Mary The pure nature of love is more seen in Gods first love to us than in ours to him by nature we were Ephes 2. 12. 19. Rom. 5. 10. Cap. 1. 30. without God and afar of from God we were strangers to God and enemies to God yea haters of God and therefore if God had not loved us firstly we had been undone everlastingly Secondly As God loves you with a first love so he loves you with a free love Hosea 14. 4. I will heal their back-sliding I will love them freely I know they are back-sliden but I will heal their back-slidings I know they have broken their bones by their fall but I will make those broken bones to rejoyce I know there is nothing at all in them that is excellent or eminent that is honourable or acceptable that is laudable or lovely yet I will love them freely Ex mero motu of mine own free rich absolute soveraign and independent grace Thirdly As he loves you with a free love so he loves you with an everlasting love Jer. 31. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee Heb. I love thee with the love of perpetuity or with the love of Eternity My love and my affections continue still the same to thee and shall do for ever or as others carry the words I love thee with an Ancient love or with the love of Antiquity I love thee still with the same affection that in former ages I bare towards thee Fourthly As he loves you with an everlasting love so he loves you with an unchangeable love Mal. 3. 6. I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed Men change and counsels change and occurrences change and Friends change and Relations change and Kingdoms change and Common-wealths change but God never changes as Balaam confesses who was the Devils Numb 3. 19. Hackney and who had a mind to dance with the Devil all day and then sup with Christ at night God is neither false nor fickle he cannot like men say and unsay Psalm 89. 34. he can nor alter his mind nor eat his words The Eternity of Israel cannot lie nor repent for he is not a man 1 Sam. 15. 29. that he should repent Men are so mutable and changeable that there is no hold to be taken of what they say but God is immutable in his nature in his essence in his counsels in his attributes in his decrees in his promises c. He is as the School-men say Omninò immutabi lis Altogether immutable Fifthly As he loves you with an unchangeable love so he loves you with a special P salm 146. 7 8 love with a peculiar love with a distinguishing love with a superlative love The Lord executes judgment for the oppressed he gives food to the hungry he looseth the Prisoners he opens the eyes of the blind he raises them that are bowed down he loveth the righteous and this is more than all the rest Sixthly and lastly As he loves his People with a special love with a peculiar love so he loves them with the greatest love with a matchless love O Daniel greatly beloved John 3. 16. God so loved the world c. Here is a sic without a sicut there being nothing in nature wherewith to parallel it This sic without a sicut signifies the greatness of Gods love the vehemency of his love and the admirableness of his love Now what an unspeakable comfort must this be to his Saints to have the presence of a loving God to have the presence of such a loving God with them in all their troubles and deep distresses If the presence of a loving Friend a loving Relation in our troubles and distresses be such a mercy O! what then is the presence of a loving God Thirdly It is the Psalm 18. 2. 2 Chron. 16. 9. Prov. 18. 10. Jer 32. 40. 41. Isa 30. 18 19. Isa 27. 3. Jer. 31. 23. presence of an active God who will be a defence to you a Shield to you a Sword to you a Buckler to you a Sun to you a strong Tower to you a Salvation to you none can withstand him none can equal him none can out act him Fourthly It is the presence of a wakeful God of a watchful God of a God that never no never slumbers or sleeps God will be so far from sleeping that he will not so much as slumber Psalm 121. 3 4 5. The Phrase is taken from watchmen who stand on the walls in time of war to discover the approaches of Enemies and accordingly give warning Now watchmen have been treacherous and sleepy The Capitol of Rome had been taken by the Gaules if the Geese had not been more wakeful then the watchmen of the walls Iphicrates the Athenian Captain visiting the Guards on the walls of Corinth found one of the watch asleep and presently thrust him thorough with his sword saying Dead I found him and dead I left him though watchmen slumber and sleep yet that God that is present with his People doth neither his seven eyes are alwayes open Fifthly It is the presence of a wise God of an omniscient Ezech. 3. 9. Psalm 33. 10 11. Isa 46. 10. Cap. 40. 28. Rom. 11. 33. 2 Pet. 2. 9. Jonh 1. 5. 1 Kings 14. 6 Matth. 26. 24 25 God God fills all things he encompasseth all things and he sustaineth all things and therefore he must needs know all things God can find Jonah in the bottom of the ship and Jeroboam's Wife in her disguises and Judas inhis Treason and Demas in his Apostacy and the Scribes and Pharisees in their hypocrisie The 2 Timoth. 4. 10. Matth. 23. Rev. 4. 6. Heb. 4. 13. whole world is to him as a Sea of glass Corpus diaphanum A clear transparent body there is nothing hid from his eyes so that he that can but find out a place where God sees not there let that man sin and spare not All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naked as when the skin is pulled of and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opened as the entrails of a Sacrifice cut down the back The Apostle say some useth a Metaphor taken from a sheep whose skin is taken off and he hanged up by the neck with his back towards the wall and all his entrailes laid bare and exposed to open view He alludes say others to the Anatomizing of a Creature wherein men are very cautious to find out every little vein or muscle though they be never so close They are naked therefore God sees their outside and opened dissected quartered and cleft asunder through the back bone so that he sees their inside also Opened is more than naked naked is that which is not cloathed or covered opened is that whose inwards are discovered and made conspicuous Some make it a Metaphor from
as those that have no interest in that inheritance that fadeth not away But Fourthly and lastly there is no power nor policy on Earth or in Hell that can deprive a sincere Christian of a Crown of glory 1 Pet. 5. 4. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of glory which fadeth not away as the garlands did where with the conquerours at games races combates were crown'd which were made of herbs leaves and flowers A Crown imports perpetuity plenty dignity It is the height of humane ambition The Greek word Amarantinon cometh from Amarantus which is a flower that fadeth not of which garlands were made in former times and wherewith they crowned the Images of the Heathen Gods A Believers Crown his inheritance his glory his happiness his blessedness shall be as fresh and flourishing after he hath been many millions of years in Heaven as it was at his first entrance into it Earthly Crowns are like tennis-balls which are bandied up and down from one to another and in time wear out When time shall be no more when earthly Crowns and Kingdoms shall be no more yea when the world shall be no more a Christians Crown of glory shall be fresh flourishing and continuing all the Devils in hell shall never wrangle a Believer out of his heavenly inheritance nor deprive him of his crown of glory The least thing in Heaven is better than the greatest things in this World all things on Earth are fading but the crown of glory never fadeth away Thus you see why Heaven the glory above is expressed by a crown sometimes it is called a crown of righteousness to note the grounds and rise of it sometimes it is called a crown of life because it is only to be enjoyed in everlasting life sometimes it is called an incorruptible crown to note the duration continuance of it and sometimes it is called a crown of glory to note the honour splendour and eternity of it Now let Devils let oppressors let persecutors do their worst they shall never be able to deprive the Saints of their blessed and glorious crowns But Sixteenthly If God be with us who can be Psal 89. 30. 35. Jer. â—1 31. cap. 32. 38 39 40 41. Isa 54. 10. Heb. 8. 8. 