A SERMON Preached on the Faſt-Day, December 22. 1680.
IN THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ROCHESTER.
By ROBERT DIXON, D. D Vice-Dean of the ſaid Church.
LONDON, Printed by S. Roycroft, for Robert Clavel at the Sign of the Peacock in St. Paul's Church-yard, 1681.
Neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee.
THE Children of Ammon and Moah,Coherence. and Mount Seir, whom God would not let the Children of Iſrael invade, when they came out of the Land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and deſtroyed them not; rewarded them ſo ill for their forbearance, when it was in their power to have deſtroyed them, that they came up with a mighty Force againſt them to caſt them out of2 their Poſſeſſion, which the Lord had given them to inherit. Then Jehoſhaphat feared, and took the right courſe, and ſet himſelf to ſeek the Lord, and proclaimed a Faſt throughout all Judah. And Judah gathered themſelves together, to ask help of the Lord; even out of all the Cities of Judah, they came to ſeek the Lord. Then (as Kings and Prophets, and ſome few Others in thoſe daies had the Spirit of Prayer; In the Goſpel times the Spirit is poured out more plentifully upon all Fleſh,) Jehoſhaphat ſtood in the Congregation of Judah and Jeruſalem in the Houſe of the Lord, before the New Court, and uttered an ingenious Prayer, in which he briefly declared the Juſtice of their Cauſe, and their Confidence in God. Then after him, upon the Spirit of Jahaziel the Son of Zechariah, a Levite of the Sons of Aſaph, came the Spirit of the Lord in the midſt of the Congregation, and encouraged them not to be afraid, or diſmayed of thoſe Ammonites, Moabites, and Idumaeans, which were ſo great a Multitude; becauſe the Battel was not theirs, but Gods, bidding them, ſtand ſtill and ſee the Salvation of the Lord, and that the Lord would be with them. Becauſe they believed in the Lord their God and his Prophets, therefore they ſhould proſper; and accordingly it came to paſs, for their Enemies deſtroyed one another, and their dead bodies fell to the Earth, and none eſcaped, and they took the ſpoil in great abundance, and they returned to Jeruſalem, to give thanks to the Lord for their great deliverance. This courſe our Gracious King and his whole Kingdom have taken againſt Their implacable Enemies, both at home and abroad; and we pray, as they did, this day with one mouth; Behold how they reward us, to come to caſt us out of thy poſſeſſion which thou haſt given us to inherit. O, our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might againſt this great Company that cometh against us; Neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee.
The Subject is, Laſt Reſolution.
The Points are,
Extremity, a helpleſs Condition,Extremity. when all outward hopes fail, when Sins are upon us and Enemies upon our back the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil; all for miſchief and utter ruine.
There are ſeveral kinds of Extremities, as of Sins and of Miſeries.
In all theſe Diſtractions and Confuſions we know not what to do; we are at the laſt caſt, finding no help from our ſelves, or any other Creature, Angels or Men; our Eyes are only upon God.
So we are the Cauſes of our own Extremities upon our ſelves, and upon the whole Nation, and upon the whole Church.
So Others are the Cauſes of our Perſonal Extremities.
And Others are the Cauſes of our National Extremities.
And Others are the Cauſes of our Eccleſiaſtical Extremities.
So we are the Cauſes of Perſonal Extremities upon Others.
And we are the Cauſes of National Extremities upon Others.
4And We are the Cauſes of Church Extremities upon Others.
So we do our ſelves Harm, and we do others Harm, and others do us Harm.
And then we fly to God to do us Good, and others fly to God to do us Good, and we fly to God to do others Good.
II. Remedy. Remedy.Faith in God.
Bodily Extremities we muſt fall into.
Soul Extremities we may avoid.
Deus Providebit, God will ſecure us from both.
Want of Care brings all theſe upon us.
Care, remedies all theſe.
In God's Ark we may be ſafe, in our Perſons, Nation and Church; when, in the Devil's Ark, all the World is drowned.
There is therefore a Time to unite all Perſonal Forces. Wit.
There is a Time to unite all National Forces. Arms.
There is a Time to unite all Church Forces. Prayer.
1. Wicked men run headlong into ſtraits, as the Horſe ruſheth into the Battel, or an Ox goeth to the ſlaughter; as a Bird haſtneth into the Snare, as a Fool runneth to the Correction of the Stocks, not knowing it is for their lives As the Fiſh ſwimmeth, playing, through the Waters of. Jordan into the Dead Sea. Preying greedily on the pleaſant Bait, ſwallows therewith the deadly Hook. There is poyſon of Death in the Pot, before they know it. They go down into Hell in a moment, before they know where they are. No fore-caſt, no fore-ſight at all; embrace preſent things, not regarding futurity. Eat and Drink, and die to morrow. Dance delicately into the Grave. Sail fairly into Gulphs, Rocks, and Quickſands.
A ſhort life and a pleaſant. Crown themſelves with Roſebuds, before they be withered; fill themſelves with coſtly Wine and Ointments, and let no flower of the Spring paſs by them.
The Prodigal ſpent his Eſtate upon Harlots, and came to Swines and Husks. From Liberty me run into Licentiouſneſs, and fall together by the ears; and of Freemen become Slaves. Run in Debt; into a Gaol, to die; Rob, and Kill, and come to the Gallows. Drink drunk, and ſtagger into their Graves. Stab, Piſtol, Poyſon one another; ſuddenly they periſh, and come to a fearful end.
2. Righteous men are never forlorn. Troubled on every ſide, yet not diſtreſſed; perplexed, but not in deſpair; perſecuted, but not forſaken; caſt down, but not deſtroyed. I never ſaw the Righteous forſaken, nor their Seed begging their bread; the Lord careth for the Righteous, he is their helper, and delivereth them out of all their Troubles. The Wicked, in their fury lay on ſore ſtrokes upon them; if God be angry but a little, they will be ſure to help forward the affliction all they can, taking more leave than is given them, to ſhew their Malice, till God burn that Rod in the fire, that would lie longer upon the Back of the Righteous than it ſhould do. Rejoyce not againſt me, O my Enemy, for though I fall, yet ſhall I riſe again. The Buſh burneth, but is not conſumed. The Lord knoweth how to uphold, and comfort, and deliver. No body knows the Comforts, and the mighty Aſſiſtances that flow from the Divine Spirit, upon the Spirits of afflicted Servants and Children of God, making ample ſatisfaction for all the Sufferings of this life, ſuperadding the Aſſurance of everlaſting Salvation, into which through many Afflictions we muſt enter.
The Righteous ſuffer juſtly from God, but wrongfully from the Sons of Men; they have deſerved it from God, but not from Men. They are baſely betrayed and abuſed;6 even for Well-doing Chriſt was numbred among this Tranſgreſſors, but he was innocent and had done nothing amiſs. The two Thieves had their deſerts. He was betrayed with a Kiſs of his Servant, that did what he liſted with the Purſe, and eat of his Maſters Bread, and dipt his Morſel in his Diſh. Joab took Abner aſide to ſpeak with him quietly, he thinking no harm, and ſmote him under the fifth Rib, that he died, not as a Fool died, bound hand and feet, that he could not help himſelf; but unawares, as a man falleth before a Treacherous Enemy. Such uſage the beſt of Men find, of whom the World is not worthy. Let us oppreſs, ſay they, the poor Righteous man, and not ſpare the Widow, nor reverence the ancient Grayhairs. Let our ſtrength be the Law of our Juſtice, for that which is feeble is found to be nothing worth. Let us lay wait for the Righteous, becauſe he is not for our turn, and he is clean contrary to our doings, he was made to reprove our thoughts. He is grievous unto us, even to behold, for his life is not like other men, his ways are of another faſhion. If the Juſt man be the Son of God, he will help him, and deliver him out of the hand of his Enemies. Let us examine him with deſpitefulneſs and torment, that we may know his Meekneſs and prove his Patience. But the Souls of the Righteous are ſtill in the hand of God, whatever becomes of their Bodies, and there ſhall no torment touch them. Though they be puniſhed in the ſight of God, yet their hope is full of a glorious and bleſſed Immortality. And having been a little chaſtiſed, they ſhall be greatly rewarded; for God proved them, and found them worthy for himſelf. They that put their truſt in the Lord, ſhall underſtand the Truth, and ſuch as be faithful in Love, ſhall abide with him; for Grace and Mercy is to his Saints, and he taketh care for his Elect.
Theſe are the Sufferings, and this is the perfecting of the Patience and Faith of the Saints, even unto the death7 of the Body, and after death the Patience of their Souls continueth, waiting and crying from under the Altar, Lord, how long; how long, O Lord, holy and true, doſt thou not judge and avenge our Blood on them that dwell on the Earth? While they lived the eyes of their Faith were upon God, an Evidence of their deliverance not ſeen, and the Subſtance thereof hoped for. If they fail in the Fleſh, they never fail in the Spirit; if they fail in the falſe Honours and Riches, they never fail in the true Honours and Riches. For them to live is Chriſt, and to die is gain, and whether they live or die, they are the Lords. Whatever their Beginning be, their End is Peace. A bed of Thorns is to them a bed of Roſes. The Wicked kiſs a painted Jezabel, raviſh a Cloud, tantalize Chimera's, deſperate, trying all their Wits, uſing all means but the true, which is Repentance from dead works to ſerve the living God; inſtead of which they die in their ſins, curſing God and blaſpheming, curſing the Stars and the Fates, and what not? ſo they go to their place. Such ſhame have all God's Enemies, and ſuch honour have all his Saints.
I might here make a Metaphyſical Diſcourſe of Spiritual Deſertions and Streights, that they ſay,Spiritual Deſertions. God puts his People into, and leaves them in for a time and times, hiding his face, and again looking upon them, caſting them down, and lifting them up. Like Parents, leaving their Children to cry and want, and then ſatisfying their wants. I am not certain, that theſe are the uſual waies and methods of God's dealing with Souls. God's waies are in the Deep, and his paths are in the great Waters, and his footſteps are not known.
I find it was the way of God's proceeding under the Old Teſtament, in Legal diſpenſations of Judgments and Mercies; but I do not find it is ſo now. I find the Spirit8 is called the Spirit of comfort, and when in ſeems to depart, fear not, for it is not departed, as to the comforts of the Body, much more of the Soul. And that God delighteth not in grieving the Sons of Men, nor doth he fright-Mortals into Regeneration; for though there be fear in the Fleſh, which is weak, yet there is joy in the Spirit, which is willing, all along, under various Diſpenſations and Meaſures, creating hope above hope, and contrary unto Hope, which is the Anchor of the Soul.
The Meſſenger of Satan hath been miraculouſly ſent to buffet ſome great Saints in the Body here, to try their Faith, that the Soul might be ſaved in the day of the Lord Jeſus.
St. Paul was in a great ſtrait, but it was of Love, between two, that is, betwixt his own and his Diſciples happineſs, whether it were beſt for him to live or die; he had a deſire to both, but did not well know which to chooſe, though the one were better for him than the other. To depart and to be with Chriſt, was far better for him, but to ſtay among his Diſciples was better for thein. A great conteſt and ſtriving of Love, as in another place he ſaith, He could wiſh himſelf accurſed for his Brethren, his Companions ſake, the Jews, rather than they ſhould be caſt away.
