Israel he hath no other string to the bow of his trust but God alone he expects help no where but from Heaven Thou art my hope saith Jeremiah in the day of evil Jer. 17.17 God is by right the confidence of the ends of the earth but by act the sole dependance of his People They trust in him at all times and pour forth their hearts before him Even under the most dismaying providences which strike amazement into others hearts and dejection into their countenances yea set the world into an uproar and combustion under his skirt do their souls trust Fourthly Waiting and attendance upon him Gods People are attendants at the Court of Heaven alwaies waiting at the elbow of the Almighty As they are a praying so a waiting people when they have sent out the Dove of prayer they wait for her return with an Olive-branch in her mouth when they have sent forth the ship of supplication they stand like Merchants on the shore expecting her return full fraught with heavenly treasure They wait upon the God of Jacob and look toward him They hearken and hear what God speaks having spoken attend the Eccho and dispatcht their letters look for an answer Now eye hath not seen no ear heard nor can the heart of man conceive what God hath prepared for them that wait for him Isa 64. God waits to be gracious to them that wait for hun Isa 30.18 Such as wait on him with submission and resignation to his will and pleasure due respect to his glory and patient resolution till he shews mercy shall never lose their labour When Davids eyes attend his God as the eyes of a Servant look to the hand of his Master and a Maiden to the hand of her Mistress he is sure of receiving some gift of mercy from hun Psal 123.2 When his soul waits for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning the San of divine goodness will certainly rise break forth and shine upon him Psal 130.6 God inclines to the soul that waits patiently for him none ever waited on him in vain Saints alwaies get something by praying but by waiting they gain double The still child shall have two breads When the Church resolves once to wait God soon resolves she shall wait no longer but of an expectant makes her an enjoyer Micah 7.7 9. The Prince soon gives ear to the Favourite who continues to give him attendance and the Advocate delaies not to plead the Clients Cause who will not away from his Chamber door but determines to ply him with his over-eager sollicitations yea the longer it be before the ship of faith and prayer returns when it once comes home it is the more richly laden and brings him a double venture The Church found it so when she came home top and top-gallant with her sails of triumph Isa 25.9 Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation The needy shall not alwaies be forgotten nor the expectation of the poor perish for ever Fourthly In respect of that incouragement in his service which he would have his receive from him even against the wicked who do not serve him The Lord takes part with his People and helps them against the world that hate both him and them Psal 118.11 When most the object of mens envy and malignity they have most of Gods love and affection when out-casts to their Brethren they are received into their Fathers arms God would have the wicked discouraged in their way of rebellion and his People incouraged in the way of duty And by this they know he favours them because their enemies do not triumph over them Psal 41.11 Did not God take in with his People and stand by them the uncircumcised would triumph and the Saints be dis-spirited and despondent he assigns this therefore as the reason why he would not contend for ever with them lest their adversaries should carry it strangely Deut. 32.27 and their spirits fall into a desperate succumbency Isa 57.16 Now when he pours contempt on their haughtiness and advances the poor on high from affliction the righteous rejoyce and all iniquity stops her mouth Psal 107.42 On which very account David solicits help Psal 109.26 27 29. that his adversaries might be cloathed with shame and cover themselves with their own confusion as with a Mantle while the righteous are glad in the Lord and trust in him and all the upright in heart do glory The Master sometimes siniles on the diligâ—nt and faithfull Servant as to encourage him in his duty so to discourage the negligent in his laziness and the Prince shines on his Subject as to countenance him in his loyalty and allegiance so to dishearten the Traitor in his Treason and Rebellion Fifthly In regard of that just return and due improvement of his help which he receives from them They are those alone who will praise and magnifie extoll and lift up the Name of the God of Jacob. Being their strength he becomes their Song and their Praise Hear holy Jeremiah proclaiming him upon this Experience Jer. 17.14 O Lord my strength and my fortress and my refuge in the day of affliction And so our David before him Psal 18.1 O Lord my rock my strength my fortress and my deliverer my God my Buckler the horn of my salvation and my high Tower And Moses before them both Exod. 15.2 When the Egyptians were drowned and Israel preserved he cants forth a most heavenly Doxology The Lord is my strength and song and he is become my salvation he is my God and I will prepare him an babitation my Fathers God and I will exalt him What the Saints win by prayer they alwayes wear by Thankfulness what they receive in Mercy they return in Duty Where there is gratiarum decursus there is also gratiarum recursus Let favour be shewed to the wicked and he will deal injustly The shines of Mercy which draw out the fragrancy of the Saints graces raise but a greater stench from the dunghill of his corruptions They sacrifice to their own Nets and say their own arm hath saved them But the Church gives other language Psal 44.3 Thy right hand and thine arm and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a favour to them Let God grant the Jews deliverance from the yoke of cruel and bloody Masters and give them free entertainment in his Service they will wear the Livery of Joy and Gladness and with their best Ornament of a gratefull Affection celebrate to future Posterity the Anniversary Solemnity of this good day of their deliverance As Gods People go to him alone and offer a sin-offering in the day of their misery and calamity so they return to him only with a Peace-offering in the day of their mercy and comfort They give unto the Lord the glory due to his Name and what they
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
that so he may have wherewithall to set all his Attributes on work at once his power wisdom goodness and mercy When Israel had committed a great sin yet Ezra comforts them with this There is yet hope in Israel Art thou troubled with the guilt of sin defilement and power of corruption art thou disturbed with fears doubts temptations dost thou want the evidence of Gods favour and blessed assurances of his love art thou pressed down with the weight of thy afflictions do thy feet stick in the mire and thy soul is born down and sinks through the load that is upon thy shoulders yet look up by faith to Heaven God can open a door of hope in this valley of Achor Lo he is behind the curtain though thou seest him not and will step in and help thee if he sees the swoon or faint He is praesto ready at hand to save thee though he seems to sleep he and his arm can awake Isa 51.9 as a mighty man out of sleep for his enemies confusion and eke his Peoples consolation He will arise Psal 44. ult He can turn thy captivity as the streams of the South and a word of his mouth shall do it as well as an act of his hand Be not discouraged or despondent but wait his approach Though thy heart fail be of good courage and he will strengthen thine heart Thou hast an omnipotent arm to lean upon therefore give not in nor give over Still be found in the way of thy duty pray still believe wait still and for ever hope in the Lord and his mercy God oft suggests his Creatorship in Scripture to encourage his People in great extremities As to Jacob Isa 40.27 28. So Psal 124. ult Our help is in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth And thus in this present Psalm in the words following the Text Which made Heaven and Earth to teach us that God can do any thing who made all things What is it God cannot do as well as he did create the world out of nothing What should we doubt in his way of providence whose power we have such demonstrative proof of in the work of creation And the Apostle Peter seems to make that relation speak mercy too as well as power and goodness as greatness 1 Pet. 4.19 Where he exhorts Saints in a suffering condition to commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing as into the hand of a faithful Creator This title alone speaks comfort and assurance to Gods People and abundant incouragement to wait and hope in him not crying out in their passions I shall one day fall by the hand of this evil but staying themselves on him in the worst of humane