10. against us I answer none so as to make void our Covenant-relation or our covenant-interest as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margin together The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon Gods free love upon Gods everlasting love upon Gods special and peculiar love upon Gods unchangeable love so that God can as soon cease to be as he can cease to love those whom he has taken into covenant with himself or cease to keep covenant with them Those whom free-grace hath brought into covenant shall continue in covenant for ever and ever once in covenant and for ever in covenant The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon Gods immutable counsel and purpose The foundation Heb. 6. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 19. of God standeth sure that is the decree and purpose of Gods election stands firm and sure Now the purpose of Gods election is compared to a foundation because it is that upon which all our happiness and blessedness is built and bottomed and because as a foundation it abides firm and sure The Covenant of grace is John 10. 28. 29 30 31 32. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Jude 1. bottomed upon Gods glorious power upon Gods infinite power upon Gods supreme power upon Gods invinâ—ible power upon Gods independent power upon Gods incomparable power and till you can find a power that can overmatch this Divine power the Saints covenant-relation holds good The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the oath of God To perform the mercy promised to our Fathers and to remember his holy Covenant Luke 1. 72. 73. the oath which he sware to our Fathers Now to think that God will break his oath or be perjured is an intolerable blasphemy The Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the precious blood of Christ the blood of Christ Mat. 26. 28. Heb 9 15. â—bid 13. 20. is called The blood of the everlasting Covenant Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant Now by these hints it is most evident that the Saints covenant-relation their covenant-interest holds good at all times in all cases and in all conditions It is not the indwelling power of sin nor spiritual desertions nor violent temptations nor heavy afflictions nor Divine delays that can dissolve our covenant-relation Though sin may work and Satan may tempt and fears may be high and God may hide his Isa 8. 17. Lam. 3. 44. face from his People and stop his ears at the prayers of his People yet God will still maintain his interest in his People and his Peoples relation to himself God hath not cast away his People whom he foreknew Rom. 11. 2. I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3. 6. I will betroth thee unto me forever Hos 2. 19. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. It is not all the powers of Hell nor all the powers on Earth that can make null or void our covenant-relation our covenant-interest But Seventeenthly and lastly If God be with us who can be against us I answer none so as to hinder our growth in grace or the thriving and flourishing estate of our precious and immortal souls The troubles afflictions persecutions and sufferings that the Saints meet with in a way of holyness shall but further the increase and growth of their graces grace never rises to so great a height as it does in times of persecution Suffering times are a Christians harvest times Let me instance in that grace of Psalm 69. 7 8 9 12. of zeal I remember Moulin speaking of the French Protestants saith When Papists hurt us and persecute us for reading the Scripture we burn with zeal to be reading of them but now persecution is over our Bibles are like old Almanacks Michal's scoffing at David 2 Sam. 6. 20 21 22 did but inflame and raise his zeal If this be to be vile I will be more vile Look as fire in the Winter burns the hotter by an Antiperistasis because of the coldness of the air so in the winter of persecution that Divine fire the zeal of a Christian burns so much the hotter and flames forth so much the more vehemently and strongly When one desired to know what kind of man Basil was there was presented to him in a dream saith the Historian a pillar of fire with this Motto Talis est Basilius Basil is such a one he is all on a light fire for God Warm persecutions will but set Christians all on a light fire for God as you may see among the Apostles primitive Christians the Martyrs of a later date Grace
virtually all evil will be raising doubts and cavils and objections in the soul so that if God does not stand by us now what can we say what can we do how can we bear up how can we stand fast What was Sampson that Judges 16. 19 20. man of strength when his hair was gone but as weak as water and what is the strongest Christian when his God is gone but as weak as weakness it self all our doing strength and all our suffering strength and all our bearing strength and all our witnessing strength lies in the special presence of God with our souls all our comforts and all our supports and all our ease and all our refreshments flow from the presence of God with our souls in our greatest troubles and deepest distresses and therefore if God should leave us in a day of trouble what would become of us and whither should we go and where should we find rest When doth a man need a Brother or Friend but in a day of adversity A Brother Prov. 17. 17. is born for adversity though at other times Brethren may jar and jangle and quarrel yet in a day of adversity in a strait in a stress birth and good blood and good nature will be working Adversity breeds love and unity Ridley and Hooper differed very much about Ceremonies in the day of their liberty but when they were both Prisoners in the Tower thâ—â— they could agree well enough and then they could be mutual comforts one to another and when does a Christian most need the strength of God the consolations of God the supports of God the teachings and quicknings of God and the signal singular presence of God but when they are in the greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers When the People of God are in a low and afflicted condition then the Lord knows that that Isa 33. 9. 10. is the season of seasons for him to grace them with his gracious presence When calamities and dangers break in upon us and when all heads and hands and hearts and counsels are set against us now is the time for God to help us for God to succour us for God to stand by us But. Fifthly the Lord will be signally present with his 5 Reason People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers because he dearly loves them God Deut. 7. 6 7 8. Amat quiâ— amat Bernard entirely loves his People and therefore he will not leave his People persons whom we entirely love we cannot leave especially when they are in a distressed condition Prov. 17 17. A friend loves at all times saith Solomon and God is such a friend God loves not by fits and starâ—â— as many do but his love is like himself sincere and stedfast because he loves them he won't forsake them when they are in the greatest troubles and most terrible dangers 1 Sam. 12. 22. For the Lord will not forsake his People for his great Namessake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People He chose you for his love and he still loveth you for his choice and therefore he won't forsake you Chide you he may but forsake you he won't for it will not stand with the glory of God to leave a People to forsake a People of his love Should I cast you off whom I love the Heathen Nations would say that I was mutable in my purposes or unfaithful in my promises Though David's Parents forsook him yet God did not forsake Psalm 27. 10. him but took him up into his care and keeping It is the deriding question which the enemies of the Saints put Psâ—lm 79. 10. to them in the time of their greatest troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers Vbi Deus Where is now your God But they may safely and groundedly return this answer when they are at lowest Hic Deus Our God is here he is nigh unto us he is round about Isa 52. 12. us and he is in the midst of us Witness that golden promise that is more worth than a world I will never leave thee nor forsake thee God is a God of bowels a Heb. 13. 5 11. Hos 8. 9. Mich. 7. 19. Jer. 31. 18 19 20. God of great pity a God of tender compassion and therefore he will not leave his People in a time of distress Parents bowels do most yearn towards their Children when they are sick and weak and most in danger it goes to the very heart of a man to leave a friend in misery but what are the bowels of men to the bowels of God! or the compassions of men to the compassions of God! There is an Ocean of love in the hearts of Parents 2 Sam. 19. 