should taste of the Worm-wood the Gall of Affliction and wade thorow Trouble and Persecution He hath seen it fit that she should be in a wilderness Condition here And so it hath been in almost all ages as might be evidenced if necessary 2. Not only hath the Church of God met with Affliction but the cup hath been long at her Head without any intermission The seed of Abraham were to be strangers to serve and be afflicted foure hundereth yeers and more even from Ismaels beginning to mock until they were delivered out of Aegypt Gen. 15 v. 13. Act. 7 6 7. with Exod. 12 41. Was not the Church keeped fourtie yeers wandering in the Wilderness before she came to rest And when settled in the promised Land how many yeers together was she oppressed by Enemies sometimes Eight Iudg. 3 8. then Eighteen vers 14. then Twenty Iudg. 4 v. 3. Then Senventie Years in captivity in Babylon And we know how the Christian Church was in an afflicted and persecuted condition in the primitive times three hundereth Yeers untill Constantine the great came to the Empire and how long she hath groaned under Antichrist's tyrannie 3. The Lord also thinketh good to renew the daies of the Church her sorrow after some warm blainks and some short respite as the primitive Church had in the intervals betwixt the Ten vehement and fiery Persecutions some whereof were of longer some of shorter continuance After a respite He sendeth a new storme so that her calamites are like waves of the sea ere one be well away another cometh Hence the Psalmist saith Ps. 129. vers 1 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth 4. Yea moreover the Lord seeth good to afflict her with billowes of waves of His displeasure and to afflict her very sore as Esai 64. vers 9 10 11 12. Be not wroth very sore Thy holy cities are a wilderness Zion is a wilderness Ierusalem a desolation Our holy and our beautiful house where our fathers praised thee is burnt up with fire and all our pleasant things are laid waste wilt thou refraine thy self for these things O Lord wilt thou hold thy peace and afflict us very sore This was a sore stroke which destroyed both Church and State 5. Some times the Church hath to do with moe Enemies than one at once See Psal. 83. ver 5 6 7 8. For they have consulted together with one consent they are consederat against thee The Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Hagarens Gebal and Ammon and Amalek the Philistines with the Inhabitants of Tyre Assur also is joined with them they have holpen the children of Lot This was a dreadful conspiracy of all the Enemies round about both far and neer and their designe was to cut off the people of God from being a Nation that the Name of Israel might be no more in remembrance vers 4. As Herod and Pilat will agree when they are to concurre to the cutting off of Christ so these Enemies though sometimes at variance among themselves yet can agree in one to joine their forces together to destroy and cut off if they could the Inheritance of the Lord. 6. Withall the Lord may hide His face in the midst of these outward calamities and refuse to give light comfort counsel or direction She may be afflicted and tossed with tempests and withall not comforted How hath the Lord said the Church Lam. 2. v. 1 3. covered the Daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger He burned against Iacob like a flame of fire See also Chap. 3 8 9 10 11 c. and several other passages 7. Sometime the Lord so ordereth the affliction as that the very timeing of it maketh it much more heavy than otherwise it would be as when His people are secure and crying peace peace The Israelites thought all was well when they were gote out of Egypt but ere they were awar how quickly were they invironed with new Difficulties pursued by Pharaoh all his hosts having the red sea before and no way to escape upon either hand doubtless the very season time of this new difficulty made it very grievous It cannot be but sad when it is with the Church as Ieremie saith of the Church in his time Ier. 8 v. 15. and 14 19. We looked for peace but no good came for a time of healing and behold trouble 8. Not only is the Church put to contend with open Enemies but she is also much molested with false friends who under pretence of friendship seek to ruine her These prove most dangerous Enemies as traitours within a besieged place While she is prospering many offer their service to her and seem to be cordial friends and yet are but a mixed multitude who when the first occasion offers will seek to returne to Egypt for all their profession of kindness and friendship when a fit opportunity offereth there are none more bitter Enemies than they are So that it oft fareth with her as Paul said it would fare after his death with the Church of Ephesus in respect of Hereticks and false Teachers Act. 20. vers 29 30 For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaâ—…ing perverse things c. 9. Yea so low may the Church sometimes be brought under the feet of adversaries that little hope may remaine of her recovery yea she may be looked on by one and other as in a desperat and forlorne condition so that even many of the faithful may be shaken in their hops and saying will the Lord be favourable no more Are His mercies clean gone Doth His promise fail for ever more Hath He forgotten to be gracious Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies Such may be her condition that all humane probability of her recovery may be gone and the faithful have nothing but a bare haire ofhop to hold by or a small plank ofa promise that also under the waters of contrary dispensations to stand upon and so far may the delivery be out of sight that when it beginneth to dawne they may be as those that dream Ps. 126. vers 1. 