CHAP. I. An Introductory Diſcourſe.
SECT. I.The Faithful's Croſſes are their way to Bleſſings.
WHen old Simeon, at the preſentation of the Child Jeſus, by his Parents, to the Lord, in the Temple, had done bleſſing God, for that he had (according to the Revelation formerly received) now before his death ſeen with his eyes the Lords Chriſt; the Evangeliſt telleth us he bleſſed the Parents of the Child alſo; and ſaid unto Mary his Mother, Behold, this Child is ſet for the fall and riſing again of many in Iſrael;Luk. 2.34, 35. and for a ſign which ſhall be ſpoken againſt: yea, a ſword ſhall pierce through thy own Soul alſo, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. We muſt2 take theſe words of his to Mary, either to be adjoyned to the bleſſing he had pronounced upon them, or to be the very form of bleſſing wherewith he bleſſed them. If the former, they give us to underſtand what a Commixture, or connexion of Croſſes, there is with the greateſt Bleſſings the ſervants of God can receive in this life: They were happy Parents to have ſuch a Child, and yet that Child muſt in ſome reſpects be a Benoni, a ſon of extream ſorrow to them, or one of them, by the very unhappy uſe and uſage he ſhould meet with in the world. If the latter (which is to me more probable) it may ſeem at firſt ſight to be a ſtrange kind of Bleſſing, which conſiſts for the moſt part of exceeding ſad events to befall both Son, and Mother, yea and many others. Behold, this Child is ſet for the fall — of many in Iſrael; and for a Sign that ſhall be ſpoken againſt: yea, a ſword ſhall pierce through thy own Soul alſo. So that Mary might as much muſe at this Bleſſing, as ſhe did at the Angels Salutation, of which it is ſaid, She was troubled at his ſaying, and caſt in her mind what manner of Salutation this ſhould be. Luk 1 29.Be it ſo, yet the Holy Ghoſt calls it a Bleſſing, and a Bleſſing it muſt be. Yea we may obſerve (and for that end here I bring it in) It is not only their Bleſſing, but a Pattern or Platform of the Bleſſing of all the Faithful, wherewith the Lord endoweth them here on Earth. Simeon's3 form of Benediction upon Joſeph and Mary, is a draught of the Lords conſtant method of beſtowing, and bringing about Bleſſings to his people. Look how Simeon ſpeaketh to them, ſo the Lord proceedeth towards his; namely, by contradictions, and conflicts; by offences, and ſcandals; and by heart piercing ſorrows to bring them to happy enjoyments, comforts, and mercies. And that which is here deſigned to be the lot of Christs Perſon, is alſo to be extended to his Office, Word, Truth, Way, Cauſe, and Church; they are with him, and he in them ſet as a ſtone of ſtumbling, and Rock of offence, whereat many ſhall fall, and thereby catch their ruine; and as a But or Mark (as the word is interpreted) at which proud and malicious men ſhall dart their ſharpeſt reproaches, and into which they and their Rulers ſhall thruſt their bloodieſt ſwords: and theſe their injuries and ſufferings ſhall wound with bittereſt griefs all their Alies, that is, all thoſe that in affection and profeſſion adhere unto them. As Joſeph the Patriarch came by his Bleſſing, The Archers ſorely grieved him, and ſhot at him, and hated him, but his Bow abode in ſtrēgth, &c. by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, &c. who ſhal bleſs thee with bleſſings of Heaven above, bleſſings of the deep that lieth under, bleſſings of the breſts, and of the womb, &c. they ſhall be on the head of Joſeph, and on the crown of the head4 of him that was ſeparate from his Brethren: By the ſame way doth Joſeph's Son here become a Bleſſing to thoſe that belong to him: But of this courſe of the Saints to the Conſolations in Chriſt; That their paſſage to the Land of Promiſe muſt be (with Iſrael) through the Red Sea, and the waſte howling Wilderneſs; That they muſt fetch their honey (with Samſon) out of the Roaring Lion; That the ſword that brought Christ to his death muſt pierce through Mary's heart, and all theirs that travel in birth with Chriſt, if ſh•and they, will obtain the Bleſſing by him: Or, that (as the Prophet Zechariah hath it) that Sword which is awakned againſt Chriſt the Shepherd,Zech. 13.7 8, 9. muſt diſperſe them that are the flock, and be turned alſo upon them, until it hath cut off two parts of three; and the remaining third part muſt paſs through the fire, and be refined as Silver, and tryed as Gold, and then they ſhall call upon the Name of the Lord, and be heard. This I ſay is to be further treated on in the enſuing Diſcourſe.
SECT. II.The Perſecutions that befall the Faithful make many and notable Heart-diſcoveries.
BUt, there is another thing which I aimed at in prefacing this of Simeon; and that5 is the effect which he foretells, the falling of many at Chriſt as a ſtumbling block, the bent of mens tongues againſt him, as the ſcope of their malice, and the ſwords piercing through the Soul of Mary, ſhould have, to wit, that the thoughts of many hearts may be Revealed. Afflictions, eſpecially thoſe of the Saints, and more eſpecially thoſe that come upon them by the perſecuting Sword, they cauſe great ſearchings of heart. This Sword, as it worketh impreſſions of fear, and grief in the heart, ſo it cauſeth expreſſions of Truth from it. It is a Key to unlock, open, and bring forth the abundance of the heart, which before was kept in. It gives vent to, and draws forth thoſe deep waters of the counſels of mans heart: It anatomizeth, or rips up all the otherwiſe concealed intents, drifts, and diſpoſitions thereof. What great heart-diſcoveries doth it make on all hands? It lays open both friend, and foe; it unfolds the heart both of Patients, and Agents; yea, and of the Dependents and Allies of them both; yea, and of meer Spectators. We need go no further for Inſtance then thoſe Sufferings of Chriſt related to in this place, eſpecially when they came to a head, at his Paſſion and Death; Then did thoſe his Enemies, the high Prieſts, the Elders, the Scribes and Pariſees, Herod, and Pilate with his Soldiers (who before durſt not do what they would, and were ſometimes fain to ſpeak him fair) ſhew themſelves6 in their colours. What inveterate Malice, deſperate Blood-thirſtineſs, ſelf-condemning Injuſtice, deviliſh worldly-policy, immune Cruelty, inſolent Blaſphemy, did then ſwell, and burſt forth of their hearts? Then alſo did the rottenneſs of his falſe and feigned Friends appear: Of Judas, by ſelling and betraying him, his Maſter: Of the common people, who erewhile had followed and admired him, and but a few days before had entertained him with triumphant Acclamations and Hoſanna's as their King; they now diſplay their hypocriſie, by their preferring Barrabas before him; by their crying out againſt him, Away with him, crucifie him; and by their wilful taking upon them the guilt of his Blood. Nay then did the paſſers by, and by-ſtanders, take occaſion to ſhew their ſpleen, by railing and ſcoffing at him. Yea, one of his very fellow-ſufferers muſt, with his life, breathe out his impotent rancor, by reviling him. Then did alſo his faithful Friends and Followers diſcloſe what was in them, and that both ways; both the evil, and the good: On the one ſide, they generally diſcovered their weakneſs of Underſtanding, and ſlowneſs of Faith, about the Neceſſity, End, and Fruit of Chriſts Death, and Certainty of his Reſurrection, with extream deſpondency of mind, and ſome of the chiefeſt of them bewrayed, moreover, ſtrange inconſtancy, fear, and falſhood. On the other7 ſide, there brake forth ſomewhat of the truth and power of grace in them, to wit, in Mary, and the other women that followed Chriſt, in the Apoſtles, in Joſeph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus, and in the good Thief upon the Croſs; in them were manifeſted honeſt reſolutions, and much tenderneſs of affection, with ſome degree of faithfulneſs, piety, and courage. Laſtly, in our bleſſed Saviour himſelf there was a diſcovery made. In the midſt of all thoſe his inexplicable endurings and agonies, his heart (being with them melted like wax in the midſt of his bowels) did ſend forth the moſt precious oyntments,Pſa. 22 14. and ſweet ſmelling ſavours of the graces treaſured in him above meaſure; and among other, admirable and ſurpaſſing Love, Meekneſs, Patience, Fortitude, Charity, Obedience, and Faith oriently ſhined forth in him: So fully did this diſſecting effect of the Sword in all ſorts of perſons then appear.
And there hath been of late no ſmall verification of the ſame in and amongſt our ſelves. That which was once complained of as the caſe of Judah,Jer. 4.10. hath been made good upon us, to wit, the Swords reaching unto the Soul. It hath reached unto, yea and pierced through the Soul of theſe three Nations, in regard of their publique Intereſts; beſides ▪ that it hath run through the Soul of many, and many a particular perſon in them, in reſpect8 of life, or of other things dearer to them then their own lives: and this Soul-piercer hath been a ſhrewd Heart-diſcloſer. As when that holy King and Prophet David was driven out of his Kingdom by the rebellious ſword of his own ſon and Subjects, the hearts of men did diverſly diſcover themſelves towards him: One ſhewed himſelf a traytorous Ahitophel, another a raillng Shimei, another a ſelf-advantaging Ziba, another a ſeditious Sheba; others (as the two hundered which went with Abſalom out of Jeruſalem in their ſimplicity) are ſeduced from their Loyalty: others ſtand faſt, and approve their fidelity (though ſome of them are miſ-repreſented to David) as Zadock and Abiathar, Ittai and Mephiboſheth. So hath it come to paſs amongſt us: Our eyes do now behold all theſe parts acted, as the ſeveral iſſues of mens hearts, drawn forth by this diſſecting Sword. O what Ambition, Deceitfulneſs, Malice, Covetouſneſs, Diſsimulation, Cruelty, Carnal-policy, Mutability, Hypocriſie in Religion, Perfidy, and Perjury in Covenants and Oaths? What Ignorance in the ways of God, Inſenſibleneſs of one anothers Miſeries, Cenſoriouſneſs, Contentiouſneſs, hatred of Reformation, wearineſs in well-doing, Impatience, Infidelity, have the ſeveral boſoms of men (opened by this Sword) poured out in the face and theater of the world during the progreſs of theſe9 Wars and Commotions? Theſe times abound not (ſcarce) with any thing ſo much as with ſtrange extractions and productions out of the mynes of mens hearts, by the efficacy and influence, not of the Stars, but of theſe ſublunary Revolutions: Whileſt an height of earthly proſperity and advancement hath ſo diſſolved ſome, and a load of hardſhips and fruſtrations hath ſo depreſſed and ſqueezed others, that they have expreſſed, become, and acted what neither themſelves would, nor others durſt imagine of them. 'Tis commonly obſerved (ſaith one) that though ſmooth and peaceable times are beſt for the Liver,Jo. Wilkins Beauty of Providence, pag. 62. yet times that are full of Changes and Viciſſitude are beſt for the Writer: for the Hiſtorian then hath greater ſtore of ſtrange paſſages to commit to memory.
