great danger then every man is busie to call upon his God Ion. 1.4 5 6. Ionas was roused up with detestation of his slâ—ggishnesse at such a time Awake what meanest thou ô sleeper arise call upon thy God When David was in the mire in the deepe waters in great danger and trouble Jonas in the Whales belly when the Ship was in danger and when Peter was ready to sinke then they cry Lord save us we perish So Iacob when wrathfull Esau came against him he wrestled all night with God If God had delivered him at the first hee would not have wrestled with God as he did and so have missed the blessing also which he received with the name of Israel so Iehoshaphat Abijah and Israel and Iudah often As it is said of our blessed Saviour Lu. 22.44 that being in an agony he prayed more earnestly so it is true in all his members though they pray at other times constantly yet in their great straits and extremities they pray oftner and after another manner then at other times more feelingly and fervently even the worst of men will in their extremities seeke unto God In their affliction they will seeke me early because then when other meanes faâ—le there is none else to helpe and therefore they must goe unto God and seeke helpe from him or perish And so it puts them upon other religious duties which at other times it may be are wholy or much neglected 5. The Lord doth it do exercise and so brighten the graces of his Spirit in his people which otherwise will decline The best pearles and adamants will waxe dusky with long lying in a close Cabinet grow dull and loose their colour though they retaine their substance and vertue but dyamonds the more they are worne the brighter they looke and are more resplendent yron with long rest will gather rust but the more it is used the brighter it is hence so many rusty Swords in this Kingdome till these troubles give occasion to brighten them So all the graces of Gods sanctifying Spirit though they will not decay in respect of their substance and habits yet they will as it were grow dusky but the more they are exercised the brighter they are Afflictions are Gods file to burnish our spirituall armour make it more bright and serviceable 6. By exercising the graces of Gods Spirit in times of tryall some of which have little or no use in times of prosperity as patience and some other they are also much increased Mat. 7.17 and the Saints made more fruitfull and therefore God brings them into troubles and extremities many times Afflictions are therefore compared to waters to raine as the raine falling on the Earth makes it fruitfull the seed to grow the grasse to spring so afflictions sanctified will make barren hearts and lives fruitfull in grace and all good workes We are like rough hard cloddy ground that is not fit to be manured till softned and broken and it is not every little showre that will doe it it must be a ground showre that soakes through so afflictions seeme but as the raine to fasten us and make us more plyable to his blessed will and more fruitfull which are sometimes in such a temper that it is not every small affliction that will doe it Therefore it is that James saith My Brethren count it all ioy when yee fall into divers temptations Jam. 1 2 3 4. knowing this that the tryall of your faith viz. by afflictions worketh patience one grace begetteth another and let patience have it's perfect worke that yee may be perfect and entire wanting nothing If a man pull off a plaister too soon it will not worke a perfect cure so here let patience to wit in bearing afflictions have it's perfect worke that c. Implying that if patience have it's perfect worke it will make a Christian perfect and entire wanting nothing They saith the Apostle namely earthly fathers chastened us after their pleasure Heb. 12.10 but he i. e. God for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse 2 Cor. 4.16 Paul saith speaking of afflictions That as our outward man decayeth our inward man is renued daily As the waters that lifted up the Arke the higher the waters were the nearer the Arke was to Heaven so afflictions though they seeme to cast men low in the eye of the world and their owne eyes also yet they mount a man higher towards God and make him after a sort a compleat Christian that you may be perfect saith the Apostle and entire There are 2. parts of a Christians obedience active and passive doing and suffering and both these together make a man a compleat Christian for parts though not for degrees of obedience That which the Poet said of vertue Afflâ—ctiones forteÌ„ reddu 〈◊〉 fortioreus Chrys Hon. 2. ad The 2. virescit vuluere virtus vertue gets strength by wounds so grace by afflictions and as in brave generous spirits difficulties doe heighten their courage and resolution so here great afflictions and great straits doe raise a Christians graces his faith c. to a higher pitch as Camomell the more