Atheists and obstinate unbelievers who are habitually dissafected to the word of God nor yet to mention the willful groundless fits of pettish distempers in Saints who often times do even take up at their foot groundless and needless pleaes and discouraging apprehensions which they cannot so easily lay down again Psal. 42 5 Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted in me Psal. 77. 2. My sore ran in the night and ceased not my soul refused to be comforted To pass these I say as bearing no direct impeachment of the abovesaid commendation of the absolute sufficiency of the word of God to answer all cases There are three Things that in a time of tentation in an hour and power of darkness do readily concurr to diminish the Saints respects to the word of God The first is that their case seems odd unparalleled and unpracticable in Scripture they find no case equal with theirs in all respects that hath been cured 2 In their weakness they thereupon conclude that their case is really hopless and irremedable But 3 The saddest of all is that they find the word not only silent for them but to speak directly and aloud against them as they think smiting hewing and hammering them with sad and heavy threatnings and intimations of determined wrath rejection and ruine to come upon them from the Lord. In all these they err not knowing the Scriptures But that yet for all this there is hope and that the Scriptures are not to be casten out with as unkind and uncomfortable Companions in such cases Let these things be considered for vindication of the Scriptures to Souls thus exercised And 1. Be it granted as the truth is that a Souls case may be such for Circumstances that the Scriptures mention none Parallel with it in all points to have been cured the same is all along to be understood respectivly of Churches and Nations as of particular persons yet I am confidently perswaded that there is no case now incident to any whether Nation Church or Person but the Scripture holdeth forth some either as evil or worse whether for sin or suffering that have been helped There hath no temptation taken you sayes the Apostle 1 Cor. 10 13 but such as is common to man Is thy case sinful behold the Scripture tells us that he obtained mercy who once a day thought himself the chief of sinners 1 Timoth. 1 15. And that as an exquisite and rare piece of mercy is set forth in the Gospel for a pattern to all those who should afterwards believe in Christ to life everlasting Christ loves to have sinners change and for that he puteth forth his pattern as Merchants do their samplers of Rich Wares and sure he hath since that time put off many such pieces and yet the pattern stands forth shewing that their is more abundance to serve all that have need To say nothing of Paul's sin which sure was great enough nor of many who since his time may have thought themselves the chief of sinners as well as he did where I think I see a kind of strife among mercies Clients who shall be most beholding to free Mercy and free Grace This pattern makes it fully certain that there is mercy for the chief of sinners be who he will and that he whosoever he that supposes himself the chief of sinners is â—ot thereby warranted to despair of mercy but rather to plead the greatest interest of necessity and to look upon himself as the fittest subject for the Lord wherein to display his Glory Is thy Case afflicted And thy sufferings extraordinary See Job's desperate Case see Heman's distracted Case see that Case of the Church in the Lamentations in whose Case there is hope though it had not been done under the whole Heaven as had â—een done to Jerusalem Look to the cloud of Witnesses Look to Jesus Heb. 11. and 12. Chapters But here is the great Case of the troubled Soul Cleanly sufferings for the Exercise of my Grace â—â— Job's or for the testimony of Truth and a â—ood Conscience as those of all the Witnesses and Martyrs I could well bear In these respects I â—ount it all joy to fall into diverse temptations and could count it my Honour and Mercy as well â—â— suffer for Christ as to believe in him I could â—o with such sufferings as Job would have done with his Adversaries Books I could take them upon my shoulder and bind them as a Crowne to me and as a Prince would I go near unto him â—ut Alas I suffer with an evil Conscience my afflictions are to me the punishment of my iniâ—uity and the fruits of my folly This case indeed if any requireth the Tongue of the learned and a word in season to the Soul that is weary of â—â— And if the word of God help me not here I have lost the Cause and come short of my Accounts But there is hope in Israel also concerning this thing Ezra 10. 