in a deliverance who enjoyes not Christ with it It is but a reprievall not a dischrrge It is a deliverance in judgement rather than mercy There are preservasions that may bee called reservations to worser evills Such are these Thus much for Christs addresses to helpe them we now come to the manner 3. Of his comming to them Walking on the Sea To let passe the severall disputes about this m Hieronimus sentit a quas solidatas fuisse corpus leve factum contra manichaeos whether Christ did consolidate the water or attenuate his body whether he made the water more earthy and his body more ayry wee will passe these niceties Christ here walketh on the sea the Text saith and this as upon n Tanquam insolido pavimento Amb. solid ground o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Sine ulla mutatione corporis Christus ambulavit Super mare And this hee did without any change of his body By his owne Almighty and divine power by which he made Peter doe the like without any alteration either in his body or the sea Christ ever in his lowest abasements shewed something of his deity When he suffered upon the Crosse which was his lowest abasement then like the Sun he lets out the greatest lustre and brightest beames of the deity when setting even then he rent the rocks opened the gravs sealed up the beams of the Sun c. Which were all visible demonstrations of his deity You read in the beginning of this Chapter that Christ upon the hearing of John Baptists beheading did withdraw himself and the Disciples 13. verse Now this might have occasioned a temptation that Christ being God should flye from the wrath of man And therefore it is observeable that Christ doth here doe foure great miracles to stablish their hearts against such a temptation 1. He fed five thousand besides one women and children with 5. loaves and two fishes 2. Hee comes now walking to them on the Sea 3. Hee makes Peter to walk on the Sea also 4. He rebuked the stormes calmed the Sea and brought them to harbour By these declaring that though hee went from Herod yet it was not for fear not that hee thought hee was not able to preserve himselfe and Disciples he that could doe all this might have done the other It is Gods great mercy that hee hath been pleased in his lowest abasements to give us withall some demonstrances of his deity When he hungred he declared himselfe to be a man but when he fed thousands with a few loaves he demonstrated himselfe to be God When he fled from Herod he shewed himselfe to be man but when he walked on the sea hee declared himselfe to be God In his life he seemed to be man and not God he was subject to our infirmities but in his miracles raising the dead giving eyes to the blinde healing the sick casting out Devils he declared himselfe to be God as well as man When he hung upon the crosse he seemed to bee man but when hee rent the vaile of the Temple darkned the Sunne shook the Earth rent the Rocks converted the Thiefe he declared himselfe God as well as man c. But we will come to the words Jesus went unto them Walking on the Sea Why but Christ could as well have helped them on the shoare as to have come and walked to them on the sea But then they had nor so cleerely knowne Christ helped them either they might have attributed their safety to their own endeavours in rowing or they might have thought the storme ceased by accident c. And therefore Christ comes to them before he helps them that they might see and acknowledge it was his doing Doct. It is the best part of a deliverance to see and acknowledge the deliverer As it is the worst part of an affliction not to see the hand which inflicteth it so it is the best part of a mercy to see the author of it There are too many who like Swine do feed under the Tree and never look up to the Tree that drink at the streame and never regard the Fountaine Many whose bellies are filled with hid blessings Psal 16. Not because they do not see the mercies but because they see not the God of mercy Christians desire God in the bestowing of his gifts that he would not conceale the giver that all your mercies might be as cleere glasses and not as thick clouds which hinder you from beholding God in them It is the blessing of mercy to see and taste God in it Yet further and that which is the maine Walking on the Sea It was a strange way that Christ went in the deliverance of his Disciples to walk on the sea never was this heard of before God hath delivered his people by deviding the sea but never before by walking on the sea Doct. That God will goe unheard of untracted wayes strange wayes to deliver his people rather then his people shall not be delivered God is not tyed to any way his paths are in the great waters and his footsteps are not knowne God wals in the wayes of the deliverance of his Churches as a man that walks in the snow who because he would not be tracted he often changeth his shooe Whole Volumes might be writ of the many strange wayes that God hath gone in the deliverance of his Church people Sometimes he hath done it immediately by himselfe as you see in the stories of Herod Acts 12.23 24. Iulian who when he went to warre against the Persians he vowed to his Idoll Gods that he would give them a sacrifice of all the Christians in the Empire when he turned back but he was prevented by death being smitten with an unknowne blow from Heaven So God delivered the Church in Maximinus his time sometime he hath done it mediately 1. Either by making themselves as instruments to destroy themselves as you see in the Assyrians the Midianites Iudg. 7.22 And thus was Paul delivered Acts 23.6 7. 2. Or by arming second causes putting strength into weak and contemptible instruments for the deliverance of his Church As Ieremy was drawne out of the dungeon with old rotten rags thrown aside and good for nothing Ier. 38.11 So the Lord doth deliver his Church often by such instruments as the enemies thereof would before have looked upon with scorne as despised and contemptible instruments You see this in Cyrus in Deborah 3 Sometimes arming naturall causes the Sun the Moone the Stars Haile Winde the Starres in their course are said to fight against Sisera the Lord slew Israels enemies with haile the Moabites with the Sun shining on the water And we read in Ecclesiasticall History that the Christians being to fight against the Barbarians being in great distresse for water upon their prayers God sent abundance of raine but incounter'd their enemies with thunder and fire from heaven in remembrance of which the Romans called the Christian Legion
are fewll for patience are enjoyed when a man hath what his heart can wish what tryall of Patience Therefore doth God bring Iob into the Field exercise him with an hard Battell wherein hee had not onely to deale with Satan but his friends too as enemies Nay God himselfe seemes also to joyn with Satan not only by withdrawing of himselfe from him but by possitive inflicting of displeasure upon his spirit Thou fightest against mee with all thy terrours and overwhelmest me with all thy waves Iob 13. And all this while God increased his troubles to discover his heart When God brings judgements and calamities on a nation he is said to sift a nation Amos. 9.9 Troubles are Gods sieve The greater the troubles the smaller and finer is Gods sieve smal troubles they are but a course sieve they will not bee able to discover the flower from the bran much bran notwithstanding this sifting will passe through Orpha may goe farre with Ruth but will not goe throughout The Scribe came to Christ and would have gone farre if you will believe him upon his solemne protestations Master 8. Matth. 19 20 21. I will follow thee withersoever thou goest but when he heard it was a matter of paines and hardship he must bee content to lye with Christ in the fields The Foxes have holes and the Fowles of the ayre have nests but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head then hee returnes home to his warme bed f Quid fine domo si non sine domino sine lecto non sine Christo fulgens rather contenting himselfe to have his bed without Christ than Christ without a bed And as big professions the young man made also 19 Matth. 16. he would follow him too but when it came to the discovery that it was a matter of cost to follow Christ he was to goe sell all and give to the poore then he leaves him though sorrowing While Peace and Plenty Religion and injoyments go hand in hand together so long many will be religious but if once godlinesse comes to bee a matter of cost if once Religion and riches shake hands and must part if the world goe one way Christ another then with the young man they leave him and follow that Master they love better The Stony ground went far too 13. Matt. 20 21. It received the seed aswel as the best It sprang up promised as much as the best But the Sun scortcheth in the times of persecution when troubles and persecutions arise because of the Word by and by he is offended Many that are good for want of temptation like the Weather-Cock they stand this way for want of a stronger wind It is a strange thing to see upon what slight and easie grounds many doe adhere and more doe fall off from the cause of God Some there are that adhere to it as the Beare-bind to the Wheat * Hic est nos vulgi quod magno ex par te religionem ventris causa emolumenti colit hoc corruptum vulgi ingenium notat Propheta Chem. 2 Micac 11. or as the Ivie to the tree not because they love it but because it nourisheth them they can suck leaves and berries from it these hold to it for matter of gaine others againe because it is matter of cost therefore they fall off from it the more costly things the lesss lovely Some againe that hold to it out of private and personal ingagements Quicunque occupati sunt negotiis reipublicae debent hoc ipsum facere propter Deum Rab. Gaâ— friendship love relations and others upon the same ground or else upon some personal grudges to some that appear in it fall off from it what dis-service we have had by such private spirits wee all know to our cost It was the behaviour of Themistocles and Aristides when ever they were imployed in the publike service of the state they left all their private enmities in the borders of their owne Countrey and did not resume them till they returned and became private men It had been well for us if the publike affections to the cause in those who have appeared in it might have swallowed up all personall and private grudges and discontents Thus you see the many slender grounds and ends that weak and deceitfull spirits have and doe propound to themselves in their adhering to and falling off from the cause of God pitty it were that Religion so precious a thing should have such assertors to whose defence I know nothing so meane but is too good to bee intrusted Woe bee to us if Religion stands in need of such defenders Men whose Morives are from without are like unto clocks carried about with waights have no principle of motion within therefore * Nullum violentum est perpetuum Simulata non diu durant can never hold long to any cause he that will serve God for outward respects may be drawne to serve the Devill for the same if hee may mend his wages hee is unfit