it is troden the more it spreads and the sweeter it smels and so doe spices the more they are pounded and a Pomander the more it is rubbed and vines that are often pruned the better they beare so the graces of the Saints the more they are exercised the more they grow as physick though it be bitter and sometimes violent and churlish in the working yet the body afterward is the stronger by it for it purgeth out the corrupt malignant humour that doth weaken the body so doe afflictions and troubles though sometimes great and grievous for the present yet they doe good they are a meanes to beget and increase spirituall strength Thus Afflictions and tryals doe as discover grace so increase it by exercising of it Actus intendit habitum saith one Bellar. si nervosè fit the act doth increase the habit if it be done with all a mans might so doe strong afflictions great tryals for they put a mans upon the exercise of all the grace he hath to put it out to the uttermost 7. The Lord often brings his people into great afflictions as to try and improve the graces of his Spirit in them so likewise to discover corruption Great afflictions great tryals doe discover much corruption Peter thought himselfe much better then he was till the tryall came and then his unbeliefe and cowardise in Christs cause appeared There were some who in Q. Maries days and other times of persecution made boast they would suffer much for Christ as Peter did and went on far but when it came to the pinch to the point of suffering they drew backe we are generally like Hazael 2 Kin. 8.12 13 apt to thinke we have no such foule corruptions in us such vile lusts but Schola crucis Schola lucis is true
though used as rogues whipped went away from the counsell Act. 5.4 reioycing that they were worthy to suffer shame for lâ—â— Name not because they were worthy to suffer but becauss marke it they were counted worthy to suffer It was a great honour for them to suffâ—r for the Lord Jesus and in his cause It is an honour to God they honour him by suffering in his cause and for his sake and they that honour him he will honour and have others honour them Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladnesse saith the Apostle and have such in reputation 1 Sam 2.30 Phil. 2.29 30. the reason because for the worke of Christ he was neare unto death So God will honour them hereafter If we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him Rom. 8.17 Rev. 3 4. 6.11 They shall walke with me in white saith Christ for they are worthy They shall have long white roabes given them i. e an honourable name as some doe expound it and not amisse So that God hath his speciall honour and dignity for such Here Abrahams faith and obedience is recorded to his everlasting praise Therefore our Saviour pronounceth such blessed Luk 6 22 23. Mat. 5.11 12. Blessed are you when men shall hate you and you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evill against you falsly for my Name sake Reioyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven Lastly by way of motive consider the blessed fruit and issue of all afflictions troubles and tryals to the godly here and hereafter how great and grievous soever they be for the present 1. All sufferings and tryals make way for a greater good to humble his people make them more fit for mercy to manifest their sincerity and the strength of their graces to themselves and the world to increase and brighten their graces and consequently their comforts to purge out sinne and corruption and make them more pure and precious like the refined gold to wean them from the world Iob 23.10 make them more heavenly minded c. Also the afflictions and troubles of the Church as now in Germany in Ireland and in England tend to fit them for greater mercy for Christs government and Ordinances in a more excellent manner I trust then ever we yet enjoyed them also to purge and cleanse his Church I dare confidently affirme it That Reformation should never have been raised up to that blessed and desired hight which in all probability it is likely through Gods goodnesse to come unto had not the malignant enemies of the Church the Papists and the Prelates and popish Party their Abettors been so busie against the Church Christs people Ordinances and power of godlinesse as they have been and daily are Blessed be God that doth and will bring good out of evill light out of darknesse and turnes the counsels of Achitophels into foolishnesse and mischievous plots of wicked Hamans to their own hurt and his peoples good and makes the rage of men turne to his glory This beleeve wait pray and praise God for 2. The troubles and tryals of the faithfull will likewise make much for our future good both in point of honour as hath bin shewed and of benefit it will bring glory especially suffering for righteousnesse sake and the truths sake Rom. 8.17 2 Tim. 2.18 2 Cor. 4.17 