10. Yet withall it is considerable that notwithstanding of all the opposition made by the Devil and his Instruments against the Church she hath been a burning bush and yet not consumed though she hath been many a time afflicted and that from her youth yet her adversaries have not prevailed against her the plowers have often plowed upon her back and made long their furrowes yet still the righteous Lord hath cut the cordes of the wicked Psa. 129. vers 1 2 3 4. Many an arrow have they shot at her yet mount Zion stands and she hath her Towers Bulwarcks and Palaces Psal. 48. She is founded upon the rock of ages and the ports of hell cannot prevail against her Mat. 16. No
Weapon that is formed against Israel shall prosper Esai 54 17. If these particulars were rightly thought upon and improven we might be helped thereby to a life of Faith and Hope both in reference to the sad condition of the Church in general and also in reference to our own particular suffering condition And first In reference to the Church we may from these particulars see ground of giving a check to our Inferences from the Lords's present Dispensations with His Church savouring of Unbeleef Despondency Discouragment and Hoplesness We see it is true the Church over-whelmed with sorrow fitting as a widow and her teares upon her face We see her looking pale as if death were in her face all beauty and liveliness gone her Enemies multipliying and prospering daily and the Church still sincking more and more in the sea of sorrow and distress Many it is true are ready to say can this be the true Church and these the real people of God whose life is thus constantly made bitter with renewed stormes and tempests of adversity Can this indeed be the work of God which is thus cast down to the ground and trampled under-foot Would the Lord stand by and look on when His spouse if she were so indeed is thus abused by the vilest of men Would He suffer His Name and Work to be thus blasphemed True all this and much more may be said and be done against His Church and she remaine the true Church of Christ and His work be His work It hath been so before now and there is no new thing under the Sun And the right thoughts of what is said would prevent the trouble that such Atheistical and perplexing thoughts necessarily cause if they be admitted and fomented Hath not the Church of Christ been a militant Church from the beginning hath there not been a constant enmity betwixt the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the woman Is it any new thing to see the Church driven to the wilderness and tossed in the sea of afflictions Is it any un-heard-of thing that the Church must be tossed betwixt winde and wave and have stormes and tides and all against her Is it any new thing to see the Church even while within the sight of the haven of an happy and glorious Reformation driven back to sea againe What hath she not oftentimes seemed to on-lookers to be sunck have not false friends many a time sought to drive her upon rocks or cut her cables that she might be left to the mercy of the seas or to make lecks that she might sinck to the ground Is outward prosperity the mark of the true Church No let Antichrist make it a mark ofhis seing so the Papists will The Church of Christ must be the speckled bird She must have many horns in her side Her rest and triumphant state is above though it is true she may have some breathing times some lucide intervals and a more glorious day when the Vial is poured forth on the Seat of the Beast Euphrates dried up and the Kings of the East brought in and when Babylon the great is fallen Gog and Magog destroyed and the Beast and the false Prophet cast into the lake of brimstone but then the end of her warfare will be nigh Againe would we call to mind how often the Church hath been very low and her Enemies singing a triumph as if they had gotten an everlasting victory and as if they were assured that the Name of Israel should be no more mentioned and yet the Lord hath hithertill saved and hath brought that broken Vessel saife to land Notwithstanding of all that the red Dragon the Hethenish Emperours did in persecuting with their bloudy massacres the Christian Church the first three hundered Years yet the Church of Christ grew and multiplied and spread over all the Empire And though the Antichristian abomination did prevail in the Church and the woman was made to flee to the wilderness 42 moneths or 1260 dayes or Years from the Year 660 or 666 as some compute untill the Reformation 1550. or 1560. Yet notwithstanding of this long desolation and darkness dureing which time the Gentiles possessed the outter court the Lord in his own good time in the dayes of Luther and afterward made light break up and made the world see that His Church was not yet destroyed And though now Antichrist be thinking to possesse the outter Court againe and to destroy the Reformation to make even the lands that were by solemne Covenant devouted unto Christ as His peculiar Inheritance become lands of graven images and brought under his tyrannie yet the Lord liveth we are to waite in faith hop and to possess our souls in patience for now is the faith patience of the Saints to beleeve that in due time He who hath begun to poure forth the vials of His wrath