SECT. III.The Faithful's Perſecutions cauſe Heart-diſcoveries in themſelves.
IT is beſides my preſent purpoſe to undertake the decyphering, or cure of all, or many of thoſe unhappy heart-maladies even now named; the moſt of them are too dangerous Ulcers for me to deal with: ſuch a Spittle-ful of running, raging ſores, require the view and applications of a whole Colledg of the ableſt Phyſicians. It is enough if I admove my hand10 to the moſt gentle and curable amongſt them. There are ſome of them are the taintures and griefs of the godlieſt, uprighteſt men: ſuch as in the aforementioned tryals, the faithfuleſt Diſciples of Chriſt, the faſteſt friends of David, yea and David himſelf was ſubject to thoſe, both deſerve more pity, and promiſe more hope of recovery: Such are, wearineſs in the ways of God; failing, and frowardneſs of heart under the ſmart of worldly troubles and diſappointments; diſtruſtful thoughts, doubts and reaſonings about the Promiſes, and Providences of God, and the like. My deſign is to apply my ſelf (did I know how) unto ſome of the ſervants of God, laboring under, or in danger to be overtaken by theſe evils; To ſpeak (as the Prophet bids) to them that are of a fearful (or haſty) heart,Iſai. 34.4 to be ſtrong, and not to fear. It being promiſed by the ſame Prophet, both, that the heart of the raſh (or haſty) ſhall underſtand knowledg,Iſai. 32.4. & 29.24. and the tongue of the ſtammerers ſhall be ready to ſpeak plainly (or elegantly;) and, that they that erred in ſpirit ſhall come to Ʋnderſtanding, and they that murmured ſhall learn Doctrine.
It is no new thing, that the hearts of men truly gracious and holy, under diſaſtrous events, do manifeſt ſome perverſity, or diſtemper; It hath ſcarce ever been otherwiſe with any ſuch in that condition. Adverſe Providences are a ſtone, at which, as carnal and prophane11 perſons do ſtumble, and fall, and are broken, and ſnared, and taken; ſo do the faithful ſtagger;Iſai. 8.15. Pſal. 73.2. Jer. 25.15.27. & 8.18 Lam. 1.20, 22. in ſo much that their feet are almoſt gone, their ſteps are well nigh ſlipt. The Judgments of God are a Cup of which all muſt drink; and the potion thereof, as it makes the wicked drunk, ſo that they ſpue, and fall, and riſe again no more; ſo it bringeth upon the ſoundeſt of the ſervants of God qualms, and ſick fits, and is very painfully digeſted by them. It is in a ſanctified Soul as in a Bee-hive; If you ſtir, or thruſt any thing into the hive, preſently all the Bees come forth; the honey ſtays within, but the ſtinging Bees ſwarm out: So, if ſuch a Soul be pierced with that perſecuting-ſword that entered into Mary's Soul, the corruption in it makes iſſue, and comes forth, whileſt the graces and vertues lie hidden, and couched down within. As in Nature, when the heart is violently affected, either through any ſudden paſsion of the mind, or noxious humor in the body, the blood and vital ſpirits retire inward, and betake themſelves to the heart; the outward parts are poſſeſſed with weakneſs, paleneſs, trembling, and diſtortion: So you may obſerve in the ſpiritual Conſtitution; Let vehement troubles aſſail a gracious perſon, and you may find, not ſeldom, and eſpecially in the firſt onſet, that in ſuch a one infirmities and corruptions are forward to break out; and the good that's in him to12 be ſlow of vent, or benummed, and ſhut up in the Center. The Examples of the Servants of God in Scripture thus carrying under Afflictions, the obſcurement and overcaſting of their graces and good principles, and the irruption of their frailties, are more and larger then I can allow my ſelf to lay forth. How much in this kind is recorded in the Old Teſtament, of thoſe great names, and renowned Saints, Job, David, Heman, Ethan, Jeremiah, Jonah, and Habakkuk, may eaſily be remembered: The bitter Complaints, the overwhelming Horrors, the deep Aſtoniſhments, the high Expoſtulations, the perverſe Judgments and Concluſions, the Infidelity, Wrath, Impatience, and Deſpondency, which they have bewrayed, are too ample a Subject for me here to expatiate on. Some perhaps will preſume, thoſe imperfections and over-cloudings were peculiar to that time of the Churches Minority, before the Goſpel times; but, now ſhe is come to more maturity under the Goſpel, the Saints are overgrown thoſe diſtempers: But this can in no wiſe be admitted. I alledged before the weakneſſes of this nature appearing even in the Apoſtles, and other Diſciples of Chriſt, in the hour of his falling into his Crucifiers hands: and I ſhall only add thereto the example and acknowledgment of that great Apoſtle of the Gentiles,Act. 20.19 St Paul; His many tears and temptations which befell him by the lying in13 wait of the Jews;Gal. 4.13, 14. 1 Cor. 2.3. 2 Cor. 1.8. & 4.8, 9. & 7.5. & 11.29. & 12.7. Phil. 1.30. the infirmity and temptation which was in his fleſh; his weakneſs, fear, and much trembling; the troubles which preſſed him out of meaſure, above ſtrength, in ſo much that he despaired even of life; How he was troubled on every ſide, perplexed, perſecuted, caſt down; that, without were fightings, within were fears; How he was as weak (in his own ſenſe and repute) as the weakeſt; as ready to be offended, yea to burn (with indignation or fretfulneſs) as any other; that he was galled with a thorn in the fleſh, the meſſenger of Satan ſent to buffet him**Beza in loc., (that is, with the contumelies and violences wherewith his and the Goſpels Enemies did by Satans inſtinct impetuouſly moleſt him, both in body and mind,) and that he had a certain conflict or agony within himſelf. Theſe diſtempers and perturbations of mind he confeſſeth, as the effects of thoſe perſecutions which in the courſe of his Miniſtry, in Aſia, Greece, Rome, and other places, he ſuſtained: And, they abundantly teſtifie, that the beſt of the Saints of God here do (as the Apoſtle in this regard ſaith of himſelf and his partakers in the Miniſtry) bear the treaſure of grace in earthen veſſels; that is, that they are frail,2 Cor. 4.7. and apt to expreſs ſome mud and ſoyl of humane infirmities, when they are preſſed and chafed with hard endurings.
SECT. IV.Some Reaſons wherefore the Perſecutions of the Faithful produce in them Heart-diſcoveries.
THat ſo it is, is evident enough: it may be more appoſite to find out whence it is; or to take notice of ſome ſpecial Cauſes or Occaſions (more then the activeneſs of Corruption, the imperfection of Sanctification, and the ſtimulating nature of Perſecutions, which are of themſelves obvious) by which this cometh to paſs: And this done, I ſhall proceed to the treaty of the Subject intended. Amongſt other things theſe following may be conſiderable, as the ground or riſe of the premiſed Effect in ſuch perſons.
