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
Providences gracious and mercifull Benedictions he hath a right to all spiritual blessings pardon of sin peace of Conscience Joy in the Holy Ghost grace and glory and all temporal mercies too the fatness of the Earth as well as the dews of Heaven the Nether as well as the Upper Springs All is his by right and inheritance and shall be by possession if good for him As a stranger from God is universaily cursed so is one united to him universally blessed He may say God hath dealt graciously with me and I have enough Gen. 33.11 Secondly He is also happy in all Estates and Conditions Nothing amiss can befall and betide a Christian Though never so evil in it self Gods Power and Providence can work it for good Art thou under desertions yet thou art happy His lest hand is under thee and his right hand embraceth thee Thou art graven upon the palms of his hands so as to be no more defaced or obliterated and thy walls are continually before him Hast thou lost thy hold of God he hath still his hold on thee canst thou not cast thy self and roll thy Soul on Christ in the Promise yet when thou comest out of the Wilderness thou mayst lean on the arm of thy beloved Though thy Soul be never so much in the dark thou hast the staffe of Jacob to lean on and needest never fear stumbling especially falling for the Lord also upholds thee by his hand Psal 33.24 Art under Temptations still thou mayst be happy Thy Redeemers Intercession is a shore of thy Faith and pillar of thy Perseverance Luk. 22.32 Though weak in thy self with the Conies thou mayst fly to the Rocks When pursued by that mighty Nimrod and hunter of Souls and furiously chased by the avenging Executioner of Divine wrath haste into the arms and bosom of thy Saviour which stand extended on the Cross and are now wide open to receive thee When these proud waters overwhelm thee swim to that impregnable Rock of his Merits which is higher than thou and then thou mayst like a man gotten on the top of a rock in the midst of the Sea outbraving with an invincible courage and undaunted resolution all the waves and billows about him dare Satan to do his worst against thee Though the Beast makes warre against thee being a follower of the Lamb God is on thy side and stands by thee in the combat this Dragon shall not swallow thee up the Lord will rebuke him yea tread him under thy feet shortly Though thy own heart be a Traitor thy God is thy Keeper Art thou engaged with strong and violent corruptions do these Masters of misrule bid controll to Gods grace in thee and is the battell so sharp as sometimes the flesh seems to overcome the Spirit thy pride passion unbelief earthly-mindedness are too hard for thee be not discouraged Though thou beest foiled thou shalt not be overcome sin shall not have dominion over thee though it may tyrannize against thee but those thine enemies that will not bow before the Scepter of Christs Soveraignty shall be slain before his face and very shortly those Egyptians thou seest to day thou shalt see no more for ever Art thou exposed to wants and exigencies The Lord is thy Shepherd and he will supply thee as to thy spiritual and also thy temporal condition Dost thou want the presence of Divine Ordinances are all these Conduits stopt and windows shut God will himself be a Tabernacle to thee he will prepare a Table for thee in the Wilderness spread with all the delicious sweet-meats of grace and comfort and the Sun of Righteousness shall arise on thee with healing in his wings Dost thou want Creature-comforts The Earth is the Lords Granary and the fullness thereof and the Sea thy Fathers Fish-pond and therefore thou shalt have what either can afford thee Art thou sequestred of all that is dear and precious in thine eyes Thou hast yet a Deus providebit to live on a Promise to bear thee up that God will never forsake thee all things shall be added to thee Qui majora curat non minora negliget The Accessory follows the Principal There is no Promise indeed of adding Spirituals upon our seeking Temporals but there is of adding the things of Earth if we seek the Kingdom of Heaven Thou shalt have food and raiment in the way wherein thou art to goe enough though not too much according to Gods will though it may be not thine own bread for thy body though not for thy lusts to satisfie thee though not surfeit content though not cloy thee God will give thee the World as a blessing though not lade thee with this thick clay as a burden As thou hast the sure Mercies of David whereof none can deprive thee so thou shalt have all external accommodations or at least a proportion between thy Heart and Condition wherein the only comfort of life consisteth Art thou compassed about with fears and dangers of enemies or evils imminent or impendent Let not thine heart be troubled for Mercy compasses thee about on every side As Elisha told his servant 2 King 6.16 There are more with thee than are against thee Thou hast a guard of Angels round about thee yea Christ himself for thy Protector And Fortior est Christus caput Ecclesiae ad protegendum quam Diabolus hostis Ecclesiae ad oppugnandum Cyprian This may be a bottom of confidence and sufficient ground and encouragement to the People of God in the darkest and gloomiest day the most evil and discouraging time and serve to allay and antidote all their fears and misgivings of heart that they have an infinite and everlasting God for their help and have everlasting strength wisdom faithfulness mercy and compassion engaged for them Men count it an happiness to have a Cottage of their own to hide their heads in God is his Peoples shelter Sanctuary and hiding-place under all their scatterings and dispersions oppressions and oppositions they meet with in the World The Lord knows how to deliver the Godly out of all their temptations The Apostle brings it down to an experience He delivered Lot and he knows how to deliver us It 's all one to have no storm or to have an hiding-place Under all private injuries and oppressions we may trust in God who is a present help and go to him with the Prophet Jeremiah's words in our mouths when the men of Anathoth sought his life Jer. 11.20 To thee O Lord do I reveal my cause and be confident as he was cap. 20.11 of deliverance or as Hezekiah when Rabshaketh opened his mouth so wide against Heaven he went and spread the Letter before the Lord. Though a man meets with nothing but incivilities unkindnesses discouragements disappointments reproaches persecutions and violences from men yet there is enough in one God to counter-ballance all God will work all mischiefs about for good and as for Enemies in the Name of the Lord we may go
of Omnipotency but Christs left hand being under him and his right hand embracing him his Motto may be with the Palm-tree's Depressa resurgo The experience of divine help makes David triumphantly out-brave all the sad apprehensions of guilt Psal 49.5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil when the iniquity of my heels shall compasse me about Though hemm'd in by his sins never so close he is able by Faith to hang out to them a Flag of defiance The Papists tell us of their St. Anthony That lying on his death-bed Satan came to him and charged upon him all the sins that ever he had committed but presently appears an Angel at his bed-side and tells the Devil he reckoned without his Host for omnia haec deleta sunt sanguine Christi that all these were blotted out by the blood of Christ and so he vanisht immediately Though this might be a Fiction taken out of their golden Legend to deceive their Proselytes I am sure it 's true as to the Saints and People of God Fuso sanguine sine culpa omnium culparum chirographa sunt deâ—eta Aust Christs blood hath washt them from the guilt of all their sins and therefore they may without spot appear before the throne of God with boldness Which makes holy Paul cant out his Doxology Rom. 7.25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No one condemnation to them in Christ Yea to sing forth a divine Ennikion or Carmen Victoriale and bid a challenge to all the enemies of his salvation Rom. 8.33 1 Cor. 15.56 Secondly He helps under weights of Duty and Service It was Gods Promise to Joshua when he called him out to difficult service Josh 1.5 I will be with thee and never fail nor forsake thee And to Moses when he set him upon the dangerous employment of an Embassie to Pharaoh that he would certainly be with him and be a mouth to him Exod. 3.12 cap. 4.12 God gives forth strange assistances for extraordinary performances Gods people know not their strength till they have tried it cannot tell what they can do till they come to do it For Callings and Employments which they never thought themselves able to manage he gives another manner of spirit a double portion of his Spirit when he sets men over a Congregation he pours out the gifts and graces of his Spirit on them so as that holy Oyl runs down from their heads to the skirts of their Garments He makes helpers in Government and gives gifts to men that though they have no sufficiency of themselves yet through grace they become able Ministers and Stewards of his mysteries Such is divine goodness as he never calls any man to service but he furnishes him with gifts and Enablements necessary thereunto Yea in ordinary services he comes in as their Assistant In Prayer the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.26 helps our infirmities as to the matter manner and ends of it The word is very emphatical and denotes a lifting at the other end of a burden so that what one cannot raise two easily lift together What the Soul cannot do when never so much raised by the power of Nature it can easily do being alleviated and elevated too by the assistances of Grace Though without union with Christ it could do nothing yet receiving vertue and influence from him it can do all things Hodiè Bernardum Herì Christum I am able saith the Apostle to do all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philip. 4.12 This made Paul ready pressed to service that he beggs to become Gods Journey-man Act. 9.4 Lord what wilt thou have me to do God gives not only the posse but the velle too works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Gratias ago tibi Clementissime Domine quod nihil à me requisivisti quod mihi non prius donasti saith Cyprian What his will commandeth his grace bestoweth Thirdly Under the pressure of sufferings whether spiritual or temporal for God or from God personal domestical or publick God helps his under the burden of all And that either visibly or secretly and invisibly First More openly and visibly and that two wayes First Alleviando by mitigating and moderating of them He gives them at least a little help as he promiseth the sufferers under Antiochus's persecution Dan. 11.34 grants them some deliverance as he assures Judah against Shishak 2 Chron. 12.6 He gives them a Nail in his Tabernacle and a little reviving some short breathing times Lucida intervalla Ezra 9.8 Silence for half an hour Revel 8.1 He corrects them but in measure though he leaves them not altogether unpunisht Jerem. 44. ult He smites them not as he do's his enemies them that smote him Isa 27.7 He lays on his little finger but not his loyns he chastens with rods whips not with Scorpions and those too the rods of men of an old man in the original who cannot strike any considerable stroak He remembers his Peoples frame and considers that they are but dust and will not contend for ever lest the Spirit should fail before him which he hath made He stayes his rough winde in the day of his East winde He regards not what we deserve but what we can endure and never so beholds us Sinners as to forget us Creatures or deals with us according to the greatness of his Power or exactness and severity of his Justice but with abundant mixtures of Mercy and Love In the midst of Wrath he remembers Mercy and never lets out all the Vials of his indignation and though he forsakes for a moment with great kindness will he gather Isa 54.8 Secondly Liberando by Redeeming his Israel out of all their troubles Many are the troubles of his Righteous but the Lord delivers out of them all He is with them in six troubles and in seven no evil toucheth them Job 5.17 and though their troubles be full and perfect so shall be their deliverances If he preserves them not from trouble he will save them in it and deliver them by it yea out of it He that hath delivered doth deliver and will deliver saith the Apostle Satan or the World are not so ready to afflict as he is to redeem or comfort He delivers Joseph out of the Prison Jeremiah out of the Dungeon Daniel out of the Lions Den the Three Children out of the Fire Peter out of the Goal He delivers his from reproach clearing up their innocency as the Sun at Noon-day from want and beggery by raising them up Families like a Flock He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth up the Beggar from the dunghill to set them among Princes 1 Sam. 2.8 He delivers them from sickness by recovery of them from the bed of their languishing delivers them from oppression by subduing at their foot the Sons of Violence and giving them to tread on the necks of their adversaries No temptation befalls
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
he walks in darkness God follows him with breach upon breach all his waves compass him and his billows go over his soul while his arrows stick fast in his flesh and his hand presseth him very sore while he sows sackcloth on his skin and defiles his horn in the dust When all the songs of Sion are at an end and he hath none but the sad and mournful ditties left him of lamentation and woe the joy of his heart is ceased and he weeps sore in the night and hath none to comfort him all his mercies yea and his hopes are gone too and perished from the Lord and for peace he hath great bitterness yet then he mounts up as on Eagles wings by fiducial acts to Heaven and saith Lord though I know not what to do yet mine eyes are towards thee He still remembers the years of the right hand of the most High He may meet with distress but never fall into distraction perplexity but not passion or perturbations Though he be troubled on every side yet he is not distressed though perplexed yet not in despair though persecuted yet not forsaken though cast down yet not destroyed as the Apostle triumphs 2 Cor. 4.8 He may be at his wits end but never at his faiths end Though his faith wants wings to flie yet it hath a foot to go or at least a knee to creep He yet dwells in the secret of the most High though he hath no corner to lay his head in here below he casts his burden upon the Lord when he findes his own shoulders too weak to bear under it and commits his way to him to bring it for him to pass when so dark and intricate as he cannot finde the least path out of it He casts his care on him who taketh care for him That 's the first Secondly And as this gives us an account of the different temper so likewise of the different happiness of the Saints above all the world besides He not only hopes in the Lord but hath the God of Jacob for his help While we stand on the turret of this comfortable doctrine and take a Pisgah-view of the godly's felicity we may cry out of them as Baalam standing upon Mount Peor once did of Israel How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel O thrice happy and unspeakably blessed souls that have this interest in God Happy are they indeed who are in such a case There are four choice priviledges which flow from the souls interest in God each whereof is an Herauld to proclaim to all the world his felicity First holy peace and serenity tranquillity acquiescence and satisfaction I will lay me down in peace and sleep because thou O Lord only keepest me in safety There may be trouble and turmoil abroad but alwaies peace at home storms without but a calm within The peace of God is the Christians Life-guard In the world they may have tribulation but in him they have peace John 16. ult Secondly A grounded certainty as to enjoyments for God never disappoints them who trust in him The mercies he gives his People though slow in coming are sure mercies The sure mercies of David The Covenant he hath made is everlasting and sure The promise both of Spirituals and Temporals being of Faith is sure to the seed Rom. 4.16 It was part of Moses blessing Deut. 33.28 Israel shall dwell in safety alone the fountain of Jacob shall be on a Land of Corn and Wine also his Heavens shall drop down dew Thirdly An undoubted security As certainty of mercies so security from evils and mischiefs is their portion They are secure from Treachery at home for no fear of Apostacy to him who hath God as his Help He shall overcome and be made a Pillar in the House of his God Revel 3.12 And secure from Foreign Violence For if God be on his side who dare engage on the contrary He may sing with David in that heavenly Canticle of his The Lord is my light and salvation whom shall I fear I will not fear what man can do unto me No not of ten thousand which have round beset me God is a sure defence to his people Benjamin the beloved of the Lord shall dwell between his shoulders Deut. 33.12 The Enemy may thrust sore at him as a man against an House side but the Lord helps him Psal 118.13 Gods protection is a Pillar to shore him up under every blast of the adversary to overturn him A Saint being inchanted as I may so speak with the Name of the God of Jacob is shot-free secure from gun-shot out of the reach of all dangers enemies evils and afflictions whatever Fourthly Supply or sufficiency Prov. 28.5 He that trusteth in the Lord shall be made fat He that hath God hath all in him engaged for his good Son I am thine and all I have is thine saith God to his Children What power wisdom mercy or any other excellency is in God is active for his peoples good yea all Creatures in Heaven and Earth are at their command and service And we may well close this Use with that of Bernard Si Deus tam bonus quaerentilus quam lonus fruentibus If God be so good to them that â—ow seek him what is he to them that finde him It so sweet to Hope what to Fruition This consideration should make us cry out with Austin Fecisti nos Domine ad te non requietum est câ—râ—n strum donec requiescat in te Lord Thou hast made us for thy self and our hearts can never rest till we come to rest in the full enjoyment of thee Now because this Happiness of the Saints stands in conâ—radisâ—â—ction or rather in contradiction to the infelicity of sinners As the doctrin puts a cup of Consolation into the hand of the godly so of Trembling into the hands of the wicked bespeaks by way of terror and convinceth of the sad misery and grand unhappiness of all that want and are strangers to an Interest in God In a good day they have no ground of comfort and in an evil no assurance of help That 's the second practical Inference It they be happy who have this title to God and blessed certainly they must needs be cursed and miserable that are without it unless they had any thing equivalent with it which is impossible O sad and dreadful condition to be at once both hopeless and helpless This is the utmost aggravation of unhappiness the desperate condition of the Devils and damned in Hell Such as are without God are without hope yea without both hope and help And should a man speak a thousand words he could not more fully express the dismal complexion of any state than is done in this one To be hopeless The wicked have no Heaven hereafter no hope here An ungodly man may run and read his condition in the glass of this point who hath no God to go to he hath not the
