can cause raine or can the heavens giue showers Art not thou he O Lord our God Therefore we will waite upon thee for thou hast made all these things Ier. 14.22 Be watchfull be watchfull see the Approaches But to what end if we cannot escape But watchfulnesse is the meanes to escape to be hid in the day of the Lords anger and the beleeving watchfull haue escaped see the examples of Noah Lot the signed Ezek 9.4 Of Ieremiah Ier. 40.3.4 Of Ebedmelech Ier. 39.18 Or though wee may be wrapped in the judgement which we see we shall yet be hid from the evill of the judgement Psal 91.10 for God hath promised a speciall watch wee are graven on the palmes of his hand Esa 49.16 Wee shall not be forgotten wee cannot be lost I will not any further lengthen this Exhortation but end with a third use Vse 3. Let me apply it as our Saviour doth What I say to you I say to all let all set upon the Dutie Watch. I cannot passe without a word in defence of Brentius who justly objects that Custome of the Church of Rome that not all but onely their Monkes and Clergie are bound to obserue as they speake the Canonicall houres Bellarmine cavills at that objection and would proue that such onely are to watch 1. Because some are to be separated from other men to preach why not also to watch chiefly considering the people busied in other occasions cannot attend it But his argument manifests that he either understands not or will not the nature of our holy vigilancy Though wee grant Ministers are more specially yet all are bound to it as we haue explained it 2. He reasons by similitude A Citie hath Sentinells purposely appointed so must the Church But the similitude proues nothing Are not all bound to attend their soules and not to neglect generall care to keepe off evill so farre as it lyes in our power to prevent by prayer I le not stay you to examine Gratian or the Canons of those two Councells that of Mentz or that other of Lateran under Leo the tenth the matter is not worth the stay but will hasten with the method 1. To you 2. To all 1. To you Peter Iames Iohn and Andrew the Ministers must watch Wee must be often upon the Tower and then what wee obserue wee must tell to lift up our voices like Trumpets and to take all advantages to bring people to Repentance 2. To all 1. Magistrates must beleeue the warning from the Ministery and being warned use meanes of prevention 2. All people generally 1. In private They must obserue take things to heart be seasonably humbled be much in prayer 2. In publique They must by gestures and words giue warning to one another that the Watch may the better be maintained God hearkened and heard it They that feared the Lord spake often one to another Mal. 3.16 Wee must exhort one another daily lest any be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3.13 Wee must waken them that sleepe that they be not overtaken with the Tempest What meanest thou O sleeper Arise call upon thy God Ion. 1.6 So Mordecai gaue notice to Esther and Esther to the Iewes This guard wee must put upon the places of our habitation and it will be more safe then the Warding at your Citie-gates For this conscionable practise will be your defence and shall make your Citie strong like that Citie in the Prophet Eze 48.30 c. There shall be safetie round about and upon every Gate shall be written The Lord is there HOSEA 4.1.2 Heare the Word of the Lord yee Children of Israel for the Lord hath a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing adultery they breake out and bloud toucheth bloud WEE haue beene upon the Watch-Tower and haue seene a Cloud from the Sea The signes of a comming Evill haue easily beene discovered and observed Wee finde the Lord is displeased for he hath exprest his anger now a good Method and our owne wisedome will both lead us to find the cause of his displeasure for he is just and will not be offended unlesse provoked Here is a Parallel God is at Controversie with Israel and the reason of that Controversie The Sermon was preached at that time when bloud touched bloud if we may so interpret that phrase in the second verse when they did bandy for the Scepter and the Kingdome was gamed for by the sharpest weapon that time when they waded through the bloud of one another to the Throne as the Tragicall History of Zachariah Shallum Menahem Pekahiah Pekah Hoshea is recorded 2 King 15. 