righteousness sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1. vers 30. Away then with that rotten opinion that some have that are unacquainted with Divine truth Dr. Sibs the alsufficiency of Christ and the mercies of God in Christ that consider not the vileness of our nature and the infinite majesty of God They will have the Gentiles saved by the light of nature and the Jews saved by the Law of Moses and Christians by the Gospel of Christ as if there were some other means to come to heaven and to the favour of God then by Christ whereas now all that we have must be by Promises and all the Promises we have are in Christ they are all yea in him without him there is no intercourse between the Majesty of God and us Therefore Acts 4. vers 12. There is no name under heaven whereby we can be saved but by the name of Jesus which not onely confutes the devilish opinion and conceit that some have but also the charitable errour of others that think the Heathens that never heard of Christ shall be saved I leave them to their Judge we must go to the Scriptures all the promises are in Christ in him they are yea in him they are made in him they are Amen in him they are performed out of him we have nothing out of the Promises in him we have nothing sayes Reverend Doctour Sibs in 2 Cor. 1. v. 20. Page 412. Nor can we who are Christians say that if nature had not helped us if free will had not step'd in to the rescue of us our souls had dwelt in silence we had perished to all Eternity but if God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us had not quickened us together with Christ when we were dead we should have continued dead and had he not saved us by grace when we were in our sinnes we had lain under the guilt of them for evermore yea as a confutation of the pride of man in crying up the power of nature they must say Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for evermore Rom. 11.36 that grace preventing subduing renewing effectual c. are all from God who was pleased that all fulness should dwell in Jesus Christ the second Adam That of his fullness we all might receive grace for grace John 1.16 A latitude answerable to all commands Dr. Treston a perfection answerable to Christs own perfection in the matter though not in the measure for in Christ there is plenitudo fontis the fullness of a fountain in the best of Saints but plenitudo vasis the fullness of a vessel or grace upon grace a daily encrease of grace Pasor gratiâ—m nova gratia cumulatam All from God through Jesus Christ which excellently appears by ten Arguments in the words of an ancient father Mr. Resbury in his lightless Star p. 62 63 64 65 c. by a godly and Judicious Divine I shall onely name the heads and refer you to the book for the fuller enlargement The main scope of the Author is to assert the free and sole agency of God in the production and work of grace against such as would advance free-will and the power of nature as also that the Lord is the Alpha and Omega of mans salvation And this is made good from these considerations Consid 1. From Gods promise to Abraham touching the faith of the Gentiles the whole of which faith is from God and godliness from faith purifying the heart 2. From differencing grace God alone maketh one to differ from another 3. From Election what Israel sought he obtained not but the election hath obtained and the rest were hardned 4. From the efficacy and peculiarity of grace depending upon election as many as were ordained to eternal life believed 5. From the salvation of infants taken into the bosom of Gods electing love before they had done either good or evil 6. From the person of the Mediator who himself is likewise a clear light of predestination and grace who is the chief corner-stone elect precious c. 7. From the corruption of nature express'd in hardness of heart the election hath obtained the rest were blinded or hardened 8. From the increase of sin by the law in the natural man sin taking occasion by the commandment works in him all manner of concupiscense 9. From the subjection of the natural man to the devil the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience 10. From the thanksgiving and prayers of Saints upon the account of grace received which considerations do fully assert the doctrine of free-grace and lay obligations upon the Saints to own and admire with thankfullnesse the grace and good will of God in Jesus Christ 3. Is man by nature born within a hairs breadth of hell is the work of grace and the reward of grace in glory onely from free-grace and meer-grace Away then with that opinion which advanceth corrupt nature into the throne and makes it at least copartner with the grace and Son of God in the great work of salvation what do they but in a great measure proclaim that Christ dyed in vain what else do such sayings as these import mihi soli debo I ow all to my self ego me ipsum discerno I make my self to differ from others and that they can repent that they can believe it is from God but that they do repent that they do believe is from the liberty of their own free-will yet alas all the arguments and oratory boastings and bravadoes of Arminius will be but as the staff of Elisha to the dead child or as the Jews tears shed over the grave of dead Lazarus or as the exorcismes of the sons of Sceva they will avail little either to light or life grace or growth without the concurrance of the spirit and power of the Lord Jesus Christians do finde by daily and sad experience that the power of godliness would be but poorly advanced in them if they had no other power to act by then that of nature and the work of holiness would be carryed on but slowly in them if they had no better friend then free-will to promote it they would soon stick upon the shallows if the gales and tides of the spirit did not waft them off their hearts would soon be dead if the spirit of the Lord did not quicken them their affections would soon be chilled if the spirit of the Lord did not warm them their desires would soon be straightned if the spirit of the Lord did not enlarge them if the spirit of the Lord did not help our infirmities how listless should we be unto prayer and how lifeless in prayer Oh whatever proud men do vainly boast let not us sacrifice to our own nets nor burn incense to our own drags but say with the Psalmist not unto us not unto us O Lordâ— but unto thy name give glory for thy mercy and
do to be saved Oh! what will become of us what will a righteous God do with us how shall we escape wrath to come What shall we do what course shall we take Oh! we shall be in hell in hell before help from the Lord will come unto us It was well replied by a reverend Divine to one that was under trouble of soul about his salvation I tell thee it is able to trouble the whole world how many can speak much to this the extremities that many awakened sinners have been brought unto have been very sad they have been struck down with Paul yea laid for dead brought into a despairing condition they have said and sigh'd yea sob'd it out also can such a wretch as I am hope for mercy did the Lord Jesus shed his precious bloud for such a vile sinner as I am Is it possible that my abominations should be pardoned that there should be any accepting grace for me for me who have been so great a sinner yea the chief of sinners a sile-leader in the black regiment of sin Oh much of this nature farre beyond what I felt or can expresse hath fallen from the lips and lain upon the Spirits of some of the Saints at their first awakening being in their own apprehensions irrecoverably undone hath this been any of your cases as sure it hath been Oh then how should your hearts be drawn out into thankfulnesse to the Lord when ye call to remembrance your fears and tears and terrours at your first conversion and then consider Consid 3 how welcome and unexpected grace mercy comfort and the good news of a Saviour were unto you in these bitter agonies O how welcome was Moses and his message of freedome from the Lord to the children of Israel when they were weary of their lives by reason of their hard bondage how welcome is a calme after a violent storm to the affrighted Mariner how pleasant is a bright morning after a black night to the wearied traveller and how doth the heart leap up to meet a message of mercy when 't is broken and even spent with misery when David said my foot slips then it follows thy mercy O Lord held me up and who can estimate the worth of succouring and supporting mercy at such a pinch the mothers eye is upon her child and her hand also to stay it from falling or to snatch it up so soon as down the child shall not cry long upon the ground in the mothers hearing and yet a mother may forget the son of her womb but God will not forget his children Isa 49. ver 15. So soon as ever Israel had cried our our bones are dried up and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts Ezek. 37. ver 12. The Lord replies Behold O my people I will open your graves and cause you tâ— come forth of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel When the pangs of new birth are strong and violent even ad deliquium animae to the fainting of the soul then doth the comforter come in with his cordial spirits and stay 's up the sinking soul when the Jews laboured for life being stab'd to the very heart Peter presently applies the promise and brings forth the new birth in them Act. 2.38 when the Goaler was even sinking into hell Paul claps to him and stay 's him with this Gospel-assurance believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Act. 16. ver 31. And what follow 's did the plaister stick had the word any saving work upon this desparate wretch yea ver 34. he rejoyced believing in God with all his house here 's a strange and sudden change a blessed turn of things he that just now was upon the borders of hell is now brought within the suburbs of heaven in the joyful apprehensions of pardoning and accepting grace through Jesus Christ The out-goings of God in comforting his drooping Saints and his returns unto them after his withdrawings from them are not lesse or lesse refreshing How did the Spirit of the Church fail within her Cant. 5. ver 6. when she could not find her dear Redeemer in his wonted presence of joy and comfort yet at the end of the chapter she find's and feel's Christ in her soul and in a full sense of her interest in and her union with him breaks out into these joyful acclamations this is my beloved O ye daughters of Jerusalem and this is my friend memorable is the story of Mr. William Coopâ—r a Scotch Divine who was early brought into Christ even when he was a School-boy and approved himself before God and good men to be a pious painful and profitable Pastour of the Lords flock his usual course being to preach sive times aweek but this could not secure him from Sachans buffettings being exercised with inward temptations and great variety of spiritual combats a short account whereof with the gracious returns of God in mercy to his soul I shall give you in his own words reported by Mr. Clark in vita patrum Once sayes he Mr. Clark â—n vita Patrum in great extremity of horrour and anguish of spirit when I had utterly given over and looking for nothing but confusion suddenly there did shine in the very twinkling of an eye the bright and lightsome countenance of God proclaiming peace and confirming it with invincible reasons Oh what a change was here in a moment the silly soul that was even now at the brink of the pit was instantly raised to heaven to have fellowship with God in Jesus Christ then was I touched with such a lively sense of a Divinity and power of a Godhead in mercy reconciled with man and with me in Christ as I trust my soul shall never forget Glory glory glory be to the joyful deliverer of my soul out of all her troubles forever How fully doth this president speak to the consideration proposed He that was under such an eclipse of light and comfort that his soul did almost dwell in silence now found such sweet and seasonable out-breakings of peace and joy from the presence of the Lord that were to him as life from the dead and gave him a blessed opportunity of praising God in the land of the living How many examples of the like nature may be gathered up and how many Saints now alive can bear witnesse to these things in their own experience how have the wounded in spirit found truth and healing in that passage Hos 16. ver 1 2 3. He hath torn and he will heal us he hath broken and he will bind us up after two dayes he will revive us and in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord that his going forth in relieving and refreshing mercy to his distressed ones is prepared Note nay decreed as the morning First suddenly second certainly third comfortably past
death doth strip a Saint of his wealâ—h not of his works there shall be a resurrection of your prayers and piety yea honorable mention will be made of your charity to the poor Saints at the great day Mat. 25.35 I was an hungry and ye fed me c. Oh comfort your hearts with these considerations duly weighing what ye have read and you will find when you sive most in a lively sense of grace received and in the improvement of it you live best to your selves as to a greater freedom from sin a closer walking with God and living a life of greatest comfort 3. A sober and savourly collection of grace received will make you live best to others No man is born to himself says the heathen and no man liveth to himself says the holy Ghost Rom. 14.5 he is a monster in nature that centers onely upon himself and is fitter to dwell like an Anchâ—ret in a Cell or like a leper apart then in a community with men and Christians as there is a circulation of the blood in natural bodies that every part may receive warmth and spirits to supply its want and to render it serviceable to the whole So ought there to be a circulation of gifts and graces in the body mistical upon spiritual accounts therefore says the Apostle We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the wâ—ak either bear with them or bear up the infirm and weak Christians as pillars do the poise of the whole house or parents bear their babes in their armes and not to please our selves that is not to live onely in a way of self-pleasing as men acted by principles of self-love but vers 2. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification for even Christ pleased not himself The end of Christs coming into the world was not to seek great things for himself upon a carnal and self-pleasing score nay though the cup and cross were displeasing unto him as man and he prayed against them yet when he considered that the will of his father was to bring many sons unto glory and that by making the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings he presently submitted and said not my will but thine be done Here 's our pattern in the pursuance of others good our lives should be as so many Sermons on the life of Christ as one saith this is to walk as Christ walked and this will give boldness in the day of Judgment Now we shall best seek our neighbours good to edification when we keep up a sence of our own wants and weaknesses supplies and succours we shall thereby be like the good Scribe Matth. 13. ver 52. which is instrutied to the kingdome of heaven who hath things new and old in his treasury to bring forth upon every occasion The Rabbins Proverb is Lilmed le-lammed Learn that ye may teach and the Scribe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extrudit copiose alacriter freely and fully gives forth his store to the needy hearer Christians as well as Ministers must be like full paps Mr. Trap. in Mat. 13.52 which pain the nurse with their fulness and therefore draw them out to their babes that they may be drawn or like Aromatical trees which sweat out their soveraign gummes and oyls But alas how few such sweating trees grow upon English ground how many dry breasts have we every where and those that are full have sore nibbles that will not give suck because of the painfulness in drawing Truely when I observed this great evil amongst the Christians of our age and Nation I was pressed in spirit to provoke unto love and good works and to publish my thoughts by way of brotherly advice unto them that a wise and faithful improvement of our own cases and graces would excellently advantage the good of our neighbours I shall instance in some Particulars 1. Your own experiences faithfully communicated will maâ—veilously encourage young Converts they will be as a staff in the hand of the weak whereon to stay New beginners have many fears and pull-backs at their first setting forth for heaven many adversaries that do way-lay them and many enemies that do pursue them Egypt at the red sea and Amaleck in the wilderness Satan levies all his temptation to render the seed of grace abortive in their soules so that it would bring forth fruit to perfection at a slow rate if the Lord Jesus who planted it did not also water and preserve it and that every moment Isa 27. vers 3. Bendes when the Lord gives a converted sinner a vision of himself lets him see his own vileness the heaps of sin and lust the springs and falls of corruption in his nature how he lies under the guilt of black and horrid sins open to the wrath of an Almighty and sin-revenging God and ready to drop into the grave and hell out of which there is no recovery Oh the fears that are upon his spirit the dismal thoughts that roul up and down his mind the dreadfull sound that is in his ears but now if you that are Christians of some standing in the grace of God would impart your experiences and tell him what your fears and terrours and troubles were and how the Lord gave you in comfort and establishment sure this would mightily encourage a young convert and have a special influx to his peace quietness and consolation This was the Apostle Paul's way 1 Tim. 1. ver 15. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners That is the Doctrinal part which indeed flowes with much comfort into the heart of an humble believing sinner as Mr. Bilney Martyr found in a great conflict But now the Applicatory part gusheth out with streams of comfort and what 's that of whom I am chief howbeit I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-sâ—ffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting as if he had said One great reason next to the secret purpose of his own free grace why this grace of our Lord Jesus Christ was so exceeding abundant towards me even to a pleonasme of mercy was that I might be held forth as a pattern of free grace as a monument of pardoning and sparing mercy to all sin-laden and sin-loathing persons who are the true Penitents Oh how would a wounded spirit yet healing a broken heart binding and a drooping soul reviving from such discoveries of misery and mercy of guilt and grace sin and salvation there would no be such sinking of spirit neither would the wounds of many be so long raw and bleeding if experienced Christians would be free in communicating their conditions and comforts unto them and would like the good Samaritan pour in the wine and oyl of their experienced mercy 2. This would be a mighty support to weak believers the experiences of stronger
which would attract all men to wit multitudes of men and women to believe in him The Spirit being to be sent forth and the Gospel being to be universally preached after his death O then ye believing ones look unto this Jesus and look unto this joy which in some measure will be given in unto you by the attractiveness of your deaths to draw soules to Christ and settle this upon your hearts that though your bloud may be spilt as water upon the ground yet by the wise appointment of a gracious God it may be as seed instrumentally not meri-toriously for in this sense onely the bloud of Jesus is of life and grace to poor sinners and be not so streiten-ed in your bowels to the Lord Jesus or to your poor brethren as to deny an handfull of seed if called unto it to encrease the greatharvest I shall subjoin but one Consideration more namely 5. That t is an honorable advancement to be called out by Christ to suffer for him a vouchsafement of grace Magna est huâ—us verbi Emphasis ex quo intellimus omnia deberi gratuitae Dei Electioni and that in a way of speciall favour to die a Martyr a right Martyr The Apostles Acts 5. ver 41. rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in a way of grace they had this honour put upon them that they were reputed as persons worthy to wear an honourable scar in their flesh for Christ though they were onely scourged this made Paul and Silas so meray at midnight that they sung Psalmes probably of praise to God that they were counted worthy to be shut up in the inner prison and to have their feet made fast in the stocks for the testimony of Jesus Acts 16. v. 25. Hence he tells the Philippians Phil. 1. ver 29. to you it is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is a grant of grace of rich grace in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him though that be an high honour but also to suffer for his sake as if he had said the Lord hath granted you this honour that ye shall believe on him when as he leaves thousands of your acquaintance country-men yea Betters upon a worldly score in unbelief This is worth your acceptation our admiration this calls for full returnes of praise and thankfulness but this is not all that this grant of grace conferres by way of honour upon you for ye ye that are believers shall also be sufferers be Martyrs for Christ and sure the crown of Martyrdome is a glorius crown and every soul won over to God by a dying Martyr will be as an Orient pearl and precious Diamond in his crown of far more value then that Adamant found about Charles Duke of Burgundy slain by the Switzers at the battel of Nantz sold for twenty thousand Duckets and placed as it is said in the Popes tripple crown Oh what foretastes of glory what ravishments of soul have many of the blessed Martyrs had in their suffering for Christ Hold Lord stay thine hand I can bear no more like weak eyes that cannot bear too great a light and oh what thankfulness and joy of heart have many express'd Act. and Mon. Fol. 1553. It is the greatest promotion God gives in this world to suffer saies Father Latimer I thank God most heartily for this hour Mr. Glover wept for joy of his imprisonment God forgive me my unthankfulness for this great exceedingmercy that among so many thousands he chuseth me to be one in whom he will suffer Martyr â—tiam in catenâ— gaudet August Act. Mon. Fol. 136â— 1744 saies Mr. Bradford Martyr I am the unmeetest man for this high office that ever was appointed to it saies Mr. Sanders Such an honour is it saies John Carlisle Martyr as the greatest Angel in heaven is not permitted to have God forgive me my unthankfulness Oh then what the Apostle saies Heb. 12. ver 1. as the close and Epilogue of that Martyrology so say I Wherefore seing you are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets you and run with patience the race which is set before you Ye know not what times ye may be called unto what quaimes of fears may be upon your spirits and what temptations to self pitty from Sathan and the flesh may then seize upon you Therefore store up Provision afore hand lay up Promises lay up Presidences lay up Arguments and lay up these considerations by an unworthy hand offered unto you keep a fresh sense of former deliverances and improve them by way of comfort and support in persecuting times Argue with David Psal 9. ver 13. Have mercy on me O Lord consider my troubles which I suffer of them that hate me and probably in the cause of Religion thou that liftest me up from the gates of death ex praesentissimo en certissimo interitu from present and certain dangers which shewed me the grave gaping for me and therefore raise up your spirits and believingly say as vers 6 7 8 9. O thou enemy destructions are come to a perpetual end the date of thy commission against us is expired and shall never be renewed and thy destruction from the Lord is irrevocable and eternal but the Lord shall endure for ever vivit regnatque Christus Christ lives and raigns and shall judg the world in righteousness and will be a refuge for the oppressed a refuge in times of trouble Read and enlarge these and the following Verses in your own thoughts 3. Improve the consideration of temporal mercies by way of support under all your saddest and sorest temptations from the wicked one If the manchilde Christ Jesus in the spirit be formed in you and any actings of grace be brought forth by you the great red Dragon will wait to devour you He is your adversary an inveterate enemy he owes you an old grudg and will be revenged on the heel for the bruising of his head and that by your head It is his Interest to bestirre himself If Christ gaineth he looseth There 's a wedge loose with him when the word findes a welcome in a sinners heart There 's not a soul brought home to Christ but is fetch'd out of the Devils quarters not a convert gained but is wonne by Christ in a set battel Sathan sadly speaks those words of John the Baptist John 3. ver 30. he must increase but I must decrease The sea is in continual revolution when it is high water in one place its low water in some other so when it is high tide in such a nation country or town its low water with Sathan Christs gain is Sathans loss He knows how Christs and his own affairs go on in the world who gains and who looses and that his loss is Christs gain and therefore he tries all his tricks improves
no God but my sword they shall surely finde that the sword of Gideon is but a wooden blade if the sword of the Lord be not with it be much in working that passage upon your hearts Isa 10.15 Shall the ax boast it self against him that heweth with it or shall the saw magnifie it self against him that shaketh it c. Ye know concerning whom these words were spoken proud Senacherib and upon what occasion to wit the vaunting of his success in wars and what follows why vers 16. Therefore the Lord the Lord of Hosts shall send among his fat ones principal Officers leanness and under his glory he shall kindle a fire May not that contempt which the Lord hath poured upon some ones of you spring much from this root of pride I onely interrogate and such are the respects I bear to the Restorers of our peace and liberty that I wish the Dream may be to those that hate you and the interpretation unto your enemies Dan. 4.19 2. Own the people of the Lord who have owned you and the cause ye have ventured in They have had a large share in the fraughtage of that ship which by the blessing of God hath been steered by you through stormy Seas into safe harbour Read often Prov. 27. vers 10. Thine own friend and thy fathers friend forsake not You cannot own God fully if you dis-own his people who under him have assisted in the work ye have had many Auxiliaries who have helped the Lord and you against the mighty Some have jeoparded their lives unto death with you in the high places of the field Judg. 5.18 It would be very disingenuous to lay such aside as depontani and over-look them as men unworthy of your knowledge now ye sit in the high places of the Nation An heathen mans conscience smote him for this crime The Popish Souldiers that went against the Angrognians said that the Minities with their prayers conjured and bewitched them that they could not fight And â—id not ye at Edge-hill say with others now for the fruits of prayer and did not ye receive the fruit of it Gen. 11. vers 9. and shall the guilt thereof rest upon you And some again have been upon the Mount when you have been fighting with your enemies in the valley and they have not been your worst friends neither have ye received the least aid from them When Moses held up his hands Israel prevailed and when he let down his hands Amalâ—k prevailed Exod. 17. vers 11. Ye owe much of your success and safety in the late wars to a praying people It was observed and it was very observable that immediately after monthly Fasts ye got ground of the enemy in some places did not the Lord proclaime in your Camp that this and that victory was as well the procurement of a praying Assembly as of a fighting Army And that it was as well fetched from heaven by the tears of his Sanctuary as finished upon earth by the blood of his Souldiery Indeed ye deserve blame if ye sleight them who have wept and mourned fasted and prayed yea wrastled hard for you and by whom the war hath been much carried on in heaven and we are equally blame-worthy if we slight you who have laboured and marched and run the hazzard of limbs and lives yea fought and bled and by whom the war hath been carried on upon earth The Lord heal all hard-thoughtedness betwixt you and us and make us one as ever in the truth and cause of Jesus 3. Be humbled before the Lord A great Queen said she feared more the prayers of Ioha Knox and his Complices than an Army of thirty thousand men Trap in Mat. 18.19 for all the acts of violence and injustice either acted or permitted by you in the heat of war for all the breaches of Oaths or Covenants with God or man for all your failing in or falsifying of the Vows which ye made to God in the day of your didistress And that there hath been any root bearing wormwood or gall springing up among you that of your selves men have arose speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Act. 20. vers 19. It is too evident and hath been that the File-leaders and heads of many errours that I say not of all have been either of or found shelter in the Army both have many witnesses at this day living It took no great impression upon us that some stragling persons blurted off their pot-guns at us but when we were drawn upon by the Souldiery or by a sort of men abetted by them and marching under their protection this was great grief of heart unto us this was a sword in our bones and drew tears from our eyes in our secret mournings before the Lord This made our prophane neighbours scoffe at us when they heard those truths opposed those doctrines contradicted those wayes of the Lord evil-spoken of and those Ordinances sleighted for which ye and we had contested so long with tears and blood This made the Cavalier-Minister laugh in their sleeves and deride when they beheld the faithful Ministers faithful to the Lord to you and to the cause contended for vilified disdained and traduced and that by a party of our own Army when they themselves met with no such trouble from them This we looked upon as very disingenuous to us and as unsuitable returns to the Lord. The Lord clear up his great Gospel truths above all possibility of mistake by his own people and fill the earth with the knowledge of the Lord as the water covers the Sea Isa 11.9 that ye and we may go forth by the footsteps of the flocke that ye may feed your kids by the shepherds tents and all of us may know where the Lord Jesus feedeth and where be maketh his flock to rest at noon Cant. 1. vers 7 8. For why should any of you be as they that turn aside by the flocks of strangers 4. Quicken up that ancient zeal those burning affections and that fixedness of spirit in you for the Lord his truth his cause his Ministery and his people which once ye had O if ye find your present peace and pleasure honor and full estates dignity and dominion to begin raise unwholesome damps in your souls the sense of grace received and mercies received so eminent as yours have been and the Nation in you will excellently scatter them if well improved Oh then the Champions of Israel who have vanquished Christ and his Churches enemies in the field draw up gallantly against corruptions in your own hearts As ye have subdued Kingdomes so work righteousness As ye have bled for Christ in time of war so bow down to Christ in time of peace As ye have sealed the walls of the mighty so pull down the strong holds of sin within your own bosomes As ye have cast down the high ones of the earth from their seats so cast down imaginations and every high