2. And I find the Scripture clear in these particulars concerning this case 1. I find indeed a great odds betwixt cleanly suffering for righteousness and suffering meerly for iâ— doing The one is a thing thank-worthy and Glorifying of God in the highest manner actively the other is not thank-worthy but is the mans misery In the one a man hath a good Conscience and joy therefrom in the other a man hath an iâ— Conscience with terrour and sorrow proceeding therefrom The one gives a man good confidence of assistance and of the spirit of Glory and of God to rest upon him the other makes a man desponâ— and droop The one stops the other opens the mouths of wicked men Therefore sayes Peter Pet. 3 17. It is better if the will of God be so tâ—â— ye suffer for well doing than for evil doing 2ly It is clear that we ought to bear such Afflictions with the more patience Micah 7 9. I will beâ— the indignation of the Lord because I have finned again him Nor ought any living man to complain who suffers meerly for the punishment of his iniquity Laâ— 3 39. and if he must complain let him complain to God and bemoan his case in quietness to him It is far better for men to bear their yoke quieth and sit alone than to pine away in their iniquity Mourning one to another whilst they do not 〈◊〉 to the Lord. Too much whining and complaining to men will be found Labour which profitet not try it who will But as a man would complain to God so he would beware to complain of God he would leave his complaint upon him self Job 10 1. and lay the blame of his afflictions home upon himself Psal 38. 5. My folly makes is so 3. It is clear from the whole History of the Scriptures that most of all the Saints Afflictions whether conjunctly in the Body of a Church or Nation or severally in their own persons particularly have been the chastizments of their
mend Why then sayes Eliphaz he doth marvelous things Yea but God's wonders are not his every-dayes work but they are a few rare pieces of his kindness shewed to eminent Saints and great favourities And we are not obliged to expect wonders Yet I hope you are obliged to believe Gods word that he doth such things and those too without number and you are obliged to obey Gods voice to seek unto him and unto him to commit your cause and you are obliged to give God his own latitude and as well not to limit him if he will do wonders as not to tempt him to wait for wonders And Psal. 88. 10. wilt thou shew wonders to the dead makes it clear that God will turn the course of nature upside down and make the World Reel as we see Psal. 18. at length And will do wonders to purpose that even the dead shall be witnesses of before that his beloved be not delivered Now to descend into the particular grounds of the cures of Saints cases were to go through all the Attributes of God all the offices of Christ all the promises of the Gospel and Articles of the Covenant of Grace which are the substantial Lincaments of that well contrived piece the Word of God which is so well illumnated with the lively colours of examples sufficient and those so well mixed and so justly distinguished one having what another wants and the other having what it wanted and wanting what it had that it speaks the finger of God to have done it and leaves a defiance to nature and Art once to come near it In the Fourth place I offer this to be considered by the Soul distempered that is like to fall unkind with the Word of God thorow an apprehension That all the threatnings of the Word are directly against it That all the most peremptory and seere threatnings of the Word are to be understood and qualified with the exception of Repentance This is clear 1. from Christs express Word Luke 13. 3. 5. except ye repent ye shall all perish â—â— from the account of events wherein we see â—â—at the most peremptory threatnings have been â—iverted and their execution prevented by Repentance witness with many others the cases of Hezekiah and the Ninevits 3. From the exhortations and Expostulations annexed to â—reatnings with a Solemn Declaration of the â—ords Gracious dislike of mens Misery whereof â—e Scripture is full In a word the humble peniâ—â—nt is worse Feared than hurt with threatnings And even as a plentiful rain quenches thunders alwayes the violence of Storms and Tempests and â—oth tempers and calms the Air So the Tears of â—odly Repentance compose the Thunder-and â—eather-beaten Soul that is tossed with the Temâ—ests of Thundering threatnings In the 32 Psalm â—ere was a great Storme in Davia's Conscience He â—ared all day long c. But a free work of sincere repentance Calmes all and leavs the Soul quiet