he had rather be one day there then a thousand elsewhere and to be a Door-keeper in Gods House than to dwel in the Tents of wickednesse Psal 84. 9 10. The place of the publick holy assemblies was a Tent a Tabernacle an unfixed a moveable place yet he cals that an House a fixed Mansion The people dwelt in houses firmly built upon foundations yet David accounted the houses of wicked men Tabernacles he looked for no stability in the World but onely in the Church and fellowship of those that are in Covenant See how affectionately he speaks of Church Assemblies and Communion with them Psal 122. 8 9. of the same mind and spirit were the Saints in the Babilonish Captivity Psal 137. 5 6. And the same spirit works the like disposition in all the members of Christs mystical body whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it 1 Cor. 12. 26. And they see good reason for their so acting in the concernments of the Churches of Christ For 1. They know that God hath recorded his Name there and his Name is put upon Church members and therefore his Name is honoured or dishonoured as things are well or ill with his Church Hence it was that Josua was so exceedingly afflicted for the flight of the people before Ai though but about thirty six were slain what shall I say when Israel flies before the enemies and the Canaanites will hear of it c. and what wilt thou do to thy great Name Iosh 7. 8 9. Therefore Christ teacheth us to joyn these together immediately Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come to shew us that answerable to the well being of the Church which is the Kingdome of grace will be the honour of Gods Name in this World 2. They know that the welfare of all States and people where Churches are depends upon the welfare of the Church For so runs the promise Israel shall be a blessing in the midst of the land Isa 19. 24. Hence it was that the Saints could not be satisfied with their own private welfare if the Church of God was in affliction and danger or under reproach As you may see in Vriah 2 Sam. 11. 11. in Nehemiah Neh. 1. 3 4. with 2. 2 c. and in Daniel though he was as highly preferred as a subject could be in the greatest Monarchy Dan. 10. 2 3. Hence also when there hath been a double affliction upon them both publick and private the publick hath swallowed up the private and made it inconsiderable in comparison As we see in Eli. 1 Sam. 4. 18. and his daughter in law the wife of Phineas ver 21 22. Lastly hence it was that when they have had a double opportunity of doing or procuring good to the publick and to their own private they have preferred the publick advantage before their own private interest Thus Terentius a Christian Commander in the Wars under the Emperor Valens who was an Arrian being willed by that Emperor for a special service done by him to demand what he would made his petition to the Emperor which he presented to him in writing that the Christians might have the liberty of a Church by themselves to worship God apart from the Arrians The Emperor read his petition and disliking it tore it and threw it away Terentius meekly gathered up the scattered pieces and professed to the Emperor that if he could not be heard in Gods cause he would not make any suit for his own profit How may this worthy man shame most Christians in these dayes who if their garners may be ful their sheep multiply their oxen be strong to labour their sons be as plants grown up and their daughters polished and set forth with ornaments and there be no complaining in the streets think themselves happy and regard not what becomes of religion and of Christs cause and interest in the Churches take not to heart the afflictions of Gods people if their trading increase one good bargain will more comfort them then all the calamities of the Church can grieve them they can hear and speak of the breaches and ruins of Sion as the Athenians did of news without remorse or regard Brethren it is a weighty matter to read letters and receive intelligence in them concerning the state of the Churches You had need to lift up your hearts to God when you are about to read your letters from our native Country to give you wisdom and hearts duly affected that you may receive such intelligences as you ought For God looks upon every man in such cases with a jealous eye observing with what workings of bowels they read or speak of the concernments of his Church You see in Amos 6. 6. how his wrath was incensed against those who solaced themselves with their private prosperity but were not sick their hearts aked not for the afflictions of Joseph 3. They know that if they with-draw from being helpful to the Church God will do good to his Church without them but he will be avenged upon them that desert or neglect his cause and people This Argument Mordecai used to Hester in Hest 4. 13 14. and it prevailed mightily with her to run the utmost hazard of her own person when there might be hope of some good to the Church thereby ver 16. For the contrary Meroz was cursed by the Angel of the Lord because they came not to the help of the Lord against the mighty Iudg. 5. 23. Though men cannot help the Lord essentially or personally yet they may be said to help him relatively in his cause and people when they own his cause and people and appear on that side when Satan and his instruments raise persecutions and reproaches against them Though the Lord needs not mens help in such cases for when he saw that there was no mon no intercessor his own arm brought salvation unto him Isa. 51. 16. yet it is our duty to shew on whose side we stand For Christ will look at them as his enemies that disown his cause and people at such times as he saith He that is not with me is against me Mat. 12. 30. Are the people and wayes of God under reproach Christ is reproachd in them and with them Rom. 15. 3. Object Ah! but they are called fools and fanaticks Answ When was it otherwise Bernard complained of the like in his time Ipsa Religio in opprobrium venit timor Domini simplicitas reputatur ne dicam fatuitas That is Religion it self comes into reproach and the fear of God is accounted simplicity that I say not folly And before him Augustine describes the scoffs and frumps of luke-warm professors against the zeal of those that were fervent in spirit serving the Lord Quid insanis aiunt nimius est Nuncquid alii non sunt Christiani Ista stultitia est dementia est That is Why art thou mad say they your zeal is