If we suffer with him sayes the Apostle we shall also be glorified with him Againe This light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a for more exceeding and eternall weight of glory The affliction is but short and light but the reward is exceeding great and lasting no lesse then glory which is the highest pitch of all honour and felicity Here is glory and more a weight of glory and if there were but an equall weight of glory to suffering the difference would be exceeding great seeing as one dram of gold is more worth then many pounds of lead so here where there is if I may so say a pound of glory for a pound of suffering yea exceeding much more marke the words a far more exceeding weight of glory the Originall is exceeding full and expressive and which maketh all compleate it is eternall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excelâ—enter excellentâ—â— gloriae Pondus Beza This was it that did encourage the Martyrs most willingly to goe to the prison to the stake the Christians to cry out to the persecutors of their brethren when they carried them to the prison to the stake and places of suffering Sum â—go Christianus I also am a Christian even longing to suffer with them and some have wept much because through a mistake they have been sent backe againe from the stake to the prison or kept from suffering We glory in tribulation sayes the Apostle This was it that made Moses when he came to yeares Rom. 5.3 refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming there proach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt and the faithfull Jewes to suffer the spoyling of their goods with ioy 〈◊〉 10.34 And the Lord Christ himselfe for the ioy that was set before him endered the crosse 〈◊〉 122. and despised the shame Let us consider those things to stay our hearts make us patient and with cheerfulnesse and courage to hold up our heads in the evill day All which may afford comfort to the people of God it is the Scripture phrase Heb. 11 25. in the midst of all their sufferings when they consider the blessed ends fruits and effects of afflictions and tryals sanctified as they are to all the faithfull so farre are afflictions and sefferings even the most grievous tryals from being a signe of Gods wrath and an Argument that they are none of his because they suffer such things that it is rather an Argument of Gods speciall favour and love towards them It was so with Abraham here Jacob Job David Paul and others and with the Church of God in Egypt in the Wildernesse in the land of Canaan in the time of the Judges and of the Kings notwithstanding all their sufferings yet were they still Gods peculiar people and so it was with the Apostles and primitive Christians and so along up hitherto Yea this very thing to have bitter adversaries for righteousnesse sake and Religion sake and to have troubles and tryals in the world is an evident Argument of Gods speciall favour to such Be in nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition 〈◊〉 1.28 but to you of salvation That the spirit and rage of Devils and wicked men is bent against none so much as against the Church and godly in it Luk. 21 1â— 13. and most against the most eminent of them They shall lay their hands on you said
spoyled at such a time c. So for publicke mercies and deliverances in which every one hath a share for the publicke good is every mans private benefit Was not England brought into the Mount to a very great exigent and was not God seene for Englands good in 88. in scattering and destroying that invincible Navy Aâ—no 1588. as the Adversaries themselves stiled it In November 5. 1605. when there wanted but a very little time to be added to make our King that then was and He that now is 1605. the Queene Prince Nobles Commens in Parliment and many thousands more together with the Houses the Records of the Land and of every mans particular right yea the whole Kingdome our Religion Lawes Liberties and all to come to nothing and then God appeared and wrought a great salvation for us before we knew our selves to be in danger So when the Churches in Germany were brought to an exceeding low ebbe God raised up that renowned King of Sweden and others since that have done great things revived the dying hopes of Germany this was the mighty worke of God So God did wonderfully preserve Ireland especially the great City of that Kingdome giving very great and wonderfull deliverances and victories to a few over many very often God hath preserved and done great things for faithfull loyall Scotland sometimes pronounced and commonly called traytors though misunderstanding when they stood for the defence of Religion Lawes and Liberties against the publicke enemies of the Church when in the eye of earnall reason there was little or no hopes of enjoying either Againe for our selves at home 1639. 