to his own hearts lust as Psalm 18 12. Isaiah 66. 3 4. God now left him to it in just judgment to him which though he did he could yet have restrained the influence of it from falling on David or turned it on his own Head as after he did or some other way yet now he suffered it to light on David for good and holy ends What God did in it was Holy and Good and meant for good to David though what Shimei did was sinfull and meant for evil to which agrees that general affirmation The wrath of man shall praise him Note still it s the wrath of man which directly or of it self worketh not the righteousness of God But it s of God to make it turn to his praise and to restrain that remainder thereof which might not do so Psalm 76. 10. with James 1. 20. But there are other judgments for punishment correction and purging of sin that God is more immediately and directly the authour of which he doth as it were by himself without such evident and visible use or imployment of instruments as in the fore-mentioned and so is more properly and directly affirmed to be the maker of them as the with-holding rain giving want of bread smiting with blasting and mil-dews sending the pestilence after the manner of Egipt taking away their Horses and making the stink of their Camps to come up into their Nostrils a judgment now uponus overthrowing some of them as he overthrew Sodom c. See Jer. 14. 22. with Amos 4. 2 6 12. 2 Sam. 24. 14 15. Likewise many of those extraordinary or unusual sicknesses weaknesses and deaths wherewith God punisheth a people for stubborness in iniquity in not timely judging themselves as 1 Cor. 11. 30 31 32. Are more immediately and directly his own hand done by himself without such use of instruments as before So of that sickness unto death and threatned with it on Hezekiah Isaiah 38. 1. He saith verse 15. He namely the Lord hath both spoken unto me and himself hath done it And of this latter sort of judgments is the breach spoken of in the Text the Lord made it even by himself without evident and discernable use of instruments by an immediate and sudden stroke And such is also that which we have this day to lament as to the immediate and direct hand of the maker in it though he did it not by a sudden stroke as there but by pining sickness yet he hath done it himself from day even to night he hath made an end of him as to us and our present injoyment and personal usefulness of him in this world The Lord our God hath made this breach upon us Let the consideration hereof be of use 1 To astonish us and make us silent before him from murmuring or disputing according to the frowardness and unsubmittedness of our own hearts and from our â—aâ—n thoughts and imaginations in which we are ready to be proposing to our selves some way or other of our own to put off the evil or grievance from us that we may not bear the indignation of the Lord as those that have sinned against him It s the Lord let us â—ow before him and be humbled under his mighty hand he is against whom we have sinned and who only can heal us and bring us forth to the light to behold his righteousnes The immediateness of his hand in it leaves us the more without room or colour to wander with our eyes into corners or to reason or dispute indeed such a behaviour under his hand when lifted up is very evil and unseemly when yet its evident evil instruments are iâ—ployed in the judgments executed It s good for us then not to look to consider or to have to do with them but â—o acquaint our selves with him to draw near to God to receive the correction out of his hand and be at peace quietly enduring it as his hand and waiting for him as Jâ—b David and others But now his hand lifted up as it is is more eminent to humble and meaken our spirits and make us silent before him And it shews greater iniquity and hardness in it if it have not that effect If now we will be froward or murmer we have none to wrangle with or look upon but the Lord If we would vindicate our selves or seek to excuse or plead our innocency we have none whose judgment we might therein seek to disanul But the Lord. If any way we would lift up our selves as if we felt nothing or could set it light or make it light we have none so to lift up or harden our selves against But the Lord against whom none ever hardned himself and prospered we may well say with Hezekiah What shall we say Himself hath dâ—ne it And with Job Bâ—hold I am vile what shall I answer thee I wil lay my hand upon mine mouth once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no farther Let us then put our mouths in the dust if so be there may be hope and be silent before him and with reverence wait upon him who doth all these things To which 2 This consideration affords us incouragement That it is the Lord even that great and â—aithful Creaâ—or who when we had marred and destroyed our selves and were dead in sins and trespasses yet so loved uâ— as to send his own Son to be the propitiation for our sins that his Kingdom might come to us and we might live under iâ— through him yea all this that through him we might be saved And it 〈◊〉 him that by the Grace of God tasted death for every man and 〈◊〉 all