miseries and calamities Let me leave it with this Memento That thy condition is not such neither can ever any such state befall thee that either God hath not holpen in or cannot help in No temptations betide thee but what are common to the Saints and should there God can do that he never did as well as thou need that none ever had and being thy God and Creator thou mayest be sure his help shall alway be sufficient to thy needs for he will not forsake the work of his hands He can work and none shall let him He that said Let there be light and there was so in the world can say Let there be grace peace comfort and there shall be so in the heart Let there be truth and peace and there shall be so in the Church If God be your help then make him your hope in all conditions and cases publick or private Hath God broken your estates your families or man ruined them God can repair them Hath he broken his Church and People broken down her hedge so that the Boar of the Wood doth waste her and all the wild beasts of the Forrest devour her he can yet look down upon her and raise her up when lowest and throw down her enemies when highest Let the house of Aaron and Levi yea and all that fear the Lord trust in the Lord and ye that have no helper make him your hope and help Say This God is our God and shall be our guide to death I shall dismiss this branch of Application with an answer to these two Questions First What are the conditions upon which we may challenge help from God in an evil day Secondly What are the times and seasons when we may most confidently expect it All evils are reduceable to two general heads They are either Gods immediate visitations or humane afflictions and pâ—rsecutions The former of these I shall answer with special reference to the first the latter to the second First On what terms may Gods People expect help when he is going out in the way of his Judgements as Sword Pestilence c I shall but name these five conditions the discourse being swoln far beyond what it was intended First A religious severity which consists in an accurate walking before God in a day of prosperity and mercy a setting strait steps to his Kingdom a cleaving to him a dwelling in him as our habitation a maintaining strict and close communion with him Isa 32.17 The effect of righteousness shall be peace quietness and assurance for ever Communion with God in a good day layes a sure foundation for confidence in him in an evil He that remembers God in his high estate God will remember him in his low that makes God his song in Sun-shine daies shall finde him his strength in tempestuous times who give God a room in their hearts and houses in times of felicity shall have room in his Ark in the day of adversity Gen. 6.8 9. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord he was a just man and perfect in his generations and walked with God Whereas they who forsake God in the time of mercy he will forsake them in the time of extremity those who now turn the back on him he will then turn the face from Jer. 18.17 As they gave a deaf ear to the voice of his mercy shutting the door of their hearts to him he will give a deaf ear to the voice of their cry and shut the door of his grace on them Prov. 1.24 This also consists in an immunity from the sins of the times not only a sympathy of their sufferings but a freedom from their sins and defilements When a Christian saves himself from a perverse generation is unspotted with the times keeps his garments fair though he lives in a contagious Air yet preserves himself free from its infection and like the fish keeps the freshness of his grace though swimming in the salt-waters of sin and wickedness When out of an holy and reverential fear he dares not comply with but withstands opposes protests witnesses against and mourns for the abominations of the times This was Noabs carriage being warned of God and moved with an holy fear of his threatned Judgements he makes
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 deliverances for Jacob. Yea this is a firm coâ—clusion of her faith Isa 33.22 The Lord is
oâ— Judge our Law-giver our King he will save 〈◊〉 They are stiled his portion and heritage Isa 54 1â— Deut. 32.9 As he is their so they his portioâ— and he will not suffer that to be wasted and eâ—bezelled His Jewels in comparison of whom aâ— the world besides are but as so much lumbeâ— Mal. 3.17 He will not admit their spoil oâ— plunder His Turtle Psal 74.19 which hath aâ—waies a sympathy with its mates affliction Hiâ— beloved favourites for whom he hath a choicâ— respect and endeared affection in whom hâ— takes singular delight and complacency Psaâ— 18.19 and 60.5 Their heart is set on God and his heart on them and because he loveth them he compasseth them with favour as with a shield Psal 5.12 The apple of his eye Zach. 2.8 Now as the eye is the tenderest part of the body so is the apple of the eye They are his hidden ones for privacy and value worth and excellency more excellent than their neighbours the least meanest of them more worth than all the world a people of whom the world is not worthy Heb. 11.38 His precious ones Isa 43.4 In comparison of whom all other are but vile in his account His holy ones Psal 86.2 which he will not suffer the world to prophane His chosen ones or the people of his choice The Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself and Israel for his peculiar Treasure Psal 135.4 His redeemed ones or the people of his purchase Isa 43.3 which he will in no wise lose either by fraud or violence his Garden or Paradise wherein he delights Isa 58.18 His Vineyard which he both â—â—ters and watches every moment Isa 27.3 〈◊〉 a word his Jacob and Israel against whom â—â—ere is no inchantment or divination Numb 13. â—nd the work of his hands which he will in â—o case forsake Psal 138. ult And concerning â—hich he will not only be intreated but also comâ—anded Isa 45.11 There is a mutual interest â—â—d propriety between God and his People God â—â—th made over himself to them in the Covenant 〈◊〉 Grace and they have reobliged themselves to 〈◊〉 They are said to have surrendred or given â—o themselves to the Lord 2 Cor. 8.5 He shall â—â—â—se our inheritance for us saith the Psalmist â—sal 47.4 They have a stock of prayers going â—â—th God and he hath a stock of mercy and â—ory going with them Their interests are so â—â—ited and twisted together as they cannot be â—â—vered His cause is concern'd in his People â—â—d his own honour highly ingaged upon their â—ccount yea the vindication of all his Attriâ—utes his Power Wisdom Holiness Mercy and Goodness Truth and Faithfulness is obliged in â—heir sublevation which else would be wholly â—â—â—t and utterly impaired in the world They â—re so linked in an holy league and sacred conâ—â—deracy with him That it 's observable in â—heir addresses to him in prayer against their â—nemies they level them as against Gods interest and not their own and all they need request is only that God may be glorified So Daâ—id Psal 83.2 Lo thine enemies make a tumult and they that hate thee have lift up the head He doubts not to call his Gods enemies And so Asa in his solemn supplications put up to God oâ— the approach of that innumerable host against him 2 Chron. 14.11 O Lord saith he thou art 〈◊〉 God let not man prevail against thee Not us buâ— thee As Gods glory is bound up in the samâ— bundle with his Peoples eternal so is it also witâ— their temporal salvation Secondly In respect of the manifold Promise and Engagements he hath made to them Goâ— hath ingaged for their security and bounâ—â— himself for their protection as well as thâ— provision so far as is necessary They are stiled The People of his Covenant Psal 111.12 And thâ— stipulation is mutual They are in covenanâ— with God obliged to his service and devoted tâ— his fear O Lord truly I am thy Servant I aâ— thy Servant saith David Psal 116.16 They are engaged to walk in his waies and to be founâ— faithful And God is a God in covenant witâ— them and as they never leave him so will he never leave them in their enemies hand Psal 37.33 As they defend his glory so will he their intereâ—â— and cause If God be a God keeping Covenant even with them while in lesser things they some times break with him Psal 89 34. Much more will he keep Covenant with them while aâ— they fear him Though salvation be far from thâ— wicked his salvation is with them that fear him And as they are included in a general Covenant so have they entailed upon them many graciouâ— promises of special protection He hath said He will never leave nor forsake them Heb. 13.5 The same promise he made to all Israel Deut. 31.8 and made good to Joshua in person he also accomplisheth to all Believers He will not forâ—â—ke his People or cast off his Inheritance He will have compassion on his dwelling-place he will comfort Sion and chuse Jerusalem They have Gods promise for help and deliverance in the day of trouble Psal 50.15 which is good security They are under a reserved promise under the Judgements of Sword Famine