from all your Idols will I cleanse you a new Heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you a Heart of flesh There are them who are really impure and grievously polluted and yet think all is well with them witness that known word Prov. 14.12 13. There is a Generation that is pure in their own eyes and yet is not washed from their filthiness There is a Generation O how lofty are their eyes and their eye-lids are lifted up There are some Souls greatly confident of their own purity and yet defiled wofully While they boast of their freedom and brag of their purity and are crying to others it may be Stand by thy self for I am holier then thou they become after this Servants to Corruption Others there are in whom a cleansing-work is really begun but because there are some remains of corruption in their Souls it fills their hearts so much with grief and blinds their eyes so much that they cannot see the cleansing that is begun To clear this therefore I must tell you That where there is really heart-purity there is much of the love of purity If thou hast not attained what of it thou wouldest yet thy heart is really in love with it Prov. 22.11 He that loveth pureness of Heart for the grace of his Lips the King shall be his Friend There are a People it may be have not attained to that pureness of heart they would do but yet pureness of heart they love and Grace is poured into their Lips to such the King will be a Friend they shall find a Friend of Christ and he will not be ashamed to own them in the day of his greatest Glory when the Crown shall be set upon his Head Not a Soul in whom purity is but he is pressing after it in greater measure though he has not attained it yet he does not sit down and cry There is no hope for me but he is going forward and pressing after more of the Image of God to be implanted in his Soul Now what is the answer of your Hearts Can you from hence conclude comfortably you are some of Gods Israel Are the lusts that boil up in your hearts fomented and cherished favoured and allowed served and pleased If so it is sad with you If you lie in the bosom of any Lust as in the lap of a Delilah if thou sayest of any sin in thy Soul as sometimes Lot said concerning his Zoar I cannot escape to the Mountains but there is a City near is it not a little one let me flee thither and I shall live All the Cities of the Plain were doomed to destruction at that day but Lot was earnest to prevail for the saving of one little City that he might delight himself in it There is not a lust in thy Soul but it is doomed to destruction and God requires it should be put to death but possibly thou sayest of it O spare it it is a little one Let me be faithful to thee and tell thee that that sin will be enough to race out thy name out of the Catalogue of the Israel of God and when others will stand with comfort that have escaped this day thou wilt be ashamed and confounded 3. Art thou of the Israel of God Then thou art one that hast learned in some measure to live upon God As it is the certain property of so it is a great excellency in the Israel of God that they live upon him and this was as eminently found in Jacob as ever in any one of the Servants of the Lord When he was going to Padan Aram not knowing what should befall him observe how he speaks Gen. 28.20 Jacob vowed a Vow saying If God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go and will give Bread to eat and Rayment to put on c. The great thing about which he was solicitous was that he might have the presence of God He had a little before in this Chapter a most glorious Vision of God and I must confess Visions of God are exceeding effectual to teach and work up the heart to a living upon God and what does Jacob now say If he might have but God to live upon a very little of other matters should content him Bread to eat somewhat that might support his nature and Rayment to put on enough to cover him and keep him warm he doth not say If I may have Varieties and Dainties to eat and may be decked in costly Apparel no but onely Bread to eat and Rayment to put on If I can have but God a little of the World will serve my turn This is the Spirit of Israel and that with which I doubt very few are acquainted I must crave leave to put this to all your Souls and ask you what is the answer of your hearts Can you say upon good grounds as the Church of God sometimes said The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul Lam. 3.24 Suppose should Satan take you as once he did Christ and set you upon a high Mountain and shew you the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them and tell you All these things you shall have if you will forgo and part with God What would the answer of your hearts be in that case Suppose Christ should come and say to you If you will have a part in me you must expect trouble you shall be hated of all men for my Names sake yea the Parents from whose Bowels ye sprang shall turn against you Can you say Amen so be it Let me have the Lord for my Portion and I can forgo all other things whatsoever This is Israel's Spirit and so far as it â—s thus with you it is right What excellency have you seen in the Lord at any time How have your hearts been taken with him What are the workings of your Souls toward him What are you labouring after Is it that you may know God and enjoy him What is it doth relieve you in the time of your straights Is it this that the Lord is yours It was David's comfort when all went against him when Ziklag was burnt his Wives and all were taken and the People spake of stoning him he then encouraged himself in the Lord his God What is it that sweetens all your enjoyments to you Is it this That you have a part in that which is better then all these that you have a part in the Lord and he is become your God and Father in Christ Happy yea thrice happy are you that can say as once David did The Lord hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure and this is my Salvation and this is all my Joy But O unhappy they who are not able to subsist without their Thousands and look upon themselves as undone for ever if worldly Interest runs but