upon that Antichristian cursed conspiracy will also make an end in His own good time shall poure forth the Vial on the Beast Revel 16. vers 10. And the judgment of the great whore shall come that fitteth upon many waters with whom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication even the woman that sitteth upon a scarlet-coloured beast full of Names of Blasphemy having seven heads and ten horns arayed in purple and scarlet coloure and decked with gold and precious stones and pearles having a golden Cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication upon whose fore-head is a Name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH And which is drunken with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyres of Jesus Which is manifestly interpreted by the Spirit of God Revel 17. vers 8. to the end to be the Papal Church and State sitting at Rome and commanding all Wherefore it becometh all who love their lives to take notice of that word Revel 18. vers 4 5. Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues c. for the day is coming when it shall be said as it is vers 6 7 8 c. Rewarde her even as she rewarded you and double unto her double according to her worksin the cup which she hath filled fill to her double How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciousâ—… so much torment and sorrow give her for she saith in her heart I sit a queen and am no widow and shall see no Sorrow Therefore shall her plagues come in one day and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Let us live in hope that the day shall come when what followeth there shall be fulfilled and it shall be said as vers 20. Rejoice over her thou Heaven and ye Holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her And it shall be found true that is
hereof 3. When the Lord surprizeth His People with a Mercy and a Deliverance and cometh upon them with an unexpected Out-gate whether 1. As to their present Frame and Fitness for the mercy and delivery Or 2. As to their Present Hopes and Expectation When First I say the Lord cometh with a sweet and merciful delivery unto a People that seem to be in no present capacity for it as being out of all good Frame or Fitness for receiving such a mercy with advantage because lying in their sin and impenitency When the Lord cometh with Salvation unto such a people sure his way must be covered with darkness and hid from the eyes of Beholders with a clothing of Soveraignity for who could think that deliverance were upon its march towards such a people who are not seeking it nor turning from their sinful wayes that the Lord may have mercy upon them according to his usual Method and Order Such steps of Soveraignity are hid steps of Majesty and full of Glory and therein the Lord is hiding Himself and His way coming with Salvation in an unusual path As when he saith Esai 57 17 18. For the iniquity of his Covetousness I was wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his wayes and will heal him I will lead him also and restore Comforts unto him and to his mourners Next When the Lord surprizeth a people with a mercy that they are not in Expectation of nor Waiting for then he acteth like a stately King and His Way is Glorious and hid as it was when the Captivity was brought back from Babylon concerning which they say Psal. 126 vers 2. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion we were like them that dream It is true they had good ground to be now looking for their delivery because of the Prophecy of Ieremiah foretelling that after Seventy Years they should return back to their owne land and Daniel understood so much and thereupon when the time was approaching set himself to pray Dan. 9. But as to the generality they were in all appearance little looking for this outgate but rather fearing more trouble and vexation by Babylons warrs with the Medes and the Persians who were coming against them though the name of Cyrus because of what was foretold by Esai Ch. 44. and 45. might have caused them lift up their heads in hope But notwithstanding of all this we see they were at least as to the generality and bulk of the people little looking for an outgate at this time therefore at the first report of freedom granted to them to returne they were like men that dream scarce beleeving their owne eyes and eares At which time while they were in this dreaming posture how were they surprized with this mercy And how was the way of the Lord in His stately Marchings hid from their eyes In reference to this same Dispensation of deliverance to his People by Crus is the Prophet here crying out thus Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self as the former part of the Chapter from the beginning cleareth 4. When Dispensations upon the one hand and the other say that in humane probability there is no appearance or ground of hope of an outgate or deliverance yet delivery cometh in an unexpected way how hid must the way of the Lord then be Thus He loveth to hide Himself in His advancing with Salvation when there is no appearance to humane Consideration whether mens eye be upon the Enemies or upon the People of God themselves As to Enemies they may 1. Be Strong Mighty and Invincible the Consideration of which might alone be sufficient to dash all hopes as who could have thought that the People of Israel being so under the feet of that mighty Monarch Pharaoh could get out of his Territories and be freed of his mighty Yoke 2. They may not only be strong but prevalent and prospering