6. towards their children when they are in distress and this love makes them sit by their children and sit up with their children and not stir from their children Gods love does so link his heart to his People in their deep distresses Psalm 91. 15. that he can't leave them he can't stir from them Isa 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee Well and what then This love so endeares unites God to his People that he can't leave them he can't stir one foot from them V. 2. When thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee The Lord dearly loves his People and he highly prizes his People and he greatly delights in his People and therefore he will be signally present with his People both in the fire and in the water both in the fire of persecution and iâ— the waters of affliction God loves the persons of his People and he loves the presence of his People and he loves the graces of his People and he loves the services of his People and he loves the fellowship of his People and therefore he will never leave his People but stand by them and be signally present with them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses Such is Gods singular love to his Covenant-People that he will neither forsake them nor forget them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers The Jews were low yea very low in Babylon their distresses were great and their dangers many they looked upon themselves as so many dead Ezek. 37. 1. to 15. men Our bones are dry our hope is lost and we are cut off for our parts They looked upon themselves both as forsaken and forgotten by God Behold captive Sion lamentingly saith The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord Isa 49. 13. to 18. Psalm 84. 7. Isa 1. 27. Heb. 12. 22. hath forgotten me Sion is taken several wayes in Scripture 1. For the place properly so called where they were wont to meâ—t to worship
men of the greatest measures and degrees of holiness have alwayes enjoyed the greatest measures of the Divine presence witness Enoch Genes 5. 24. Noah Genes 6. 8 9 17 18. So Abraham Jacob Joseph Job David Daniel John Paul c. they were all famous for holiness and accordingly they had a famous presence of God with them as hath been shewed in part and might more fully have been discovered but that the press calls upon me to hasten to a conclusion and therefore I shall now but hint at things consider First That the more holy any person is the more excellent that person is all corruptions are diminutions of excellency the more mixt any thing is the more abased it is the more you mix your wine with water the more you abase your wine and the more you mix your gold with tin the more you abase your gold But the purer your wine is the richer and better your wine is and the purer your gold is the more glorious and excellent it is so the purer and holier any person is the more excellent and glorious that person is Now the more Divinely excellent and glorious any person is the Dan. 9. 23. more he is beloved of God and the more he is the delight of God and the more he shall have of the presence of God Consider Secondly The more holy any person is the more that person pleases the Lord Fruitfulness in holiness fills Heaven with joy the Husbandman is not so much pleased with the fruitfulness of his fields nor the Wife with the fruitfulness of her womb as God is pleased with the fruitfulness of his People in grace and holiness Now certainly the more God is pleased with any person the more he will be present with that person they commonly have most of our presence that most please us Heb. 11. 5. Genes 5. 24. The Hebrew word ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Hithpael and notes a continual walking with God without ceasing Enoch had this testimony before his translation that he pleased God or gave God content as the original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports Enoch eyed God at all times in all places and in all companies and this pleased God Where ever Enoch was his eye was still upon God Enoch walked constantly with God his whole life was but one continued day of walking with God and this pleased God Enoch kept himself from the corruptions and pollutions of the times which were very great he was not carried away with the stream of the times he kept a constant counter-motion to the corrupt courses of the times and this pleased God Enoch maintained and kept up a clear choice and standing communion with God and this pleased God Enoch made it his business his work his Heaven to approve his heart to God and his wayes to God and this pleased God Enoch was very serious and studious to avoid every thing that might be a dishonour to God or displeasing to God and this pleased God Enoch had great and high and honourable thoughts of God and this pleased God God was so pleased and taken with Enoch that he translates God took him up in a whirl wind say the Hebrew Doctors as Elias was he changed his place but not his company for he still walked with God as on Earth so in Heaven him from Earth to Heaven from a gracious to a glorious presence It was a singular mercy for God to be with Enoch on Earth but it was a far more glorious mercy for Enoch to be with God in Heaven The gracious presence of God is very desirable but the glorious presence of God is most comfortable Enoch pleases God and God translates Enoch We can never have those Friends near enough to us who take a pleasure and delight to please us So here Enoch was a bright morning Star a rising Sun for vertue and holiness and therefore God could not satisfie himself to speak after the manner of men that he should live at so great a distance from him and therefore translates him from Earth to Heaven Well my Friends the greater measures of holiness you reach too the more you will please God and the more you please God the more you shall be sure to enjoy of the presence of God Consider Thirdly The more holy any person is the more like to God he is and the more like to God he is doubtless 1 Pet. â— 15 16. Leâ—ir 11. 44. Can. 19. 2. and 20. 7. the more he is beloved of God it is likeness both in nature and grace that alwayes draws the strongest love Though every Child is the Father multiplied the father of a second Edition yet the Father loves him best and delights in him most who is most like him and who in feature spirit and action does most resemble him to the life and so does the Father of Spirits also he alwayes loves them best who in holiness resemble him Heb. 12. 9. most There are four remarkable things in the beloved Disciple above all the rest 1. That he lay nearâ—st to John 13. 23. Cap. 18. 16. Cap. 19 26 27. Mark 14. 50. Christ's bosom at the Table 2. That he followed Christ closest to the high Priests Palace 3. That he stood close to Christ when he was on the Cross though others had basely deserted him and turned their backs upon him 4. That Christ commended the care of his Virgin Mother to him Now why did Christs desire love and delight run out with a stronger and a fuller tide towards John than to the rest of the Disciples doubtless it was because John did more resemble Christ than the rest it was because John was a more exact picture and lively representation than the others were Now the more any man in holiness is like to Christ the more any man in holiness resembles Christ the more that man shall enjoy of the presence of Christ the more that man shall lay in the bosom of Christ The Father loves to be most with that Child that is like him most So here As ever you would enjoy the presence of God in your greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers be sure that you keep up holiness in your hearts and lives be sure that you grow in holiness and flourish in holiness and then you shall be sure of the presence of God with you in all your troubles and deep distresses A holy God will never leave the holy Christian and thus much for this use of Exhortation The last use of all is a use of comfort and consolation to all the Pâ—â—ple of God in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses Now here consider First of all That God himself hands out this as a rare comfort of his People in all their troubles distresses and dangers viz. That he will be graciously present with them in the midst of all their sorrows and sufferings Isa 43. 2. Psalm 91.
