in the Seas and all deep places You see Divine pleasure is the only rule according to which Divine Power exerts it self in the world we are not therefore to limit and restrain it in our narrow and shallow thoughts and to think in this or in that the Power of God may help or secure us but to believe that he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think Thus those Worthies Dan. 3. 17. by Faith exalted the power of God above the order and common rule of second causes Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand O King Their faith resting it self upon the Omnipotent power of God expected deliverance from it in an extraordinary way 't is true this is no standing rule for our faith ordinarily to work by nor have we ground to expect such miraculous Salvations but yet when extraordinary difficulties press us and the common ways and means of deliverance are shut up we ought by faith to exalt the Omnipotency of God by ascribing the glory thereof to him and leave our selves to his good pleasure without straitning or narrowing his Almighty power according to the mold of our poor low thoughts and apprehensions of it For so the Lord himself directeth our faith in difficult cases Isa. 55. 8 9. For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord for as the Heavens are higher than the earth So are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts He speaks there of his pardoning mercy which he will not have his people to contract and limit according to the model and platform of their own desponding misgiving and unbelieving thoughts but to exalt and glorifie it according to its unbounded fulness as it is in the thoughts of God the fountain of that mercy so it ought to be with respect to his power about which his thoughts and ours do vastly differ the power of God as we cast it in the mould of our thoughts is as vastly different and disproportionate from what it is in the thoughts of God the fountain thereof as the earth is to the heavens which is but a small inconsiderable point compared with them 2. The power of God is a Supreme and Sovereign power from which all creature power is derived and by which it is over-ruled restrained and limited at his pleasure Nebuchadnezzar was a great Monarch he ruled over other Kings yet he held his Kingdom from God it was God that placed not only the Crown upon his head but his head upon his shoulders Dan. 2. 37. Thou O King art a King of Kings for the God of Heaven â—ath given thee a Kingdom power and strength and glory Hence it follows that no creature can move tongue or hand against any of Gods people but by vertue of a Commission or permission from their God albeit they think not so Knowest thou not saith Pilate unto Christ that I have power to crucifie thee and power to release thee Proud worm what an ignorant and insolent boast was this of his own power and how doth Christ spoil and shame it in his answer Iohn 19. 10. Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above Wicked men like wild horses would run over and trample under foot all the people of God in the world were it not that the bridle of Divine providence had a strong curb to restrain them Ezek. 22. 6. The Princes of Israel every one were in thee to their power to shed bloud And it was well for Gods Israel that their power was not as large as their wills were this world is a raging and boisterous Sea which sorely toffes the passengers for heaven that sail upon it but this is their comfort and security The Lord stilleth the noise of the sea the noise of the waves and the tumult of the people Ps. 65. 7. Moral as well as natural waves are checked and bounded by Divine power Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee and the remainder of wrath thou shalt restrain Psal. 76. 10. As a man turns so much water into the channel as will drive the mill and turns away the rest in another sluce Yea not only the power of man but the power of Devils also is under the restraint and limitation of this power Rev. 3. 10. Satan shall cast some of you into prison and ye shall have tribulation ten days He would have cast them into their graves yea into hell if he could but it must be only into a Prison He would have kept them in prison till they had died and rotted there but it must be only for ten days Oh glorious Sovereign power which thus keeps the reins of Government in its own hand 3. The power of God is an everlasting power time doth not weaken or diminish it as it doth all creature powers Isa. 40. 28. The Lord the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary Isa. 59. 1. The Lords hand is not shortened i. e. He hath as much power now as ever he had and can do for his people as much as ever he did time will decay the power of the strongest creature and make him faiâ—â— and feeble but the Creator of the ends of the eartâ— fainteth not Thou saith the Psalmist abidest for ever thy years flee not Psal. 102. 27. In Gods working there is no expence of his strength he is able to do as much as ever he did to act over again all the glorious deliverances that ever he wrought for his people from the beginning of the World to do as much for his Church now as he did at the Red sea and upon this ground the Church builds its Plea Isa. 51. 9 10. Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord awake as in the ancient days in the generations of old art thou not it that hast cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon q. d. Lord why should not thy people at this day expect as glorious productions of thy power as any of them found in former ages SECT II. LEt us view the power of God in the vast extent of its operation and then you will find it working beyond the line 1. Of Creature power 2. Of Creature expectation 3. Of Humane probability 1. Beyond the line of all created power even upon the hearts thoughts and minds of men where no creature hath any jurisdiction So Gen. 31. 29. God bound up the Spirit of Laban and becalmed it towards Iacob So Psal. 106. 46. He made them also to be pitied of all them that carried them captives Thus the Lord promised Ieremy Ier. 15. 11. I will cause the enemies to entreat thee well in the time of evil This power of God softens the hearts of the most fierce and cruel enemies and sweetens the spirits of the most bitter and enraged foes of
