submitting to the way howbeit dark unusual and compassed with dark clouds that infinite wisdom thinketh good to take and follow in carrying on His Purposes and Designes of love and mercy to His people Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self c. I see that now would he say that I did not observe before and I am satisfied I have nothing to say against it I close with it and am fully content it be so Such a frame would suite us well let the Lord take what way He will follow what method He thinketh good How uncouth and dark so ever it seemeth to us yet so far should we be from complaining or from a quarrelling discontentedness of minde that we should heartily cheerfully and with full satisfaction of soul comply therewith in heart mind and affection 7. It is observable also in the holy Prophets frame that notwithstanding of all these interveening clouds of Improbabilities Unlikelihoods and dark Dispensations that would seem to cover and hide the comfortable relation that God standeth in unto his Church and People as their Covenanted God and Saviour yet against hope as to humane appearances and carnal reasoning he beleeveth in hope and holdeth this fast that be His dispensations what they will and be the outward and visible appearances of His owning of and appearing for His people never so small and inconsiderable yet He was would be the God of Israel and the Saviour Howbeit the reasonings of flesh and bloud would say God hath forgotten to be gracious and his Promises fail and he will be favourable no more as Psal. 77 v. 7 8 9. Yet he saw that His way was in the Sanctuary and in the sea and His path in the great waters and that though His footsteps could not be seen yet He was leading his people like a flock v. 13 19 20. Such actings of faith in a dark day would be of great use would contribute much to our Establishment keep us from staggering in the day of temptation 8. We may take notice here in this manner of expression of the burning of the holy mans Affections towards God These thoughts of the Lord's Dispensations whereby He appeared a God like himself did not alienate his heart from God nor drive him further from Him but on the contrary they did warm his Affections more and draw him nigher unto God for he is uttering these his Apprehensions of God and of His way even unto God himself saying Verily thou art a God c. It is good when our Meditations of God of His wayes how uncouth strange unusual so ever they be indeed or seem to be work thus upon us are accompanied with a powerful attractive vertue drawing powerfully inclineing the heart soul to approach nigher unto God And when the Lord is rightly seen in any of his wayes how dark soever this will follow upon it the heart will be more engadged unto God the soul will improve these meditations to a noble advantage and have thereby many sweet occasions of heavenly Ejaculations and of Postings of soul toward God 9. It is considerable also in the Prophets carriage while he thus uttereth the whole matter of his thoughts even in the Presence of God and poureth forth his soul into the very bosome of God that he was real and single hearted in all this Exercise it was not a meer rational discursive Contemplation but a real exercise of soul his heart was really in very deed affected with the mater Verily saith he thou art a God that hidest thy self His declaring of the thoughts of his heart unto God saith that he was not formal superficial or for a fashion exercised in this case but was really exercised therewith at the heart his soul was in the meditation and he looked upon it as momentous and weighty and as a matter of high concernment A Formal Superficial Indifferent and Cursory Contemplation of the works and wayes of the Lord should be hateful to us and Uprightness Sincerity and Reality should appear in all our wayes and especially while musing meditating upon the rare Passages of God's Providence Our heart and soul should be in every thought for the subject is grave and weighty and of great concernment 10. Lastly It is obvious enough that the Prophet here is in a transport of Admiration he getteth so broad a sight of this Majestick and God-like way of carrying on His work that he is astonished thereat and ravished with wondering and therefore breaketh out in this holy Apostrophe and Ejaculation verily thou art a God that hidest thy self c. Never do we get a right look of God and of his wayes but when the sight thereof raiseth in us an high admiration and wondering for it is no common and ordinary thing that is to be seen in them when they are seen in the right colours Our not wondering declareth our sight here to be but common and superficial It was no ordinary thing in the eyes of the Jewes when they saw the man leaping and standing walking who had been lame from his Mothers womb Act. 3 8 9. and therefore they were filled with wonder amazement v. 10. When David was musing upon the Lords alseeing knowledge he cryeth out Psal. 139 v. 6. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me it is high I cannot attain unto it Next Let us consider the matter and occasion of this Transport of the holy Prophet what is the thing which he seeth and what are his thoughts busied about causing this Ejaculation First He seeth God hideing Himself Next He seeth Him hiding Himself even while He is the God of Israel and the Saviour or he seeth Him abiding the God Israel and Saviour even while His way is hid and He will not be seen As to the first of these to wit the Lord 's hiding himself that is bringing about the promised deliverance and salvation to his people in a way not discernable obvious to the eyes and observation of every one in a way removed from the sight of ordinary beholders and as to them hid dark under ground and out of the reach of their perception in which is a Soveraigne Majestick Kingly and Stately procedour to be seen by Spiritual eyes and only by such as can see God while covered with clouds and thick darkness And this saith That howbeit in all the wayes and works of the Lord there is a singular rare and divine piece of State Majesty and Glory to be seen by Spiritual observers yet there is sometimes in the Lords bringing about the deliverance and outgate of his People so much hid Mysteriousness and Majestick Imperceptibility that saith to a gracious observer that the Lord is hiding Himself and carrying on his Purposes and perfecting his Work according to such grounds and rules of Divine Policy that every one cannot penetrate thereinto nor discover his Footstpes nor see distinctly the hand of God at work As
37 v. 11. Our bones are dried and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts Then even then when People can see no hope He who hideth himself can say Prophesie upon these Bones and cause breath enter into them and bring flesh upon them and cover them with skin and put breath in them that they may live Vers. 3 4 5 6 7 c. and make them a strong Army This is among his hid Acts whereof he hath a rich treasure 5. When the meanes which He putteth His peoples upon in order to their deliverance and outgate are such as promise little â—…or nothing being considered abstractly and in themselves being very unlikely in humane probability to effectuate the end designed then and therein the Lord is a God that hideth himself as when he commanded Iosua and the People to compasse Iericho and to blow with Rams Horns who could have thought that that should have proven an adapted mean for bringing to the ground the strong Wals of the City And when Esther was imployed to effectuate the ranversing of the decree given out to destroy all the Iewes who could think that thereby Haman should have been destroyed and all the Enemies of the Iewes Who would have thought that the stirpling David should have killed the great Goliah thereby brought about the defeate of the mighty Army of the Philistines Thus oftentimes the Lord maketh use of most unlikely and improbable meanes that the excellency of the Power and the Glory may be His And He cometh thus in a dark cloud with Salvation without observation that His hand may more eminently appear and be observed and His Salvation be more conspicuous 6. When some very hopful beginning of a good Work of Reformation meeteth with an unexpected stop and impediment to retard it this is one of the wayes wherein the Lord chooseth to hide Himself and His work then is His way covered with a cloud and His footsteps cannot be seen Thus it was when contrary Orders came to stop the building of the Temple after the peoples return from captivity as we read in the Book of Ezra whereby that necessary work so much desired prayed for hoped for and with such earnestness begun was for a considerable time retarded Thus was it also when David was about the bringing up of the Ark out of Kirjath Iearim to set it in its place in the midst of the Tabernacle that was pitched for it and had for this end assembled the Body of the People of Israel and all the chosen Men of Israel Thirtie Thousand and was now rejoiceing before the Lord playing before Him on all manner of Instruments then even then is there an unexpected stop put to the work for when they were advanced to Nachons threshing floor Vzzah one of the Sones of Abinadab put forth in his simplicity his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it for the Oxen shook it and upon this the Anger of the Lord was kindled against Vzzah and God smote him there for his errour and there he died by the Ark of God 2 Sam. 6 vers 5 6. And upon this the work is stayed for David was afrayed of the Lord that day and would not remove the Ark unto him unto the City of David but carried it aside unto the House of Obed Edom the Gittite where it stayed full three Moneths Vers. 8 9 10 11. See 1 Chron. 13. 7. When even the Godly are left of God to take such courses as do provoke God to anger prove stumbling blocks to the Godly and a strengthening of the wicked in their evil wayes and to bring wrath upon the Land then doth the Lord hide Himself and hath His way in the Sea for who can consider this Dispensation and not be astonied Are the Reasons hereof obvious to all Is there not something singular uncouth and rare in this Dispensation Thus was it when the Lord left Gideon to make that Ephod which proved a snare to him and to his House and an occasion of sin to the Land for it is said All Israel went thither a whoreing after it Iudg. 8 vers 27. And this was when the Lord had wrought a great deliverance by him and had subdued Midian so that they lifted up their heads no more Thus also was it when the Lord left Aaron to make that Calfe in the Wilderness that brought so much Sin and Wrath upon the People as we see Exod. 32 and 33. Deut. 9 vers 8 21. Thus was it also when the Lord suffered David to number the People moved him as it is said 2 Sam. 24 vers 1. or suffered Satan to stand up to provoke him thereunto as it is said 1 Chron. 21 vers 1. A deed that cost Israel dear for therefore the Lord sent a Pestilence that destroyed in three dayes Seventy Thousand Men 1 Chron. 21 v. 14. 2 Sam. 24. 15. 8. So we may conceive the Lord to be a God that hideth himself when we see wicked enemies imployed and actively bestirring themselves in carrying forward the Lords Work It is true when these Enemies are most active in carrying on their wicked Designes and malicious Purposes the Lord who overruleth all as the great Master of Work turneth their desperat wickedness to good and in his Holy Wisdom and by his Irresistible Power maketh that contribute to His ends and to the carrying-on of his Holy Designes for He hath a wheel in the midst of all their wheels and in this the Lords way is indeed in the deep waters so that Enemies cannot perceive this and his own People are oft in the mist and through unbeleefe and faithless fear have oftentimes unsutable thoughts of God and of His Way But the thing that we are now speaking of is a passage of the Lords Providence that is more rare and observable when to wit the Lord will force and necessitate Enemies to do that which is a manifest and plaine setting forward of His work contrare to their owne wills and inclinations as when the Philistines were constrained to send home the Ark to Israel againe 1 Sam. 6 This was a Majestick piece of Providence And that which made the way of the Lord more hid here was this that the Lord would rather bring home the Ark thus than employ the Israelites themselves and send them forth to recover the Ark by a glorious Victory over the Philistines We would readily think that He should rather have done this but He is a God that hideth himself and chooseth what way He thinketh meet 9. The Lord manifesteth himself to be a God that hideth himself in His workings when in His holy Providence He delayeth procrastinateth and suffereth His intended and promised work to meet with retarding hinderances and impediments we would think that when the Lord did so wonderfully and with such an outstretched arme bring the People of Israel out of the furnace of Aegypt to the end he might make good His promise to Abraham
and put his posterity according to His faithful word in possession of that promised land he should incontinent after He had brought them thorow the red sea and brought them to the very border of Canaan have entered them into Canaan Yet we see He caused them to wander in a waste houling Wilderness Fourtie Years Againe when He brought them over Jordan we would think He should in all haste with great expedition have destroyed the Canaanites that in a short time Israel might have had peacable possession of the whole Land Yet we see the Lord thought good to do other wayes And how many a time doth He think good to exercise the Patience and Faith of His People and for this end delay the carrying on and perfecting of the work He intendeth And this He doth not for want of strength to go over all Opposition nor for want of Wisdom as if he were put to new Resolutions and to a stand in carrying-on his old Purposes But that he may give proof of His Majestick Soveraignity and shew how Stately and Glorious He is in His Operations performing all according to the Counsel of His own will cutting short His Work when we might think it could not be finished in haste and againe drawing it forth to a longer period of time when we would think that all things cry for His hastning of it 10. The Lord hideth Himself in His workings when He suffereth Enemies at once to destroy and overthrow a work that hath been long in building and hath been carried-on with much trouble toile work and care by prayers fastings and blood We understand not what that meaneth which the Lord saith by Ieremiah unto Baruch Ier. 45 4. Behold that which I have built will I break down and that which I have planted I will pluck up even this whole land But this is a piece of His working who loveth sometimes to be a God that hideth himself It is a sad complaint which the Church hath Psal. 74 vers 4 5 6 7 8. Thine Enemies roar in the midst of thy Congregations they set up their ensignes for signes A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers They have cast fire into thy sanctuary They said in their hearts let us destroy them together They have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the Land Thus was there more destroyed in one Year than was built-up in many Is not our Lord in such a case a God that hideth Himself Who can see thorow such a Dispensation as this 11. There is a time also in which we may say the Lord is a God that hideth himself and that is when his Dispensations are so mixed and composed to speak so of mercy and judgment that People shall not know which to regaird most or what to judge of the complex Business As it was when the Ark came to the Bethshemites there was great joy and offering of brunt Offerings and Sacrificeing of Sacrifices 1 Sam. 6 vers 13 15. But behold ere the day was ended their mourning was as great as their joy for the Lord slew Fifty Thousand and Threescore and Ten Men because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord v. 19 Whereupon the people lamented because the Lord had smitten them with a great slaughter and they said vers 20. Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God and to whom shall he go up from us A wonderful dispensation wherein the Lord shewed himself to be a God that hideth Himself 12. We may adde to these another case in which the Lord may be looked upon as one that hideth himself and that is when He is unwilling to make use of holy and useful Instruments of whom much might be expected and who would willingly spend themselves and be spent in the service of the Lord. As the Lord thinketh good to make use of Instruments in his work so it is an hopeful business when the Lord raiseth up fitteth and animateth Instruments for carrying on of his work and the Lord is then appearing in His power on the head of His work But when He saith by His dispensations that He will not make use of hopful and steadable Instruments for beginning or carrying on of His work then He is as it were hid and his footsteps cannot be seen Whether 1. He expresly declareth that he will not make use of such or such a worthy Instrument that would gladly be Imployed in the work as when David did so earnestly desire to be imployed in building of Gods House yet the Lord said he should not build Him an House He would not have that service from him 2 Sam. 7. but would employ one out of his loines for that end and David must be content to prepare money and materials for the work Or 2. When the Lord taketh away Instruments before their work be ended as He did Moses who would faine have passed over Iordan to have seen that good Land and have perfected his work of leading the people thereinto Or 3. When He suffereth worthy and eminent Instruments to be snatcht away basely and unworthily as we see in Iohn Baptist a man that had not a marrow that day upon the face of the earth the only forerunner of Christ greater then any Prophet that was before him and a man that had done much good yet see how unworthily he is taken away he is cast in prison and at the desire of a light dancing damesel prompted thereto by a base and unworthy harlot and taken away in a most unworthy manner murthered in his prison and his head given as a propine and satisfying gift to that girle What a wonderful dispensation was this that the Lord should suffer them to do to this non-such and eminent man even what they would and listed But in these and the like workings of the Lord He is a God that hideth himself We have thus declared how the Lord is a God that hideth himself even when He is about to do good to and to deliver his People and have for further clearing and explaining of the mater given some instances of cases wherein the Lord may be said to be a God hiding himself If we should now enquire Why and for what Reasons doth the Lord choose to work so and bring about deliverance to His people in such an hid and unobservable manner It should satisfie us for an answere That thus it pleaseth Him to do for his own glorious ends which we may not too curiously prye into Yet seing all that God doth is done in great wisdom both for matter and method and for holy ends which His word mentioneth we may so far with soberness and humility enquire into these to the end we may be able to observe something of the wise holy workings of God and so be in better case with knowledge understanding to carry
so multiplied motives to seek salvation an outgate by sinful and unlawful wayes and meanes doubled yet the soul is fixed on Him and on Him alone and will say Asshur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses but in God alone the fatherless findeth merey Hos. 14 3. All which may discover our sinful and unsutable frame in such a dark day when the Lord is in Glory and Majesty sutable to Himself carrying on His work out of our sight and is hiding Himself that we cannot see him nor know what he is doing so may it point forth our duty and teach us what to think and what to do in such a day And to this end we may hence learn in particular to minde those duties following 1. In such a day wherein the Lord hideth Himself we should beware of entertaining any jealous thoughts of Him Satan will then be busie to muster up all the Arguments and Grounds he can to cause Beleevers at least turn jealous of God and to doubt if He will appear any more for Zion to the end they may faint and give over Faith and Hope and then he hath gained his point and Beleevers in such a day may expect this and feare their own hearts that will be too ready to comply with all Satans Motions and Suggestions This therefore would be carefully guarded against 2. In such a day the unchangable Purposes of God His faithful Word and Promises should be the subject of our Meditation on these should we dwell and ruminate to the end our heads may be keeped-up in hope and we may not despond 3. We should beware to make the day darker by sinful departing from God and by giving way to Satans Temptations When folks in a dark night are walking among snares and pits they will set down their feet with great warriness and circumspection so should we do in such a day lest we make our Condition worse 4. We should observe narrowly what we can mark in the Dispensations of the Lord that will say and evince to us according to the grounds of spiritual reasoning that God is about His work and that though we see Him not yet He in working under ground and carrying on His projects to the end we may be confirmed in our hope and strengthened to waite with patience and faith 5. We should minde our duty whatever He do for that is it we are called to and so much the rather that the Lord hideth Himself should we be diligent in unquestionable duties for He meeteth him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness Esai 64 v. 5. 6. We should beware to limite the holy One of Israel let us rather stoup and adore and acknowledge Him to be Jehovah who doth what He will The Third thing considerable in these words of truth is what is imported by that word Verily And it wouldseem to pointe out to us these particulars following which I shall but mention First That it is no light or easie mater to win to the faith and to the sight of this by saith That God is the Lord and the God of Israel and the Saviour when He hideth Himself For this ejaculation seemeth to have been or is so here expressed as if it had been the issue and result of some great inward wrestling out of which when the Prophet getteth up his head he cryeth out Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself c. And considering the frame of our heart by Nature and the subtilty of Satan and his skill and diligence to muster up all Considerations in such a day to our disadvantage this difficulty cannot but be great Secondly That this truth is of great moment being here confirmed by such an asseveration It is a truth useful and necessary to be beleeved and fixed in the heart For it is attended with great advantages and the want of the faith of it is not only sinful but most hurtful and dangerous being accompanied with many sad evils and being the cause of dreadful effects and consequences Thirdly That this Truth should be fixed in our hearts as a great and fundamental point and put beyond all doubt or disput with us that He is a God that hideth Himself the God of Israel and the Saviour The Last Particular here considerable is the Prophets uttering this Mater to God and speaking thus to Him Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself c. Which pointeth forth to us these things First The sincerity and uprightness of heart in the Prophet who could thus speak unto God and lay the matter before Him as it was Which should teach us to be honest sincere and upright in all our carriage free of deceit and hypocrisie Secondly The reality of this his Exercise and outgate for it was no made and supposed thing but real To teach us so to carry Thirdly That the Prophets heart was more warmed unto God and that this was the result of his excercise in his meditations that his heart was drawn nigher unto God for now he uttereth the matter in the very bosome of the Father It is well when our exercises have this issue and outgate Fourthly His open Profession of this matter was to exalt and glorify God for herein is a piece of solemne worship performed unto God which pointeth forth our duty in the like case CONSIDERATION XXI No man can make straight what God hath made crooked ECCLES VII V. 13. Consider the Work of God for who can make that straight which He hath made crooked IN a day wherein the People of God are persecuted and afflicted for His sake and cause it were a great help and advantage unto a christian and sutable carriage under that dispensation to have right and sutable thoughts of God and of His divine works In such a day we fancie and imagine many things amiss in the Providential Workings of God many things we think we see that might be helped and if we had the disposal of matters in our hand should be quickly redressed and thus being led away with our own proud hearts and insensibly carried down the strame we fall a censureing of the holy Way of the Lord and a quarrelling with Him because He doth not rectifie matters according to our mind and doth not governe the world or at least the Church according to our wishings and wouldings Now because this frame of spirit is so repugnant unto the Holy Will of God so unsutable unto the Children of God so hurtful unto the Soul and such an Enemie unto the right deportment of Souls in the day of Crosses and Affliction it will be of use to to speak some thing if the Lord will help to rectifie our mistakes and to cure us of these Distempers We think we see many crooked Passages in God's Way and Dispensations with the Church and with ourselves in particular and we imagine also we know wayes how to set all these crooks even But this is really a clear demonstration of our follie
God will bring upon a land inevitable judgments and will not be stopped in the execution by the intercessions of Moses and Samuel how much more may we suppose certainly and unavoidably shall judgment overtake a generation that is guilty of all those twenty grievous iniquities From this matter all of us may learne these lessons 1. To fear and tremble before this God seing He is so just and seyere a judge and Governour and seing it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God 2. To beware of abusing His Patience for howbeit it may endure for sometime yet it will expire at length as to its effects and abused longanimity will end in unavoidable ruine and in inevitable strokes of Iustice. 3. All whether Lands or particular Persons who know themselves guilty of the evils mentioned as causes procuring such inevitable rodes should hast to break off these courses that will no doubt hasten-on irremediable destruction It were best to get out of the way of the wrath of God in time If it be enquired what the People of God are called to do in such a day when the place they live-in is guilty of and continueing-in these grievous sins and they can look for nothing but wrath to be poured-out so that no Prayer Fasting or Supplication shall hold it off For Answer Let such minde those duties following 1 Let them beware to seek great things for themfelves Ier. 45. The Lord said to Baruch by the Prophet Ieremie vers 4 5. Behold that which I have built will I break down and that which I have planted will I pluck up even this whole land and seekeâ—… thou great things for thy self seek them not for behold I will bring evil upon all flesh saith the Lord. Whence we see that it becometh not the People of God to be too much minding themselves and their own things in such a day but they ought to be very well satisfied if the Lord give them their life for a prey as He promised to Baruch 2. They should stoup and adore this God who is just and righteous in all His wayes they should be silent before Him and put their mouth in the dust no quarrelsome thoughts should have place or room in their hearts Hold thy Peace saith Zephaniah Ch. 1 7. at the pâ—…esence of the Lord God for the day of the Lord is at hand For the Lord hath prepared a Sacrifice He hath bid his guests c. When the Lord is about to make a Sacrifice in a land and to give the carcases of men to the fowls of the Heavens and the beasts of the field all flesh should be silent and His People especially should quiet themselves and hold their peace before Him without murmuring or venting any discontentment at the matter 3. They should observe the glory of the Lord shineing forth in that remarkable Act of Holy Justice see His Majestie Awfulness Terrour and just Severity to the engaging of their hearts more unto Him and to a glorying in Him The black and dreadful day that was to come upon Iudah was mentioned and several things held forth to make it have a deeper impression Ier. 9 and v. 22. it was said that even the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field And then it is added v. 23. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom c. and Vers 24. But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness judgment and righteousness in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. To tell us that in such a day especially the Lords People should be taking a right view of God that they may understand and know Him to be Jehovah one that exerciseth judgment and righteousness in the earth and withall one that even then exerciseth loving kindness to His own and a God that delighteth in these exercises and that they should glory in Him even in such a day and delight in that wherein He delighteth 4. They would do well to refuge themselves in time in their chambers and shut their doors about them and hide themselves for a Little moment until the indignation be over past As it is Esai 26 20. This is the Counsel of the Lord unto His people in a time when the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity v. 21. 5. They should rest satisfied though their prayers in behalfe of the land have not that success and fruite that they could have wished that upon these grounds and considerations 1. Out of that Dispensation howbeit both black and terrible yet God will get glory both of his Truth and Veracity in his threatnings at which the wicked tushed would give no credite to them which carriage could not but Afflict His people it could not but grieve themto see those wicked ones carry so atheistically as contemning all the Denounciations of wrath but now when the day of execution is come the Lord is seen to be a God of truth and His people see then whose word standeth whether God's Word or the word of those wicked sinners Ier. 44 28. And of His justice in pursueing evil doers who said by their doings that He had forsaken the earth or that He was not a God that judgeth in the earth So also of His Holiness and Purity For then it 's made manifest that He is not as they imagined altogether such an one as themselves but that He hateth all the Workers of iniquity 2. God will have a care of them even then and be a little sanctuary unto them Ezek. 11 v. 16. and cause all things work together for good to them Rom. 8 v. 28. He will set a mark upon such as sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done that the men with the slaughter weapon may not come nigh unto them Ezek. 9. 3. He will return their prayers into their own bosome againe so that they shall not fall to the ground Psalm 35. vers 15. 4. He will accept their prayer and intercession as good service off their Hand even though He think not good to grant the Particular that they ask And if they be accepted of Him in that piece of service it may suffice and satisfie 6. They would do well to be sighing and crying for all the abominations that are committed in the land to be keeping themselves free of that guilt mourning over the same protesting against it abhorring the same that they may be preserved and protected in the day of God's contending according to what we read Ezek. 9 4 6. 7. In the midst of all these desolations and the effects of the Lords indignation burning against a sinful generation they are called to act faith on God as the true and faithful God keeping mercy and covenant for ever and to waite upon him in faith hoping and expecting with confidence that
He will carry on His work and make His Kingdom come and make all this contribute unto that end We see what desolation Zephaniah is threatning against Ierusalem and the rest of the Cities of Iudah for their great sins Cbap. 3. 1 to 7. And thereafter Vers 8. he inferreth and presseth on them that would minde the duty of the day a waiting in Faith and Hop upon the Lord saying Therefore waite ye upon me saith the Lord until the day that I rise up to the prey c. And then followeth Vers. 9 10. For then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may call upon the Name of the Lord to serve Him with one consent from beyond the Rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants the Daughter of my dispersed shall bring mine offering They should wait in faith for the accomplishment of all the great and precious promises made to the Church notwithstanding of all these sad interveening Dispensations This was the resolution of the Prophet Esai Chap. 8. 17. in an evil day when many should stumble and fall and be broken and be snared and taken Vers 15. And I will said he wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the House of Iacob and I will look for him But it will be said what shall the righteous do in the day when God is so angrie at the whole Land that He will cut off the righteous with the wicked and to this end shall draw His Sword forth out of His Sheath against all Flesh from the South to the North as it is Ezek. 21 3 4 5 For Answer I grant such a dispensation may be expected when all Flesh have corrupted their wayes and even the righteous who have not gone the length of others in Defection and Apostasie yet have not been valiant for the Lord and for His oppressed truth nor so faithful and zealous for the Lord of Hosts in their Generation as became them It is then to be feared that even many of them shall be sweeped away with the common calamity as they have been in part tainted with the common sin procuring it And in that case it is their part to minde these duties following 1. To be preparing to meet the Lord with ropes about their necks acknowledging their sin giving glory unto the Lord as just and righteous in proceeding thus against them with the rest They should prepare to meet their God thus coming in His holy displeasure to glorifie His justice as the Prophet adviseth Israel to do Amos 4 12. 2. They should be busie to get their peace made with God in time through Jesus Christ that when God shall get glory on their carcases in the sight of others they may get their souls for a prey They should be mourning as doves in the valleyes every one for his iniquity that their sin may be blotted out and their souls washen in the bloud of Iesus 3. They should be amending through the help of the Lord what hath been amisse and seeking to Him and seeking righteousness meekness upon a may be of being hid in the day of the Lords anger this is the exhortation of Zephaniah Chap. 2 3. Even to the Godly Seek ye the Lord all ye meek of the earth which have wrought his judgment seek righteousness seek meekness it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger 4. If they should not be hid but the judgment should overtake them as well as others then let them sweetly submit and lye under the rod and humble themselves under the mighty Hand of God Iam. 4 10. 1 Pet. 5 6. and say with good old Eli when sad things were denounced against his house and it was told him that God would judge his house forever and that the Lord had sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity thereof should not be purged with Sacrifice nor offering for ever It is the Lord let Him do what seemeth Him good 1 Sam. 3. 12 13 14 18. He saw it was Jehovah who could do no wrong and therefore he was quiet and acquiesced to all that He would do how sad so ever it was He saw Him the righteous Governour and Iudge and said His holy Will be done 5. They should accept of this punishment of their iniquity Levit. 26 ver 41. giving Glory to Gods Iustice and have a complacency for so the word will import in that stroke as being a stroke of Iustice and a stroke whereby God will be glorified in His Iustice Righteousness and holy Severity Thus should they kisse the rod and contentedly welcome the Sword of Justice and kisse its point when pierceing their heart because of their sins 6. Thus should they say with good Hezekiah when sad things were denounced against his Family Esai 39 vers 6 7. Good is the Word of the Lord. Vers 8. It is Iehovah's Word I have nothing to say against it holy and righteous is He and his Judgments are righteous His Threatnings are good And thus should they with the Church Micah 7 vers 9. Bear the Indignation of the Lord because they have finned against Him AMEN A TABLE Of the CONTENTS THE Introduction Pag. 1. Seven Considerations handled at more length in the first Part briefly resumed Pag. 2 3 4. Consid. VIII It is the decreed will of God Pag. 5. How trouble is decreed of God in Seven Particulars 8 to 13. How the Consideration of this calmeth the heart in Six cases 15. to 23. How it helpeth under affliction in Eight particulars 23 to 27. How this Consideration is set home in Three particulars 28 to 32. Consid. IX It is the commanding Will of God 32. That suffering sometimes is the Will of God cleared in 8. particulars 34 to 37. The season wherein People are called to suffer cleared 37 to 39. How we shall know if we be called to suffer 39 to 52. How this Consideration is to be improved in 10. particulars 52 to 61. Consid. X. God overruleth afflictions 62. God hath an hand in Afflictions cleared from 6. Grounds 64 to 71. The way hereof cleared in 14. particulars 71 to 82. How this Consideration should be improven in 8. particulars 83 to 101. Consid. XI Christ himself had a suffering life 102 Twelve particulars concerning Christ ' sufferings considerable 104 to 113. How this is to be improved in 7. particulars 114 to 125. Consid. XII Our sufferings not comparable to Christs 127. The disproportion cleared in 6. particulars 127 to 133. How this is to be improved in 7. particulars 134 to 138. Consid. XIII Sufferings the lot of the Church 140 Ten particulars concerning the sufferings of the Church considerable 141 to 146. How this ought to be improved in reference to the Church 147 to 152. How in reference to our selves in 6. particulars 152 to 154 Consid. XIV Other beleevers have been afflicted 145 Six particulars to be considered by such as are afflicted 156 to 159. Ten particulars wherein possibly others have
