Solomon tells you of the vanity of the creatures but David tells you what he found himself in this world and what he found the Lord unto him in his distresses God was his Rock his Shield his Shepherd his Tower of Defence Psal 33. 1. Psal 18. 2. and in the Text you have his own experience and esteem of himself in the world I am a stranger in the earth hide not c. The Text is an Argumentative petition of Davids not to move God but that the Lord would move towards him in pity and compassion as the beggar when at the bountiful door knows he is Lord of nothing but the Master of the house is Lord of all and therefore he tells his condition I am hungry cold and comfortless naked house and harborless concluding him to be bountiful he tels his condition and therein requesteth pity and compassion Even thus doth David at the bountiful door of the Lords wisdom who giveth and upbraideth not Lord saith David I am not at home but in a Countrey where I want a guide I am far from father or friend in this tabernacle of clay I sojourn up and down as did my fathers I am not onely in my pilgrim-weeeds but in my journey wandring now here now there And whether shall I wander without directions guide me direct me and rule me for I am a traveller and a stranger forlorn without thy conduct and take but knowledge of me and my condition and I know thou wilt grant unto me thy pity and compassion Thus in general but more distinctly observe in the words these two parts 1. Davids confession 2. Davids supplication His confession in these words I am a stranger in the earth And then his supplication in this Hide not thy Commandments from me In the first part consider three things 1. Who is he that thus speaks and that is David a man after Gods own heart a precious Saint and Servant of the Lord. 2. What he is and that is in Office a King by experience a stranger and a pilgrim 3. Where he is and that is in the earth I am a stranger in the earth the word is Baarets By which is meant not onely in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the body but also all that pertaineth to the body yea his Crown and kingdom and his life too in comparison of his home his heaven and happiness And that earth is usually so taken I need say no more but the reciting of these Scriptures Psal 115. 16. and 24. 1. What more is needful in the unfolding of the terms you shall have it in the further prosecution of the Doctrines therein contained These three Truths or Doctrines will fairly be extracted and I suppose obvious unto the meanest capacity that consulteth with the words 1. That the Lords people or Gods Davids Doctr. are strangers in the earth Though they are present in the body yet they are strangers they are not at home they being absent from the Lord And I shall beseech you to feed on it a little in your meditation for I shall presently fasten on it for this present occasion onely give me leave to mention two more Doctrines which I will but onely name and so proceed 2. That Gods children are so far from living without a rule that wanting they beg of the Doctr. Lord for one Hide not thy commandments from me Contrary to some professors practice and contrary to such slanders of some upon Gods children in opinion for the Spirit of God teaches to live in and under rule but not without rule c. 3. That it is a Christians duty if not the creatures of mankinde to extract and Doctr. draw Arguments from their distresses as praying encouragements I do not say from our prosperity but from our misery and distress David doth not say I am a King or Rich and Honorable c. but from his dark and distressed part I am forlorn distrest a stranger Christians consider this in the midst of your afflictions What a mercy is it that you may go to God with them I am sad and pensive husbandless and comfortless and this as a praying encouragement as The Lord to be thy joy thy head and comforter c. And creatures consider this in the midst of all your wickedness and misery the Lord hates to hear you curse and swear but delights to hear thee pray and complain that thou art a sinner and undone without and for want of mercy But intending to speak of these some other opportunity I return unto our present occasion which I shall desire to speak unto from the first Doctrine namely That Gods people are strangers on the Doctr. earth Gera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incola inquilinus That this is a truth clearly and plainly from the Text I suppose none will question but yet take one Scripture as a proof and parallel and that is Psal 39. 12. Hear my prayer O God and give ear unto my cry hold not thy peace at my tears for I am a stranger and a sojourner or as the word signifies a Tenant at will that liveth in such a place where neither father nor friends were born such was David and such was Abraham Isaac and Jacob as were all my fathers So are all the children strangers advena and sojourners out-commers and forraign born for so are all Gods children they are not born of blood though of the blood royal nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God John 1. 13. CHAP. II. Sheweth that Gods people are strangers and how I Shall unfold this Doctrine first by shewing you how and in what regard the Saints are Strangers in the earth and likewise the ground why they are said to be strangers and then make use of it to our present occasion First How are the Saints said to be strangers in this earth are they not livers dwellers and dealers in the earth as well as other of the children of men They are so but yet the Saints are strangers in the earth and that in these three respects 1. In regard of their entertainment and 1. In regard of entertainment acquaintance acquaintance I might make these distinct but for brevities sake in one and at once In these respects the children of God are strangers in the world as the children of Israel were in Egypt so are the Saints now And how was that was it not with hard entertainment with hard usage burthens and bondage was their greatest priviledges For Gods Israel to be under Task-masters so many years was very strange and yet very true Exod. 3. 7. And what more is now unto Gods children the world is still an Egypt unto them it stills strives to keep in bondage it tempts and stricks it entertains with burthens and acquaints with Mark 5. 17. woes We know strangers finde cold entertainment because of non-acquaintance The world