we joyned to him by the same spirit does he dwell in our hearts by faith is he in us and we in him and abides in us as the hope of our glory our interest in him is a sure and infallible evidence of our interest in the Father He is the only Jacobs ladder whereby we can climb up to communion with the God of Jacob. His foot is on Earth but his top in Heaven The second is our covenant obligation to him I entred into a covenant with thee saith God and thou becamest mine Ezek. 16.8 Isa 55.3 There is a mutual covenant between God and his People as he hath engaged for their salvation so have they for his service O Lord I am thy Servant quoth David and so the Church Micah 4.5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his God and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever She gives up her self to God not only in a way of single considence but resolute obedience The relations are mutual between God and his People he becomes theirs and they his They are betrothed in the marriage-covenant to him in judgement righteousness tender mercies and faithfulness and they know the Lord. Art thou then O soul brought into covenant with God hast thou broken off that accursed league with sin and Satan by righteousness and engaged thy soul solemnly to become a faithful servant to him as thy only Liege-Lord and no other Art thou resolved to fear love and serve him in holiness and righteousness all the daies of thy life and to glorifie him in thy soul body and spirit which are his Thy engagement for his glory is an hopeful sign of his engagement for thy good Thirdly Intimate acquaintance and indeared communion with him Abraham had great interest in God and as great acquaintance with him We may see in Sodoms case how boldly he goes to him Friendship with God breeds an holy familiarity So Moses had a large share in Gods favour and God spake to him face to face and he talked with him again as a man with his familiar friend There are sweet communications of counsel between God and a gracious soul Our fellowship is with the Father 1 Joh. 1.3 David was a man after Gods own heart and had intimate acquaintance with God went to him by faith and prayer on all occasions It 's good for me saith he to draw near to God and one daies communion with him is worth a thousand It was said of Charls the great he conversed more with God than men As all communion is founded in union so true union discovers it self by flowing forth in acts of communion Now Christian what communion maintains thy soul with God in prayer private secret in meditation in publick Ordinances Is it thy meat and drink thy joy and rejoycing to work righteousness and meet him in his waies Thou canst have no interest in God if thou livest without him in the world nor canst call him Father truly if thou hast not or dost not know him Fourthly Sympathy and fellowship with him Gods interest and the souls are not two but one they are like two Turtles if one dies the other never lives comfortably after but sorrowing for the loss of her Mate God is sensible of and well-pleased with all the good done to his People his language is Inasmuch as ye have done it to these ye have done it to me And his people are affected with and rejoyce in all the glory is brought to him and had rather lose their comfort than their God should lose his honour They desire he alone should be magnified and are willing to be made stirrups for him to rise by though it be by their utter downfall And as they are satisfied in each others good so sensible of each others evil God sympathizeth with his Peoples sufferings In all their afflictions he is afflicted And they with his affronts and injuries The interest of God lies nearer their hearts than any thing else in the world They count not their own lives dear so they may but save his honour and so he be magnified though they be reproached impoverished imprisoned bamshed pâ—rsecuted they think themselves well apaid What sympathy hast thou with Gods cause and interest dost thou account the glory brought to him as good done to thee and take the injuries he suffers as offered to thy self Canst thou wish thy self a shield to sence off those dishonours which are cast on the face of thy Lord and Master Art thou meek as a Lamb in thy own cause but fierce as a Lion in Gods zealous for the Lord God of Israel how art thou affected when thou hearest his holy Name torn by the black mouths of the wicked and their tongues set on fire from Hell when thou seest his Creatures abused his Ordinances prophaned his People trampled under foot his Truth despised his Attributes blasphemed his Sabbaths unhallowed his Worship polluted If thou beest in the relation of a Son thou wilt not endure to see one spit on thy Fathers face or an ingenuous Servant wilt not bear thy Masters wrong behind his back Fifthly Suitable affections Where there is interest in God all the affections of the soul have their out-goings after him Thou hast First An high esteem and valuation of him Whom have I in Heaven but thee Interest raiseth estimation The Father esteems his Child and the Husband his Wife and so vice versà above all other though they be deformed and others beautiful they weak and others healthful they rich and others poor they ignorant and others learned and knowing because of their propriety in them A Saint values God above all the world above all things visible or invisible counts all loss dross and dung in comparison of him He alone is to him the Pearl of true price Gods People are precious to him above all others and so is he to them likewise They will part with all for him preferring him before all and venture all rather than lose their hold of him or sacrifice their interest in him omnia levia preterquam quod tui carendum How stands their esteem poised Secondly Thou hast an ardent and affectionate love towards him I will love the Lord my strength saith holy David Psal 18.1 Self-interest makes a man love his own Whom believing we love The applications of faith are alwaies seconded with the imbraces of love He that hath God for his God hath had experience of his love in Christ some tastes of his love shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost and he cannot but love him by whom he was first loved This love constrains him Amor meus Pondus meum Does mercy love misery and shall not misery love mercy beauty affect deformity and shall not deformity re-affect beauty glory shine on dust and they not reflect on glory Nimis durus animus qui etsi amorem non vult impendere tamen non vult rependere Bernard
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
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
Propugnaculum Pietatis THE SAINTS EBENEZER AND Pillar of HOPE in GOD when they have none left in the Creature OR THE Godly Mans Crutch or Staffe in Times Of Sadning Disappointments Sinking Discouragements Shaking Desolations Wherein is largely shewed The Transcendent Excellency of GOD His Peoples HELP and HOPE WITH The Unparallel'd Happiness of the SAINTS in their Confidence in Him overballancing the Worldlings Carnal Dependance both as to Sweetness and Safety Pourtray'd in a Discourse on Psal 146.5 By F. English The Righteous shall never be removed Prov. 10.30 But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30.6 Quis ei metus est cui Deus Tutor est Non labefactat mentem humanÌ„a molestatio quam corroborat divina protectio Cypr. LONDON Printed 1667. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Reader THE vanity and emptiness of the Creature and the excellency and sufficiency of God the great and eternal Creatour are like two Chrystal Glasses which set one against the other give mutual light and illustration And our knowledge of God being more by negation than comprehension in this life the worlds blackness cannot but become a foil to set off his beauty with the more shining splendour and orient lustre These two first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ God ordinarily instills in our first conversion and convinceth us of with such light and evidence as they carry a remarkable accent with them and should leave upon us a more powerful and permanent tincture and impression Yet notwithstanding such is our dulness and stupidity in conning these our primary and principal lessons as we almost forget them as soon as we have learnt them For though at our first acquaintance and communion with God before our heads and hands come to be engaged in the world we are carried out with a vigorous prosecution of the one and led into an holy contempt and undervaluing of the base spoils of the other yet when once we and it come to grow familiars the interest of Heaven and Religion must vail and bow the knee to this our beloved darling and favourite How many set out forward and zealous Professors in the waies of godliness as if they had fully meant to have taken the Kingdom of Heaven by violence whose zeal and blessedness is now not to be found but of ring-leaders are proved renâ—gado's and of first become last They began to run well until stooping to take up the golden Apples in their way they stopt in their Christian race and acted their parts on the stage of prosession like Princes till the Nuts of worldly pleasure and gain being thrown by hand-fulls before them they discovered themselves no better than Apes By venturing to nibble at Satans pleasurable bait we are often catched with his deadly and destroying hook and by overmuch incumbring our selves with the world we become the best of us like Anselms bird which had a stone tied to her leg and pulled her down to earth as fast as she attempted an ascent to Heaven This heavy weight so besets us as we cannot run with patience the race set before us So that besides our initiation and first indoctrinating in the things that are excellent God is forced ever and anon to become our Monitor and catechize us anew at the school of the Cross in his wilderness speaking to our heart and by his word and works rubbing up our memories afresh with the meditations of what we first imbibed though now have lost the scent and savour of And it 's no other than free grace and infinite mercy in our heavenly Father to recall his extravagant Prodigals who will change their Fathers bread for the worlds husks and thus go out of Gods blessing into the warm Sun Would we indeed make use of the spectacles of the word we might plainly read the inscription of vanity yea vanity of vanities written on the forehead of all creatures and though never so short-sighted see an end of all created perfection But alas commonly we look at the wrong end of the prospective or look on the world in a multiplying-glass which represents it to our fancy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some great matter and on the great God in an extenuating which makes him appear little in our vain imaginations and so we entertain debasing thoughts of that eternal verity while we have high conceptions of these low and sublunary vanities And seeing these ear-remembrances suffice not for our conviction it 's but necessary and requisite God should finde out some other way of instruction for us wherein both our ear and eye should receive an impression And that they who would not learn by the teachings of the Word should have the voice of the Rod cry to them which though less articulate may yet become more significative And hath not God been a long time teaching us by his Providence as Abimelech did once the men of Succoth by briars and thorns and reading us a large lecture of the uncertainty of all created beings and comforts Hath he not with fire and sword been pleading with all flesh by the sore and dreadful calamity of the pestilence been ushering us into discipline Hath he not in his greatest severity overthrown some of us as he did Sodom and Gomâ—rrah by a most deplorable and lamentable fire in whose ashes is buried all our glory and hope and the blisters whereof will rise in our faces when it's flames are both extinguisht and forgotten The very mention whereof can be no other than a fire in our bones and whoever hath the spirit of a Christian cannot but by sympathy suffer and be offended at such a burning What English mans heart so stony as not to bleed within him or can his eyes contain from tears either to have heard or seen the metropolis of our Nation the royal and magnificent City of the Kingdom once the wonder of the world and even mirrour of all Christendom so beautiful for scituation numerous in people famous for riches strength beauty and honour levelled with the dust so as one stone 's not left on another and become a burning pile an heap of rubbish a place of desolation even in a moment Quis talia fando temperet à lachrymis What ear was ever auditor of so awk and direful a knell as then alarum'd its Inhabitants What eye ever spectator of so dreadful and doleful a tragedy as was then acted on that noble theatre Who ever saw so devouring a fire or heard of such a dismal flame so sudden violent universal irresistible and to be feared irrepairable Surely what terrour and affrightment what amuse and amazement what horrour and even consternation of spirit this rueful spectacle seized the spirits of its beholders withall is impossible to divine and imagine Poor souls me-thinks I saw at a distance your pale faces trembling joynts weakned hands dedolent hearts who were in this so fatal a blow most nearly concerned methinks I hear you crying out to your friends and neighbours
deliverance 152 Application Inference Wherein The different character of the Godly from the Worldling and Hypocrite 155 His different priviledge 160 Wherein His advantage above them As to Peace and serenity ibid. Certainty and security 161 Supply and sufficiency ibid. The infelicity or cursed because desperate estate of the wicked 162 Both in the day of 1. Prosperity ibid. 2. Affliction 163 As to self and also creature-confidence 164 3. Death 165 The transcendent excellency of God above all created perfections in making the soul happy 169 The folly and danger of all oppositions against Gods People 171. and compliance with their enemies and oppressors 172 Examination Wherein Signs more general of our interest in God 174 Union with him in and through Christ 175 Covenant-obligation to him ibid. Acquaintance and communion 176 Sympathy and fellow-feeling 177 Suitable affections to him 178 Of high esteem ibid. Ardent Love 179 Earnest desire 180 Sweet delight 181 Firm resolution 182 Vehement endeavour and pursuit after him 183 Signs more special 184 1. Of making him our help ibid. Two Rejection of all creature-confidence ib. Exercise of sole and constant dependance ibid. 2. Of having him our Hope Wherein the Godly mans hope 185 Contradistinguisht from the Hypocrites as being 1. Grounded 186 2. Effectual 187 Wherein a sixfold discriminating vertue ibid. Purifying from sin ibid. Quickning to duty 188 Staying under temptations 189 Pacifying under delays 190 Raising above worldly expectations 191 Fortifying and confirming against all opposition 192 3. Stedfast and permanent 193 Reproof to Gods people who as if there were not a God in Israel go to Baalzebub the God of Ekron 194 Wherein shewed The greatness of the sin 195 Danger of the punishment ibid. â—isappointment of our hopes 196 â—mpair of our mercies 197 â—o feiture of divine protection 198 Comfort The godly man the only blessed man 200 Blessed In all his relations wherein concerned ibid. In all conditions whereinto cast 201 Of spiritual trouble under Desertions 202 Temptations ib. Corruptions ib. Outward under Wants and Exigencies 203 Fears and dangers 205 Losses crosses and disappointments ibid. Unkindnesses or oppositions ibid. Afflictions death it self 206 Excitation 1. To Christians to walk worthy divine help and influx 207 In the duties of 1. Thankfulness 208 2. Access to him 210 Wherein 1. The special seasons of address in A calm 216 A storm 217 Particularly under Pursuits of divine wrath ibid. Oppressions of Satans or humane violence ibid. Creature-disappointments 218 Unusual and extraordinary services ibid. Falls into sore distress ibid. Dying apprehensions 219 2. The manner how to make our addresses 220 By Soul-abasement and humiliation ibid. Renunciation of humane help 221 Prayer and supplication ibid. Faith and believing 223 Resolutions of return ibid. 3. Satisfaction and acquiescence in him 224 4. Return towards him 226 By improving help received In endeavours to advance Gods glory ibid. In communications to our Brethren 227 In their Soul necessities ibid. Bodily necessities 229 5. Confidence under tryals 230 Wherein 1. Objections answered arising 1. From our own unworthiness of divine help and influence 232 2. From our long disappointment ibid. God helps not alwaies Perfectly 233 Visibly 234 Presently 235 3. From the sadness of our state 238 2. Two Questions answered 241 On what terms divine help may be expected under the immediate visitations of Gods own hand ibid. On five conditions 1. A religious severity consisting In an immunity from the sins of the times ibid. An accurate walking before God ibid. 2. A fiducial and firm recumbency 243 3. A praying importunity 244 4. An exact integrity ibid. 5. A resolved singularity 245 At what special times may help be lookt for under the violences and persecutions of humane wrath 247 When Gods Cause and the whole interest of Religion hes at stake ibid. When a cloud of reproach is cast upon his peoples innocency 248 When all humane help disappears and fails ibid. When the enemies blaspheme Gods Name and insult over his people 249 When their spirits begin to sink and fail 250 Especially when truly humbled by their afflictions they seek him by faith and prayer ibid. 6. Adherence and cleaving to God alwaies with full purpose of heart 251 2. To sinners Direction Where to look for help out of their lapsed state 253 Exhortation To get an interest in God ibid. Motives Means An humble sense of their hopeless and helpless condition by nature 255 Flying to Gods mercy in Christ ibid. Engaging into and keeping covenant with him for ever 256 ERRATA PAge 1. line 11. for greedy read ravisht page 44. line 25. read ruining page 132. line 25. for no read not In the Title over the head of the Pages for Godly read Godlies THE GODLY PILLAR OF HELP PSALM 146.5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help whose hope is in the Lord his God HAppiness is a blessed word bigg-bellied with comfort and full fraught with satisfaction as full of sweetness as the Breast of Milk the Cane of Sugar or Comb of Honey as grateful and refreshing to the reasonable soul of man and much more the awakened and enlightened conscience of a Christian as the fountain is with its water to the thirsty Traveller or the Sun with its light to the greedy beholder Felicity is the grand attractive of every appetite and the common loadstone of all the desires of the Sons of men Its generale votum universalis supplicatio the unanimous vote and universal request of all mankind Who will shew us any good is language naturally spoken and almost worn thread-bare by the mouths of all men Psal 4.6 Whatsoever other difference runs in the current of humane opinions their affections herein are all tuned unisons and their musick is in consort As conformity to God in holiness is the most perfect intendment so in happiness is the most desirable attainment of men and Angels Who is it that would not be happy or though they affect no good in them desire not good to them Though few but disdain holiness in the way all design happiness in the end Even the Heathens themselves affected as well as conceived a Fools Paradise a Phanatick Elysium of bliss and happiness as well as Christians a real They entertained multiplied opinions about happiness some placing it in gifts of nature others of fortune by them so called a third sort of mind Some in pleasure some in profits and honours others in learning and natural or acquired endowments all in some external good and outward satisfaction They brake the shell and we gat the kernel they ran away with the notion and bare speculation we are blessed with its actual fruition For having otherwise learned Christ we know and believe This to be eternal life only to know God in Jesus Christ and that true happiness is bound up in God alone the first cause and last and utmost end the highest and chiefest good so tunes that heavenly Chorister Psal 73.25 after
sets down this infallible maxim draws up this most comfortable conclusion for faith to â—ive and feed upon here in the words Happy is â—he that hath the God of Jacob for his help c. In which words are observable two general parts First A general and indefinite Proposition of comfort Happy is he that hath Jacob's God for his help whoever he be he is really blessed Secondly A more particular Exposition and Illustration or if you will a tacite imposition of duty whose hope is in the Lord his God In the former the comfortable Proposition we have something implyed and something expressed Two things are supposed and being coucht in the bowels of the words deducible thence by way of Illation or Inference First A famous and significant description of God the God of Jacob. Secondly A tacite assertion of the sufficiency of his power and providence over or his mercy and goodness towards his people Their Help First A description of God and that first in respect of his nature or the verity and reality of his being and existence He is styled here by way of elegancy or emphasis the God of Jacob. Saith Mollerus to discern and distinguish the true God of Israel from all Heathenish Deities and to explode all fictitious gods and worships thereunto As the true God is the God of Jacob so the God of Jacob is the only true God He is God alone and there is no other besides him The gods of the Heathen are all vanity they have eyes and see not ears and hear not c. Psal 115.5 6. But our God is in the Heavens and doth whatsoever he pleaseth He alone is he whom all mercy and good must be expected from and so all prayer and supplication directed to To whom should a people seek but unto their God his prerogative it is to hear prayers and to him shall all flesh come Secondly This Title or Appellation serves also to describe him in his special relation to his people We finde him called by our Psalmist Psal 132.5 The Mighty God of Jacob. He is indeed the God of the whole Earth but in a peculiar manner the God of Israel Matth. 15.31 In Judah is he known his Law goes forth from Zion and his Word proceeds from Jerusalem The Heathen have not known his Law and although by those vestigia creatoris those darker impressions made in creation and providence they can feel after him and so trace his Divine Essence yet they understand little of his Law or love And as in a special way he hath made himself known to his people so he bears a singular respect to them and takes a particular care of them It 's observable in Scripture that he stiles not himself so frequently in his revelations of himself to them the God of Heaven and Earth though that also be title full of incouragement but the God of Abraâ—â—m Isaac and Jacob as if he had born such â—oice good will and had such a peculiar care â—r those three men as to over-look all the world â—esides them So near and intimate relation have â—ods people to him as their interests are mutualâ—â— involved and twisted in a reciprocal and coâ—enant-bond They are his he is their portion â—heir Beloved is theirs and they be his They â—re called by his Name the Saints are stiled his Holy Ones and the Church is termed expresly Christ Yea he condescends to be called by their â—ame he assumes the name of Jacob Psal 24.6 This is the generation of them that seek him that â—eek thy face O Jacob. And of Israel too Ezra 10.2 set now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing The very name Jacob acquired upon his conquest Gen. 32.28 And that the whole Church is denominated by Psal 31.3 Let Israel hope in the Lord Although he be the God of all by Creation all creatures being the works of his hands Psa 100.3 Act. 17.26 27. yet he is the God and Father of his people in Christ his Father and their Father Joh. 20.17 And by way of choice and covenant Deut. 7.6 For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people to himself above all people upon the face of the earth They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a people raised and elevated above the ordinary make and common stamp of the residue of mankind There is a mutual stipulation between God and them Deut. 26.17 18. Psa 50.5 Thou hast avoucht the Lord this day to be thy God and the Lord hath avoucht thee this day to be his peculiar people The mutual Indentures of the Covenant of Grace run thus Ye shall be my people and I will be youâ— God Ezek. 36.18 Sancti quasi sanciti As God hath obliged himself to them in bonds of mercy and loving-kindness so have they reingaged themselves to him in bonds of duty and allegiance Who is this that ingaged his heart to approach unto me may be understood of Christ or of true Christians Jer. 30.21 One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribâ— with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Israel a metaphor from volunteers who enter their names into the common muster-rolls and engage into a Sacramentum militare a military Oath to cleave to their Captain and faithfully to follow their colours So indeared an union and communion is between Goâ— and his people as himself describes it under thâ— most near and affectionate relation of Father and child as appears in that gracious promise he make to David concerning his Son Solomon 1 Chron 17.13 I will be his Father and he shall be my Son by which interpellation he also treatetâ— David himself Christ and all the faithfull Psal 89.26 27. He shall cry to me Thou aâ— my Father Also I will make him my first-bornâ— Yea because a man must forsake Father and Mother to cleave to the wife of his bosom he court his people though in their widowhood and 〈◊〉 under some seeming disadvantages for respect anâ— affection with conjugal imbraces and that noâ— by way of complement as to what he intends to â—e but good assurance of what he actually was â—nd is and will be for ever Isa 54.8 For thy Maker is thine husband And as he said of that â—aternal Nemo tam Pater quam Coelestis None â—ach a Father as our Heavenly Father Nemo tam â—ater nemo tam pius So saith our Law of those â—uptial Obligations Vxor splendet radiis Mariti Gods Church and People shine with the beams â—f him their endeared and ever-loving Husband And so much for the first the description of God both in this his absolute and relative consiâ—eration Secondly follows the implicit affirmation of â—he sufficiency or rather agency and efficiency of his Providence together with the manner of its â—onveyance to his people He is their
Covenant on them the Corn Wine and Oyl anoynts their steps with Butter and Honey feeds them with the finest of the Wheat and lets them drink the purest blood of the Grape yea satisfies them as with Honey out of the rock He spreads their Tables out of his fulness and overflows their Cups with his goodness and allows them not only for necessity but also for delight and satisfaction Thus Moses of old with purest strains of eloquence describes his depasture of Israel Deut. 32.13 14. His have from him all things plentifully to enjoy and alwayes ad sanitatem though not ad voluntatem a competency to sustain their natures though not a superfluity to maintain their lusts and pamper their more sensual affections The Lions of the World may suffer hunger but Gods Lambs shall want no good thing insomuch that David dare give it forth for an experience and undoubted Observation Psal 37.25 I never saw the righteous forsaken nor their seed begging bread The mercies of the Throne are theirs and no less those of the Footstool the benedictions of Gods heart and eke of his hand their portion And if God condescends so low as to feed the Ravens and cloath the Lillies of the Field how much more will this great Paterfamilias of Heaven and Earth take care of his own Family If he be the Saviour of all men much more of them that believe And having right in the promise of superadding all things to them while seekers of the Kingdom of Heaven how shall they be denyed possession yea having given them Christ and himself how shall he forbear to give them all things For all is theirs seeing they are his and they may cry out with holy Athanasius Deus meus omnia our God and our all Though having nothing they possess all things seeing they possess him who possesseth all things Such is Gods singular care and providence over them that he blesseth their modicum while he curseth the worldlings abundance and while extravagant man diminisheth and makes a little of much the omniprovident God multiplies and makes much of his peoples little as appears in Jacobs ingenuous acknowledgement Genes 33.11 of Gods raising him even from a staff and a Scrip a men low and beggerly conditiâ—n and enlarging him into two bands Yea if further supplies be cut off and recrâ—its fail he husbands for them the old stoâ—k so as it serves their journey through the Wilderness of this World as he did Israels in the Desart whose Cloaths waxed not old on their backs nor their Shooes on their feet Nay when reduced to greatest straits so as there seems no way of escape from perishing rather than want relief he will work a miracle of which kind of operation we have many remarkable instances upon Record both in sacred and civil story but these two may content us to evidence its certainty even the multiplication of the Widows Oyl to so strange a measure as to serve not only for the maintâ—nance of her Family but also the payment of her debts and satisfaction of all her Creditors 2 King 4.7 and the incredible and miraculous increase of an handfull of Meal and a little Oyl in a Cruse beyond their natural vertue so as to become a sufficient store under several years famine 1 King 17.14 In famine God redeems his people from death and when all other Provisions fail he can rain down upon their Tents Bread from Heaven as he did on Israel no less than forty years together That 's the first God helps his people by supplying their wants and necessities Secondly An help imports defence and protection against enemies and assailants Thus a man who becomes a second to another foiled and worsted by reason of his impotency and infirmity one that stands by another against his adversary to defend his right and cause an Advocate that maintains the suit of his Client a Prince that relieves his oppressed subjects auxiliary forces that recruit afresh a besieged City or beaten Army may be stiled helpers to them And such is God to his chosen He that is the great Atlas who bears up the Pillars of the Earth upholds them under all the crushings of humane violence he keepeth the feet of his Saints that they are not moved 1 Sam. 2.9 This Moses most lively expresseth in that rapsodical benediction of Israel Deut. 33.29 Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord the shield of thy help and who is the sword of thy excellency a sword for assault a shield and buckler for defence Solomon takes it as an answer of his solemn prayer even while he is preferring it That God will maintain the cause of his people at all times as the matter shall require 1 King 8.59 Upon this account we finde David in this Book of Psalms oft solliciting God for help urging him to preserve save defend and deliver him Psalm 22.11 Psal 70.1 5. Psal 109.26 c. And as praying so praising him for his help Psal 118.13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall but the Lord helped me Saul and his Courtiers bore against him but God was a sure stud and pillar to his soul that shored him up and underpropt him against all their rage and malice Upon this account it is that we finde help and refuge in a conjunction Psal 46.1 God is our refuge and strength a present help in trouble And in this sense God is his peoples help upon a more publick and also a more private account First He is the help of his Church in the general and that two manner of waies He helps them first immediately without the intervention of second causes Deut. 33.26 There is none like unto the God of Jesurun who rideth upon the Heaven in thy help and in his excellency on the sky The eternal God is thy Refuge and underneath are the everlasting Arms and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say Destroy them God sometimes goes on foot in the use of instruments and way of means for the salvation of his people but here he comes riding as it were on horse-back in a more sudden and immediate manner leaping over the Hills and skipping over the Mountains Sometimes he works deliverance but sometimes only commands it Thou art our King O God saith the Psalmist command thou deliverances for Jacob Psal 44.4 He unbares his own Arm he puts on righteousness as a breast-plate and clothes himself with zeal as a cloak and when he sees that there is no man and wonders that there is no intercessor his Arm brings salvation and his righteousness sustains him Isa 63.5 and the appearances and outgoings of his providence are so signal and conspicuous as digitus Dei the finger of Heaven appears and every spectator must say This is the Lords doing Hos 1.7 I will have mercy on the house of Judah and save them by the Lord their God and will not
multiplication without it For man lives not by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God Matth. 4. He fills his peoples hearts with food and gladness He can carse much while the meat is in sinners mouths he can send leanness into their souls and they may eat but not have enough drink but not be filled be clothed but not be warm So he can bless a little Daniel's pulse he can render more nourishing than the Kings dainties Though the staff of bread be broken in pieces yet he can renew it or at least deal graciously with the soul so as it shall say I have enough Nimis avarus animus cui non sufficit Deus Bernard The experience of this was that gave the Church such a large festival of joy in a fasting-day Hab. 3.17 Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off in the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation And as in the want of necessary competencies for outward and bodily sustenance so in the loss of worldly conveniencies God is his peoples helper He recompenseth them an hundred-fold what they lose in temporals they gain in spirituals and when bereaved of all this world can afford can yet cry out we have enough all in our God Though they be as having nothing yet they possess all things and retain their heirship while they appear to the world to have lost their Sonship Yea in the utmost misgivings of their souls when not only their enjoyments but even their expectancies are thrown over-board and set all on float their hope perisht from the Lord yet his compassions bear them up Lam. 3.21 And when with Jonah they apprehend themselves cast out of his sight yet can they look towards his holy Temple Jonah 2.4 Yea secondly As under the frustration of expected comforts so under the feeling of unexpected crosses and afflictions is God their help God is never far from his people when trouble is near When men draw back he draws most near and misery advanceth forward he never goes away and leaves them naked combatants with it If outward mercies fail he will give contentation under the want of them or better mercies instead of them exchanges the gold of Heaven for this earthly dross Though others have the portions they have with Isaac the Inheritance and the men of the world gifts with Jehoram they have the Kingdom and change of worldly comforts for the hopes of future glory and a double portion of the gifts and graces of his Spirit is no robbery or injury Yea he often bestows better in kind as well as value as he gives them himself who is better than many wives children estates for when all these die he yet lives so he raiseth up other comforts to sweeten their crosses when he takes away one mercy sends another in the stead If David loseth his child which surviving had been a standing monument of his shame he shall have a Solomon that shall be to him a Crown of Glory in his stead So if outward afflictions approach he will finde out a way of deliverance 1 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of all temptations Troubles rush in upon us suddenly oftentimes and we know not which way we come into them but God makes our way out of them He opens for us a back-door of escape when there appears of it no humane probability Many a time did he deliver them saith the Psalmist of Israel Psal 106.42 They cried unto the Lord and he delivered them out of their distresses Under soul-conflicts when they have even concluded their case desperate God hath come in with his salvation When Hezekiah saies He is cut off and shall never more see the Lord in the Land of the Living so that his soul was in great bitterness in love to his soul his God delivers him from the pit of corruption Isa 38.17 When the soul is reduced to such extremities as it knows not what to do how any longer to hope but draws up desperate conclusions against mercy and saies The Lord will be gracious no more he hath in anger shut up his tender mercies I shall surely fall by the strength of this corruption that temptation As Mris. Honywood said As sure as this Glass breaks I shall be damned The soul lookt for comfort from Ordinances and Promises expected help from faithful Ministers and fellow-Christians but findes none to save none to comfort even then he findes out some Messenger an Interpreter one among a thousand to shew to man his uprightness then he is gracious and delivers him from going down to the pit he delights in the Almighty and lifts up his face to God Job cap. 22. and cap. 33. And so under outward calamities which come so suddenly and violently as there seems no way of rescue or resistance but a man cries out with David He shall must one day fall by the hand of Saul by the power of this or the other affliction yet God delivers out of the mouths of these ravening Lions as he did him Psal 31.22 I said in mine haste I am cut off from before thine eyes nevertheless thou heardst the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee Though he were even at deaths door at the graves mouth God brought up his soul from the grave and kept him alive that he went not down into the pit The sorrows of death compassed him and the pains of Hell got hold upon him and he said in his haste all were lyars the Prophet Samuel and all yet at length God gave him such experience of his salvation as he could not contain but cries out Thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling It 's Gods usual method to work by contraries and as he disappoints sinners in the height of their hopes and confidences so he relieves his Saints in the lowest ebbs of their diffidencies and despondencies he casts them down when advanced on the highest pinnacle of undeserved and abused mercy and lifts his own up when plunged into the most deep and intricate labyrinths of affliction and misery And that is the last particular in this first branch of the Proposition In what respects God is an help to his people The second follows How or after what sort and manner he gives them help Take it briefly in these following particulars which will enhance the excellency of divine help First He helps suddenly and unexpectedly when his people little dream of it least of all look for it and expect it Psal 126.1 When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion we were like them that dream The deliverance was so great as it seems incredible too good news to be true Wicked