THE SWAN-SONG Or the Second Part of the LIFE of FAITH in times of TRIAL AFFLICTION Opened and applid by That Late Learned eminently Gracious singularly Faithful exemplarly Zealous Minister of Iesus Christ MR JOHN BROWN And published by his afflicted Friend a poor Well wisher to the Interest of Christ his suffering Remnant 1 Cor. 16 13. Watch ye stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong Eph. 6 13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day c. Ver. 16. Above all taking the shield of faith c. 1 John 5 4. And this is the victory that over-cometh the world even our faith Philip. 4 13. I can all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Printed ANNO DOM. M. D C. LXXX To the CHRISTIAN READER More particularly to the poor suffering Remnant of the CHURCH OF SCOTLAND DEAR BRETHREN and Companions in tribulation in the Kingdom patience of JESUS CHRIST I make no other Apologie for this my present addresse than that it was amongst the last commands laid upon me by the great now glorified Author of this following treatise revised by himself almost wholly printed before his death to prefixe a few lines unto it so send it out into the Church that by it he being dead might yet speake particularly to his Brethren in tribulation to whom living he was so comfortable by holding forth light sanctuary light in their darknesses and difficulties and now continues still to be after he hath no more a being amongst us by pointing forth the way of life and strength whereby the suffering saint without succumbing or sinking because of sorrow misery and affliction may be made able to do all things and endure all things while he walks in that light But Christian Reader while I obey the last command of my dear Brother I shall so far consult thy advantage as not to keep thee back by my tedious and tastlesse scrible from the perusal of a peece which not onely as to thee needs not my Epistle of Commendation For the First Part long aâ—…oe in thy hands is a sufficient Epistle to this Second with all who are in love with know the necessitie of the way of living by faith which is the Christians life in this life for till the day of immediat vision and full fruition come we must walk by faith not by sight O blessed walke which brings with it joy unspeakeable and full of glory And so it must since it is a walking with God For as faith's first work is the association of the soul with him so its next and after vvork is the assimilation of the soul to him whereupon followes that neer that sweet and dear fruition of him which hath unspeakable joy as its inseparable Companion or native effect But the due and deserved praise of the Author is so much in the Church of Christ as it needs not the Epistle of any else to command it For First If thou be not a stranger in our Israel whoever thou be then if either eminency in grace or learning if vastnesse and pregnancy of parts if fervor of zeal according to knowledge if unvvearied diligence in the work of the Lord wherein he laboured more aboundantly than any of us all for no man in the Church of Scotland hath filled up his measure even as to that nor know nor see I a man who is like to doe it nay who is in capacitie for it If a holy heroick misreguard of men and their estimation in approving himself to God by a ready and resolute withstanding the corruptions of his time and opposing all these courses and contrivances and these unworthy connivings whereby the cause hath been prejudged yea basely abandoned and the free course and progresse of the Gospel obstructed If single sollicitousnesse and strenuous endeavours how to have pure ordinances preserved in this generation and propagat to the posteritie in a word if faithfulnesse as a servant in all the house and matters of his God even that God who counted him faithful and put him in the Ministery and loyaltie to his princely Lord and Master the prerogatives of whose Crown the Privileges of whose Kingdom and the establishment of whose Throne were more prized by him more precious and dear unto him than all other interests whatsoever nay he was so far from reguarding any other interest in respect of that alone valuable one that as he was never daunted from a plain peremptorinesse in owning thereof by the dread of poor mortals or the fear of what the stated enemy could doe unto him so he was never demurred into a forbearance or brow-beaten into a base and un Ambassadour becoming silence by the displeasure and disconntenancings even of such of his Brethren whom otherwise he loved and highly honoured as to a plain contending with them wherein he perceived them not to walk uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel and to the former principles of that Church while she retained first love and did first works Yea he judged it duetie and in this he had the mind of Christ to contend earnestly with them for their not earnest contendings for the Faith though for this he should have been contemned and accounted as he was a man of contention I say if thou be such an one to whom such a blessed Conjunction of rare Gifts with such a rich and plentiful measure of Grace can endear any man I then nothing doubt but MR BROWN Great and Gracious MR BROWN hath such a place in thy soul and such a preference to others as thou wilt judge it superfluous in me to say any thing to commend what the truely great Elijah of his time I mean of this present time when having served his generation according to the will of God he fell asleep the man jealous for the Lord God of Hosts above all his Brethren whom he hath left behind him I except not one Soul nor am I ashamed or affraid to give it under my hand doth here present thee with as his farewell to the Saints and the excellent Ones in whom he so much delighted and for whose advantage he so much laid out himself night and day and for the work and cause of Christ his Lord In so much as this his kindnesse to the Saints and care of all the Churches particularly that poor Church of Scotland keept him alwayes neer unto death through his not reguarding his own life to supply the lack of other mens service to Christ and to his Church But if thou be not such an one then as thou declares thy self unworthy of what is here presented so thou canst not quarrel if I be so far of the same opinion with thee though I dare not but wish thee to be quickly of another mind I know very well this which is here hinted of the excellent and savourie Author will be unsavourie to some yea will
of Christ as it is the aim of the Writer of this treatise who after all his sufferings and sorrowes in which and under which he behaved as a good souldier of Jesus râ—…ist and was observed to have acquired a special dexteritie in making use of the shield of Faith is now got above them and eternally comforted over them in the sight and fruition of that God in whose service he lived as devoted to his fear and died in that noble posture So it is for you the earnest desire of his soul who is Your poor Welwisher and Companion in tribulation THE LIFE of FAITH in times of PERSECUTION PART II. THE INTRODUCTION A Word spoken fitly saith the Wise man Prov. 25. ver 11. or in its season or as it is in the Original upon his wheels is like apples of gold in pictures of silver that is is both pleasant and profitable We began in the foregoing Treatise of this Subject to explaine the nature of this Life which is to be had by faith in a very sad and trying time how and what way faith interesteth a Soul in this Life and how they should Act faith who would partake hereof in a day of Difficulty and Temptation wherein because of adhereing to Christ and his Truth the life of his people is made bitter unto them and they are exposed to many Troubles and sharpe Exercises And for a further Encouragment unto a faithful and stedfast adhereing to the Truth in a day of stormy Tempests and fierie Trials we mentioned some of those many Considerations which the Lord had left on record in his word that we through patience and comfort of these Scriptures might have hope and so might be perfect and of good comfort such as 1. Gods promised Presence with them in all their Trials how sharpe and fierie so ever the faith of which would make the weak and fainting soul become couragious and valiant as David 2. Christ's Sympathie with them in all their Distresses Troubles Necessities Dangers Paines Losses Crosses and Sufferings for Him and His Cause which if firmly beleeved according to the sâ—…re and undoubted grounds thereof could not but make them sing all their Sorrow out of countenance 3. The Lord's Stile of being a Redeemer which if fled unto by faith in an evil day would prove a strong Tour to which they might â—…un and be saife 4. The promises which are Many Great Glorious Sutable Pertinent Precious Sure and Covenanted and as these are made and registred of purpose that His People might have strong Consolation so the Christian faith Improvement of them in a day when Dispensations would seem to cross them is both the special duty of His people in that day and also the only mean to keep them in life and hold their head above water when called to swime against both tide and stream and the fixed faith of these would both stablish strengthen the tossed and wearie soul. 5. Former Experiences of God's Care Faithfulness Tenderness Readiness to deliver and supply wants to carry thorow Troubles and at length in due time to deliver out of them These when rightly improven according to Gods warrand and Gospel grounds will fournish a feast whereupon faith may feed and the soul become strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and with Courage Hop and Confidence wade thorow a Sea of Affliction 6. The quarrel and controversie is the Lords A noble ground of courage comfort and confidence when beleeved and rightly Improven 7. Their Sufferings are the Sufferings of Christ when they are for His sake and upon His account And this cannot but be a wel full of Consolation unto the poor afflicted and persecuted Childe of God when it is beleeved and fed upon by faith These I have as the Lord was pleased to assist spoken a little unto in the foregoing Piece onely in order to this End That the faithful and honest hearted Beleever who either hath already met with or layeth his account to meet with Sufferings of one kind or of another in following his Lord and Master in the way of Truth and Righteousness according to the Commands of God and Institutions of Christ may in part be helped to know his own strength where the stock thereof is and how he may improve the same to his own rich advantage in every Case and Condition that the Lord in his wise and holy Providence bringeth him into and that so as notwithstanding of all the fiery Trials sharpe Afflictions sore Temptations sad Exercises cruel Persecutions continual Tossings and Harassings and pinching Straits and Difficulties that he may meet with in his way he may be helped unto a Christian Deportment a Rejoicing evermore and a bearing of the cross with Joy Valour Christian Courage undaunted Resolution and a fixed Stedfastness and Unmovablness in the way of the Lord and so win to a life of faith and through faith in the midst of all the deathes that he is to rancountre with in his way to the everlasting possession of that Crown of life and of the Inheritance that is Incorruptible and Undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for them who are kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation I shall now in the prosecution of this Matter for the end mentioned mentione and speak a little unto some other Considerations such as CONSIDERATION VIII It is the decreed will of God IF the afflicted soul that is tossed with Tempests and not comforted and is like to sinck under the heavy burden of Affliction Temptation and Tribulation were considering aright how that affliction cometh not forth of the dust nor troubâ—…e springeth not out of the ground Iob 5 6. that is That afflictions come not by meer Chance neither have they all their Original from Inferiour agents carnal and worldly Instruments but there is an higher hand to be observed and espied in all that the men of this world the Instruments of Satan devise and execute and that there is an higher Resolution Decree and Determination to be heeded than what is taken by man If the afflicted soul I say were considering this he would finde himself called to far other Thoughts and Meditations than he hath or can have when his mind is onely poreing upon the secondary and far inferiour rise of his trouble to wit as from men We see what course Peter took Act. 4 27 28. When thinking upon the rage of Enemies against our Lord and against them his Servants for his sake for of a truth saith he against thy holy Child Iesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilat with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thâ—… Counsel determined before to be done So Act. 2 23. He tels them who had been Instrumental in killing of the Lord of life that he was delivered by the determinat Counsel and fore knowledg of God otherwise they had had no
refused and therein have walked consonant unto both his former Doctrine Practice and Writtings by all which before this time he had declared that the Ceremonial Law was not obliging Christ the special end and substance of all these shadowes being now come and having established the Gospel way of worship and others though they will not blame Paul nor think he dissembled in what he did yet they think Iames and the rest should have forborne to have pressed him to do what they urged him to do Yet we see that notwithstanding of this which gave the rise and occasion to these his last sufferings this not being the ground or cause for which he was persecuted but his maintainance of the Gospel and opposing of the necessary observation of the Law of Moses which was now abrogate he is in all his sufferings which followed hereupon owned of God and approven of him If it be said Though I dar not deny the Truth upon which I am challenged and staged nor dar I say but I am suffering for Truth and that I could not have shunned this affliction but by sinning yet I am made to doubt of God's call and warrand because He hideth his face from me yea He hideth himself from me more than ever This causeth me suspect that all is wong and that I have run in this matter without his warrand and allowance I Ans. This is no certaine ground whereupon to draw such a conclusion These out-lettings of his free grace and sensible significations of his favour are dispensed according to the Soveraignity of his will and pleasure A person therefore may have an unquestionable call and warrand to hazard on suffering when he cannot otherwayes do unless he would sinne though he misse these soul-comforting and heart-establishing blainks of His face How oft do we finde the Saints of God in Scripture cry out of the hiding of God's face when outward trouble was lying heavy upon them As in Iob and David and why may not the Lord dispense thus with others I grant the Trial and the Exercise is upon this account the greater but what do we know but the Lord be ordering matters so in his holy wisdom for our further trial and for the exercise of faith It is easie to swime we say when the head is born up above the water And if the Lord thinketh good to double our Trials ought we not sweetly to submit His word should satisfie us and He hath promised enough to him that overcometh We ought to remember our duty that is hold fast what we have till he come and He will come quickly Revel 2. vers 25. and 3. vers 11. If He will have us venturing upon faith why should we not glorifie him thereby He knoweth when the fittest season is of intimating his favour and acceptance That holy martyr that complained of this want all the time he was in prison yet while going to the staik was made to cry out He is come He is câ—…me Let us now speak a word unto the improving of this Consideration to the end we may see how it can contribute unto life in an evil time 1. This Consideration may calme and quiet the Sufferer and may make him enjoy peace within what ever trouble he meet with from without because hereby he understandeth that he is about his Master's work he is following dutie and walking in a commanded path whatever trouble he meet with therein So whatever other thing occurre to cause disquietment this may bear him thorow all that he is in the way of duty and obeying the command of the great Lord and Law-giver Christians use to pacifie their own spirits with this when they meet with unexpected crosses and disappointments That they were following their duty So this may quiet them under all their Tossings Troubles Persecutions and Vexations that they have sinfully occasioned none of these things nor by their sin and foolly brought them on themselves 2. When on-lookers are ready to condemne them of Foolly Rashness Inconsideratness Pertinaciousness and the like this Consideration That they are about a commanded duty may counterballance all for then they may know that whoever condemne them their Lord and Master will approve of them and how ever men construe of their doings He will account their Sufferings loyal and faithful service to Him 3. The consideration of this will helpe the Beleever to a life of Patience and Submission without fretting at their lot for sure the honest beleever hath engaged himself unto God and hath promised absolute obedience unto him in all things and to take up his cross and yoke whatever it be that God shall think good to appointe for him and without all doubt he is to have respect to all the commands of God and is obliged to carry as a Son and as a Servant and therefore must willingly and with sweet submission do any piece of service that is laid upon him go about any commanded duty with cheerfulness because it is commanded how unpleasant so ever it be to the flesh The honest beleever will say I have given up my self to His service and count it my glory to be called the Servant of God and why should I not go willingly and cheerfully and with heart and hand without all repineing or murmuring about any piece of service He is pleased to put in my hand I made no reserves nor exceptions when I resigned and gave up my self unto Him and why should I not now submit to all He commandeth Sure it is He who is Lord and Master and so must command and give-out orders I am but a servant a sworn-servant and am highly advanced when I am called and accounted a servant to him and therefore must not carve-out my own work and service but be under Authority and go and abide or do this or that or bear this or that burden as commanded It is not seemly for a childe or for a servant or for a souldier to quarrel with his Father Master or Commander for putting him to any piece of service but rather sweetly to acquiesce and run cheerfully about what is commanded And should the beleever say it is more unseemly for me to quarrel with God who is my Father Master and Commander upon a more noble and substantial an account for any piece of service He putteth in my hands I never covenanted with Him upon condition He should not call me to suffering or put any piece of service in my hand that was not easie and sweet to the flesh So that the Consideration of this would certainly move to submission and shoot-out all contrary thoughts which distract and disquiet the soul and make his spirit bitter and his life less lively and comfortable 4. Hereby would the beleever be helped to a life of Patience and Long suffering under the Trial and Tribulation when continueing long and like yet to continue longer without fainting or wearying for the honest soul would think with it self I
I wil raise up evil against thee out of thine own house and I will take thy wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy Neighbour and he shall lye with thy wives in the sight of this sun for thou didst this secretly but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun And this accordingly was done by that wicked wretch Absalom 2. Sam. 16. vers 22. And because of the high holy and soveraigne hand which God had in this sore aâ—…iction He saith by Nathan the Prophet that He would do it 3. We finde in the Scriptures that the wicked Enemies in following prosecuting their malicious designes against the People of God are held forth and spoken of as God's Instruments in that work As Esai 10. vers 5. Where the Assyrian is called the rod of God's anger and the staff in their hand is said to be His indignation So Vers. 15. They are compared to an aâ—… in the hand of him that heweth therewith and to a saw to a rod and to a staff all which we know can do nothing but as moved and ordered by the principal Actor To the same sense are they compared to a rasour wherewith God will shave the head and the haire of the feet and the beard Esa. 7. vers 20. Thus is Babylon called a golden cup in the hand of the Lord Ier. 51. vers 7. Likewise the Enemies are compared to a net which God will spread over his people Hos. 7. v. 12. and to a snare Ezek. 12. vers 13. They are likewise called God's sword Psal. 17. vers 13. and His hand vers 14. All which and the like expressions show That God hath a principal hand in the afflictions which his people meet with at the hands of wicked Instruments and that the wicked are but as so many Instruments and Lixes imployed by him for that effect howbeit they minde no such thing but drive on their own designes to satisfie their own wicked lusts 4. The Scripture speaketh of the Lord as raising up these wicked Instruments as leavying them and sending them to execute his will So Esai 5. vers 26. And He will lift up an Ensigne to the Nations from far and will hisse unto them from the end of the earth and behold they shall come with speed swiftlâ—… So Esai 7. vers 18. And it shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall hisse for the flie that is in the uttermost parts of the rivers of Aegypt and for the bee that is in the Land of Assyria By which we understand that as these Enemies cannot stir notwithstanding of all their malice rage and anger against the Lord's people till God send for them and hisse for them and as it were subscribe and seal their commission so they are wholly at his disposal as the armie is at the disposal of the General or of him who leavyeth them and employeth them In like manner we read 1 Chron. 5. vers 26. that the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul King of Assyria against the Reubenits the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh So it is said Psal. 105. vers 25. That God turned the heart of the Egyptians to hate his people and to deal subtilly with his servants And 2 Cbron. 21. vers 16. that he stirred up against Iehoram the spirit of the Philistines and of the Arabians that were neer the Ethiophians 5. We finde the Lord said frequently to deliver up his people into the hands of these Enemies and to sell them unto them as it were to give them wholly up to their devotion and disposal see Iudg. 3 8. and 4. vers 2. and 6. vers 1. and 10 7. Dan. 1 2. 2 King 17. vers 20. Thereby showing that these Enemies could do nothing against the people of God untill the Lord had permitted the same and given way thereto and had as it were withdrawn his protection and taken away his hedge of defence and so left them naked and exposed unto the rage and cruelty of their brutish Enemies 6. This is also manifest from the grand and noble Purposes and Designes which the Lord bringeth about by those meanes far diffâ—…rent from what these wicked Instruments intend as we see Gen 45. and 50 Ioseph's Brethren meaned evil against him but God meaned it for good So Esai 10. vers 7. The Assyrian meaneth not so as God doth neither doth his heart think so but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few but the Lord hath another work upon mount Zion and on Ierusalem Vers. 12. to wit to punish them only by his smiting with a rod and lifting up his staff after the manner of Egypt V. 24. or as it is Esai 27 9. to purge away the iniquity of Jacob and to take away sin Wherefore seing the Lord hath such soveraigne ends as the chastisement and trial of his people the exercise of their graces c. to bring about He cannot but have a special hand in and about the meanes which serve to bring about these ends This being sufficient to cleare up what was first to be spoken to we come Secondly to speak a little of the manner and way how the hand of the Lord is to be observed in and about the sharpe afflictions of his people by the hand of wicked persons who are active therein And in speaking to this we shall wave all subtile debates concerning God's Decreeing the event of sin His Predetermination and His Concourse with second causes in those Actions which are sinful and shall onely pitch upon some particulars which are more plaine and undeniable and also more useful to the point in hand As 1 There is the Lord 's holy permission giving way to and not restraining the furie and rage of Enemies when He hath a mind to make use of them for a scourge He must loose as it were the chaine with which they are bound and restrained and take away the hedge of protection wherewith he guardeth and protecteth his people and all that belongs to them Satan could do nothing against Iob nor stirre so much as one lambs tail that belonged to him untill the Lord for holy and wise ends gave way thereunto therefore he said unto the Lord Iob 1. vers 10. Hast not thou made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side This is also imported in the Lords giving up his people into the hands of Enemies and selling them and delivering them as a judge doth a Malefactor into the hand of the Executioner Yet we must not conceive of this Permission as if it were in all things like unto the bare naked permissions of men but as sutable to him who is a most pure and simple Act 2. There is herein considerable the Lord's Commission to speak so not that He will warrand and approve of them in their wickedness or give them any moral Authoritie or
Power thereunto but that in his active providence He hath such a soveraigne and supream hand and all these wicked agents do so depend upon Him as they cannot stirr or move till he give as it were the signe and a Providential call and commission as souldiers can not set upon a Citie or the Enemie or give an assault or charge untill the General give the word of command Thus the Lord behoved to say to Satan ere he could trouble Iob Behold all that he hath is in thy power and againe Behold he is in thy hand Iob 1. vers 12. and 2. vers 6. This is it which David's words concerning Shimei import when he said The Lord hath said unto him curse David The lying Spirit in the mouth of Ahab's false Prophets could not go forth to deceive Ahab that he might fall at Ramoth Gilead till the Lord had said Thou shalt perswade him and prevail also go forth and do so 1 King 22 22. 3. There is the Lord 's fitting as it were and qualifying them for the work by so ordering things in his Holy and Soveraigne Providence that they are enabled to carry on their purposes and to do what they are imployed in and to performe the work they are set about Absalom could not have been such a crosse and plague to his father David as to chase him from his Throne and Kingdom unless he had gote the power of the Countrey upon his side and such a numerous army to back him and whence was this but from the Lord in his holy Justice and Soveraignity Nebuchadnezar could not have been the hammer of the earth if the Lord in his holy Providence had not given him great power and might for that end Hence Christ said to Pilat Ioh. 19. vers 11. Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above Pilat was boasting of his power and place and supposed that he could do what he pleased and that he had full power over Christ to crucifie him or to set him at liberty as he pleased but he boasted of that which he was not Master of for Christ â—…els him whence his power came and that he had no more than the Supream Lord and Governour the absolute Disposer of all things was pleased to grant 4. There is the Lord 's ordering and fixing the Beginning of the Trouble which neceâ—…sarily followeth upon the foregoing Acts so as the Enemies for all their heat and rage cannot touch one hair of God's Children nor work them the least trouble before the time come that the Lord hath appointed and that He as it were appoint them to beginne and give the signe The wicked are as so many rampant and devouring lions longing earnestly for their prey but God hath them so chained and muzzled that they can neither bark nor bite till He give way Early did Herod beginne to seek the life of our Lord Jesus while He was but a childe in the swedling clothes and oft did his Enemies attempt his hurt and seek advantage against Him but all in vaine for his houre was not yet come Hence it was that when the Pharisees told him that Herod was seeking his life He answered Luk. 13. vers 32 33. Go tell that fox behold I cast out Devils and do cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall â—…e perfected Nevertheless I must walk to day and to morrow and the day following for it cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Ierusalem Jesus Christ the angel that ascended in vision to Iohn Revel 7. vers 2 3. from the East having the sâ—…al of the livâ—…ng God cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the Earth and the Sea sâ—…ying hurt not the earth neither the sea nor the trees till wâ—… have sealed the servants of our God So that there is a restraining power keeping up from hurting untill the set time come 5. There is the Lord 's determining and specifying the nature and kinde of the Trouble with which His people must be exercised and herein His determining and ordering Providence appeareth The Enemie would be at death and no less will satisfie them but He will order it so that they shall not get their will therefore will suffer them to do no more than to cast the man in prison or confine him or fine him and spoile him of his goods The Devil would have been at no less than Iob's life when he said Iob 2. vers 4. Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will â—…e give for his life But the Lord would not grant this but said save his life Vers. 6. And suffered him only to smite him with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown 6. There is the Lord 's careful Providential measuring-out the quantity of the Trouble like a faithful and painful Physician who will himself measure the quantity of the physick he is to prescribe unto his dear Son or Daughter and will not commit it unto the Apothecary who possibly may more consult his own advantage than the good of the patient Our Lord weigheth the affliction in his own just ballances Enemies may think to ruine and undo all but our God who setteth bounds to the sea limiteth their rage and will suffer them to do no more than He thinketh good The plowers plow and make long their furrowes upon the back of God's People and many a time they afflict them yet they prevail not against them why the Lord cuts asunder the cords of the wicked Psal. 129 1 2 3 4. 7. The Lord's hand of Providence appeareth in mixing together the several ingredients that make up their cup of affliction Mâ—…ny a time the Lords people have a complicated crosse as we see in Ioâ—… David Heman and others and it is the Lord who weaveth and warpeth these crosses together Satan and his Instruments are but His drudges blowing at the furnace and therefore tâ—…e Godly fixe their eye mainly upon God as knowing that He ordereth all to his own mind and no one ingredient more can be put into their cup than He will 8. The hand of the Lord appeareth in his suiting the Trouble or Calamity unto their case and necessity As a wise Physician considereth the Temper and Constitution of the patient and taketh special notice of the nature of the disease and accordingly frameth the Medicine So the Lord considereth the caâ—…e of his people and what humores and corruptions are most predominant in their souls and accordingly ordereth and prepareth such medicinal afflictions as are fittest to purge-out these peccant humores and hence there is a necessity for such sharpe Medicines as the Lord maketh use of 1 Pet. 1. vers 6 Wherein â—…egreatly rejoice though now for a season if need be ye are in â—…eaviness through manifold temptations Heaviness or Sadness through temptations and manifold temptations was necessary to their condition The Lord saw
Weapon that is formed against Israel shall prosper Esai 54 17. If these particulars were rightly thought upon and improven we might be helped thereby to a life of Faith and Hope both in reference to the sad condition of the Church in general and also in reference to our own particular suffering condition And first In reference to the Church we may from these particulars see ground of giving a check to our Inferences from the Lords's present Dispensations with His Church savouring of Unbeleef Despondency Discouragment and Hoplesness We see it is true the Church over-whelmed with sorrow fitting as a widow and her teares upon her face We see her looking pale as if death were in her face all beauty and liveliness gone her Enemies multipliying and prospering daily and the Church still sincking more and more in the sea of sorrow and distress Many it is true are ready to say can this be the true Church and these the real people of God whose life is thus constantly made bitter with renewed stormes and tempests of adversity Can this indeed be the work of God which is thus cast down to the ground and trampled under-foot Would the Lord stand by and look on when His spouse if she were so indeed is thus abused by the vilest of men Would He suffer His Name and Work to be thus blasphemed True all this and much more may be said and be done against His Church and she remaine the true Church of Christ and His work be His work It hath been so before now and there is no new thing under the Sun And the right thoughts of what is said would prevent the trouble that such Atheistical and perplexing thoughts necessarily cause if they be admitted and fomented Hath not the Church of Christ been a militant Church from the beginning hath there not been a constant enmity betwixt the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the woman Is it any new thing to see the Church driven to the wilderness and tossed in the sea of afflictions Is it any un-heard-of thing that the Church must be tossed betwixt winde and wave and have stormes and tides and all against her Is it any new thing to see the Church even while within the sight of the haven of an happy and glorious Reformation driven back to sea againe What hath she not oftentimes seemed to on-lookers to be sunck have not false friends many a time sought to drive her upon rocks or cut her cables that she might be left to the mercy of the seas or to make lecks that she might sinck to the ground Is outward prosperity the mark of the true Church No let Antichrist make it a mark ofhis seing so the Papists will The Church of Christ must be the speckled bird She must have many horns in her side Her rest and triumphant state is above though it is true she may have some breathing times some lucide intervals and a more glorious day when the Vial is poured forth on the Seat of the Beast Euphrates dried up and the Kings of the East brought in and when Babylon the great is fallen Gog and Magog destroyed and the Beast and the false Prophet cast into the lake of brimstone but then the end of her warfare will be nigh Againe would we call to mind how often the Church hath been very low and her Enemies singing a triumph as if they had gotten an everlasting victory and as if they were assured that the Name of Israel should be no more mentioned and yet the Lord hath hithertill saved and hath brought that broken Vessel saife to land Notwithstanding of all that the red Dragon the Hethenish Emperours did in persecuting with their bloudy massacres the Christian Church the first three hundered Years yet the Church of Christ grew and multiplied and spread over all the Empire And though the Antichristian abomination did prevail in the Church and the woman was made to flee to the wilderness 42 moneths or 1260 dayes or Years from the Year 660 or 666 as some compute untill the Reformation 1550. or 1560. Yet notwithstanding of this long desolation and darkness dureing which time the Gentiles possessed the outter court the Lord in his own good time in the dayes of Luther and afterward made light break up and made the world see that His Church was not yet destroyed And though now Antichrist be thinking to possesse the outter Court againe and to destroy the Reformation to make even the lands that were by solemne Covenant devouted unto Christ as His peculiar Inheritance become lands of graven images and brought under his tyrannie yet the Lord liveth we are to waite in faith hop and to possess our souls in patience for now is the faith patience of the Saints to beleeve that in due time He who hath begun to poure forth the vials of His wrath upon that Antichristian cursed conspiracy will also make an end in His own good time shall poure forth the Vial on the Beast Revel 16. vers 10. And the judgment of the great whore shall come that fitteth upon many waters with whom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication even the woman that sitteth upon a scarlet-coloured beast full of Names of Blasphemy having seven heads and ten horns arayed in purple and scarlet coloure and decked with gold and precious stones and pearles having a golden Cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication upon whose fore-head is a Name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH And which is drunken with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyres of Jesus Which is manifestly interpreted by the Spirit of God Revel 17. vers 8. to the end to be the Papal Church and State sitting at Rome and commanding all Wherefore it becometh all who love their lives to take notice of that word Revel 18. vers 4 5. Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues c. for the day is coming when it shall be said as it is vers 6 7 8 c. Rewarde her even as she rewarded you and double unto her double according to her worksin the cup which she hath filled fill to her double How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciousâ—… so much torment and sorrow give her for she saith in her heart I sit a queen and am no widow and shall see no Sorrow Therefore shall her plagues come in one day and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Let us live in hope that the day shall come when what followeth there shall be fulfilled and it shall be said as vers 20. Rejoice over her thou Heaven and ye Holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her And it shall be found true that is
that is meek and lowlie Even when he rideth in Majestie it is upon truth and meekness as the words may be rendered Psal. 45 4. When He rideth in state it is upon Meekness He is a King that cometh having Salvation lowlie and rideing upon an Asse and upon a colt tho fole of an asse Zech. 9 9. Mat. 21 vers 5. Though He be the terriblest King that ever was unto Enemies and Rebels yet He is all meekness unto his own 11. This King who sitteth and ruleth upon His throne is a Priest upon His throne Zech. 6 12 13. Behold the man whose name is the Branch and He shall grow up out of His place and He shall build the Temple of the Lord even He shall build the Temple of the Lord and He shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne and He shall be a Priest upon his Thron and the Counsel of peace shall be betwixt them both Such a King is He that will not destroy His followers notwithstanding of their sins and rebellions but will rather make an attonement for them lay down His life for them and become an Intercessour on their behalfe 12. He is an ancient King His throne is established of old and He is from everlasting Psal. 93 2. The goings forth of this Ruler of Israel have been of old from everlasting Micah 5 2. And thus His throne is from everlasting to everlasting 13. This King of Zion hath Dominion over all the earth over hell over death Angels and Authorities and Powers are made subject unto him 1 Pet. 3 vers 22. He hath them all under his command and Authority that He may dispose and make use of them as He seeth fit By Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth Visible and Invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by Him and for Him Col. 1 16. God hath put all things under His feet and hath given Him to be Head over all things to the Church Ephes. 1 22. He is King of all the earth and He reigneth over the Heathen Psal. 47 7 8. All Power in Heathen and in Earth is given unto Him Mat. 28 18. 14. He is a King that rideth prosperously Psal. 45 4. The work He undertaketh doth not misgive in His hand nothing miscarrieth or can miscarry which He undertaketh He is the happiest sweyer of a scepter that ever was His purposes fail not He is not disappointed of his Projects or Designes all of them succeed well in His hand The pleasure of the Lord shall Prosper in His hand Esai 53 10. Secondly From these Comfortable Propositions let us draw some comfortable Conclusions 1. The Church and People of God are not an headless helpless Company as many take them to be They have an Head and a living head though Strangers and On-lookers do not observe it nor beleeve it The world and the men of the world look upon them as a contemptible Company yet they have a King reigneing over them and a King that shall reigne for ever and ever They themselves are oft times perplexed and distressed in minde when they see not one great Person owning them and their Interest and offering himself to be an head unto them but if they knew what anone they had for their Head Husband and King they would not be much troubled though not one great Person in all the earth should owne them and theirCause So that when all earthly Powers forsake them and withdraw their helping hand this may comfort them That there is a standing relation betwixt Christ and them as is betwixt a King and his Subjects and this relation neither is nor can be broken off 2. Let devils men do what they can they shall not be able to destroy and root out the People of God They may intend to destroy to cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may be no more made mention of and may make a strong combination for this end as Psal. 84 vers 4. But this their Interprise is vaine they will never be able to effectuate what they designe Seing He is a King that reigneth on his Throne He must have a Kingdom and a People whom He must governe and over whom He must swey His scepter So that whoever would resolve to destroy His Kingdom must first think of making Him no King take away His Kingdom and take away His Scepter too Himself must be dethroned ere He have no Kingdome Enemies then may attempt great things and promise to themselves great success but in end they will prove themselves to be fooles for He must reigne for ever and ever and His Kingdom must be to all Generations He shall reigne for ever and of His Kingdom there shall be no end Luk. 1 vers 33. His people then may be at peace though they know what great things their Enemies designe against them and that their cruelty and rage is such as nothing but their utter overthrow and destruction will satisfie seing it is all one as if they should presume to pull God from His throne Let the Devil and his trustee Livetenant Antichrist conspire and use what Machinations and bloody Devices they will to destroy the whole Interest of Christ He must not want Subjects He shall not want a Kingdom so long as Sun and Moon endure Howbeit the people of God may be several times brought very low yea and almost out of sight as a Woman fled to the wilderness yet this exalted King who is set upon His throne by an everlasting Decree must have a Kingdom shall have a Kingdom over which to swey His Scepter 3. Yea Christ's Kingdom must be a coming and a growing Kingdom Luk. 1 vers 32. He must be great and have the throne of His Father David Many excellent promises have we of this Micah 4 1 2 3. But in the last daies it shall come to passe that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be established on the tope of the mountains and it shall be exalted above the hils and people shall flow unto it and many Nations shall come and He shall judge among the people So Esai 2 2 3 4. Rev. 11. vers 15. And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying the Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of His Christ and He shall reigne for ever ever We are taught to pray daily Let thy Kingdom come Our Lord shall be great to the ends of the earth Micah 5 4. 4. Wherefore Let Enemies do what they can His Church shall not get much hurt For so long as He is in the midst of her she cannot be moved though the earth be removed and though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the sea though the waters thereof roar and be troubled though Mountains shake with the swellings thereof Psal.