â—â—d serene David takes a House upon his head refuges himself in God by faith and then let it â—t the unhappiest Thou art my hiding place thou â—â—t preserve me from trouble thou shalt compass â—e about with Songs of deliverance Selah Verse 7. By this time I hope it doth in some measure â—â—pear that the Scriptures are not wanting in the performance of all offices of kindness that can Rationally be required in the most unpromising cases And that they are much to be blamed who upon any of the foresaid pretences would pick quarrel against the Scriptures But such deal not fairly neither are their wayes equal and I may we say to them is this your kindness to your freind sure the Scriptures have not deserved any such service of your hands Now to the Soul that would keep up kindness with the Scriptures and so would be mighty in the Scriptures I leave these Directions in shâ—â— words 1. Acquaint thy self with the whole Scripture and all Scripture both in its letter and meaning for that is to know the Scriptures Otherway it is but an unknown Tongue to him that is â—â—naquainted either with the phrase or meaning of iâ— The Soul that is thus acquainted with all Scriptures if one Scripture bind it another will loose iâ— if one wound it another will heal it if one caâ— it down another will comfort it 2. Be a careful keeper of the word of God iâ— practice David felt and every Soul that had their Senses exercised will feel their Affection to and proficiency in the Scriptures grow according to their practice of the Scriptures Psal. 1 9. 5 This I had because I kept thy Precepts And Christ teacheth plainly that he that is a doer of the will of God is fairest to know the Doctrine that is of God I know no such way to be a good Scholar as to be a good Christian. 3. Intertain the Spirit of God if you would â—ave either comfort or profit of the word Isai 59 1. the Spirit and the Word are promised together â—ohn 6. 63. Christ tells us that his Words are spirit â—â—d life 1 Cor. 2 10. and foreward it is the Spirit that doth all by the Word and 1. Iohn 2 27. â—â— is the anointing that teacheth all things One â—yes well of Paul's Epistles that no man can understand them without Paul's Spirit And so may be â—â—id of all Scripture Sight is as needful as light â—s blind men might judge of Colours And if the â—pirit were not as needful as the Word of Faith â—en blind sense and hasty unbelief would not and to say that all men are Lyars and that God's Truth failes for ever The material Doctrines â—nd objective Revelations of the Word and Spirit â—e ever the same And a Spirit clashing with the Word is surely a Ghost and an evil Spirit But â—â—e Word and Spirit in the conveyance and deliver of the self-same Revelations are oftimes sepaâ—t in their influences for sometimes the Word â—â—mes alone without the Spirit to those who have â—es and see not c. Sometimes again the Spirit â—â—mes with a discovery of the same Truth that in the Word without the help of the Word as Infants deaf Persons and even others at age â—â—d having the use of their ears but being not â—ell versed in the Scriptures yet desiring to how and do the will of God are oftimes no â—oubt by a secret immediate instinct of the Spirit God without the actual remembrance and â—â—lp of the Word of God taught and instructed acccording to the Word for God leads the blind by a way that they know not And the Apostle 1 Pet 3. 1. tells us that some men at age by good example may be won without the Word Why then may not the Spirit of God do what the example of a Christian woman can do But that it concerns all that would converse comfortable with the Scriptures to call the Spirit of God to their assistance is manifest from this That therâ— are many and those the most concerning Questions that fall
his People bring them with 〈◊〉 the bond of his Covenant and give them a free â—â—spensation of his ordinances whilst he doth not to others and loves them that are of themselves may be the least lovely Answer The Lord loves and chooses because he loves and chooses â—eut 7. compare the 7 and 8. verses Question 8. â—â—w comes it that the Lord surprises his Saints any times with such unexpected kindness and â—ercies as distress their wits and dash their moâ—sty so that they are equally ashamed and ignorant of that kindness wherewith they are so loaded â—d weighted without wearying that they are â—terly at a loss to express let be to requite it hence is all this I say Answer Because Gods way with his People is not the manner of man And what can David say more to it 2 Samuel 19 20. Question 9 But how is it that the Lord withdrawes his comfortable presence many times â—om his People when they are most earnest to keep â—m and solicitous to entertain him Answer â—hat is as he pleases Cant. 2 7. It becomes us well to â—ait his Dyets and it as well becomes him to be â—aster of his own Dyets Question 10. Why is it â—at the Lord gives many of his finest and most â—oly Saints such a sad inward life of desertions â—ears Tentations that are able to distract even a â—ise Heman from his youth and to make them â—iferenters also of such Exercises Answer I find â—is Question made by Heman Psal. 88 14. but I â—nd no answer to it And it may be the Lord would have said it is ill speired The just answer to this and such like Questions is Job 33. 