if you are the Lords People in truth you are much in the heart of God and your Good in the very next place to his own and his Sons Glory is designed however he deals with you If he lets loose men upon you it is not with a design to hurt you Psal 66.12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads we went through fire and water but thou hast brought us out into a wealthy place If he comes to thunder down Judgements upon the World it is with a design to do you good it is for your safety Isa 43.14 Thus saith the Lord your Redeemer the holy One of Israel For your sakes I have sent to Babylon and have brought down all their Nobles and the Caldeans whose cry is in the Ships Christ in all his Administrations and in all the Dispensations of his Kingly Power from first to last aims at the good of his People and it is for their benefit that he acts however we are apt through blindness and ignorance to interpret it If he cuts down his People it is to do them good if he spares them it is because he delights in them and will make them partake of sparing-mercy How admirable is the kindness of the Lord and what effect should it have But 1. To teach you to see the hand of Christ in all and to sing forth the praises of the Lord your preservation is through Christ When the Passeover was instituted of old God bid the Israelites to sprinkle the Blood of the Lamb upon the door posts and when the Angel passed by to slay the first-born of Egypt he would pass by their doors that were sprinkled If the destroying Angel hath passed by your Doors and hath not come in it is because your post was sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus the Blood of the Lamb It is to Christ that you own it and O that the praises of the Lord might be sounded forth by you in Psal 22.3 God is said to inhabit the Praises of Israel it is a remarkable expression O Thou that inhabitest the Praises of Israel our Fathers trusted in thee and were delivered Israel should be a praising People and God delights in their Praises He loves to be where his Praises are spoken forth O that your habitations might be the habitations where the Praises of God might dwell and where the goodness of God may be sounded forth 2. Sure your escaping should make 〈◊〉 to be Holiness unto the Lord Hath the Lord written you unto Life as the expression is in this 4th of Isaiah Are you by his appointment and counsel in the Land of the living O then see that you be a People walking with him He says in this 4th of Isaiah to them that do escape that they shall be a holy People vers 3. It shall come to pass that he that is left in Sion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called Holy even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem O that every one written among the living this day might also be called Holy that is might be so for God calls things as they are There be great engagements lie upon our Souls that we live up to this expectation of God 3. Surely your work is to help forward the glory of Christ and your own good by all ways you can Faith and Prayer are the great means by which you may be serviceable to this great end We are apt to be faithless and unbelieving when things succeed not according to our desire and expectation but the work of the Soul is to wait for the salvation of God and to believe for the accomplishment of all that the Lord hath spoken to beg earnestly that God would remember his Promise that he would do according to the Faith of his People Whatsoever God has engaged himself to his People that he will do for them he expects that they should enquire of him for it 4. How much ought it to be your care to be found in a spirit fit to meet Christ in his glory There is great talk in the World of what expectations are upon the hearts of the Saints O that we could see suitable preparations in every Soul putting off the works of darkness and pressing after a Spirit of Humility and Holiness that we might be crucified to the World and raised up to a spiritual frame the day of Christs glory will be exceedingly filled up with spiritual things and a carnal earthly spirit will be loathed and abominable O then shake off the filth of sin and the filth of this World and put on your beautiful Garments that so you may be prepared to meet the Lord in his glory 5. Do you much pity Sinners When Christ shall come in his glory with what shame and confusion will poor sinners stand every heart will tremble and the proudest spirit will then stoop O pity them now for then you will have no pity for them the Righteous shall rejoyce when he sees the vengeance they will then onely triumph in the righteous Dispensations of God O pity them now and mourn over them and pray for them and pray them into Christ if possible and walk so before them that thou maist make them in love with the ways of God This is your work the Salvation of Sinners should be much upon your hearts if you know the worth of your own Souls And the more there are brought into Christ the greater will the solemnity be and the glory of this glorious appearance To close all therefore It is a sad day for the present even with the Saints of God and though we are preserved yet we and all our mercies lie open to we know not how much misery we and our best Priviledges how they may be dealt with we cannot tell however of this be confident That all this time the Lord is at work graciously for his People As he says in this fourth of Isaiah when he had said in the Text The Branch of the Lord should be glorious for them that are escaped he addes vers 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the Daughter of Zion In the â—ean time before this glory the Lord is waâ—â—ing away the filth of his People and purging out their dross that yet is among them that when his glorious appearing shall be you and all your Mercies will at once be delivered and as he says in the fifth verse The Lord will create upon every dwelling place in Mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a Cloud and Smoak by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the Glory shall be a defence Now we have our Opportunities with hazard and little Communion with God in them but at that day there shall be upon the Assemblies of Mount Zion a Cloud The Cloud in the Temple was the token of Gods presence God will be among his People And upon their Glory shall be a defence They shall be safe from the fear of evil and God will bless his People with peace He will bless them out of Zion Laus Deo Opt. Max. FINIS
set up for these stand in opposition to each other it must be the fall of the one that must raise the other the Dispensations of God are directed unto the destruction of Sin in the hearts of his People if he correct it is a Rod to whip out the Folly bound up in their Hearts and he hath said that the fruit of such Providences should be the taking away of sin Isa 27.9 By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his Sin If he shew kindness it is to destroy sin to purge that out of the Heart Ezek. 36.25 26. Then will I sprinkle clean Water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you a new Heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and take away the stony heart and give you a heart of flesh It relates unto them that should escape publick Calamities which should be attended with the purging away of Sin and if you can say that sin is fallen in your love it is to be hoped Christ is raised It is between Sin and Christ as it was between the House of David and Saul 2 Sam. 3.1 There was long war between the House of Saul and the House of David but David waxed stronger and stronger and the House of Saul weaker and weaker as the House of Saul weakened so the House of David strengthened as Sin weakens in the Soul Christ getteth ground I may say of the lusts that are in the Soul as God sometimes said concerning Amalek 1 Sam. 15.3 Go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not but slay both Man and Woman Infant and Suckling Camel and Ass the Lusts in the