you of this For hence it is that the creatures work unequally not alwayes one way friends and other things sometimes comfort us sometimes afflict us Physick could not cure Asa because he trusted in the Physitians more than in God that all may see creatures cannot of themselves do us any good but as God worketh by them and with them whose peculiar glory it is to do good or evil Isa 41. 23. 3. It provokes God to hide his face from you and then though your mountain stand you will not have peace as David found in Psal 30. 6 7. Yea to fill you with terrours in the middest of your jollities as he did Belshazzar in Dan. 5. yea to reject your prayers in the day of your distresse and to send you to your Idols for help as he did those in Judg. 10. 13 14. For they that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercies Jon. 2. 8. 3. The third direction is to excercise this hope in its quickening work For this hope is a lively hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. it being quickened by the live-making spirit hath lively operations and efficacy in the souls of believers to quicken true child-â—ike fear of God in them which is the beginning of wisdom Prov. 1. 7. for though knowledge and faith go before it yet there is no true wisdom in either of them unlesse they work in a man this fear This fear will make us stand in aw of God when we see the effects of his wrath upon others So it wrought in David when he saw Vzzah smitten dead in 2 Sam. 7. 6 9. and when he saw that God did put away the wicked as drosse Psal 119. 12. and in all that heard of the dreadful stroke of Gods vengeance upon Ananiah and Saphira in Acts 5. 5. 10 11. It will make men tremble at his word Isa 66. 2. at the commands of the word lest they should disobey them at the threatnings of the word lest they should fall under them 2 Kings 22. 19. at the promises of the word lest they should fall short of them Heb. 4. 1. This fear breeds care and quickens to self-humbling putting his mouth in the dust if there may be hope Lam. 3. 29. and to speedy reformation as we see in that speech of Shecaniah unto Ezra Ezra 10. 2 3. and to fervent prayer as we see it wrought in Jacob Hos 12. 4. with Gen. 32. and Hezekiah Jer. 26. 19. and the King and people of Niniveh Jon. 3. 5. and the Prophet Habbakuk Hab. 3. 16. It quickens believers to seek accesse unto God by the Mediator Deut. 5. 27 28. 29. and therefore to flie unto Christ as chickens get under the wings of the hen in affrightments and to trust in God through Christ and in his word So it wrought in David Psal 56. 3. Lastly it quickens us to fear the Lord and his goodnesse Hos 3. 5. it will not suffer men to be wanton upon the goodnesse of God to slight his goodnesse to do evil because God is good or to sin that grace may abound but it will cause them to fear the Lord and his goodnesse fear to offend his goodnesse The goodnesse of God will strongly ingage their hearts to walk closely and uprightly with God 4. The fourth Direction is to excercise this hope in its encouraging and strengthening work to establish and settle our hearts against all discouraging distrustful fears 1. Of evil tidings Psal 112. 1 7. 2. Of evil times when all things are turned upside down and the mountains Princes and great Potentates render themselves terrible to the Church and people of God and the prophane multitude rage against them like the roaring of the waters and they can have no rest in their dwellings yet they the Church and people of God shall have sweet refreshments by the Promises and Ordinances as they of Jerusalem had by the waters of Siloah and safety by the protection of God who is their refuge and a present help in times of trouble as it is excellently expressed in Psal 46. 3. Of the prosperity and opposition of evil men against which David comforted himself by hoping in God Psal 49. 5. 16. and upon his experience encouraged all believers to take the same course Psal 27. 1 2 3 13 14. 4. Of whatever may or can befal them in this World Psal 91. 1 c For 1. God is graciously present with them Rom. 8. 31. Therefore they may be confident of safety against future evil as David was Psal 23. 4. Though armies should surround them as the Syrians did Elisha they have no cause of discouraging fears for if the Lord open the eyes of their faith they may see an invisible guard of Angels about them as Elisha's servant saw about his Master 2 Kings 6. 15. 2. They are dear to God as the apple of his eye Zach. 2. 8. 3. All future events are in Gods not their enemies not in their own hands Psal 31. 15. 4. They have the sure word and promises of God for them Isa 41. 10 11 12. and 43. 1 2. 5. God is in all the changes that passe over them unchangeable as in himself Jam. 1. 17. so in his love to them Jer. 31. 3. and in his faithfulnesse in his promises Psal 56. 4. to whom they are called to commit their souls in well doing as into the hands of a faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4. 19. doing their own duties and leaving events to God as Jacob Gen. 43. 14. Hest 4. 16. and they in Dan. 3. 16 17 18 The second case wherein we are to be instructed how to excercise this in reference to the publick state of the Churches of Christ under persecution and the oppression of enemies remains to be spoken to Which that I may the more distinctly and fully declare I shall indeavour to cleer two things 1. What the present condition of all the Protestant Churches throughout Europe is 2. How we may and ought to excercise this hope in reference thereunto 1. To clear the first I shall give you a true Narrative of the Protestant Churches in Europe singly and severally considered as I have received it from a faithful and unquestionable hand 1. the Churches in Poland Bohemia Moravia Anstria and Silesia which were not long since many and flourishing are now wholly dissipated and wasted 2. Though some Churches remain in Transilvania and Hungary yet they are in danger to be ruined by any advantage of power which the house of Austria may get against them 3. In Germany the Churches are so divided and the Protestant States are so distracted that not onely all concurrences in a common way for their mutual edification and preservation are hindred but also as the Lutheran party by their contentious ministry hath set it self to destroy the rest so God hath suffered their chief Protectors the Kings of Sweeon and Denmark to destroy each other And the Electors of Saxony and Brandenburg not respecting the safety of their Churches