for a souldier of Christ who hath an eve to things visible 11 Heb. 27. but wants an eye to see him that is invisible 11. Heb. 27. That which inabled the Apostles to goe through all those difficulties as true souldiers of Christ which you may read at large in the 2 Cor. 4 8 9. c. 2 Cor. 4.8 9 10.17.18 It was this they looked not at the things that were seene but to those things which are * Eternitaâ—â— pingo better aeternitate pugno not seen verse 18. Christians these times will uncase you they will discover the bottome of your hearts they will not make them that are good bad but onely discover mens badnesse It is true what one saith A hypocrite is but an Apostate vayled and an Apostate is but an hypocrite revealed Had wee not had these times of tryall wee had not had so many hearts discovered As the Apostle saith â— Tim. 5 2â— Some mens sinnes goe before them to judgement some follow after So here though many had been discovered yet some men had passed this life for Saints whereas now their sins goe before them to judgement their hearts are layd open before those bookes are opened How many that in former times would have said Come see my zeal for the Lord of Hosts with Iehu who would have sided against the corruptions of the times who now with Iehu doe march furiously against the Reformation of them And as it was said of the Spaniards of Aldens Company in Germany they fired the Castle of Lippa which before they pretended to defend So now they set themselves against that which before they pretended to advance * Ficta Cito ad naturam redierint suam Luke 2.34 35 And therefore to discover the bottome of mens hearts and spirits as it was said of Christ Luke 2.34 35. That he was set up for the fall and rising of many
have heard of Christs addresses to relieve them and upon a mistake the increase of their feares though not of danger And thus farre hath Christ exercised their graces discovered their corruptions now begins the rise of their comfort and deliverance Christ can neither deferre their deliverance nor conceale himselfe any longer And therefore it followes But straitway Jesus spake unto them saying Be of good comfort it is I be not afraid a Quomodo solemus trepidos compellara qui nos ex voce agnoscere possunt ego sum Jansen As the mother sometimes speakes to her childe in the darke of the night when it is afraid Peace child do not cry 〈◊〉 it is I thy mother be not afraid So doth Christ here speak to his Disciples when they were in their childish feare of a ghost b Alloeutus statim cos voce illis non ignota fignificat quis sit Chem. Peace be of good comfort It is I your Saviour be not afraid They deserved reproofe but he pitties their weaknesse In this Text Christ doth apply himselfe to the cure of three severall distempers under which they laboured 1 They were in feare of a Ghost 2 They were in feare of their danger of being swallowed up of the waves 3 They were even out of hopes of preservation and deliverance See here how Christ doth apply himself to the cure of these three distempers 1 To settle them aright in their misapprehension that he was a ghost he tels them It is I. 2 To quiet their hearts in the feare of the danger of the waves He saith It is I be not afraid 3 To comfort and strengthen their hearts in assurance of deliverance he saith c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem est consolamiui fiduciam habere Be of good cheere or beleeve be of good confidence It is I. This in a more generall way is observable in the Text. In particular cast your eye upon these foure things 1 Look upon the way which Christ takes to settle comfort incourage his Disciples in their fears dangers misapprehensions He spake unto them 2 Looke upon the incouragement it selfe which is double 1 Be of good cheere 2 Be not afraid 3 Looke upon the ground of this incouragement It is I Be of good comfort It is I be not afraid 4 Observe the time when and that is in the first words straightway But straightway Jesus spake unto them c. We will begin with the first The way Christ takes to settle comfort and incourages them Iesus spake to them But to what Them doth he meane to all in the ship or only to his Disciples If to all that might have been as bad as a ghost to some to tell them it was Christ Guilty consciences wicked men are ready to say with their father Art thou come to torment us before the time At the best it could be little comfort to those who had not an interest in Christ who had not Christ their friend Well might they thinke as Ahab sometimes said to Eliah Hast thou found me oh my enemy 1 It was spoken to the hearing of all 2 But to the comfort chiefly of his owne Doct. The same word of God may be spoken to the hearing of all but to the comfort of a few Christ spake to the hearing of all in the ship but yet to the comfort of his Disciples And yet we cannot but think the rest of the Passengers and Mariners might receive some comfort by it so far as they understood who it was that spake The newes of a Saviour to a man in misery is some comfort though as yet the man is not able to cleere his interest in him And it might be the more to them now because they were in the same ship with the Disciples and therefore like to be shaters with them in their deliverance Doct. It is good to be in the ship with the people of God though it be on a stormy and troublesome sea The Mariners found this to be true They were in the ship with them and therefore did partake of the common salvation It is good to be in good company in a good cause though you meet with many difficulties in it If any salvation come you shall be sure to heare of it there It is better to be on a stormy sea with the people of God then to be without them upon the shore you see that here They had not only their bodies but their soules saved too as you may conjecture charitably by the sequell of the story Verse 33. Againe in that the whole ship was saved for a few Disciples in it we learne Doct. That God may have mercy upon many for the sake of a few God would have spared Sodome for ten righteous persons Ierusalem for one Ier. 5.1 d Credit mihi Pii homines sunt civitatum sacre fulcra columna quibus se motis subrutis nihil nisi perditio Aug. Beleeve me saith Augustine holy men are the pillars of a Common wealth which being taken away we can look for nothing but ruine Eliah was called e Quia praecibus suis populum non aliter ac curru ab inimicis liberavit Aug. The Chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof f Luther dum in vivis esset multas precibus suis calamitates a patria sua advertâ—bat semovit Luther is said to be the pillar of Germany who by his prayers did keepe back and helpe off many miseries upon them It is said Numb 14.9 Feare not the people of the land for they are bread for you their defence is departed from them The Lord is with us feare them not their defence is departed from them It is in the Margin Their Shadow The Rabbins say That this was Job and as long as he lived he was a shadow and defence to Canaan that they could not enter but now being dead they might goe in and enter they were all bread for them for their defence is departed from them Wicked men look upon Gods People as the Troublers of a Kingdome of a City of a Parish when yet God saith they are the Defence the Shelter of them The whole Ship was saved for a few Disciples in it nay a whole Ship for one Paul Acts 27. God hath oftentimes Mercy upon many for the sake of a few But wee proceed JESUS spake unto them This is the way that Christ took here to incourage and comfort the hearts of his people He spake unto them They were in a sad condition before Christ spake but now their souls revive Doct. A word from Christ is able to raise up and encourage the drooping spirits of Gods people in trouble I say Though the hearts of Gods People lie low in trouble and sorrow yet one word of Christ is able to raise them and revive them You see here The Disciples were in a sad condition before even at their wits end for feare g Quantaris
for Counsell for Comfort for stay for incouragement in these sad and sinking Times Blesse GOD And when thou speed'st best with him for thy self speak a word for the Authour Who is Thine in the Service of the Gospel S. Bolton The Approbation I doe allow these Sermons on Mat. 14.22 c. to be printed as pious profitable and seasonable for these times John Downame A Table of the most materiall things in this following Treatise THE inducement to and Introduction into this history with the Analysis of it 1 2 3 4. Doct. Gods refreshments must quicken us to Gods imployments 5 D. Men that have once tasted the sweetnesse of Christ are hardly drawn away from Christ 6 7. D. Where God hath a will to command man must have a will to obey 8 D. It is good to get a warrant from Heaven in all our undertaking 89 D. When God hath a work to doe he will provide necessaries 11 D. Christs care to preserve his Disciples above himself suggests to us our care to preserve his glory above our own safety 14 D God doth often condescend to give a reason of his commands 18 D. None come to Christ and have to do with him but he sends them better away 18 Vse This speaks incouragement to have much to do with Christ 19 D. Christ will not put us to exercises above our strength 21 22 D. It is our duty to add meditation to hearing of the word 23 D. The duties of our generall are to help us in those of our particu-Calling 24 D. Helps to duty must be sought and embraced 26 27 but these must be such as are instituted or countenanced of God not devised of men 27 28 D. A good heart will seek occasions and meanes of converses with God 30 D. It is good when you converse with God to get into Christ 31 D. When wicked men stretch forth their hands against the Church it is high time to betake our selves to Prayer 33 D. In all our difficulties Christ is praying for us 36 D. Gods Providence should furnish us with matter of Prayer 37 In what respects Christ was said to be alone 39 40 D. Christians are to seek and take occasions to be alone 41 D. A man may have Gods warrant for the doing of a work and goe on in Gods way and yet meet with oppressing difficulties 45. 47 Vse Judge not of any cause either by difficulties or present succestes 48 V. Let not difficulties slacken our indeavours or weaken faith 49 U. Iâ— those who walk in just wayes meet with stormes what may those expect who walk in wayes of sinne 51 D. That comfortable and promising beginnings may yet afterwards meet with sad and sorrowfull Proceedings 52 V. It is our Case What must be the Cure 53 54 1. Something must not be done First we must not be discouraged Second we must not forgoe the Cause Thirdly wee must not flack our indeavours 55 56 2. Something must be done These four First Search out the cause Secondly be humbled for it Thirdly Reform of it 4. Supplicate Fift Covenant 58. to 61 D. God spares to exercise young beginners with difficulties 62 V. To comfort the Saints your exercises shall not be above strength 63 d. That when Christ intends to exercise the graces of his people he brings them into the deep 65 Reas 1. To declare his wonders 2 To try your graces 3 To exercise them V. Think it not much to goe down into the deep 76 77 The Disciples sad condition at Sea imployed in that word Tossed 79 d. There is not so much evill in the greatest trouble as there is good in the least exercise of grace 79 80 d. God puts his people to a lesser trouble for their greater good 80 V. It speaks patience under afflictions 82 83 d. The Church may be tossed not swallowed up of waves 84 V. Let wicked men cease to attempt against the Church c. 85. 