men build Castles in the Air and dream of more mercy than they finde true dream they eat and when they awake are an hungry The godly carry a low sail and commonly dream of less The world is commonly worse than its promises God ordinarily better than his word Sinners meet with less Saints more than they expected God with a breath blows the wicked into destruction and with a breath commands his peoples deliverance Their ruin is sudden how does desolation come upon them in a moment and they are consumed with Gods terrours When Babylon is so pleased with her self that she courts her self like a Lady God can make her a Widow As gliding waters melting snales untimely births so is their prosperity and as a sudden flame or unlookt for Hâ—rricane comes their misery Psal 58.9 And no less expected are Sions reparations It 's compared to a Creation Isa 65.18 which is suddenly effected a generation which is in instanti Nay before she travelled she brought forth Isa 66.7 8. She is delivered before her time and without pain and yet does not miscarry Yea and as her deliverance comes unexpectedly as to time so to means likewise Micah 4.10 Be in pain and labour to bring forth O Daughter of Sion like a woman in travel Thou shalt go even to Babylon there shalt thou be delivered An enemy shall become her Midwife who sought to be her murderer It 's but the shine of Gods face and his people are saved Psal 80. ult But the turn of his hand and his people are delivered Zech. 13. He saies return his word can do it as well as his work Psa 90.3 Judgements come on foot but mercy on horseback on the wing skipping over the hills and leaping over the mountains No sooner do Gods people cry to him in prayer but he eccho's to them in mercy Isa 58.9 Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer Thou shalt cry and he shall say here am I. As Gods people answer to his voice commanding Speak Lord thy Servants hear so he answers to their voice petitioning Call upon me and I will answer thee Jer. 33.3 He cuts short his work in righteousness Rom. 9.28 Secondly Gradually though salvation comes suddenly yet not simul semel all at once is it compleated and perfected It 's compared to light which creeps upon the Air pedetentim by little and little The dawning of the day goes before the high noon God works for his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after divers waies and manners by piece-meals and inches as it were Sion is not built in a day God could destroy his peoples lusts and their enemies together but he slaies them not lest they should forget He could at once perfect the building of grace in the soul and work of reformation in his Church but he chuseth to let it have its stages first laies the foundation then laies on the superstructures and so at last perfects the fabrick that so he may have the greater tribute and revenue of praises and acclamations coming into his Grace God is a God that waits to be gracious to his people but he is also a God of Judgement They shall get ground but yet must be fighting they shall have supply yet must be waiting The prudent Father will not give his child his whole portion into his hand at once nor the discreet friend trust all the stock he intends to his friend together but help them by degrees according to their necessities and occasions thereby to engage their continual dependance upon them Lesser motions are ordinarily quick but great motions slower God gives the wicked Prodigal all in hand whom he hath no further thoughts of good will and purposes of grace and love unto but in respect of his people he does all for eternity and therefore with the skilfull Artists draws not up his work in haste but takes time to make it the more beautiful and admirable God is the Saviour of his people and yet sometimes like the curious Limner hides his work till the whole draught be compleated Isa 45.15 Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour He carries on the work in a very hidden and mysterious way by so many aenigma's and riddles of providence as his footsteps cannot easily be traced nor his handy-work searcht out to perfection There are many hitherto's in his mercies and salvations many Ebenezers 1 Sam. 7.12 He called the name of it Ebenezer saying Hitherto hath the Lord helped us Thirdly He helps opportunely and seasonably in the very present emergency and strait in the hour the nick of trouble Opportunity is the Salt that seasons any mercy Now God times all his helps and succours to his people As he dealt with Christ so with them In an acceptable time he hears them and in the day of salvation he helps them He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a God at a pinch In the Mount will he be seen when his own arm shall be the more conspicuous or when his people are in eminent and imminent dangers When the murdering-knife is putting to Isaac's throat he plucks back Abraham's hand When the Canon is discharging against the Jews then he muzzles the mouth of it Deut. 32.36 For the Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his Servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left When the siege can hold no longer and there 's none left in the fenced Cities more than in the open Plains then forthwith comes relief This is the day of Jacob's trouble alas for that day is great and there is none like it but he shall be saved out of it Jer. 30.7 Daies of great trouble are daies of glorious salvation When Israel was in a very great distress like to be swallowed up by the Ammonites and upon their applications to God he turns them off with a protestation that he would deliver them no more yet pleading the instancy of their oppression and begging relief in the present exigency Deliver us only we pray thee this day His soul was grieved for their misery and his pity became sollicitor to his power in order to their succour and redress Judg. 10.16 When the soul like Jonah in the Whales belly is even swallowed up of sorrow and out of the depths the belly of Hell cries to the Lord He will hear him God â—ath said He will bring his people back from the â—epths both of Earth and Sea Psal 68.22 Psal â—1 20 Prayer put up to Heaven by a soul ready â—o sink in the mire as being able to finde no standing is alwaies in an acceptable time That â—s mollâ—ssimum fandi tempus Psal 69.13 Gods help is limited to no time but there are usually two special seasons when the fruit of mercy is full ripe and God plucks it off the tree of providence and throws it into the laps of his people either when their enemies condition is high and
cause him to exchange his badge of honour for an ignominious Halter 2 Saâ—t 17.23 Though Gebal Ammon and Amalek conspire he can blow on their Confederacies by the breath of his nostrils Antichrist who lets he can remove out of the way and make the little Horn push the Nations and the interest of the Lamb break in pieces the Kingdom of the Beast though his followers be even innumerable Hence it 's worthy our observation that he chooseth to appear for his People in a very low condition Psal 136.23 that so aliquid divini might appear in all his Manifestations He overlooks his People when erect as the Palm or spreading forth themselves as the green Bay-tree and looks upon them when like the Myrtle they dwell in a low place Such is the power of his Providence in his operations for his Servants as in Scripture-phrase it obtains the name of a Resurrection to the performance whereof is requisite no loss than an infinite and omnipotent Arm Ezek. 37. when they are as dry bones and scattered he can command a re-entrance of the spirit a return of life To which metaphor David alludes in his Prayer and Invocation for help Psal 141.7 8. Our bones are scattered at the graves mouth as when one cutteth and cleaveth Wood upon the earth But mine eyes are to thee O God the Lord in thee is my trust leave not my soul destitute Fifthly He help them proportionably Divine wisdom dispenseth Mercy by an even ballance unto its receivers by a just proportion and that fourfold To His Peoples wants desires hopes and expectations and their good improvements First To their Wants and Necessities Gods supply ever respects mans indigency The worlds rule is Habenti dabitur The Rich have many Friends The more men have the more they would and shall have But this poor man cried and the Lord heard him He is an helper of the Fatherless Psal 10.14 and so it s said of Christ Psal 72.12 13. He shall deliver the needy when he crieth the poor also and him that hath no helper Poor Orphans who are too commonly the Objects of the Worlds oppression are the Objects of Gods and Christs compassion and commiseration It was Job's testimony of his integrity that he delivered the poor that cried the fatherless and him that had none to help him Job 29.12 cap. 31.21 and it s a Rule of Equity observed in Heaven Gods relief loves to lift up those whom the sense of their own wants hath cast down Necessity hath a loud voice and prevailing with the Almighty Mans inisery it 's ansa divinae misericordiae God pours the Oyl and Wine of Consosolation into broken hearts wounded spirits Drooping and dejected hearts may most confidently expect health from the light of this Heavenly Physitians countenance The World leaves us when we most want it and Creatures forsake us when we have most need but then God stands by us When the hour of sickness comes he alwayes gives his people the sweetest Visits of Love Men commonly take the strongest but God the weakest side What is said of Earthly Monarchs is much more true of him the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the only Potentate Parcit subjectis debellat superbos He pulls down the mighty from their seat and exalts them of low degree He fills the hungry but sends the rich empty away Secondly To their Prayers and Requests Asking is the readyest way of having This depends on the former for Oratio sine malis quasi Avis sine alis He that wants not beggs not or at least ought not so to do But now true seekers are alwayes good speeders The most sturdy Beggars go away with Heavens Alms and the eagerly solliciting Favourites come away with grants from the Throne of Mercy The Apostle plainly insinuates that an holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the Throne of Grace a bold suit there is the surest way of obtaining grace to help in time of need Heb. 4. ult Qui timide rogat docet negare A cold suit do's but make way for the stronger denyal but an holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importunity God cannot will not relist Luk. 18. Psal 107.13 They cried unto the Lord in their trouble and he saved them out of all their distresses He that besieges and beleaguers Heaven with his Prayers shall have what it can afford him The Kingdom of Heaven delights to suffer this holy Violence Let Moses hold down his hands and Amalek prevails let him lift them up and Israel prevails When Jehosophat and all the people of Judah were in a great strait they sent up their united voices in one general shout to heaven to ask help of the Lord 2 Chron. 20.4 And he urgeth God with his Promise in prayer which was when evil came upon them as the Sword Judgement Pestilence or Famine if they cried to him in their affliction he would hear and help God commonly gives help as an answer and return of Prayer Prayer enlargeth and expatiateth the Soul desire stretcheth it out for the receiving larger measures of Mercy and it provokes God also to bestow them Observe what God promiseth Jeremiah as to deliverance from the Babylonish Captivity Jer. 29.12 13. Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall goe and pray unto me and I will hearken to you And ye shall seek me and finde me when ye shall search for me with all your heart By Prayer that Legio Fulminatrix that band of Christian Souldiers obrained a refreshing showre when their enemies were broken with a dreadfull storm Thirdly To their Hopes and expectancies God loves to give his People an expected end According to thy Faith be it to thee was our Saviours usual welcom to all comers to him Mercy commonly comes on the wing of Faith Oleum masericordiae saith Bernard non infunditur nisi in tasa fiduciae The Vessel of Faith is that receives the precious Liquor of Mercy Faith is the Bucket that draws the waters of life out of the well of Salvation Faith was that gave Abijah victory over Jeroboam 2 Chron. 13.18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time and the Children of Judah prevailed because they relied upon the Lord God of their Fathers The stay and strength of all states as well as Persons and assurance of all Victories depends on their trust and confidence in the Lord. Faith is a wonder-working grace What was the Instrument of all those heroick actions done by the Patriarchs and primitive Worthies but Faith Through Faith they subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained Promises Heb. 11.23 Faith overcomes lust within and the World without It 's a Shield against and a Sword to all our adversaries it layes hold on divine help engageâ—h Almightiness extorts mercy from Heaven Coelum tundimus preces fundimus misericordiam extorquemus quoth Tertullian Faith removes mountains of pride within and power without It 's an invincible grace and no wonder because the only receiving grace and
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
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
him They alone will walk answerably to it and therefore they only shall be the seats and subjects of it The worldling indeed may have as large a sail of confidence as a child of God hath but he hath no good ballast of evidence he may have a general hope in God as his God and Father and so call him in prayer and by profession but dolus in generalibus how can he be their Father when they have not known him David's confidence is particular and conjoyned with good evidence of faith in him and love to him Psal 18.1 Cui nomini natura negatur nomine deluditur He that usurps a title to God without a conformity to his Image is but over-born and imposed upon by a damnable presumption instead of a grounded perswasion The Lord knows who are his and he that names his name must depart from iniquity The third Proposition is That propriety in God is the only ground of true felicity Happy is he that hath him for his help That hath the Lorâ— for his God Propriety only causeth delight Lo this is our God saith the Church My Lord and my God cries Thomas Israel shall cry to me my God we know thee Hos 8.2 Thou shalt call me my Father saith God by way of promise to hiâ— Church Jer. 3.19 When the Spouse would express her complacency and satisfaction in Christ she saies My Beloved is mine and I am his When Christ would comfort Mary he tells her I ascend to your God and my God When Paul would confirm and strengthen his faith he adds whâ— loved me and gave himself for me The knowledge of God in himself is terrible It 's dangerous saith Luther to go to an absolute God It 's only the relative knowledge of him which affords comfort ut mea non prosint sine me sic tua non prosint sine te saith Bernard Our Civilians say Mine is a better tenure than ours If a man walks over pleasant Meadows or in delightful Orchards and Gardens and cannot say they are his he hath no content or comfort in them If a soul should run over all the Attributes of God and the Promises of the Gospel and the sufferings of his Saviour and cannot write mine they are a burden rather than a blessing Propriety and interest is the only certain ground of influence and mercy The Promises indeed of the Gospel are generally propounded excluding none who shut not out themselves by their unbelief but withall particular application is pressed that none might rest in the naked notion without peculiar appropriation hanging on the outside of the Promise will do us no more good than did them their hanging on the outside of the Ark. The most soveraign Plaister heals not if not applied nor does the most delicious meat nourish unless eaten and concocted If ye eat my flesh and drink my blood then ye have eternal life dwelling in you Snatching at the Promise without union with the Person is altogether as unavailable to comfort the soul as that phrenetick persons challenge of all the ships that came to shore was to enrich him when he had interest in none of them Or as a Cheaters catch of an heiresses writings is to entitle him to her estate without marriage to her person It 's a good observation Bernard hath on that passage of the Church Isa 26.9 With our soul in the night have we desired thee She saith not tua but te The gracious soul surrenders it self up to God in a way of duty saying Lord I am thine and applieth God to himself in a way of mercy crying out Lord thou art mine If Solomon's Servants were counted by the Queen of Sheba happy in enjoying not so much his Court as his company and presence then are the Saints much more to be esteemed blessed not so much in the fruition of the bare Promises as in the vision of their Fathers face in and through them Blessed are they that dwell in his house whose strength is in him Blessed are the people that hear the joyful sound that walk in the light of his countenance The union between the King of Heaven and his Subjects and holy confederation is the rise of all their priviledge and protection Fourthly Observe They alone can expect help from God that exercise in times of strait and afflictions a fiducial recumbency upon him That is gathered from the phrase or form of the words Qui ponit in auxilium There 's a tacite condition annexed placing our help in God plainly implying That it 's not the bare habit but the act and exercise of faith that entitles the soul to divine help and so makes a man blessed and happy in evil times times of disappointment or dereliction any trouble or affliction whatsoever The Promise runs to the act of faith As ye may finde it expressed to the life Psal 91.10 Because thou hast made the Lord who is my refuge even the most high thy habitation And indeed faith alone is that which makes use of Gods Attributes in time of distress The habit of faith indeed interests in them and makes them our own but the exercise thereof draws them forth into act that engageth God only in point of honour to come in for relief even our firm dependance on him What will all the treasures of Gods Power Wisdom Mercy and Goodness serve to enrich the the soul if lockt up by unbelief no more than a mans baggs who never trades or imploys them It 's not interest but use of God does the soul good Indeed that delivers from eternal trouble but this only supports under temporal What good does a rest or leaner do a man under his burden if he never staies himself on it or a sword or shield in a battel if he never draws the one or holds forth the other or a sanctuary and shelter in a storm if a man never runs to it and houses himself in it what benefit of a friend if a man never makes use of him in his strait little or no sweetness or consolation is to be found in any thing in God his Attributes Promises or Providences if we let them be dead and rust by us and draw not out the vertue of them by faith It 's grace exercised only which pleaseth God and also profits us If we do not recumbere we must succumbere The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower but only they which run to it are safe And therefore the Prophet adviseth this dependance on God as the only antidote against dedolency and desperacy in dark conditions and under sad apprehensions Isa 50.10 Let him that sits in darkness and sees no light trust in the Name of the Lord and stay himself upon his God And so much for the absolute consideration Secondly Take a comparative view of it For the Psalmist having been eying of creature-helps and succours turns away his eyes from beholding vanity by a sudden Apostrophy looks wholly off the creature to