opportunities of grace That ye may be partakers of Gods Holiness Heb. 12.10 Consecrate your lives which ye have received a new from the dead unto the Lord devote your selves wholly to the service of the great God let me bespeak you in the words of the Apostle 1 Pet. 4.2 That ye live no longer the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God and that not onely in the general duties of your general Callings as Christians but with a special eye to your particular standings and capacities as Magistrates Ministers or as Christians so and so related and qualified Three things are hinted in this verse 1. That the time of mans abode in the flesh is fixed and dedetermined by God That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and residue of time is stated in heaven I may here allude by way of resemblance unto a piece of cloath which as to the number of yards is laid in the warp so soon as brought to the Weaver and every hour he works in the woof he lessens the bulk of yarn that is wrapped upon the beam untill at length he finisheth the whole piece and cuts it off leaving nothing but the thrums behind the heathen had this in their three fatall sisters And Job alludes to it Chap. 7.6 My days are swifter then a Weavers shuttle before man is born into the world whilst his substance is yet imperfect in the wombe of his mother like raw yarn in the shop as all his members are in Gods book so the measure of life is fixed in the appointment of his great Creator and every day he lives Weaves off somewhat of his life until at length nothing is left upon the brain but the thrums of a crazy and putrid carcass which is cut off and thrown into the grave Hezekiah alludes to this Isa 38.10 12. I said in the cutting off of my days I shall go to the gates of the grave I am deprived of the residue of my years mine age is departed and is removed from me as a shepherds tent I have cut off like a Weaver my life 2. Whilest man lives to the lusts of men he lives not according to the Law of his Creator Ego te non Catelinae genui sed Patriae as he said to his son I begat thee not to serve Cataline but thy Country so speaks the Lord Jehovah to man I created thee not to serve man but thy Maker not to live according to thy own or other mens lusts but according to my laws now the lusts of the flesh and the laws of an holy God they are inconsistent and opposite each to other It is a sad thing to be a servant of men in many cases but in none so sad as in this It was the great English Cardinals complaint in the day of his distress If I had served my God with half that faithfulness as I have served my King he would not have left me now or to this sence Many men have rued it and will at the great day of accounts that they have been such slaves to the lusts of men their pride avarice ambition uncleanness c. And have so cast off the easie and noble yoak of Gods laws many servants have much to answer for the Lord give them timely repentance and masters too else their own and their servants sins will stand upon their score 3. He only lives up to the rule of his creation who lives up to the will of God this is the royal standard under which we all must march This is the maine wheel which must govern all our motions Obedience to this is that which denominates us both men and Christians and as our duty obligeth us to obey the will of God in the gross and general so far as it is revealed so our Allegiance to God as men and more as Christians binds us to observe our particular calls and cries as God revealeth things to be his minde and will there are indeed standing commands which run through all ages of the world without the least variation to obey which all men especially Christians stand equally obliged But the wise God is pleased to parcel out his will in particular commands to persons as to time manner and matter in many things as his own councels ripen and bring forth his pleasure into the world now a Christian must not onely observe the will of God as it speakes to him in common with other men but as it speaks unto him and calls for something from him in such a standing and capacity and not onely observe the will of God which hath been owned in all ages as the entertainment of his Son sanctifying his Sabbaths waiting upon his own appointments c. But also to act up unto it in our respective stations as he makes it known to us in the present providences and products of it Mr. Hamner in his preface to his excerbitations on confirm And therefore as a learned Writer lately observes That God committed the receiving and refining of truth from Antichristian power and mixture to the forgoing worthies of this and foraign Nations which were happily performed by them but discipline and order seem to belong unto us and which the Lord hath preserved for this period of time wherein the work of reformation is to be carried on to greater perfection this doubtless the late providences speak to be the Lords will and his expectation from the men of this generation Oh then ye servants of the Lord whom he hath ransomed from the grave in these late sickly times live the rest of your time in the flesh to the will of God in the advancement of Gospel-purity and the power of godliness let this be your return to the Lord observe his finger pointing to this as the especial work of your generation and believe that God hath brought you again from the dead that ye may give life to reformation national at least Congregational which for many years hath laboured under painful throes and pangs and yet is not delivered The Apostle Paul in that excellent Sermon of his preached at Antioch Act. 13. Speaking honorably of holy David verse 22. produceth letters testimonial under Gods own hand concerning him in these words I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart who shall fulfill all my wills 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and gives this farther account of him vers 36. That after he had served his own generation by the will of God he fell asleep Whence I note in general that the best men and most eminent both for parts place and piety must dye Josh 1.2 God tells Joshua this news Moses my servant is dead what he was and how eminent the spirit of God fully declares And David full of days riches and honor died 1 Chro. 29.28 And go therefore work whilst it is day walk in the light whilst ye have the light bestir your selves for God for though eminent
hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for Oh that England would remember how it was and how it is how it was in Pagan in Popish and Prelatical times and how it is now as to Liberty as to Purity as to Protection and as to Countenance in all the good wayes of God Sure there would be better bloud better spirits better dispositions and better carriages in those that are true and genuine English towards God his wayes and people then now there are if former times were oftener thought upon and O that all the Saints would much and often reflect upon what they were compared with what they are in a spiritual and Gospel account that you would remember often what you were and how nigh unto the pit and place of silence when recovering grace first took hold upon you Consider that misery in which we were all involved through the first Transgression under which we might truly speak the words of my Text Vnless the Lord had been our help our soules had everlastingly dwelt in silence And that I may the more provoke mine own heart and others to a due and to a thankfull acknowledgment of that rich and singular grace I shall enforce it with these three Considerations 1 Consider The danger we were all exposed unto by the breach of the first Covenant 2. Consider What sad distractions the sence of this danger brought forth in our soules at our first awakening 3. Consider How unexspected and how welcome grace and mercy were then unto us under all our sad fears and horrours Consideration 1. For the First Work home upon your hearts a right sence of the danger we all were exposed unto by the breach of the first Covenant Note which I shall exemplifie in these words That man by nature is borne within an hairs breadth of Hell upon the very brink of the pit so that except Divine Grace had contributed saving help unto him by Jesus Christ he would have tumbled from the womb into hell Nothing but grace free grace mere grace and rich Grace hath preserved man from sliding into the bottomless pit From nature to grace and from grace unto glory is lost man's journey home again The journey is long and man's leggs are weak and not able to go it Mr. Lokier in Coll. 1.13 p. 18. and therefore God doth bear him from the one to the other and transferre him all along Observe the road You will finde none going that way but in Christs armes It is with man in an estate of nature as with an Infant in swathing bands laid upon the sharp ridge of an high building or upon the edge of a steep precipice who without some hand to stay it would soon roul down and dash it self in peices The Holy Ghost takes this resemblance of an Infant Ezek. 16. to set forth the helplesness of man in his lapsed estate That he was cast forth in the day he was born no eye pitying of him that when he lay in his bloud c. the love of the Lord was manifested who out of pure love and mere good will spread the skirt of his garment over him and said unto him Live The Apostle Paul doth excellently comment upon this Text in Rom. Chap. 5. Ver. 6. where he sayes when we were yet without strength Christ died for us How fitly doth this comport with a new born Infant who hath neither strength to work nor power to secure its own life from eminent and approaching danger The word signifying weak or strengthless and wherefore did Christ die for strengthless sinners what moved the Lord Jesus to receive that dreadfull charge of wrath from God and man The just to suffer for the unjust why when they lay in their bloud their time was a time of love from the Eternal Father Vers 8. God commendeth his love unto us in that whilest we were sinners Christ died for us Jesus Christ came upon the Errand of his Fathers love that cup which his Father put into his hand to drink was brimmed up with his love to sinners Bernard Oh! Ama amorem illius Love that love of his and never leave meditating thereon donec totus fixus in corde qui totus fixus in cruce Until whole Christ be fixed in your hearts who was fastened on the Cross But if you ask as some proud Justiciaries have done What needed all this affection in the Father and all this affliction on the Son I answer The necessity of sinfull man required all this to keep him out of Hell Reasons I. Reason Because man in his naturall capacity is under the first Covenant as he hath his standing in the first Adam Now Rom. 3. ver 20. The Apostle speaketh plainly that by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God not they who were Jews by nature no more then they who are sinners of the Gentiles Gal. 2. ver 15 16. and Gal. 3. vers 10 He concludes positively as many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse confirming this Thesis with a double Reason 1. Because Every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them is cursed for which Assertion he quoteth Deut. 27.26 Here 's an Obligation of Individualls to Individualls every person is obliged to every precept yea to continue in the doing of them the word signifying to stand firme like a foursquared stone in a building without jetting or jogging a hairs breadth out of its place and that under penalty of the Curse His 2. Reason is this Because The just shall live by his faith Hab. 2. vers 4. The spring of spiritual and eternal life is in Jesus Christ John 14. vers 19. Because I live ye shall live also The life of grace is derivative from Jesus Christ and Faith fetcheth both the Comforts of spiritual and Assurances of Eternal life from the same fountain and now that all men in their natural estate stand in the first Adam and in the first Covenant and so are liable unto condemnation is clear in many Scriptures Rom. 5. from Vers 12. to the end takes in both II. Reason Because man in a state of nature is under such an impotency and weakness which rendereth a perfect obedience unto the Law of works impossible unto him He was so wounded and weakened by his fall his bones were so shattered and broken and out of joynt that there remains no strength at all in him as suppose a man should fall from an high scaffold upon the hard stones and suppose his life should by a providential miracle be preserved yet his leggs and armes and back-bones and all should be broken and disjoâ—nted a total dislocation of all bones Alas what strength would there be in this man for labour what service would he be able to perform he would not be able to stirre hand or foot to
they can against him who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect who shall condemne who shall separate us from the love of Christ As if he had said O thou malicious devil that dost let fly at me with thy darts Mr. Banter Spirits wâ—tness to the truth page 124. Oh ye deluded Hereticks and infidels that fill my ears with your foolish Sophismes and trouble me with your disputes against the Lord my Redeemer go to them that make a Religion of their opinion and whose belief was never any deeper then their fancies go to them that never knew what it was to love Christ to desire after him to delight in his salvation nor to hope through believing for his promised blessednesse hereafter these you may possibly draw away from Christ and make Infidels of them that were never true Believers but do you think to do so by me what weapons what arguments do you think to prevail by shall tribulation be the means why I have that promise in the hand of my faith and that glory in the eye of my hope that will bring me through tribulation shall distresse do it why I will rather stick so much the closer to him that will relieve me in distresse and bring me unto his rest And so this reverend Author proceeds and you may further prosecute in your own thoughts Oh! that soul that hath the advantage of experiences and wisely improves the sense of grace received is bravely fortified against temptations to infidelity and will act faith upon the sure mercies of David the oath and covenant of God in the saddest conflicts 2. You will live best to God Because you will live most in the love of God when you consider much and with much seriousness what God hath done for you in order to eternity you will be drawn out in your affections unto God God will have more of your hearts then he hath of many others who make as big and bulke a profession as you do and how can it be otherwise when you fasten this meditation upon your hearts we might have been in hell in an undone condition past all hope or possibility of help from Angels or men had not God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins quickened us together with Christ Eph. 2.4 5. when you look upon the whole business of your salvation as transacted and carryed on by God and that in a way of free-grace rich mercy and meer good will and love this will marveilously draw out your love to God for amor amoris magnes love is the loadstone of love there is a magnetick vertue in it to draw out the very heart of a beloved person Cant 4.9 Thou hast ravished my heart my sister my spouse thou hast behearted me taken away my heart as he that hath his head taken away is said to be beheaded Oh! Christ knew the affections of his Spouse unto him and therefore makes a full return of love unto her again So the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constrains me I am wholly under the power of love made willing to do or suffer any thing or to be led any whither by this cord of love that is cast upon me by the Lord Jesus Christ indeed the Lord is first in affection 1 Joh. 4.19 He first loved us The air receives its light from the Sun the Sun must first shine and send forth his beams before the air can be radiant So the Lord must let in some sence of good will into the soul before she stirs out in affections unto him but now when she comprehends with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth and knows the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 3.18 19. and lives in the sense of Gods peculiar and discriminating love unto her Oh! this fills her with holy affections unto the Lord the Church is then sick of love David cryes out O how I love the Lord my heart is ready to break it is so full of love to God I cannot make a narrative of my love it is so vast so boundless unto God This fixeth the creatures love upon God the stability of the Saints love doth very much arise from this Satan will have a hard pluck of it to pull a truely-loving-believer from the arms of his beloved Jesus when he remembers that love of his first espousals how Christ took upon him and washed him from his blood and spake peace to his wounded self-condemned soul when he remembers the straights that his Jesus brought him out of and the miseries which he rescued him from when he thinks thus with himself Oh what sohould I have done if I had not had a Christ what should I have done in my fears and griefs what should I have said to an accusing conscience how should I have escaped the jaws of the devourer Oh! these reviews do mightily renew his love these thoughts and remembrances do kindle such a strong and sacred fire of love in his heart that many waters cannot quench it and all temptations to break with Christ are made invalid It is the heart and not the head that holds Christ fast I held him and would not let him go says the Church Cant. 3.4 Love will hold Christ when reason alone will let him go Rom. 8.35 Who shall seperate us from the love of Christ Paul puts the question in this verse but draws up a peremptory conclusion and that with a full assurance verse 38 39. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Calvin Beza c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—gust Erasmus Dodate Great Annotations of the Assembly Mr. Baxtes Spirits witness to Christianity page 121. Expositors do much differ about the sence of these words some understand them as speaking of Christs love to us some of the sense and feeling of Christs love unto us others of our love to Christ or in a conjunct sense both of Christs love to us and our love unto Christ But surely the Apostle speaks at this rate what can unclasp those mutual embracements between Christ and his people or what can separate us from Christ by withdrawing or destroying our love to him and consequently turning his love from us we have many assaults but all in vain for when a Believer reflects upon what Christ hath done for him considers the death resurrection and intercession of Jesus Christ with the precious fruits of all unto his soul and that out of pure love who deserved to be an object of eternal hatred this makes the pulse beat quick and high in holy affections to the Lord Jesus And the want of this due reflection upon what by nature we were and what now by grace
we are dasheth the rising flames of an holy affection in us to the Lord Jesus 3. You will live best unto God because You will live most in thankfulness unto God when you live in the sence of what God hath done for you it is the consideration of divine grace and mercie which drawes out the soul in praises unto God the thoughtfull Christian is the thankfull Christian he that pondereth most upon mercies prayeth God most for mercies Oh! when you take a serious review of that change which is upon your hearts of the drawings of your soules heaven-ward and holiness-ward and compare time with time state with state what you were with what you are how once you affected sinne but now abhor it how once you loathed Ordinances but now you love them how once the wayes and people of God were distastefull unto you but are now delightfull how little you had once to shew for heaven and how much you have now through grace to shew against Hell Oh! this will give the heart a notable vent and fill the cup of praise up to the brim Psal 103. ver 1 2 3. Bless the Lord O my soul sayes holy David but doth he stay here no and all that is within me bless his holy name every instrument must be put into tune every musical key must be touched every fret must be stopt and every string must be struck to sound forth the praises of God nay again Bless the Lord O my soul and why so what 's the reason of this thankfulness O soul thou hast great cause to be thankfull For 1. He forgiveth all thine iniquities thou hadest the the guilt of many and great sinnes upon thee which would have sunk thee down into Hell and Jehovah hath given thee pardon of them all nay farther 2. He healeth all thy diseases thou wast full of noisome and unclean distempers many running sores of filthy lusts and Jehovah hath vouchsafed healing grace unto thee Thou art now a justified and a sanctified person 3. Thou art now redeemed from Hell and destruction and wearest the loving-kindnesses and tender mercies of God as a royal Diadem upon thy head and therefore Oh my soul bless bless bless Jehovah Oh if ever we come to such a sence of pardoning healing redeeming crowning satisfying and renewing grace from the Lord as David we shall then take up David's harp and awake our glory to the praises of a good God could we but fasten this upon our spirits that distinguishing grace hath severed us from those heaps of rubbish that we were mingled with and cull'd us out from the rabble of the world that we were herded with our spirits would be turned to this evangelical duty and ditty and if so how like heaven it self would the Church look how would the militant resemble the triumphant Jerusalem and how would every nook of the Gospel-world ring with the praises of God Mr. Baxter Part 4 Saints Rest page 134. The liveliest embleme of heaven that I know upon earth is when the people of God in the deep sence of the excellency and bounty of God from hearts abounding with love and joy do joyn together both in hearts and voices in the cheerfull and melodious singing of his praises 4. You will live best unto God because You will live most to the glory of God sence of grace received will enflame you with a greater zeal for God and will put every wheel into motion We are naturally slow to action upon the best account the best drive on but heavily few drive at Jehâ—'s rate very few there be whose soules make them as the chariots of Aminadab that make haste in Gods work like the roe or young hart upon the mountains of spices If ever Christians drove heavily the Christians of this age do if ever the elementary constitution of the Church was earth and water now it is little of fire appears unless in unhappy contentions and animosities or else in love to the world and thus most are red hot their affections all on a flame the Lord quench them But Oh! where is their zeal for God where is the courage activity and resolvedness for God where 's the minding of the things of God and holy contendings for God which the Puritans of old that were Puritans of the good old way have discovered there is too much of the Laodicean spirit too many Gallio's amongst us men are high indeed to enthrone their own opinions and perswasions whilest Religion in the main duties of it is neglected they are exact in rything mint and commin and annise whilest judgement mercy and faith the weightier matters of the Law are neglected Math. 23. vers 23. The great Zealots of the times are for the most part men of corrupt and Heterodox Judgments who are violent enough to impose their Errours and false conceptions the Lord take them off from their speed least they out run the Constable as they have done the Covenant He 's a stranger in Israel that knows not these things and he 's no true son of Zion that doth not bewail them but now would we have the water run in the right channel would we have our spirits up in a right zeal for God let our meditations be often and serious upon what God hath done for our soules Oh when a Saint fetcheth oyl from experienced loving kindnesses it makes the wheels run glib when he argues Hath God done thus and thus for me hath he left others of my kindred of my contemporaries of my acquaintance who had the same advantages of Education Ordinances and Gospel-Opportunities with me in ignorance and unbelief and hath he enlightened me called me wrought faith in me appointed me to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ and shall not I be active for Christ shall I sit still brooding over a patch of this base world or drive on the interest of mine own honour or advantage when the name of God is blasphemed the honour of Christ is empeached Gospel-truths are corrupted Gospel-Ordinances reviled and the way of God evil spoken of did Croesus his dumb son cry out for the life of his father and shall I that can speak now be dumb Do I thus requite the Lord is this my kindeness to my friend Jesus Saint Paul had another spirit like that of Calebs 1 Cor. 15. ver 8. last of all he was seen of me also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the emphasis lies in Me there 's an accent upon that word of Me vile Me wretched Me sinful me unworthy Me who was a blasphemer a persecutour and an injurious person but by the grace of God I am what I am by the Grace free grace and rich grace of God I am a chosen vessel a servant of the Lord a believer an Apostle of Jesus Christ and what followes doth he lap up this talent in a napkin doth he sing a requiem to his soul and bid her take her case no saies he his grace which was bestowed upon me