heart are destined unto utter destruction God would have them killed and not one spared not an Agag left alive I would put the question unto you the Lord help you to put it home to your Souls You that are escaped is all slain in your Souls that is wont to stand up against Christ is there not an Agag spared I wish if you say that Sin is killed the Lord may not say unto you as Samuel said to Saul vers 14. What then means the bleating of the Sheep and the lowing of the Oxen in mine ears What means that pride passion earthly-mindedness in the heart of the People of God if Sin be not brought down Christ is not exalted if Sin be where it was Christ is where he was the Branch of the Lord is not made beautiful and glorious though his kindness should have had that effect upon you 3. If you can say that are escaped That the Saints are become more precious unto you it is to be hoped that Christ is become so also Many Souls have had very precious thoughts of Saints great esteem of them much love for them Psal 16.1 My goodness extends not to thee but unto the Saints and to the Excellent in whom is all my delight Now love to Saints increaseth according as your love to Christ encreaseth thou canst not love a Saint until thou hast first loved Christ Col. 1.4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love that ye have to all Saints love to Saints followed faith in Christ I remember a good Soul that hath been lately telling me that this was his constant experience According as my Soul grows in love to Christ so it grows in love to Saints Even as when the Springs grow higher you may conclude a fulness of water in the place from whence they are fed so if the Saints are more precious then they were wont to be he that is the Fountain of all grace it is to be presumed hath let in more of himself into thy Soul Many of you that read these things possibly have been wont to be the Companions of them that fear the Lord and have met and conversed with them but how have they been in your hearts have they been dear have they lodged in your Bosom it may be some will complain Our Souls have not been so knit unto them as they should have been but can you say That fault is somewhat amended since the Lord hath shown you kindness and not onely mark'd you for but blest you with preserving-mercy 4. Thou mayst hope thy Soul is growing in its love unto Christ if thou canst say since thy Escape thy Soul hungers more after Communion with him then it was wont to do The natural issue of Love is to desire Enjoyment and according as thy desires of enjoyment of communion with Christ are so is thy love unto Christ of this thou mayst be confident Many Souls that go up and down from one Duty to another have not their hearts inflamed with holy desires to meet with Christ in ways of Duty and therefore it is said of some Their Oblations were vain that is because not directed unto their proper ends The Lord Isa 64.5 hath promised that he would meet with them that rejoyce and work Righteousness that remember Him in their ways They that would see the Lord meet with him and hold fellowship with him they shall be delighted in his Approaches unto them How is thy heart if the Branch of the Lord be more glorious unto thee thou wilt more desire and breathe after communion with God Says the Spouse I sought him whom my Soul loveth I hope I write to some that know what communion with Christ means it is that that all understand not it is a Riddle to many I fear to some professing Ones If thou art taught of God and Christ hath to do with thy spirit and thou art really a gainer by thy escape thou dost encrease in longings after communion with Christ 5. Hereby it will appear that the Branch of the Lord is become beautiful and glorious unto thee who art escaped in this day of Distress if there be a great care upon thy heart to be found living up unto every Duty which Christ requires and calls for at the hands of them that are escaped every Mercy is a Call to Duty lays an obligation upon the heart to some Duties or other so this eminent Mercy of Preservation in the midst of slaughtering-Providences hath a loud Call from Christ to live in an hearty respect unto some especial Duties that are enjoyned thee which are such as these 1. It is the requirement of Christ That after thou art escaped a Calamity thou consider seriously and seriously lay unto heart and mourn for whatever provocation might cause him to shake the Rod over thee this is certain that the time of our escape as well as our distress should make us seriously to consider and having considered to mourn over whatever abominations may have occasioned the Lord to come forth at such a rate Scripture hath more then a little to say for this Ezek. 36.31 Then shall you remember your
out-live a day of sad Calamity yet Christ is become more contemptible in their eyes who instead of being brought near unto Christ are at a greater distance from Christ It is verily a sad consideration that such should be the conclusion of such a Providence upon the hearts and spirits of any but yet I fear thus it is with more then a few Paul 2 Tim. 3.13 tells us that evil men and Seducers shall wax worse and worse It is the doom that passeth oft times upon evil men that let the dealings of God with them be what they will they are the worse under them wanting the help of the Spirit of Grace to manage and improve them for good they grow into a worse and more evil frame by them All the goodness the gracious dealings of God they are peculiarly directed to win upon the heart to bring Christ and Souls nearer together this is hinted in Rom. 2.4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance We are to interpret the end of Gods kindness to be for the bringing the heart to bow and stoop and fall at the Foot of Jesus Christ in case it have not this issue what issue else it produces will certainly be very sad namely the setting Souls at a greater distance from Christ and plunging them into a condition worse then they were in before and so it is added vers 5. Thou treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath thou by this means raisest up greater displeasure between him and thy Soul If you say Are there any that really have lower thoughts of Christ after they have escaped a day of Distress then before I answer it is to be feared too many and where you find one or more of these marks I shall lay down you may conclude that such persons though Christ hath dealt very tenderly with them and not swept them away in a day of destruction as he might have done yet Christ is become more contemptible in their accounts then he was before 1. Where you find a spirit more senceless and stupid more sottish and secure then before such a one is really set at a greater distance from Christ then before Some there are it is much to be feared that having survived this day of distress begin now to look upon themselves as out of reach as if no future danger could possibly attend them growing hard hearted and exceeding secure after those dealings of the Lord under which they have fallen such Souls and Christ are