The like Spirit we find in Moſes, in a Rapture of Love, wiſhing to be blotted out of the Book of Life, rather than the People ſhould periſh.
David was brought into a great ſtrait, which to chooſe (for one he muſt) of the three Judgments of Peſtilence, Famine, or the Sword; but he choſe the laſt and leaſt, becauſe it was better to fall into the hands of God, than of men, for with God there was mercy, but with men there was none.
Job complained in the errour of his life, curſing the day of his birth, and wiſhing for death.
Elijah in diſtreſs prayed, that he might die.
9Jonah was angry, even unto death, for a ſmall matter of the ſhadow of a Gourd, and becauſe his Prophecy came not to paſs.
Thus, for want of Faith in Extremities of Sufferings, many fools in all haſt would go down to the Grave to ſecure themſelves there, and many of them died indeed by their own hands, in a mad mood, and wiſhed themſelves alive again when it was too late.
But none of theſe was Jehoſhaphats caſe, nor will the letter of the Text bear it, nor the Spiritual ſenſe. Nor is this the true Caſe of a Chriſtian, nor will I hook it into the Text by violent wreſting thereof.
Sin may bring into Temporal ſtreights, and does; but Grace and Love caſteth out theſe legal fears. The Spirit of Adoption ſpeaks Liberty, and the Blood of Chriſt ſpeaks better things than the Blood of Abel, and the Goſpel than the Law. God bids us to ſpeak comfortably to his People. And Chriſt ſaith, Let not your hearts be troubled, and leaves his Peace ever with his Church.
I will not therefore fright poor tender Conſciences into deſpair, I underſtand better things. Liſten not therefore to the ſad complaints and outcries of the Fleſh, in paſſions and furies againſt all reaſon; but give ear to the ſweet melody of the Spirit, in Religious fellowſhip with God, above all carnal grievances whatſoever. Say not only in the fleſh, We know not what to do; for if you look no further, you will not know what to do indeed: But ſay in the Spirit, Our eyes are upon God, and then you will know what to do indeed; for the Spirit will teach you what you ſhould do, and lead you into all Truth and Peace, with joy unſpeakable and full of glory.
In, and in order to the work of Regeneration, Men cry out to their Companions, Men and Brethren, what ſhall we do? as being pricked in their hearts, and being willing to do any things for God's glory and their own good, deſire to know what they ſhould do that they10 might be ſaved; and to God, Lord, what wouldſt thou have me to do? And the Anſwer is ready from God, Repent and be baptized, and wait till the times of refreſhment ſhall come from the Lord. Forget thoſe things that are behind, and look to thoſe things that are before, preſſing on to the mark, and to the Price of the high Calling, which is laid up for us in Chriſt Jeſus.
There was a time of Legal fears; it is now the time of the Goſpel, we are not to fear after that faſhion; but are bidden to rejoyce alway in the Lord, and again to rejoyce; to mortifie all Earthly fears and joys, and to exult becauſe our Names are written in the Book of life. The Jews had Faith only for Temporal Deliverances, but Chriſtians have Faith for both. We have not that Spirit of Bondage to fear, as they did; but we have received the Spirit of Adoption, to hope, as they did not. Children in Minority, as Women, are fearful; but the Adult quit themſelves like men. When I was a Child, I thought as a Child, ſpake as a Child, I did as a Child; but when I became a man, I put away Childiſh things. The Goſpel is Tidings of great joy, which ſhall be unto all People. Therefore for Chriſtians to be alwaies ſighing, and groaning, and crying, whipping and tearing themſelves, going in Pilgrimage bare-foot and bare-legd, lying on boards in Sackcloth and Aſhes, I think ſavours not of a right Spirit. So to faſt this great Day, is not to disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to faſt, or to hang down their heads like a Bull-ruſh for a day; but to undo the heavy Burthens, and to let the oppreſſed go free, to do Righteouſneſs and love Mercy, and walk humbly with their God.
See God in all theſe. The laſt Remedy is beſt.
Our Eyes are upon God, becauſe God's Eyes are upon us.
God's Care is upon us, becauſe our Truſt is upon God.
So men look one upon another, and cannot help one another.
11So men look upon God, and he helps them all.
As two Friends look one upon another to pity and help one another, if they can. And one Friend may be able to help himſelf and his Friend, and all his Friends; and the other Friend and Friends are helpleſs altogether, either of themſelves or their Friends. One Friend may have no need of help, but the other hath. But all have need of help, at one time of other, from each other, and at all times have need of help from God.
God is able and willing, ſo are not Men; not all Men, nor at all times.
One Deep calleth upon another. The depth of Sin and Miſery on our part, calleth upon the depth of Grace and Mercy on God's part.
This Doctrine eaſily falls into uſe and practice,Application. as followeth at large.
1. Againſt ſinful Hopes, from the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil; they do us harm.
2. Againſt ſinful Fears from the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil; they do us harm, as of Damnation here or hereafter.
The moſt Wicked are the moſt fearful, fearing where no fear is, at every ſhadow, at every noiſe, even to the ſhaking of a leaf; becauſe there is guilt within.
The moſt Righteous are moſt hopeful, where moſt deſpair is for ſubſtance, and Clamours over their heads.
3. But Faith is above Hope, and contrary to Hope; and Faith is above Fear, and contrary to Fear. And Love advanceth Hope, and caſteth out Fear; and Patience overcometh Fear, keeping Love and Hope.
4. In Sins who ſhould we look unto, but to God alone; for who can forgive Sins, but God alone?
5. Miſeries, who ſhould we look unto, but to God12 alone; for who can ſave from Miſeries, but God alone?
6. Humiliation therefore is neceſſary under Sins, and Humiliation is neceſſary under Miſeries. And this kind goeth not out but by Prayer and Faſting.
It will be no unreaſonable,Prodigies. nor unſeaſonable Excurſion, I hope, if I decry all ſinful Fears or Hopes ariſing from Prodigies, which do miniſter hugely to the Spirit of Bondage in Goſpel Times. To ſeal men with the Mark of Cain, who feared that every Man that met him would kill him, and that his Sins were greater than could be forgiven him. Or with the Mark of a Hypocrite, whoſe hope ſhall certainly periſh, and his expectation ſhall be utterly cut off, as the Spider's Web, before God; periſh, and come to a fearful end.
The old Prophets, by their Learning, Holineſs, and Gifts, did create Reverence to their Perſons, and Meſſages under the Law. And doth Heaven now make uſe of Monſters, Spectrums, Comets, or other Meteors; as of Blazing-Stars, &c. or of Unclean Spirits, as his Publick Heralds under the Goſpel?
Signs Moral.Signa Moralia, I grant. As the gradual leſſening of the glory of the Jewiſh Polity and Paedagogy, by the ceaſing of Prophets, the abſence of Heavenly Fire unextinguiſhed upon the Altar; the want of the Ark of the Covenant; the Schechinah, the Ʋrim and Thummim. The lapſing of Government, from Kings to Dukes, from Dukes to the Sanedrim, from the Sanedrim to the Roman Yoke. No Kings were Types of Chriſt after David and Solomon, except Hezekiah may come in.
The ſplendour of Moſes's Worſhip waxing dim, might be a ſign of the Sun of Righteouſs's ariſing, in a ſtate of more Spiritual and Inward glory.
13The Jews uſed Signs much, and asked for them often. And except they had Signs and Wonders, they would not believe.
In the broad Day-light of the Goſpel we have no need of theſe things, nor want we awakening by Monitors, in Heaven or Earth, into a Senſe and Awe of the Divine Majeſty.
We muſt now believe without a Sign, and derive our Repentance, not from mighty Earthquakes and Prodigies; but from the ingenuous underſtanding ſenſe of Sin.
Repreſentation of God Terrible.Among all Nations, Chriſtian and Heathen, the Sweetneſs of Divine Goodneſs, hath been too much ſowred with this Leaven, and diſguſted by this Gall of Bitterneſs. 〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ſaid Herodotus, taxed juſtly therefore by Plutarch. God is repreſented as envious, and dreadful to Mankind: As if his Counſels were taken up with contriving nothing but Plagues and Thunderbolts, forged in the ſhop of Torments, perplexing Mortals from living a quiet life here for the ſhort moment of time, which they have to live. A Peſtilential Air breathed from Hell, eating out the Vitals of the Soul of Devotion!
The quite contrary is to be believed of God, that he doth not willingly grieve the hearts of the Children of Men. That he delights not in the death of any Sinner, but rather that he ſhould turn from his Sins, and live. Judgment is his ſtrange work; Mercy is that in which he moſt delighteth, above all his other Works. Bleſſed be God.
The more the heart of Man out-grows the Joys and Fears of the World, the leſs Prodigies for futurities are eſteemed.
Divination by Heathens.The Gentiles, that lifted not up their minds ſufficiently unto Heaven, invented and practiced moſt the Arts of Magick and Divination, by Augury, Sorcery, Magick, Guts of Beaſts, &c.
14The Jews, that were promiſed a Heaven on this ſide thereof, looked after the Signs of the Times here below.
But the Introduction of a better Hope, hath few Intimations of future Events, (except in the Revelation, which moſt Learned men do judge to be already accompliſhed,) as looking after another World.
The Devil is not of God's Counſel; Chriſt's coming hath put our all the Fires of his Altars, ſilenced all his Oracles. Even the Temple, and Ceremonial Services of God, are all aboliſhed, to bring in a Spiritual Worſhip every where.
And as for Judgments and Calamities, they are changed into the nature of Mercies, and are as a launcing of a corrupt Member, to ſave the reſt that are ſound.
A true Son of Wiſdom doth〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, kiſs and embrace all the Iſſues of Divine Providence and Goodneſs; and they are welcom by the Grace of God, and God is above the Devil.
Ergo, We look not to Prodigies, but to Providence; not downwards upon Earthly Judgments and Deaths, but upwards, to Heavenly Hopes and Comforts.
We take moſt care for the Inward Man.
We count our ſelves ſecure in God, who hath freely given us Chriſt, and will with him alſo freely give us all things.
Freedom of Spirit and Love, ſecures us from Bondage and Fear.
All Jewiſh and Paganiſh Expiations are weak.
Holy Hearts and Lives are the beſt Sacrifices.
Spiritual Weapons overcome Carnal; and this kind goeth not out, but by Prayer and Faſting.
Agents free, and not free.As for Prodigies, ſo long as God is a Free Agent; ſo long as Natural Cauſes are Neceſſary Agents, not knowing what they do. So long as Men are Free Agents, knowing what they do: ſo long as Providence directs and rules Neceſſary Agents to produce, or not produce Plagues,15 Deluges or Droughts, Plenty or Famine, &c. which are not in their own power, and much leſs in our power. So long as Providence orders Free Agents in their own power to do or not to do what is in their Sphere;Agents free and not free. So long as Peace and War, Love or hatred, depends upon thoſe Free Agents in their Counſels and Elections under God, and 'tis their own fault if they miſcarry otherwiſe then God would have them, becauſe not rightly choſen according to the Will of God. So long Comets and Meteors point not directly nor indirectly at the voluntary Changes and Chances of this Moral and Mortal Life. Comets are from Natural involuntary Cauſes, and may produce Natural and Involuntary Effects of Fires and Waters, Plagues or Famines, &c. as do more afar off, the Sun Moon and Stars, or may be hindred from producing them, by the Arbitrary Will and Power of God: So long we will lay no ſtreſs upon ſuch things.