as to love and union amongst the Saints would it not procure a right understanding to prevent Schisms and parties would it not meeken the spirits of dissenting brethren would it not dash those hot vapors which fly up into the heads of many and distemper their brains with notions and niceties and may it not through the blessing of God have an hopefull tendency to the quickening comforting confirming and spiritualizing the Saints the whole Nation over Mal. 3.16 Then in a time bad enough and it may be much worse then ours whatsoever some men say they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard and a book of remembrance was writ before the Lord for those that feared him and thought upon his name c. What an encouraging practice of the Saints and promise of the Lord is here to quicken us up to a suitable carriage we have had much talk of Classical Assemblies of teaching and ruling Elders to advance the discipline of Christ O that we might have bear the word and blame not the wish Classical communions of Ministers and Christians to advance the doctrine and life and holiness of the Lord Jesus and that now the Lord hath given all his Churches rest throughout his Nation we may walk in the fear of the Lord and comfort of the holy Ghost with one lip and one shoulder consulting our mutual edification and the enlargement of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus taking that Primitive practice Act. 9.31 for our pattern and this gives me a leading hint to offer a fourth consideration unto you how you may live best unto those that are yet without 4. You will more advance Religion in your several Towns and maintain good neighborhood upon the best account if you lend a word of seasonable advice to those that are posting to hell and jogging on with more hast then good speed to the chambers of death and thus you will best do if you speak over unto them how it hath been with you how ignorant how carnal how earthly-minded how obstinate how foolish and vain you have been and how you were in the broad way to destruction yet altogether senceless and stupid as to any right apprehension of your danger or right use of means for your recovery untill the Lord convinced you by his spirit of sin of righteousness and of judgement Joh. 16.8 granted you repentance unto life Acts 11.18 and now being justified by his grace you are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Tit. 3.6 Now by grace you are acquitted from the guilt of sins and have a clear title unto heaven And friends who knows whether the same mercy be not laid up in store for you whether the same blessed change may not be wrought in you whether the same kindness aâ—d love of God our Saviour may not manifest it self to you Surely discourses of this nature which you may enlarge upon occasion according to the teachings of the good spirit of God may work in them a sense of danger and hope of delivery upon a saving account T is much that the Saints do for the profane world much for their unregenerate neighbors as is their duty commanded 1. In communicating unto them in their outward wants in drawing out their bowells towards distressed persons they have a word of command Ecc. 11.1 To cast their bread upon the waters giving a portion to seven and also to eight So Heb. 13.16 To do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased and Gal. 6.10 to do good to all men supposed in distress as objects of mercy though the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the especially in the text directs them to a larger and more liberal charity towards the houshold of faith and I doubt not much water runs out at these two spouts of Mercy and Charity that this testimony may be given of many of the Saints 2 Cor. 8.3 That to their power yea and beyond their power they are willing to supply the wants of their fellow-Christians yea fellow-creatures also and indeed it would be much their shame and more their sin if men of carnal principles and worldly expectancies outstrip them in obedience to this great Gospel command Prov. 19.17 He that hath pitty upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay him again Though God be much out of credit with the world yet the Saints dare take his word and do lend much unto the poor upon his single security 2. They have a great hand in procuring the blessing of God upon their carnal neighbors though God is good to all making his Sun to rise on the evil and sending rain on the unjust Mat. 5.45 bearing witness to his goodness and God-head in all nations by giving rain from heaven and fruitful seasons filling the hearts of men with food and gladness Act. 14.17 yet even the mercies of the footstool the neither springs run much for the sake of the godly which are in the world and are much as a return of their prayers Laban the Syrian learned this by experience that the Lord blessed him as to his outward estate for Jacobs sake Gen. 30.27 Potiphar saw this also chap. 39.5 It came to pass from the time that Potiphar had made Joseph overfeâ—r in his house that the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Josephs sake and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that be had in the house and in the field a plain text and that which teacheth great personages to commit their affairs to the trust and care of Josephs as Stewards and Bailiffs it would go better with them then it does But alas Josephs Religious men are not the onely men in great families more 's the pity and more is there loss the Lord help them to see and all men else how much good the Lords Josephs are instrumental unto in the world that they may be more prized by all and masters may labor more to store their families with such servants how desirous soever the profane world is to be rid of the Saints sure I am they would dearly miss them Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are yet he prayed in a great drought and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth fruit Jam. 4.17 make much then of Jacobs Josephs and Elijahs O ye men of the world you 'l miss them in your barns and in your borders I 'le warrant you when they are gone 3. They keep off many a blow from the places where they live they either divert or at least delay the execution of judgements Ten righteous persons would have preserved four Cities from perishing by fire from heaven Gen. 18.32 How did David and the Elders of Israel by their prayer and humiliation keep off the sad stroak of the pestilence from Jerusalem when the Angel was now stretching forth his hand to destroy it 1 Chron. 21.15 16
persecutours and should give them a full commission not onely against your liberties but your lives also yet even your death would be life unto the dead in a saving sence unto others this hath been often witnessed that sanguis Martyrum est semen Ecclesiae the blood of Martyrs is the seed of the Church Many Believers have arose out of the ashes of one dying Phoenix Indeed the Gospel is the white seed wherewith the Lord soweth the great field of the world having ploughed and prepared it by the law and here and there a Church groweth up in this and that Nation and here and there a Believer springeth up in this or that family and town Dedicator damnationis Christiancrum Tertuâ— This is the most usuall seed faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word preached Rom. 10. ver 17. Yet the Lord hath a red seed which sometimes he sprinkles the field withall and that 's the blood of the martyred Saints which also through a secret blessing-power is fruitfull both to the gain and growth of many souls Ecclesia totum mundum sanguine oratione convertit the Church converts the whole world with her praying and bleeding as the lilly is increased with her own juice that flow's from it so is the Church with her own blood Julian saw this which made him spare the lives of some Christians not out of mercy to them but out of malice to the Lord Jesus lest by cutting them off he should cast seed into the ground to bring forth a fuller harvest O did ye but work this consideration home upon your hearts how would it comfort you in an evil day How would it render you strangely willing not only to suffer joyfully the spoiling of your goods but also the spilling of your blood that so ye may minister seed unto the Lord and encrease his harvest what is it besides the glory of God and the discharge of duty with comfort and conscience which quickens up faithful Ministers to spend themselves and strength in the work of the Gospel is it not that they may gain over souls unto the Lord that they may bring sinners home to God and what encourageth to this doth not the hope and expectancy that they shall shine as the starres for ever and ever Dan. 12. ver 3. and not onely as starres of the lesser magnitude but even as the Sun in the kingdome of their father Matth. 13. ver 43. O! to what an height of glory shall a poor clod of clay be advanced How shall he be the object of divine love the wonder of Angels and the envy of devils to all eternity and that the saving of souls contributes much through grace to this glory that quotation in Daniel doth fully speak not to the attainment of it by way of merit but to the enlargement of it by way of mercy Now how much of argument is there in this consideration to perswade Ministers to breath and Christians to bleed out their lives to winne souls unto God give me leave to apply that passage Psal 126. ver 5 6. To this purpose though it hear another sence they that sow in tears shall reap in joy I know if ye die Martyrs in the presence of your relations ye will sow your bloud and lives in the tears of wives and children tears are a tribute that living friends do ow to the dead upon the account of nature and grace and if your death be a Martyrium cruentum a bleeding Martyrdome it will be a wet seeds-time with you I but ye shall reap in joy it will be matter of joy unspeakable and full of glory to you if the seed ye sow takes root to bring in souls to God There 's joy in heaven at the conversion of one sinner O if a blessed Martyr when in heaven and freed from that body of sin which hinders the soul in its purest acts of joy should know what a precious seed of grace through grace his bloud was to some poor sinners how they received life from his death what rejoycing would this bring forth in him if that fulnesse of joy in the presence of God will admit of any encrease however he that goeth away weeping bearing precious seed or his seed-basket with him shall doubtlesse come again with joy bringing his sheaves with him O the great day will be a day of solemn triumph untoyou when ye shall bring those Saints yea sheaves of Saints which were gathered in and rooted to life and fruitfulnesse in your bloud Come on brave souls let the sense of formeâ— deliverance fortifie your spirit against a day of persecution and adde to them this consideration we now propose and draw up gallantly after the pattern of your great Lord and master Heb. 12. ver 2. Looking unto Jesus the authour and finisher of your faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of God in glory or of the throne of God it is clear that the manhood of Christ or the man Christ Jesus considered in an abstracted notior from the Godhead feared death Heb. 5. ver 7. at leaâ— the ignominy shame and sorrow of the crosse therefore we hear him once and again praying that if it was possible that cup might passe from him Matth. 26. ver 39. and yâ— for the joy which was set before him he endured this crosse and despised the shame it brought along with it for malefactours of the highest rank were by the Roman Law nailed to the Crosse hence Isa 53. ver 9. the Prophet tells us he made his grave with the wicked that is suffered the death of the wicked the word imports ungodly lewd and turbulent irreligious towards God debauch't in manners and turbulent in the Common-wealth which sort of men David by the word of the Lord doomes to destruction Psal 9. ver 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell And now though the man Christ Jesus who is God blessed for evermore the Lord of glory feared death and was put to that shamefull and tormenting death the death of Hell-birds yet he endured it and despised the shame of it having his eye upon the joy set before him and what was that joy Sure much of that joy consisted in his compleating the work of his Redemption in bringing home the Elect unto God as Isa 53. ver 11. He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied Hebr. shall sit down with acquiescence of spirit shall dwell there he shall receive joy and satisfaction from the saving of sinners as a man doth that dwelleth in his own house scituated with the best advantage of profit and delightfulness It was the saturity and satisfaction of his soul and the reason thereof may be gathered from John 12. ver 32. where he sayes and I if I be lifted up will draw all men after me he knew there would be such a magnetick vertue in his death
truth of grace such may fetch much comfort from the appearances of God unto them in a day of distress they may argue Is not the life more worth them meat and the body then raiment Is not the soul more precious then name credit limbs and life Have the mercies of God been so signally remarkeable upon a temporal and shall they not be much more upon a saving account was the red sea dried up a pathway made through the wilderness Jordan made fordable and the Cananites slain even with hailstones from heaven and all this to give Israel possession of an earthly Canaan and shall not the outgoings of grace and outstretching of power be much more glorious to bring us to heavenly Canaan to that City which hath foundations and walls whose builder and maker is God Oh! reason up faith and hope to an exspectancy of after blessedness by considering the blessed presence and good will of him that dwelt in the bush in present comforts present succours and present deliverances I shall onely propose the presidency of Saint Paul under a remarkeable preservation even from the Tyrant Nero 2 Tim. 4. ver 17 18. I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon and the Lord will deliver me out of every evil work and will preserve me to his heavenly kingdome You may find much of this in David arguing from temporalls to eternals observe that Psal 23. ver 6. I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever which sometimes is taken for heaven Domus majestatis that upper house that house of State in which Christ sayes John 14. ver 2. There are many mansions Saint Paul calls it 2 Cor. 5. ver 1. an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens so Psal 17. ver ult Oh in all your sinkings of spirit let the sense of mercy received be as a cordial unto you and assure your selves that if in famine sword peril nakedness c. ye have been more then conquerours through Christ that loved you get up your hearts to this perswasion that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate you from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus your Lord Rom. 8. ver 37.38 39. or hinder you of heavens happiness which is the fruit of Gods Electing love and the purchase of the Redeeming love of Jesus Christ your Lord O then comfort one another with these words I am come now to the fifth and last Use Is it so that the best of Saints are often brought into suffering conditions that their afflictions are sharp and violent that the appearances of God are eminent and immediate to their help in the day of their distress Is this a truth attested by the experience of Saints in all ages and cannot their enemies deny this why then here is a rod for the backs of fools a sharp reproof for the profane and carnal world in 3 Particulars 1. It reproves them for their uncharitable censuring of the suffering Saints what more usual then for wicked men to entertain hard thoughts and let fly in harsh speeches against the people of God in distress measuring their sinnes by their sufferings and if their calamities exceed others their iniquities exceed them also laying down this false position that the greatest sufferers are sinners and that when the rod is most the wrath of God is most also not considering that of the Apostle Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth laying down an exemption from the rod as a note of Bastardie or that Apoc. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten This was practised by Shimei in that great day of Davids distress when he fled from his rebellious son 2 Sam. 16.7 8. Come out come out thou bloudy man and thou man of Belial the Lord hath returned upon thee all the bloud of the house of Saul in whose stead thou hast reigned and the Lord hath delivered the kingdome into the hand of Absalom thy son and behold thou art taken to thy mischief or taken into thy wickedness because thou art a murtherer as some Translations read it and as agrees with the Hebrew This was the Interpretation that Eliphaz put upon Job's sufferings Job 4.7 8. Rememember I pray thee who ever perished being innocent or where were the righteous cut off even as I have seen they that plow iniquity and sow wickedness reap the same thereby wounding him in his holiness and heart-sincerity yea upon the matter charging him to be a son of Belial and that because God was now writing such bitter things in the bloud of his cattel servants and children yea in black characters of sore displeasure upon his own body It was not much to be heeded that the Barbarians fastened the guilt of murther upon Paul because the viper fastened upon his hand Aâ—s 28. ver 4. But that the viper should fasten upon the hearts of men and women under the same common Profession with us that the venom of the old Serpent should swell to such a degree of censuring and uncharitableness is much to be lamented and doubtless some will smart for these hard speeches when Jesus Christ shall come with ten thousands of his saints Jude ver 14 15. Then shall they know the English of that Text 1 Pet. 1.6 and the ends of God in afflicting his precious ones 2. For their unjust charge of Hypocrisie upon them who so envious as evil men who are so much the objects of their envy as the godly are and why is their malice so much against them surely it is upon the account of Religion of differencing Grace and holiness This was the seed of the first quarrel betwixt man and man this was that which made Cain a fratricide and wherefore slew he his brother because his own works were evil and his Brothers righteous 1 John 3.12 and now though the laws of men and the power of God restrain wicked men from murdering the godly yet they shed the bloud of their soules and slay their sincerity by charging Hypocrisie upon them which is the highest degree of murther and that which the seed of Cain shall one day pay dearly for But what makes them so bold to call the Saints Hypocrites what colour have they for such a charge or what ground have they thus to traduce the sincere servants of the Lord why the false gloss they put upon the humbling Providences of God they expound unsoundness of body in them to an infallible Evidence of an unsound spirit rottenness in their bones to be the proper fruit of a rotten heart and that the voyce of the Lord in their present sufferings doth fully speak all their professing praying watching waiting humility and holiness to be but mere dissembling what do the arguings and deportments of Job's three friends import and in special that
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OLD JACOBS ALTAR newly repaired OR THE SAINTS TRIANGLE of Dangers Deliverances and Duties personal and National practically improved in many Particulars seasonable and experimental BEING The Answer of his own Heart to GOD for eminent Preservations humbly recommended by way of Teaching unto all and as a special Remembrancer to the Ransomed of the Lord to awaken in them a sense of rich mercy that they may sing the Song of Moses for temporal and the song of the Lamb for spiritual Deliverances and to provoke them to Love and good Works By NATANEEL WHITING Mr. of Arts and Minister of the Gospel at Aldwinckle Gen. 35.3 Let us arise and go up to Bethel and I will make there an Altar unto God who answered me in the day of my distress and was with me in the way which I went And Verse 7. He built there an altar and called the place El-Bethel LONDON Printed by R.T. for Nathaneel Ekins and are to be sold at his Shop at the Signe of the Gunne in S. Paul's Church-yard 1659. To the Right Worshipfull Sr. WILLIAM FLEETWOOD Knight the Right Honourable Sr. GFORGE FLEETWOOD Baron of Swonholme in SWEADLAND and Lieutenant General of the King of SWEADLAND's Army there and to his Excellency CHARLES Lord FLEETWOOD Lieutenant General of the whole Army in ENGLAND and Scotland and one of his HIGHNESS Privy-Council Noble and Honoured I Am taught by the best Teacher the Holy Ghost not to forsake mine own friend and my fathers friend the Authority of which advice hath a great influence upon me being under the direct Aspect of it therefore do I own your antient and obliging favours in this publick Address under this hope That good wine will taste never the worse because presented in a wooden cup nor Truth lose any of its rellish because served up in an earthen dish If any charge blame upon me because I have not observed the Rules of Honour in the ordering of your names according to your Titles of Honour and standings in the world my Reply is this I pretend not to skill in Herauldry nor is it my business to dispute Titles I have therefore set Eliab in the Front because I may not give away the Honour of Primogeniture from Manasseh seing he hath not with Esau sold nor with Reuben lost the excellency of dignity He still weares with Zarah the scarlet thread upon his hand though his younger Brethren have broken forth and gotten the Precedency Besides though I owe much to your Honours I am much yours yet I am more your Brothers and my Obligations more to him which I must owne and I am sure such is your Justice that you will not entrench upon the right of other men much less upon your Elder Brothers And if your Honours be not offended why should others Again If any take offence that I preface this Treatise with Three Hnourable Names one of which would have been an honour to a more polite and elaborate Discourse my Answer is this When I had designed this Piece unto the Press I knew none whose Experiences could more fully comment upon the Subject treated on then your selves Your Preservations have been many and signal at home abroad by land by water few persons have had such remarkable Deliverances as you have had and few Families can instance in three Brethren who can give forth narratives of such notable and numerous Escapes as you can give And therefore seing you have equally shared in the marvellous Protections of a good God I am bold to make this Application to you All in which I do humbly Remember you of engaging mercies that the sence thereof may be awakened in you that like that Persian Monarch you may often read over your Diaries gather up your memorable preservations own the Lord in them and by suitable actings improve them to his glory The improvement of Mercies makes them to be Mercies indeed Then are the appearances of God glorious when they are visible and may be known and read of all men in our noble and vigorous actings for God What life for God was in old Jacob how did he purge his family set up Religion erect an Altar at Bethel and all this by way of thankfull return to the Lord who answered him in the day of his distress and was with him in the way which he went And how bravely did King David draw up after the Presidency of that noble Patriarch when he sate in his house seriously reviewing his former frights and flights his Dangers and Distresses his Banishments and Battels comparing them with his present peace safetie and honour and considered from what hand he had received all that good he took up a resolution to build an house for the Lord that the Arke of his presence might no longer dwell within curtains He often looked down upon the cave of Adullam and Engedi the wilderness of Ziph and Maon his straits at Gath his dangers at Keilah his fears at Ziglag c. even then when God had set him on high upon the Throne of Israel and Judah these reviews kept his heart in a warm and and lively frame for God Ah! How little of Dâ—â—id's spirit is to be found in England even amongst many who have largely experienced David's mercies how seldome do many review their hazzards and heart-terrours their tears and fears dangers and deliverances how have the tides of worldly pomp peace and pleasures washed off the Sculpture of personal and national mercies in most mens hearts Oh 't is sad and sadly to be lamented The Lord give you with Caleb another spirit that seing he hath given you not onely a safe but an Honourable standing after such amazing dangers with liberal advantages of doing and receiving good your Honours may follow the Lord fully you may act up more and more to the Presidencies proposed that you may not move in too narrow Orbes but shew forth largeness of heart according to the largeness of Gods mercies towards you that like starres of the greater magnitude you may cast abroad your warming and prolifick Influences that all neighbouring persons and places may be the better for you and your selves much the better in your spirits for God I am not ashamed Right Worshipfull to tell the world how ancient and how affectionate a Moecenas you have been to me that I received many encouragements from you when I was student in the Universitie how ready I have alwayes found you to lay forth your power and Interest for me how freely and speedily you placed me at Aldwinckle and how much I have found the favour of a Patron and the affections of a friend I might go higher for the space of many yeares which is much considering what hard measure some good Ministers have found from their Patrons though good men in these times of difference both upon a civil and Religious account and indeed I think it to be ingenious whatever others think and well comporting with the
standing of a Minister whilest the jus praesentandi by a Law is vested in Honourable hands as to own God in his providential disposure so to acknowledge the favour of man in that Liberty he obtaines to do his Master's work Sure I am this was a mercy which some godly and gifted Ministers did long want whilest the Episcopal Monopoly lasted and long waited for yea after all their waiting could hardly without snares to their conscience obtain If my poor Labours have been answered with any success from heaven as I trust they have in my little Congregation the people have reason which some of them have done to bless God that your choice and their call had so full a concurrence in one person But though they should be silent I may not I cannot I am under such a sense of obligation that I am pressed in spirit to make some publick payment of my debt unto you in a ministeriall way which is a Symony neither sinfull before God nor offensive to good men Therefore Dear Sir I beg your acceptation of this poor Present Give your Minister leave from the press wanting opportunity by reason of your non-residency not his to speak often unto you from the Pulpit to minde you of that great deliverance you received from the Lord in the Thames how often the sentence of Death hath been reversed when you have been under painfull and languishing distempers in what way of Providence God hath loosened you from the noise and vanity of a Court what Respects you have from men good and great what safety you had in the late War what blessings the Lord hath heaped upon you in a dear Lady a numerous and hopefull Progeny and in what other wayes of mercy the Lord hath appeared graciously unto you O let all these have a kindly work upon your spirit to warme your heart more and more towards God his waies and people and let them by way of holy force fix your heart Joshua like with your house to serve the Lord that Jehovah may still cover you with his feathers in all future hazzards that you may fill up your dayes in peace Iob 5.27 and may come to the grave in a full age like as a shock of corne cometh in his season My next address is to you my Lord your Honour hath seen the work of God and his wonders in the deep you have conversed much with people of strange Languages contested with men of fierce and cruel spirits you have been a man of warre from your youth expert in all the stages and stratagems of a well-ordered battel you have long served the Interest of a forraign Prince and State where you have not onely been preserved but promoted God hath not onely given you safety but Honour also and though you was a Stranger in Name Nation Language and something in Religion also yet God bowed the heart of Prince Nobles and others to give you the respect your worth had merited and now after Twenty years voluntary Exile or more God hath brought you back with Three Sonnes to your native soil immediately after the storme of war was blown over it and that after an honourable rate all which are mercies worth your owning and are as silent Monitors from the Lord unto you Ah my Lord be much and often retired read over the story of Gods Providences towards you reckon up your Dangers and Deliverances How often the King of terrours hath faced you with a dreadfull look what bloudy fights God hath safeguarded your life in and how often you have been brought out of the field when thousands have been left wounded or dead upon the place though your Lordship hath the courage of a Roman not to fear death in the painfulness of it yet you have the spirit of a Christian to fear the consequences of an immature death and therefore have cause to bless God who hath lengthened out your day of grace and his patience hath brought you again into your own Nation where the White Flagge is held forth and the unsearchable riches of Christ are fully displayed in the powerfull plain and spiritual dispensation of the Gospel The Lord grant you to read the meaning of these Providences in the light of his own spirit and give your honour a large share in those spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Be like that good Centurion who was like your Lordship a man of war and Commander in the Roman Army fear God with all your house Acts 10.1 give much almes to the poor pray much unto God and wait much upon the Ministry of his faithfull Peters to whom is committed the word of Reconciliation fight under the Royal banner of the Lord Jesus in his spiritual warfare 1 Tim. 6.12 and fight the good fight of faith that so you may lay hold upon eternal life Lastly My Applications are to your excellency your standing is high in Israel and your name is dear to Gods people the Lord hath made you great and the Lord hath made you gracious without which all worldly honour is but a shell a shadow a meere vanity like that of Agrippa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You set out early for heaven God dealt with your heart betimes with good Obadiah You feared the Lord from your youth which early buddings of grace and holiness as they spake the intendments of God to use you in Honourable Employments so have they rendred you in regard of your large experiences and long acquaintance with the Lord his waies and people more meet to serve the Interest of the Lord and his people in that high trust you are called unto I shall not report what persons of great Honour and Integritie have spoken concerning your Pietie and Praierfulness Inventories are not taken untill men be dead he that is a Jew inwardly hath his praise from God and therefore exspects it not from man but shall humbly entreat your Excellency to consider how you went out a young Gentleman and a raw Souldier into the late warrs in which your eyes beheld much of God and your spirit tasted much of his Mercy how he protected your Person and prospered your warfare every bullet flew with his Commission and every weapon was guided by his appointment so that you walked in the midst of fire and smoak as the Jewish worthies did in the furnace and have had no hurt at least neither to limb nor life nay the smel of a bloudy warr hath hardly passed upon you O the power of an Almighty God! O the safety of Gods Noahs in his Ark of Providence when it sails upon seas of bloud O the security of the Saints who dwel in God 1 Kings 22 32. in the secret place of the most High Good Jehoshaphat experienced this when the Captains of the Chariots of Aram put him in great fear the Lord hard his cry and brought him off with safetie when his Confederate was slain in the fight and what return