'T is a judiciall Act the Prophet hath a faciall office and is besides a pleader God sits Iudge and pronounceth sentence The forme of proceeding is like processe ecclesiasticall 1. The Citation verse the first 2. A threefold accusation in the foure first verses 3. The sentence given in the fift and the verses following But I will not uncover more than I purpose to make use of the two first verses In them we haue 1. The Preface It is some great thing Hosea entends to deliver that he ushers it with such a forme Heare the word of the Lord yee Children of Israel Some Casuists moue the Question Whether a Preface may be used before a Sermon And answere that ordinarily it is not convenient as being not valued by Orators more solid as being the emptie brag of men rather glorious than full as being if beside the purpose against judgement if agreeing with it against the Rule of Method I consent and like not the childish flourish when by selecting a Proverb Apophthegme or Story men thinke they cast a better dye and beautie upon the truth to be delivered That common usuall way of stopping the mouths of Cavillers by a few set speeches and well compact phrases gathered out of witty Poets or applausiue Orators may haply betray wit but will together betray a weaknesse unfit for the Maiestie of divine doctrine Chiefly when a Preface is used as a Trumpet before a Puppet-play the expectation makes it worse so much the worse as the Trumpet was lowder Yet I would not deny briefe and occasionall insinuations fit explications of Connexion and dependancie and it cannot be unlawfull sometimes Captare benevolentiam to widen the entrance for the message So doth this Prophet endevour to make them attent before he makes them acquainted with his Sermon He had argued against their sinne he had fore-told them of their danger they continued secure now he Cites them to Gods barre and while he calls them Children of Israel he seasonably renews the memory of the Covenant that the Preface might render them not onely attent but humble There may be sometimes a good use of Oratory and Preface St. Paul beckens with his hand for silence and the Liturgie of the
passe because God is true 3. That there is wrath to come appeares from Gods equity for men are not ever punished here or not for the present therefore there must bee a time of account and retribution We see oft that wicked men that monsters live pleasurably and dye unplagued but the equall justice of God will not suffer them to escape scot-free therfore where there is not a present rod there must be future wrath 4. And lastly it is evident from Gods glory for hee is not onely just but will have the glory of his justice and will manifest his equitie Wee wonder at Gods dealing for the present therefore there must bee a time of separating Haply our steps may wel-nigh slip and wee may bee envious at the foolish when wee see the prosperity of the wicked and may bee ready foolishly to question and repine How doth God know Is there knowledge in the most high Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the world who encrease in riches But let us goe into the Sanctuary of God and understand their end then we shall find them set in slippery places brought into desolation as in a moment and utterly consumed with terrors for God will at length bee glorified in the equity of his proceedings and in mens notice of that equity This may be usefull to us in a double notion Vse 1. It removes the ground of our unwarrantable admiration and exclaiming of the ordering of time and government Men are ready to dispute as Pompey did in the Gardens of Chrysippus after the losse at Pharsalia Whether there be a Providence When we see men thrive by injustice and prosper in their evill courses and others that feare God and live holily make themselves a prey we wonder that God endures those and forgets these but cease to wonder for there is wrath to come Some busie servants that would be wiser than their Master may forwardly desire and urge it Master there are Tares wilt thou that wee goe and gather them up But what is the answer Nay lest while yee gather up the Tares yee root up also the Wheat with them let both grow together untill the Harvest and in the time of the Harvest I will say to the Reapers gather ye together first the Tares and binde them in bundles to burne them Matth. 13.28 29 30. Fret not but wayte upon Gods time It was the madnesse of the Anabaptists of Munster that they would purge the world in a frantick fit and put to the sword all the wicked upon earth but Gods wisdome and method is otherwise hee will not at all acquit but hee defers the execution to a fitter day and then wrath will come the Tares shall bee bound in bundles for the fire Vse 2. Let us beleeve this truth that there is wrath to come the not beleeving of this is cause of much unevennesse of much profanenesse of much carnall security in our lives But if we did truly beleeve it it would beget a profitable feare which I would also exhort unto a feare of temporall judgements a feare also of eternall 1. Let us feare the wrath of temporall judgements which are threatned and sent of God that men might feare before him When stormes are preparing there is cause to feare and I see not any reason but that they which have son-like affections should yet tremble Especially when wee apprehend how terrible God is in his wrath here we shall see cause of feare Look upon examples of his wrath how the Lord lookt when hee frowned