1. The darkneſs and intricacy of thoſe ways of God, wherein he bringeth any great Calamities upon his Church and People; thoſe his Works are more then ordinarily obſcure and difficult to mens diſcerning, and that not only to vulgar or prophane minds, (they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither underſtand they his Counſel;Mich. 4.12 Jer. 8.7. Hab. 1.5. they know not the Judgment of the Lord; they will not beleeve it, though it be told them,) but to them that are godly, and endued with wiſdom from above, even to them theſe doings and dealings of God are very intricate. Zophar15 in Job ſaith,Job 11.6. There are in them ſecrets of wiſdom, and that they are double to what is, or to what appears, and is extent to be ſeen: There is much more in them within, then in their ſuperficies. And Job himſelf deſcribeth God in thoſe his proceedings thus: Which doth great things past finding out, yea and Wonders without number. Lo, he goeth by, and I ſee him not: he paſſeth on alſo, but I perceive him not. And again, he ſaith in the ſame Chapter, He covereth the faces of the Judges thereof;Job 9.10, 11, 22, 23, 24. that is (as I underſtand) thoſe that are willing and inquiſitive to know and judg of the acts of divine Providence, wherein ſometimes he alike deſtroyeth the perfect and the wicked, the good and bad: Sometimes he laugheth at the tryal of the innocent (or is pleaſed to try them with afflictions,) and the Earth (mean while) is given into the hand of the wicked, (or wicked men have allowed them by him an abundant portion of earthly things.) Thoſe (I ſay) that would be acquainted with theſe his diſpoſings, he covereth their faces, or ſo caſteth a vail over their ſight, and interpoſeth a cloud betwixt their eyes and his acts, that they are not able to dive into and clearly diſcover them. So it was with the Pſalmiſt: When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me: Thy way is in the Sea, and thy path in the great waters,Pſa. 73.16 & 77.19. and thy footſteps are not known. The ways of God in the16 Sea are deep and inveſtigable; Seafayring men there ſee his Wonders, Pſal. 107.23, 24. Such are the paths of God in his ſharp Correctings of his people by wicked men, as his Rods: Or, as the way of a Ship in the Sea is unperceiveable; this is one of the four things which Solomon the wiſeſt of men found too wonderful for him:Prov. 30.19, 20. ſo is the way of God towards his when he bringeth them into the rough and tempeſtuous Ocean of worldly tribulations. The ſame Wiſe-man having obſerved that there be juſt men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous;Eccleſ. 8.14, 17. reſolveth thus: Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the Sun; becauſe though a man labour to ſeek it out, yet ſhall he not find it; yea further, though a wiſe man think to know it, yet ſhall he not be able to find it. In that glorious Viſion repreſented to the Prophet Ezekiel by the River of Chebar,Ezek. 1.16 one thing was a wheel, the appearance or work of which was as a wheel in the middle of a wheel. This wheel (ſay Expoſitors**Ezek. 10 13. Hae autem rota ipſae vocatae ſunt orbis; videlicet, ut orbem noſtrum in quo verſamur figura rent. Jun. ) denoteth the ſtate of this world, with all things in it; particularly, the Kingdoms of the Earth, and the Church of God here Militant; the outward ſtate whereof is always ſubject to motion and mutation, to be up and down life a wheel: and the17 artifice of it being a wheel within a wheel, is the portraiture of divine Providence about the affairs of the world, and eſpecially of the Church, and more eſpecially of the Church in the furnace of hot Perſecutions, (as at the time of this Viſion ſhewed to Ezekiel ſhe was,) and it pointeth out to us the myſteriouſneſs of the courſe of Gods Providence towards his Church in that eſtate: The quickeſt, moſt ſearching eyes cannot therein diſcry the tract and purpoſes of divine Diſpenſations; there are in them ſo many croſs turnings, ſo many cloſe involations and intricacies: The effects produced, to wit, the evils ſuffered, are obvious to ſenſe, and quickly enough apprehended, and the ſecondary means by which they come do oft-times appear; but the obſcurity of them is, as they come from God: What are his reaſons for which, what his ends to which, what his mind and affection with which, he doth them? Theſe are the enquiries which are always, and preſently raiſed, by the Patients upon them; and they are no leſs commonly raiſed, then difficulty determined or cleared. O Lord (ſaith Joſhua) what ſhall I ſay when Iſrael turneth their backs before their Enemies? Joſh. 7.8.That diſaſter quite amazed Heroick Joſhua; he was at his wits end; he was ſo puzzled at it, that he knew not what to think, what to ſay of it. Nay, ſometimes the perplexed Soul goes further in its queſtions; and demands concerning God, Where18 is he? doth he ſee, or regard? is he mindful of his promiſe? where are his former loving-kindneſſes? and the like. Such clouds are ſpread upon the face of Gods ways in this particular; and ſuch vapors do ariſe out of mens muſing minds to increaſe the obſcurity, that here, he that feareth the Lord walketh in darkneſs,Iſai. 50.10 & 59.10. and gropeth for the wall like the blind, he gropeth as if he had no eyes. And hence doth the Faithfuls diſtemper of heart take its riſe; this darkneſs worketh upon their corruption, or rather their corruption upon it: Unto the weight of that evil that lies upon the outward man, the heart creates it ſelf, and ſuper-addeth a burden of doubtful, ſolicitous, and vexing thoughts, about the Lords doing in it; and thus that condition is turned into a temptation, or occaſion for ſinful infirmities to make head, and boil forth.
2. Another Cauſe may be the hard Conſtruction which is made of the adverſe events of the faithful; the heavy cenſures and perverſe judgments that are paſſed upon them. The Prophet David, that had much experience, both of this demeanor of men towards him, and of the working of it upon him, (by cauſing a heart-riſing or ſtirring of corruption within him,) he beginneth one of his Pſalms (penned on ſuch an occaſion) with theſe words: Bleſſed is he that conſidereth the poor;Pſal. 41. or, as ſome render the place, Bleſſed is he that is underſtanding upon (or towards)19 him that is low; or,Ar. Mout. Muſcul. Foord in loc. Bleſſed is he that carrieth himſelf wiſely towards the afflicted. To carry wiſely, or prudently to look upon him that is caſt down, or brought low, is ſeriouſly to mind, and ponder the Lords meaning in that his hand upon him; and, out of a quick ſenſe of his, and our own community of condition, both in regard of deſert of, and ſubjectneſs to ſuch calamities, to forbear all harſh judgings of him; and, in ſtead thereof, to miniſter wholeſom advice, and ſeaſonable comforts to him: And the benediction, that he pronounceth upon ſuch deporters of themſelves, intimateth the ſingularity or rareneſs of this carriage. The more ordinary intreaty that perſons in that eſtate meet with from others, is, a load of raſh, uncharitable, and ſcornful cenſures: Men, preſently, condemn them as impious, conclude them to be grand offenders, and diſgorge upon them the blackeſt of their conceits; they think no brand foul enough for them. As David, being in this caſe, ſaith, They caſt iniquity upon me:Pſal. 55.3. as people are wont to caſt dirt, or any filthy ſtuff, at an infamous lewd perſon that is expoſed to publique ſhame. Or, as JobJob 30.10 in the like caſe, They ſpare not to ſpit in my face; as they were accuſtomed to do to an odious malefactor. The Prophet David, in the progreſs of the forementioned Pſalm, complaineth of this in thoſe that were his haters:Pſ. 55.7, 8 They whispered together againſt him, thus; An20 evil diſeaſe, ſay they, cleaveth faſt unto him; and now that he lieth,Verbum Belial. Ar. Mont. Res Belial. Foord. he ſhall riſe up no more. The Margin, with others, readeth the firſt words, A thing of Belial cleaveth fast unto him: A thing of Belial, that is, a horrible crime, a wicked fact, a deviliſh deed, ſuch as is ſo execrable as it is unfit to be named; he being now ſtruck with ſickneſs, with ſome dangerous diſeaſe in body, they ſurmiſed him to be tained with ſome horrid offence, for which he was now ſo ſmitten of God. Upright Job, being made a woful ſpectacle in moſt affl•cting loſſes, diſeaſes, and temptations, his three friends will needs deſpoil him of his integrity, and give ſentence againſt him to be that which Satan had traduced him before God to be, viz. a Hypocrite: His innocency was all he had left him;Iob. 4 6 7.22, 5 6. and he retained that ſtill, becauſe the Devil and his Inſtruments could not bereave him of it by all his afflictions: And now, becauſe he is in that condition, theſe his friends will make thoſe very afflictions which the Lord gave him over to, for the tryal and evidence of his Uprightneſs, to be an argument of his unſincerity and rottenneſs. Thus was our bleſſed Saviour himſelf dealt withall; when his Enemies had gotten him condemned, and faſtened to the Croſs, then they open their mouths upon him, they rail at him as an Impoſtor; they then conclude him to be a counterfeit in his Miracles,Mat. 27.40, 41. and in his claim to be the King21 of Iſrael, and the Son of God; and why? becauſe of his ſo ſuffering, becauſe he ſaved not himſelf, cam•not down from the Croſs, and becauſe God did not then deliver him; they had proſecuted him to death, though they could find no fault in him at all; and now they will needs have him guilty, becauſe he ſo dyed. See Clarks Martyrol. p 31, 34, 37. 41. 56.In like manner fared the primitive Chriſtians under the ten Perſecutions; their Perſecutors were not content to ſlaughter them with the inhuman•ſt and exqui••teſt torments they could invent; but (for ſome colour thereof) they accuſed them as the common Peſts; as the Procurers of all the Calamities that came upon the Empire by War, Famine, Peſtilence, and Earth-quakes; as addicted to the fouleſt vices that ever were found among men; and as ſeditious and rebellious againſt the Civil State. And after that, when Chriſtian Religion had been embraced,See the Argument prefixed to S. •ug. de civit. dei. and publiquely authorized by the Roman Empire, and the Goths and Vandals had brought the Empire low, and had taken and ſacked Rome; the Enemies of Chriſtianity accuſed it as the cauſe of thoſe miſchiefs; which occaſioned St Auguſtine to write that his work de Civitate Dei, as an Apology for Religion, and a Refutation of that Obloquy. I might go on to parallel this way of mens aggravating the ſufferings of the Church by ſlanders, and ſuch ſmitings and woundings with the tongue, in the Papiſts, like handling22 of the Waldenſes, and latter reformed Profeſſors; and in more modern recent ſufferings, by profeſſedly Antipapiſtical, but really Popiſh hands; but I forbear, upon the Evidence of the Fact.
Now this is no ſmall tryall of Chriſtians Equanimity: It can hardly be eſcaped, but that it will ſomewhat ſtir the ſtomack, and move the patience of the afflicted, when their adverſities are made their crime, and that which is one of their beſt ſupports under their ſufferings, their innocency, is taken away from them, as far as cenſure can do it. For the moſt part the Faithfuls troubles come upon them becauſe they dare not, know not how to run a courſe of wickedneſs with others: this then is a very hard caſe, that when men ſuffer becauſe they dare not ſin, they muſt be ſaid to ſin becauſe they ſuffer. This uſage of Job by his friends (of which even now) exceedingly battered his ſpirit, and drew from him high language, and ſomewhat diſtempered in his conteſtation with them: How long (ſaid he) will ye vex my Soul, and break me in pieces with words? Theſe ten times have ye reproached me, &c. Have pity upon me,Job 19.2, 3, 21, 22. O ye my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me. Why do ye perſecute me as God, and are not ſatisfied with my fleſh? q. d. The ſcourge of God being layd thus ſmartly upon me, it would become you to pity me, and not to arraign and23 condemn mine Integrity; and, if you will take pleaſure to rake in my wounds, my bodily ſufferings ſhould ſuffice, and glut your cruel delight; and you ſhould ſpare my Soul, and ſtate of Conſcience, which is peculiar to divine Cognizance.
