broken and a burnt Covenant and that sword shall devour flesh till the Land defiled under the inhabitants thereof by transgressing the Law changing the Ordinances and breaking the everlasting Covenant be soaked with the blood of the men guiltie of these abominations and then Alas who shall live when the Lord doth this I say it was the foresight of this wofull day which made this Seer draw these draughts and lay before thee these Directions that thou may not be put out of frame and posture But mayest be strengthened perfected and throughly furnished unto every good work when all things run in a confusion and tend to ruin and that thou mayest know of a blessed a secure and safe place of retreat in that dismall day when it shall be said to the men with the slaughter weapon in their hand begin at my sanctuary begin at the houses of Ministers and Professors I know it will be mistaken if I say it But yet I cannot forbear it Alas of all the men in the Nation we may particularly meditat terrour and I feare it shall be seen and observed escape who will many of us shall be taken escape who will Ministers their wives children and many professors together with their wives Children shall not escape mayest be as Mount Sion that cannot be moved yea and without fear by living the life of faith though the earth should be removed and the mountains carried into the midst of the sea though the waters thereofroar and be troubled and though the mountains shake vvith the swelling thereof There is a refuge and quiet resting place there is strength and a present help in the time of such trouble for God is then a rock of salvation and a refuge to his people even in such tempests and troubles vvhen the Confusion and calamitie is so great and universal as the sea seems to svvallow the mountains and the mountains seem to smother the sea And the Authors designe in what thou art here presented with is to teach thee how to make this rock of ages all things to thy self by believing and acting faith upon him which he hath made himself to thee in the promise that so thou mayest be safe and sing because to thy securitie by him there is unspeak able satisfaction to be had in him when the sinners in Zion shall be afraid and fearfulnesse shall both surprise the hypocrits and many who have the root of the matter in them because of what they have been and because of what they have unworthily done and left undone he who followes this Course shall dwell on nigh his place of defence shall be the munition of rocks his bread shall be given him and his waters shall be sure Believe it my Brethren all you have found is but the least part of vvhat you have to fear yea of what is inevitable The fury of the Lord is ready to be poured forth as fire upon this generation the day and hour approaches wherein no man shall have any thing left him to allay his sorrovv or comfort him in his anguish But he vvho being in Chist Jesus is in case to oppose the Comforts of the Holy Ghost and that everlasting Consolation which is in Christ to present confounding and overwhelming calamities the oppressions the horrid and bloody barbarities of enraged cruel and blasphemous enemies incensed into a madnesse against the followers of the Lamb and thristing insatiably after the blood of the saints who dare nor receive the mark of the beast the tumult of incensed friends the clashings the contendings the insurrections of brethren against brethren will make our poor Land such a weary Land as men shall be weary of their lives and wish to be gone from the evil day yea shall either seek for death and not find it or in agony and horrour shall be found of death and cannot flee from it But ô how in that day and hour will the sweet shadow and the secure shelter of the rock of Ages revive and refresh such as have accesse with boldnesse and confidence to lay themselves down under it they shall finde it that place indeed where the weary are at rest they shall finde that this is the rest alone wherewith they may cause their weary souls to rest and that this is the refreshing too such as believe in Christ Jesus and dwell in him by faith and delight in him by love shall either not finde the evil of these dreadful dayes which are coming or what they sinde of it shall not much trouble them because of what upmaking they finde in the fruition of him who gives meat out of the eater sweet out of the strong and who shall walk with them in the midst of the fiery furnace when we may exspect it shall be made seventimes hoter than ever we saw it For the Devil is come down having great wrath and the cry of our crimson iniquities is gone up to Heaven O happy is the man who by all his distresses is driven to seek and make sure a dwelling in the secret place of the most high and to take up his abode under the shaddow of the Almighty for such may sit down and sing because safe and say of the Lord He is my refuge in him will I trust as it is Psal. 91 vers 1 2. O safe ô sweet refuge he can finde no evil who is got in there and no evil can finde him For he covers the man with his feathers who trusts under his wings and his truth is his shield and buckler Would the man that is escaped in thither change his dwelling place and abode for a Kings palace while in this Pardise feasted upon the peace of God would he change his shelter for a strong tower O! by no means the Universe cannot afford him such securitie and protection neither can it supply him to a running over with such plentie of sure and unspeakable pleasure O hovv excellent doe these finde his loving-kindenesse who put their trust under the shadow of his wings As they shall finde