1640. did not the Lord strangely and wonderfully preserve this Nation from the Spanish Navy the other yeares and from imbruing our hands in our neighbours bloud who sought our welfare and destroying one another till none remaine or if we were conquered by them we must needs lose all and if we did conquer them we were sure that both the victory and our selves should be a prey to the malignant party for whom we fought We have had many great mercies and deliverances from many great and desperate designes so that we doe enjoy peace liberty and the Gospell to this very day notwithstanding all our feares and jealousies grounded upon most evident and imminent causes threatening destruction and losse of all broken our yoaks eased our shoulders and our consciences also in a great put-off of many grievous burdens The time would faile me to tell of all the great things that God hath done for us within these few yeares by-past and utter his mercies and our deliverances by while There is cause enough why we should stand even amazed with the Jewes in Babylon Psal 126.1 that after Proclamation of returning to Jerusalem were so affected with it and wondred at it that they were as men in an extasie like unto them that dreame they could scarce tell whether it were true which they heard and saw or but a dreame But beloved what thankfulnesse hath been returned to God for all these great mercies and deliverances Surely little and by too many in a manner none at all especially for common and ordinary mercies Many are like the ungratefull Tenant that enjoyes the Lands and Houses of a good Land-lord but will pay no Rent Like the Husbandman in the Gospell that did receive the fruits of the Vineyard but returne nothing Mat. 21.34 41. The truth is many are like the Swine that doe grouse up the Acorns that fall from the Tree but never looke up to the Tree whence they come so many daily taste of Gods blessings receive his mercies and deliverances and yet seldome or never lift up the heart in thankfulnesse to God the Authour and doner of them They were wont in the first Ages of the world to thinke they had good cause to praise God for the least mercies Deut 3â— 13 as for the dew c. We too many of us can scarce find in our hearts to praise God for great mercies while fresh before our eyes so far are we from labouring to continue the remembrance of them 2 Others there are that thinke not of them though they take some notice of them and it may be are a little affected with some of them for the present yet quickly forget them even while the things themselves are in their hands and before their eyes Gen 49.23 or newly received as Pharaohs Butler forgat Joseph and as Israel did Gods goodnesse They remembred not his hand nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy Psal â—8 42.10 21. Ingratus est qui diâ—sâ—â—nutat in gia â—or qui non redd â—â—ngâ—aâ—â— sâ—mus omniâ—i qui oblitus est Sâ— de Bâ—net They forgate God their Saviour that had done great things for them in Egypt There are saith one many sorts of unthankfull men Some deny they have received a benefit some dissemble it some requite not but most unthankfull are such as forget a kindnesse shame honesty and time may mend the former but what can amend the last sort who doe so willingly forget mercies 3. Others though they take some notice of and remember mercies and deliverances yet ascribe them to other things as the Heathens usually doe to their Idoll-gods Iudg 1623. 1 King 5.18 Jer 44.17 18. The Philistines ascribed their victories to Dagon The Syrians to their Idoll Rimmon and Remphan and Israel to the Queen and Host of heaven and too many Christians to second causes and instruments as wit strength policy vigilancy diligence c. yea to fortune and chance a heathenish conceit very unbeseeming Christians yea impious and dishonourable to God robbing him of his glory in those things most commonly in which his wisedome power and providence is most seen and giving that to the creature second causes and instruments or Idol-fortune chance or lucke that belongs to God only 4. Many doe sleight and undervalue mercies and deliverances accounting great mercies small and small none or not worth the taking notice of them 1 King 9 1â— 13 Deu. 19.20 Psal â—6 24 as Hiram did the Cities which Salomon gave him and as Lot did Zoar and Israel the pleasant land and are often murmuring and repining because mercies are not so great and every way satisfying to our boundlesse unsatiable desires This is a great fault to undervalue and much more to repine and murmure at Gods mercies especially if great and extraordinary as many of ours of late have been 5. There are some that are worse then any of these who envy the mercies of Gods people repine at the goodnesse of the Church are grieved to seâ— such great things done as of late have bin done for England and that other Nation blessed be God and even guâ—sh their teeth at it speake contemptuously of what God hath done by the great Councell of the Land yea oppose and hinder what they can seeke to undermine it and undoe all and
