when it comes to that passe that point of extremity that all helps and meanes faile yet that he can and will help at such a pinch of need a dead lift when none else can here appeares his great care wisedome and goodnesse to his people as in delivering Israel out of Egypt where they had been so many hundred yeares and under so powerfull an enemy and Judah out of Babylon Peter out of prison Jonas out of the Whales belly 2. His justice appeares also in the destruction and confusion of the enemies of his Church as Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar proud and potent enemies Senacheribs great army Exod. 9.16 Rom 9.17 Of Pharaoh it is said and may be of the rest of them For this cause have I raised thee up to shew in thee my power and that my Name may be declared throughout all the earth God sometimes suffers his people to be brought into great extremity and their incorrigible enemies to goe far and prevaile much for a time but it is that his power and justice may be more cleare and remarkeable in their destruction Beloved his people into afflictions and troubles Tantum admittitur Dâ—â—â—olus tâ— nâ—â—re â—nâ—mii 〈◊〉 be proâ—est ut exeâ—â— arâ—â— ut â—â—â—beâ—â—â— uâ—â—â—ui â—e â—â—se â—baâ—â— teipso invemaris 〈◊〉 Aug. in Psal 61. these are the reasons and ends why the Lord things even into the Mount sometimes to the uttermost extremity to humble them the more and make them the more fit for mercy to prove their faith patience love and obedience to manifest the truth and strength of his owne grace in them to quicken them to duty to exercise and brighten their graces and increase grace to discover corruption purge out sinne purifie and prevent sinne to let them see the vanity of the creatures weane them from the world and draw them to relye wholly on him to make his Word and Ordinances sweeter to make them more thankfull and to shew his power wisedome providence and goodnesse in preserving and delivering his people and his justice also in destroying his and their stubborne enemies Now while I tell you what Gods end and ayme is I doe also tell you what is your duty it is to put you on to j yne with God to accomplish his ends Now the Lord hath brought us into the Mount almost to the very top I truâ—t for some great mercy to his people doe you now labour to answer Gods ends to be kindly and throughly humbled and so fit for mercy fit for deliverance fit for peace and reformation The great mercy that God intends therefore to manifest your faith and obedience your love and patience at this time of tryall to manifest to the world the truth and strength of your graces be quickened to duties of falling and prayer exercise grace and let your profiting appeare labour to finde out your lurking corruptions to be rid of them to be more carefull to av yde sinne for the time to come to see the vanity of all outward things and be weaned from the world long and labour after Heaven to rest wholly on God find more sweetnesse in the Ordinances be more thankfull for mercies when they come and admire Gods pure wisedome and goodnesse towards you and juâ—tice on his Churches enemies when God shall take vengeance on his adversaries and deliver his Israel 1. For terrour to the enemies of Gods people Vse If his owne people are subject to sufferings and troubles and are sometimes brought into such extremities that they know not what to doe or which way to turne themselves what shall then the wicked and the enemies of his people suffer If all that will live godly must suffer and sometimes undergoe hard things shall the wicked escape Doth God deale so with his children what then will he doe with his servants yea with his enemies the slaves and vassals of Satan will he not spare them that make conscience of their wayes that endeavour to live most holily to walke uprightly with God in all their wayes what will he doe with them that live prophanely loosely scandalously If God so lash them that sinne out of infirmity weaknesse ignorance want of watchfulnesse carelesnesse whose hearts are bent to please the Lord and honour him what will he doe with them that wittingly and wilfully goe on still in their sinnes after many faire warnings and admonitions If sinnes of infirmity be accompanyed with crosses and troubles and that in extremity sometimes what will be the end of bloud-shed of whoredome drunkennesse cursing swearing fearefull imprecations scorning and scoffing at goodnesse and envying purity and sincerity If he deale so hardly as it may seeme with Abraham Jacob David Jeremy and other his dearest ones what will he doe with prophane Esau's scoffing Ismaels cursed Cams and the rest of the rabble of wicked men Luk. 23 31. If it be thus with the greene Tree what shall be done to the dry If God deale thus with his owne people what will he doe with his and their enemies the common enemies of his Church bloud-thirsty enemies that