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
which keeps it up when the Lead of Fear would pull it down or the wing of the Bird that mounts it to Heaven while the stone tied to the legg forces it down to earth But for Hope the heart would break Now though mercy deferred may make the heart sick yet the desire coming is a tree of life Prov. 13.12 Good hope and consolation are like Castor and Pollux commonly in conjunction The Palm-trees motto is Hopes Depressa Resurgo Believing is a choice and singugular Cordial to preserve the Soul from fainting Thirdly From any unlawfull course to get out of affliction He that believes makes not haste Isa 28.16 He will not leap over hedge and ditch or finde any back-doors of escape but wait till God opens a way of deliverance The Souldier though besieged never so close will not deliver up the City if he hath any hope of relief The men of Jabesh were glad when Sauls messengers came and told them To morrow by that time the Sun was hot they should have help 1 Sam. 11.9 Be the case never so sad the Soul will wait for Gods help so long as it apprehends it self not desperate Hope is not too hasty for or greedy of mercy nor will not pluck the fruit thereof too soon before it be full ripe The patient though brought never so low if in the hands of a wise Physician still hopes to recover and is content as knowing the more desperate and tedious his sickness the more will the joy be of his cure The Captain though beaten by the Enemy will by no means yield and take quarter so long as he sees any probability of fighting him he is pleased with these thoughts the sharper the enâ—ounter once overcome the greater glory of the Victory The Christian knows Gods time is the â—est and therefore is willing to attend it and will not himself make his way out of trouble â—ut find it made by Gods hand for him he will â—ot pluck a prick out of his foot to put it into â—is heart but had rather carry about him a wounâ—ed skin or torn estate than a wounded Consciâ—nce rather choose to endure trouble which ends to ease than get a little ease at present which leads to and will end in trouble He dare â—ot shackle his Spirit to discharge his Body but â—ad rather be a Prisoner and for this hope bound with a chain than a Free-man without it David although heir apparent of the Kingdom by Gods Promise and in great danger of missing it by Sauls violence yet dare not make more haste than good speed by making his death a stirrup to ascend the Throne by nay though he had opportunity dare not take off his head for destruction though for his conviction he cut off the lap of his garment and that was animo renitente too but rather waited Gods time of his advance to it and settlement in it The Primitive Christians did not only not seek or offer themselves to a composition no but would not accept of deliverance on unworthy terms Heb. 11.35 That 's the first Hope secures against sin Secondly It doth admirably remedy affliction by sanctifying and sweetning of it To name no more it hath a four-fold energy in time of affliction each of which hath a wonderful tendency towards the souls blessedness First Vim quiescentem a calming and quieting vertue it stills and sedates the soul and does motos componere flucius The soul is still when it once knows it is God and his hand and is no more disquieted Psal 43. ult It 's filled with his peace which passeth all understanding tranquillo Deo tranquillant omnia ipsum quietum aspicere est quiescere It gives not God an ill word but holds its peace nay gives good words blesseth his name and saith Good is the Word of the Lord as David 2 Sam. 15.25 If I shall finde favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both the Ark and his habitation But if he thus say I have no delight in thee Behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good to him It 's reported of a precious stone called Bufonites that cast it into the Sea and although it be never so tempestuous it will procure a calm This precious grace is hope which calms and settles the soul under its greatest tumults and commotions and staies it under its most restless inquietations The Rabbins tell us that all the letters in the name Jehovah are literae quiescentes Faith and hope can perfectly spell this his reverend name and out of every letter thereof gather a quickening lecture influential on the Christian to compose him into a serene temper under the greatest ruffles and discomposures he meets with in the world This lower Region is subject to storms and tempests but the upper Region is serene and clear no storms above the Moon and Historians report that they which are at the top of the Alps can behold great showres fall underâ—â—eath them but not a drop above or upon them Hope mounts the soul up to God advanceth it to Heaven and then 't is out of the dint of every storm and reach of every tempest whatsoever Secondly It hath vim sublevantem a supporting and sustaining vertue Faith and hope are like Jachim and Boaz the Pillars of Solomons the support of the souls Temple They are not only kept in perfect peace but securely too whose minds are stayed on him Isa 26.3 4. The fear of man brings a snare but whoso trusteth in the Lord shall be safe Prov. 29.25 He that confides in God dwells in his holy mountain Isa 57.13 Is as Mount Sion which cannot be removed Mole-hills may be scattered but Mountains are immoveable God is a buckler saith the Psalmist to all that trust in him Psal 18.30 The soul can never be cast down that hath hope to lift it up No sooner Davids spirit and countenance under a dejection but hope gives it anâ— erection and elevation A secret hope will bear up the soul under the sorest trials and temptations even though pressed down above measure so as to despair of life yet this Pillar will shore it up from tottering and falling as it did Paul 2 Cor. 1.7 8 9. Thirdly Vim consolantem a comforting power It will not only quiet the soul make it stand still and see the Lords salvation and cause it to glorifie God in the fires but rejoyce it also give it musick upon the waters alwaies most ravishing Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing So 1 Pet. 1.8 Yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory The Prophet having pronounced the blessedness of hoping in God Jer. 17.8 illustrates it by the metaphor of Palms or Lawrels Myrtles and Olive-trees which retain their greenness and endure under the scorching heats of the Sun and are alwaies flourishing and prosperous God is a Sun for consolation as well
least ground or colour of hope but continually occasion of fear and perpetual cause of terror He hath no just hope in the day of Mercy and that 's sad enough much less in the day of misery and that 's worse His defence is departed from him the Lord being not with him and he is bread for the teeth of every Judgement as Joshua told them of the Nations they were to invade Numb 14.9 In the day of abounding of all Creature-comforts a carnal man can have no content or satisfaction One thought of his distance from God will sufficiently imbitter all his Cups of pleasure so as they shall be no other than waters of Marah to him Under the tydes of external Joy his heart is sorrowfull and his brightest Sun of outward felicity hath sad reflections especially if the Clock of Conscience answers the Diall of the Word and amidst his â—ight riseth to him thick darkness or gathers upon him His heart is black as an Oven within while the Corn Wine and Oyle makes his face shine without As a Childe of God often carries the â—ight of a rejoycing Soul in the dark Lanthorn of a soiled and withered face so do's the sinner oft disguise a sad heart with a cheerfull and smiâ—ing countenance Neither can he expect any succour or relief either from within or from without in the day of affliction As fear of losing eats up all his comfort and content in enjoying so forfeiture of title makes his lost Soul eternally despair of a recovery and repossession I wonder on what acquaintance the sinner can challenge any interest or pretend to any hope in God or what possible should be the ground-work and foundation of his professed but mistaken confidence He may build Castles in the Air and make to himself a refuge of lies please himself with conceits and fancies of supposed and imaginary happiness but they will prove meer delusions in the end As his confidence is a lie in the foundation so it will be in the event Isa 28. Gods wrath is all this time smoaking against him and will break forth in fiery flames of indignation while he promiseth himself peace in the walks of the imagination of his own heart Deut. 29.19 If God once forsakes him all the world cannot help or relieve him Neither any of the Persons nor all the things of the World can give him comfort If the Lord helps not who can help The world usually deceives her Confidents The Rock of Worldlings is not as the Rock of Believers Carnal confidences in the issue render ashamed God hath blown upon them with his curse Thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt as thou wast of Assyria saith God to his people Jer. 2.36 Our Fathers inherited lies vanity and things wherein there is no profit Jer. 16.19 The very houses of Achzibâ— shall be a lie to the King of Assyria Mic. 1.14 Aâ— wicked man hath no hope and all the help hâ— hath will prove but a vain and deceitfull help There is a weakness and infirmity an uncertainty and instability an unfaithfulness and inconstancy a vanity and vexation attends all Creatures They are crackt Cistorns Jer. 2.13 Lying vanities Jonah 2. empty duggs and dry breasts failing Brooks Egyptian reeds which do not only fail but pierce God hath put a perishing nature into all created supports and sufficiencies and over and above cursed such as make flesh their arm Men of low degree are vanity and of high degree a lie may promise much but perform little or nothing like the Indian Tree the Leaves of their professions are as big as a Target but the Fruit of their actions as small as a Bean. They are broken staves deceitfull bowes the portion of Jacob is not like them Jerem. 10.15 16. Take the choicest of created helps and a man cannot promise himself any safety in them or help from them Friends and Relations may fail Estates and Possessions may fail health and strength comforts and accommodations favour and friendship supplyes and assistances may and will fail yea Kings and Princes may and have failed their deâ—endants It 's better to trust in the Lord than in â—rinces Psal 118.8 9. Multa cadunt inter caliâ—em Methinks I see every wicked man bringâ—â—g as once a Noble and Learned person was 〈◊〉 his finall execution with those as his last dyâ—â—g words in his mouth spoken in the bitterness 〈◊〉 â—is Soul Put not your trust in Princes nor the â—on of Man in whom there is no help What a â—d disappointment did that Noble and worthy â—arl meet with who thought he had assurance 〈◊〉 his Princesses favour only by the intervening miscarriage of a treacherous person What said that great Cardinal when under Attainder and given up into his Enemies hand as a sacrifice If I had but taken that care to have pleased my God which I have done to serve my Prince he would not have left me now in mine old age The World deals with her familiars and favourites as great men with their servants keeping them while young healthy and able but turning them off when they grow old infirm and unserviceable All meer Creatures will fail external priviledges high profession it 's not Jacobs profession but his God that is his help choice parts common graces and usefull gâ—fts great confidences yea a mans flesh and heart will fail Wit and wealth will not help in the day of present trouble or eternal wrath Gold and Silver will not deliver then Lo this is the man proclaimed he stands to all the world that made not God his trust Psal 52.7 Aids and allies cannot help Who can stand before much less against Omnipotâ—ncy What Jerusalem complains of under her Captivity will bâ— sooner or later the sense and expression too of aâ— that trust in any thing on this side God the greâ— Jehovah and stay short of Heaven Lam. 4.17 Aâ— for us our eyes as yet failed for our vain help Iâ— our watching we have watched for a Nation thâ— could not save us What Senacherib told Hezekiâ— upon this accompt will prove most true 2 King 18.21 Now behold thou trustest upon the staffeâ— this bruised reed even upon Egypt on which if 〈◊〉 man lean it will goe into his hand and pierce it so is Pharaoh King of Egypt to all that trust iâ— him We may cry to these Idols but they cannâ—â— answer nor save us out of our trouble Isa 46.7 Thâ—y were all ashamed saith the Prophet of a people that could not profit them nor be an help Isa 30.5 Let a private distress a publick calamity come a Sword a Plagâ—e a Famine a Fire Creatures cannot help how much less when death and damnation comes to seize on the poor undone sinner What will they do in the day of that their Visitation in the desolation which comes from farr to whom will ye flâ—e for help and where will ye leave your glory as the Prophet speaks Isa 10.3 O the dreadfull and desperate case of every
weeps he watcheth he runs he fights he strives and all to obtain further assurance to apprehend that for which he is apprehended of him And so much for the more general signs of our Interest in God To touch secondly about a few more special signs of having him our help and hope First If God be our Help and we so make him there will be a disobligation to and utter discarding of rejection and casting away all creature-confidence The Soul hath no confidence in the arm of flesh as to its spiritual condition not in Means and Ordinances gifts parts duties graces enjoyments but accounts all loss as to its temporal condition it trusts not to its power wit policy strength wealth estate friends makes not fine Gold its hope as Job speaks in vindication of his integrity cap. 3.24 Ezra was ashamed to go with a request to the King though in a good Cause having first declared his trust in his God Ezra 8.12 A gracious Soul renounceth all carnal dependencies whatsoever Neither Circumcision or Uncircumcision avails him he glorieth only in the Lord. He will not pluck the Crown off the head of Free grace or snatch it out of the hand of Divine power to set it on the head of a poor finite Creature A carnal heart can trust any thing but God a Christian can trust nothing but God him before any thing all things A Worldling can trust God in nothing a Saint in all things at all times can trust him with his Name Estate Liberty Life Soul his all trust him in good dayes of peace and prosperity in evil dayes of trouble and adversity being carefull for nothing but in every thing making his requests known to God with Prayer and Thanksgiving committing his whole way and care to him and his Providence Which is a second Note A constant exercise of dependance on God and on God alone He is his hope and his habitation to which he continually resorts Psal 71.2 Do's he want any mercy he goes by Faith and Prayer to his God for it do's he meet with any mischief or injury he goes again and pours forth his overwhelmed Soul in complaints before the Lord he waits for him and looks to him His eyes are up to the Heavens whence his help comes Mic. 7.7 Therefore saith the Church will I look to the Lord and wait upon the God of my salvation And so David Psal 5.3 In the morning will I direct my prayer to thee and will look up When he hath shut his mouth he will open his eye his ear and when himself knows not what to do hear what his God will say He is alwayes confident in the Lord and triumphs in the God of his salvation Now because an Hypocrite may harbour a false dependance and a counterfeit hope as well as a Christian a well-grounded confidence let us try it by some following Touch-stones which is the third and last particular concern'd in this Inquisition with which I shall dismiss it namely to give some Notes or lay before you some properties and effects of a Saints fixed hope in the Lord his God which may discriminate and contradistinguish it from the languishing and vanishing hope of Hypocrites and carnal Professors And them take in these following particulars First A godly mans hope is a grounded Hope He hath the root of the matter in him The righteous hath an everlasting foundation the Hypocrite hath no bottom These have no root Luk. 9.13 The house on the Sands was raised to an equal height with that on the Rock and the difference was not in the superstructure but only in the foundation A carnal man may have as firm a confidence as a Saint and an Hypocrite as strong a presumption as an upright Soul hath a perswasion but not so good an evidence Now confidence is always nought without evidence The jetting hope of an Hypocrite is built upon his external profession and priviledges as a worldlings is on his meer outward enjoyments His confidence is in the flesh but a Saints hope is bred and maintained too by the Word and Promises Heb. 6.18 19. It 's nourisht by spiritual influences and experiences As it is founded on the Lord Jesus Christ that bringing in of a better hope that hope in us of our glory so 't is backt with good evidence I will trust in him saith Job though he kills me I will maintain mine own wayes before him He also is become my salvation but an Hypocrite shall not come before him cap. 13.15 16. The Apostle calls a Believers a good hope through grace 2 Thess 2.16 through grace favouring as the Spring and grace sanctifying as the suel of it Secondly It is an Effectual hope hath a blessed vertue and efficacy in it especially a six-fold vertue First Ad purificandum to purifie the heart and Conscience of a Christian What the Apostle saith of Faith may be said of Hope it purifies the heart Yea he sayes it expresly of this grace also 1 John 3.3 He that hath this hope purifies himself even as God is pure Secundum speciem though not gradum in kinde and quality though not equality If not in act yet at least in endeavour and affection Hope purgeth the Conscience from dead works to serve the living God by it the Soul draws nigh to God and comes to have a sight and view of him and Omnis visio affimilat Proportionable to our Faith is our Holiness and to our Expectations our Conversation This distinguisheth it from all Formalists presumption Hypocrites lean on the Lord and are confident of his presence amongst them though they perpetrate all manner of wickedness and do all kind of abominations Mic. 3.11 But in vain do sinners load Gods back and yet pretend to lean on his Arm. Security and presumption lead men to sin Isa 57.10 Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way yet thou saidst not there is no hope Thou hast found the life of thine hand therefore thou wast not grieved And desperation also makes them rush on in courses of Iniquity Jer. 18.12 They said there is no hope but we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart a sad and desperate conclusion But true hope draws the Soul off from sin Whatsoever a Childe of God doth he will not sin against and away his hopes but having hope in Gods Word and in those great and precious Promises he cleanseth himself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit Tit. 2.12 14. Secondly Ad excitandum it quickens unto duty It 's a living yea a lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 Where hope is in the centre obedience is in the circumference David conjoyns them Psal 119.166 Lord I have hoped for thy salvation and done thy Commandments Believing puts upon doing Hope of mercy quickens and animates to duty We believe and therefore we speak and act too and no good hope of the end without due use of the means means must
