cause him to exchange his badge of honour for an ignominious Halter 2 Saâ—t 17.23 Though Gebal Ammon and Amalek conspire he can blow on their Confederacies by the breath of his nostrils Antichrist who lets he can remove out of the way and make the little Horn push the Nations and the interest of the Lamb break in pieces the Kingdom of the Beast though his followers be even innumerable Hence it 's worthy our observation that he chooseth to appear for his People in a very low condition Psal 136.23 that so aliquid divini might appear in all his Manifestations He overlooks his People when erect as the Palm or spreading forth themselves as the green Bay-tree and looks upon them when like the Myrtle they dwell in a low place Such is the power of his Providence in his operations for his Servants as in Scripture-phrase it obtains the name of a Resurrection to the performance whereof is requisite no loss than an infinite and omnipotent Arm Ezek. 37. when they are as dry bones and scattered he can command a re-entrance of the spirit a return of life To which metaphor David alludes in his Prayer and Invocation for help Psal 141.7 8. Our bones are scattered at the graves mouth as when one cutteth and cleaveth Wood upon the earth But mine eyes are to thee O God the Lord in thee is my trust leave not my soul destitute Fifthly He help them proportionably Divine wisdom dispenseth Mercy by an even ballance unto its receivers by a just proportion and that fourfold To His Peoples wants desires hopes and expectations and their good improvements First To their Wants and Necessities Gods supply ever respects mans indigency The worlds rule is Habenti dabitur The Rich have many Friends The more men have the more they would and shall have But this poor man cried and the Lord heard him He is an helper of the Fatherless Psal 10.14 and so it s said of Christ Psal 72.12 13. He shall deliver the needy when he crieth the poor also and him that hath no helper Poor Orphans who are too commonly the Objects of the Worlds oppression are the Objects of Gods and Christs compassion and commiseration It was Job's testimony of his integrity that he delivered the poor that cried the fatherless and him that had none to help him Job 29.12 cap. 31.21 and it s a Rule of Equity observed in Heaven Gods relief loves to lift up those whom the sense of their own wants hath cast down Necessity hath a loud voice and prevailing with the Almighty Mans inisery it 's ansa divinae misericordiae God pours the Oyl and Wine of Consosolation into broken hearts wounded spirits Drooping and dejected hearts may most confidently expect health from the light of this Heavenly Physitians countenance The World leaves us when we most want it and Creatures forsake us when we have most need but then God stands by us When the hour of sickness comes he alwayes gives his people the sweetest Visits of Love Men commonly take the strongest but God the weakest side What is said of Earthly Monarchs is much more true of him the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the only Potentate Parcit subjectis debellat superbos He pulls down the mighty from their seat and exalts them of low degree He fills the hungry but sends the rich empty away Secondly To their Prayers and Requests Asking is the readyest way of having This depends on the former for Oratio sine malis quasi Avis sine alis He that wants not beggs not or at least ought not so to do But now true seekers are alwayes good speeders The most sturdy Beggars go away with Heavens Alms and the eagerly solliciting Favourites come away with grants from the Throne of Mercy The Apostle plainly insinuates that an holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the Throne of Grace a bold suit there is the surest way of obtaining grace to help in time of need Heb. 4. ult Qui timide rogat docet negare A cold suit do's but make way for the stronger denyal but an holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importunity God cannot will not relist Luk. 18. Psal 107.13 They cried unto the Lord in their trouble and he saved them out of all their distresses He that besieges and beleaguers Heaven with his Prayers shall have what it can afford him The Kingdom of Heaven delights to suffer this holy Violence Let Moses hold down his hands and Amalek prevails let him lift them up and Israel prevails When Jehosophat and all the people of Judah were in a great strait they sent up their united voices in one general shout to heaven to ask help of the Lord 2 Chron. 20.4 And he urgeth God with his Promise in prayer which was when evil came upon them as the Sword Judgement Pestilence or Famine if they cried to him in their affliction he would hear and help God commonly gives help as an answer and return of Prayer Prayer enlargeth and expatiateth the Soul desire stretcheth it out for the receiving larger measures of Mercy and it provokes God also to bestow them Observe what God promiseth Jeremiah as to deliverance from the Babylonish Captivity Jer. 29.12 13. Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall goe and pray unto me and I will hearken to you And ye shall seek me and finde me when ye shall search for me with all your heart By Prayer that Legio Fulminatrix that band of Christian Souldiers obrained a refreshing showre when their enemies were broken with a dreadfull storm Thirdly To their Hopes and expectancies God loves to give his People an expected end According to thy Faith be it to thee was our Saviours usual welcom to all comers to him Mercy commonly comes on the wing of Faith Oleum masericordiae saith Bernard non infunditur nisi in tasa fiduciae The Vessel of Faith is that receives the precious Liquor of Mercy Faith is the Bucket that draws the waters of life out of the well of Salvation Faith was that gave Abijah victory over Jeroboam 2 Chron. 13.18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time and the Children of Judah prevailed because they relied upon the Lord God of their Fathers The stay and strength of all states as well as Persons and assurance of all Victories depends on their trust and confidence in the Lord. Faith is a wonder-working grace What was the Instrument of all those heroick actions done by the Patriarchs and primitive Worthies but Faith Through Faith they subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained Promises Heb. 11.23 Faith overcomes lust within and the World without It 's a Shield against and a Sword to all our adversaries it layes hold on divine help engageâ—h Almightiness extorts mercy from Heaven Coelum tundimus preces fundimus misericordiam extorquemus quoth Tertullian Faith removes mountains of pride within and power without It 's an invincible grace and no wonder because the only receiving grace and
their hope is founded and whereby it is sustained and supported The Lord their God First The exercise of hope That 's the qualification of the persons And so we may observe Gods People are an hoping and expecting people especially in evil times is their hope fixed and engaged on God Thou art my hope is their usual language Hope is the discriminating character of a Christian This the Saints have alwaies made profession of and incouraged themselves unto in the worst of times Psal 71.5 Saith David Thou art my hope O Lord God So Psal 141.8 Mine eyes are to thee O God the Lord in thee is my trust So the Church Lam. 3.26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It 's the commendation of Abraham the Father of the faithful that in hope he believed against hope Rom. 4.18 Their souls depend wholly upon God and their expectation is only from him It 's their differencing character from the wicked who are men without hope Ephes 2.12 Now hope upon a moral account is nothing else but a passion of the irascible appetite about a future good hard and difficult to be obtained and yet possible because either promised or proper to us It 's called future to distinguish it from fruition and also joy For what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for Rom. 8.24 It s object is also said to be difficult to distinguish it from desire and anhelation yet possible to oppose it to desperation Divine hope is no other than an assured looking for and undoubted expectation of all promised good things to come spiritual temporal and eternal on the account of Gods mercy and Christs merits and the out-going of the soul towards those apprehended goods Fear is conversant about evil but hope about good And as it bears a special respect to eternal blessedness life and salvation so a subordinate and inferiour to all outward deliverances mercies and comforts whatsoever Faith considers things as true hope as hard though possible chaâ—ity as good Faith looks at the word promising hope at the thing promised Faith and Patience properly respect afflictions the one the strength the other the length of them hope more strictly the delation of mercies and blessings The Saints often have little in hand but they have much in hope It 's the Periphrasis of the Saints such as hope in the Lord. They trust in him at all times an a good day a day of mercy when their steps are anointed with butter and hony while they â—eat the finest of the Wheat and drink the purest blood of the Grape and in the evil day either of publick or private calamity when God hedgeth up their waies with thorns and writes bitter things against them what time they are afraid they trust in him They have spem in imis and though tossed to and fro with the waves of sorrow and discomfort they can with the wise Marriner fasten the anchor of hope both in the dark and the deep in the God of their salvation They are alwaies cleaving to and depending on God addressing to him waiting on and expecting from him looking and longing towards him and though they want comfort and assurance yet they alwaies nourish a secret hope and though in a passion they may cry out Their hope is perished from the Lord yet as soon as the fit is over they recollect themselves and say Why are ye cast down our souls hope in God for we shall yet praise him Secondly The foundation of that hope is here expressed The Lord their God Where we must consider the appellation The Lord God and the relation The Lord their God First The appellation The Lord God Deus est nomen essentiae Dominus potestâ—tis the one is a name denoting substance the other power and authority Hence observe first Though a Saint be never sâ— happy in the influence of mercy yet he still keeps anâ— eye to and maintains a reverential aw of divine Majesty Heb. 12. ult Having received a Kingdom let us serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear So 1 Pet. 1.17 If we call him not Judge but Father let us pass the time of our sojourning in fear God hath so tempered the discoveries of his greatness with those of his goodness as there is matter for filial fear in the highest exercises of our faith and confidence Secondly Gods power and greatness is a great incouragement