This shews the folly of carnal men who boldly conclude from their present prosperous estate that they are in Gods favour 5 2. This meets with the mistake of those who think to sail up unto heaven upon a calme sea 6 3. This reproves those stony-ground Professours who cast off Christ when the Cross appears ib. Observation 2. That the people of God are sometimes cast upon such straits that all hopes of deliverance are cut off from them 7 1. This calls for much thankfulness from those Saints who have met with smiles and not frowns from an indulgent God 8 2. This stirrs up the bowels of rejoycing Christians to pitty their mourning brothren ibid. Observ 3. That the appearances of the Lord are eminent and immediate to the help of his people in the day of their distress 9 Gen. 21. vers 17 18. insisted upon in 5 particulars 10 11 12. The truth evinced in 5 Considerations Consideration 1. God sometimes leads his people into straits therefore he is engaged in point of honour to fetch them off 13 14 Consider 2. Sometimes the Saints meet with hard measure from men because they are faithfull in that business which is commanded them by God therefore there is much Equity in it that God should stand by them 15 Consid 3. It is the great designe of God to give real testimony of his hearty good-will unto his people therefore he engageth high for them in their greatest straits 16 17 Consid 4. God will lay great Obligations upon his people to love and trust him therefore he commands deliverance for them 18 Consid 5. The Lord will frustrate all the hopes of the wicked who look for the destruction of the righteous therefore he comes in fully and seasonably to their help when their enemies say God hath forsaken them 19 20. From these Considerations we may draw these Inferences by way of Information 1. That the Saints are a people of Gods special care 21 22. 2. That the Saints are a people of Gods special love 23 24 25 Eccl. 9.1 answered in 5 particulars 26 27 28 29 3. That the sinnes of Saints are circumstantiated with highest aggravations 30 31 32 4. That Infidelity and dispondency of spirit in an evil day is il-becoming the Lords people 33 34 35 36. 2. Some things are propounded by way of Caution 1. Take heed of rashly casting your selves into danger under the protection of this Doctrine 37 38 2. Beware of abusing this Doctrine by slighting lawfull means of preservation when offered 39 40 3. Take heed of laying too great a burden upon a creature-bottome 42 43 4. Beware of abusing providenciall preservations by a neglect of those duties we owe to God as our returnes for signall mercies ib. 44 45 46 47 The third use of Exhortation 48 1. To some particular persons in distinct capacity 49 1. To the Magistrates who are entreated 1. To consider the out-stretchings of Gods arm for them Ibid. 2. To consider what an honour God hath put upon them 50 3. How God hath been a shelter unto them when both their persons and their power were struck at and from hence excited 52 53 1. To bring forth Covenant-duties as a return for Covenant-mercies ibid. 2. To lay out themselves in the suppression of sin and wickedness 54 3. To countenance and protect the good people of the Land 55 2. To the Ministery who are desired to consider 1. Our share in National preservations 56 2. The present freedome we now enjoy 57 3. What yoaks hath been upon us ibid. 4. What oppositions we have met withall ibid. 5. What short Allowances some good Ministers have had for their great pains 58 6. How not onely Ministers but Ministery hath been shot at by men of bold and daring spirits 59 60 Which Considerations do bespeak us from the Lord 1. to pitty our poor Congregations especially the un-converted in them 62 2. To be painfull in all our callings ibid. 3. To carry it with tenderness one towards another in cases of smaller difference 63 4. To press after purity in Doctrine and worshipps 64 5. To breathe after unity in judgments and affections 65 3. To Military men 1. To consider their inexperience and unskilfulness in warlike matters when the Warr first broke out 66 2. To consider how low their spirits were at their first taking up armes ibid. 3. What Midianitish Armies for multitude they have encountred with 67 4. What personal preservations they have had in the heat of war ibid. 5. The great things which the Lord hath wrought for them and by them 68 Hence these duties are commended 1. Not to sacrifice to their own nets 69 2. To own the Lords people who have owned them 70 3. To be humbled for acts of violence and injustice permitted or practiced by them 71 4. To quicken up their first zeal for God his truth waies ministry and people 72 73 4. To Mariners and Sea-trading men 74 Psal 107.23 24. opened and enlarged upon 75 76 5. To the recovered ones of the Nation whom the Lord hath brought off from beds of sickness 77 78 1. That they would own with thankfulness the mercies of the Lord. 79 Considerations to quicken up to thankfulness 1. The disease was Epidemical ibid. 2. It seized upon men suddenly 80 3. It was violent ibid. 4. It was weakening ibid. 5. It was languishing 81 6. It was inevitable ibid. 7. It was mortall to many in many places 82 2. That they would make good their sick-bed thoughts and purposes ibid. Hezekiahs case stated and his example propounded 2 Chron. 32.25 83 84 85. 3. That they would commune with their own hearts to finde out those particular sinnes for which the Lord hath afflicted them 87 Severall sinnes pointed at as introducent of sickness ibid. 4. That they would consecrate their lives unto the Lord which they have received 1 Pet. 4.2 opened in some Particulars 88 1. That the time of mans abode in the flesh is fixed and determined by the Lord ibid. 2. That Whilest man lives to the lusts of men he lives not according to the lawes of his Creator 89 3. That he onely lives to the Lawes of his Creation who lives up to the will of God 90 Three Conclusions drawn from Acts 13.36 1. That the best and choicest Saints are not exempted from service 91. 2. That the great God commands his servants not onely to work but to do the work of their Generation ibid. Quaest How shall we know the proper works of our generation 93 Answ In some particulars 94 95 96 5. That they would get their hearts tinctured with an awfull fear of God 97 1. From the Consideration of his Power 98 2. From the Consideration of his Goodness 99 3. From the Consideration of his wrath uppon others ibid. Question Why should the Saints fear the wrath of God Answ 1. They see the provoking nature of sin ibid. 2. They see the dreadfulness of Gods wrath ibid. 3. They know that
Proverbs 1.10 11. opened in some particulars 129 230 231 The 4Vse by way of comfort and encouragement in 4 cases 1. When Church-affairs do meet with a dark and gloomy day 232 233 234 2. When the Saints are under sufferings for the name and in the cause of Christ. 235 236 Some further grounds of comfort offered 237 1. That God will stand by you in the day of your suffering because your sufferings are upon you for God ibid. 2. That the spirits of all the faithfull will be up in prayer for you 238 239 3. That God doth many times so moderate and allay the fury of men that it extends not to the taking away of life 241 242 4. That your death will be life from the dead to others in a spirituall sense 243 244 245 246 5. That 't is an honourable advancement to be singled out by Christ to suffer for him 247 248 3. When you are under sore and sharp temptations from the wicked one 249 250 1 Cor. 1.30 opened 251 252 253 254 4. When you are under castings down from a fear of your eternall welfare 255 256 The last Vse of Reproof 1. The profane and carnal world are reproved in 3 Particulars 257 1. For their uncharitable censuring of suffering Saints ibid. 2. For their unjust charge of hypocrisie upon them 258 Job 8.6 7. opened 259 260 3. For that definitive sentence which they pass upon suffering Saints as though they were cast of by God 261 Isa 49.14 opened 262 Jer. 37.20 opened 263 2. This reproves those who strengthen themselves with the arme of flesh and lean upon the creature when afflictions overtake them 264 265 3. This reprooves those who will not wait the Lords time but discover Impaciency if helps come not at their own time 266 The evil fruits of impaciency 267 1. Vnbelief 268 2. Discontented murmurings ibid. 3. Vse of unlawfull means 269 Psalme 78.41 opened ibid. 4. This drawes up a charge against those that retain not a remembrance of the great mercies of God toward them neither give him the glory of them 270 Hosea 13.5 6. opened 271 5. Those are reproved who do not live up to the signal preservation they have received from the Lord. 272 273 274. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OLD JACOB's ALTAR newly Repaired OR THE SAINTS TRIANGLE of Dangers Deliverances and Duties Text PSALM 94. vers 17. Vnless the Lord had been my help my soul had almost or quickly dwelt in silence THis Book of the Psalmes hath been honoured and that deservedly with high Commendations by the Antients being termed The Soul's Anatomy The Law 's Epitomie The Gospel's Index a little Bible The Summary of both the Testaments being alledged or aliuded to eighty four times or thereabouts in the New Testament as one observeth A sweet Field and Rosary of Promises Precepts Predictions Praises Soliloquies c. A Physick Garden richly furnished with all sorts of healing plants and Medicinal herbs suited to all the Spiritual distempers frail man is incident unto The holy Pen-man being a person of choice spirit and of large experiences meeteth with all the conditions of all the Saints in their state of militancy so that out of them as out of a Storehouse every Saint may meet with rich supply suting his respective condition and his addresses to God still finding much of his own estate in some Psalme or other as though the spirit of God spake de se in re sua of him and in his particular case As Athanasius observeth containing the Characters and Representations of his thoughts meditations affections and workings of spirit towards God towards man towards himself throughout all the changes of his Pilgrimage An Epitomy of the Bible or a little Bible as Luther calls it in this present world The Apostle James Chap. 5. ver 13. gives this general advice Is any afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalmes Lo here is the bread of mourners for sad spirits and here is the oyl of gladness for merry hearts here are healing potions for all heart distempers and cordial waters for all sinking spirits yea choice experiences to strengthen fainting soules in the day of their distress more pleasant then the pooles of Heshbon more glorious then the Tower of Lebanon more redolent then the oyl of Aaron and more fructifying then the dew of Hermon as one expresseth it and amongst many Psalmes though this hath not the Title Michtam of David affixed to it to wit A golden Psalme or David's precious jewel yet it is as the first borne among many brethren from a very small Parcel whereof viz. vers 17. we may consider a double acknowledgment 1. Of imminent danger set forth 1. By the nearness of it 2. By the greatness of it 2. Of eminent Deliverance in two considerable Circumstances 1. The reasonableness of Help 2. The sufficiencie of Help Which Considerations will appear to be very genuine and to be the plain meaning of the Prophet if we take the Text in pieces and examine each word apart 1. Except the Lord or if the Lord had not stood by me and appeared in the very nick of time this implieth the seasonableness of help the Lord usually reserving his hand for a dead lift as that passage Psal 124. vers 1 2 3. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side now may Israel say if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quick the word is used Psal 119. vers 92. Vnless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in my affliction which was the Lantgrave of Hessen's support Melancthon reporteth that he told him at Dresda That it had been impossible for him to have borne up under the manifold miseries of his so long imprisonment nisi habuisset consolationem ex verbo divino in corde suo If the Word of God had not brought in consolation into his heart Joh. Manl. loc comm pag. 139. alledged by Mr. Trap. in Psal 119.92 2. Had been my help the word signifieth not onely Help but summum plenum auxilium an helpfulness or full help the Hebrew hath a letter more then ordinarie to encrease the signification as learned Mr. Leigh observeth There is the sufficiency of help 3. My soul i. e. my life the word in the Heb. being often translated life of which the soul is the spring and fountain as Job 2. vers 6. The Lord saith unto Sathan Behold he is in thine hand but save his life I give thee full commission against the body of my righteous servant Job to fill it with diseases and distempers as he did it to purpose but not to take away his life This argueth the greatness of David's danger his Life had dwelt in silence that is his life had been gone and his dead corps had been laid in the grave as Psal 115. vers 17. The dead praise not thee neither
speeches and hard dealings as I meet withall Oh! this man that complaineth now on earth might ere now have cryed out in Hell He that weepeth on earth might long since have wailed in hell and he that gnasheth his teeth against God for his present sufferings might have had gnashing of teeth in endless and easless torments Oh then Wherefore doth living man complain Oh! this is a quieting Consideration to keep down all impatient risings of heart against God in a day of distress and will lead out the spirit to submit unto and trust God in the greatest streights For as it followes in the second head of Doctrine Doctrine 2 The Saints of God do sometimes meet with such distresses that cut off all hopes of deliverance from man Reason is at a stand heart and flesh fail carnal policy is at a loss all proud helpers stoop in vain yea Faith it self beginneth to flagge Thus Gen. 21. vers 14 15 16. Hagar with her sonne are cast out of Abraham's family and are now in a wilderness a place inhabited onely by wilde beasts their stock of provision spent and no supplies to be had What then what courss will Hagar take why she layeth down her beloved boy under a bush And what then she goeth a distance from him not being able to bear his dying groanes and cryes and having emptyed her bottle of water she seeketh to emptie her moaning heart by teares seeing nothing but the death of her Sonne as knowing no way to prevent it a great distress a sad streight but not her case alone Many of the Saints of God have come to the emptying of their bottles to cases of utmost extremitie a parralel case was that of the poor widow 1 Kings 17. vers 12. her whole store was spent and markets shut up as to new supplies a handfull of meal in the barrel and a little oyl in the cruse was her whole livelihood and she is now gathering a handfull of sticks to bake one cake for her self and her Sonne and what will she do when that cake is eaten did she see relief coming some other way no these were her thoughts she and her sonne would eat that cake and die It were easie to multiply presidencies of this kinde upon both accounts temporall and spirituall streights of bodie and pressures of spirit have been matter of the Saints complaint 1. Oh then thou that art a servant of the Lord who hast not been brought into these streights upon whom such a day of distress hath not been but findest the incomes of the spirit dost take in comfort from the promises walkest in the light of God's countenance and hast the candle of the Lord shining upon thy Tabernacle as 1 Kings 1.6 That hast been the Lords Adonijah Oh! charge it home by the way of thankfulness upon thy heart that the Lord should lead thee unto the land of rest and not by the way of the wilderness 2. Let thy bowels yearn toward the distressed of the Lord pity them pray for them and administer seasonable supplies of comfort to them considering thy self as being in the body especially let thy heart go out in tender compassions towards the afflicted in spirit to those who are brought into soul streights whose case runneth parallel with that of Heman Psal 88. ver 3. My soul is full of troubles Heb. is satiated with evills hath its fill is brimm'd up yea running over and these so pressing that my life draweth nigh to the grave and then vers 8. I am shut up I am a prisoner under restraint I but it is libera custodia he may go forth with his keeper no I cannot go forth Oh! t is a sad thing to be a close Prisoner to be so shut up that he cannot steppe one foot beyond the grate to take any contentment in the creature any delight in outward enjoyments or any comforts in relations Ah but Heman's case is far sadder he is so shut up that his spirit cannot go forth in prayer to fetch in comfort from the Promises nor healing from the Spirit nor life from Jesus Christ nor pardoning mercy from the God and Father of mercies nor evidence of Electing love nor assurance of Redeeming grace nor demonstrations of Adopting grace nay nor satisfying and soul-quieting conclusions of truth of grace but free amongst the dead like the slain in the grave whom God remembreth no more Dead to duty dead in duty dead from duty spirit dead and heart dead affections dead desires dead comforts dead hope dead faith dead yea all dead Oh! this is sad above what words can express onely the heart knoweth its own bitterness yet this day of distress hath been upon many precious Saints Oh! then draw forth the breasts of consolation to such sad souls Stay them with flaggons comfort them with apples And let this give you incouraging hopes of success in all your applications that the appearances of God are eminent and immediate in the day of his peoples greatest distress which is the main point I pitch upon as being the chief scope of the Text. Doct. 3 The Lord comes in often with seasonable and suitable mercies in times of greatest miseries He loveth to be seen on the Mount to be a present help in the needful time of trouble to help when none else can help when refuge faileth and hope is now at the giving up the ghost See that Gen. 21. vers 17 18. When Hagars fears were highest and her faith lowest as too oft is seen that when fear is up then faith is down when death was coming and life going when the water was spent her patience spent and all spent when she had received the sentence of death within her self for her self at least for her son whom she had given up for a dead childe Then then God heard the voyce of the lad and calleth unto her and biddeth her lift up the lad yea her own faith and hope and spirit for there was an universal sinking in her and telleth her he will make him a great Nation as if he had said Fear not the life of the lad for there are many lives bound up in his life if I should let him perish I should lose a Nation yea a great Nation and that distrustful thoughts might not arise in her heart God openeth her eyes and she saw a Well of water and gave the lad drink Let us pitch down a little upon this Quotation for it is a place of pleasant springs and draw these Observations 1. That the goodness of God is a springing fountain unto the Saints even in a wilderness Psal 107.35 There is alwayes water in this fountain Psal 36. vers 9. With thee is the fountain of life There are springs of providence and springs of promises both which do send forth refreshing streams unto the Saints There are alwayes supplies in the Lords store-house fresh cordials in the Lords closet yea he can and will create deliverances for his Jacobs though
Hagar was at a loss yet God was not though the ground was dry to her yet God can bring up springs of water through the secret veynes of the parched earth Oh! there is much support in this duely to improve the Omnipotency and All-sufficiency of God 2. That the Saints themselves sometimes have their eyes so shut up that they cannot see these springs of goodness Sometimes the heads of these springs lye so deep and low that they are not visible either in promises or in providences Nay when they are open and run yet in some cases the Saints eyes are closed that they cannot see them all seemeth to be dry ground to them Indeed these fountains are shut up to the unbeleeving world alwayes sealed to the wicked so great a stone is rolled by an Almighty arm upon the mouth of this Well that all the strength of nature cannot remove it to dip a bucket in it but to the faithful it is alwayes open they need no Jacob to roll it away See that Zach. 13. vers 1. A fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleanness This great Gospel fountain the blood of Jesus is open to beleevers to them that dwell at Jerusalem in the Spirit not in the letter of profession Now if this great Fountain be open which feedeth all the lesser springs referring to the blood of the Lord Jesus then sure no lesser springs shall be shut up to them He is the fountain of Gardens the Well of living waters Cant. 4. vers 15. What a precious priviledge is this to have all Gospel-springs open unto us yet here is our misery and it is very great though the springs be open our eyes are sometimes shut now what is a spring of water to a thirsty traveller if he see it not But you will say How shall the Saints get their eyes opened 3 God alone openeth the eyes of his people that they may see these open Fountains that they may behold these streams from Lebanon Hagar saw not the fountain neither could she untill God opened her eyes He that opened the heart of Lydia Act. 16. vers 14. opened Hagars eyes Jesus Christ who hath the Key of David can onely open and shut eyes by his anointing Spirit Apoc. 3. vers 18. This is true in the first work of conversion Act. 26. vers 18. So also in the passage of after comforts 2 King 6.17 The Lord opened the eyes of the young man that he saw and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha The providences and protections of God do circumvallate and encompass the faithful His Angels encamp round about them yet the Lord must open their eyes else they cannot behold them A truth falling in with our own experience how many amongst us saw not that wall of fire which hath been round about us nor those Chariots of fire which have been so eminent a protection unto us in times of greatest danger But 4. God will open the eyes of his people to behold these springs of mercy when they stand in most need of them What had it been to Hagar if her eyes had been opened to have seen many Wells of water when she was in Abrahams family or if she had been in a land of fountains but to be in a wilderness in a land of drought to have the water in the bottle spent and knew not where to fill it nor how to keep her lad alive without supplies of water and then in this streight to have her eyes opened to see not a little water in a pitcher to fill her bottle once with and no more but to see a Well a spring of water where she might have constant supplies Oh! this was a seasonable and therefore a welcome mercy to her this was life to her self her son and to her hopes of after safety Oh this is marvellous sweet and an excellent means to get up the heart in sinking times and conditions 6. Her eyes are opened shee seeth the Well What doth she now do why she obeyeth the voyce of the Lord in filling her bottle with water and giving the lad drink this teacheth us That it is the duty of Gods people to lay hold â—n offers of mercy from the Lord to close in with to own and improve the providential dispensations of God for good unto themselves What is she in a wilderness her bottle-store spent a fountain opened and her eyes opened and doth she sit still is she sullen or is she pettish because supplies came not her own way or at her own time will she not dip her bottle in the fountain because it ariseth in this and not in that plat of ground doth she stand upon such niceties no no but presently she snatcheth up her bottle and goeth to fill it A commendable practice Oh! what we see her do do we likewise in all our streights let us haste to the Throne of grace and when mercy is offered help seasonably tendered let us imbrace it and improve it when Christ opened that fountain of grace shewing the wounds in his hands and in his side to Thomas presently he runneth to the fountain and dippeth his bucket in the Well acting faith by a personal application My Lord and my God Joh. 20. vers 28. So when the Lord openeth his Mercy-fountains to us and our eyes to see them let us not onely sip a little but fill our buckets yea brim our bottles drawing with joy and thankfulness of heart water out of those Wells of salvation Isa 12. vers 3. not quarrelling with men or means but owning the goodness of the Lord in the seasonableness and fulness of our distress What should I mention the Angels staying Abrahams hand when it was lifted up to slay his beloved Isaac What should I name Jacoh's Mahanaim the Host of God which appeared to him when he feared his brother Esau lest he should slay the mother with her children or Joseph in the pit or in the prison or Israel at the red Sea what should I say more the time would fail me if I should reckon up what the Holy Ghost hath recorded of this kinde How often may the saints and how many of them may truly speak the words of my Text Vnless the Lord had been my help my soul had almost dwelt in silence but God appeared relief came and deliverance was sent from the Lord in the very nick of time Oh! if God had deferred his help for one hour nay one minute nay less then one minute if time could be parcel'd out into a lesser moment I had been undone life and all had been lost But you will say what moveth the Lord to this full and seasonable appearance for his people in their greatest streights I answer Reason 1. Because God sometimes leadeth his people into streights therefore it is for his honour to fetch them out again Some Commanders have been very bold and forward to lead an Army on
it how good is a word of comfort spoken to a drooping soul in a day of mourning How good is a word of peace spoken by the Lord to a wounded spirit and then when its wounds are fresh and bleeding can any heart but the heart of Experiences conceive what healings those words of Christ brought to the poor woman Luke 7. v. 48. thy sinnes are forgiven thee being spake at that season when her heart was poured out under a deep sence of sinne Who can calculate what revivings of spirit the saint-thief felt from that seasonable Promise To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23. ver 43. being so rightly timed even in ipso articulo mortis in the very moment before his death and when his conscience was both awakened and wounded with sinne Oh! surely the timeing of love doth marvellously add to the beauty of it and when is it so seasonable as in a day of distress A cup of cold water with one morsel of bread given to a weary and thirsty Traveller is more then a full meal at another time How pleasantly did Iael's milk relish upon Siserah's pallate when he was thirsty Judg. 4 vers 19. A small piece of silver given to a poor man when he wanteth to buy bread for his family is more then a great sum given at a time when his cupboard is full of bread Abrother is born for adversity and sure kindness shewed to a brother in a day of adversity speaketh up love with the loudest accents Now God reserveth his paternal love to such a time and then he unbosometh himself unto his people and at such a time his people read the love of God in the most legible Characters some drops of love taste sweeter then and are owned more then full draughts of love at another time Good Asaph experienced and acknowledged this Psal 73. vers 25 26. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee None in heaven none on earth No God is above all in this good mans esteem How cometh it to pass that God hath such a glorious high throne in Asaphs heart Oh saith he there is good reason for it and you will say so too when you know what love and good will God hath shewed unto me Oh! I was in such a sinking and dispairing condition That my flesh and my heart failed me heart and hope and help and all were gone I but then The Lord was the strength of my heart my heart stayed upon God as upon a firm rock the Lord was unto me as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land and he is my portion for ever he hath put in security for my everlasting safety Oh behold what manner of love is this and therefore he draweth up this conclusion It is good for me to draw nigh to God to rowle upon God in all my streights These appearances of God do make his love so visible and glorious that Angels and men may read it and say Behold how he loveth them Reason 4 4. Again God doth hereby more engage his people unto him he maketh them more his own getteth into their very hearts and setteth up his royal standard there There is nothing layeth stronger engagements upon an ingenious person then friendship in a day of adversity Jonathans interposures for David when Saul hunted for his life were so powerful upon Davids spirit that he wanted ways and words to express his sense of them his heart like a vessel of new wine sought for vent even when Jonathan was dead 2 Sam. 9.1 He putteth the question or rather maketh general proclamation Is their yet any left of the house of Saul What Is David afraid of a Corrival in the Kingdom Would he cut of the whole family of Saul to secure the crown upon his own head No this is not the ground of his enquiring but That I may shew him kindness not a word of revenge notwithstanding the haâ—red and hostility of Saul their father But why kindness Why he explaineth himself For Jonathan sake and again he reneweth his â—nquiry vers 3. To which Ziba replieth Jonathan hath yeâ—â—â— son who is lame of his feet A son of Jonathan that 's well but he is lame yea lame of his feet and so serviceable neither in Court nor Campe fit neither to stand before a Prince nor to march in the head of an Army No matter I will shew the kindness of God unto him and vers 7. when the lame son of Jâ—nathan is brought David said unto him Fear not it seemeth the remembrance of Sauls cruelty caused a trembling upon his Grand-sons spirit therefore David meets him with a cordial at the very door Fear not for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy fathers sake Oh! Jonathan was my friend a dear friend he hazarded his own life to save mine and therefore I am obliged to shew kindness to him even in his posterity in like manner the hearts of Gods people are drawn out unto him under the sence of great deliverances See how Moses and Israel were up in their spirits unto the Lord when they were now brought off from Egypt and beheld their cruel Taskmasters quackened in the red Sea Exod. 15. ver 2. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song c. The Lord is my strength and my song and he is become my salvation What then Oh! He is my God and I will prepare him an habitation God shall keep house in my heart there shall be the dwelling place of the Lord even of that God who is become my salvation and thus Psal 116. vers 1. I love the Lord my heart flameth out with hot affection to the Lord and why for vers 8. Thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling There 's nothing hears and heightens like unto a lively sense of the mercies of God in a day of distress The Saints are much wanting to themselves and more unto God in the neglect of this did we do this more God would have more of our hearts and hands too then he hath the love of Christ would constrain if we did often read over the stoâ—ry of it writ in his own blood Reason 5 Lastly The Lord cometh in seasonably and fully to his peoples relief in the day of their distress That he might blast the hope of their enemies and give their expectation the lye when they look for the down fall of Zion when adversity knocketh at the Saints door yea breaketh in forceably upon them then is the time come that the wicked looked for the day that they have longed after for surely the Serpents seed are true to their own principles they do really desire that the name of Israel was blotted out Cooperite cooperite diruite eximis sabvertite fundamentis Buchan and that their remembrance might perish from off the earth This was the language of Edom in the