be used if a blessing expected Faith hath a piercing eye and a powerful hand a receptive faculty to take in the comfort of the Promise and a reverberative to return and reflect its benefit received in waies of duty and obedience Hoping to the end and girding up the loyns of our minds are paired 1 Pet. 1.13 In order to a progress in our spiritual Journey The sweetness of the Promise drawn out incourageth and engageth in obedience to the command The Plow-man ploweth and Seeds-man soweth in hope Expectation of reward edgeth to work Disuse and neglect of means doth not trust God but tempt him True confidence spurs up to duty especially to prayer Trusting and calling are coupled in Scripture Zeph. 3.2 Hope of speeding puts a man on seeking Hope of an expected end put holy Jeremiah on praying Jer. 19. And of salvation holy Paul on labouring and suffering reproach on active and passive obedience 1 Tim. 4.10 Thirdly Ad commorandum to take the soul off all carnal dependance and stay it by a firm dependance on God alone The hoping soul goes not to creatures to second causes leans on none of these broken staves and vain confidences but rejects and renounceth them all both upon a spiritual and temporal account It 's the brand and mark of an Hypocrite even carnal confidence It 's the character of a Christian to have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 He does not only call himself of the holy City but staies himself on the God of Israel in truth Isa 10.20 A Christian will not have two strings to the bow of his trust The Psalmist puts a direct opposition to trust in God and all other trusts Psal 40.4 Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust and respecteth not the proud nor such as turn aside to lyes And the Church solemnly professeth her rejection of all humane helps in time of her straits Psal 44.6 I will not trust to my bow neither shall my sword save me not to the bow but the arm that helps to do it And so she seals a renunciation of all creature-aids and assistances Hos 14.3 Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses Carnal men like weak and ignorant people go first to the Kitchin and then to the Physitian When Ephraim saw his sickness and beheld his wound he goes to the Assyrian and sends to King Jareb to heal him But the Church eccho's to Gods call Jer. 3.22 23. In vain is salvation expected from Hills or Mountains in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel We come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God She goes first to the Lord and then to the Physitian Fourthly Ad componendum to pacifie the soul and make it wait patiently the returns of providence Jacob waited for Gods salvation and Joseph of Arimathea for the Kingdom of God I waited patiently for the Lord saith David Psal 40.1 As they who watch for the morning Psal 130. As the poor traveller beweildred all night longs for the mornings approach to direct him in his passage and the industrious labourer waits the morning light and dawning of the day that he may go about the work of his calling or the vigilant souldier and diligent watchman desires the break of day when they may be relieved so doth a gracious soul wait for his God The Church was resolved thus to wait upon the Lord. Micah 7. Though an Atheist will wait no longer a Saint will both wait for instruction and consolation Hopes conclusions are Gods time is the best time The vision is but for an appointed time it will come and not tarry wait for it If deliverance comes not this it may come another way If mercy comes not to day it may come to morrow It 's better staying a day too long than having salvation come an hour too soon The expecting soul waits for the hope of righteousness by faith yea he hopes to the end for the grace to be brought at the revelation of Christ 1 Pet. 1.13 He waits till the Lord be gracious he is not too quick or hasty hasty births he knows are commonly abortive he will not make more haste than good speed he understands it 's but manners to wait the Lords leisure and attend his pleasure God waited long for his coming in in a way of duty it 's but meet he should wait for his approaches in a way of mercy If God could stay so long for his conversion it 's but reasonable he should stay for his consolations Resolved he is to wait so long as God pleases for incomes of mercy and wholly resolves his will into the will of his Maker even let 's it be buried and swallowed up of it with a Father not my will but thy will be done Carnal men would limit God to their desires and scant him to their time they are for duty to morrow but mercy and salvation to day Now mercy must come or never But a Christian would not have his time Gods but makes Gods time his and whatsoever pleaseth God therefore pleaseth him It 's not saith true hope for us to know the times and seasons better to wait for the Lords salvation Better want of mercy in a way of waiting and dependance than its approach without it Does God delay he does not deny is mercy deferred it is not resolved against does God withdraw hide his face seem to slight and cast out his Peoples prayer yet I will not give over praying waiting believing and expecting I will yet attend the motions of providence in the use of means and though God seems to cast us off yet we will never cast off him Fifthly Ad elevandum to raise the soul above all worldly expectations He that by hope hath gotten his foot up to Heaven looks upon all this inferiour world only as an inconsideral point Our conversation saith the Apostle is in Heaven whence we look for the Saviour Heavenly expectations and heavenly conversation go together Alexander when he once received a report of the American world gave all the Kingdoms he had conquered amongst his Captains and upon this division being asked what he had left to himself answered spem majorum annorum the hope of further years A Christian hearing of the Alsufficiency of God and glory of Heaven of so much in scriniis in hope is willing to part with whatsoever is in hand and like a provident and foreseeing person will part with all in possession for what he hath in reversion so did those worthies Heb. 11.13 A carnal man useth God and enjoys the world a Saint useth the world but enjoyeth God only Sixthly Ad corroborandum to fortifie and confirm the soul against all opposition Abraham rowed against the stream Hope will ride the storm It may be said of hope what the Apostle speaks of charity it endures all things There is the work of faith labour of love and patience of hope 1 Thes 1.3 I will hope
who will ever set upon that of which he hath no hopes of accomplishment and who ever will go to God that can go any where else It 's a following lying vanities and forsaking our own mercies a running from the fountain of everlasting waters and hewing out broken cisterns It laies us under a curse and that a dreadful one Jer. 17.5 13. Cursed is he that makes flesh his arm All that forsake thee shall be ashamed and that depart from thee their names written in the Earth than which nothing more sad and dismal A cursed change it is to leave God and go to the Creature such confidence commonly ends in shame and confusion Dependance on the Creature forfeits divine protection it clips the wings of mercy It 's a going out of Gods blessing into the warm Sun Nay the Hypocrites bow which never aims right on at the mark is not only erring and deceitful but often recoils and proves to him deadly and destructive They who repose in humane help do not only miss of the prosperity and safety which by these means they made account to attain to but bring evils on themselves which they both sought and thought to escape and lose the lives they went about so industriously to save And indeed God takes himself highly wronged by this abuse at the hands of his People and will sooner or later say to them as to Israel Judg. 10. Go to the gods ye have chosen and see if they can deliver you See how God threatens them Isa 30.12 15. In returning and rest I would have saved you and ye would not but ye said no we will flee upon horses therefore shall ye flee They who will not rest on God shall be forced to run for all the creature May I not say to you as once Saul to the people revolting to David Can the Son of Jesse give you Vineyards and Olive-yards Can the creature give you souls satisfaction in its fullest enjoyment and can it afford you relief in the day of distress Can these gods of your own making arise and save you Can they chear your hearts when God is frowning succour you when Satan is tempting comfort you when the world is failing Can they give you any peace in an hour of trouble ease under horrours of pain life under pains of death settlement and composure in a day of distraction and confusion have you not sufficiently experienced and so may be effectually convinced of the vanity of the whole arm of flesh That all flesh is as grass that fadeth and the flower thereof that withereth That men of low degree are vanity and of high degree a lye That there is no salvation in Hills or Mountains no help in Princes Senates Armies Navies if God does but blow upon them Have you not by sad and wofull experience known the failure of friends contingency of estates the uncertainty of worldly advancements the moth the worm the dying perishing nature that is in all created comforts and contentments and will ye yet lean upon these weak bulrushes and make his your refuge May not God say to you as once to his People Numb 14.11 How long will it be ere ye believe me Nay may not God justly leave you when ye have first left him and then what will become of you To which of all the Saints will ye turn what will ye do in the day that he comes out to visit Suppose God coming out with the glittering sword in the one hand nay he is come out already and the destroying Plague in the other and fire and famine become his followers whither will ye fly where will ye hide how shall you escape or endure his fierce wrath and burning indignation what will you do in the day of your calamity or where will you leave your glory Well to close this point for I would hope better things of all you that fear God though I thus speak know assuredly that by going from God your Centre unto the Creature you will either run into the mouth of danger like a bird far from her nest never under such danger of the snare you cannot be established but may be as they were Jude 5. for their unbelief destroyed or however you will cut short the arm of mercy and deliverance As impatient snatching at mercy makes it not half so sweet fruits pluckt too soon or raw eaten commonly gripe Jacob had not only a blow but a piece of a curse a deal of turmoil and trouble with his blessing because he would be his own Carver and not stay to receive it at his heavenly Fathers hand and discontented murmurs and repinings against God under affliction cut short of mercy and salvation a sad instance whereof we have in those two prime Leaders of Israel Moses and Aaron Numb 20.12 Because they believed not the Lord to sanctifie him before the eyes of Israel they were not priviledged to lead the Congregation into the good Land So confident reposes in the Creature without God or conjunction of it in our dependance with him will certainly breed in the issue disappointment and destruction and the soul that with Babylon sits Lady-like in its Chair of State and Ease will become a Widow and desolate in one day And which is the great aggravation of the misâ—ry of all such confidence the more we lean and greater stress we lay on any creature-comfort when God comes once to blast it and take it away as 't were by a stroke it will become so much the greater cross and so much affliction we may expect from it as we have had affection to it and placed dependance upon it Put not your trust therefore in man or place your confidence in bare Creatures for whose shoulders an immortal Soul carries too great a burden but Trust in the Lord from henceforth and for ever Let me conclude this with the Prophets advice Jer. 9.23 Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom nor the strong man in his might nor the rich man in his riches But let him that glorieth glory in the Lord And with that of the Psalmist Psal 62.8 10. Trust not in Oppression if riches increase set not your heart upon them But trust in him at all times and finally with that of the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.17 Trust not in uncertain riches but in the living God Fourthly Solamen ministrat This Doctrine comes full fraught with comfort and speaks abundant and matchless consolation to all the People of God who have this Interest in him and exercise dependance upon him as their hope and help The godly man is the only blessed man The World may count and call her darlings happy but no such blessedness to be found as in the fruition of God and derivations from him Blessed he is First In all his Relations and concernments as to his spiritual state and as to his temporal He having an interest in God hath an interest in all that is Gods all his Attributes Relations Promises
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
the Lord and said Help us O Lord our God So Hezekiah Lord undertake for me The Apostle directs us to the throne of grace for help which Paul attending found this answer My grace is sufficient Prayer is the bucket of Heaven It 's the Psalmists little River in the City of God Psal 46. At which come up all the souls goods I sought the Lord and he heard me Psal 34.4 Then shall ye pray unto me and I will give you an expecied end Jer. 29. For all these things I will be inquired of by the house of Israel Ezek. 36.37 Prayer is the condition of mercy We must call though we never so fully expect If we stop our mouths God will stop his hand and leave off asking God will leave off giving and granting Sometimes God is found of those who seek him not potest inveniri non perveniri as to the first grace but having once given his Spirit he will be sought of all that finde him Prayer is vehiculum divinae misericordiae the Chariot in which the King of Heaven comes down graciously into our souls Prayer indeed cannot hasten mercy as to Gods time but it may as to ours not as to the time he hath appointed but his Promise being conditional it may as to the time by us expected And the assurance of mercy should not prevent duty but enforce it the certainty of the end establisheth and confirms the use of the means If we would have mercy from God we must not be too proud or shameface't to beg it but take words with us and say Take away iniquity and receive us graciously When we are laid by affliction flat on our backs then have we a fit opportunity to look up to Heaven and say Behold us O Lord look upon us and our afflictions remember the troubles and sorrows of our hearts come and heal us and help us for thou alone art our stay and trust our succour and support our prop and pillar our only help and hope God hath made many large and excellent promises to prayer under personal and also publick calamities 2 Chron. 7.14 If my people pray And Jehosaphat urgeth this promise in prayer 2 Chron. 