When the Inhabitans of the old world had polluted their waies God was displeased and wrecks his displeasure upon them with a fearefull tempest the depths were broken up and the windowes of heaven opened and all creatures living besides Noah's company were swallowed of the waters The cry of Sodoms sinne reacht up unto heaven pierced the eares of God and moved him to such indignation that hee consumes them with an intermingled shower of fire and brimstone and beats downe the Inhabitants together with their habitations Sodom and the adjoyning Cities We judge of the rage and fury of a tempest that is past by the Ship-wrack that is made when we see the floating carcasses of drowned men the broken ribs of the torn vessell the forsaken goods here there scattered upon the sands so hath God been pleased to let us see the fury of his wrath in the stroaks that have bin laid thick heavie upon former offenders When the people had danced about their calfe the Lord speakes as impatient of the delay of his revenge Let mee alone that my wrath may wexe hot against them and that I may consume them As if he boyled in the heat of his rage would not be quiet till they had felt what it was to offend their God At another time when the people complained the Lord was displeased and his anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed them or did eat among them as the Hebrew bears it Num. 11.1 God did devoure them in his anger and as wee shall see after a great fire which hath consumed a building some rubbish and here and there some pieces of timber halfe consumed to ashes and made blacke with the flame as remaining monuments of that cruell and mercilesse Element so the wrath of God brought such destruction that a monument of it was left in the name of the place ver 3. it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He burnt to signifie to us an example of severe revenge upon the provocation of almighty God Observe how Moses sets it forth in his case Deut. 3.26 The Lord was wroth with mee for your sakes and would not heare mee but said let it suffice thee speake no more unto mee of this matter It is not a small matter to have God offended Moses had that priviledge to speake to the Almighty face to face wee would have thought if Moses should prefer a suite hee might bee sure to speed but wee see God speakes to Moses as if hee did not know him but will not grant his request for entring Canaan let it suffice speake no more If we reade in Deut. 4.21 22 23. how Moses works upon it how he aggravates the displeasure against himselfe wee cannot but deeply conceive what a thing it is to bee sensible that God is displeased with us The sword or scarcity or pestilence are terrible things in themselves but oh let us apprehend what it were to have one of these or a farre more light and easie judgement sent among us in anger O Lord saith David rebuke mee not in thine anger neither chasten me in in thy hot displeasure Psal 6.1 Hee seems more to feare the wrath than the judgement If I bee rebuked if chastned yet oh let it not bee in displeasure That I may bee able to beare This I cannot Jeremiah prayes in that manner and with
an unrighteousnesse as being a trespasse against the rights of another now the plea that ariseth from this is called an action of trespasse Sinne is not onely an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transgrossion against Covenant but also an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unrighteousnesse that which offends God God is holy sinne makes us nastie God endures not such but hath his controversie his action of trespasse against them 4. Sinne dishonours God that as it were he loses by it and therefore hath an action of dammage The dammage is that which the Iurors giue up in their verdict as an expense recoverable That word which is used among some parts of our English Nation skath seemes to come of the Germane word Schad and that of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 schadad hee wasted But thus properly it cannot be spoken concerning God for as our goodnes extends not to him so our sinne can make no wast upon him We cannot make him lesse excellent or lesse glorious so that on the part of God there cannot be expensaelitis as the Civilians speake God can be no looser yet unto our judgement of things he complaines that he is dishonoured that he is wearied by our sinnes I haue not caused thee to serue with an offering nor wearied thee with incense but thou hast made me to serue with thy sinnes thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities Esay 43.23.24 In this sense God is dammaged and hath his action I hasten to the application in two uses 1. Vse If sinne be the cause of Gods controversie with a Land we haue then found the reasons of Gods stroake on ours We cannot but see that God is offended he hath oft cited us sometimes attached us with arrests proceeded against us A little