there a refuge until the calamitie be overpast so they shall be abundantlie satisfied with the fatnesse which they shall finde in this house and he shall make them drink of the rivers of his pleasure he shall feast them while others famish upon the begun fruitious of himself and while others are made to weep and wring their hands over their broken and emptie cisterns they shall finde that with him is the fountain of life so that they may drink and drink aboundantly and thus forget their povertie and remember their misery no more Nay this is such a happie hiding place as it 's a compleat dweling place any hole or hold that is a shelter and protection in the day of a windy storme tempest is thought good wars will commend the bottome of a dark dungeon where a man is as buried alive yea a coal siâ—…k whereof some dear to God have in our dayes while
that is meek and lowlie Even when he rideth in Majestie it is upon truth and meekness as the words may be rendered Psal. 45 4. When He rideth in state it is upon Meekness He is a King that cometh having Salvation lowlie and rideing upon an Asse and upon a colt tho fole of an asse Zech. 9 9. Mat. 21 vers 5. Though He be the terriblest King that ever was unto Enemies and Rebels yet He is all meekness unto his own 11. This King who sitteth and ruleth upon His throne is a Priest upon His throne Zech. 6 12 13. Behold the man whose name is the Branch and He shall grow up out of His place and He shall build the Temple of the Lord even He shall build the Temple of the Lord and He shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne and He shall be a Priest upon his Thron and the Counsel of peace shall be betwixt them both Such a King is He that will not destroy His followers notwithstanding of their sins and rebellions but will rather make an attonement for them lay down His life for them and become an Intercessour on their behalfe 12. He is an ancient King His throne is established of old and He is from everlasting Psal. 93 2. The goings forth of this Ruler of Israel have been of old from everlasting Micah 5 2. And thus His throne is from everlasting to everlasting 13. This King of Zion hath Dominion over all the earth over hell over death Angels and Authorities and Powers are made subject unto him 1 Pet. 3 vers 22. He hath them all under his command and Authority that He may dispose and make use of them as He seeth fit By Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth Visible and Invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by Him and for Him Col. 1 16. God hath put all things under His feet and hath given Him to be Head over all things to the Church Ephes. 1 22. He is King of all the earth and He reigneth over the Heathen Psal. 47 7 8. All Power in Heathen and in Earth is given unto Him Mat. 28 18. 14. He is a King that rideth prosperously Psal. 45 4. The work He undertaketh doth not misgive in His hand nothing miscarrieth or can miscarry which He undertaketh He is the happiest sweyer of a scepter that ever was His purposes fail not He is not disappointed of his Projects or Designes all of them succeed well in His hand The pleasure of the Lord shall Prosper in His hand Esai 53 10. Secondly From these Comfortable Propositions let us draw some comfortable Conclusions 1. The Church and People of God are not an headless helpless Company as many take them to be They have an Head and a living head though Strangers and On-lookers do not observe it nor beleeve it The world and the men of the world look upon them as a contemptible Company yet they have a King reigneing over them and a King that shall reigne for ever and ever They themselves are oft times perplexed and distressed in minde when they see not one great Person owning them and their Interest and offering himself to be an head unto them but if they knew what anone they had for their Head Husband and King they would not be much troubled though not one great Person in all the earth should owne them and theirCause So that when all earthly Powers forsake them and withdraw their helping hand this may comfort them That there is a standing relation betwixt Christ and them as is betwixt a King and his Subjects and this relation neither is nor can be broken off 2. Let devils men do what they can they shall not be able to destroy and root out the People of God They may intend to destroy to cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may be no more made mention of and may make a strong combination for this end as Psal. 84 vers 4. But this their Interprise is vaine they will never be able to effectuate what they designe Seing He is a King that reigneth on his Throne He must have a Kingdom and a People whom He must governe and over whom He must swey His scepter So that whoever would resolve to destroy His Kingdom must first think of making Him no King take away His Kingdom and take away His Scepter too Himself must be dethroned ere He have no Kingdome Enemies then may attempt great things and promise to themselves great success but in end they will prove themselves to be fooles for He must reigne for ever and ever and His Kingdom must be to all Generations He shall reigne for ever and of His Kingdom there shall be no end Luk. 1 vers 33. His people then may be at peace though they know what great things their Enemies designe against them and that their cruelty and rage is such as nothing but their utter overthrow and destruction will satisfie seing it is all one as if they should presume to pull God from His throne Let the Devil and his trustee Livetenant Antichrist conspire and use what Machinations and bloody Devices they