seeke the suppression of his glorious Gospell the ruine and destruction of his Church people Prov. 11. â—1 Behold sayes Solomon the righteous shall be recompenced in the earth much more the wicked and the sinner I conceive the place to be meant of suffering for evill-doing God will correct and punish his owne people therefore much more the ungodly and most of all the professed bloud-thirsty enemies of his Church 1 Pet. 4.17 18. If Iudgement begin at the house of God where shall the sinner and ungodly appeare yea where shall the professed and publicke enemies of the Church appeare If Christ shall be revealed from Heaven in flaming fire 2 Thes 1.7 8 9 with his mighty Angels to take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ and punish them with overlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power what shall be the end of these men that despise and spurne at the Gospell and seeke to suppresse it suspend and silence the most able faithfull and conscionable Preachers of it See Jer. 25. ver 12 c. where God by his Prophet Jeremy after he had threatned the Jewes with 70 yeares captivity he prophesies of the utter destruction and perpetuall desolation of Babylon and other Nations that were the adversaries of his Church and people and ver 15. he causeth the Prophet to take the cup of Gods wrath and make all the Nations drinke of it but especially looke upon and weigh well ver 28 29. In case they refuse saith the Lord to take the cup at thy hand to drinke then shalt thou say unto them Thus saith the Lord of Hosts ye shall certainly drinke For loe marke the reason I bring evill on the City that is called by my Name and should ye be utterly unpunished ye shall not be unpunished
record to posterity speciall mercies and deliverances For 1. So we are commanded after God had delivered Israel and discoâ—sited Amalek Gen. 35.1 God commanded Moses saying Write this for a memoriall in a booke Likewise when God had brought Jacob safe home againe to his native country and delivered him from the wrath of his brother Esau God bad him goe to Bethel and make there an Altar unto God Josh 4. â— namely to offer sacrifice of thankesgiving unto God who appeared unto him when he sled from the face of his brother Esau and had now delivered him Likewise when God had delivered Israel and brought them out of the wildernesse and through the river Iordan he commanded Joshua to take twelve â—tones out of the middest of Jordan and set them up to bee a memoriall to future generations of what God had that day done for them 2. Therefore the people of God used to record speciall mercies and deliverances in their Chronicles in the names of their children of places and the like Ex. 15.1 Jud. 5.1 Isa 38. â— Also in spirituall Songs and Psalmes So did Moses Israels deliverance out of Aegypt Deborah and Baruk their great deliverance from and victory over Sisera and Iabin King of Canaan And Hezekiah his Song of thanksgiving after his recovery from so eminent a danger of death Hest 9 10. c. ver 29 30 31 and the Jewes feast of Purim And thirdly there is great reason for it 1. From the lesse to the great I argue thus If we must be thankfull for particular and smaller even fâ—r the least mercy as it is Psal 103.2 Forget not at all i.e. any of his benefits and there is good reason for it then much lesse may we forget or be unthankfull for great and extraordinary mercies and deliverances out of extremities wherein Gods goodnesse power wisedome mercy Reas 1. c. are most remarkably seen 2. From the equity of the duty 2. wayes First because Gods mercies to the fathers are mercies to their posterity future generations are the better for them Here the mercy shewed to Abraham in saving Isaac was a mercy to all ages He was to be the seed of the Church In him i.e. in the Messiah that was to be borne of him all Nations should be blessed So we this day reape the fruit of those great deliverances in 88. and from the Gun-powder treason and others since if either of those 1588 1605. or these had taken effect either we had not now been at all or been miserable slaves to Antichrist both in our soules bodies and estates without the wonderfull and extraordinary mercy of God and therefore great reason such great mercies and deliverances should be recorded and the memory of them perpetuated that the generations to come after us who have the beneâ—it of them should know them and blesse God for them Psal 102 18. This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. Secondly It is equall also that there should be some proportion between our receits and our returnes our mercies are great extraordinary lasting standing mercies for future times and therefore great reason our returnes of praise should be more then ordinary lasting and continued in our posterity 3. Such mercies and deliverances should be specially noted and the remembrance of them perpetuated