of Justification Origen Contra Marchionet Charles The Eighth A Play Lesley Historia Scotorum Man of Sin Lightfoot on Lucan Dr. Charleton's Anatomical Lectures Flavel's Husbandry Boys's Sermons Prynn's Power of Parliaments Burnets Thesaurus Behin's Remains Manley of Usury Brown against Quakers Seamans Calendar Mariners Calendar Seamans Practise Norwood's Trigonometria Large Octavo Pool's Nullity Wilson's Scriptures Durham of Scandal Dr. Trapham's Treatise of Iamaica Cloud of Witnesses Rutherford's Examen Sclater of Grace Bayfield De Capitis Danvers of Baptism Flavell's Two Treatises His Preparation for Sufferings Small Octavo Wars of Hungary History of Jewels Moral Gallantry Flavell's Saint Indeed Token for Mourners Roma Restituta Curious Destillatory History of Iapan and Siam Looking Glass for Children Hugh's Disputations Religio Stoici Petton on the Covenant Queens Wells Moreland of Interest Miltoni Logica Grey of Faith Sydenham's Works Rushworth's Solomons Remembrance Gales Idea Binning's Miscellanies Kirkwood's Grammatica A PRACTICAL TREATISE OF Fear c. Isaiah 8. v. 12 13 and part of the 14. Say ye not a confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say a confederacy neither fear ye their fear nor be afraid v. 13. Sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread v. 14. And he shall be for a sanctuary CHAP. I Wherein the Text and Context are opened the Doctrines propounded and the general method stated THere is not more diversity found in the outward features than in the inward tempers and dispositions of men some are as timorous as Hares and start at every sound or yelp of a dog others are bold as Lions and can face dangers without trembling Some fear more than they ought and some before they ought and others when they ought not at all The carnal person fears man not God the strong Christian fears God not man the weak Christian fears man too much and God too little There is a Fear which is the effect of sin springing from guilt and hurrying the soul into more guilt and there is a fear which is the effect of grace springing from our love to God and his interest and driving the soul to God in the way of duty The less fear any man hath the more happiness except it be of that fear which is our happiness and our excellency It cannot be said of any man as it is said of Leviathan Iob 41. 33. that he is made without fear those that have most fortitude are not without some fears And when the Church is in the storms of persecution and almost covered with the waves the stoutest passengers in it may suffer as much from this boisterous passion within as from the Storm without and all for want of throughly believing or not seasonably remembring That the Lord High Admiral of all the Ocean and Commander of all the winds is on board the Ship to steer and to preserve it in the storm A pregnant instance hereof is furnished to our hands in this Context where you find the best men trembling in expectation of the worst events both on the Church in general and themselves in particular Their hearts were moved like the trees of the wood shaken with the wind Chap. 7. v. 2. And indeed if their dangers were to be measured by sense only their fears were not above the value of the cause yea their dangers seemed to exceed their fears for it was the invasion of a forein and cruel enemy even the Assyrian who were to break in upon them like a breach of the Sea and overflow the land of Immanuel v. 7. The Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river strong and many even the King of Assyria and all his glory and he shall come up over all his channels and go over all his banks And as the 7. verse resembles the enemy to waters which quickly drown the countrey into which they break so the 8 verse tells you how far they should prevail and how near it should come to a general and total ruine He shall pass through Iudah he shall overflow and go over he shall reach even to the neck and the stretching ouâ— of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land O Immanuel All the body should be under water except the capital City which remained above water Having thus described the power and success of the invading enemy in the 9 and 10 verses he derides their plots and combinations assuring them that although God for just and holy ends would permit them for a time to afflict his people yet in the issue all their councels and cruelties should recoyl upon themselves and end in their own ruine and confusion And thereupon Isaiah is commanded to encourage the feeble and trembling hearts of such as feared God in those distracted and frightful times v. 11 12 13. The Lord spake unto me with a strong hand