or Pestilence Amos 9.8 Isa 33. Psal 91.10 Which kind of promises though not absolute engagements yet are seasonable directions and comfortable incouragements 〈◊〉 times of calamity and affliction They are alwaies prisoners of hope for by the blood of the Covenant God will send them out of the pit wherein there is no water Zach. 9.11 Covenants of old were confirmed by Sacrifices Psal 50.5 Jer. 34. Et caesa jungebant faedera porca Virgil The Lord Jesus Christ by the blood of his Covenant hath bought outward and common as well as saving and eternal mercies for his People Thirdly In regard of those conditions of obtaining Divine Help which are ever found in them They are under a fitness and aptitude of disposition to receive it There are four conditions or qualifications especially which make them meet for this divine influence which are to be found in them The first is of Humility or spiritual Poverty Psal 34.8 The Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken heart and saveth them that be of a contrite spirit He beholds the proud afar off as scorning his tuition but he graciously beholds the humble Isa 66.2 In him the fatherless finde mercy A Father of the fatherless and Judge of the Widow is he out of his holy habitation Psal 68.5 6. The Lord helpeth those that are cast down The Lion puts as it were into his bosome those that bow before him or he down at his feet but tears in pieces them that run away from him or bid resistance to him so generous and noble is his nature and disposition satis est prostrasse And so doâ—s the Lion of the Tribe of Judah he
want in outward expression is abundantly supply'd in inward affection and admiration He becomes their praise because he is their Salvation yea their boast and triumph all the day long They make mention of his Name and his Righteousness and that only Neither do they with the prophane Israelites sing his Praises and forget his works but as they talk honourably so they and they alone walk worthy of his help and so in a comparative sense may be said to deserve it They abuse not the goodness of God as wicked men do who sound all their Mercies upon their lusts and sacrifice them to their own sensuality but duely improve it by ordering their Conversations aright returning all the shines of mercy by reflections of obedience doing justly and walking humbly with their God offering up themselves back to him as a living holy and acceptable sacrifice as their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their reasonable service Thereby bringing themselves within the compass of his gracious promises of seeing his great salvation and having the effect of righteousness to them quietness and peace and assurance for ever Thus holy David professes and resolves Psal 116.8 9. Thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the living And so much for the first particular The Communication of Gods help to his people The Second follows viz. The manner of its conveyance to his people Not as the God of Nature or of the World but as the God of Jacob. And indeed God in a way of Covenant or as Jacob's God is the cause and fountain of all good and mercy to his people All their blessing comes not by way of common Providence but special Covenant Their Corn Wine and Oyle are Appendices thereunto They have the comforts of this and hopes of the next life the blessings of the Throne and Footstool of Gods hand and heart too by way of promise Although my House be not so with God saith the sweet singer of Israel in his dying Notes 2 Sam. 23.5 yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure For this is all my salvation and all my desire All the sweet streams of mercy to a Believer come swimming through the Channel o◠their Saviours blood and his comforts are al◠sifted and strained through the Covenant of grace◠so as they lose their bran and dreggs and are infinitely more sweet and refreshing This very consideration both sweetens and sanctifies all Others Gardens are watered by the foot as the Land of Egypt was by the River Nilus but they are watered from Heaven Deut. 11.11 The sweet hony-dews of mercy drop into their mouths from Heaven and while they open them wide God fills them This gives a sweeter taste a better tenure a title in Capite creates a sanctified use and confirms to them their assurance of a supply others may possibly they certainly shall have help and comfort So that the application of this special relation is a great advantage and fortisication to Gods peoples Faith And indeed so intended here The Psalmist here gives him this title to perswade us to a more firm dependance upon him and lay us in with a surer ground of confidence than is to be had or found in all things besides either in Heaven or Earth And upon this very score doth God usually reveal himself by that Name and his People ordinarily behold him under that notion in Scripture Not to multiply places take one which may be instar omnium Psal 20.1 where the Church thus accents her Benediction The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee Where she makes it a kinde of an Holy Spell to chase away all her Enemies and expell her Adversaries But so much for the first general branch of the words The Thing imply'd The Second follows something expressed which is The Happiness in having God for our Help This is delivered positively and also comparatively First Positively and absolutely in it self And so therein are two things considerable 1. A Benedictory Conclusion or Affirmation a sentence of blessing pronounced Happy is he 2. It s limitation affixed or annexed in the peculiar appropriation expressed in the possessive His. His help Here is the Saints great priviledge with their singular propriety Their priviledge in having God as an Help Their peculiarity in having him as their help To begin with the first The Benediction affirmed Happy is he and that hints to us two Observations one more general the other more particular First That the Saints happiness lies only in God in interest in him in union and communion with him God only is the certain ground and infallible foundation of the Saints happiness Their blessedness lies not in having such relations to men or influence from the World but in their acquaintance with and experience of God The Psalmist hath laid down an irrefragable Conclusion as to this Psal 144. ult when he had given in an accompt of the Worlds value and Estimate as to Happiness or taken a survey of the perfections of all Creatures and their most promising looks of felicity so as he cryes out Happy are the People which are in such a Case having hopefull and beautifull Children full Provisions secure Dwellings by an holy Epanorthosis he corrects himself yea happy is that people saith he whose God is the Lord. This is eternal life happiness in the beginning and perfection too to know God in Jesus Christ Happiness is not bound up in the Creature or the bundle of Creature-enjoyments riches may serve for the owners hurt and not for their good and as they may render a man occasionally sinfull so they may leave him finally miserable David beggs deliverance from such a mercy as a man in an agony or at the brink of the pit of destruction Deliver me from men whose portion is in this life Psal 17.14 from their persecutions and also from their fruitions and enjoyments as appears by the sequel of his supplication There 's no blessedness in having the World for our God but in having the Lord for our God A man may with the Bee wander from Flower to Flower from one Creature-enjoyment to another and yet finde no sweetness or satisfaction It 's only safe blessing our selves in the God of Truth Isa 65.16 Such as rejoyce in the World rejoyce in a thing of nought Amos 6.13 It 's he alone that made us who can make us happy and that gave satisfaction for us who can give satisfaction to us And though we had never so large handfulls of the World if we have not our hearts full of God and Christ we are farr from true happiness Three things are requisite for the compleating of true Felicity the conjunction whereof is that which renders the Soul happy and in the want whereof it must be found compleatly miserable Sufficiency and perfection
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
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