of his Peoples hope in him Not only his grace and mercy but his power and ability is a stable prop of their saith and confidence Outward greatness proves a disadvantage to the improvement of worldly interests and makes men stand at a distance but doth no way hinder or impeach but rather help forward divine interests and accesses Without an interest in God indeed the most comfortable Attributes are terrible but through that the most terrible Attributes become comfortable But to pass these thirdly Observe God and God alone is the object of his Peoples hope in a day of â—ffliction He is the confidence of the ends of the â—arth Psal 65.5 The Prophâ—t stâ—les him expresly â—nd by way of emphasis The hope of Israel Jer. â—4 8 He is called The God of hope Rom. 15.13 â—jctive as well as effectivè He is so in himself and is People make him so He is their hope exclusivè â—â—â—y Their â—elp stands only in his Name Tutius ad Deum meum quà nt ad ullum Sanctorum vel Augeâ—rum saith Austin I can go safelier to my God â—an either to Saint or Angel They know the â—anity and emptiness of the creature and the fulâ—ess and alsufficiency of the Creatour and thereâ—ore in his Name will they set up their banners â—nd he is their hope signantèr by way of emiâ—ency a sufficient help when there is no hope in â—he creature at the best there is hope in God at â—â—e worst A Saints case is never so desperate as â—earth but it 's hopeful as to Heaven Now if we would know or inquire what it is â—â— God that is the pillar of their hope or the â—ject of their confidence take we an account of 〈◊〉 especially in these five particulars First The glory of his Attributes This was â—hat he proclaimed before Mâ—ses for his incourageâ—ent of him in the conduct of the people upon â—s earnest request when his spirit began even to â—ul him Exod. 34.6 The Lord God merciful and â—acious This Name of the Lord is a strong â—ower The consideration of his immutability â—hat he is a God who changeth not amidst all the â—hanges confusions and revolutions of this lower world of his sufficiency all power belonging to him Psal 62.11 And above all his never failing goodness and mercy truth and faithfulness is aâ— invincible stay and support to the Christians hope See holy Jeremiah bearing up himself with thâ— meditation of his power Jer. 32.17 18. Aâ—â— Lord God behold thou hast made the Heaven anâ— the Earth
the Lord and said Help us O Lord our God So Hezekiah Lord undertake for me The Apostle directs us to the throne of grace for help which Paul attending found this answer My grace is sufficient Prayer is the bucket of Heaven It 's the Psalmists little River in the City of God Psal 46. At which come up all the souls goods I sought the Lord and he heard me Psal 34.4 Then shall ye pray unto me and I will give you an expecied end Jer. 29. For all these things I will be inquired of by the house of Israel Ezek. 36.37 Prayer is the condition of mercy We must call though we never so fully expect If we stop our mouths God will stop his hand and leave off asking God will leave off giving and granting Sometimes God is found of those who seek him not potest inveniri non perveniri as to the first grace but having once given his Spirit he will be sought of all that finde him Prayer is vehiculum divinae misericordiae the Chariot in which the King of Heaven comes down graciously into our souls Prayer indeed cannot hasten mercy as to Gods time but it may as to ours not as to the time he hath appointed but his Promise being conditional it may as to the time by us expected And the assurance of mercy should not prevent duty but enforce it the certainty of the end establisheth and confirms the use of the means If we would have mercy from God we must not be too proud or shameface't to beg it but take words with us and say Take away iniquity and receive us graciously When we are laid by affliction flat on our backs then have we a fit opportunity to look up to Heaven and say Behold us O Lord look upon us and our afflictions remember the troubles and sorrows of our hearts come and heal us and help us for thou alone art our stay and trust our succour and support our prop and pillar our only help and hope God hath made many large and excellent promises to prayer under personal and also publick calamities 2 Chron. 7.14 If my people pray And Jehosaphat urgeth this promise in prayer 2 Chron. 20.9 If when evil comes on us and we cry to thee in our affliction then hear and help God knows how to give out mercy but he will have this homage of us first to ask and then will not cannot deny Luk. 18.7 Quanto magis Fourthly By faith and believing He that speeds in his accesses must believe As prayer must be made so faith must be acted He gives grace and glory to them that trust in him Faith trades at Heaven and fetcheth in large incomes of mercy Prayer may knock and beg for mercy but saith receives it though not as manus laborantis yet mendicantis An unbeliever can receive nothing from the Lord. Faith is to prayer as fire to pouder the piece will not off without it nor make any report Without faith wings it prayer can never reach Heaven and therefore not bring down any thing thence Prayer is the ship but faith the wind whereby we must sail to the cape of good hope Faith without prayer is but a bold bravado or daring presumption Prayer without faith is but a beating the Air an uncertain sound or vain canting in the ears of Heaven Fifthly By returning resolutions He that would come to God so as to obtain mercy must resolve so to come as never to depart from him more by iniquity O Israel return to the Lord saith the Prophet from whom thou hast fallen Hos 14.1 So Jer. 18.11 Behold I frame evil and devise a device against you return you now every man from his evil way and make your waies and your doings good There is no coming to God to beg only further liberty of sinning against him I will hear saith David what God will speak for he will speak peace to his People and his Saints but let them not turn again to folly God will never bestow his salvation for us to make it only a fomentation to our corruption When Israel kept close to God then he helped them when in all their straits and calamities they called upon him but when they rebelled against him he gave them up into the hand of the Nations Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him and keep his Covenant a penitent humble obedient frame is requisite in all our approaches to Heaven a turning to God with fasting weeping and mourning a resolve to offer him the calves of our lips The Prophet hath it excellently Isa 21.12 We must enquire return and come Such approaches to God alwaies are welcome to him and successful to his People That 's the second Thirdly This is a ground of satisfaction and acquiescence to the People of God His help may be sufficient to give our souls contentment under all the fails or wants of the creature The Apostle in that holy paradox bids us be careful for nothing not anxiously but in every thing make our requests known to God with prayer and thanksgiving Phil. 4.6 Duty and service is our work care and providence Gods The child takes no care because he hath a Father to provide for him nor is the Wife sollicitous because she is provided for by her Husband we must not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distract our hearts with needless fears and cares about worldly reliefs or comforts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was our Saviours caution let not your hearts be roiled as waters with stirring or troubled as a ship with tossing Nec habeo careo aut curo may be the Christians Motto We should not envy wicked mens fulness when as we have an interest in Gods Alsufficiency nor necessitate him for lower blessings when he hath given us the better part Holy Jacob was brought to an excellent pitch of contentation upon his experience and observation of providence when he vowed to God that if God would be with him and keep him in the way he was to go and give him but bread to eat and rayment to put on then the Lord should be his God Gen. 28.20 If God gives us necessaries why should we stand on superfluities Let me ask thy soul Christian but this one question whether thou wouldest part with thy hope of an interest in thy God for all the world And if God hath given thee the best things why shouldest thou doubt or distrust his providence for the worst why doubt ye O ye of little faith does God provide for Ravens and will he not provide for his Sons and Daughters he that feeds the Sparrows and cloaths the Lillies will never see his children starve or perish It 's strange to see how carnal men can trust their Mammon of the world and yet Christians cannot trust the ever-living God Strange that we can trust God with our souls and yet hardly trust him with our bodies This speaks a living by sense more than by saith strange that we could trust
makes use of whatsoever is in God for the supply of a poor Creature and Quanto vas fidei capacius afferimus saith the Father tanto majus gratiae inundantis exhaurimus The larger the Bucket the fuller the Vessel the larger the Net the greater the Draught But now Infidelity cuts short and withers the armâ— of Mercy as Faith unbares it They that believe in the Lord shall prosper 2 Chron. 20.20 But if ye will not believe ye shall not be established Isa 7.9 Unbelief prevailing no help against lusts at home O faithless generation saith Christ to his Disciples when they could not cast out the evil Spirit there lay the reason of their impotency unbelief hinders Christs own miracles he could not do many things there because of their unbelief O Augustine In te stas non stas was language to Austin when he could not overcome his beloved corruption Nor yet against Enemies abroad Alas Infidelity opens a backdoâ—re for Syria's escape 2 Chron. 