in their absence the Analekites had sinitten Ziglag the city which Achish had given to David Chap. 27 vers 6. and burnt it with fire and had taken their wives and their sonnes and their daughters captive and were gone away with them But what doth David do in this straight he encouraged himself in the Lord his God the word is derived from Chazak and importeth he laid hold on God with all his strength as men when they are in danger of drowning will lay such fast hold that their fingers will sooner be broken then loosened thus David being almost under water stretched forth his hand of faith strengthened with promises and experiences and layeth sure hold on the rock of ages whereby his head and hopes are kept above water in this dreadfull storme what a noble gallantry of spirit did good Nehemiah shew Et Turnum fuglentem haec terra videbit Omnia de pâ—aesumas prater fugam Palinodiam was a brave Speech of Luther to Staupicius when Shemaiah advised him to take sanctuary in the Temple because the enemy had designed to fall upon him by night and slay him a word of advice which a carnal heart consulting more his own safety then Gods honour would readily have listened unto but what is the answer of this heroick saint Neb. 6. vers 11. Should such a man as I flee and who is there being as I am would go into the temple to save his life I will not go in why not go in what safety could he pretend unto you may suppose him arguing thus I am under an eminent call from the Lord to build the city of the sepulchres of my fathers I have seen the face of God in bowing the heart of King Artaxerxes to contribute his royal aid and commission me to the work I have found the Elders of the Jews willing to owne my authority and to rise up as one man to build strengthening their hands for that good work Chap. 2. vers 18. as it was 2 Chron. 30. vers 12. In Judah The band of the Lord was to give them one heart Oh that the Lord would give that oneness of heart unto us in the work of our God Hence Nehemiah gathereth up his spirits and speaks like a brave man Should such a man as I flee a choice spirit a gallant pattern to be ey'd by all who are called forth by the Lord to serve out their generation in doing his work and if it hath a direct aspect to any age or nation surely to none more then to ours both in an eminent call to work and in eminent preservation of the workmen We may experimentally apply that promise as very much fulfilled upon us Isa 4. vers 5 6. The Lord hath created upon every dwelling place of mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a cloud and smoak by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory there hath been a defence Chuphah The word implyeth a covering Cherube or nuptial vail under which the bride the Lamb's wife hath been hid from the rage of men Oh! how should this fortifie the Saints against future dangers and argue them to a dependent resting upon God! for them to cry out with the prophets servant Alas Master what shall wee do or with the disciples when tempest-tost wee perish as though there had been no hope of escaping as an high dishonour to them as Saints but more to the Lord Jesus as King of Saints especially to sink so low in their Faith as to say The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me this argueth them to be low in the sence of the care and love of God expressed to them in former mercies Oh then ye distressed of the Lord take sanctuary in this point and bewray not your infidelity by a sinking spirit in an evil day Vse 2 Is it so that the appearance of God are eminent and immediate in the day of his peoples distress Of Caution hath he given in security unto them by experienced preservations that he will be the Lord their Redeemer Oh this is a choice dish upon the Saints table they need not faint nor famish that have such a mess to feed upon yet as wholesome food may send up unwholesome vapors if unseasonably eaten or to excess and good Physick may produce bad effects if due order be not observed so this soveraign potion may nourish ill distempers if not rightly ordered And therefore I shall entreat you to take this Cordial with these cautions 1. Take heed you do not precipitate your selves into needless hazards and rashly cast your selves into dangers under the protection of this truth It is sinful to argue and would be unsafe to attempt it that because Elijah forded Jordan and made it passable with his mantle therefore thou wilt attempt the same rather then step out of thy way to go over the bridge or because the three Jewish worthies were preserved in the fiery Furnace therefore thou wilt throw thy self into the flames and presumptuously expect the same preservation no God will have his people learn the difference between tempting and trusting him It is folly not faith for a man to drink down a draught of deadly poison and say I believe the promise of Christ Mar. 16. vers 18. and expect to be antidoted against the venome of it the Israelites Numb 14. vers 44. are a said witness to the danger of presumption read the passage The Lord liketh not this language We will do and we will go when he bids not that men should bottome their safety upon the sandy washes of their own phantasies and fool-hardiness the same God who bids his people Isa 26. vers 4. Trust in the Lord for ever forbiddeth their tempting of him Deut. 6. vers 16. which text the Lord Jesus the best interpreter that ever commenced upon the Bible expoundeth to this sence Mat. 4. vers 7. The Devil had set Christ on a pinacle of the temple By the way Note that height of place giveth opportunity to the tempter tâ—mple Pinnacles are no safe standings when once Satan gets a man into his Rood-loft of spiritual pride his dangers great and near no marvail that mens heads should swim and their hearts swerve when they stand upon a Pinnacle of the temple when Satan had got the Lord Jesus so high he tempteth him to give a proof of his Divinity by casting himself down urging the charge of Angels to protect him but did the Lord Christ take the cue No he answereth It is written thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Christ had no call from God at that time to cast himself into the hands of custodient Angels here is a full promise but we must also look to a clear call Psal 91. vers 11. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways that is in all those courses which are appointed thee by God in all lawful and Christian
doth the souldier fight without his pay or who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof Do not many bunches of Grapes and flagons of Wine go to the Masters table And who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk thereof Hath now the Shepherd his wages either in milk or mony or both Say I these things as a man or saith not the law the same And if so it is not a gain of oppression upon which Ministers live seeing Gods law and mans law both assert their property yet I would not be mistaken as though I affirm the Jus Divinum of Tythes or plead for a maintenance to such a proportion or that Ministers should work onely for wages feed the flock only for the Fleece sake I hate such a mercinary spirit and so do many of my brethren and I trust we should still do as some of us have done even be as zealous for God and faithful in our Ministery with a little as with a liberal maintenance if providence should alter the state of affairs amongst us and should rejoycingly own a liberty to preach as a choice mercy though we had not a Living to preach for but why a godly Minister should cast off an established maintenance to humor a sort of people and why they should have a command to be hospitable 1 Tim. 3.2 and have nothing to support it I know not I think we may without sin before God or offence to good men own with thankfulness our present fulness and I beseech you my brethren to consider that since the Lord hath given us the places and people of many Idol-Ministers and lazy drones what new tricks have been invented and new Engines contrived to pluck that bread of allowance out of our mouths Tythes yea all setled maintenance hath been decryed and how had we been reduced to our former indigency if these mines had taken fire The bill for setling Ministers insequestred livings for their lives being passed but that the Lord by our Christian Magistrates hath still secured our propriety and an establishment provided for them who are but tenants at will at least but for the lives of others the want whereof hath much sadned both good Ministers and good people and hath given opportunity to corrupt Patrons upon vacancies to thrust in formal if not carnal Ministers upon them 6. Lastly Consider how not onely our persons have formerly been shot at by the Archers and our lives in jeopardy many of us every day but that of late times our office hath been much oppugned attempts have been made once and again to prove not our maintenance onely but our Ministery also Antichristian and this not onely buzzed among our people by some errant Sectaries but published in print with all virulent Sarcasmes and invectives against us plots have been laid and parties made formidable enough to have carried it against us in a Parliamentary way Oh! let us seriously and often reflect upon these and many other eminent acts of divine favour and bounty towards us and let us make a wise and holy improvement of all to excite and quicken us up 1. To a more faithful discharge of our Ministerial trust have we had our lives given unto us for a prey in all places where we have been Jer. 45.5 Oh let us consecrate them now to the glory of a good God in seeking the lives of those dead souls which are in our respective congregations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si quo modo Syrus interpres Let us in meekness instruct those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snares of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2.25 26. Oh 't will be our honour to be daily fetching in our souls unto Christ out of the devils quarters 2. Again are the doors of the Lords house opened unto us which were formerly shut upon us Oh let us enter in and let our â—â—et stand in the courts of the house of our God Is there a preaching liberty gained for us Oh let us improve it with all diligence Let us often con over Saint Pauls lesson and own it as a duty 1 Cor. 9.16 Though I preach the Gospel I have nothing to glory of for a necessity is laid upon me and wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel Preach man preach thou wilt be damned else as one said to his friend How can we bear witness against the negligent which are ejected but by our diligence what honour will it be to the Lord Jesus What credit to the Church or what advantage to our people if lazy droans have been cast out and we succeed them in their laziness Oh le ts not stand idle in the Market-place when there is so much work to be done in our Massers Vineyard Lift up your eyes and look upon the fields for they are white unto the harvest Joh. 4.35 O then let us bestir our selves that we may reap with joy what others have sown in tears That we may gather fruit unto eternal life Oh what joy is there when God gives a full harvest and good weather to gather it in They joy before me according to the joy of harvest Isa 9.3 But O consider what a joy it will be to us at a dying hour and more at the great day of our accounts if we have been faithful unto our Lord and brought in a full harvest of souls unto him Oh then we shall have a welcome to heaven with that blessed euge Well done good and faithful servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Mat. 25.23 Let us apply the Apostles charge as given to us in his Apostolical visitation 2 Tim. 4.1 2. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nemâ—e quod ad carms prudentiam utinet B. â—â— in loc Luther who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and in his kingdâ—m preach the word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort withall long suffering and doctrine the Ministery is not an easie trade an idle mans occupation Sudor aeconomicus est magnus politicus est major Ecclesiasticus est maximus as Luther was wont to say the Master of a family hath a great work lying upon his hands the Lord lay it upon his heart the Magistrate hath a greater the Minister hath the greatest of all Oh then let the sence of that great freedom we now injoy and the dear rate it hath been purchased at the blood of many Saints quicken us up to duty and diligence and perswade us to act up to the rules laid down by a Reverend Brother Mr. Baxter in his Gild. Salvi and to work after the patterne of our Worcester-shire Brethren 3. Again hath the Lord broken the staff of our oppressors and their yoaks from off our
thought which exalteth it self against the knowledge of God As ye have captivated Nations and people to the obedience of your commands so bring all the thoughts the Nations and people of those little worlds your hearts into captivity to the obedience of Jesus Christ and his Gospel-commands 2 Cor. 10. vers 5. Your war is an In-land war now the weapons of your warfare are not now carnal but spiritual your enemies are not High-landers but In-landers not Cavaliers but Corruptions not the wilde Irish but the wilde Asses Colr principles of proud corrupt nature And now as your conflicts are harder so your conquests will be happier As your enemies are more dangerous so your victory will be more glorious Prov. 16. vers 32. he that ruleth his own spirit is better than he that scaleth a City Oh it would be very sad and much sadden the hearts of many of your Christian friends if any of you who Sampson-like have slain the Philistins should yourselves be slain by a Philistin Delilah that your locks should be cut and the strength of the Lord should depart from you Oh how would the Daughters of the Philistins rejoyce how would the Daughters of the uncircumcised triumph when this should be told in Gath and published in the streets in Askelon and how would the Daughters of Israel weep over you and say How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battel the spiritual warfare How are the mighty fallen and the weapons of war perished 2 Sam. 1. vers 24.25 27. Oh then stand to your Armes make good your Sacramentum militare your military oath to be true to Christ and his cause there is not such a thing in a Gospel-sense belonging to your Christian warfare as an honorable retreat Mr. Gurnab part 1. of his Christian in Compleat Armour pag. 374. not such a word of command in all Christs military Discipline as fal back and lay down your arms till called off by death as a Reverend Divine saith Oh then now the war is ended and the Lord hath given us peace by your means attend that spiritual work and spiritual war and go to the Armoury of the great Captain of our salvation opened by St. Paul Eph. 6. vers 11 12 13. c. and take out such peeces as you want yea every peece of Armour that you finde in that spiritual Magazine that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand that so having fought the good fight of faith ye may hold on eternal life and receive that Coronam militarem that Crown of righteousness which the Lord will give to all those who love his appearing 2 Tim. vers 4.7 8. 4. Here is a word from the Lord to Mariners and Sea-trading men And O that our Sea-Commanders and Souldiers would rightly improve this truth If this poor Treatise shall come into any of your hands the good Lord set it upon your hearts If the appearances of God be eminent and immediate to any in a day of distress sure they have been so to you ye of all men do see much of the power and providence of God at least may see it if your eyes be opened and your mindes savingly inlightned The Psalmist tells us and though I be not a Seafaring man yet I beleeve it they that go down to the Seas in ships that do business in great waters these see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep for he commandeth and raiseth up the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof they mount up to the heavens they go down again to the depths Psal 10. vers 23 24 25 26. Cannot ye comment upon this Text cannot ye seal to this truth their soul is melted because of trouble runs as thin as water they are ready to dye for fear of death Junius understands it of extreme vomiting as if they were casting up their very hearts One doubted whether he should reckon Mariners who were put to Sea amongst the living or the dead in the censure or Registry of a Nation Another sayes that a man will go to the Sea at first I wonder not but to go a second time it is madness They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man nutant nautae vacillant cerebro pedibus there is a great deal of elegancy in the phrase and it is very significant men that are full of drink that are loaden with liquor they go with a very unsteady and tottering gate reeling now against this wall and now against that if they walk in a narrow street so Mariners in a storm are thrown first on one side then on the other side of the ship A tempest is a sad Sea-quake which throws all on heaps nothing hardly keeps due order and its right place in the ship again a man that is down drunk as the phrase is is reason-struck his intellectuals are shattered he is fit for no head imployment so Mariners in a storm are at their wits end all their skill and strength fail them at once All their wisdom is swallowed up Heb. that is the art of Navigation is now of no use unto them Card and Compass and all laid aside and forced to let the ship run a drift hath not this been your case in great stress of weather Have ye not met with such a storm at sea which hath brought forth all these fears and terrors in you have ye not often thought ye should have been entombed within walls of water and your bodies should have become a prey to sea-Monsters especially when engaged in a dreadful Sea-fight But was the sea alwayes rough the windes always high the ship alwyes in danger to be split or sunk no Ver. 28. Then they cryed to the Lord in their trouble then if ever a storm at sea will make seamen pray though they seldome do it on dry land yea cry thus Jonah Chap. 1. Vers 5. Then to wit in a storme The Mariners were afraid and cryed every man to his God Qni nescit orare discat navigare Rarae fumant felicibus arae He that cannot pray let him go to sea if he fears God or danger he cannot but pray but what doth God hear their cry yea he bringeth them out of their distress ver 29. He maketh the storme a calm so that the waves thereof are still Thus it was in that great storme Matth. 8. vers 26. when the ship was covered with waves through the violence of windes which rolled and dashed them over it The Lord Jesus rebuked the windes and the sea and 〈◊〉 was a great calme he did but once chide those creatures and they submitted but against how many chidings of the Lord do these rebellious hearts of ours stand out winde and sea will rise up in judgment against us at the great day and will condemn us every drop of water in that sea upon which you sail will be a witness of your monstrous
when as many labouring under the said distempers are gone down to the chambers of death is this I. That you would own with thankfulness the healing mercies of God whereby you have been restored Let your thoughts often reflect upon your former weakness what pains and faintings seased upon you what the opinion of your Physicians and the fears of your Relations were when your pulses beat low and softly when you drew your breath short and painfully when paleness had covered your faces when the grashopper was a burden to you such was your weakness Job 16. vers 16. when the shadow of death was on your eye-lids and all the symptomes of death appeared in you and all this at such a time when graves were opened very many in most places when God himself was the preacher and that upon this text Isa 40. vers 6 7. All flesh is grass and the goodliness of it as the flower of the field the grass withereth and the flower fadeth because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it which was fully confirmed every passing bell being a proof of the point and every dead corps a reason of the doctrine so that if ever now it might safely be affirmed the people is grass and you as grass might have withered into dead hay and though flowers might have faded into loathsome Carcases if the Lord had not preserved a secret sap at the root Oh consider to receive a message of life from the Lord when you had received a message of death from man to be kept alive by his almighty power when you were within an hairs breadth of death is a mercy worth the owning at all times but calls for more abundant thankfulness at such a time as this was when so many some out of the same houses and many out of the same Towns have been carried forth unto the places of burial when many of those had the same advantages for life yea greater some from men and means then ye had yet they are dead and ye are alive Oh these considerations lay great ingagements of thankfulness upon you especially if you seriously take notice what your sickness was by which ye received an arrest from the Lord it was not an ordinary disease it hath been very much ludibrium medicorum few Physicians have found out the true cause and the right cure of it the distempers have so varied and the effects have been so different in several persons and places so that with the Egyptian Sorcerers all have been forced to confess it was no other then the finger of God The Lord having made good upon us that threatning Deut. 28. Verse 61. In bringing a sickness among us which is not written in the book of the Law a Scripture parralel whereof in every particular cannot be found I shall represent it to you under these Considerations 1. It was general no County no Town no Family scarcely escaped the rod nay almost all persons found some alterations in their bodies as tendencies to that disease having as large a Commission as to smiting as the destroying Angel had Ezek. 9. vers 5 6. Go ye through the City and smite let not your eye spare neither have ye pity slay utterly old and young both maids and little children and women 2. It was suddain Many Diseases have their Prodromio's their forerunners which bring news of their coming some dayes or weeks before they seize a man but when men were in their apprehensions perfectly well and at their labour perceiving no symptomes of a sickness they were suddenly surprised some in the Towns some in the fields and brought home sick As if a man should walk in a Corporation and suddenly should be snapt by the Sergeants and carried to the Jaile when he feared nothing less 1 Thes 5.3 3. It was violent It seized many strong men with that violence at the first onset as though it would strike but once many thinking at their first surprisall they had been dropping into the grave like that Job 16. v. 12 13 14. I was at ease Read Mr. Jakson's notes in loc but he hath broken me asunder he hath also taken me by the neck and shaken me to peices and set me up for his marke His archers compass me about he cleaveth my reins asunder and doth not spare he poureth out my gall upon the ground He breaketh me with breach upon breach he runneth upon me like a Giant 4. It was weakning the strength of the strong man was suddenly taken from him that he was either chained to his bed or like an old man walked with his staffe in his hand through age Zech. 8. ver 4. for Job 6. ver 4. the arrows of the Almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit And Psal 38.8 10. I am feeble and sore broken c. My heart panteth my strength faileth me by reason of inappetency Psal 107. ver 18. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat 5. It was languishing many diseases do their work in a few dayes either the distemper wears off and health returns or else sicknesse prevails and death comes In some cases the Malefactour is committed till the next Goal-delivery and then set free with a little scarre in his hand But in other cases a man is kept prisoner from Sessions to Assizes and from Assizes to Sessions and knows not when he shall have his freedome or whether his life will be spared at last So some diseases have their fixed periods of time after which health is restored but in this distemper many have been referred from Sessions to Assizes have had many hopefull intervalls and yet are detained bound over from the feaver to a quartan ague and after long detainment find little strength and as little hopes of life at the last See Job 13. ver 26 27 28. and chap. 16. ver 8. thou hast filled me with wrinkles which is a witnesse against me grief had made surrows in his face and his tears filled them 7. It was inevitable No way to avoid the stroke Vid. Trap. in loc no Antidote would prevent it no closet could secure against it as 1 King 22. ver 34. like that Psal 90. ver 5 6. Arrows fly swiftly and secretly though Ahab had disguised himself that he might not be known and armed himself that he might not be wounded yet a certain man drew a bow at a venture and smote him between the joynts of the harnesse 7. It was mortall to many persons in many places 1. In the present stroke some never came off from their sickbeds till they were carried to their death beds to wit their graves 2. In the effects and consequents of it though the disease it self kill'd not some presently yet it slipt them into Dropsies Consumptions and Quartans which have since been mortall to many Now then set home these considerations give God the glory of your lives in the words of the text ascribe your healing onely unto him in the words of