continually saith David Psal 71.14 Though his enemies be lively yet his hope is not dead and while they threaten more he yet hopes more and more All the waters of humane opposition cannot quench this fire but it 's like the fire of the Sanctuary which never goes out True hope grows by discouragement and the wind of worldly affliction serves but to increase this holy flame When as the spies gave a discouraging account of the Land Caleb and Joshua were not dismay'd at their own sight or their report but conclude Their defence is departed and they are bread for us They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength and their hope too and under the lowest providences they have yet a spero meliora in their mouths which keeps them from fainting and sinking And that leads to the third and last qualification of the Saints hope It 's stedfast and permanent A Believer hath hope in his end and he hopes to the end Heb. 6.11 The full assurance of hope to the end And so cap. 3.6 Whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end God perfects this grace wheresoever he begins it An Hypocrites is a dying hope a Saints a living hope there is a vigour and vivacity and also a constancy and perpetuity in it We are not of them who draw back to perdition An Hypocrites hope is an empty and vain and so a vanishing hope it hath no solidity in it but appears a meer husk when Satan comes to thresh it by his temptations it will not stand or endure a trial When he comes to go out of the world his hope perisheth for ever and breaths forth it self into a puff of wind though swoln to never so huge a bulk and great a proportion It hath no stalk and when the Sun of divine indignation or humane persecution ariseth it wholly withereth But a Saint though for a while he may lose the exercise never wholly loseth the habit of his hope his hope is a fixed stable setled hope Col. 1.23 A carnal wretch can hope in good daies while providence looks on him with a favourable and pleasing aspect but let the Lord come to frown on him and lay affliction on his loyns his heart 〈◊〉 like Nabals dies within him he sinks like a stone he carries with him a sad heart and looks with a lowring and dejected countenance but a child of God as no outward comâ—ort does much incourage him so no outward cross doâ—s much dishearten him Mercy does not much 〈◊〉 him up nor misery cast him down his conclusion is I will yet hope in God and never cast away my confidence which hath great recompence of reward Quo malis presentiâ—us durius deprimor eo de futuris gaudiis certius praesumo saith holy Ignatius by how much the more I am oppressed with present miseries so much the more confident I am of eternal joys 2 Cor. 4.17 Thirdly This speaks sharp reproof even to the People of God themselves who are so apt to depend on and run to means and second causes in times of trouble and affliction and not lay their hope and help on this God of Jacob and his truth and faithfulness only Israel was very prone to this corruption to seek to and rely on forein aids and helps neglecting and refusing to rest upon God This is sinners wickedness and Saints weakness and infirmity This was the fault of good Asa zealous Hezekiah holy David who thought nothing better for them than one to go to the Physitians before the Lord another to curry favour with the King of Babylon and a third to flie into the Land of the Philistines 1 Sam. 27.1 Vitium ostendit saith a Commentator on the Text dum ostendit remedium This is natural to the lost but yet proud Sons and Daughters of Adam The first man had a spice of pride in him and all his posterity have gotten a tang of it The stout souldier will never accept quarter as long as he can stand out against the enemy or defend the besieged City against his power and violence Proud stout-hearted man would neither be beholden to God or Christ for his help could he but be his own Protector and Saviour We are all by nature run-aways from God and having a backsliding heart within us are apt to revolt more and more leaning on any broken Reed before him the eternal Rock But this our way is our folly This is our great sin and runs us also into an inextricable labyrinth of calamity and woe It 's no less than crimen laesae Majestatis when we have the covering of the Almighty's protection and the wing of the great and everlasting Jehovah to come under yet to shroud our selves under the alien shadow of any creature and when we may delighfully sollace our selves under the Vines sweetness and Olives fatness yet to shelter our selves under the vain shew of the Bramble It 's too convincing an Argument both of the weakness of grace that our strength is small and also of the power and predominancy of corruption It 's a plain and demonstrative Argument of a carnal heart to satisfie our selves with any outward enjoyment in the day of mercy or support in the hour of misery How sadly does God complain of this in his Israel of old Psal 78.22 They believed not in the Lord nor trusted in his salvation So Deut. 9.23 Ye rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord your God to go up against the Nations and ye believed him not God taxeth it of high disingenuity and disloyalty Jer. 2.5 What iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after vanity So Jer. 18.13 14. The Virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing Will a man leave the Snow of Lebanon which cometh from the Rock of the field or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken It 's a tincture of Apostacy from God Indeed a plain contradiction to our conversion In that we turn from the Creature to the Creator in this from the Creator to the Creature It 's a more spiritual and refined Idolatry and therefore it 's observable these two are Couzen-Germans neighbour-sins and but one remove one from the other Yea the â—dolatry charged by the Apostle upon the Gentiles hath this inscription on its forehead They worshipped and served the Creature more than the Creator God blessed for ever Rom. 1.25 And indeed whatsoever a man sets up above or equal with God it 's his God or at least his Idol And as it is a great iniquity so it is commonly rewarded with exemplary punishment This trust is both wicked and vain it makes us neglect God the eternal Refuge and while it deceives us and makes us miss of a better ground of trust it also weakens and debilitates both our hearts and hands our hands in duty and our hearts in confidence
out against them and overcome them Art thou under crosses and losses and sore and vexatious trialls that way hast lost thy Estate and Possessions thy Relations thy former Friends thy present comforts thy hopes thy all yet thou hast not lost thy God who is better than all And as Zeno the Philosopher said once when he had lost all by Shipwrack Licet me tutius philosophari Thou hast now the better leisure to attend thy Soul and study Heaven Though a man loseth his Moneys and is rich in Bills and Bonds it 's no great matter When thou hast not a penny in thy Purse thou hast thousands in the Promise Gods providence or mens violence may take away thy Estate thy Children thy Livelihood and subsistence but never take away thy Christ When thou hast lost all things else yet thou canst never lose thy God and thy inheritance the hope laid up for thee in Heaven that heavenly and never-failing treasure is out of the reach both of Men and Devils Art thou under afflictions personal family Hath the hand of God toucht thee Hath his destroying Angel come with the Arrows of the Plague and shot into thy habitation so that thou art left alone and become wholly comfortless even swallowed up of sorrow Thy Relations are gone thy Friends fled from thee all thine acquaintance stand aloof off thy sore thou sighest and mournest by day weepest by night and hast none to comfort thee thou art become like a Pelican in the Wilderness an Owl in the Desart and sittest like a Sparrow on the house-top Death is entred in at thy windows and men have written Lord have Mercy on thy doors and thou hast neither Minister nor Phyfitian to come at thee yea wantest Bread it self to uphold thee Yet fear not Thy God is still with thee and then nightest when all Creatures run away to the greatest distance Christ comes in yet familiarly at thy doors God stands by thy beds side Though the Plague hath seized thy body he is not afraid to come neer thy soul and while thy Friends forsake thee he will be Friend Physitian and Comforter to thee He is the Lord that healeth thee And thou shalt at last say in faithfulness and mercy to thy Soul did he afflict thee yea that thou wert not sick because the Lord had forgiven thy iniquity Nay here is comfort for thee even in Death it self if thou hast God for thy help and he affords thee his gracious presence thou shalt not need fear to walk through that dark suburbs of Eternity As dying and yet shalt thou live Death is but to thee a Portall into Everlasting Life and what is a grimm Serjeant to arrest others and Pursevant to hale them to the place of Execution shall be a welcom Messenger to carry thee into thy Fathers House and usher thee into the Presence-Chamber of thy endeared Bridegroom And when thou art gathered to thy Fathers though thou goest to thy long yet thou shalt not go to thy last home Thy Exodus of Earth shall be thy Genesis of Heaven and when the great Landlord of Heaven and Earth by a Commission directed from his Royal Court summons thine immortal Soul out of this Clay-tenement of thy Body thou shalt enter upon thine upper House those ever-blessed Mansions prepared for thee and this Bird in thy breast when once let loose this present cage where now it is imprisoned and set upon the Tree of life in the midst of that heavenly Paradise shall warble out the most melodious tunes and sweet and