and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people saying say ye not a confederacy c. God speaking to the Prophet by a strong hand imports the strong and mighty impression that was made upon his heart by the Spirit of Prophecy Wherein the Lord did as it were lay his hand upon him as a man doth upon one to whom he is about to impart some special secret in a familiar way q. d. Come hither Isaiah drawing him to him at the same instant with a friendly hand take deep notice of what I am now to give thee in charge both with respect to thy self and my elect people that follow thee say not you a confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say a confederacy i. e. let not these frightful tidings work upon you as they do upon Ahaz and the common multitude with him who are so terrified and scared with the approching dangers that all their councels thoughts and studies are taken up in preventing it by making a confederacy or league with the Assyrian or if that cannot be then with some Forein power that may secure them against the Assyrian but their eyes are not all to me for protection and deliverance they expect more from Egypt than from Heaven from a broken reed than from the rock of ages Fear not you their fear Their fear drives them from God to the creature it first Distracts them and then Ensnares them But on the contrary see that thou and all the faithful in the land with thee do sanctifie me in your hearts and make me your fear and your dread i. e. rely upon me by faith in this day of trouble and see that you give me the glory of my wisdom power and faithfulness by relying intirely upon those my attributes engaged for you in so many tried promises And do not betake your selves to such sinful and vain shifts as those do that have no interest in me nor experience of me This is the general scope and design of the Text wherein more particularly you have 1. An evil practice
guard and maintain it And this is the fear that shall be enabled to vanquish and expel all thy other fears 4. Or are you afraid what the Church shall do And what will become of the Ark of God Do you see a storm gathering the winds begin to roar the waves to swell and are you afraid what will become of that vessel the Church in which you have so great an interest It is an argument of the publickness and excellency of thy spirit to be thus touched with the feeling sense of the Churches sufferings and dangers Most men seek their own things and not the things that are of Christ Phil. 2. 21. But yet it is your sin so to fear as to sink and faint under a spirit of despondency and discouragement which yet many good men are but too apt to do I remember an excellent passage in a Letter of Luther's to Melancthon upon this very account In Private troubles saith he I am weaker and thou art stronger thou despisest thy own life but fearest the Publick cause but for the Publick I am at rest being assured that the cause is just and true yea that it is Christ's and Gods cause I am well nigh a secure spectator of things and esteem not any thing these fierce and threatning Papists I beseech thee by Christ neglect not so Divine promises and consolations where the Scripture saith Cast thy care upon the Lord wait upon the Lord be strong and he shall comfort thy heart And in another Epistle I much dislike those anxious cares which as thou writest do almost consume thee 'T is not the greatness of the danger but the greatness of thy unbelief Iohn Hus and others were under greater danger than we and if it be great he is great that orders it Why do you afflict your self If the cause be bad let us renounce it if it be good why do we make him a liar that bids us be still As if you were able to do any good by such unprofitable cares I beseech thee thou that in other things art valiant fight against thy self thine own greatest enemy that puts weapons into Satans hand You see how good men may be even overwhelmed with publick fears but certainly if we did well consider the bond of the Covenant that is betwixt God and his people we should be more quiet and composed For by reason thereof it is 1. That God is in the midst of them Psal. 46. 1 2 3 4. When any great danger threatned the Reformed Church in its tender beginnings in Luther's time he would say come let us sing the 46 Psalm and indeed it is a lovely Song for such times it bears the Title of A song upon Alamoth or a song for the hidden ones God is with them to cover them under his wings â— 2. And it is plain matter of Fact evident to all the world that no people under the Heavens have been so long and so wonderfully preserved as the Church hath been It hath overlived many bloudy Massacres terrible persecutions subtle and cruel enemies still God hath preserved and delivered it for his promises oblige him to it amongst which those two are signal and eminent ones Ier. 30. 11. Isai. 27. 3. 