in their evil way all things succeding according to their mind the Lord as it were shining upon their Counsels and granting to them their hearts desire crossing them in none of their wicked interprizes and designes but even suffering them to devise mischiefe upon their bed and to put it the next day in execution Was it not so with Saul in his wicked persecution of David oftentimes Had he him not sometimes in a net and compassed him about on all hands that there was no apparent escaping and yet deliverance came 3. They may be also Crafty and Politick and lay their traines so sure that they may think they cannot misgive and have all things prepared to their minde that in a moment they may blow up His People that there should not so much as a memorial of them be left and yet be disappointed The Lord in an unseen way may bring about His Peoples deliverance so was it with the people of the Iewes in the dayes of Mordecay when Haman had gote a Commission sealed by the Kings ring and a Decree passed that might not be ranversed or recalled the day appointed and designed and that by a lot as having something like a divine approbation Orders dispatched to put all in execution and thus the mine was ready for the springing what hop could the poor Iewes then have of a delivery And yet behold the Lord was then a God that hid himself He was counter-working this myne and laying a back traine that might cause it spring back upon the Authors and so it did as the Storie cleareth When the Enemies thought themselves sure of their designes and thought it impossible that their purposes could fail behold the God of Israel the Saviour was hiding himself and laying an unseen ambush that cutt them off who thought to have destroyed the Iewes So upon the other hand this God will bring about deliverance to his People When upon their part there is not one toaken for good not one thing apparent that can be a probable ground of hope As 1. When their strength is gone and there are none shut up or left not a man that might be an hopful Instrument to the fore all their valiant Men and Men of Courage and such of whom any thing could be expected destroyed and taken away Yet He who is a God that hideth Himself can come in an unseen way and loveth to come so according to that gracious Word Deut. 32 vers 36. For the Lord shall judge his People and repent Himself for His Servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left Was it not thus also in the dayes of Deborah when there was not a spear or sheild seen among Fourty Thousand in Israel Iudg. 5 vers 8. 2. When their heart and courage is gone they are desponding and desparing and looking on their own case as hopless and helpless as it is said of the People of Iudah while in Babylon who said Ezek.
37 v. 11. Our bones are dried and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts Then even then when People can see no hope He who hideth himself can say Prophesie upon these Bones and cause breath enter into them and bring flesh upon them and cover them with skin and put breath in them that they may live Vers. 3 4 5 6 7 c. and make them a strong Army This is among his hid Acts whereof he hath a rich treasure 5. When the meanes which He putteth His peoples upon in order to their deliverance and outgate are such as promise little â—…or nothing being considered abstractly and in themselves being very unlikely in humane probability to effectuate the end designed then and therein the Lord is a God that hideth himself as when he commanded Iosua and the People to compasse Iericho and to blow with Rams Horns who could have thought that that should have proven an adapted mean for bringing to the ground the strong Wals of the City And when Esther was imployed to effectuate the ranversing of the decree given out to destroy all the Iewes who could think that thereby Haman should have been destroyed and all the Enemies of the Iewes Who would have thought that the stirpling David should have killed the great Goliah thereby brought about the defeate of the mighty Army of the Philistines Thus oftentimes the Lord maketh use of most unlikely and improbable meanes that the excellency of the Power and the Glory may be His And He cometh thus in a dark cloud with Salvation without observation that His hand may more eminently appear and be observed and His Salvation be more conspicuous 6. When some very hopful beginning of a good Work of Reformation meeteth with an unexpected stop and impediment to retard it this is one of the wayes wherein the Lord chooseth to hide Himself and His work then is His way covered with a cloud and His footsteps cannot be seen Thus it was when contrary Orders came to stop the building of the Temple after the peoples return from captivity as we read in the Book of Ezra whereby that necessary work so much desired prayed for hoped for and with such earnestness begun was for a considerable time retarded Thus was it also when David was about the bringing up of the Ark out of Kirjath Iearim to set it in its place in the midst of the Tabernacle that was pitched for it and had for this end assembled the Body of the People of Israel and all the chosen Men of Israel Thirtie Thousand and was now rejoiceing before the Lord playing before Him on all manner of Instruments then even then is there an unexpected stop put to the work for when they were advanced to Nachons threshing floor Vzzah one of the Sones of Abinadab put forth in his simplicity his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it for the Oxen shook it and upon this the Anger of the Lord was kindled against Vzzah and God smote him there for his errour and there he died by the Ark of God 2 Sam. 6 vers 5 6. And upon this the work is stayed for David was afrayed of the Lord that day and would not remove the Ark unto him unto the City of David but carried it aside unto the House of Obed Edom the Gittite where it stayed full three Moneths Vers. 8 9 10 11. See 1 Chron. 