13. Gâ—â— gives not account of any of his matters Question 11. â— dispensations how is it that either all things fâ— alike to all or if there be any odds of Lots the worst falls to the Saints in this life And that somâ— times men that are singulary Holy are strangely afflicted as Iob. Answer Job 9 22 23. This â—â— one thing therefore I said it he destroyeth thâ— perfect and the wicked if the scourge slay suddainly he will laugh at the tryal of the innocenâ— O Soveraignity becoming him only who doth â— Heaven and Earth whatsoever he pleaseth Thâ— next property and attribute of God observable iâ— his works is wisdom and this sweetly influence the former for albeit God always will not yet always he well can give a good account of his maâ—ters known unto God are all his works from the beginning Act 1â— 18. Yea the Lord somâ— times manifests the wisdom of his works evidentlâ— and eminently to his Peoples admiration rathâ—â— than satisfaction and lets them see more wisdom in his dispensations than they can fathom O thâ— depth Rom. 11. 33. I dare not cast my self into the depth of this wisdom of God in his dispensations lest I be not able in haste to recover my self Only let us mind that what we know not now â—â— God 's mind in his dispensations it may be wâ— shall know afterwards to our great satisfaction We should likewise observe in the works of God Power Holiness Justice Goodness whereoâ— more in the sequel of our discourse and particularly we would observe the Truth for which the Psalmist so much commends the judgements and â—nd works of God we should observe how every work of God verifies some word of his book and â—ow all fulfills the whole We find it frequent in the mouth of Christ and his Apostles and sure it was first in their eyes thus and thus it was done that the Scriptures might be fulfilled The works of God are an enlarged Commentary of â— daily new edition upon the Word of God And be sure this shall not be an Orleans gloss that will overturn the Text nor will the only wise God so far forget himself in the least to counter work his Word And if thus we observe the correspondency of Gods Works with his Word our Song shall be as we have heard so have we seen in the â— City of our God And that according to his name so is his praise to all the ends of the earth Psal. 48 8 10. Only let us be sure to have the Word on our side if ever we would expect good of the Works of God for if Gods word be for us himself is on our side if God be for us who shall be against us who is the man what is the thing neither death nor life c. The Fourth thing to be observed in the works of God is the voice of them Gods words have a hand and are active working words his Works have a tongue and are speaking works his words may be seen Ier 2. 13. O generation see ye the word of the Lord and his works may be heard Mica 6. 9. the Lords voice cryeth to the City and the man of wisdom shall see the thy name hear ye the rod and him that hath appointed it There is both a visible Voice and name and an audible Rod. Men have no ears for Gods Word or if they hear it they dally with it and make iâ— but what they please darkening it with the duâ— of their Carnal self-pleasing glosses but God hath another Voice the heavy voice of a bloody lashing rod that Voice will cause men hear and iâ— speaks so distinctly that it will make the meaning of a despised Word so plain that it shall be even visible what God would say to such hearers As the Apostle sayes 1 Cor 24 10. there are so many kinds of voices in the World and every voice hath its own signification So the several works oâ— God have their several signifying voices to the Sons of Men. Some Works of God have a Voice oâ— Instruction some have a voice of Lamentation Jesus once weept over the City Ierusalem with the proper voice of his Body Jesus often weeps over Cities Churches Provinces and Kingdoms with the Metaphoricall voice of his Dispensations some works of God have a voice of gladness and singing Psal. 9. 