farther apart then they were wont to be Isa 57.15 the Spirit of God tells you Christ dwells in the humble heart and with a broken Spirit Now according as you find a heart melted and broken and said low put into a tender frame so far Christ makes his approaches towards the Soul and comes to be esteemed by it but according as you find the spirits of men grow into a hardness insensibility and security by so much you may conclude Christ is set at a distance from and dis-esteemed by such Souls and O that there were not many sensible proofs of a very insensible Spirit in many poor Creatures who yet are allowed a being upon the Earth If that be allowed to be a sign of security which Christ himself tells us was a sign of it Mat. 24.38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the Ark and knew not till the flood came and took them all away so shall also the coming of the Son of man be observe it Noah was in his days a Preacher of Righteousness he warned the People of Judgement to come the People were exceeding stupid not in the least prevailed upon and what was a proof of it They were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage then at a more then ordinary rate therefore it was an argument what ever was said unto them or whatever God intended they were not much awakened If that were a sign of stupidity then so it is now surely and gives a great deal of reason to conclude that Christ hath not gotten but rather lost upon many of the hearts of those that have escaped 2. Where persons are more desperately and eagerly set upon their lusts there you may conclude Christ is become more contemptible then he was There is such a direct contrariety between sin and Christ that by how much the more a man grows in love with sin by so much the more he must grow out of love with Christ Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject unto the Law of God neither indeed can be Now by how much the more men grow more carnal by so much their enmity against Christ is increased and improved Sinne doth not onely harden mens hearts but it also blinds and shuts mens eyes and by how much the more a man plungeth himself in sin and gives up himself to the service of it by so much you may conclude his mind is blinded and his eyes shut from seeing that glory and beauty that is eminently found in the Lord Jesus Christ The more a man sets himself in the way of sin the more he is under the power of Satan and where Satan rules as a Prince what doth he 2 Cor. 4.4 the Apostle saith The God of this World he blinds the minds of men And from this you may gather if you can observe that men that are preserved this day their hearts are not in the least taken out of those ways of sin in which they did walk but are rather set with greater eagerness to fulfil the desires of the flesh and of the mind you may without breach of Charity conclude those persons are more blinded and less able to see any beauty and excellency in this Branch of the Lord then before Onely we will hope if this spirit be found upon any that it is but as the Apostle saith sometimes concerning the Jews Rom. 11.7 What then Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the Election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded We will hope that if there be any that are the more hardened and blinded by this gracious Dispensation of Preservation it is not the Elect that are blinded but those that are given up which the Lord intends not to look after in any gracious way We will hope for any that have any interest in the Lord Jesus that he hath not nor will leave them to such a spirit 3. If you find any more at enmity with the People of Christ then before you may conclude Christ is more contemptible in their eyes then he was before Mind not what men talk do not heed mens grasping after the name of Christians and talking of Christ as a Saviour but know that men may speak of Christ as the whole Nation
place the high place at Gibeon where the Plague was he knew that he had deserved death and therefore he could not go to Gibeon for he was afraid because of the Sword of the Angel of the Lord as you may see 1 Chron. 21.28 I may allude to that Ezek. 18.24 I know the words have another sense than that that is before me but I allude to them only and as he saith When the Righteous turneth away from his Righteousness and committeth Iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed and in his sin that he hath sinned shall he die So I may say when the Saints of God turn into wayes of sinners and act in like provocations with them in the sins they sin and the trespasses that they commit they may die and the hand of the Lord may break out against them to the slaughtering of them and cutting them down Obj. 1. If any shall object here and say If the Saints may be slaughtered by and fall in common Calamity what profit hath the Jew then and what advantage is there by Circumcision what advantage hath the Saint above and beyond the Sinner Answ To that I answer He hath advantage many wayes to name a few particulars 1. Though one of God's Israel may fall by a slaughtering Judgment yet he is in the least danger of any one he may fall as sinners do but he is in the least danger there is greater hope of his security than of those that know not God The Saints have the Spirit of God to lead them into his way and work and therefore are not so easily left to run into those sins that may provoke God to cut them off by such Judgments all the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God è contra a blessed Promise the Lord doth make in that 25th Psalm unto his own People touching the guidance they shall have ver 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse God here engageth himself not to leave his People to themselves to the ways and workings of their own hearts but to direct them into his way and when he hath them in his way what then ver 13. his soul shall dwell at ease or as Junius translates his soul shall dwell in good as if he should say when I guide my People into my ways than evil shall not easily overtake them but they shall dwel and rest in good and mercy shall compass them about if they step out of Gods way the Lord knows how to call them back again Isa 30.21 Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it If the Saints have provoked God there is a possibility for them to make their peace that the difference may not grow to any great height they may compound the difference and make up the breach by a spirit of mourning and humiliation they may lye at the foot of the Lord and abhor themselves in dust and ashes and so make up the breach and to this work they are fitted in some measure through Grace nay they have a Friend in Heaven that intercedeth for them and though they have provoked God the difference may be by him so mediated that God may be stopped from coming forth in his hot Displeasure I make no doubt but the Lord may say concerning many of his People as he doth of Israel of old in Psal 106.23 Therefore he said he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach Doubtless our Lord