of Israel And surely they must needs derogate that hold forth the Church of Christ to Nations and Parishes And thus much for the third Generall That most mens faith is no better then the faith of Devils The last follows which is That many mens obedience is not so good as the Devils is for he believes and trembles CHAP. VII Stating the other branch of the Doctrine with some cautions THat the Devils do believe the Text is plain and that most mens faith is no better I have explained unto you That which I am now to open and you to own as truth is this That many mens obedience is not so good the Devils believe and tremble Take many men as they are under the power and command of God and draw but forth their conversation and practice and do but compare the imployment submission and obedience of the Devil as he is under power and soveraignty and it will be found that many men fall short of what the devil doth for he doth believe Gods soveraignty and power and tremble at it Before I give you demonstration note the terms in the Thesis or Doctrine by way of caution 1. The terms that I put the proposition into is not all but many not believers but wicked men and amongst wicked men not all of all sorts but such that are incorrigible And how far short or over moral and profane and common professors go we shall anon examine 2. You are to understand that when I say it is not so good I do not mean that the devil hath any good obedience or wicked men properly so called not any good via eminentiae sed via comparativa by way of eminency but by way of comparing their practice to Gods superlative commands 3. By way of caution know that all obedience both of wicked men and of the devils too is not obedience to answer but to avoid not any obedience as willing or chearful but slavish and fearful The Gaderenes and the Devils agree in this in that passage Mark 5. 12 17. they both would avoid and could not endure to be molested onely this is the difference the devils besought they might depart from Christ the Gaderenes they desire Christ would depart from them That men and Devils are within the verge of Gods power precepts it will appear if we but compare Jobs first and second Chapters from whence we may clearly collect that the Devil permissively may tempt and strip not onely the wicked but even Gods own children But yet observe he is like a slave submissive though he desires nothing more then the ruine of Gods Church and people yet he creeps at Gods commands and keeps within the verge of Gods power and greatness Indeed he seeks to devour all and malice is his proper work but if the Lord speaks to the proud waves Thus far may you swell but no further the Devil may touch Jobs goods his cattel and his children but his life he must not and he keeps touch not out of any desire the devil hath to preserve one or any wicked person but would devour all and ruine all And therefore wonder wicked men at Gods goodness in your preservation and your friends cruelty in seeking your ruine and destruction for the devil is our adversary though wicked mens supposed friend and he goeth about continually like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour Who would then be a slave to Satan to whom though we are so willing to obey yet if God did not restrain him he would destroy us and this is all the comfort a wicked man can have in all his sweets of sin that though he please the devil and please himself but displease God yet consider did not thy displeased God restrain thy contented devil he would cut thy throat every moment and who would be a slave unto such a slave or rather who would not fear and serve such a God who daily preserves and also restrains notwithstanding thy daily and such notorious provocations might not the Lord say I will avenge my self of these mine adversaries and wrath take them and devil take them but instead of this he bridles up Satan and instead of wrath he pours down mercy and preservation and why should not kindeness melt us and mercy overcome us The Saints indeed may comfort themselves in this that though Satan desires to winnow them like wheat yet Christ prays and hath promised Luke 21. 18. Not a hair of your head shall perish They may indeed be pull'd off by persecution but lost they cannot be for he hath promised the keeping of them to thy great comfort and that tells thee his care in taking account of them Matth. 10 30. For the prosecution of this more clearly take notice of these three things into which I shall cast the remainder of this discourse 1. I shall proove the Doctrine and explain it 2. I shall give you some aggravation of the Doctrine 3. Some brief application and so conclude CHAP. VII Wherein the Doctrine is explained and obedience compared 'twixt men and Devils 1. FOr the explanation of the Doctrine That many mens obedience is not so good as the Devils is I shall compare the way and practice of man with the way and practice of the devils And let us in the hearing of it or the reading bring forth conscience to judge the difference for to that I shall now and then appeal unto to clear the point in hand Before the judgement seat of God all men appear in two sorts either sheep or goats godly or ungodly good or bad and the reason is because God judgeth like himself absolute judgement and we then shall say That God is righteous in all his ways and just in all his judgements but now amongst our selves as we are in this world and in our present being and practice we may judge three sorts of persons yea amongst them that do profess for Christ you have such mixtures and interminglings as special believers general professors and commonly prophane persons which are in a sort professors also As the Apostle reduces all sins into that Triplicite The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 1 John 2. 16. so every man and woman may be brought into one or other of those three considerations I dare not compare you amongst your selves by name but according to your several obedience I shall compare it both for quantity and quality and wager it to the text in hand and the instance therein mentioned which is the devil for though it be said that all the forementioned several sorts of men do believe so doth the devil and that with trembling The Devil believes and trembles And because you should not think I would be partial I shall instance in the first sort that I mentioned and do you that are either partial or impartial judge 1. I shall call forth the obedience of true believers Believers what say you you have true faith