these things in the same wisdome mercy and faithfulness that he might bring us to God Having obtained power in the name of the father so to execute judgment because he is the Son of man It is the Lord let him do what he will Yea the Graciousness Faithfulness and Goodness of his Government and his worthiness to be submitted to appears in this That it is his Kingdom that ruleth over us even in all things That he hath not left us under the hand will or power of our enemies but still we are in his hand with whom is mercy and power to save and heal Come therefore let us return to the Lord let us prepare to meet him in the way of his judgments He hath smitten he will heal After two dayes he will reâ—â—ive us and the third day we shall live in his sight Yet likewise 3 This consideration serves to warn and admonish us to be sensible of some displeasure provoked and some great reproof in it to us That it may be diligently listned to and received by us For though its much better to fall into the hands of the Lord then into the hands of men whose tender mercies are cruelties Yet when taking us unto his own hands he is provoked to make such breaches to correct so sharply himself it
of the truth of his love and faithfulness for the carrying on his work in what remains in giving with his Son whatever is needful to the finishing his work unto the Day of Christ And therefore seeking at least to perfect that hope confidence rejoycing and strength to wait which was begun by the Spirit in and through the Testimony of Jesus seeking to perfect it by the flesh or according to its wisdome or desire and not waiting through the spirit for the hope of righteousness of faith 3 Nor yet are they seeking the Lord after the due Order who though in some measure comming in this incouragement and name having their boldness by the blood of Jesus to approach by that new and living way consecrated through his flesh yet are not found so drawing near with a true heart as in that full assurance of faith they are instructed and strengthned Hebrews 10. 19. 22. James 4. 8. But still secretly hideing retaining or regarding some way of iniquity or Idol discovered and reproved If any man of the house of Israel do so God will answer them according to their Idols Ezekiel 14. 4 5. If David do so God will not hear him Psalm 66. 18. Yea whosoever hides his sin shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh findeth mercy Proverbs 28. 13. Psalm 32. 3 4 5. Yea this hiding of our sin and secret holding fast any deceit unwillingness to be made sencible of it and have it discovered and purged it hinders of profitable and orderly fellowship one with another and so of the advantage and benefit of that and to be met with in that way for cleansing us from all unrighteousness See 1 John 1. 7. 9. Comparing the Verses we shall find That walking in the Light as he is in the Light hath in it a confession of our sins in the belief and acknowledgement of his Name in Christ the true light as he is in the Revelation and opening of it discovering and reproving them And that this is the way to have hearty and profitable fellowship one with another and so to injoy together those special influences of the vertues of his Blood cleansing us from all unrighteousness Yea 4. The want or wilfull neglect of this last viz. fellowship together in the Gospel is disorder enough to fill us with confusion and make all our seekings unprofitable If we should think to seek the Lord with a full Spirit in the instruction encouragement and acknowledgement of his name in truth and yet forsake the assembling of our selves together as the manner of too many is or neglect the advantages we might have in the fellowship and help of our brethren out of an imagination that we stand no need of such help or can receive no increase by or through them or are able to stand alone and manage our affairs in the Gospel that concern our selves and other as well of our selves and without such advice and help of brethren as we might enjoy and can or may as well understand the wondrous things of Gods law contained in the Scriptures by our selves as together with the the helpfulness of our brethren that are one with us in the faith and patience of Jesus If I say we should any of us entertain and listen to any such vain thoughts we deceive our selves For two is better then one because they have a good reward for their labour if they fall the one will lift up his fellow Bnt woe to him that is alone c. Again If two lye together there is heat But how can one be warm alone And if one prevail against him two shall with-stand him and a three fold Cord is not easily broken Eccles 4. 9. 12. For where two or three are gathered together in his Name there is he in the midst of them Matthew 18. 20. And God hath so set the members in the Body that the chief strongest or most eminent cannot say to the more feeble or inferiour oves I have no need of you that there should be no Scisme in the Body but that the members should have the same care one for another and that the whole body being fitly joyned and compact together from him who is the head even Christ might by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part make increase unto the edifying of it self in love 1 Cor. 12. 