of request with him self and others of the Lords people Ye know it is said 2 Cor. 5.7 That here we walk by faith not by sight we must always have to do with the graces of Faith and Hope as long as we live In all the times of our life they will never be useless nor out of fashion and consequently these graces should never be out of esteem with us To deduce the constant need that we have of Faith and Hope and so the constant obligation that lyes upon us to esteem of them I shall branch the point in five particulars 1. Consider that whenever the people of God get any good account of their Faith and Hope in God when they attain to any proofs of his help by Faith and Hope then without all peradventure they are engaged to praise God and will have an high esteem of these graces It 's no small part of God's praise when he hath done his people a good turn to speak it out to the commendation of God as the Psalmist doth Psal 28.7 The Lord is my strength and my shield my heart trusted in him and I am helped And Psal 2. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him And with that Messenger to Mary Blessed is she that believed If all the proofs of kindness that folks get by the exercise of Faith and Hope were well improved it would be no small part of their improvement to cry up to Gods praise these noble graces of Faith and Hope in him 2. Consider that even when the Saints are put to exercise their Faith and Hope in him in trouble more Faith and Hope to believe more and hope more is and will be found an out-gate and delivery in its own kind To love the way of believing and hoping in God better is no small part of an out-gate Thou it may be mistakes the success of thy endeavours thou cryes to God from under thy pressures and thou hopes in God yet thou sees no out-gate but art thou helped to believe and hope on There thou hast an out-gate till more come If thou do not weary to believe if thy Anchor of Hope be not come home but keeps ground And I shall add were thou falling more in love with Faith and Hope thou were more delivered When a man goes to God under his pressures and puts Faith and Hope in exercise and comes away content to believe and hope on till delivery come he gets a double answer of his Prayer and when he goes to God again and comes away with a greater love to Faith and Hope he is yet more delivered though he get not an out-gate It 's like Elijah's Meal in the strength whereof he walked 40 days 1 King 19.8 And that was an out-gate when Christ said to the poor woman Luk 8.50 Fear not only believe and she shall be made whole So when David can say Ps 56.3 What time I am afraid I will trust in thee He is a saved man for all the fears and perplexities that assaulted him that 's all a matter he hath an out-gate So long as he can trust in God he will not fear what flesh can do unto him So ye see there will be a constant need of Faith and Hope to the Saints and a constant obligation lyes on them to esteem of them as a Plank to carry them to the Shore and as an out-gate in themselves Several other things would be touched for the clearing of this which I remit to the Afternoon SERMON XXXII Psalm 130. Vers 7. Let Israel hope in the Lord for c. FRom what is supposed in this Exhortation and from the general scope thereof already ye have heard partly that there will be a good account of all the exercises of the Saints particularly of waiting on God and partly that it is an evidence of blessed exercises and issues when the Saints are publick-minded and communicative of what is betwixt God and them for the edification and good of others I came in the morning to speak to the second Head of Doctrine to be gathered from this Exhortation that is the duty recommended to hope in the Lord. From which without any large repetition I proposed to deduce two Notes The first on which I brake in was That Faith and Hope are Graces that the Saints will constantly need and which therefore they will constantly esteem of or at least should prize highly for all the issues the Psalmist himself or the people of God before or in the present Generation had gotten he will have Faith and Hope in God looked on as constantly necessary I deduced this first in shewing how many proofs of Gods help attained to by Faith and Hope should be an engagement to praise God by highly commending of these Graces And 2. By shewing that in the greatest pressures of Gods people to get grace to believe more is a blessed out-gate I proceed now to deduce the Point further and in the third place this presses the constant necessity of Faith and Hope and our obligation to esteem of them that no issues no deliveries or out-gates warrands us to lay them by as if we had no more need of them It is true as it is 1 Cor. 13. Love is the great Grace because of the longest continuance and Faith and Hope will be laid by in the next life as to the way of exercising them now but that says not that they will ever be unnecessar to us while we are here upon earth David took a wrong measure when Psal 30.6 He said in his prosperity he should never be moved Therefore when God hid his face he was troubled When the most glorious issues to be had here-away are afforded the Believer and hoper in God must make for new storms when he hath gotten a Harbour he must look upon it but as a Creek to take in new refreshment and he must weigh Anchor and make to Sea again and exercise his Faith and Hope 4. If we consider the relation that Faith and Hope have to Duty it will discover the constant need that we have of them and consequently the esteem that we should have of them The Fountain of all acceptable doing of duty is by abiding in Christ by abiding in him we bring forth fruit Joh. 15. and we abide in him by Faith The fountain of all our doing duty is Faith and Hope Therefore saith Paul 1 Tim. 1.10 We both labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God Would a man have his heart purged from pollutions It 's faith that purifies the heart Acts 15.9 Would a man go about any duty in Religion he must draw his Furniture out of Christ by Faith To go about duty with discouragement is the way not only to render duty unacceptable but to cut the throat of it Not only a man must make use of Faith for furniture to do duty but when duty is gone about he hath work for Faith to renew his strength to
godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Many never mind this that godliness and making sure an interest in Christ is the only thriving gate as for such as find prosperity in another method I shall speak to them just now But for you that are godly or pretend to godliness to be taken up in seeking things in time ye forget your main work when ye are too eager and keen in your pursuit of these things wherein if God love you he will not let you thrive I wot not what of this is among you but if there be a nearness a nippedness and eagerness after the things of the world in that you may read your poverty if ye be seeking God and making an Idol of the world or any things in it he loves you better than to let you prosper in that pursuit and if ye would thrive indeed put godliness in the first place begin at it as the work of all your thrift But 2. Because many may laugh at this Exhortation founded on this that other mercies come as the result of Redemption through Christ and therefore that folk ought in the first place to sicker an interest in him and think that they speed best in things of time that neglect Piety I might bid them laugh at leasure Many profane folks that have had more prosperity than heart could wish and have thought they should never be in adversity and that they had no need of God to hold to their head they have win through it all and have been put to imbrace dunghills and in their straitned condition have been contemptible when the godly have shined in their greatest poverty But that which I press here is that every lot that folk have they would see how they hold it by what Title and Right thou that gets the mercy of prosperity or a delivery out of trouble if thou be not interested in Christ and a Student of holiness it 's but as a Bone cast at a Dog for thy portion as it is Psal 17.4 And I shall tell you the Testament of such men from that parable Luk. 16.25 Son saith Abraham to the rich glutton remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Thou hast prosperity while thou neglects piety but it may be thou art getting what thou gets in wrath and while thou art running to Satan and perdition thou gets outward mercies as a Post-horse to further thee in that deplorable Journey yea thou who art a child of God may be getting outward mercies when God is not pleased with thee There is a sad word 1 Cor. 10.5 after the Apostle has spoken of great mercies conferred on Gods people he subjoyns But with many of them God was not well pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness And therefore thou that would put a right value on mercies read them at that rate Isai 42.16 where when he hath spoken of bringing the blind by the way they knew not making darkness light before them and crooked things straight he subjoyns These things will I do unto them and not forsake them look if thou has God with what thou hast Have a man what he will till he have interest in him and stand in his favour he has little cause to insult or boast If thy mercies be not the result of redemption through Christ they will turn a snare But a 3d word of Inference from this is that it is an invitation to the fearers of God who have an interest in his love and are studying to walk tenderly to look sweetly on their portion and lot in time what-ever it be it may be thy share in the things in time is little thy troubles many thy breathing times betwixt troubles short thy comfort mixt with what is bitter and sad but that which will make all relish is that the same love that has given Christ for thee and to thee and will give thee everlasting happiness hath afforded these mercies as the result and appendices of that great redemption and that same love will sanctify all thy crosses and make them work for thy good And O! How sweet might sorry accommodations mean food and raiment be to have this written over them That love that hath given Christ for me and to me and will give me a Crown one day hath given me these This might be rich and sweet Sauce to a sober Diet excellent Furniture to a poor House to learn to look on these as the result of the great Bargain Seek to have your interest in Christ your Union and Communion with him more near and warm and to be more tender That thus ye may look on your mercies and be comforted the Lord bless what ye have heard SERMON XLII Psalm 130. Vers 7. And with him is plenteous redemption MAny are the exceptions and grounds of fears which the people of God entertain for fostering their discouragement and no fewer are the Cordials that are allowed in God to make out that to them that when they are afraid they are called to trust in God when Israel is invited to hope in God if misery and ill-deserving retard their obedience to that command they are told here that with the Lord there is mercy If they look on themselves as lawful Captives and none have a right to offer to rescue or ransome them they are told here that with the Lord there is redemption a Soveraign Authority Right and Power to step in when he will and vindicate them into freedom If they look upon it as hard and impossible ever to get out of the bonds they are under with him is plenteous redemption as the Psalmist sings Psal 146.7 To loose the Prisoners and open the prison doors and set them at liberty This is that I was speaking to in the morning That with God there is redemption I cleared that this Redemption imported Authority and Right to redeem and power to reedeem and vindicate And I came in the second place to clear in what respects this Redemption is so called or in what respects his delivery of his people is called a Redemption of them And the first to which I have spoken it 's because all their deliverances are founded upon and are the result of their eternal Redemption through Christ the Uses whereof I mentioned and shall not repeat I proceed now in the 2d place to clear that their Redemption is so called or their delivery is called Redemption in relation to their trouble and the instruments of their trouble from whom God will redeem them not by paying a price for them for that is already payed to Justice for doing away the controversie that God the principal Creditor had with them who therefore put them in Bonds and under Arrest but by the strong hand he redeems them from the instruments of their trouble to their