I the rather take notice of this incentive of Corruption in the Saints under preſſing afflictions, becauſe, I am perſwaded, it was never ſo much practiſed, at leaſt never ſo ex profeſſo, or Magiſterially made uſe of as now it is. It is now become a current proof, yea one of the chiefeſt Topicks, or Common-places, from which men draw their arguments againſt the perſons and cauſe of their diſtreſſed oppoſites, and for their own juſtification. This argument hath been ſo artificially adorned, ſo imperiouſly conſigned, (and, which is more) ſo ſmiled upon, and applauded with ſubſequent events, and obſervations; that, although in true divinity it be but meerly fallacious, and even with rational men it hath been denyed admiſſion among probable reaſons, yet it now ſeems to paſs as demonſtrative: Yea, it is at preſent grown a wonderment, mixt with ſome indignation, that the continued diſappointments and miſcarriages on the one part, and the conſtant ſucceſſes following, if not out-going, the deſigns and expectations of the other, do not convince all men. It is beſides my buſineſs to diſcuſs this Argument; there hath been enough ſaid to24 it: And, if the Evidence of Scripture, and the experience and acknowledgment of all ſound Judgments, in all Ages, will not caſt off the ſcales of ſome mens minds againſt the preſent ſenſe of worldly advancement; a little time, with the turn of the tyde, may poſſibly do it. Coſmographers obſerve, That, though the common courſe of the Sea to be ebb and flow every twenty four hours, yet there is a place in Affrica towards the Equator from whence the Sea flows continually towards the Eaſt. This Sea is not the figure of a worldly condition. If Affrica can ſhew ſuch a wonder in Nature, no place can yield the like in Civil Affairs: There never was any where a continual afflux in temporal attainments: Theſe know a Weſt, as well as an Eaſt; an ebb, as well as an increaſe: And thoſe that fix their anchor, or bottom the equity or approveableneſs of their way upon this Argument, may ride at full Sea; but when it ebbs they ſhall be left on the ſand, and their own Argument ſhall ſerve to gravel them.
3. The nature of the ſufferings of the ſervants and Church of God: The Meaſure, Multitude, and Multiplicity of them. When the time of their calamity, and day of their viſitation is come; when the Lord cometh cut of his place to puniſh the inhabitants of the Earth for their iniquity, and in ſpecial hath a Controverſie with his people, and will25 plead with Iſrael; their miſeries fall heavy and thick upon them, and in various kinds.
1. For their Meaſure, or Heavineſs; They are reſembled to the pains of birth-travel: What wilt thou ſay, when he ſhall puniſh thee? Jer. 13.21. Lam. 1.15 Lam. 3.15Shall not ſorrows take thee as a woman in travel? And to the treading of the Vintage: The Lord hath troden the Virgin the daughter of Judah as in a wine-preſs. And to a ſad drunkenneſs: He hath filled me with bitterneſs, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. The Prophet Jeremiah further repreſenting and perſonating the Churches miſeries in the Lamentations ſets them forth as perfect, admirable, incomparable, and incredible. 1. Perfect, or compleat: The Lord hath accompliſhed his fury, he hath poured forth his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. 2. Admirable and aſtoniſhing: She came down wonderfully: How doth the City ſit ſolitary? how is ſhe become a widow? how is ſhe become tributary. 3. Incomparable and ſurpaſſing: Behold, and ſee if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger: What thing ſhall I take to witneſs for thee? What thing ſhall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jeruſalem? What ſhall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O Virgin daughter of Sion? For26 the puniſhment of the daughter of my people is greater then the puniſhment of the ſin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands ſtayed on her. 4. Incredible: The Kings of the Earth, and all the Inhabitants of the world would not have beleeved that the adverſary and enemy ſhould have entered into the gates of Jeruſalem.
2. And then, for their Number, or Multitude. In the Churches or Saints day of trouble, or hour of temptation, it pleaſeth God oftentimes to multiply their miſeries, to heap affliction upon affliction, to add grief to grief, and to bring one adverſity in the neck of another. The Scripture compareth their evils in ſuch a time to waves of the Sea, that purſue and overtake one another: So David; Deep calleth unto deep at the noiſe of thy water-ſpouts;Pſal. 42.7. all thy waves, and thy billows are gone over me. And to Armies that come in companies and thouſands upon a party: So Job ſaith of God; His troops come together, and raiſe up their way againſt me, and encamp round about my tabernacle. Job 19.12.And to a Leaguer that beſets a place on all hands: So the Church in the Lamentations;Lam. 3.5, 7. He hath builded againſt me, and compaſſed me about with gall and travel; he hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out. And to a feſtival Congregation; as the Church in the ſame Song;Cap. 2. 22. Thou haſt called me as in a ſolemn day my terrors round about. And to a chain27 made of many links; as the Church again;Chap. 3. 7. He hath made my chain heavy: And the Prophet Ezekiel; Make a chain, &c. miſchief ſhall come upon miſchief,Ezek. 7.23, 26. and rumor ſhall be upon rumor. And to the arrows of a quiver; as the Church; He hath bent his bow,Lam. 3.12 13. and ſet me as a mark for the arrow; he hath cauſed the arrows (or ſons) of his quiver to enter into my reins. Thus the croſſes of the ſervants of God come thronging in, and coupled together, and environing them about on every ſide. I will add but one expreſſion more to this purpoſe, and it is very full one, to wit, that of Job: I am full of confuſion,Job 10.15, 16, 17. therefore ſee thou mine affliction, for it increaſeth; thou hunteſt me as a fierce Lion; and again thou ſheweſt thy ſelf marvelous upon me: thou reneweſt thy witneſſes againſt me, and increaſeſt thine indignation upon me; Changes and War are againſt me.
3. There is then uſually a Multiplicity of ſufferings. The Lords hand goes out againſt them in afflictions, not only heavy for meaſure, and many for number, but manifold, or divers for kind. He maketh uſe of variety of ways in dealing thus with them: And that, either, 1. Succeſſively; ſo that when they have avoyded or recovered from an evil of one kind, they are met with by one of another kind: as in that of the Prophet; Fear, and the pit, and the ſnare are upon thee, O Inhabitant of the Earth: And it ſhall come28 to paſs, that he who fleeth from the noiſe of the fear ſhall fall into the pit, and he that cometh up out of the midſt of the pit ſhall be taken in the ſnare; for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the Earth do ſhake. And in that of the Lord to Eliah:1 King 19.17. And it ſhall come to paſs, that him that eſcapeth the ſword of Hazael ſhall Jehu ſlay; and him that eſcapeth from the ſword of Jehu ſhall Eliſha ſlay. So the people of Judah were parcelled out to ſeveral Judgments: A third part of thee ſhall dye with the Peſtilence, and with Famine ſhall they be conſumed in the midſt of thee; and a third part ſhall fall by the Sword round about thee;Ezek. 5.12 and I will ſcatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a ſword after them. Or, 2. At one and the ſame time: Sometime it ſo befalleth the ſervants of God, that at once afflictions come upon them from God, from Man, and from Satan; that they are troubled both in Body and Soul, both within and without at the ſame time.
1. Sometimes they have God immediatly, Man and Satan at once againſt them: ſo it was with Job, Satan ſtood up againſt him, and accuſed him to God, and upon licenſe obtained, ſmote him in all kinds (death excepted) and in this condition he was afflicted immediatly of God, he hiding his face from him, and ſhewing the tokens of his anger againſt him, ſo that he cryes out, The arrows29 of the Almighty are within me,Job 6.4: 7: 13, 14. the poyſon whereof drinketh up my ſpirits, the terrors of God do ſet themſelves in Array againſt me, and when I ſay my bed ſhal comfort me, my couch ſhal eaſe my complaint, then thou ſcareſt me with dreams, and terrifieſt me through viſions. And, being thus, men alſo become his tormentors, as he often complaineth, and particularly in one place he reckoneth up, how many ſorts of men did aggravate his trouble; His brethren, his acquaintance, his kinsfolk, his familiars,Job 19.13. to the 20. and inward friends, his menial ſervants, his own wife, and the young fry of little children. In another place he deſcribes at large what a rabble of abject miſcreants aſſailed him. **Job 30.1. to the 15.And this is often ſeen, when the Lord layes his hand upon any of his, then Men and Devils come in upon them; Men, that is, the vulgar ſort, and eſpecially the profeſſed enemies of God, and godlineſs, do then let ſlye at them, both with tongue and hand; with the ſcorn and deriſion of the one; and with the Rapine and violence of the other. Job hath an elegant expreſſion of this, Becauſe he (to wit God) hath looſed my cord, and afflicted me, they have alſo let looſe the bridle before me,Job 30.11. Beza & Diodat in Loc. compar. with Job 12.18. that is, as Beza, and Diodate pharaphraſe it, He hath looſed the bands of my power and authority over them; and therefore they run riot, and caſt off the reines of ſubjection and modeſty.
30In like manner, Satan, in what he may, is ready then to put in,2 Cor. 12.7. 1 Theſ. 3.5. as the Apoſtle Paul both found it in himſelf, in that thorn in the fleſh, his buffeting meſſenger; and feared it in the Theſſalonians, when in his own tribulations he could not forbear, but muſt needs ſend Timotheus, to know their faith, leſt by ſome means the tempter ſhould have tempted them.
2. Again ſometimes they are at the ſame time, troubled both within and without, both in ſoul and body. Pſal. 6.2.3 2 Cor. 7.5.O Lord heal me, ſaith David, for my bones are vexed, my ſoul alſo is ſore vexed. We (ſaith S. Paul) were troubled on every ſide, without were fightings, within were feares.
This then being the Dimenſion of the endurings of Gods ſervants; ſeeing they often prove to be ſo mighty, numerous, and various, it is not to be wondred at, if they be ſurpriſed with a kind of ſtupefaction, in regard of the exerciſe of their graces, and be ſomewhat diſtempered in reſpect of the acting of corruption. Holy and wiſe Heman, being in ſuch a plight of ſorrows,Pſal. 88.3, 4, 15. was (in his own acknowledgment) as a dead and distracted man; as dead, in regard of the ſenſe, and uſe of the grace and comfort; and as distracted in regard of the fumes of corruption that invaded his mind.