Jesus Christ that Moses he of whom Moses was a type and in this a great type doth oftentimes step in between the Lord and his People and make up the Breach and divert that Wrath that otherwise would come down in dreadful Judgments to the cutting them off the Earth 2. Though a Saint may fall into a calamity yet it is advantagious to be a Saint in such a day for such a one though he fall he shall be supported in his fall and the curse of the Judgment shall be taken off God may chasten his People with a Rod let loose the severest Judgments upon them He may cut them down but yet he must hold them by the hand by Covenant he stands bound to give them strength for every tryal and blessed Experiences there have been of this kind this day of those Servants of God that have gone to their eternity by thousands There are them that have left this Testimony That God was with them in that hour and though the Judgement in it self considered had much of bitterness in it yet God was pleased to sweeten it to them by an abundant sence of Divine Love it is said Psal 149.5 Let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their bed Some Saints are not only joyfull in Glory now they are with God but have sung aloud upon their sick and death-beds on which they have been cast by this present Judgment of God and declared to the praise of his Grace that he did support and chear their inward man by the enjoyment of his blessed refreshing Presence in that needful hour and truly the curse and sting of such a Dispensation is taken away from the Saints Thus some interprâ—â— that word Psal 91.10 there shall no 〈◊〉 come nigh their dwelling that is say 〈◊〉 the Plague of the Plague shall not come nigh their dwelling the curse of it shall not come though the thing it self come God will take off the curse and that is the bitterness and sting of any affliction Death comes upon every man Saint and Sinner on the Wicked it comes with a sting in its tayl a curse with it it is an inlet for them into eternal misery falling under the everlasting Displeasure of the glorious God the Saint dyeth too but the curse is taken off from him in his Death his grave is his bed where he rests in peace and that stroke only opens a door unto him into his Father's presence Isa 57.2 They shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness So 1 Cor. 15.55 saith the Apostle O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory The curse of Death is taken away from the Saint So though the Saint fall in and under such a calamity the sting of it is so taken out that it is but a blessed passage unto him into Abraham's bosom 3. It is yet worth while to be of Gods Israel in a time of Slaughter though one should not escape the Slaughter for this reason That if a Soul go unto its Eternity by such a Slaughter God will yet thereby glorifie himself â—ore and
People may be frustrated Jer. 8.15 We looked for peace but no good came and for a time of health but behold trouble they did look for it but such an expectation must not be called by the name of Faith Let me tell you That nothing is Faith but that that is grounded upon a Word Psal 119.49 Remember thy Word unto thy Servant on the which thou hast caused me to hope It is very hard to find any word in Scripture where God doth absolutely assure unto his People exemption in a slaughtering-Calamity especially until Christ shall come forth to execute Judgement upon the Earth Therefore there not being a word for such Faith there cannot be a Faith of such a distinction Though men may call their vain expectations by the name of Faith they shall never find it to have Faiths Efficacy Obj. 5. If it be further said That by the falling of Gods Israel the Lord crosses and hinders his own design he hinders the effect of the Judgement upon the Hearts of sinners their hearts come by this means to be the more hardned and they thence conclude it is not intended and directed specially against them for say they The Good fall as well as the Bad and we are not intended more then others Answ To that I answer What if God will for the hardning the hearts of Sinners let some of his own fall What if that shall be one part of Gods design in it that their hearts may be hardened and thereby they may be the more ripened for their utter ruine and destruction If God have this design in his heart and will therefore be content to let some of his fall in a Calamity who are we that we should reply against God Obj. 6. If in the sixth place you should ask me But what shall we say concerning those of Gods Israel that are fallen must we conclude them all fallen in their trespasses and cut off because of some notable provocation that they stood guilty of Answ I answer No in no wise notwithstanding all that hath been said But my poor thoughts are these That some of the Lords own Israel may have had too great a hand in and may have stood under too much guilt with respect to some of the provocations of this day and so may be fallen in their trespasses God may have cut them off from the Earth in some displeasure for some Abominations in which they have been found though he may receive them to himself in glory but I must say concerning others of the Lord's People this day fallen and some of them have this witness in my soul that surely the hand of God went not out against them for any speciall provocation upon them but upon account of the accomplishing and bringing about some notable things that are in the heart of God which time must manifest therefore though the falling of many Saints may speak that the Lord is displeased with his People yet I would even say concerning many of them and it may be a caution unto us as Christ Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans because they suffered such things I tell you nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish or those eighteen upon whom the Tower in Shiloe fell and slew them think ye that they were sinners above all others that dwelt in Jerusalem I tell you nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish though many of the Saints may possibly have fallen through great provocations yet surely for others we must not reckon them sinners above the rest of the Saints that remain Obj. 7. If it be asked May we conclude that all the Israel of God that have escaped and may escape through Grace that they do therefore escape because they have been found walking uprightly with God in a constant exercise of Grace do they therefore escape because they are found in right and good frames of soul To that I answer Let us not be high-minded but fear Though possibly some of the Saints that stand God hath found them in a right Spirit and is therefore pleased to spare yet for many of us we must put our preservation upon some other score I would rather place it where the Spirit of God doth sometimes place the preservation of Israel Psal 78. But he being full of compassion forgave their iniquities yea many a time turned away his Anger and did not stir up all his Wrath. I do rather suppose that most of us that live live through the grace and indulgence of a