observation will tell us and we need no more knowledge then the Egyptian Magicians had to discerne and say This is the finger of God And we may fitly use that speech of Moses Numb 16.46 There is wrath gone out from the Lord the plague is begun There is much wrath gone out many plagues decay of trading in a time of peace generall poverty in all parts of the Land great houses empty and decayed distractions at the Holme absence from publicke employments errors in obtruded tenents I will not unbutton Marius before the Senate to shew more skars to shew which were in stead of oratorie Quid opus est verbis ubi vulnera clamant wounds speake with a peircing Rhetoricke Onely take notice of the pestilence 't is much abroad and now come neare to us in these more Northern parts Is God unjust or haue wee not merited what we feele Nay wee will cleare him while we condemne our selues For the transgression of Iacob is all this and for the sinnes of the house of Israel Mic. 1.5 Sinne and punishment are inseparable and to righteousnesse and sinne doth Salomon resolue the exaltation and ruine of a people Pro. 14.34 Righteousnesse exalteth a Nation but sin is a Reproach to any people I know that no time hath beene without Complaints and every age hath still beene thought the worst so that it hath beene the glory of every one that hath thought himselfe eloquent and able to speake to speake against the time I loue not peevish and unnecessary aggravations for it is easie to accuse and make a Satyr Yet it is not lawfull to cover our sinnes neither is it more unlawfull than unprofitable for he that covereth his sinnes shall not prosper The rule is no lesse true of nationall than of personall sinnes oh that wee could so take notice of sinnes as to grieue for them so to discover them as to remoue them Every age hath beene accounted worst ours is truely so You will consent unto it if you turne over the leaues of Histories the Records of former times and compare age with age sinnes with sinnes What care what light what meanes haue wee sinned against Our Dunghill hath sent forth a greater stench a worse savour by how much the Sunne hath more and longer shone upon it and we are therefore worse because we might haue beene better It were profitable to spend sometime upon History and Comparison but I cannot entend that worke because the method of the Text leades me to another to the discovery of our sinnes by those of Israel and in that same order first of our sinnes secondly of the aggravations 1. Our sinnes of omission parallel if not much exceed theirs 1. There is no Truth Terras Astraea reliquit sweet Truth together with righteous dealing hath well-nigh forsaken us Where shall we seeke for Truth with hope or incouragement to finde it Not in the Court there they tread upon one anothers breasts to rise not in Cities there they bargaine away their Consciences Not in the Country there the plaine haue learned to deceiue and more easily to deceiue because more plaine wee cannot finde Truth in fields in shops nay which is the heavy misery of Apostatizing times scarce in our Pulpits Ah! Beloved how unanswerable are wee to the Gospell of Truth to the way of Truth made knowne unto us Our tongues haue little Truth in their ordinary expression 't is the onely age of Complement and formall protestations when men sell words at a cheape price and thinke it enough to speake well as if man were made for nothing but a promise There is as little in our hands why else doe we handle the false measures and ballances of deceit But the heart is the store-house of unfaithfulnesse men are of double mindes and therefore no wonder if of double dealings rather Foxes than men full of craftinesse and deceit 2. There is no Mercy Mercy which is that sweet bond of amitie and fastens man to man That which hath the promise To the mercifull thou wilt shew thy selfe mercifull That which our Saviour commended in the Parable as highly pleasing unto God Mercy is neglected There is no mercy in our Censures while we sit Iudges over every mans actions and taxe them yea condemne them without hearing It is commonly the disease of weake unbusied people who being not furnished with abilitie for other employment nor with conscience to be much in their owne watch delight to be doing what is most easie to censure others Who shall liue free and untainted if such undiscerning men haue the chaire and giue the sentence There is no mercy in our Reports we care not how we wound the reputations and teare the credits of men not offending There is but little charitie where there is an aptnesse to entertaine all loose and scandalous reports and to scatter them as busily as wee greedily entertaind them There is no mercy in our dealings witnesse the poore neglected miserably neglected by you that haue the charge and power in your hands to relieue them notwithstanding his Majesties late Injunctions and the extreame necessitie that I name not other kindes of unmercifulnesse wherein men shew themselues Tygers and Wolues rather than