4. A fourth conſideration, of occaſion helping forward the ſaid effect in the faithful31 may be the means of their afflictions, or the perſons by whom inſtrumentally they come; and this conſideration may lye two wayes, or, there are two ſorts of men, which not ſeldome are imployed in laying on the ſufferings of the Church, and their agency therein may add ſome aggravation to thoſe ſufferings, and exaſperation to the ſpirits of the ſufferers of them.
1. Sometimes the Inſtruments are of the worſt of men, and very wicked perſons, and this adds to their affliction, and moves their diſcontented paſſions; that ſuch as thoſe ſhould be their ſcourges: ſo the Pſalmiſt makes the Churches complaint. O God the heathen are come into thine inheritance,Pſal. 79.1, 2, 3, 6, 7, & 74, 4. thy holy Temple have they defiled, they have laid Ieruſalem on heaps, the dead bodies of thy ſervants have they given to be meat to the foules of the heaven, the fleſh of thy Saints unto the beaſts of the Earth, their blood have they ſhed like water, &c. Again, they (to wit, the heathen that have not known thee, and the kingdomes that have not called upon thy name) they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his dwelling place; and in another Pſalm, thine Enemies roar in the midst of thy Congregations, they ſet up their Enſigns for ſigns. This was it with which the Prophet Habakkuk was ſore agrieved, The wicked doth compaſs about the righteous, — Wherefore lookeſt thou on them that deal treacherouſly,32 and holdeſt thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he?Hab. 1.4, 13. and with this the Lord himſelf amplyfieth the puniſhment of Iudah, when he ſaith,Ezek. 7.24.21.31. he wil bring the worſt of the heathen upon them: and he wil deliver them into the hands of brutiſh men, and skilful to deſtroy.
2. Sometimes the ſubordinate agents are perſons of neereſt relation, and obligation to the ſufferers, and this cuts to the heart, and exulcerates their ſorrow; when thoſe that are intimately tyed to them by Domeſtical, Political, or Eccleſiaſticall relation; by the bond of Civill amity, or Religion, prove falſe and hoſtle to them: that place in Zechariah, Behold I wil make Ieruſalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about;Zech. 12 ▪ 2. Some conceive may be meant not actively as if Ieruſalem ſhould infer, or inflict ſuch plagues upon the neighbouring people as ſhould fill them with horror; but paſſively Ieruſalem ſhal ſuffer ſuch things as ſhal move objectively, trembling in others at the beholding thereof; and the words following, When they ſhal be in the ſiege both againſt Iudah, and againſt Ieruſalem, they read thus, becauſe Iudah ſhal be in the ſiege against Ieruſalem; and, according to this interpretation, this is the reaſon why Ieruſalem under Gods Judgments ſhal be a matter of trembling to others, becauſe Iudah, ſo neerly allyed, and bound33 by ſo many relations to be a friend and helper to Jeruſalem, ſhould be againſt her: and ſo indeed it came to paſs, when many of the Jews, called Puſaim, or Apoſtates, ſtood up againſt, and perſecuted the Haſmonean and Haſidean party in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, and after. This wrought upon Job more then all his other ſufferings from other creatures, that his beloved friends and brethren not only failed him of their help, but turned againſt him, and added their Reproaches and Conteſtations to the reſt of his miſeries: All my inward friends (ſaith he) abhorred me,Job 19.19. and they whom I loved are turned againſt me. He had ſuffered heavy things by the Sabeans and Chaldeans in his goods and ſervants, and by Satan in his body; but all theſe diſcompoſed not his ſpirit ſo much as did the contendings againſt him of his three friends. How holy David was galled with the very ſame thing, is well known,Pſal. 41.9. and he more then once expreſſeth it: Yea, mine own familiar friend (or the man of my peace) in whom I truſted, which did eat of my bread, hath lift up his heel againſt me: q. d. This is beyond all, that he that before kept intimateſt correſpondency with me, was my Confident, and my Beneficiary, ſhould kick againſt me; and, having got me down, ſhould baſely trample me under his feet. This was a thing that did ſo preſs him, that he knew not well how to bear it; as in another place he ſpeaketh: For it was not an enemy that reproached me, then I could have born it; neither was it he that34 hated me that did magnifie himſelf againſt me, then I would have hid my ſelf from him:Pſa. 55.12 13, 14, 20, 21. but it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide, and my acquaintance: We took ſweet counſel together, and walked to the houſe of God in company. And once again in the ſame Pſalm it moves his choler: He hath put forth his hands againſt ſuch as be at peace with him, he hath broken his Covenant; the words of his mouth were ſmoother then butter, but war was in his heart; his words were ſofter then oyl, yet were they drawn ſwords. This lay hard upon his ſpirit, and vexed him to indignation; that one endeared to him by ſo many obliging names and relations, ſhould be the man againſt him, and ſhould prove ſuch a circumventing, bloody, reproachful, and ſucceſsful foe, as in that Pſalm he is deſcribed to be. That embracement of him as another ſelf,Secundum aeſtimationem mei. Jun. Dux•mens. Jun. Familiaris mens. Jun. (a man, mine equal, or equalled to my ſelf,) advancement of him to higheſt Command, (my Guide, or General,) familiarity of company, (mine acquaintance,) conjunction and truſt in honeſt deſigns, (we took ſweet counſel together,) aſſociation in the ſame God, Religion, and ſeeking of God, (we walked unto the houſe of God in company) union in the ſame League and Covenant, (he hath broken his Covenant,) the ſpecious inſinuating and egging pretences and profeſſions held forth by him, (the words of his mouth were ſmoother then butter, ſofter then oyl;) that all theſe Engagements interveening, not any nor all of them ſhould make him true, nor35 ſo much as keep him from hoſtility; this was the thing which ſtaggered this upright man to bear.
And I dare be bold to ſay, there is many a ſuffering Soul at this day, with whom, next to their own and the Lands ſin, and the anger of the Almighty, this is the thing that ſtrikes deepeſt, lies heavieſt upon the heart, that the evils that are come upon them are the projects and productions of Brethren, not only as Engliſhmen, but as Proteſtants, Reformers, Covenanters, Solemn-callers upon God; Aſſociates in the ſame counſels, actions, dangers, mercies; and fair Avowers for the Goſpel, Conſcience, Godlineſs, Purity; for Law, Juſtice, Liberty, Peace; for King, Parliament, Kingdom, Siſter Nations, and all Proteſtant Churches. O the ſorrow, ſhame, vexation, aſtoniſhment, that is upon them for this!
5. Another Reaſon is the difficulty of patience in times of great troubles. The office of Patience is in the ſtate of adverſity to keep down, and quiet the tumultuous paſſions; and to curb and ſuppreſs the head-ſtrong corruptions which that condition is apt to awaken and let looſe: it is then to compoſe the ſpirit, and to contain the whole man within his duty. Now this is no ſmall buſineſs; Patience proves a hard task when it comes in hand. It is but an eaſie matter, when men are in a quiet ſtate, to frame contemplative notions of afflictions in the mind, or to diſcourſe of them to others, or to behold them upon others, or to36 foreſee them coming on themſelves: But the matter is to endure them when they are come; then comes in the part of Patience. Patience is not an intellectual comprehenſion of Good Rules, or a ſpeculative diſcerning of the equity, neceſſity and profit of afflictions; but a practical uſe of ſuch Rules in bearing; or, a real and regular ſuffering; and this is ſomewhat to do. He is in the Apoſtle James his account a perfect and entire Chriſtian,Jam. •.4. lacking nothing, that can fully exerciſe this grace. And the Apoſtle Paul, when he would produce the Arguments and Evidences of the truth of his Apoſtolical calling among the Corinthians, who (it ſeems) vilified his perſon, and queſtioned that his Calling, he mentions patience for one proof: Truly the ſigns of an Apoſtle were wrought among you in all patience,2 Cor. 12.12. in ſigns and wonders, and mighty deeds. Whereby he gives us to obſerve, that patience (eſpecially all, or compleat patience) is a vertue ſeated in the higheſt form of Chriſtians, and ſomewhat demonſtrative of an Apoſtle. A learned Expoſitor conjectureth of David, that the 73 Pſalm (wherein he confeſſeth how he was offended and ſtaggered,Foord in Pſal. 49. & 73. and what envy and impatience he was tainted with at the wickeds proſperity, and the afflictedneſs of the godly) was written by him when he was yet but young; whereas the 37 and 49 Pſalms (wherein he profeſſeth his quietneſs and unmoveableneſs at the flouriſhing of the wicked, and adverſity of the righteous, and teacheth the ſame to others)37 were penned by him when he was grown old, and thereby attained to be a veterane Souldier in patience. Common experience tells us, paſſive grace is much more difficult to get and uſe, then active: as it is more ado to travel in a deep or craggy way, then in a fair and ſmooth road: as Seafaring men find it is an otherwiſe labor to ſail in a ſtorm, then in a calm. The exerciſe of active grace conſiſteth either in receiving good, or in communicating the good endowments we have to others, or in reſtraining from ſuperfluities; but theſe things are much more eaſie then to bear the want of good, the preſence of evil; and to lay down ourſelves, and reſign up our very Being.