16.7 Because thou hast relyed on the King of Syria and not relied on the Lord thy God therefore is the Host of the King of Syria escaped out of thine hand Want of due and noble exercises of Faith on God in the day of Prosperity provokes God often to leave his own People in the day of Adversity God loves to be trusted by his People their Faith honours him He that comes to him for mercy must believe his being and his plentifull remuncrations and an Unbeliever must expect to receive nothing at the hand of the Lord. Fourthly To their right use and improvement or worthy carriage and deportment They who do best shall have best with God and that most endeavour to help forward his glory he will most influence them with comfort Vtenti dabitur Dii munera laboribus Truly God is good to Israel Walk before me saith God to Abraham and be perfect and I will be thy Shield and Buckler and thy exceeding great reward Let God have much of the fruit of our obedience and we may expect much of the light of his Countenance Ordinarily the more Ships we send out laden with duty the larger returns we finde of Mercy The more Service we do to our great and Soveraign Lord the more we have of Priviledge The end of all deliverance is service in holiness and righteousness and the end of righteousness is peace and assurance for ever the fruit thereof is sown in peace and such as the seed-time is such is the harvest Sin clips the wings of Mercy God will never bestow his Corn and Wine on them who bestow it on themselves and their lusts nor trust his mercies in their hands who make them weapons to fight against him His salvation is nigh them that fear him and his blessing upon his people but he will not take the ungodly by the hand or help the evil doers Job 8 20. Sin separates God and a Soul divorceth him and a People an unthankfull or unfruitfull return of his Influences wholly shuts them up No long shinings of his favour where no reflections of our gratitude no allegiance no protection but a casting out of the lines of the communication of his grace While we do well and be obedient we shall eat the good of the Land but if rebellious we shall be devoured with the Sword If faithfull Servants he will become our gracious and affectionate Saviour but if undutifull Sons he will be our Judge and Corrector Isa 63.9 10. In all their affliction he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them In his love and in his pity he redemed them and he bare them and carried them all the daies of old But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them His promises of assistance to presence with his People are conditional and so are his performances Dum se bene gesserint As the Seer told King Asa 2 Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with you while ye be with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you And so much for the second particular how God helps his People Thirdly What are the Causes of Divine Help or the reasons why God will help his People First In respect of that relation he bears towards them or that right and propriety he hath in them Relations though of small entity are of great efficacy Now there is a near and intimate yea an united and manifold Relation between God and his People They are related to him in Christ that mighty one on whom he hath laid help though by nature afar off yet by grace made nigh and have a new and living way opened through his blood whereby they draw nigh to God and beg help and succour from him Heb. 4. ult He is the saving strength of his Anointed Psal 28.7 Or by his Anointed as some read the strength of their salvation by Christ They are related to him in covenant He is their God and they are his people And being their God therefore he must needs become their salvation As Moses sings Exod. 15.2 Salvation is of the Lord and his blessing is upon his People Psal 3. ult He is their Shepherd and they are his Sheep their Maker and they his Image the work of his hands and what is a man more tender of than his picture or a King more nice than of his coin The Father protects and proâ—ides for his Children though Prodigals he takes some care of them The Husband helps and defends the Wife Our Law saies Vxori lis non intenditur no suit can be commenced against a Wife because she is under Covert-barn The friend is helpful and beneficial to the friend whom should a man expect relief from in his strait but from his friends A Friend is born for Adversity and is better than a Brother God is a Father and friend to his People As a Father pities his children so does the Lord pity them that fear him Doubtless thou art our Father But now O Lord thou art our Father Isa 64.8 And 〈◊〉 we being evil know how to give good gifts to our children and should be worse than Infidels if we did not provide for them how much more shall our heavenly Father take care of his children Yea he is the Husband of his People Isa 54.5 For thy Maker is thine Husband from him they may expect and to him they may seek for protection Abraham was called the friend of God Jam. 2.23 He is their Master and they are his Servants their King and they his Subjects Now no Master but will maintain his Servant in the work he does for him and by his order and appointment he will alwaies maintain the cause of his Servants Princes will defend their Subjects in the way of their duty and allegiance This is the Churches Argument in her prayer for mercy Psal 44.4 Thou art my King O God command
is a Lion to lofty and sturdy sinners but a Lamb to depressed and dejected souls Such as advance themselves to the Throne God brings down to the footstool but to those that patiently bear the Cross he reacheth forth the Crown He revives the spirits of the humble and the hearts of the contrite ones Secondly Prayer and Invocation Gods People are a praying people a generation of seekers and such commonly are speeders God sends none away that so come to him with a non inventus He never said to the seed of Jacob seek ye my face in vain They seek his face righteousness and strength and he is found of them When Jehosaphat was compassed about with the Syrian Host and had no way to fly but up to Heaven he cries to the Lord and he helped him 2 Chron. 18.31 The Saints alone betake themselves to God and his help run to him as their Sanctuary others fly from Gods presence run to the Rocks and the tops of the ragged Rocks call to the hills and the mountains but a child of God goes only and tells his Father and before him laies open his cause As good Hezekiah did when Rabshaketh came out against him O Lord I am oppressed undertake for me or the Church Isa 33.2 Be thou our Arm every morning and our salvation in the time of trouble They only sensibly need and so alone crave and implore divine succour And God will not suffer his People to lose the precious treasure of their prayers Psal 145.18 19. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him he will also hear their cry and save them So Psal 91.14 15. Because he hath set his love upon me therefore will I deliver him I will set him on high because he hath known my Name he shall call upon me and I will answer him That God who prepares his Peoples heart to pray prepares also his own ear to hear and he that promiseth to hear before we call will never deny to hearken when we cry unto him Ideo premuntur justi ut pressi clament clamantes exaudiantur saith Calvin Oppressions and afflictions make man cry and cries and supplications make God hear Psal 141.1 2. Spreading forth our hands in believing and servent prayer is the only way of grasping mercy God hath given full assurance by promise of grants on such applications even under the inffliction of the greatest judgements and calamities 1 King 8 37. 2 Chron. 6.28 If publick mercy does not yet particular at least alwaies follows as an answer of prayer Psal 32.6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found There 's the voice of prayer What is the Eccho of mercy appears in the very next words Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh to him Thirdly Faith and dependance on God and expectation from him He that comes unto God and goes not away as he comes sad from his presence must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him It 's the periphrasis that David describes him by The Saviour of them that trust in him Psal 17.7 In this hope and confidence the Prophet placeth mans blessedness Jer. 17.7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord whose hope the Lord is The Lord is a buckler to them that trust in him Psal 18.30 God is to his People whatsoever by faith they make him Faith makes all that is in God a mans own it engageth all Gods Attributes and sets them at work for his People it obligeth him in point of honour to come in for their relief Who will be found so unworthy as to fail them that trust to him If a friend trust to us for supply counsel assistance we will by no means disappoint him Nay if an enemy delivers himself up into our hands and confides in us for secresie we will not be so disingenuous as to betray him much less will God ever prove unfaithful to us while we are faithful to him Faith calls in help from Heaven it saith to God as the men of Macedonia to Paul Come over and help us God is known in her Palaces to be a refuge Our Fathers trusted in thee and were not confounded Psal 22.5 Unbelief hinders establishment but Faith ushers in prosperity It 's a riddle to Philosophy to fetch strength from another to undergo a burden but Faith hath a secret vertue to fetch strength from God either as to doing good or bearing evil The Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him that hope in his mercy Psal 147.11 He is a Sun and Shield to them that trust in him Psal 84.12 Hope in him never makes the soul ashamed God never forsakes such as are dependants by faith upon him They that trust in him shall never become desolate David urgeth this frequently in this book of Psalms for help and protection Psal 57.1 Be merciful to me O God for my soul trusteth in thee Psal 86.2 Psal 7.1 O thou my God save thy Servant that trusteth in thee So Psal 71.1 In thee O Lord do I put my trust let me never be put to confusion It 's observable that Gods being a rock and a refuge are joyned in Scripture Psal 46.1 God is his Peoples refuge which they fly to their habitation they continually resort to and therefore he becomes their help Though creatures are broken reeds and crackt cisterns yet God was never a broken staff a dry and barren wilderness to his People Now Gods children are not only an humble and a praying but a believing and depending people As the child hangs on its Mothers breasts so do his children on their Fathers bowels We finde holy David usually professing his confidence in his God Psal 62.1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God from him cometh my salvation And so verse 5. My soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him The Lord is my strength and therefore is become my salvation Psal 118.14 The People of God know his Name and therefore will trust in him Psal 9.10 They are a people who will not lie by falseness to their profession and principles or vain confidence in second causes or creature-comforts a poor afflicted people that trust in the Name of the Lord that will not lie nor do iniquity Zeph. 3.12 13. The hypocrite leans on his house as Job speaks his parts priviledges profession common grace The wicked man trusts in chariots and horses armies and navies his riches and revenues power and carnal policies shifts and devices friends wit or wealth Psal 49. But what saith the pious and devout soul he breaths forth himself in David's dialect Psal 20.7 Some trast in chariots and in horses but we will remember the Name of the Lord. A Saint leans only on the staff of Jacob the holy one of