They may by Temptations be as sheep driven from mountaine to mountaine and forget their resting place Jer. 50. 6. But the spirit of faith in them will cause them to return unto God and to say as David Psal 116. 7. Return unto thy rest O my soul Believers are like Noahs Dove that finding no rest for the soles of its feet in the deluge returned unto the Arke Other men will like the Raven be soon satisfied with other things R. 2. From the sutable operation of Gods spirit in them unto Gods end in afflicting them Gods end in afflicting his children is to drive them from all other things unto himself For he corrects them for their good Heb. 12. 10. And its good for them to draw neer to God Psal 73. 28. When afflictions work us thereunto it is from the spirits sanctifying operation in them For 1. afflictions cannot work thus of themselves but rather set men further off from God by discontentment with his providence because it crosseth their carnal affections And 2. the soul of it self is apt to misgivings in such cases and to have hard thoughts of God And 3. Satan takes such occasions to breed and increase a distance and division between the soul and God Therefore it must be from the sanctifying operation of Gods spirit in them and with them when they work this good Rom. 8. 28. Vse 1. For Instruction 1. Here we may see the differenc between believers and others in their dejected condition 1. Believers have the spirit of faith in them whereby the soul though it be over-borne by passion and Temptation for a time yet it will worke it self into freedom again as oil will be uppermost The spirit as a spring will be cleansing it self more and more from that mudde that is in it But the heart of unbelievers is like a standing poole where that which is cast into it rests They are like the Sea where trouble and unquietnesse are in their proper place Isa 57. 20. True rest and peace are for ever separated from sin in any soul till the breach between God and the soul be made up by faith in Christ 2. Believers have an interest in God and he in them through Jesus Christ Hence they are kept as in a Garrison by his mighty power through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. through the intercession of Christ Luke 22. 3. by the spirit of Christ dwelling with them and who shall be in them and abide with them for ever So that they shall not be left comfortlesse Joh. 14. 16 17 18. Hereupon Paul triumphed in Rom. 8. 35 c. Where he puts the question about persons and answers about things neither shall separate them from the love which either Christ bears to them or they to Christ Sin cannot separate them from Christs love to them because he hath more than conquered it by his own power Tribulation cannot seperate believers from the love they bear to Christ because they shall more then conquer it by the power of Christ It is not our hold of God and Christ but Gods and Christs hold of us that keeps us to him The root bears us up not we the root Rom. 11. 18. This Asaph acknowledged unto God when his feet were almost gone his steps had well nigh slipt saying Neverthelesse I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand Psal 73. 2 23. But unbelievers are without Christ and without God in the World Eph. 2. 12. Therefore when their creature-comforts fail them they are as a ship tossed in the Sea without a Pylot and without an Anchor which soon is bulged upon Rocks or falleth upon quick-sands having no God to guide or support them 2. Hence we way learn how to carry our selves toward afflicted dejected Christians Judge mercifully and wisely of poor weaklings Psal 41. 1. men are apt through want of wisdom and love to mis-apprehend the causes of their dejectednesse It is the lesse to be wondred at that an heathen King mis-interpreted the dejected countenance of Nehemiah Neh. 2. 2. seeing godly and wise Eli mis-censured Hannah as a distempered woman when she was in bitternesse of spirit 1 Sam. 1. 14 15. and Iobs friends mis-judged him for his afflictions and men generally mis-construed Christs sufferings Isa 53. 4 5. They are not alwayes the best that are merriest nor they the merriest in heart that are so in the face Nor are they alwayes of the weakest faith or spirit who are sometimes dejected as we see Ioshuah was in Josh 7. Therefore be not rash or harsh in censuring the dejected but rather worke with God for their support and comfort Two things are required hereunto knowledge and goodness Rom. 15. 14. The first will make you able the second willing to be helpful to such Labour to abound in both 1. In knowledge both of the word Col. 3. 16 and of the temper of the party that you may speak to them suitably and seasonably Isa 56. 4. 2. In goodnesse to pity them to pray for them and to set them in joynt Gal. 6. 1. 2. As for your selves beware that you mis-judge not your own estate toward God under such dejections but know that if ever you had any clear testimony of Gods love to you in Jesus Christ the love of God toward you in Christ is unchangeable it is an everlasting love Jer. 31. 3. Therefore hold the confidence and rejoycing of your hope firme unto the end Heb. 3. 6. and say with the Church in Mich. 7. 8. When I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me Use 2. For Admonition Take heed of placing your comfort too much in the creature which being subject to change and inconstancy will be apt to breed disquietment Vexation inseparably followes vanity when vanity is not apprehended to be where it is In what degree any are lifted up in expectation of satisfying good from creatures or overjoyed with the comforts of them in that degree they are dejected in the dis-appointment of their hope and distressed in the losse of creature-contentments Inordinacy of affections imbitters all such afflictions Hence arise those bitter complaints I had setled my contentment and hope in such a friend or relation but now they are gone and with them all my joy is gone Woe is me I am undone Therefore Agur prayed wisely in Prov. 30. 8. Remove far from me vanity and lies i. e. vain and false apprehensions whereby the affections are too strongly fixed upon things that are vain and lying promising that contentment which they cannot yield confidence in vanities makes them Idols and makes the heart vaine like the things it relyes upon Psal 115. 8. They shall find continual disquietment who walk in a vain shadow Psal 39. 6. The best remedy against this is by dwelling in the secret of the most High to abide under the shadow of the Almighty Psal 91. 1 2. Lam. 3. 24. The Lord is my portion c The words having