them that feare him and delivereth them Psal 34.7.8 Gods Host is a sure guard Iacob called it Machanaim The place of two Armyes there is safetie upon either hand defence upon both sides for them that trust in God As God divided the red Sea so he doth his Army The waters were a wall upon the right hand and a wall upon the left so because dangers are on every hand on the right hand from prosperitie on the left from trouble therefore every place is Machanaim to the godly a place of two Campes Mercy proportioned unto danger a compassing mercy He compasseth with mercy as with a Sheild 2. His Embassie to his brother Esau vers 3.4.5 Whether is he more wise or humble He was to passe through his brothers Country and feares lest perhaps as yet he was not reconciled and therefore makes tryall and prepares his way by a message 'T is a message of great and imitable modestie Let us deale so towards one another chiefly with our offended God send to him and propitiate him with such a present as may be acceptable to him 3. His feare at the returne of his messengers ver 6.7 His servants tell they had no answere to returne unlesse what they observed were a returne of answere Wee onely saw great alteration upon our message they make preparation of great Forces Esau comes forth to meet thee with foure hundred men They spake much in such an answere And Iacob feared greatly Iacob had newly escaped Laban and now he feares to fall into the hands of Esau What inconstancie is there in humane condition What varietie of Changes Vices rerum instabiles Yet that he feared greatly was his infirmitie The Saints haue many infirmities there were two great sinnes in this one carriage too much suspition and too much feare It was his sinne to be so suspitious specially of a brother He comes forth with foure hundred men might not the great preparation be entended as well for Iacobs honour as destruction What did Iacob know but his brother meant to grace him with a large entertainment Charitie is favourable in its interpretation of other mens dealings Yet if he had cause of suspition what cause had he of so much feare Esau comes with foure hundred men But what are foure hundred men to two hosts of Angels His power was greater than the adverse power if he could see it and make use of it Had he alreadie forgotten Machanaim The immoderatenesse of our feare and distrust ariseth from this that wee see not God neare and able a present helpe in the time of need 4. The meanes he useth for his defence they are two 1. The division of his family vers 7.8 A good and commendable policie onely here is some scruple he seemes to haue forgot or neglected the right method he first divides his family and then prayes who should first haue prayed and then divided his family 'T is true God first is to be sought that Heathen saw it from whom wee had the rule A Iove principium yet some sudden businesses sometimes admitting not delay though they cannot deferre our ejaculatory they may our solemne prayers Thus Iacob neglected not the better remedie which was 2. His prayer vers 9.10.11.12 Where wee may obserue for the present to the purpose that I entend 1. That he prayes 2. His Arguments in prayer 1. That he prayes Iacobs feare puts him upon any course for safetie but his Religion directs him to a lawfull course his wisedome to the best And Iacob said O God of my Fathers Deliver mee I pray thee I could not easily take my selfe off from the sweer meditation on the former passages but there I meant but to gleane as I passed but the feild where our worke lyes where the harvest is Is this Conclusion That prayer is the remedie of our Distresses Iacob feares and prayes When he hath divided his family yet he hath not done enough his refuge is prayer there he rests I le follow this Conclusion with this method explication confirmation application 1. In our first worke explication two things are to be cleared 1. What Prayer is 2. How it yeelds remedie 1. What Prayer is I confesse it is a taske not so fitly afforded from this as some other Texts yet without much transgression of art wee may inlarge our selues upon the discovery of the nature of prayer specially on a day of prayer The internall essentiall common nature of prayer is that it is a religious motion unto God It is religious because ex charitate for Religion it selfe is ex charitate as in that the Schoole hath well exprest and that it is a motion is concluded some say of the understanding Ascensus intellectus some say of the minde Mentis ascensus what needs that difference It is the soules motion the motion of the will But that is not full enough I like that description of our Countriman in his Medulla Prayer is the religious motion or representation of our will before God that God may as iâ— were be affected with it So hearing and praying differ in hearing our wills are moved in praying as it were Gods but that wee shall cleare here-after For the farther explication of the present I shall onely make use of some recollected thoughts which I affoorded to my owne Congregation the afternoone of the last Sabbath in the ordinary way of my Catechizing to speake of the Essentialls to prayer which are principally these fiue 1. That wee must pray unto God alone 2. That we must pray in the name of Christ 3. That we must pray by the assistance of the Spirit 4. That we must pray in a right manner 5. That we must pray for things lawfull 1. It is essentiall unto prayer that wee pray unto God alone Prayer is In auxilium vocare when wee pray we seeke for helpe without our selues now God onely suites unto that He that wee pray unto must be infinitely knowing to see all that spread abroad their hands to heare all supplications and infinitely powerfull to helpe all that need and call In regard of the one God hath a name from it God that heareth prayers O thou that hearest prayer to thee shall all flesh come Psal 65.2 In regard of the other God challengeth our prayer Call upon mee in the day of trouble and I will deliver Psal 50.16 It was nature which taught this to the heathen Mariners They prayd every man to his god and call unto Ionah that he should cry unto his God Ion. 1.5.6 But this need not stay me for it is granted on all hands but where Covetousnesse hath invented a doctrine of gaine 2. Wee must pray in the name of Christ it is of necessitie else wee pray but as Creatures not as Christians The creature as a creature hath recourse to the principle of being for the Bene esse and continuance of being But the Christian hath his approach in Christ In whom wee haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence
Then heare thou in heaven 1 King 8.37.38 God promiseth Salomon to heare The promise was to Salomon yet when the multitude of Confederate enemies from Moab and Ammon were encamped at Engedi Iehoshaphat makes use of that answere for his owne safetie 2 Chron. 20.8.9 Compare also the Lords promise to Iosuah Iosh 1.5.6.7 With the Apostles application to the Hebrewes Hebr. 13.5 2. The same promises may belong to the godly and wicked but diversely to those by Covenant to these by common bountie Though all haue possession of promises yet not the Tenure wicked men haue no Right but onely a generall providence therefore the intention of the promise is not from particular ingagement Thus our judgements must be rectified Le ts now see 2. How wee may collect them Wee must so collect the promises as God hath made them In reading the Scripture wee shall finde the difference they are sometimes propounded 1. Expressely and then 't is more easie to gather what is plainely delivered and these 1. Generally So the promises are ordinarily made with such generall termes of Every one or Whosoever or the like that all that are qualified may with that ease collect them as the Israelites gathered Manna which was scattered about all their Tents 2. Particularly such as were made to some particular men as Abraham Iosuah David or the like these wee may collect if wee finde our selues in their condition for then they are intended unto us as being made to the condition rather then the man 2. Implicitely these being ours more darkly are not embraced with so much ease but these also wee may two wayes collect 1. In the examples of the Saints what wee finde really performed to any of them being of a generall Medium is a reall though not written promise and wee may collect it to our use that God will doe so with us as with them if necessary 2. In the prayers of the faithfull when they haue petitioned for any thing and haue beene heard their obtaining of their Suite is a tacite promise unto us Such were heard in what they sought for and wee know God is alike ready to heare 3. Wee haue learned what to judge of the promises and to gather them It remaines to know how we must apply them The direction unto that follows upon the ground that wee haue formerly layd 1. In regard of their nature 1. Because the kindes differ wee must differently apply them The absolute absolutely Conditionally the conditionall The promises of Iustification and of sanctification in a measure fit for our journey wee may absolutely apply because the spirit of life and grace is given to all that must be saved But that measure of grace which our alone-Conceit reaches at and speciall temporalls with their measure wee must apply but with limitation 2. Because promises are subordinate wee must not Anticipate them in the application Though that of St. Paul be true 1 Tim. 4.8 That godlinesse is profitable unto all things having promise of this life that now is and of that which is to come Where the forenamed order is not observed yet our Saviour hath interpreted it and confirmed the subordination in that admonition Mat. 6.33 But first seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added unto you We must take the promises in Connexion first Christ then safetie first grace then glory Will yee haue safetie and not haue Christ Or can wee looke to be glorified before wee are sanctified There must be a seeking of Gods kingdome first and then temporalls are added 3. Because the promises though firme are sometimes hid in their performance therefore in the applying of them wee must liue not so much by reason but by faith and because a divine power brings them to passe wee must measure Gods truth by his power because wee know that to be infinite wee must beleeue this to be sure Our doubting of Gods truth proceeds from this that wee are not enough perswaded of his power and therefore the Iewes reason against that when Moses brought a promise from God that they should be satisfied with meate They spake against God saying Can God prepare a table in the Wildernesse Behold he smote the rocke that the waters gushed out Can he giue bread also Psal 78.19.20 They acknowledge God could doe much but they limited him in his infinitenes and therefore hardly can beleeue Moses So when the Prophet promised the next dayes plentie the Courtier disputes the power Though God should open the windows of heaven yet how could this thing be 2 King 7.2 But wee must not measure God by our selues his power by ours for he is able to put life into the dryed bones as he taught it to Ezekiel in a Vision Eze 37.10.11.12 13. We are ready to say in our despaire Our bones are dryed our hope is lost and wee are cut off for our parts But thus saith the Lord Behold I will open your graues and put my spirit in you and yee shall liue Wee must so looke upon the promises and upon our selues when they seeme to be lost and wee hopelesse God can accomplish them and quicken us 2. In regard of their Exhibition 1. Because the promises are made and performed in Christ therefore wee must be in Christ that wee may apply them The promise is the Saints inheritance but the inheritance is ours not so much as wee are heires as Co-heires together with Christ in whom our happines is founded and the promise of life and justification is to the unrighteous that thirst after the righteousnesse of Christ and resolue to obey him Therefore wee must be found in him if wee make any claime or desire an application 2. Because the time is not alwayes set but with a long date wee must therefore waite for the performance because though long yet the Word is sure as the Prophet speakes in the place before alleaged The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lye though it tarry waite for it because it will surely come it will not tarry It was presumption for the Disciples to aske Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome And therefore they are checkt by our Saviour now to ready to ascend It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power Act. 1.6.7 It was enough for them that they had beene charged before That they should waite for the promise of the Father Wee must stay the time Yee shall reape if yee faint not saith the Apostle Promises are not presently ripe wee must stay till the harvest Grudge not that the wicked flourish that the Antichrist of Rome is still exalted there 's a promise of his fall and when the Harvest comes he shall be cut downe Murmure not at wants or that the cause of the Gospell not enough flourishes there 's promise of mercy when the harvest comes it
will yeeld a full crop See an excellent resolue in David Psal 119.81.82.83 My soule fainteth for thy salvation but I hope in thy Word Mine eyes fayle for thy Word saying When wilt thou comfort mee for I am become like a Bottle in the smoake yet doe I not forget thy Statutes He had longing expectations languished and almost dryed up with a delayed hope yet still he stayes the time of the promise 3. In regard of their Intention 1. Because that promise which hath a Generall Medium is Generall though it were made to some particular person therefore wee must see our selues reduced to the condition of such particulars for our application If a promise were made to David if to Paul that promise is ours if wee in the same condition And the promise being made not to their merit but to their want therefore if wee be in Davids or Pauls streite and necessitie though wee haue not so much grace yet having as much merit that is none and being in that case wee may apply it 2. Because the promises of Temporalls doe belong unto us the Elect not onely by common bountie as to the wicked but by speciall Covenant as being made ours by Christs purchase therefore wee may so apply them Thus outward things being accessions to us we may confidently looke for enough of them and make use of our Tenure for wee hold them by a good claime 2. I haue done with the former part of the Vse Direction how to use this argument of the promise This other is an Exhortation that wee would