will to destroy the whole Interest of Christ He must not want Subjects He shall not want a Kingdom so long as Sun and Moon endure Howbeit the people of God may be several times brought very low yea and almost out of sight as a Woman fled to the wilderness yet this exalted King who is set upon His throne by an everlasting Decree must have a Kingdom shall have a Kingdom over which to swey His Scepter 3. Yea Christ's Kingdom must be a coming and a growing Kingdom Luk. 1 vers 32. He must be great and have the throne of His Father David Many excellent promises have we of this Micah 4 1 2 3. But in the last daies it shall come to passe that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be established on the tope of the mountains and it shall be exalted above the hils and people shall flow unto it and many Nations shall come and He shall judge among the people So Esai 2 2 3 4. Rev. 11. vers 15. And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying the Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of His Christ and He shall reigne for ever ever We are taught to pray daily Let thy Kingdom come Our Lord shall be great to the ends of the earth Micah 5 4. 4. Wherefore Let Enemies do what they can His Church shall not get much hurt For so long as He is in the midst of her she cannot be moved though the earth be removed and though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the sea though the waters thereof roar and be troubled though Mountains shake with the swellings thereof Psal.
is fallen in the streat and equity cannot enter yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey Esai 59 v. 14 15. But here is comfort against this that Zions King reigneth who is just and a King that reigneth in righteousness He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes neither reprove after the hearing of his eares but with righteousness shall He judge the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth and righteousness shall be the girdle of His loines and faithfulness the girdle of His reines Esai 11 3 4 5. His people then need not fear seing there is Justice to be had at His bar 10. The Children of God are much fainted and discouraged when second meanes are out of sight they see not horses nor horsmen to appear in the fields for them but a right sight of this Truth would prove helpful and encouraging in this case Did they but by faith see that Zions King were reigning on His Throne and actually sweying His Scepter they would easily conclude that all would be well for this King would either work without meanes as sometime He doth or creat meanes for His own use A wight man we say never wanted weapons and shall our King be straitned for want of meanes Could Sampson without either Sword or Spear only with what came next to his hand the Jaw-bone of an asse slay so many And need we fear that our King shall want Instruments when He mindeth to work by Instruments Omnipotency cannot want hands Any of all the Creatures is sufficient in His hand with vermine He made an end of proud Herod If He but speak the word He will therewith command deliverance So that we need not fear though the fig tree should not blossome and though we should see nothing but dry bones and dry bones scattered about the graves mouth so long as this King liveth and reigneth unto whom belong the shields of the Earth Ps. 47 v. last 11. The Lords reigning in Zion may assure us that there are great and rich off-fallings to be had Courtiers fear not want so long as the King possesseth His Throne yea they dar adventure to take on Luck's head as we say and why may not the Lords people also rejoice on Lucks head seing their King shall never be dethroned It is said Esai 32 vers 1. that a King shall reigne in righteousness And what is to follow thereupon See vers 2 3. And a man shall be as an hiding place from the winde and a covert from the Tempest as Rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land and the eyes of them that see shall not be dim and the eares of them that hear shall hearken 12. This Consideration may fill the souls of his People with Joy and Consolation however matters go with them were they never so low were Enemies never so high were the case of the people of God never so desperat like That Zions King liveth and reigneth is the most encouraging newes that can be The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoice and let the multitude of the Isles be glade thereat Psal. 97 1. There is Joy and gladness here sowen for all the upright in heart Is not the Lord in Zion Is not her King in her Said Ieremie Chap. 8 19. It is a shame that Beleevers should any way carry themselves so as On-lookers might have ground to think that Zions King were not in her or that they themselves did not beleeve that Zions King indeed were reigning CONSIDERATION XVIII The time of Affliction is but short IT is an ordinary thing for people under Affliction to be putting moe hours in their day than twentie foure to be multiplying their yeers and accounting their moneths Yeers their weeks Moneths and their houres Dayes and to be crying out Oh will this life never have an end How long how long will this Cup be holden to my head When shall the day dawn when God shall loose this Yoke from off my neck The Harvest is past and the Summer is ended and we are not saved Ier. 8 vers 20. Will not this year put an end to our trouble How long shall the rod of the wicked rest upon the lot of the righteous How long will God lengthen-out this sad trial These speaches and the like are but too frequent in their mouth and their thoughts are too oft upon this Subject