and to do this and that particular are so weak and mutable as the morning cloud and as the early dew Hos 6. 4. which soon vanish Some at an heart-searching and soul-piercing Sermon are affected as that young man till they are put upon such conditions as their praedominant lust will not accept Mat. 19. 16 22. Others in some strong convictions and awakenings of conscience are affected as Saul was for his unrighteous dealing with David and do purpose against it as he did yet afterward with him return to their former sin again 1 Sam. 24. 16 17. with 26. 2. Some in great sicknesses others in great dangers by Land or Sea resolve that they will become new men if God will be pleased to spare them or deliver them this time of whom the Lord may complain as he did of the children of Israel in Iudg. 10. 11 12 13. The reason is because they are unregenerate they are in their natural state Such may have a notional light in their minds and awakenings of their natural consciences and stirrings in their affections and sudden purposes toward God and Christ and spiritual things from a transient work of the spirit exciting their innate principle of self-love thereunto for a time during which they are in a better mood but not in a better state as in sicknesses the fits may be altered yet the sicknesse remain in its strength New resolutions in an un-renewed heart are like seed in an unsuitable soil which prospers not but withers and dies and comes to nothing at last How many such are now in Hell where their remembrance of such fruitlesse ineffectual purposes gnaweth their consciences as a never-dying worm and torments them for ever 2. Hence we may learn whence it is that true believers have such firm resolutions of cleaving to God in Christ and of hoping in him when he hideth his face from them in great afflictions Isa 8. 17. Ion. 2. 4. The reason of it is because their hearts are purified by faith Acts 15. 9. which is seated principally in the will whereby it receiveth Christ Ioh. 1. 12. Rom. 5. 17. 1 Tim. 15. and is the effect of the operation of God Col. 2. 12. by his exceeding greatnesse of power Eph. 1. 19 20. whose peculiar glory it is to perswade the heart Gen. 9. 27. and to draw the will to come unto Christ Ioh. 6. 44. which he doth by changing the disposition inclination and bent of it If you offer green boughs unto Swine they regard them not but trample them under their feet but if their nature were changed into the nature of sheep then they would be drawn to them This is done by the spirit of God 2 Cor. 3. 17. Before regeneration the will is in bondage unto sin but being united unto Christ in regeneration the Son makes us free indeed Ioh. 8. 36. Then the will freely moveth towards God in Christ by faith and hope as a man though he cannot give life to himself being dead yet when he is made alive he can move himself from a principle of life in him So much faith as a man hath so much free-will he hath to hope in God in the worst times So far as his spiritual grace and strength goes so far he is able by the concourse of Gods spirit which he usually joyns with the ability he hath given to his people that it may be quickened and actuated thereby A man cannot act his natural abilities he cannot move his hand or foot unlesse he be assisted with Gods general concourse So a man can do nothing in spiritual actions without special concourse of grace in Christ Ioh. 15. 5. But being assisted with a supply of the Spirit proportioned to the exigencies of services to be performed and of temptations to be resisted and of corruptions to be mortified he may say as Paul did Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me 3. Hence we may learn in what manner believers in Christ resolve to hope in God This resolution in them may be known and distinguished from the resolutions of others by four characters or properties 1. It is a sanctified resolution It is the effect of Gods Holy Spirit dwelling in them and removing far from them vanity and lying Pro. 30. 8. that is vain and false apprehensions of things and turning their whole soul unto God in Christ to seek all their good in him This is the effect of converting grace as the Prophet shews in Isa 17. 7 8. At that day shall a man look to his Maker c. 2. It is an obedient resolution in answer to Gods calling them to himself in Christ Psal 27. 8. it is the yielding up of their wills to be ruled by Gods will Psal 110. 3. When mens wils are not subdued and conformed unto Gods will they are in times of affliction like sullen birds in a Cage which beat themselves to death like peevish froward children which will be pleased with nothing if their wills be crossed in any thing But when the will is subdued unto Gods will by the spirit through the minisâ—â—y of the Gospel 2 Cor. 10. 5. then we can say with Asaph It 's good for me to draw near to God Psal 73. ult And with David 2 Sam. 15. 26. Let the Lord do with me what seemeth good in his own eyes 3. It is a rational resolution led by the best reasons For faith believes in Christ and in God through Christ upon Gods Authority and faithfulnesse and truth in his Word and Covenant Hence it ministreth reasons to quicken and strengthen hope from Gods All-sufficiency and love in Christ and faithfulnesse in his promises to expect and wait upon God for all good from him suitable to our needs in the best season and to resolve as Job did who said though he kill me yet will I trust in him Iob 13. 15. and if they see cause to complain to complain not of God but to God nor of their crosses but of the crossenesse of their wils to Gods holy will as Ephraim did in Ier. 31. 18. It is a dependent resolution relying upon God in Christ for ability to hope in him Isa 26. 12. and therefore praying to him as David did in Psal 138. ult and to keep it ever in the purpose of their hearts 1 Chron. 29. 18. with true self denial of any sufficiency of themselves so much as to think any thing 2 Cor. 3. 5. Thus they become strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6. 10. Lam. 3. 24. Hope in him The last thing to be spoken to is the duty esolved upon illustrated by its objectr which is to exercise divine hope for so I call that hope which hath God for its object and efficient who is therefore called the God of hope Rom. 15. 13. and for its ground the Word of God as this hope hath Psal 119. 49. The word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated hope