4. thou Lord hast made me glad through they work Some have a voice of Victory and Triumph and dividing the spoile I will triumph in the works of thy hands ibidem in that same verse Miriam sang Exod. 15 1. the Lord hath triumphed Gloriously and Psal. 47. the Lord is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet Sing praises to God sing praises sing praises to our God sing praises Some Works of God have the voice of a Lyon roaring some of a thunder cracking some of waters rushing some Works of God have a still whispering voice some have â— clear speaking voice some have a loud crying voice The still voice whispers in the Conscience the plain clear voice speaks in the Word and the loud voice cryes in the rod the Lords voice cryes to the City hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Now they hear and observe the voice of God's Works
is over 6. The Wilderness importeth a Condition of fears and perplexing Doubts for the Wilderness being a land of darkness Jer. 2 31. and a place where there is no way it puts the traveller ineviâ—ably to many sad fears and perplexing doubts The afflicting fears and doubts of Saints in the Wilderness may be reduced to those three chief â—eads The 1 are concerning their spiritual Conâ—ition and state before God The 2 are concerning their present incumbent Duty and Work The â— are concerning thee vents of incumbent Dispensations I cannot endure nor dare I expatiat more â—rgly in a discourse of these particularly lest either saint in the way or once turning off but a little â—to those dark mysterious paths I be not able â—ickly to recover the high way for if I speak to â—â—e purpose I may readily prognosticat that to â— the fate of my discourses which is of their case â—ho once are ingaged in the intricacies of these â—â—rplexities that hardly can they quickly ridd themselves This only I must say that those â—â—uls that have been at their wits end in these things and have not known in all the World what to do can best tell what it is to be brought into the Wilderness And this I observe that even as men have got a custome to plant Wildernesses in the midst of pleasant Gardens so many meâ—â— in their otherwise good Books and Sermons imprudently either starting difficulties unseasonably or pursuing them excessivly do rather creat that clear perplexities to poor Souls and give them the entertainment of a toilsome divertisment in placâ— of solid refreshment But my project invites mâ—â— if I could be so happy rather to plant a Garden iâ— a Wilderness than a Wilderness in a Garden I feaâ— there is in the World but too much artificial Religion and exercises like Garden-Wildernesses invented rather for pleasure than created by necessity I fear some Christians like some Preachers read more off their book nor they repeat off their hearâ— But I doubt the pleasure of an artificial Wilderness will either relieve or compense the grief of â— real One Elaborat fine accurat Discourses oâ— Christians Doubts and cases whatever they deservâ— in their own place will be found but Physician of no value and miserable comforters to Souâ— that are in earnest except he that reveals secrâ—â— and looseth the Prisoners lighten the doubtinâ— Soul's darkness with a beam of his own presencâ— In the 42 Psal. David had said well to it but thâ— says best 11. verse he is the health of my countenam and my God As Gardens are more pleasant fâ—â— men in health than for sick men so Discourses of Christian cases in doubts and perplexties will readily do better either before or after the distempter than in the time Much Prayer and communion with God is the best book of cases that ever a doubting Soul read and is blest with the maniest discoveries and manifestations of God to those that walk in darkness and have no light 7. The Wilderness importeth a Condition of Reproach and Persecution Iob 30. 5. descrives the reproachful base Condition of his Adversaries that mocked him from this that they fled into the Wilderness and were driven forth from among men who cryed after them as after a thief And Rev. 12. 6. the woman in travel the persecuted Church fled into the Wilderness This was Davids Wilderness-Condition Psal. 55. 3. because of the voice of the enemy because of the oppression of the wicked for they cast iniquity upon me and in wrath they hate me and in verse 6 7 I said O that I had wings like a dove for then would I flee away and be at rest Lo then would I wander far off and be in the Wilderness Selah The scourge and persecution of false tongues being worse than the venome of Asps the sting of Serpents or Poyson of Dragons that â—aunt the Wilderness makes often the Wilderness a refuge and rest to be desired by the Reproached People of God and the wrath and cruelty of wicked men makes the Saints often times find Lyons Bears Wolves and Dragons to be better neighbours Heb. 11. 