of Death we have within us lest we turn secure and careless 4. To be thankful to God if we be keeped stedfast at any time for that is not of ourselves the Grace and Power of God have done it Therefore let God have the Glory and not we ourselves 12. When once a Beleever in a day of temptation beginneth to fall and loseth a foot he may fall very foulely ere he recover himself Peter lost his foot and spoke an untruth at first simply denying his Master but it came to fearful Oaths Cursings and Execrations ere all was done For 1. The way down-ward is very easie 2. Satan is at hand to drive forward and who can stand when the Devil driveth down ward 3. Conscience being once wounded will be easily made worse If once a little hole be made in the Conscience it is easily made wider for tenderness and watchfulness go away Which should serve as a loud warning to beware of the very beginning of a defection and to guard against the very first breaking-in of waters It is not saife to say such a length I will go and so far I will yeeld to save a staik and to keep my peace but I will go no further It were more wisdom to hold further off the brinke and precipice lest if our foot slip we recover not ourselves so easily againe And we know not what a providential Commission the Lord may give Satan to drive us by his temptations forward to that which we never dreamed of because of our rash and sinful ventureing and bold hazarding upon sin and known dangers It is Wisdom to resist the beginnings of evil then are we strongest and best able to withstand whileas the more we cede and yeeld the weaker we become and the weaker we are we are the more easily driven downward and carried away of the winde of temptation CONSIDERATION XX. Gods Way of delivering his People is hid and mysterious ESAI XLV VERS 15. Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour BEcause right thoughts of Gods Mysterious wayes of Working and bringing about Salvation and Deliverance are useful in a dark day we shall speak alittle to this We finde in Scripture frequent mention made of God's hiding himself 1. His Saints are oft complaining of it Iob. 13 v. 24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face So Psal. 10 1. 44 24. 88 14. and they are making it the matter of their lamentation and laying it forth as the ground of their sorrow and griefe 2. We finde this dispensation threatned because of sin Deut. 31 18. And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought 3. We finde it also accordingly executed because of sin Ezek. 39 24. According to their uncleanness according to their transgressions have I done unto them and hid my face from them So Esai 57 17. For the iniquity of his Covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth See also Esai 59 vers 2. 64 vers 7. 54 7 8. 4. We finde this dispensation accompanied with sad Effects Such as 1. A not hearing of the praiers of his people Esai 1 15. And when ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you Hence these petitions are put up together to God by the Psalmist Psal. 27 7 9. Hear O Lord when I cry with my voice and hide not thy face far from me As upon the other hand when He heareth the cry of His people it is an evidence that His face is not hid Yea these are looked on as one thing so firmly are they knit together Psal. 22 v. 24. Neither hath He did his face from him but when he cried unto Him He heard 2. Sad and grievous Afflictions as Esai 64. 7. Thou hast hid thy face from us and hast consumed us 3. Sad and grievous Afflictions continued together with a not-regairding or owning of them in their Afflictions For so doth the Church complaine Psal. 44 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our affliction and oppression 4. Trouble and griefe inward Psal 30 ver 7. Thou didest hide thy face and I was troubled So Psal. 88 v. 14. Lord why castest thou off my soul Why hidest thou thy face from me But this is not the hiding whereof the Prophet in this place Esai 45 15. is speaking For the hiding here mentioned is of a far other nature giving us properly to understand That the Lord hath an Unseen Unusual Hid Mysterious Sublime Excellent transcendently and incomprehensibly Glorious way of carrying on His Work of bringing about His holy Purposes and of making good His faithful Promises The circumstances of the Text do fully make out this to be the true and genuine meaning of the words for the whole contexture of what preceedeth and of what followeth is a masse of gracious Promises of great things which the Lord was about to do in the behalfe of His Church and interest and the very particular Instrument King Cyrus by whom the Lord would begin the recovery of the Estate of his Church is designed and his prosperous success in all his attempts against what stood in his way foretold Objections that might arise in his peoples mindes removed and they shamed from their Unbeleeving Querrelling proud and arrogant Contending humore Together with remarkable adjuncts and concomitants of this great change of the Church to the better in their Neighbours Aegyptians Ethiopians and Saâ—…eans as also ruine and destruction foretold to come upon all the Enemies Now in the midst of these thoughts the holy Prophet breaketh out into a rapture of Admiration having in these words an holy Ejaculation and Apostrophe as ravished with the thoughts of these great incredible-like and wonderful matters and the rare and wonderful manner of bringing about this Change Outgate which humane understanding could not comprehend For as one transported with joy wondering he cryeth out in the midest of these Prophecies Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour Wherein we may take notice of these foure things 1. The frame of the Prophet and the holy disposition of his soul held forth by this abrupt Ejaculation 2. The matter or occasion of this Rapture and Transport which is twofold for 1. He seeth God hiding himself and 2. in that dark and unseen way he saw him the God of Israel and the Saviour 3. The Manner of Expressing this his admiration with a Verily 4. His venting himself thus in the bosome of God Verily thou art a God c. As to the first the frame of soul which was in the Prophet at this time we may take notice of these Particulars which may withal point-out our duty in a sad day 1. We see the Prophet fixed in the faith and perswasion of the truth of what the Lord was here promiseing concerning his Church and People He was confident and fully perswaded that
the deliverance of the people of God out of the Babylonish Captivity in which they were to be full Seventy yeers would come though at this present while he is getting this discovery and manifestation there was no appearance of their being brought in bondage led away captive out of their own land by the Babylonians far less of their delivery out of that Captivity the people being now dwelling in their owne Land living in peace and quiet far from any molestation from the Caldeans His faith and perswasion of the truth of what the Lord said to Him and by Him was the ground of this his Admiration and Ravishment For what we do not beleeve to be true how rare and uncouth so ever it be it will not ravish us nor cause in us a rapture of Admiration Hence we see all the sayings of God how improbable and unlikely so ever they may be should be embraced with fulness of faith we should with Abraham Rom. 4 18. Against hope beleeve in hope He did not consider his own body now dead nor the deadness of Sarahs womb nor did he stagger at the promise of God through unbeleef but was strong in the faith giving glory to God and was fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able also to performe vers 19 20 21. So no more should we take any notice of the humane improbability and of the many unlikelyhoods and of such things as might to humane reason walking upon humane grounds make the thing promised seem altogether improbable if not impossible But having the firme Word of God who cannot lie nor change there to rest as anchored upon that immovable Rock and ride-out all stormes of carnal Reasonings and corrupt Suggestions and Temptations of Satan 2. We see in the Prophet that all the consideration that he might have had at this time of the Improbabilities small Appearances Difficulties yea and Incredibilities to humane judgment standing as mountaines in the way of the charriot of God's Faithfulness Truth coming With Salvation to his people did but contribute to his more firme and fixed gripping of and cleaving to the Promises and Predictions and raise in his soul an holy Ravishment and Rapture of wondering at this rare and wonderful Work of God which he saw by faith And this should teach us to take notice of the Difficulties and Improbabilities that seem to us to lye in the way of the accomplishment of the great Promises for no other end than this that we may become more fixed in the faith thereby and be raised up to see more of the Glorious Power Truth Goodness and Faithfulness of God and helped to get a fuller look of God as Incomprehensible in all His wayes 3. We may observe here in the frame of the Prophet That he discovered in God something Rare Admirable Excellent and Glorious that ravished him and transported his soul He saw a Divine Holy Mysterie in God's way When the way of the Lord was to humane eyes Unclear Dark and Cloudy he saw the Glory of God shining forth with greater brightness and splendour He saw the Lord while covered as to his way of working with a thick cloud by the eye of faith he pierced the clouds and saw the Invisible Thou art a God Nay he saw that such a way whatever the shallow dim-sighted Reason of Man might apprehend concerning it was God's way and had the manifest lineaments of God engraven upon it he saw that that hid way was God-like and these thick clouds that to humane reason would darken the beauty and lustre of God's Glory did the more set off to him the Divine Glory and Majesty of God O what an excellent frame is this and how useful and necessary for his people in a day of clouds and darkness And what a sharp eagles-eye must faith have that can discover Glory in obscurity and see a rare and singular sight of God even when He is hiding himself and can observe a greater Glory and splendour of Excellency in the clouds and darkness that are about His throne How great must the difference be betwixt that sight of God which a Natural eye measuring things according to the rule of Carnal Reason can get of the most refulgent and self-manifesting Operations of God and that discovery of God which faith getteth in those dispensations of God which have no Glory or Majesty in them unto a Carnal eye How averse and unwilling should the consideration of this make us to judge of God and of his Wayes and Doings by Carnal Reason And how blinde a judge must that be of Gods Wayes and Dispensations 4. We may here take notice in the Prophets frame That he discovereth in the wayes of God about which now his thoughts are occupied an unsearchable Depth a Mystery and Incomprehensibleness For he is like a man walking into the sea and findeth it the longer the deeper and at length is like to drown and there standeth and cryeth out this ocean hath no bottom I shall lose my selfe if I go further He hath been as it were wading in his contemplations of the Mystery of God's wayes with and about his Church and People and as one loseing ground he cryeth out Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self Thy wayes are Incomprehensible Unfathomable and Unsearchable As the Apostle Paul in a case not unlike Rom. 11 33. how unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out David hath an expression not unlike in his contemplations of God Psal. 145 3. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his greatness is unsearchable 5. It is observable in the Prophets frame That as he discovereth in the wayes of God which were now the matter of his Spiritual Meditation a singular rare Beauty and Divine Excellency a transcendent Glory so he saw this while all these wayes of God were covered with clouds and darkness Even when He was hiding himself and clouds and darkness were round about Him he saw that Righteousness and Judgment were the habitation of his throne as it is Psal. 97 2. Faith can see God in the dark and discover a God hiding himself Faith can go-in thorow clouds and coverings and dark dispensations and see the Glorious God acting in Majesty and carrying on His work in Faithfulness and Truth according to His everlasting Purposes and Faithful Promises This should be our study in the day of God's hiding of Himself as to His visible dispensations and oùtward work in the world 6. We may here also mark in the holy Prophets frame a sutable Submission of spirit holy Acquiescence of soul in this singular and rare way of the Lords bringing-about His Intended Designes There is no footstep here of the holy mans Murmuring Repining Grudging or Quarrelling at this dark and unseen way of the Lord 's ordering His matters but on the contrary we may observe the Prophet stouping putting his mouth in the dust sweetly acquescing in and
print of the nails and thrust his hand in his side Ioh. 20 25. And what unbeleefe these Disciples vented who were going to Emmaus unto the Lord himself whom they knew not we may see Luk. 24 21. and may gather from Christ's sharpe rebuke vers 25 26. O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to have entered into his Glory 2. Fainting of heart So long as the shipe saileth faire before the winde a raw sea-man will have courage enough Men at Christ's back who have not yet had a storme blowing in their face will be as stout as Peter who nothing doubted but he would lay down his life for his Master who yet when the Lord is out of sight and his cause seemeth to be upon the declineing hand will shrink and turn back at a very small temptation As Peter did deny his Master and that with cursing and swearing at the very word of a Damsel 3 Self love is another evil that such a day as this will discover Many will appear very self denied and willing to hazard all for Christ and His Cause in a faire day who when a storme cometh will be unwilling enough to cast their goods over board to save the shipe In a day when the Lord is hiding himself many will seek to save skin and life by such indirect courses as sometime they would have been ashamed of 4. Impatience How doth the heart of many too often say little less than that graceless King said This evil is of the Lord why should I waite any longer for the Lord 2 King 6 vers 33. Such expressions as that good man had in that dark day do evince this sufficiently Psal. 77 v. 7 8 9. Will the Lord cast off for ever And will He be favourable no more Is His mercy clean gone for ever Doth His promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies 2. The Lord followeth this way and methode that he may put his people to the trial and exercise of the graces of His Spirit such as these 1. Their Faith in Him and in His Word and Promise It is no great art or difficulty to beleeve that God will make good His promise when he is in the sight of all beholders most manifestly accomplishing whatever he said and promised But for Abraham to beleeve that in his seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed and that his Seed should be multiplied as the Stars of the Heaven for multitude when he had not one Child and himself was stricken in years his body now as good as dead he being about an hundered Yeers old and when Sarahs Womb was also dead that was faith then his faith appeared while he against hope beleeved in hope when he staggered not at the promise of God through unbeleefe but was strong in the faith giving Glory to God for he was fully perswaded that what God had promised He was able also to perform Rom 4 vers 18 19 20 21. Againe It was no great matter for Abraham to beleeve that it would be as the Lord had said when Sarah was with Childe had brought forth her Son and he was healthy and thriving but to beleeve the accomplishment of the promise when God said unto Him Go offer up thy Son thy only Son Isaac there was faith accounting that God was able to raise him up from the dead Heb. 11 vers 19. Thus faith is both tried and exercised 2. Patience is also tried and exercised when the Lord is out of sight seemeth to say He will not yet come the time is not yet come We oft cry out How long will the Lord hide his face not so much out of an earnest love and desire to see his face againe as out of impatience Psal 6 vers 2. and 13 v. 1. and 35 17. and 90 13. Iob. 7 v. 19. Hab. 1. v. 2. The Lord will thus teach his people to stand upon their watch and upon the watch towr till the Vision that is yet for an appointed time and tarrieth shall speak Hab. 2 vers 1 3. 3. To try and exercise their hope for that is the fit time for the exercise of this grace when humane appearance and probability faileth and when the Lord hideth himself and delayeth his coming Rom. 8 v. 24 25. for usually then people are ready to say there is no hope Esa. 57 10. our hope is lost Ezek. 37 11. What is my strength said holy Iob Ch. 6 11. that I should hope It is good in such a case to say with the Church Lam. 3 24. The Lord is my portion therefore will I hope in Him 4. To try and exercise their Submission to and Dependance upon Him That they may learne to carry as humble Children that they may say with David Psal. 131. Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofâ—…y neither do I exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for me Surely I have behaved and quieted myself as a Childe that is weaned of his Mother my soul is as a weaned Childe And so hope in the Lord not arrogantly set limites unto the holy One of Israel nor prescribe a way that he must follow but leave him to follow His own way and method with due Submission and Dependance laying the hand upon the mouth when He is pleased to hide himself and to take another way then we would possibly wish or desire 5. To try exercise their Diligence and Constancy in Prayer and Watchfulness As when the Master delayeth his coming so when he hideth himself as if he were not coming or would not come many are ready to fall from duty and fall a beating their fellow servants and to eating and drinking c. Mat. 24 48 94. Therefore the Lord will have all His People set a watching as not knowing what houre or after what manner He will come and to exercise them in this duty of Watchfulness and Diligence he will come and not let them know of His coming nor tell them when or after what manner He will come The Consideration of this should in general teach all His people as upon the one hand to guard against and bewar of these evils mentioned which Satan and Corruption upon occasion of the Lords hiding of His Way and keeping Himself under clouds after the manner mentioned doth provoke stirre up the soul unto so upon the other hand to minde faithfully set about the Duties mentioned which are especially called for at such a time But more particularly we may mentione some duties and recommend them to the practice of His People in such a day as this As 1. This Dispensation calleth upon all Gods People to be observing the Lord in all His wayes and actions and to mark His footsteps even when they can not be seen to observe His stately goings in Majestie
like a Prince that will not walk in the view of every common Subject nor suffer every mean person to be privie to his Secrets of State These rare and unusual works of the Lord call for more then ordinary observation It is a mark of graceless persons and a sin bringing-on sad and ruineing strokes to consider none of Gods wayes Iob. 34 vers 26 27. That is a divine precept Prov. 23 26. My Son give me thy heart and let thine eyes observe my wayes shewing that this is the Duty of all the Children of God as to observe the Precepts of God so also his Wayes and Workings and that it can be performed a right only by such whose hearts are given away to God and that it argueth an heart fixed upon and united to God as being a native and kindly consequent thereof At the end of a large Historical narration of many remarkeable passages of the Lord's Providence the holy Psalmist thus concludeth Psal. 107. vers last Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. Showing what the spiritually wise will do and what advantage they will have by thus considering the singular wayes of the Lord. This Considering of the wayes and workings of the Lord comprehendeth these things 1. A beleeving that God howbeit unseen yet is working though clouds hide Him out of their sight yet they do not hinder Him from working He is working though we perceive Him not 2. A musing and pondering and dwelling on the thoughts of God and His wayes As when the Lord saith Psal 50. Consider this ye that forget God He presseth them to a serious meditation and pondering of what was said 3 A seeing and observing of a stately Majesty in the Lords carrying on his work after such an hid manner 4. A passing of a sutable and wise judgment on what He is doing construeing all to the best This is to consider wisely of his doing as Psal. 64 vers 9. 5. A serious observing of every discovery or appearance or speaking effect of the Lord 's working to the end they may speak thereof to others and declare the Work of the Lord and be confirmed in their faith and hope and encouraged to waite 2. In such an hiding time when the Lord is pleased to hold Secret Councel and to act and carry on his Stratagems accordingly it becometh all His People to act Faith and Fear Faith to beleeve in hope against hope and Fear to stoup and stand in awe knowing that He is God and will act like himself How happy is it to get a sight of an Absolute Invisible Soveraigne when He is hiding himself as a stately Prince 3. As in a time of darkness when his people sit in darkness and have no light they are called to stay themselves upon God Esai 50. So in a time wherein the Lord is walking out of sight and no man seeth what He is doing His people are called to live by faith Now the just shall live by Faith Heb. 10. When was this When he who should come was not yet come and there was little appearance of his coming When the Vision was not yet speaking Hab. 2 vers 2 3. 4. Waiting Is especially called for at His peoples hand in such a day which includeth the exercise of Faith Hop and Patience Faith to realize the thing promised and give an objective being as it were to that which is not visible in it self nor apparent Hope to embrace and to stretch forth the armes to lay hold on what is promised and Patience to keep the Beleever in the Possession of his soul in the meane time This was the Resolution of the holy Prophet Esaias Chap. 8 vers 17. And I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the House of Iacob And I will look for him 5. It is the Duty of His People in such a day wherein the Lord is hiding Himself and is walking and working under clouds to be stooping and adoreing which comprehendeth these duties following 1. Not to quarrel with nor to grudge fret nor repine at the Lords taking of this course for the glory of his own name 2. To look upon and consider Him as one whose wayes are unsearchable and past finding-out As perceiving Depths that are unsearchable in all His wayes 3. Upon this account to look and consider upon His Wayes with Fear Dread and Reverence 4. To beware to set limites to the holy One of Israel or to conclude that He will not come to save His People and Inheritance because he cometh not in the way which we imagine He must come as if infinite Wisdom could not finde out wayes beyond what ever we can imagine 5. To have high and sublime thoughts of Him and to speak of Him as such an high and exalted Prince whose wayes are out of our reach and beyond all our Apprehensions 6. His Children would in such a day labour to liâ—…e nigh God by faith that hereby 1. They may be keeped from fainting while compassed with darkness assaulted with Satans Temptations who then will be busie tempting Gods People to say there is no hope now God hath forsaken the Earth He will returne no more 2. They may be keeped from siding with the Workers of Iniquity and from turning aside to evil courses because there is no manifest appearance of the Lord 's returning to rid His People out of thraldom and to break the Power of the Adversary 3. They may get some discoveries now and then as the Lord seeth good to grant them of God even while hideing himself which may endear Him unto their soul and warm their heart towards Him Such as live thus by faith nigh to God in such a day are faire to see that which others living at a distance shall not partake of 4 They may be led of God by an unseen hand in such a dark day for the meek will he guide in judgment and the meek will he teach his way Psal. 25 v. 9. And the Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him vers 14. We come next to speak to the Second Particular which the Prophet discovered through this thick cloud He saw this hid God to be the God of Israel the Saviour and he owned him as such and spoke and prayed to him as such from whence we may observe these Three Things First That all the darks and hidden passages of the Dispensations of the Lord about His People do not alter or change his Relation to and Covenant-Interest in His People A forsaking God can and will be a Beleevers God notwithstanding thereof Psal. 22 v. 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me This holdeth true of a Church ay and while He give her a bill of divorce and excommunicate her after she hath proven obstinate and incurable in her wickedness Hence we finde the Lord so often owning a wicked and sinful People as His as Psal. 50
and carrying it on to His glory to their good And this confirmeth their faith in His abiding the same whatever His dispensations be This should let us see as upon the one hand the great goodness and condescendency of God who will lout down and help his weak people who are desirous to fear him and to walk honestly before him in a dark day and will set a prospect to their eye whereby they may see as Moses did from the top of Pisgah the promised land and that great ground of Joy and rejoiceing that the Lord hath not forsaken His people so upon the other hand it should point-out our duty to wit to be living nigh God even while He is hiding Himself and pursuing after an hid God to the end He may lead us while we are in the dark and hold us by our right hand that we stagger not through unbeleef and fall but may be helped through his grace to a sight of Him as the God of His people even when He hideth himself whereby we should have many advantages As 1. This sight of God in such a day as it would set us with earnestness to pray so it would encourage us to continue instant in prayer knowing that the return would come in due time seing the Lords mind were not altered His affections remained the same His relation to Interest in His people was not changed therefore He would hear and helpe in due time 2. This sight would strengthen the child of God unto all Patience in waiting when he saw that the Lord would come and that the coming of the Lord drew nigh he would waite and stablish his heart in waiting as the husband man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth Iam. 5 7 8. And by this patience as he would establish his heart as this place of Iames sheweth so he would possesse his soul Luk. 21 vers 19. 3. It would also strengthen fortifie confirme their hope for faith discovering this sight would make the soul stretch its hands thorow the dark cloud to grip the glorious promises lying hid in the other side and embrace them Those worthies mentioned Heb. 11. though they did not receive the promises yet having seen them a far off being perswaded of them they are said to have embraced them vers 13. 4. This would keep up their head and cause them sing in hope they would rejoice in the midst of their Affliction and notwithstanding of all the present and apparent impossibilities in the way of the Lords return of recovering his work they yet would rejoice with joy unspeakable full of Glory because they would see the Lord would come and subdue Nations and loose the loins of Kings and open the two leaved gates and break in pieces the gates of brasse and cut asunder the bars of yron Esai 45 1 2. But if it be said When the Lord is not pleased to lead poor beleevers into these secrets in a dark night nor grant them the use of such a lanterne whereby they may see their way nor such a discovery of the grounds of the immutability of this Relation what can poor beleevers do in that case The answere lyeth in that which we may Thirdly Observe from these words of the Prophet as pointing forth the duty of the people of God in such a case after the Prophets example seing for this end this is here set down to wit That in a day wherein the Lord is hiding Himself as to the way of bringing about the promised salvation and out-gate of His Church and People it is the duty of all beleevers to be asserting this Relation of the Lord 's to and interest in His Church and People as their God and Redeemer and to be closeing with Him and griping to Him as such let dispensations seem never so manifestly to speak out the contrary be never so discouraging to them in that adventure For we see the Prophet and doubtless this was left on record for our instruction in the like case and while under the same circumstances even while he is beholding and considering God as hiding Himself laying hold upon Him as Israels God and as the Saviour and asserting this as a Truth to which he would stand which he would owne let matters go as they would This doth include these things 1. That in such a day as this which was mentioned the People of the Lord should look upon it as their duty to Professe Declare and Avow that the Lord is Israels God keeping fast His Relation and Close with Him Grip to to Him Accept of Him and Adhere to Him as such 2. Thatin such a day specified they should certainly expect that he will answere that Relation and be indeed a Saviour And Salvation should be looked for from Him alone none else from no other airth Thou art the Saviour The first of these is manifest from these Particulars 1. That no dispensation we meet with will warrand His people to have mistaking thoughts of Him or to stand aback from laying hold on Him For they are not sent for that end but rather to drive them nigher to him and to urge them to a more firme and fixed adhering to Him Windy blasts will not cause us hold a more careless grip of our cloaks but rather cause us hold them faster 2. The darker the dispensation be our need of holding Him fast is the greater and so our call the more loud 3. This is the way to get the sanctified use of such Dispensations and to win to the right improvement of them And without this we cannot carry aright under these and the like dispensations 4. This is the proper season for Faith to bud and appear in and to bring forth Fruit And this is the native and kindly exercise of Faith in such a day 5. This is the only way to get a right frame of Spirit under such a dispensation and to carry as beleevers ought to do 6. This is the only way to be keeped stedfast faithful and unmovable in that day of darkness and without this the soul is exposed to all the tempestuous on sets blasts of the Enemie Hereby noly is the beleever keeped fast anchored on the rock that will not fail The second Note is likewise clear upon these grounds 1. Because in such a dark day Faith should be exercised and that is the proper season wherein faith should appear and should grow that is as it were the soil wherein faith should bring forth fruit When the knife was at the throat of Isaak the Son of the promise and the first and only sprout and appearance of that seed in whom all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed yet Abraham the father of the faithful beleeved that God was Faithful and True and would be his Salvation 2. Thus the Lord is glorified when blow stormes as they will and temptations to a despareing desponding of heart be never
assert an Vniversal Subjective Grace that is Grace and Power granted to every One to hearken to the voice of God calling in Nature and in the Gospel to convert and turne themselves to believe and repent if and whensoever they will because they see not how it is consistent with Gods Wisdom and Goodness to require any duty of man but what he giveth him full ability to performe not regairding the stock of strength that was once given to man and was dilapidat by Adam But as to this how crooked so ever we suppose it to be we must rest here that the Carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8 vers 7. And that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2 v. 14. and that Faith is the gift of God Ephes. 2 v. 8. And that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do according to his own good pleasure Phil. 2. vers 13. And that Christ is a Prince exalted to give Repentance Act. 5 v. 30 And that God is a free Dispenser of His grace as being obliged to none and shewing mercy to whom he will 4. That work of the Lord 's covenanting with Adam as the Head in the name of all mankinde and his imputing his sin unto his posterity who were in his loines so that all become borne and conceived in sin and obnoxious to the wrath of God because of that transgression of Adam according as the Apostle speaketh Rom 5 vers 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entrâ—…d into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned And againe Vers. 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression And Vers. 18. Therefore as by one mans offence or by one offence judgment came upon all men to condemnation This Dispensation I say seemeth so crooked to some such as Pelagians Socinians Arminians and Quakers that they must absolutely deny it and say there is no such thing as original sin though Paul saâ—…eth Ephes. 2 vers 3. that we were by nature including himself the Children of wrath And David telleth us in his humble Confession of sinnes to God Psal. 51 ver 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me And Iob sayeth Chap. 14 v. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one And to the same purpose Bildad Iob. 25 v. 4. How can he be clean that is borne of a Women 5. For further setting even what otherwayes men think crooked in the way of the Lord they imagine assert and defend an Universal Redemption saying that Christ hath died for all equally say some with some difference say others because it seemeth a crooked thing with them and inconsistent with the Nature and Goodness of God not to seek the Salvation of all and not to prepare meanes of life for all so not to send Christ to die for all and every mothers son though we be plainly enough and expresly told in Scripture that the Father gave not all to the Son to redeem but some and that Christ laid down His life a ransome for those alone who were given to him to save and of whom he must give an account to the Father as having undertaken to redeem them from Hell Wrath Satan and all their Enemies and by His Power and Grace to bring them saife home at length as being their Head their Husband their Shepherd their Cautioner their Lord Ransomer their Intercessour and Advocat with the Father and that these are an all and called the â—…orld to point out their natural Original that Grace may the more appear to be grace and to pointe out their being scattered through thâ—… world and taken out of all Kindreds Tongues Nations People Languages especially now under the Gospel in distinction from the dayes of the Old Testament when the Iawes were only the peculiar people of the Lord and in Iudah only was God known and his name great in Israel 6 Further to make God's supposed crooked wayes straight the Enemies of the free Gâ—…ace of God imagine that the will of Man must be left Free to be Lord of all and absolute disposer of the decrees and purposes of God of Redemption and of Salvation so that the Lord must not by an Irresistible Power draw any home to Christ contrary to Ioh. 6 44. Nor create in any a new heart and take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh contrare to Ezech. 11. 19. and 36 26 27. Because they cannot see how it can consist with Gods Love to mankinde to preferre one to another they imagine that God layeth the matter alike to all mens door standing equally and knocking at every mans door and so leaving it to them alike to choose or refuse to become happy or miserable as they please and so they say that when God hath done all He can or will do to save people their will is at perfect freedome to accept or reject the Grace of God and that there is no special saving work of grace upon the heart of one more then of another O what real crooked work do foolish men make here How do they darken deforme and make crooked the glorious straight work of the free grace of God wherein absolute Soveraignity glorious Grace and the free Mercy of God shineth forth with such a Soveraigne Lustre Beauty and Glory Paul had other thoughts of the matter when he said Ephes. 1 vers 3 4 5 6 7. Blessed be the God and Father of ouâ—… Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Celestials in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Iesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of His will To the praise of the Glory of his grace wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved c. 7. To salve this same Diana of Free will the same Persons do deny the Free and Absolute Decrees of God touching any thing to be done by Man whether good or evil because they cannot see how God's Absolute Decrees concerning this or that can consist with the free Actings of mans will not impose an absolute necessity on man to do or not to do according to what is decrâ—…ed as the stone must absolutely and naturally move down-ward and the Sun shine and all Natural causes act and work therefore to make this supposed crook straight they see no other way but to deny all such Decrees and Purposes in God not knowing that as God's decrees determine the event
broken and a burnt Covenant and that sword shall devour flesh till the Land defiled under the inhabitants thereof by transgressing the Law changing the Ordinances and breaking the everlasting Covenant be soaked with the blood of the men guiltie of these abominations and then Alas who shall live when the Lord doth this I say it was the foresight of this wofull day which made this Seer draw these draughts and lay before thee these Directions that thou may not be put out of frame and posture But mayest be strengthened perfected and throughly furnished unto every good work when all things run in a confusion and tend to ruin and that thou mayest know of a blessed a secure and safe place of retreat in that dismall day when it shall be said to the men with the slaughter weapon in their hand begin at my sanctuary begin at the houses of Ministers and Professors I know it will be mistaken if I say it But yet I cannot forbear it Alas of all the men in the Nation we may particularly meditat terrour and I feare it shall be seen and observed escape who will many of us shall be taken escape who will Ministers their wives children and many professors together with their wives Children shall not escape mayest be as Mount Sion that cannot be moved yea and without fear by living the life of faith though the earth should be removed and the mountains carried into the midst of the sea though the waters thereofroar and be troubled and though the mountains shake vvith the swelling thereof There is a refuge and quiet resting place there is strength and a present help in the time of such trouble for God is then a rock of salvation and a refuge to his people even in such tempests and troubles vvhen the Confusion and calamitie is so great and universal as the sea seems to svvallow the mountains and the mountains seem to smother the sea And the Authors designe in what thou art here presented with is to teach thee how to make this rock of ages all things to thy self by believing and acting faith upon him which he hath made himself to thee in the promise that so thou mayest be safe and sing because to thy securitie by him there is unspeak able satisfaction to be had in him when the sinners in Zion shall be afraid and fearfulnesse shall both surprise the hypocrits and many who have the root of the matter in them because of what they have been and because of what they have unworthily done and left undone he who followes this Course shall dwell on nigh his place of defence shall be the munition of rocks his bread shall be given him and his waters shall be sure Believe it my Brethren all you have found is but the least part of vvhat you have to fear yea of what is inevitable The fury of the Lord is ready to be poured forth as fire upon this generation the day and hour approaches wherein no man shall have any thing left him to allay his sorrovv or comfort him in his anguish But he vvho being in Chist Jesus is in case to oppose the Comforts of the Holy Ghost and that everlasting Consolation which is in Christ to present confounding and overwhelming calamities the oppressions the horrid and bloody barbarities of enraged cruel and blasphemous enemies incensed into a madnesse against the followers of the Lamb and thristing insatiably after the blood of the saints who dare nor receive the mark of the beast the tumult of incensed friends the clashings the contendings the insurrections of brethren against brethren will make our poor Land such a weary Land as men shall be weary of their lives and wish to be gone from the evil day yea shall either seek for death and not find it or in agony and horrour shall be found of death and cannot flee from it But ô how in that day and hour will the sweet shadow and the secure shelter of the rock of Ages revive and refresh such as have accesse with boldnesse and confidence to lay themselves down under it they shall finde it that place indeed where the weary are at rest they shall finde that this is the rest alone wherewith they may cause their weary souls to rest and that this is the refreshing too such as believe in Christ Jesus and dwell in him by faith and delight in him by love shall either not finde the evil of these dreadful dayes which are coming or what they sinde of it shall not much trouble them because of what upmaking they finde in the fruition of him who gives meat out of the eater sweet out of the strong and who shall walk with them in the midst of the fiery furnace when we may exspect it shall be made seventimes hoter than ever we saw it For the Devil is come down having great wrath and the cry of our crimson iniquities is gone up to Heaven O happy is the man who by all his distresses is driven to seek and make sure a dwelling in the secret place of the most high and to take up his abode under the shaddow of the Almighty for such may sit down and sing because safe and say of the Lord He is my refuge in him will I trust as it is Psal. 91 vers 1 2. O safe ô sweet refuge he can finde no evil who is got in there and no evil can finde him For he covers the man with his feathers who trusts under his wings and his truth is his shield and buckler Would the man that is escaped in thither change his dwelling place and abode for a Kings palace while in this Pardise feasted upon the peace of God would he change his shelter for a strong tower O! by no means the Universe cannot afford him such securitie and protection neither can it supply him to a running over with such plentie of sure and unspeakable pleasure O hovv excellent doe these finde his loving-kindenesse who put their trust under the shadow of his wings As they shall finde there a refuge until the calamitie be overpast so they shall be abundantlie satisfied with the fatnesse which they shall finde in this house and he shall make them drink of the rivers of his pleasure he shall feast them while others famish upon the begun fruitious of himself and while others are made to weep and wring their hands over their broken and emptie cisterns they shall finde that with him is the fountain of life so that they may drink and drink aboundantly and thus forget their povertie and remember their misery no more Nay this is such a happie hiding place as it 's a compleat dweling place any hole or hold that is a shelter and protection in the day of a windy storme tempest is thought good wars will commend the bottome of a dark dungeon where a man is as buried alive yea a coal siâ—…k whereof some dear to God have in our dayes while