86 d. Contrary spirits cause tempests 87 88 89 d. God may be working our preservation when we think he is working our destruction 92 93 d. Stormes are to be expected where Christ is not in the ship 94 V. As ever you desire Peace get Christ into the ship 95 V. Christ absence in trouble makes sufferings insufferable 96 V. Get Christs presence in all your sad conditions 96 97 d. Christ is present to faith when absent to sence 97 V Learn to see him by Faith when you cannot by sence 98 99 d. Gods heighten the troubles of his people before he doth deliver them Five Reasons of it 99 100 Reas 1. To heighten our graces 2 Or Duties 3 Or Deliverance 4 His Glory 5 Or Praises 101. to the 109 Vse Not to be cast down though God heighten our troubles 110 d. Christ takes notice of us in our greatest afflictions 111 V To comfort and 2. to counsell us how to behave our selves 112 d. When Christ sees our trouble on the shore he will come to us on the sea 112 V. Be speak God to look down and see our trouble 113 d. Means cannot be wanting if God purpose helpe 114 V. It speaks incouragement in our lowest condition 114 d. Nothing shall part Christ and us in trouble c. 115 to 117 d. What ever Christ purposeth to doe for his people is as good as done 119 V. It speaks comfort in respect of promises to the Saints 120 And terrour in respect of threatnings toward the wicked 121 Christ in his lowest abasements did ever discover something of his Dâ—itie 123 d. To know or deliver ours is the best part of deliverance 126 d. God sometimes goeth strange wayes to deliver his people 127 V. Let us not distrust in this wisdome and power never to be posed never non-plust 129 1. What is ment by the fourth Watch. 130 d. God takes a fulnesse of time for the accomplishment of his Promise 132 V. It speaks Patient waiting 1. In Deferrs 2. Denyalls 3. In the incomes and receits of mercy 134 But yet so wait as to doe our duty Some Promises God will effect by his own immediate hand some by means 135 Three things to be done for the downfall of Antichrist 1. Cleare Preaching 2 Spirituall walking 3 Joynt Praying 136 137 d. When the fulnesse of time is come then will God performe his Promise 198 u. Blame us wee cannot wait 3. Grounds of it 139 140 141 1 Pride 2 Ignorance 3 Impatience d. Mans extremity is Gods opportunity 142 1. Why God suffers us to be brought to extremities before he help 2. Why he helps in extremities 1. God suffers it for Four Reasons 145 1. That Mercy might be more conspicuous 2. That Mercy might be more advanced 3 To quicken to Prayer 4 To inlarge us in Prayses 2. God doth help us in our Extremities Three Reasons of it 146 First Because God is ingaged Four Ingagements 146 to 149 2. That both we our selves and the generations to come might trust 3. For the torture
your selves he will carry it on though there be never so many appearing difficulties in the way It was said to Luther when he attempted that great work against the Man of Sin which was the greatest that ever man had to do since the Apostles dayes f Abi in cellam dic misererë mei Deus Go into thy Cell poor man and say Lord have mercy upon me But yet though were never so many difficulties in the carrying of it on and though never so many attempts against him yet he effected the one and which is the wonder of the World having a world of enemies dyes in his bed g Majestas non fracta And therefore be not discouraged if difficulties rise let your spirits rise with them you are above all things whilest you are above your selves h Audere ad nomen Christi periculum vitae fortunarum adire spiritus principalis est Luther It is a magnanimous spirit to dare to meet all dangers to undergoe all difficulties in the cause work of Christ You know what Luther said when he went to Wormes Bucer endeavoured to disswade him he replyes * Verbum dei in juriam patitur ego qui literis eo vocatus sum me conferam Haec est dies quem fecit dominus vocatus ego venio vocatus ingredior in nomine domini nostri lesu Christi etiamsi scirem tot esse diabolos Wormaliae quot sunt tegulae in aedium tectis The word of God doth suffer and I being called thither by Letters will go being called I come being called I will thither in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ although I should know there were as many Devils at Wormes as there are Tyles upon the houses Here was a Prinee-like spirit that was above the world and therefore could not be daunted with all the evils of it c. He who saith there is a Lion in the way that feares to go in a good way because of difficulties he is not fit to be a souldiour of Christ Fear is both unworthy religion which is the cause of Christ i Malus miles qui imperatorem gemens sequitur Scnec and a Christian who is the souldier of Christ Vse If those who walk in just wayes that have Gods warrant for their undertakings may yet meet with stormes then tell me what may they expect who go on in the wayes of sin if the wayes of Saints be strew'd with crosses with difficulties what shall be the end of swearers of wicked and prophane men if thus it fare with the green tree what shall become of the dry tree if thus with the wheat what with the chaffe if judgement begin at the house of God vvhere shall the sinners and vvicked appeare it is a question beyond your ansvver And so much for the first The unexpectednesse of their danger 2 We novv come to the second and that is the time of their danger vvhich is expressed in this vvord Novv The ship was now c. This points at the time of their danger now that is in the evening vvhen Christ vvas on the Mountaine * Initio satis feliciter procedit navigatio ita ut trium vel quatuor horarum spatio medium maris attigerint Chem. So that it seems hitherto they had had a prosperous voyage vvho in three or four houres vvere gotten into the midst of the Sea at the first evening they vvent to sea that vvas about three of the clock in the second evening they vvere in the midst of the sea and that vvas something after six of the clocke so that in three or foure houres space they vvere gotten into the middest of the sea but novv ariseth a storme Whence this Doct. That comfortable and promising beginnings may yet afterward finde sad and sorrow full proceedings It was so here the Disciples had a prosperous and promising setting forth but afterwards they met with stormes The stories of Moses in the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt and of the Jewes second building of the Temple tell us this plainly they had promising beginnings insomuch that they thought the work would have been done out of hand but the stories tell you what obstructions whar interruptions they met withall before the worke was finished c. Though the clauses and conclusions of Gods people are good as the Psalmist saith Mark the upright man observe the just for the end of that man is peace yet the beginnings and the proceedings may be sad and troublesome Though God will bring the ship of his Church to safe harbour at the last yet they may meet with stormes and tempests on the sea a Vt maresic mundus semper forvet nunquam quiescit So long as there be contrary windes men of contrary spirits looke for tempests expect stormes Vse This doth admonish us to beware of vaine and fleshy confidence because of promising beginnings n Nescis qusd serus vesper vehit The fairest morning may be over-cast the clearest day may bee over-clouded the most promising beginnings may meet with sad and sorrow full proceedings It was the best speech that ever Ahab had 1 King 20.11 Let not him that girds on his Armour boast himselfe as he that puts it off It is a great argument of lightnesse and vanity of spirit yea and of carnall fleshy confidence to bee puffed up upon promising beginnings a thing the world is apt to but when God sees his owne people in the same way they must then expect that God should hedge up their way with thornes and lay unpassible mountaines of difficulty in their way The case seems to bee ours it lookes like it Had not our ship in which was imbarked so much of our good and happinesse a prosperous gale at their first setting forth had they not a prosperous beginning did they not a long time goe without any contrary wind without any opposition had they not the Prayers the desires the countenance and well-wishes of all to carry them on were not the beginnings very comfortable and very promising you all know But how have they met with contrary winds sad proceedings what difficulties what mountaines of difficulties have they met withall in the carrying on of this work you all know The case is ours what must be the cure what is our work now in rhis case 1. There is something that wee must not doe 2. There is something that must bee done 1. We must not be discouraged God is able to make these troubles that are arisen in the way to help forward his own end Doe the billowes rise let the Ark let the ship rise with them do the winds blow let them but kindle and inflame your zeale and courage Assure your selves God will both bee your Pilot in the ship and your defence on the Sea That which you carry shall never miscarry nay it shal be your safety too o Perga contra tempestatem forti animo Caesarem