a prosperous condition God speaks to us Jeâ— 2. 21. and we mind him not I spoke to thee in thy prosperity but thou wouldest not hear and this hath been thy manner from thy youth upwards Pope Martin reported of himself that whilst he was a Monk and lived in the Cloister he had some evidences for Heaven when he was a Cardinal he began to fear and doubt but after he came to be Pope he utterly despaired The Lord never shews more of his favourable signal and eminent presence than by teaching of his People many gracious and Gospel lessons by their great troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers But Thirdly the Lord doth manifest his favourable his signal his eminent presence with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers by raising strenthening and acting their suffering graces viz. their faith hope love patience prudence courage boldness zeal constancy Thus in the Text The Lord stood by me and strengthened me He put new life and strength and vigour into all my graces although there are habits of grace alwayes resident in the Isay 64. 7. hearts of the Saints yet those habits are not alwayes in exercise The habits of grace cannot act of themselves there must be renewed strength imparted to set them on Psalm 119. 35. Christ is the divers winds both cold hot moist and dry binding and opening North South and therefore what wind so ever blowes it shall blow good to his People work Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments for therein do I delight Though David had a spirit of new life within him yet he could not actually walk in the path of Gods precepts till by an additional force he was set a going Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North wind and come thou South wind blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out By the garden we may safely understand a sanctified soul and by the spices in this garden we may understand the several graces planted in the soul now these spices can never flow out and send forth their fragrant smell till the North and South wind blowes upon them Habitual grace cannot operate and dilate and put forth it self into exercise till by the concurrent presence and assistance of Christ it is educed into act no Saint can act that grace he hath received by his own strength without the presence and assistance of Christ 1 Cor. 15. 16. But by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I labour more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me He does not say the grace of God which was in me that habitual grace which I had but The grace of God which was with me So then it is not the strength of habitual grace that will carry a man through doing or suffering work but the auxiliary the assisting the conquering grace of Jesus Christ it is his grace with us more than his grace in us So John 15. 5. Without me ye can do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separate from me or apart from me Erasm sine me Beza seâ—rsim a me Members divided from the â—ead cannot live so here nothing Ye that are my Disciples ye that have the spirit of Jesus Christ Without me ye can do nothing the habits of grace the actings of grace and the perfecting of grace are all from Jesus Christ It is more emphatical in the original for there you have two negatives cannot do nothing He do's not say without me ye cannot do many things but Without me ye can do nothing nor he do's not say Without me ye can do no great thing but Without me ye can do nothing nor he do's not say Without me ye can do no difficult thing but Without me ye can do nothing nor he do's not say Without me ye can do no spiritual thing but Without me ye can do nothing What ever a Saint may do by the power of gifts or habits of grace received yet he can do nothing in a lively spiritual acceptable way without the presence of Christ without a constant dependence upon Christ without a sweet and special communion and fellowship with Christ if we cannot put forth a natural action without him for in him we live move and have our being how much less can Acts 17. â—8 we perform a spiritual action in a spiritual manner without his presence and assistance Let the King sit Cant. 1. 12. but at his table and then our spicknard will send forth a sweet smell that is let Jesus Christ be but present with us and then our graces which are compared to spicknard will send forth a sweet smell sitting at the table with King Jesus intimakes the sweetest friendship 1 Kings 10. 8. and fellowship with him It was held a great honour and happiness to stand before Solomon what is it then to sit with Christ at his table My spicknard sendeth forth the smell thereof that is My faith is actuated and all my other graces are exercised and increased Christs presence puts life into all our graces Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will Isa 41. 10. Luke 21 14 15. strengthen thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness 2 Cor. 12. 10. When I am weak then am I strong When I am weak in my self then am I strong in Christ If the Sun shine upon the Mary-gold Mal. 4. â— how soon do's the Mary-gold open so when the Sun of righteousness do's but shine upon a Christians graces how do they open and act To shew how the presence of Christ has acted the faith love courage boldness and patience c. of the Saints in the Old and New Testament the primitive Christians and the Martyrs in the latter ages of the world when they have been in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers would take up more than a little time besides in my other writings I have opened these things more fully to you and to them I must refer you And therefore Fourthly the Lord doth manifest his favourable signal and eminent presence with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers by laying a Law of restraint upon every wicked man and by bridling and checking their fury and insolency that they shall not add afflictions to the afflicted as otherwise they would as he did upon Laban Gen. 31. 24. And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night and said unto him take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad Verse 29. It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt but the God of your Fathers spake unto me yester night saying take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad See what a law of restraint
25. He answered and said Lo I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God The prefence of the Son of God preserves these three valiant Champions from dangers in the midst of dangers They fell down bound in the fiery Furnace saith my Author and Polanus they walked loose in the midst of the fire without any hurt for the Angel of the Lord descended together with them in the same moment who shook the flames of the fire forth out of the Furnace and preserved the Servants of God safe without any trouble being cooled as it were with a deâ— coming upon them in a pleasant manner But give me leave to say that these words One like the Son of God doth not argue that in this vision there was not a representation of the Son of God to come afterwards in the flesh but rather that this great mystery was here shew'd for the greater comfort of the faithful that they might couragiously bear all their sufferings having the Prince and Head both of Angels and men present with them herein to mitigate their pains and carry them through with joy this being a greater wonder of grace and love then to have the protection of a meer Angel concerning whose power also whether he can change the nature of fire that it shall not burn is very doubtful and questionable seeing this argueth omnipotency which is in God alone and not communicable to any Creature Where by the way you may observe a strong and solid argument to prove that Jesus is the Son of God against all gainsayers thus He whom Nebuchadnezzar saw in the fiery Furnace was the Son of God in an humane shape but he was typically Jesus Verse 22. ergo c. The Major is proved because he did that which none but God could do viz. he qualified the most fierce and raging fire which burnt up some coming but near it and had no power at the same instant of time so much as to sing a hair of the heads of others The Minor is proved also because God appearing in a glorious humane shape at any time was not God the Father or Holy Ghost but God the Son for no man 1 John 13. 1 Tim. 6. 16. 1 Joh. 4. 12. hath seen God at any time but the Son hath revealed him both when in him appearing in a humane shape under the Law and when under the Gospel shewing himself in the man Jesus born of the Virgin Mary and hypostatically united unto him Exod. 3. 