13. 7. When even the Godly are left of God to take such courses as do provoke God to anger prove stumbling blocks to the Godly and a strengthening of the wicked in their evil wayes and to bring wrath upon the Land then doth the Lord hide Himself and hath His way in the Sea for who can consider this Dispensation and not be astonied Are the Reasons hereof obvious to all Is there not something singular uncouth and rare in this Dispensation Thus was it when the Lord left Gideon to make that Ephod which proved a snare to him and to his House and an occasion of sin to the Land for it is said All Israel went thither a whoreing after it Iudg. 8 vers 27. And this was when the Lord had wrought a great deliverance by him and had subdued Midian so that they lifted up their heads no more Thus also was it when the Lord left Aaron to make that Calfe in the Wilderness that brought so much Sin and Wrath upon the People as we see Exod. 32 and 33. Deut. 9 vers 8 21. Thus was it also when the Lord suffered David to number the People moved him as it is said 2 Sam. 24 vers 1. or suffered Satan to stand up to provoke him thereunto as it is said 1 Chron. 21 vers 1. A deed that cost Israel dear for therefore the Lord sent a Pestilence that destroyed in three dayes Seventy Thousand Men 1 Chron. 21 v. 14. 2 Sam. 24. 15. 8. So we may conceive the Lord to be a God that hideth himself when we see wicked enemies imployed and actively bestirring themselves in carrying forward the Lords Work It is true when these Enemies are most active in carrying on their wicked Designes and malicious Purposes the Lord who overruleth all as the great Master of Work turneth their desperat wickedness to good and in his Holy Wisdom and by his Irresistible Power maketh that contribute to His ends and to the carrying-on of his Holy Designes for He hath a wheel in the midst of all their wheels and in this the Lords way is indeed in the deep waters so that Enemies cannot perceive this and his own People are oft in the mist and through unbeleefe and faithless fear have oftentimes unsutable thoughts of God and of His Way But the thing that we are now speaking of is a passage of the Lords Providence that is more rare and observable when to wit the Lord will force and necessitate Enemies to do that which is a manifest and plaine setting forward of His work contrare to their owne wills and inclinations as when the Philistines were constrained to send home the Ark to Israel againe 1 Sam. 6 This was a Majestick piece of Providence And that which made the way of the Lord more hid here was this that the Lord would rather bring home the Ark thus than employ the Israelites themselves and send them forth to recover the Ark by a glorious Victory over the Philistines We would readily think that He should rather have done this but He is a God that hideth himself and chooseth what way He thinketh meet 9. The Lord manifesteth himself to be a God that hideth himself in His workings when in His holy Providence He delayeth procrastinateth and suffereth His intended and promised work to meet with retarding hinderances and impediments we would think that when the Lord did so wonderfully and with such an outstretched arme bring the People of Israel out of the furnace of Aegypt to the end he might make good His promise to Abraham
of the ends and designes of God that causeth us to complean and quarrel and wish that His works were otherwise ordered and marshalled for saw we these and conâ—…idered how pertinent and sâ—…teable all the passages of His way and all the circumstances of His work were unto the end designed we would be forced to say Behold He doth all things well When Elihu had been considering Iob 37. the Lords thunder and the great small raine the whirle wind the frost and observed how the Lord did weary the thick cloud and turne it about hither and thither he did not satisfie himself with that till he also gote a look of the special ends wherefore the Lord did so that so he might see the beauty and splendour that was therein therefore he addeth ver 12 13. And it is turned round about by his Counsels that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth He causeth it to come whether for correction orforhis land or for mercy And thereupon vers 14. exhorteth Iob to hearken unto this to stand still and consider the wondrous works of God And of Him who vers 16. is perfect in knowledg And such a sight as this of the works of the Lord would put us far from intertaining such thoughts of God and of his wayes as we too ordinarily have If we saw Him in these His works acting as a wise Governour carrying on His noble and excellent Designes and Purposes we would see a necessity for all that He doth and that no Circumstance might be wanting otherwise His work should not be perfect as it must be And the faith of His being a God of wisdom doing all for wise and holy ends should quiet us even though we should not see the Particular end which the Lord Intendeth in this or that Particular work 8. We would consider also the work of the Lord and see how thereby He executeth many a time His judgments on the wicked and how He is pouring out His red wine that is full of mixture and causing the wicked of the earth drinkout the very dregs as it is Psal. 75 8. And thereby making it appear that verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth Ps. 85. 