But for Arbitrary Effects, they ſpring from Arbitrary Cauſes free to be produced or not to be produced, according as the Wills of Men are pleaſed or not pleaſed to determine themſelves one way or other as God hath ordered them that they ſhould depend upon Mens free Will altogether, as God hath ordered them that they ſhould depend, one way or another, ſuch as Coelibates, Mariages, Degrees, Covenants, Leagues, Gifts, Deprivations, Degradations, Releaſes, Charges or Diſcharges, &c. depending upon the Will of Men as it is impowered under the Will of God. Beſides who can read in Stars or Meteors, ſuch Contingencies under God, depend only upon mans free Will?
Obj. Joſephus reports ſtrange ſights in the Aire, before Jeruſalem was taken.
16Sol. The Synagogue was but newly buried, and not yet ſetled in its Grave. It was but early days yet, and beſides, Comets muſt happen at one time or other, and therefore either before or after fatal Contingencies; if before, then they are vulgarly accounted Cauſes; if after, What are they then? All Cauſes muſt be before their Effects, and not at the time of the effects nor after them. If there be Characters of ſuch effects which as yet lie faſt aſleep in their Cauſes, and God knows how long if ſhall be before they ſhall be awakned; Who ſhall dare to rouze them up before their time? And how angry would ſuch effects be to be diſturbed or haſtned to their birth by any but God their Maſter; How can it be? I ſay if there be any ſuch Characters, Of what kind are thoſe Characters then? Are Comets the Finger of God? Or the Pen in his hands? We are ſure his Will is written in his word, by his Spirit. The writings of the Old Teſtament we know, and the writings of the New Teſtament we know; But what are theſe? Thus far we read in great letters, that he that runneth may read them. The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the Firmament ſheweth his handy work, and every Herb ſpeaks a God; look upon the Sun and praiſe him that made him, whoſe eyes are Ten-thouſand times brighter than the Sun in his full clearneſs. But in future Contingencies God only knows them, it is not for us to enquire after them. And what eye of an Aſtrologer can diſcern them, more than another mans, or who brought them a Ladder to climb up ſo high; and what skill have they to read them more than any other Man, or to underſtand when they have read them what the true meaning of them is, more then any other Man; Who perhaps hath better eyes, and a quicker Judgment then they? They muſt think well that we are not Fools altogether, and that they muſt produce better Principles of their Art, then they have yet done, before they can convince learned Searching men of the Truth, of their17 bold Aſſertions. What ſhall we think of that great and wonderfull Change and Revolution of State, after Twenty years Deſtruction, (in which time hapned that moſt horrid Parricide of King Charles the Firſt,) that ever hapned in the World, by the Reſtauration of Charles the Second in peace and honour? Was this ſo much as dream'd of by all the privy Counſellors to the Stars? Is not this enough to prove the Divines mad, that could perceive nothing at all in all the Heavenly Indications of this great matter? And how many more Inſtances might be given to the ſame purpoſes of ſecrets kept in the breſt of God, that neither Angels nor Devils, nor Stars not Meteors, had the leaſt knowledge of them beforehand? Who then ſhould we look unto but to God, in theſe and all other cauſes?
The Spaniſh Armada, Chriſtn'd Invincible, was broke in pieces, notwithſtanding all the Popes bleſſings.
Conſecrated Swords, Banners, Daggers, Piſtols, Agnus Dei's, Cruzado's, are meer Toys and Trifles. They fly to their Saints and Angels, as Heathens did to their Idol God's; but we ſeek to the true God. They come unto us with Sword and Spear, but we come unto them in the Name of the Lord; and he will ſave us for his great Name ſake. They truſt as the Jews did in an Arm of Fleſh; but we truſt in God alone. God is our preſent help in time of trouble, God is the hope of all the ends of the Earth, and of them that remain in the broad Sea; others pur their truſt in Horſes and in Chariots, but we in the Name of the Lord our God. The Lord's Arm is not ſhortned, that he cannot ſave, neither is his ſtrength abated. We live by Faith, and not by senſe. We live above the World, looking from all help and comfort in God. Put18 not your truſt in Princes, nor in any Child of Man, for they are utterly deceitful. We have been delivered from many extremities, but this is the moſt Univerſal that ever came upon this Church and Kingdom. If the Lord had not been on our ſide, may Iſrael now ſay, if the Lord himſelf had not been on our ſide when men roſe up againſt us, they had utterly ſwallowed us up before now; they were ſo wrathfully diſpleaſed at us. Never more numerous, powerful and implacable Enemies then now. In perils at home, in perils abroad, in perils by Land, in perils by Water, in peril amongſt falſe Brethren. We can never truſt them, that profeſs never to keep faith with us, but continually ly in wait to deceive by Mental Reſervations and AEquivocations of all ſorts that the wit of Man can invent. O let us fall into the hands of God, for with him there is mercy, but not into the hands of men, that know no mercy, but their very tender mercies are cruel. O Lord put a Hook into the noſes, and a Bridle into the lips of ſuch men, and curb their barbarous and monſtrous malice, that it may enlarge it ſelf no further. Diſcover the depths of Satan, and bring to light the hidden works of darkneſs that are contrived ſecretly in the boſom of Hell it ſelf, againſt thy holy Child Jeſus, and againſt the Annointed of the Lord, and this Church and Kingdom, that they may come forth into the light of the open Sun who is ready to hide his face from ſeeing them. We are as the Apple of God's Eye, and as the Bracelets upon his Right Arm. Tender and dear in the ſight of the Lord is the death of the Saints; Touch not mine Annointed and do my Prophets no harm. If the Lord were pleaſed to kill us, he would not have accepted of our Sacrifices, neither would he have diſcovered unto us, all theſe Myſteries of Iniquities, nor as at this time have told us ſuch ſecret Plots of Murders and Aſſaſinations as theſe are. Still we cry out Lord ſave us, or elſe we periſh. And ſtill our ſhip lives and bears up againſt thoſe roaring Surges, and ſtands19 off from theſe fearful Rocks and Quick-ſands that wait for her.
Witches, Comets, Polices, Lyes of all ſorts, even unto death, ſhall not plague us into diſpair. God hath raiſed up the Spirits of the beſt of the Nation as one Man to ſtand up and defend the Truth with might and main. This is the Gift of God, and its marvelous in our Eyes, and we have cauſe to thank God for it. A Goſpel Faith, a Goſpel Love is a ſecurity above all, Let the Earth be removed, if it will, and the Mountains fall into the midſt of the Sea.
Tho the Plowers plow upon our backs and make long furrows, tho we put our mouths into the very duſt, tho we are gon down to bottoms of Mountains, into the belly of Hell, and the Earth with her bates about us for ever, and the Weeds of diſpair are wrapped about our heads, yet will wee look once more to the Holy Temple of the Lord. We will believe above hope, and contrary unto hope, and the gates of Hell ſhall never be able to prevail againſt us. For we know on whom we do believe, and he will never fail us. Did any that truſted in him ever fail? Tho he hide his face, 'tis but for a time, tho he be angry, he will not keep it in everlaſting diſpleaſure, he will come, he will not tarry, with healing in his wings. We ſhall one day ſay, doubtleſs there is a God that Judgeth the Earth. Stand ſtill and ſee the ſalvation of God. Let the Nations of the Earth gather themſelves together, they ſhall be broken in pieces. No Weapon formed againſt God ſhall ever proſper. It is in vain to fight againſt God, it is in vain to kick againſt the Pricks. O tarry the Lords leaſure, his time is the beſt time.
Stay and ſee what the Lord will do with us, and what he will do for us. When the Lord in the year 1660 brought again our Captivity out of Babylon, then were we like unto them that dream. We ſhould utterly have fainted unleſs we had believed verily to ſee the goodneſs of the20 Lord, in the Land of the living, the living the ſhall praiſe thee, as we do this day. O let us live, and we ſhall praiſe thee! O taſt and ſee how good the Lord is, all ye that put your truſt in him. He will never leave us nor forſake us.
1. We know by woful experience, that our unthankfulneſs and unfruitfulneſs for former mercies have brought theſe new extremities upon us. We are at a loſs as to humane Policy and ſtrength, What will all our Rebellion profit us? It will be bitterneſs in the latter end. And what ſhall we do in the end thereof? What fruit can we have in thoſe things whereof we ſhall one day be aſhamed?
2. We believe Extremities recoverable, Rejoyce not againſt me, O my Enemy, for tho I fall, yet I ſhall riſe again. God brings to the gate of the Grave, and brings back again, he kills, and maks alive, he raiſeth up the poor out of the duſt, and ſetteth him among the Princes of the Earth. He raiſeth up light out of darkneſs, Order out of Confuſion, Plenty out of Want, Health out of Sickneſs, Truth out of Error, Peace out of War, Life out of Death; and he only can doe after this faſhion. What is it that God cannot do? Is any thing too hard for the Lord? The Heathens cryed to their God's, and cut themſelves with Launces till the blood guſhed out, ſaying, O Baal hear us, but there was no Anſwer nor any that regarded. God only is the God that heareth Prayers, and unto him muſt all Fleſh come. And whither ſhould we go but unto him that hath the words of Eternal life?
Whither ſhould Children fly but to their Parents, Servants, but to their Lords, Sheep, but to their Shepherds, Subjects, but to their Princes, and all Clients, but to their Patrons, Guardians and Protectors? All lack a Saviour in diſtreſs, All cry what ſhall we do? 21Whither ſhall we go? Who will ſhew us any good? Lord ſave us, we periſh; our eyes are only upon thee, from whom only cometh our Salvation. Whom have we in Heaven but thee, and who is there on Earth, that we can deſire in compariſon of thee? The eyes of all things look up unto thee, and thou giveſt them their meat in due ſeaſon, thou openeſt thine hand wide, and filleſt every Creature plentifully with thy bleſſings; the young Ravens call upon God, and are fed by him. Doth God take care for Revens? How much more of us, O we of little Faith? Our Fathers hoped in thee, and thou didſt deliver them, they put their truſt in thee and were not confounded. Fear not little Flock, for it is your Fathers pleaſure to give you a Kingdom. Let not your hearts be troubled, the World ſhall hate you, but it hated me before it hated you; and if they have done theſe things to the green Tree, well may they do them to the dry. The Servant muſt not be above his Maſter, it is well that he be as his Maſter. In the World ye ſhall have tribulation, but be of good cheer I have overcome the World, I have ſent you forth as Sheep amongſt Wolves, who ſhall come to you in Sheeps clothing, and wear a rough Garment to deceive; therefore be wiſe as Serpents, and innocent as Doves. 'Tis hard to avoid a Hypocrite, a falſe Brother. Againſt a profeſſed Enemy we ſtand in defiance upon our Guard, and we expect no good but harm from ſuch; but a Hypocrite kiſſes and betrays, embraces and cuts your throat. None of theſe are to be truſted, eſpecially they that call us Heretical doggs, Droſs and Vermin, Reprobates and Caſtaways, and out of the Pale of the Church. They are utterly deceitful upon the Balance, they are lighter than vanity it ſelf, their throat is an open Sepulchre, they flatter with their lips, but diſſemble with their double heart, their words are ſofter than butter, ſmoother than Oyle, and ſharper than a two edged Sword, therefore truſt them22 not. What truſt can there be in thoſe men who maintain falſe Principles and Practices. They are Giants, the Sons of Anak, their Walls are mounted up to Heaven; They have great might, and exceeding Malice; but the Lord from Heaven is mightier. He beholds the tears of the oppreſſed, how they run down their cheeks every day, and there is none to comfort them. He ſees and ſmiles, and laughs them to ſcorn, when they laugh his Servants to ſcorn, while they come about them like Bees, and would eat them as they eat bread, and are confederate againſt them; they ſhall be extinct, as the Fire among the Thorns, ſuddenly do they periſh and come to a fearful end.