2. And the Angel of the Lord that is Christ Christ is called the Messenger or Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. the Angel of the Covenant appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a Bush and he looked and behold the Bush burned with fire and the Bush was not consumed Verse 3. And Moses said I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the Bush is not burnt The Hebrew word Seneh which is he used signifies a Dry-bush a Bramble-bush whence the Mount and Wilderness is called Sinai of the store of brambles that grew there or of this Bush or Vision Now for a Bush a Dry-bush a Bramble-bush to be all on fire and yet not consumed this must be a wonder of wonders but all this is from the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush Out of these two Verses we may briefly observe these few things First the low and weak and brittle estate of the Church represented by a Bush a Dry-bush a Bramble-bush what more brittle weak base low and despicable than a Dry-bush a Bramble-bush What is such a Bush good for but the fire or to stop a gap or some such inferiour use A Bush is a black deformed and uncomely thing Corruption and affliction sin and suffering renders the Saints very uncomely The Church is compared not to a strong sturdy oke but to a weâ—k brittle Bush and Elsewhere to a Vine a Dove a Lamb a Sheep c. all frail weak Creatures It is good for all Saints to have low and mean thoughts of themselves for here they are resembled to a Dry-bush a Bramble-bush But Secondly a Dry-bush a Bramble-bush pricks wounds and vexes them that handle it roughly This Bush is in Hebrew called Seneb as I have hinted before which the Hebrews describe to be a shrub full of pricks and without fruit and so thick that a bird cannot enter without the ruffling and pulling off her feathers Let the proud enemies of the Church look to themselves for this Bramble-bush will vex prick wound tear and put them to the worst when they have done their worst In all the Ages of the World this Bramble-bush the Church hath been a cup of trembling unto all the People Zach. 12 2 3. round about and a burdensome stone so that all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the Earth be gathered together against it But Thirdly consider the cruelties of the Churches enemies is signified and represented by a fire The Bush burns with fire In this resemblance is shadowed out the oppressed afflicted and persecuted estate of the Israelites in the Egyptian Furnace and by fire here is meant the most painful terrifying and tormenting afflictions and miseries that should attend them Great afflictions and persecutions are in Scripture commonly set out by fire as the fiery tryal the fire of affliction Fire is very painful 1 Pet. 4. 12. Lam. 2. 3 4. Hab. 2. 13. and tormenting in which respects Hell-torments are compared to fire so are great afflictions miseries and sufferings they are very painful and tormenting they put persons into sore pain and travel Next to the pangs of Conscience and the pains of Hell there are none to these pains and pangs that are bred and fed by sore afflictions by terrible tryals It has been the lot and portion of Gods dearest Children to be exercised with very great and griveous afflictions and that in order to the discovery of sin to the imbittering of sin to the preventing of sin and to the purging away of sin and in order to the tryal of grace the discovery of grace the exercise of grace and the increase of grace and in order to the weaning of them from this World and to the compleating their conformity to Christ the Captain of their Heb. 2. 10. salvation who was made perfect through sufferings to ripen them for Heaven and to work in them more bowels of pity compassion to those that are in misery that sigh groan under their Egyptian task masters Fourthly consider the eminence of their preservation This fire was a super natural fire for 1. It continued without fuell to seed upon 2. It kept below ascended not 3. It burned and consumed not All which shews it to be a supernatural work
5. 1. an able friend a sure friend a faithful friend a close friend a constant friend Plutarch's reasoning is good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Friends have all things in common But God is our Friend Ergo we cannot want a most rare speech from a poor Heathen He is our Father Isa 63. 16. cap. 64 8. And we are his children Isa 63. 8. He is our Bridegroom and we are his Bride Isa 61. 10. Hosea 2. 19 20. Isa 62. 5. And therefore it is no pride nor presumption for Believers to say our fellowship is with the Father Our fellowship with Jesus Christ is set forth by the Parable of Matth. 22. 1 2 3. Luke 15. the Wedding-Feast and by the Entertainment of the Prodigal Son and by such relations or various similitudes as carry communion in their bosoms as of the head and the members root and branches foundation and building husband and wife The head hath communion with the body by sense influence motion The root with the branches by leaf sap and juice The foundation with the building by support and strength The husband with the wife by love and consent Thus it is betwixt Christ and the Believers 1 Cor. l. 9. God is faithful by whom ye are called to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ All Believers have fellowship with Christ whether they be strong or weak rich or poor Gal. 3. 28. 1 Pet. 2. 2. John 17. 20 21 22 23. high or low ripe and well grown or new born babes and very tender The head hath conjunction with all the members and an influence into all the members even the little Toes as well as into the strongest Arms and the root in the vertue of it extends to the weakest branches as well as to the strongest limbs of the Tree Communion is as large as union all Believers are united to Christ and all Believers have communion with Christ Though one star exceeds another in magnitude yet all are alike seated in the heavenly Orb and though one member be larger in the body than another yet every one hath an equal conjunction with the head And as Believers have fellowship with the Father and the Son so they have fellowship with the Spirit also every Believers communion extends to all the Persons in the Trinity 2 Cor. 13. 14. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen Now no Men no Devils no wrath no rage no malice no enmity no afflictions no oppositions do persecutions no troubles no trials no bonds no banishment can interrupt or hinder a Believers communion with the three Persons in Trinity But Seventhly If God be with us who can be against us I answer None so as to hinder our private Trade to Heaven All the world can never hinder a sincere Christian from driving a secret Trade with Heaven as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margin together Psalm 3. 2 3 4. Psalm 6. 8 9 10. Psalm 138. 3 Lan. 3. 55. to 59. A Christian â—an as well hear without ears and live without food and fight without hands and walk without feet as he is able to live without secret Prayer Secret Prayer is the life of our lives the soul the sweet the heaven of all our enjoyments of all the duties of Religion Secret Prayer is the most soul-sweetning soul-strengthning soul-nourishing soul-fatning soul-refreshing soul-satisfying and soul-encouraging duty in all the Ages of the world the Saints have kept the Trade in spite of all opposers and persecutors in prisons in dungeons in dens in bonds in banishments on racks and in the very flames the Saints have still kept up this secret Trade as you may see at large in my Treatise on closet Prayer called The privy Key of Heaven to which I refer you But Eightly If God â—e with us who can be against us I answer None so as to deprive us of the sweet Testimonie of our renewed consciences 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing or boasting is this the testimony of our conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boasting or glorying that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you-ward They were in great and pressing troubles in Asia Verse the 8. and yet they boasted in the testimony of their consciences they were under a Sentence of death in themselves Verse 9 and yet gloried in the testimony of their consciences Joy of conscience is the greatest joy as trouble of conscience is the greatest trouble when conscience bears its testimony with us and for us how full of joy is the soul even in the midst of the deepest sorrows and greatest sufferings Conscientia pura semper secura a good conscience hath sure confidence and he that hath it sits Noah like mediis tranquillus in undis Quiet in the greatest combustions freed if not from the common destuction yet from the common distraction A good conscience is an impregnable Fort it fears no colours it will enable a man to stand against the fiercest batteries of men and divels A good conscience will fill a man with courage and comfort in the midst of all his troubles and distresses Paul had enough to say for himself when standing before the Council he could say Men and brethren I have lived in all good conscience Acts 23. 1 2. before God until this day And though as soon as he had said so Ananiâ—s commanded to smite him on the mouth yet he bears up bravely because his conscience did not smite him but acquit him That man can never want musick whose conscience speaks in consort and is harmonious with himself A good conscience is a Paradise in a wilderness it is riches in poverty and health in sickness and strength in weakness and liberty Isa 38. 3. in bonds and life in death A good conscience will enable a man to triumph over innumerable evils yea over death it self Death to such a person is not the King of terrors but the King of desires A good conscience Phil. 1. 23. will be a Christians best friend in the worst times it will be a sword to defend him a staff to support him a pillar of fire to lead him a Joseph to nourish him a Dorcas to cloath him a Canaan to refresh him and a feast to delight him He that is of a merry heart hath a Prov. 15. 15. continual feast Now there is nothing that can make a man Divinely merry below a good conscience A good conscience saith one is Thalamuâ— Dei palatium Aug. Ser. 10. ad Fratres in Eâ—em Christi habitaculum Spiritus Sancti Paradisus delitiarum The bed of God the palace of Christ the habitation of the holy Ghost the Paradise of delights and wherein every Tree yieldeth a Feast Tranquillitas conscientiae Ambros Offic. l. 2. c. 1.