did not hinder him from honouring Christ nor from minding his own salvation nor from rebuking his fellow Luke 23. 39. to 43. Nor did Christs sorrow on the Crosse which was far greater than that thiefs take him off from minding the future good of his Mother Joh. 19. 26. 2. In duty It turned Davids praying wherein he should have exercised repentance out of love unto God into roaring out of inordinate self love Psal 32. 3. and it hindred the Israelites in hearing Moses when he spake most comfortably to them from receiving comfort thereby Exod. 6. 9. It is with the soul in this case as it is with the body VVhen Physick works upon the right humour it carries away that which distempers without hurting the body But if it onely exasperates the distemper and removes not the cause it doth hurt 3. If your minds are so fixed upon a particular grievance that you cannot be duly thankful for other mercies nor take comfort in them like froward children that being crossed in one thing throw away all the rest For this Joab justly blamed David though he erred in the manner because he wept excessively for the death of Absalom and did not rejoyce in the victory and give thanks to God for it 2 Sam. 19. 1. to 8. â—4 If it inclines the will to seek ease and comfort in some un-warrantable and unsafe way This is called halting whereby men are turned out of the way Heb. 12. 12 13. 5. If the soul sinks and faints under it is wholly subdued by it so as it cannot bear up it self This is one of the extreams which wisdom forbids all her children to fall into and which to forget is a sin Heb. 12. 5. Now the exercise of a right hoping in God is of necessary use in this case to moderate sorrow and to keep it within due bounds This it doth especially two wayes 1. By striking at the root and weakning the causes of it 1. If it be for outward losses and crosses hoping in God raiseth up the soul by looking up to God and seeing that they are either from him as our God in Covenant Thus it raised up Iob Iob 1. 21. and David 1 Sam. 30. 6. or that they are for God and for their witnesse-bearing to his truth This inabled the Saints of old to take joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance Heb. 10. 34. 2. If it be from losse of dear relations and Gods displeasure apprehended therein this hope will quicken in you godly sorrow and endeavours to seek reconciliation and peace with God by repentance and faith in Christ Hos 6. 1. 2. It will purge out inordinate affections to the creatures 1 Ioh. 3. 3. over-grieving for the losse of creature-comforts ariseth from over-joying in creature-contentments 3. If it be from bodily weaknesse or sicknesse or pain or any distemper that renders a man unserviceable in his place this hope being rightly exercised wâ—ll moderate that sorrow 1. By bringing a spiritual light into the soul to prepare it to receive comfort For the body is compared to an house and to a garment Hence they can argue à pari the more worn and tattered the garment is the sooner we shall have a new one So it is with the soul 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44. And the more crazy and weak the house or rather the prison is the nearer the prisoner is to be delivered from it So it is with the soul imprisoned in this earthly house of the body 2 Cor. 5. 1. c. 2. By quickning us unto those duties which such a condition cals for viz. Patience passive obedience quitnesse contentednesse prayer c. Psal 39. 9 10. 4. If it be from sin in our selves or others or in our families and near relations this hope will be of necessary use to keep the soul from being swallowed up with over-much sorrow He that grieves for sin must grieve in hope For a vexing discouraging despairing grief will do no good but much hurt as you may see in Ier. 18. 12. and Ezek. 33. 10 11. But that sorrow for sin which is accompanied with hope of mercy quickneth to prayer of faith Iob 7. 20. and to reformation Ezra 10. 2 3 5. If it be from an apprehension that God is your enemy and fighteth against you as he is and doth sometimes Isa 63. 10. this hope is of necessary use whether your apprehension be right or wrong If it be so indeed it will quicken you to make all speed to be reconciled unto God in Christ Hereunto this hope encourageth 1. From the mercy and grace of God in forgiving repenting sinners Psal 130. 4. 2. From his willingnesse to deal so with you declared sundry wayes 1. By sending his Son to make attonement for lost sinners 2. By sending his Embassadours to beseech you to be reconciled unto him 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. 3. By his never refusing Rebels that sought his favour in Christ upon Gospel terms 4. By his commanding us to forgive such as repent though they have sinned against us unto seventy times seven times and himself will not be behind us in mercy and kindnesse 2. But if it be not so indeed if God be not our enemy this hope will awe the soul from wronging God by our mis-apprehensions It is an injury to a man that is our friend and hath approved himself so to be by many kindnesses if we should charge him with enmity and say to him you do not love me you hate me you are mine enemy when you cannot prove it Hoping in God will arme the soul against such conclusions by former experiences of sundry effects of Gods favour towards you in pardoning some sins subduing some lusts healing some distempers scattering some temptations working some spiritual good in you as faith in the Lord Jesus and love to all the saints granting some prayers Say not I know not whether God hath done thus in mercy and favour toward me and whether he will continue them unto me or not for these are Covenant mercies and therefore sure mercies even the sure mercies of David Isa 55. 3. Every answer of prayer every gift of grace that makes the more prayerful humble watchful thankful serviceable to God and man that leads the soul to God in Christ is from his fatherly goodnesse and love to thee in Christ Say not if God were my Father I should see his face but he hides his face from me For that doth not alwayes follow Sometimes children are infants and know not their Father though he acts for them as a father Sometimes grown children see not their father many years together yet rest in his fatherly love and care for them So God will have his stronger children many times to walk by faith and not by light 2 Cor. 5. 7. Sometimes the child being forth at School or at Prentiship desireth earnestly to come home and see his father but the