power over him It is good and necessary for Beleevers to be alwayes and then in particular fixed in the faith of this That nothing cometh to passe by chance or fortune as we sâ—…y but that all events that fall out or come to passe are from Eternity freely and unchangably Ordained and Appointed by the unalterable Determination and Decree of the holy and wise Counsel of God for He worketh all things after the Counsel of his own will Ephes 1 11. There is an unalterable Decree past in the grand Court of Parliament in heaven concerning all Events that fall out in the world even such as we would think to be most uncertaine and contingent as events determined by lot Prov. 16 33. The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. What more uncertain than that the souldiers should not handle Christ after the same manner that they handled the other two who were crucified with him and yet they broke not his bones as they did the bones of the rest and they pierced him which they did not to the rest and that because it was determined of God that not a bone of Christ should be broken and also that he should be pierced and that the Scriptures might be fulfilled where mention was made of these determinations as we see in the Evangelists besides many other meer to us accidental things that befell him I know what difficulties some move about this matter in sinful events as all the Trouble Affliction and Persecution are which the people of God meet with at the hands of wicked Instruments upon the account of their adhereing unto Truth and following duty But I shall purposely wave all disputs at this occasion and onely hold forth the Truth and thereafter shew how it ought to be improved unto advantage in such exercising times 1. Whatever Affliction Cross Trouble Suffering Triaâ—… or Tribulation any of his are put to endure in following of duty it is not to be looked on as an accidental fortuitous event or chance but as determined of the Lord who hath in his Soveraigne wisdom and Counsel thought fit to have it so and ordered it that it should be so that his people in all ages should meet with Opposition Contradiction Affliction Crosses or Persecution at the hands of one or other so that the Substance of the Trial and Exercise is to be looked upon as ordained and determined of Jehovah Such a determination as this must be the ground of that Act. 14 22. And that we must through much tribulaâ—…ion enter into the Kingdom of God And of that wich Paul saith Act 20 23. though he knew not in particular what evils should befall him at Ierusalem whither he was now going yet he knew that bonds and affliction did abide him saying Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and affliction abide me It was determined then that these as pages of honour should attend him and should wait for his landing in every place he came unto And yet more clearly he tels the Thessalonians 1 Epist. 3 3. That they knew that he and the rest were appointed hereunto that is to afflictions adding Vers. 4. For verily when we were with you we told you before that we should suffer tribulation even as iâ—… came to passe and ye know Peter also in his first Epistle mindeth those he writteth unto of this several times and pointeth them unto this will of God that they might eye it that is His determining decreeing and appointing will 1 Pet. 3 17. For it is better if the will of God be so that yâ—… suffer for welldoing c. And againe Chap. 4 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God c. From all which Testimonies we see that there is a Will Determination Resolution and Decree of the Ancient of dayes past anent the Afflictions Trials Tribulations and Sufferings of his people 2. Not only is there a Decree and Determination past in the Court of heaven about the Sufferings of the people of God in the grosse as it were and in general but also the special Kind of the Crosse or Affliction that they meet with or the special manner or quality thereof God hath not only decreed that this or that man this or that follower of Christ shall meet with some Crosse and some Affliction or other but he hath determined the species and kind thereof to wit whether it shall be a cross as to his Body or as to his Estate or as to his Spirit or as to several or all of these together whether he shall be put to suffer Fineings or Confinments or Imprisonments or Exile or Death whether Scourgings Paines and Torments or Harassings Feares Perils or what ever it be Paul knew that bonds did abide him The Lord determined that Abraham's Posteritie should be strangers in a Land that was not theirs be made to serve Gen. 15. vers 13. He determined that Satan should cast some of the Church of Smirna in prison and that they should have tribulation Revel 2 10. We know also what was particularly threatned against David 2 Sam. 12 11. 3. As the Lord decreeth the Kind and Species of the Trial so likewise he passeth a Determination concerning all the Ingredients and Parts of the same The trial possiblie is not one single Exercise but one complicated and compounded of many a cup not of one pure liquor but mixed of many ingredients but of how many Ingredients so ever it be compounded and of how many parts so ever it consist yet all of them are particularly and determinatly decreed and appointed of the Lord. Many bitter ingredients were in the cup which Christ gote to drink but all and every one of them fell under a plaine and peremptour determination of heaven They were gathered together saith Peter in the fore cited place to do whatsoever thy hand and thy Counsel determined to be done there was a whatsoever here Nothing was or could be done but what this Counsel of God had Determined to be done and all that was done was Determined by this Counsel 4. The Degree and Measure of the affliction that His people are to meet with is as particularly determined as any circumstance thereof else we know what Ioseph's Brethren had intended against him when thy said come let us slay him and cast him into some pit Gen. 37 20. But God had not intended so much and therefore they were made to change their minde and to sell him to the Midianites Vers. 28. And though thereby they thought they were quite of him for ever and that he should remaine a slave to his dying day yet we know it came otherwise to passe they thought evil but God meant it unto good Gen. 50. vers 20. As the Lord had another end before his eyes than they had so he had determined that they should not reach their end nor do any more than should contribute unto
His end The King of Assyria had it in his heart to destroy and cut off Nations not a few But God had another end in raising him up to be a scourge and therefore suffered him not to do all he would Esai 10 6 7 12. Upon this ground it is that he debateth with his people in measure when he sendeth forth his rod and stayeth his rough winde in the day of his east winde Esai 27. 8. 5. The Season and time of the affliction and trial is likewise determined of the Lord which is another Circumstance sometime very considerable and weighty He hath determined the minute of time when it shall beginne and with what occasion it shall be trysted He determined the precise time when the Messiah should be cut off after threescore and two weeks Dan. 9 vers 26. 6. The Duration of the Trial is also determined by the unchangable decree of God to a day yea to an houre and a minute He decreed the length and duration of the affliction that was to come upon the posterity of Abraham four hundereth and thirtie Years Gen. 15 13. Exod. 12. vers 13. And at the end of these Years even the self same day it came to passe that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the Land of Egypt where these Years of servitude were to end So he determined seventy Years for the captivity of Iudah in Babylon Ier. 25 12. and 29 10. Dan. 9. vers 2. 7. He hath also determined who shall be the Instruments of the trouble He said he would hisse for the flie that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt and for the bee that is in the Land of Assyria Esai 7 18. He appointed the ruine of Iudah to be by the Babylonians or Caldeans He determined to raise evil against David out of his own house 2 Sam. 12 11. These particulars might have been further enlairged and confirmed but because I suppose the truth herein will not be denied or questioned by the Lords people it will be much more useful to speak a few things concerning the right use making of this Truth That there is a Decree past in heaven from all Eternity touching our Sufferings and all the Ingredients and Circumstances thereof concerning the manner and way of our troubles the time when and how long the Instruments by whom and all the other particulars considerable in the same all are fixed by a peremptour and unalterable Determination Now the faith and beleeving Consideration of this would still and calme the risings of our proud spirits and the insolent stirrings of our corruptions when the Affliction that is bitter and unpleasant to the flesh is lying on and make us patiently endure all and sweetly submit to all saying the will of the Lord be done Let him do what seemeth him good as good old Eli said when he heard the determination of the Lord concerning him and his family wherein were many sad and bitter ingredients as may beseen 1 Sam. 2. and 3. Chapters and goâ—…d is the â—…rd of the Lord as good Hezekiah said when he heard by Esaias that the Lord had determined that all that was in his house and all which his fathers had laid up in store untill that day should be carried to Babilon nothing should be left and of his sones that should issue from him which he should beget should they take away and should be Eunuchs in the palace of the King of Babylon Esai 39. vers 6 7 8. Whether 1. Our thoughts be troubled at the kind of the Cross or Affliction which is upon us so as we are ready to say had the Lord sent any other rod or affliction upon us than this wherewith we are exercised we could better have born it Had he visited me will one say with Poverty and not with Disgrace I could have born it and another had my affliction been any other than just what it is I could have comported with it but the consideration of this that God hath decreed that that even that same crosse should be thy cross and no other will make the Soul sit down and say seing the Lord hath from all eternity appointed and shapen-out this even this and none else for me I must bear it and submit to his will who is wiser than I am and seeth further than I do and knoweth what is good and best for me better than I my self do His holy will be done This is a grief and I must bear it saith Ieremiah Ch. 10 19. 2. If our heart be troubled and vexed at the Consideration and thoughts of the particular Ingredients in and Parts of our mixed and compounded cup of affliction whereof every one seemeth more bitter than another and we be saying we are compassed with evils on all hands trouble of Body is upon us and trouble of Mind also we are wrestling with paines inward and outward with poverty with disgrace with perils and hardships and all at once This will compose our spirits if we call to mind that God hath willed and decreed all this He thought good to have it so He hath ordered as a wise Physician all the Ingredients of our bitter cup and what have we to say against him Iob we know had many a bitter ingredient in his cup and this compesceth the tumultuatings of his spirit Iob 23 13 14. But he is in one mind who can turn him And what his soul desireth even that he doth For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me and many such things are with him As if he had said what He will do He will do none can turne him or make him change his mind He performeth what He hath appointed and decreed for me and He can do much more yet and what know I but he shall do much more against me than he hath done This did so far put him from quarrelling at what was done that he was troubled and afraid at the thoughts of the Majesty and Soveraignity of this great King who doth what he will and so might adde yet moe ingredients in his cup as long as he was left breathing and thereby make his case worse 3. If the thoughts of the exceeding great weight and measure of the Trouble vex us this may counter-work that and calme us if we should suppose that God doth not measure-out our calamitie by drachmes and unces but by pounds and ston weights and thereupon cry out that our Trouble is greater than we can bear and give way to sinful murmurings and complainings we should do well in that case to call this to mind That all the doses are weighed and appointed for us from eternity He hath measured every scruple or graine weight thereof and what he hath appointed for us we must have He knoweth best what dose or measure of such or such a simple and what weight or quantity of all together will worke best on our humors and this will helpe to calme our spirits knowing
that He hath determined all things according to infinite wisdom according to the Counsel of his own will and more than he hath appointed shall no man be able to inflict He leaveth not the measuring and weighing out of the ingredients of our calamitie unto men or enemies but himself doth it by an unalterable Decree that all the rage of Enemies can not change as to one ase or in the hundereth part of one drachme We hear what Christ said Ioh. 18 11. The cup which my father hath given me shall I not drink it It is true when the dregs of this cup wherein was the Curse was presented to him his holy humane Nature in a sinless manner scunnered at it Mat. 26 39. If it be possible let this cup passe from me Yet as sweetly acquiescing in the Lord's Determination he addeth Nevertheless not my will but thy will be done And againe Vers. 42. O father if this cup may not passe away from me except I drink it thy will be done Bitter and sharpe was this cup even to the highest degree yet he viewed the will of God appointing that he should drink it and calmly submitted and said not as I will but as thou wilt 4. It is true the Consideration of the season in which we are exercised and trysted with such a trouble may adde griefe to our sorrow and we may say in our vexation had this Trouble come upon us at any other time we could have better comâ—…orted therewith had it either come sooner or later we had been more able to have born it but as it is come precisely at such a nick of time it becometh a double burden unto us Yet it will help to calme us and compesce our turbulent spirits to remember that He who knoweth all seasons and all times hath chosen this and no other for the particular season wherein we shall meet with such trials and it could be no otherwise than he hath willed the trials behoved to come at that very nick and minute and no other an ancient Determination passed thereupon and no power under heaven could alter it no not for one houre or minute 5. When our thoughts are busied about the Duration of the Trouble this Consideration of a Divine determination past also thereupon will contribute to our setling We are ready to cry out when afflictions lye heavy upon our loines oh will they ever come to an end shall we never be redeemed herefrom Shall we never see a good day again And we are ready to conclude that our hopes are perished and we are cut off for our parts as Hezekiah said when trouble lay upon him Esai 38 10 11 12 13. I said in the cutting off of my daies I shall go to the gates of the grave I am deprived of the residue of mine years I said I shall not see the Lord the Lord in the Land of the living I shall behold man no more with the Inhabitants of the world mine age is departed and is removed from me as a shepherds Tent. He will cut me off with pining sickness from day even to night will thou make an end of me I reckoned till morning that as a lion so will he break all mâ—… bones from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me The affliction through the distemper of our spirits raiseth such a mist before our eyes that we can not see thorow the dark face of the dispensation How oft do we limite the holy one of Israel and say if he come not before such a moneth or such an year we may conclude that he will not come at all and so need waite for him no longer and the oftener that our foolishly set prefixed Periods go over the storme continueth or groweth our fainting despondence groweth especially when we consider the evil disposition rage and cruelty of Enemies and see how their strength groweth and providence seemeth to smile upon them But now the faith of this that He who hath set bounds to the raging of the sea saying hithertil shalt thou come and no further hath also bounded and limited the time how long such a Calamity or Triâ—…l shall endure will sedate our mindes and keep us calme and free of that discomposure of Spirit that the thoughts of the restless Malice incessant Rage and cruel Hatred of the Enemies will and do usually cause for do they what they can God will observe the Periods prefixed by himself his thoughts take place in all generations And when our hearts are disquieted at the thoughts of the long continuance of the Affliction the calling of this to remembrance That the only wise God hath determined all the houres and minutes of its continuance for his own holy ends will prompt us to say we cannot strive against the Almighty Let us therefore waite His time in patience all our strugling will but perplex our selves the more and all our endeavours to get free will but contribute to our further entanglement we shall not be able do what we can to Anticipate his day and therefore it is best for us to minde the duty of the day and lay aside all thoughts of using any unlawful meanes for our outgate and waite in patience untill his good time come 6. As also the thoughts of the Instruments of our trouble and calamity may sadly affect us as we see it did David Psal. 55 vers 12 13 14. It was not an Enemie that reproached me then I could have born it â—…either was it he that hated me that did magnifie himself against me then I could have hid my self from him But thou a man mine equal or a man according to my rank my guide and mine acquaintance We took sweet Counsel together and walked unto the house of God in company See Ps. 41 9. So many upon this account may say If my trouble were brought unto me by any other hands and instruments I could comport the better with it but when it is caused by such an one my neer Relation mine obliged friend of whom I least expected any such thing and unto whom I could have yeelded up my self and all I had how heavy must it needs be unto me But the Consideration of this That so it hath seemed good unto the only wise God and Supreame Soveraigne may and should and when rightly beleeved and improven will cause us lay our hand upon our mouth and say The good will of the Lord be done Hath he determined that such an one and not another shall occasione all my griefe and sorrow shall be instrumentall in all my Calamities good is the will of the Lord though I would think that if I were persecuted and troubled by others it would be better and I could bear it better yet seing Infinite wisdome hath determined this circumstance of my calamity why should not I acquiesce Thus we see how this Consideration rightly improven and duely beleeved will help such as are under Affliction Trouble or
Calamity to a sweet quiet submissive and patient life for 1. By this meanes the soul will be freed from sinful murmurings grudgings frettings and repineings at this or that Particular this or that Instrument or this or that other Circumstance of its present Distress and Calamity in that hereby it will be made to see that its murmuring thus is against the Lord and against his Soveraignity who determineth what he will according to the good pleasure of his will and is to give an account of his wayes and determinations to none 2. This will help unto a Christian Patience under all that God thinketh good to lay on and to endure patiently without wearying untill his good time come for they will easily see that it is not for them to strive against the Almighty or to think to cause Him alter his Purposes and Resolutions seing He is of one mind and none can turn him 3 This will teach Christians sweetly to comply with all the holy determinations of God concerning their sufferings and to say heartily and cheerfully The will oâ—… the Lord be done as those did who were perswading Paul not to go up unto Ierusalem and found that he would not be perswaded Act. 21 14. O what a sweet life is this to be sailing with the stream of God's eternall Determinations and to be embracing and kissing every Dispensation we meet with how sharp and bitter so ever it be because it is Determined by the absolute Soveraigne and Lord of Heaven and Earth How light and easie doth this make every load that is lying upon our shoulders when we bear it as bound upon us by an everlasting Decree 4. This will help unto a life of practical Praising of the Lord as Absolute Soveraigne for when the event is submitted unto and sweetly embraced because determined by a fixed Decree of the Lord Jehovah the soul doth thereby declare and acknowledge His Soveraignity and upon the matter by practice in submission even though silent doth Celebrat the praises of that Absolute Soveraigne who is God over all blessed for ever while as such upon the contrary who fret and rebell against the Lord's Determinations by refusing to give that sweet hearty submission that is requisite do give a practical declaration of their not beleeving and acknowledging of Him to be the Soveraigne Lord of all 5. The thoughts of this will free the soul of many heart-perplexing soul-distracting disquieting and renting thoughts such as these If this had not been or if I had not been in such a place or had not done such or such a thing I had been free of all this so that every thought of every thing that had but a far-off and remote tendency unto the occasioning of the trouble is enough to distract disquiet and perplex the man I do not mean here sins occasioning or bringing on of trouble for these should be thought on and mourned for which will not marre this sutable frame of Spirit but other things about which our thoughts are more readily conversant in such a time and beside these thoughts of what hath been done or not done in times by past there are other thoughts of what may yet further be and how that may be prevented which may not a little unhinge and disquiet the soul Now from all such is the soul freed by the beleeving thoughts of God's eternal Decree concerning their trouble and all the way of its coming to passe and the occasion and all other circumstances how and by whom it was brought on Here the soul will finde such a satisfying subject of Meditation that other disquieting thoughts will be quickly hush'd to the door and the soul will finde no leasure for them 6. Hereby will the soul be keeped from poreing upon and too much eying of the motions of the under-wheels of Creatures and instruments of the trouble and calamitie which will rather cause a reeling and giddiness and hence occasione a staggering and falling than any stayedness or establishment because hereby the soul will be brought to fix its eye upon that one wheel of the Lords that moveth evenly fixedly and invariably in the midst of all the wheels of men the motions whereof are so irregular eccentrick and so opposite and contrarious one to another 7. Hereby is the beleever helped to win to that life of tasting and feeling the sweet of that serenity of soul that a filial disposition possesseth the man of by an holy humble son-like submission and subjection of soul unto the good will of the Lord When this submission is yeelded unto the Supream will of God upon Christian Grounds and Considerations the soul is in a manner brought into the suburbs of heaven and enjoyeth an heavenly serenity and peace of minde whereby it is in case to sing under all its sorrowful pressures and the confused noise of such as are the Agents and Instruments of all the calamity and the beleeving thoughts of the Soveraigne will of God ordering and appointing all is a singular help hereunto 8. The beleever is hereby put without the reach of many a Temptation and is strengthened against them whether to use unwarrantable means to be delivered from the Trouble and Distress incumbent or to prevent what may be further imminent and is to be feared or to vent his displeasure against the Instruments of all the calamity or the like for here will be an antidote at hand The Lord ordereth and disposeth of all things according to His own holy and wise will and nothing can come to passe but what He hath decreed and what He hath decreed shall come to passe and that when and neither sooner nor later and how and by whom He hath decreed and no otherwayes what have I then more to do but to minde my present duty and welcome what the Lord's will determineth for me will he say There are these Three particulars which set home this Consideration and promoveth thereupon this work of Submission and hearty acquiesceing unto the will and determination of God and which should be thought upon to this end 1. The Lord is in all his Determinations and Decrees unalterable as he is unchangable in himself there being no variablness or shadow of turning with Him Iam. 1. vers 17. And if it were otherwise He could not be infinitly Wise in himself or not Almighty and Irresistible by others for any alteration that might be in the determinations of his will must either flow from new and second thoughts in himself and so He were not Infinitly wise or from inability to effectuat or through his former Determinations and therefore must take new measures and so He were not Almighty Now the Soul should think with it self Should I wish or desire that the Lord's will were not done that He should not be able to do what soever he will Psal. 115 3. and 135 6 or that any of his everlasting Purposes and Decrees should fail and not take effect or that He should alter his purposes
and Tenderness not being the Rule of our duty we must not think that we are never called to hazard on suffering untill we meet with some such Dispensation of his free grace Nor must we waite for some singular Intimation made by some more than ordinary light given to discover the Truth and the Importance thereof for owning of which we are exposed to suffering The Revelation of the Truth made by Jesus Christ in his Word is the only ground of our faith our faith thereunto is called for though we want such rare communications of Light bearing home the soul-captivaring perswasion of the Truth its concernments over all possiblity of doubting or hesitating in the least for these are not our Ground or Rule of faith but soveraigne and special helps to strengthen our faith and to fix us more upon our ground But the ground of our Suffering and that which we should look upon as a call from God to choose suffering is the Lord's command to owne and avow His Truth so that when the Lord in His Holy and Wise Providence ordereth matters so as that we must either suffer or sin in denying His word or any point of Truth revealed in his word and so either Suffer or forsake our Duty then are we to look upon our selves as called of God to choose suffering rather than sin When as it were Sin and Suffering are laid before us that we may make our choise and there is no third thing to demurre us nor any faire and lawful way to escape the suffering but by sinning then with Moses in that forecited place Heb. 11 2â—… We are to preferre Suffering before Sinning and that according to the will of God This deed of Moses in chusing rather to suffer a â—…tction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season was a rare Act of faith and consequently an act of obedience faith being no blind act but walking upon the ground of a command When then we can not evite suffering but by sinning in denying the Truth or in not adhering to it or not Professing of it according to the will of God we suffer for well doing This is it that is acceptable unto God and that to which we are called to wit That we take it patiently when we do well and suffer for it This is to endure grief suffering wrongfully for conscience towards God and which is thankworthie 1 Pet. 2. vers 19 20 21. Hence we see that it must be Truth and the Word of Christ that must be suffered for else we cannot be said to suffer for Conscience towards God nor for well doing If a Person be under the Power of an Erroneous Conscience taking that for Truth which is nothing but Errour his suffering in defence thereof and for adhering thereto is not suffering for well doing nor for conscience towards God nor have such any call from God to suffer upon that account and yet if for fear of suffering any such should deny that which they apprehended to be truth they should virtually deny the truth of God and sinne because they should deny that which they took to be the truth of God and if it had been â—…eally the truth of God they would have denied it no less than now they have done though they did mistakingly apprehend it to be the truth of God when it was not In this case there is no preventing of sin but by laving by the blinded and erroneous Conscience that is by laying aside the mistake and errour and receiving â—…ight Information concerning the Truth And therefore when a time of trial cometh and persecution ariseth upon the account of the Testimony of Jesus and of his Word all wâ—…o would be found faithful in that day of trial should labour to have the Word dwelling in them richly to be rooted and grounded in the Truth tobe receiving and drinking-in the Truthes of God and to have all grounded upon the infallible Word of Truth that what they owne and hold may be the sure and undoubted Truth of Jesus and so a part of his Testimony And for this Cause they would be living neer to Him who is the Truth that being taught of Him and receiving the Truth as it is in Jesus they may be in case to assert and owne the same upon all hazards and so fitted for witnessing to the Truth and for holding fast Christs Word and nothing else But some may say Though we know and beleeve the Truth that is opposed Yet we are not able to maintaine it against learned Adversaries nor to answere their contrary Arguments and Objections How can we suffer upon the account of such a piece of truth which we have not skill and understanding to defend against cunning Adversaries I Answ. Though it is true Men of great parts and abilities to plead and argue for truth would seem to have a great advantage in such a day of trial yet experience proveth that such as are far inferiour unto them as to parts and abilities will be helped to faithful witness-bearing to the Truth when they may shamfully decline that Duty Suffering is a peculiar gift doth not alwayes accompany the gift of learning And I doubt it be required of all Christians to be able to disput for the truth and to answere all the Sophismes of cunning Adversaries yet it is required of all that they contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints Iud. 3. and that they stand fast in the faith 1 Cor. 16 13. and in the Lord Phil. 4 v. 1. 1 Thes. 3 8. and hold fast Christs Name and the Word of his Patience and not deny his Faith and Name Revel 2 10 13 and 3 v. 8 10. and that they keep his Word Revel 3 8. It is the Duty of all to receive the Truth and the Love of the Truth and when the truth in its Love and Loveliness is received then it sincketh into the heart and such though they cannot Disput for the Truth yet can suffer for it and not deny it upon any termes Though they have but a little strength yet they will keep his Word as is spoken to the Commendation of the Church of Philadelphia Revel 3 v 8. Truth is Truth though we be not able to defend it against Sophisters and to stop the mouth of gaine-sayers and the Truth as it is in Jesus and as it is a part of his Testimonie who is the Truth should be owned and maintained by suffering The Primitive Christians who suffered martyrdom for the Truth were not all able to answere the Cavils and Sophismes of a Celsus and a Porphyrie and others who imployed their learning and parts against the Truth yet having received the love of the truth and embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ no sufferings nor torments could move them to a forsaking or denying of the same They did keep Christs word and would not deny his Name But may some say what
and through Him expect to be accepted of the Father in the discharge of the duty CONSIDERATION X. Afflictions are all ruled and over-ruled by a good hand of Providence which is alwayes in and about them MAny a time the Beleever when swiming thorow a sea of trouble and afflic tion and finding no sensible in-come of reliefe or mitigation of the calamity cryeth out with the Church Esai 49. vers 14. The Lord hath forsaken me and my God bath forgotten me And as it is Esai 40. v 27. My way is hid from the Lord. He hath left me alone in this sea of trouble as forgetting that I am into this wrestling and fighting postoure He hath turned his back upon me and seemeth unconcerned with all that is come upon me and yet is lying heavy on me He considereth neither my weakness nor the strength and violence of the Temptation under which I am and which is like to overwhelme me Hence he crieth out with David Psal. 31. vers 12. I am forgotten as a dead man out of minde And againe Psal. 42. vers 9. Why hast thou forgotten me It is certaine such sad complaints are not altogether justifiable as they proceed from men in whom is so much corruption and unbeleef though in our blessed Lord while on the cross such a sentence as My God my God why hast thou forsaken me was free of all mud or unbelief for though they express the ardencie of their desires to have the Lord smiling upon them yet there is some admixture of dross in them and they hint at least that they apprehend God is at a distance taking little notice of them or of their present condition but withdrawing his helping hand or delaying to send reliefe as not careing how great their Affliction be or how their Enemies trade them under foot Hence we see what corruptions are ready to stirre and work in the beleever at such a time And the faith of God's being alwayes present with them while under the trial and ordering all things in the dispensation with a fatherly care and tenderness would comfort them and ease their mind in the saddest of their distress It may therefore be of use to speak a little unto this Consideration In order therefore to the clearing-up of this Consideration for the end intended we shall 1. Show that the Lord indeed hath an high and holy hand in all such dispensations as prove sad and grievous afflictions unto the godly 2. We shall endeavoure to explaine and clear how and what way the hand of the Lord is in and about these afflictions only with an eye to our present designe 3. We shall briefly pointe-out the way how this Consideration should be improven in the time of Affliction and Tribulation As to the first That God hath an holy and high over ruling hand in and over the afflictions and crosses that his people meet with This is past all doubt and disput as to some of them such as poverty through God's immediat hand blasting mens labours and endeavours or taking away their goods by sea or by fire or destroying their cattel by death and sickness upon their bodies or death of friends and relations and the like In such every one will grant that God hath an hand and every wise Christian will look upon them as the Centurion that great Beleever did Mat. 8. vers 8 9. as God's Servants and Souldiers under his command and Authority to go and return as He enjoineth But as to other afflictions brought about by the Instruments and Under-agents of Satan maliciously set to persecute the Godly in their Name Liberty Goods Life or Conscience though none of Gods Children when they are in their right mindes at themselves will deny the Soveraigne over ruling hand of Providence yet while under Temptation wrestling with the calamity they will be found too ready to think and speak that which is not very consistent with the lively faith and perswasion of this Soveraigne Truth we shall therefore in a few words confirme it from the Scriptures 1. We finde that the Godly have looked on these sad afflictions brought about by wicked hands out of wicked purposes and designes as coming from God principally and have eyed God as having a principal holy hand in the same The affliction that Ioseph met with was sad when he was sold by his own Brethren though it was they that had sold him that out of wickedness and maice yet he saith Gen. 45 8. to them It was not you that sent me hither but God He saw the Lord to be the principal disposer of all therefore saith Gen. 45 5. God sent me before you to preserve life And againe Gen. 50. vers 26. But as for you ye thought evil against me God meant it unto God to bring to passe as it is this day to save much people alive It was likewise a great affliction to David to be scourged with the tratorous tongue of Shimei railing upon him when he was flying from the face of his Son Absalom and calling him a Man of blood a Man of Belial and saying to him the Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul in whose stead thou hast reigned And behold thou art taken to thy mischiefe because thou art a bloody man 2. Sam. 16 5 6 7 8. Yet holy David observed an higher hand in all this and therefore said Vers. 10. Solet him curse because the Lord hath said unto him curse David Who shall then say wherefore hast thou done so And Vers. 11. againe Let him alone and let him curse for the Lord hath bidden him He taketh up God's hand in the business as principally ordering the matter So Iob when the Sabeans and Caldeans had robbed him of his goods said nevertheless Iob 1. vers 21. Naked came I out of my Mothers womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord He looketh over Instruments and seeth above them an higher hand over-ruling all and ordering all according to His soveraigne will and pleasure See also Ps. 44. v. 11 12. and 89 39. 2. The Lord himself by his Prophets signifieth so much and as it were looketh upon the deed of these wicked Instruments as His own because of His principal holy hand therein ordering all to His own holy ends Thus he saith by Amos 3 6. Shall there be evil in the city and the Lord hath not done it So Esai 45. vers 7. I forme light and creat darkness I make peace and creat evil I the Lord do all these things Darkness then and evil and sad dispensations are from the Lord Creator He formeth and maketh these things according to his own mind Likwise Ier. 18 11. Thus saith the Lord behold I frame evil against you and devise a devise against you A remarkable passage we have 2. Sam. 12 vers 11 12. Thus saith the Lord behold
that their case called â—…or it otherwayes he had not exercised them thus 9. So the hand of the Lord is manifest in making the affliction answerable to their strength A potion may be fit for and suitable to the disease yet may be too strong for the weak patient and more readily kill than cure therefore a wise and tender Physician will take good notice of the patients present strength So the Lord who is tender of His peoples welfare will proportion the Physick of affliction unto their strength Hence we hear it said 1 Cor. 10. vers 13. But God is faithfal who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able Accordingly Ieremiah prayeth Chap. 10. v. 24. O Lord correct me but with judgement not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing The Lord s way is to correct his people in measure Iâ—…r 30. vers 1â—… and 46. vers 28. And as a father pitieth them that fear him for he knoweth our frame he remembereth we are dust Psaâ—… 103. vers 13 14. He knoweth that their strength iâ—… not the strength of stones nor are their bones of brass and so he knoweth they are not able to bear many blowes Thus we see the Lord measures the affliction to their strength It is true Paul saith 2 Cor. 1. vers 8. That he and his companions were pressed out of measure and above strength which would seem to contradict what is said But this seeming contradiction will be taken away by what we shall next adde 10. When the affliction and distress is such as would undo and presse the poor Beleever out of measure if he gote not some new supply of strength to stand under that burden the Lord's hand appeareth in fitting the Beleever for the stroke and in enabling him to bear it so that he is not killed thereby nor overwhelmed therewith by giving cordials he fortifieth the man against the violence of Temptations which otherwise would prevail against him Paul and his Company 2 Cor. 1. vers 8 9. were pressed with trouble in Asia out of measure above strength so much that they despaired even of life yea and had the sentence of death in themselves such a storme was it that they could not ride it out if fresh supplies of strength and courage had not been granted by God who raiseth the dead unto them and if the Lord had not thus delivered them from so great a death they had perished but how was this done See Vers. 4 5. The God of all comfort comforted them in all their tribulations and as the sufferings of Christ abounded in them so their consolation also abounded by Christ And thus the Lord fitted them for the stroke when the stroke was too sore for them So this same Apostle when assaulted with a messenger of Satan that buffeted him 2 Cor. 12. vers 7. Was strengthened by the grace of God Vers. 9. to stand out against that temptation which otherwise had overcome him as his praying thrice that it might depart from him Vers. 8. would import Thus the Lord keepeth the head of his poor people above water by making his power to rest upon them and by making perfect his strength in their weakness Vers. 9. Thus also are they strong when weak Vers. 10. 11. The Lord 's good hand of Providence appeareth in this matter in disappointing the Enemies of their malicious designes They are busie plotting and contriving the ruine and destruction of His people but the more they seek to destroy them the more they grow and thrive the more they multiply and the stronger they become It is almost incredible what multitudes of Christians through the whole Empire the bloody persecuting Emperours destroyed and put to death in the primitive times but the more they were massacred the more they grew the bloud of the saints and martyres was the seed of the Church Daniel's adversaries thought to have gote him destroyed but their enmity and rage against him tended to his further exaltation and establishment So was it with David the more that Saul did persecute him the more his bow abode in strength 12. The Lord's hand mightily appeareth in the afflictions of his people in that He powerfully and Infallibly carrieth on and bringeth to passe His own Purposes and Designes countermining and counter working the designes and wicked projects of the Enemies yea in effectuating His own ends even by what the Enemies are doing purposely to carry on their Ends. When the Enemies are blowing with all their might to make the furnace burn hot that the mettal as they suppose and intend may be wholly consumed the Lord by that same meanes is infallibly bringing about His Ends and accomplishing His designes to wit to purge the mettal and take away the drosse By what the Assyrian was doing in prosecution of his Ends to wit to destroy and cut off nations not a few Esai 10. vers 7. The Lord was performing his whole work upon mount Zion and Ierusalem Vers. 12. and what was this but to purge away iniquity and to take away sin Esai 27. vers 9 to chasten and punish for correction and amendement Ier. 30 11. and 46 28. 13. Herein also appeareth the Lord's over-ruling hand that while possibly the trouble is in its greatest strength and Enemies are swelling in their pride and thinking their contrivances cannot fail their plots and designes are laid so deep and so sure that they cannot misgive even then the Lord will make a door of outgate appear unto his people and give some foreruning tokens of the dawning of a fair day even then He will make a way for an escape that they may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10. vers 13. 14. Lastly His hand appeareth herein that in due time He putteth a period to the trial and trouble by delivering his people out of them all Psal. 34. vers 7 17 19. He will not suffer the rod of the wicked to rest alwayes on the back of the righteous Psal. 125. vers 3. He will not contend for ever lest the spirits should fail before him and the souls which he hath made Esai 57. vers 16. He will keep His people no longer under Physick than He seeth necessary and therefore it is but for a season that his people are in heaviness 1 Pet. 1. vers 6. Enemies think to keep the people of God at under for ever but the Lord 's supream over-ruling hand appeareth here that He hath limited the duration of the trial and trouble to Ten dayes Revel 2. vers 10. He hath limited the rage of Enemies to an hour a day a moneth and a year Revel 9. vers 15. And the treading of the holy city under foot to 42 moneths Revel 11 2. And when the Lord's time cometh all the power and malice of the Enemies will not be able to hinder the delivery and how little so ever His own people look for it yet He will work it so that though there be scarce faith