vehis fortunam Caesaris So I Christ vehis gloriam benedictionem Christi Nemo nos laedit nisi qui Deum vincet you carry Christ and all his glory that can never miscarry nor you whose safety is imbarqued with it And therefore bee not discouraged though stormes arise though the flouds of ungodlinesse doe lift up their voyce he that sits in heaven shall laugh them to scorne and he that sits at the sterne will bring all safe to harbour at last 2. We are not to forgoe the cause This were to forsake the Arke because the waves and billowes rise to jump into the Sea because the wind blowes the Sea is stormy You see the Disciples they did not forsake the ship because of the storme Nor did any of them let down a Cock-boat and labour to secure themselves In personall persecutions there God permits us to seek our preservation by flight if we be persecuted in one Citie we may flye to another But when persecution is generall and nationall we are to seek our preservation in the whole 3. Wee are not to slacken our indeavours tempests arising in our way should quicken us more to working in a shipwrack that p Iu naufragio iste rector laudandus quem obruit mare clavum tenentem Senec. ad peli cap. 6. Pilot is to be commended who is swallowed up of the sea with his Rudder in his hand q Non navem deserunt sed remigando laborant The disciples here fel to rowing they forsook their Cabins but not the ship they forgot their particulars every man to the general work They did not look every man to secure himselfe but every man to secure the whole every man to secure the ship in which their safety lay They saw their personall security to lye in the securing of the whole their Cabins could not bee safe if their ship were in danger r qui amissa republica piscinas suas fore salvas sperare videntur Epist ad Attic 15. lib. 1. Necesse est ut eam non ut vivam Omnes omnium charitates patria comple ctitur Cicer. Offic. l. 1. qui curat esse nisi propterte pro nihilo est Bern. Tully laughs at the solly of those men which in his time had such thoughts that their fish-ponds should bee safe though the Common-wealth were lost Such windy conceits have too many with us and therefore seek not their preservation in but from the whole with but in separation nay in opposition to the whole How farre are such from a noble spirit t Valet maximus l. 5. c. 553 I have read of one Publius Decius that when the Roman Army was reduced to great straits hee couragiously forgetting himselfe for the publike good ran into the midst of his enemies demanding safety for his country death for himself by that means occasioned an unexpected victory the publikenesse of his spirit did carry him above the thoughts of private safety Every man should bee nearer to Religion nearer to common interests than to himself u Dicitur de Alvanio ille propior publicae religioni quam privatae charitati Valer Maxim li. 1. c. 11. So Alvanius was It is a shame that Heathens should doe that which Christians can not do w Non prestet fides quod praestitit infidelitas Jerom. As Hierome in another case complaines oh that infidelity should be able to doe that which faith cannot doe It was used to be said by Christians to Heathens x Non magna loquimur sed magna vivimus we doe not speak great things but wee live and doe great things but we speak much and doe little happy were wee and the Kingdome too if the practise of our lives did come up to the professions and protestation of our mouthes c. That is the first what we must not doe Now Secondly what we must doe 1. Search out the cause why God hath obstructed our promising and hopefull beginnings Is there not some Ionah that lyeth under Deck as yet asleep some sin unseen unhumbled for Is there not some old sins that God comes now to reckon for old sins raise new stormes former sins a present tempest See what sin is the cause the Jewes in every judgement that was inflicted on them did use to say that God weighed out an ounce of the golden Calfe to them Though an old sin yet they saw God might reckon with them for it And there seems something to bee implyed that speakes for these thoughts hee is said to forgive yet hee would remember them at the time of visitation 31 Exod. 34. Is there not some Achan some wedge of Gold some Babalonish garment that hath thus disturbed our prosperous beginnings Have not some fresh issues of lust and corruption broken forth now in the expectation of healing Have we not been unthankfull for unfruitfull under all the incomes and receits of mercy Did we not grow secure proud selfe-confident upon the hopes of mercy and deliverance What is that hath caused God to strew our wayes with difficultie to hedge up our way with thornes to increase our throwes to multiply our pangs when the children were brought to the birth when in our thoughts deliverance was so neare Secondly when you have found it out be humbled for it You have an advantage this day unto these duties such a one as our fathers never injoyed y An ordinance for the solemn humbling of our soules for natinall sins You have here sent you a list of the sins the nation is guilty of and there is nothing required of you but that you should lay them to heart this day that God may never lay them to your charge This seems to be the day-starre the harbinger of mercy to us As the Apostle saith of another duty it is the first Commandement with promise So this it is one of the first duties that speakes deliverance not to persons onely but to the whole nation Oh that we could in earnest this day draw water as out of a well and poure it forth before the Lord. A floud of teares would now prevent a deluge of wrath Nationall repentance might yet procure a nationall pardon if we have once made our peace with God then will not God onely be at peace with us but cause our very enemies to bee at peace with us also This is a soul-humbling a soul-afflicting day Other dayes are humbling dayes this is a heart-breaking day other dayes are afflicting dayes this should be a soul-melting day oh that Englands teares might prevent Englands bloud 3. When you have found out the cause humbled your selves for it your next work is to reforme it What is it to lament sin z Non nocent praeterita peccata si non placent prefentia Aug. if you doe not leave sin what were it to weep our eyes out of our heads if we doe not weep our sins out of our heaats It is not humiliation is
troubles where the contrary indangers teÌ„pests c. But why should this cause stormes me thinks if wicked men will not goe to heaven themselves yet they should let them alone that would go Indeed they say they would goe to heaven too but they would not goe your pace they will not overgoe the world their pleasures profits this is too fast what needs such haste and therefore rather than mend their owne pace they would take them away that goe before them When they see others to walk in a more spirituall and holy way than themselves they are cast and condemned in their own thoughts that their way is not good and having no desire to come up to them and to the rule thereupon they hate and persecute those that goe before them And if I mistake not this was the cause of the first Murther that ever was 1 Iohn 3.12 Caine was of that wicked one who slew his Brother 1. John 3. and wherefore slew hee him Why saith the Apostle Because his owne Workes were evill and his Brothers good It was not because God respected one and not the other for God tells him 4. Genesis 7. That if hee would doe well he should be accepted too but it was because his owne workes were bad and his Brothers good But could this be a good reason were his Workes bad Why did hee not mend them was this any cause to kill his Brother This was the cause His Workes were bad and hee was convinced of that both by Abels proctise and Gods different acceptation And because hee had no mind to mend them therefore he would kill Abel hee would murther him that vvent before him that his Conscience might not bee continually condemning and tormenting of him for that vvhich he had no mind to mend And you have the like in the Scribes and Pharasees set out in the Parable of the Vineyard and Husbandman they had Gods Vineyard were the husbandmen in the Church but they would yield no fruit Luke 10.16 11 12. God sends to them over and over they beat and mis-used the Messengers At last God sends his Son with this sweet expectation Sure they will reverence my Sonne though they have persecuted and killed the Prophets 13. verse yet my sonne shall find other acceptation of them sure they will receive my Sonne 14 verse But marke now their Spirits This is the Sonne say they come let us kill him that the Inheritance may be ours You know it is a Parable the Vineyard is the Church the ordinances and the fruit which God expected was holinesse and sutable obedient walking The messengers that God sent to call to them for it were the Prophets who called them to obedience and holinesse But because they desturbed them in their way and would not suffer them to live as they list therefore they misused them persecuted killed them Last of all God sends his sonne and then they say This is the heire let us kill him and the Inheritance is ours Then the day was theirs they might sinne without check controule they should bee disturbed no more they should doe their will and none should check them here was the reasoning of their heart To these heights in sinning doth a sinfull heart carry men at last Sinne will never rest till it hath turned a man all into sin devilished men you see how many there are that sin away not onely a forme of godlinesse but their moralities nay even their naturall Consciences sinne will spend at last upon the main stocke and eate out the very naturall principles of men There is yet another thing which offers it selfe to us from this The end of the second Sermon The winde was contrary HAd h Si maturius ventus contrarius exortus fuisset mox se ad portum recipere pomissent c. Chem. the winde been contrary before either they would not have set out to sea or if they had yet they might have returned back but it is not contrary till they come into the midst of the Sea And indeed there seemes to be a mercy in it i Hic lacus juxta Plin. l. 5. latitude 6. mil. longitud 16. mill juxta Joseph l. 3. 100 stadia in longitud 40. stad in latitud stadium est â—ctava pars miliarii c. These seas were narrow and strait being but a few miles over and the night was darke and had they had a wind for them it might have hazarded them and dashed them against the rocks and therefore it was lesse for their danger that the windes were contrary though it was more for their exercise It is better to be in a tempest upon the midst of the sea then to have too strong a gale for us to drive us on the shoare A mans harbour may sometimes be more dangerous then the sea A man may as well come too soone into his harbour as be kept too long upon the sea many have been lost at harbour who have been safe at sea A tempestuous sea is not so dangerous as an unsafe harbour It speaks thus much Doct. God may be working our preservation when we think he is working our destruction or that which we sometimes think to be in judgement may yet be in greatest mercy It was so here The Whale that swallowed up Jonah was a meanes to bring him to shore and that trouble which we think oftentimes will swallow us up may be a meanes to bring us to our harbour There is no judging of Gods heart and purposes by his outward proceeding of providences in the world By thus judging wicked men undoe themselves and Gods people afflict themselves Gods outward proceedings may be good when the purposes of his heart are evill to a man againe they may be sad when his purpose is good * Jer. 29.11 Ier. 29.11 I know the thoughts I think to thee they are thoughts of peace and not of trouble to give thee at the last an expected end but yet at this time they were in captivity his present proceedings were sad to them It is our wisdome to shut our eyes to works and look to the word to look upon promises and not upon providences this is to live by faith and not by sense But of this more afterwards We are now come to the fourth particular wherein their danger is expressed and their trouble heightned Christ was absent We reade in Matth. 8.24 Mat. 8.24 25. that the Disciples were on the sea a tempest arose and they were in great danger but then Christ was in the ship who presently rebuked the storme but here Christ was absent well might they think had Christ been here he would not have suffered this storme to have risen if he had suffered it yet he would quickly have laid it But what shall we do now Christ is absent Give me leave to commend two or three instructions from this One is Zuinglius Doct. There is nothing but stormes to be expected where