3. And it is obvious to all that will consider things that there are the self same motives in God and the self same grounds and reasons before him to take care of his Church and people that ever were in him or did ever lie before him from the beginning of the world For 1. The relation is still the same What though Abraham Isaac and Iacob those renowned believers be in their Graves and those that succeed be far inferiour to them in Grace and Spiritual excellency yet saith the Church Doubtless thou art our Father There is the same tie and bond betwixt the father and the youngest weakest child in the family as the eldest and strongest 2. His pity and mercy is still the same for that endures for ever His bowels yern as tenderly over his people in their present as ever they did in any past afflictions or streights 3. The rage and malice of his and his peoples enemies is still the same they will reflect as blasphemously and dishonourably upon God now should he give up his people as ever they did Moses Argument is as good now as ever it was what will the Egyptians say and so is Ioshuah's too What wilt thou do unto thy great name O if these things were more throughly studied and believed they would appease many Fears 2. Rule Work upon your hearts the consideration of the many mischiefs and miseries men draw upon themselves and others both in this world and that to come by their own sinful fears 1. The miseries and calamities that sinful Fear brings upon men in this world are unspeakable this is it that hath plunged the Consciences of so many poor wretches into such deep distresses this it is that hath put them upon the Rack and made them roar like men in Hell among the damned Some have been recovered and others have perished in these deeps of horror and despair In the year 1550. there was at Ferrara in Italy one Faninus who by reading good Books was by the grace of God converted to the knowledge of the truth wherein he found such sweetness that by constant reading meditation and prayer he grew so expert in the Scriptures that he was able to instruct others and though he durst not go out of the bounds of his calling to preach openly yet by conference and private exhortations he did good to many This coming to the knowledge of the Pope's Clients they apprehended and committed him to Prison where he renounced the truth and was thereupon released But it was not long before the Lord met with him for it So as falling into horrible torments of Conscience he was near unto utter despair nor could he be freed from those terrors before he had fully resolved to venture his life more faithfully in the service of Christ. Dreadful was that voice which poor Spira seemed to hear in his own Conscience assoon as ever his sinful fears had prevailed upon him to renounce the truth Thou wicked wretch thou hast denied me thou hast renounced the Covenant of thine obedience thou hast broken thy vow hence Apostate bear with thee the Sentence of thine eternal damnation Presently he falls into a swoon quaking and trembling and still affirmed to his death that from that time he never found any ease or peace in his mind but professed that he was captivated under the revenging hand of the Almighty God and that he continually heard the sentence of Christ the just Judge against him and that he knew he was utterly undone and could neither hope for grace or that Christ should intercede for him to the Father In our dreadful Marian days Sir Iohn Cheek who had been Tutor to King Edward the Sixth was cast into the Tower and kept close
communicate to his people 4. Rule If ever you will subdue your own slavish fears Commit your selves and all that is yours into the hands of God by Faith This Rule is fully confirmed by that Scripture Prov. 16. 3. Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established The greatest part of our trouble and burden in times of danger arises from the unsetledness and distraction of our own thoughts and the way to calm and quiet our thoughts is to commit all to God This Rule is to be applied for this end and purpose when we are going to meet Death it self and that in all its terrible formalities and most frightful appearances 1 Pet. 4. 19. 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 And if this committing act of Faith be so useful at such a time when the thoughts must be supposed to be in the greatest hurry and fears in their full strength much more will it establish the heart and calm its passions in lesser troubles you know what ease and relief it would be to you if you had a Trial depending in Law for your Estates and your hearts were overloaded and distracted with cares and fears about the issue of it If one whom you know to be very skilful and faithful should say to you at such a time trouble not your self any further â—bout this business never break an hours sleep more for this matter be you as an unconcerned Spectator commit it to me and trust me with the management of it I will make it my own concernment and save you harmless O what a burden what an heavy load would you feel yâ—â—r selves eased of assoon as you had thus transferred and committed it to such a hand then you would be able to eat with pleasure and sleep in quietness Much more ease and quietness doth your committing the matter of your fears to God give even so much more as his power wisdom and faithfulness is greater than what is to be found in men But to make this Rule practicable and improveable to peace quietness of heart in an evil day it will be necessary that you well understand 1. What the committing act of Faith is 2. What grounds and encouragements Believers have for it 1. Study well the nature of this committing act of Faith and what it supposes or implies in it for all men cannot commit themselves to God 't is his own people only that can do it nor is it every thing they can commit to God they cannot commit themselves to his care and protection in any way but only in his own ways Know more particularly 1. That he who will commit himself to God must commit himself to him in well doing as the Apostle limits it in 1 Pet. 4. 