upon the Earth yet He will come and perfect what He hath intended We come now to speak a little to the 3 particular to wit To shew how this Consideration may and ought to be improven to advantage in a time of affliction And 1. The faith and right thoughts of this Truth That the Lord ruleth and over-ruleth all that the wicked are devising and executing according to their own lust and rage to afflict persecute and destroy His people according to His own mind would yeeld comfort and encouragment unto His people be their trouble what it would In a time of Trouble there are several thoughts that come in the minde of His people which occasion Discouragment and Sorrow all which this Consideration of God's over-ruling hand if rightly improven would either prevent or keep them from the hurt of so that notwithstanding of these they were in case to rejoice and to sing as 1. When they think upon the Instruments of their calamitie they are ready to pore too much on them and to look upon them as if there were none above them to marshal and order them to command and over-rule them as people are terrified by souldiers that are under no Command or Discipline and expect no pity or favour from them But the faith of God's being above their heads to over-see and over-awe them would free the Child of God from this discouragment He would not be so cast down and affrighted if he beleeved that God hath all these wicked Instruments more under his command than the best disciplin'd souldiers are under the Command of the most strick and awfull General that ever was These Instruments cannot move a finger without God Souldiers when out of the sight of their Commanders may do much mischiefe and their Commanders cannot hinder it because they know not of it But neither Devils nor the most wicked of his Instruments can move one haire of God's people till the Lord give way and permit it to be done He must first loose the raignes or they cannot move a foot because they are chained hand foot in the chaines of his Providence yea their very tongue is chained that they cannot so much as curse or reproach any of His people untill the Lord loose their tongues and say as it were go curse and raile upon such an one 2. When they observe the Confusion Irregularity Brutishness and Unreasonableness of these Enemies in their way and actions they are ready to think that God hath forsaken the earth and is unconcerned with what these wretches were doing and upon this they cannot but be much fainted and discouraged But the faith of this that God is working hitherto Ioh. 5. vers 17. and that these wicked Instruments of their calamity were under his eye would free them of this misapprehension Nay they would beleeve and by faith see a divine Order and Regularity in the midst of the greatest Confusions brutish Maâ—…sacres that ever were if they beleeved that God had a principal hand in all these Actions Moving Ruling Ordering and Over-ruling all according to His own mind 3. The consideration of the Activity Diligence Malice Restlesness and Malicious wickedness of the Enemies troubleth them and maketh them fear that ere ever they be aware they shall be swallowed up But this discouragment would evanish if they remembered and beleeved that the timing of their affliction is not in the hand of their Enemies They cannot stirre till their commission be as it were subscribed and the houre and minute appointed come when they must beginne He who is Supreame determineth the season and the time and over-ruleth all so that were the hunger and desire of these ravenous wolves never so great they cannot attempt any distruction till the minute appointed come 4. When they consider the exceeding great Rage and Cruelty of their Enemies they are ready to think that sure they will make havock of all they will destroy utterly and make an end of all But how terrible so ever this thought be yet its terrour is weakened when the beleever calleth this to minde That it will not be as these enraged and merciless Beasts intend but as God will who is the Soveraigne Disposer of all and Supream Master of work they are but under-Agents and the Instrument in His hand They are no Master of themselves in this matter but as the ax and saw in the hand of the workman that cannot cut but as he ordereth it The child will not be afraid of a sword or of an ax when he seeth it is in the hand of his father Their threatnings are not much to be regairded They have said come and let us out them off from being a nation that the Name of Israel may be no more in remembrance as it is Psal. 83. vers 4. But they have not yet gotten it done They intend Destruction and therefore breath-forth nothing but cruelty but God who is above them intendeth but Correction and some Chastisement and will suffer them to do no more than may contribute to that end 5. The thoughts of the strength and liveliness of the Enemies create also terrour and fear they see their power decayeth not but groweth rather and their number increaseth and thence they art ready to inferre There shall be no outgate But a sight of God as neer as David prayeth when he took such a look of his Enemies Psal. â—…8 vers 19 21. saying But miâ—…e Enemies are lively they are strong and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied Forsake me not O Lord O my God be not far from me would help in this case the Beleever would not be much cast down for all this for he would be in case to say They must be keeped up so long as God hath work for them as a man will keep his ax and his saw sharpe and clear so long as he mindeth to make use of them but all their strength saith not that there shall be no outâ—…ate when the Lord hath finished his work in Zim he will punish the fruite of the stout hâ—…art of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks And the Lord of hosts will send among his fat ones leanness and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire Esai 10. vers 12 16. And for as strong as they are the Lord can raise up a scourge against them as Esai 10 26. yea and make the light of Israel for a fire and his holy one for a flame and it shall burne and devoure their thornes and their briers in one day and shall consume the glory of their forest and fruitful field c. as Esai 10. vers 17 18 6. But even this proveth sometimes fainting and discouraging unto his people That it is not man that they have to do with but with God principally whoever be the Instruments and that upon several accounts as because He is a God of Might of Power and of Terrour and it
8. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 4. Their Impatience is likewise occasioned by considering that their Trouble and Affliction is still growing when they supposed that it should have decreased But the right Improvement of this Truth would frame the Soul for patience notwithstanding hereof because the beleever would see ground to say grow as it will the hand of the Lord is about it it will grow to no greater height than he seeth good let Enemies blow at the fire as fast and with as great earnestness as they will the furnace shall be no hoter than the Supream Master and Over-ruler of all seeth fit for the ends He intendeth He knoweth the nature of the mettall and how hote a fire will serve the turn to purge it 5. This also raiseth impatient thoughts in their heart That they can see no appearance of an outgate all doores are so shut that no hope appeareth thus was it with Iob therefore hath he many such expressions as Chap. 7. vers 6. My daies are swifter than a weavers shuttle and are spent without hope Vers. 7. Mine eye shall no more see good Vers. 8. The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more But this Impatience would evanish if this were beleeved That the Lord's hand were in and about the affliction making a faire way to a saife escape and at length in his own due time putting a period to the Trouble when his work is finished the end He designed attained and if it were firmly beleeved that let Enemies make all as sure as they can and rage as they will they shall not be able to keep them longer under their yron harrowes than He seeth good no not one day nor an houre 3. The right improvement of this Consideration would help unto an holy and sweet Submission and cause us say with David Psal. 39. vers 9. I was dumb not opening my mouth because thou didst it When Aaron met with a sad dispensation two of his prime sones Nadab and Abihu were taken away in the fiour of their age and that in a very terrible manner by fire from heaven for their rashness and when Moses told him Levit. 10. vers 3. That this was it which the Lord spoke saying I will be sanctified of all them that come neer me it is said of him And Aaron held his peace A sight of the hand of God though in a terrible manner in that dispensation made him lay his hand upon his mouth and sit silent in the dust He had not one word to say So that a sight of the hand of God in the dispensation ordering all things in it would help them unto a Christian yea unto a cheerful Submission It would not be patience by force but an hearty willing cheerful choosing bearing and embracing of that lot because bound on their back by the hand of God Shall we not drink would they say this potion with delight that God hath prepared and carefully made up for us He knoweth what is best for us Shall we not willingly lye under the crosse that God hath tyed upon us when He knoweth what He is doing and what we must not want and will not sufler us to be temâ—…ted above what we are able When His good time is come there will be an end and all the power of Enemies shall not obstruct our Delivery The Church Micah 7. vers 9. could sweetly sit down and bear the indignation of the Lord when by faith she could say Rejoice not against me O mine Enemie when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be alight unto me He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousness V. 8 9. 4. The beleeving improvment of this would keep the beleever from fainting and sincking through discouragment many thoughts come into the minde while affliction is lying on their loines and Satan can suggest many things at that time to cause the poor man succumb while under the load but the faith of God's Soveraigne and Absolute O dering of all things in and about the Trouble according to his own mind would keep up their head and preserve them from a sinful and shamful fainting They look too much to instruments and pore too much upon their Nature Disposition Activity Power Wisdom Wickedness Maliciousness Rage Cruelty and Indefatigableness and forget that they are but under agents and can do nothing but as the Supream God Willeth Ordert he Disposeth and Permitteth and that He alone Over-ruleth all Moderateth and Ordereth all according to His own mind and for His own holy ends So that they cannot do any thing whether as to the Substance or as to the Circumstances of the affliction but as He who is the Supream Master of work is pleased to suffer and give way unto 5. The beleeving thoughts of this Truth would keep the Soul from that dreadful sin of Murmuring against the Lord upon occasion of any Trouble or Distress he meeteth with It is the Lord would the Soul say and who am I that I should quarrel with Him He is ordering disposing and moderating all that under agents and lixes are doing so that all things are done as He will and shall I yet be displeased and quarrelsome Enemies cannot get their will They are over-ruled in all their Consultations Projects Contrivances bloudy Resolutions and cruel Executions matters go not as they will but as He will who is over them and why then should I murmure and repine against Him 6. This would also airth the Eyes of the soul towards the right object in a day of Trouble They would not with Heathens look to chance or fortune as ruling and ordering all nor would they with the carnal multitude fâ—…x their eye upon the instruments and run with the dog to the stone that is cast at him but would see another more noble object of their sight to wit the Principal Agent Mover and Orderer of all in whose hand the wicked are as the ax and saw in the hand of the workman and as the rod in the hand of the father and this sight would help unto a Spiritual Christian frame of Godly fear Subjection of Soul and would put the soul in case to observe the Wisdom Soveraignity and absolute Dominion of God doing what He will frustrating the toakens of the liars and disappointing the craftie devices of wicked men as also this sight would minde the man of Christian duties of searching his wayes repenting of his sinnes and turning againe to the Lord for he would see it was the Lord with whom he had to do He would look for his Outgate and Salvation from God alone so that his Faith his Hope and his Confidence would be in the Lord alone His eye being fixed on this object he would not see cause of troublâ—…ng himself much about-Enemies
contemned and slighted is not much but to see Princes hanged-up by their hand and the faces of Elders not honoured that is sad and lamentable Lam. 5. vers 12. So it is not much to see us base unworthy sinful and nothing creatures suffering and put to hardships disgrace paine shame miserie and wants But to see the Prince of the Kings of the earth in disgrace to see the Lord of life killed the Son of God despised the King of Kings spit upon and put to paine to see the Heire of all things suffering want that is an uncouth sight This maketh Christ's sufferings incomparably great and all our Sufferings nothing in comparison with these even when ours are at the greatest What are the sufferings of a beast of a worme or the like unto the sufferings of the greatest Prince that ever was or unto the sufferings of an Angel And yet the worme being a creature as well as the Prince or Angel the difference is not so very great but the difference is Infinitly more great betwixt the sufferings of Christ who is God equal with the Father in power and the sufferings of the greatest King or Emperour or Angel that ever was because there is no comparison betwixt Finite and Infinite betwixt God and the Creature 2. We know it is much more for one to suffer Death while in the flowr of his age and in the prime of his Strength and who in all probability according to his natural Constitution might live many years than for one who is half Dead already and is carrying about with him the Sentence of Death his Body being decayed and his clay-cottage ruinous and almost fallen to the ground So in this respect Christs Sufferings are far beyond ours for our Clay-bodies are so rotten with Corruption so broken with sicknesses and diseases that a few years should put an end to our dayes and we should quickly return unto dust though no hand were streatched out against us yea though all imaginable meanes were used to keep us in vigour and life But Christs Body though a true Body yet was naturally free of these Corruptions that come because of sin which our Bodies are obnoxious unto We never read of his sickness And though his death was not wholly miraculous yet we may not say that He would have died naturally as other men do though no violent hands had been laid upon Him 3. We use to think much more of his sufferings who suffereth wrongously and without Cause than of his who suffereth deservedly We will not be much moved to see a bloody Murderer put to Death but it will move us much to see a man put to death against whom nothing worthie of Death can be alleiged So in this respect our Sufferings are nothing in comparison of Christs for however as to men we should suffer innocently yet there is ground for God to plead His controversie against us and to use these as Instruments of His Justice to execute His righteous Sentence against us But it was otherwayes as to Christ who though as standing in the room of the Elect and made their Cautioner and so made sin for them or had their sin imputed to Him He was smitten of Justice yet as to His own Person He was the Innocent Lamb of God and without sin Holy Harmless Undefiled And as to men He suffered most wrongously as was seen above 4. The difference is great in this respect That Mercy is Master of work standing at the side of the fournace and ordering the same while His people are lying into it But the Law-wrath and Justice of God was blowing at the coal of Christs Sufferings We have to do but with men whose Actions are over-ruled by the Omnipotent hand of a Merciful God But He had to do with God executing Law-Justice because He stood in the room of the Elect. The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all He was wounded for our transgressions He was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisement of our Peace was upon Him He bear the iniquity and sin of many Esai 53. v. 5 6 11 12. His own self bear our sins in his own Body on the tree 1 Pet. 2 v. 24. It is not so with the Lords People He dealeth not with them in pure Wrath or in Justice but in Mercy and in Moderation The Cup that Christ had to drink was full of the purest Law-wrath and so bitter that His Holy Sinless Soul did scunner at it But in the Cup of his Children there is not one drop of the revenging Justice of God or of Law-wrath but much of His Fatherly Mercy and it smelleth strongly of Love for He is bringing about their good hereby Therefore the disproportion betwixt Christ's Sufferings and ours is Infinite upon this account 5. Put the case which yet will not be that God should deal with any of His owne according to strick Severity and Law-Justice yet could not their Sufferings be comparable unto Christs Though they were pursued by pure Justice and by Law-vengeance and sent away to everlasting flames they should not for all that endure what He endured for they should but suffer in that case for their own particular and personal faults But Christ bear the sins of many even of all the Elect And this would make the difference great How much greater then must the difference now be when their Sufferings are of a far other Nature 6. This will be further clear if we Consider how Christ did not only undergo the Debt of the Elect and wrestled with strickest Law-Justice but by His Sufferings He made full Satisfaction to Justice which they all for whom Christ died had never been able in hell to have done there had they lyen for ever and had never come out of prison for they had never been able to have satisfied Justice But what Christ Suffered was full Satisfaction to Iustice that it could crave no more the Bond and Obligation was cancelled on the Crosse and Christ cried out It is finished intimating that the last penny was payed Thus Christ suffered more than all of them could have done for all Eternity and so certainly His sufferings were transcendently and surpassing great and the hardest of our Sufferings ought not to be named in one day with His. In Order to the Improving of this which is the Second Particular we shall mentione these few things 1. Were this Consideration rightly thought on and improven His people would not be so much troubled and affrighted in a time of Sufferings as usually they are We see how Christ went up to Ierusalem and set His face to go thitherward resolving to go thither notwithstanding of all Impediments in the way and albeit His Disciples were averse from that journay and would have disswaded Him from it He went thither with a full Resolution though He knew He was to grapple not only with the King of Terrours there but with pure Law-Curse and Wrath because of the Sinnes
of His chosen ones And what should make His people afraied who have little or nothing to meet with in comparison of what Christ did meet with they have nothing of Law-wrath and of pure Vindictive Iustice to meet with as Christ had to rancountre with in full measure Iustice is now satisfied in their behalfe and it is their mistake to think that in and by Afflictions God is pursueing them in wrath It is true there may be fatherly anger and displeasure in the Cup Which they get to drink but Christ drank-out the Curse and satisfied Vindictive Iustice and there is no payment to Iustice no not one farthing required of them in all their Sufferings So that Beleevers have not so great cause to fear as they suppose 2. Were this rightly considered the people of God would carry more like Saints under Afflictions than they do They are oftentimes when sore afflicted saying within themselves why doth the Lord deal so with me Are not many worse than I am more gentlie dealt with Oh! They consider not what Holy and Harmless Iesus was made to suffer Sure if they considered this they durst repine and fret in their mindes no more What though they have been innocent as to men and vvhat though they be sincere and upright as to God Yet they are sinners and Christ vvho never sinned vvas othervvayes handled both at the hands of God and Man than they are though their Afflictions and Sufferings vvere many vvayes multiplied 3. Right thoughts of this would teach them to carry the yoke with very great patience and submission of Soul Holy Jesus had another sort of yoke upon His blessed neck and yet he bore it with wonderful Patience yea with Holy Delight Why then should they be so impatient under their light and easie Yoke It is little they have to bear yea nothing in comparison of what Christ stood under 4. Seing Christ suffered so much and bore the Curse what have beleevers now to endure or lye under The height they can be reckoned to is but small remnants of what fell on Christ in a full floud and what they meet with is wholly free of Vindictive Wrath. They suffer but some little thing of that which is behinde of the Sufferings of Christ Col. 1 vers 24. Christ trode the Wine-press He hath gone thorow the sea and all the mighty waves thereof The shoure of Law-vengeance fell on His face in its full force and might and there is nothing of that left but small drops of the outward Affliction freed of the Curse left behinde for His Followers Have not His Followers then cause of Rejoiceing upon this account in the midst of all their Afflictions 5. Though trouble increase yet they ought to be quiet and possesse their Soul in Patience for it will never increase to that height that it will be equal to Christ's trouble Though their Afflictions come to the heighest that men can bring them to Yet will they be infinitly below the Afflictions that Christ suffered Have any then cause to complaine when they are so gentlie dealt vvith and vvhen all their Afflictions are in a manner no Afflictions in comparison of Christs 6. We are oft ready to look upon our Sufferings thorovv a magnifying glasse and take notice of all Considerations that may serve to heighten them and thus vve take a vvay to create much more trouble and vexation to ourselves and to make our life more sad and bitter But the right improvement of this Consideration vvould prevent all this for vvould vve take a right vievv of the inconceivably great and unparalleled Sufferings of Christ ours in comparison of these would soon evanish out of sight and disappear as nothing And thus would we be brought to bear our Affliction with full Subjection of Soul with silence yea and with thankful acknowledgment of Gods Graciousness and Tenderness who hath dealt so gently with us when He might have made the yoke more yea much more heavy and insupportable 7. Who taking a right View of what Christ suffered will not think themselves called to suffer for His sake with great willingness and cheerfulness May not every Beleever say did Christ undergo the heavy weight of the Wrath of God for me Did He lye under the Law-curse and bear the blowes of Vindictive Justice for me Stood He betwixt me and the pure Wrath of a sin-revenging God Did He drink the bitter Cup the Gall and the Worm-wood of Law-vengeance that I might be freed therefrom Did He bear that under which I should have lyen to all eternity that I might never come into that place of torment And what Affliction Persecution Tribulation Distress Sorrow Paine and Suffering should I think too much for Him and His sake Seing He endured for me the brunt of the battel and stood-out the sharpest of the storm and hail of Divine Wrath and Law-Indignation why should not I be content to bear a drop of mans Wrath or of the storme of mans Indignation which is free of the Curse and of pure Wrath for Him and for His Interest Hath He suffered so much for me and shall I think much to suffer such a small matter for Him Is there no proportion betwixt what He willingly endured to save me from Hell and from the Wrath of a Sin-revenging God and what I can be put to suffer for Him and His Testimonie And shall I notwithstanding be unwilling to undergo such a small inconsiderable bit of suffering for His Glory and for the Word of His Patience Drank he the Cup of pure Wrath for me and shall I think much to drink a drop of cold Water for Him O how willing and cheerful would the right apprehension of this Consideration make the Beleever to undergo all that men could devise for His Lord and Master CONSIDERATION XIII Suffering hath been the Lot of Christ's Church in all Ages ORdinarily when the Church and People of God meet with new trials and troubles they cry out as the Church did of old Lam. 1 v. 12. Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow They presently conclude that their case hath not a parallel and that the Church in no age did meet with such a dispensation as they are under Hence proceedeth much sorrow But if it were considered that the Church in all Ages very few excepted hath met with the like or sorer trouble and hath drunk of that same cup that is now at theit Head they could not but see cause of laying their hand upon their mouth and sitting silent in the dust as being convinced that there were no new thing under the Sun Therefore seing this Consideration may be of use in order to a spiritual Life under Afflictions we shall speak a little to it and in order to the right improvement thereof lay down these following Particulars to be pondered 1. The only Wise God hath thought good for His own Holy ends that His Church should be a Militant
Church here should taste of the Worm-wood the Gall of Affliction and wade thorow Trouble and Persecution He hath seen it fit that she should be in a wilderness Condition here And so it hath been in almost all ages as might be evidenced if necessary 2. Not only hath the Church of God met with Affliction but the cup hath been long at her Head without any intermission The seed of Abraham were to be strangers to serve and be afflicted foure hundereth yeers and more even from Ismaels beginning to mock until they were delivered out of Aegypt Gen. 15 v. 13. Act. 7 6 7. with Exod. 12 41. Was not the Church keeped fourtie yeers wandering in the Wilderness before she came to rest And when settled in the promised Land how many yeers together was she oppressed by Enemies sometimes Eight Iudg. 3 8. then Eighteen vers 14. then Twenty Iudg. 4 v. 3. Then Senventie Years in captivity in Babylon And we know how the Christian Church was in an afflicted and persecuted condition in the primitive times three hundereth Yeers untill Constantine the great came to the Empire and how long she hath groaned under Antichrist's tyrannie 3. The Lord also thinketh good to renew the daies of the Church her sorrow after some warm blainks and some short respite as the primitive Church had in the intervals betwixt the Ten vehement and fiery Persecutions some whereof were of longer some of shorter continuance After a respite He sendeth a new storme so that her calamites are like waves of the sea ere one be well away another cometh Hence the Psalmist saith Ps. 129. vers 1 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth 4. Yea moreover the Lord seeth good to afflict her with billowes of waves of His displeasure and to afflict her very sore as Esai 64. vers 9 10 11 12. Be not wroth very sore Thy holy cities are a wilderness Zion is a wilderness Ierusalem a desolation Our holy and our beautiful house where our fathers praised thee is burnt up with fire and all our pleasant things are laid waste wilt thou refraine thy self for these things O Lord wilt thou hold thy peace and afflict us very sore This was a sore stroke which destroyed both Church and State 5. Some times the Church hath to do with moe Enemies than one at once See Psal. 83. ver 5 6 7 8. For they have consulted together with one consent they are consederat against thee The Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Hagarens Gebal and Ammon and Amalek the Philistines with the Inhabitants of Tyre Assur also is joined with them they have holpen the children of Lot This was a dreadful conspiracy of all the Enemies round about both far and neer and their designe was to cut off the people of God from being a Nation that the Name of Israel might be no more in remembrance vers 4. As Herod and Pilat will agree when they are to concurre to the cutting off of Christ so these Enemies though sometimes at variance among themselves yet can agree in one to joine their forces together to destroy and cut off if they could the Inheritance of the Lord. 6. Withall the Lord may hide His face in the midst of these outward calamities and refuse to give light comfort counsel or direction She may be afflicted and tossed with tempests and withall not comforted How hath the Lord said the Church Lam. 2. v. 1 3. covered the Daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger He burned against Iacob like a flame of fire See also Chap. 3 8 9 10 11 c. and several other passages 7. Sometime the Lord so ordereth the affliction as that the very timeing of it maketh it much more heavy than otherwise it would be as when His people are secure and crying peace peace The Israelites thought all was well when they were gote out of Egypt but ere they were awar how quickly were they invironed with new Difficulties pursued by Pharaoh all his hosts having the red sea before and no way to escape upon either hand doubtless the very season time of this new difficulty made it very grievous It cannot be but sad when it is with the Church as Ieremie saith of the Church in his time Ier. 8 v. 15. and 14 19. We looked for peace but no good came for a time of healing and behold trouble 8. Not only is the Church put to contend with open Enemies but she is also much molested with false friends who under pretence of friendship seek to ruine her These prove most dangerous Enemies as traitours within a besieged place While she is prospering many offer their service to her and seem to be cordial friends and yet are but a mixed multitude who when the first occasion offers will seek to returne to Egypt for all their profession of kindness and friendship when a fit opportunity offereth there are none more bitter Enemies than they are So that it oft fareth with her as Paul said it would fare after his death with the Church of Ephesus in respect of Hereticks and false Teachers Act. 20. vers 29 30 For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaâ—…ing perverse things c. 9. Yea so low may the Church sometimes be brought under the feet of adversaries that little hope may remaine of her recovery yea she may be looked on by one and other as in a desperat and forlorne condition so that even many of the faithful may be shaken in their hops and saying will the Lord be favourable no more Are His mercies clean gone Doth His promise fail for ever more Hath He forgotten to be gracious Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies Such may be her condition that all humane probability of her recovery may be gone and the faithful have nothing but a bare haire ofhop to hold by or a small plank ofa promise that also under the waters of contrary dispensations to stand upon and so far may the delivery be out of sight that when it beginneth to dawne they may be as those that dream Ps. 126. vers 1. 10. Yet withall it is considerable that notwithstanding of all the opposition made by the Devil and his Instruments against the Church she hath been a burning bush and yet not consumed though she hath been many a time afflicted and that from her youth yet her adversaries have not prevailed against her the plowers have often plowed upon her back and made long their furrowes yet still the righteous Lord hath cut the cordes of the wicked Psa. 129. vers 1 2 3 4. Many an arrow have they shot at her yet mount Zion stands and she hath her Towers Bulwarcks and Palaces Psal. 48. She is founded upon the rock of ages and the ports of hell cannot prevail against her Mat. 16. No
quickly than otherwayes in all probability it would have been When Paul is speaking of his Sufferings Col. 1 24. he saith they were for them and not so only but for the whole body the Church Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behinde of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church So 2 Cor. 1 6. And whether we be afflicted it is for your Consolation and Salvation 2 Tim. 2 10. Therefore I endure all things for the Elects sake Another plaine Instance we have Phil. 1 12. But I would ye should understand Brethren that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel 1. For further clearing up of this we shall mentione some particular Advantages which the Church reapeth by the Sufferings of Christ's Eminent Servants and Followers 1. Their sufferings upon the account of Truth serve much to Strengthen and Establish the rest of the people of God in the faith for the truth is thereby much confirmed unto them and made to have some deeper Impression in their hearts when they see that the Truthes which those Servants of Christ delivered unto them were such as the Preachers themselves were perswaded of as truthes and as weighty truthes yea and such as they are ready to seal with their bloud It is for this cause that Paul maketh mention of his sufferings in that Epistle to the Colossians for he is endeavouring to settle them in the faith and to keep them stedfast in the day of Temptation He would have them vers 23. Continue in the faith grounded and setled and not moved away from the hope of the Gospel And because they might have said what can we do when you are put to such sufferings and are shut up in Prison He obviateth this by saying I rejoice in my sufferings for you As if he had said My Imprisonment and Sufferings are not to your disadvantage but for your good and upon that account I rejoice in them So that this is a notable mean to keep others stedfast in the truth As upon the other hand it is a potent and forcible mean to shake poor people out of their hopes and to confirme many in Atheisme and Infidelity when they see such as have been preaching forth truthes unto them refusing to stand to them and avow them in a day of Temptation Hence is it that Satan seeing this so much for his advantage doubleth the force of his Temptations and Assaults against such knowing that the fall of one such may endanger many and occasione the staggering of multitudes 2. By this meanes the Gospel is made to spread more and and that not only by occasion of the banishment of Preachers as we see Act. 8. but also that by reason of their very Imprisonment or Persecution to the death many will be made to enquire after the cause why such are put to so hard sufferings and after enquirie some may be made to see that their Cause is just and righteous howbeit they be condemned thus may be brought to like their cause befriend it to hate the carriage of the Persecuters So that the Gospel-truth is no loser by all the loss that the Preachers suffer upon the account thereof for when strangers observe that such men of Understanding judgment and Conscience are ready and willing to confirme the truth of what they assert with their bloud and to suffer any thing rather than deny the same they beginne to search more seriously after the matter and to consider its consequences and come at length to affect that way more in their heart an Instance whereof we have Phil. 1 12. 13. He told them vers 12. that what hardships had befallen him had fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel and in the next verse he sheweth how this was saying so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Palace and in all other places The report of his Imprisonment for the Name of Christ went far and neer so that even Caesars Court ringed againe with the noise of it and they are talking of it among themselves and severals are converted to the truth thereby and brought to embrace the Gospel for he tels us Chap. 4 22. That there were Saints in Caesar's houshold all the saints salute you cheefly they that are of Caesar's houshold 3. When the Lords eminent Servants are persecuted upon the account of truth the â—…ord is to speak so more engaged to do for His Church to owne her and to counter work the plots and wicked devices of Satan and this He is pleased for the glory of His name to declare and manifest by making thereby the Gospel to flourish more in power and life and to bless the laboures of a few the more The Church did never thrive better than in the Primitive times during these hote persecutions Iâ—… time of persecution the Church is purer for few adhere to the truth but such who have received the truth as it is in jesus and have the grace of God in them in truth then are there fewest hypocrites to be found in the Church the heat of persecution driveth them away and driveth the uprght hearted neerer to God so that their grace communion with God groweth their mortification to the things of this life increaseth and they become more and more crucified unto the world and the world unto them So that howbeit the outward bulk of Professours diminish yet the true hearted grow more lively strong and vigorous and the inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4 16. So that really the Church suffereth no loss but is a gainer 4. By this meanes many other faithful zealous and honest-hearted Servants of God are made through the Lord's wonderful defeating of the Counsels of Satan more bold forward in owning declaring the truth The devil thinks by the sufferings of some eminent Servants to discourage and fainte many as supposing that they will be affrighted from their duty but the grace and power of God worketh-out the contrary event As we see Phil. 1 14. where another fruit of Paul's bonds and Imprisonment is added And many of the Brethren in the Lord waâ—…ing confident by my bondes are much more bold to speak the word without fear So that the Church is a gainer through the Lord 's wonderful working by all these Sufferings 5. There is hereby an encouraging exemple laid before others â—…is no small advantage unto particular Beleevers in a time of Persecution to know of some precedent of some that have gone thorow the foord before them Therefore saith the Apostle Iames Chap. 5 10. Take my Brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of Patience so that such Examples are refreshing and helpful unto their Constancy and Stedfastness when they see others standing fast in the faith in the
midst of all persecutions that they meet with they are animated unto the like stedfastness and to resolution in adhering fixedly to the truth such examples will make even a timorous man wax bold and the exemplary carriage of sufferers is very encouraging and comfortable wherefore the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 1 6. whether we be afflicted it is for your Consolation Therefore these Sufferings are much for the advantage of the Church 6. Hereby is the Church awakened from security and made to look out for a suffering lot when thus it is done to the green tree they are made to take Warning Such a dispensation is as the sounding of the trumpet for an alarme and this is no small advantage when she is raised to her feet and put in a postour and made ready for the battel then she needeth not fear a surprisal but hath time to prepare and make ready for the storme In order to the Improvement of this Consideration we would 1. Beware to conclude that all is gone when we hear or see Christs eminent Servants put to sad sufferings We are ready to wonder why the Lord should suffer such and such things to be done why He should suffer such sad things to befall His eminent and useful Servants who cannot well be missed one whereof is worth an hundered so that the Death or Imprisonment of one such threatneth more destruction to the Church than the loss of many But we know not the thoughts of the Lord we know not what He is designing and what He mindeth to effectuat thereby And if we beleeved that even such a dispensation as this could do no harme to the Church how little would we be troubled at it If we saw what an effectual way this were in the steady unerring Hand of God to bring about the spiritual advantage of the Church how would we lay our hands upon our mouth and be silent And though we can not see in particular what advantage the Church is like to get by the taking away of such as were as Pillars of the Church Yet we should by faith rest assured that the Head and Husband of the Church would not suffer such a Dispensation to come if He knew not how to bring good and advantage out of it and that thereby good seed was sowen which though accompanied with teares and bloud yet should yeeld full sheaves at length which should be brought home with Joy 2. We would do well to search ourselves at such a time to see if we as particular members of the Church be reaping any advantage by what we hear and see of the Sufferings of Christs eminent Servants as for example see if thereby the truth of the Gospel become more riveted in our souls we becometh more rooted in the faith and assurance thereof and more fixed in our Resolution to adhere thereunto See if Truth becometh lovely desireable to us upon this account See if grace be growing more within and if our hearts and affections be loosed more and more from the things of a world and we be prepared more to quite all for Christ and His Cause See if by the example of others we be more animated and encouraged to avow and abide by the truth cost what it will See if these newes be raising us out of our bed and making us prepare for the battel and make ready for the approaching storme if we finde any such advantage thereby let us blesse Him who is giving us meat out of the eater and doing us good by the dear cost and charges of others 3. This should comfort such as are called forth to suffer for the Name of Jesus they need not trouble themselves with thoughts what shall become of the Church and Interest of Christ but leave that upon the Lord and beleeve that He shall make it contribute to the furtherance of the Gospel and to the enlairgment of His Kingdom Ministers called to suffer may possibly think Oh what shall become of the poor people we cannot get preached unto them as formerly but what if God make their stedfastness in suffering more advantagious than their preachings would have been What if that edifie more than many preachings did or would do Ought not they upon this Consideration rejoice in their Lot and suffer cheerfully that Christs Interest may prosper more thereby What know they what influence their Christian carriage may have on all On-lookers yea and on Enemies and Persecuters themselves beside what confirmation friends may have thereby CONSIDERATION XVII The Lord Reigneth in Zion BEleevers are not like unto the Subjects of Kings here on earth who may be dethroned and their Crowns may fall from their Heads and the Scepters be taken out of their hands and they may lose all the Ensignes of Royalty and when it falleth out so as is done many a time Subjects have but cold Comfort in looking to the Throne when it hath forsaken him that sat thereon But Beleevers have a King who liveth and reigneth for ever and ever and whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom It cannot then but be strange that when Men who have all their temporal happiness hanging upon the standing of Kings of Clay can rejoyce in adversity when they have any hope of their King 's recovering of his lost Throne and Kingdome though the grounds of their Hop be most disputable and uncertaine that the Children of God in the day of their Adversity can draw so little Comfort from the sure and certaine Grounds of Hope which they have to look to If Christs Crown and Throne were not surer than the fading and perishing Regalia of Men what would beleevers do Whither could they go for consolation in the day of their Distress and Anguish But now seing their King is not like the Kings of the Earth why are they so heartless in the day of their extremity Sure the Reason must be because they beleeve not that He is such a King as He is indeed or they know not how to improve to any spiritual Advantage such a noble Ground of Consolation as this is Wherefore it may be useful to speak a little unto this And so we shall first lay down some Propositions clearing up this Truth and next some Conclusions pointing out the improvement that may be made thereof First As for the Propositions take these following 1. The Lord standeth under the Relation of a King to His Church and People He hath taken to himself that Name and Title and accordingly we finde them eyeing this in the day of their Distress So David Psal. 5 vers 2. and 84 v. 2. embraceth Him crying My King and my God and he comforteth himself with this Ps. 10. v. 16. The Lord is King for ever and ever And the Church crieth out Psal. 74 v. 2. God is my King of old and comforteth herself with this Esai 33 v. 22. The Lord is our judge the Lord is our Lawgiver the Lord is our King He will save us So