to testifie our love to God desire of his glory and hearty thankefulnesse for his goodnesse care and providence over us which appeares in that we would have his goodnesse to be remembred and his praise to live when we are dead So men doe with benefactors record their kindnesse and bounty set up a Monument with inscriptions that after times may reade their kindnesse and bounty towards us whom we love and desire to honour for their beneficence towards us especially if publicke and much more should we labour to perpetuate the mercies and praises of our good and bountifull God and Saviour to testifie our love to him and desire of his glory In this case a gracious heart may use the words of Paul who said The love of Christ constraineth us If we truly love God 2 Cor. 5.14 and desire to honour him we shall endeavour to perpetuate his praises 4. We should take speciall notice of and labour to continue the remembrance of speciall deliverances and mercies for the benefit of future ages for the strengthening their faith comfort and support in evill times For this cause saith David shall every one that is godly pray unto thee We have heard with our eares O God Psal 32.6.44.1 c. say the faithfull in evill times Our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their dayes in the time of old and marke what use the Church makes of Gods former mercies and deliverances to his people Thou art my King O God v. 4 5. command deliverances for Jacob through thee we will push downe our enemies through thy name we will tread them under that rise up against us The remembrance of former mercies to his people though long before doth strengthen their faith and put courage into them in their straites makes them confident in evill times and to rest on God in their greatest exigents and this use wee should ever make of former deliverances as did also David 1 Sam. 17.34 2 Cor 1.10 Paul and others Vse of Reprehension This being a duty so apparent and necessary it may serve to reprove and condemne the great ingratitude and vile practise of most men and of our selves in particular who are so far from perpetuating the remembrance of Gods mercies and deliverances to our selves and the Land That 1. Many doe not returne thanks to God for them no scarce while they are fresh and new before our eyes especially for smaller more ordinary and common mercies and deliverances We cannot looke any way beside mercies If we looke into our selves we have our being our soules and bodies all our members faculties and abilities from God with the continuance of them If we looke without us on the Heaven the Earth and Seas meat drinke clothing houses the fire water ayre we breathe in every creature is a mercy There are also spirituall mercies God gave us his Sonne a wonderfull mercy and deliverance wrought by him for man the Gospell the Word and Sacraments great mercies and these with many others we doe enjoy hitherto with peace plenty and liberty no small blessings God hath compassed us about with mercies and delivers us every day from many knowne and more unknown dangers that might befall us If we looke upon mercies in the Mount in time of extremity we may say much both of publicke and private of privative and positive mercies If God had not put in and holpen us may many of us say I had certainly dyed in such a sicknesse in such a danger I had been utterly undone in such a lesse I had been
good meanes to cure a man of love of the world sicknesse poverty persecution and other great troubles make men weary of their lives Elias when he fled from the wrath of Jezabel and Ahab 1 〈◊〉 19 4. he sate under a Juâ—iper tree and requested for himselfe that he might dye not a word of dying before hee was brought into this great strait that he must either fly for his life or dye by the hand of wicked Iezabel This made Paul desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ that he was then in bloody Nero his prison though that was not the sole cause of that his desire If we had all things here at will wee should with Peter desire to build Tabernacles and abide here but afflictions and troubles especially great ones make us weary of the world like as wormewood on the mothers brest doth imbitter it and makes the child out of love with the brest So afflictions and troubles doe imbi tâ—r our worldly comforts make us weary of the world out of love with it and to aspire and long after Heaven And both these tend much to draw his people to trust in him and so to rely and bottome themselves upon him as to commit themselves to him to roule themselves and leane upon him alone When a man is come so faâ—te into such an extremity that all outward helpe and meanes faile him and there is none to rely upon but God that either be must cast himselfe wholy upon God or perish be undone if God helpe him not he is undone he hath no hope elswhere it will drive him to roule himselfe and