19. and in things agreeable to his will else we would make God a Patron and Protector of our sins Let tâ—â—m that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing We cannot commit our sins but our duties to Gods protection God is so great a friend to truth and righteousness that in such a case he will not take your part how dear soever you be to him if truth be found on your enemies part and the mistake on yours Think not to entitle God to your errors or failings much less to any sinful designs You may commit a doubtful case to him to be decided but not a sinful case to be protected It is in vain to shelter any cause of your own under his wings except you can write upon it as David did Psal. 74. 22. Thine own cause O Lord thine own as well as mine Lord plead thine own cause 2. He that commits his all to God supposes and firmly believes that all events and issues of things are in Gods hands that he only can direct over rule and order them all as he pleaseth Upon this supposition the committing acts of Faith in all our fears and distresses are built I trusted in thee O Lord I said thou art my God my times are in thy hand deliver me from the hands of my enemies and from them that persecute me His firm assent to this great truth that his times were in Gods hands was the reason why he committed himself into that hand If our times ourlives or comforts were in our enemies hands it were to little purpose for us to commit our selves into Gods hands And here the contrary sences and methods of Faith and unbelief are as conspicuous as in any one thing whatsoever Unbelief perswades men that their lives and all that is dear to them is in the hands of their enemies and therefore perswades them the best way they can take to secure themselves is by complyance with the will of their enemies and pleasing them But Faith determines quite contrary it tells us we and all that is ours is in Gods hand and no enemy can touch us or ours till he give them a permission and therefore it is our duty and interest to please him and commit all to him 3. The committing of our selves to God implies the resignation of our wills to the will of God to be disposed of as seems good in his eyes So David commits to God the event of that sad and doubtful providence which made him flie for his life from a strong conspiracy 2 Sam. 15. 25. And the King said unto Zadock Carry back the Ark of God into the City if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation but if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good to him q. d. Lord the conspiracy against my life is strong the danger great the issue exceeding doubtful but I commit it all into thy hand if David may yet be used in any further service for his God I shall see this City and thy lovely Temple again but if not I lie at thy foot to be disposed either for life or death for the earthly or the heavenly Ierusalem as seemeth best in thine eyes This submission to Divine pleasure is included in the committing act of Faith Christian what sayest thou to it Is thy will content to go back that the will of God may come on and take place of it It may be thou canst refer a difficult case to God provided that he will determine and issue it according â—o thy desires but in truth that is no submission or resignation at all but a sinful limiting of and prescribing to God It was an excellent reply that a choice Christian once made to another when a beloved and only Child lay in a dangerous sickness at the point of death a friend asked the mother what would you now desire of God in reference to your Child Would you beg of him its life or
the Romans how plainly did Christ foreâ—el them of it by his own mouth Luke 19. 43. 44. Thine enemies shall cast a Trench about thee and compass thee round and keep thee in on every side and shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee and they shall not leave thee one stone upon another because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation Iosephus also tells us that a little before the execution of this judgment upon them a voice was heard in the temple Migremus hinc let us go hence which voice Tacitus also in his Annals mentions Audita major humana vox excedere Deos simul ingens motus excedentium It was more than an humane voice telling them God was departing from them and withal there was heard the rushing noise as of some that were going out of the Temple And as there were extraordinary premonitions of approaching judgments by revelation to the Prophets of old and signs from heaven so there still are standing and ordinary rules by which the world may be admonished of Gods judgments before they come upon them And the general rule by which men may discern the indignation of God before it comes is this ☞ When the same provocations and evils are found in one Nation which have brought down the wrath of God upon another nation this is an evident sign of Gods judgment at the door For God is unchangeably holy and just and will not favour that in one people which he hath punished in another nor bless that in one age which he hath cursed in another And therefore that which hath been a sign of Judgment to one must be so to all Here it is that the carcases of those sinners whose sins had cast them away are as it were cast up upon the Scripture shore for a warning to all others that they steer not the same ill course they did 1 Cor. 10. 