apprehensions Which were two fold 1 Ad intra They were troubled 2 Ad extra They cryed out for feare We begin with the first The effect of this apprehension in themselves They were troubled But this was farre from Christs end he came to helpe them and not to terrifie them to relieve them not to disquiet them how came it to pass that they were troubled Certainly they were not affraid of deliverance that was that which they desired but they were terrified at the manner of Christs comming to deliver them Doct. Christ may come to helpe his people in such a way as yet the very means of helpe may be a terror to them I say Christ may come in such a way to deliver his people as yet the appearance of Christ may be a terror to them It is the speech of one upon this y Adest Christus ut eos juvet tâ—men ipsi horrent venientem Christ is comming here to helpe them and yet they feare his approach Thus it was with the children of Israel in Egypt Moses came to helpe them and yet they were afraid of his comming they saw things went worse with them then before and therefore they desired him to be gone and let them alone they would rather continue in their former bondage then indure the pains of a deliverance Exod. 5.21 God delivered Paul and Silas out of prison but it was by an earthquake a terrible way So God doth sometimes come to deliver his Church but yet by earthquakes by land-quakes by great commotions as is prophesied Rev. 11.13 and thought to be now in fulfilling This is a terrible way though a way of deliverance We reade in Ioel 2.21 Fear not O land bee glad and rejoyce for the Lord will doe great things for you It was a time of joy in respect of the deliverance God purposed to work for them but yet a time of feare in respect of the manner and way which God might take to deliver them You have an excellent Scripture for this Psal 65.5 By terrtble things in righteousnesse wilt thou answer us oh God of our salvation who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth The Saints had been praying and here they had some answer in their spirits an assured confidence that God would answer them yea and answer them in righteousnesse but yet by terrible things By terrible things in righteousnesse wilt thou answer us O God of our salvation If you looke into the word you shall finde the wayes of Gods deliverance of his Churches have yet for the most part beene terrible wayes Israel was delivered from their bondage in Egypt but yet the way was terrible the enemies pursued them they were to passe through the sea for their deliverance Daniel was delivered out of the hands of his enemies but the way was terrible he must be given into the pawes of hungry Lions to be delivered from the hands of cruell men The Three Children were delivered but the way was terrible by fire from fire Jonah was delivered but the way was terrible by a Whale which swallowed him up his devourer is his deliverer When Christ shall come to deliver his Church at the end of all things you read how terrible the way is Luke 21.25 c. There shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres and upon the Earth distresse of Nations the Sea and waters roaring mens hearts failing them for feare and for looking after the things that shall come upon the Earth for the powers of heaven shall be shaken A very terrible way yet the way of deliverance as followes And when you see these things to come to passe then lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh Here was deliverance you see to the godly but yet the way of deliverance was a terrible way So that you see the Doctrine is plaine Christ may come to helpe his people in such a way that the very meanes of helpe may be a terror to them Vse I shall make the application which one doth upon this place a Non despondeamus animum tametsi quae nobis auxilio fore promittitur quandoque speciem quandam interitus afferant c. Cartw. in loc Let us not be discouraged or too much cast downe though those things which are used for our deliverance may carry the face of destruction with them Who will reject a Potion because it is bitter an Antidote because there is poyson in it As Physitians can order poysonous and distructive ingredients to physicall and usefull purposes so God can make those things which in themselves are evill for the good of his people The man-childe of deliverance is not brought forth without pangs ill humours long in growing are not removed without paine Sometimes the fiering of the prison hath been a deliverance of the prisoner A blow with a sword hath broken an Impostume in the head Those things which in themselves seeme hurtfull and distructive God is able to use them as helpefull and turne them to our comfort And therefore wee are not to bee too much cast downe God would have us to see deliverance even through destruction and comfort through confusion God doth often put his people to suck honey out of the Rock and oile out of the flinty Rock Dout. 32.13 Gloria habitat in rupibus Ciem Alex. Glory dwels in the Rocks and deliverance in difficulties And therefore let not your spirits sinke under the sad appearance of things But yet we have great cause to be humbled though you are not to be cast down to desperation yet are wee to be cast downe to humiliation that God must take such sad wayes to do us good that God should work us good by such terrible means wee have cause to bee humbled Had it not beene for our sinnes the deliverance of his Church might have been brought about in a more comfortable way reformation might have been setled in a peaceable way without blood But our sins have caused God to lay the foundation of Englands future good in Englands present misery And therefore we have cause to be humbled for it this day We hope God is travelling in the greatest of his strength to deliver his poore bleeding and languishing Church But the way is terrible to flesh and blood For this let us be humbled But yet though the meanes of salvation and deliverance be so terrible let us take heed that salvation it selfe become not a terror to us though the physick be terrible let health be desirable though the way God takes to reforme us be terrible yet let not reformation it selfe become a terror to us And so much for that doctrine and for this time The end of the fourth Sermon I Shall not carry you back to to the review of what I have spoken Vnto all that I have said Give me leave to adde this more It calls in for as good a share of our paines and of your
act our faith There is yet something more from this second effect of their feare They cryed out for feare Passion you see will have a vent Terror argumentum diffidentiae clamor desperaâ—ionis Aret. They cryed out It had been well if they had cryed up but they cryed out Feare doth the one but it must be faith which must doe the other But what a shame was this It was a sin they should be afraid but what a shame they should cry out for feare They who were the Disciples of Christ were in Gods way went out upon Christs warrant doe they feare nay doe they cry out for feare what may the Mariners say Shall such a man as I fly Mchem 6.11 saith Nehemiah what one under such protections one under so many promises one who had such a cause such incouragements from above shall I flye This he thought both Gods dishonour his shame religions scandall So shall such men as these fear nay cry out too Such as were the friends and Disciples of Christ such as were sent on Christs Errand such who were under such protections doe they feare What I say might the poore Mariners say y Ecce quales sunt qui Christum coluut Sibona discerent boni essent Salv. What a dishonour was this to Christ what a scandall to Religion what a shame to themselves You have an excellent expression in the 8. Ezra 22. Read it See how tender Gods people are of Gods honour they will rather venture themselves then hazzard Gods glory he would rather goe in danger than give occasion to wicked men to think dishonourably of God Doct. Certainly Christians should be careful they should take heed of bringing an ill report upon the wayes of God they should take heed of bringing a scandall upon religion It is a great sinne with the bad spyes to bring an ill report on the good land to cause the wayes of God to bee evill spoken of Beware of fearing Wherefore should I feare in the dayes of evill saith David the righteous should be as bold as a Lion A good cause and a good courage should goe together But though you should feâ—re yet fight against your fears pray against theÌ„ Beware of crying out He that crys up wil never cry out he whose heart hath found a vent to God hee will never complaine to man hee who is once open to God is shut up to man the more God hears of thee lesse man shall hear men cry downwards so much because they cry no more upwards if your hearts could once find a passage to God in your troubles you would finde so much comfort in it as you would never complaine to man Christians you are all publike persons there is an universality in every one of you one of you stands for many a few for all and that not onely for all Professors but profession too You had need therefore to be wary to walk exactly suffer not the Crosse of Christ the ways of God to be ill spoken of for your sake 3. Phil. 18. z Christum legunt impii sunt Christum audiunt inebriantur Christum sequuntur rapiunt Salv. de Gub. i. 4 5. 1 Sam. 12.24 Matth. 18.7 Give not you occasion to wicked men to blaspheme Religion to cast dirt in the pure face of Profession It was Davids sinne let it not be yours It lyes upon us to justifie the wayes of God by our unblameable walking Woe bee to them by whom offences come woe be to them who give just occasion of Scandall to wicked men that put a stumbling block in the wayes of others to hinder them from entring the way of life But yet you that are without suffer not the infirmities and sins of those that walke in the way of profession to bee a rock of offence a stone of stumbling to you to keep you from entring the way of life The wayes are good though all that walk in the wayes should be nought you are to walke by precepts not by the practises of others by rule not example their failings are not to be stars to sayle by but rocks to shun That which they should doe is thy Law that which they doe if they faile is not thy patterne It grieves me to see the unanswerable walking of professiors to profession and it is an addition to our sorrow to see how Satan makes use of our failings and sins to be as stumbling blocks to hinder others from entring the way of life But men whose hearts are set against the ways of God shall bee furnished with matter enough to bring them into further dislike If you be willing to be offended you shal have offences enough to your further blinding and hardning if the Word do not teach you works shall blind you if the word doe not soften you works will harden you if you stumble at the Word and at profession you are sure to fall at workes Men first take offence at the duties the Word commands and then they strengthen that offence by the failings of those who walke in those wayes This the Apostle shewes in the 1 Pet. 2.8 Christ was a stone of stumbling but you see to whom even to those who stumbled at the Word first first the stumble at the word then at Christ Beware lest this be your condition if it be all the faylings of Professors shall serve for no other end to you then for your further hardning and strengthenning your dislike against Profession it self to your utter undoing But we shall shut up this And will now come to the next Verse The end of the fifth Sermon Matth. 14.27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them saying be of good cheere It is I be not afraid HItherto you have had a black a stormy and tempestuous night and now the morning begins to appeare Hitherto you have had nothing but troubles fears outcries but now comfort begins to dawne The beginnings of Gods people may be very sad and troublesome but the end is ever comfortable and joyfull Hence David Mark the upright man observe the just for the end of that man is peace Psal 37. The end he saith not the beginnings The beginnings may be stormy but the end is calmy Noahs Ark was a long time tossed with waves but at last it came to Mount Ararat a place of rest So the Church of God may be Tost upon the stormy sea of this world for a time but at last God wil allay all stormes quiet all troubles and bring his poore tossed ship of the Church unto safe harbour There is a rest for the people of God Heb. 4.9 2 Thess 1.7 You have an Embleme of all this in this story of the ship on the sea which Augustine makes to resemble the state of the Church from Christs Ascension till his comming againe As I have shewed you before You have seen their Commission and setting forth to sea you have seene their danger and the feares they were in You