tender-hearted God because he doth not stir up all his Wrath rather than because we have been found in this right and excellent Spirit which this day calls for and which of right should have been found upon us And thus I have shewed that in dayes of slaughter all of Israel may not escape and why I proceed now to the second Branch for prosecution of this Doctrine to shew that whoever stand or fall Christ will lose none of his glory that all slaughtering-providences shall end in the making Christ glorious In that day shall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious that is in that day when some great and dreadful Slaughters are brought to a conclusion as is evident if you consider and compare it with what goes before in the third chapter Certainly a little light into Scripture is enough to satisfie us that God hath brought forth many great things for his own glory and the good of his People by slaughters it were easie to observe unto you that most of the great things that God hath done for his Name and People have been effected and brought about by great distresses Israel were set free from their oppression which was an eminent mercy and how Slaughters were made to bring that about Exod. 14.13 Moses said unto the People Fear ye not stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord which he will shew unto you to day for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day ye shall see them again no more for ever And you shall finde they were possessed of Canaan setled in that good Land but which way it was by and through great slaughters the Canaanite was dispersed and driven out and it was by cutting them off yea I do suppose that one of the means and wayes by which God made way for Israel to set them in Canaan was by the Pestilence I gather it from that Exod. 23.23 My Angel shall go before thee and bring thee in unto the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perrisites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites and I will cut them off God saith he would send his Angel to do it The Angels of God work many wayes but that that is eminently called in Scripture the stroke of the Angel it is that stroke by the Pestilence as many instances might make it good and I the rather judge it to be the intent of the expression because it
of that number But you will say How may I gather some comfortable grounded conclusions that I am one of the Israel of God I am an Escaped One this day and would not be willing that I should be stript of the blessing of this Blessing I would have the Mercy in mercy and therefore how may I come to some comfortable hope that I really am a Jew inwardly and partake of the circumcision that is of the Heart whose praise is not of man but of God I answer in a few things the Lord make them really effectual upon your Souls 1. If thou art one of Israel thou art one of another Spirit then the men of this world the Israel of God they are a distinct People separate from the rest of the Earth and separated in their Spirits eminently in another Spirit then the men of this world be What is said concerning Caleb Numb 14.24 is truly applicable to every one of Israel in some measure But my Servant Caleb because he had ANOTHER SPIRIT with him and hath followed me fully c. There were abundance of Israelites in the Camp at that day but few of them were in the frames they should be in Caleb was of another Spirit and such is every Saint The Searcher of all hearts knows that there is a difference between him and the world Not a Saint in the world but hath some ground to make an appeal to God as sometimes the Psalmist doth Search me and try me and know my thoughts and to appeal to the Lord as sometimes Jeremiah did Thou knowest my heart towards thee O Lord. Isaac had been begging Seed for his Rebecca because she had been long barren at length it is said There was strugling in her Womb she wondered what it should mean but see what answer the Spirit of God makes her Gen. 25.22 23. And the Lord said Two Nations are in thy Womb and two manner of People shall be separated from thy Bowels and the one People shall be stronger then the other People and the Elder shall serve the Younger The two manner of People were Jacob and Esau and I bring this to tell you that Jacob who was after named Israel and so all in the same Spirit with him they are another manner of People as it were another Nation another thing then the men of this world are there is an eminent difference and distinction between Esau and Israel they are of different Spirits and of a different language as several Nations differing one from another 1 Cor. 2.12 The Apostle tells us We have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God This he speaks concerning the Saints of God they have received not the Spirit of the World but another Spirit distinct and different from them Brethren I would put it to your Consciences and would ask you what the answer of your Souls is What ground have you to conclude that there is another Spirit in you then that which is in the World It may be your practices are somewhat other then the practices of the World are but grant it be so yet if you are not in another Spirit also if the inward frame and constitution of your Souls do not differ you will not be found among the Israel of God in the conclusion Ah my Friends possibly some of your Practices may not vary from the men of the World possibly you can be vain with them that are vain and prophane with them that are prophane if it be thus with you you must reckon your selves to be of the brood of Esau to this day Observe the words of the Apostle Rom. 12.2 And be not conformed to this World but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds What say you Are you conformed to this World Do you drive the trade and take the course that the men of this World do Are you vain and frothy and foolish giving up your selves to serve divers lusts Youth is subject to be so and if it be thus with you you are not of Israel to this day But if you say We are not of this World we do not act as they do we do not live as they do then let me ask you Are you transformed It is well not to be conformed to this World but that is not enough you must be transformed and your Spirits renewed you must be of another Spirit then the men of this World I would beseech you to look well to your hearts and commune with your Souls and do it not slightly I know many and would wail over them that notwithstanding their profession for God and their talking much of him and being high in an external owning of God yet in their walking and therefore sure much more in their spirits they vary little from the men of this World If it be thus with you though you are escaped this day yet you cannot comfortably conclude you are of the Israel of God or that you shall bear a part in that mercy and good they shall enjoy when the Branch of the Lord shall be glorious 2. Are you Israel indeed then there is somewhat of Heart-cleanness in you there is somewhat of cleanness of Heart and purity of Soul in you Thus the Psalmist describes the