and thus eternizing their sad lot in their mindes or foolishly imagining it will not have an end in hast they multiply their own Sorrow whereas did they calculat by the Scripture-account they would see the time shorter than they now imagine it to be Now to help them as to his We shall 1. Shew what is the Scripture account of the time of Affliction 2. Answere what can be objected to the contrary 3. Show how this Consideration may and should be improven to advantage As to the First The Scriptures give us this account of the matter 1. That it will not be for ever 1 King 11. v. 39. And I will for this afflict the Seed of David but not for ever Though for their iniquities He resolved to punish and afflict the Seed of David yet it will not be for ever And what is here spoken of David's Seed will in some respect agree to the Church and People of God in all ages Ay and there may be here a Meiosis a Figure whereby much more is imported than the words signifie and this not for ever is as much as for a short time It must then be the language of unbeleef to say that God will cast off for ever and that He will be favourable no more for His strokes upon the Godly are not of that nature He may afflict for a time but not for ever 2. The Scripture telleth us that these dayes will be shortened Matth. 20 22. And except those dayes should be shortened no flesh should be saved but for the Elects sake those dayes shall be shortened Christ is speaking there of sore and sharp Tribulation that was to come upon the Land and for the comfort of the Elect He saith that those dayes of Affliction and Tribulation should not long continue but should be shortened for their sake And this will hold good in all Ages the Lord being as careful of His Elect now as then and His Elect being as ready to fainte through long Affliction now as formerly Therefore the ground of this promise continueing we must not say that the promise it self is out of date To say then that Affliction shall never have an end is upon the matter to annul this Promise 3. We finde the Scripture saying That Affliction or the rod of the wicked should not rest upon the Lot of the righteous lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity Psal. 125 v. 3. This promise containeth likewise in the bosome of it a ground of assurance that it is not
submitting to the way howbeit dark unusual and compassed with dark clouds that infinite wisdom thinketh good to take and follow in carrying on His Purposes and Designes of love and mercy to His people Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self c. I see that now would he say that I did not observe before and I am satisfied I have nothing to say against it I close with it and am fully content it be so Such a frame would suite us well let the Lord take what way He will follow what method He thinketh good How uncouth and dark so ever it seemeth to us yet so far should we be from complaining or from a quarrelling discontentedness of minde that we should heartily cheerfully and with full satisfaction of soul comply therewith in heart mind and affection 7. It is observable also in the holy Prophets frame that notwithstanding of all these interveening clouds of Improbabilities Unlikelihoods and dark Dispensations that would seem to cover and hide the comfortable relation that God standeth in unto his Church and People as their Covenanted God and Saviour yet against hope as to humane appearances and carnal reasoning he beleeveth in hope and holdeth this fast that be His dispensations what they will and be the outward and visible appearances of His owning of and appearing for His people never so small and inconsiderable yet He was would be the God of Israel and the Saviour Howbeit the reasonings of flesh and bloud would say God hath forgotten to be gracious and his Promises fail and he will be favourable no more as Psal. 77 v. 7 8 9. Yet he saw that His way was in the Sanctuary and in the sea and His path in the great waters and that though His footsteps could not be seen yet He was leading his people like a flock v. 13 19 20. Such actings of faith in a dark day would be of great use would contribute much to our Establishment keep us from staggering in the day of temptation 8. We may take notice here in this manner of expression of the burning of the holy mans Affections towards God These thoughts of the Lord's Dispensations whereby He appeared a God like himself did not alienate his heart from God nor drive him further from Him but on the contrary they did warm his Affections more and draw him nigher unto God for he is uttering these his Apprehensions of God and of His way even unto God himself saying Verily thou art a God c. It is good when our Meditations of God of His wayes how uncouth strange unusual so ever they be indeed or seem to be work thus upon us are accompanied with a powerful attractive vertue drawing powerfully inclineing the heart soul to approach nigher unto God And when the Lord is rightly seen in any of his wayes how dark soever this will follow upon it the heart will be more engadged unto God the soul will improve these meditations to a noble advantage and have thereby many sweet occasions of heavenly Ejaculations and of Postings of soul toward God 9. It is considerable also in the Prophets carriage while he thus uttereth the whole matter of his thoughts even in the Presence of God and poureth forth his soul into the very bosome of God that he was real and single hearted in all this Exercise it was not a meer rational discursive Contemplation but a real exercise of soul his heart was really in very deed affected with the mater Verily