In the mean time great is the patience and comfort of the Saints, their Soul is among Lions, Briars and Thorns tare them; they fly to the Rocks, and cling to the ragged Rocks for want of a covering, and no man careth for their Soul; but God careth for them, and his Grace ſhall be ſufficient for them. The Lord is on our ſide, we will not fear what man can do unto us. We call upon the Lord in our diſtreſs, and he heareth us, and ſets our feet in a large room; The Lord taketh our part with them that help us, therefore ſhall we ſee our deſire upon them that hate us. It is better to truſt in the Lord, than to put confidence in man; it is better to truſt in the Lord, than to put confidence in Princes. All Nations may compaſs us round about, but in the Name of the Lord, we ſhall deſtroy them; they may thruſt ſoar at us to make us fall, but the Lord will uphold us. He is our ſtrength, and our ſong, and is become our ſalvation; the right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to paſs. We ſhall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord, the living they ſhall praiſe him, as we do this day; O let us live that we may praiſe thee. The Lord hath chaſtned us ſore, but he will not give us over unto death. The Stone which the builder srefuſed is become the head ſtone of the corner. 23Save now we beſeech thee O Lord, O Lord ſend us now Proſperity. O give thanks unto the Name of the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever.
3. God ſuffereth his People to be brought into Extremities and delivereth them looking up unto him with the eye of Faith when all other hopes fail. Inſtances,
Adam and Eve hid themſelves from God for ſhame after they had fallen and were driven out of Paradiſe, and kept out by a flaming Sword, till by Repentance they recovered and kept the favour of God.
Lot was ſaved out of the flames of Sodom.
The Three Children were untoucht in the midſt of the fiery Furnace.
Suſanna reſcued from the Unrighteous Judges.
Daniel was ſafe in the hungry Lyons Den.
Jews ſaved from the deſtruction plotted by Haman.
Joſeph was brought out of the Pit, and from the Priſon, and advanced to honour and greatneſs.
Prophets hid by fifty in a Cave.
Seven Thouſand reſerved in Iſrael, that bowed not their knees unto Baal, and whoſe mouths had not kiſſed him.
Above Forty Conſpirators that vowed they would not eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
Moſes and Aaron ſaved from the Conſpiracy of Corah Dathan and Abiram.
Aaron offered Incenſe and ſtood in the Gap between the living and the dead, and the Plague ceaſed.
David built an Altar and the Plague ſtayed.
Sennacheribs Hoſt deſtroyed by an Angel and Hezekiah ſaved.
Egypt ſaved from famine by Joſephs care.
24Sudden plenty in Samaria after ſudden famine (as if the Windows of Heaven were opened,) as impoſſible to be done.
Elijah prayed for Rain and had it.
Manna came down from Heaven.
The Syrians Army ſmitten with blindneſs, at the Prayer of the Prophet Eliſha.
The Thundring Legion, by Prayers got Rain, when the Romans fainted for thirſt.
Jobs latter end was greater than his beginning.
Jeremiah was drawn out of the ſtinking Dungeon.
The Iſraelites were ſaved in the Plagues, and brought out of Egypt, with a ſtrong hand and a ſtretched out Arm, and walled on both ſides in the Red Sea while their Enemies ſank like Lead in the mighty Waves. They were ſecured by a Pillar of Fire by Night, and a Pillar of a Cloud by Day.
The Jews returned from Seventy years Captivity.
Chriſtians ſecured at Pella, and elſewhere from the Deſtruction when Jeruſalem was taken.
The Ten Perſecutions ceaſed, and the Blood of the Martyrs was the Seed of the Church.
Satan bound for a Thouſand Years. Hitherto he muſt go, and no further.
Manna and Quails rained from Heaven.
Water guſhed out of the Rock; and God prepared a Table in the Wilderneſs.
David was delivered from Cruel Saul, and overcame Goliah with a Staff and a Sling.
Iſaac was ſnatcht from the ſharp Knife ready to cut his throat.
Noah. &c. eſcaped from the Flood.
Elijah was left alone, and preſerved from them, that ſought his life to take it away, was fed by Ravens.
25Hezekiah was healed of his Plague Sore, and his days lengthned.
The Widdow of Sarephath had but a little Cake, and a Cruſe of Oyle, and two Sticks, all multiplied, to ſave her life, and to pay her debts.
Nebuchadnezar from a Beaſt, became a man again.
The Shunamit's Son was raiſed to life.
Jonah was delivered out of the Whales belly.
Nineveh to be deſtroyed at Forty Days end, was ſaved.
Lazarus after four days raiſed from the Grave.
Paul was let down in a Basket to ſave his life, and many times ſaved beſide, both at Land and Sea, eſpecially from falſe Brethren.
Chriſt in his Agony was ſtrengthned in the Garden, as the Angels of God had miniſtred unto him in the Wilderneſs, after the Devils Temptations.
Chriſt commended his Spirit into the hands of his Father, after he uttered that bitter cry, My God my God why haſt thou forſaken me? He trod the Winepreſs of God's Wrath alone, and when he looked round about him and ſaw one to help him, he wondred that there was none to uphold, therefore his own Arm brought Salvation to himſelf and all his People.
The Invincible Navy of Spain in 88. was ſcattered with the Winds and broken in pieces, after they had divided the Lions Skin before he was dead.
Twenty years Rebellion and Murder of Charles the Firſt, and the greateſt and beſt of his Subjects, and Devaſtation of Church and State was Seconded by ſuch a miraculous Reſtauration of all things, as the World hardly ever knew the like, and Poſterity will as hardly believe it, and the Authors of theſe miſchiefs that ſurvived, are as little ſenſible of it, though ſo much for the Glory of God, and the good of the Kingdoms, and the ſtrengthening26 of the Proteſtant Cauſe, is for their own ſafety, if they had hearts to underſtand it.
The Gunpowder Treaſon makes honeſt mans hearts ake to this day to think of it, and the Devil and the Pope were ſhamefully foyled on that day, Black to them, but Glorious to us, and our Poſterity for ever.
The laſt Plot was come to the Birth but wanted ſtrength to bring forth. It is gon back into the Womb of Hell where it was hatched, and we truſt it ſhall be condemned to everlaſting darkneſs, and never, O never ſee the Light.
All theſe Comforts and Examples and many more were written for our Inſtruction, that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope.
Wherefore ſeeing we are compaſſed about with ſo great a Cloud of Witneſſes, let us lay aſide every Weight, and the Sin which doth ſo eaſily beſet us, and let us run with Patience the Race that is ſet before us, looking unto Jeſus, the Author and finiſher of our Faith; who for the Joy that was ſet before him endured the Croſs deſpiſing the ſhame, and is ſet down at the Right hand of the Throne of God; for conſider him that endured ſuch contradiction of Sinners againſt himſelf, leſt ye be wearied and faint in your Minds, ye have not yet reſiſted unto Blood, ſtriving againſt ſin, and ye have forgotten the exhortation which ſpeaketh unto you as unto Children. My Son deſpiſe not thou the chaſtizing of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him, for whom the Lord loveth he chaſtneth, and ſcourgeth every Son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chaſtn•ng, God dealeth with you as with Sons, For what Son is he whom the Father chaſtneth not? But if ye be without chaſtiſement whereof all are partakers, then are ye Baſtards and not Sons. Furthermore we have bad Fathers of our Fleſh, which corrected us, and we give them reverence, ſhall we not much rather be in ſubjection unto the Father of Spirits and27 Life? For they verily for a few days chaſtned us after their pleaſure, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his Holineſs. Now no chaſtning for the preſent ſeemeth to be joyous, but grievous: Nevertheleſs afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of Righteouſneſs unto them which are exerciſed thereby. Wherefore lift up the Hands which hand down, and the feeble Knees, and make ſtrait paths for your feet, leſt that which is low be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. Think it not ſtrange concerning the fiery Tryal, which is to try you, as the ſame ſtrange thing hapned to them. But rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Chriſt's ſufferings that when his Glory ſhall be revealed, ye may be glad alſo with exceeding Joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Chriſt, happy are ye, for the Spirit of Glory and of God reſteth upon you; on their part he is evil ſpoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you ſuffer as a Murderer, or as a Thief, or as an evil doer, or as a buſy body in other mens matters; for if any man ſuffer as a Chriſtian, let him not be aſham'd, but let him glorify God, on this behalf; wherefore let them that ſuffer according to the Will of God, commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. We know not what to do one way, and yet we do know what to do another way. For the Diviſions of Reuben there are great thoughts of heart. For the Union and Communion with God, there are greater thoughts of heart.
1. For our ſins, we cannot expiate the guilt of them,Diviſions we cannot explicate our ſelves from the miſeries of them, we ſhall be left in the lurch for them, we ſhall be taken in their ſnares, be loſt, and be at our witts end. Becauſe our ſins are ripe, at the full height. Becauſe our Conſciences do ſadly accuſe us, and becauſe we are ripe for Judgment coming upon us like an Armed man that cannot be reſiſted.
282 For our Miſeries, fears of Want, of War, Pain and Confuſion, for Diſtraction in our underſtandings, Perplexity in our Wills, Madneſs in our Paſſions boyling over in Diſpair. Which makes the Wicked Raging, Forlorn, Deſperate, Curſing and Blaſpheming, Foaming and Tearing like a Wild Bull in a Net.
3. For our Deliverances from Sin and Miſeries a Harbour out of a Raging Ocean, a Calm in a Storm, an Anchor, a Reſt, a Rock, in a dry and weary Land. In a Tempeſt every man cries to his ſeveral God. In Diſtreſs every man takes care for his Body, and for his Soul, pities himſelf, ſhould pity others, helps himſelf, and ſhould help others, prays for himſelf, and ſhould for others, labours for himſelf, and ſhould for others. Shifts for himſelf at laſt.
We know not what to think, ſpeak or do, but look one upon another, and all upon God.
All Experiments, Cordials.1. If ever there was a time of trial, ſurely it is now. Behold and ſee O all ye that paſs by, was there ever any Sorrow like unto my Sorrow, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. For theſe things I weep, my eye, my eye poureth out tears, becauſe the Comforter that ſhould relieve my Sorrow is far from me. Can we believe, and will we believe now? Do we dare to be honeſt ſtill? If ever Faith be found faithful, it will be now. If we cannot be happy now, we ſhall be ſure to be happy hereafter. Veniet aliquando dies, Time will end in Eternity. All tears ſhall one day be wiped away from our eyes.