46 5. It is promised Mic. 4 7. That the Lord shall reigne over them in mount Zion and what followeth And thou ô Toure of the Flock vers 8. the strong hold of the Daughter of Zion unto thee shall it come even the first Dominion the Kingdome shall come to the Daughter of Ierusalem 5. Though it frequently come to passe that God's people are brought low and Enemies get the upper hand yet Zion's King liveth and therefore He will Assemble her that halteth and will gather her that is driven out and her that have been afflicted and make her that halteth a remnant her that was cast off a strong Nation Mica 4 6 7. Because He liveth His members must live also Seing the Churches Head is above the water she cannot drown Wherefore upon this very ground that Zions King liveth and reigneth His Church and People even while low and under the feet of Enemies may lift up their head in hop and be sure that their day of redemption draweth neer and they may conclude with the Church Esai 33 22. The Lord is our judge the Lord is our King He will save us Seing He is King He can command deliverance Psal. 44. 4. and work Salvation Psal. 74 12. Upon this ground David inferreth a Delivery and a Victory Psal. 10 v. 16. The Lord is King for ever and ever the heathen are perished out of his land Enemies will not be able to stand long in Immanuel's Land It is His work as King to deliver and defend His Subjects and they may be sure He will not deny Himself He will answere â—…is Title and Relation 6. When His people see that all their Strength is gone and that there is none shut up or left they are ready to conclude that all is gone But what cannot this King in Zion soon leavy an Army How easie is it for Him to speak to dry bones and make them armed men Ezek. 37. When mention was made of this Ruler in Israel whose goings forth were from of old and who should stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord His God Micah 5 4. It is added This man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our Land and when he shall trade in our Palaces then shall we raise against him Seven shepherds and eight Principal men and they shall waste the Land of Assyria with the sword and the Land of Nimrod in the entrance thereof Thus shall He deliver us from the Assyrian when he cometh into our Land and treadeth within our borders And the remnant of Iacob shall be among the Gentils in the midst of many people as a Lion among the beasts of the forest as the young Lion among the Flocks of sheep Thine hand shall be lift up upon thine Adversaries and all thine enemies shall be cut off vers 5 6 7 8 9. When His people are brought very low so that in all probability they shall not be able to raise up themselves then this King can help the business He can raise up an invincible army out of lame sick souldiers He can make Ierusalem a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone for all people Zech. 12 2 3. He can make the Governours of Iudah like on hearth of fire among the wood and like a toarch of fire in a sheaf and they shall devoure all the people round about on the right hand on the left ver 5. He can make Him that is feeble among them like David and the house of David as God as an Angel of the Lord before them v. 8. Out of Him cometh the corner out of Him cometh the nail out of him the battel bow and He can make them to be as mighty men which tread down as the mire of the street in the battel and He can strengthen the house of Iudah Zech 10 4 5 6. He can bend Iudah for himself and fill the bow with Ephraim raise up Zions sones against their Enemies Zech. 9 13 He can make poor worm Iacob a new sharp threshing Instrument having teeth and say to them thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small and shall make the hils as chaff c. Esai 41 14 15. 7. This Consideration speaketh dread and terrour unto Enemies for He is a King that is terrible to the Kings of the earth He maketh the Earth and the heavens to tremble the hils melt and quake before him what then can weak man do What will they be in the hands of the Almighty who shaketh Nations The Lord reigneth Let the earth tremble He sitteth between the Cherubims Let the earth be moved Psal. 99 1. At the wrath of this everlasting King the earth shall tremble and the Nations shall not be able to abide his Indignation Ier. 10 10. Where then shall His Enemies stand in the day of His Indignation We are oft afraid of the terrour of Enemies but saw we Him who is our King we would see that our Enemies had more cause to be afraid of Him who is clothed with Majestie there goeth a smoak out of his nostrils and fire out of His mouth devoureth and coals are kindled by it Psal. 18 vers 8. Read what followeth 8. When we are thinking on the Wit Skil and Activity of the Adversaries let us call to mind that our King is infinitly beyond them He searcheth the heart and tryeth the reines He knoweth the thoughts afar off He is privie to all the motions of Adversaries He knoweth when they march and when and where they halt Esai 10 28 29. See what is said of our King Esai 11 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of Wisdom Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and Might the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. Though the Adversaries should soon out-wit us yet they will not be able to out-wit Him who is our King for the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are in Him So that it is an easie business for Him to countermine all their Plots and Machinations He hath formed all their hearts and so He knoweth what is in their hearts Nothing can be hid from Him His very eye-lids try the Children of Men Psal. 11 4. Wherefore when we are at a non-plus and know not what to do this may comfort us and compose our Spirits our King knoweth very well how to carry on his own Contrivances glorious Projects So that when we are blinde we are to look to Him who knoweth what to do when we know not what to do and let Him alone with His own work 9. It is sad when the Children of God are wronged and cannot get faire Justice wickedness is to be seen in the place of judgment and iniquity in the place of righteousness Eccles. 3 v. 16. judgment is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off for truth
is fallen in the streat and equity cannot enter yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey Esai 59 v. 14 15. But here is comfort against this that Zions King reigneth who is just and a King that reigneth in righteousness He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes neither reprove after the hearing of his eares but with righteousness shall He judge the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth and righteousness shall be the girdle of His loines and faithfulness the girdle of His reines Esai 11 3 4 5. His people then need not fear seing there is Justice to be had at His bar 10. The Children of God are much fainted and discouraged when second meanes are out of sight they see not horses nor horsmen to appear in the fields for them but a right sight of this Truth would prove helpful and encouraging in this case Did they but by faith see that Zions King were reigning on His Throne and actually sweying His Scepter they would easily conclude that all would be well for this King would either work without meanes as sometime He doth or creat meanes for His own use A wight man we say never wanted weapons and shall our King be straitned for want of meanes Could Sampson without either Sword or Spear only with what came next to his hand the Jaw-bone of an asse slay so many And need we fear that our King shall want Instruments when He mindeth to work by Instruments Omnipotency cannot want hands Any of all the Creatures is sufficient in His hand with vermine He made an end of proud Herod If He but speak the word He will therewith command deliverance So that we need not fear though the fig tree should not blossome and though we should see nothing but dry bones and dry bones scattered about the graves mouth so long as this King liveth and reigneth unto whom belong the shields of the Earth Ps. 47 v. last 11. The Lords reigning in Zion may assure us that there are great and rich off-fallings to be had Courtiers fear not want so long as the King possesseth His Throne yea they dar adventure to take on Luck's head as we say and why may not the Lords people also rejoice on Lucks head seing their King shall never be dethroned It is said Esai 32 vers 1. that a King shall reigne in righteousness And what is to follow thereupon See vers 2 3. And a man shall be as an hiding place from the winde and a covert from the Tempest as Rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land and the eyes of them that see shall not be dim and the eares of them that hear shall hearken 12. This Consideration may fill the souls of his People with Joy and Consolation however matters go with them were they never so low were Enemies never so high were the case of the people of God never so desperat like That Zions King liveth and reigneth is the most encouraging newes that can be The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoice and let the multitude of the Isles be glade thereat Psal. 97 1. There is Joy and gladness here sowen for all the upright in heart Is not the Lord in Zion Is not her King in her Said Ieremie Chap. 8 19. It is a shame that Beleevers should any way carry themselves so as On-lookers might have ground to think that Zions King were not in her or that they themselves did not beleeve that Zions King indeed were reigning CONSIDERATION XVIII The time of Affliction is but short IT is an ordinary thing for people under Affliction to be putting moe hours in their day than twentie foure to be multiplying their yeers and accounting their moneths Yeers their weeks Moneths and their houres Dayes and to be crying out Oh will this life never have an end How long how long will this Cup be holden to my head When shall the day dawn when God shall loose this Yoke from off my neck The Harvest is past and the Summer is ended and we are not saved Ier. 8 vers 20. Will not this year put an end to our trouble How long shall the rod of the wicked rest upon the lot of the righteous How long will God lengthen-out this sad trial These speaches and the like are but too frequent in their mouth and their thoughts are too oft upon this Subject and thus eternizing their sad lot in their mindes or foolishly imagining it will not have an end in hast they multiply their own Sorrow whereas did they calculat by the Scripture-account they would see the time shorter than they now imagine it to be Now to help them as to his We shall 1. Shew what is the Scripture account of the time of Affliction 2. Answere what can be objected to the contrary 3. Show how this Consideration may and should be improven to advantage As to the First The Scriptures give us this account of the matter 1. That it will not be for ever 1 King 11. v. 39. And I will for this afflict the Seed of David but not for ever Though for their iniquities He resolved to punish and afflict the Seed of David yet it will not be for ever And what is here spoken of David's Seed will in some respect agree to the Church and People of God in all ages Ay and there may be here a Meiosis a Figure whereby much more is imported than the words signifie and this not for ever is as much as for a short time It must then be the language of unbeleef to say that God will cast off for ever and that He will be favourable no more for His strokes upon the Godly are not of that nature He may afflict for a time but not for ever 2. The Scripture telleth us that these dayes will be shortened Matth. 20 22. And except those dayes should be shortened no flesh should be saved but for the Elects sake those dayes shall be shortened Christ is speaking there of sore and sharp Tribulation that was to come upon the Land and for the comfort of the Elect He saith that those dayes of Affliction and Tribulation should not long continue but should be shortened for their sake And this will hold good in all Ages the Lord being as careful of His Elect now as then and His Elect being as ready to fainte through long Affliction now as formerly Therefore the ground of this promise continueing we must not say that the promise it self is out of date To say then that Affliction shall never have an end is upon the matter to annul this Promise 3. We finde the Scripture saying That Affliction or the rod of the wicked should not rest upon the Lot of the righteous lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity Psal. 125 v. 3. This promise containeth likewise in the bosome of it a ground of assurance that it is not
expired for as long as the righteous are in hazard of putting forth their hands unto iniquity because of the continuance of the trouble we may eye this promise that the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon their lot this ground will alwayes endure and so the promise bearing this Ground and Reason in its bosome will continue likewise in force We must not then say that Afflictions on the Godly shall never have an end unless we would withall destroy this promise Therefore we may conclude that the People of the Lord shall not be the rest of the burden of the Word of the Lord as it is said of Damascus Zech. 9 1. 4. We are also told in Scripture That the Heaviness of Affliction is but for a Season 1 Pet. 1 6. wherein ye greatly rejoice though now for a Season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations The word rendered for a Season in the original signifieth a little present now to show that this Season is but short a present now without any considerable duration If this were beleeved we could not be crying-out as we are too ready to do Oh will those dayes never be at an end we would see that the little inconsiderable present now or point of time would quickly be over See Revel 6 11. 5. The Scripture tels us of a little while Heb. 10 37. for yet a little while and He that shall come will come c. The expression is mostemphatick in the Original cannot well be rendered to the full as if he had said yet a little how little how little As if it could not be expressed how little the time was to be This little while or appointed time as it is called Habb 2 .3 will soon be over 6. The Scripture pointeth it out to be a very little while Esai 10 25. for yet a very little while and the Indignation shall cease c. In the Original there are two words both of them signifying a little time or a very little time and so it is as much as if he had said a very little little time Sure that time cannot be long which is so short that the shortness of it cannot be expressed Is it not then strange that when the Spirit of the Lord cannot to speak so get words to express the shortness of the duration of their trouble they on the contrary cannot get words sufficiently to express their sense of the length of the time 7. We finde it called by a definite number Ten dayes Revel 2 10. And ye shall have tribulation ten dayes Whereby the shortness of the duration of that tribulation is expressed not that the trouble was to continue just ten dayes but to signifie that it was not to continue long but a short inconsiderable time which the Lord had determined and limited punctually to a day Tribulation will not last alwayes Ten dayes will put a period to it 8. If this be too long we have it expressed as yet much shorter even a night which is no long time Psal. 30 5. Weeping may endure for a night c. The dark disconsolat weeping time will not endure long the few houres of a night will put an end to it It is but a night and a night that hath the dawning of a day following it We should be ashamed then to think or say that our Trouble and Affliction will alwayes last we never saw a night yet but it had a morning of a new day following it 9. If this should yet seem too long we have it denominated from a shorter time as an hour Revel 3 10. there is mention made of an hour of temptation that was to come on all the earth Our Lord sure would hereby confute our errour of construeing the time to be too long when He doth of purpose mention such short measures of time An hour will soon be at an end the few minuts thereof will swiftly post away 10. Nay if this should seem too long we have it expressed by a shorter duration viz. of a moment Ps. 30 5. for his anger endureth but a moment And what can be shorter than a moment Is there any measure of time shorter than a moment And yet by this is the duration of the Anger of God against His Children in afflicting of them expressed Why then should we account that an age which the Lord calleth but a moment So Esai 54 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment The word rendered moment signifieth cutting or dividing and so importeth the shortest cutting or division of time The Apostle speaketh thus of it also 2 Cor. 4 17. Our light Affliction which is bâ—…t for a moment The Apostles expression is singular there is a lightness of Affliction and that lightness is but a momentany lightness Now weightiness or lightness is not measured by time yet the Apostle in a most emphatick manner doth so here to shew us that all the weight of the Affliction in comparison of the glory that is coming is meer lightness or is so light that it cannot be measured with the least of weights and therefore he saith it is but a momentany thing like a feather falling on a mans hand and immediatly blown away againe It can be nothing then but shameless unbeleef that saith the time is long 11. Nay which is yet more as if this duration were yet too long it is expressed by a little moment Esai 26 vers 20. As if it were a little part of the least division of time if there be any moment less then another that is the right name of the duration of the Troubles and Afflictions of His People So Esai 54 vers 7. It is called a small moment And can we imagine how it can be less If the People of God had the measuring of the time of their trouble in their own hand could they give it any shorter duration than this Could they imagine a shorter When the Spirit of the Lord expresseth it thus We should be ashamed to think it too long But it will be objected and this is the Second thing I am to speak to That the Lords ordinary dispensation with His people in all ages seemeth to contradict this for ordinarily if not alwayes we see that the Afflictions of His People are of long continuance did not Israel wander Fourty Yeers in the Wilderness After they came into Canaan did they not serve the King of Mesopotamia Eight yeers Iudg. 3 8. and the King of Moab Eighteen vers 14. and the King of Canaan Twenty Yeers Iudg. 4 3. the King of Midian Seven Yeers Iudg. 6 vers 1 Were they not captives in Babylon Seventy Yeers not to mention their being now Non-churched above sixteen hundreth Yeers How then can this time be called and accounted so short For clearing of this we shall propose these few things following to Consideration 1. The time of the Affliction of His people may be accounted
short in regaird of the great and manifold effects which God is to bring about by the same a through Consideration of which would make us say if we judged according to our usual manner that the Afflictions must of necessity continue a long time to the end those great and noble effects may be produced thereby Would we consider how much Dross and Corruption in His own people remaineth to be purged away as Pride Carnality Inordinat Self-love and Love of Pleasures Riches Honours Ease c. Carnal-Security Passion Self-conceite Formality Hypocrisie c. we would see a necessity for the Crosses lying-on for a long time in order to the purging of these away As also would we consider how much Hypocrisie Hollow-heartedness there is to discover how many false Friends to Christ and His Interest there are to be made known we could not but think that of necessity in order to the effectuating of this discovery a long time of trouble and trials were requisite As likewise if we called to minde how many things His people are to learne thereby Considering I say those and such like noble Effects which the great Master of Work is to effectuate and produce by the Affliction And how they would seem to call for the continuance of the same for a considerable time And withall how notwithstanding the Lord prevents the thoughts of many and maketh a short work and doth that in a few Moneths or Dayes which we could have thought should have called for many Yeers When then the Lord maketh such a quick dispatch of such a great Business we may well say that the time is short and that many Years are but a very short time 2 The time of Afflictions may be accounted short considering what our Sins and Provocations call for at His hand When in righteousness the Lord might keep us under the rod all our dayes and multiply Afflictions upon us to our very dying day Ten or Twenty Years Captivity should seem a very short time a few Years Imprisonment would seem nothing to a man who had been condemned to perpetual Imprisonment To another possibly who got no such Sentence a few Moneths Imprisonment would seem longer than many Years to him because he expected no less than perpetual Imprisonment So were we considering that in regaird of our deservings the time of Afflictions might justly be continued to the end of our dayes a few Years or Moneths would appear to be no considerable time Wherefore in respect of our deservings a long time of Affliction is but a short time because the longest is nothing to what we have deserved 3. They may be accounted short in respect of the dayes of Prosperity which they have had sometimes in the world The Lord doth not alwayes chide He will not cast off for ever but though he cause griefe yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His tender Mercies Lam. 3 vers 32. and so He sendeth Prosperity which lasteth longer than their Adversitie did as we see Iudg. 3 vers 11. after Eight Years bondage they had rest Fourtie Years And vers 30. after Eighteen Years trouble they had rest Fourscore Years So Chap. 5 vers last after twenty Years bondage they had rest Fourty Years Thus the Lord sometimes sendeth such a length of Prosperity that the dayes of Adversity are forgotten as if they had been few and inconsiderable 4. The time of Affliction may be accounted short considering how that oftentimes for as long as the delivery seemeth to be a coming yet when it cometh His People are surprized therewith their expectation is prevented they imagined in their own apprehensions a longer duration of the trouble so that mercy preventeth them when it cometh and this maketh the by-past time of their Affliction seem short Though the People of God had been a conderable time in bondage and under the feet of Adversaries yet it appeared unto them but as it were as the time betwixt seed time and harvest Psal. 126 vers 5 6. after God had wonderfully delivered them out of Captivity and Bondage they draw this Conclusion from this rare Act of Gods Providence about them They that sow in tears shall reap in Ioy and he that goeth forth and weepeth having precious seed shall doubtless come againe with rejoiceing bringing His sheaves with him Whereby is imported that Gods People abiding by the Lord though they should meet with Affliction in their Duty and be made to weep sore be reason thereof yet the time of delivery should come like an Harvest with fruit recompensing all their toile and tears and so they summed up all their Seventy Years into less than Seven Moneths And how came it to passe that the time seemed so short That Psalm pointeth this forth as one Reason hereof Vers. 1 When the Lord turned againe the Captivity of Zion we were like men that dream They were surprized with the mercy for they did not look for it but thought their exiled Condition should have continued longer because they saw no appearance or probability of a returne So that in regaird of what the People of God themselves may imagine the time of the Affliction may be short 5. It may likewise be accounted short and inconsiderable in regaird of the wonderful and extraordinary goodness of God that appeareth in the delivery when it cometh it may be attended with such signal and notable Mercies which so fill their souls with amazement and satisfaction that the length of the time of their Affliction disappeareth and evanisheth and as if it had been nothing it is presently forgotten So in that forecited Psal. 126 vers 2. The delivery is accounted signal and wonderfully remarkable such as filled their mouth with laughter and their tongue with singing It was such a notable delivery accompanied with so many rare Passages and carrying in the bosome of it so many rare demonstrations of Gods Power Tenderness Faithfulness Constancy and loving Kindness that they could not but be filled with admiration thereat and have their tongues loosed to sing his praises Yea they took notice of this circumstance which increased the admirablness of the delivery that even Strangers and Heathens were made to say that God had done great things or the poor Jewes and they themselves being no less convinced hereof could not but subscribe to the truth thereof and as it were take the word out of their mouth and say v. 3. The Lord had done great things for us whereof we are glade Now this being so remarkable a delivery the first sight and apprehension of it did so fill their soul with Joy and Admiration that the long Seventy Years Bondage seemed to them but as the paines and labour of a few Moneths in expectation of a good harvest after the seed was sowen as the long paines of a women travelling in Child-birth are forgotten when she hath brought forth a Man-Child In respect therefore of the delivery so signal as to its Ingredients Attendants and
building too much upon such slender and slippery grounds And the consciousness of our own Unconstancy and Instability should make us live closer to Christ. 5. Strong Purposes and Resolutions to stand fast in a day of tryal will not keep us from reeling and staggering in a stormy day Peter had brave Purposes and stout Resolutions yet he fell notwithstanding in the hour of temptation And the reason is because 1. These Purposes and Resolutions are oft ill founded with us we ground them too oft upon something within ourselves on our Partes and Abilities our Light and Knowledge and upon our Grace and Receivings from God or upon former thorow-bearings and the like which may prove but a sandy foundation 2. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperatly wicked and so may faile us in a day of strait and difficulty 3 These purposes may soon be forgotten and laid by Which should learne us not to deceive ourselves with those specious and promiseing flourishes of Purposes and Resolutions even when they are real and without the reproachings of our heart for these are not strong enough to carry us thorow a sad storme that may come 6. A Person may resolve on death in avowing Christ and yet not stand out against a smaller temptation Peter resolved to die rather than deny his Master and yet the word of a Damsel made him deny Christ. And that because 1. Presupposed hazard is not so terrible to nature as what is present a small trouble present is more frightful to nature than a greater trouble afar off 2. We oft make our Resolutions without Christ and resolve not in Him but in ourselves 3. Oftentimes these Resolutions are not deliberat but done in a fit of a good mood and warm frame and when that is off the Resolutions animated thereby wax cold and faint The Consideration of which should make us feare alwayes and not to trust the highest and strongest of Resolutions Happy such as abide in Christ and depend upon Him for their daily Food Strength Courage and Activity and undertake nothing without Him 7. All these fast and firm-like Purposes Vowes and Resolutions will be so far from keeping a person from a fall in a day of temptation that they will not some time keep him even for a few houres So was it here with Peter for that very night he denied his Master And that because 1. A Christian when left to himself is not able to stand-out a storme even a very little time 2. Their adversary the Devil is active subtile and vigilant 3. After Vowes and fast Purposes they become secure as thinking their hazard less and trusting to their owne strength and so the Devil gets most advantage when they are gone from their watch-towr and are fallen asleep in their security 4. The Lord may see it good to suffer this to punish them for their Pride and Self-Confidence and to let all see that he that glorieth should glory in the Lord. This may let us see What an Unconstant Creature a beleever is when he is left to himself and how inconsistent he is with himself And should teach us to fear most and be most upon our guard when we think ourselves best and saifest And to know that our Strength and standing is in the Lord. 8. When Persons think themselves most sure they may be nearest to a fearful fall Peter thought now his mountaine stood so strong that he should never be moved as David did Psal. 30. And all the warnings he gote did not make him once fear a fall And yet wâ—… know what a fearful fall followed upon this And the reason is because 1. They oft judge by sense and carnal reason and so think because they finde themselves in a good mood at present that all is well and they need to fear nothing 2. They grow then most secure and self confident and therefore neglect their watchful and circumspect walking and are not in the fear of the Lord all the day long 3. Satan observing this watcheth his time and finding them secure setteth on cannot but prevaile 4. Self-confidence blindeth the eyes that they see not their owne weakness and where Satan may have advantage against them 5. The only Wise God ordereth it thus to let us see that all Flesh is grasse Therefore we should never resolve to quite our Watch-towr but alwayes minde watchfulness and circumspection and guard against Security Let us fear most when we think we are saifest and beware of promising saifty and immunity to ourselves in whatsoever condition or frame we be into Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall 9. Such as have an higher conceite of themselves than of others may come to fall fouler than any Peter thought more of himself than of all the rest and that he should stand by his Master though all the rest should shamefully turn their back upon Him and yet none among them all did as he did And the Lord wisely ordereth matters thus that 1 All Flesh may lye low in the dust be humble tremble and feare 2. That the best may be jealous of themselves and fear a fall 3. That He may chastise the pride of some who thought there were none comparable to them Which is a warning to all to have humble and low thoughts of themselves and to beware of proud imaginations and loftie thoughts 10. A Person may have true Grace and yet sinfully and shamfully shun suffering for Christ. As we see in Peter who had the root of the matter in him For to beleeve is one gift and to suffer is another distinct gift and they go not alwayes together See Phil. 1 v. 29. of which we spoke above To teach us to depend upon Him for the one as well as for the other and not to think that if we have grace we need no more to carrie us honestly thorow a day of temptation We would remember that it must be given us in that very houre to suffer stedfastly and to stand to the truth 11. A Child of God may fall into this grievous sin of denying his Lord and Master in all His Interests in His Person Offices Attributes and Works This was no small sin in which Peter fell at this time It had a long tail of direful and sad Consequences There is no sin which Beleevers are exempted from but the unpardonable sin unto death final impenitency and final and total Apostasie And Satan in all his temptations driveth at this to have them denying quiting and renouncing Christ. Which should teach us 1. To have charitie to some that fall in a day of temptation seing some in whom is the root of the matter may being left of the Lord fall very foulely 2. To be humble and watchful all our dayes not knowing what may befal us ere we die We may ride thorow one or two or moe stormes and yet fall shamfully ere we go off the stage 3 To remember what a strong and violent Body
sometimes wise and great Politicians Statsmen and Leaders of Armies carry on their designes in such a way as ordinary onlookers shall not understand what the matter meaneth nor what is intended by what they see done with their eyes And the more they carry on their work with success in the dark and hid from the observation of ordinary spectators the more do they discover their great wit and give proof of their dexterity in the managment of affairs of greatest consequence and such under-ground workings and stratagems carry on them a special piece of Beauty and Glory Thus our Lord thinketh good sometimes to work and while working not let every one see what he is doing but carry on his business much out of sight and under ground and by Holy and Majestick Stratagems so as not only enemies shall be ignorant of what He is doing or about to do but many even of his owne followers and friends shall be in the dark So that the observation of Iob. Chap. 23 8 9. is oft times found to be true Behold I go forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him on the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot perceive him As also of the Psalmist Psal. 77 vers 19. Thy way is in the Sea and thy path in the great waters and thy footsteps are not known As all the wayes and footsteps of the Lord are full of Majesty and of hid and unseen Glory and therefore must be sought out of all that take pleasure therein Psal. III vers 2. so that in all of them the Lord is like Himself acteth like Himself and every piece of them discover to a spiritual observer the Finger of God So there are some special pieces of work which are more signal and remarkable and wherein the Lords gloriously-working hand is less obvious and even these works upon that very account are in a special manner Glorious and Majestick and of such is the truth in hand to be understood wherein the Lords footsteps are not seen nor known nor observable by every one for further clearing of which point of truth concerning the Lord's thinking good to work and yet to hide Himself so as it shall not be observed by every one that He is indeed working we shall mentione some few of these special Works of God that are thus covered with a cloud of Majesty that every one cannot understand the Reasons of State why such and such things are done or suffered to be done nor see the connexion betwixt these Actings and the intended Designe As 1. When there is not only a seen and palpable disproportion betwixt the meanes taken and followed and the end projected or intended and an obvious unsutableness of the meanes used unto the designe to be carried on by them But the Work of the Lord seemeth to Onlookers to Crosse and Counter-work the intended end How oft is it seen that the Works of Gods Providence seem not to run in a subserviency to the bringing effectually about of the Promises but rather to turn head upon them and to threaten the utter annulling of them and rendering of them void and of no credite When the present Dispensations of providence are considered and compared with the great things concerning the Kingdom of Christ promised who can see what rational correspondence they keep can observe them smiling one upon another as fit meanes and the end would do Nay who would not say that these Dispensations do rather drive on a direct designe to defeate the Promises who would consult with humane Reason Is not this then a special piece of the Lord's Work wherein He hideth himself and thinketh good to cloath himself with State and Majesty that every one may not be able to prye into the Depths of his Insinite Wisdom nor see how all things are laid and joynted together with firme bands and ligaments that cannot be broken or dissolved and so have a certaine connexion with the intended and promised good When Moses was sent to deliver the People of Israel out of Aegypt and to tell them good newes that the Lord had visited them and looked upon their Affliction and would now rescue and deliver them from their bondage and slavery Exod. 4 v. 30 31. the Dispensation that immediatly followed upon the neck of that seemed to keep no good correspondence therewith when their yoke was made heavier and their bondage more grievous and their slavery and hard work doubled by the People of Israel their being constrained to seek straw for themselves without diminishing the tale of their bricks and they hereupon who formerly believed the Word of God by Moses and bowed down and worshiped when they heard the same now made to say unto Moses and Aaron Exod. 5 v. 21. The Lord look upon you and judge because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his Servants to put a Sword in their hand to slay us Yet herein was a piece of that Stately Working of God which is full of Majesty which the People could not see and which Moses himself could not well take up as his words to God Vers. 22 23. evidence where he saith Lord Wherefore hast thou so evil intreated this People Why is it that thou hast sent me For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy Name he hath done evil to this People neither hast thou delivered thy people at all 2. When the Dispensations of God are such as even those whom they most concerne who have greatest interest in them and are most called therefore to understand them do not know what to say of them nor what construction to put upon them nor what to gather out of them not only in particular but even as to a more general matter that is they shall not know whether they speak-out Mercy or Anger in God towards them This must be a singular piece of God's hiding himself and covering himself with a cloud that no distinct judgment can be made of what He is doing Such was that Dispensation which Sampsons Father met with He and his Wife could not agree in their judgment as to what they saw Iudg. 13. Manaoh said Vers. 22. We shall surly die because we have seen God But his Wife on the contrary said Vers. 23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received a Burnt offering and a Meat-offering at our hands neither would he have shewed us all these things nor would he at this time have told ut such things as these So as to that strange and unusual Dispensation which holy Iob did meet with he did not know what the mind of the Lord was nor what he was intending and driving-at thereby therefore he resolveth Chap. 10 Vers. 2. to say unto God Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me which sheweth that he was utterly ignorant
hereof 3. When the Lord surprizeth His People with a Mercy and a Deliverance and cometh upon them with an unexpected Out-gate whether 1. As to their present Frame and Fitness for the mercy and delivery Or 2. As to their Present Hopes and Expectation When First I say the Lord cometh with a sweet and merciful delivery unto a People that seem to be in no present capacity for it as being out of all good Frame or Fitness for receiving such a mercy with advantage because lying in their sin and impenitency When the Lord cometh with Salvation unto such a people sure his way must be covered with darkness and hid from the eyes of Beholders with a clothing of Soveraignity for who could think that deliverance were upon its march towards such a people who are not seeking it nor turning from their sinful wayes that the Lord may have mercy upon them according to his usual Method and Order Such steps of Soveraignity are hid steps of Majesty and full of Glory and therein the Lord is hiding Himself and His way coming with Salvation in an unusual path As when he saith Esai 57 17 18. For the iniquity of his Covetousness I was wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his wayes and will heal him I will lead him also and restore Comforts unto him and to his mourners Next When the Lord surprizeth a people with a mercy that they are not in Expectation of nor Waiting for then he acteth like a stately King and His Way is Glorious and hid as it was when the Captivity was brought back from Babylon concerning which they say Psal. 126 vers 2. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion we were like them that dream It is true they had good ground to be now looking for their delivery because of the Prophecy of Ieremiah foretelling that after Seventy Years they should return back to their owne land and Daniel understood so much and thereupon when the time was approaching set himself to pray Dan. 9. But as to the generality they were in all appearance little looking for this outgate but rather fearing more trouble and vexation by Babylons warrs with the Medes and the Persians who were coming against them though the name of Cyrus because of what was foretold by Esai Ch. 44. and 45. might have caused them lift up their heads in hope But notwithstanding of all this we see they were at least as to the generality and bulk of the people little looking for an outgate at this time therefore at the first report of freedom granted to them to returne they were like men that dream scarce beleeving their owne eyes and eares At which time while they were in this dreaming posture how were they surprized with this mercy And how was the way of the Lord in His stately Marchings hid from their eyes In reference to this same Dispensation of deliverance to his People by Crus is the Prophet here crying out thus Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self as the former part of the Chapter from the beginning cleareth 4. When Dispensations upon the one hand and the other say that in humane probability there is no appearance or ground of hope of an outgate or deliverance yet delivery cometh in an unexpected way how hid must the way of the Lord then be Thus He loveth to hide Himself in His advancing with Salvation when there is no appearance to humane Consideration whether mens eye be upon the Enemies or upon the People of God themselves As to Enemies they may 1. Be Strong Mighty and Invincible the Consideration of which might alone be sufficient to dash all hopes as who could have thought that the People of Israel being so under the feet of that mighty Monarch Pharaoh could get out of his Territories and be freed of his mighty Yoke 2. They may not only be strong but prevalent and prospering in their evil way all things succeding according to their mind the Lord as it were shining upon their Counsels and granting to them their hearts desire crossing them in none of their wicked interprizes and designes but even suffering them to devise mischiefe upon their bed and to put it the next day in execution Was it not so with Saul in his wicked persecution of David oftentimes Had he him not sometimes in a net and compassed him about on all hands that there was no apparent escaping and yet deliverance came 3. They may be also Crafty and Politick and lay their traines so sure that they may think they cannot misgive and have all things prepared to their minde that in a moment they may blow up His People that there should not so much as a memorial of them be left and yet be disappointed The Lord in an unseen way may bring about His Peoples deliverance so was it with the people of the Iewes in the dayes of Mordecay when Haman had gote a Commission sealed by the Kings ring and a Decree passed that might not be ranversed or recalled the day appointed and designed and that by a lot as having something like a divine approbation Orders dispatched to put all in execution and thus the mine was ready for the springing what hop could the poor Iewes then have of a delivery And yet behold the Lord was then a God that hid himself He was counter-working this myne and laying a back traine that might cause it spring back upon the Authors and so it did as the Storie cleareth When the Enemies thought themselves sure of their designes and thought it impossible that their purposes could fail behold the God of Israel the Saviour was hiding himself and laying an unseen ambush that cutt them off who thought to have destroyed the Iewes So upon the other hand this God will bring about deliverance to his People When upon their part there is not one toaken for good not one thing apparent that can be a probable ground of hope As 1. When their strength is gone and there are none shut up or left not a man that might be an hopful Instrument to the fore all their valiant Men and Men of Courage and such of whom any thing could be expected destroyed and taken away Yet He who is a God that hideth Himself can come in an unseen way and loveth to come so according to that gracious Word Deut. 32 vers 36. For the Lord shall judge his People and repent Himself for His Servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left Was it not thus also in the dayes of Deborah when there was not a spear or sheild seen among Fourty Thousand in Israel Iudg. 5 vers 8. 2. When their heart and courage is gone they are desponding and desparing and looking on their own case as hopless and helpless as it is said of the People of Iudah while in Babylon who said Ezek.