him They alone will walk answerably to it and therefore they only shall be the seats and subjects of it The worldling indeed may have as large a sail of confidence as a child of God hath but he hath no good ballast of evidence he may have a general hope in God as his God and Father and so call him in prayer and by profession but dolus in generalibus how can he be their Father when they have not known him David's confidence is particular and conjoyned with good evidence of faith in him and love to him Psal 18.1 Cui nomini natura negatur nomine deluditur He that usurps a title to God without a conformity to his Image is but over-born and imposed upon by a damnable presumption instead of a grounded perswasion The Lord knows who are his and he that names his name must depart from iniquity The third Proposition is That propriety in God is the only ground of true felicity Happy is he that hath him for his help That hath the Lorâ— for his God Propriety only causeth delight Lo this is our God saith the Church My Lord and my God cries Thomas Israel shall cry to me my God we know thee Hos 8.2 Thou shalt call me my Father saith God by way of promise to hiâ— Church Jer. 3.19 When the Spouse would express her complacency and satisfaction in Christ she saies My Beloved is mine and I am his When Christ would comfort Mary he tells her I ascend to your God and my God When Paul would confirm and strengthen his faith he adds whâ— loved me and gave himself for me The knowledge of God in himself is terrible It 's dangerous saith Luther to go to an absolute God It 's only the relative knowledge of him which affords comfort ut mea non prosint sine me sic tua non prosint sine te saith Bernard Our Civilians say Mine is a better tenure than ours If a man walks over pleasant Meadows or in delightful Orchards and Gardens and cannot say they are his he hath no content or comfort in them If a soul should run over all the Attributes of God and the Promises of the Gospel and the sufferings of his Saviour and cannot write mine they are a burden rather than a blessing Propriety and interest is the only certain ground of influence and mercy The Promises indeed of the Gospel are generally propounded excluding none who shut not out themselves by their unbelief but withall particular application is pressed that none might rest in the naked notion without peculiar appropriation hanging on the outside of the Promise will do us no more good than did them their hanging on the outside of the Ark. The most soveraign Plaister heals not if not applied nor does the most delicious meat nourish unless eaten and concocted If ye eat my flesh and drink my blood then ye have eternal life dwelling in you Snatching at the Promise without union with the Person is altogether as unavailable to comfort the soul as that phrenetick persons challenge of all the ships that came to shore was to enrich him when he had interest in none of them Or as a Cheaters catch of an heiresses writings is to entitle him to her estate without marriage to her person It 's a good observation Bernard hath on that passage of the Church Isa 26.9 With our soul in the night have we desired thee She saith not tua but te The gracious soul surrenders it self up to God in a way of duty saying Lord I am thine and applieth God to himself in a way of mercy crying out Lord thou art mine If Solomon's Servants were counted by the Queen of Sheba happy in enjoying not so much his Court as his company and presence then are the Saints much more to be esteemed blessed not so much in the fruition of the bare Promises as in the vision of their Fathers face in and through them Blessed are they that dwell in his house whose strength is in him Blessed are the people that hear the joyful sound that walk in the light of his countenance The union between the King of Heaven and his Subjects and holy confederation is the rise of all their priviledge and protection Fourthly Observe They alone can expect help from God that exercise in times of strait and afflictions a fiducial recumbency upon him That is gathered from the phrase or form of the words Qui ponit in auxilium There 's a tacite condition annexed placing our help in God plainly implying That it 's not the bare habit but the act and exercise of faith that entitles the soul to divine help and so makes a man blessed and happy in evil times times of disappointment or dereliction any trouble or affliction whatsoever The Promise runs to the act of faith As ye may finde it expressed to the life Psal 91.10 Because thou hast made the Lord who is my refuge even the most high thy habitation And indeed faith alone is that which makes use of Gods Attributes in time of distress The habit of faith indeed interests in them and makes them our own but the exercise thereof draws them forth into act that engageth God only in point of honour to come in for relief even our firm dependance on him What will all the treasures of Gods Power Wisdom Mercy and Goodness serve to enrich the the soul if lockt up by unbelief no more than a mans baggs who never trades or imploys them It 's not interest but use of God does the soul good Indeed that delivers from eternal trouble but this only supports under temporal What good does a rest or leaner do a man under his burden if he never staies himself on it or a sword or shield in a battel if he never draws the one or holds forth the other or a sanctuary and shelter in a storm if a man never runs to it and houses himself in it what benefit of a friend if a man never makes use of him in his strait little or no sweetness or consolation is to be found in any thing in God his Attributes Promises or Providences if we let them be dead and rust by us and draw not out the vertue of them by faith It 's grace exercised only which pleaseth God and also profits us If we do not recumbere we must succumbere The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower but only they which run to it are safe And therefore the Prophet adviseth this dependance on God as the only antidote against dedolency and desperacy in dark conditions and under sad apprehensions Isa 50.10 Let him that sits in darkness and sees no light trust in the Name of the Lord and stay himself upon his God And so much for the absolute consideration Secondly Take a comparative view of it For the Psalmist having been eying of creature-helps and succours turns away his eyes from beholding vanity by a sudden Apostrophy looks wholly off the creature to
the people thus bespeaks them there hath not failed one word of all his good promise 1 King 8.56 All his Promises are Yea and Amen made in Christ and confirmed and made good by him Now the Promises of mercy are sure footing for our faith and serve highly to fix and establish our hope I had perished saith David in mine affliction but that thy word was my hope Psal 119. This gave him comfort So as he professeth at the 114 verse Thou art my hiding-place and my shield I hope in thy word And so emphatically again Psal 130.5 I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait And in his word do I hope The Promises are as so many Magazines for relief Mines for supply Springs for consolation Breasts for refreshment They are as the clefts of the Rock and secret places of the stairs for the souls security and protection They are as an anchor of hope sure and stedfast as the Apostle elegantly calls them Heb. 6.19 which if well fastened the ship is sure so that neither wind or wave can move it There cannot be more venom in a judgement than there is balm in a Promise This was that bare up Davids soul and Christ too whom he typifies even Gods Promise of not leaving his soul in Hell nor suffering his holy one to see corruption Act. 13.35 This upheld Jonas's spirit from sinking under all his temptations and distractions and his faith and hope from drowning even when his body was swallowed up he did not throw all over-board but yet lookt towards his holy Temple Jonah 2.4 To which the Promises were peculiarly made Though the gate of mercy seemed shut all hopes of pardon cut off mountains of opposition stood in the way of his faith yet he looks up and by faith over-looks all faith in the Promise made him row against winde and tide and bear against all the difficulties and disasters of providence and hope not only against reason but sense too and believe over not bare difficulties but seeming impossibilities also When David was driven out of all hopes of the Kingdom so as peremptorily to conclude he was cast out of Gods sight should fall by the hand of Saul and all God had said was but a story and his Prophet Samuel a tale a lie he recovers himself from under all these wrestlings and animates his soul by the remembrance of the Promise I had fainted but that I believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living Though God does not alwaies fulfill his threatnings but revokes them on repentance wherefore the Jews counted not him a false Prophet that foretold Judgements though they came not to pass yet he alwaies fulfils his Promises to them that fear him and hope in his mercy This staid Abrahams faith therefore under all apparent contradictions Rom. 4.21 He that promised would perform Fifthly Exemplaria Providentiae The experiments of his Providence are another sure ground and bottom of hope Experience is the breeder of Hope Rom. 5.4 They which have tried God cannot but trust â—iâ—n For the Lord will not forsake his People This was the ground of Davids confidence 1 Sam. 13.37 when he went out against huge Goliah The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion and out of the paw of the Bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine one deliverance assures another And it is no less the Argument of his Prayer in several Psalms Psal 27.9 Thou hast been my help leave me not neither forsake me O God of my salvation Thou hast O Lord taken the care of me hitherto expose me not now as a destitute Oâ—phan to the wide world Psal 31 2 3. Be thou my strong rock for thou art my rock and my fortresâ— Psal 42.8 9. All thy waves and billows are gone over me yet the Lord will command his loving-kindness in the day-time I will say unto God my rock when he was almost sunk even about drowning he catcheth hold on the bough of former experience seasonably and opportunely and so saves himself So Psal 71.5 9. Thou art my hope from my youth cast me not off in the time of my old age So vers 17 19. Thou hast taught me O God from my youth now also when I am old and gray-headed O God forsake me not There 's his Prayer and see how his Faith gets up and rises still higher and higher from hope to assurance verse 20. Thou which bast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me again and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the Earth And as he ends the Psalm so he begins it Verse 1 2 3. In thee O Lord I put my trust let me never be put to confusion be thou my strong rock and habitation for thou art my rock and my fortresse When the Out-works are taken then he retreats to the principal Fort when a Christians present evidences are darkened or hopes discouraged he may and ought to fly to the experience of Gods former gracious dealings and comfortable manifestations to look