harmonious musick to its Creator even to the daies of Eternity Let me conclude this consolation with that of Solomon Prov. 14.32 The righteous hath hope in his death And add only this challenge on this side the grave for him against the sinner Take a child of God cloathed with all possible disadvantages poverty sickness persecution even at the worst that can befall a man on this side Hell and his condition is infinitely far better than any wicked mans on Earth that hath sumptuous buildings furnisht tables pleasant children great riches and revenues So happy is he above all the world besides that hath God for his help the Lord for his God Fifthly and lastly Let this consideration be a strong perswasive both to the Saints and People of God to walk worthy his help and sinners to labour to make him their God and help against an evil day First To Christians to walk answerably to divine help and influx both in a good and in an evil day Take the summ of this exhortation in five or six branches Let the influence of Gods help be to you a ground of praise and thankfulness of satisfaction and acquiescence of access to him on all occasions of confidence in him in every condition of return to him according to your receivings from him and of engagement and firm adherence to him notwithstanding all temptations to Apostacy from him First Matter of thankfulness Rejoyce in the Lord at all times Let songs of benediction to him be ever in your mouths pay him the constant tribute of acknowledgement What an holy Panegyrick does David sing Psal 18.12 What a famous avouchment makes he Psal 144.1 2. Where he gives God all his titles My strength my goodness my fortress my shield my high Tower and deliverer And so does Jeremiah cap. 16.19 Even proclaim Gods Name to the Gentiles that they might trust in him In Gods Name set up all your banners Say with the Church All our fresh springs are in thee Nilus ab ignoto fonte but our salvation comes from Sion thence the Lord commands the blessing We finde our Psalmist frequent in these confessions The Lord is on my side Psal 118.6 I will sing of thy power yea I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of trouble Psal 59.16 17. And so again Psal 94.17 Vnless the Lord had been my help my soul had almost dwelt in silence when I said my foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me up And so the Church solemnly sings under the sense of her miraculous deliverance from variety of enemies If the Lord had not been on our side they had swallowed us up quick And see how sweetly she closeth all Psal 124. ult Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth So may the soul say I was under such a temptation and had not the Lord helpt me where had my soul been under such an affliction and had not he relieved me I had sunk and perisht in it for ever How oft have I sinned and he pardoned me prayed and he heard me waited and he was gracious to me I was weak but he strengthened me sad but he comforted me troubled but he spake peace to me And so may the Church of God say If the Lord had not been on my side when the Sons of Belial associated and bandied against me
Professors and Confessors of the Truth lay â—ormant in Wood-stacks Hay-stacks and the â—ike till the fury of the persecution was over and gone much like those Primitive Worthies who were constrained to depart the society of men â—nd live like beasts in Wildernesses wandring â—bout in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destiâ—ute afflicted tormented in Desarts Mountains Dens and Caves of the Earth of whom the World was not worthy Under the greatest rage â—nd sorest oppressions of the Church by Antiâ—hrist and his followers God alwayes had a few Names reserved who bowed not the knee to his â—dolatrous Worships and Inventions Secondly By abating the natural force and â—nnate violence of destructive evils As God sometimes alters the course of nature in order to his Enemies ruine makes waters ascend and lick up â—he old World fire descend on Sodom the Earth open her mouth and swallow up Korah Dathan â—nd Abiram the Earth disclose her blood and â—omit it up no more covering her slain so otherwhile in order to his peoples preservation When Pharaoh and his Egyptian Host had intangled Israel as in a net so as to avoid them they were forced to take the Red Sea which as to all humane expectation must have sunk and drowned them God makes it but a Ferry for them to swim over or shallow Foord to wade through and so pass on their Journey to Canaan When Jonah was swallowed up of the Whale whose â—owels in all probability would have been his Tombe to interr him God gives him a Vomit and makes him disgorge his bait and instead of a Grave to bury him he becomes only his Womb to keep him alive and deliver him safe on shoar The three Children who were by Nebuchadnezzars decree and order cast into the fiery Furnace in which none could imagine but they must be burnt to ashes God makes it a Sun only to refresh and comfort them instead of a flame to consume them Not one hair of their heads was sindged nor their Garments changed neither did the smell of the Fire rest upon them Dan. 3.25 The very hairs of their head were indeed numbred When Daniel by Darius's Commandment was thrown into the bottom of the Den of Lions whose ravenous and devouring nature one would have thought with their greedy and whetted stomacks should have opened their gaping mouths wide to receive so welcom a morsel an Angel muzzles them that he became not a prey to those masterless Creatures to which his accusers became their Sacrifice and crusht between their cruel grinders before they could once open their own mouths for Mercy These noble Worthies had those Promises fulfilled in the Letter When thou walkest through the Fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Isa 43.2 Thou shalt tread upon the Lion and Adder the young Lion and Dragon shalt thou trample under thy feet The Apostles Text hath here its full and clear Comment Heir 11.33 By Faith they stopt the Mouths of Lions and quenched the violence of Fire When Evils and Enemies like so many Leviathans rush upon Gods people he sometimes puts a bridle in their jaws and an hook in their nostrils and they become to them but so much painted Fire or as dead Lions that cannot hurt them God can bridle the natural force of Fire Seas Beasts or ought that intends â—urt to his People Thirdly By preventing and disappointing the flesigns of wickedness against them The God of â—y Mercy shall prevent me saith David Psal 59.10 by the early Influences of his own Mercy and timely discovery of his Enemies mischief God let 's not the weapons formed against his prosper but causeth the wickedness of the wicked to come on their own head and their violent dealing upon their own pate And when they themselves do not Gods People do escape â—he intended destruction God gives warnings and Items to his before the World can shoot off their murdering pieces against them He either fastens strong instincts and impressions of imminent danger or gives them timely notices and significations which are as so many hands in the way to direct them their passage or way of escape As sometimes he hides a Moses from Pharaohs â—ruelty by the hand of the Midwives and secures the Spies in peace by the hand of a Rahab Hebr. 11.31 33. so sometimes advertiseth a David by Jonathans Arrows which though inarticulately yet speak significantly his concernment to make haste from Sauls rage And Elijah by a Messenger to flee from Jezabels fury and run for his life 1 Sam. 20. 1 King 19. Whem Achitophel had contrived Davids ruine Hushai gives him Intelligence 2 Sam. 17.16 When Haman had conspired Mordecai's and the Jews total extirpation and fatal destruction God in his wise Providence so ordered the Decree about it as there was upon a Twelve-months space between it and the Execution so as respite was given for flight and evasion and also for application to the Persian King for its Reversion In which space such effectual means was used as the ruine intended against the Jews light on the head of the Enemy and Haman changed with Mordecai his advancement in Court for that on a Gibbet which he had prepared for him Esth 7. ult and cap. 8.15 When Paul was apprehended by the Jews and the sacrificing knife of death putting to his throat the chief Captains Advent in the Interim occasions his rescue and reprieve from their purposed Execution Act. 21.32 And so again when more than forty Blood-hounds waited for his precious life longing like so many Leeches to suck out his heart-blood having bound themselves in a desperate and devellish Oath or banned themselves into an Obligation to make him their Sacrifice his Sisters son certifies the Centurion who carries him away by force out of their hands upon the young mans information so that though in very great danger of his life he escaped safe Act. 23.20 It 's storied of Austin when at a certain time the Donatists had conspired to butcher him in his journey home Gods Providence directs him a contrary way and he who once in a Sermon by the loss of his matter won a Soul now in his travail by going out of his way saved his life The People of God many times when under fears of surprizal or treading upon the very brink and precipice of danger in the way of their duty have been snatcht out of the mouth of the Lion and when even turning to destruction have been remanded back with a Return ye children of men Fourthly By diverting evil men in their furious executions As no plot of darkness so deep but God gives his people some light of it even when the train be laid and there wants nothing but Give Fire So no resolution so firm or fixed but he can put a stop to it God can cut off even the Spirit of Lions and make the heart of an Egyptian tremble at the shaking of a leaf dispirit and discourage wicked men in their
