assert an Vniversal Subjective Grace that is Grace and Power granted to every One to hearken to the voice of God calling in Nature and in the Gospel to convert and turne themselves to believe and repent if and whensoever they will because they see not how it is consistent with Gods Wisdom and Goodness to require any duty of man but what he giveth him full ability to performe not regairding the stock of strength that was once given to man and was dilapidat by Adam But as to this how crooked so ever we suppose it to be we must rest here that the Carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8 vers 7. And that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2 v. 14. and that Faith is the gift of God Ephes. 2 v. 8. And that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do according to his own good pleasure Phil. 2. vers 13. And that Christ is a Prince exalted to give Repentance Act. 5 v. 30 And that God is a free Dispenser of His grace as being obliged to none and shewing mercy to whom he will 4. That work of the Lord 's covenanting with Adam as the Head in the name of all mankinde and his imputing his sin unto his posterity who were in his loines so that all become borne and conceived in sin and obnoxious to the wrath of God because of that transgression of Adam according as the Apostle speaketh Rom 5 vers 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entrâ—…d into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned And againe Vers. 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression And Vers. 18. Therefore as by one mans offence or by one offence judgment came upon all men to condemnation This Dispensation I say seemeth so crooked to some such as Pelagians Socinians Arminians and Quakers that they must absolutely deny it and say there is no such thing as original sin though Paul saâ—…eth Ephes. 2 vers 3. that we were by nature including himself the Children of wrath And David telleth us in his humble Confession of sinnes to God Psal. 51 ver 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me And Iob sayeth Chap. 14 v. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one And to the same purpose Bildad Iob. 25 v. 4. How can he be clean that is borne of a Women 5. For further setting even what otherwayes men think crooked in the way of the Lord they imagine assert and defend an Universal Redemption saying that Christ hath died for all equally say some with some difference say others because it seemeth a crooked thing with them and inconsistent with the Nature and Goodness of God not to seek the Salvation of all and not to prepare meanes of life for all so not to send Christ to die for all and every mothers son though we be plainly enough and expresly told in Scripture that the Father gave not all to the Son to redeem but some and that Christ laid down His life a ransome for those alone who were given to him to save and of whom he must give an account to the Father as having undertaken to redeem them from Hell Wrath Satan and all their Enemies and by His Power and Grace to bring them saife home at length as being their Head their Husband their Shepherd their Cautioner their Lord Ransomer their Intercessour and Advocat with the Father and that these are an all and called the â—…orld to point out their natural Original that Grace may the more appear to be grace and to pointe out their being scattered through thâ—… world and taken out of all Kindreds Tongues Nations People Languages especially now under the Gospel in distinction from the dayes of the Old Testament when the Iawes were only the peculiar people of the Lord and in Iudah only was God known and his name great in Israel 6 Further to make God's supposed crooked wayes straight the Enemies of the free Gâ—…ace of God imagine that the will of Man must be left Free to be Lord of all and absolute disposer of the decrees and purposes of God of Redemption and of Salvation so that the Lord must not by an Irresistible Power draw any home to Christ contrary to Ioh. 6 44. Nor create in any a new heart and take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh contrare to Ezech. 11. 19. and 36 26 27. Because they cannot see how it can consist with Gods Love to mankinde to preferre one to another they imagine that God layeth the matter alike to all mens door standing equally and knocking at every mans door and so leaving it to them alike to choose or refuse to become happy or miserable as they please and so they say that when God hath done all He can or will do to save people their will is at perfect freedome to accept or reject the Grace of God and that there is no special saving work of grace upon the heart of one more then of another O what real crooked work do foolish men make here How do they darken deforme and make crooked the glorious straight work of the free grace of God wherein absolute Soveraignity glorious Grace and the free Mercy of God shineth forth with such a Soveraigne Lustre Beauty and Glory Paul had other thoughts of the matter when he said Ephes. 1 vers 3 4 5 6 7. Blessed be the God and Father of ouâ—… Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Celestials in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Iesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of His will To the praise of the Glory of his grace wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved c. 7. To salve this same Diana of Free will the same Persons do deny the Free and Absolute Decrees of God touching any thing to be done by Man whether good or evil because they cannot see how God's Absolute Decrees concerning this or that can consist with the free Actings of mans will not impose an absolute necessity on man to do or not to do according to what is decrâ—…ed as the stone must absolutely and naturally move down-ward and the Sun shine and all Natural causes act and work therefore to make this supposed crook straight they see no other way but to deny all such Decrees and Purposes in God not knowing that as God's decrees determine the event
By what Law was he and Silas beaten openly and uncondemned at Philippi Act. 16. vers 22 23 37 By what colour of law was he drawn out of the Temple and almost killed by the Jewes Act 21 9. If it adde to the griefe of any when they consider that such as persecute and oppose them are not openly profane and wicked Persons but such as are accounted good and sober persons and such as may be judged to have the grace of God in them It would be remembered that howbeit this indeed be a sad Ingredient in the cup of affliction may make the trouble heavier than otherwise it would be yet it is no uncouth thing Iob's friends were good sober understanding Persons though in a great mistake as to the application of their discourse unto Iob's state Paul did meet with some thing like this Act. 13. vers 30. at Antioch when the jewes stirred up devout and honourable women against him The false Teachers that on all oc casions opposed Paul were not profane wicked Persons for they had transformed themselves into the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11 vâ—…rs 13. We read also of some that preached Christ of envy and contention supposing thereby to adde affliction unto Paul's bonds Phil. 1. vers 15 16. 10. Some may possibly think much to be put to open shame and made a gazing stock and to be exposed to open contempt and ludibrie and indeed that may be a sad affliction to some noble and generous spirit and heavier than death it self But yet it is no strange thing for we read of some Hebr. 10. vers 33. who were theatrized brought to open scaffolds and put on pillories and made publick spectacles and exposed to open mockery So Hebr. 11. vers 36. some had trial of cruel mockings Was not Iob made a by-word of the people and their song Iob 17 6. and 30. vers 9. Several other things of this nature might be named but I shall haste unto the third particular and shew how little ground there would be for such complaints and outcryes if all were known and rightly considered and to this end I shall mentione these particulars 1. When Peter is writting to a scattered company living as strangers in a strange land he saith unto them 1 Pet. 4. vers 12. Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing hapned unto you Though they were scattered thorow many Countreyes ' and were to meet with trials yea and fierie trials yet he would not have them troubled thereat or look upon it as any uncouth accident befalling them teaching us thereby to look otherwayes upon the sharpest of trials and exercises that we meet with than we readily do and not to think that we are worse dealt with than others or that God taketh some uncouth un-heard-of course with us 2. What if it be found after impartial trial that there have been many who have drunk deeper by many degrees of the cup than they have done and that their affliction under which they groan and cry-out so much is nothing comparable to what others of the Lord's worthies have been exercised with Will not this appear by an impartial view of the Instances adduced And seing their crosse is light in comparison of what some dear to the Lord have had is there or can there be any ground for their so complaining 3. Will it not be found that such as complaine thus dar not compare themselves with others who have been as sore afflicted if not sorer than they as to Grace Sanctification Communion with God c Will they arrogat to themselves that honourable Epithet which the Lord gave David a Man according to God's own heart or Iob a perfect man and upright and one that feared God and eshewed evil And if not is there ground for their complaint when God is dealing no worse with them than He did with those yea is dealing with them in a far more gentle manner 4. What if it be found that such as have been visited with the same affliction with which they are visited and under which they groan so much have not provoked the Lord so much as they have done And will not their complainings then be found most unreasonable and groundless 5. What if it be found also true undeniable that those who have met with the same calamities have been more usefull in their generation than they are or ever were If God spare not the green tree shall the drye tree that is sapless and barren doing little more than cumbering the ground complaine that it is cut down We should be content with the same lot that both the Prophets and Apostles had It needed not grieve the Philippians that they had the same conflict which they saw in Paul and heard to be in him Phil. 1. last The last particular is to shew a better way of improving the example of others who have been afflicted before us than to take occasion therefrom to complaine of God's dealing as if it were worse with us than with them to wit to be considering their Christian carriage under their afflictions that we may be ashamed of our deportment and may be stirred up to follow their example in what is truely commendable and is for that end held forth to us in Scripture many particulars of this kind might be mentioned we shall name only a few 1. We finde them patient under the crosse and their instance proposed to us for imitation in this respect So saith the Apostle Iames Cap. 5. vers 10 11. Take my Brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the Name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience Behold we account them happy which endure yee have heard of the patience of Iob and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy If the carriage of the Prophets under the crosse and particularly of Iob were narrowly searched it would be found that there was sometime too much Impatience but the Spirit of the Lord would not have us poreing upon that but to take special notice of their patience and in this to look upon them as a copie set before us for albeit there was much Impatience to be observed in Iob's carriage yet his Patience is taken notice of by the Spirit of God and we are bidden look to that as if we had never heard of one of his impatient expressions 2. We finde them looking especially to God's hand in the matter and overlooking all Instruments adoring and reverencing the holy Providence and Disposal of God laying their hand upon their mouth and giving God the glory and in this we should study to be followers of them David said Psal. 39. vers 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it And when Shimei railed upon him and cursed he said let him curse for the Lord hath said unto him curse David and