back to the days of old and years of ancient times and call to remembrance his former Songs under his present sufferings These will bear him up as in the dayes of old upon Eagles wings I was under such a temptation but the Lord strengthened me under such an affliction but God delivered me Thus David Psal 28.7 The Lord is my strength and my shield my heart trusted in him and I am helped He goes to God by a Periphrasis Psal 17.7 Shew thy marvelous loving-kindness O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee And thus the Church Psal 22. and 44. Our Fathers trusted in thee We have heard what thou didst for our Fathers in the dayes of old And shall not the Fathers unto the Children praise thy truth So Psal 115.12 The Lord hath been mindfull of us he will bless us S. Psal 74.12 God is my King of old Thou didst divide the Sea by thy strength thou brakest the heads of the Dragons in the waters Thou brakest the heads of Leviathan in pieces Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord Art not thou it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon It 's all along observable how the Church and People of God have stood upon this Giants shoulder of former experience in their pleadings and wrestlings with him for future mercies And in an especial manner those two solemn and signal deliverances out of Egypt and from the red Sea as God makes them a constant argument for obedience to him so do they of confidence upon him And thus the Church in the Lamentations in the saddest dumps of her affliction recurrs to her experience Lam. 3.26 It 's good a man should both quietly hope and wait for the salvation of the Lord. Thus the Apostle argues against wants and necessities Hebr. 13.5 from the Promise And against dangers from the experiments of
Providence So that we may boldly say The Lord is our belper And so he reasons against oppositions and persecutions 2 Tim. 4.17 18. I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work Former experiments like herbs distilled in Summer which comfort the heart in the dead of winter may serve to justifie yea to fortifie future expectances It 's good reckoning though not from false and deceitfull man yet from the true and everliving God what he hath been that he will be to his People He that hath delivered their souls from death will deliver their eyes from tears and their feet from falling he that hath delivered doth and will deliver as the Apostle concludes even when persecutions brake his back comforting himself with this they should not break his neck 2 Cor. 1.10 but God would make a way of escape And so much for the Appellation The Lord God Secondly Follows the appropriation or application of this to our selves The Lord his God Our God Interest in God is the only sure ground of hope in him 1 Sam. 30.6 David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Psal 60.4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee The Signs of Gods favour and presence the assurances of victory and triumph are the Saints peculiar God proclaims warr against the wicked No peace saith my God to the wicked God will not cast away a perfect man neither will he help the evil doers he will never take the wicked by the hand His people only are the objects of his care and help in an evil day as of his love and favour in a good When he roars out of Sion and utters his voice from Jerusalem and the Heavens and Earth shake he will then be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel Joel 3.16 a place of repair to and harbour for them in the worst of times as the word imports An Hypocrite hath no such hope The sinners of Sion are afraid fearfulness surprizeth the Hypocrites They cannot dwell with devouring fire or endure everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 As 't is the Saints duty so 't is their only Priviledge to hope God even our own God shall bless us Psal 67.6 Appropriation is the ground of Benediction Lo this is our God we have waited for him interest is the foundation of expectation It was the observation of Luther A Christians duty lies much in Adverbs his comfort much in Pronouns The Ship that is most richly laden with holiness alwayes may bear the fairest Sails of confidence Wicked men may be carnally confident and seem to trust in God but all is but a pretence they carry the fairest side outward and may have fair weather in their faces while a dreadfull storm in their Consciences They may presume but cannot believe may lie to God but cannot relie upon him They who obey not Precepts can never rightly hope in Promises for where Faith is in the centre Obedience will be in the circumference Sin dashes a mans hopes and guilt enfeebles his spirit That of Austin may be applyed here Nonbene creditur vbi non bene vivitur The flagg of Confidence that hangs outward in his countenance is but a bare empty sign without an approved licence of holiness and will not allow him a drop of the wine of true Consolation But so much for the first particular the exercise of the Saints Hope with its proper Object the Lord their God Now follows Lastly Praemium the reward and retribution of this their hope Happy are they For the predicate of Happiness referrs to both Clauses Happy is he to whom God affords help and happy he that makes him his Help by trusting to and hoping in him Whos 's hope is in the Lord his God This is the ordinary Language of Sacred Writt Psal 2.12 Blessed are all they that trust in him Psal 34.8 Blessed is the man that trusts in him Psal 84.12 c. And as David the Father so Solomon the Son that Master of the Sentences affirms it Prov. 16.20 Whoso trusteth in the Lord happy is he and so the Prophets assert this beatitude which hope in God introduceth Isa 30.18 Blessed are all they that wait for him and Jer. 17.7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is Now this blessedness of the Soul by reason of its hoping in God will appear not to name many things and be evident upon this threefold accompt As it is a preserver of the Soul from sin under trouble as it is an antidote against or relief to the soul under trouble and as it carries with it an assurance of deliverance and salvation out of trouble First Under trouble it secures the soul from sinning against God That is the great matter of the godly's fear in time of straits and afflictions lest they should sin against God Nil timeo said Chrysostom to the Emperess Eudoxia threatning of him nisi peccatum They fear to sin by farr more than to suffer Now as a Mudd-wall choaks all the Cannon-bullets and Granado's shot against it so do's this grace of Hope quench all the fiery darts of temptation It 's that preparation of the Gospel of Peace with which the Soul being well shodd may walk over thorns and briars and tread the Lion and Adder under his feet There are three evils especially to which a gracious Soul is liable under the burden and pressure of afflictions Dedolency and despair under them Discontent and impatience at them or use of indirect and unlawfull Means to get out of them and these necessarily follow one another Hope is a remedy against all First Against male-content under trouble It quiets contents and settles the Soul and keeps it from murmuring and repining This the Church found Lam. 3.29 She put her mouth in the dust if so be there might be hope They are desperate wretches who open their mouths wide and blaspheme God by reason of the Plagues Revel 16.21 Even the Devils blasphemy ariseth from their desperacy 'T was the Atheistical King that would wait on the Lord no longer 1 King 6. ult Hope waits untill the Lord is gracious is dumb and hath not a word to say against his doings A desperate Traitor curses his Prince but a penitent Malefactor who hath the least hope or pardon willingly submits to his sentence Indeed hope of mercy is a main ingredient in true repentance and raiseth it from Legal to Evangelical when a Soul sorrows towards God mourns looking on him pierced for as well as by him and puts the rope about his neck and sackcloth about his loyns in his approaches to the King of Heaven because he is a mercifull King Secondly It keeps from despondency and utter succumbency under affliction It hath vim sustentantem a sustaining power in it bears a man up against his Infirmities it keeps the Soul from fainting or sinking It 's like the Cork of the Net
as a shield for protection to them that trust in him Davids heart was glad and his glory rejoyced while his flesh did rest in hope Psal 16.9 The flower of comfort grows on the tree of hope Fourthly Vim confirmantem an establishing vertue That fixes the soul on God so as it does like a meteor hover in the air of uncertainties but wholly acquiesces in him as his entire and resolute dependant under all emergencies of providence Psal 112.7 8. His heart is fixed trusting in the Lord his heart is estal lished Believing establisheth the soul and keeps it as from sinful compliances so from unworthy despondencies and doubting fluctuations that it doth not reel to and fro like an house that wants a solid foundation but is like the City of Venice which though it stands on the very Sea nec fluctu nec flatu movetur neither wind nor wave doth move it neither is like the Willow shaken with every wind but like the Oak that abides its place in storms and tempests Hope in the Lord is the anchor that fastens the ship of the soul so as it remains unshaken and immoveable amidst all the shakings of Satanical temptations or worldly concussions I have set the Lord alwaies before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved The true Believer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a die cast him which way you will he falls upon a square The Earth may remove off its foundation and the Mountains be hurled from their place the Sea roar and its waters be troubled and yet the Church not be moved Though weak in themselves beliâ—vers are strong in the Lord and like the Boat though wavering of it self yet tied to the Ship it 's sure Or like the Vine Ivie and Apricock though some of the weakest of trees yet leaning on the wall and twining about the Oak they stand firm and immoveable A carnal man or hypocrite in time of distress is soon moved yea removed off his principles and profession like a door that goes on its hinges in a spiritual storm he becomes the sport of every wind and wave but a believer gets up on God that impregnable Rock and being homo quadratus having his foot set for all assaies bonds and afflictions do not unhinge or unsettle him nay like a Paul none of these things move him Act. 20.24 Faith upholds the soul holds the head up above water and keeps a man from sinking yea were he cast into a Sea of troubles by this bladder would he swim to shore being put under him by the everlasting Arm of Omnipotency The hoping soul staies himself upon the mighty God of Jacob in truth and righteousness and though never so weak a creature in himself and subject to fall being supported by the strong hand of