6. The laſt thing I ſhall take notice of by way of Reaſon, here, is, the Faithfuls Intereſt, experience, confidence in, and recourſe to God in prayer. Theſe references, in their ordinary and direct uſe, are the great means to regulate and compoſe the heart, and to give ſtop to corruption; but being refl•cted on with a humane Judgment, in a ſtate of trouble, and ſeeming deſertion, they are turned to matter of aggravation of the affliction; they help to breed more diſcontent, and give riſe to great thoughts of heart. It is with the Saints in this caſe, as with one that lies ſick: Such a man, if there be a Phyſician of greateſt skill and account, or a receit of moſt ſoveraign vertue; and if he can procure that Phyſician to undertake him, or that receit to be applyed to him, he is in a full hope of recovery; but having made uſe of38 them, if he do not find that effect by them which he looked for, he is now the more dej•ct•d; and the greater hopes he had of himſelf from their worth, the worſe heart will he have from their diſappointment. Juſt ſo it ſometimes is with a Chriſtian: Whatſoever can befall him, his great Salvo, or Refug•, is,•hat he hath God for his God; he hath found the advantage of that relation; he continues ſt dfaſtly truſting in him, and earneſtly calling upon him; and, in thus doing, what ſecurity and good ſucceſs doth he not promiſe to him••l and, indeed, what ſafety and good ſucceſs may he not promiſe himſelf that way? But he, miſtaking the matter, that is, taking his ſafety and ſucceſs to lie within the compaſs of ſuch a means, ſuch an order, ſuch a time, and ſuch an iſſue, when indeed it doth not, he finding his expectation in God failed as to ſuch circumſtances of ſafety and good ſucceſs which he had circumſcribed, he is now in his own ſenſe by ſo much the more unhappy: That which had been, and ſtill ſhould be, his only cordial, his infirm mind is ready to take for an encreaſe of his ſorrow, and to chew upon as one of his bittereſt morſels. So it was with David; I remembred God, and was troubled: Why?Pſ. 77.2, 3. how ſhould the remembrance of God be matter of trouble to David? The words immediately preceding will tell us: In the day of my trouble I ſought the Lord, my ſore ran (or my hand was ſtretched out) in the night and ceaſed not, my Soul refuſed to be comforted,39 I remembred God and was troubled. He had recourſe to God in his trouble, and found no preſent eaſe, neither in body nor mind; and hence it came to paſs that he remembered God, and was troubled: Seeing he could receive no relief, no comfort from God, he reaps an addition of diſcomfort; the more he ſeeks, and ſuffers repulſe, the more is his ſorrow ſtirred.
1. The Saints Intereſt in God, as his peculiar people (in this caſe) exaggerates their grief. So the Pſalmiſt: O God,Pſ. 79.1, 2. the Heathen are come into thine Inheritance, thine holy Temple have they defiled, the dead bodies of thy ſervants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the Heaven, the fleſh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the Earth, &c. And ſo Nehemiah:Neh. •.10. Now theſe are thy ſervants and thy people, whom thou haſt redeemed by thy great Power, and by thy ſtrong hand. And ſo alſo Jeremiah in the Lamentations: Behold, O Lord, and conſider to whom thou haſt done this. Lam. 2.20And again, He remembered not his footſtool in the day of his anger.
2. Their former experience and enjoyment of God, makes his withholdings of himſelf more ſtrange and heavy. So David:Pſal 42.4. When I remember theſe things I pour out my Soul in me; for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the houſe of God, with the voyce of joy and praiſe, with a multitude that kept holy-day. And in another Pſalm:Pſa. 77.10. Furthermore, I ſaid, This is that which maketh me40 infirm, that the right hand of the most High is changed;Infirmare me iſtud mutata dextra excelſi. Tremel. Foord. Iſai 33.17 Lam. 1.7. that is, that the right hand of God which was wont to deliver, defend and comfort me, is now withdrawn or turned againſt me. So Hezekiah; Behold, for peace I had great bitterneſs. And in the Lamentations its ſaid, Jeruſalem remembered in the days of her affliction, and of her miſery, all her pleaſant things that ſhe had in the days of old.
3. Their Confidence in God (when not anſwered as they expect) makes them the more confounded. Solomon ſaith, Hope deferred maketh the heart ſick. Pro. 13.12That which helped to encreaſe the wonder and ſadneſs of thoſe two Diſciples of Chriſt, that on the day of his Reſurrection were travelling to Emmaus, and communing together in the way of the crucifying of Chriſt,Luk. 24.21 was this; But we truſted that it had been he which ſhould have redeemed Iſrael.
4. Laſtly, Their recourſe to God in prayer (when they find not their deſired effect) being in like manner reflected on, contributes to their perplexity and dejection. So Heman: Mine eye mourneth by reaſon of affliction;Pſal. 88.9, 13, 14. Lord, I have called upon thee, I have ſtretched out my hands unto thee — But unto thee have I cryed, O Lord, and in the morning ſhall my prayer prevent thee: Lord, why caſteſt thou off my Soul? why hideſt thou thy face from me? So David rather perſonating our Saviour Chriſt then himſelf: My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me?Pſ. 22.1, 2• why art thou ſo far from helping41 me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, and thou heareſt not; and in the night ſeaſon, and am not ſilent. And ſo alſo Job: I cry unto thee, and thou doſt not hear me; I ſtand up,Job 30.20 and thou regardeſt me not.
SECT. V.The Subject and Occaſion of this Treatiſe.
THus at length I am come home to my intended Subject; this laſt Conſideration hath brought me to it, viz. The ſucceſleſſneſs of Prayer, and the contrary proceeding of divine Providence to it. This is the very condition of many a godly Soul, yea of ſome whole Chriſtian Nations and Churches at this day. This is one of the commoneſt, weightieſt, and difficulteſt Caſes of Conſcience that is on foot in and about theſe times: This is one thing that lies as a heavy burden upon the minds of very many of the ſervants of God.
And it comes upon them both by their own ſenſe and obſervation, and the exprobation of their oppoſites: In regard of the former they are like Rebecca, who going with child of prayer powerful Jacob, ſhe ſuffered a ſtrugling within her 'twixt him and Eſau, a rough and profane perſon; in ſo much that ſhe ſaid,Gen. 25.22. If it be ſo, why am I thus? And ſhe went to enquire of the Lord. In reſpect of the latter they are like Hannah, whom her adverſary Penninah provoked ſore for to make her fret, becauſe42 the Lord had ſhut up her womb: and this ſhe did year by year,1 Sam. 1.6, 7. when ſhe went up (or, from her going up) to the houſe of the Lord: That is, at what time ſhe ſought God in a ſpecial manner in his houſe at Shiloh, that ſhe might have children, Peninnah upbraided her more then at other times, and that with the fruitleſſneſs both of her womb in bearing children, and of her prayer in obtaining her petition. So it is now with many of Jacobs ſeed, or the generation of them that ſeek the face of God: by reaſon of the diſappointment of their prayers, they both with Rebecca ſuffer an inward conflict from their own doub••and fears; and with Hannah they bear from without the reproaches of their Antagoniſts.
Let this caſe be put as it really is, with all its conſiderable Circumſtances and Ingredients, and it will be found a very remarkable and important Caſe. 1. The obſervation of many hath been, That a more then ordinary ſpirit of prayer hath been poured out upon Chriſtians of late; and that out of it a great multitude of prayers have been poured forth in relation to the publique Concernments. 2. That there hath been a general Conſent and Concurrence, not only of Chriſtians in theſe Nations, but of all the Proteſtant or Reformed Churches under Heaven, in prayer for the ſame Concernments. 3. That the effect of their prayers that have gone before us, and are now with God, hath broke forth, and begun to be reaped by us of this age. 4. We of theſe Nations, beſides43 dayly and perſonal prayers, have ſet to it in ſolemn ſeeking unto God, with Faſting, Humiliation, and Confeſſion of ſins, publique and private, on ſtated days, and occaſionally; and have continued in this courſe now divers years. 5. We have added to ſuch our prayers, publique Vows, Oaths, and Covenants, for the things prayed for, and heaped them one upon another. 6. The ſubject matter of our prayers have been (1.) Such things as we are not only commanded to pray for, but to give a principal place to in our prayers, to wit, Religion, Reformation, Propagation of the Goſpel, and Kingdom of Chriſt, Deliverance from publique Enemies, and Inteſtine Conſpirators, and the Upholding of our Fundamental Government againſt all Innovaders, with the ſafety and conduct of our ſupreme Magiſtracy and Councels: (2.) Such benefits as the promiſes of God in his Word are underſtood to lay up and reſerve for his Church in theſe, or the near following times. 7. There hath been the uſe of other lawful means, with ſtrong endeavors, and hazards therein, for the accompliſhing of the things prayed for; and very hopeful beginnings and firſt fruits thereof erewhile attained; yea and a door ſet open to, and a near view of, and approach to, yea even almoſt an embracement of, the main of our deſires. 8. There hath been (no doubt) a ſincere aym, and an upright frame of heart in many throughout all theſe things. 9. Laſtly, To all theſe Conſiderations we may add the Promiſes of44 God made in Scripture to them that call upon him; with the uſual efficacy, and experienced prevalency of prayer with God. Now if we compare theſe particulars about the putting up, and proſecution of our prayers, with the ſucceſs (on the other ſide) that hath followed; the preſent unaccompliſhment of thoſe prayers, and the events that have enſued directly croſs and thwart thereunto; it will appear a caſe of ſerious moment, very needful and worthy to be remarked and diſcuſſed in order to manies reſolution and ſatisfaction.
I have here taken in hand to ſay ſomething to it; not that I dare promiſe, or hope to ſound the full depth, or traverſe the utmoſt extent of it; but to put it into the Remembrance of others more able, and to ſet the Enquiry before them, and a little to begin and break the way into it for them: And this I really do (that I may confeſs what may help to make me more excuſable in this Undertaking) upon ſpecial inſtance. There hath been put into my hand a Caſe, or Query, of this import by a Brother very eminent in his place, in the name of himſelf, and many others, deſiring anſwer thereto; which deſire hath ſince been often renewed: The Query was this, both for matter and words: Seeing God doth hide himſelf from his peoples prayers, grounded (we humbly hope) upon his Promiſes, and ſeemeth by his Providences to anſwer the prayers which are contrary thereunto; I deſire to know whether there be any Example of it? what may45 be the Reaſon of it? and what Ʋſe ſhould be made of it?