hereof 3. When the Lord surprizeth His People with a Mercy and a Deliverance and cometh upon them with an unexpected Out-gate whether 1. As to their present Frame and Fitness for the mercy and delivery Or 2. As to their Present Hopes and Expectation When First I say the Lord cometh with a sweet and merciful delivery unto a People that seem to be in no present capacity for it as being out of all good Frame or Fitness for receiving such a mercy with advantage because lying in their sin and impenitency When the Lord cometh with Salvation unto such a people sure his way must be covered with darkness and hid from the eyes of Beholders with a clothing of Soveraignity for who could think that deliverance were upon its march towards such a people who are not seeking it nor turning from their sinful wayes that the Lord may have mercy upon them according to his usual Method and Order Such steps of Soveraignity are hid steps of Majesty and full of Glory and therein the Lord is hiding Himself and His way coming with Salvation in an unusual path As when he saith Esai 57 17 18. For the iniquity of his Covetousness I was wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his wayes and will heal him I will lead him also and restore Comforts unto him and to his mourners Next When the Lord surprizeth a people with a mercy that they are not in Expectation of nor Waiting for then he acteth like a stately King and His Way is Glorious and hid as it was when the Captivity was brought back from Babylon concerning which they say Psal. 126 vers 2. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion we were like them that dream It is true they had good ground to be now looking for their delivery because of the Prophecy of Ieremiah foretelling that after Seventy Years they should return back to their owne land and Daniel understood so much and thereupon when the time was approaching set himself to pray Dan. 9. But as to the generality they were in all appearance little looking for this outgate but rather fearing more trouble and vexation by Babylons warrs with the Medes and the Persians who were coming against them though the name of Cyrus because of what was foretold by Esai Ch. 44. and 45. might have caused them lift up their heads in hope But notwithstanding of all this we see they were at least as to the generality and bulk of the people little looking for an outgate at this time therefore at the first report of freedom granted to them to returne they were like men that dream scarce beleeving their owne eyes and eares At which time while they were in this dreaming posture how were they surprized with this mercy And how was the way of the Lord in His stately Marchings hid from their eyes In reference to this same Dispensation of deliverance to his People by Crus is the Prophet here crying out thus Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self as the former part of the Chapter from the beginning cleareth 4. When Dispensations upon the one hand and the other say that in humane probability there is no appearance or ground of hope of an outgate or deliverance yet delivery cometh in an unexpected way how hid must the way of the Lord then be Thus He loveth to hide Himself in His advancing with Salvation when there is no appearance to humane Consideration whether mens eye be upon the Enemies or upon the People of God themselves As to Enemies they may 1. Be Strong Mighty and Invincible the Consideration of which might alone be sufficient to dash all hopes as who could have thought that the People of Israel being so under the feet of that mighty Monarch Pharaoh could get out of his Territories and be freed of his mighty Yoke 2. They may not only be strong but prevalent and prospering in their evil way all things succeding according to their mind the Lord as it were shining upon their Counsels and granting to them their hearts desire crossing them in none of their wicked interprizes and designes but even suffering them to devise mischiefe upon their bed and to put it the next day in execution Was it not so with Saul in his wicked persecution of David oftentimes Had he him not sometimes in a net and compassed him about on all hands that there was no apparent escaping and yet deliverance came 3. They may be also Crafty and Politick and lay their traines so sure that they may think they cannot misgive and have all things prepared to their minde that in a moment they may blow up His People that there should not so much as a memorial of them be left and yet be disappointed The Lord in an unseen way may bring about His Peoples deliverance so was it with the people of the Iewes in the dayes of Mordecay when Haman had gote a Commission sealed by the Kings ring and a Decree passed that might not be ranversed or recalled the day appointed and designed and that by a lot as having something like a divine approbation Orders dispatched to put all in execution and thus the mine was ready for the springing what hop could the poor Iewes then have of a delivery And yet behold the Lord was then a God that hid himself He was counter-working this myne and laying a back traine that might cause it spring back upon the Authors and so it did as the Storie cleareth When the Enemies thought themselves sure of their designes and thought it impossible that their purposes could fail behold the God of Israel the Saviour was hiding himself and laying an unseen ambush that cutt them off who thought to have destroyed the Iewes So upon the other hand this God will bring about deliverance to his People When upon their part there is not one toaken for good not one thing apparent that can be a probable ground of hope As 1. When their strength is gone and there are none shut up or left not a man that might be an hopful Instrument to the fore all their valiant Men and Men of Courage and such of whom any thing could be expected destroyed and taken away Yet He who is a God that hideth Himself can come in an unseen way and loveth to come so according to that gracious Word Deut. 32 vers 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 Was it not thus also in the dayes of Deborah when there was not a spear or sheild seen among Fourty Thousand in Israel Iudg. 5 vers 8. 2. When their heart and courage is gone they are desponding and desparing and looking on their own case as hopless and helpless as it is said of the People of Iudah while in Babylon who said Ezek.
the wicked were hunting for the precious life been forced to make use as a shelter beyond above a palace of pleasure but ô what a sure what a safe refuge is the rock of Salvation in time of trouble O how doe the environing wallâ—… of Christs righteousnesse power these everlasting armes underneath supporting and round about surrouding preserving from the tempest of wrath that it cannot invade or break thorow make such accommodation sweet pleasant But when with all this secret place of the most high hath not onely all safetie in it but it hath also all sweetnesse all satisfaction and all goodnesse laid up in it for such as it hids It s not onely a strong place that hath salvation for walls and bulwarks But it is within this also that he shines and shewes his marvelous kindnesse Psal. 31 vers 20 21. there is not onely a refuge here but there is besids a rich treasure of all goodnesse laid up in this storehouse to be laid out and made forthcoming for all who enter within the gates of this Citie It s not onely a house of war but a house of peace and pleasure it s within these walls that that peace of God which passeth understanding doth guard the heart and mind as it s here that the place of their defence is the munition of rocks so it is within this rock that their bread is given them and their waters ate mâ—…de sure there is great fatnesse within this strong hold for feasting souls and a river of pleasure for their refreshing This is that unexhausted well-spring fountain of loving kindnesse tender mercies and bountie which glads perpetually the hearts of all beleevers This is the river that maketh glade the whole Citie of God This is the very Fountain of life it self thristing to be drunk of by thristy souls which is nothing else but God himself imparting and communicating himself to his emptie and indigent people and making up thereby all their wants according to his riches in glory a saving God satiating the weary soul and replenishing it with goodnesse this River of God which is full of water running in into the heart of him who hath opened his mouth wide till it be filled to a running over O how do they who finde by tasting how good he is and what is to be had in the Kings chambers pitie the poor mistaken World that feed upon husks while they are feasted with these royal dainties Alas the World who are strangers to their joy knowes little what a Kings life they live and how while in their wildernesse lot they feed upon Manna and are feasted with Angels food they little believe how the People of the Lord in their shuttings up are so fatiat with goodnesse as their hearts are enlarged while made glade by the light of his countenance lifted up upon them in their desirings for others that it were with them in all things as it is with themselves save as to their bonds O what a blessed hiding place doe they finde him He is such a secure hiding place as is also a most sweet beautiful and refreshing resting place a refuge where repose and soul ravishment are met and marryed together without a divorce Now could a soul think of changing his dwelling place could he ever by choice and upon deliberation come out after he hath enterd into these chambers and shut the doors about him and hath tasted and seen how good God is No sure it will not it cannot think on this without terrour it will not after it hath drunk of the river of his pleasure and is satisfied with the fatnesse of his house leave these pure springs to drink of an impure pudle O how easily must the soul be arrested where it is ravished in the fruition of what it finds Now my dear and distressed Brethren Consider that you may not be weary nor fainted in your minds in the day when the blast of the terrible one is as a storme against the wall what a compleat hiding place you have from trouble and what a citie of refuge you have to flee unto Thou art my hiding place thou shalt preserve me from trouble thou shalt compasse me about with songs of deliverance said the Psalmist Psal. 32. And in this he is not alone for grace hath made you sharers with him of this great goodnesse The sure mercies of David are made sure to all who have taken hold of the Covenant so as whosoever have fled into Jesus Christ for a refuge from wrath and for pardon of sin when pursued by justice they may conclude this as a sweet consequent of it also Thou art my hiding place from trouble And whatever hardship you may meet with or whatever heavinesse you may be under yet you may conclude O comfortable conclusion That the Lord vvill command his loving kindnesse in the day time for you and in the night his song shall be vvith you yea you shall be compassed about with songs of deliverance songs shall inviron you about and joy shall break in on every side you shall be able to look no where even while all who look on may think your misery unmixed and your sorrow without the least alay of sweet but you shall finde matter of a song and be able to command a most sweet consort of musick within your own soul because both safe and satisfied The Lord will be a refuge in times of trouble Psal. 9. and they who know his name which is a strong tower may and will put their trust in him This then is the all of your businesse in order to support saftie and satisfaction in order to your being in case both to honour him and to be happie in the midst of all possible sufferings for his sake to betake yourselves to him for shelter and trust in the covert of his wings And it is for this end that this teacher taught of God hath left his Brethren in affliction these directions that as they may be persuaded to stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God so amidst all their sufferings for his sake they may know how to have a sweet serenitie of soul by acting faith upon him as a full Fountain sutably to all their needings wantings darknesses difficulties and dangers and so be put in case to say In the Lord have vve righteousnesse and strength in him by whom we are justified in him and by him do vve glory in tribulation and are more than conquerours Now that you may live more constantly with him have a more comfortable and joyful life then ever in a fellowship with the Father with his Son J. Christ that you may have grace for grace yea an all of grace whereby you may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven adorne the doctrine of God the Saviour be enabled to fight the good fight of Faith through Christ strengthening you and endure to the end by the new supplies of the Spirit