ourselves as Christians with a sutable frame and disposition To the Question then Why the Lord thinketh good to follow this way We answer He doth it for great and weighty reasons partly 1. concerning Himself partly 2. concerning Enemies and partly 3. concerning His own People As to the first the reasons concerning Himself we may take notice of these 1. The Lord thinketh good to bring about His purposes of delivering His people in an hid unseen and unobservable way that He may shew forth the glory of his Soveraignity who chooseth Wayes and Methods as He pleaseth and doth as whatever he will so after what manner he will in heaven and in earth and is not obliged to follow ordinary methods or to walk in beaten and troden paths but to do what beseemeth a great King and a Royal Soveraigne who giveth not an account of any of his matters whose will is a law to us and a rule to speak so to himself Hence in this same Chapter Esai 45. is this so oft repeated I am the Lord and none else vers 5 6 18 21. Hereby laying down the ground of His so acting and quieting his peoples mindes and stilling their thoughts concerning this matter 2. The Lord thinketh good to trade in such an unseen way that spiritual eâ—…es may the more see that it is He even He who is God and there is none else that it is He who formeth the light and creaâ—…eth darkness who maketh peace and createth evil and is the Lord who doth all these things vers 7. Wherein should it appear that He were Jehovah if in all things he should work according to the thoughts and imaginations of men Is not this a manifest proof of His being God when his wayes and Actings transcend our Comprehensions Though in all his wayes and workings He is God and worketh and doth like himself even in such as are most ordinary and obvious and a Spiritual eye can discerne and espve something truely divine the marks of a divine hand there yet when His way is in the deep waters and his foot-steps cannot be seen He acteth in a manner more like Himself like one who is indeed God and whose wayes are beyond and above the reach of Men the wisest and holiest of Men and then may all have ground to say This is the finger of God as the Magicians of Egypt said when the Lord did somethings which they with all their inchantments could not imitate Exod. 8 18 19. 3. The Lord chooseth this way to give some signal proof of His Wisdom if Statsmen should mannage and carry-on their affairs of State alwayes in such an open and plaine manner that every plaine and simple man that knoweth nothing of the intrigues of state should be able to discerne their motions designes and all their contrivances they would not give great proof of their State wisdom and Policy And if a Commander and Leader of an army should so manage all his affairs in that conduct that the meanest souldier should be able to discover and understand all his designes and stratagems he should give but a sory proof of his singular dexterity in conduct But when the Statsman and the Commander in chiefe so carry on their projects that few or none can well understand what their Designe and Intention is then a demonstration is given of their Ability Wisdom and Accomplishment for such places of power and trust So when the Lord hideth His holy Purposes and Projects and acteth so as ordinary on-lookers will suppose imagine that he is going East when He mindeth to march west ward and even many of his own will think that He is about to destroy his work and people when He is upon His way to raise them up and set them on high and to destroy the Adversarieship and thigh then His deep and unsearchable Wisdom appeareth Then it appeareth that He also is wise Esai 31 2. Iob gote a sight of this in the Lords rare works of providence Iob. 12 12 13. to the end and therefore saith with the ancient is wisdom and in length of dayes understanding with Him is wisdom and strength he hath counsel and un derstanding So Paul gote such a sight of this that made him cry out Rom. 11 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out 4. Hereby also the Lord giveth a clear demonstration of his Faithfulness and Truth If He were carrying-on the accomplishment of his Promises and Purposes of good towards his people in a visible discernable and obvious manner folks would have but an ordinary and cursory observation of His Faithfulness and their hearts accordingly would be but in an ordinary manner affected and they moved but to praise and blesse Him therefore of course for remarking nothing singular their hearts would not be raised-up above what is usual and ordinarie to admire extol Him upon that account But when he followeth another method taketh an unusual course to bring about his grand designes and such a course as whereby Enemies might think He did not see nor regard He would never come to helpe His people the day was theirs they should prosper and never be moved for there is no appearance or probability might they think that ever the case shall alter our affairs be overturned upon the other hand whereby his owne People might sâ—…e no visible or probable ground of hope that the promises should be accomplished the word of the Lord should take effect then His appearance with salvation after he had wrought so long under ground out of sight all hop was gone from them fear from the enemie is much more remarkable his Faithfulness shineth forth with a more then ordinary Glance and Lustre It cometh forth then with a witness Then they see and say that his faithfulness is unto the clouds Psal. 36 5. that his righteousness is like the great mountains and his judgments are a great depth vers 6. and that his faithfulness is unto all generations Psal. 119 90. So that no vicissitudes or changes here below can alter Him no delay of time or procrastination or the like can make any alteration in Him for his faithfulness is unto all generations Then will they praise his Truth Psal. â—…1 22. But next as to such grounds and reasons hereof as concerne Enemies we may take notice of these 1. He cometh with deliverance unto His people in a way not obvious nor observable that enemies may appear in their own colours and give a plaine and open discovery of the latent malice and wickedness of their heart against the People of God If the Lord did alwayes appear openly and manifestly in the behalfe of His owne let all the world see that He owned them for His people and would suffer none to do them harme the malice and wickedness of many latent enemies who can speak
with their mouth smooth words smoother than butter and softer than oile when war is in their heart drawn swords Psal. 55 21. would not appear But when the Lord hideth himself and goeth out of sight then they say as it is Psal. 71 11. God hath forsaken him persecute and take him for there is none to deliver Because they say in their heart God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see therefore their mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud under their tongue is mischiefe and vanity they sit in the lurking places of the villages in the secret places do they murder the innocent their eyes are privily set against the poor c. Psalm 10 vers 8 9 10 11. 2. The Lord maketh choise of this manner of way of appearing and working for His people that Enemies may be judicially hardened in their wicked course of opposition to His Interest and People so fitted for the fatal blow of God's Justice As it was with Pharaoh when the plagues were taken off and God's terrour removed out of sight he became alwayes thereupon more hardened in his wickedness against God and His people and thereafter when he saw that the people of Israel were ensnared betwixt mountains and the sea and so judged that God had left them or could not helpe them then his heart was hardened unto a peremptory resolution to pursue and take them even through the red sea and there the wrath of God fell upon him and all his army 3. The Lord carrieth on His work thus that the ruine of the enemies may be the more signal and remarkable and the hand of God manifestly seen therein when they are puft up with pride and think no hand can reach them they are beyond all hazard no appearance is there of any thing that can put the least demurre unto their wicked proceedings The blow becometh the more remarkable them ore surprizing and unexpected that it is Such was that fatal blow that came on Pharaoh and his hoste and on Belshazzar when ravelling with his Nobles Wives and Concubines and profaning the holy vessels of the house of the Lord Dan. 5. 4. The Lord thinketh good to follow this way That He may the more observably fill the faces of his Enemies with shame and confusion therefore he he will suffer them to carry on their designes to lay their mines close to prepare all so that nothing may seem to remaine but putting fire to the traine that they may blow up the Interest and People of God in a moment and when they think all is ready give them a fearful disappointment and withal let them see that He who is the watchman of Israel hath seen what they have been doing all that time in secret and hath been counter-working their devices and undermineing their mines when he shall cause their mine spring back upon themselves and thus cover their faces with shame and confusion when they shall see that it is the hand of God that hath done it defeating their plots and devices which were laid and carried-on with such secrecy and with such providential foresight and rational security that nothing but the immediat hand of God could frustrat and defeate them Was it not so with Hamans device and bloody plot to cut off all the Iewes And how shamfully came he off Thus the Lord destroyeth the wisdom of the wise Esai 29 14. 5. The Lord taketh this way to the end He may shame if it can be those enemies from their wicked atheistical thoughts concerning Him that they may know that there is a God that ruleth in the earth a God that careth for His people watcheth over his Inheritance or else they may be rendered the more inexcusable in the day of their appearance before God Thus the Lord will consume such as belch out with their mouth have swords in their lips and say who doth hear That they may know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of Earth Psal. 59 7 13. An eminent place for this we have Esai 49. The Lord hid Himself so that his people became a prey and were captives yet saith the Lord vers 24 25 26. Shall the prey be taken from the mighty or the lawful captive delivered But thus saith the Lord even the Captives of the mighty shall be taken away and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered c. And what then And all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer the mighty one of Iacoh 6. The Lord thinketh fit to follow this way that hypocrites and such as are not heart friends to Him His cause may be discovered may fall off and so appear to be what indeed they are If the Lord were alwayes appearing for His people when ever they began to be in a straite and visibly making bare His arme in their behalfe many hollow hearted false friends would take part with them and stay among them and seem to love and favoure them Therefore that they may be made manifest the Lord hideth himself and appeareth not so openly for his friends but suffereth them to fall under the feet of enemies who oppress them and all that take their part which occasioneth their stepping aside turning away from the Truth as not being reconciled with the crosse nor loving Christ and his People so as to take a share with them in the Affliction and Bondage How many who appeared zealous in a faire day will turn about and side with wicked and evil doers to be free of the crosse and when they see no foot-steps more of the Lords appearing for his Work and Interest On the other hand in the third place the Lord thinks good to follow this way for some good ends in reference to His own people As 1. The Lord doth thus that he may discover the hid Corruption that lurketh in His own people which in a fair day when He is upon their head marching through the host of the Enemie and tradeing them under foot who oppressed His people and keept them at under will lye at the bottome and not appear As 1. Vnbeleefe when the arme of the Lord is revealed they cannot then but beleeve That He is the Lord and the God of his people they cannot then have the least doubt about this But many Doubts Questions Scruples and Hesitations will arise in their soul when the Lord's face is hid and He appeareth not in behalfe of His Afflicted People and Interest The Disciples did openly enough professe their faith in Christ as the Messiah the Son of the living God while was with them He working miracles before their eyes but when once he was crucified dead and buried Thomas would not beleeve no not though the other Disciples had told him that they had seen the Lord nor would he beleeve as he said expresly himself unless he should see in his hand the print of the nails and put his finger in the
reproved is their construeing of Gods Minde Affection and Covenant-Relation towards them according to these outward dispensations and the hideings of himself like a foolish childe that would think the Mother had forsaken him and cast him off each time that she were out of sight or set him out of her armes So that the thing here reprovable is their drawing wrong Conclusions from these outward changes such as these 1. God hideth Himself therefore His heart is changed and He is no more their Father His love is altered His Grace Favour and Promises fail 2. God hideth Himself and they see Him not therefore all are undone there is no more hope we are cut off for our parts as Ezekiel 37. 3. God hideth Himself therefore we are cast out of the Covenant our state is changed we have no more any place in his favour or room in his love we are in the state of the dead 4 The Lord hideth Himself is out of sight therefore all that He hath done formerly and we looked upon as His work of grace love have been but delusions and not his work in very deed 5. The Lord hideth Himself therefore His cause shall be destroyed His work shall never be perfected His enemies shall never be overthrown 6. The Lord hideth His face and appeareth not Therefore our Salvation is desperat and hopeless These wrong Conclusions the like are justly reprovable argue a wrong perverse consideration of the Dispensations of the Lord quite contradictory to the Truth here asserted therefore should be seriously guarded against such thoughts when they enter the soul occupy the mind should be rejected dismissed with abhorrence as temptations and irrational and antievangelick suggestions of Satan Next We may hence learne how to answer and with grounded reason repel the forementioned sinful Suggestions false Insinuations when the Devil assaulteth us therewith to trouble our Peace marre our Joy brangle our Hope and weaken our Confidence thereby bring us into a Fainting Misbeleeving Desponding and Heartless Disposition of Spirit For whatever the outward dispensations of the Lord be His Covenant stands fast and His Covenant-relation abideth the same and His heart and love abideth fixed and unchangable His purposes alter not His thoughts take place in all generations how great so ever the difference be betwixt the one and the other as to His dispensations in them And the fixed faith of this would prove a notable preservative against fainting and faithless fears and would Strengthen Support and Uphold the heart in the midst of all these contrary waves this would be good fast ground whereon the soul may ride at anchor saifly in the midst of all these stormes and horrible tempests Thirdly Hence we see the great advantage of the people of God who have cut a covenant with the Lord as the Scripture phrase is and are become His and have an interest in Him as theirs Let the Lord's dispensations outwardly be never so dark and sad and such as those who are utter strangers to the Scriptures and to the Lord's way of dealing with His people would interprete to be manifest evidences and demonstrations of God's off casting yet they may fing with the sweet Psalmist of Israel and say Although mine house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow 2 Sam. 23. 5. O how great is this advantage that they may by faith read love in His heart when anger seemeth to flow out of His hands And that his Interest in and relation to His people theirs to Him againe abideth firme and unshaken notwithstanding of all the outward sore and sharpe passages of his providence What Joy Peace and Comfort may the thoughts of this yeeld unto His sad hearted people when troubled at the consideration of His sharpe dispensations Fourthly Here is likewise great encouragment and a strong motive to enduce and perswade unto a closeing of a Covenant with God And Oh that all who are as yet strangers hereunto would at length be moved to lay hold on Him while his armes are stretched out to welcome embrace all who will come Secondly We may hence observe That there is a discovery to be had of the standing relation betwixt God and His people even when the Lord hideth Himself For the Lord was now hiding Himself or appearing as such unto the Prophet and yet the Prophet saw him withall to be the God of Israel and the Saviour In the former point we saw That the relation betwixt God and His people doth stand notwithstanding of the Lords hideing of His face and not appearing openly by acts sutable to such a relation But though this be so yet His people may want the heart-confirming sight thereof And now in this point we hear That His people may be helped unto this sight and discovery even in such a day wherein the Lord hideth Himself And that 1. When the Lord leadeth them in by Faith to see His unchangeable Nature Purposes and Decrees as also his Truth and unchangable Word together with the other Particular grounds of this unchangablness in Gods Relations towards His people formerly mentioned the hand of God must lead them in to this secret chamber where discovering the Lord and His way with His people they see his heart abiding the same however His face may frown rodes may be in His hands Now when faith getteth right apprehensions of God and winneth to a right discovery of Him they see this connexion that otherwise would be dark and questionable and they see a reality and subsistence in the promises 2. The Lord helpeth them to see thorow the dark cloud and the black dispensation and to read what is written on the backside thereof or what standeth behinde the courtine of the present sad dispensation And then they discover Faithfulness and Unchangablness in God Love Truth Mercy in all his dispensations 3. The Lord blunteth the edge of the temptations of Satan and lets His Child see the unreasonablness of what is objected the absurdity of the Inference that Satan and corrupt Reason would make draw from the Lords way of procedoure Yea he helpeth them to draw the contrary Conclusions and that upon certaine approven grounds confirmed by manifold experience 4. The Lord discovereth unto them the firm connexion betwixt these saddest and blakest Dispensations and the faire Promises and the noble Outgate that is coming to His people And then they cannot but see him to be Israel's God even when He hideth Himself 5. The Lord thinketh good sometime to give in the darkest day and in the darkest houre of the night some glimpses of His glory in behalfe of His People to shew that He is not altogether unmindful of them that He is not far away and that He is about His work
For the Wise man telleth us here that no man can help any thing that they suppose God hath made amisse or make any thing straight which God hath made crooked who can saith he make that straight which He hath made crooked Among several other wholsome Instructions which Salomon giveth us in this penetential discourse of his this is one That we would Consider the Work of God that is Take notice of what He is doing and working ponder upon His works Meditate upon them and dwell on the thoughts thereof and lay to heart His Providential disposal of all Things Actions and Events and His ordering and mannaging of them all to His own Glory and according to His own mind and absolute will and pleasure And that so as to acquiesce in what He doth to rest satisfied with it and to comply heartily and cheerfully therewith in all points without Murmureing Fretting Repineing or Quarrelling And He addeth a Reason which is that we are here mainely to speak to for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked This question is an emphatick negation of the thing and is as much as if he had said it is absolutly Impossible that any Creature Man or Angel can make straight what God hath made crooked They cannot Counter work the Lord they cannot undo what He hath done they cannot amend what they suppose is made or done amisse This He had said before Chap 1 vers 15. that which is crooked cannot be made straight And here He maketh this Improvement of it and as it were draweth this use from it That we should consider the Works of the Lord as if He had said The Consideration of this that no man can make any thing straight that they suppose God hath made crooked should move us to complye with and contentedly acquiesce in whatsoever God doth under the Sun by His mighty Power and according to His unchangable Purpose and Counsel and to the everlasting determinations of His holy will These words give ground to enquire 1. What are those crooked things which God hath made 2. How and why it is that these crooked things cannot be made straight by one or other of the Creatures 3. What way we should upon this account Consider the Works of God or what Improvement we should make of this Impossibility of helping what we suppose is amisse in the Lord's Works of Providence As to the first VVe may not suppose that to speak properly any thing that God doth is crooked but our corrupt unsatisfied mindes look upon many passages of God's All-ruling and All-disposing Providence as crooked and as such as we would faine have altered if we had our wills Some of which we can onely mention and these we may reduce to two Heads 1. Touching some things that are more controverted 2. Touching some things that are less controverted As to the more controverted we shall mention only these following 1. Not only do our hearts rise up against the Holy and Soveraigne Acts of Gods will in choosing whom He would unto eternal Life and in passing by oâ—…hers as we see Rom. 9. Corrupt Reason that will not submit unto the Lord and His wayes spurneth against that saying that God hath mercy on whom He will and Iacob have I loved c. Vers. 13 15. and responsateth against God objecting upon this account unrighteousness unto the just and holy One of Israel V. 14. But also against His holy Executions of these His Holy and Soveraigne Decrees Paul had concluded that God had mercy on whom He would and hardened whom He would Vers. 18. And corrupt Reason will againe carp and say If so why doth He yet finde fault For who hath resisted His will Vers. 19. Unto which the Apostle must returne a sharp and silenceing answere Vers. 20 21 22 23. Nay but O Man who art thou that repliest or disputest against God Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it why hast thou maâ—… me thus Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour c. 2. So in the matter of the Lord's dispensing the meanes of grace and the Gospel we wonder at the Lords Way and cannot understand how it is that He should hide this Mysterie from Ages and Generations Col. 1. vers 26. Ephes 3 v. 9. should send the Gospel to one place and not unto another and why He should forbid the Apostles to goe preach the good newes of Salvation in Asia and in Bithinia Act. 16 vers 6 7 Why He should continue the Gospel long with one people and remove it quickly from another and Non-church them And why one Nation and People should enjoy the meanes of grace for many ages and others for many ages never once have a report of Salvation through Christ but be left from one generation to another in blackness of darkness in woful Idolatry and Ignorance This piece of the Lord's work seemeth so crooked and so unlike to and incorrespondent with or repugnant to the attributes of God as to His Mercy Loving Kindness and Goodness unto some that they to make up this supposed gap and set right this crook in the Lords way feigne and imagine an Universal Objective Grace or an Universal Gospel that is that God hath given to all Nations how barbarous so ever those meanes of Grace and Salvation which if they would improve aright would prove saving and so must imagine that the Sun Moon and Stars Raines and fruitful Seasons and other works of Creation and Providence do preach out that Mysterie of Salvation through a crucified Christ contrare to Scripture and to all Sense and Reason or that there is another way to Salvation than by saith in a crucified Christ which is also contrare to the Scripture Act. 4 vers 12. Thus the Arminians and Semi Arminians and Quakers think to make this crooked work of God straight but in vaine We should rather minde that which Paul hath Rom. 11 33. after he had spoken of the rejection of the Jewes and the Lords taking-in the Gentiles O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out Vers. 34. For who hath known the minde of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellour Vers. 35. Or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed to him againe Vers. 36. For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen And minde the purpose of God here Ephes. 1 v. 8 9 10. and 3 9 10 11. 3 The way of the Lord in this matter seemeth so crooked to Pelagians and their followers Arminians Socinians and Quakers ' with Papists and Iesuites that all this contrivance of an Vniversal Objective Grace or an Universal Gospel will not satisfie them nor be enough in their apprehensions to set this crook even but they must further
accuse Him of unrighteous dealing As those whom Paul bringeth-in reasoning against the truth of God and saying Rom 9 19. Why doth he yet finde fault For who hath resisted his will To whom he answereth Vers. 20 21. Nay but o man who art thouâ—… that answerest againe or disputest against God or repliest against God c. As if he had said Hath not the Lord Power and Soveraignity in that matter to do what he will as well as a Potter hath over a bit clay May not God dispose of His Clay which he made Himself as well as the Potter may do of the Clay which he made not and is not the Creator of but was created to his hand by the same God that created himself Why then dost thou quarrel with Him or disputest against Him Canst thou help the matter Canst thou make that straighter than it is 3. When we corrupt the truthes of God and abuse them perverting them to our corrupt and licentious Ends like that saying Rom. 6 vers 1. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound And againe Vers. 15. Shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under grace And Chap. 7 v. 7. Is the Law sin So Chap. 3 v. 31. Do we then make void the Law through faith These and the like Objections which Paul in his Epistles preoccupieth shew what the corrupt heart and reasonings of men are set upon and how prone they are to turne the Grace of God into lasciviousness and to pervert the right Wayes of the Lord. Whereby they clearly demonstrate how displeased they are at the holy Truths and Wayes of God and how ready to thraw and pervert them that they may become more straight then they seem to them at present to be 4. When we Fret Repine Grumble and Grudge in our minde against any of the Lords Dispensations in and about us or our concernments This was the great sin of Israel they murmured against the Lord and against Moses Exod. 15 and 16 and 17. Numb 14 and 16 and 17. 1 Cor. 10 10. They were dissatisfied in their mindes and repined and murmured against the Lord and hereby they said they would have the wayes and dispensations of the Lord altered towards them they were crooked and they would have them made more straight 5. When our hearts do not sweetly comply with the Wayes and Dispensations of the Lord or we learne not nor study Christian Submission We should submit ourselves unto the Lord I am 4 vers 7. and humble ourselves under his mighty hand 1 Pet. 5 v. 6. We should be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits Heb. 12. vers 9. even when he Crosseth Chastneth and Afflicteth us But when we forget this Christian Duty we declare our displeasure at Gods wayes and dealings with us and say that we would have his work amended and that made straight which He hath made crooked 6. When we are Impatient and cannot waite God's leasure but take sinful courses to deliver ourselves or sit down discontented and sinfully longe for an outgate then we declare our dissatisfaction with God's way and would have his dispensations altered and matters running in another channel As when the labouring man would have the day of harvest the next week after the seed is cast into the ground he is displeased with Gods Order and Appointment of some Moneths interveening Whileas we should have Patience and waite Gods time with Patience I am 5 7 8. Luk. 8 15. 2 Pet. 1 v. 6. I am 1 4. Rom. 12 12. 7. When we are discontented with our own lot and grudge at others as having a better lot than we have an evil which Iames condemneth Iam. 5 vers 9. and which plainly sayeth we would amend Gods work and set straight what He hath made crooked As that wicked King was displeased when he heard the message of the Lord 1 Kings 20 42 43. 8. When we are excessively Anxious and Disquieted in our minde as to any passage of Providence that we meet with or as to any crosse that befalleth us David checketh his own soul as to this Ps. 42 vers 5 11. and 43 5. saying Why art thou disquieted within me We are discharged to be careful thus with a sinful anxiety for any thing Phil. 4 v. 6. 1 Cor. 7 32. But When we are thoughtful we clearly say that we would faine make straight what God hath made crooked though Christ hath told us Matth. 6 27. that by taking thought we cannot adde one cubite to our stature 9. When though we dar not speak against God in sending a crosse upon us yet we are not satisfied with the Manner or Measure or Season or Duration and Continuance or the Instrument of our crosse but say we would choose any other crosse but this we would be satisfied if it were not so Bitter and so Heavy and so Insupportable we would have taken it well had it come upon us at any other time than now we would most chearfully have borne it if it had been of shorter Continuance and had any other person been the Instrument thereof we would have laid our hand upon our mouth all which and the like though they seem to insinuate some sort of Submission yet are plaine Declarations that we think the way of the Lord crooked and that we would have matters better ordered and all things made more straight and even than they are 10. When in our prayers there is not that submission unto the holy and soveraigne Will of the Lord that ought to be but rather a limiteing of the holy One of Israel and a sinful unwarrantable Importunity as to things not necessary in themselves nor for us without submission of soul unto the holy Will of the Lord as to the Manner Time and Measure of the Lords granting of our suites When our Prayers are not commensurate unto the Promises as to their Substance nor put up with Submission to God's Will and Soveraignity as to the Manner Measure Season Way and the like circumstances which the great God hath keeped in His own hand By these and the like wayes we declare our dissatisfaction with the wayes and works of God and account them crooked and think and endeavoure though in vaine to make straight what God hath made crooked An evil at which God is highly displeased Wo unto him saith the Prophet Esai 45 vers 9 10. that striveth with his maker Let the Potsheards strive with the Potsheards of the Earth shall the Clay say to him that fashioneth it what makest thou Or thy work he hath no hands Wo unto him that saith to his Father what begettest thou Or to the woman what hast thou brought forth And the great sinfulness of this sin appeareth in these Particulars 1. It is a striveing against the Lord in the place now cited the word in the Original signifieth a Contending in judgment as Lam. 3 vers 58. Leading a processe against one Judging or Sentenceing in judgment so
also a Chideing Contending withfighting as Gen. 26 vers 20 22. So that this sin is a calling of the most High to an account and a bringing of Him before our judgment-seat as Iob 33 13. Where the the same verbe is used Why dost thou strive against him Or why dost thou call Him before thy tribunal summond Him to compear before thee or contend with Him in judgment or plead against Him He answereth not he giveth no account of his matâ—…s to any 2. It is a rebelling against the Lord. When the People of Israel murmured against the Lord and against Moses and Aaron Numb 14 v. 1 2 3. Moses said unto them Vers. 9. Only rebel not ye against the Lord. So it is said Psal. 78 vers 40. How oft did they rebel against him in the wilderness in the margine See Vers. 8. 3. It is a manifest calling his Wisdom in question and a saying that He is not wise enough to order and dispose matters aright As if He were not mighty in wisdom Iob 36 vers 5. Our Wisdom were to cease from our own Wisdom Prov. 23 vers 4. and to beleeve though we should not see that in wisdom he hath made the heavens and all Psal. 104 vers 34. and 136 vers 5. and hath established the world in wisdom Ier. 10 vers 1â—… and 51 v. 15. And not think to give Him Counsel and Advice how He should rule the world for there are Depths of Wisdom and of Knowledge in Him Rom. 11. 33. that we should think upon with Admiration for if in our wisdom we think to correct His wayes and quarrel against them and not comply with them he will destroy the Wisdom of the wise 1 Cor. 1 19 20. O what a guilt must this be to proclame ourselves wiser than He is and better able to order all things aright at least what concerneth ourselves The very hauk will not flie by our wisdom Iob 39 26. and shall we think to prescribe Rules to God 4. It is a calling in question of His Absolute Power and Soveraignity As if He might not do what he pleased but were obnoxious to us and bound to give an account of his wayes to us or could do injustice or wrong to any As if he had not that Power over His Creatures to whom he hath given being and all they have that the Potter hath over the lump of Clay or we have over our beasts which are our fellow-creatures and hold not their being of us And must not this be a great sin 5. When we are sinfully anxious and disquieted with his Dispensations towards his Church We call into question His Faithfulness and Care of and also his Love to his Church as if he had forgotten to be gracious and would be merciful no more and cared not that she perished as Christs Disciples said Mark. 4 38. contrare to 1 Pet. 5 7. And this sure must be no small sin 6. We hereby proclame Him to be an imperfect Worker and say that He is not God for his works who is God cannot but be perfect and his Way also Deut. 32 4. 2 Sam. 22 31. 7. We profess ourselves hereby able to finde out the depths of His wayes and to search Him out unto Perfection as was said to Iob Chap. 11 v. 7. Why else will we think to reprove Him and amend what He hath done as if it were amisse 8. When we are dissatisfied with His Dispensations towards us we really accuse the Most Holy of Injustice as if indeed He had wronged us and we had deserved better at His hands though all His wayes are Judgment and though He be a God of Truth and without Iniquity and just and right Deut. 42 vers 4. Eliphaz said to Iob after he heard his complaints Chap. 3. Iob 4 vers 17. Shall mortal man be more just than God Shall a man be more pure than his Maker Elihu said well Iob 34 vers 17. Shall we condemne him that is most just What a sin must it be to lay such an Imputation on Him who hath justice and judgment for the habitation of his throne Ps. 89 vers 14 and who is excellent in power and in judgment and in plenty of Iustice Iob 37 vers 23 Next The Consideration of this should cause us watch against this evil and labour for another frame of heart that will be more complying with the Wayes and Works of the Lord. And for this cause we should take another look of the Works of the Lord and consider them in another manner than we usually do and this bringeth me to the Third thing in the Text which will also lead us to a further improvment of this impossibility of helping what we suppose is amisse in the Works and Dispensations of the Lord. Thirdly Therefore let us see what way we should consider the Works of the Lord to the end we may have a suteable frame of spirit complying sweetly with all the crooks that are or we suppose to be in Gods Way and Works for in reference to this only shall we speak of considering the Works of the Lord. We should then consider the Works of the Lord whether of Creation or of Providence 1. So as that thereby we may become rooted and more setled in the Faith of this that He alone is Iehovah above all Gods and this would do much to quiet and calme our spirits For our murmuring at or displeasure with what He doth floweth from the want of the clear sight and apprehension of the hand of the only Supream and Soveraigne God therein Hence to the end that people may set Him above all imagined false and supposed God's he readeth a lecture to them of His great works Esai 40. from vers 12. and forward and inferreth once and againe vers 18 25. to whom then will ye liken God Or what likeness will ye compare with him So he setteth forth several remarkable works that He would do for his Church that they may see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord hath done this and that the holy One of Israel hath created this Esai 41 vers 20. And when we consider His Works so as to see Him alone to be Jehovah the Absolute and Soveraigne King Creator Conservator and Disposer of all Things according to His own will and pleasure then our hearts will bow more and submit unto His holy Determination and we will learne to say with good old Eli 1 Sam. 3 18. It is the Lord Jehovah let him do what seemeth him good 2. We should consider the works of the Lord till we finde thereby that He alone is the wise Governour of the World and that there is a beauty of Divine Wisdom to be seen and observed on all even on that which we account most crooked in our blinde and byassed judgments Thus did holy Iob Chap. 12. contemplate the most crooked like works of the Lord such as His breaking down shutting up of