THE CHVRCHES TROVBLES AND DELIVERANCE OR Certaine Sermons tending to shew the Reasons why the Lord doth sometimes bring his People into extremities with the blessed issue and fruits thereof on Gen. 22.14 Also divers Arguments giving good hope that yet God will be gracious to ENGLAND and not deliver us into our enemies hands Also somethings briefly on REV. 11.7 to 14. BY THO. MOCKET Mr. of Arts and Preacher of Gods Word at Holt in Denbigh-shire Prov. 22.3 A prudent man foreseeth the evill and hideth himselfe but the simple passe on and are punished Psal 37. v. 12. The wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth against him with his teeth v. 13. The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is comming v. 24 Though the righteous fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand v. 39. The salvation of the righteous is of the LORD he is their strength in time of trouble Quid mirandum si Sancti quoque viri malis premantur sive ad limi quantumvis exigui purgationem sive ad virtutis explorationem sive denique ad imbecillorum cruditionem D. Nazianz. in Orat. 19. in funere Patris LONDON Printed for Christopher Meredith at the Signe of the Crane in St. Pauls Church-yard 1642. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sir Richard Newport KNIGHT the LADY Margaret Bromly Relict to the Honourable Iudge Baron Bromley Sir Ed Broughton Knight and the Worshipfull Mr Rowl Barker of HAYMAN Mr. Fra. Charleton Justices of the Peace Mr Will. Stevinton and Mr Ric. Davis Esquires Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplyed Sirs YOu may wonder that such an obscure person as I am and living in so remote a corner of the Kingdome should in this learned age wherein so many elaborate Peeces of speciall worth have bin printed publish any thing Yet knowing the subject to be very sutable to the times and you know what the Wise man saith of a word spoken in it's season A word spoken in due season how good is it it is like Apples of gold in Pictures of silver pleasing and profitable and finding the matter handled in it comfortable and profitable to my selfe and well relished and desired by some others being heartily desirous to further the publicke good and profit others I have ventured to present it to the publicke view and use And be it so that this slender Treatise at first intended only for a Country Auditory be indeed but as the Goats haire among the fine twined linnen silke purple silver gold and precious stones that was offered towards the building of the Tabernacle yet there is use of that also Be pleased therefore to accept of it which I assure you is as rich in affection as the most choâ—se peeces are in worth which I doe humbly present as to the World in generall so in particular to you My much honoured and worthy friends for your particular favour and expressions towards me and mine If you or any others shall reape any good by it which is my hearty desire let God have all the praise and me your prayers And doe you I beseech you labour more and more to lay out your selves every way to the utmost for the publick good and against the publicke enemies of the King and Parliament especially in your most hearty affections and fervent frequent prayers for the peace and prosperity of our Ierusalem and to returne praises some wayes answerable for mercies received Thankfulnesse for benefits received is an holy kind of begging and a preparative to more and greater mercies and deliverances which only he can give and therfore will be sought of us for them whose Throne of grace we have still more cause and encouragement to frequent Ezek. 36 37. The fire of civill dissention is broken out here at home beside the great and lamentable ruines it hath made abroad in Ireland and Germany Oh! cast on a few teares to help quench it and you shall so much the more engage him unto you who will remaine The hearty desirer of the publicke and your particular truest good TH. MOCKET IT is this day ordered by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parliament concerning printing this one and twentieth day of July 1642. that this booke intituled the Churches trouble and deliverance be printed John White THE CHVRCHES TROVBLES and Deliverance GEN. 22.14 And Abraham called the name of the place Iehovah lireh as it is said unto this day In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seene WE have here an argument of praise for a great deliverance out of great extremity as we may see by the former verses God having given Abraham a sonne in his old age and promised that in him all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed doth in this Chapter command him to offer him up for a burnt offering unto God Abraham obeyeth goeth to the place that God had