contemned and slighted is not much but to see Princes hanged-up by their hand and the faces of Elders not honoured that is sad and lamentable Lam. 5. vers 12. So it is not much to see us base unworthy sinful and nothing creatures suffering and put to hardships disgrace paine shame miserie and wants But to see the Prince of the Kings of the earth in disgrace to see the Lord of life killed the Son of God despised the King of Kings spit upon and put to paine to see the Heire of all things suffering want that is an uncouth sight This maketh Christ's sufferings incomparably great and all our Sufferings nothing in comparison with these even when ours are at the greatest What are the sufferings of a beast of a worme or the like unto the sufferings of the greatest Prince that ever was or unto the sufferings of an Angel And yet the worme being a creature as well as the Prince or Angel the difference is not so very great but the difference is Infinitly more great betwixt the sufferings of Christ who is God equal with the Father in power and the sufferings of the greatest King or Emperour or Angel that ever was because there is no comparison betwixt Finite and Infinite betwixt God and the Creature 2. We know it is much more for one to suffer Death while in the flowr of his age and in the prime of his Strength and who in all probability according to his natural Constitution might live many years than for one who is half Dead already and is carrying about with him the Sentence of Death his Body being decayed and his clay-cottage ruinous and almost fallen to the ground So in this respect Christs Sufferings are far beyond ours for our Clay-bodies are so rotten with Corruption so broken with sicknesses and diseases that a few years should put an end to our dayes and we should quickly return unto dust though no hand were streatched out against us yea though all imaginable meanes were used to keep us in vigour and life But Christs Body though a true Body yet was naturally free of these Corruptions that come because of sin which our Bodies are obnoxious unto We never read of his sickness And though his death was not wholly miraculous yet we may not say that He would have died naturally as other men do though no violent hands had been laid upon Him 3. We use to think much more of his sufferings who suffereth wrongously and without Cause than of his who suffereth deservedly We will not be much moved to see a bloody Murderer put to Death but it will move us much to see a man put to death against whom nothing worthie of Death can be alleiged So in this respect our Sufferings are nothing in comparison of Christs for however as to men we should suffer innocently yet there is ground for God to plead His controversie against us and to use these as Instruments of His Justice to execute His righteous Sentence against us But it was otherwayes as to Christ who though as standing in the room of the Elect and made their Cautioner and so made sin for them or had their sin imputed to Him He was smitten of Justice yet as to His own Person He was the Innocent Lamb of God and without sin Holy Harmless Undefiled And as to men He suffered most wrongously as was seen above 4. The difference is great in this respect That Mercy is Master of work standing at the side of the fournace and ordering the same while His people are lying into it But the Law-wrath and Justice of God was blowing at the coal of Christs Sufferings We have to do but with men whose Actions are over-ruled by the Omnipotent hand of a Merciful God But He had to do with God executing Law-Justice because He stood in the room of the Elect. The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all He was wounded for our transgressions He was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisement of our Peace was upon Him He bear the iniquity and sin of many Esai 53. v. 5 6 11 12. His own self bear our sins in his own Body on the tree 1 Pet. 2 v. 24. It is not so with the Lords People He dealeth not with them in pure Wrath or in Justice but in Mercy and in Moderation The Cup that Christ had to drink was full of the purest Law-wrath and so bitter that His Holy Sinless Soul did scunner at it But in the Cup of his Children there is not one drop of the revenging Justice of God or of Law-wrath but much of His Fatherly Mercy and it smelleth strongly of Love for He is bringing about their good hereby Therefore the disproportion betwixt Christ's Sufferings and ours is Infinite upon this account 5. Put the case which yet will not be that God should deal with any of His owne according to strick Severity and Law-Justice yet could not their Sufferings be comparable unto Christs Though they were pursued by pure Justice and by Law-vengeance and sent away to everlasting flames they should not for all that endure what He endured for they should but suffer in that case for their own particular and personal faults But Christ bear the sins of many even of all the Elect And this would make the difference great How much greater then must the difference now be when their Sufferings are of a far other Nature 6. This will be further clear if we Consider how Christ did not only undergo the Debt of the Elect and wrestled with strickest Law-Justice but by His Sufferings He made full Satisfaction to Justice which they all for whom Christ died had never been able in hell to have done there had they lyen for ever and had never come out of prison for they had never been able to have satisfied Justice But what Christ Suffered was full Satisfaction to Iustice that it could crave no more the Bond and Obligation was cancelled on the Crosse and Christ cried out It is finished intimating that the last penny was payed Thus Christ suffered more than all of them could have done for all Eternity and so certainly His sufferings were transcendently and surpassing great and the hardest of our Sufferings ought not to be named in one day with His. In Order to the Improving of this which is the Second Particular we shall mentione these few things 1. Were this Consideration rightly thought on and improven His people would not be so much troubled and affrighted in a time of Sufferings as usually they are We see how Christ went up to Ierusalem and set His face to go thitherward resolving to go thither notwithstanding of all Impediments in the way and albeit His Disciples were averse from that journay and would have disswaded Him from it He went thither with a full Resolution though He knew He was to grapple not only with the King of Terrours there but with pure Law-Curse and Wrath because of the Sinnes
Church here should taste of the Worm-wood the Gall of Affliction and wade thorow Trouble and Persecution He hath seen it fit that she should be in a wilderness Condition here And so it hath been in almost all ages as might be evidenced if necessary 2. Not only hath the Church of God met with Affliction but the cup hath been long at her Head without any intermission The seed of Abraham were to be strangers to serve and be afflicted foure hundereth yeers and more even from Ismaels beginning to mock until they were delivered out of Aegypt Gen. 15 v. 13. Act. 7 6 7. with Exod. 12 41. Was not the Church keeped fourtie yeers wandering in the Wilderness before she came to rest And when settled in the promised Land how many yeers together was she oppressed by Enemies sometimes Eight Iudg. 3 8. then Eighteen vers 14. then Twenty Iudg. 4 v. 3. Then Senventie Years in captivity in Babylon And we know how the Christian Church was in an afflicted and persecuted condition in the primitive times three hundereth Yeers untill Constantine the great came to the Empire and how long she hath groaned under Antichrist's tyrannie 3. The Lord also thinketh good to renew the daies of the Church her sorrow after some warm blainks and some short respite as the primitive Church had in the intervals betwixt the Ten vehement and fiery Persecutions some whereof were of longer some of shorter continuance After a respite He sendeth a new storme so that her calamites are like waves of the sea ere one be well away another cometh Hence the Psalmist saith Ps. 129. vers 1 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth 4. Yea moreover the Lord seeth good to afflict her with billowes of waves of His displeasure and to afflict her very sore as Esai 64. vers 9 10 11 12. Be not wroth very sore Thy holy cities are a wilderness Zion is a wilderness Ierusalem a desolation Our holy and our beautiful house where our fathers praised thee is burnt up with fire and all our pleasant things are laid waste wilt thou refraine thy self for these things O Lord wilt thou hold thy peace and afflict us very sore This was a sore stroke which destroyed both Church and State 5. Some times the Church hath to do with moe Enemies than one at once See Psal. 83. ver 5 6 7 8. For they have consulted together with one consent they are consederat against thee The Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Hagarens Gebal and Ammon and Amalek the Philistines with the Inhabitants of Tyre Assur also is joined with them they have holpen the children of Lot This was a dreadful conspiracy of all the Enemies round about both far and neer and their designe was to cut off the people of God from being a Nation that the Name of Israel might be no more in remembrance vers 4. As Herod and Pilat will agree when they are to concurre to the cutting off of Christ so these Enemies though sometimes at variance among themselves yet can agree in one to joine their forces together to destroy and cut off if they could the Inheritance of the Lord. 6. Withall the Lord may hide His face in the midst of these outward calamities and refuse to give light comfort counsel or direction She may be afflicted and tossed with tempests and withall not comforted How hath the Lord said the Church Lam. 2. v. 1 3. covered the Daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger He burned against Iacob like a flame of fire See also Chap. 3 8 9 10 11 c. and several other passages 7. Sometime the Lord so ordereth the affliction as that the very timeing of it maketh it much more heavy than otherwise it would be as when His people are secure and crying peace peace The Israelites thought all was well when they were gote out of Egypt but ere they were awar how quickly were they invironed with new Difficulties pursued by Pharaoh all his hosts having the red sea before and no way to escape upon either hand doubtless the very season time of this new difficulty made it very grievous It cannot be but sad when it is with the Church as Ieremie saith of the Church in his time Ier. 8 v. 15. and 14 19. We looked for peace but no good came for a time of healing and behold trouble 8. Not only is the Church put to contend with open Enemies but she is also much molested with false friends who under pretence of friendship seek to ruine her These prove most dangerous Enemies as traitours within a besieged place While she is prospering many offer their service to her and seem to be cordial friends and yet are but a mixed multitude who when the first occasion offers will seek to returne to Egypt for all their profession of kindness and friendship when a fit opportunity offereth there are none more bitter Enemies than they are So that it oft fareth with her as Paul said it would fare after his death with the Church of Ephesus in respect of Hereticks and false Teachers Act. 20. vers 29 30 For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaâ—…ing perverse things c. 9. Yea so low may the Church sometimes be brought under the feet of adversaries that little hope may remaine of her recovery yea she may be looked on by one and other as in a desperat and forlorne condition so that even many of the faithful may be shaken in their hops and saying will the Lord be favourable no more Are His mercies clean gone Doth His promise fail for ever more Hath He forgotten to be gracious Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies Such may be her condition that all humane probability of her recovery may be gone and the faithful have nothing but a bare haire ofhop to hold by or a small plank ofa promise that also under the waters of contrary dispensations to stand upon and so far may the delivery be out of sight that when it beginneth to dawne they may be as those that dream Ps. 126. vers 1. 10. Yet withall it is considerable that notwithstanding of all the opposition made by the Devil and his Instruments against the Church she hath been a burning bush and yet not consumed though she hath been many a time afflicted and that from her youth yet her adversaries have not prevailed against her the plowers have often plowed upon her back and made long their furrowes yet still the righteous Lord hath cut the cordes of the wicked Psa. 129. vers 1 2 3 4. Many an arrow have they shot at her yet mount Zion stands and she hath her Towers Bulwarcks and Palaces Psal. 48. She is founded upon the rock of ages and the ports of hell cannot prevail against her Mat. 16. No