We have cauſe to be taken off from things below, and to fix upon things above. If there be deliverance, it will come, if none, God's Will be done. Sit down under the Judgment. If we periſh we periſh. Ly proſtrate at the29 Footſtool of God's Grace, we cannot everlaſtingly periſh. Faith and a good Conſcience will bring us peace at the laſt. We know the worſt, 'tis but a Temporal Life We can looſe. Great heart akings, fear not them that can kill the Body, and go no further, but fear him that is able to deſtroy both Soul and Body in Hell fire. The Lord can find away to deliver us, which we cannot think of, if he have any heart towards us, or if we have any heart towards him. He will ſeek to do us good, if we will ſeek to do our ſelves good. We have ſtudied to do our ſelves good, and our labour is in vain without God, but our labour ſhall never be in vain in the Lord. Wo be unto them by whom the offences come, it had been better for them if they had never been born, or that they had been like the untimely fruit of a Woman which never ſaw the Sun.
2. Is this a time to contend about Trifles? Parties.We had more need unite them, and not Scratch and Devour one another, as we do. We muſt live and die together, then let us live and die in love together. Seek to reconcile all Parties, at leaſt bear with them, and love them; then look up to God, and try if we ſhall be heard, otherwiſe, if we make many prayers he will not hear, know this for certain, the Party that is bloody and falſe ſhall be deſtroyed. A Kingdom divided againſt it ſelf cannot ſtand. There will be Parties as long as the World laſts, and thoſe Parties will be of ſeveral Judgments, as long as the World laſts. Theſe may inſtruct one another whither they will hear or whither they will forbear, they muſt not devour one another therefore, if they do, both parties are guilty, the innocent party may complain and defend themſelves.
Is this a time to hunt after Honours, Riches, Pleaſures, till the Flood come and ſweep us all away?
30Throne of Grace.3. The laſt Refuge is the Throne of God's Grace, never to depart from that is to be ſure of Glory. We know well what to do, for our Eyes are upon God.
Signs of good.4. There are ſigns of fair Weather. God remembers that we are but Duſt, and that the Breath is in our Noſtrils, and therefore he will not be always chiding, leſt the Spirits of men ſhould fail before him, and the Souls ſhould die and periſh which he hath Created.
God propounds the way of Peace.
1. By opening unto us the Danger, and diſcovering the Contr•vers of it.
2. By raiſing up the Spirits of men, to that pitch of deteſtation and utter abhorrence, of thoſe damnable Doctrines and Practices, as are ſo univerſally deſtructive to the Church and Commonwealth.
3. By offering ways and means to recover, if we will take them. God hath done his part, but, our buſineſs will not be done, except we do our part. What could God do more for his Vineyard, which he hath not done, but ſtill we bring forth Wild Grapes. God can and will ſave us, if we will be ſaved.
4. By giving us a Seed of Rare Champions, Giants for Piety and Learning.
5. If God had no delight in us, Why hath he done ſo much for us already? And why is he ſo ready to do for us ſtill? If we will yet repent we ſhall not periſh.
Preparation for the worſt.6. Prepare for the worſt. Hope for the beſt. If we muſt die, let us die together.
In Love in one anothers Arms.
2. In Faith in the Arms of God.
3. In Juſtice doing no harm to one another, in Righteouſneſs having a good Cauſe and a good Conſcience, free from preſumptuous ſins, and from blood guiltineſs.
The will of the Lord muſt be done, whither we will or no, 'tis beſt for us to be willing, even againſt our Will we ſin, but God ſuffers, and we ſuffer, and God ſuffers, we31 ſuffer altogether, take heed we do not ſin altogether: We are not alone in ſufferings, let us not be altogether in ſinnings: God is with us in ſufferings, God is not with us in ſinnings. God is with us if we live not nor die not in ſin, this is comfort; but God is far from us, if we live and die in unrighteouſneſs; this is ſorrow. Look to Thoughts, Words, and Deeds, that they be good now; They that are profane and wicked as they were in times of ſafety, are worſe now in times of danger. 'Tis a bad ſign, to be bad ſtill. Will nothing do? Then if your Sons and Daughters commit whoredoms and other Abominations, let them alone, for why ſhould they be puniſhed any more, they will revolt more and more; they that are wicked ſhall be wicked ſtill: But they that have fear'd the Lord, and do fear the Lord, and ſpeak often one to another, a Book of Remembrance is written of thoſe men, and God ſhall make up theſe Jewels carefully: theſe have done what they can, and can do no more, they have ſatisfied themſelves, and ſhall ſatisfie God through Jeſus Chriſt their Lord, who hath ſatisfied for them; becauſe they have thought, ſpoke and done the bed they can, to the utmoſt of their power, and taken all the beſt courſes to avoid ſin and miſery, and provide for their eternal good; the wiſeſt, and beſt, and ſtrongeſt can do no more. If after all this all their hopes fail for this life, they have freed their own Souls, they ſhall be ſaved in the life to come.
Means uſeleſs.We have ſeen by woful experience all the ways of temporiſing, and flattery, and fraud, and policy, and cruelty, and whatſoever elſe is contrary to Godlineſs and a ſound Mind comes to nothing. We have tried all means, and beat upon every buſh, and all to no purpoſe, every thing fails; let us come to that at laſt, that will never fail us, Fear God, and keep his Commandments. A Rich man uſes all means, and nothing does him good, all his Phyſitians are of no value, and leave him to God. We32 have contracted ſins, and by them brought theſe miſeries upon our ſelves that we groan under; and being found out for them, as we never thought to be, we look one upon another, and ſay one to another, as Joſephs Brethren did, We are verily guilty becauſe of our Brothers Blood, and becauſe of our Fathers Blood, and therefore is this diſtreſs come upon us. The Prodigal came too, when he came to his Husks, and not before. There are two Proteſtant Parties that hurt one another, and a third Party that is Popiſh, ſtands by and laughs, and encourages them to worry one another, and when he ſees them ſpent, he ruſhes upon them to deſtroy them. And this is our Caſe.
7. Make Obſervations in your Life.
Obſervations of Mercies.1. You ſhall find particular Deliverances to your Perſons Eſtates; great experiences of Gods Love, in ſupporting you under your troubles, and ſaving you from them; whether they come mediately from the hands of Men, or immediately from the hands of God, if you mark them, to your great comfort, confirmation, and aſſurance for future Mercies, and Thankfulneſs to God for them.
2. You ſhall find Publick Deliverances to the Church and State, ſuch as have happened in your days and in the days of old, how the Lord doth build up Jeruſalem, and gathereth together the outcaſts of Iſrael; how he healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds; how he ſatisfieth the longing Soul, and filleth the hungry Soul with goodneſs: Such as ſit in Darkneſs and in the ſhadow of Death, being bound in Affliction and Iron, when they cried unto the Lord in their Trouble, he ſaved them out of their Diſtreſſes, he brought them out of Darkneſs, and the Shadow of Death, and brake their bonds aſunder. He ſent his Word and healed them, and delivered them from their Deſtruction: Oh that men would therefore praiſe the Lord for his Goodneſs, and for his wonderful33 works to the children of men; ſacrifice the ſacrifices of Thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoycing. They that go down to the Sea in Ships, that do buſineſs in greats Waters, theſe ſee the goodneſs of the Lord and his wonders in the Deep. For he commandeth and raiſeth the ſtormy wind, which lifteth up the Waves thereof; they mount up to the Heaven, they go down again to the Depths; their Soul is melted becauſe of trouble, they reel to and fro, and ſtagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their diſtreſſes. He maketh the Storm a Calm, ſo that the Waves thereof are ſtill; then are they glad, becauſe they be quiet: ſo he bringeth them unto their deſire Haven. Oh that men would therefore praiſe the Lord for his Goodneſs, and for his wonderful works to the Children of men. Let them exalt him alſo in the Congregation of the People, and praiſe him in the Aſſembly of the Elders. He turneth rivers into a wilderneſs, and the water-ſprings into a dry ground. A fruitful Land maketh he barren, for the wickedneſs of them that dwell therein. He turneth the wilderneſs into a ſtanding water, and dry ground into water-ſprings; and there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a City for Habitations, and ſow the Fields and plant Vineyards, which may yield Fruits of encreaſe; he bleſſeth them alſo, ſo that they are multiplied greatly, and ſuffereth not their Cattel to decreaſe; again they are miniſhed, and brought low, through oppreſſion, affliction on and ſorrow. He poureth contempt upon Princes, and cauſeth them to wander in the wilderneſs where there is no way: Yet ſetteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him Families like a Flock. The Righteous ſhall ſee it, and rejoyce, and all iniquity ſhall ſtop her mouth. Whoſo is wiſe will obſerve thoſe things, even they ſhall underſtand the loving kindneſs of the Lord.
34Obſervation of correſpondence with God.8. Beſides theſe temporal, perſonal, and publick Mercies, I exerciſe my Soul in the ſtrict obſervation of the intercourſe and correſpondence of Buſineſs betwixt God and my own Soul, which greatly comforts me in all outward Diſtreſs. And I perſwade all Chriſtians to do the like, As to obſerve
Influence of Gods Spirit upon our Spirits.☞ 1. The Influence of God's Spirit upon our Spirits, by the Illumination of our Minds, and the Invitation of our Wills. When you are ſerious and ſolitary, you will find God knocking at the Door of your Hearts, the motions of his bleſſed Spirit, the Light within you, the Voice behind you in your Conſciences; this is the way, walk in it.
Take good heed that you liſten to all theſe good things, God's turning to us.
Refluence of our Spirits upon Gods Spirit.2. The Refluence of our Spirits upon God's Spirit, by our approbation of the Mind of God in our Mind, and the Conſent of our Will to God's Will, and a Return of Love for Love, our turning to God. The uſe and exerciſe of Graces, given and received, frequent reſort to the Throne of Grace, for Grace ſufficient to help us in the time of all our need. You ſhall find this employment beneficial towards a ſupportation, and qualification of all outward perplexities, driving the weak heart towards deſpair. Mark what comes from God to us inwardly, and what comes from us to God inwardly, for God marks us. We ſhall find enough to do to prepare for God's coming into our Souls, and to ſtir up the Gifts of God in us, and to uſe his Graces after he is come into our Souls. Theſe things will ſo take up our thoughts and exerciſe our facult•es, that we ſhall be all in hopes and joyes, becauſe of our Union and Communion with God, while the calamities of the World are round about us, that we ſhall fear them the leſs, and bear them the better, and overcome them the ſooner. This I find to be the great Remedy, and Medela Auimae, the Earneſt of Heaven upon Earth,35 the great Anodine to expell worldly Sorrows. I am ſafe in the midſt of all Temptations and Dangers of this World, Why? Becauſe I know and feel, That.
1. God is mine, by his own Act and Deed, not only of Creation, as he is to all, but of Redemption, as he would be to all if they would take it, and is to all that do embrace it, to whom he therefore giveth power that they ſhould be called the Sons of God: And then God's Work is done.
2. I am God's by my own Act and Deed, not only by owning my ſelf to be the Work of his Hands, but covenanting with him to do and ſuffer his Will in and upon me, and to truſt to him, that he will be my exceeding great Reward. And ſo I may call God Father: And then my work is done.