When I had read it, I thought it was no hard thing to ſay that which might ſuffice to clear it, and therefore ſtuck not to receive it; but after, when I had conſidered better, not only of the thing, but of the quality of the perſons from whom it came, and how difficult it is to know how to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon to him that is weary, and to utter fit, acceptable and right words to one, much more to many, under affliction; and that it is one thing to inform the Judgment, another thing to heal or comfort a troubled ſpirit; I begun to repent of my forwardneſs, and wiſht that I could tell how fairly to lay aſide the Enterpriſe. But the uſefulneſs of the Queſtion, my reſpect to the Propoſer, and over-haſty Entertaining of it, now have engaged me to carry on the Treaty of it, as the Lord ſhall help me: And oh that it would pleaſe him to enable me to ſpeak, both of him the thing that is right, and to men, to his ſervants, that which may be ſound and ſatisfying.
The Queſtion propounded, affordeth matter for four Queries; or, it offereth four things to be diſtinctly conſidered and reſolved. 1. Whether there be any Example of this? vis. Gods hiding himſelf from his peoples prayers, grounded upon his Promiſes, and his ſeeming by his Providences to anſwer the prayers which are contrary thereunto? 2. How, or in what ſence God may be ſaid ſo to do? 463. What may be the Reaſon of his ſo doing? 4. What Ʋſe ſhould be made of it?
CHAP. II.
THe firſt Query anſwered, viz. Whether Gods hiding himſelf from his peoples prayers, grounded upon his Promiſes, and ſeeming by his Providences to anſwer the prayers which are contrary thereunto, can be parallel'd with any Example?
SECT. I.The Queſtion affirmed, and divided into Parts.
THis firſt Query is to be anſwered Affirmatively: It is a thing that may be Exemplified; there is no new thing in it: Yea, we are not without many Preſidents of it going before us.
In producing the Examples required, I will divide the matter to be patterned into its two Parts, and ſhew the Examples, 1. Of Gods hiding himſelf from his peoples prayers grounded upon his Promiſes. 2. Of his ſeeming by his Providences to anſwer the prayers which are contrary thereunto.
SECT. II.Examples of Gods Hiding himſelf from his Peoples Prayers.
FIrſt, Of the former (viz. Gods hiding himſelf from his peoples prayers grounded upon his Promiſes) there is great ſtore of notable Examples of this.
I will ſet them down in this order: 1. The Acknowledgments or Complaints of this in the mouths of the people of God. 2. The Declarations of God himſelf to this purpoſe. 3. Hiſtorical Obſervations of the thing.
I. Firſt, Of this the Saints or people of God have made their Acknowledgment or Complaint in Scripture. And this is obſervable, 1. Either of the prayers of particular perſons; 2. Or of the prayers of the Community, or multitude of Gods people, that is, of the Church.
Firſt, For Perſonal Prayers: Single perſons have found themſelves in this condition. And this may be noted touching their prayers: 1. For others. 2. For themſelves. 3. For Gods own Cauſe.
1. Let us hear their Teſtimonies in relation to their prayers for others. Holy David telleth us, He clothed himſelf with ſackcloth,Pſa. 35, 13 and humbled his Soul with fasting, (for his Enemies, and Perſecutors, Saul, and his party,) and his prayer returned into his own boſom; that is, it proved ineffectual, as for them. He alſo48 ſolemnly faſted and beſought God for his ſick child, but it availed not, on the ſeventh day the child dyed. Moſes prayed earneſtly for them of Iſrael who had ſet up and worſhiped the golden Calf: Yet now if thou wilt forgive their ſin; and if not, blot me I pray thee out of thy Book,Exod. 32.32, 33, 34, 35. which thou haſt written: But what anſwer had he to this pathetick prayer? And the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, Whoſoever hath ſinned againſt me, him will I blot out of my Book; therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have ſpoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel ſhall go before thee: Nevertheleſs in the day when I viſit, I will viſit their ſin upon them. And the Lord plagued the people, becauſe they made the Calf which Aaron made. The Prophet Iſaiah profeſſeth his unceſſantneſs in prayer for Zions and Jeruſalems glorious Reſtauration: For Zions ſake will I not hold my peace, and for Jeruſalems ſake I will not reſt,Iſai. 62.1, 6, 7. & 63.11, 15. & 64.7. until the Righteouſneſs thereof go forth as brightneſs, and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth: And he enjoyneth the ſame inſtancy in prayer to all other praying perſons; Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not ſilence, and give him no reſt till he eſtabliſh, and till he make Jeruſalem a praiſe in the Earth. Yet in the two following Chapters he in his own and their perſons expoſtulateth and bemoaneth the Lords withdrawing and withholding himſelf from them and his people notwithſtanding their prayers. Where is he that brought them49 up out of the Sea with the Shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him? where is thy zeal, and thy ſtrength, the ſounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercies towards me? are they reſtrained? And this his hiding himſelf is ſet out to be ſo diſmal and long, that they were even grown weary of prayer: And there is none that calleth upon thy Name, that ſtirreth up himſelf to take hold of thee; for thou haſt hid thy face from us, and haſt conſumed us, becauſe of our iniquities. The Prophet Jeremiah prayeth moſt tenderly for Judah and Zion;Jer. 14.19, 21. & 15.1 Haſt thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy Soul lothed Zion? Why haſt thou ſmitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble. Do not abhor us for thy Names ſake, do not diſgrace the throne of thy glory; remember, break not thy Covenant with us, &c. And what is the Lords return unto this? Then ſaid the Lord unto me, Though Moſes and Samuel ſtood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people; caſt them out of my ſight, and let them go forth. King Joſiah upon his hearing read the words of the Book of the Law, and underſtanding by it the great wrath of the Lord which was kindled againſt him and his people,2 K ng. 23.25, 26. he beſought the Lord with extraordinary humiliation, zeal, and diligence: His heart was tender; he humbled himſelf before the Lord, he rent his clothes and wept before God; he ſent to enquire50 of the Lord for himſelf and all Judah by the Propheteſs H•ld ah; e aſſembled the people, publiſhed the Book of the Law, made and impoſed on the people a Covenant before the Lord to yield obedience to it: He rooted up Idolatry and Sorcery; He reſtored the Temple and true Worſhip of God. He was in all theſe a peerleſs King; Like unto him was there no King before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his ſoul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moſes, neither after him aroſe there any like him. But all this would not appeaſe Gods anger, nor avert his Judgments unto deſolation from Judah: Notwithſtanding the Lord turned not from the fierceneſs of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled againſt Judah, &c. The Prophet Habakkuk gives us to underſtand how ſpeedleſs he was in prayer, beginning his Propheſie with this complaint unto God:Hab. 1.2. O Lord, how long ſhall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not ſave? And going yet a ſecond time unto God by prayer, in expectation and hope of a better anſwer, I will ſtand upon my watch,Chap. 2.1, 2, 3. and ſet me upon the tower, and will watch to ſee what he will ſay unto me, and what I ſhall anſwer; he is yet delayed in his petition, and receives an anſwer of further Judgments yet to come: And the Lord anſwered me, and ſaid, Write the Viſion, and make it plain upon tables,Chap. 3.2 that he may run that readeth it; for the Viſion is yet for an appointed51 time, &c. So that his hopes were overwhelmed with fears and terrors, which he expreſſeth in this third recourſe in prayer to God: O Lord, I have heard thy ſpeech, and was afraid: — When I heard my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voyce;Verſe 16. rottenneſs entered into my bones; and I trembled in my ſelf, &c. The Apoſtle Paul was earneſt by prayer for Iſraels Converſion and Salvation; that is, for the Body of that Nation which continued in blindneſs, and ſtood upon their own, and out againſt the righteouſneſs of God for Juſtification: Brethren, my hearts deſire and prayer to God for Iſrael is, that they might be ſaved. Rom. 10.1.The anſwer of God unto him in this was, That a remnant only ſhould then be called, and the reſt be judicially hardened for a long time to come,Chap. 11.5, 7, 25. even until the coming in of the fulneſs of the Gentiles. Upon Sauls diſobedience, and the Lords repenting of his advancement to the Kingdom, Samuel prayed a whole night,1 Sam. 15.11, 35. yet the Lord rejected Saul from being King over Iſrael; and when this was done, Samuel ſtill mourned for Saul,Chap. 16.1 till at length the Lord reproved him, and ſent him to anoint another for that place.
2. The holy ſervants of God have met with ſtays and diſappointments not only in their petitions for others, but even in their ſupplications for themſelves, and when they have prayed in their own behalf. Upright Job, that man of Tryals, doth in this reſpect thus make known and bewail his caſe to his friends:52 Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compaſſed me with his Net:Job 19.6, 7, 8. Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard; I cry aloud, but there is no Judgment. He hath fenced my way that I cannot paſs, and he hath ſet darkneſs in my paths. And in another place he complaineth of th•ſame unto God: I cry unto thee, and thou doſt not hear; I ſtand up, and thou regardeſt m not. Cap. 30 20, 26, 27, 28.When I looked for good, then evil came upon me; and when I waited for light, there came darkneſs. My bowels boiled, and reſted not: the days of affliction prevented me, I went mourning without the Sun: I ſtood up, and I cryed in the Congregation. The Prophet David often finds himſelf in this condition; often cries out of it unto God. In his 13 Pſalm he complains thus for lack of audience: How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord,Pſal. 13.1, 2, 3. for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long ſhall I take counſel in my Soul, having ſorrow in my heart dayly? How long ſhall mine enemy be exalted over me? Conſider and hear me, O Lord, my God. In the 31 Pſalm he ſaith, I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind;Pſa. 31.12. I am like a broken veſſel. In the 69. he〈…〉moan thus: I am weary of my crying,Pſal. 69.3. my throat is dryed; mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. Holy Heman alſo was in this very plight: O Lord God of my Salvation, I have cryed day and night before thee;Pſal. 88.1. and with what ſucceſs? He tells preſently:Verſe 4, 5. I am counted with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that53 hath no ſtrength: Free among the dead, like the ſlain that lie in the grave, whom thou remembereſt no more, and they are cut off fr••thy hand. And again a little after: Lord, I have called upon thee, I have ſtretched out my hands unto thee: Yet had he no better ſpeed:Verſ. 9.14. Lord, why caſteſt th u off my Soul? why hideſt thou thy face from me?