36. Cruel mockings is the first Item in the account of Saints sufferings and then follows Scourging Bonds Killing Sawing tempting Torturing and wandering about And the Apostle 2 Timoth. 3. 12. warns all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus that there way lyes thorow this Wilderness of persecution whereof reproach is not the least part for compare Gen. 21 9. with Galat. 4. 29. that was carnal Ishmael's Persecution wherewith he persecuted his Brother Isaac the son of the promise And they had tryal says the Apostle of Cruel mockings and the slandering tongues of wicked men are compared in Scripture to the sharpest and most bitter instruments sharp arrows Coals of Juniper Swords Spears and the poyson of Serpents Racking and Torturing may break a mans bones But Reproach says the Psalmisi hath broken my heart and it hath dammished my very Spirits for I am ful of heaviness Psal 69 20. And now when the People of God live in a land of trouble and anguish from whence come the young and old Lyon the viper and fiery fleeing Serpent Isa. 30. 6. pray who will not call that a Wilderness and where are they think you whose soul is among Lyons Psal. 57. 4. If any shall search the records of our Scotish Inquisition the Creature that likes not to be called the high Commission they may be soon convinced that these are no fictions of Fanaticks and disaffected persons But the question is not demonstrative for I warrand they have more Loyalty than to deny these things that they say are so good service to but juridical for Jure factum diâ—uâ—t they do all by Law forsooth and so justify all their practises But are all Laws righteous or is there such a thing in the World as a throne of iniâ—ity which frameth mischief by a Law Psal. 94. 20. They think possibly as Paul once thought that they ought to do these things and that they do good service to God indeed they do not say but â—â— they cry But stay till Christ examine the Braâ—est man amongst the Examinators upon that little qvestion Why persecntest thou me and then my Lord â—nquisitor comes in upon second thoughts with his confession I was a Blasphemer a Persecuter and inâ—rtous 1 Timoth. 1 13. And then the fools excuse is alledged by him that thought himself so â—ise for sapientis non est dicere Putavi I thought that I should have done these things But what think you now Sir Why now I see that which formerly â— called Loyalty zeal and good service must change â—ts Name without any change in the Thing for it â—â—oth was and is no other thing but Blasphemy Persecution and injury Such a thing as this has been 8. The Wilderness importeth a Melancholiâ—us sad and dejected Condition This follows from all the rest Any who ever travelled alone thorow
your lusts Iam. 4. 1. Ungodly mens lusts are like themselves for extremes they are and they are like extremes that differ alike from themselves and from the mids A varice differeth as much from Prodigality her Sister Vice as from Liberality her contrary vertue But Godliness sets a man at one with himself it is a heart-uniting thing Psal. 86. 11. unite my heart to fear thy name It makes a good understanding betwixt the understanding the will the affections and the whole man And blessed be the Peace-maker shall she not be called the Child of God 5. Is it not the great Glory of Godliness that as many do sute her as few do espouse her and she hath as many pretenders as few matches Are not all men her pretenders Do not her greatest adversaries pay her the Devotion at least of a complement Is not their great request to her like that Isai. 4. 1. only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach Do not her greatest enemys Glory to be called her servants Call an evil man good and you cannot please him beeter for he hateth as much to be called evil as to be good And loveth as much to be evil as to be called good And it is yet as much her Glory that few do enjoy her But pray whom doth she reject are they any but the Ungodly those unworthy Persons that were brought in upon her and came to mock her nor doth she despise any that have not first despised her or should she prostitute her self to such as care not for her none get a Rejection from her without their own consent and they take it before they get it for as none are Godly so neither are any Wicked against their will Lastly Beside the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come which makes Godliness profitable to all things 1 Timoth. 4. 