complaints call on God to lay more on folk to tame them better O! be sober and if ye be put in a Babel see if ye can build houses there and make your pressures as supportable as lawfully ye may without sin make them not intolerable for that is to break your back but see how tolerable ye can make them without sinning against God that ye may dwell beside your cross with silence and submission who wots but ere many days go over ye may meet with an out-gate But 2. As variety of pressures are supposed here so it expresses plenty of Redemption in God for all that variety time will not permit me to break in on that other thing that this plenteous Redemption relates to the recurring of pressures how frequently the people of God may fall under repeated pressures and may be ofter than once pressed but here for variety of pressures there is plenteous redemption He will deliver in six troubles and in seven Job 5.19 If they be assaulted on the right and left hand there is armour of righteousness for both 2 Cor. 6.7 If they be troubled on every side he can keep them from being distressed if perplexed they shall not despair c 1 Cor. 4.8 If they be troubled on every side have fightings without and fears within God that comforts those that are cast down can comfort them 2 Cor. 7.8 When thou sits down and cannot tell all thy pressures and are like a weak patient who when his wounds are opened up swerfs thy heart grows sick and thou faints He is all sufficient to afford Cordials for thy support thou cannot have so many wants but he can supply them And as the old man said to the Levit Judges 19.20 All thy wants shall be upon him Thou cannot be straitned in God though through the narrowness of thy confidence thou may be straitned in thy own bowels for with him is plenteous redemption Think upon this ye that have to do with it ye that in your pressures are left on God alone bring up a good report on him cry not up your wants above his furniture cry not up your griefs above his consolations which cannot be exhausted this would make folks life not so comfortless as oft times they make it to themselves while they cry out What will they do with this and with that it 〈◊〉 come in their way If indeed such a thing be before thee we may say as it was said to Jeremy Jer. 12 5. If thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee then how can thou contend with horses If thy few pressures have laid thee by What wilt thou do with more and greater If in the land of peace wherein thou trusted they have wearied thee I shall not say thou wilt have that atheistical word What caâ— God do But what wilt thou do if it come to the swellings of Jordan But if thou keep thy eye and heart on that word With God is plenteous redemption and then ask what shall I do with my troubles I say even bear them go to God and get much from him to bear them many proofs of his power and love his all sufficiency is infinite to bear thee thorow and bod well of him and have well look down on the greatest number of pressures as tolerable in his strength I love not carnal confidence but God loves not drooping or that folk should go discouraged to their work though humble they should be They that go drooping to their work will come halting from it but though a solemn assembly of terrors should surround you hold your eye oâ— plenteous redemption in God and it shall be well with you God bless his word to you for Christ's sake SERMON XLIII Psalm 130. Verse 7. And with him is plenteous redemption And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities AS there is no searching out of the Almighty to perfection as to what he is in himself for he is higher than the Heavens as it is said of his Wisdom and deeper than the Earth So that what can we do or know Job 11.7 8. So we are as little able to comprehend or fathom all that is in him for the good of his people and what wonder when over and above all particular Promises he hath given himself away to be their God hath made infinitness their portion Here we have a taste of what riches are in him for the behove of his people That for misery in Israel with the Lord there is mercy that for bondage and slavery in Israel with him is plenteous redemption And for the particular bondage and pressure of sin He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities I have already said somewhat to that attribute of mercy in God and the last day I came to a close of this That with him is plenteous redemption ye heard that this redemption imports partly authority to interpoâ—â— and partly power to back authority to vindicat his people Ye heard also that it was called redemption on a threefold account 1. On the account of its rise and fountain that every redemption and delivery the people of God get is founded on and is the result of their great Redemption by Christ 2. It is so called with an eye to the trouble and troublers from which he redeems his Israel but without money 3. That it is so called upon the account of the issue when the Lord delivers his people he sets them at freedom and liberty he sets their feet in a large place as it is Psal 18.19 I came also to speak of the plenteousness of this Redemption The Text says that not only there is redemption but plenteous redemption with him and as I shewed it is called plenteous redemption on a double account 1. In relation to the great plenty and variety of pressures wherewith the people of God may be assaulted on the right and on the left hand with fightings without and fears within and as the Church hath it Lam. 2.22 They may have their terrors called as in a solemn day round about them but in reference to all these he hath plenteous redemption to deliver from six troubles and from seven to put on the armour of righteousness when they are assaulted on the right hand and on the left when they are troubled on every side to keep them from being distressed When perplexed to keep them from despair c. 2 Cor. 4.8 Of this I have spoken and shall not repeat It remains in the 2d place That I speak to this plenteous Redemption as it relates to the frequent relapses of the people of God into bondage through their folly after the Lord hath brought them out of former pressures they betray themselves and bring themselves under new pressures they fall in new provocations that bring them in new difficulties which puts them again and again to look up to redemption in God I shall follow out this a little in three heads 1. It is