Eliphaz Job 5. ver 18. He maketh sore and bindeth up he wonndeth and his hands make whole and go sing good Hezekiahs song to the stringed instruments all the dayes of your life in the house of the Lord Isa 38. ver 20. II. Make good your sick-bed thoughts and purposes what you intended when sick be intent upon now well what you then purposed now practise sick people usually have the best minds but the worst memories when they are under an arrest from the Lord and brought within sight of the Prison then conscience is awakened then their debts to God lie heavy upon their spirits then their thoughts are how to make even with God and fly to their surety then if mercy will but put in Bail for them if God will but spare them a little before they go hence and be no more if he will but have patience they will pay him all No Saint under heaven can promise fairer and further then they what they will do and what they will be if the Lord restore them to health Luke 11. ver 24. The unclean spirit often goeth out upon a sick-bed there is a cessation from sin that work goes not on then but alas sad experience hath let us see too often that words are but winde and all the sick-bed resolutions vanish into air the unclean spirit returns when restored to health and finds the heart swept and garnished then goeth he and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked then himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last estate of that man is worse then the first As health comes on Religion goes off and they forget the vows of the Lord that were upon them Indeed it fares thus very often with the Saints themselves what a vow did Jacob bring his soul under when in distresse Gen. 28. ver 20 21 22. Mr. Calamy Con. in Psal 119.92 I knew a man who in the time of his sickness was so terrified in his conscience for sin that he made the very bed to shake upon which he lay and cried out all night long I am damned I am damned and made many and great protestations of amendment of life but became as wicked as ever yet this good man made slow haste to perform it until God was fain to jog him and be as a faithful remembrancer unto him Gen. 35. ver 1 2 3. then and not till then did Jacob purge his family and go up to Bethel to perform his vow which computing the time was about seven and twenty years after he made it good Hezekiah fell into this distemper also you shall hear how his spirit was up in thankfulness to God Isa 38. ver 19. The living the living they shall praise thee as I do this day the father to the children shall make known thy truth that is I will perpetuate the memoriall of this mercy by handing down the knowledge thereof to my children yea my command shall be upon them as a speciall charge in my last will that they shall give God the glory of my recovery good words spoken and probably from a reall intention at that time But alas the sence of this great mercy was but an Ephimera it soon wore off 2 Chron. 32. ver 25. Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him for the recovery was signal attended with many remarkable circumstances as 1. The sentence of death was reversed which was passed in foro externo for God had sent him a speciall message by the hand of Isaiah to set his house in order for saith he thou shalt die and not live chap. 38. Object But did not the Prophet speak his own apprehensions onely considering the mortality of that disease which had seized upon him Sol. No he prefaceth his message with Thus saith the Lord and 't is certain he knew the Lords mind concerning him at least so much as was then revealed there being not any person then alive who was Consiliarius è secretioribus to the most high God more then Isaiah was and who knew more of the councels of Heaven witnesse his glorious and Evangelicall promises and Predictions 2. The reversall of the sentence of death was the single return and procurement of his own prayers and tears for ver 5. The Lord gives a second command to the Prophet to go to Hezekiah and deliver this message from him Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy father I have heard thy prayers I have seen thy tears so that as Hannah said of Samuel her son 1 Sam. 1. ver 27. For this child I prayed and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him The same might Hezekiah for my life I prayed and wept and the Lord hath given me my petition Nay the Lord makes a large addition to his life Psal 21.4 he asked life and the Lord gave him length of days the life of man twice told in our ordinary law compute even fifteen years which did very much accent the Lords mercy seeing Hezekiah was so exceeding earnest for life having then no Son to succed in the throne and the affairs of Church and state being very unsetled 4. This also gave a great Emphasis to the mercy in that he had such a suddain return to his prayer The Lord did not make him wait long for answer thereby tormenting his spirit with perplexing fears but before the Prophet was gone out into the middle Court 2 Kin. 20.4 the word of the Lord came unto him the Lord met him and sent him back with a message of life to Hezekiah Oh t is matter of great comfort to have a quick dispatch of business especially in things relating to life and death 5. Yet further the immediate appearance of power from the Lord in effecting the cure doth marvailously greaten the mercy that Hezekiah should be visited with so sharpe a distemper Leigh Crit. Sac. probably the plague of pestilence for Shechen signifies an hot ulcer boil or push and may refer to a Plague sore also however the disease in it self was mortal and that so slight an application as a plaister of figs should perfect his recovery and that suddainly within three dayes 2 King 20.5 whereas we finde lighter distempers are long in carrying off where able Physitians are consulted with and all means attempted 6. And then that the great God should work a miracle in heaven to confirm his faith in the certainty of the cure that he should command the Sun to a retrograde motion to go back ten degrees not onely the shadow upon the dyal of Ahaz for that had not been so visible and universal but the body of the Sun in the heaven for so t is Isa 38.8 So the Sun turned ten degrees by which degrees it was gone down Dr. Richardson in loc whereby that day became ten hours longer then otherwise it should have been allowing half an hour for a degree and the motion of the Sun regular
dye ye must as many of great eminency in this age of ours have dyed who are yet lamented by some now alive and will be more unless the Lord fill up their empty rooms with others of choice and noble spirits 2. In particular I shall briefly commend these few things unto you as 1. That the best and choicest of Gods saints are not exempted from service God exspects to have work done by every servant he will not suffer idle drones to live in his family he will not allow any lazy loiterers to sleep within the walls of his vineyard he doth not keep any idle Serving-men in his house no he appoints them all to labour and 't was well if the patterne of God's house was observed if the Lawes of his family were executed by our Great Ones much sin would be prevented which is nursed at the breasts of idleness nay places of great eminency are no exemption from Gods work The nobles of Tekoah have a brand set upon them because they put not their necks to the work of the Lord Neh. 3. ver 5. And the Lord puts this as the highest mark of honour into the scutcheons of his greatest Saints that they were his servants Moses my servant my servant David c. Matth. 25. ver 20 21. He that received five talents traded and at the day of accounts his labour was not onely honourably accepted but gloriously rewarded entrance was granted unto him into his Masters joy 2. That Gods will is and must be the only rule of our work The Master expects as to have his work done so to have his own orders and directions observed in the doing of it to neglect the work of the Lord and to do it cross to divine order is equally sinful Vzziah died upon the place for touching the Ark and Vzziah was stricken with the leprosie for attempting to burn incense upon the Altar of incense both which expresly thwarted the appointment of God It was the peoples sin to eat the Passeover otherwise then it was written 2 Chron. 30.18 Therefore David in the person of the Lord Jesus joyns both together Psal 40.8 I delight to do thy will yea thy law is in my heart as the standard by which I work and our Saviour writes vanity upon the forehead of all service which is performed to God upon the single authority of man without a warrant under Gods own hand for it Mat. 15.9 In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men what bundles of vain worships are layed upon Gods Alter by the Pontificians And how ought we to be humbled also for the vanity of many services which have been performed by us in this Nation 3. That the great God commands us not onely to work but to do the work of our own Generation David served out his own Generation he did the work which was allotted by the Lord to him in that particular age he lived in which was to fight the Lords battels to subdue the enemies of his Church settle the Nation in peace establish the worship of God provide for the service of his Sanctuary and prepare for the building of the temple these were the works of his Generation in those 2 capacities of Prophet and King and therefore the holy Ghost engraves this Epitaph upon his sepulchre which shall not be defaced so long as the world endures that David served his own generation by the will of God Instances of like nature the Scripture affords many Quest But the great Query is How shall we know what are the proper works of our Generation Answ I answer much of this nature hath been offered by learned and judicious Divines in severall Treatises and though they have not been so harmonious as was defired in their judgement as to the manner yet they have agreed in one as to the matter Indeed repentance toward God and faith towards our Lord Jesus with those generall duties of Religion which are comprehenhended under these two heads none deny or dispute except some of prophane or perverted spirits and judgements and that things of order and Government in the Church should be reduced to the Primitive Pattern and Practice few of sober and Orthodox principles do oppose yea most desire and surely that this is the generation which God hath called forth to act in these transactions may be spell'd if not legibly read in the dispensations of his providence towards us I do not set up providence as a standing rule to work and walk by when it is either crosse unto or receives not approbation from the written word for that was to perswade the Traveller to sleep all day when the sun shines bright and clear and to take his Journey in the night when the starres do onely twinckle and the wayes are dangerous and difficult to find mistakes have been sad and many of this kind Numb 14. ver 40 41. the mistake of Gods minde in that dreadfull message ver 39. occasioned the slaughter of many men for the people apprehending that God was offended with them for not going up to take possession of Canaan rose up early in the morning and gat them up unto the top of the mountain saying Lo we be here and will go up into the place which the Lord hath promised for we have sinned and what followed why their attempting to invade their enemies under this mistake cost them many of their lives Thus did Saul mistake the mind of the Lord 1 Sam. 23. ver 7. when it was told him that David was come to Keilah presently he infers that God had delivered him into his hand for sayes he he is shut in by entring into a town that hath gates and bars but it proved otherwise Yea Davids men would have put him upon the same mistake chap. 24. ver 4. when Saul came into the cave to cover his feet where David and his men lay hid they presently conclude behold the day of which the Lord hath said unto thee behold I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand that thou maist do to him as it shall seem good unto thee A like passage ye have chap. 26. ver 8. when David and Abishai came into Sauls army by night and found them all fast asleep not a Sentinell waking and Saul asleep also Abishai said to David God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day now therefore let me smite him I pray thee with the spear unto the earth at once and I will not smite him a second time but David durst not slay the Lords Anointed under the protection and warrant of this providence as the following verses declare because it would have been an expresse violation of Gods will Instances of this nature might be multiplied But now when the speakings of God in his works run in a paralell line with the speakings of God in his word when they fall in with his revealed will they do then safely interpret the mind of God and are a
whether the Lord who hath made bare his Arm in signal deliverances for the life of your bodies hath also stretched forth the right arm of grace for the life of your souls and how the Lord hath methodized the ways of his grace unto you make these two particulars the matter of your great enquest 1. Put this question unto your souls and be serious in it as a matter of most concerning and everlasting import I shall speak now to single persons and therefore shall direct the enquiry to the Reader as though he was that very person I wrote this unto and for Say to thy soul Man The Lord hath often fercht me off from temporal dangers But O hath the Lord wrought that great deliverance for my soul Am I brought off from a state of nature by renewing grace Am I delivered from the bondage of fin and corruption by redeeming grace Am I brought back from spiritual Babylon by restoring grace Am I ransomed from under the power of Satan by victorious grace God hath given me life from the dead for my body but have I life from the dead for my soul also Oh! what will all these temporal deliverances avail me If I have not deliverance from wrath to come by Jesus Christ What advantage will it be unto me that I have often been kept out of the grave if when I dye I drop into hell What comfort will it be to me at a dying hour that God hath saved me out of six troubles yea out of seven if I shall then have no assurance of eternal salvation but rather perplexing fears of perishing everlastingly what was it for Cham to be preserved in the Ark when an overflowing deluge swallowed up the whole world of the ungodly seeing afterward he lived and dyed and lay under the curse of God to eternity or for rebellious Israel to be brought by so many miracles out of Egypt and yet entered not through unbelief into the land of rest Do not therefore hastily conclude from thy temporal salvations that thou shalt be eternally saved for that is unsafe but rather take occasion from thy temporal to enquire into thy everlasting safety let this put thee upon a strict and narrow scrutiny The Apostle urgeth this 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your own selves whether you be in the faith prove your selves know ye not your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates The first word in the proper signification implies a piercing through timber 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that tryal may be made what it is within whether sound or rotten or the piercing of a vessel that the Vintner may taste the wine and try the goodness of it thus Chrians must pierce through and through their hearts that they may know the soundness of them Men have a plausible profession yet but rotten hearts men may think their estate to be very good when it is starke naught and conclude they are brought over to God when they are still in the divels quarters therefore the Apostles advice is to try and to do it exactly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The divel is called the tempter because he goes through stitch with his work and tryes to purpose he perforates and pierceth through the heart and if there be any unmortified corruption or unsoundness there he will be sure to finde it out nay as though one word was not enough in a business of so great import the Apostle adds prove 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which refers to that trial which Goldsmiths make of their mettal that they may not put a cheat upon themselves And here the exhortation is doubled that the duty might be more enforced as being a most needful but a much neglected duty Hence as Zeph. 2.1 The Prophets says Excutite vos iterumque excutite vos Fan your selves yea fan your selves so the Apostle doubles his charge Examine your selves yea prove your selves as if he had said make it much the matter of your enquiry whether ye be in the faith whether Jesus Christ be in you otherwise notwithstanding all your gilded profession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and form of godliness ye will be laid aside as counterfeit coin yea cast of as reprobate silver at the great day of tryal when the Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the councels of all hearts 1 Cor. 4.5 and though your deliverances have been never so remarkable your preservations never so admirable as to thy temporal safety yet thou wilt be a cast-away and perish everlastingly if thou be not in the faith Christ be not in thee Oh then enquire into thy spiritual estate and labor to evidence the truth and life of grace in thy soul that as thou knowest and ownest deliverances from such and such dangers so thou mayest with safety conclude thy deliverance from wrath to come by Jesus Christ this wil sweeten all the providences of God unto thee this will make the remembrance of forepast deliverances pleasant unto thee Num. 13.23 and will be as the grapes of Eshcol upon which thy soul will feed with delight as Mat. 26.29 having some rellish of that wine which thou shalt drink new to eternity with Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of his Father But when thou speakest or meditatest how and how often and in what cases of imminent danger the Lord hath preserved thee and then for want of a through tryal of thy spiritual estate thou beest in doubt what will become of thee to eternity then to say dubius morior quo vadam nescio I dye doubtfully not knowing in which of the two places Heaven or Hell I shall spend eternity Oh this will be sad this sting of death will wound very sorely but more sad and dreadful will it be unto thee if thy fears be great and nothing from within to check them that thou art reserved to the day of judgement to be punished or kept in store unto the day of perdition of ungodly men Oh this will like a bunch of wormwood in wine embitter all thy preservations Be much and serious in this great business and if upon due tryal thou findest the witness within and hearest the bird in thy bosome sing sweetly Be much in admiring the riches of free-grace not onely that thy name is not blotted out upon earth but that it is writ in heaven not onely that thou hast been preserved from the uppermost hell but that thou art preserved to the heavenly Kingdome if the scales hang even or thy fear outweighs thy faith give diligence to make thy calling election sure and the rather because thou hast tasted so much of the mercy and goodness of God in bringing the to safe harbor from many stormes This will make thy entrance more abundantly glorious into the everlasting Kingdom of thy dear redeemer when thou canst sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb together this will make melody in thy heart
indeed But if thou beest in a state of Atheism and open prophaneness or notwithstanding thy carnal Gospelling or formal profession thy heart smites thee thy conscience condemns thee and thy daily practice bears witness against thee and all together tell thee to thy face that thou art not in a state of grace thou art not interested in the blood of Jesus and that Christ is not in thee the hope of glory Oh let these thoughts be often upon thy heart I have been sometimes in a way of mercy saved from drowning in the water Ah but what will this avail me If my foolish and hurtful lusts do after drown me in destruction and perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 I have been by a hand of mercy pluckt out of Sodoms burnings but ah what comfort will this administer if I be cast into everlasting burnings I have been fetcht by a signal mercy from a deep and dark dungeon but ah what will this advantage me If I be thrown into the bottomless pit I have been antidoted from the raging pestilence but ah How can I rejoyce in that If the plagve of my heart be not cured and so the second death have power over me what contentment can I take in all my former deliverances If I be delivered up to eternal wrath Let such thoughts prevail with thee and improve thy present deliverances as warnings and awakenings from the Lord to provide for thy eternal safety The Lord Jesus preached very often upon this subject to those that he cured Behold thou art made whole sin no more least a worse thing happen unto thee Oh the worm that never dyeth and the fire that never goeth out will be far worse then all the miseries that thou hast suffered here this is much the fin of many they do not heed the outgoings of God nor consider the hand of the Lord that hath been upon them or for them in a day of distress the sence of great deliverances soon wear off and so the fruit of all is lost but if men would often say had not the Lord helped us the sea had swallowed us up and if we go on in these courses it will not be long before hell swallow us up had not the Lord procured my enlargement I had rotted in a noisom prison and if I walk on in these ways of sin I shall be certainly thrown into that prison out of which I shall not come untill I have paid the utmost farthing certainly if such considerations were more upon our spirits there would not be that Atheism dissolutness and profaneness amongst the worst nor that luke-warmness formality and deadness of spirit amongst the best as there is Sabbaths would be more duly observed ordinances more carefully attended on the season of grace more prized the messengers of grace more honoured the ways of grace more walked in and men would minde the great business of salvation in more good earnest then the most men do Oh then try this course and improve this councel least after all thy temporal deliverances eternal wrath may be thy portion 2. If upon due tryal thou findest a work of grace wrought in thy soul Christ formed in thy heart put it to the question how and when was this good work begun in my soul in temporal dangers and deliverances men are apt to speak what hazards of life they have been in what days of distress have been upon them and aggravate all by relating the circumstances of time place company c. and then how and by what means the Lord brought them off above and beyond expectation when they least looked for it and had least ground to hope after it Oh what stories will some men tell of this nature how will they delight in it and account it their honor to do it O follow then this pattern in a spiritual way discourse over and often the passages of Gods mercy and thine own misery what thou wast how vain how ignorant what an enemy to God what a hater of good men what a despiser of the means of grace and how regardless of thine own eternal peace and welfare so that if the twine thread of thy life had been cut when thou wast in that estate thou hadst certainly dropt into hell and perished without all hope of recovery and that then when no eye pittied thee nor thou thy self when thou didst not look after Christ but braved it out against God and all Gospel tenders then even then the Lord came in graciously and seasonably unto thee And according to his mercy saved thee by the washing of regeneration and renewings of the holy Ghost which he shed on thee abundantly by Jesus Christ thy Saviour Saint Paul was much in the review of what he had been and done and in owning and admiring free grace He is not ashamed to tell the world what he was before conversion when and how the Lord came upon him and wrought that blessed change in him And indeed some ancient Christians tread in the Apostles steps and still retain this practice sure 't was well if it was more done provided it was well done not out of pride and vain glory but in humility and lowliness of minde that God alone may be acknowledged and adored for his rich grace and others may reap fruit by it to their comfort establishment and support but I do not lay this down as the general duty of all under profession I know there be some who play the hypocrites in Religion and these out of meer pride and ostenration that they might get a name and repute among believers and be counted somebody would be forward enough in this work speaking lies in hypocrisie and pretending to great things which they never expe rienced like that Amalekite 2 Sam. 1.6 7 8 9. who told David a fair tale how he stood upon Saul and slew him and took the crown that was upon his head and the bracelet that was upon his arm c. and all this that he might win credit with David and gain his favour by slaying his enemy who stood betwixt him and the crown when as the whole story was false this would be the case of some false-hearted hypocrites Again some of the servants of the Lord who are real converts would be at a loss within themselves not being able to give an account when and how the Lord first wrought upon them who can onely say with the blind man Joh. 9.25 This one thing I know that whereas I was born blinde I now do see the work of grace upon the hearts of some as to the quando and quomodo time and manner is undiscernable by them The Lord spiritualizeth their morals sanctifies their principles of education and drops down his spirit upon the seed and his blessing upon the off-spring so that they spring up as among the grass as Spring Flowers which lye buried under ground the Winter season and sprout forth as the year ariseth Isa 44.3 4. To this the Lord
dropt with myrrhe and her fingers with sweet smelling mirrhe that is she had new tokens of Christs good-will refreshing consolations from a comforting spirit which being added to her former experiences of love had such a force upon her heart that she breaks off all delay runs to the door and opens and not finding her beloved there she fails poor heart she sinks down and swouns the sence of Christs dear affection to her and her disloyal carriage to him did so seize upon her that she sinks under it And being come to her self she seeks and enquires after him suffers for him breaths out her soul in strongest affection towards him breaks forth into highest Eulogies and commendations of him and through the whole Song you never finde her under any of this heart-deadness any more but full of love and full of life Thus it was with the Church of Israel Hos 2. The Lord brings her in vers 5. speaking forth such resolutions as these I will go after my lovers that give me my bread and my water my wooll and my flax mine oyle and my drink as if she had said I am resolved to stick close to mine Idols who have recompenced my service with such plenty and abundance The allusion is to a man and his wife betwixt whom before there is a final divorce and departure there is usually some decay of conjugal affection some neglect of conjugal duties some eminent failing in conjugal offices and thereupon follows a strangeness and at length a parting asunder So heart-deadness damps of zeal flatness of spirit freezings of affection neglect of communion in the Gospel-duties and appointments formality in profession earthly-mindedness and some kind of liberty and boldness to sin are usually precedaneous to an Apostacy and departure from God Thus it was with Ephraim But how doth she recover her self Why verse 7. she argues her spirit into a returning frame Mr. Ier. Burroughs in loc I will go and return unto my first husband for then was it better with me then now Hence it is the note of a late godly Divine That the sight and sence of this how much better it was when the heart did cleave to Christ then it is now since its departure from Christ is an effectual means to cause the heart to return unto him He brings in a repenting backslider under these reasonings of heart Heretofore I was able through Gods mercy to look upon the face of God with joy when my heart did cleave to him when I did walk close with him then the glory of God did shine upon me and caused my heart to spring within me every time I thought of him But now now God knows though the world takes little notice of it the very thoughts of God are a terrour unto me the most terrible object in all the world is to behold the face of God Oh it was better with me then it is now Before this my Apostacy I had free access unto the throne of grace I could come with humble and holy boldness unto God and pour out my soul before him such a chamber such a closet can witness it but now I have no heart to pray ye I must be haled to it merely conscience pulleth me to it yea every time I go by that very closet where I was wont to have that access to the throne of Grace it strikes a terrour to my heart I can never come into Gods presence but it is out of slavish fear Oh it was better with me then then it is now Before Oh the sweet communion my soul enjoyed with Jesus Christ one dayes communion with him how much better was it then the enjoyment of all the world but now Jesus Christ is a stranger to me and I a stranger unto him Before Oh those sweet enlargements that my soul had in the Ordinances of God! when I came to the word my soul was refreshed was warmed my heart was enlightened when I came to the Sacrament oh the sweetness that was there and to prayer with the people of God it was even an heaven upon earth unto me but it is otherwise now the Ordinances of God are dead and emptie things to me Oh it was better with me then then it is now Before Oh the gracious visitations of Gods spirit that I was wont to have yea when I awaken'd in the night season oh the glimpses of Gods face that were upon my soul what quickening and enlivenings and refreshings did I find in them I would give a world but for one nights comfort I sometimes have had by the visitations of Gods spirit but now they are gone Oh it was better with me then then it is now Before Oh what peace of Conscience I had within whatsoever the world said though they railed and accused yet my conscience spake peace to me and was as a thousand witnesses for me but now I have a grating conscience within me Oh the black bosome that is in me it flyeth in my face every day after I come from such and such company I could come before from the society of Saints and my conscience smiled upon me now I go to wicked company and when I come home and in the night Oh the gnawings of that worm It was better with me then then it is now Before The graces of Gods spirit how were they sparkling in me active and lively I could exercise faith humility patience and the like now I am as one bereft of all unfit for any thing even as a dead log before God made use of me and employed me in honorable services now I am unfit for any service at all Oh it was better with me then then it is now Before I could take hold upon Promises I could claim them as mine own I could look up to all those blessed sweet Promises that God had made in his word and look upon them as mine inheritance But now alas the Promises of God are little to me before I could look on the face of all troubles and upon the face of death I could look upon them with joy But now the thoughts of affliction and of death God knowes how terrible they are to mee Oh it was better with me then then it is now Before in all creatures I could enjoy God I tasted the sweetness and love of God even in my meat and drink I could sit with my wife and children and see God in them and look upon the mercies of God through them as a fruit of the Covenant of Grace Oh how sweet was it with me then But now the creature is as an empty thing unto me whether it come in love or hatred I do not know It was better with me before then now Before I was under the protection of God wherever I went but now I do not know what dangers and miseries I am subject to dayly what may befall me before night God onely knowes Before the Saints rejoyced in my company and communion now every