invincible power he stands firm and stedfast Like the Spouse coming out of the wilderness and leaning upon the Arm of her Beloved he rests himself upon an Almighty Arm so as 't is infinitely easier to pluck the strongest fabrick off its basis and foundatiion than to remove him off his hold on God his only strength and support so that even the gates of Hell cannot prevail against him Indeed the strongest faith and firmest hope may be exercised with variety of fears doubts and temptations but shall never be finally overcome Perfect love shall in the end cast out fear and this aguish and shaking spirit of bondage of which a Christian hath yet alwaies two well daies for one ill at length give place to the more stable spirit of Adoption That 's the second Thirdly It 's a certain prognostick and infallible assurer of mercy and deliverance The soul that hopes well shall have well The only way to have a mercy is to believe it According to our faith so is it to us A wavering soul must expect nothing but a believing soul may expect any thing from the Lord. Never did any soul perish in a way of believing Hope though it may sometimes meet with a delav yet it never meets with a disappointment It 's the glory of hope not to make ashamed Rom. 5.5 They that wait on the Lord never wait on him for nothing but their expectations are crowned with answerable successes I dare challenge all the world to give but one instance of a soul that was failed by God while he trusted in him All that depart from him shall perish and that turn aside to crooked waies be led forth with the workers of iniquity but it 's good to hold fast to God The end of faith is salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Such as trust in God may be relict sometimes indeed but shall never be left desolate They may be sometime disappointed but never wholly destitute The Psalmist having acted his faith and hope in God confidently demands and challenges deliverance wilt not thou O God give us help from trouble Psal 108.12 Hope presages mercy a coming It laies a man under the Promise and confirms his right and title to it Now as a man though he hath little in ready cash yet if a great deal in hills and bonds is rich and wealthy So the Christian though he hath never so little in hand yet having all in hope and reversion is really blessed and happy The Promise runs He that believes shall not be ashamed And therefore it 's very observable that the Church in her petitions to God begs for mercy proportionable to her hope Psal 33.22 Let thy mercy O Lord be upon us according as we hope in thee Hope prepares the soul for deliverance Whatsoever is received is received according to the capacity of the receiver Now hope enlargeth the heart biggens and swells the desires dilates and expatiates all the affections that the soul is no longer a narrow-neck'd vessel which cannot receive the full infusions of mercy but opens its mouth wide so as God fills it Whatsoever ye ask believing ye shall certainly receive They who travel with a big expectation commonly are delivered of a double blessing And finally hope laies hold on Gods strength and engages him to save and deliver even because the soul trusts in him So that the state of a Believer though never so sad and disconsolate yet is never desperate but while he lives he may hope yea he lives because he doth hope For we are saved by hope saith the Apostle The sinner indeed may have a seemingly hopeful beginning but he is sure to meet with an hopeless as well as to make a graceless end His hope is like the Spiders web when the besome of death comes to give him his fatal sweep down goes his hope and himself together to Hells bottom But the godly hath hope in his end Jer. 31.17 Though what he hopes for may be long a coming yet long-lookt for shall come at last and be doubly welcome The greater the travel and sorer the labour the fairer and stronger the birth And the longer the fruit of mercy hangs
he walks in darkness God follows him with breach upon breach all his waves compass him and his billows go over his soul while his arrows stick fast in his flesh and his hand presseth him very sore while he sows sackcloth on his skin and defiles his horn in the dust When all the songs of Sion are at an end and he hath none but the sad and mournful ditties left him of lamentation and woe the joy of his heart is ceased and he weeps sore in the night and hath none to comfort him all his mercies yea and his hopes are gone too and perished from the Lord and for peace he hath great bitterness yet then he mounts up as on Eagles wings by fiducial acts to Heaven and saith Lord though I know not what to do yet mine eyes are towards thee He still remembers the years of the right hand of the most High He may meet with distress but never fall into distraction perplexity but not passion or perturbations Though he be troubled on every side yet he is not distressed though perplexed yet not in despair though persecuted yet not forsaken though cast down yet not destroyed as the Apostle triumphs 2 Cor. 4.8 He may be at his wits end but never at his faiths end Though his faith wants wings to flie yet it hath a foot to go or at least a knee to creep He yet dwells in the secret of the most High though he hath no corner to lay his head in here below he casts his burden upon the Lord when he findes his own shoulders too weak to bear under it and commits his way to him to bring it for him to pass when so dark and intricate as he cannot finde the least path out of it He casts his care on him who taketh care for him That 's the first Secondly And as this gives us an account of the different temper so likewise of the different happiness of the Saints above all the world besides He not only hopes in the Lord but hath the God of Jacob for his help While we stand on the turret of this comfortable doctrine and take a Pisgah-view of the godly's felicity we may cry out of them as Baalam standing upon Mount Peor once did of Israel How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel O thrice happy and unspeakably blessed souls that have this interest in God Happy are they indeed who are in such a case There are four choice priviledges which flow from the souls interest in God each whereof is an Herauld to proclaim to all the world his felicity First holy peace and serenity tranquillity acquiescence and satisfaction I will lay me down in peace and sleep because thou O Lord only keepest me in safety There may be trouble and turmoil abroad but alwaies peace at home storms without but a calm within The peace of God is the Christians Life-guard In the world they may have tribulation but in him they have peace John 16. ult Secondly A grounded certainty as to enjoyments for God never disappoints them who trust in him The mercies he gives his People though slow in coming are sure mercies The sure mercies of David The Covenant he hath made is everlasting and sure The promise both of Spirituals and Temporals being of Faith is sure to the seed Rom. 4.16 It was part of Moses blessing Deut. 33.28 Israel shall dwell in safety alone the fountain of Jacob shall be on a Land of Corn and Wine also his Heavens shall drop down dew Thirdly An undoubted security As certainty of mercies so security from evils and mischiefs is their portion They are secure from Treachery at home for no fear of Apostacy to him who hath God as his Help He shall overcome and be made a Pillar in the House of his God Revel 3.12 And secure from Foreign Violence For if God be on his side who dare engage on the contrary He may sing with David in that heavenly Canticle of his The Lord is my light and salvation whom shall I fear I will not fear what man can do unto me No not of ten thousand which have round beset me God is a sure defence to his people Benjamin the beloved of the Lord shall dwell between his shoulders Deut. 33.12 The Enemy may thrust sore at him as a man against an House side but the Lord helps him Psal 118.13 Gods protection is a Pillar to shore him up under every blast of the adversary to overturn him A Saint being inchanted as I may so speak with the Name of the God of Jacob is shot-free secure from gun-shot out of the reach of all dangers enemies evils and afflictions whatever Fourthly Supply or sufficiency Prov. 28.5 He that trusteth in the Lord shall be made fat He that hath God hath all in him engaged for his good Son I am thine and all I have is thine saith God to his Children What power wisdom mercy or any other excellency is in God is active for his peoples good yea all Creatures in Heaven and Earth are at their command and service And we may well close this Use with that of Bernard Si Deus tam bonus quaerentilus quam lonus fruentibus If God be so good to them that â—ow seek him what is he to them that finde him It so sweet to Hope what to Fruition This consideration should make us cry out with Austin Fecisti nos Domine ad te non requietum est câ—râ—n strum donec requiescat in te Lord Thou hast made us for thy self and our hearts can never rest till we come to rest in the full enjoyment of thee Now because this Happiness of the Saints stands in conâ—radisâ—â—ction or rather in contradiction to the infelicity of sinners As the doctrin puts a cup of Consolation into the hand of the godly so of Trembling into the hands of the wicked bespeaks by way of terror and convinceth of the sad misery and grand unhappiness of all that want and are strangers to an Interest in God In a good day they have no ground of comfort and in an evil no assurance of help That 's the second practical Inference It they be happy who have this title to God and blessed certainly they must needs be cursed and miserable that are without it unless they had any thing equivalent with it which is impossible O sad and dreadful condition to be at once both hopeless and helpless This is the utmost aggravation of unhappiness the desperate condition of the Devils and damned in Hell Such as are without God are without hope yea without both hope and help And should a man speak a thousand words he could not more fully express the dismal complexion of any state than is done in this one To be hopeless The wicked have no Heaven hereafter no hope here An ungodly man may run and read his condition in the glass of this point who hath no God to go to he hath not the