12. 25. Ephes 4. 7. 15 16. We shall here add a word or two by way of particular application to our selves of what hath been hitherto spoken to this point That the Lord hath made a sad and very grievous breach upon us we have seen before and now have taken a view of some of those ways of iniquity that are the procuring causes of such judgements as they are expressed in this acknowledgement For that we sought him not after the due order Let us then search and try our wayes desiring God to teach us what we see not and make us willing to be sensible wherein we our selves have been and are polluted with any of these wayes of iniquity which indeed are such crooked pathes as in which who so walketh shall know no peace What I shall say in this application I shall rank under these three heads I Hath not such folly and iniquity been found too generally with us As when a price hath been put in our hands to get wisdome we have had no heart to prefer and prize it according to the nature and worth of it to accept and improve it with earnestness and diligence to the end for which it was put in our hands even to the provoking the Lord to take away what we had because in having we had it not And who can say his heart is clean How have we foolishly preferred things of least concernment Yea even for lying vanities the appearing beauty of which we have observed and let our eyes fly upon have we not even for them by such observing them neglected despised and forsaken our own mercies Yea even such as to whom the speaking of God by his Son through the ministration of this and other his servants hath been as a pleasant Song Yet have not they even while with their mouth they have shewed much love let their heart run after their covetousness pleasures and other lusts And even loved and preferred the praise of men before the praise of God Yea though Gospel convictions have been many times on our spirits yet how have we shunned the light Because our deeds were reproved by it smothering the truth of God in unrighteousness choaking the saving effecacy of it in our hearts with the deceitfulness of riches the cares of this life and the lusts of other things till we have it is to be feared many of us hardned our hearts to a hating instruction despising reproof not obeying the voice of our teachers nor inclining our ear to them that instructed us Yea even to a secret murmuring and indignation against
or other 3 Union of way for promoting this design working and walking together in the same work and way of the Lord speaking or doing nothing through strife or vain glory but truthing it in love so as seeking and striving to walk together in setting forth commending cleaving to and leading others unto the same one Lord and so the one faith and the one baptism that is of and by him and the glory of God as shined forth in his face unto and for all things and in teaching all things therewith Seeking I say to walk together in this way of understanding in their several gifts administrations operations c. studying and striving each of them and together in the light and strength of the Lord to speak the same thing and to be perfectly joyned together in one mind and one judgment that there be no divisions c. 1 Cor. 1. 10. and chap. 12. 6 12. with Ephes 4. 1. 15. And so 4 Union of accord and agreement such as in which all things by each one are sought to be done in charity and with the advice consent prayers and helpfulness of their brethren in the faith and patience of Jesus that they may be blessed out of the house of the Lord and grow by that which every joynt supplyeth and to that purpose the younger submitting to the elder and all of them one to another in the fear of God And so there is in it 5 An union of fellowship one wiâ—h another and that in personal society and companionship for fellowship in the Gospel and ordinances thereof for acquainting our selves with the joys and griefs of one another for stirring up and exhorting to love and good works not forsaking the assembling of themselvs together as the manner of some is who are sensual not retaining the spirit This of personal society with them that call on him out of a pure heart is to be prized and embraced as one of the choicest outward mercies and blessings of this life and of greatest advantage to the one thing needfull and to be striven for in all our seekings namely the faith of the Gospel and therefore the opportunities God gives for it with diligence to be apprehended and improved See Psalm 84. and 122. Acts 2. 42. 46. Hebrews 10. 23 24 25. with chapter 3. 