rely upon God if there be any faith and hope in him that God can and will helpe as a man shipwrackt at Sea when hee sees there is no other way to be saved but such a rocke or planke Heb. 11.17 18 19. then he casteth himselfe on that and resolves to rest thereon Here Abraham was brought to a very great strait he cast himselfe on God he beleeved that God was able to raise up his some again from the dead and therefore hee cast himselfe upon God So it wrought with Paul and others they received the sentence of death in themselves i. e. saw no way or meanes of life all hope from outward meanes failed and therefore they cast themselves wholy on God heare his words 2 Cor. 1.9 10. We received the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead who delivered us from so great a death It was a great extremity Paul and the rest were brought into Act. 27. Act. 27.20 No small tempest lay on us saith the Apostle all hope that we should he saved was taken away See how this drove him to trust in God v. 25. Sirs be of good cheare I beleeve God c. When the storme was exceeding great the Ship split and all failed nothing but the waves or peeces of plankes yet then he cast and committed himselfe to God yea then he must doe it or perish no hope no helpe any other way Thus the Lord would have his people to trust in him and rely upon him alone and this is a speciall meanes to drive men to it to unbottome them of the creature necessity is a good argument and it is well if any thing will make a man truly and sincerely to cast himselfe on God 12. Sometimes againe The Lord brings his people into troubles to make his Word and Promises sweeter unto them and all his mercies to relish better When a man is tossed to and fro and wearied with beating his braines and endeavouring by all wayes and meanes yet in vaine and as it were against the streame and wind ô how welcome then will a promise be to such a soule Ps 110.50 Contraria juxtase posita magis cluceseunt how sweet will the word to be to him that finds no helpe no comfort in any outward thinâ—â— This said David is my comfort in mine affliction thy word hath quickned me put life into his drooping dying soule Every mercy is sweet to a gracious heart but in case of extremity it is most sweet contraries doe best discover one another the bitterer the affliction is here the more grievous the trouble the sweeter will the word be to a gracious heart as every thing is sweet to an hungry soule Also troubles bitter afflictions will sweeten glory they put a kind of excellency and eminency on Heaven and glory it selfe and make it more sweet and glorious Great afflictions and troubles here make Heaven if I may so say more heavenly the haven is most pleasing to a weather-beaten Mariner sweet after bitter health after sicknesse ease after paine meat after hunger the triumph after a sharpe battell so troubles here on Earth doe after a sort sweeâ—en the life to come and make it more excellent and soul-ravishing 13. The Lord dealeth thus with his people to increase thankfullnesse in them for mercies When he comes in the very necke of time at the last pinch when all outward helpes and hopes faile then mercy will be welcome indeed and thankfully received Here when it was come to the uttermost Abrahams hand was lifted up to slay his sonne then comes a dispensation from God which much affected Abraham therefore he presently as it were erects a monument with this inscription In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seene and called the name of the place Jehovah-jireh i. e. the Lord will see or provide So in Hesters time when things were brought to a great height Hest c. 4. 9. a desperate pinch then God workes their deliverance and they were much affected with it when a man is brought to extremity then mercy affects much and accordingly the heart is inlarged in thankfulnesse The more bitter the affliction is and the greater the extremity the more welcome and thanks-worthy mercy and deliverance will be A hungry beggar will be thankfull for every small matter and course almes but he that is full is ready to slight every thing A full stomacke loaths the hony-combe Pro. 27.7 sayes Salomon 14. Lastly the Lord suffers the enemies of his people to prevaile and bring his people to an extremity that he may have occasion to manifest his glorious Power Wisdome and Justice also 1. His Power Wisdome and Goodnesse in the manifest support of his people in their troubles holding them up as it were by the chinne in the midst of the waters that they sinke not So Gods admirable power and goodnesse did appeare in making the Arke to float safe upon the waters the bush to burne and not be consumed the Church to be brought into great straites sometimes to the utter most extremity and yet not be quite dissolved and perish likewise preserving Daniel in the Lyons den the three children in the fiery furnace Jonas in the Whales belly Likewise in delivering them cut of extremities that