Israel of God Psal 73.1 Truly God is good to Israel even to them that are of a clean Heart God is good to Israel he loves them they are exceeding dear to him and because they are dear to him therefore it is he is good to them But who are the Israel They are a certain sort of People that do not onely put on an external garb of Holiness a pretence for God and his work and service and glory but a People that have some inward conformity and likeness to God who have some cleanness of heart as well as of hands and face Man by nature is a very impure creature polluted grievously defiled all over all the Soul all the Powers and Faculties of it are stained and grievously polluted and therefore Sinners are in Scripture called the Impure and Saints by way of distinction from them are called Pure A sad account it is that the Apostle gives of Sinners Tit. 1.15 To the pure all things are pure but to the undefiled and unbelieving is nothing pure and their very consciences are defiled Jesus Christ describing the persons that shall see God to their comfort and joy he calls them the pure in heart Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Many there are that would pretend to this purity but it is peculiar and proper to the Israel of God onely it is the issue and fruit of a new work upon the heart it is the blessed effect of the Grace of God in and through the Covenant of Grace the making good of the Promise which he hath passed Ezek. 36.25 26. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness and
a little against them And unhappy you if in your Youth and Strength you have few thoughts or few serious thoughts of God if he be little in your thoughts and hearts I tell you it is to be feared you are not of the Israel of God unto this day Though you escape and are preserved yet it is to be feared your preservation will not be attended with mercy to you nor shall you bear a part in that Glory that shall be upon the heads of Israel when the Branch of the Lord shall be glorious 4. If you are the Israel of God then are you Holiness to the Lord you not onely live upon him but to him in some measure Jer. 2.9 the Prophet saith Israel was Holiness to the Lord that is when Israel was in his right spirit then he was Holiness to the Lord. For the expression you have it in Scripture elsewhere Zech. 14.20 21. In that day there shall be upon the Bells of the Horses HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD and the Pots in the Lords House shall be like the Bowls before the Altar yea every Pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be Holiness unto the Lord of Hosts that is every Person and every Thing shall be for God for his Work and Service to be to his Praise and Glory Certain it is Saints are not their own as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 6.19 Ye are not your own ye are bought with a price and so Tit. 2.13 14. where speaking concerning the purchase of Christ Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and might purifie to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works The Vessels of the Temple before they were made use of in the Temple they had a legal consecrating and being cleansed they were given up to the work of the Temple to be for that use for ever And so the Saints of the Lord who were typified by the Vessels of the Temple they are first purified cleansed and sanctified by Christ by the work of the Spirit on their Souls and then given up to the Lord and his service It may be said of them as Hannah said of her Son Samuel 1 Sam. 1.28 Therefore I have lent him unto the Lord to be his so long as he lives Every Israelite indeed is one lent to the Lord given up to be for the work and service of the Lord in his whole course and in every thing to exalt his praise to mind his glory Certainly thus it ought to be and this was one end of the Death of Christ that he might have his People be for him 2 Cor. 5.15 He died and rose that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but to him that died for them and rose again and unto this Spirit Saints are wrought up in some good measure as is expressed Rom. 14.7 And none of us saith the Apostle live to our selves Souls what say your Hearts to this matter You profess for the Lord but are you for him as consecrated things in the House of God Which way do your Hearts work day by day This know where there hath not been a solemn resignation and giving up a mans self unto the Lord where there is not a diligent observing of a mans whole course to see to what ends they are directed and whether the glory of Christ be therein sought it is doubtful that Soul is not of the Israel of God to this day The truth is the sins of many witness to their Faces and I make no doubt but that inscription may be written over the doors of many Professors upon too great ground All men seek their own and not the things of Jesus Christ If this be the spirit of any to whom these things may come you may fear though you are spared and are not cut down this day you stand but to cumber the ground such as God takes little delight in and such as from whom he hath little fruit such as he doth not reckon among the number of his Israel and such as shall not be blessed with Israels mercies when the Branch of the Lord shall be exalted 5. Are you Israel then are you a praying People Israel had thence his Name from his wrestling and prevailing with God God asked him what was his Name Gen. 32.27 28. he said Jacob and God said Thy Name shall no more be called Jacob but Israel for as a Prince hast thou power with God and with men and hast prevailed In his praying there is observable his importunity and that is expressed partly when it is said he wrestled and also in that expression wherein much freedom and familiarity with God is set forth God said Let me go says Jacob I will not let thee go except thou bless me v. 26. which importunity of his is again noted by the Spirit of God Hos 12.4 He had power over the Angel he wept and he made supplication There is also observable that this Prayer it was in secret Gen. 32.24 And Jacob was left ALONE it was between the Lord and himself in secret which I would beseech you to consider heartily That as soon yea at the very first moment when a Soul is enrolled among the number of Israel at that instant he becomes a praying Person as in the case of Saul who was afterward called Paul And let me ask you that attend on the Lord in publick Duties what are you in secret Does God usually there hear from you Cannot you live without seeing the face of God in secret Let me tell you publick Duties have many temptations a man may desire to be engaged in them from many base and bad ends yea it is possible natural Conscience and your Education may carry you into corners sometimes but therefore in secret how do you carry it Doth it satisfie you that you have been in your Closets and have spent it may be a quarter of an hour there and it may be with a slight and formal Spirit This is not the Spirit of Israel But if thou art an Israelite indeed when thou art in secret thou wilt be fervent and earnest with God In publick Duties a man may seem to be zealous that he may get a Name or keep up a Name that he hath gotten or to some such-like end but when in secret the Soul cries mightily to the Lord it is a good sign that there is a sense of want and that it does arise from a Spirit of Grace in the Soul when thou canst in secret sign and mourn before the Lord. Now these things I have gone over with this design to see if I could let you into a little Hope and good Ground that as you have escaped so you are escaping Israelites who shall partake of Glory when Christ the Branch of the Lord shall be made glorious And the Lord help you to be faithful to your Souls