While a Soul is abſtracted with mutual Enjoyments, Studies, and Raptures, with God, no worldly Grievances. can affect ſuch ſublime Spirits as they do thoſe that grovel upon the ground in the concerns chiefly of the Fleſh and of the World. 'Twas ſaid of Archimedes, that his Mind being intent upon Demonſtrations when the City was beſieged, and the Enemy broke in upon him, he perceived not the Danger of his Death, till it ſeized upon his Contemplations. Death it ſelf is not fear'd nor felt ſo much in the Fleſh to a man that is mortified to the Fleſh beforehand from the Corruptions and Luſts thereof; waiting all the days of our appointed time, till his change do come, looking for, after this earthly houſe of his Tabernacle is diſſolved, to have a building of God, an houſe not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens, but groaning earneſtly, deſiring to be clothed upon, with his houſe which is from Heaven; that being clothed, he ſhall not be found naked, not for that he would be unclothed, but clothed upon, ſo, that mortality might be ſwallowed up of life; deſiring not in the Fleſh, but, in the Spirit, to be diſſolved, and to be with Chriſt, which is far better.
36Other thoughts and cares are eating, fretting, and conſuming; but theſe are healing, comforting, and reviving: caring for God how we may pleaſe him, that cares for us. By theſe the Soul is upheld from ſinking into deſpair, when the Fleſh, the World, and the Devil are alltogether about our ears. Thus we bear up againſt the Waves, becauſe our Stern is good, or Keel is ſound, and our Pilot ſteers a right Courſe. Do not therefore break my heart with worldly fears, I have a mind to hope as well as fear, I have crowded my Head already among the Stars, I may be vex'd in my Body, but that alſo being ioyn'd to the Head, will follow after it by degrees; and Chriſt, which is my Head, will draw my whole Body, Soul, and Spirit after him, with whom I am already in Faith in Heavenly places. My Tribulation worketh in me patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and I ſhall never be aſhamed: So I encourage all Sufferers.
Upbraid me not, but pity me, for I am reſolved, and therefore tempt me no more, it is enough that I ſuffer, I murmure not, let me alone.
They that ſow in tears, ſhall reap in joy, and bring their Sheaves with them, after a few days I ſhall find the comfort of it.
An humble Soul aims high; God and my Right, but all in Chriſt. God be merciful to me a Sinner; for his free Grace in Chriſt Jeſus only: Amen.
37If in this Life only we have hope, we are of all men the moſt miſerable. It is ſo ſhort and miſerable, that in our Extremities we look one upon another, and know not what to do: What ſhall we do in Death? That puts an end to all worldly Extremities, eaſes the poor Captive in the Dungeon from his Bonds, and the oppreſſed from all Tyranny, and is too often wiſhed for in the error of our Life, but is a beginning of endleſs Extremities to them that have no hope. We that could not tell what to do in Life, what ſhall we do in Death? When the naked Soul ſits trembling upon the pale lip, to be plunged into the bottomleſs Abyſs of Eternity?
But if in this Life our hope be full of a Glorious and Bleſſed Immortality, we know what to do; there is hope in Death: When the Body goes to the Duſt, the Soul returns to God that gave it; to the God of Abraham, and of Iſaac, and Jacob; who is not the God of the Dead, but of the Living; for they are all alive in the Spirit with God, and ſhall live with him in the Body, when the times of Refreſhment ſhall come from the Lord.
My Son, if thou come to ſerve the Lord, prepare thy Soul for Temptation; ſet thy Heart aright, and conſtantly endure, and make not haſt in time of trouble: Cleave unto him and depart not away, that thou mayſt be encreaſed in thy laſt end. Whatſoever is brought unto thee, take chearfully, and be patient when thou art changed to a low eſtate. For Gold is tried in the Fire, and acceptable men in the Furnace of Adverſity. Believe in him, and he will help thee, order thy way aright, and truſt in him. Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his Mercy, and go not aſide, leſt ye fall. Ye that fear the Lord believe him, and your reward ſhall not fail. Ye that fear the Lord, hope for good, and for everlaſting Joy and Mercy. Look at the Generations of old, and ſee, Did ever any truſt in the Lord, and was confounded? Or did any abide in his Fear and was forſaken? Or whom did he ever deſpiſe,38 that called upon him? For the Lord is full of Compaſſion, and Mercy, long ſuffering, and very pitiſul, and forgiveth ſins, and ſaveth in time of Affliction.
Wo be to fearful hearts, and faint hands, and the Sinner that goeth two ways. Wo to him that is faint-hearted, for he believeth not, therefore ſhall he not be deſeded. Wo unto you that have loſt patience, and what will ye do when the Lord ſhall viſit you? They that fear the Lord, will not diſobey his Word, and they that love him will keep his ways. They that fear the Lord will ſeek that which is well-pleaſing unto him, and they that love him ſhall be filled with the Law. They that fear the Lord, will prepare their hearts, and humble their Souls in his Sight, ſaying we will fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of Men; for as his Majeſty is, ſo is his Mercy.
Bleſſed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of Mercies, and the God of Comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we our ſelves are comforted of God: For as the Sufferings of Chriſt abound in us, ſo our Conſolation alſo aboundeth by Chriſt; and whither we be afflicted, it is for our Conſolation and Salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the ſame Sufferings; or whither we be comforted, it is for the ſame Conſolation and Salvation. And our Hope is ſtedfaſt, knowing that as we are partakers of the Sufferings, ſo ſhall we be alſo of the Conſolation: For we were preſſed out of meaſure above ſtrength, ſo that we deſpaired even of Life. But we had the ſentence of Death in our ſelves, that we ſhould not truſt in our ſelves, but in God which raiſed the Dead, who delivered us from ſo great a death, and doth deliver, in whom we truſt, that he will yet deliver us. You alſo helping together by Prayer for us, that for the Gift beſtowed upon us, by the means of many perſons thanks may be given by many39 on our behalf. For our reioycing is this, the Teſtimony of our Conſcience, that in ſimplicity and Godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſdom, but by the grace of God we have had our converſation in the world, and more abundantly to youward. We have acceſs by faith into this grace wherein to we ſtand, and rejoyce in the Hope of the Glory of God. And not only ſo, but we glory in Tribulations alſo, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience, experience, and experience, hope, and hope maketh not aſhamed; becauſe the Love of God is ſhed abroad in our Hearts, by the Holy Ghoſt which is given unto us. We count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations, knowing this, that the trying of our Faith worketh patience: But let patience have her perfect work, that we may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Thus when we have tried all, we ſhall find God is all in all.
When the Iniquities of our heels compaſs us round about, and take faſt hold upon us; we do but weary our ſelves in very vanity, and labour in the very Fire. In the mean while, when all our bones are out of joynt, and we lye upon the Rack of Extremity, the World ſtares upon us, and mocks us, and with the Fleſh and the Devil leaves us in the lurch, and therefore we have no reaſon to truſt them. Still we retain our Inteprity, till we dye; not curſe God, nor ſpeak unadviſedly with our Lips, nor charge God fooliſhly. Though he kill us, yet will we put our truſt in him. We are content to receive Evil at the hands of God, as well as Good.
When all Helps fail, God will never fail us nor forſake us. When my Father and my Mother, forſook me, the Lord took me up. Can a Woman forget her Child? Yes ſhe may, yet will not I forget thee. The Plague walketh40 in darkneſs, and the Peſtilence deſtroyeth at noon day, yet ſhall it not come nigh thee. The Lord ſhall cover thy Head in the day of Battel. This is marvellous in our eyes. The Lord giveth ſight to the Blind, and openeth the Priſon-Doors to them that are faſt bound in Miſery and Iron, even when the Iron enters into their Souls: He giveth Food to the Hungry: He plucketh our Foot out of the Snare, the Snare is broken, and we are delivered: He quencheth all the fiery Darts of the Devil, and bruiſeth Satan under every one of our Feet, and through Chriſt, we ſhall be more than Conquerors. God works Miracles when he pleaſes. He bringeth Souls out of Temptation, and together with the Temptation, giveth ſtrength to bear it, and opens a Door of Hope, that we may eſcape in due time. Our Extremity is an opportunity for him to ſhew Mercy. Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, nor ſuffer thy Holy Ones to ſee everlaſting Corruption. The patient abiding of the Meek ſhall not periſh for ever. We do not know what the Lord will do with us, nor what he will do for us; but this we know, that the Lord will lay no more upon us, than what he will enable us for to bear, and that his Grace ſhall be ſufficient for us, and that he remembers that we are but duſt, and therefore he will not always be chiding, leſt the Spirits of men fail before him, and the Souls dye and periſh, which he hath created; and in his Wrath he remembers Mercy; and all things ſhall work together in the end for Gods Glory, and for our good, and this light Affliction which is but for a moment, ſhall work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory. He is a Father to the Fatherleſs, and a Husband to the Widow; he careth for the ſtranger, and him that hath none to help him. Man liveth not by Bread alone, but by every word which proceedeth out of the Mouth of God, doth man live. No Sparrow ſhall fall to the ground without his Providence, and we cannot make one Hair black or white.
And now tell me, ſhould you truſt in God or Man? Why ſhould we fear always, O we of little Faith?
Methinks I ſee an Earned of Gods Favour. So many given us. The Chariots of Iſrael, and the Horſemen thereof, of whom the reſt of the World is not worthy. Theſe ſtand in the Gap, and our dead bones ſhall live.
'Tis time to Unite.
A man would have thought that the Presbyterians of all men, would long ere now have come in unto us, to the help of the Lord againſt the Mighty and Malicious Enemies, that preſs ſo ſore upon us, to change our Religion,Presbyterians. and bring in Superſtition and Idolatry, and a change of Government both of Church and State: A man would think in this Juncture of Time, they ſhould have ſought to ſave themſelves and us from common Deſtruction, now or never; yet ſtill they will not look upon us, but we will look upon God, and he will ſave us without them. Nor will we cry after them, Curſe ye Meroz, &c.
Why ſhould they ſtand ſo long upon a pitiful Surpliſs, or Croſs, or Ring, &c. What care we for theſe and ſuch things as theſe, no more than in Reverence to the Supream Power which hath commanded them; and when the ſame Power pleaſes, may countermand them for Order and Peace ſake, as they did before; and we hold it our Duty to ſtand ready to perform Obedience to all Decency and Order. Let them know that we are ready to part with them and with greater things than thoſe upon Command, if any thing would do and give them ſatisfaction, if we might be aſſured of a Reconciliation at the laſt. O when will it once be! Will they play the ſame Game over again? The Cheat is too much diſcovered, for to do it in the ſame Age, I hope not, God forbid.
They ſay they hate Popery, and ſo do we, and that with as perfect a hatred as they can poſſibly do, and perhaps much more. And yet they teach their poor ignorant People to ſay our Divine Service is Popiſh, and we are Popiſhly affected, and fly from our Devotion as from the Maſs or from the Alcoran; or the Plague its ſelf. The Papiſts hate our Common Prayer moſt of all, How then can it be Popiſh? Father forg•ve them for ſome know not what they ſay, or what they do, but others know very well what they ſay and do, but their Gain ſtands in the way, together with their Pride and Self-will, What elſe can it be? We wait for them, but we depend upon the Lord. We have been ruined once, by ſome body, I hope neither they nor the Papiſt ſhall do it any more. Amen.