20.9 If when evil comes on us and we cry to thee in our affliction then hear and help God knows how to give out mercy but he will have this homage of us first to ask and then will not cannot deny Luk. 18.7 Quanto magis Fourthly By faith and believing He that speeds in his accesses must believe As prayer must be made so faith must be acted He gives grace and glory to them that trust in him Faith trades at Heaven and fetcheth in large incomes of mercy Prayer may knock and beg for mercy but saith receives it though not as manus laborantis yet mendicantis An unbeliever can receive nothing from the Lord. Faith is to prayer as fire to pouder the piece will not off without it nor make any report Without faith wings it prayer can never reach Heaven and therefore not bring down any thing thence Prayer is the ship but faith the wind whereby we must sail to the cape of good hope Faith without prayer is but a bold bravado or daring presumption Prayer without faith is but a beating the Air an uncertain sound or vain canting in the ears of Heaven Fifthly By returning resolutions He that would come to God so as to obtain mercy must resolve so to come as never to depart from him more by iniquity O Israel return to the Lord saith the Prophet from whom thou hast fallen Hos 14.1 So Jer. 18.11 Behold I frame evil and devise a device against you return you now every man from his evil way and make your waies and your doings good There is no coming to God to beg only further liberty of sinning against him I will hear saith David what God will speak for he will speak peace to his People and his Saints but let them not turn again to folly God will never bestow his salvation for us to make it only a fomentation to our corruption When Israel kept close to God then he helped them when in all their straits and calamities they called upon him but when they rebelled against him he gave them up into the hand of the Nations Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him and keep his Covenant a penitent humble obedient frame is requisite in all our approaches to Heaven a turning to God with fasting weeping and mourning a resolve to offer him the calves of our lips The Prophet hath it excellently Isa 21.12 We must enquire return and come Such approaches to God alwaies are welcome to him and successful to his People That 's the second Thirdly This is a ground of satisfaction and acquiescence to the People of God His help may be sufficient to give our souls contentment under all the fails or wants of the creature The Apostle in that holy paradox bids us be careful for nothing not anxiously but in every thing make our requests known to God with prayer and thanksgiving Phil. 4.6 Duty and service is our work care and providence Gods The child takes no care because he hath a Father to provide for him nor is the Wife sollicitous because she is provided for by her Husband we must not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distract our hearts with needless fears and cares about worldly reliefs or comforts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was our Saviours caution let not your hearts be roiled as waters with stirring or troubled as a ship with tossing Nec habeo careo aut curo may be the Christians Motto We should not envy wicked mens fulness when as we have an interest in Gods Alsufficiency nor necessitate him for lower blessings when he hath given us the better part Holy Jacob was brought to an excellent pitch of contentation upon his experience and observation of providence when he vowed to God that if God would be with him and keep him in the way he was to go and give him but bread to eat and rayment to put on then the Lord should be his God Gen. 28.20 If God gives us necessaries why should we stand on superfluities Let me ask thy soul Christian but this one question whether thou wouldest part with thy hope of an interest in thy God for all the world And if God hath given thee the best things why shouldest thou doubt or distrust his providence for the worst why doubt ye O ye of little faith does God provide for Ravens and will he not provide for his Sons and Daughters he that feeds the Sparrows and cloaths the Lillies will never see his children starve or perish It 's strange to see how carnal men can trust their Mammon of the world and yet Christians cannot trust the ever-living God Strange that we can trust God with our souls and yet hardly trust him with our bodies This speaks a living by sense more than by saith strange that we could trust
condition It was good Nehemiahs glory That he did not oppress the poor but relieve them It will be a fearfull cry against rich hoarders at the last day which all the cravings and starvings of the poor amongst them will send out against them The Apostle gives us a report of it Jam. 5.4 5. Pure Religion and undefiled is to visit the fatherless and widow and to keep a mans self unspotted in the World It 's reported of the Deer that they in swimming over a River help each other by leaning on one anothers backs and when the formost be weary he comes hindmost And the story of the Belly in the Fable is not unknown So should we help each other in our passage to Heaven Fifthly Let this be a ground of confidence in God under all trialls and troubles let us not cast away our confidence for it hath a sure foundation and therefore shall have great recompense of reward Let us not despond but depend on God for help in all our straits lift up our eyes to the heavens whence cometh our help as the Psalmist hath it Psal 121.1 2. Not that we should not make use of all lawfull means under trouble and do like him who being plunged into a ditch would not stirre but stay till God helpt him out This is to tempt God and not to trust him Qui vitat molam vitat farinam Reliance on the first Cause destroyes not the use of the second There is a great deal of difference between using of means and resting on them As it 's evil to use means and not rest on God this is carnal confidence so it 's vain to depend on God out of the use of Means that 's daring presumption Though God hath determin'd all states conditions and changes notwithstanding his decrees a man may staive for want of food and die for want of Physick too God hath decreed necessary means in order to such and such ends and he that would obtain the mercy God hath promised must use the means he hath appointed But notwithstanding this Caution we must not so look down on the Valley as not withall yea chiefly and principally to look up to the Hills nor so view Earth as not in the mean time with that Cardinal to have leisure to look up to Heaven O 't is a sweet thing to see our mercies and supplies coming from Gods right hand and dropping to us from Heaven Happy it is in all conditions to have a God to fly to and to incourage our selves in When we are reduced to great straits and all the World seems to be in an uproar and blended in a Chaos of confusion and we are amuzed and amazed then to have a God to repose and confide in is an infinite mercy O learn we to trust and hope in this our God at all times Who would not trust this God who is so able and so ready to help Trust him for your selves with your Bodies your Estates your Souls your all Trust him for the Church trust him in time of mens fiercest persecution trust him in time of his own immediate visitations But it may be you will object and say we are unworthy of any such help or influence and therefore cannot put forth such confidence But remember God do's all for his people gratis all graciously from first to last for his Names sake He blots out iniquities heals backslidings repairs his peoples breaches and all for his Names sake Take one place for all Isa 48.9 For my Names sake will I deferre mine anger This is the grand argument Gods people insist on in all their applications for mercy Jer. 14. Dan. 9. And the flagg of defiance he hung out and the standing challenge he made to Israel in all his Benefactions to them Not for your sakes Consideration of our unworthiness if sensible of it and rightly affected with it is so far from being a discouragement that it should be to us rather an encouragement to come to God on all occasions whether for our spiritual or our temporal estates and conditions God is worthy to give and will not say as Alexander once when one asked him a groat that that was too little for a King to give and a talent too much for a Beggar to receive but will give like a King like a God though we be never so unworthy to receive Free grace delights to triumph in sinners unworthiness But it may be unbelief will object and say It 's in vain we have waited a long time upon the Lord for help and none comes for strength under such a temptation for comfort under such an affliction for deliverance out of such and such straits and trialls for salvation for his Church and people but yet no sign of his coming the Chariot-wheels of mercy draw heavily God hath forsaken us there is no hope why should we wait on the Lord any longer Notwithstanding all this my Soul It 's good to hope and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. In answer to this cavil consider but First That God do's not always work according to our platform We would chalk out the way of Providence limit the holy one of Israel prescribe to Omnipotency and Eternity for the time and manner of our deliverance but this is to go beyond our last over-sawcy boldness and malepert presumption Who art thou O man that wouldst sit at God's Councel-table or become his Director Shall the Clay prescribe to the Potter his way of workmanship God do's all things in infinite wisdom and holiness and works all things according to the Counsel of his own will God indeed is a sure help to his People yet he do's not always help them perfectly visibly or presently First Not perfectly mercy is at first an Embryo and Infant before it comes to any stature and proportion The motions of Providence are great God is doing many things at once and one design is lodged in the bosom of another and therefore slow though sure Providence is forced to ride circuit go farre about before it can effect and accomplish Gods intended purposes and oft the furthest way about proves the neerest home We must not as Luther was wont to say judge of God's Comical Tragedies before the last act The Picture though a rude draught at first before the Limner hath done with it becomes a polished piece God do's as that famous Painter answered when he was taxed for his tediousness in drawing Venus's Picture aeternitati pingere carries on a design for Eternity by all the present revolutions of Providence which though the blinde World cannot now behold the beauty of yet at the last day will appear glorious to the view of men and Angels Secondly Not visibly Gods Providence oft when it works for a man seems to work against him Jacob thought all things were against him when all went well on his side It was a good observation of Luther that God useth to work by contraries for his Church
to bring light out of darkness and Heaven out of Hell Gods ways are often in the Deep and his paths hidden and unknown Thou hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour The Devil first comes with the sweetest and at last with the sharpest God on the contrary makes a sad beginning but a blessed and comfortable end ye have seen the end of the Lord. God indeed usually comes to the wicked first with a blessing and last with a judgement but to his people first with a judgement and last with a blessing The wicked have the top of the Cup of mercy but the dregs of that of wrath The Saints sip of the Cup of wrath but have the bottom of that of mercy Now the further off the approaches of mercy are the more invisible The Prophet speaks of the Interstitium between the Law and the Gospel that it should be a day half dark and half light Zech. 14.8 And 't is alwayes darkest and coldest a little before break of day We are no competent Judges of divine operations God was in that place and Jacob knew it not we often fear a Devil of fury when there 's nothing but an Angel of mercy and look not on that side of the Picture which hath the face of a beautifull Virgin but the other that hath the affrighting look of an ugly and deformed Monster Manoah when God came to visit him thought he came to murder him when God comes to comfort us then we are well-pleased but let him come to humble refine and purge better and reform us then we cry out Undone We are sensible when he gives us fuller assurance but not when he works in us more holiness So let Christ appear in his glory in his Church let him give her a Year of Jubilee then her Children lift up their heads but let him appear in the prefiguring signs and shake all Nations come with Fire and Sword then mens hearts tremble for fear and scarce is faith to be found in the Earth But the infinitely wise God hath private Channels and Conveyances of grace which are not a whit less sure because more hidden and secret And thirdly not presently As God works not according to our modell so he takes his own time That leads to the second He alwayes observes not nay seldom or never our time Christ would do nothing before his hour came It is not for us to know the times and seasons which God hath reserved in his own Power All things shall not do at present work together for good take the whole piece when finisht and it will appear excellent God hath an appointed time which once come mercy shall stay no longer Exod. 12. ult The very same day Israel went out of Egypt by their armies In that instant Daniel was praying the seventy weeks being determined comes a Dove with a Letter in its wing an Angel flying to him with intelligence of the return of their Capâ—iviâ—y There is a set time when he will have mercy on Sion God sent his Son in the fulness of time When the Ammorites sins be full he will judge them though it be four hundred years first he had not forgotten them one day with him is as a thousand and a thousand years but as yesterday as a Watch in the night And when Gods peoples graces be at the full he will then come and save them He gathers his fruit when once ripe God does not alwayes ride post or mercy come on the wing but though it be long first it shall surely come at last and the longer in coming the better and more welcom mercies soon ripe are soon rotten soon gotten soon lost but those which cost us dear and are the fruit of many prayers tears and sorrows and results of much faith and hope waiting and patience are sweetest and surest our Benjamins and most beloved darlings God hath bound himself by promise to his people for the thing but not for the time and he does not therefore observe the soonest but the seasonablest time nor so confider our need as not also to respect our fitness and so his own glory He can work when he pleaseth Nullum tempus occurrit Regi and if he does not when we desire it 's but a just requital for as his time was not ours in coming to him so 't is but equal our time should not be his in coming to us But yet his delaies are no denials and mercy may be nearest when it seems furthest off Faith knows Gods time is the best and is willing to stay for its portion till he pleaseth to pay it alwaies saying Not mine but thy will be done If God comes not ad horam he will ad salutem the longer the Physick remains in the body of the Patient the more effectual will be its operation And the longer the vessel of prayer be gone the greater lading it brings with it when it once comes home Hasty births commonly miscarry and how sad a case will it be to lose a mercy or have it spoiled and have half a mercy instead of it for want of a little longer waiting The Souldier will be vexed to purpose if he delivers the Castle when as if he had staid but a few daies longer relief had come certainly What gat Saul by posting the Sacrifice before Samuel came It might have cut him to the heart if it did not to think that had he waited but a few daies longer he had saved both his life and his Kingdom Impatience hath lost or impaired many a mercy God will grant our patient sober submissive requests but never in mercy our restless and too importunate desires These make him often give us royal favours in anger and let his wrath enter our souls while yet our meat is in our mouths The Church had learnt better manners than to be so hasty so quick and snatching Isa 26.9 In the way of thy Judgements have we waited for thee It 's too great a boldness to make our watch a rule for Gods Sun our seeming distructions often usher in our deliverance and our too great haste for deliverance oft proves our destruction But thirdly We may say our case is sad our misery great we are under sore trials and temptations have met with many disappointments so as we have no hope our case is desperate our disease is grown incurable To which I answer the sadder our condition the more hope The greater mans misery the more Gods pity and deeper our affliction the higher his affection It 's the more honour to God to work when others have thrown it up and the greater glory to this heavenly Physitian to do the cure when 't is grown opprobrium medicorum the scorn to all others God delights to come in at a strait to know his People in a day of adversity To stay till all our power be gone our hope perished and we have given over praying seeking waiting hoping and expecting and given up all for lost
an Ark Heb. 11.7 which the prophane and secure world flouted and derided This was Lots security in the overthrow of Sodom his soul was vexed with their filthy conversation 2 Pet. 2.7 8. And the Apostle makes him a president his deliverance a ruling case so as to argue and draw up a firm conclusion from it for all the godly under like circumstances verse 9. This tenderness of conscience was that which removed Josiah out of the dint of suffering 2 King 22.19 Jealousie of sinning is the best security against suffering Such as fear Gods Name shall have the bright side of the cloud when others have the dark he will be to them a Sun when to the rest a fire This holy carriage protected Jeremiah and kept him out of captivity and exempted Baruch and gave him his life for a prey Gods mourners who gave him their testimony by wearing his livery shall also have his mark of distinguishing favour Ezek. 9. They are pluckt as brands out of the fire We may invert that of the Prophet Ezekiel and make the subject the predicate cap. 7.16 They who are as Doves of the Valleys mourning for their iniquity shall escape They who feared the Lord and thought on his Name minded Religion and made it their business had a book of remembrance written Mal. 3.16 Phinehas's zeal procures him the covenant of Gods peace Numb 25.8 Secondly A fiducial recumbency God saves them that trust in him and because they trust in him Psal 37. ult He that believes shall never be confounded God is a buckler to them that trust in him Prov. 2.8 The scope of the whole 91 Psalm is to assure preservation to them that exercise faith in God and keep in viis in waies of strict and close walking with him Not an absolute faith that God certainly will protect and deliver for that cannot be without a special revelation but a stedfast faith and firm dependance on God and his power and providence both as able and willing to do it Jobs confidence in God gave him assurance of his being his salvation This obtained a special priviledge for Obedmelech Jer. 39. ult Thy life shall be for a prey to thee because thou hast put thy trust in me saith the Lord. And this gave Daniel a marvelous yea miraculous protection Dan. 6.22 23. Innocency was found in him and he believed in his God Thirdly A praying importunity When Gods Spirit is poured out from on high and his stir up themselves to take hold on God plead and wrastle call and cry being his remembrancers day and night Psal 32.6 And so Zeph. 2.3 Seek the Lord all ye meek of the earth which have wrought his Judgement seek righteousness seek meekness it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger in the most desolating Judgements God reserves a remnant and they are the seeking praying ones Joel 2. ult Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be delivered So Psal 91.14 15. Fourthly A perfect and exact integrity He saves the upright in heart Psal 7.10 He compasseth them about with favour as a shield The way of the just is uprightness thou most upright doest weigh the path of the Just Isa 26.7 Integrity is the ground of hope This gave Job a certainty of his coming out of affliction and of a glorious restauration Job 13.18 I have ordered my cause I know I shall be justified This was that Hezekiah pleaded under Gods correction Isa 38.3 And Nehemiah under his enemies rage