and of sound constitutions find savour and nourishment from their food they take when the dead find none and distempered persons but little so shall you finde food and growth in that ordinance when 't is mors in olla the favour of death unto death to the dead Formalist and gives forth little sweetness or savour to the sensless and sleepy Christian Oh then as Deborah bespake her self Judg. 5. ver 12. Awake Awake Deborah so say I Awake awake up your glory in thankfulness to the Lord stirre up your selves and graces lean by faith upon the blessed bosome of your Jesus cleave to his Cross and ye shall suck honey out of this rock yea oyl out of this flintie rock Deut. 32. ver 13. and thus commemorating the death of Christ by those lively resemblances of his death you may lift up your hearts with comfort to look for and love his appearing 4. This serious revisal of formal incomes and experiences from the God of all grace in wayes of grace to your souls will up-heap your hearts with lively and lasting consolations in every estate it is like the Woolf which will draw a threed of comfort through the whole warp of a Christians life as might be cleared in many instances to name a few 1. Are you under breaking afflictions from the Lord in your persons or families doth deep call unto deep and are the banks of custodient providence so broken down that all his waves and billows do flow over you why what comfort and reviving will the sense of grace received bring into your souls when you minde that witness within you that you are the children of God you may look upon all your afflictions as the rod of a Father and his end in all to be the taking away of sin Isa 27.9 not by satisfaction for that 's the peculiar fruit of your Redeemers blood but by sanctification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 club it down 1 Cor. 9.27 wisely governing his corrections To beat down the body and bring it into subjection to the government of the Lord Jesus grace received will light a candle unto you whereby you may read the minde of God and the methods of his paternal discipline Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth that son in whom he is well-pleased says Mercer in Prov. 3.12 the lower the ebbe the higher the tyde the lower you descend in humiliation 1 Chron. 4.9 10. The Holy Ghost says Jabez was more honourable then his brethren and his mother called his name Jabez because I bore him with sorrow Jabez signifies sorrow and wherein did his honor appear why in that Gâ—d granted him his requests viz. blessed him enlarged his coast strengthened him by his hand and kept him from evil thus in a spiritual sense an afflicted Saint is a Jabez not onely as a man of sorrow but as an honourable person the rod is a pledge of love and badge of honour hae sunt gemmae pretiosa ornamenta Dei says one pointing to his sores and ulcers These are the gems and jewels wherewith God decketh his best friends The Lord hath prepared me a neck-lace of pearl was the saying of a gracious woman when a sickness took hold upon her the Lily is sown in her own tears And Gods vines says one bear the better for bleeding there may be a plethory of blood as well as superfluous branches which may hinder fruitfulness these are the preludes of your everlasting triumphs and as your constancy in them doth witness your love to God so your support under them doth witness Gods love to you Omnis Christianus cruclanus Luther which begins with the cross here but shall end with the crown hereafter Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man which endureth temptation from the Lord in ways of afflictions for when he is tryed he shall receive the crown of glory which the Lord hath promised to them that love him 2. Are you under the bufferings of Satan do his fiery darts fly about you and doth he fire his granado's upon you Mr. Gurnals exposition in Eph. 6.12 p. 306. 307. nay do principalities and powers worldly Governors and spiritual wickednesses draw up against you and that in heavenly places namely to take away your crown from you to plunder you of your joy and peace here and to block up your way to heaven hereafter Why follow the streams to the head of the fountain endeavor to work up your hearts to a serious apprehension of grace received in the life and sence thereof and you will receive much contribution from it as to your peace and safety though Satan may beat you from your out-works and seize upon some of your Artilery and thereby discourage yea much discompose you in your addresses to God yet the consideration of pardoning purging adopting and accepting grace will be as a Fort-Royal an impregnable Cittadel wherein you may secure the choicest of your heavenlies and from whence you may have reserves in the hottest onsets the experiences of the goodness and good pleasure of the grace of God in Jesus Christ unto you will be as chariots of fire and horses of fire round about you 2 King 6.17 to circumvallate and safe-guard your souls The Apostle 1 Pet. 5.10 tells you That Satan roareth after souls as an hungry lyon after his prey and gives in this by way of advice unto you vers 9. Whom resist stedfast in the faith that is keep your ground and lift up the shield of faith to receive and quench his fiery darts by considering 1. That the same afflictions that is temptations are accomplished in your brethren that dwell in the world you are not single in this temptation though that is much the thoughts of tempted ones Satan doth not fight you with a new weapon that lately past the forge 2. That you stand related to and are in covenant with that God who is the God of all grace who hath all weapons ready for war in his Armory and can supply a tempted Saint with those graces suddainly and fully which he stands in need of 3. That your relation to the God of all grace is founded upon Jesus Christ and evidenced by your effectual calling for you are called into his eternal glory by Jesus Christ not unto implying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that grace gives the soul an entrance into glory effectual vocation is a call from heaven into heaven the soul is taken up into heaven from the time of its new birth as to the certainty of it and safe keeping unto it 4. That your suffering condition will not be long it is the Lord not Satan who times your temptations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you shall suffer but a while sharpe they are and therefore termed sufferings yet but short therefore phrased awhile hence Rev. 2.10 You shall have tribulation ten dayes that is your imprisonment shall be short 5. That your temptations shall be in
order to your establishment the God of all grace will make you perfect establish strengthen settle you your sufferings shall be in order to your setling your temptation in order to your consolation parallel to that 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory O then do but in the hour of temptation draw up the main body of your experiences and evidences of Gods love in Christ unto you and Satan cannot hurt you though his main battail be against you though he may pluck of some rath grapes he shall never destroy your Vintage though he may pick up some scattered ears he shall never carry away your harvest and though he may trouble you in your passage to heaven he shall never keep you out of heaven what a day of comfort is this unto the foul 3. Are you summoned by the King of terrors do his batteries play upon you are there breaches made in your mud-walls is there a mine sprung and your life in all likelihood to be blown up Why the lively sense and evidence of grace received will like a cordial water warm your hearts and stay up your spirits at such an hour as this is that light of life within you if heeded will clear up the counsels of God unto you as to your after and eternal well-being it will convince you of Gods soveraignty conquer your renitency and make you bow head and heart with much submission to the father of spirits this will ballance and ballast your souls too and poise them evenly between hope and fear that neither shall be inordinate and that in two particulars 1. Where grace sits at the helm of Government in the soul it brings the unruly passions into subjection to the divine pleasure and preserves the Saints from over-much hoping of life seeing their dayes are determined and their bounds set and antidotes them against overmuch fearing of death seeing the number of their mouths are with God Job 14.5 6. the indefinite is equivalent to an universal so that it was not Jobs single case but the common lot of all mankind and therefore you may safely argue that all the rare feasts which Paracelsus professed to do for the lengthening of mens lives the use of all remedies cannot make you out-live nor the missing of them cause you to fall short of those bounds which God in his secret and irreversible decrees hath set you This consideration will much quiet your hearts in God when you have the sentence of death within your selves it will excellently prevent that distemper which is an evil that I have seen even amongst the Saints of God viz. an over-eager desire of life and a greedy catching at any hopes thereof even to some neglect of that preparation and those precedaneous duties which the seriousness of death and eternity do call for at their hands not that I condemne a modest and humble desire of life or a sober use of means and medicines in order thereunto onely propound this as a cure of that heart-distemper mentioned and to perswade my self and others to say with David Here I am let the Lord do to me as seemeth good unto him 2 Sam. 15.26 2. Your gathering up your experiences of converting renewing adopting and accepting grace in Jesus Christ will fill your souls with ravishing comforts upon an everlasting account even then when your nearest friends fill your heads with weepings sighings and sad lamentings as seeing your dying breath draw faint and short and other symptomes of death report your change to be very near you will then gather up your spirits as old Jacob did his feet and not be afraid to speak with your enemy in the gate the gate of eternity Oh grace improved will shew you your names written in the Lambs book of life will give you some foretasts of those joys which are in the presence of God will lead you in a vision of the Spirit into your fathers house that you may see those mansion places of glory which are prepared for you and will open your eyes that you may see the Angels of God those blessed ministering spirits waiting at your pillows to waft your souls into the everlasting embraces of your dear Redeemer that you may say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.1 to still the sobbings of your sad relations We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building with God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens Dr. Kendall in his answer to Mr. John Goodwâ—n p. 53. That with Moses you may dye upon the mount of vision and with David full of riches and honor in a spiritual sense Oh this consideration will make death-tokens love-tokens and represent death as a messenger from your dear Jesus who brings the glad tidings of everlasting life if you fall by an arrow yet is that arrow shot by the hand of God in more love then Jonathans was to David if by a stroke of the pestilence yet that pestilence is no Plague but somewhat a harsher plaster of all miscries whatever be the fury of the disease it is but a chariot of fire to carry you to heaven None of the blessed Fathers ever complained of the untowardness of the way so happy are they in being seized of their inheritance among the Saints in light though they were hurried thither through the darkest valley of the shaddow of death Thus that learned Author O friends mind the annointings of the Spirit the sealings of the Spirit the witness of the spirit and draw up a fair Copy of all the gracious visits actings and workings of your blessed Redeemer by his Spirit unto and upon your hearts that your soules may often read therein that so when you come to die as needs you must and be as water spilt upon the ground which can be gathered up no more you may then be set down in the valley of Achor nay may finde the valley of the shadow of death as the valley of Baracha God hath pluckt out the sting of death and so death is given as a favour unto you O read your own blessedness in the light and print of the spirit Apoc. 14.13 Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord from * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e vestigio amodo ab ipso mortis articulo Mr. Trap. in locum henceforth yea saith the spirit that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them A Christian says one is here like quick-silver which hath in it a principle of motion not of rest never quiet like a ball upon the rackets a ship upon the waves but death brings him to his rest his body to the grave which is his bed of rest Isa 57.2 and his soul into Abrahams bosom That rest which remains to the people of God Heb. 4.9 And your works shall follow you mors privare potest â—pibus non operibus
experiments gain much authority with us we are apt to expect good from a probatum est in order to natural so to a spiritual cure Come see a man which told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ says the woman to the Samaritanes Joh. 4.29 and upon this they went out of the City and came unto him this was the method of Saint John in his first Epistle ch 1.1 3. That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truely our fellowship is with the father and with his Son Jesus Christ 3. Because God will hereby set a greater mark of honor upon the Saints and make them with more affectionateness love one another when they find that the eye hath need of the hand and the head of the foot 1 Cor. 12.21 that they are mutually dependent upon and mutually serviceable one to another It is much my thoughts that in the way proposed the people of God would be more comforted one by another and their hearts would be more knit up in love one to another 4. You will live best to others when you draw forth the sense and experience which ye have found of the love of God by way of hope and helpfulness unto those that mourn under the want of the spirits witness to their Son-ship and salvation with what holy earnestness doth many a servant of the Lord press after assurance how would he accept of it as a good bargain indeed if purchased with the loss of all outward enjoyments and how is it with many as it was with Paul in another case 2 Cor. 2.13 I had not rest in my spirit because I found not Titus my brother Certainty of salvation is this Titus the absence whereof fills the soul with a strange unquietness breathing after it in every duty in every ordinance in every promise they are strangers to the prayers and practices tears and troubles of the Saints that are ignorant of this That certainty of salvation is attainable is a clear truth 1 Joh. 5.13 These things write I unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know ye have eternal life not with the certainty of hope onely as the Papists say but of faith also in the foretastes of after-blessedness Apoc. 2.17 To him that overcome will I give to eat of the hidden manna and will give him a white stone with a new name written in it which no man knoweth saving he that hath received it indeed this sealing of the holy Spirit of Promise is a certain divine impression of light a certain unexpressiable assurance that we are the Sons of God a certain secret manifestation that God hath received us and put away our sins I say says worthy Dr. Preston t is such a thing which no man knows Ne Covenant p. 399. but he that hath received it it is a wondrous thing and if there were not some Christians that do feel it and know it you might believe that there was no such thing that it were but a fancy and Enthusiasme but it is certain that there are a generation of men which know what this seal of the Lord is now then if such as do experimentally know it and know how they attained unto it would be but free in their communications how might they be as faithful guides unto those Who ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward how might they set up way marks for them and led them by their ports within the view yea to the suburbes of heavenly Jerusalem telling them this course we steered we were much in prayer much in an humble attendance upon Gospel-appointments much in searching of the Holy Scriptures much in contesting against all corruptions much in a due and serious tryal of our own spiritual estate and gave much diligence to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 We did not go to the university of election untill we had been at the Grammer-School of vocation as one saith we began below at our sanctification at the work and truth of grace in our hearts and so gradually ascended step by step unto the top-stone of our election we framed a Sillogisme of assurance from the witness of water and blood and the Lord at length superadded the witness of his spirit This we did and blessed be the Lord we are sealed with that holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession Eph. 1.13 14. and therefore go you and do likewise pray in hope wait in hope and believe in hope under the perswasion that the vision is for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lye though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come and will not tarry Hab. 2.3 we can set our seal of experience to this truth though we waited long yet the vision hath spoken our souls have heard the speakings of God by his spirit in peace and joy and a rejoycing hope of glory to come and blessed be God it doth not lye it is not a presumptuous brag an opinionative boast which vanisheth into smoak and air in a time of tryal but a real evidence of divine love and demonstrative assurance of our eternal blessedness Therefore fear not ye servants of the Lord Who walk in darkness and as yet see no light light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Psal 97.11 the seed time is past and the harvest is drawing on you shall have your sheavs of joy also the vision that hath spoke to us will speak to you also Our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace will comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work 2 Thess 2.16 17. O how may the Saints of God in all these cases mutually contribute to the comforting councelling supporting and edifying each other in their most holy faith if they would be free in communicating their experiences to one another and more frequent in holding up communion one with another The wise man tells us As Iron sharpeneth Iron so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend the point of most Christian zeal is very blunt they are sharp enough in censures and contentions to draw blood of the credit yea the consciences of their brethren But what edge would be set upon their zeal in the best sense and for the best things if they would often meet together in love and sharpen each other by holy conferrences may not the neglect of Christian communion rightly managed be much a cause of our divisions and animosities and would it not be a healing means
Lord that which he wills with greatest pleasure and delight it notes the highest content that may be to wit delight which is the intention and strength of affection hence Isa 62. ver 4. the Church is called Hephzibah that is my pleasure in her the parables of the lost sheep and lost son do fully evidence this Luke 15. you cannot do a work that will find greater acceptation with God then acts of mercy Hos 6. ver 6. I desired mercy and not sacrifice the word in the Original is the same with that in Isaiah forementioned implying to will and desire a thing with a greatdelight and complacency Mr Eurroughs in Hos ver 6. pag. 599. so that a reverend Expositour upon the place brings in God speaking thus mercy is a thing so pleasing to me that I desire it at my heart nothing in the world is so pleasing to me as mercy shews that God had rather have it then all instituted ordinances and worships which by sacrifice are synechdochically meant and then instancing in cases of mercy His fourth case is the case of souls and that is in Christs case Mat. 9.13 Pag. 605. Go and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance we are ready to think that all things must give way to instituted worship but certainly immortall souls are of more worth then ordinances O surely the greatest act of mercy which we receive from God is our reconcilement to him whereby we are translated from darknesse into the kingdome of his dear son that being justified by his grace we may be made heirs according to the hope of eternall life Tit. 3. ver 7. and so the highest piece of mercy which we can shew to sinners for God is to be instrumentall in the saving of them bowels of mercy in us evidence Gods electing grace unto us Col. 3. ver 12. Put on as the elect of God bowels of mercy and sure we cannot shew more bowells in any act of mercy to man then in endeavouring his salvation Consider Consid 2. There is a great honour to the Lord Jesus Christ when sinners are savingly brought in unto him it is a jewell added to the glorious diadem of King Jesus Psal 45.3 David speaking in the spirit unto ' King Jesus bids him gird his sword upon his thigh which was the Ensign of his prowesse and regal power and adds with thy glory and thy Majesty implying that when people fall under him i. e. are converted and submit unto him it tends to advance his glorious Majesty Prov. 14. ver 28. In the multitude of people is the kings honour Zion and Babylon are the two great Empires of the world that under Christ this under Belial now one great part of Christs honour as he is King of Zion consists in the multitude of converts who being brought over from the devils quarters become his subjects it is said 1 Sam. 31. ver 12. That all the valiant men of Jabesh-Gilead went all night and took the bones of Saul and the bones of his sons from the walls of Bethshan and came and brought them to Jabesh let me allude this how is the glory of Christ advanced when all the valiant men Ministers and Christians go forth in the strength of the spirit of Christ to fetch off not the bodies onely but the souls also of men and women from Bethshan and bring them to Jabesh from sin to sanctity from Beth-aven to Bethel Converted ones are as Trophees after victory living monuments of honour to a conquering Christ Phil. 1.20 2 Thes 1.11 12. in the places where they live how then should the sence of that honour which is gained for Christ in gaining sinners from Sathan unto Christ act and spirit the Saints in this great undertaking Consid 3. Consider that the providences of God which have gone over and through these Nations in the years last past do speak the Saints duty and their hope of successe in what is now proposed how many storms of warre have been upon the land how fierce and full of rage hath the enemy been how many plots and engines of policy have been contrived how have men of popish and prophane principles and spirits struck at the very root of profession how have they designed the extirpation of the godly Being confident and insolent they bear their noses high in the air uttering loud and lofty languages as Rabshekah did 2 King 18. to which times this Psalme is referred by some Mâ— Trap. in loc They that hate thee have lift up their heads I do not say nor think that all they which lifted up their heads in the late warres under the royall banner were haters of God nor of his people as such though they were lifted up very high in their mistaken zeal for Kingly interest and in conscience of the oath of God which they judged lay'd such obligations upon them yet certainly without any breach of charity we may boldly affirm that there were a company of men not inconsiderable for number who took crafty councel against the Lord's people and consulted against his hidden ones ver 3. and spake out doubtlesse their very hearts and desires come let us cut them off from being a nation or from having any place of residency in the nation that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance was not this attempted at least against the godly party as Schismaticks and rebells so I limit their attempt for we had many pittifull Parliamentarians who might have gone in the throng of the most ungodly Cayaliers and in likelyhood would have found favour both for life and estate if the issue of the warre had gone for the King and hath not the Lord broken them and their plots in pieces hath he not fastened his people as a nail in a sure place Isa 22. ver 23. what think you then are not these mercies obligations upon you from the Lord to pursue his honour are they not opportunities put into your hands to advise exhort and perswade your families friends and neighbours and help them to heaven O what a pattern of Gospel-charity is good Cornelius Act. 10. ver 24. He had called together his kinsfolks and near friends to partake with him in that word of salvation which Peter from the Lord was to bring unto him how desirous was he to take them all into the Gospel-wherry that they might all be wafted over to the Lord Jesus therefore ver 33. he tell 's Peter We are all here present before the Lord to hear all things that are commanded thee of God O that such a gaining spirit such a winning carriage was in all the Saints Indeed when Religion was under the hatches in the nation and the old Puritans were underlins in every town they might have feared Lot's return from the wicked Sodomites and that dogs would have snarled at them if they had given