8. It is the ready way even in ordinary probability to give a man honour wealth and pleasure and to continue these with him yea even in this World I would these tymes did give a better testimony to this Observation but I hope the Observation shall stand when some are fallen and shall continue when these times are past way for that these things are as naturally purchased by good and vertuous as lost by lewd and wicked practices And how shall a man have Honour who prostitutes himself to courses wherein he hath none but base and unmanly persons for his Companions Are not Pages Grooms and Lackeyes as good fellows as their Lord himself at Whoreing Drinking Swearing Carding where all are fellows Is not my Lord well Honoured when he sends his man to convoy a Whore to the Chamber who because upon the Road he uses to lead the way for his Master thinks he will do him the like service here and serves him with his own remains But who doth not Reverence the Presence and Honour the Face of a really Good man Yea many a time such an one hath more Reverence than God himself with Evil men who dare do many things in the Eyes of God that they will be loath to do in presence of such a man Yea how convincing many a time is the Carriage of a Godly man to his greatest Enemies Surely thou art more Righteous then I said Saul to David and when a Mans wayes please the Lord he maketh even his Enemies to be at peace with him Prov. 16. 7. An excellent Divine I think it is Greenhame sayes well Let not a Saint be afraid of Men for that by his Prayers he hath more Power of their Hearts than they themselves have And the Scripture sayes the same 1 Pet. 3. 13. And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good And how well had it been with the Profane Ruffian that he had spent that Time Strength Estate and Credit for God in the way of Godliness with the sweet and sure gain of his Soul which he hath wasted in riffling and base living with the evident hazard of his Soul's ruine if that may be said to be ruined that was never repaired nor in case But be it yet that the godly man attaineth not to these advantages Temporal The Peace of Righteousness the Contentment of Soberness the Considence of Faith and the Rejoycing of Hope do more than compense all that is wanting elsewhere and cause that a good man is satisfied from himself Prov 14. 14. Now let all that hath been said be a reproof of the Worlds hard opinions of Godliness and give cheque to their unkind dealing with her as if she were a sorry Piece to be desired by none but such as would be miserable I have not yet travelled so far but that I can remember from whence I set forth In my entry upon the point I told my Erand was with Eleazar Abraham's Servant Genes 24. To seek a Wife to my Master's Son and to Espouse and bring home Souls to Christ And now to conclude Let me with them Gen. 24. 57 58. Call the Damsel and enquire at her Mouth Wilt thou go with the man And she said so be it said unto me I will go The fourth and last thing we learn from the point in a word Is to put a good construction upon all Gods Dispensations to his People for his thoughts towards them are Thoughts of Peace and not of evil to give them an expected end Jer 29. 11. And in complyance with the Lords great design in the vicissitudes of all our Lots let us learn to give him more of our Hearts For he brings his People into the Wilderness and there he allures them If these Melancholly times do but make us more tractable condescending and kind to Christ Iesus we may well expect that he will speak comfortably unto us I will bring her into the Wilness and will speak comfortably unto her ANd thus I am led by the hand into the fourth and last thing proposed to be considered in the Text. The juncture and coincidence of the Churches affliction and the Lords Consolations I will bring her into the Wilderness and I will speak comfortably un to her Hence the Doctrine is That the Lord useth to tryst his peoples sadest afflictions with his sweetest consolations He is a God that comforteth those that art cast down It is his way and use The Apostle 2 Cor. 1. 5. abounded in consolations by Christ as their sufferings for Christ abounded And reading through all the Scripture I never find the Saints more indulged with the sweet consolations of God and his kind manifestations than in the greatest afflictions Reasons of this are 1. His free love and kindness So it becomes him with whom the fatherless find mercy He loveth and preserveth the Stranger he is a Father of the Fatherless and a Husband to the Widow a Judge of the oppressed out of his holy habitation He will be known in adversity to be a Friend 2. Their necessity