6. Now these things were our examples The Israelites are made examples to us plainly intimating that if we tread the same path we must expect the same punishment Let us therefore consider what were the evils that provoked Gods judgments against his ancient people whom he was so loth to give up Hos. 11. 8. and so long ere he did give up Ier. 15. 6. and we shall find by the concurrent accounts that the Prophets give 1. That Gods worship among them was generally mixed and corrupted with their own inventions for so it is said Psal. 106. 40 41. they went a whoring with their own inventions And this so inflamed the wrath of God who is a jealous God and tender over his own honour that he abhorred his own inheritance yea he expresses himself as a man doth whose heart is broken by the unfaithfulness of his wife Ezek. 6. 9. Upon this account his professing people became the generation of his wrath Ier. 7. 29 30. 2. Incorrigible obstinacy under gentler correction Amos 4. 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. Scarcity Mildews Pestilence and Sword had been upon them and still these that remained though saved as a brand out of the fire in which their fellow sinners perished would not return to God and this hastened on the general ruine ver 12. This presages the ruine of Nations indeed 3. Stupidity and senselesness of Gods hand was a sad Omen and cause of that peoples ruine So Isa. 26. 10 11. Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see No nor yet when his hand is laid on Isa. 42. 24 25. It is not some small drop of Gods anger that passes without observation but the fury of his anger not some light skirmish of his judgments with them but the strength of battel Not in a corner upon some particular person or family but that which set him on fire round about yet all this could not awaken them He hath poured upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battel and it hath set him on fire round about yet he knew it not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart Prodigious stupidity to be in the midst of flames yea to be seized by them and destroyed sooner than awakened So you find again in Hos. 7. 9. Gray hairs were here and there upon Ephraim yet he knew it not Youth and Age are easily distinguished and gray hairs do plainly distinguish them being the plain tokens of a declining State yet they took no notice of them Such stupidity is ever more the forerunner of misery 4. Persecution of Gods faithful Ministers and people was another forerunning sign of their ruine 2 Chron. 36. 16. They mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy There were also a number of upright Souls among them that desired to worship God according to his own prescription but a snare was laid for them in Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor and therefore was judgment towards that people Hos. 5. 1. Mizpah and Tabor were places in the way lying betwixt Samaria and Ierusalem where the true worship of God was and there were Informers or Spies set by the Priests to intercept such as would venture to serve God at Jerusalem according to his own prescription this also foreboded the judgments of God upon that nation 5. The decay of the life and power of Godliness among them plainly foreshewed their ruine at hand Hos. 4. 18. Their drink is sour where under the Metaphor of dead and sour drink which hath lost its spirit and is become flat their formal heartless and perfunctory duties are severely taxed and condemned 6. To conclude the mutual animosities and feuds among that professing people evidently shewed judgment to be at the door Hos. 9. 7. The days of visitation are come the days of recompence are come Israel shall know it the Prophet is a fool the spiritual man is mad for the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred This great hatred was one of the greatest sins and saddest signs upon them This Spirit of enmity sowed by the Devil among them hastened their calamity If Ephraim will envy Iudah and Iudah vex Ephraim the common enemy shall part the fray when the whole Nation was under water and the Roman Armies under the very walls of Ierusalem their own Historians tell us what bitter contentions and sharp conflicts continued among them to the very last These things must be looked upon by all Wise and considerate men no otherwise than we look upon Glazing Meteors and Blazing Comets portending judgment and ruine at the door We have had indeed terrible Signs in Heaven a dreadful rod of God shaken over us of late which all men ought to behold with trembling Yet I must say those Moral Signs of judgment forementioned are much more terrible and portentous According therefore to the evidence of these signs among us let all upright hearts be affected and awakened with
shew it self in distracting cares and fears about events which will rack the mind with various and endless tortures 2. Caution Beware of dejection and despondency of mind in evil times take heed of a poor low spirit that will presently sink and give up its hopes upon every appearance and face of trouble it is a promise made unto the righteous Psal. 