Though their bones be scattered as at the graves mouth yet will he overthrow their Judges in stony places Psal 141.6 If they drink of the Cup which comparatively are not worthy they shall not escape unpunisht but shall certainly drink the dreggs thereof Jer. 49.12 When he hath performed his whole work on Mount Sion he will then punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria Isa 10.12 Judgement begins indeed at his house and Sanctuary but Jerusalem does but hand the Cup to the Nations and when God hath used the wicked as Rods to lash his people having done with them he throws them into the fire Babylon is dealt with as she dealt with Israel Jer. 51.6 49. And so Amalek Deut. 25. ult God will be an enemy to the enemies of his people and set himself against them who are so mad in running upon their own ruine as to set themselves against his chosen None ever fought against Gods interest and prospered but was in the event worsted and forced to confess he kickt against the pricks The house of David in fine overcomes that of Saul and though their horns be lifted up never so high he who is the horn of his peoples salvation will cut off the horn of the wicked or by his Carpenters fray them away Zech. 1.21 And when once they come under the hammer of his Justice they must expect judgement without mercy who would shew no mercy The Psalmist does most elegantly express both the sudden alteration of providence to Gods people and to their enemies Psal 138.7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble thou wilt revive me as the Son of man did the children in the furnace thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies and thy right hand shall save me An allusion to Moses stretching his hand over the Sea whereby the waters came upon the Egyptians and drowned their Chariots and horse-men God hath an out-stretched Arm able to reach those who are â—ut of the reach of his people and they that â—ome not within the compass of humane-Justice â—et cannot escape divine Vengeance And so â—uch for the third particular Fourthly Here is an help against the stroke of â—ommon judgements and publick calamities so â— to fence then â— from their heads or at least â—â—e evil of them â—hus God helpt Noah to an â—rk to house him in time of the universal deâ—ge Lot to a Zoar to secure him in time of publick conflagration In time of war he keeps â—s servant David from the hurtful sword diâ—ne protection was as a coat of Male to him â— Armour of proof to him to keep him shotâ—ee and untoucht Psal 144.10 In the time of â—â—some Pestilence when his infections Arrows â—e shot forth like lightning they abide under â—s shadow and are covered with his feathers â—s truth is their shield and buckler himself their â—ck and habitation so that though thousands â—ll on the right hand and on the lest yet he â—ands upright no evil befalls him nor no Plague â—nters his dwellings Psal 91. Which promise â—ough it gives not absolute assurance of the event â—nd issue as to temporal preservation yet it offers â—ur incouragement and propounds sure and sole â—rection how to escape the lash of the destroyer one standing on so sure a soot and a fair ground â—f protection in such a day of general calamity â—s Gods people In time of famine he redeems â—hem from death when he is riding on that â—ale horse he enters not their tents as in â—var from the power of the sword Job 5.20 â—n horrible burnings when others both persons and places Cities and Countries are made firebrands of his wrath they are pluckt as brands out of the fire Amos 4.11 In times of great concussion when the world seems quite off his Axletree and removed from its basis and foundation the earth moved from its centre and the hills carried into the midst of the Sea the waters roar and are troubled and the mountains shake with the swelling thereof mens hearts sail them for fear and the powers of Heaven are shaken and great desolations are made in the earth they remain intacti illaesi unshaken and immoved Psal 46. Luk. 21. Etiamsi fractus illabatur orbis impavidum ferient ruinae Now God under the deluge of judgements is an help to his people three manner of waies First By removing them out of the reach of them securing them from their dint and stroke Sometimes he removes their souls to Heaven and lodgeth their bodies in the chambers of the grave He takes his out of a sinful and miserable world before the Judgement commenceth Isa 57.1 Thus he took Josiah up into the chambers of heavenly glory before the storm came on Israels head He baild off the arrest his life time but no sooner is he dead and gone but issues out her writ of remove out of his sight Thus God took away Austin a little before Hippo was sackt and Pareus a little before Heidelburgh was destroyed and Luther according to his own prayer that he might not live to see the Plagues of God coming on an ungodly world before the German troubles brake forth God removes his people by an habeas corpus out of this lower world and then comes down its execution And the greatest storm of outward Judgements hath no further effect on the godly than to drive them to their Fathers house or most boisterous wind of calamity than to blow them home to their desired Haven When God had informed Daniel of such a time of trouble coming on the world as never was since there was a Nation even under the persecution by Antiochus he dismisseth him with his quietus est Cap. 12 13. Go thou thy way till the end be for thou shalt rest and stand in the lot in the end of the daies When Gods peoples race be run their work done and finisht he gives them a dispensation for tarrying any longer in the world or managing their office and duty here below plucks them off the stage and sends them to Heaven to rest from their labours and receive their reward prepared for them and promised to them Sometimes God removes them out of the verge of trouble on earth Isa 26.20 Come my people enter into thy Chambers and shut thy doors round about thee and hide thy self as it were for a little moment till the indignation be overpast God hath chambers of distinguishing providence and of gracious presence whither he lovingly invites his people as one friend does another distant from his own home and overtaken with a storm to come in and shelter himself till it be blown over God hath hiding-places places of retirement and repose for his people under publick out-goings of his Majesty and his wrath and justice against the inhabitants of the earth When the world lies open and naked to the storm of divine vengeance as a man in rain without a covering or in a battel
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
proportion and perpetuity or duration and these are only found to centre in God himself who is God self and all-sufficient the portion of his peoples Souls and God from everlasting to everlasting the Alpha and Omega who hath neither beginning of dayes nor end of life but is the same yesterday to day to mornow and for ever But this is only imply'd Secondly and more particularly with reference to the chief scope and intendment of the Text as the notion of help speaks a relation to the circumstances of an evil time a time of disappointment and affliction observe That the supreme yea sole ground of comfort and confidence in an evil day a day wherein a soul needs â—elp is interest in God O thrice happy is that Soul that in any day especially in a day of trouble and affliction hath God for his Help This was all the Musick of Davids Joy when on the top of the waters of distress and outward disconsolation This was his sole encouragement that spake well to his Soul when all things seemed to look asquint on him and be against him 1 Sam. 30.6 This was the only surviving hope of the Prophet Jeremiah in the day of evil This was the alone remaining prop of the Churches Consolation in times of greatest persecution Mic. 7. and depopulation Hub. 3. This was the ground of her acclamations under all worldly disturbances and commotions The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our resuge Psal 46.7 Now the verity of this point will appear and be made good from a double consideration Both from the Nature of God and also the manner or the peculiar properties