what they should meet with in the way to Heaven and prepare for the worst Quest. You will say what is to be done that we may be prepared for troubles that whatsoever troubles may befall us we may be able with comfort to undergoe them Answ 1. First and above all get God to be thy friend Directions Rom 8 31. Isa 54.17 to be reconciled unto him and have interest in him For if God be with us saith the Apostle who can be against us what enemy what weapon can prevaile If a man be brought into the Mount into never so great troubles to the uttermost extremity that all meanes helps and hopes in the world faile him yet if he have assurance of Gods love and favour who is all sufficient and all iâ— all all outward troubles and wants will seem little or nothing to him Therefore here Abraham went as willingly into the Mount and did undergoe this great tryall with as composed and cheerfull a spirit and so hath many a faithfull servant of God formerly and of late yeares went to prison to the Pillory yea to the stake as cheerfull as many a man would goe to his owne house Therefore seeke unto God betimes make thy peace with him confesse and bewayle thy sinnes humble thy selfe before him intreat his favour in the Lord Jesus Act. 12. as the Sydonians did Herods favour by the meanes of Blastus the Kings Chamberlaine And this if we doe be at peace with him while we are in peace and prosperity he will know our souls in adversity and we shall alwayes have a rocke to sly unto in the greatest waves and surges of affliction and a sure way to save all Mat. 20.39 even then when we lose all in the world for his sake 2. Fore-cast the cost and charge of Religion and likewise the rewards and comforts Fore-thinke the worst that may come the greatest afflictions troubles persecution or other tryals that can befall And thinke also of the rich reward and comforts of well doing here and hereafter and then câ—st up the accounts and see what a mighty disproportion there is betwixt the affliction and troubles here and glory hereafter As the Apostle did saith he I reckon Rom 8.18 that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us I reckon He cast up all before-hand In vulgata Edit Roberti Stephaâ—i The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not as the vulgar translation renders it Existimo I thinke implying only a probable conjecture but a certaine weighing and concluding upon sound consideration As a man that casts up accounts reckons up all the small summes and layes the particulars together to see what the product or totall is so the Apostle casts up all the particular sufferings that he had or could suffer from the hands of God Men Devils or any other creatures or any way for righteousnesse sake and layes all together and then compares that with glory and upon sound judgement concludes I reckon that the sufferings And so must we doe if we would comfortably undergoe the worst condition as Paul did This good advise our Saviour gave to his followers when he saw great multitudes he turned to them and said Whosoever doth not beare his Crosse and come after me Luk. 14 27.28 â—9 30 31. he cannot be my Disciple Also more clearly in the Parables of buâ—lding a Towes and making warre with another King therefore fore-cast the cost consider before-hand what you may sâ—ffâ—r and the great and incomparable reward of well-doing and suffering in a good cause 3. Settle in thy heart a full purpose and firme resolution in the Name of God to stand it out to undergoe the worst come what will come be it losse of credit in the world losse of liberty or wealth yea to dye and to part with all rather then Christ and his truth or betray the peace of the Land or doe any unrighteous action resâ—lve to suffâ—r rather then to sinne Such a resolution Paul â—ad when his friends told him that he must be bound at Jerusalem Act. 21 13. and be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles and besought him with teares not to goe up to Jerusalem saith he What doe ye meane to weep and to breake my heart I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Jerusâ—lem for the Name of the Lord Jâ—â—us C. 20. v. 23 24. Likewise Cap. 20. The Holy-Ghost witnesseth in every City saying That bonds and afflictions abide me but none of these things move me neither count I my life deare unto my selfe so that 〈◊〉 might finish my course with ioy and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus Resolution will carry a man on far and inable him to undergoe much 4 Labour for an habit of Self-denyall This will be of great use and help us much Therefore our Lord Christ when he exhorted any to follow him in taking up his Crosse i.e. by a willing submitting to suffer and undergoe all troubles they should meet with in the way to Heaven gives them this good counsell and commands them to observe it to deny themselves Mat. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his Crosse and follow me Marke the order of the words and then this will follow That he that will beare all afflictions and tryals comfortably and follow Christ sincerely must first deny himselfe When a thing is dead you may doe with it what you will pricke it or throw it into the fire it is not moved so it is with the man whose carnall will reason and affections are mortified when a man is dead to the world then whipping buffering or the fiery tryall of persecution which strips a man of all outward things troubles him not or very little Let us therefore labour to mortifie our lusts to deny our selves take off our hearts and affections from the world and the things of it and set them upon God Christ Heaven and Life eternall and so on the wayes and meanes that will bring us thither for he that hath learned to deny himselfe in any thing and hath his heart weaned from them will without trouble part with an Isaac with any thing at Gods command suffer the losse of all with joy as the faithfull Jewes did Heb. 10. and regard no bands afflictions Heb. 10.34 Rev 12.11 Act. 20.23 24. or sufferings They loved not their lives unto the death None of these things move me saith Paul a self-denying Christian neither count I my life deare unto me c. Oh this world is a mighty hinderance to suffering When God cals into the Mount these earthly comforts and contentments are like a great clog on our hearts and hinder us much We are wonderfull unwilling to part with a deare friend especially an Isaac a beloved sonne or husband or wife or our estates
preferment reputation in the world ease liberty or any carnall contentments we affect therefore get thy heart off from those deny thy selfe in those or whatsoever worldly thing is deare unto thee and then it will be an easie matter with Abraham to follow God into the Mount to doe or suffer any thing at his command and for his sake 5. That a man may undergoe with comfort greater tryals he must begin and exercise himselfe with smaller sufferings to beare them cheerfully He must doe as men doe for temporall skirmishes to sight with men First they learne in private Schooles and it may be with woodden swords or with blunted points that will doe little or no hurt They that will be victorious in set-battles doe first traine themselves at home and see how they can carry themselves learne their severall postures for every sadden emergent occasion shoot first with powder at marks c. So a Christian that would behave himselfe bravely in Christs field in Christs cause with Abraham Job c. must learne and exercise himselfe at home and before hand learne to suffer at home and beare the thrusts of woodden Swords the persecutions of Protestants the scoffes scorns reproaches and other vile carriages of carnall Protestants before he enter into the field to encounter the bloody perfections of Papists and their Adherents He that cannot indure the frownes disgraces threats and such like petty in juries from evill men prophane wretches though they be great persons in the world will never by any ordinary providence stand out to shed his blood in the cause of God for the Lord Christ and his Countries good So againe he that cannot beare petty losses crosses or troubles will hardly ever great tryals with more then ordinary assistance from God It is therefore good to begin betimes to accustome our selves to beare and slight all scoffes scornes and custome our selves to beare and slight all scoffes scornes and frownes of men cheerfully to undergoe all small losses and troubles sicitur ad magna and so we shall in time be inabled t undergoe great things with little alteration in our affection yea with much patience cheerfulnesse courage and constancy 6. Labour to have a strong well rooted and well grounded faith and love of God and Christ 1. Faith a well planted and well grounded faith this will enable to cleave unto God in the hardest times to cast our selves and rely wholy on his providence in hope above hope when all worldly means helps and hopes faile 2. Love Eph. 3.17 labour to be rooted and grounded in love as the Apostle speakes what is the reason that many fall away in evill times in times of suffering is it not because they have no true sincere love to Jesus Christ and his Truth Many waters are not able to quench Love neither can floods of water drowne it i. e. no afflictions Cant. 8.6 7. Rom. 8.37 38 his cause and waies but as he in the Story if one hand be cut off he will hold by the other if that also be cut off he will catch hold with his teeth He will resolve with Ruth for Christ and the cause of God and his Countries good Whither thou goest I will goe Ruth 1.16 17. and where thou lodgest I will lodge where thou diest I will die c. Therefore Beloved in the Lord labour for a well grounded faith and a sound unfained