expects thy great work should be to give him the glory of that mercy to improve it to his praise Satan would possibly divert thee and cause thee to make it thy work to perplex thy self about thy state by raising infinite questions in thee whether thou art yet of the Israel of God or no. Be not easily thus deluded but if thou hast ought that may be really a solid ground of hope to thee do not easily cast away thy confidence but having got a little hold keep it that thou art spared in mercy and shalt find mercy when Christ shall appear glorious VSE V. THe Fifth Use will be to them that are the Israel of God to comfort their hearts and this Doctrine that is under consideration is exceeding comfortable unto such I may truly say to them I do bring them glad tidings of great Joy What! shall all the sad and dismal Slaughters made in the World work to such a blessed issue as the Exaltation of Christ And shall all his glory be for your good What can you wish for more When David had been speaking of the Kingdom of Christ and his Glory under the Person of Solomon in Psal 72. it is said The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended The sum of all that a gracious heart can desire is That Christ may be glorified when that is done he knows not what more to pray for If you are Israel and your hearts are as they should be the great thing about which your Spirits are working is that Christ may be set upon his Throne and that his Name may be exalted If this work go forward and be in hand the work that is in hand and goes on is that which lies most upon your hearts and in which your Souls have greatest occasion to rejoyce Let the consideration of this comfort you 1. Against whatever Breaches may have been made upon you by this day of slaughter it will be strange if some of you have not lost Friends and Relations Remember all these Breaches made upon you onely serve to repair the interest of Christ and work for his glory and if your hearts be right what would you not part with so the work of God may be furthered If your hearts be right you will say Let all go and come what will if Christ may but be a Gainer I will be willing all things should be lost 2. Let it comfort you under those perplexities and troubles and dread that it may be hath been upon your Spirits in such a day Doubtless Times of slaughter are Times of great sorrow and grief of heart but who would not sustain a little grief for the working out of greater comfort The first sight that you shall have of Christ in his glory will wipe away these Tears and will suppress all those Fears it will make them be as if they had never been 3. Let it comfort you if you should see worse things then ever yet you have seen I do believe many Souls do this day think that nothing can be more terrible then what they have already seen and heard but if they should be mistaken and you should see things more dreadful be comforted Christs work is going forward his glory and Israel's mercy is upon the wheel It is not unusual in Scripture and experience that one Judgement goes not alone but it is followed by others closely at the heels Jer. 14.12 When they fast I will not hear their cry and when they offer Burnt-Offering an Oblation I will not accept them but I will consume them by the Sword and by the Famine and by the Pestilence Not one single Judgement onely but others were to go in hand along with it Christ says Luk. 21.25 26. That a little before the day of his glory there shall be distress of Nations and mens hearts shall fail them for fear for looking after those things that are coming on the Earth It is a very probable conjecture that as we have seen the distress of a City we may see the distress of Nations and troubles may over-spread the face of the whole Earth Yet if these things should be remember Christs Counsel to his own Disciples vers 28. Look up and lift up your heads for your Redemption draweth nigh Remember the words of the wise man Prov. 3.25 26. Be not afraid with sudden fear neither with the desolation of the Wicked when it comes for the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken 4. Be comforted though you cannot understand the method of God and are not able to conceive how these Dispensations of God should work for Christs glory and the good of his People We are apt to be perplexed because we cann't see into the depths of the proceedings of God and understand the reason of them all But remember he that hath the management of these things knows his own ends and can tell how to accomplish his own designs and he will be sure to do his own work when all men have done what they can Things may and shall work for the good of the Saints though we cannot understand them Remember the case of Jacob Gen. 42.36 Says Jacob Me ye have bereaved of my Children Joseph is not and Simeon is not and will you take away Benjamin also All these things are against me To his apprehension all this made against him when in truth and when the issue was seen it made so for him as nothing could do more And thus it is in the great amazing Dispensations of God with which we are startled though we understand not the mystery and reason of Gods proceedings yet they make for the good of his People and will work out his glory though we cry these things are against us often-times 5. And lastly It will comfort you if you are Israel though you should not see all accomplished immediately though the Branch of the Lord should not forthwith become glorious Remember Faith and Patience they serve to help us to wait and stay Gods time and leisure God always keeps his Ends upon his Heart and in his Eye and never acts in any inconsistency with them This is abundantly certain that he will accomplish every good thing for his People Wait therefore on the Lord and keep his Way and he will exalt you in due time Though he answers your desires and expectations for the present by terrible things yet it is in Righteousness and it is for the bringing about whatever mercy he promised to his People VSE VI. THe last Use would be for a Word of Counsel You that are escaped this day and are the Israel of God what mercy is this that you share in how amazing and distinguishing are the dispensations of God to you-ward How should the sence of it over-come your Souls To be preserved and preserved in mercy to great and glorious ends what can you desire more had you been put to make your own terms with God Believe it