saith he thou art a God that hidest thy self His declaring of the thoughts of his heart unto God saith that he was not formal superficial or for a fashion exercised in this case but was really exercised therewith at the heart his soul was in the meditation and he looked upon it as momentous and weighty and as a matter of high concernment A Formal Superficial Indifferent and Cursory Contemplation of the works and wayes of the Lord should be hateful to us and Uprightness Sincerity and Reality should appear in all our wayes and especially while musing meditating upon the rare Passages of God's Providence Our heart and soul should be in every thought for the subject is grave and weighty and of great concernment 10. Lastly It is obvious enough that the Prophet here is in a transport of Admiration he getteth so broad a sight of this Majestick and God-like way of carrying on His work that he is astonished thereat and ravished with wondering and therefore breaketh out in this holy Apostrophe and Ejaculation verily thou art a God that hidest thy self c. Never do we get a right look of God and of his wayes but when the sight thereof raiseth in us an high admiration and wondering for it is no common and ordinary thing that is to be seen in them when they are seen in the right colours Our not wondering declareth our sight here to be but common and superficial It was no ordinary thing in the eyes of the Jewes when they saw the man leaping and standing walking who had been lame from his Mothers womb Act. 3 8 9. and therefore they were filled with wonder amazement v. 10. When David was musing upon the Lords alseeing knowledge he cryeth out Psal. 139 v. 6. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me it is high I cannot attain unto it Next Let us consider the matter and occasion of this Transport of the holy Prophet what is the thing which he seeth and what are his thoughts busied about causing this Ejaculation First He seeth God hideing Himself Next He seeth Him hiding Himself even while He is the God of Israel and the Saviour or he seeth Him abiding the God Israel and Saviour even while His way is hid and He will not be seen As to the first of these to wit the Lord 's hiding himself that is bringing about the promised deliverance and salvation to his people in a way not discernable obvious to the eyes and observation of every one in a way removed from the sight of ordinary beholders and as to them hid dark under ground and out of the reach of their perception in which is a Soveraigne Majestick Kingly and Stately procedour to be seen by Spiritual eyes and only by such as can see God while covered with clouds and thick darkness And this saith That howbeit in all the wayes and works of the Lord there is a singular rare and divine piece of State Majesty and Glory to be seen by Spiritual observers yet there is sometimes in the Lords bringing about the deliverance and outgate of his People so much hid Mysteriousness and Majestick Imperceptibility that saith to a gracious observer that the Lord is hiding Himself and carrying on his Purposes and perfecting his Work according to such grounds and rules of Divine Policy that every one cannot penetrate thereinto nor discover his Footstpes nor see distinctly the hand of God at work As
ourselves as Christians with a sutable frame and disposition To the Question then Why the Lord thinketh good to follow this way We answer He doth it for great and weighty reasons partly 1. concerning Himself partly 2. concerning Enemies and partly 3. concerning His own People As to the first the reasons concerning Himself we may take notice of these 1. The Lord thinketh good to bring about His purposes of delivering His people in an hid unseen and unobservable way that He may shew forth the glory of his Soveraignity who chooseth Wayes and Methods as He pleaseth and doth as whatever he will so after what manner he will in heaven and in earth and is not obliged to follow ordinary methods or to walk in beaten and troden paths but to do what beseemeth a great King and a Royal Soveraigne who giveth not an account of any of his matters whose will is a law to us and a rule to speak so to himself Hence in this same Chapter Esai 45. is this so oft repeated I am the Lord and none else vers 5 6 18 21. Hereby laying down the ground of His so acting and quieting his peoples mindes and stilling their thoughts concerning this matter 2. The Lord thinketh good to trade in such an unseen way that spiritual eâ—…es may the more see that it is He even He who is God and there is none else that it is He who formeth the light and creaâ—…eth darkness who maketh peace and createth evil and is the Lord who doth all these things vers 7. Wherein should it appear that He were Jehovah if in all things he should work according to the thoughts and imaginations of men Is not this a manifest proof of His being God when his wayes and Actings transcend our Comprehensions Though in all his wayes and workings He is God and worketh and doth like himself even in such as are most ordinary and obvious and a Spiritual eye can discerne and espve something truely divine the marks of a divine hand there yet when His way is in the deep waters and his foot-steps cannot be seen He acteth in a manner more like Himself like one who is indeed God and whose wayes are beyond and above the reach of Men the wisest and holiest of Men and then may all have ground to say This is the finger of God as the Magicians of Egypt said when the Lord did somethings which they with all their inchantments could not imitate Exod. 8 18 19. 