12 13. And in communicating on with another by and diligent improving the helpfulness that we may enjoy from such persons as afore-said by that meanes when personal converse or society with them cannot be enjoyed Till I come saith the Apostle to Timothy give attention to reading c. Signisying That when the Apostle should be personally present with him it might be of more use and advantage to Timothy to apply himself to personal converse with him and to attend to what he might personally hear and receive from him But when opportunity for that is denyed the reading searching and studdy of the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles and so the reading and considering the writings of such as have that lap of knowledge fore-mentioned the Word of God and testimony of Jesus and searching the Scriptures of truth whether those things be so and in such wise attending to those helps to our understanding and usefulness of the Scriptures and great things of Gods love conâ—ained in them that we may injoy from such persons is in the next place of great advantage and usefulness to the promoting these our main affairs Onely here be we admonished by the words of the wise given forth from one Shepheard That as no man can gather Grapes of Thorns nor Figgs of Thistles so neither can we expect to reap any good fruit or advantage but loss and pollution to the corruping our minds and manners from evil communication or the communication about the things of God from evil persons or such as love not the Lord Jesus Christ nor have that lip of knowledge that word of reconciliation in their hearts or mouths or in some measure having it yet are not so subdued by it to let fall their imaginations and high thoughts of comprehending and making out those things of the testimony of God by the wisdome of man or of this World and by the words which mans wisdome teacheâ—h not willing to become Fooles in themselves that they may have all their wisdome and strength in that evidence and demonstration of the Spirit that is in the testimony of Jesus The discourses or writings of such even of such as the last though they the best and most to be respected of the several sorts mentioned because they have in some measure the testimony of God though not subdued by it they seek to comprehend and declare it by mans wisdome or words as 1 Corinthians 1. 17. and 2. 1. 4. and 3. 18 19 20. 1 Timothy 6. 21. which makes that even such helps of either sort are little helpfull to those that through Grace have believed or to the convincing the ignorant and gain-sayers because they make it not their business nor doth their excellency lye there plainly to shew and demonstrate by the Scriptures Jesus the Christ and so other things in that demonstration of him by the Scriptures and so leave it on mens Consciences as his word and in his name But rather to shew and demonstrate those things by strength of reason or excellency of wisdome and of words which mans wisdome teacheth Compare the fore-mentioned Scriptures with Acts 18. 27 28. Those seeming helps may occasion to us much bodily exercise and such kinde of study as is a wearisomness to the flesh but the profit gained by them is but little and for a little while And if time were spared from such discourses and readings as in which chiefly the excellency of wisdome and of words is shewed in declaring and for demonstrating and making out the testimony of God we might have more to spend better and in more free and diligent attention to those helps that might be indeed helps and profitable to us But how much more are we to go from the presence of such soolish men as have not the lip of knowledge so soon as we perceive it to cease to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge because not onely they are in themselves polluting but also that with more diligence and earnestness we may continue together in the Apostles Doctrine and sellowship striving together for the faith of the Gospel that in nothing we may be terrified by our adversaries When the wicked did gather together in bands and were therein more powerful to do mischief to rob and rend from David he then resolves to be a companion of all those that fear the Lord and of those that in their fear or worship keep his way his precepts as of great advantage to strengthen him against the bands of the wicked Psal 119. 61 63. So in the latter dayes when there are of those many sorts of walkers who are enemies to the Cross
stop their mouths or prohibit them any other way which may be meet for them to walk in as happily they might in the Apostles times or first times of the Church succeeding them while the outward Court was in the hands of true and unfeignbelievers which since is left out as given into the hands of the Gentiles who tread the Holy City under-foot Revelations 11. 1 2. yet it behooves them therefore to be the more diligent and watchfull in holding fast the faithfull word as they have been taught and making full proofe of their ministery doing whatever lies before them to be done in it and with it faithfully as unto the Lord That they may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers and that the truth and power of the Gospell may continue with others as Acts 20. 28 29 30 31. 1 Timothy 5. 20. 21 22 2 Timothy 4. 1-5 Titus 1. 9. 10. Galatians 2. 4 5. Therefore saith Peter The Elders that are among you I exhort Feed the flock of God that are among you taking the oversight c. And yet not as being Lords For 6 Most of all out of order are they that seek to exercise a Master-ship or Lord-ship over their brethren that are not content to be brought so nigh as to minister to him as a holy Preisthood and to receive the Law and that their brethren with them also should receive it from his mouth but seek the Preisthood also even the high Preisthood that is peculiar to him like that sin of Korab Numbers 1 6. 