mighty man of valour Ver. 13. And Gideon said unto him Oh my Lord if the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us and where be all his miracles which our Fathers told us of saying Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt but now the Lord bath forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites God may be really present with his People they may have his favourable presence with their inward man when it goes very ill with their outward Man Certainly we must frame a new Bible ere we can find any colour out of Gods afflicting us to prove that he doth not love us or that he hath withdrawn his presence from us Christ had never more of the real presence of his Father than when he had least of his sensible presence of his comfortable presence My God my God why hast thou forsaken Matth. 27. 46. me Here is first a compellation or invocaton of God twice repeated My God my God Secondly the complaint it self or matter complained of touching Gods forsaking of him Christ was forsaken of God in some sort and he was very sensible of his Fathers withdrawing though it was but in part and for a time Why hast thou forsaken me This forsaking is not to be understood of his whole person but of his humane nature only according to which and in the which he now suffered on the Cross Though the person of Christ suffered and was forsaken yet he was not forsaken in or according to his whole Person but in respect of his humane nature only The Godhead of Christ could not be forsaken for then God should have forsaken himself which is impossible The personal union of the God head with the Man-hood of Christ continued all the time of his passion and death it was never dissolved nor ever shall be yea the Godhead did uphold the manhood all the time of Christs sufferings so that he was not forsaken when he was forsaken he was not forsaken wholly when he was forsaken in part The love and favour of God the Father towards Jesus Christ did not ebb and flow rise and fall for God never loved Jesus Christ more or better than at the time of his passion when he was most obedient to his Fathers will Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life John 10. 17. for my Sheep Christ had never more of the supporting presence of his Father than when he had least of his comfortable presence when Christ was in his grievous agony and distress of body and mind the Godhead did withdraw the comfortable presence from the manhood and so far and so far only was Christ forsaken Though the union was not dissolved yet there was a suspension of vision for the time so as the humane nature did neither see or feel any present comfort from God Now so far as the Godhead did withdraw its comfortable presence so far our Saviour was forsaken and no further that was but in part and therefore he was but in part forsaken God was really present with Christ when in respect of his comfortable presence he was withdrawn from him So here The Husband may be in the house and the Wife not know it the Sun may shine and I not see it there may be fire in the Room and I not feel it so God may be really present with his People when he is not sensibly present with his People But The second Proposition is this That the favourable 2. Proposition signal and eminent presence of God with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers is only to be extended to his Covenant people to those that are his People by special grace Jer. 32. 38. And they shall be my People and I will be their God Verse 40. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Verse 41. Yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good There are many precious promisses of the Divine presence as I have already shewed but they are all entailed upon Gods Covenant-people We are all the People of God by Creation both good and bad sinners and saints bond and free rich and poor high and low and we are all the People of God by outward profession All that do make an outward profession of God and perform external worship to God they are all the People of God in this sence all the Carnal Israelites are frequently called the People of God as well as the spiritual Seed thus Cain was one of Gods People as well as Abel and Esau as well as Jacob. Now such as are only the People of God by creation or by profession these are strangers to God these are enemies Ephe. 2. 12. to God and will he be favourably present with these Such as are only the People of God by creation Eph. 2. 1. Col. 2. 13 and outward profession they are dead in trespasses and sins and can the living God take pleasure in being among Gal. 3. 10. the dead such are under all the threatnings of the Law and under all the curses of the Law even to the uttermost extent of them such are not one moment secure the threatnings of God and the curses of the Law Lev. 26. Deut. 28. may light upon them when in the house when in the field when waking when sleeping when alone when in company when rejoycing when lamenting when sick when well when boasting when despairing when upon the Throne when upon a sick-bed and will God grace these with his presence surely no. Such say to Job 21 1â— 15. God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him Such queryings as this carry greatest contempt in them and would lay the Almighty quite below the required duty as if Almighty were but an empty Title and will God ever honour such with his favourable presence who bid him be packing who reject his acquaintance and are willing to be rid of his company surely no. Such as are only his People by creation and an outward profession such are under the wrath Psalm 7â— 11. and displeasure of God God is angry with the wicked every day not with a paternal but with a Prov. 3. 32. cap 1â— 9. judicial anger even to hatred and abhorment The wicked is an abomination to him and he hates all workers of iniquity And therefore to these he will never vouchsafe his signal presence such may well expect that God will pour on them the fiercenâ—ss of that wrath and indignation that they can neither decline nor withstand such wrath is like the tempest and whirlewinds that breakes down all before it It is like burning fire and devouring flames
Will the Lord be signally present with 4. Inference his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then from hence you may see the Lords singular love and admirable kindness to his People in gracing them with his presence in their greatest Isa 43. 2. 4. troubles that is a Friend indeed that will stick close to a man in the day of his troubles as Jobs friends did Job 2. 11 12 13 1 Sam. 20. 30 31. 32 33. stick close to him in the day of his troubles and as Jonathan did stick close to David in his greatest dangers and as the primitive Christians did sticâ— close one to another though with the hazard of their lives and to the amazement of their Enemies Behold said they how the Christians love one another and stand by one another The People of God in their greatest troubles are a People of his special love when they are in distress he lyes them in his very bosom and his banner over Cant. 2. 4. them is love The love of God to his People is engraven upon the most afflictive dispensation they are under when he smartly rebukes them even then he dearly loves them Hear ye the rod. Oh the rod speaks love Rev. 3. 19. Micha 6. 9. many of the Saints have read much of the Lords love written in letters of their own blood they have read love in Priâ—â—ns and love in flames and love in banishment and love in the cruellest torments their Enemies could invent When a Christians wounds are bleeding Mal. 4. 2. then God comes in with a healing plaster when a Christian is in a storm then the presence of the Lord makes all calm and quiet within The presence of the Lord Matth. 8. 26. with his People in their troubles and distresses speaks out the reality of his love the cordialness of his love the greatness of his love and the transcendency of his love The truth and strength of Relations love one to another doth best appear by their presence one with another when either of them are in the Iron Furnace or in bonds or in great straits or wants or deep distresses The Parents shew most of their love to their sick and weak Children by their daily presence with them and the Husband shews most of his dear and tender love by keeping his Wife company when she is in greatest straits and dangers so here But Fifthly Will the Lord be signally present with his 5. Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then this may serve to justifie the Saints and to encourage the Saints to write after this fair copie that Christ has set them O visit them O stand by them O stick close to them in all their troubles distresses and dangers let the same mind be in you one towards another as is in Christ towards you all Phil. 2. 5. Job 11. 12 13. Are there any Jobs upon the dunghil visit them are there any Pauls in chaines find them out and be not ashamed of their chaines 2 Timoth. 1. 16. The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain Verse 17. But when he was in Rome he sought me out diligently and found me Verse 18. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day and in how many things he ministred unto me at Ephesus thou knowest very well He oft refreshed me Greek Poured cold water upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me As that Angel did upon the wracked limbs of Theodorus the Martyr mentioned by Socrates and Ruffinus in the dayes of Julian the Apostat 't is a Metaphor taken from those who being almost overcome with heat are refreshed by cooling And was not ashamed of my chain Learned Antiquaries observe that the Apostle at this time was not in prison with fetters but in the custody of a Souldier with whom he might go abroad having a chain on his right arm which was tyed to the Souldiers left arm Paul at this time was not in prison much less a close Prisoner for then Onesiphorus needed not to have made any great search to find him but was a Prisoner at large going up and down with his Keeper to dispatch his affairs and therefore he speaks not of chains in the plural number but of a chain in the singular with which he was tyed to the souldier that kept him It no wayes becomes the Saints to be ashamed of the bonds or chains that may be found upon the Ambassadours of Christ in an evil day The primitive Christians were not ashamed of the Martyrs chains but owned them in their chains and stood by them in their chains and frequently visited them in their chains and freely and nobly relieved them and refreshed them in their chains And will you will you be ashamed to visit the Saints in bonds O let not this be told in Gath 2 Sam. 1. 20. nor published in the streets of Askelon that the high-flown Professors and Christians of these times are ashamed to own relieve and stand by the Saints in bonds So Matth. 25. 36. I was sick and ye visited me I was in See Exo. 2. 11 12. compared with Acts 7. 23. to 29. only remember the case was extraordinary and his call was extraordinary prison and ye came unto me It is very remarkable that the last definitive Sentence shall pass upon men according to those acts of favour and kindness that have been shewed to the Saints in their suffering state and that the Sentence of absolution shall contain a manifestation of all their good works In this great day Christ sees no iniquity in his People he objects nothing against them and he only makes honourable mention of the good that has been done by them O Sirs all the visits you give to sick Saints and all the visits you give to imprisoned Saints Christ takes as visits given to himself suffering Saints and you are Brethren and will you not visit your own Brethren suffering Saints and Christ are Brethren Matth. 25. 40. John 20 17. Psalm 119. 63. 2 Cor. 8. 19. and will you not visit Christs Brethren suffering Saints and you are Companions and will you not visit your own Companions suffering Saints and you are travelling Heaven-wards and will you not visit your Fellow-travellers suffering Saints and you are Fellow-citizens and will you not visit your Fellow-citizens Ephes 2. 19. suffering Saints and you are Fellow souldiers Phil. 2. 25. and will you not visit your Fellow-souldiers suffering Saints aâ—d you are Fellow-heirs and will you not visit Rom. 8. 17. your Fellow-heirs O never be ashamed of those that Christ is not ashamed of O never fail to visit those whom Christ daily visits in their suffering state O never turn your backs upon those to whom Christ hath given the right hand of fellowship O be not
that did he know how things stand with me would make my burdens his and my wants his and my sorrows his but he is in a far Countrey he is at the Indies and I may be undone before I can hear from him But it is not thus with you O Christians who have a God so nigh unto you who have the signal presence of God in the midst of you yea who have a God alwayes standing by you The Lord stood by me c. O my Friends how can you want comfort that have the God of all consolation present with you How can you 2 Cor. 1. 3. Isa 9. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 10. Isa 9. 6. want counsel that have the wonderful Counseller so near unto you How can you want grace who have the God of all grace standing by you How can you want Peace who have alwayes the presence of the Prince of Peace with you But. Fourthly Know for your comfort that if God be with you there is nothing there can be nothing but weakness against you Isa 27. 4. Who would set the briars God holdeth the Churches Enemies in chains having his hook in their nose and his bridle in their lips Isa 37. 29. he can easily rule and over-rule his proudest Enemies and thorns against me in battel I would go through them I would burn them together What are briars and thorns to a devouring fire to the consuming flames no more are all the Enemies of the Church to the presence of God with his People God will be a burning and destroying fire to all the Enemies of Zion wicked men are chaff Psalm 1. 1. And what is that to the wind to the whirl wind they are stubble Job 21. 18. They are as driven stubble to his bow Isai 41. 2. They are as stubble fully dry Nahum 1. 10. They are as stubble before the flame Joel 2. 5. They arelike dust 2 Kings 13. 7. Yea like small dust Isa 29. 5. They are like a morning cloud an early dew a little smoak Hosea 13. 3. The morning cloud is soon dispelled the early dew is soon dried up the rowling smoak out of the chimney is presently scattered O the weakness of man O the power of God! No People on Earth have such a power on their sides as the Saints have consult these Scriptures 2 Kings 6. 16. 2 Chron. 32. 6 7. Isai 8. 9 10. Numb 13. 28 30 31 32 33. Cap. 14. 9. No Christian can look upon the strong and mighty Enemies of Zion in a Scripture glass but must behold them as weak and impotent Persons Who could but smile to see weak Children to attempt to Zach. 2. 5. besiege a wall of brass or a wall of fire as great a folly and weakness it is for wicked men to make attempts upon the Saints who have been to this day and will be to the end a trembling and a burdensome stone to all Cap. 12. 2 3. that gather together against them Sense looks upon the Powers of the world as strong mighty and invincible but Faith looks upon them as poor weak contemptible gasping dying Men. Thus heroical Luther look'd upon them Contemptus est a me Romanus favor furor I care neither for Romes favour nor fury I am neither fond of the one nor afraid of the other It is dangerous to look upon the Powers of the world in the Devils multiplying glass it is best and safest to look upon them in a Scripture glass and then we shall never fear them nor sinfully shift them But Fifthly If God be signally present with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then know for your comfort that none can be against you but they must be against God himself for God is with you in all your troubles as a Acts 9. 4 5 6. Father is with his Child a Husband with his Wife a General with his Army and as a Confederate with his Allies who is with them offensively and defensively hence they are said to rage against God Isa 37. 28 29. And to blaspheme God 2 Kings 19. 3 6. And to fight See Acts 23. 9. Prov. 21. 30. against God Acts 5 38 39. To fight against God is labour in vain who ever sought against God and prospered Some think that this Phrase of fighting against God is drawn from the Fable of the Gyants which were said to make war with the Gods The Church of Christ alwayes flourisheth most and increaseth most when the Exod. 1. 12 1. Tyrants of the Earth oppose it most and persecute it most Diocletian laid down the Empire in great discontent because he could not by any persecution suppress the true Christian Religion the more violent he was against the People of God the more they increased and multiplied and the more they were emboldned and encouraged and therefore in a rage he throws up all But Sixthly If the signal presence of God be with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then know for your comfort that there is no presence like this presence no presence to the presence of God let me evidence this by an induction of six particulars briâ—fly thus For First It is the presence of an Almighty God Genes 17. 1. I am the Almighty Genes 49. 25. Numb 24. 4. God walk before me and be thou perfect Some derive the word Shaddai here used from dai that signifieth sufficiency God is an all sufficient good and a self-sufficient good he is an Independent good an absolute good an original good an universal good some derive the word Shaddai from Shad that signifieth a breast a dug because God feedeth his Children with sufficiency of all good things as the loving Mother doth the Child with the milk of her breasts God is the only satisfactory good and proportionable good and sutable good to our souls as the breast the dug is the most sutable good to the Childs stomach And others derive the word Shaddai from Shaddad which signifieth to spoil conquer or overcome and so they say that God did here invert or overcome the order of nature in causing the barren to bear But most Authors do translate it Omnipotent God then is called Shaddai that is omnipotent and all-sufficient for his omnipotency includeth also all-sufficiency Secondly you have the presence of a loving God with you Isa 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee But that this may the better stick and work you must remember First that God loves you with a first See Deâ—t 7. 7 8. love 1 John 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us Our love is but a reflex of his God first cast an eye of love upon us before we cast an eye of love on him and therefore God is no way indebted to us for our love Mary answers not Rabboni till Christ first said unto her John 20. 16.