3. The Lord chooseth this way to give some signal proof of His Wisdom if Statsmen should mannage and carry-on their affairs of State alwayes in such an open and plaine manner that every plaine and simple man that knoweth nothing of the intrigues of state should be able to discerne their motions designes and all their contrivances they would not give great proof of their State wisdom and Policy And if a Commander and Leader of an army should so manage all his affairs in that conduct that the meanest souldier should be able to discover and understand all his designes and stratagems he should give but a sory proof of his singular dexterity in conduct But when the Statsman and the Commander in chiefe so carry on their projects that few or none can well understand what their Designe and Intention is then a demonstration is given of their Ability Wisdom and Accomplishment for such places of power and trust So when the Lord hideth His holy Purposes and Projects and acteth so as ordinary on-lookers will suppose imagine that he is going East when He mindeth to march west ward and even many of his own will think that He is about to destroy his work and people when He is upon His way to raise them up and set them on high and to destroy the Adversarieship and thigh then His deep and unsearchable Wisdom appeareth Then it appeareth that He also is wise Esai 31 2. Iob gote a sight of this in the Lords rare works of providence Iob. 12 12 13. to the end and therefore saith with the ancient is wisdom and in length of dayes understanding with Him is wisdom and strength he hath counsel and un derstanding So Paul gote such a sight of this that made him cry out Rom. 11 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out 4. Hereby also the Lord giveth a clear demonstration of his Faithfulness and Truth If He were carrying-on the accomplishment of his Promises and Purposes of good towards his people in a visible discernable and obvious manner folks would have but an ordinary and cursory observation of His Faithfulness and their hearts accordingly would be but in an ordinary manner affected and they moved but to praise and blesse Him therefore of course for remarking nothing singular their hearts would not be raised-up above what is usual and ordinarie to admire extol Him upon that account But when he followeth another method taketh an unusual course to bring about his grand designes and such a course as whereby Enemies might think He did not see nor regard He would never come to helpe His people the day was theirs they should prosper and never be moved for there is no appearance or probability might they think that ever the case shall alter our affairs be overturned upon the other hand whereby his owne People might sâ—…e no visible or probable ground of hope that the promises should be accomplished the word of the Lord should take effect then His appearance with salvation after he had wrought so long under ground out of sight all hop was gone from them fear from the enemie is much more remarkable his Faithfulness shineth forth with a more then ordinary Glance and Lustre It cometh forth then with a witness Then they see and say that his faithfulness is unto the clouds Psal. 36 5. that his righteousness is like the great mountains and his judgments are a great depth vers 6. and that his faithfulness is unto all generations Psal. 119 90. So that no vicissitudes or changes here below can alter Him no delay of time or procrastination or the like can make any alteration in Him for his faithfulness is unto all generations Then will they praise his Truth Psal. â—…1 22. But next as to such grounds and reasons hereof as concerne Enemies we may take notice of these 1. He cometh with deliverance unto His people in a way not obvious nor observable that enemies may appear in their own colours and give a plaine and open discovery of the latent malice and wickedness of their heart against the People of God If the Lord did alwayes appear openly and manifestly in the behalfe of His owne let all the world see that He owned them for His people and would suffer none to do them harme the malice and wickedness of many latent enemies who can speak
of the ends and designes of God that causeth us to complean and quarrel and wish that His works were otherwise ordered and marshalled for saw we these and conâ—…idered how pertinent and sâ—…teable all the passages of His way and all the circumstances of His work were unto the end designed we would be forced to say Behold He doth all things well When Elihu had been considering Iob 37. the Lords thunder and the great small raine the whirle wind the frost and observed how the Lord did weary the thick cloud and turne it about hither and thither he did not satisfie himself with that till he also gote a look of the special ends wherefore the Lord did so that so he might see the beauty and splendour that was therein therefore he addeth ver 12 13. And it is turned round about by his Counsels that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth He causeth it to come whether for correction orforhis land or for mercy And thereupon vers 14. exhorteth Iob to hearken unto this to stand still and consider the wondrous works of God And of Him who vers 16. is perfect in knowledg And such a sight as this of the works of the Lord would put us far from intertaining such thoughts of God and of his wayes as we too ordinarily have If we saw Him in these His works acting as a wise Governour carrying on His noble and excellent Designes and Purposes we would see a necessity for all that He doth and that no Circumstance might be wanting otherwise His work should not be perfect as it must be And the faith of His being a God of wisdom doing all for wise and holy ends should quiet us even though we should not see the Particular end which the Lord Intendeth in this or that Particular work 8. We would consider also the work of the Lord and see how thereby He executeth many a time His judgments on the wicked and how He is pouring out His red wine that is full of mixture and causing the wicked of the earth drinkout the very dregs as it is Psal. 75 8. And thereby making it appear that verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth Ps. 85. 