vocis Christi verbi divini Musc Plus uni cum verbum animos coroborat quam eximium miraculum Musc but one VVord from Christ settles them Are we in troubles of Conscience labouring under the apprehensions of Gods wrath for sin It 's but One Word speaking and thy soul shall be comforted It 's but one word from Christ Thy sins be forgiven thee And Conscience is at peace all troubles are gone Are we in Desertions Doth Christ withdraw himself from us It is but one word from Christ It is I and the soul is again h Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia eum quietum aspicere quiescere est Bern. revived As it was with Mary in the losse of his Bodily presence She wept and would not be comforted Nay though Angels did labour to comfort her yet they could not It is not all the Angels of heaven that are able to confort a drooping soul Christ but speakes a word to her Mary And her heart leaps Rabboni My Lord So is it with a soul that hath lost the spirituall presence of Christ It is not all the comforts in heaven and earth can comfort the soul in the absence of Christ what is Gold in the absence of God! What is the creature in the absence of the Creator All the world is but like a Feast without an Appetite a Paradice without a Tree of Life Nothing can fill up Christs room in the soul The Presence of no comfort can make up the absence of Christ yet one word from Christ one smile from heaven And the soul is revived Speak but the word and thy servant shall be whole saith the man in the Gospel So Speak but the word and this dead heart shall be raised this dejected heart shall be comforted this broken heart shall be bound up this sad heart shall be cheered c. Are we in outward troubles and Calamities why it is the Word of Christ that doth stay us that doth cheare us that doth support us that doth comfort us Psal 94.19 In the multitude of my perplexed thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul Certainly the comforts from his Word Yea saith he I had perished in mine affliction but that thy Word did support mee Psal 119.50.92 The Word is full of Counsell full of Comfort full of Support full of Help to a soul in all his Troubles Therefore hath God left us a Word that it might be as a School to instruct us a Star or Sun to guide us a Rock to support us a Cordiall to comfort us a Tower to secure us and Armory to defend us in the evill day The Word is as full of comfort as the times are full of terror the dayes are full of trouble but the Promise is full of comfort And it never speakes more comfort to the Saints then when the times speak most trouble Vse Let this then direct us whither to flie for comfort now in these times of Trouble Even to the Word of Christ Enquire what VVord of comfort Christ speaks now to his Church in this day of Trouble and listen to it live upon it It is our fault that the Noyse of our Troubles and feares doe hinder us from hearing what Christ saith in his VVord to comfort us It is said of the children of Israel Exod 6.9 that when Moses came to speak Deliverance and Comfort to them and told them that God sent him to that purpose to deliver them yet saith the Text The children of Israel hearkened not to Moses for Anguish of Spirit and for cruell Bondage So it is with us Our Feares and our Troubles and Vnbeleevings carnall reasonings cry so loud in our eares that wee cannot hear the Comfort that God doth now speak to us out of his Word Object But you will say Did Christ speak to us as hee did to his Disciples heere then we might be comforted in our troubles Ans Christ doth speak to us as he did to them VVhat did he say to them but he saith to us also now All we read was but this Be of good cheere It is I Be not afraid He did not say He would save them Hee would helpe them nor that hee would preserve their ship cease the storme deliver them out of Trouble and Danger onely hee saith Bee of good cheere It is I I that am your Saviour your Lord your Master I that sent you out All the rest was the work of their Faith Their Faith made out the rest even their Confidence in him Now I say This and more then this doth Christ say to us now in our Trouble How many words of Christ have wee for this Bee of good cheer Joh 14.1 Luk. 12.32 Isay 41.13 Isay 43.5 Let not your hearts be troubled Fear not little flock Fear not thou worme Jacob I. I that am your God your Saviour your Deliverer in times of Trouble your Rock Refuge Shield It is I whose cause you undertake whose glory is concern'd And therefore we may reason out the rest as well as they and where is now our Faith That man is deafe that heares not Christ say thus much now And doth Christ say this where then is our Faith to rest upon him oh that this word might beget faith and this Faith might again strengthen it self in this Word Object But you will say Had wee a perticular Word of Christ that God would now deliver England wee could then finde a Bottom of Comfort though our conditions lay farre lower then they are But wee want that Therefore are we oppressed with feares Ans You have as much Word for the deliverance of the Church now as the Disciples had for the Preservation of the Ship Yet they beleeved the one resting only upon the Nature of a Saviour without a word and why should we doubt of the other though we had no word There may be a Resting upon Gods Name for a mercy Though you have never a Promise for it Isa 50.10 Hee that walketh in darknesse and sees no light no light of any Promise to tell him how things shall be Yet let him trust upon the Name of the LORD and stay himself upon his GOD. There is Trust without Promise He that Rests upon the Name of the Lord that is his Mercy Goodnesse Truth Love Rests upon that which is the spring of all the Promises the ground and foundation whereon the Promise stands and that into which all the Promises are resolved viz. The Name of God Psal 62.8 The Prophet exhorts to trust in God And upon what Ground He alleageth no Particular Promise but tells you of Gods Generall Nature Ver. 11. God hath spoken that Power belongs unto God And Ver. 12. And unto thee belongeth Mercy And thereupon hee trusteth God was Powerfull and able to Deliver And God was Mercifull and ready to help and thereupon he trusted And have not we as much for a Ground of our Faith as This You read Psal 33.18.19 The Eye of the Lord is
on them that feare him and upon them that Hope in his Mercy to Deliver their soul from death Here is Hope and that not exercised upon any Promise in Particular but upon Gods Nature in the Generall Hope in his Mercy And yet saith the Psalmist The eye of the Lord is upon such to Deliver them from death Psal 147.11 The Lord delighteth in them that feare him in them that Hope in his Mercy Mark you There is the same again though a Promise be wanting yet God delights in those that hope in his Mercy in the Generall So Though we had not a Promise yet we have a Word to discover God to us we have the Name of God his Nature his Properties to rest upon for Deliverance And this is as good a Foundation as the Disciples had now for their Faith upon the Sea What Promises had the woman of Canaan What particular Word had she for her Indeed she seemed to have one against her I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel Verrse 26. Nay Matth. 15.22.23 24. It is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it unto doggs Verse 26. i Triplex tentatio 1. Taciturnitatis 2. Particularitatis 3. Indignitatis here was a great tryall here was not onely silence Verse 2.3 no word but here was a word against her yet her faith rested upon his Nature he had Power and he had mercy therfore she rested on him 2. But wee have yet more incouragement Indeed if wee had nothing but Gods nature his Goodnesse Mercy compassion to his people to draw out our faith and Dependance upon him now yet this would goe far with us God is mercifull and gracious wee are his people First we are his by choice he hath chosen us out of the world nay we are his 2. By purchase he hath k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christus nos redemit proprie emercacatus est seu emendo exemit passor bought us So Gal. 4.5 Nay wee are his 3. By donation God the Father hath bestowed us on Christ he hath given us to him Joh. 17.6.7 And wee are his 4. by Covenant we have given our selves to him And being his in bonds nay his in such neere bonds choice relations As wee have incouragement to depend upon him Christus non tam manu potenti quam praetio dato nos redemit So also in our dependance to expect deliverance and Mercy from him 1. Besides all this we have a Book of Promises wherein in the Generall God hath made many gracious ingagements to us 2. Nay and we have a book of experiences that may be annexed to the Book of Promises both of Gods dealings 1. To other of his people 2. To our selves which might Speak some incouragement and afford some bottome for faith to rest upon 3. And we have incouragement from the Cause which is undertaken which as it speakes incouragement to us to undertake it So it doth no lesse to us in our undertaking of it 4. Yea and wee have incouragement from the Consideration of our enemies I say no more but that it will be an unparralell'd case an untracted piece of Providence if God doe not deliver us Object But you will say all these may seem but to afford us probable conjectures They may be and may not be How shall we know whether God will doe to us as to others succour his owne Cause and not give us up to our enemies except we had a particular word for it Ans For the answer of this therefore let us look and we shall see that we have something that comes neer to a particulat