love to God to Jesus Christ and your Countries peace and welfare sound love I say not superficiall a lip-love but a deepe rooted and well grounded love The reason why the good seed that was sowne and sprang up quickly wither'd when the Sunne rose was because it had not sound rooting it wanted root be carefull therefore to have a well grounded love that hath good rooting root of judgement and root of affection to have such a love as Christ hath to us even to dye for us so doe you love him so as to be willing to part with an Isaac with any thing be it life it selfe for his sake Now treasure up faith and patience and love as Joseph did corne seeing a day of utterance will come a day of spending not of getting a day wherein all wee have may bee little enough 7. To adde one more for we cannot say too much we cannot be too well prepared for the evill day I say with the Apostle Tut on the whole Armour of God Eph. 6.11 12 13. that you may be able to withstand in the evill day and having done all to stand for we wrestle not with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers c. If a man be to fight with his enemy in the field he will put on his armour to defend himselfe in the best wise he can and great reason he should doe so his life is in danger In like manner should the true Christian doe we in our suff rings and tryals have to encounter not onely with outward troubles and inward corruptions but also with Satan who is not flesh and blood but a spirit mighty in power and policy therefore called Principalities Powers the Rulers of the darknesse of this world the god of this world c. and therefore we have great need to buckle about us all the peeces of our spirituall armour and be well skilled in the use of them and they are these 7. The 1. Pecce of the Christians spirituall Armour ver 14. is the girdle of Truth that is Vprightnesse Sincerity and single heartednesse to sticke to the Truth for the Truths sake to take Christ for himselfe Religion for Religions sake A girdle is for use and ornament it is comely and profitable and so is this it will be of great use for a Christian in evill times as a girdle was in those dayes when men wore long garments to bind them together that they might better apply themselves to their worke runne goe or doe any thing which a long loose garment would hinder Therefore buckle on this peece of Armour labour to be sincere upright hearted in all your wayes and dealings with God and men and to imbrace Christ the truth and Religion for themselves not for by-respects 2. The Breast-plate of Righteousnesse or Justice Ver. 14. Put on the Brest-plate of Righteousnesse saith the Apostle Righteousnesse or Justice I meane distributive Justice whereby a man doth carry himselfe righteously and justly in all his wayes toward God and men giving unto God that beliefe love feare honour praise and obedience that is due unto him and to men that love respect obedience c. that is due unto him I meane in respect of unfained desire and endeavour This is a Brest-plate what is the use of a Brest-plate to guard the heart liver and other vitall parts from darts arrowes shot and the thrusts of the enemies so doth Righteousnes guard a man against temptations in times of tryall Therfore labor to manifest the truth and power of godlines
buty the Churches mercies and hopes in the ruines of destruction and that curse when they should blesse and blaspheme where they should set up monuments to perpetuate the praises of God and the remembrance of his mercies So especially doth that wicked Balaam of Rome by his Buls and Excommunications and his Abettouâ—s here Such are in a fearfull condition the good Lord open their eyes to see and consider and make use of that gracious and terrible speech of God comfortable to his people and terrible to their enemies Cursed be he that curseth you Gen 27.20 Num. 24.9 and blessed be he that blesseth you spoken indeed to Jacob but in him to all the Israel of God as it is applyed by him whose eyes were open and saw the vision of God Vse of Exhortation Secondly Whatsoever others doe or our selves have formerly done yet let us now be hence convinced of our failings be humbled for them and excited to our duty and that is 1. To give God the praise of all mercies and deliverances and of all his wondrous workes God gives deliverance to his people that he may fill their hearts and mouthes with Songs of praise and gives us a charge so to doe Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Sing unto him sing Psalmes unto him Isal 50.15.105 2. and talke of all his wondrous workes 2. To praise Gods due and our duty for all his goodnesse to us and his ioyne prayer to God for our selves and the Church that God would be pleased still to goe on to doe us good that God would accomplish his worke and doe good unto Zion and be favourable to Ierusalem ever watch over it preserve support comfort