of that Help he affords his people First From the Nature of God who is his Peoples Helper Now amongst many other there are four or five things especially considerable in God which bespeak the Saints happiness interested in him in an evil day First The Infiniteness of his Being Isa 40.12 13 14 28 29. All his Attributes are equal because they are all infinite Who hath limited the holy one of Israel or can confine him that is Eternity Canst thou by searching finde out God Job 11.7 Though we may know him to salvation who can know him to perfection Creatures are all finite though never so excelsent but his understanding is infinite His Power Wisdom Justice Holiness Truth and Mercy all carry an infinity with them He is not measurable by the line of humane reason or fathomable by the plummet of any created understanding but still we must cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements and his waies past finding out Rom. 11.33 He can do every thing and no thought can be with-holden from him Job 42.2 Men can do something but God can do all things he is omniscient omnipotent and omnidisponent Now all the wants and straits of the creature are but finite and inter finitum infinitum nulla est proportio there is no proportion between finite afflictions and infinite compassions Secondly The Absoluteness and Independency of his actings He doth whatsoever he pleaseth in Heaven or Earth or all deep places Psal 135.6 He sits on the circle of the Heavens and all the Inhabitants of the earth are but as so many Grashoppers before him All the Inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing and he doth according to his will in the Army of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him what dost thou There is none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolute and independent but God only so miraculous is his providence as he does great things past finding out yea and wonders without number Job 9.10 All second causes depend on him for their being motion and operations and in every strait and exigency that befalls must say as the King to the woman Except the Lord helps we cannot help But though Heaven acts on haec inferiora the first cause on the second it never goes to the second while that ever goes to the first The spring depends not on the stream though that depends on the fountain All created beings depend upon God though he depends on no created perfections but for through and to him are all things His own arm when that of the creaturesis quite withered can work salvation to him and his righteousness sustain him Thirdly The Immutability of his purpose and promises He works all things according to the counsel of 〈◊〉 â—wn will And his decrees issue forth as between mountains of brass Zach. 6.1 His counsel shall stand and he will do all his pleasure Isa 46.10 If he decrees who can disannul he cannot lie or repent but will perform all he hath spoken his whole word to his Servants Fourthly The Tenderness of his bowels He hath not only a fulness and riches of grace but exerciseth a freeness in his operations and while creatures act according to desert he doth all from free grace and hath abundance of compassionsâ— which are never failing to his People He i◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of pities and compassions and they are all the genuine off-spring oâ— uncreated goodness He hath the wisdom of a Father and the bowels of a Mother Isa 41.15 Mercy is his darling which pleaseth him Micaâ— 7.18 The Benjamin of his delight he will not alwaies chide nor be angry for ever As a tendeâ— Shepherd carries his Lambs so does he his People in his bosome his bounty may be seen in his bowels as in an Anatomy Hos 11.8 How shall I give thee up O Ephraim mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together Fifthly The Eternity of his existence He is the eternity of Israel the rock of ages and God of all Generations Creatures are but of yesterday and must shortly say to corruption Thou art our Father and to the worms ye are our Brethren and Sisters but his years have no end and endure throughout all generations He that builds on him shall never be ashamed but have an everlasting foundation In the Lord Jehovah Isa 26.4 is everlasting strength So that put all these together and they must needs speak his People happy in the worst of times whose help is laid on such an infinite immutable independent compassionate and eternal God as their only refuge Secondly It 's demonstrable from the manner of his supply and help And so their happiness in this their interest appears First A facultate from his ability to help he is the Mighty God yea the Almighty Gen. 17 1. An able and self-sufficient yea an Alsufficient God to his people he hath pleonasms of grace and can do abundantly yea superabundantly for his above all they can ask or think Ephes 3.20 He hath not plenitudinem vasis but fontis a fulness of redundancy as well as of abundance Does the soul want pardon he can abundantly pardon grace he
by thy great power and stretched-oâ—â— arm As he hath infinite wisdom and knows alâ— things so infinite power and can do all things â— he is wonderful in counsel and mighty in working And thus we finde the Church shoring up her reeling and sinking spirits with the stud oâ— his infinite boundless and never failing mercy and compassions Lam. 3.21 This I recall to my mind therefore have I hope Saints hope in his mercy Psal 33.18 The Attributes of God are as so many props and pillars to uphold a falling soul as so many shields which he may bear before him to fence off the strokes of evil When they cannot lay hold on a Promise they may yet lay hold upon an Attribute and though they sit in darkness and see no light yet may they stay upon it One shine of an Attribute in its full lustre and glory is able to dispel in a moment all those mists of fear doubt and temptation which have over-spread the souls Heavens and cause them utterly to vanish Secondly The merits of his Son They are also strong pillars of this hope He is that mighty one on whose shoulders God hath laid his peoples help Psal 89.19 All fell and became a ruinous heap in Adam but is repaired by Christ It hath pleased the Father all fulness should dwell in him the spirit without measure treasures of wisdom and knowledge And all the grace and mercy of God runs through the chanel of his blood whether concerning our eternal or temporal condition He is the Saviour of all but especially of them that believe with him we have all things as being entailed upon him all is yours because you are Christs 1 Cor. 3. ult Through the knowledge of him all things are given us which pertain to life and godliness God supplies all our wants according to the riches of his glory in Christ He is represented to us under all possible names of fulness and excellency to assure us that whatsoever we want may be had in him He is called light life treasure yea the Apostle calls his unsearchable riches Ephes 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfathomable wealth It 's reported of the Spanish Embassadour that when he had beheld the Duke of Venice's treasury with great admiration as indeed being the richest in the world yet in the end commends his Masters above it which the auditors wondring at and demanding the reason of he gives this answer This treasure though vast hath a bottom but my Masters hath no bottom alluding to the Isles of Mexico c. This is much more true of Christ he hath bottomless treasures of grace and peace wisdom and holiness joy and comfort life and glory bliss and happiness to give out to his members And considering help in the other notion he is also the most proper and adequate object of our hope For him hath God exalted a Prince and Saviour not only to dispense out the gifts of repentance and forgiveness as Kings do on their inauguration daies but also hath raised him up to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and deliverer of his People from the hands of all their enemies The Redeemer that shall come out of Sion to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. He shall raise the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof Act. 15.16 He is called Gods strength Isa 27.5 His neck saith the Spouse in her description is like the Tower of David builded for an Armoury whereon there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men Cant. 4.4 He is the Saints chief helper the Antesignanus or standard-bearer of the whole Army or as we render it the chiefest of ten thousand under whose conduct himself going in the front before us we may rout Armies of sins fears temptations men and Devils though never so combined or bandied against us Though they compass us about like Bees yet in this name of the Lord may we destroy them He is a security against the wrath of God and against the violence of men also Saith Bernard sweetly ubi tuta firmaque requies nisi in vulneribus salvatoris Every wound of Christ is a City of Refuge to the pursued soul of a Christian The destroying Angel will pass over those who are sprinkled with Christs blood The avenger of blood shall never touch those who are once lodged in this sure Sanctuary and they who have the scarlet thred of his merits tied upon their hearts are certain of delivery from wrath to come and being proximi Jovi are yet procul à fulmine This man saith the Evangelical Prophet of him shall be as an hiding-place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary Land Isa 32.2 A shelter against colder and battering storms and a shadow under burning and scorchsing heats He comes forth saith the other Prophet that is to be Ruler in Israel from among the least of the thousands of Judah whose goings forth have been from of old from everlasting And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in â—he Majesty of the name of the Lord his God And this man shall be thy peace when the assyrian shall come into the Land strength against or comfort under his oppression This was that the Prophet Zachariah comforts the Church with against the Babylonish captivity Zach. 9.9 11 12. Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Sion Behold thy King cometh unto thee And what follows upon his advent As for thee also by the blood of the Covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water and so directs them to turn to him that strong hold as prisoners of hope Never failed that soul of help who made Christ his hope He never will cast out those which come to him and citius clavem ab Hercule none can pluck his sheep out of his hand Thirdly The relations of the Covenant Whom should a child trust to for help but his Father and the innocent for right but the Judge This is that the Prophet pleads all along in times of calamity and trouble Gods Paternity Kingship conjugal relations The Church alwaies goes to him under these relations of a God a Judge a King a Father an Husband all which are moving his bowels of affection she laies her claim to God as hers on all occasions I am thine saith David save me So the Church impleads her interest The Lord is my portion therefore will I hope in him Fourthly The truth and fulness of his Promises What God hath a tongue to speak is ouâ— duty to have an ear to hear and heart too to believe for what he hath spoken with his mouth he will fulfil with his hand 2 Sam. 7.24 25. Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you â— Joshua tells the people cap. 23.14 And so Solomon blessing God before
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
on the Promise the fuller and sweeter shall it be when it comes once to fall into his lap and drop into his mouth The prosperous gales of faith and hope shall send home the ship of his soul richly laden at last to the shore of Heaven where he shall have a full satiety of that happiness of which he had here but a slender repast and be inebriated with those rivers of pleasure that bubble up from the well head of eternity whereof here he had a more imperfect taste and of whose sweetness and sulness he was a longing and languishing expectant To conclude with David with whom we began he shall then behold Gods face in righteousness and be abundantly and eternally satisfied with his likeness And so much for the opening the leases of the Text in its several doctrinal conclusions Now what remains but to come and see and taste the fruit of this happiness in its proper and particular branches of Application And the Text is not a barren and dry Tree but like the Tree of life bearing all manner of fruit yea its leaves good for the healing of souls Though we must but top the outmost branches ipsa anal cia sunt pretiosa the filings of this gold are precious And in the first place by way of Inference we may deduce from the consideration of the promised Truths these three Corolaries First It presents us with the different character and transcendent priviledge of the godly above all the world besides Here 's a discovery First Of their different frame temper and disposition of spirit They have not received the spirit of the world but are men of another spirit they hope in the Lord their God As for the ungodly it is not so they are men without hope either as 't is a mercy or a duty they have no God to hope in neither do they hope in the God they pretend to have They trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their uncertain riches instead of trusting in the alsufficient and ever-living God When they increase and he grows full-handed he sets his heart on them As in a day of fulness he blesseth himself in them instead of the God of Truth rejoycing in the flesh of his own arm and concluding he hath gotten his wealth by his own hand and power so in a day of want and emptiness he placeth all his strength and confidence in them He goes not to God but creatures for his help not to the Lord but to the Physitians if he be sick not to the store-house of divine Promises but to the bag and granary if he be in want not to the great and soveraign Creator but to his fellow-creatures friends relations acquâ—intance when once he comes to be forsaken He leans on his house as the prop of his security As in time of prosperity he offers sacrifice to creature-enjoyments saying These are the gods that have gone before us so in time of affliction he bows down to them and does them homage crying out Arise and save us Is he under trouble of conscience it may be with Cain he goes to his musick his sports and recreations hopâ—ng to dill the obstreperous noise of his own conscience in the croud of outward enjoyments or to smother its clamorous voice in the tumult of his own disordered affections In time of outward perplexity he flies to means instruments and second causes it may be to unlawful and indirect courses as Saul to a Witch and Judas to a rope because there is not a God in Israel he goes to Baalzebub the God of Ekron Ashur he saies shall save us and we will go down to Egypt and ride on horses Like those desperate and distracted wretches Isa 8.19 21. They went to their Arts of Necromancy instead of the Living God to Wizzards Peepers Mutterers and such as had familiar spirits And being hardly bested and hungry fretted themselves and cursed their King and their God and lookt upward When reduced to a state of necessity or distress they grew so impatient that like men in a phrensie or in shipwrack or people starved in a siege or a woman in the sore pangs of her travel they make hideous out-cries and in this forlorn distressed and distracted condition are like people desperate and at their wits ends knowing not whither to run or what to do or what course in the world to take and instead of an holy silence and gracious possession of their souls in patience under the load of their afflictions like a boiling-pot they send forth nothing but scum and filth or a burning mountain evaporate continually the flames of their passion and flashes of their indignation in cursed and direful blasphemies both against God and instruments Heaven and Earth together So desperate a case is every wicked man in in a distressed condition And when death once comes and looks him in the face then either he pleases himself with a false hope and blind presumption which ends in death founded on Gods mercy Christs sufferings common grace outward calling and profession immunity from some gross sins performance of some external duties of the first or second Table or some such like grounds all too rotten and sandy a foundation to build the stress of an immortal soul on for eternity or else he becomes desperate and hopeless This is the genuine temper of every ungodly person But now on the contrary what is the genius of a true Christian He trusts and hopes in God and in God alone God is his song and his salvation Isa 12.2 He trusts in Gods mercy and his heart rejoyceth in his salvation Psal 13.5 In a good day when he receives most from God he attributes and ascribes most nay all to him The hand of our God is upon us for good Thou hast given me power to get wealth Yea when he enjoyes most of God he still depends most on God when he is surrounded with creature-comforts and compassed with outward mercies even on every side Gods Candle shines on his Tabernacle his Mountain made most strong the lines fallen to him in pleasant places he washeth his garments in Wine and his cloaths in the blood of Grapes yet he looks over and above all creatures as insignificant cyphers empty cysterns insufficient supports and comforts to the Rock of Jacob and hope of Israel trusting and confiding in him alone in his utmost weal as well as in his greatest want and woe which is the most high generous and refined act of faith Thus we finde holy David when he had taken a survey of the graspings gripings and hoardings of the factors of this world and of all their heaps and banks he turns from them with an holy scorn or rather zealous indignation in the due ascent of his heart to God and anhelations after him Psal 39.7 And now Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee And so in an evil day a day of adversity when though a child of light