short in regaird of the great and manifold effects which God is to bring about by the same a through Consideration of which would make us say if we judged according to our usual manner that the Afflictions must of necessity continue a long time to the end those great and noble effects may be produced thereby Would we consider how much Dross and Corruption in His own people remaineth to be purged away as Pride Carnality Inordinat Self-love and Love of Pleasures Riches Honours Ease c. Carnal-Security Passion Self-conceite Formality Hypocrisie c. we would see a necessity for the Crosses lying-on for a long time in order to the purging of these away As also would we consider how much Hypocrisie Hollow-heartedness there is to discover how many false Friends to Christ and His Interest there are to be made known we could not but think that of necessity in order to the effectuating of this discovery a long time of trouble and trials were requisite As likewise if we called to minde how many things His people are to learne thereby Considering I say those and such like noble Effects which the great Master of Work is to effectuate and produce by the Affliction And how they would seem to call for the continuance of the same for a considerable time And withall how notwithstanding the Lord prevents the thoughts of many and maketh a short work and doth that in a few Moneths or Dayes which we could have thought should have called for many Yeers When then the Lord maketh such a quick dispatch of such a great Business we may well say that the time is short and that many Years are but a very short time 2 The time of Afflictions may be accounted short considering what our Sins and Provocations call for at His hand When in righteousness the Lord might keep us under the rod all our dayes and multiply Afflictions upon us to our very dying day Ten or Twenty Years Captivity should seem a very short time a few Years Imprisonment would seem nothing to a man who had been condemned to perpetual Imprisonment To another possibly who got no such Sentence a few Moneths Imprisonment would seem longer than many Years to him because he expected no less than perpetual Imprisonment So were we considering that in regaird of our deservings the time of Afflictions might justly be continued to the end of our dayes a few Years or Moneths would appear to be no considerable time Wherefore in respect of our deservings a long time of Affliction is but a short time because the longest is nothing to what we have deserved 3. They may be accounted short in respect of the dayes of Prosperity which they have had sometimes in the world The Lord doth not alwayes chide He will not cast off for ever but though he cause griefe yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His tender Mercies Lam. 3 vers 32. and so He sendeth Prosperity which lasteth longer than their Adversitie did as we see Iudg. 3 vers 11. after Eight Years bondage they had rest Fourtie Years And vers 30. after Eighteen Years trouble they had rest Fourscore Years So Chap. 5 vers last after twenty Years bondage they had rest Fourty Years Thus the Lord sometimes sendeth such a length of Prosperity that the dayes of Adversity are forgotten as if they had been few and inconsiderable 4. The time of Affliction may be accounted short considering how that oftentimes for as long as the delivery seemeth to be a coming yet when it cometh His People are surprized therewith their expectation is prevented they imagined in their own apprehensions a longer duration of the trouble so that mercy preventeth them when it cometh and this maketh the by-past time of their Affliction seem short Though the People of God had been a conderable time in bondage and under the feet of Adversaries yet it appeared unto them but as it were as the time betwixt seed time and harvest Psal. 126 vers 5 6. after God had wonderfully delivered them out of Captivity and Bondage they draw this Conclusion from this rare Act of Gods Providence about them They that sow in tears shall reap in Ioy and he that goeth forth and weepeth having precious seed shall doubtless come againe with rejoiceing bringing His sheaves with him Whereby is imported that Gods People abiding by the Lord though they should meet with Affliction in their Duty and be made to weep sore be reason thereof yet the time of delivery should come like an Harvest with fruit recompensing all their toile and tears and so they summed up all their Seventy Years into less than Seven Moneths And how came it to passe that the time seemed so short That Psalm pointeth this forth as one Reason hereof Vers. 1 When the Lord turned againe the Captivity of Zion we were like men that dream They were surprized with the mercy for they did not look for it but thought their exiled Condition should have continued longer because they saw no appearance or probability of a returne So that in regaird of what the People of God themselves may imagine the time of the Affliction may be short 5. It may likewise be accounted short and inconsiderable in regaird of the wonderful and extraordinary goodness of God that appeareth in the delivery when it cometh it may be attended with such signal and notable Mercies which so fill their souls with amazement and satisfaction that the length of the time of their Affliction disappeareth and evanisheth and as if it had been nothing it is presently forgotten So in that forecited Psal. 126 vers 2. The delivery is accounted signal and wonderfully remarkable such as filled their mouth with laughter and their tongue with singing It was such a notable delivery accompanied with so many rare Passages and carrying in the bosome of it so many rare demonstrations of Gods Power Tenderness Faithfulness Constancy and loving Kindness that they could not but be filled with admiration thereat and have their tongues loosed to sing his praises Yea they took notice of this circumstance which increased the admirablness of the delivery that even Strangers and Heathens were made to say that God had done great things or the poor Jewes and they themselves being no less convinced hereof could not but subscribe to the truth thereof and as it were take the word out of their mouth and say v. 3. The Lord had done great things for us whereof we are glade Now this being so remarkable a delivery the first sight and apprehension of it did so fill their soul with Joy and Admiration that the long Seventy Years Bondage seemed to them but as the paines and labour of a few Moneths in expectation of a good harvest after the seed was sowen as the long paines of a women travelling in Child-birth are forgotten when she hath brought forth a Man-Child In respect therefore of the delivery so signal as to its Ingredients Attendants and
and put his posterity according to His faithful word in possession of that promised land he should incontinent after He had brought them thorow the red sea and brought them to the very border of Canaan have entered them into Canaan Yet we see He caused them to wander in a waste houling Wilderness Fourtie Years Againe when He brought them over Jordan we would think He should in all haste with great expedition have destroyed the Canaanites that in a short time Israel might have had peacable possession of the whole Land Yet we see the Lord thought good to do other wayes And how many a time doth He think good to exercise the Patience and Faith of His People and for this end delay the carrying on and perfecting of the work He intendeth And this He doth not for want of strength to go over all Opposition nor for want of Wisdom as if he were put to new Resolutions and to a stand in carrying-on his old Purposes But that he may give proof of His Majestick Soveraignity and shew how Stately and Glorious He is in His Operations performing all according to the Counsel of His own will cutting short His Work when we might think it could not be finished in haste and againe drawing it forth to a longer period of time when we would think that all things cry for His hastning of it 10. The Lord hideth Himself in His workings when He suffereth Enemies at once to destroy and overthrow a work that hath been long in building and hath been carried-on with much trouble toile work and care by prayers fastings and blood We understand not what that meaneth which the Lord saith by Ieremiah unto Baruch Ier. 45 4. Behold that which I have built will I break down and that which I have planted I will pluck up even this whole land But this is a piece of His working who loveth sometimes to be a God that hideth himself It is a sad complaint which the Church hath Psal. 74 vers 4 5 6 7 8. Thine Enemies roar in the midst of thy Congregations they set up their ensignes for signes A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers They have cast fire into thy sanctuary They said in their hearts let us destroy them together They have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the Land Thus was there more destroyed in one Year than was built-up in many Is not our Lord in such a case a God that hideth Himself Who can see thorow such a Dispensation as this 11. There is a time also in which we may say the Lord is a God that hideth himself and that is when his Dispensations are so mixed and composed to speak so of mercy and judgment that People shall not know which to regaird most or what to judge of the complex Business As it was when the Ark came to the Bethshemites there was great joy and offering of brunt Offerings and Sacrificeing of Sacrifices 1 Sam. 6 vers 13 15. But behold ere the day was ended their mourning was as great as their joy for the Lord slew Fifty Thousand and Threescore and Ten Men because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord v. 19 Whereupon the people lamented because the Lord had smitten them with a great slaughter and they said vers 20. Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God and to whom shall he go up from us A wonderful dispensation wherein the Lord shewed himself to be a God that hideth Himself 12. We may adde to these another case in which the Lord may be looked upon as one that hideth himself and that is when He is unwilling to make use of holy and useful Instruments of whom much might be expected and who would willingly spend themselves and be spent in the service of the Lord. As the Lord thinketh good to make use of Instruments in his work so it is an hopeful business when the Lord raiseth up fitteth and animateth Instruments for carrying on of his work and the Lord is then appearing in His power on the head of His work But when He saith by His dispensations that He will not make use of hopful and steadable Instruments for beginning or carrying on of His work then He is as it were hid and his footsteps cannot be seen Whether 1. He expresly declareth that he will not make use of such or such a worthy Instrument that would gladly be Imployed in the work as when David did so earnestly desire to be imployed in building of Gods House yet the Lord said he should not build Him an House He would not have that service from him 2 Sam. 7. but would employ one out of his loines for that end and David must be content to prepare money and materials for the work Or 2. When the Lord taketh away Instruments before their work be ended as He did Moses who would faine have passed over Iordan to have seen that good Land and have perfected his work of leading the people thereinto Or 3. When He suffereth worthy and eminent Instruments to be snatcht away basely and unworthily as we see in Iohn Baptist a man that had not a marrow that day upon the face of the earth the only forerunner of Christ greater then any Prophet that was before him and a man that had done much good yet see how unworthily he is taken away he is cast in prison and at the desire of a light dancing damesel prompted thereto by a base and unworthy harlot and taken away in a most unworthy manner murthered in his prison and his head given as a propine and satisfying gift to that girle What a wonderful dispensation was this that the Lord should suffer them to do to this non-such and eminent man even what they would and listed But in these and the like workings of the Lord He is a God that hideth himself We have thus declared how the Lord is a God that hideth himself even when He is about to do good to and to deliver his People and have for further clearing and explaining of the mater given some instances of cases wherein the Lord may be said to be a God hiding himself If we should now enquire Why and for what Reasons doth the Lord choose to work so and bring about deliverance to His people in such an hid and unobservable manner It should satisfie us for an answere That thus it pleaseth Him to do for his own glorious ends which we may not too curiously prye into Yet seing all that God doth is done in great wisdom both for matter and method and for holy ends which His word mentioneth we may so far with soberness and humility enquire into these to the end we may be able to observe something of the wise holy workings of God and so be in better case with knowledge understanding to carry