Covenant a firm Covenant c. p. 42 43 44 45 Three springs from whence the Covenant of Grace flowes may assure us that the Covenant of Grace is a sure Covenant pag. 45 46 47 The sureness of the Covenant is further demonstrated from the blood of the everlasting Covenant pag. 47 48 49 50 Eightly and lastly the Covenant of Grace is stiled a well ordered Covenant pag. 50 51 52 The reason why the new Covenant is call'd a Covenant of Grace pag. 52 53 54 55 None can make void our Covenant-relation our Covenant-interest II. Part pag. 107 108 Of the Covenant of Redemption What is the substance of the Covenant of Redemption pag. 66 67 68 The Covenant of Redemption defined pag. 68 69 Scripture proofs of the Covenant of Redemption pag. 69 to 97 The Covenant of Redemption differs from the Covenant of Grace in five particulars pag. 97 98 Of the Covenant of Works The woful misery of men that live and dye under a Covenant of Works pag. 27 28 29 First the Covenant of Works in the nature of it requires perfect personal and perpetual Obedience under pain of the curse and death 29 30 Secondly such as are under a Covenant of Works their best and choicest duties are rejected and abhorred for the least miscarriages or blemishes that do attend them pag. 30 Thirdly this Covenant admits of no Mediator pag. 30 31 E. Of Embracing Christ Poor Sinners should embrace Christ as they would have his signal sence with them in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses II. Part pag. 155 156 157 158 Of Enemies The Enemies of the Church are weak and contemptible II. Part p. 212 213. F. Of base slavish Fears The signal presence of God with his People should arm them against all slavish Fears of Men. II. Part pag. 152 153 154 Of Fighting against God To Fight against God is labour in vain II. Part p. 213 G. Of the Graces of the Spirit None can be so against us as to deprive us of the Graces of the Spirit II. Part p. 85 86 Of Growth in Grace None can be so against us as to hinder our growth and increase in Grace II. Part p. 108 109 110 111 112 H. Of Harming the Saints None can Harm the Saints II. Part p. 61 62 63 Of being Hid in an evil day None can be so against the Saints as to hinder them from being Hid in an evil day II. Part p. 90 91 92 I. Of Imitating Christ The Saints should Imitate Christ in visiting of the Lords People in their greatest troubles II. Part p. 150 151 152 Of Holy Joy None can be so against us as to hinder the springs of Holy Joy from rising and flowing in our souls II. Part p. 79 to 85 The presence of God with his People is the true ground of their Ioy in all their troubles II. Part p. 145 146 147 Of the general Judgment Scriptures that refer to the general Iudgment opened pag. 177 to 184 L. Of Lessons Six great Lessons the poor Heathen might have learned out of the Book of Nature pag. 184 185 Of Life A man in the Covenant of Grace hath three degrees of Life pag. 36 Of Losing the presence of God and of the means to recover it First observe how you lost the Divine presence II. Part p. 218 219 Secondly enquire where when and why God has withdrawn himself II. Part p. 219 Thirdly stand not with Christ for any thing II. Part p. 219 Fourthly let your hearts lye humble and low under the losâ— of the Divine presence and why II. Part p. 220 Fifthly send up a mighty cry to Heaven II. Part p. 220 221 Sixthly take not up your rest in any outward comfort II. Part. p. 221 222 Seventhly patiently and quietly wait upon him in the way of his Ordinances II. Part p. 222 Of the Fathers Love and the Sons Love Of admiring the Fathers Love in entring into the Covenant of Redemption pag. 174 175 Of Christs matchless Love pag. 175 176 177 Nothing can separate us from the Fathers or the Sons Love II. Part p. 64 65 66 Gods signal presence with his People in their greatest troubles speaks out the Lords singular Love to his People c. II. Part p. 149 150 First God loves his People with a first Love II. Part p. 214 Secondly he loves his People with a free Love II. Part p. 214 215 Thirdly he loves them with an everlasting Love II. Part p. 215 Fourthly he loves them with an unchangeable Love II. Part p. 215 Fifthly he loves them with a peculiar Love II. Part p. 215 Sixthly he loves them with the greatest Love II. Part p. 215 216 M. Means to retain the presence of God with us in our greatest troubles and deepest distresses First take heed of high sinning II. Part p. 181 Secondly take heed of impenitency II. Part p. 181 182 Thirdly take heed of neglecting Gospel-worship or of corrupting Gospel-worship II. Part p. 182 183 Fourthly take heed of a willing willful and presumptuous running cross to Divine Commands to Divine Warnings II. Part p. 183 184 Fifthly take heed of carnal confidence of resting upon an arm of flesh II Part p. 184 185 Sixthly take heed of barrenness under Gospel-ordinances II. P. p. 185 186 Seventhly take heed of pride and haughtiness of spirit II. Part p. 186 187 Eightly take heed of a slothful lazy trifling spirit in the things of God II. Part p. 187 188 189 Ninthly take heed of a covetous worldly spirit under the smarting Rod. II. Part p. 189 190 191 192 Tenthly take heed of a cross froward irflexible spirit under the Râ—d II Part p. 192 193 But then as these ten things are to be avoided so there are eight things to be put in pâ—actice as ever you would enjoy the signal presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses First be sure that you are brought under the bond of the Covenant II. Part p. 193 194 Secondly look to the practical part of Holyness keep up the power of Godliness in your hearts and lives II. Part p. 194 195 196 197 Thirdly keep close to instituted worship keep close to your Church state II. Part p. 197 198. 199 Fourthly be sure you make much conscience of five things when you are not in troubles II. Part p. 199 Fifthly then maintain uprightness and integrity of spirit with God II. Part p. 199 200 201 Sixthly be importunate with God not to leave you II. P. p. 201 202 203 Seventhly keep humble walk humbly with your God II. P. 203 204 205 Eightly labour more and more after greater measures of Holyness II. Part p. 205 206 207 208 Of Mercies God will time his Peoples Mercies for them II. Part p. 210 211 Ten Motives to perswade Christians to keep the signal presence of God with them in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses c. First consider the signal presence of God with his People puts the greatest honour dignity and glory