father sees it to be in â—â—â—dient at that time to grant his request But he will send him a letter a 〈◊〉 a messenger or some friend to visit him he shall see him in them not in his person So God deals many times with his children who desire to see his face to have sensiâ—le demonstrations of his favour and love to them They shall see him in his letters the Scriptures and the Promises or in some token of his love some strength in their souls Psal 138. 3. or in some messenger Job 33. 23. whom he sends to comfort them and his spirit to quicken and strengthen them to wait upon him Object But where the Spirit is there are the fruits of the Spirit and among the rest joy Gal. 5. 22. which I want Answ 1. Take a believer at the worst he hath that joy which he would not part with in exchange for the jocondnesse of worldly men 2. He hath true joy through faith even when he is in heavinesse for a time 1 Pet. 1. 8. he hath it in the root when it doth not sprout forth in leaves because it is winter with him He who desires spiritual joy and grives for the want of it hath true joy in some degree as that man from faith bewailed his unbelief Mark 9. 24. The second way whereby this hope boundeth and moderateth sorrow is by strengthening the soul to stick to right gâ—ounds of true comfort to maintain their joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ as their portion not yielding up their purse to every thief nor suffering themselves to be wrangled out of their right in it If excessive sorrow begins to seize upon the soul of a believer this hope will 1. Quicken him to examine its commission by parlying with his soul and enquiring whether there be good reason a sufficient cause for it or not as David did in Psal 42. 5. 11. and 43. 5. Why art thou cast down O my soul c. For sometimes your sorrow is causelesse and groundlesse and commonly it is so 1. When it is boundlesse For reason will set bounds unto grief but mistakes and mis-apprehensions know no bounds 2. When it is plea-lesse being tried at the bar of right reason or of the judgment of those who are godly-wise Job in a passion challenged God himself to dispute and gives him his choise whether he will oppose or answer he will be for him and fill his mouth with Arguments and doubts not that he shall carry the cause But when God appeared and spake to him Jobs passion vanished and his courage failed and he confessed that he had spoken foolishly and would now lay his hand upon his mouth Compare Job 23. 3 4 5. with Chap. 40. 4 5. and Ch. 42. 2 3 4 5 6. So sometimes a dejected discouraged Christian thinks he hath so much to say against his comfort as will put to silence the best and ablest Ministers But when any judicious Minister or experienced Christian comes to him he hath either nothing to say or nothing of weight but what is full of errour and mistakes Say therefore to your felves in this case as God did to Ionah Doest thou well to be angry Do I well to be thus dejected 2. If there be cause for sorrow 1. Examine whether it be sufficient to justifie such a measure or degree of sorrow or not That sorrow which drives the soul from God which indisposeth it to prayer thanks-giving to the duties of his calling to works of mercy and love that makes him lumpish harsh passionate that sowres and distempers his spirit is excessive and immoderate 2. Examine from what Topicks the Arguments are fetched that are used to justifie such a degree of sorrow The soul of man should not be subjected to sense and feeling or to any way of reasoning but that which is from and according to the Word of God To argue that you have no faith because you are full of doubting that you have no grace because you have strong corruptions is to offend against the generation of Gods children Psal 73. 15. the vanity whereof Asaph saw when he went into the Sanctuary of God So will you if you consult the Scriptures 3. Fly to the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1. 3. First issue that great question Am I Gods Child or not If not rest not in that state but hasten out of it If yea and thou art so if thou hast his Image then set faith on work 1. Upon Gods all sufficiency and fetch all from heaven which thou wantest on earth 2. Upon his Efficiency 1. Recal to mind what he hath done for thee in times past as Asaph did in Psal 77. 5 6. 2. For the future rest on his bare word and promise which shewes what he will do Account that to be thine which thou hast in grant by the promise as David did Psal 60. 7. God hath spoken in his holinesse I will rejoice c. Gilead is mine c. Thus apply what Christ saith in Mat. 5. 3 4. 5. and the Scripture every where 3. For the present consider what God doth for thee Doth he support thee that thou sinkest not under despair Doth he keep thee in patience and submission to his will by 〈◊〉 Doth he quicken thee to use all good means with waiting upon him Give him the glory of his grace and be encouraged to spread before him in prayer all thy doubts thy feaâ—s thy temptations and wants Phil 4. 6. and with prayer joyn hoping in him and waiting on him Say â—here is mercy in him to pity and power in him to help though I find no comfort yet I hope I shall though my prayers be not yet answered I hope they will be in the best season and I will wait on God till he doth answer them If yet comfort come not improve the communion of Saints and the publick Ordinances as David I will hearken what at God the Lord will speak Psal 85. 8. use men and means but let your hope be fixed upon God onely look to him for comfort who creates the fruits of the lips peace Isa 57. 19. use the communion of the Saints in private also but so as waiting for his manifesting himself to your soul as the Church found he did in Cant. 5. 8. and 6. 3. And if thou canst not find out what particular hinders thy comfort do as men use to do for their bodies when the distemper is general who make an issue to draw the matter to some head pitch upon some particular sin to which thou art most subject by natural inclination or by thy calling or company or the condition of the times and let out the corruption that may Begin repentance there and joyn with it faith in the blood of Christ and so seek reconciliation with God and comfort thereby In thus doing wait on God till he satisfie thy thirsty soul who hath promised that they who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength
to keep themselves and their cattle in their houses to escape the storm which Moses fore-told would kill all that were in the field The more we are prepared by this fear for afflictions before they come the lesse we shall be oppressed with them when they come For thereby either afflictions shall be weakned and lesse able to hurt us or we shall be strengthened and more able to bear them Now this hope whereof we speak being rightly excercised will be of great efficacy to quicken good fear and to subdue sinful fear in us Therefore I shall endeavour to shew you how you may excercise this hope aright in four Directions 1. Lay a sure ground-work for this hope to be built upon This is then done when you know that your soul saith the Lord is your portion For 1. This will assure your interest in God himself who is an all-sufficient portion When you can say with David The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my Cup Psal 16. 5. you may comfortably adde as he did in ver 6. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage 2. This will cause you to cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart as Barnabas exhorted the Antiochians to do in Acts 11. 23. For where a mans treasure is there will his heart be also Mat. 6. 21. As the needle in the Compasse being touched with the Load-stone is in continual motion till it points to the North the reason whereof some conceive is because in the North are Rocks of Load-stone with which the needle so touched hath a sympathy so the soul being touched by the spirit of faith is in continual motion till it points unto God in Christ that living Rock and true Load-stone who draws believers to him by a spiritual sympathy which they have with him as he said in Ioh. 12. 32. I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me Then and not before they have true rest Then they may say with David Return unto thy rest O my soul Psal 116. 7. 3. This will settle and strengthen your hearts against all distracting discouraging distrustful fears about future evils For things to come are yours when you are Christs 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. The worst that can be-fall you shall not loose that blessed union that is between God in Christ and your souls Not sin past for that is already pardoned and therefore shall not condemn you hereafter Rom. 8. 1. nor shall sin to come have dominion over you Rom. 6. 14. For you are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. Nor death though it may separate two neer friends the soul and body yet it shall joyn together more fully and perfectly two better friends Christ and the soul which when it is absent from the body is present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 8. and in the Resurrection when both shall be reunited we shall be for ever with the Lord 1 Thess 4. 17. Nor temptations See how Paul triumphed over all principalities and powers over life and death over things present and to come in assurance that nothing should separate him or any true believer from the love of God in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 38 39. yea that all things should work for his their good Rom. 8. 28. A believer in Christ is as sure of the time to come as he is of the time presentor past For he can say with the Church in Ps 48. ult This God is our God and he will be our guid unto death and can look unto Christ as Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty Rev. 1. 8. and he hath the promises of God in Christ for the future Isa 46. 3 4. Joh. 10. 27 28 29. 2. This ground work being well laid build upon it for the future by excersing this hope 1. In its purging work 1 Joh. 3. 3. to purge out inordinate affection whereby the soul cleaves close and fast to present things and creatures whence they are as affraid to part with them as one is to have a piece of linnen cloth or plaister plucked off from an ulcerous sore whereunto it sticketh so fast that it can hardly be pulled away without great pain and without drawing the skin and part of the flesh with it whereas if that ulcerous matter were purged and the sore healed the plaister would fall off it self and the cloth might be taken away without any pain or difficulty Hoping in God being rightly excercised worketh this great cure by rectifying mens apprehensions concerning the creatures and ordering their affections aright towards God looking at both with the eye of faith by Scripture light which represents all things out of God in Christ when they become the objects of our hope as vain and sinful and hurtful The creatures are good as they come out of Gods hand but as they are abused by being idolized they become vain and degenerate into nothing For as an idol is nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8. 4. nothing which men account it to be not to be trusted in So creature are but vain and empty like those blasted eares of corn in Pharaohs dream unlesse God fils them with his blessing It is a common errour and delusion to think that if you had such friends such relations such estates c. you should live happily and comfortably For as David said of an horse in reference to getting the victory an horse is a vain thing So we may say of all creatures being separated from God in reference to happinesse and comfort they are vain things to be trusted in for which Christ called that rich man a fool Luke 12. 19 20. 2. It is a sin against the first Commandement to give the honour which is due to God alone unto any creature as men do that glory in them Jer. 9. 23 24. and set their hearts upon them Psal 62. 10 11. This is idolatry Col. 3. 5. It is Atheisme a denial of Gods all-sufficiency which is his peculiar glory and the foundation of upright walking in the Saints Gen. 17. 1. It s the cause of all sins The Schoolmen do rightly define sin to be an aversion of the soul from the immutable God and turning of it to the mutable creature For all sin implies an over-valuing of the creatures and an under-valuing of God See with what indignation God reproves this sin in Jer. 2. 13 14. 3. Thus to cleave unto present things and creatures is very hurtful to your selves For 1. It steals mens hearts from God as Absalom stole the hearts of the people from David unto things that cannot profit nor deliver for they are vain 1 Sam. 12. 25. 2. It provoketh God to with-draw and with-hold his concourse and blessing from the creatures without which you cannot have any good from them nor by them your own experience may convince