11. Yea even when He seemeth most to be favouring the wicked and His dispensations smile most upon them He is but heaping wrath the more upon them and fitting them for the day of slaughter Asaph that could not see this when he was under the Water saw it clearly when he went into the Sanctuary then he understood their end and saw that the Lord had set them in slippery places and they were brought into desolation as in a moment Psal. 73 17 18 19. It was an heart-establishing sight which the Psalmist had of the great works of the Lord Psal. 92 4 5. when he saw vers 6 7. that a brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this when the wicked spring as the grasse and when all the workers of iniquity flourish it is that they shall be destroyed for ever CONSIDERATION XXII Judgement upon a Land because of sin sometime will not be held off by the prayer of God's people JEREM. 15 1. Then said the Lord unto me though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my minde could not be toward this people Cast them out of my sight and let them go forth IN a time when because of publick and abounding sins the Lord bringeth on Publick and General Calamities especially such as sweep away the Righteous with the Wicked and that could not be prevented or held off by all the Prayers and Supplications of His people how earnest so ever they have been therein it may seem no small piece of difficulty how a beleever shall win to any life or to know what a life may be had in a such a dismal day It may therefore be of use to speak a little hereunto especially seing this is very like to be the case of this Generation These words and the like Passages show us that indeed there is a time when God is so provoked by the sinnes of a people that after much abused patience and long-suffering He will not be intreated to hold off the stroke that He is about to send or hath threatned because of Provocations Nor shall the eminentest of His favourites wrestlers who sometime have prevailed as Princes with Him be in case to stand in His way and avert the blow by all their Intreaties earnest Supplications God was about to bring on this people of Judah the long threatned desolation and did denounce the same by His Servant Ieremiah saying Chap. 7 14 15. That He would do unto His house at Ierusalem which was called by His name and wherein they did trust as He had done unto Shilo and that He would cast them out of His sight as He had cast out their Brethren the whole seed of Ephraim And that Ieremiah might understand the perempâ—…oriness of this denounciation He addeth vers 16. Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up cry nor prayer for them neither make intercession to me for I will not hear thee The Lord hereby signifying not so much His will that Ieremiah should surcease and pray no more in their behalf as the peremptoriness of His purpose and resolution to bring on the judgment so that all his Interceeding and Interposeing should not avail And this is againe renewed Chap 11 14. Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up a cry or prayer for them for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for thâ—…ir trouble As if He had said The decree is now gone forth neither shall they prevail for themselves nor thou for them Yet Compassionat Ieremiah could not get them forgotten in his prayers but interceedeth earnestly with the Lord in their behalf Ier. 14 1. From the beginning to the 10. ver Whereupon the Lord said unto him the third time vers 11. pray not for this people â—…or their good Ieremie againe vers 19. to the end notwithstanding of this fell to the work of prayer and did earnestly supplicat and interceed for them But now the Lord tels him Chap. 15 1. That Moses and Samuel should not prevail in their behalf and therefore he may be the better satisfied to hear that God would not grant his Petitions put up for them The like we have said foure times over Ezek. 14 14 16 18 20. Though these three men Noah Daniel and Iob were in it they should deliver but their own souls and againe Though those three men were in it as I live saith the Lord God they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters they only shall be delivered but the land shall be desolate The matter then which we are to notice is manifest to wit That there is a time when the sins of a people come to that height that God will not spare upon