print of the nails and thrust his hand in his side Ioh. 20 25. And what unbeleefe these Disciples vented who were going to Emmaus unto the Lord himself whom they knew not we may see Luk. 24 21. and may gather from Christ's sharpe rebuke vers 25 26. O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to have entered into his Glory 2. Fainting of heart So long as the shipe saileth faire before the winde a raw sea-man will have courage enough Men at Christ's back who have not yet had a storme blowing in their face will be as stout as Peter who nothing doubted but he would lay down his life for his Master who yet when the Lord is out of sight and his cause seemeth to be upon the declineing hand will shrink and turn back at a very small temptation As Peter did deny his Master and that with cursing and swearing at the very word of a Damsel 3 Self love is another evil that such a day as this will discover Many will appear very self denied and willing to hazard all for Christ and His Cause in a faire day who when a storme cometh will be unwilling enough to cast their goods over board to save the shipe In a day when the Lord is hiding himself many will seek to save skin and life by such indirect courses as sometime they would have been ashamed of 4. Impatience How doth the heart of many too often say little less than that graceless King said This evil is of the Lord why should I waite any longer for the Lord 2 King 6 vers 33. Such expressions as that good man had in that dark day do evince this sufficiently Psal. 77 v. 7 8 9. Will the Lord cast off for ever And will He be favourable no more Is His mercy clean gone for ever Doth His promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies 2. The Lord followeth this way and methode that he may put his people to the trial and exercise of the graces of His Spirit such as these 1. Their Faith in Him and in His Word and Promise It is no great art or difficulty to beleeve that God will make good His promise when he is in the sight of all beholders most manifestly accomplishing whatever he said and promised But for Abraham to beleeve that in his seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed and that his Seed should be multiplied as the Stars of the Heaven for multitude when he had not one Child and himself was stricken in years his body now as good as dead he being about an hundered Yeers old and when Sarahs Womb was also dead that was faith then his faith appeared while he against hope beleeved in hope when he staggered not at the promise of God through unbeleefe but was strong in the faith giving Glory to God for he was fully perswaded that what God had promised He was able also to perform Rom 4 vers 18 19 20 21. Againe It was no great matter for Abraham to beleeve that it would be as the Lord had said when Sarah was with Childe had brought forth her Son and he was healthy and thriving but to beleeve the accomplishment of the promise when God said unto Him Go offer up thy Son thy only Son Isaac there was faith accounting that God was able to raise him up from the dead Heb. 11 vers 19. Thus faith is both tried and exercised 2. Patience is also tried and exercised when the Lord is out of sight seemeth to say He will not yet come the time is not yet come We oft cry out How long will the Lord hide his face not so much out of an earnest love and desire to see his face againe as out of impatience Psal 6 vers 2. and 13 v. 1. and 35 17. and 90 13. Iob. 7 v. 19. Hab. 1. v. 2. The Lord will thus teach his people to stand upon their watch and upon the watch towr till the Vision that is yet for an appointed time and tarrieth shall speak Hab. 2 vers 1 3. 3. To try and exercise their hope for that is the fit time for the exercise of this grace when humane appearance and probability faileth and when the Lord hideth himself and delayeth his coming Rom. 8 v. 24 25. for usually then people are ready to say there is no hope Esa. 57 10. our hope is lost Ezek. 37 11. What is my strength said holy Iob Ch. 6 11. that I should hope It is good in such a case to say with the Church Lam. 3 24. The Lord is my portion therefore will I hope in Him 4. To try and exercise their Submission to and Dependance upon Him That they may learne to carry as humble Children that they may say with David Psal. 131. Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofâ—…y neither do I exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for me Surely I have behaved and quieted myself as a Childe that is weaned of his Mother my soul is as a weaned Childe And so hope in the Lord not arrogantly set limites unto the holy One of Israel nor prescribe a way that he must follow but leave him to follow His own way and method with due Submission and Dependance laying the hand upon the mouth when He is pleased to hide himself and to take another way then we would possibly wish or desire 5. To try exercise their Diligence and Constancy in Prayer and Watchfulness As when the Master delayeth his coming so when he hideth himself as if he were not coming or would not come many are ready to fall from duty and fall a beating their fellow servants and to eating and drinking c. Mat. 24 48 94. Therefore the Lord will have all His People set a watching as not knowing what houre or after what manner He will come and to exercise them in this duty of Watchfulness and Diligence he will come and not let them know of His coming nor tell them when or after what manner He will come The Consideration of this should in general teach all His people as upon the one hand to guard against and bewar of these evils mentioned which Satan and Corruption upon occasion of the Lords hiding of His Way and keeping Himself under clouds after the manner mentioned doth provoke stirre up the soul unto so upon the other hand to minde faithfully set about the Duties mentioned which are especially called for at such a time But more particularly we may mentione some duties and recommend them to the practice of His People in such a day as this As 1. This Dispensation calleth upon all Gods People to be observing the Lord in all His wayes and actions and to mark His footsteps even when they can not be seen to observe His stately goings in Majestie
reproved is their construeing of Gods Minde Affection and Covenant-Relation towards them according to these outward dispensations and the hideings of himself like a foolish childe that would think the Mother had forsaken him and cast him off each time that she were out of sight or set him out of her armes So that the thing here reprovable is their drawing wrong Conclusions from these outward changes such as these 1. God hideth Himself therefore His heart is changed and He is no more their Father His love is altered His Grace Favour and Promises fail 2. God hideth Himself and they see Him not therefore all are undone there is no more hope we are cut off for our parts as Ezekiel 37. 3. God hideth Himself therefore we are cast out of the Covenant our state is changed we have no more any place in his favour or room in his love we are in the state of the dead 4 The Lord hideth Himself is out of sight therefore all that He hath done formerly and we looked upon as His work of grace love have been but delusions and not his work in very deed 5. The Lord hideth Himself therefore His cause shall be destroyed His work shall never be perfected His enemies shall never be overthrown 6. The Lord hideth His face and appeareth not Therefore our Salvation is desperat and hopeless These wrong Conclusions the like are justly reprovable argue a wrong perverse consideration of the Dispensations of the Lord quite contradictory to the Truth here asserted therefore should be seriously guarded against such thoughts when they enter the soul occupy the mind should be rejected dismissed with abhorrence as temptations and irrational and antievangelick suggestions of Satan Next We may hence learne how to answer and with grounded reason repel the forementioned sinful Suggestions false Insinuations when the Devil assaulteth us therewith to trouble our Peace marre our Joy brangle our Hope and weaken our Confidence thereby bring us into a Fainting Misbeleeving Desponding and Heartless Disposition of Spirit For whatever the outward dispensations of the Lord be His Covenant stands fast and His Covenant-relation abideth the same and His heart and love abideth fixed and unchangable His purposes alter not His thoughts take place in all generations how great so ever the difference be betwixt the one and the other as to His dispensations in them And the fixed faith of this would prove a notable preservative against fainting and faithless fears and would Strengthen Support and Uphold the heart in the midst of all these contrary waves this would be good fast ground whereon the soul may ride at anchor saifly in the midst of all these stormes and horrible tempests Thirdly Hence we see the great advantage of the people of God who have cut a covenant with the Lord as the Scripture phrase is and are become His and have an interest in Him as theirs Let the Lord's dispensations outwardly be never so dark and sad and such as those who are utter strangers to the Scriptures and to the Lord's way of dealing with His people would interprete to be manifest evidences and demonstrations of God's off casting yet they may fing with the sweet Psalmist of Israel and say Although mine house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow 2 Sam. 23. 5. O how great is this advantage that they may by faith read love in His heart when anger seemeth to flow out of His hands And that his Interest in and relation to His people theirs to Him againe abideth firme and unshaken notwithstanding of all the outward sore and sharpe passages of his providence What Joy Peace and Comfort may the thoughts of this yeeld unto His sad hearted people when troubled at the consideration of His sharpe dispensations Fourthly Here is likewise great encouragment and a strong motive to enduce and perswade unto a closeing of a Covenant with God And Oh that all who are as yet strangers hereunto would at length be moved to lay hold on Him while his armes are stretched out to welcome embrace all who will come Secondly We may hence observe That there is a discovery to be had of the standing relation betwixt God and His people even when the Lord hideth Himself For the Lord was now hiding Himself or appearing as such unto the Prophet and yet the Prophet saw him withall to be the God of Israel and the Saviour In the former point we saw That the relation betwixt God and His people doth stand notwithstanding of the Lords hideing of His face and not appearing openly by acts sutable to such a relation But though this be so yet His people may want the heart-confirming sight thereof And now in this point we hear That His people may be helped unto this sight and discovery even in such a day wherein the Lord hideth Himself And that 1. When the Lord leadeth them in by Faith to see His unchangeable Nature Purposes and Decrees as also his Truth and unchangable Word together with the other Particular grounds of this unchangablness in Gods Relations towards His people formerly mentioned the hand of God must lead them in to this secret chamber where discovering the Lord and His way with His people they see his heart abiding the same however His face may frown rodes may be in His hands Now when faith getteth right apprehensions of God and winneth to a right discovery of Him they see this connexion that otherwise would be dark and questionable and they see a reality and subsistence in the promises 2. The Lord helpeth them to see thorow the dark cloud and the black dispensation and to read what is written on the backside thereof or what standeth behinde the courtine of the present sad dispensation And then they discover Faithfulness and Unchangablness in God Love Truth Mercy in all his dispensations 3. The Lord blunteth the edge of the temptations of Satan and lets His Child see the unreasonablness of what is objected the absurdity of the Inference that Satan and corrupt Reason would make draw from the Lords way of procedoure Yea he helpeth them to draw the contrary Conclusions and that upon certaine approven grounds confirmed by manifold experience 4. The Lord discovereth unto them the firm connexion betwixt these saddest and blakest Dispensations and the faire Promises and the noble Outgate that is coming to His people And then they cannot but see him to be Israel's God even when He hideth Himself 5. The Lord thinketh good sometime to give in the darkest day and in the darkest houre of the night some glimpses of His glory in behalfe of His People to shew that He is not altogether unmindful of them that He is not far away and that He is about His work