of the ends and designes of God that causeth us to complean and quarrel and wish that His works were otherwise ordered and marshalled for saw we these and conâ—…idered how pertinent and sâ—…teable all the passages of His way and all the circumstances of His work were unto the end designed we would be forced to say Behold He doth all things well When Elihu had been considering Iob 37. the Lords thunder and the great small raine the whirle wind the frost and observed how the Lord did weary the thick cloud and turne it about hither and thither he did not satisfie himself with that till he also gote a look of the special ends wherefore the Lord did so that so he might see the beauty and splendour that was therein therefore he addeth ver 12 13. And it is turned round about by his Counsels that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth He causeth it to come whether for correction orforhis land or for mercy And thereupon vers 14. exhorteth Iob to hearken unto this to stand still and consider the wondrous works of God And of Him who vers 16. is perfect in knowledg And such a sight as this of the works of the Lord would put us far from intertaining such thoughts of God and of his wayes as we too ordinarily have If we saw Him in these His works acting as a wise Governour carrying on His noble and excellent Designes and Purposes we would see a necessity for all that He doth and that no Circumstance might be wanting otherwise His work should not be perfect as it must be And the faith of His being a God of wisdom doing all for wise and holy ends should quiet us even though we should not see the Particular end which the Lord Intendeth in this or that Particular work 8. We would consider also the work of the Lord and see how thereby He executeth many a time His judgments on the wicked and how He is pouring out His red wine that is full of mixture and causing the wicked of the earth drinkout the very dregs as it is Psal. 75 8. And thereby making it appear that verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth Ps. 85. 11. Yea even when He seemeth most to be favouring the wicked and His dispensations smile most upon them He is but heaping wrath the more upon them and fitting them for the day of slaughter Asaph that could not see this when he was under the Water saw it clearly when he went into the Sanctuary then he understood their end and saw that the Lord had set them in slippery places and they were brought into desolation as in a moment Psal. 73 17 18 19. It was an heart-establishing sight which the Psalmist had of the great works of the Lord Psal. 92 4 5. when he saw vers 6 7. that a brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this when the wicked spring as the grasse and when all the workers of iniquity flourish it is that they shall be destroyed for ever CONSIDERATION XXII Judgement upon a Land because of sin sometime will not be held off by the prayer of God's people JEREM. 15 1. Then said the Lord unto me though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my minde could not be toward this people Cast them out of my sight and let them go forth IN a time when because of publick and abounding sins the Lord bringeth on Publick and General Calamities especially such as sweep away the Righteous with the Wicked and that could not be prevented or held off by all the Prayers and Supplications of His people how earnest so ever they have been therein it may seem no small piece of difficulty how a beleever shall win to any life or to know what a life may be had in a such a dismal day It may therefore be of use to speak a little hereunto especially seing this is very like to be the case of this Generation These words and the like Passages show us that indeed there is a time when God is so provoked by the sinnes of a people that after much abused patience and long-suffering He will not be intreated to hold off the stroke that He is about to send or hath threatned because of Provocations Nor shall the eminentest of His favourites wrestlers who sometime have prevailed as Princes with Him be in case to stand in His way and avert the blow by all their Intreaties earnest Supplications God was about to bring on this people of Judah the long threatned desolation and did denounce the same by His Servant Ieremiah saying Chap. 7 14 15. That He would do unto His house at Ierusalem which was called by His name and wherein they did trust as He had done unto Shilo and that He would cast them out of His sight as He had cast out their Brethren the whole seed of Ephraim And that Ieremiah might understand the perempâ—…oriness of this denounciation He addeth vers 16. Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up cry nor prayer for them neither make intercession to me for I will not hear thee The Lord hereby signifying not so much His will that Ieremiah should surcease and pray no more in their behalf as the peremptoriness of His purpose and resolution to bring on the judgment so that all his Interceeding and Interposeing should not avail And this is againe renewed Chap 11 14. Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up a cry or prayer for them for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for thâ—…ir trouble As if He had said The decree is now gone forth neither shall they prevail for themselves nor thou for them Yet Compassionat Ieremiah could not get them forgotten in his prayers but interceedeth earnestly with the Lord in their behalf Ier. 14 1. From the beginning to the 10. ver Whereupon the Lord said unto him the third time vers 11. pray not for this people â—…or their good Ieremie againe vers 19. to the end notwithstanding of this fell to the work of prayer and did earnestly supplicat and interceed for them But now the Lord tels him Chap. 15 1. That Moses and Samuel should not prevail in their behalf and therefore he may be the better satisfied to hear that God would not grant his Petitions put up for them The like we have said foure times over Ezek. 14 14 16 18 20. Though these three men Noah Daniel and Iob were in it they should deliver but their own souls and againe Though those three men were in it as I live saith the Lord God they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters they only shall be delivered but the land shall be desolate The matter then which we are to notice is manifest to wit That there is a time when the sins of a people come to that height that God will not spare upon
any humane Intercession He will hear no Intreaty That was an unalterable and inevitable sentence against the house of honest Eli. 1 Sam. 3 14. And therefore I have sworne unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Elies house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever When the Lord would beginne He would also make an end as it is said v. 12. So Esai 22 v. 14. And it was revealed in mine eares by the Lord of hostes surely this iniquitie shall not be purged from you till ye die There is a time when the end is come and the Lord will judge a people according to their wayes and recompense upon them all their abominations and His eye shall not spare neither will He have pity As Ezek. 7 2. to 10. And the Lord will not againe passe by them any more Amos 7 vers 8. and 8. vers 2. Such a time and dispensation as this cannot but be afflicting and grievous to all that are concerned in such matters And the Consideration of these particulars may manifest how sad it is when the Lord is so provoked against a People as no Intercessions of His most highly honoured Favourites upon whose Intreaties sometime He hath manifested wonderful condescensions of grace will prevail to keep off the stroke no not Moses and Samuel both together 1. That the Lord hath done much at the Prayer and Intercession of these two in particular here mentioned Moses and Samuel For Moses see Exod. 32. where the Lord was so wroth and displeased at the Peoples turning aside so quickly out of the way and making the golden Calf that He said unto Moses vers 9 10. I have seen this people and behold it is a stiff-necked People Now therefore let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them And yet upon the Intercession of Moses saying Vers 11 12 13. Lord why doth thy wrath wax hote against thy People which thou hast brought forth out of the Land of Aegypt with great power and with mighty hand c. It is said Vers 14. That the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his People So againe Numb 14 v. 19 20. See Psal. 99 vers 5. and 106 v. 23. In like manner as to Samuel we see 1 Sam. 7. that when the Children of Israel were in great fear of the Philistines they said to Samuel Vers 8. Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us that He will save us out of the hand of the Philistines And upon this Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel and the Lord heard him See also Psalm 99 v. 6. Is it not sad that the Lord who sometime did so much upon the Intreaty of these Persons is now so offended that He would not regard their Intercessions nor spare upon their request 2. That the Lord hath frequently spared and keeped a stroke off His People upon the interposing of others as of Amos. Chap. 7 v. 2 3 5 6. When he had prayed for the People and had said O Lord God forgive I beseech thee by whom shall Iacob arise for he is small The Lord repented and said It should not be And againe the second time he prayed and had the same return So Nehemiah 9. and Daniel Ch. 9. and Asa 2 Chron. 14 v. 11. and Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 20. and others 3. That the Lord hath sometimes forborne to strick when even graceless Persons and such as had no interest in the special favour of God have prayed and humbled themselves as when He spared Ninivee after that natural People had humbled themselves And when that wicked man Ahab that did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him 1 Kings 16 vers 30 33. rent his cloths and put sack-cloth upon his flesh and fasted and lay in sack-cloth and went softly the Lord delayed the stroke and would not bring the evil upon his house in his dayes 1 Kings 21 v. 27 29. How sad must it then be that He who sometime hath turned from the fierceness of His anger and held off the evil threatned upon the crying of graceless Persons will not hear the earnest Intreaties of His greateâ—…st Favourites 4. This dispensation will also appear more sad and afflicting if we confider what an high esteem the Lord hath for the Prayers and Intercessions of His worthies Such an account hath He of them that the expressions thereof are indeed rare and very remarkable Let me alone saith He unto Moses Exod. 32 v. 11. as if Moses had been stronger than He and had bound up His hands or as if God could do nothing without Moses's consent or permission So said He to Iacob Gen. 32 v. 26. when He was wrestling with Him by prayer and supplication Hos. 12 v. 4. Let me go as if He could not have gone without Iacobs good leave and permission And Iacob is said to have prevailed with God as a Prince and hath therefore his name changed into Israel 5. Adde to this end the frequent promises made of the Lords hearing of such in the behalf of others Gen. 20 7. the Lord said to Abimelech Restore the man his wife for he is a Prophet and be shall pray for thee and thou shalt live So Iob. 42 v. 8. The Lord directed Iobs Friends to set him a work to pray for them with a promise of success Go to my servant Iob and offer up for yourselves a Burnt-offering and my servant Iob shall pray for you for him will I accept How sad then must it be when the Lord will not hear such See also Iam. 5 v. 14 15 16. 6. Yea sometimes we read that the Lord hath delivered when there was no Intercessour Esai 59 vers 16 17. And He saw that there was no Intercessour Therefore his arme brought salvation unto Him and His righteousness it sustained Him Must not His anger then be great when He will not pity nor spare even though His worthies whom He highly honoureth were standing before Him and putting up Supplications in the behalfe of a sinful People 7. He hath said Psal. 50 vers 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee Is it not then sad when iniquity is come to such an height that the Lord will not onely not hear the People themselves when they cry but also He will not hear the beseechings and intreaties of such as have most prevailed with Him at other times 8. As also if we consider how unanswerable this appeareth to be unto the Title and Stile which He hath gote and the Consideration of which hath encouraged His servants to call upon Him As Psal. 65 vers 2. O thou that hearest Prayer unto thee shall all Flesh come such a Dispensation as this cannot but be sad and grievous If it be enquired when we may apprehend the time to be such as wherein the Lord will hear no Intercessions no Prayers nor Intreaties of
His greatest Favourites in the behalf of a sinfâ—…l People against whom the Lord is coming in judgment I answere Though we may not be peremptour herein knowing that the Lord sometimes taketh pleasure to Act according to a Soveraignity of mercy for the glory of His rich Grace and Compassion and therefore must leave a latitude unto the Soveraignity of free Grace Yet if we consider the condition of this People of whom this is said and see what iniquities they were guilty of at this time we apprehend such a thing may be feared where the Lord is in the same or in the like manner provoked and when He is coming in judgment against a people chargable with the same evils it may be feared that no prayer no intercession of one or other shall availe to hold off the judgment Of these sins whereof this People for whom the Lord would hear no intercession we shall mention some few to the end we may be helped to understand better the language of Gods present Dispensations and to search and see whether there be cause or no to fear that judgment inevitable is to be the lo of this generation 1. When sins and rebellion against the Lord come to an exceeding great height and gross and palpable defection is begun and carried on by Court and Countrey then the Lord is engaged to vindicat His Name and Justice before the World that all may see He is no Patronizer of Wickedness even in a People called by His Name Thus it was in the dayes of Manasseh who with his Court committed such hainous wickedness as was never there before perpetrated as may be seen 2 Kings 21 v. 1 to 10. 2 Chron. 33 1 to 11. and wherein the whole land was involved Wherefore the Lord threatned 2 Kings 21 v. 12 13 14 c. to stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria and the plummet of the House of Ahab that is that He would do with Jerusalem as He hath done with Samaria and the House of Ahab and no more spare those than He did these And which is very remarkable this iniquity the Lord would not Pardon notwithstanding that Manasseh himself gote mercy reformed several things before his death and notwithstanding of a more universal and general Reformation that was in the dayes of his Grand-child Josiah that none-such King For it is said 2. Kings 23 v. 25 26 27. And like unto him i. e. Josiah was there no King before him that turned to the Lord withall his heart and with all his soul and withall his might according to the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him Notwithstanding as it is added the Lord turned not from the fierceness of His great wrath wherewith His anger was kindled against Judah because of all the Provocations that Manasseh had provoked Him with all And the Lord said I will remove Judah also out of my sight c. And in this same place Jer. 15. after the Lord had said Vers 1. that though Moses and Samuel stood before Him his mind could not be towards them but that He would cast them out of His sight to the death to the sword to the Famine and to the Captivity Vers 2. to the Sword to Dogs to Fowls and to Beasts Vers 3. He saith Vers 4. And I will cause them to be removed into all Kingdomes of the Earth because of Manasseh the Son of Hezekiâ—…h King of Judah for that which he did in Jerusalem 2. When hainous iniquities and sins become common and epidemick in a land infecting all ranks of Persons young and old rich and poor Magistrat Minister and common People then an inevitable blow is to be feared for so was it with this people as we see Jer. 5 vers 1. c. hardly could there a man be found in Jerusalem to execute judgment and to seek the truth Neither was this scarcety to befound only among the poor and foolish people but even among the great men for they had altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds Vers 5. therefore followeth Vers 7. How shall I pardon thee for this And againe Vers 9. Shall I not visite for these things saith the Lord and shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this So in the two last Verses of that Chapt. it is said A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the Land The Prophets prophesie falsely and the Priests bear rule by their meanes and my People love to have it so and what will ye do iâ—… the end thereof Such Priest such People were here and what else but ruine could be expected So Ierem. 6 vers 13. and 8 v. 10. it is said that from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness and from the Prophet even unto the Priest every one dealeth falsly Therefore is wrath threatned both upon old and young and upon all the inhabitants of the land Vers 11 12. See also Vers 28. They were all grievous revolters brasse and iron they were all corrupters So is this plainly charged upon them Chap. 7 v. 18. The Children gather wood and the Fathers kindle the fire and the women knead their dough to make â—…kes to the Queen of Heaven So that Man Wife and Children young and old were conspiring in one and with one shoulder carrying on this Defection and Apostasie from God So Jerem. 11 v. 13 14. For according to the number of thy cities were thy Gods O Judah and according to the number of the Streets of Jerusalem have they set up Altâ—…rs to that shamful thing Altars to burn inâ—…ense unto Baal Thus was this sin become universal through the whole City Jerusalem and through the whole Land of Judah And what followeth hereupon Therefore pray not thou for this People c. The like we finde Micah 3 vers 11. The Heads did judge for reward and the Priests did teach for hire and the Prophets did divine for Money And what followeth upon this Therefore Vers 12 shall Zion for your sakes be plowed as a field and Jerusalem become heaps and the mountaine of the house as â—…he high places of the forest that is Citie and Sanctuary shall be laid desolate This same was laid to the charge of this People by Zephaniah Ch. 3 ver 3 4. Her Princes within her are roaring lions her judges evening Wolves her Prophets light and treacherous Persons her Priests have polluted the Sanctuary So that both Church and State was corrupted therefore was woe denounced against her Vers 1. See also Micah 7 2 to 6. 3. When Corruption in the Worship and Ordinances of God is admitted fostered and continued in and Superstition or Idolatrie is brought-in then an inevitable stroke is to be feared for God is a jealous God and will not hold them guiltless that take His Name in vaine but will visite the iniquities of the Fathers unto the third and fourth Generation of those that
maids and little children and women yea all except the marked ones v. 5 6. Se also Chap. 16 46 47 48. Iudah corrupted her self more than Samarca yea more than Sodom v. 49 50 41. And Chap 22 we have a large Catalogue of their sins see v. 2 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. And that as the provoking cause drawing forth the sword wherewith the Lord would cut off both the righteous and the wicked mentioned Chap. 21 ver 3. 14. And bringing-on the desolation and scattering mentioned Chap. 22 15 16 19 20 21 22. Thus the Lord dealt also with Israel because of their manifold iniquities mentioned Hos. 4 1 2 3. there was no truth nor mercy in the land nor knowledge of God but there was swearing lying killing stealing adultery and blood touching blood See also Micah 6 10 11 12 13. 6. When this defection and course of sinning is long continued-in and there is no wearying of this way but rather a growing in this Apostasie then such may fear that at length the Lord will come and will not spare nor pity nor passe by any more for thus was it with this people of Iudah Ier. 16. there are sad judgments denounced against them from the beginning to V. 10. And thereof the reason is given vers 11 12. Because your fathers have forsaken me and have walked after other goods c. And ye have done worse than your fathers for behold ye walk every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart that they may not hearken unto me And therefore destruction is threatned of new v. 13. Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not where I will not shew you favour So Ier. 32 30 31. For the Children of Israel the Children of Iudah have only done evil before me from their youth And againe This city hath been to me as a Provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day that I should remove it from before my face So the Prophet Ezekiel draweth up a long Libel of many Instances of their rebellion continued in for many Generations running in a constant line from Father to Son from V. 3. to V. 33. and there we finde the sentence given out As I live saith the Lord God surely with a mighty hand and with a stretched-out arme and with fury poured-out will I rule over you And Israel was charged with this same guilt Hos. 10 ver 9. O Israel thou hast sinned from the dayes of Gibeah See also Esa. 65 7. 7. When People become bold and impudent in their sinful courses then there is ground to fear a sad and inevitable stroke of Justice For thus was it with this People of Iudah Ier. 3 3. Thou hadst a whores fore-head thou refusedst to be ashamed And againe Ier. 6 15. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination Nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush And what is added upon this Therefore they shall fall among them that fall at the time that I visite them they shall be cast down saith the Lord. So Chap. 8 v. 12. in these last mentioned places the false Prophets would seem specially to be meaned yet the circumstances will include others When People provoke the Lord to anger continually to his face as it is Esai 65 3. then they become a smoak in Gods nose and a fire that burneth all the day and they must expect a recompence from God as Vers. 5 6. 8. When People stand chargable with the abuse of many favours received at the hands of God which they have perverted and mis-improven to the hardening of themselves in their wicked courses then it is to be feared that God will come at length and be avenged on such a Generation of Perverters This iniquity was also charged upon this People of Iudah by Jeremiah Chap. 2 5 to 9. Their forgetting the old kindnesses of God and abusing His favours defiling His land and making His heritage an abomination is charged home Vers 7. Wherefore saith the Lord Vers 9. I will yet plead with you and with your Childrens Children will I plead So Chap. 11. after the Lord had said to Jeremie Pray not for this People Vers 14. he addeth as a provoking cause hereunto Vers 15 16 17. What hath my beloved to do in mine house she hath wrought lewdness with many and the holy flesh is passed from thee when thou dost evil then thou rejoicest The Lord called thy name a green Olive tree faire and of goodly fruit But there was no sutable walking and therefore it followeth with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it and the branches of it are broken For the Lord of Hosts that planted thee hath pronounced evil against thee c. So Jer. 13. the Lord by a similitude of a girdle showeth how he had caused the whole House of Israel to cleave unto Him and the whole House of Iudah that they might be unto Him for a People and for a Name and for a Praise and for a Glory but they would not hear and therefore he threatned to make them like unto the marred girdle and so mar the pride of Iudah and the great pride of Ierusalem and make them good for nothing See Vers 9 10 11. So Chap. 16 18. he saith And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double because they have defiled my land they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things Thus did they requite the kindness of God in bestowing that land upon them by defileing it with their sins and therefore He threatneth to recompense their iniquity double So doth the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 16. make a large deduction of the favours and kindneses shown to that people and give us also a large summe of their abusings and pervertings of these favours And therefore is wrath denounced from Vers 36. and forward This was likwise charged upon Ephraim or Israel by Hosea Chap. 7 13 15. they have transgressed against me though I have redeemed them yet they have spoken lies against me though I have bound and strengthened their armes yet they do imagine mischief against me So Hos. 11 vers 1 2 3 4. Esai 1 vers 2. 9. When People become hardened in their sins loving and delighting to wander out of the way and glory in their wickedness as resolving never to amend and are therefore tushing at all threatnings and contemning them then is there great ground to fear an overturning blow that no meanes shall avert It was also laid to the charge of this people Ier. 14 10. that they loved to wander and did not refraine their feet And what followeth upon this Therefore the Lord doth not accept them He will now remember their iniquity and visite their sins And then Vers 11. The Lord said unto him pray not for this People for their good Vers 12. When
they fast I will not hear their cry but I will consume them by the Sword by the Famine and by the Pestilence So the Prophet Ezekiel Ch. 24. seeth Ierusalem in the likeness of a pot full of pieces and she is called Vers 6. the pot whose scum is therein and is not gone out of it she would cast away none of her abominations and therefore the Lord said Vers 9. Wo to the bloudy City I will even make the pile for fire great Vers 10. Heap on wood kindle the fire consume the flesh and spice it well and let the bones be burnt Vers 11. Then set it empty upon the coals thereof that the brasse of it may be hot and may burn and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it and that the soumme of it may be consumed She would not put away her scum in time and therefore the Lord will put an end to it in her destruction and He will not be hindered for it is added Vers 13 14. In thy filthiness is leudness because I have purged thee and thou mast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee I the Lord have spoken it it shall come to passe and I will do it I will not go back neither will I spare neither will I repent c. The same was the sin of Israel for saith Hosea Ch. 7 10. And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face and they do not return to the Lord their God nor seek Him for all this So Chap. 11 7. And my People are bent to back sliding from me though they called them to the most High none at all would exalt Him They hardened their necks that they might not hear God's Words Therefore the Lord said Ier. 19 15. that He would bring upon Ierusalem and upon the rest of the Towns all the evil that He had pronounced against it It was this same People of which Zephaniah spaketh Chap. 1 12. That were setled on their lees and said in their heart the Lord will not do good neither will He do evil Upon which dreadful and desolating strokes are denounced to the end of that Chapter 10. When a People under their sins turne brutish sensual and senseless regarding nothing that the Lord is either doing or saying by His Servants or Dispensations but following their pleasures then an alarming and destroying stroke that shall not be turned away may be feared according to that Esai 22 v. 12 13 14. And in that day did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping and to mourning and to baldness and to girding with sackcloth and behold joy and gladness slaying Oxen and killing Sheep eating Flesh and drinking Wine Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die And it was revealed in mine eares by the Lord of Hosts surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die saith the Lord God of Hosts The like we have pronounced by Amos Chap. 6 v. 1 c against such as are at ease in Zion put far away the evil day lye upon beds of yvory stretch themselves upon their couches and eat the Lambs out of the Flock and the Calves out of the midst of the Stall that chant to the sound of the viol invent to themselves Instruments of musick like David that drink wine in bowls anoynt themselves with the chiefe oyntments but they are not grieved for the Affliction of Ioseph Now see what the Lord threatneth upon this account Ver. 7. and forward confirming the same with an Oath Vers 8. to shew the immutability of this Counsel 11. When People are so far from taking conviction and making challenges welcome and from humbling themselves before the Lord in the sense of their iniquities that they will justifie their owne wayes and plead themselves innocent before God Then there being no more hop of their recovery their case seemeth desperat and they may expect a final blow For this was also the sin of this People of Iudah as we see Ier. 2 v. 23 How canst thou say I am not polluted I have not gone after Baalim Therefore Vers 24. their moneth must come wherein they shall be found and taken So Vers 35. Yet thou sayest because I am innocent surely his anger shall turn from me What followeth Behold I will plead with thee because thou sayest I have not sinned So that the Lord is engaged so much the more to plead His controversie against them and make them and the world both see by sad effects how guilty they have been Also we see how the Lord justifieth His procedour with this same People by Ezekiel Chap. 11. throughout they would say that all these calamities which they did meet with and were yet to meet with came not on them for their own sins but for their Fathers sins their Fathers said they had eaten sowre grapes and their teeth was set on edge and therefore they concluded that the way of the Lord was not equal but the Lord in that Chapter is vindicating Himself and evinceing that they were as guilty as their Fathers did tread in their Fathers footsteps approving all that their Fathers did and therefore could not plead innocent See likewise Ezek. 33 11 to 20. 12. When People will go on in their wickedness and shelter themselves under an outward Profession of Religion and Piety then it is to be feared that God shall vindicat His Name and His Glory in the sight of the Nations and make it appear that His outward worship and service shall be a scug to no profane Person For this was also the sin of this People Jer. 7 3 4. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel amend your wayes and your doings and I Will cause you to dwell in this place Trust ye not in lying words saying the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these Because they had the Temple among them they thought all should be well and they should never be ruined do what they pleased But the Lord in the following Verses manifesteth that all that should no more save them than it saved Shiloh and then addeth Vers 15 16. And I will cast you out of my sight as I have cast out all your Brethren the whole Seed os Ephraim Therefore pray not thou for this People c. So saith the Lord by Esaias Ch. 1 11 c. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices c. The Lord cared for none of these things when their outward walk was not answerable to their profession He would not hear their Prayers Vers 15. So Esai 66 3 4. He thereupon threatened to choose their delusions as they had chosen their own wayes and that in which He delighted not See also Amos 5 21 to 23. Micah laith his to the charge of this same People Chap. 3 11. The heads thereof judge for reward
said vers 21. And a mighty Angel took up a stone like a great milstone and cast it into the Sea saying Thus with violence shall that great City Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all And that shall be verified which is foretold Chap. 19. A great voice shall be heard of much people saying Allelujah Salvation and Glory and Honour and Power unto the Lord our God For true and righteous are His judgments for He hath judged the great whore which did corrupt the Earth with her fornications and hath avenged the Blood of His Servants at her hand vers 1 2. Next This Confideration may be improven by particular Beleevers in reference to their particular Exercises and Afflictions For hence they might inferre 1. That they have no cause to complean but reason rather to lay their hand upon their mouth what ever way the Lord be pleased to exercise them and what ever Affliction He lay upon their loines for this hath been the ordinary Lot of the Church and seing the Lord thinketh good to exercise her with sore and sharpe trials in all Ages Why may He not also exercise them in Particular 2. That they have yet less cause to compleane or be dissatisfied seing the Church their Common Mother hath met with sadder and sorer Crosses and Distresses than they have met with or can meet with It is a sadder sight to see the Mother put to the door and sitting in a Wilderness weeping and refusing to be comforted than to see a Child whipped 3. That they have reason to rejoice in their sad Lot upon this account that they are not in that solitary and lamentable Condition alone their Mother is suffering with them Are they in a Wilderness so is she are they sitting in the dust so is their Mother sitting with them 4. That by this they see they are no Bastards but Children of the House suffering with the Mother and no other wayes dealt with than the Mother is 5. That Crosses and a Course of Affliction are no evidence of the Lords not owning or looking upon them as His Children as corruption and unbeleefe would prompt them to inferre and conclude Afflictions can no more say that they are not the Children of God than Afflictions on the Church can say that she is not the Church of Christ nor His Spouse 6. That they may comfort themselves in their Troubles with the Mother her Consolations and as it were lye in her lap or bosome and partake of her cordials and feed with her upon the same promises until the night be over and the day dawn and the time of the singing of the birds come and the voice of the turtle be heard in the land and until the Beleever's God and the Church her Husband wipe all teares away from the face both of Mother and Child CONSIDERATION XIV Other precious Beleevers have been Afflicted so if not worse THough such as are ease in Zion think little of all the Trouble and Anguish that the Afflicted are put unto and not a few prove like Iobs Friends Iob. 6 v. 15. c. though to him that is afflicted Pity should be showne vers 14. Yet such as are under the Affliction can subscribe to the truth of that which the Wise Man hath Prov. 15 15. All the dayes of the afflicted are evil for so long as the Affliction endureth they are ready to think that their Condition groweth worse and worse daily Nay ordinarily Affliction so seazeth upon them that they cannot perceive the Grounds of Comfort though hard at hand and can make little use of Cordials though within their reach A time of Affliction is such a thoughtful time that they are as a Ship at Sea tossed with Tempests and contrary Tides Among other disturbing thoughts this is one How is this think they with themselves that the Lord hath pitched upon me and singled me out from all the rest or the most part of His Children at least whom I know and set me up for His mark at which He is shooting His Arrowes My case is not like the ordinary case of others there is something extraordinary in my case I know that His Followers have been in Affliction but their Affliction was nothing comparable to mine Were all things laid together my Affliction would be found to be of another kind Were my Affliction but such as others have had I should be able to bear it but there being something Odde and Uncouth in mine I cannot choose but be troubled Though He only who comforteth those that are cast down can comfort such 2 Cor. 6 vers 7. Yet he can do it by unlikely meanes and blesse a few words to this end We shall therefore only propose a few things that may serve to make a Diversion as to these perplexing and disturbing thoughts and reduce them to these few Heads First We shall propose a few Generals which such afflicted persons would take notice of Secondly Shew how possibly their case is not so singular as they conceive it to be Thirdly We shall show how little cause they would possibly befound to have to speak thus if all things were well considered Fourthly We shall show how that seing they will take notice of others and compare their case with theirs they may and should improve the example of others better than thus As to the First let these Particulars be considered 1. It is ordinary almost with every one to be accounting their own case and condition in Affliction singular and to say as much as those of whom we are now speaking Every one feeleth that best which is neerest to himself they are more sensible of their own paine than of the pain of others and paine felt is more touching than what is understood by the report of others only Hence every one is ready to conclude that their own case is worst And therefore this should be looked upon as no strange thing 2. Every bodies Temper and Disposition not being alike some may be obnoxious to distempers and diseases that others are not much acquainted with and some by their Folly and Intemperancy may bring peculiar diseases upon themselves and when such must have peculiar Physick adapted to their diseases should they complean of the Physician that he giveth them not such gentle and easie Medicines as he doth to others So the compleaner here may have brought upon himself some uncouth spiritual distemper which calleth for some Afflictions more than ordinary to cure the same Should they then be anxious to finde out a precedent or one that hath been so handled as they are Ought they not rather to reasone thus with themselves doth the Lord purge and afflict me more than ordinary then it is like my peccant humors my corruptions have been more than ordinary 3. Be it so that thy case is in some respects singular what knoweth thou if there shall be two found in all particulars or in all considerable circumstances every