word that God will deliver us Let our Enemies but shew as much for their confidence as we may doe for ours and wee will give up the Bucklers Wee will first lay downe two grand Rules which Divines lay down in the interpretation of Scripture 1. Rule What God hath done to others of his people in distresse is equivalent to a Promise to us in the same condition Now God hath supported Delivered others of his people in former times And this is Equivalent to a Promise to us that God will support and deliver us Hee hath helped his Church in their straits in Egypt in Babylon in Esthers time And that which God did to others of his People in distresse is equivalent to a Promise to us as our Divines say in their interpretation of Scriptures And this seems to have a foundation in Scripture too Jobs Deliverance out of Trouble is made the Ground of our waiting upon God for Deliverance out of Trouble also You shall see it Jam. 5.7 to 11. In the seventh Verse the Apostle exhorts them unto patience under all their afflictions and Crosses upon this Ground because God will deliver them if they wait on him Why But how shall we know that Why saith the Apostle He hath delivered others of his people in the same Cases And so will he you You have heard saith he of the patience of Job and what end God made with him i. e. How God delivered him out Trouble And therefore be you patient and wait for the same Deliverance And hereupon the Psalmist reasons Psal 22.4 5. Our Father j trusted in thee and thou deliveredst them they cryed unto thee and were not confounded And what is the meaning of that but that the Church doth take up an Argument from Gods dealing with his Church in former times To trust God for the like Mercy for themselves being in the like condition Rom. 15.4 What ever things are written saith the Apostle they are written for our learning that wee through Patience and comfort in the Scripture might have hope Marke there what things are written not only Promises but Histories of Gods dealings to his Church were therefore written that we might have hope i. e. That we might depend on God in the like condition He relieved Iacob David Iehoshaphat Iob the Churches of God c. That all these might be in stead of promises to us to inable us to depend on God in the like distresses So Psal 9.10 They that know thy name will trust in thee And why He doth not say because thou hast made them ptomises though this be true But he saith Because thou Lord l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adverbum non derelinquis Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sperabant i.e. pollicebantur fibide te quod non sis ipsos deserturus quoniam alios non dereliquisti Musc hast not forsaken them that seek thee Where he urgeth the experience of Gods dealings with others to be in stead of a promise to them to trust in God Otherwise the argument were not of force He never yet forsooke any that sought him m And therefore we may trust in him he will not forsake us And this is the first rule what ever God hath done to others of his people in distresse is equivalent to a promise to us in the
pray Hee bestowes mercy on wicked men without asking hee feedes and cloathes them causeth the Sunne to shine on the bad as well as good but these are the mercies of a generall providence not distinguishing mercies of generall bounty not of speciall love But the mercies he bestowes on his owne God is willing they should come in as fruits of prayer and as performance of promises And then are they mercies indeed The way of comming in is a greater mercy then the mercy it selfe My brethren we are in a sad condition We expect mercy we looke for deliverance But doe you pray Doe you beleeve Doe you wait Remember this God will put his people in a posture fit to receive before he will bestow mercy in a frame fit for deliverance before he will deliver them Mercy is never fit for you till you be fit for mercy Let the work of God goe better on within in your spirits Gods work will go better on without abroad in the land Interruptions obstructions delayes abroad are from hence because that there are all these within Let us not only expect but prepare 2 Pet. 3.12 Looking for and hastning the comming of the day of the Lord. Many will look for a thing which they will not hasten Why what is hastning The day is determined How can we hasten it The meaning is not That we should hasten the day but that we should hasten or prepare our selves for the day Therefore let us not only wait for mercy but hasten to it prepare for it Now that we may thus hasten the day foure things are requisite 1. That we humble 2. That we beleeve 3. That we be mighty in prayer 4. That we be sincere in our reformings And so much for the first part of the incouragement we now come to the second Be not afraid Doct. God would not have the hearts of his people sink under any affliction or trouble They were in a great trouble yet he incourages them Be not afraid Hence wee heare it ordinarily Feare not thou worme Jacob Isay 41.14 Isay 7.4.8.12 Isay 43.1.5 Rev. 2.10 Luke 2.32 Isay 41.14 Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer Rev. 2.10 Feare not little flock Luke 12.32 Thus GOD would steele the hearts of his people against base feares though their troubles be great yet he would not have their hearts to sink under them And that first Because this is offensive to God It 's a great wrong we doe to God to suffer our hearts to be cast downe in times of trouble You have a God who is able to relieve you be you never so low Nay a God that is willing to helpe you for he is a God of mercy and all this mercy is for you all this power is for you you have a God who hath purposed to helpe you he had purposes of good from all eternity to you You have a God who hath promised to helpe you how many promises hath God made to you Nay And you have had Experience of his Goodnesse both towards others and towards your selves It hath been a Tryed Goodnesse an Experienced goodnesse And therefore how doe wee wrong God when we suffer our hearts to sinke in the dayes of Evill Christians should be tender of Gods glory you have need to take heed of bringing an ill Report upon God as if he should not have regard to to help his own People This gives occasion of hard thoughts to the men of the World You have a tender expression in Ezra 8.22 I was ashamed to require of the King a band of Souldiers and horsemen to helpe me against the enmy Because wee had spoken to the King saying The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him But his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him Mark you here Hee was in a Great strait There was great danger He feared the enemy yet he was asham'd to ask any helpe Why Because hee had said to the King Certainly God will preserve his owne And the King thought so And therefore lest hee should any way Dishonour God and give the King occasion to suspect that God would not Preserve them he would rather venture all upon God in danger then give the King such occasion of suspition Christians should bee tender of Gods honour 2. It 's unsutable to Christians Christians should be couragious 1. It is unsutable to your calling you are Christians who should be more valiant then they that are most holy a Quis tam fortis quam qui Sanctus Ber. ad mil. Temp. c. ◠The righteous should be as bold as a Lyon greatnesse of Spirit befits those who are Christians your Cause is good your incouragements good your succours good your comforts good your rewards are good and why should not your courage your hearts come up to all these You read in the 51 Isay 12 13. God said to his people Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of man fear not Worme Iacob Indeed one would think he should have said who art thou that thou shouldest not be afraid of a man what is a worme under mens feet thou art but a worme Yet God saith Who art thou as if he had said Consider but thy self and what relations thou stands in to the great God under what mighty protections thou art under what Promises And thou wilt think it a thing very unworthy very unbeseeming thy self to feare Wherefore should I fear saith David in the dayes of evill Wherefore should I I that stand in such relations I that have such dependances such encouragements such succours such promises such expectations wherefore should I feare this were unworthy me As Themistocles said to a Souldier when he passed by the spoile of his enemies Thou mayst gather up the spoyle for thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. art not Themistocles Esteeming it unworthy for him to doe those things which others did Christians God hath stamped a great deal of honour upon you in making you Christians the Souldiers of Christ and you are to be as farre above others of the world in courage as they are below you in condition See David Psal 27.1 2 3. Feares are their portion not yours Isay 8.12 Fear not their fears 2. They are unsutable to your Cause They are unsutable to a Christian who is the Souldier of Christ and to Religion which is the Cause of Christ Pitty a good Cause should have low spirits the Cause is sufficient bottome to beare up the Spirit and put courage into the heart of a coward None can defend it but it will defend them As your danger lies in deserting of it so your security lies in defending of it The Grecian women commanded their sons Either to bring back their Shields or dye upon them Epaminondas was so devoted to his Buckler that he took up a resolution either to defend it or to dye for it and being wounded to death hee cryes out