they had not stept one step further then Satan notwithstanding all their performances because they wanted single and sincere love to Christ And that which is remarkable our Saviour tells them that though they did not do so plainly the Devils drudgery yet they did dig in his Mines row'd in his Galleys wrought at his work His works ye will do As the Devil is most a Devil when he seems to be an Angel of light So all seeming profession without sincere love to Christ is from the Devil and for the Devil Ye are of him his works ye do 2. As morality so hypocrisie that which accompanies common professors in all their performances And what is this more then what the Devils have Take your common professors and what is their temper in all that they pretend for God but like the Laodicean of a lurkwarm temper neither hot nor cold And the Spirit of God proclaims Rev. 3. such not worth a casting out but to be spewed up an expression setting forth Gods loathing of hypocrites as if he should say I abhor such from my heart and will if men continue with deceitful tongues and double hearts throw them out with a vengeance Take heed therefore thou holdest not a lye in thy right hand seem to be for God his Glory Gospel Church and People and yet underhand work for Satan and the destruction of all the truths and Saints of God by thy secret wicked and treacherous dealing The Devil makes as large a profession as the best of hypocrites he professes yea in a sort prays too as Mar. 5. 12. the devil beseeches Christ to depart and without question out of slavish fear was in earnest And herein the Devil surpasses many an hypocrite for the Devils believe their damnation certain and the hypocrite as a hypocrite is as certain but will not believe it The difference between the Devil and an hypocrite is chiefly in this the devil obeys directly against the minde of God but an hypocrite indirectly against the mercy and grace of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord The Devil is a known hater though a great pretender but an hypocrite is a secret hater and a great pretender The Devil is known to be a roaring lyon seeking whom he may devour but an hypocrite is known to be as a Saint but inwardly a ravening woolf a pretended Prophet in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves And coupling these together judge you the difference 3. Let me now compare in the last place such that are commonly prophane for though the scales were even before poysing the belief of common professors with the belief of Devils and that the obedience of either did but answer the profession of either morality and hypocrisie being the weight of most mens Religion yet there is a sort whose obedience is worse then the Devils is and that is such men who though they do profess yet are openly prophane and incorrigibly wicked such that are resolved sinners that remain stubborn and obdurate under all judgements and mercies such a person that turns the grace of God into wantonness and commits all kinde of sin with greediness Such persons as these are not so bad but worse then the Devils are that practice in their profession in such a manner as if they would double damn themselves as the Apostle Peter speaks 2 Pet. 2. 1. such that bring upon themselves swift destruction that pull iniquity as with cart ropes helping forward their own damnation Such obdurate persons are not so obedient as the Devils but are more disobedient And that this may appear mark what the text speaks The Devils tremble but many men are more obdurate they fear not sin judgement or wrath but are insolent and incorrigible under all Although the text for this is very clear yet for further testimony compare that of Mat. 12. 43. with Mat. 23. 15. betwixt these two Scriptures you may make this collection That there are some that are made devilish by the sophistry of hypocrites and some that make themselves more devilish by sweeping and garnishing attiring and priding themselves for Satan make preparation for Satan and both are said to be children of Satan but by their own incorrigibleness and devilish hypocrisie far worse Man is so wicked that he doth more then the Devil doth for he makes his own estate worse then it was And though the Devils instruments are devilish yet others may be said to be made by them twofold more the children of hell then they themselves When God speaks out thunderings the Devil couches he trembles But how often hath many a wicked man been call'd unto from heaven and commanded to come out of the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity but instead of unloosing he chains himself more faster and waxes worse and worse hating to be reformed but making himself more and more deformed by all impiety and wilful wickedness If the Lord speak to Satan to tempt Job as by Satans desire he did permit Job 1. 6. and 2. 2 3 4 5. and yet observe notwithstanding the devil had permission he keeps within his commission and submission he hath liberty to touch all but his life but wicked man as much as in him lies kills life and love and all If Christ say to the unclean spirits Come forth they presently obey as in that of Matth. 8. 31. They besought him The Devils obey and pray But how many wretches are there that will do neither but curse and swear and forswear so that many do outdo the Devil in wickedness but come short of him in obedience How often hath the Drunkard Swearer Proud and Licentious persons heard the call and command of God by his word and works of judgement and mercies but when shall we finde them trembling as the Devil doth but rather worse and worse like the dog they still turn to the vomit The drunkard hears the word but acts in drunkenness the covetous wretch still wallows in his covetousness notwithstanding the often call of the Word which commands our conversations should be in heaven and in earth without covetousness Judge you that have but sense and reason Who is most obedient He that trembles at Gods power and greatness Or he that hears Gods word of truth and mercy but obeys not How often have wicked men heard Gods command saying This is the way walk in it and Observe that which I command you But how often hast thou rebelled and cast Deut. 47. 11. all behind thy back How often have the wicked heard Gods judgment rendred with threatning and vengeance But when didst thou tremble How often have you heard the call of Mercy and the Grace of the Christ of Love but when did thy heart melt and thy eyes shed tears in the consideration of an offended Majesty and a precious Saviour whom your wicked hands and hearts have crucified and slain Of a truth thou art worse more obdurate then Satan for one of these