and opposition Think upon me my God for good Christs Righteousness is only pleadable at the bar of Gods Justice but our own in the Court of his mercy A man may as well rear a building on a quagmire or quick-sand as build a just hope on Hypocrisie but righteousness is a sure soundation The morning star being once up and visible it 's never very dark Such as walk alwaies in the view of their uprightness have alwaies some glimmerings of comfort and are never hopeless and desolate This was Gods own assignation of the reason of Noahs deliverance Gen. 7.1 Thee only have I found righteous in this generation He that walks uprightly walks securely When men are upright to God to men exercise a conscience void of offence in duties of the first and the second Table keep themselves from their iniquities and have respect to all Gods Commandments and whatsoever comes on them do not forget God and his Covenant they are upon the fairest ground of security The Prophet Amos puts them into not a bare capacity but at least a probability of mercy Amos 5.15 Hate the evil seek good and establish Judgement in the gate it may be the Lord God of Hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph Nay the Prophet Isaiah goes further and puts them under a certainty Isa 33.16 When Hypocrites were bundled as thorns or packt as brands into the devouring fire of Gods wrath who should abide now He that walketh righteously He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munition of Rocks bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure Fifthly A resolved singularity and couragious zeal and magnanimity for God in the worst of times both as to doing and suffering When Christians shine with an eminent lustre of piety like stars in a dark night with greater brightness and burn with an holy zeal as fire in frosty weather alwaies hottest are none such of the times and do not only keep themselves untainted from the sins they embrace but se on the duties they oppose resolving with Joshua that they and their house will serve the Lord and with Daniel that they will as formerly notwithstanding all prohibitions to the contrary make their supplication to the God of Heaven They will keep up private family duties publick attendances though all give them up maintain those duties of Religion most zealously strenuously and industriously that are most momentous though most opposed and despised dancing before the Lords Ark though laughed to scorn by the Michaels of the world Though Princes speak against them they will meditate and speak of Gods statutes They will appear for God when all appear against him as did Elijah whom God wonderfully secured and Paul whom he stood by miraculously and Luther whose language was fiat justitia ruat Coelum whom God signally protected at Worms and elsewhere though he were the only butt his pretended holiness then had to shoot at When a man is resolved to consult duty and not safety to suffer before he sins to burn in a fiery furnace before bow to a graven Image and with an holy fortitude to stand up for God against the sins of the time and place though he hath none to back him though all the neighbourhood Town City be otherwise affected as it was with him as to Baals Altars and Paul to the Athenian worships and is determined to venture all for God and in his Cause with a Caesarem
veho in his mouth if I perish I perish and can confidently look danger bonds death in the face being willing with Paul for the hope of Israel to be bound with this chain Act. 28.20 As holy fear so this invincible faith and undaunted courage is an evident token of salvation and that from God Phil. 1.28 Whom in the world should God help if not them that help with him or stand close to if not those who stand fast to him distinguishing duty shall certainly be rewarded with distinguishing mercy Secondly At what special times may Gods People look for help in time of mens violence and oppression Let me resolve that one question in case the cause of the People of God should be brought to an extremity and leave it with them as a fortification of their hopes and spirits Now though as it 's impossible for us infallibly to determine the periods of Gods grace to sinners when abused so the times and seasons of his giving out mercy and salvation to his People when wanted times being in his hand yet so far as we have the Scripture for our guide we may assign some particular and extraordinary cases wherein help is promised and so may be justly expected As First When Gods Cause lies a bleeding and the general concern and interest of Religion is at stake God is jealous for his great Name Thus Joshua pleads when Israel fell before their enemies in battel cap. 7.9 And Jeremiah cap. 14.9 We are called by thy Name leave us not and vers 21. Do not abhor us for thy Names sake do not disgrace the Throne of thy glory When the enemy houted Gods People pointing with the finger at them These are the People of the Lord he had pity for his holy Name Ezek. 36.21 When the whole interest of Religion and Gods people must go off at a blow God will step between the Axe and them We have such a memorable example of this in Gods deliverance of the whole body of the Jews from Haman's conspiracy as the defeatment thereof may be a standing encouragement to his people in all ages Secondly When a cloud of reproach and scandal is cast upon his Peoples innocency and integrity and thereupon ariseth an unjust oppression of them This was Job's case all along his Friends falsly accused him but his God did compurgate him and so Davids as appears almost in every Psalm where he now appeals to God and makes protests of his innocency as Psal 7.3 then prays for relief Psal 38. ult and 71.11 12. and 109.26 professeth his hope in God notwithstanding Psal 35.15 promiseth himself redress Psal 37.6 So Jeremiah cap. 20.11 and the Church Mic. 7.8 10. who promise themselves salvation and prophesie their enemies destruction upon their slanders and scandals cast upon them God will take part with his people what is done to them he takes as done to himself whether in way of kindness or abuse As they vindicate his Name and glory in the World so will he theirs from all reproach put upon it Thirdly When there is a failure and disappointment of all humane help This is the Psalmists argument Psal 44. ult and the ground of his plea Psal 79.8 Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us for we are brought very low When Pharaoh said The Israelites were intangled the Wilderness had shut them in God comes and cuts a passage for them Exod. 14.3 God commonly helps his People at the lowest the taking the weakest part is to him no disadvantage When vain is the help of man and the cause is concluded desperate for want of an Advocate then God is called in by our Prophet Psal 12.1 Help Lord for the godly man ceaseth Cum nemini obtrudi potest Psal 116.6 I was brought low and he helped me When Sion is called an Outcast and no man seeks after her then God chooseth to have mercy on her Jer. 30.17 Fourthly When the Enemies of Gods Truth and Cause blaspheme his Name and insult and triumph over his people Whom hast thou reproached saith God to Rabshaketh Isa 37.23 There 's the ground of his appearance against him The King of Heaven may pardon his Peoples rebellions but revilings are too saucy for subjects to give or the infinite and eternal God to bear from a vile worm a sinfull and mortal creature It 's time for God to arise when wicked men thus make void his Law and so far usurp upon his Supremacy and Prerogative as to offer a competition with him who he or they shall be Lord Controller in the World When the Assyrians talked blasphemously that God was the God of the hills and not of the valleys therefore did he deliver them into Israel's hand 1 King 20.28 God dare wrastle or engage with them though on disadvantagious ground This argument the Church useth for deliverance Psal 74.10 and strongly urgeth Psal 79.10 11 12. and the cruelty and blasphemy of the enemy may prevail with God sometimes when cannot the Prayers of his Saints and People Isa 47.6 7 8. God will save the afflicted People and bring down the high and proud looks Psal 18.27 It 's observable when God assigns to his people the reason of the expulsion of the Nations and the introduction of Israel in their room he gives it thus Not for your righteousness but their wickedness Deut. 9.5 when Saints holiness cannot avail for mercy sinners iniquity may call for justice Fifthly When the spirits of the Saints begin to despond and fail and yet are carried out with serious humiliation for their sin and recovering these fits and qualms with out-goings of Faith and Prayer to Heaven When Christ comes there will scarce be Faith in the Earth when the hearts of Gods people begin to swoon he will contend no longer lest their spirits should fail before him When the wicked are flesht and pufft up with vain hopes God breaks their bones asunder and their horn in pieces when Gods people are as dry bones he lifes and fleshes them Ezek. 37. When the Question is asked By whom shall Jacob arise for he is small the answer is The Lord repented for this Amos 7.2 3. God will not always suffer the rod of the wicked to rest on the lot of the righteous lest he puts forth his hand to iniquity Psal 125.3 God passes by his People when as tall Cedars and beholds them when low and weak Shrubs he delights in them when in an abject low condition and shews them mercy When the Locusts do most over-run the Cassians then the Seleucidian Birds come and are their devourers and destroyers God is willing his people sometimes should be brought to that pass that they know not whither to turn that so they may know what their God can and will bring about for them When Gods people are laid upon their backs then is a fit time for him to take them up into his arms and put them into his bosom Especially when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled by their
afflictions though oft-times not so sincerely at least not throughly God will come in for their help as Judg. 10. 2 Chron. 12. Especially where there is a spirit of true humiliation Faith and Prayer that conjunction is a sure Prognostick of mercy and sign of deliverance Zach. 12.10 compared with cap. 13.1 No sooner Daniel begins his Prayer but the Captivity makes its end Hos 5. ult I will goe to my place till they acknowledge When they come to seeking God soon comes to saving God never puts his people hard on begging or inclines them to asking but he stands ready handed with and fully bent and disposed to mercy When the Sea gets into the Ship and Peter cryes out Christ reacheth out his arm to save him Sixthly Let this be a ground of adherence and firm conjunction and cleaving to God at all times always cleave to this God who is such an help with full purpose of heart As Ruth to Naomi going where he goes and living where he lives Let nothing separate you from your God Like the Spaniel couch close to your Master It 's good for you to draw near to God lose all rather than lose him part with all the World before him Better God your Friend to stand by you than all the World without him God is faithfull to you be you so to him and though all else do do not you forsake him Forget your Kindred and Fathers house love not father or mother wise or children house or land but hate them if coming in competition with him Throw off your Father as holy Jerom said though he hangs about your neck and trample on your mother though she lay in the way to go out unto him Give not up the cause of God to Satan or the common Enemy because ye meet with a little trouble Though the Captain hath not present relief he will not deliver up the City if in any hope or expectation of it but hold out if possible he knows not how nigh he is relief Sacrifice not God's interest help may come before you expect it Christians on your first coming in you gave your selves up to the Lord and indeed as that Noble person said In undertaking Religion you might be deceived if you thought to save any thing but your Souls Oh take heed of making a breach of promise Take heed of using any sinister course any unlawfull and indirect means to evade the sufferings of the Gospel never accept a deliverance which is worse than bondage better have help Gods way than your own as finding it than as making it Infinitely farr better that trouble which ends in peace than that peace which ends in trouble Fight therefore the good fight of Faith so as at last ye may lay hold on the Crown of eternal life So run as ye may obtair Go on securely and couragiously in the way of your duty whatsoever occurres fear the Lord only and keep his way Esther though under strict interdiction yet ventures to approach the King having fasted and prayed with her Maydens in hope of divine benediction The Apostles though under a prohibition if not a suspension to preach chuse to obey God before man Act. 5.29 Be neither drawn or courted by the fawning allurements of the world nor yet frighted by it's terrours to give up or in in your profession Take our Saviours advice Luk. 12.4 Fear not him that can only kill the body but rather him that can destroy both body and soul in Hell Lastly A word to sinners and strangers from God and his hope and help concludes all This offers first a word of direction to poor sinners whether they must go for help They are all lapsed fallen creatures plunged into a state of guilt and corruption brought under the supremacy and dominion of Satan and have no power or sufficiency of themselves to recover but God alone is their help Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help to be found Man fell by his own free will but cannot recover without Gods free grace Homo libertatem quam accepit nisi Christo liberante non recipit as Saints therefore must bless him so sinners go to him as their only help go to him for light life by Prayer in the use of Ordinances which are media cultus and gratiae too and though God will not hear you as sinners he may as creatures Secondly Labour all to get an interest in God that he may be your help Time may nay will come when you will stand in need of an help You may have many storms in your journey to eternity It 's good in a Sun-shine to provide for a storm A day of affliction may come of death and dissolution must come A sword a plague a fire a famine a captivity may come and what will ye do in the evil day All worldly helps will then be in vain ye may kindle a fire of your own sparks but the end will be to lye down in sorrow You may with him that took up an hand-full of Gloworms in a dark night hope to warm your fingers with them but it will be a false fire and afford no heat with its light These Gloworms may shine till you come to the light of Sun or Candle These fair-fac'd nothings may please till you come to be convinced of a better beauty but then will vanish What will it profit to have a little comfort from them for a moment and at last be cast into the hellish dungeon Though ye have all creatures for you and God against you your case is as sad and miserable as had you God for you and all the world against you it were comfortable Time may come too that you may have all the world against you and the Devil too yea your own consciences and what will ye do if ye have not a God a Christ to stand for you Created-comforts cannot help you if God hath once forsaken you though he can supply their absence who is the Sun of Righteousness and make day though there be not the star of any creature visible yet they cannot his If the Sun be gone down it 's night for all the stars They have no Oyl for themselves much less can afford to others There is no trust in riches friends men Angels they are all a vain hope The Parent may leave his Child the Husband his Wife the friend his friend when time of trial comes God hath stood on Mount Ebal and blasted all carnal confidence as well as on Mount Gerizim and blessed confidence in himself Yea he may justly give us up to our own trust and those things we have confided in if we repose in any thing short of himself so he did them Jer. 2.28 And will the creatures Mantle be a sufficient covering to us Will the great Tree of outward mercies profession priviledges protect us under the soaking and lasting storm of Gods wrath The whole 49 Psalm is a conviction of the vanity of all the Pageantry of this world They are as birds or a string that at one time or other will deceive us And is not God in the mean time a necessary free universal sole sufficient help Who ever trusted in the world and was not deceived and who ever trusted in God and was disappointed The ends of the earth look to him and are saved O cease then from these lying vanities and endeavour to make God your God that so he may become your help And if you would do so labour first to get an humble sense of your own helpless and hopeless condition by nature Bethink your selves and see the plague of your own hearts As long as the soul hath any crutch to lean on it will never go alone while it knows whither to run it will never go to its God O labour to be weary and heavy laden in your selves and disclaim all creature-dependance as Paul did Phil. 3.7 8. Renounce all for Christ and Gods free grace and mercy in him And when in this wilderness lean on the arm of your Beloved Secondly Fly to Gods Name and Covenant by faith in Christ If ever God be yours it must be through Christ For there is no other Name God hath laid help on his almighty arm you must lay your hope there All Gods help runs through Christ he hath determined never to pardon one guilt or give out one dram of grace but through his blood He is the only daismen the true Sampson by whose strength the heavy weights of sin and wrath may be removed your souls All the souls fresh springs are in him He is the well head of salvation Without union no interest or influence No flying or abiding Gods presence escapeing or enduring his wrath unless your souls get under the skirt of his love He that would have interest in God by any other proxy must expect salvation by a deputy only O come to him then by faith venture on him as the Lepers did on the Camp 2 King 7 s. Do not only take Ropes about your necks and put Sackcloth about your loyns but come before this King of Heaven he is a merciful King And thirdly and lastly Strike Covenant with God enter into a confederacy with him Kings keep those confederate and in league with them The wickeds is a vain a strumpets confidence that challenge God as their Father and Husband and yet wantonize from him and care not for his company and communion Jer. 3.4 A good conscience only is the ground of a good hope and conndence 1 Pet. 3.16 God may help and save by the wicked but never will he be the Saviour of them Break off from sin then by righteousness and engage in yea keep covenant with God There 's a league both offensive and defensive between God and his People and the Promise made to Abraham observing the conditions stands good to all his faithful children Gen. 15.1 If we walk before God and be perfect he will be our shield and our exceeding great reward To conclude all with the Apostles options Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost And 2 Thes 2.16 17. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work FINIS