11. Yea even when He seemeth most to be favouring the wicked and His dispensations smile most upon them He is but heaping wrath the more upon them and fitting them for the day of slaughter Asaph that could not see this when he was under the Water saw it clearly when he went into the Sanctuary then he understood their end and saw that the Lord had set them in slippery places and they were brought into desolation as in a moment Psal. 73 17 18 19. It was an heart-establishing sight which the Psalmist had of the great works of the Lord Psal. 92 4 5. when he saw vers 6 7. that a brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this when the wicked spring as the grasse and when all the workers of iniquity flourish it is that they shall be destroyed for ever CONSIDERATION XXII Judgement upon a Land because of sin sometime will not be held off by the prayer of God's people JEREM. 15 1. Then said the Lord unto me though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my minde could not be toward this people Cast them out of my sight and let them go forth IN a time when because of publick and abounding sins the Lord bringeth on Publick and General Calamities especially such as sweep away the Righteous with the Wicked and that could not be prevented or held off by all the Prayers and Supplications of His people how earnest so ever they have been therein it may seem no small piece of difficulty how a beleever shall win to any life or to know what a life may be had in a such a dismal day It may therefore be of use to speak a little hereunto especially seing this is very like to be the case of this Generation These words and the like Passages show us that indeed there is a time when God is so provoked by the sinnes of a people that after much abused patience and long-suffering He will not be intreated to hold off the stroke that He is about to send or hath threatned because of Provocations Nor shall the eminentest of His favourites wrestlers who sometime have prevailed as Princes with Him be in case to stand in His way and avert the blow by all their Intreaties earnest Supplications God was about to bring on this people of Judah the long threatned desolation and did denounce the same by His Servant Ieremiah saying Chap. 7 14 15. That He would do unto His house at Ierusalem which was called by His name and wherein they did trust as He had done unto Shilo and that He would cast them out of His sight as He had cast out their Brethren the whole seed of Ephraim And that Ieremiah might understand the perempâ—…oriness of this denounciation He addeth vers 16. Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up cry nor prayer for them neither make intercession to me for I will not hear thee The Lord hereby signifying not so much His will that Ieremiah should surcease and pray no more in their behalf as the peremptoriness of His purpose and resolution to bring on the judgment so that all his Interceeding and Interposeing should not avail And this is againe renewed Chap 11 14. Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up a cry or prayer for them for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for thâ—…ir trouble As if He had said The decree is now gone forth neither shall they prevail for themselves nor thou for them Yet Compassionat Ieremiah could not get them forgotten in his prayers but interceedeth earnestly with the Lord in their behalf Ier. 14 1. From the beginning to the 10. ver Whereupon the Lord said unto him the third time vers 11. pray not for this people â—…or their good Ieremie againe vers 19. to the end notwithstanding of this fell to the work of prayer and did earnestly supplicat and interceed for them But now the Lord tels him Chap. 15 1. That Moses and Samuel should not prevail in their behalf and therefore he may be the better satisfied to hear that God would not grant his Petitions put up for them The like we have said foure times over Ezek. 14 14 16 18 20. Though these three men Noah Daniel and Iob were in it they should deliver but their own souls and againe Though those three men were in it as I live saith the Lord God they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters they only shall be delivered but the land shall be desolate The matter then which we are to notice is manifest to wit That there is a time when the sins of a people come to that height that God will not spare upon
God will bring upon a land inevitable judgments and will not be stopped in the execution by the intercessions of Moses and Samuel how much more may we suppose certainly and unavoidably shall judgment overtake a generation that is guilty of all those twenty grievous iniquities From this matter all of us may learne these lessons 1. To fear and tremble before this God seing He is so just and seyere a judge and Governour and seing it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God 2. To beware of abusing His Patience for howbeit it may endure for sometime yet it will expire at length as to its effects and abused longanimity will end in unavoidable ruine and in inevitable strokes of Iustice. 