Spiritual Preſence of God.The Spiritual Preſence of God is we hope amongſt us immediately more than that mediately in the Ark, or Pillar of Fire, or of a Cloud, or of an Angel, &c. The Ark removed with the Camp, a ſign of God's prevence. Our Ark is Chriſt, who hath promiſed to be preſent with us by his Spirit, unto the end of the World. Chriſt is in us, and We in him; there are more with us, then there are or can be againſt us. And if God be for us, Who can be againſt us?
Come then, let us wait upon God, in God's name; there is great reaſon for it. It is good to wait upon God; and he that believeth will ſtay the Lord's leiſure, and he that believeth will not make haſt, and he that believeth ſhall never be aſhamed, for the patient expedition of the meek ſhall not periſh for ever.
We do not preſcribe any thing unto God, nor teach him what her ſhould do, but we prefer our Petitions into the hands of God as a Blank, beſeeching him to write therein, Mercy and Salvation and Deliverance in his own time, and in his own manner, and as for us, we will lay our hands upon our mouths, and be doing good. Nevertheleſs not our wills nor the wills of Angels or men be done, but God's will be done, who does all things according to the Counſel of his own Will, and will make every thing to work together, for his own great Glory and for the good of all them that put their truſt in him, and we will hold our peace. For we are all in his hands as the Clay is in the hand of the Potter's, and he may do with us what he pleaſes; but he can, and will do us no wrong. And the patient expectation of the Meek ſhall not periſh for ever, and through the tender Compaſſions of our God, we even we, ſhall never miſcarry. For we know not otherwiſe what to do, O Lord, but our eyes look unto thee.
Expedients, Lenitives, Anodines, there are in Caſes of extremity, as,
1. Thinking: Fill the Mind with the beſt Thoughts,Thinking. Deſires, Choices, not Shadows but Subſtantial thing Peace with God, care of Souls, Eternity, Death Judgment, Heaven and Hell.
2. Relieving in things not ſeen made evident,Believing in things hoped for made preſent and ſubſtantial by Faith. Things ſeen are but Temporal, Grievous, Vexatious, Unprofitable. Things not ſeen are Eternal, Comfortable, Satisfactory, Gainful, forgetting thoſe things which are behind, and preſſing on to thoſe things which are before, ever raiſing the Soul above this World to the Word to come. The benefit of troubles is to forget Temporals what we can and to remember Eternals, and ſo uſe this World, as tho we uſed it not, looking out for a better ſtate an Inheritance celeſtial, undefiled, and not fading away, which were it not for thoſe troubles, we ſhould build Tabernacles here, and think it beſt to ſtay below. In the time of Adverſity conſider,
Joſeph's Brethren when involv'd all together, at one time, in one and the ſame Calamity, in one place for one and the ſame Guilt, recollected their memorie eaſily, and ſaid one to another, we are verily Guilty concerning our Brother, in that we ſaw the anguiſh of his Soul, when he beſought us, and we would not hear, and therefore is this diſtreſs come upon us; and again Reuben more cloſely put it to them. Speak I not unto you ſaying, Do not ſin againſt the Child, and ye would not hear? Therefore, Behold alſo his blood is required.
3. Innocency,Innocency. To be able to ſay, Whoſe Ox have I taken, or whoſe Aſs have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? I am innocent from the blood of all men. I have endeavoured to keep a good Conſcience in all things, void ot offence towards God, and towards Men. Look about us, look within us, for the ſin that ſticks ſo cloſe unto us, and the iniquity of our heels that compaſſeth us round about, for the plague of our own heart, for the Accurſed thing; ſee where the ſhoo wrings us, ſee the Conſcience be clear, that none of us ſuffer as an evil doer, and 'tis well enough.
4. Union of Spiritual forces in Faith and Prayer. Ʋnion.
Leave Controverſies, and contend for nothing but for the Faith. Let all enjoy their opinions in Doctrine ſo we can but meet in Devotion and publick Worſhip; we'l be content and never perſecute one another with the Tongue Fire or Faggot. Write no more Volums of Polemical Divinity. Beat all our Swords into Plow-ſhares, and our Spears into Pruning-hooks, and learn this kind of War no more; by dipping our Tongues or Pens in Gall, much leſs ſheathing our Swords into one anothers bowels. Uſe no Canina Eloquentia, no Eccleſiaſtical Wars, by my conſent. Reformers of all men ſhould beſt agree, Thieves and Robbers are peaceable among themſelves, and ſhall true men fall together by the ears? Speak every one his mind, a God's name, but uſe no railing accuſation, eſpecially againſt the Government. What other things, what better things can we do?
455. Patience,Patience. And let Patience have its perfect working in us.
We are now in the Fiery Furnace of Trial, and we ſhall come out in God's good time pure, if we hold out to the end. Nubecula, eſt citòtranſibit, Stay a while, deliverance will come, it will not tarry. God hath found out a way for Eternal Salvation, which Angels or Men could not immagine: and ſhall not God find out a way for Temporal Salvation, which Angels or Men cannot think of?
Suppoſe the worſt, that Temporal Salvation, came not to us it will come to our Poſterity, and Eternal Salvation to us both. All the Afflictions of this World, cannot be worthy of the Glory that ſhall be revealed hereafter. Firſt, A bitter Cup to be Drank of a bitter Baptiſm to be Baptized with, then comes the ſitting at the Right hand and Left hand of God in his H•avenly Kingdom; wherefore comfort one another with theſe things, as well as words.
Can you tell me of any better way? Try if you can? I ſhould be glad to know it. Is there any other God beſides our God? God knows none, How is it poſſible man ſhould? Is there any other Remedy? There is none. Here is the Fire and the Altar, and the Wood. all ready, in order to a Sacrifice, but where is the Lamb for a Burnt Offering? Tho we cannot, yet God can and will provide a Lamb, though we can find none.
Shall poor Souls, think you, be loſt becauſe of Troubles? No they ſhall be ſaved with them, and cannot be ſaved without them, this is our Portion, Sorte tuâ contentus abi. 〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Other Remedies are of no value. They do but encreaſe the pain, they do no good when all is done. Search and ſee it you can find any other way, there is none. This is the way walk in it, Chriſt himſelf hath trodden it, tho Thorny, 'tis ſafe. This is the Philoſophers Stone that turns all into Gold, this is in God's power to do, in our46 power to uſe. Other things of Providence are not in our power, let them go on, for they muſt go on, and none can ſtop them. They may be born, and they muſt be born, no other Remedy when all is done that can be done, only our eyes look up unto thee. Acquaint thy ſelf with God, and be at reſt; retire to God, and be ſecure, ſhelter thy ſelf under his wings. Other things tend to Diſpair, this to Hope. Study thus to be quiet. This is the way, walk in it. Hear a voice behind thee, within the round about thee, God is nearer then when we believed. We ſhall ſee by Faith what we cannot ſee by Senſe, we ſhall hear by Faith, what we cannot hear by Senſe, we ſhall feel by Faith, what we cannot feel by Senſe, and our hands ſhall handle of the word of life, only be valiant and of a good courage. The Lord will do his work, and we ſhall hold our peace. Who then is on God's ſide? Who? Who hath believed our Report, and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed? Shall the Son of Man find Faith on the Earth? Yes he will find it in the hearts of thoſe that are in Covenant with him. The Light is within us, keeps us from walking in Darkneſs. Stay me with Flagons, comfort me with Apples, for I am ſick of Love, raviſhed tranſported with Eternals, do not offer to break my heart with Terrors, for I am ready and reſolv'd, not only to be bound, but to dy for the bleſſed name of the Lord Jeſus. Make a party to wait on God, and to truſt to his mercies. This is a preſent help in time of trouble. The Cat in the Fable, had but one ſhift to ſave her life when the Doggs came about her, but 'twas a good one, to take a Tree; but the Fox had a hundred, but they were all ſtark naught.
Woful experience of all unprofitable means, is a means to eſtabliſh the heart to a comfortable experience of looking up to God. When we ſay, Who will ſhew us any good? And find by experience they cannot ſhew us any good, then we ſhall find by experience, that God will ſhew us all47 good, and that we had fainted, unleſs we had believed to ſee the goodneſs of God, and that we ſhall live, and not dye. I have lifted up mine Eyes to the Hills from whence only cometh my Salvation. You may try all things if you will, but they will do you no good: But if you hold faſt that which is good, that to be ſure will do you good. Come unto me all ye that travel and are heavy laden with the burden of your Sins, and ye ſhall find Reſt for your Souls. O every man that thirſteth, come ye to the Waters; and he that hath no Money, come ye, buy, and eat, yea, come, buy Wine and Milk, without Money, and without Price, wherefore do ye ſpend your Money for that which is not Bread? and your Labour for that which ſatisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your Soul delight it ſelf in Fatneſs. Incline your Ear and come unto me; hear, and your Soul ſhall live, and I will make an everlaſting Covenant with you, even the ſure Mercies of David. Wiſdom cryeth without, ſhe uttereth her voice in the Streets; How long ye ſimple ones will ye love ſimplicity? and the ſcorners delight in their ſcorning, and Fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my Reproof; behold I will poure out my Spirit unto you; I will make known my Ways unto you. If thou incline thine Ear unto Wiſdom, and apply thine Heart to Underſtanding; yea, if thou crieſt after Knowledge, and lifteſt up thy voice for Underſtanding: If thou ſeekeſt her as Silver, and ſearcheſt for her as for hid Treaſures then ſhalt thou underſtand the Fear of the Lord, and find the Knowledge of God. Then ſhalt thou underſtand Righteouſneſs and Judgement, and Equity, yea, and every good Path. When Wiſdom entreth into thine Heart, and Knowledge is pleaſant unto thy Soul: Diſcretion ſhall preſerve thee, Underſtanding ſhall keep thee. To deliver thee from the way of the evil Man, from the Man that ſpeaketh froward things.
48Hide your Treaſures in Woods, Deſerts, Caves, Ponds, Wells, &c. Pack up Bundles and be bone, fly away as faſt as you can; Deſtruction hath ſwift Wings to overtake you. Riches profit not in the day of wrath; Thrones have been tumbled into the Duſt, and they that were brought up in Scarlet have embraced Dunghills. A good Conſcience is the trueſt Riches, will bring you to everlaſting Habitations, where ye may dwell in eaſe and ſafety. There is no reſt for the ſole of our Feet but in Gods Ark: Look upon one another ſtill, ye ſhall peradventure find help one to another in a worldly way, if ye are true one to another: But look up unto God, and he ſhall find help in an Heavenly way one to another. Is there a God or no? If no, deſpair and dye: If a God, believe and live.
Obj. Theſe are remove Comforts; but my Houſe is on fire, I am undone.
Sol. Undone in outward appearance to the Eye of the World, but ſafe in inward appearance to the eye of God, for the World to Come.
I have ſaid all I can, I have no better. If you like this Counſel, take it; if not, let it alone; but let me not caſt Pearls before Swine.