it and perfect his mercies and evermore mightily defend it that Ierusalem may be the praise of the whole Earth Cant 6.4 Comely as Titzâ—h in respect of pure order and ordinances and terrible as an Army with banners to the enemies in respect of dâ—â—me blessing and protection To move us to thankfulnesse consider these Motives 1. The number Motives greatnesse variety sutablenesse and continuance of Gods mercies and deliverances both personall and nationall temporall and spirituall of which a touch hath bin given before And surely the more the greater and more excellent mercies are the more they will a fect and stirre the heart if there be but a principle of common honesty in it and any notice taken of them 2. Consider the affections of God the giver which is to be preferred before a Parents Never was a Father nor a Mothers love whose affections are usually more tender more to their child then Gods is to his chosen See Isa 49.15 It is therefore set downe by way of admiration God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 3.1 and Behold what love the Father hath shewed unto us This consideration and perswasion is very needfull for unlesse we be perswaded and doe consider that what God doth for his people and for our selves in particular is not in wrath as he sometime gave Israel a King in his anger and Quailes to murmuring Israel but in mercy out of love and for our good we cannot be truely thankfull we are more thankfull for a small kindnesse from him whom we know loveth us then for a farre greater matter from him of whose good affection towards us we have just cause to doubt it is the perswasion of a kindnesse and love in a benefactour that stirres up to thankfulnesse and when these meet together that good turnes are great many sutable to our condition and desires durable and out of love and a man is perswaded of this then they affect the heart kindly 3. Consider all so the freenesse of God the giver that all mercies and deliverances are free and altogether undeserved He is not bound to us by way of desert and debt but of free promise Gen. 32.10 We are all as was Iacob lesse then the least of all his mercies all is of meere grace and free favour If we have but a bit of bread and cold water it is free mercy if more it is his bounty if nothing at all if he give nothing but take away all we have and punish us also for our sins he doth us no wrong we have no cause to complaine but to justifie the Lord. This is very considerable to move us to thankfulnesse 4. Consider our miserable condition without these mercies which we may know carendo magis quam fruendo best by the want of them Did we a while want health strength liberty meat drinke apparell or the like we should thinke our case ill Were we turmoyled a while with civill warre which God in mercy avert as in Germany and Ireland at this day where very many thousands are already slaine and they that survive most of them have their goods spoyled their houses burnt themselves turned out naked very many of them some have their husbands some their sonnes barbarously murdered before their eyes some their wives or daughters or both desloured shamefully abused and afterward butchered by rude Souldiers some women as I remember ript up alive some have their fruit drop from them as they hang on the gallowes some grievously mangled and many other miseries which they onely can best know that feele them or are eye and ear-witnesses of them But it is much worse where a soule lyes under an accusing condemning tormenting conscience wants and feeles the want of pardon of sinne and Gods favour this is the greatest misery Thinke then what a piteous case you should be in were it thus with us as undoubtedly it had bin before this if our proud enemies had prevailed as they hoped and believed they should doe and are yet confident yea if you want but outward mercies as liberty meat drinke c. but a few dayes and much more if you want pardon of sin for which a conscious sinner would give all the world and lye under a sore wounded conscience and let the consideration of the want of mercies make us truely thankfull for what we doe enjoy 5. Thinke also on the other-side what an happinesse it is to enjoy these mâ—râ—rs and deliverances which we by the goodnesse of God and the wisedome and care of the Parliament doe enjoy Oh how happy would many a thousand in Germany and Ireland that are in extreame want ready to perish thinke themselves did they enjoy the plenty we doe or the fourth part of it if they had but bread enough though never so course to put into their bellies Or he that is extreame heart-sicke even ready to breathe out the last gaspe to have health I he poore wearied man with continuall frights fears alarums and great dangers to enjoy peace And so in other things all which by the indulgent goodness of God we doe yet enjoy We were happy if we had eyes to see our owne