For the Wise man telleth us here that no man can help any thing that they suppose God hath made amisse or make any thing straight which God hath made crooked who can saith he make that straight which He hath made crooked Among several other wholsome Instructions which Salomon giveth us in this penetential discourse of his this is one That we would Consider the Work of God that is Take notice of what He is doing and working ponder upon His works Meditate upon them and dwell on the thoughts thereof and lay to heart His Providential disposal of all Things Actions and Events and His ordering and mannaging of them all to His own Glory and according to His own mind and absolute will and pleasure And that so as to acquiesce in what He doth to rest satisfied with it and to comply heartily and cheerfully therewith in all points without Murmureing Fretting Repineing or Quarrelling And He addeth a Reason which is that we are here mainely to speak to for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked This question is an emphatick negation of the thing and is as much as if he had said it is absolutly Impossible that any Creature Man or Angel can make straight what God hath made crooked They cannot Counter work the Lord they cannot undo what He hath done they cannot amend what they suppose is made or done amisse This He had said before Chap 1 vers 15. that which is crooked cannot be made straight And here He maketh this Improvement of it and as it were draweth this use from it That we should consider the Works of the Lord as if He had said The Consideration of this that no man can make any thing straight that they suppose God hath made crooked should move us to complye with and contentedly acquiesce in whatsoever God doth under the Sun by His mighty Power and according to His unchangable Purpose and Counsel and to the everlasting determinations of His holy will These words give ground to enquire 1. What are those crooked things which God hath made 2. How and why it is that these crooked things cannot be made straight by one or other of the Creatures 3. What way we should upon this account Consider the Works of God or what Improvement we should make of this Impossibility of helping what we suppose is amisse in the Lord's Works of Providence As to the first VVe may not suppose that to speak properly any thing that God doth is crooked but our corrupt unsatisfied mindes look upon many passages of God's All-ruling and All-disposing Providence as crooked and as such as we would faine have altered if we had our wills Some of which we can onely mention and these we may reduce to two Heads 1. Touching some things that are more controverted 2. Touching some things that are less controverted As to the more controverted we shall mention only these following 1. Not only do our hearts rise up against the Holy and Soveraigne Acts of Gods will in choosing whom He would unto eternal Life and in passing by oâ—…hers as we see Rom. 9. Corrupt Reason that will not submit unto the Lord and His wayes spurneth against that saying that God hath mercy on whom He will and Iacob have I loved c. Vers. 13 15. and responsateth against God objecting upon this account unrighteousness unto the just and holy One of Israel V. 14. But also against His holy Executions of these His Holy and Soveraigne Decrees Paul had concluded that God had mercy on whom He would and hardened whom He would Vers. 18. And corrupt Reason will againe carp and say If so why doth He yet finde fault For who hath resisted His will Vers. 19. Unto which the Apostle must returne a sharp and silenceing answere Vers. 20 21 22 23. Nay but O Man who art thou that repliest or disputest against God Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it why hast thou maâ—… me thus Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour c. 2. So in the matter of the Lord's dispensing the meanes of grace and the Gospel we wonder at the Lords Way and cannot understand how it is that He should hide this Mysterie from Ages and Generations Col. 1. vers 26. Ephes 3 v. 9. should send the Gospel to one place and not unto another and why He should forbid the Apostles to goe preach the good newes of Salvation in Asia and in Bithinia Act. 16 vers 6 7 Why He should continue the Gospel long with one people and remove it quickly from another and Non-church them And why one Nation and People should enjoy the meanes of grace for many ages and others for many ages never once have a report of Salvation through Christ but be left from one generation to another in blackness of darkness in woful Idolatry and Ignorance This piece of the Lord's work seemeth so crooked and so unlike to and incorrespondent with or repugnant to the attributes of God as to His Mercy Loving Kindness and Goodness unto some that they to make up this supposed gap and set right this crook in the Lords way feigne and imagine an Universal Objective Grace or an Universal Gospel that is that God hath given to all Nations how barbarous so ever those meanes of Grace and Salvation which if they would improve aright would prove saving and so must imagine that the Sun Moon and Stars Raines and fruitful Seasons and other works of Creation and Providence do preach out that Mysterie of Salvation through a crucified Christ contrare to Scripture and to all Sense and Reason or that there is another way to Salvation than by saith in a crucified Christ which is also contrare to the Scripture Act. 4 vers 12. Thus the Arminians and Semi Arminians and Quakers think to make this crooked work of God straight but in vaine We should rather minde that which Paul hath Rom. 11 33. after he had spoken of the rejection of the Jewes and the Lords taking-in the Gentiles O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out Vers. 34. For who hath known the minde of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellour Vers. 35. Or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed to him againe Vers. 36. For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen And minde the purpose of God here Ephes. 1 v. 8 9 10. and 3 9 10 11. 3 The way of the Lord in this matter seemeth so crooked to Pelagians and their followers Arminians Socinians and Quakers ' with Papists and Iesuites that all this contrivance of an Vniversal Objective Grace or an Universal Gospel will not satisfie them nor be enough in their apprehensions to set this crook even but they must further
His greatest Favourites in the behalf of a sinfâ—…l People against whom the Lord is coming in judgment I answere Though we may not be peremptour herein knowing that the Lord sometimes taketh pleasure to Act according to a Soveraignity of mercy for the glory of His rich Grace and Compassion and therefore must leave a latitude unto the Soveraignity of free Grace Yet if we consider the condition of this People of whom this is said and see what iniquities they were guilty of at this time we apprehend such a thing may be feared where the Lord is in the same or in the like manner provoked and when He is coming in judgment against a people chargable with the same evils it may be feared that no prayer no intercession of one or other shall availe to hold off the judgment Of these sins whereof this People for whom the Lord would hear no intercession we shall mention some few to the end we may be helped to understand better the language of Gods present Dispensations and to search and see whether there be cause or no to fear that judgment inevitable is to be the lo of this generation 1. When sins and rebellion against the Lord come to an exceeding great height and gross and palpable defection is begun and carried on by Court and Countrey then the Lord is engaged to vindicat His Name and Justice before the World that all may see He is no Patronizer of Wickedness even in a People called by His Name Thus it was in the dayes of Manasseh who with his Court committed such hainous wickedness as was never there before perpetrated as may be seen 2 Kings 21 v. 1 to 10. 2 Chron. 33 1 to 11. and wherein the whole land was involved Wherefore the Lord threatned 2 Kings 21 v. 12 13 14 c. to stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria and the plummet of the House of Ahab that is that He would do with Jerusalem as He hath done with Samaria and the House of Ahab and no more spare those than He did these And which is very remarkable this iniquity the Lord would not Pardon notwithstanding that Manasseh himself gote mercy reformed several things before his death and notwithstanding of a more universal and general Reformation that was in the dayes of his Grand-child Josiah that none-such King For it is said 2. Kings 23 v. 25 26 27. And like unto him i. e. Josiah was there no King before him that turned to the Lord withall his heart and with all his soul and withall his might according to the Law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him Notwithstanding as it is added the Lord turned not from the fierceness of His great wrath wherewith His anger was kindled against Judah because of all the Provocations that Manasseh had provoked Him with all And the Lord said I will remove Judah also out of my sight c. And in this same place Jer. 15. after the Lord had said Vers 1. that though Moses and Samuel stood before Him his mind could not be towards them but that He would cast them out of His sight to the death to the sword to the Famine and to the Captivity Vers 2. to the Sword to Dogs to Fowls and to Beasts Vers 3. He saith Vers 4. And I will cause them to be removed into all Kingdomes of the Earth because of Manasseh the Son of Hezekiâ—…h King of Judah for that which he did in Jerusalem 2. When hainous iniquities and sins become common and epidemick in a land infecting all ranks of Persons young and old rich and poor Magistrat Minister and common People then an inevitable blow is to be feared for so was it with this people as we see Jer. 5 vers 1. c. hardly could there a man be found in Jerusalem to execute judgment and to seek the truth Neither was this scarcety to befound only among the poor and foolish people but even among the great men for they had altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds Vers 5. therefore followeth Vers 7. How shall I pardon thee for this And againe Vers 9. Shall I not visite for these things saith the Lord and shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this So in the two last Verses of that Chapt. it is said A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the Land The Prophets prophesie falsely and the Priests bear rule by their meanes and my People love to have it so and what will ye do iâ—… the end thereof Such Priest such People were here and what else but ruine could be expected So Ierem. 6 vers 13. and 8 v. 10. it is said that from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness and from the Prophet even unto the Priest every one dealeth falsly Therefore is wrath threatned both upon old and young and upon all the inhabitants of the land Vers 11 12. See also Vers 28. They were all grievous revolters brasse and iron they were all corrupters So is this plainly charged upon them Chap. 7 v. 18. The Children gather wood and the Fathers kindle the fire and the women knead their dough to make â—…kes to the Queen of Heaven So that Man Wife and Children young and old were conspiring in one and with one shoulder carrying on this Defection and Apostasie from God So Jerem. 11 v. 13 14. For according to the number of thy cities were thy Gods O Judah and according to the number of the Streets of Jerusalem have they set up Altâ—…rs to that shamful thing Altars to burn inâ—…ense unto Baal Thus was this sin become universal through the whole City Jerusalem and through the whole Land of Judah And what followeth hereupon Therefore pray not thou for this People c. The like we finde Micah 3 vers 11. The Heads did judge for reward and the Priests did teach for hire and the Prophets did divine for Money And what followeth upon this Therefore Vers 12 shall Zion for your sakes be plowed as a field and Jerusalem become heaps and the mountaine of the house as â—…he high places of the forest that is Citie and Sanctuary shall be laid desolate This same was laid to the charge of this People by Zephaniah Ch. 3 ver 3 4. Her Princes within her are roaring lions her judges evening Wolves her Prophets light and treacherous Persons her Priests have polluted the Sanctuary So that both Church and State was corrupted therefore was woe denounced against her Vers 1. See also Micah 7 2 to 6. 3. When Corruption in the Worship and Ordinances of God is admitted fostered and continued in and Superstition or Idolatrie is brought-in then an inevitable stroke is to be feared for God is a jealous God and will not hold them guiltless that take His Name in vaine but will visite the iniquities of the Fathers unto the third and fourth Generation of those that