complotted and conspired against me saying Come let us blot her name out of the book of remembrance they shall neither know nor see till we come in the midst of them and cause the work to cease I had been long ago overthrown and overturned It was not my own bow or sword saved me but thy right hand that helped me out of all my distresses It is our great duty to rejoyce in the confession of Gods Name in all our deliverances and salvations and to ascribe to him the glory that is his right and due This Psalm is Eucharistical penned on purpose as a grateful acknowledgement We should erect standing Monuments of his goodness and love and say Hitherto hath he helped us shewing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord and the wonderful works he hath done for our souls Psal 66.16.71.18.78.4 5 6. That they might also hope in God And as there alwaies appears that in mercy which calls aloud for praises so there are some deliverances that have such signal remarks upon them as we cannot possibly pass over without special observation How oft does mercy come undeserved unexpected undesired and unprayed for is distinguishing we are pluckt as fire-brands out of the fire and taken when others are left yea exceeding and superabundant to all our hopes or thoughts How many deliverances do we know before we know our dangers the danger was only to be read in the deliverance How many mischiefs do we escape that by all our forecast and prudence we could never have prevented nor yet by our power opposed how many mercies come pouring upon us not one of which by all our diligence and industry we could have purchased or procured what good often ariseth to us out of our evils and that proves our greatest advance which we thought would have been our fatal and final downfall and conduceth to our salvation which seemed to promise nothing but utter and irrecoverable ruin and destruction Gods mercies thus renewed on us every morning and his faithfulness every moment require a constant return of the sacrifices of thanksgiving but our sin and misery is that our thankfulness for mercy granted is no way proportionable to our importunity for mercy wanted and desired In our straits and afflictions we promise a great deal to the Almighty but when once gotton out of those depths we sacrilegiously rob the God of our salvation and put him off with the farthing candle of a little lip-devotion instead of a thank-offering of heart and life wherein only lies the life of thankfulness But where there is an Ark for deliverance there should be an Altar for thankfulness Secondly Let this draw and engage us to a constant access to God in all conditions under all emergencies and occurrences of providence Goâ— to this God for help at all times Trust in him at all times and pour forth your prayers before him Have recourse to him for spirituals to his promises for temporals to his providence Do your souls want pardon of sin peace of spirit assistance to duty strength against corruptions grace for trials and sufferings fly to your God Does Satan tempt the world frown friends prove unkind hopes disappoint all creatures fail enemies compass you about yet go to him your help and cry with David Plead my cause O Lord with them that strive with me and fight with those that fight against me Whatsoever condition befalls you your state is never hopeless why should it not then be fearless never desperate why should you be disconsolate There 's hope at the bottom dum spiro spero may be your Motto The Royal aid of Heaven will assist and enable you against all oppositions on Earth Whom should a people go to but to their God He is the confidence of the whole world The Isles shall wait upon him and on his arm shall they trust Isa 51.5 It 's the great duty and safety too of the soul to trust to and hope in the Lord. It 's the character of a Saint to depend on God Psal 33.20 Our soul waiteth on the Lord for he is our help and shield It 's a sign of sincerity to trust in the Lord and the evidence of an Hypocrite to trust to any thing besides him Job 8.15 Isa 14.31 The poor of his people shall trust in him and Zeph. 3.11 Thou shalt leave in the midst of them a poor afflicted people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. Not patience but faith is the highest commendation of a Christian This was Hezekiahs grand Encomium given him by the Spirit of God himself 2 King 18.4 He trusted in the Lord God of Israel and clave to him God takes pleasure and delights in them that hope in his mercy Psal 147.11 God hath cursed all creature-confidence He hath pronounced them blessed which hope in himself Yea Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed It 's the highest piece of honour and happiness that any created being is capable of to receive influence from and exercise dependance upon its Creator There is an utter insufficiency in all creatures to help they may give painted comfort ape a counterfeit happiness but never afford real or lasting consolations Yea the soul may be reduced to such st aits and exigencies as all the power wisdom and industry of all creatures cannot give him relief none but God help him as under troubles of conscience and perplexity of spirit none else can succour A wounded spirit none can bear and only God can heal If help comes there it must come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immediately from Heaven Friends cannot help Ministers not help experimental Christians not help prayers tears and duties not help only the God of Heaven And as he is sometimes only able so he is himself alwaies able when none else can either on the right hand or on the left It 's all one with him to help by many or by few or by none at all He can destroy by friends making the Governours of Judah to their subjects as well as theâ—r enemies like an hearth of fire among the wood and like a torch of fire in a sheaf so as they shall devour all people round about on the right hand and on the left He can make the choicest and most hopeful instruments to prove our vexers and not our Saviours He can cut off the spirit of Princes and be terrible to the Kings of the Earth An Host without him much more against him is a vain thing for safety and a multitude as insignificant as a single person he can smite heaps upon heaps with the touch of his little finger as Sampson did once the Philistines with the Jaw-bone of an Ass He can blow on the most likely projects used for help and supply so as they shall utterly fail Jam. 1.11 The rich man shall fade away in his waies not only the careless Prodigal in his waies of profuseness but the most careful Usurer diligent Merchant
veho in his mouth if I perish I perish and can confidently look danger bonds death in the face being willing with Paul for the hope of Israel to be bound with this chain Act. 28.20 As holy fear so this invincible faith and undaunted courage is an evident token of salvation and that from God Phil. 1.28 Whom in the world should God help if not them that help with him or stand close to if not those who stand fast to him distinguishing duty shall certainly be rewarded with distinguishing mercy Secondly At what special times may Gods People look for help in time of mens violence and oppression Let me resolve that one question in case the cause of the People of God should be brought to an extremity and leave it with them as a fortification of their hopes and spirits Now though as it 's impossible for us infallibly to determine the periods of Gods grace to sinners when abused so the times and seasons of his giving out mercy and salvation to his People when wanted times being in his hand yet so far as we have the Scripture for our guide we may assign some particular and extraordinary cases wherein help is promised and so may be justly expected As First When Gods Cause lies a bleeding and the general concern and interest of Religion is at stake God is jealous for his great Name Thus Joshua pleads when Israel fell before their enemies in battel cap. 7.9 And Jeremiah cap. 14.9 We are called by thy Name leave us not and vers 21. Do not abhor us for thy Names sake do not disgrace the Throne of thy glory When the enemy houted Gods People pointing with the finger at them These are the People of the Lord he had pity for his holy Name Ezek. 36.21 When the whole interest of Religion and Gods people must go off at a blow God will step between the Axe and them We have such a memorable example of this in Gods deliverance of the whole body of the Jews from Haman's conspiracy as the defeatment thereof may be a standing encouragement to his people in all ages Secondly When a cloud of reproach and scandal is cast upon his Peoples innocency and integrity and thereupon ariseth an unjust oppression of them This was Job's case all along his Friends falsly accused him but his God did compurgate him and so Davids as appears almost in every Psalm where he now appeals to God and makes protests of his innocency as Psal 7.3 then prays for relief Psal 38. ult and 71.11 12. and 109.26 professeth his hope in God notwithstanding Psal 35.15 promiseth himself redress Psal 37.6 So Jeremiah cap. 20.11 and the Church Mic. 7.8 10. who promise themselves salvation and prophesie their enemies destruction upon their slanders and scandals cast upon them God will take part with his people what is done to them he takes as done to himself whether in way of kindness or abuse As they vindicate his Name and glory in the World so will he theirs from all reproach put upon it Thirdly When there is a failure and disappointment of all humane help This is the Psalmists argument Psal 44. ult and the ground of his plea Psal 79.8 Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us for we are brought very low When Pharaoh said The Israelites were intangled the Wilderness had shut them in God comes and cuts a passage for them Exod. 14.3 God commonly helps his People at the lowest the taking the weakest part is to him no disadvantage When vain is the help of man and the cause is concluded desperate for want of an Advocate then God is called in by our Prophet Psal 12.1 Help Lord for the godly man ceaseth Cum nemini obtrudi potest Psal 116.6 I was brought low and he helped me When Sion is called an Outcast and no man seeks after her then God chooseth to have mercy on her Jer. 30.17 Fourthly When the Enemies of Gods Truth and Cause blaspheme his Name and insult and triumph over his people Whom hast thou reproached saith God to Rabshaketh Isa 37.23 There 's the ground of his appearance against him The King of Heaven may pardon his Peoples rebellions but revilings are too saucy for subjects to give or the infinite and eternal God to bear from a vile worm a sinfull and mortal creature It 's time for God to arise when wicked men thus make void his Law and so far usurp upon his Supremacy and Prerogative as to offer a competition with him who he or they shall be Lord Controller in the World When the Assyrians talked blasphemously that God was the God of the hills and not of the valleys therefore did he deliver them into Israel's hand 1 King 20.28 God dare wrastle or engage with them though on disadvantagious ground This argument the Church useth for deliverance Psal 74.10 and strongly urgeth Psal 79.10 11 12. and the cruelty and blasphemy of the enemy may prevail with God sometimes when cannot the Prayers of his Saints and People Isa 47.6 7 8. God will save the afflicted People and bring down the high and proud looks Psal 18.27 It 's observable when God assigns to his people the reason of the expulsion of the Nations and the introduction of Israel in their room he gives it thus Not for your righteousness but their wickedness Deut. 9.5 when Saints holiness cannot avail for mercy sinners iniquity may call for justice Fifthly When the spirits of the Saints begin to despond and fail and yet are carried out with serious humiliation for their sin and recovering these fits and qualms with out-goings of Faith and Prayer to Heaven When Christ comes there will scarce be Faith in the Earth when the hearts of Gods people begin to swoon he will contend no longer lest their spirits should fail before him When the wicked are flesht and pufft up with vain hopes God breaks their bones asunder and their horn in pieces when Gods people are as dry bones he lifes and fleshes them Ezek. 37. When the Question is asked By whom shall Jacob arise for he is small the answer is The Lord repented for this Amos 7.2 3. God will not always suffer the rod of the wicked to rest on the lot of the righteous lest he puts forth his hand to iniquity Psal 125.3 God passes by his People when as tall Cedars and beholds them when low and weak Shrubs he delights in them when in an abject low condition and shews them mercy When the Locusts do most over-run the Cassians then the Seleucidian Birds come and are their devourers and destroyers God is willing his people sometimes should be brought to that pass that they know not whither to turn that so they may know what their God can and will bring about for them When Gods people are laid upon their backs then is a fit time for him to take them up into his arms and put them into his bosom Especially when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled by their