to satisfie their unbelieving hearts their feares were above all the security God tendred as you see in the sixteenth verse and you see how God meets with them Take another place in Isay 7. You may reade of a confederacy between the King of Assyria and the King of Israel to come up against Iudah and Ierusalem And in the second Verse you read how the hearts of the men of Judah were moved even as the trees of the wood are moved with the winde Now in this their feare and danger God sends a Prophet to them to tell them he would bee their security if they would trust on him the third and fourth Verses Be quiet fear not neither be fainthearted I will helpe you Verse 7. But notwithstanding all this their feare prevailed against their faith whereupon God sends the Prophet againe in the tenth Verse and bids the King Ask a signe either in the depths below or height above That is if he desired to have his faith confirmed by any visible signe either in Heaven or Earth God would condescend so farre to the weaknesse of his faith to afford it to him but yet his feares prevailed against his faith and against all the security God offered and he puts all this off very cunningly Verse 12. I will not ask a signe neither will I tempt God One would thinke he spake well he would not tempt God in asking a signe he would beleeve on his bare word doth not Christ blame the Scribes and Pharisees for asking a signe but it is one thing to aske a signe when God doth not offer it and meerly out of temptation too as the Scribes Pharises did another thing to refuse a signe when God tenders it and that for the confirming of their faith That hee spake wickedly The 13. verse tels you Is it a small thing to weary men but yor will weary God also Indeed the meaning is he will not tempt God That is he will not trust God hee would not trust on Gods promise Gods security he would run to the arm of flesh provide the best means for his own safety for he would not trust on Gods security hee would rather trust to the provision feare could make then to the provisions faith could finde in God * In periculis non bebemus otiose pendere a divino auxilio sed omnia facere quae sunt in nostra potestate Quamvis credamus in Deum faciamus tamen quae facienda sunt ne praetermittentes ea Deum tentare videamur Aug. Sometimes we tempt God in trusting upon God in the neglect of means and sometimes we tempt God in the trusting upon means in the neglect of God so did he See 2 King 16.5 to the 10. verse And so you see feare is a heart infeebling sin it betrayes the succours which God tenders God and all God is too little to secure an unbelieving man 6. It doth gratifie the enemy our feares are our weaknings the enemies strengthnings 1. Our weaknings I say feare is an army in battalia against it selfe the heart doth arme the head and the head useth all its enginery to batter the heart the heart makes use of the head to heighten a danger and that againe layes battery against the heart to lessen that Hee needs no enemies without who hath a fearefull heart within how can he stand out against enemies from without that is not able to stand against it selfe This is the nature of fear where courage lessens difficulties and makes great things conquerable such a spirit looks through a lessening glass and sees great dangers to be small the heart still riseth above the difficulty This is the nature of feare it looks through a multiplying glasse and makes small dangers great and unresistable Assure your selves feare will make a man weake amidst all the provisions of strength your forts are nothing if you retaine your feares you will be naked in the midst of armes weak in the midst of strength fear is an armory of weapons against it selfe It is our weaknings 2. And it is the enemies strengthening your feares are their courage and your courage their feares It is said in Iudges 2. That Israels sin was Eglons strength so our sin of feare is the courage and strength of our adversaries you weaken your selves and strengthen them you disarme your selves and arme them you unweapon your selves and put weapons into their hands to destroy you It is a dangerous sin and therefore God would not suffer such to goe to war they were unfit for wars Deut. 20.8 there were two qualities that were to be casheered malitia molities wickednesse of life and fearfulnesse of heart the one makes our enemies weapons successefull and the other makes our owne uselesse 7. It is a sin that indangers our forsaking of the Cause of God Solomon saith 29 Prov. 25. Prov. 29.25 The fear of man worketh a snare if once base feare get the possession of the heart what snares wil they not expose a man unto I will name some to you 1. They will make a man shie to acknowledge the Cause of God You see Nicodemus and many of the Iewes of whom it is said They believed but durst not confesse him for feare of the Scribes and Pharisees 2. Fear will make a man-decline and bawk the Cause of God the Rulers were afaid to acknowledge Christ because of the Romans if they had done so the Romans would have come and taken away their place and nation 3. Fear will blind the understaning hinder us from decerning good from evil and evil from good It is a Maxime Sin in the affection will breed Error in the understanding a corrupt heart will cause a corrupt head feare in the heart will cause darknesse in the minde It is a hard thing for a man under the power of any sinfull passion either by-assed with corrupt affections or blinded with corrupt passions to judge of the truth and justnesse of any cause though it be never so evident Men in feare are apt to judge those things good which yet are evil and they themselves would so acknowledge if they stood upon even ground if the feares and dangers had not got the hill of them And I believe this is a great ground of mens judgings in these times They think if they should acknowledge things as they are they should be at great costs for the present and run great hazards for future and therefore they will rather smother the Light and Evidences they have then let in more to their danger and cost Thus our enemies make us drive their mills with our owne breath and doe their worke with our own hands a fair policie Pyrrhus used to say of Cyneas That he had gained more Cities with his eloquence then he himself had done with his sword It is wisdom to expect most venom where there is most Art the Spider hath much Art but yet a great deale of poyson 4. The fourth snare that this
feare brings on us it doth not only blind our eyes that we cannot see the Cause of God and when we see it make us shie to acknowledge it nay prevail with a man to bawk and decline it But it will make us deny and forsake the cause of God too and here might be examples enough many there are who have forsaken Christ denyed his truth truth professed truth preached truth in some measure contended for and all for feare of men You know the sad stories of Peter Spira of Cranmer It is an easie matter to make him who is under the power of sinfull feares any thing to preserve himselfe from danger and any thing to recover himselfe out There are foure sorts of men who will never hold to any cause 1. Ignorant persons we must know and prove before we can hold fast the Apostle bids us Prove all things and then hold fast to that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 That which was never proved is easily deserted 2. Unsound hearted persons It is an easie matter to make him any thing who inded is nothing men that are carried in away onely by a byasse and not by a principle it is an easie matter if you either unbyass or counter-byass them to make them move as fast the other way l Qualitates Symbolicae facilime transmutuntur we say Symbolicall Elements do quickly slide one into another A Hypocrite and an Apostate are so neer that it 's easie to make him an Apostate who was before an Hypocrite hypocrisie is that vertually which Apostacy is actually there is Apostacy in causis in hypocrisie and there is hypocrisie in effectis in Apostasie and as times vary looke for more discoveries 3. 1 Tim. 6.10 Wordly minded men The love of Money will cause men to erre from the Faith as the Apostle saith When men are lovers of themselves more then lovers of God when they are lovers of honour more then lovers of God m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.3 4. lovers of pleasure of profit more then n Non amat te Domine qui aliquid amat praeter qui non propter amat Ang. lovers of God there need no great baits it will be a matter of no great difficulty to draw them from God Such men will if occasion serve raise themselves upon the ruines of others make themselves great by making others little such men they are for any service that may advance their corrupt desires It is said of Demas that he forsook Christ and imbraced this present world he forsook the faith of Christ and for gaine he became an Idoll Priest at Thessalonica as Dorotheus reports of him So easie it is to take them from God whose hearts are once taken with the world There is no cause can be sure of those whom honour or money can buy out Such men are onely this way till they can mend their wages and then they are gone it 's easie to intice him who is led away by his own lusts 4. Fearfull hearted persons Fearfull men will be unfaithfull men It 's all one to trust a coward and a traytor he that is one will quickly be made the other where there is ground to suspect any mans feare there is no ground to trust his faith his feare will make him unfaithfull o Terribilior cervorum excercitus Leone duce quam Leonum Agmen ducente cervo Plutar. Apoth and infeeble the hearts of them who follow him such dangerous snares then you see will base feares bring upon men and therefore far unworthy those who are Christians Use Oh let us learne to banish these sinfull sinking feares as unworthy men much more unworthy Christians It is a wonder to read and peruse that daring courage that the very Heathens have had I might here give you innumerable examples of their courage and valour all which might be a shame to us what though our troubles be great our God is great what can over-swell either his power or his love there is nothing can be too big for God and why should any thing be too big for faith upon whom it depends for shame let faith work more and sense lesse heare the reasonings of faith as well as the reasonings of sense when you see no help below cast your eyes upwards as Iehosaphat did 2 Cor. 20.12 We know not what to doe but our eyes are up to thee what though there be a famine on earth there is no dearth in heaven as the noble man thought what though there be weaknesse below there is strength above Well then shut your eyes to things below and open your eyes to God above Converse lesse with Sence and Reason and converse with faith and the promise Look upward more when a man hath been looking downward from the top of some high place his eyes grow dim the head growes weak But when he lookes upward he recovers himself again So it is with us while we look onely downward our spirits fail we are at the end of our faith and hope but lift your eyes upward look upon God and the promise and your spirits shall be incouraged What though the waves rise The storm be great Yet you have a Skilfull Pilot a safe Bottome a strong God who is able to allay all storms to hush all windes or to make all commotions serve to bring you to Harbour which is gods usuall way p Ita Solet Deus cum suis agere ut prius eos inmortem mergat atque omnem spem liberationis quantum humano consilio prospici potest adimat praecidat deindè vero gloriosè liberat ut apareat non humana industria aut prudentia sed Solius Dei potentia hanc salutem partem essc Moler Psal 68.20 Gods delights CHRIST I am JESUS whom thou persecutest v Haec formula loquendi ego sum duplicem habet effectum unum plenum consolationis apud credentes alterum plènum terroris apud in credulos Chem. The same words were spoken to the Iews and they Fell down backward as if they had been strucken with a Thunderbolt Iohn 18.5 The same words are spoken to the Goats Matth. 25.44 But though these words be Full of Terrour to the wicked and unbeleevers yet are they full of Comfort to Gods people The same words were spoken to Moses when he went to deliver Israel out of Egypt w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ehjeh hath sent me to you I Am hath sent me Exod. 3.14 x Haebraei testantur hoc verbum trium temporum differencias inse continere preteriti prepresentis futuri fui sum ero lege Chem. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A word of all Tenses Past Present and to Come Rev. 1.4 Peace from him that Is and that Was and that Is-to-Come It is a word CHRIST frequently used I am the bread of lise Iohn 6.35 And it could not choose but be a great deal of Comfort to them It is I. I