Nay the greateſt Example poſſible we have for this, to wit, that of our bleſſed Saviour, who in his Paſſion is p•rſonated by David in theſe words: My God, My God,Pſa. 22 12. Mat. 27.46 why haſt thou forſaken me? Why art thou ſo far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, and thou heareſt not; and in the night ſeaſon, and am not ſilent. Part of which words he audibly uttered, or rather cryed out, when he hung upon the Croſs. I will add hereunto only one Inſtance, and it is as great as can be added to the former: It ſhall be taken from the cont•nual experience of all true Chriſtians, that are or ever were in the world. Our bleſſed Saviour teacheth all his to pray, Thy Will be done in Earth as it is done in Heaven: And again, Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Now although theſe things are and ought to be dayly prayed for; yet it muſt needs be acknowledged (as it is experienced by all the Saints of God on Earth) that never doth any of them attain to in this life an abſolute conformity to the Will of God, like that of the Angels and Saints in Heaven; nor to a ſinleſs diſtance from all54 temptations. Bellar. T. 4 de Juſtif. lib. 4. cap. 13. Chamier. T. 3. l. 11. c. 7. ſ. 21.Bellarmine would infer from hence a capacity of perfection in the Saints••edience in this life: for otherwiſe (ſaith he) theſe petitions in the Lords prayer are in vain taught and uſed. This Inference we deny. There are divers things allowed, yea commanded, and nec•ſſary to be prayed for, which yet may never be granted: and there are ſundry things (as thoſe petitions ſpecified) which are to be prayed for every day; and yet they may (in their juſt and full meaſure) never be attained till our laſt day and end come.
3. Yea when the ſervants of God have called upon God in and for his own Cauſe and Concernment; yet the Lord hath ſometimes hid himſelf from their prayer. Eliah (whom the Apoſtle James brings in for a ſingular pattern of prevalency in prayer) he maketh interceſſion to God againſt Iſrael (in the Lords Cauſe, as well as his own,) ſaying, Lord, they have killed thy Prophets,Rom. 11.2 3. and digged down thine Altars, and I am left alone, and they ſeek my life. Yet after this, things went ſtill on in Iſrael in relation to the matters of God as they did before; he never lived to ſee any redreſs. The people of God in Pſal. 44. call out upon God, and expoſtulate with him as one that ſeemed to ſleep out the time of their heavy Calamities, and hid his face purpoſely from them, and put their Caſe into utter oblivion:Pſal. 44.8, 22, 23, 24. Awake, why ſleepeſt thou, O Lord? Ariſe, caſt us not off for ever: Wherefore hideſt thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction, and55 our oppreſſion? And yet what Cauſe did they ſuffer in? Th•y immediately before repreſent that to him; Yea for thy ſake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as ſheep for the ſlaughter. And in another Pſalm they beſpeak him in this ſort; Ariſe, O God,Pſa. 74.22 plead thine own Cauſe; remember how the fooliſh man reproacheth thee dayly. Yet then it appears by that which goes before they accounted themſelves caſt off, and lying under the ſmoking anger of God; and they complain, We ſee not our ſigns, there is no more any Prophet, neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.
Theſe Examples may ſuffice for the firſt Head, to wit, the Complaints of the Saints touching the Lords hiding from their perſonal prayers.
Secondly, It hath ſo fared with the joynt and publique Prayers of the Community of Saints, or Church of God; as they have made their Complaint: This was the caſe of the Church at the time of the penning of the 80 Pſalm: O Lord God of Hoſts,Pſal. 80.4. how long wilt thou be angry againſt the prayer of thy people? It is not here intimated that the Lord was angry with the prayer of his people (as if it were peccant in the nature of it, for which he ſhould be diſpleaſed with it,) but he was angry againſt their prayer, that is, his anger proceeded ſtill on; though their prayer was for his pacification, their prayer was for the calling back of his Judgments, his anger carried them ſtill on;56 ſo that this went on in oppoſition to that. The particular time and occaſion of the compiling of this Pſalm, is not manifeſted by its title of tenor; but their Conjecture is probable that aſſign it to the rending of the ten Tribes from the houſe of David, and Kingdom of Judah, and the ſetting up of Jeroboam, upon which the Invaſion of Judah by Shiſhak King of Egypt ſhortly followed. For it hath often come to paſs, and it may here be ſeaſonably obſerved by us, that when thoſe whom God hath joyned together in one Religion, and under one Government, do break aſunder, and erect oppoſite Thrones over them reſpectively, which•ide ſoever hath the better, yea or the right of it, the common Enemy preſently comes in, and gets his greateſt advantage by it.
It is noted of the people of Judah, yea witneſſed of them by God himſelf, that they prayed much: Yet they ſeek me dayly, and delight to know my ways. Iſai. 58.3.They take delight in approaching to God; and how ſucceeded their prayers? The next words will inform us: Wherefore have we faſted, ſay they, and thou ſeeſt not? Wherefore have we afflicted our Soul, and thou takeſt no knowledg?
The Prophet Jeremiah in his Lamentations, repreſenting the Church of Judah under her Babylonian Calamities,Lam. 3.8. ſets forth her plaints for want of audience in prayer: Alſo when I cry, and ſhout, he ſhutteth out my prayer. They not only prayed, but cryed, yea even ſhouted, that is, called upon God with greateſt vehemency;57 yet their prayer found no entrance. And again in the ſame Chapter:Verſe 44. Thou haſt covered thy ſelf with a cloud, that our prayer ſhould not paſs through. And ſurely this cloud lay long over their prayers; as will appear if we compare with this thoſe places of Zechariah,Zech. 7.3, 5, 8, 19. where their ſet times of faſting and humbling themſelves are found to have been for ſeventy years together. In the Prophet Malachi's days, when the people were grown very corrupt, and Religion was much collapſed, yet they had ſo much Religion left as to faſt and pray; and this they did ſo long without ſucceſs, that at length they grew ſtout and•ullen againſt God, concluding a courſe of devotion to be bootleſs: They ſaid, It is vain to ſerve God;Mal. 3 ▪ 14. and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hoſts.
We have thus ſeen the Complaints and Acknowledgments of the people of God in the matter to be Exemplified, and that in ſufficient variety of Inſtances.
II. In the next place let us obſerve what the Lord himſelf declares touching his hiding or with-holding himſelf from his praying people; and we ſhall receive it from his mouth by way, 1. Of Threatening. 2. Of Prophecy, or Prediction. 3. Of Narration.
Firſt, He utters it by way of Threatening or Denunciation, as a ſpecial Judgment, or effect of his wrath againſt his people, and that concerning, 1. Their own prayers. 2. The prayers58 of others for them.
1. He threatens he will hide himſelf from them praying for themſelves. Upon the Apoſtacy of the Iſraelites unto Idolatry in the times of the Judges; when the Lord had for that cauſe ſold them into their Enemies hands, the Text ſaith, The children of Iſrael cryed unto the Lord, ſaying, We have ſinned againſt thee,Judg. 10.10, &c. both becauſe we have forſaken our God, and alſo ſerved Baalim. And the Lord ſaid unto the children of Iſrael, Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites? &c. The Zidonians alſo, and the Amalekiles, and the Maonites did oppreſs you; and ye cryed to me, and I delivered you out of their hand: Yet ye have forſaken me, and ſerved other gods; wherefore I will deliver you no more. The ſame bar upon the gate of entrance of prayer the Lord puts in the time of his Prophets, Iſaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, againſt the prayers of his people of Iſrael and Judah. In Iſaiah he ſaith, And when ye ſpread forth your hands,Iſai. 1.15. I will hide mine eyes from you; yea when you make many prayers, I will not hear. In Jeremiah he declares, Though they ſhall cry unto me,Jer. 11.11, 14. I will not harken unto them, — for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble — When they faſt,Cap. 14.12 I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt-offering, and an oblation, I will not accept them. In Ezekiel he foreſtalls them thus;Ezek. 8.18 Though they cry in mine ears with a loud voyce, yet I will not hear them.
592. Yea, but perhaps, though the ſinfulneſs of their perſons made their prayers caſt back; yet the prayers of others, who were righteous perſons, and had been uſually prevalent with God, might avail for them; nay neither muſt they be heard for them. Jer. 7.16.Therefore pray not thou (ſaith the Lord to his Prophet Jeremiah) for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make interceſſion to me, for I will not hear thee. And when he did make bold to ſpeak a few words for them, his anſwer is,Cha. 15.1. Though Moſes and Samuel ſtood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people. And by the Prophet Ezekiel the Lord pronounceth it four times over at once;Ezek. 14.14, 16, 18, 20. Though theſe three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they ſhould deliver but their own Souls by their righteouſneſs. So we hear this proceeding of God owned by himſelf, by way of Threatening.
Secondly, He hath ſpoken it by way of Prophecy, or Prediction. Our bleſſed Saviour in his Exhortation to his Diſciples to unceſſantneſs in prayer, by the example of the windows importunity with the unjuſt Judg, in the reddition of that Parable he foretells,Luk. 18.1, 7, 8. that God will indeed avenge his own Elect, which cry day and night to him: but withall, he will bear long with them; that is, he will long ſit ſtill, and forbear to appear, and vindicate his people, notwithſtanding the cry of their prayers, and the provoking of their Oppreſſors. And in the next words he deſcribes how long,60 to wit, ſo long, as that it will be a queſtion whether the Son of man when he cometh ſhall find faith on the Earth: That is (as I underſtand) when Chriſt our Saviour ſhall come either perſonally and viſibly to the laſt Judgment, or virtually and by his divine working in this life, to the reſcue of his Church, and ruine of their Enemies, according to the ſeveral Promiſes and Predictions in Scripture, the faith of his people (not in the abſolute being or nature of it, but in regard of that particular uſe of act of it