holy things unto them but now that godlinesse is advanced to the throne that the people of the God of Abraham are as Princes among the people Psal 47. ver 9. and that the Kingdome and the Dominion in a considerable measure is given to the people of the Saints of the most high Dan. 7. ver 27. they have an easier accesse to their prophane neighbours and more hope of fastening good upon their spirits would God you would every where take up this practice that you would make this as one of your returns to a good God! not to proselyte others to your particular opinions and perswasions if in any thing you be Heterodox but to win them over to the power of godlinesse and to embrace that Jesus Christ who is so fully and clearly offered in the Gospel O think you hear the Lord speaking singly to you by way of encouragement in this work and in reference to your respective towns as he did to Paul Act. 18. ver 9 10. Speak and hold not thy peace for I have much people in this city Let 's not limit the election of grace to the called ones but hopefully believe that the names of many are in the Lamb's book of life whose natures are yet unrenewed and who walks not after the Lambe in Gospel-paths and let us improve yea own our naturall preservations as a fruit of Gods-longsuffering that all his elect ones in the Nation might be brought off from a perishing estate and might all come to repentance 2. Pet. 3.9 Con. 4. Consider that it is a maxime both in grace and nature that we must do unto others what we would have others do unto us we must make other mens cases our own this our Saviour lay's down Matth. 7. ver 12. All things whatsoever ye would have men do unto you do ye even the same unto them for this is the law and the Prophets this is the Royall law the standard of equity in this kind a sealed weight and rule according to which we must converse with all men as one saith Charity t is true begins at home in regard of order but not of time for so soon as you begin to love your selves in the best sense you must then love your neighhours as your selves now then put the case by way of supposition suppose you were ignorant carnal and unbelieving and had a sense of that misery you were hastening unto that you saw your selves upon the brink of the grave and borders of hell would you not thank that Christian that would reprove you in love advise you in love instruct you in love and that would pull you out of the fire though he saved you with fear Jud. ver 23. would you not own it as a piece of highest love and good will in any that would endeavour your everlasting welfare why then what you would others should do unto you do you the same unto them if you should casually slip into the river and be near unto drowning would you not have your neighbour lend his hand to help you out if a neighbour should see a fire kindled upon any of your houses when you and your whole family were fast asleep and should suddenly awaken you by crying fire fire by which means you and yours are preserved from the flames would you quarrel with him for breaking your sleep or coming upon your ground I trow you would not but rather own it as an act of singular love why go you and do likewise to your sinking and sleeping neighbours hand them out of the depths of sin and awaken them that everlasting flames may not catch hold upon them The law of love will never rightly be fulfilled until Christians are acted by a principle of fellow-feelingnesse he that considers himself lest he be tempted will restore a brother that is overtaken in a fault with a spirit of meeknesse Gal. 6. ver 1. He will remember those that are in bonds who by a sympathizing spirit is bound with them and will consider them which suffer adversity who himself is also in the body and as a fellow-member feels the smart of their misery Heb. 13. ver 3. O this is the way to continue brotherly love and advance it when your endeavours are serious to save souls from hell and when you wish your neighbours well as to their everlasting estate when with â—aâ—l your hearts dâ—sire and prayer to God is that they may be saved Rom. 10. ver 1. Consid 5. Consider that what your carnall neighbours are you were some of you have been as vile as any and yet you have now obtained mercy the spirit and grace of God have put you into a hopefull way for heaven and why may it not be so with them are some of your neighbours fornicatours and adulterers why so were some of you are some of them idolatours why so were some of you are some of them thieves covetous drunkards revilers extortioners Why so were some of you 1 Cor. 6. ver 9 16. I speak not this to shame any servant of the Lord nor do I cast his former sins into his teeth to reproach him Isti homunciones invident mihi gratiam Dei were Beza's words to the Papists who upbraided him for his youthfull Poems De me fabula narratur there are enough will do that but to enmind him of the endeavour of good to them who at present are what he once was but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God ver 11. and why may not they be so can you give any other reason but free-grace and the meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good pleasure of God that you are washed whilest they continue filthy that you are sanctified whenas they are all over polluted or that you are justified whereas the guilt of sin lies upon them still and cannot the name of Christ and Spirit of God do all that in them and for them which is done in and for you Titus 3. ver 3. the Apostle gives this in charge unto Titus that he should enmind the Brethren of this as their duty to shew all meeknesse unto all men in their dealing with them under an hopefull expectancy that a gracious change may be wrought in them though little of God appears at present in them and this he inforceth by leading them back to consider what themselves once were for we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceiving serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another Con. 6. Consider that it is a piece of good friendship to your selves to endeavour the spirituall good of others you do very much consult your own advantage by it and this I shall offer in some particulars It is an high point of spirituall good husbandry an excellent way to encrease your own stock a good Minister cannot preach a good Sermon nor a sober Christian manage
faithfull endeavours in raising Zion out of her dust and Religion out of the rubbish in the places where you live How would you have blessed God if you had found Religion in such a posture how would you have honoured the memory of your Predecessours if they had travailed to have brought that to pass which you are now encouraged unto nay more you may lend that word of saving advice to a carnal neighbour which may be paid you in again by the bringing home of a Prodigal childe Your covenants for money run to you and to your heirs the Debt is not lost if your heirs receive it so your heirs may receive in a spiritual sense the Principal with the loan when you are dead happy is he who makes such provision for his children one whom you have in the way proposed brought off from vile and vicious courses may see a childe of yours when you are at rest running in the same wayes and tell him ah friend just thus it was with me I was running headlong upon mine own destruction and your Father pittied me reproved instructed advised me brought me off from my desperate wayes and put me into a good way for heaven And now I desire to shew the kindness of the Lord to you by dealing as plainly and faithfully with you as I was dealt with by your father and who knowes but the same course may through grace produce the same good effects If David remembred and requited the kindness of Jonathan in shewing love to his lame Mephibosheth after Jonathan's death why not the spirit of David stirre up bowels in those whom you have helped heaven-ward to requite that kindness in your lame Mephibosheth there is ground of hope 5. It hath a tendency towards your everlasting comfort it beareth fruit unto eternity the savour of this ointment doth not spend it self in this life Apoc. 14. ver 13. Blessed are the dead that dy in the Lord their works follow them This work of mercy which you shew in converting a sinner from the errour of his way and saving a soul from death Jam. 5. ver 20. shall follow you to eternity it shall be had in everlasting remembrance it shall be registred in that book of Records which was writ before the Lord for those that feared the Lord and thought upon his name Mal. 3. ver 16. They shall be mine in the day that I make up my jewels The Prophet Daniel speaks fully to the Saints after recompence upon this accompt Dan. 12. ver 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament they that be teachingly wise of Mascil that do prudently instruct so it propperly referres to the teaching Ministery but may not unfitly be referred unto instructing Christians and I hope without any force to the Word or any violence offered to a called Ministery Now wherein doth the wisdom of the wise shew it self so as to entitle them to this firmamental brightness why the onely wise among the sonnes of men doth determine it Prov. 11. ver 30. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life the genuine fruit of the righteous is to bring forth life in those he converseth with Salvation wisdome is the highest wisdome and he that winneth soules is by the Holy Ghost stiled Chacam the wise man and indeed Daniel himself expoundeth it to the same sence and they that turn many unto righteousness as the starres for ever Though there be some difficulty in this Text and some difference among expositours about the sense of it yet sure I may with much safety offer these positions from it 1. That man by nature runs off from his primitive and created righteousness unto by-paths of sin and unrighteousness This is clearly supposed 2. That Conversion mainly consisteth in our turning from sin unto righteousness from the power of Sathan unto God 3. That men are instrumental in the conversion of men to wit in turning them from sin to righteousness 4. That this turning of men from sin to righteousness hath a sure promise of future honour 5. That the work of Conversion is not onely limitted to a teaching Ministery it is not so proper to them as that it is exclusive to all others to have any hand or instrumentality in it Read Mr. Baxter in his Gild. salv Page 469 470 471. It was much that the woman of Samaria did towards the gathering of those fields which our Saviour saw beginning to be white as they that read John 4. may observe an unlikely means to effect so great a matter but what 's that to the Almighty as Mr. Trap speaks and brings in Junius professing that the first thing that turned him from Atheisme was conference with a country-man of his not farre frrom Florence enquire into Acts and Monum Fol. 767. Experience doth very much confirme this many servants may bless God who brought them under godly acquaintance I hope none will think that by this I derogate ought from the office of a called Ministery if the seed be sown by others it is ripened by them If the first course of stones be laid by others the building is finished by them Eph. 4. v. 12. a called Ministery doth perfect the Saints and edifie or build up the body of Christ If others are instrumental to their spirituall birth yet the Ministery goes forth in the spirit and power of Elias to make them ready as a people prepared for the Lord Luke 1. ver 17. and that though men have ten thousand Instructours yet a Godly Ministery doth in Christ Jesus beget them through the Gospel that is perfect the birth 1 Cor. 4. ver 15. the Spirit makes the seed of the Word by them prolifical and generative 6. That the honour of converting sinners unto God shall be an everlasting honour 1 Pet. 5. ver 4. ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away But I desire the Reader not to mistake me herein as though 1. I did positively assert that none can subserve to the conversion of others Aliorum salutem sedulo nunquam curabit qui suam negligit Calvin in Act. 20. ver 28. who are unconverted themselves though some think and I among the rest also that God will not honour at least very rarely doth the Ministery of an unregenerate person with the Conversion of others though the called ones may be comforted and farther built up by gifted Ministers yet I think Instances be but rare of second-birth-Christians who call them Fathers 2. Neither do I affirme that to be instrumental in the saving of others hath any thing of merit in it toward the saving of a mans self 3. Nor that it is evidence enough in it self for heaven so that he who hath the seal of his Ministry may without farther enquiry into his own estate conclude he hath the seal of the living God in his forehead and is upon that single account sure of heaven 4. Nor that we should be so wholly taken
up with the saving of others as to neglect our own salvation 5. Nor that the glory of them who are subservient through grace to the conversion of sinners shall exceed the glory of all other Saints for though different degrees of glory be clear 1 Cor. 15. ver 41. yet to lay the ground of that difference onely in the point insisted upon I do not I dare not But t is probable this Text of Daniel referres to some after priviledg or different estate of honour in heaven which they that turn many unto righteousness shall receive from the Lord from what they that are turned unto righteousness shall have for though every vessel shall be filled yet these may be more capacious then others unless we fit down with what sense is put upon it by a late godly Divine as to the first Resurrection and that in order to the personal reigne of Christ upon earth But suppose that Text should not speak fully to the assertion yet certainly to have a mediate hand in saving an immortal soul is a noble work and shall be honoured by the Lord with highest acceptation as that which brings the creature into some degree of conformity to the Lord Jesus who is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour Acts 5. vers 21. Besides there is much in that of our Saviour John 4. vers 36. And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto eternal life that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoyce together he quickens up his Disciples to diligence in Gospel work First By propounding wages for their work though not by way of merit yet of grace Secondly By that common joy which Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and all the Lords servants who are instrumental in the conversion of sinners shall have in heaven Consider That bad men are very active and industrious to gain over others to their bad principles and worse practises The spirit of the world is a gaining spirit Wicked men are true to their own Interest and serviceable to their own Master Wicked men are the Devils fetters or like that little beast which hunts the prey for the old lyon Many persons of hopefull ingenuity and carriage are decoy'd by the sleights and subtilties of some old sinners See how the wise man sets them forth to the life Prov. 1. ver 10 11. 1. By their manner of deceiving expressed in their fair and flattering words they entice blanditiis phaleratis verbis decipiunt they deceive with their smooth tongue and fair speeches so the force of the word in the Hebrew implies hence it is rendered si te pellexerint referring to the fawning carriage and flatteries of an Harlot fully held forth Chap. 7. ver 14. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and is inticed as the silly fish is by the bait upon the hook Thus do wicked men like fishers and fowlers cunningly deceive the simple 2. Their manner of deceiving is expressed by their call unto sin come with us they call the tradesman out of his shop and the ploughman out of the field to querry and mate with them in their sinfull practices much of this language may be heard abroad in the world and some is upon record in the word as that ale-bench call Isa 56. ver 12. Come ye say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant This is the drunkards oratory and promise to toll in and enter their young quaffers with 3. They are set forth by their methods of deceiving by the artifices they use First they perswade those that they draw in that they will drive on such close designes carry things with such privacy that the guilt of blood shall never be charged upon their score implyed in these phrases let us lurk privily let us swallow them alive as the grace c. as if they had said we will manage our affairs with that secrecy that strangers may as easily know the dead by their faces and what deaths they died of whom the grave hath swallowed up and the pit hath covered as men shall know who did this murther and how it was done doubtlesse this hope of secrecy hath undone many Secondly they give great assurances of much gain and advantage we shall find all precious substance we shall fill our houses with spoil Alas thou art a poor fellow hast not a penny scarce to help thy self withall but come come with us we 'l help thee to money enough thou shalt be a rich man presently yonder is a booty will make us all men Thirdly they promise to be very honest to give him his full share cast in thy lot among us we will all have one purse Wee 'll divide the spoil thou shalt have thy lot nay more thou shalt never want while we have it we 'll have a community of goods a common stock these are winning wayes prevailing arguments gilded pills and tempting poisons where the heart is not in some measure antidoted by grace against them and doubtlesse the devil gains much ground in the world by such artifices catcheth many a fowl in his nets by means of these decoyes his servants are true to his interest they spare neither pains nor purses to advance it nor are his headservants I mean Hereticks and Impostours those that are the chief factours and head men among their brethren lesse industrious into how many shapes Proteus like will the Jesuite cast himself how many hazzards of his neck will he run and how many hard journeys will he take to reconcile a poor Protestant to the Church of Rome neither do some others fall short of the Jesuites either pains or zeal to proselyte men to their opinions we have seen that made good in our dayes which our Saviour spake of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 23. ver 15. Ye compasse sea and land to make one proselyte What wanderers among the Nations have some of our Sect-Masters been what labours and hardships have some undergone what journeys tedious and dangerous by land and sea have some undertook what errand have they gone on what merchandizes have they exported but some old drugs and antiquated errours which the Saints in former ages and forreign parts have exploded but now being in-land commodities of the growth of our own Nation and being now put into a new dresse by men of English birth pretending hatred to the Romish Hierarchy are become vendible in most parts O what marts and markets have been kept by them in many of our towns to put off their stale and stollen wares and what sale have they had in some places who le towns almost in some places have come in to truck and barter with them the more is the pity that the spirit of delusion should gain so farre upon English ground O how should this provoke all that fear the Lord in truth to pursue salvation-work
and that the Tabernacle of David may be built up amongst us in our daies 3. This stayes up the spirits of Believers in suffering times when they see the resistance is not unto bloud that God so moderates and allayes the fury of men that it extends not to the taking away life as indeed the Lord very often laies such a hand of restraint upon them that they cannot exceed that Commission which he gave unto Sathan against Job all that he hath is in thine hand but save his life late times have been witness to this in the penalties fines confiscations imprisonments and exile of many precious Saints but their lives were hid with Christ in God the persecutours could not reach them and no doubt the reason was this God had set them their bounds in his goodness to the Saints which they could not pass The sense of this made the believing Hebrews so couragious and resolved Heb. 10. ver 32 33. ye endured a great fight of afflictions partly whilest ye were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions ye were reviled and hooted at and yet ye waded through all that mire with cheerfulness and partly whilest ye became companions of those that were so used surely there was then farre more good fellowship among Christians upon a spiritual account then now there is How did the old Puritans of England cling together what sincere heartedness of affection was there among them how would they owne one another in Courts and Conventicles and hug a brother notwithstanding all the dirt which was cast upon him but we are grown so fine-fingered now that we will not touch a soiled garment and so neat in our dress that we will nor suffer a spot upon our coat for Christ It were well if we were so curious in Saint James his sense to keep our selves unspotted from the world Jam. 1. ver ult or in Jude's sence next to hate the garments spotted with the flesh Jude ver 23. nay farther Heb. 10. ver 34. ye had compassion of me in my bonds relieved an imprisoned and a silenced Minister How did good Christians think it their honour to be Gaiusses and entertainers of good Ministers Nay further ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods this hath been made good also among us and how chearfully did Christians carry on their Profession under these sufferings as when the hand of the Lord is upon a family or town if the sound and healthfull see that the deceased recover and that the sickness is not mortall this takes off much of that fear which began to seize upon them they keep their dwellings and administer not unto the sick in like manner when persecution striketh at particular Christians and the Lord stayeth the rough winde of fire and faggot in that day of his east winde and that it is in measure not exceeding liberty or some less penalties others do keep their ground and shrink not from their colours Oh lay up this Confideration as a cordial by you when the fear of persecutions begets a fainting in you and as Jesus Christ said concerning Lazarus his distemper John 11. ver 4. This sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God and that the son of God may be glorifyed thereby So when troubles and persecutions arise believe and comfort your selves in this that they shall not be unto death but for the glory of God and that the son of God might be glorifyed by them Thus when the Lord had given in Peter as an answer of the Churches prayers in so signal a manner and had smote the Persecutour with such a remarkable hand of Divine vengeance Acts 12. ver 24. The word of God grew and multiplied the seed lay a while buried under earth and the blade that began to put out was a little nip'd and hung the head Hered's persecution was a blasting wind and frost it did a little stock the wheat and made it change the colour but when Peter was delivered and Herod destroyed whose death was rather precationis opus quam morbi the fruit of the Churches seeking then his own sickness as was said of Arius the Heretick who was prayed to death by Alexander that good Bishop of Constantinople then the word grew not onely the blade but to the ear yea to the ripe wheat in the ear Knowledg grew Faith grew Hope grew Profession grew Godliness grew and Comfort grew nay the Word did not onely magnifie in the hearts of those where it was rooted already but even multiplied in the Conversion of many others these gracious actings of custodient mercy being as the warm sun and growing showers unto the earth Thus Phil. 1. ver 12. Paul tells the Philippian brethren that the things which happened unto him viz. the troubles and persecutions have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel they helped forward the Gospel in the fruitfull Profession of it and he gives this as an evidence of it ver 14. because many of the brethren of the Lord walked more confident by his bonds and became much more bold to speak the word without fear at his first answer before Nero no man stood with him but all forsook him the brethren were cow'd and creast-fallen stood alooff off as fearing the rage of that cruel Tyrant who orientem fidem Romae cruentavit embrued the rising Gospel with the bloud of its Professours enacting a bloudy decree that whosoever confessed himself to be a Christian should be put to death as a convicted enemy of mankind Hence he is called by one the dedicatour of the condemnation of Christians But when they say that the Lord stood by him and delivered him out of the mouth of the Lion 2 Tim. 4. ver 17. and that he had obtained liberam custodiam freedome to go abroad with his keeper nay that he had hired an house in Rome and received all that came unto him preaching the kingdome of God and teaching those things which concerned the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence no man forbidding him that he was neither slain or shut up nor yet silenced then they took courage and not onely professed but preached the Gospel without fear and scattered that precious seed within the walls of Caesar's pallace Thus the Lord governs the sufferings of his people when not unto bloud to the strengthening of weak hands which hand down and the feeble knees and to the making of streight paths for their feet that the lame are not turned out of the way but rather healed Heb. 12. ver 12 13. There 's much healing mercy to weak believers who like Mephibosheth are lame of their feet as to profession and are apt to get a wrench in rough wayes when the Lord stayes the rage of men and brings off his suffering Saints with safety both of cask and conscience Lay up this Consideration against a day of tryal And let me add further 4. That if the Lord should leave you in the hands of bloody
every method and turns every stone to keep his own ground to man his own forts maintain his own principality and withall to gain soules to himself to fetch them off from the embraces of Christ nay he is so bold and daring that though he sees the actings of godliness from the Saints and findes a work of grace in them which he doth find by those strong repulses the heart gives to his secret temptations which are his spies sent forth to search the land by whom he learns what frame the heart is in Though he sees his strong holds beat down and defaced by a conquering spirit though he observes the stream running in another channell and that the soul is now in armes against him believing repenting mourning praying watching hearing and all against him yet he will play an after game and not be wanting in skill or will to reduce the soul And he ploughs in hope and sowes in hope for he cannot read the Lambs book of life he knowes not the decrees of God they are Secret to him untill death brings forth a discovery and the soul is taken up to God and therefore though he fears such or such a Saint that is gone off from his quarters is under electing grace yet he hopes the contrary Yee see how busie he was with Joshua the High Priest Zech. 3. ver 1. and how hard he pressed upon him probably not without some hopes to have got him or the day against him until Christ rebuked him and told him he was a brand plucked out of the fire singled out by the purpose of the eternal Father to be a vessel of grace then he sleared away and left him Yet as our Saviour probably but for a time Luke 4.13 nay though he should read their names writ in heaven though he knowes the immutability of Christs love that whom he loves once he loves to the end John 13. ver 1. and of Gods counsel that his gifts and calling are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without repentance irreversible Rom. 11. ver 29. yet such is his malice and so great is his rage against the Saints that if he cannot keep them out of Canaan hee 'l sting them and scratch them in the wilderness before they get thither though he cannot put out their light hee 'l be a thief in their candle to swail away much of their comfort though he cannot reach them in heaven he will reckon with them on earth if they must to heaven he will send them cripples thither he will have a leg or an arm out of joint or broken or he will want of his will some way or other he will vex them buffet and disquiet them many long stories and sad ones too may be told of his exploits against the Saints my own experience can witness something of his trains and treacheries of his malice and the Lords mercy of his black designs and of the Lords gracious support and disappointments blessed be his holy name and adored for ever be his goodness O then in the name of the Lord lift up your banners buckle on your armour stand with your weapons in your hands ready to receive and charge your adversary and that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day gather up your experiences of God and meditate upon the great things God hath done for you in the day of your outward troubles what that power that wisdome that goodness of the Lord hath been which hath appeared unto you and engaged for you in the time of your greatest streights and what those streights and distresses how sharp and how pressing from which the Lord hath wrought your deliverance And then go to your spiritual Logick frame such an argument as this The Lord gives help to his distressed Saints in their outward troubles therefore also will he help them in their inward temptations now if Sathan shall argue that God doth not give in succours to the Saints in their outward troubles it 's true they and it may be ye had help and deliverance but it came not from God when ye were cast upon such and such sick-beds that ye despaired of life and your friends gave you up for dead then the Physician came and by his great skill administred such physick which wrought your recovery or when ye were in such streights the liberality of your friends relieved you or in such exigencies the wisdome and potency of your allies brought you off God was not seen in all your deliverances what will you do now why your business is to secure this fort by summoning your experiences and placing them upon the works saying that ye beheld the face of God in such deliverances that your help was onely from on high that men and means stood off and came not in no not for a reserve or though men and means were seen upon the wall yet God acted by the instrumentality of them though Christians were consulted with yet the blessing of God upon the means brought forth the cure be sure ye own God in every preservation how visible and potent soever creature-helps are or have been entrench your faith in this perswasion that whatsoever secondary causes contributed the chief agency was from God If Sathan beat you out of this trench he will soon take your standard and rout your whole army but if ye make good this ground if ye have the advantage of the hill ye are out of gunshot all his murthering pieces will not reach you ye may then quiet your spirits in any assault when ye can say in your greatest distresses as Paul 2 Tim. 4. ver 16 17. No man stood with me but all men forsook me notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me Here 's a clear appearance of God Or with Daniel My God hath sent his Angel and stopped the mouthes of the Lions that they have not hurt me or with David in my distress I cried unto the Lord and he heard me Psal 120. ver 1. And surely some of the Saints deliverances have been such I can instance in mine own which were singly and signally wrought by God But now in other cases where instruments have been used as many such cases there have been be sure you give them even all created helps the name of instruments and own God as the principal Agent that his arm moved everey wheel and his hand guided and wrought with every tool do this and ye are well enough Psal 77. ver 20. Thou leddesi thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron to wit through the the red sea Moses struck the waters with his rod I but God divided the sea thou leddest is onely applicable to God and by Moses onely intimates an instrument so Psal 88. ver 65 66. Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep or like as a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine and he smote the enemies in the hinder parts he putteth them to a perpetuall shame However the