for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it It is folly for any one to lift at a stone that being too heavy for him to manage will fall upon him and break his bones Such a stone shall all that lift at the Church to remove it out of its place find it to be unto themselves The Lord Jesus to whom all power in heaven and earth is given hath said speaking of Peters confessing him to be Christ the Son of the living God with a divine faith such as is wrought by the Revelation of the Father upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Mat. 16. 16 17 18. The gates of Hell signifie all the power and policy of the Devil and all his instruments they shall not prevail against Christs Church taken indefinitely He will preserve his Church in one place or other in the World maugre all their malice These and the like promises are the streams which flowing from that river the Covenant of Grace make glad the City of God which is his Church even when the waters roar and the mountains are shaken with the swelling thereof Psal 46. 3 4. That is what ever changes of government are caused by the fury of a tumultuous multitude stirred up by Satanand his instruments against the Church and people of God 3. Consider the presence of God in Christ with his Church in their lowest and most afflicted condition according to Christs promise to them being taught to observe and do what he hath commanded Lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world Mat. 28. 20. This serves to strengthen the faith of Gods people concerning the Church in her lowest and most afflicted estate that God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved God will help her at the looking forth of the morning Psal 46. 5. It is night with the Church when the nations make a noise and the Kingdoms are moved as it is said in the neXt verse yet even then the Churches faith in God as their portion being quickened and strengthened they say Jehovah of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob an high refuge for us Selah ver 7. Therefore that this consideration may the better serve to strengthen our faith I shall shew you sundry Representations of Gods presence with his people in their lowest and most afflicted condition which the Scripture holdeth forth unto us Unto Abraham it was represented under a double similitude 1. Of fowles comming down upon the earcasses about to be sacrificed and Abrahams driving them away Gen. 15. 11. which represented the Aegyptians and all enemies of the Church which disturbe the people of God in their religious duties of Gods worship and that seek to devour the people of God as Kites or Eagles c. devour carcasses and Gods presence and readinesse to drive them away 2. Of a smoaking furnace and a burning lamp verse 17. The smoaking furnace notes great afflictions fiery tryals which shall befal the Israel of God The burning lamp signifieth that God in Christ is with them at such times to save them Isa 62. 1. Unto Moses it was represented under the appearing of the Angel of God in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush the bush burned with fire and the bush was not consumed Isa 3. 2. This Moses looked at as a great sight and so may we For the bush is the Church of God which is burned with fiery tryals But whence is it that it is not consumed It is not from the impotency of the fire to burn the bush nor from the strength of the bush to resist the fire but from the presence of God in Christ as appears ver 6 7 c. To Ezekiel it was represented under the similitude of a valley wherein were many bones and they very dry Ezek. 37. 2. The valley signified the low estate of the Church the many dry bones denoted the discouraging apprehensions the people of God have when they look upon the power of the enemies and their own weaknesse with the eye of sense for so the Lord said in verse 11. Behold they say our bones are dried and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts Yet the Lord to quicken their faith promiseth a resurrection to them Another resemblance of Gods presence with his Church and people in the midst of their greatest afflictions we have in those three companions of Daniel who were cast bound into the midst of the fire yet the fire had no power upon their bodies not so much as to singe their hair or to change their coats The reason of it was because the Son of God was wIth them Dan. 3. 25. Unto Zachary another resemblance hereof was presented he saw by night a man riding upon a red horse and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom Zach. 1. 8. The night is the time of affliction the bottom is the low condition of the Church which is likened unto myrtle trees for its sweet savour unto God And in this low afflicted estate Christ is with them riding upon a red horse as ready to fight against those that afflicted his Church for whom he intercedes and receives gracious answers Again in Zach. 12. 2 3. the Lord fore-told that he would make Jerusalem a Cup of trembling to the besiegers who thought they could as easily swallow them up as one may drink a cup of wine and they would do the one with as much pleasure as the other But saith the Lord the effects of this cup shall be trembling and astonishment in you And in ver 3. he saith he will make Ierusalem a burdensome stone to all people that are gathered together against it they shall be cut in pieces Then they will see cause to wish they had never burdened themselves with it Thus you see upon what firm grounds the faith of Gods people concerning the good purposes of God towards his Church in their lowest and most afflicted condition may be strengthened and setled 2. This ground-work being thus laid build and exercise this hope upon it in its suitable operations and works 1. In its purging work For he that hath this hope purgeth himself 1 Ioh. 3. 3. Then we work with God when we improve Gods means to Gods end Gods end in afflicting his Church is not to destroy it but to purge it So he saith in Isa 1. 25 26. I will turn mine hand upon thee and purely purge away thy drosse and take away all thy tinne And I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Councellors as at the beginning afterward thou shalt be called the City of righteousnesse the faithful City There he compares the afflictions of his Church and people to the fire whereinto Gold and Silver is cast which loseth nothing thereby but its