and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money Yet will they lean upon the Lord and say is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us But what followeth upon this Vers 12. Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field and Jerusalem shall become heaps and the mountaine of the House as the high places of the forest 13. When iniquity aboundeth particucularly amongst Church-men who should both by their doctrine example have reclamed the people from their sinful courses then the matter seemeth desperat and God must be avenged on all together Hence we see this same people charged with this Jer. 2 8 9. The Priests said not where is the Lord And they that handle the Law knew me not The Pastors also transgressed against me and the Prophets Prophesied by Baal walked after things that do not profite Wherefore I will yet plead with you saith the Lord and with your Childrens Children will I plead See also Ch. 6 14 15. and 8 11 12 13. There was falshood among the Priests and the Prophets and they healed thehurt of the daughter of Gods People slightly saying Peace Peace when there is no Peace And therefore followeth Vers 13. I will surely consume them c. So Ezek. 22 25 26. There is a conspiracy of her Prophets in the midst thereof they have devoured souls her Priests have violated my Law and have profaned my Holy things c. Therefore as it followeth Vers 31. have I poured out mine indignation upon them I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath their own way have I recompensed upon their heads saith the Lord God See also Hos. 4 v. 6 7 8 9. and 9 vers 8. 14. When a People lay not God's controversie to heart when He is pleading the same against them by lesser judgments nor are taking warning thereby but notwithstanding thereof are going on in their sins then it is to be feared that God shall once for all send a consuming stroke that they shall not evite for this was also the sin of this People as we see Jer. 5 3. Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction So Chap 2 30. and 12 v. 11. Thus was it also with Israel Amos 4 v. 6. and forward to the end several particular judgments are there mentioned but they wrought them not up unto a returning to the Lord vers 6 8 10 12. And then a nameless Judgment or a Judgment without a parallel a judgment that could not be expressed is threatned and they are bidden prepare for it vers 12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel because I willd o thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel See Amos 7. where also several Judgments are mentioned but the Lord made not yet a full end But at length vers 8. He saith I will not againe passe by them any more And so againe Chap. 8 2. See likewise Zeph. 3 7. Esai 1 v 5 6 7 8. 15. When oppression injustice rageth among a people then is there just ground to fear such an overflowing blow Violence was one of the sins that brought on the floud on the old world Gen. 6 11 14. And for this sin was Ierusalem threatned with destruction Esai 1 21 23 24. How is the faithful city become an harlot they judg not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them Therefore thus saith the Lord the Lord of hosts ah I will ease me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies So Jer. 7 6. they were oppressing the stranger the fatherless and the widow and shedding innocent blood As also Jer. 22 17 18. And therefore are sore judgments threatned against their King Iohojakim vers 18 19. that he should be buried with the burial of an asse drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Ierusalem We see what was threatned against Israel Amos 2 6 7 8. For this sin of selling the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of â—…hoes for panting after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor turning aside the way of the meek and laying themselves down upon cloths laid in pledge drinking the wine of the condemned in the house of their God See also Amos 8 4 5 6. where this sin of unrighteousnese and oppression is charged upon them and then followeth vers 7. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob surely I will never forget any of their works 8. shall not the land â—…remble for this every one mourn that dwelleth therein c. So Mic. 2 1 2. the like sin is charged upon that people and then it followeth V. 3. Therefore thus saith the Lord behold against this family do I devise an evil from which ye shall not remove your necks And utter desolation is threatned v. 4 5. And v. 10. It is said Arise ye depairt for this is not your rest c. See likewise Ch. 3 1 2 3 4. and againe v. 9 10 11 12. Habbakuk also saw this sin in Judah Chap. 1 2 3 4. Violence Iniquity Grievance Spoiling Strife and Contention no Judgment but wrong Judgment Therefore v. 5 6. c. an incredible work of Judgment was to be wrought and the Caldeans were to be sent against them So was the like threatened by Zephaniah Ch. 1 3 7 9. for the same sin and 3 v. 3. See Es. 5 23. to the end 16. When people will not follow Gods way and turne at His reproof but go on in their sin and when evil cometh upon them use carnal shifts to save themselves and run to the arme of flesh then it is to be feared that God's anger shall break-out and burn without remedie For this was also the sin of Iudah they would not turn to God but trust in Egypt and Assyria in their strait Ier. 2 8 9 36 37. So Es. 8 6 7 8. For as much as this people râ—…fuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly and rejoice in Rezin and in Remaliah's Son Now therefore behold the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river â—…rong and many even the King of Assyria and he shall passe thorow Iudah and shall overflow and go over c. So Hos. 5 13 v. 14. When Ephraim saw his sickness Iudah his wound then went Ephraim to the Assâ—…rian I will be unto Ephraim as a lion and as an young Lion to the house of Iudah I I will tear and go away I will take away and none shall rescue And againe Chap. 7 11 12. Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart they call to Egypt they go to Assyria When they shall go I will spread my net upon them I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven I will chastise them as their congregation hath heard And againe Ch. 8 8 9 10 Israel is swallowed-up