I offer Peace, if you take it, well; if not, it returns to me again. Liberavi animam meam; I call Heaven and Earth to witneſs againſt you: I have ſaved my own Soul, your blood be upon your own Heads. I have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; I have mourned unto you, and ye have not wept: Your deſtruction is from your ſelves, but in God is your help, if you will take it. Do what you will; I and my Houſe will ſerve the Lord. Go away with ſuch of your Comforts as you can yet, make the beſt of them you can, but behold I ſhew unto you a49 more excellent way. You ſhall periſh with all your Proviſions; but we that truſt in God, ſhall be as Mount Sion, which ſhall never be removed. We may fear as well as you in this Life, or we may ſuffer as well as you, or if ye be ſaved here, we can but ſuffer; but we have a better hope than you, your Gold and Silver ſhall cancker, and your Garments rot with the Moth.
We are Men as well as you; we have ſome wit in our Paſſions as well as you, ſome courage too as well as you; and are not idle neither to look out for help, as well as you, and are reſolved to try and lawful means, as well as you; but we will not truſt in them, as you do, we hope we truſt in better means than the World hath to truſt unto: We have Meat and Drink which you know not of; the carnal man underſtandeth not the things of God, neither can he, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. When ye have done all you can, without God, you muſt come to a Recantation at laſt. The Righteous man ſhall ſtand in great boldneſs,Recantation. before the face of ſuch as have afflicted him, and made no account of his Labours. When they ſee it, they ſhall be troubled with terrible fear, and ſhall be amazed at the ſtrangeneſs of his Salvation, ſo far beyond all that they looked for; and they repenting and groaning for anguiſh of Spirit, ſhall ſay within themſelves, This was he whom we had ſometimes in deriſion, and a Proverb of Reproach: We Fools counted his Life madneſs and his End to be without Honour. How is he numbred among the Children of God, and his Lot is among the Saints! Therefore have we erred from the way of Truth, and the Light of Righteouſneſs hath not ſhined unto us, and the Sun of Righteouſneſs roſe not upon us. We wearied our ſelves in the way of Wickedneſs and deſtruction, yea we have gone through Deſerts, where50 there lay no way; but as for the Way of the Lord, we have not known it. What hath Pride profited us? Or what good hath Riches with our vaunting brought us? All thoſe things are paſſed away like a Shadow, and as a Poſt that haſted by; and as a Ship that paſſeth over the Waves of the Water, which when it is gone by, the trace thereof cannot be found, neither the Path-way of the Keel in the Waves; or as when a Bird hath flown through the Air, there is no token of her way to be found; or like as when an Arrow is ſhot at a Mark, it parteth the Air, which immediately cometh together again, ſo that a man cannot know where it went through. Even ſo we in like manner, as ſoon as we were born began to draw to our End, and had no ſign of Virtue to ſhew, but were conſumed in our Wickedneſs. For the hope of the ungodly is like Duſt which is blown away with the Wind, like a thin Froth, that is driven away with the Storm; like as the Smoak which is diſperſed here and there with a Tempeſt, and paſſeth away like the Remembrance of a Gueſt, that tarrieth but a Day. But the Righteous live for evermore, their Reward alſo is with the Lord, and the Care of them is with the Moſt High. Therefore ſhall they receive a Glorious Kingdom, and a Beautiful Crown from the Lords Hand, for with his Right hand ſhall he cover them, and with his Arm ſhall he protect them.
Obj. All theſe are vain Hopes, there is no certainty in them.
Sol. So the Heathens derided the Chriſtians, for relying on a Crucified God,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Staked Sophiſter. So did the Jews deride Chriſt himſelf, He ſaved others, he cannot ſave himſelf: If thou be the Chriſt come down from the Croſs, and we will believe. He truſted in God, let him deliver him if he will have him. So did the Devil, If thou be the Son of God, caſt thy ſelf down headlong: Command theſe Stones to be made Bread, &c. But for all this, Chriſtians glory in nothing ſo much as in51 the Croſs of Chriſt. This is Spes ſola Chriſtianorum: The only Hope of Chriſtians, even the Hope of the Reſurrection; that being crucified with Chriſt, we ſhall be glorified with him;Conformity with Chriſt. for it behoveth us to ſuffer and be made conformable with Chriſt, Crucifixa Membra, ſub Crucifixo Capite; Crucified Members correſpond with a Crucified Head. Delicate Membra non decent ſub Crucifixo Capite, But Delicate Members no way agree with a Head crowned with Thorns: Ridemur Debacchamur. We are counted Fools for Chriſts ſake; but being reviled, we bleſs, being perſecuted, we ſuffer it, being defamed, we intreat; we are made as the Filth of the World, and are as the off-ſcouring of all things, a Spectacle of Angels and Men. Our Faith and Patience in all the Perſecutions and Tribulations that we endure, are a manifeſt token of the Righteous Judgment of God, that we may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which we ſuffer; ſeeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you that are troubled, Reſt. When the Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels, in flaming Fire taking Vengeance of them that know not God, and obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; where ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power; when he ſhall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe on that Day. God will render to every man according to his Deeds, Tribulation and Anguiſh upon every Soul of Man that doth evil; of the Jew firſt, and alſo of the Gentile: But glory, honour, and peace to every man that doth good, of the Jew firſt, and alſo of the Gentile; for there is no reſpect of perſons with God. This is an Account of the Hope that is in us.
Obj. Theſe are but words, and words are but wind.
Sol. Such words as will prove deeds at laſt; whither you think ſo, or no, you will be convinced of them when you ſee them.
52Obj. Let us alone till that day, for we ſhall never ſee it.
Sol. What if you do live to ſee that day of deliverance? And what if you do not live to ſee it? It may be becauſe you have not deſerved to ſee it, becauſe you will not believe it.
Obj. Shew us the Father, and it ſufficeth us, to come to our help.
Sol. He that hath ſeen Chriſt, hath ſeen the Father.
Obj. All things turn about as from the beginning. We are born at all adventure, and we ſhall be hereafter, as if we had never been; our Body ſhall be turned into Aſhes, and our Spirit ſhall vaniſh as the ſoft Air. Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we dye. Our time is a very Shadow that paſſeth away; and after our End, there is no returning; for it is faſt ſealed, ſo that no man cometh again. Come on then, let us enjoy the good things that are preſent, for it is our portion and our Lot, &c.
Sol. Be not deceived, God is not mocked; Evil Communications corrupt good Manners. Awake to Righteouſneſs and ſin not, for ſome have not the Knowledge of God; I ſpeak this to your ſhame. Such as perfect Atheiſts, let them alone. More Evidences and Demonſtrations of Gods Providences here, and his Rewards hereafter, cannot be given, than have been given: And therefore they that will not believe upon ſuch grounds and foundations as are laid in Reaſon and Religion from the Scriptures and Experiences of Faithful Men, will never believe.
As for us that do believe, if we be deceived, as we are not, God hath deceived us, as he hath not, nor cannot.
Therefore we hope we have taken the ſureſt and ſafeſt ſide for God, in the ways of Righteouſneſs. Becauſe if we be delivered, it is his Mercy; if we be not delivered, it is his Juſtice, yet ▪ we dye in a good Cauſe, and it is better to ſuffer for well doing, than for evil doing. We dye in a good Cauſe, we dare venture, our Faith is ſuch, For us53 to live is Chriſt, and to dye is gain, but whether we live or dye, we are the Lords.
The Jews have a great Faith in their Meſſiah to come, and they dye in it.
The Turks have a great Faith for their Mahomets coming, and they dye in it.
The Millenaries have a great Faith for Chriſts Temporal Kingdom, will the Saints alone for a Thouſand years, and they dye in it.
If theſe men have ſuch hope upon ſuch ſlender Grounds, ſhall not we much more, upon a ſurer word of Prophecy, that hath hitherto come to paſs, and hath been fulfilled in every tittle? This is our Comfort, we will not let go our hold, though Satan hath ſifted us, as the Wheat is ſifted; yet Chriſt hath prayed for us, that our Faith ſhall not fail, nor the Gates of Hell prevail againſt it; and we will live and dye in this Faith, by the Grace of God.
Obj. The Prophet is a Fool, and the Spiritual man is Mad, much Confidence as well as Learning hath made him Mad. What will this Babler ſay? He ſeemeth to be a ſetter-forth of ſtrange things, and he ſpeaketh of a Reſurrection.
Sol. We preach Chriſt Crucified, to the Jews a ſtumbling Block, and to the Greeks Fooliſhneſs; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Chriſt, the Power of God, and the Wiſdom of God: Becauſe the Fooliſhneſs of God is wiſer than Men, and the weakneſs of God, is ſtronger than Men; God hath choſen the Fooliſh things of the World, to confound the things which are mighty, and baſe things of the World, and things which are deſpiſed, God hath choſen; yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things which are; that no fleſh ſhould glory in his Preſence. I am not aſhamed of the Goſpel of Chriſt, for it is the Power of God unto Salvation, to every one that believeth, to the Jew firſt, and alſo to the Greek.
54Ob. Every Tub ſhall ſtand upon its own bottom.
Sol. Provided it have a good Foundation, not elſe.
Ob. I muſt anſwer for my ſelf, take you no care.
Sol. Keep there, but reject not a charitable care, and ſee that your Cauſe be good.
I thank God I have ſuch thoughts as theſe. David had them in his low condition,Apology. when he was as the man that had been long dead, lying in the Grave, and out of the mind of others, but full of hope in his own mind. God's Rod and his Staff comforted him, and ſo it does me, and being thus filled with God's promiſes, I find no room for the vain and empty things of this World. And as David's hopes came to paſs at laſt, ſo ſhall mine, and the hopes of all that fear God. I have ſtudied all I can to find Comfort in Sorrows but I can find none, but in God and a good Conſcience, all the reſt is vanity of vanities, and vexation of Spirit. The Sum of all is fear God, and keep his Commandments, for that is the whole Duty of Man, and that will bring a man peace at the laſt.
What did all our Wit and Wealth and Power do us good in Twenty years War? We ruined our ſelves at the laſt. They that fought ſo long, could never obtain their ends, all ended in deſtruction, but God bringeth all things to paſs at the laſt. When ſhall we be ſetled, and how? Never till we embrace and hold faſt the true Religion. Chriſtians were perſecuted, but they conquered ſtill by ſuffering. Jews truſted to Egypt for Chariots and for Horſes, but all was a broken Reed. Leave thy Fatherleſs Children to me, I will preſerve them alive, and let thy Widdows truſt in me. We ſhall have the better of it at the laſt. When you ſee it you will believe it, but we believe it, before we ſee it. Ye have not ſo much Faith, it ſeems, as we have, according to our Faith, ſo ſhall it be55 unto us. Lord we believe help thou our unbelief. Lord increaſe our Faith.
What is contended for among us? A Temporal Kingdom, The Good Old Cauſe, who ſhall be greateſt, who ſhall be uppermoſt? This will not do, but whoſoever will be leaſt among us, he ſhall be greateſt, he ſhall be uppermoſt, this will do. I like the Praying People, as they call themſelves, for their Prayer, I ſhould like them better if they would leave their fighting, I dare not truſt them in their long Prayers to devour Kings Houſes, and Prieſts Houſes, and Widdows Houſes, and Fatherleſs Houſes, and Strangers Houſes. Let them lay down the Arms of Fleſh, and take up the Arms of the Spirit, and we will pray with them, and if occaſion be, fight with them