afflictions though oft-times not so sincerely at least not throughly God will come in for their help as Judg. 10. 2 Chron. 12. Especially where there is a spirit of true humiliation Faith and Prayer that conjunction is a sure Prognostick of mercy and sign of deliverance Zach. 12.10 compared with cap. 13.1 No sooner Daniel begins his Prayer but the Captivity makes its end Hos 5. ult I will goe to my place till they acknowledge When they come to seeking God soon comes to saving God never puts his people hard on begging or inclines them to asking but he stands ready handed with and fully bent and disposed to mercy When the Sea gets into the Ship and Peter cryes out Christ reacheth out his arm to save him Sixthly Let this be a ground of adherence and firm conjunction and cleaving to God at all times always cleave to this God who is such an help with full purpose of heart As Ruth to Naomi going where he goes and living where he lives Let nothing separate you from your God Like the Spaniel couch close to your Master It 's good for you to draw near to God lose all rather than lose him part with all the World before him Better God your Friend to stand by you than all the World without him God is faithfull to you be you so to him and though all else do do not you forsake him Forget your Kindred and Fathers house love not father or mother wise or children house or land but hate them if coming in competition with him Throw off your Father as holy Jerom said though he hangs about your neck and trample on your mother though she lay in the way to go out unto him Give not up the cause of God to Satan or the common Enemy because ye meet with a little trouble Though the Captain hath not present relief he will not deliver up the City if in any hope or expectation of it but hold out if possible he knows not how nigh he is relief Sacrifice not God's interest help may come before you expect it Christians on your first coming in you gave your selves up to the Lord and indeed as that Noble person said In undertaking Religion you might be deceived if you thought to save any thing but your Souls Oh take heed of making a breach of promise Take heed of using any sinister course any unlawfull and indirect means to evade the sufferings of the Gospel never accept a deliverance which is worse than bondage better have help Gods way than your own as finding it than as making it Infinitely farr better that trouble which ends in peace than that peace which ends in trouble Fight therefore the good fight of Faith so as at last ye may lay hold on the Crown of eternal life So run as ye may obtair Go on securely and couragiously in the way of your duty whatsoever occurres fear the Lord only and keep his way Esther though under strict interdiction yet ventures to approach the King having fasted and prayed with her Maydens in hope of divine benediction The Apostles though under a prohibition if not a suspension to preach chuse to obey God before man Act. 5.29 Be neither drawn or courted by the fawning allurements of the world nor yet frighted by it's terrours to give up or in in your profession Take our Saviours advice Luk. 12.4 Fear not him that can only kill the body but rather him that can destroy both body and soul in Hell Lastly A word to sinners and strangers from God and his hope and help concludes all This offers first a word of direction to poor sinners whether they must go for help They are all lapsed fallen creatures plunged into a state of guilt and corruption brought under the supremacy and dominion of Satan and have no power or sufficiency of themselves to recover but God alone is their help Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help to be found Man fell by his own free will but cannot recover without Gods free grace Homo libertatem quam accepit nisi Christo liberante non recipit as Saints therefore must bless him so sinners go to him as their only help go to him for light life by Prayer in the use of Ordinances which are media cultus and gratiae too and though God will not hear you as sinners he may as creatures Secondly Labour all to get an interest in God that he may be your help Time may nay will come when you will stand in need of an help You may have many storms in your journey to eternity It 's good in a Sun-shine to provide for a storm A day of affliction may come of death and dissolution must come A sword a plague a fire a famine a captivity may come and what will ye do in the evil day All worldly helps will then be in vain ye may kindle a fire of your own sparks but the end will be to lye down in sorrow You may with him that took up an hand-full of Gloworms in a dark night hope to warm your fingers with them but it will be a false fire and afford no heat with its light These Gloworms may shine till you come to the light of Sun or Candle These fair-fac'd nothings may please till you come to be convinced of a better beauty but then will vanish What will it profit to have a little comfort from them for a moment and at last be cast into the hellish dungeon Though ye have all creatures for you and God against you your case is as sad and miserable as had you God for you and all the world against you it were comfortable Time may come too that you may have all the world against you and the Devil too yea your own consciences and what will ye do if ye have not a God a Christ to stand for you Created-comforts cannot help you if God hath once forsaken you though he can supply their absence who is the Sun of Righteousness and make day though there be not the star of any creature visible yet they cannot his If the Sun be gone down it 's night for all the stars They have no Oyl for themselves much less can afford to others There is no trust in riches friends men Angels they are all a vain hope The Parent may leave his Child the Husband his Wife the friend his friend when time of trial comes God hath stood on Mount Ebal and blasted all carnal confidence as well as on Mount Gerizim and blessed confidence in himself Yea he may justly give us up to our own trust and those things we have confided in if we repose in any thing short of himself so he did them Jer. 2.28 And will the creatures Mantle be a sufficient covering to us Will the great Tree of outward mercies profession priviledges protect us under the soaking and lasting storm of Gods wrath The whole 49 Psalm is a conviction of the vanity of all the Pageantry of this world They are as birds or a string that at one time or other will deceive us And is not God in the mean time a necessary free universal sole sufficient help Who ever trusted in the world and was not deceived and who ever trusted in God and was disappointed The ends of the earth look to him and are saved O cease then from these lying vanities and endeavour to make God your God that so he may become your help And if you would do so labour first to get an humble sense of your own helpless and hopeless condition by nature Bethink your selves and see the plague of your own hearts As long as the soul hath any crutch to lean on it will never go alone while it knows whither to run it will never go to its God O labour to be weary and heavy laden in your selves and disclaim all creature-dependance as Paul did Phil. 3.7 8. Renounce all for Christ and Gods free grace and mercy in him And when in this wilderness lean on the arm of your Beloved Secondly Fly to Gods Name and Covenant by faith in Christ If ever God be yours it must be through Christ For there is no other Name God hath laid help on his almighty arm you must lay your hope there All Gods help runs through Christ he hath determined never to pardon one guilt or give out one dram of grace but through his blood He is the only daismen the true Sampson by whose strength the heavy weights of sin and wrath may be removed your souls All the souls fresh springs are in him He is the well head of salvation Without union no interest or influence No flying or abiding Gods presence escapeing or enduring his wrath unless your souls get under the skirt of his love He that would have interest in God by any other proxy must expect salvation by a deputy only O come to him then by faith venture on him as the Lepers did on the Camp 2 King 7 s. Do not only take Ropes about your necks and put Sackcloth about your loyns but come before this King of Heaven he is a merciful King And thirdly and lastly Strike Covenant with God enter into a confederacy with him Kings keep those confederate and in league with them The wickeds is a vain a strumpets confidence that challenge God as their Father and Husband and yet wantonize from him and care not for his company and communion Jer. 3.4 A good conscience only is the ground of a good hope and conndence 1 Pet. 3.16 God may help and save by the wicked but never will he be the Saviour of them Break off from sin then by righteousness and engage in yea keep covenant with God There 's a league both offensive and defensive between God and his People and the Promise made to Abraham observing the conditions stands good to all his faithful children Gen. 15.1 If we walk before God and be perfect he will be our shield and our exceeding great reward To conclude all with the Apostles options Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost And 2 Thes 2.16 17. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work FINIS