maids and little children and women yea all except the marked ones v. 5 6. Se also Chap. 16 46 47 48. Iudah corrupted her self more than Samarca yea more than Sodom v. 49 50 41. And Chap 22 we have a large Catalogue of their sins see v. 2 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. And that as the provoking cause drawing forth the sword wherewith the Lord would cut off both the righteous and the wicked mentioned Chap. 21 ver 3. 14. And bringing-on the desolation and scattering mentioned Chap. 22 15 16 19 20 21 22. Thus the Lord dealt also with Israel because of their manifold iniquities mentioned Hos. 4 1 2 3. there was no truth nor mercy in the land nor knowledge of God but there was swearing lying killing stealing adultery and blood touching blood See also Micah 6 10 11 12 13. 6. When this defection and course of sinning is long continued-in and there is no wearying of this way but rather a growing in this Apostasie then such may fear that at length the Lord will come and will not spare nor pity nor passe by any more for thus was it with this people of Iudah Ier. 16. there are sad judgments denounced against them from the beginning to V. 10. And thereof the reason is given vers 11 12. Because your fathers have forsaken me and have walked after other goods c. And ye have done worse than your fathers for behold ye walk every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart that they may not hearken unto me And therefore destruction is threatned of new v. 13. Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not where I will not shew you favour So Ier. 32 30 31. For the Children of Israel the Children of Iudah have only done evil before me from their youth And againe This city hath been to me as a Provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day that I should remove it from before my face So the Prophet Ezekiel draweth up a long Libel of many Instances of their rebellion continued in for many Generations running in a constant line from Father to Son from V. 3. to V. 33. and there we finde the sentence given out As I live saith the Lord God surely with a mighty hand and with a stretched-out arme and with fury poured-out will I rule over you And Israel was charged with this same guilt Hos. 10 ver 9. O Israel thou hast sinned from the dayes of Gibeah See also Esa. 65 7. 7. When People become bold and impudent in their sinful courses then there is ground to fear a sad and inevitable stroke of Justice For thus was it with this People of Iudah Ier. 3 3. Thou hadst a whores fore-head thou refusedst to be ashamed And againe Ier. 6 15. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination Nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush And what is added upon this Therefore they shall fall among them that fall at the time that I visite them they shall be cast down saith the Lord. So Chap. 8 v. 12. in these last mentioned places the false Prophets would seem specially to be meaned yet the circumstances will include others When People provoke the Lord to anger continually to his face as it is Esai 65 3. then they become a smoak in Gods nose and a fire that burneth all the day and they must expect a recompence from God as Vers. 5 6. 8. When People stand chargable with the abuse of many favours received at the hands of God which they have perverted and mis-improven to the hardening of themselves in their wicked courses then it is to be feared that God will come at length and be avenged on such a Generation of Perverters This iniquity was also charged upon this People of Iudah by Jeremiah Chap. 2 5 to 9. Their forgetting the old kindnesses of God and abusing His favours defiling His land and making His heritage an abomination is charged home Vers 7. Wherefore saith the Lord Vers 9. I will yet plead with you and with your Childrens Children will I plead So Chap. 11. after the Lord had said to Jeremie Pray not for this People Vers 14. he addeth as a provoking cause hereunto Vers 15 16 17. What hath my beloved to do in mine house she hath wrought lewdness with many and the holy flesh is passed from thee when thou dost evil then thou rejoicest The Lord called thy name a green Olive tree faire and of goodly fruit But there was no sutable walking and therefore it followeth with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it and the branches of it are broken For the Lord of Hosts that planted thee hath pronounced evil against thee c. So Jer. 13. the Lord by a similitude of a girdle showeth how he had caused the whole House of Israel to cleave unto Him and the whole House of Iudah that they might be unto Him for a People and for a Name and for a Praise and for a Glory but they would not hear and therefore he threatned to make them like unto the marred girdle and so mar the pride of Iudah and the great pride of Ierusalem and make them good for nothing See Vers 9 10 11. So Chap. 16 18. he saith And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double because they have defiled my land they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things Thus did they requite the kindness of God in bestowing that land upon them by defileing it with their sins and therefore He threatneth to recompense their iniquity double So doth the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 16. make a large deduction of the favours and kindneses shown to that people and give us also a large summe of their abusings and pervertings of these favours And therefore is wrath denounced from Vers 36. and forward This was likwise charged upon Ephraim or Israel by Hosea Chap. 7 13 15. they have transgressed against me though I have redeemed them yet they have spoken lies against me though I have bound and strengthened their armes yet they do imagine mischief against me So Hos. 11 vers 1 2 3 4. Esai 1 vers 2. 9. When People become hardened in their sins loving and delighting to wander out of the way and glory in their wickedness as resolving never to amend and are therefore tushing at all threatnings and contemning them then is there great ground to fear an overturning blow that no meanes shall avert It was also laid to the charge of this people Ier. 14 10. that they loved to wander and did not refraine their feet And what followeth upon this Therefore the Lord doth not accept them He will now remember their iniquity and visite their sins And then Vers 11. The Lord said unto him pray not for this People for their good Vers 12. When
God will bring upon a land inevitable judgments and will not be stopped in the execution by the intercessions of Moses and Samuel how much more may we suppose certainly and unavoidably shall judgment overtake a generation that is guilty of all those twenty grievous iniquities From this matter all of us may learne these lessons 1. To fear and tremble before this God seing He is so just and seyere a judge and Governour and seing it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God 2. To beware of abusing His Patience for howbeit it may endure for sometime yet it will expire at length as to its effects and abused longanimity will end in unavoidable ruine and in inevitable strokes of Iustice. 3. All whether Lands or particular Persons who know themselves guilty of the evils mentioned as causes procuring such inevitable rodes should hast to break off these courses that will no doubt hasten-on irremediable destruction It were best to get out of the way of the wrath of God in time If it be enquired what the People of God are called to do in such a day when the place they live-in is guilty of and continueing-in these grievous sins and they can look for nothing but wrath to be poured-out so that no Prayer Fasting or Supplication shall hold it off For Answer Let such minde those duties following 1 Let them beware to seek great things for themfelves Ier. 45. The Lord said to Baruch by the Prophet Ieremie vers 4 5. Behold that which I have built will I break down and that which I have planted will I pluck up even this whole land and seekeâ—… thou great things for thy self seek them not for behold I will bring evil upon all flesh saith the Lord. Whence we see that it becometh not the People of God to be too much minding themselves and their own things in such a day but they ought to be very well satisfied if the Lord give them their life for a prey as He promised to Baruch 2. They should stoup and adore this God who is just and righteous in all His wayes they should be silent before Him and put their mouth in the dust no quarrelsome thoughts should have place or room in their hearts Hold thy Peace saith Zephaniah Ch. 1 7. at the pâ—…esence of the Lord God for the day of the Lord is at hand For the Lord hath prepared a Sacrifice He hath bid his guests c. When the Lord is about to make a Sacrifice in a land and to give the carcases of men to the fowls of the Heavens and the beasts of the field all flesh should be silent and His People especially should quiet themselves and hold their peace before Him without murmuring or venting any discontentment at the matter 3. They should observe the glory of the Lord shineing forth in that remarkable Act of Holy Justice see His Majestie Awfulness Terrour and just Severity to the engaging of their hearts more unto Him and to a glorying in Him The black and dreadful day that was to come upon Iudah was mentioned and several things held forth to make it have a deeper impression Ier. 9 and v. 22. it was said that even the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field And then it is added v. 23. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom c. and Vers 24. But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindness judgment and righteousness in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. To tell us that in such a day especially the Lords People should be taking a right view of God that they may understand and know Him to be Jehovah one that exerciseth judgment and righteousness in the earth and withall one that even then exerciseth loving kindness to His own and a God that delighteth in these exercises and that they should glory in Him even in such a day and delight in that wherein He delighteth 4. They would do well to refuge themselves in time in their chambers and shut their doors about them and hide themselves for a Little moment until the indignation be over past As it is Esai 26 20. This is the Counsel of the Lord unto His people in a time when the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity v. 21. 5. They should rest satisfied though their prayers in behalfe of the land have not that success and fruite that they could have wished that upon these grounds and considerations 1. Out of that Dispensation howbeit both black and terrible yet God will get glory both of his Truth and Veracity in his threatnings at which the wicked tushed would give no credite to them which carriage could not but Afflict His people it could not but grieve themto see those wicked ones carry so atheistically as contemning all the Denounciations of wrath but now when the day of execution is come the Lord is seen to be a God of truth and His people see then whose word standeth whether God's Word or the word of those wicked sinners Ier. 44 28. And of His justice in pursueing evil doers who said by their doings that He had forsaken the earth or that He was not a God that judgeth in the earth So also of His Holiness and Purity For then it 's made manifest that He is not as they imagined altogether such an one as themselves but that He hateth all the Workers of iniquity 2. God will have a care of them even then and be a little sanctuary unto them Ezek. 11 v. 16. and cause all things work together for good to them Rom. 8 v. 28. He will set a mark upon such as sigh and cry for all the abominations that are done that the men with the slaughter weapon may not come nigh unto them Ezek. 9. 3. He will return their prayers into their own bosome againe so that they shall not fall to the ground Psalm 35. vers 15. 4. He will accept their prayer and intercession as good service off their Hand even though He think not good to grant the Particular that they ask And if they be accepted of Him in that piece of service it may suffice and satisfie 6. They would do well to be sighing and crying for all the abominations that are committed in the land to be keeping themselves free of that guilt mourning over the same protesting against it abhorring the same that they may be preserved and protected in the day of God's contending according to what we read Ezek. 9 4 6. 7. In the midst of all these desolations and the effects of the Lords indignation burning against a sinful generation they are called to act faith on God as the true and faithful God keeping mercy and covenant for ever and to waite upon him in faith hoping and expecting with confidence that