9 10 11. and so would set themselves in his place and Temple as if they were the Great Apostles and high Preists of our profession to give lawes to his Church teaching for doctrines the precepts of men and setting up their Posts by his or as if they were the Lords of their brethren and had been crucified and given themselves a ransome for them would rule over the conscience determine their faith and assume to themselves an absolute seat of judgement over them not committing that to him to whom onely it belongs or would espouse them to themselves as if they could give encrease or spirit to them contâ—ary to John 3. 28 29 30. Matthew 23. 8 9 10. 7. 1. 2 Cor. 11. 2. like him 2 Thes 2. 3 4 c. Now let us here also search and try our wayes and be willing to see and acknowledge our confusion and disorder as in these instructions it may be discovered and turn unto the Lord that hath sâ—itten us with whom yet there is mercy and healing for us And for a little farther particular application of these last instructions to such as are in any measure made of his spirituall house and holy Preisthood I shall briefly add a word or two unto such and oh that we were willing every one of us seriously to examine and judge our selves and to know every man the plague of his own heart Have we considered the nature and weight of the charge committed to us and been willing or had our hearts prepared to seek it to be sanctified to that service after the sanctification of his sanctuary Have we not defiled our selves with Idols and with many polutions of flesh and spirit Yea even then when under pretence of having no fellowship with the unfruitfull works or workers of darknesse we in our rash zeale have been seeking to hinder and keep out others for their weaknesse ignorance or sinfulnesse out of the house of God and from rejoycing and seeking the Lord with his people in his ordinances and bidding them stand aloofe from us we are holier then you yet have we not Instead of awakening rising and standing up from them in their ignorant and unclean principles and practices which we should have done and not the other I say while instead of that we have bidden them stand aloofe from us I am holyer c. Have we not walked in their wayes and so had fellowship with them in their uncleannesses in their covetousnesse pride following after the vanity of the mind in the fashions and customs of this world and according to our former lusts in our ignorance and after the Iusts of men Have we not sought after and doted on the wisedom of this world the praise of men and like things nay do we not even outstrip many of the world in these things and teach the ignorant and wicked ones these our wayes while under pretence of holinesse we will not let them learne better of us and so strengthen the hands of evill doers by our example that none of them returnes by means of us from the evill of his way Yea how little dwelling together with all lowlinesse of mind in the unity of the spirit or submitting of the younger to the elder and all of us one to another in the feare of the Lord as being cloathed with humility is there not rather a spirit of pride and thence of division yea of madnesse and giddynesse possessing us that is ever rushing us into extreames As to say 1. The younger and such as are taught in the word as Gall. 6. 6. And also fellow-helpers to the truth or such as might be so more then they are were they willing to walke circumspectly and with a right foot in the Gospell But such of us Are we not either headily slighting or dispising all helps of our brethren or at least such as we might enjoy and have much mercy in and advantage by as if we could understand the mind of God in the Scriptures as well without such helps and enjoy fellowship and communion with him though neglecting them boasting that we are of Christ as well as they and are not all the Lords people holy as Numbers 16. 3. with 1 Cor. 1. 12. As immagining that we have no need of them of their instructions advice prayers blessings and hands with us for our understanding mannaging the affaires of the Gospel pertaining to us but can as well stand alone or go one of our selves even without such of our brethren as to whom we ought more especially to submit our selves in the fear of the Lord at least if they will not fulfill our humor and say as we say Or else are we not on the other hand Idolizing and preferring them or some one or other of them before or in opposition to another As if they had beene crucified for us or had the spirit to give to us calling them or some of them our masters or fathers in such respects as Christ ought only so to be esteemed by us having our eye dependance on them as those that would have our fear regulated taught by their precepts yea as the eyes of a Servant are to his Master and of a Hand-Maid to her Mistris and as our eyes should be only unto the Lord. Yea. 2. The Elders among us Though it s not meete especially for such a younger one as my selfe to rebuke such