make use of it 1. Let us make this Vse to store up the promises against the time of our need let us treasure them as oyle in our Lampes that wee may not want light with the foolish Virgins Learne to possesse the Word and make it our owne that it may dwell with us for our constant assistance Men keepe their Conveyances and Assurances and Deeds with a great deale of care let us be so wise for our Soules for our comfort that the Word may dwell richly in us in all wisedome Col. 3.16 That was Davids care Thy Word haue I hid in mine heart Psal 119.11 Salomon adviseth us to that and giues us good reason Bind them continually upon thine heart and tye them about thy necke When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keepe thee when thou awakest it shall talke with thee Pro. 6.21.22 He spake it generally of the Word but it is principally considerable of the promise that will leade us on with a gracious safetie that will keepe us with happie securitie that will talke unto our memory with sweet and pleasing Communication Let us enrich our selues with such a treasure and hoord up all though wee see not the present use of some yet let us be wise in our choyce as well as provident in our heape to store up specially the most precious the most fundamentall 2. Let us make a constant use of what wee haue stored up and to that end learne clearely to discerne their truth and their goodnesse that the promises are not vaine nor in vaine It was the witnesse of Samuel concerning his Prophecies That Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and did let none of his words fall to the ground 1 Sam. 3.19 God will not let his word fall to be scattered or lost nor let us loose a promise Haue wee the full Breasts of Scripture and will wee be wanting to our owne comfort Rather let us deale as wee haue seene some Children hang at the Dug and being hungry and therefore full of appetite and strong and therefore not soone wearied haue rather tugged than suckt at the breast not giving over till they haue drawne that naturall vessell dry So according to the Prophets allusion Let us sucke and be satisfied with the breasts of Consolations that wee may milke out and be delighted Esa 66.11 Our comfort is wee cannot draw the Scripture dry there is milke enough promises of every kinde 1. Generall promises lay hold on them 2. Particular 1. Pertaining to this life 1. Concerning the spirituall estate 1. Promises for Iustification and forgiuenesse Sonne be of good cheare thy sinnes are forgiven thee Mat. 9.2 Apply it Lord I drooped upon my former apprehensions of sin and wrath I was left then without all comfort But this voice makes me looke up cheerily when I heare a word in my Conscience That my sinnes are forgiven mee Againe Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and he will haue mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Esa 55.7 Apply it Lord I haue many sinnes but thou hast more mercies my sinnes would carry mee with despaire from thee thy mercies invite mee to returne to thee I haue beene abundant in my sinnes and thou hast promised abundantly to pardon I haue multiplyed my sinnes but thou art rich in mercy I dare now oppose a treasure against a treasure the treasure of thy mercy against the treasure of my sinnes I am confounded to see my sinnes heaped up to heaven but thy Mercy is high as the Heavens and over-tops them 2. Promises for sanctification and our cleansing I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and yee shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you a new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will giue you an heart of flesh Ezek. 36.25.26 Apply it Lord thou hast promised not onely to justifie my person but to sanctifie my nature I am unholy doe thou make me cleane by the sprinklings of thy grace I am old doe thou renew mee by thy spirit I am hard and perverse doe thou make mee soft and pliant to the motions of thy will Againe I will heale their back-sliding I will loue them freely Hos 14.4 Apply it Lord thou hast promised to forgiue mine iniquitie and to cure my diseases thou canst as easily change my heart and make mee holy as bid mee that I should be holy Take away my crookednesse and reluctancie giue mee a connaturalnesse to thy Commands a strength to obey thy will that I be no back-slider 2. There are promises concerning the Temporall estate 1. For supply of what is good Seeke first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added unto you Mat. 6.33 Apply it Lord thou hast promised supply of Temporalls to the subjects of thy Kingdome Outward things are but Accessions wilt thou giue us the maine and deny us what is lesse worthy While wee haue the Inheritance wee are confident of these things together with the Inheritance Thou wilt not see us perish with povertie with want because wee are Subjects because wee are sonnes Againe Yee shall dwell in the Land that I gaue to