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixes trusting in the Lord. The trusting of God fixes the heart and the fixing of the heart fortifies it against Fear but I know what many poor Christians will say in this case their timorousness and despondency arises not so much from the greatness of outward evils as from the darkness and doubtfulness of their Spiritual and inward condition which doubtless in the very truth of the case which brings me to the last use of this point Vse the Third Search and examine your hearts Christians whether those graces and qualifications to which God hath promised protection in evil times may not be found upon an impartial search in your hearts amongst which I will single out three principal ones as the proper matters of your self examination viz. 1. Uprightness of Heart and Way 2. Humiliation for your own and others sins 3. Righteousness in doing and meekness in suffering the Will of God 1. Uprightness and Integrity of heart and way To this qualification belong many sweet promises of protection such is that Prov. 2. 7. He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly Psal. 7. 10. My defence is of God which saveth the upright in heart If your hearts be true to God these promises shall be truly performed to you but beware you deceive not your selves in so great a point as this is thy heart cannot be an upright heart except 1. it be a renewed heart the Natural heart is always a false heart 't is only regeneration that gives the heart a right temper and frame all the duties and labours in the world can never keep that heart right in its course which is not first set right for God by a principle of renovation 2. We cannot judge our selves upright except uprightness be the setled frame and standing bent of our hearts Psal. 119. 112 117. It is not our integrity in one or two single actions but in the general course and complex frame of our lives and ways that will prove our integrity to God 3. Then may we reckon our selves upright when the dread and awe of God's all-seeing eye keeps our hearts and steps from turning aside to iniquity Gen. 39. 9. 2 Cor. 2. 17. That 's a sincere and upright heart indeed that finds it self at all times and in all places overawed from sin by the eye of God upon him 4. That man's heart also is upright with God who purely aims at and designs the glory of God as the scope and end of his life and actions who lives not to himself neither acts ultimately and principally for himself but lives to God as a person dedicated and devoted to him Rom. 14. 7. 5. That heart also is upright with God which governs it self and its ways by the directions and rules of the Word Psal. 119. 11 24 133. Happy is that soul that finds such evidences of integrity in it self when it is brought to the trial of it at the Bar of the Word Heb. 4. 12. At the bar of conscience 2 Cor. 1. 12. at the bar of afflictions Psal. 119. 87. and at the bar of strong temptations Gen. 39. 9. The eyes of the Lord shall run to and fro through the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of such whose hearts are thus perfect towards him 2. Another gracious qualification intitling the soul to God's special protection in the worst and most dangerous times is the true humiliation for our own and other mens sins Go set a mark saith God upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof Ezek. 9. 4. These that thus mourn when others laugh shall laugh when others mourn Lot was the only mourner in Sodom and he was the only person exempted from destruction in the ruine and overthrow thereof 2 Pet. 2. 7. That 's a sweet and blessed priviledge mentioned in Isa. 66. 10. Rejoyce ye with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye that love her rejoyce for joy with her all ye that mourn for her that ye may suck and be satisfied with the â—reasts of her consolations that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory Be contented Christians to bear your part in Sions groans and sorrows you may live to bear your part in her triumphs and songs of deliverance it is an argument of the true publickness and tenderness of your spirits for present and as sweet a sign as can appear upon your souls That you are reserved for better days 3. Righteousness in doing and meekness in suffering the will of God is another mark or note distinguishing and describing those persons whom God will preserve in the evil day You have both these together in Zeph. 2. 3. Seek ye the Lord all ye the meek of the earth which have wrought his judgments seek righteousness seek meekness it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their Prayers 1 Pet. 3. 12. If righteousness bring you into danger the righteous God will take care of you in that danger and bring you out of it O 't is a singular comfort when a man can say it was not my sin but my duty that brought me into trouble this affliction met me in the path and way of my duty 't is for thy sake O Lord that I am in trouble as the Martyr that held up the Bible at the stake saying This hath brought me hither To conclude Manage all your Sufferings for Christ with Christian meekness as righteousness must bring you into them so meekness must carry you through them if you avenge your selves you take the cause out of God's hand into your own but the meek Christian leaves it to the Lord and shall never have cause to repent of his so doing If thou have an upright heart with God a tender and mournful heart for sin and thou suffer with meekness for righteousness sake thou art one of these souls to whom that sweet Voice is directed in my Text Come my People enter thou into thy Chambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be over-past FINIS Mr. Flavell's Two Treatises 1. A Teatise of Fear 2. The Righteous Man's Refuge Psal. 46. Hos. 5. 13. Asyli loco Praestabit vos inaccessos inviolabiles ab his regibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fugio perfect med 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 timor