3. All whether Lands or particular Persons who know themselves guilty of the evils mentioned as causes procuring such inevitable rodes should hast to break off these courses that will no doubt hasten-on irremediable destruction It were best to get out of the way of the wrath of God in time If it be enquired what the People of God are called to do in such a day when the place they live-in is guilty of and continueing-in these grievous sins and they can look for nothing but wrath to be poured-out so that no Prayer Fasting or Supplication shall hold it off For Answer Let such minde those duties following 1 Let them beware to seek great things for themfelves Ier. 45. The Lord said to Baruch by the Prophet Ieremie vers 4 5. Behold that which I have built will I break down and that which I have planted will I pluck up even this whole land and seekeâ—… thou great things for thy self seek them not for behold I will bring evil upon all flesh saith the Lord. Whence we see that it becometh not the People of God to be too much minding themselves and their own things in such a day but they ought to be very well satisfied if the Lord give them their life for a prey as He promised to Baruch 2. They should stoup and adore this God who is just and righteous in all His wayes they should be silent before Him and put their mouth in the dust no quarrelsome thoughts should have place or room in their hearts Hold thy Peace saith Zephaniah Ch. 1 7. at the pâ—…esence of the Lord God for the day of the Lord is at hand For the Lord hath prepared a Sacrifice He hath bid his guests c. When the Lord is about to make a Sacrifice in a land and to give the carcases of men to the fowls of the Heavens and the beasts of the field all flesh should be silent and His People especially should quiet themselves and hold their peace before Him without murmuring or venting any discontentment at the matter 3. They should observe the glory of the Lord shineing forth in that remarkable Act of Holy Justice see His Majestie Awfulness Terrour and just Severity to the engaging of their hearts more unto Him and to a glorying in Him The black and dreadful day that was to come upon Iudah was mentioned and several things held forth to make it have a deeper impression Ier. 9 and v. 22. it was said that even the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field And then it is added v. 23. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom c. and Vers 24. But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness judgment and righteousness in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. To tell us that in such a day especially the Lords People should be taking a right view of God that they may understand and know Him to be Jehovah one that exerciseth judgment and righteousness in the earth and withall one that even then exerciseth loving kindness to His own and a God that delighteth in these exercises and that they should glory in Him even in such a day and delight in that wherein He delighteth 4. They would do well to refuge themselves in time in their chambers and shut their doors about them and hide themselves for a Little moment until the indignation be over past As it is Esai 26 20. This is the Counsel of the Lord unto His people in a time when the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity v. 21. 5. They should rest satisfied though their prayers in behalfe of the land have not that success and fruite that they could have wished that upon these grounds and considerations 1. Out of that Dispensation howbeit both black and terrible yet God will get glory both of his Truth and Veracity in his threatnings at which the wicked tushed would give no credite to them which carriage could not but Afflict His people it could not but grieve themto see those wicked ones carry so atheistically as contemning all the Denounciations of wrath but now when the day of execution is come the Lord is seen to be a God of truth and His people see then whose word standeth whether God's Word or the word of those wicked sinners Ier. 44 28. And of His justice in pursueing evil doers who said by their doings that He had forsaken the earth or that He was not a God that judgeth in the earth So also of His Holiness and Purity For then it 's made manifest that He is not as they imagined altogether such an one as themselves but that He hateth all the Workers of iniquity 2. God will have a care of them even then and be a little sanctuary unto them Ezek. 11 v. 16. and cause all things work together for good to them Rom. 8 v. 28. He will set a mark upon such as sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done that the men with the slaughter weapon may not come nigh unto them Ezek. 9. 3. He will return their prayers into their own bosome againe so that they shall not fall to the ground Psalm 35. vers 15. 4. He will accept their prayer and intercession as good service off their Hand even though He think not good to grant the Particular that they ask And if they be accepted of Him in that piece of service it may suffice and satisfie 6. They would do well to be sighing and crying for all the abominations that are committed in the land to be keeping themselves free of that guilt mourning over the same protesting against it abhorring the same that they may be preserved and protected in the day of God's contending according to what we read Ezek. 9 4 6. 7. In the midst of all these desolations and the effects of the Lords indignation burning against a sinful generation they are called to act faith on God as the true and faithful God keeping mercy and covenant for ever and to waite upon him in faith hoping and expecting with confidence that