sometimes wise and great Politicians Statsmen and Leaders of Armies carry on their designes in such a way as ordinary onlookers shall not understand what the matter meaneth nor what is intended by what they see done with their eyes And the more they carry on their work with success in the dark and hid from the observation of ordinary spectators the more do they discover their great wit and give proof of their dexterity in the managment of affairs of greatest consequence and such under-ground workings and stratagems carry on them a special piece of Beauty and Glory Thus our Lord thinketh good sometimes to work and while working not let every one see what he is doing but carry on his business much out of sight and under ground and by Holy and Majestick Stratagems so as not only enemies shall be ignorant of what He is doing or about to do but many even of his owne followers and friends shall be in the dark So that the observation of Iob. Chap. 23 8 9. is oft times found to be true Behold I go forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him on the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot perceive him As also of the Psalmist Psal. 77 vers 19. Thy way is in the Sea and thy path in the great waters and thy footsteps are not known As all the wayes and footsteps of the Lord are full of Majesty and of hid and unseen Glory and therefore must be sought out of all that take pleasure therein Psal. III vers 2. so that in all of them the Lord is like Himself acteth like Himself and every piece of them discover to a spiritual observer the Finger of God So there are some special pieces of work which are more signal and remarkable and wherein the Lords gloriously-working hand is less obvious and even these works upon that very account are in a special manner Glorious and Majestick and of such is the truth in hand to be understood wherein the Lords footsteps are not seen nor known nor observable by every one for further clearing of which point of truth concerning the Lord's thinking good to work and yet to hide Himself so as it shall not be observed by every one that He is indeed working we shall mentione some few of these special Works of God that are thus covered with a cloud of Majesty that every one cannot understand the Reasons of State why such and such things are done or suffered to be done nor see the connexion betwixt these Actings and the intended Designe As 1. When there is not only a seen and palpable disproportion betwixt the meanes taken and followed and the end projected or intended and an obvious unsutableness of the meanes used unto the designe to be carried on by them But the Work of the Lord seemeth to Onlookers to Crosse and Counter-work the intended end How oft is it seen that the Works of Gods Providence seem not to run in a subserviency to the bringing effectually about of the Promises but rather to turn head upon them and to threaten the utter annulling of them and rendering of them void and of no credite When the present Dispensations of providence are considered and compared with the great things concerning the Kingdom of Christ promised who can see what rational correspondence they keep can observe them smiling one upon another as fit meanes and the end would do Nay who would not say that these Dispensations do rather drive on a direct designe to defeate the Promises who would consult with humane Reason Is not this then a special piece of the Lord's Work wherein He hideth himself and thinketh good to cloath himself with State and Majesty that every one may not be able to prye into the Depths of his Insinite Wisdom nor see how all things are laid and joynted together with firme bands and ligaments that cannot be broken or dissolved and so have a certaine connexion with the intended and promised good When Moses was sent to deliver the People of Israel out of Aegypt and to tell them good newes that the Lord had visited them and looked upon their Affliction and would now rescue and deliver them from their bondage and slavery Exod. 4 v. 30 31. the Dispensation that immediatly followed upon the neck of that seemed to keep no good correspondence therewith when their yoke was made heavier and their bondage more grievous and their slavery and hard work doubled by the People of Israel their being constrained to seek straw for themselves without diminishing the tale of their bricks and they hereupon who formerly believed the Word of God by Moses and bowed down and worshiped when they heard the same now made to say unto Moses and Aaron Exod. 5 v. 21. The Lord look upon you and judge because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his Servants to put a Sword in their hand to slay us Yet herein was a piece of that Stately Working of God which is full of Majesty which the People could not see and which Moses himself could not well take up as his words to God Vers. 22 23. evidence where he saith Lord Wherefore hast thou so evil intreated this People Why is it that thou hast sent me For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy Name he hath done evil to this People neither hast thou delivered thy people at all 2. When the Dispensations of God are such as even those whom they most concerne who have greatest interest in them and are most called therefore to understand them do not know what to say of them nor what construction to put upon them nor what to gather out of them not only in particular but even as to a more general matter that is they shall not know whether they speak-out Mercy or Anger in God towards them This must be a singular piece of God's hiding himself and covering himself with a cloud that no distinct judgment can be made of what He is doing Such was that Dispensation which Sampsons Father met with He and his Wife could not agree in their judgment as to what they saw Iudg. 13. Manaoh said Vers. 22. We shall surly die because we have seen God But his Wife on the contrary said Vers. 23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received a Burnt offering and a Meat-offering at our hands neither would he have shewed us all these things nor would he at this time have told ut such things as these So as to that strange and unusual Dispensation which holy Iob did meet with he did not know what the mind of the Lord was nor what he was intending and driving-at thereby therefore he resolveth Chap. 10 Vers. 2. to say unto God Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me which sheweth that he was utterly ignorant
any humane Intercession He will hear no Intreaty That was an unalterable and inevitable sentence against the house of honest Eli. 1 Sam. 3 14. And therefore I have sworne unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Elies house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever When the Lord would beginne He would also make an end as it is said v. 12. So Esai 22 v. 14. And it was revealed in mine eares by the Lord of hostes surely this iniquitie shall not be purged from you till ye die There is a time when the end is come and the Lord will judge a people according to their wayes and recompense upon them all their abominations and His eye shall not spare neither will He have pity As Ezek. 7 2. to 10. And the Lord will not againe passe by them any more Amos 7 vers 8. and 8. vers 2. Such a time and dispensation as this cannot but be afflicting and grievous to all that are concerned in such matters And the Consideration of these particulars may manifest how sad it is when the Lord is so provoked against a People as no Intercessions of His most highly honoured Favourites upon whose Intreaties sometime He hath manifested wonderful condescensions of grace will prevail to keep off the stroke no not Moses and Samuel both together 1. That the Lord hath done much at the Prayer and Intercession of these two in particular here mentioned Moses and Samuel For Moses see Exod. 32. where the Lord was so wroth and displeased at the Peoples turning aside so quickly out of the way and making the golden Calf that He said unto Moses vers 9 10. I have seen this people and behold it is a stiff-necked People Now therefore let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them And yet upon the Intercession of Moses saying Vers 11 12 13. Lord why doth thy wrath wax hote against thy People which thou hast brought forth out of the Land of Aegypt with great power and with mighty hand c. It is said Vers 14. That the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his People So againe Numb 14 v. 19 20. See Psal. 99 vers 5. and 106 v. 23. In like manner as to Samuel we see 1 Sam. 7. that when the Children of Israel were in great fear of the Philistines they said to Samuel Vers 8. Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us that He will save us out of the hand of the Philistines And upon this Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel and the Lord heard him See also Psalm 99 v. 6. Is it not sad that the Lord who sometime did so much upon the Intreaty of these Persons is now so offended that He would not regard their Intercessions nor spare upon their request 2. That the Lord hath frequently spared and keeped a stroke off His People upon the interposing of others as of Amos. Chap. 7 v. 2 3 5 6. When he had prayed for the People and had said O Lord God forgive I beseech thee by whom shall Iacob arise for he is small The Lord repented and said It should not be And againe the second time he prayed and had the same return So Nehemiah 9. and Daniel Ch. 9. and Asa 2 Chron. 14 v. 11. and Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 20. and others 3. That the Lord hath sometimes forborne to strick when even graceless Persons and such as had no interest in the special favour of God have prayed and humbled themselves as when He spared Ninivee after that natural People had humbled themselves And when that wicked man Ahab that did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him 1 Kings 16 vers 30 33. rent his cloths and put sack-cloth upon his flesh and fasted and lay in sack-cloth and went softly the Lord delayed the stroke and would not bring the evil upon his house in his dayes 1 Kings 21 v. 27 29. How sad must it then be that He who sometime hath turned from the fierceness of His anger and held off the evil threatned upon the crying of graceless Persons will not hear the earnest Intreaties of His greateâ—…st Favourites 4. This dispensation will also appear more sad and afflicting if we confider what an high esteem the Lord hath for the Prayers and Intercessions of His worthies Such an account hath He of them that the expressions thereof are indeed rare and very remarkable Let me alone saith He unto Moses Exod. 32 v. 11. as if Moses had been stronger than He and had bound up His hands or as if God could do nothing without Moses's consent or permission So said He to Iacob Gen. 32 v. 26. when He was wrestling with Him by prayer and supplication Hos. 12 v. 4. Let me go as if He could not have gone without Iacobs good leave and permission And Iacob is said to have prevailed with God as a Prince and hath therefore his name changed into Israel 5. Adde to this end the frequent promises made of the Lords hearing of such in the behalf of others Gen. 20 7. the Lord said to Abimelech Restore the man his wife for he is a Prophet and be shall pray for thee and thou shalt live So Iob. 42 v. 8. The Lord directed Iobs Friends to set him a work to pray for them with a promise of success Go to my servant Iob and offer up for yourselves a Burnt-offering and my servant Iob shall pray for you for him will I accept How sad then must it be when the Lord will not hear such See also Iam. 5 v. 14 15 16. 6. Yea sometimes we read that the Lord hath delivered when there was no Intercessour Esai 59 vers 16 17. And He saw that there was no Intercessour Therefore his arme brought salvation unto Him and His righteousness it sustained Him Must not His anger then be great when He will not pity nor spare even though His worthies whom He highly honoureth were standing before Him and putting up Supplications in the behalfe of a sinful People 7. He hath said Psal. 50 vers 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee Is it not then sad when iniquity is come to such an height that the Lord will not onely not hear the People themselves when they cry but also He will not hear the beseechings and intreaties of such as have most prevailed with Him at other times 8. As also if we consider how unanswerable this appeareth to be unto the Title and Stile which He hath gote and the Consideration of which hath encouraged His servants to call upon Him As Psal. 65 vers 2. O thou that hearest Prayer unto thee shall all Flesh come such a Dispensation as this cannot but be sad and grievous If it be enquired when we may apprehend the time to be such as wherein the Lord will hear no Intercessions no Prayers nor Intreaties of