appointed built there an Altar laid on the wood bound his son Isack laid him upon the Altar and stretched forth his hand to slay his son then God called unto him and bid him stay his hand and spare the child and in his stead to offer up a Ramme there ready for him in a bush hereupon Abraham as is related in this verse sets up a monument of this great providence of God in sparing his son And Abraham called the name of the place Jehovah-jiâ—eh That so eminent a mercy and deliverance should not passe away with the time but be for ever remembred therefore the Lord also delivered it in a Proverbe As it is said unto this day in the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen The words are a divine Record or Monument erected to perpetuate the memory of this great deliverance out of a great extremity into which Abraham and Isaac in whose house the Church of God then was were brought wherein wee have 1. The place where 2. The reason why And 3. The manner or meanes by which the remembrance of this so great a mercy is perpetuated 1. The place where it was In the Mount viz. Mount Mori-Jah ver 1. 2. Why he there erected this Monument viz because God sees and doth provide an offering and deliver his son Isaac Heb. 11.19 Abraham received him as from the dead an extraordinary favour and therefore Abraham was much affected with it and reason he had to be so affection in him towards his son naturall as his son spirituall as the Son of the promise 1. Naturall he had a naturall â—ffection to him 1. as his son 2. as the son of his old-age 3. his only son 4. beloved son and 5. the last that he was ever likely to have Old Jacob would goe mourning to the grave because Joseph was not though he had many other sons and a Beniamin a beloved son also This affection so farre prevailed with David that he for Absolom broke out into a bitter and patheticall expression 2 Sam. 18.31 O Absolom my
son my son would God I had died for thee How much more cause had Abraham to have mourned for â—saac had he been sacrificed especially by him his Father What would all the world say What is Abraham the onely precise fellow in the world become 1. a murtherer and that 2. of an innocent child 3. of his owne child 4. the child of his old-age 5. his only 6. beloved child now fie upon such a fellow he is not worthy to live these be your Professours these be the people of God see what a Religion they have and therefore he had great cause to rejoyce greatly â—t the preservation and deliverance of Isaac from so neare and imminent a death But 2. Much more cause had he to rejoyce if we consider the spirituall â—â—ound of his affection as 't is likely he did Gen. 12.3 That he was the child of promise the seed of the Church in whom God had promised that all the Nations of the Eâ—rth should be blessed and sâ—â—â—â— deliâ—erance was a puâ—like deliverance and mercy to all the Church of â—od Isaac the seed of the faithfull and of whom the Mâ—ssiah should come is now delivered and that after a wonderfull manner in the very nick of time when there was lâ—â—â— hope of so great a deliverance and mercy Here is the grouâ—â— of his â—ffection and occasion of erecting this Monument in token of thanâ—fulnesse for so great a mercy 3. How and by what meanes the remembrance of this great mercy and deliverance is perpetuated and that is two waies 1. In the name of the place Abraham called the name of the place Jehovah-jireh 2. In a Proverbe which is a short and pithy saying which therefore doth make more impression in the mind then other sentences usually doe and therefore is the better and more easily remembred As it is said to this day In the Mount of the * Iehovah LORD it shall be seene The scope of this place is to helpe the people of God against discouragement when they see it goe hard with the Church that they are brought into great straits and exigents that there is no helpe for them in the world yet they must not distrust or be discouraged flag and hang the wing as men out of hope for In the Mount of Jehovah it shall be seene i. e. in great straits or extremities the Lord will shew himselfe to be Jehovah the God that giveth being to his promises for his peoples comfort that will helpe them in the fittest time Whence observe 3. main points in order thus 1. That God sometimes brings his people into the Mount into some great strait into some great extremity or other 2. That God will be seen in the Mount he will helpe and deliver his people in their extremities 3. That such mercies and deliverances should be specially noted and the remembrance of them perpetuated Of these God willing severally and in order and first of the first That God doth somtimes bring his People into the Mount i.e. into some great strait or other Doct. 1. that they know not what to do nor which way to turne themselves Examples there are very many both in the sacred Scriptures and in ecclesiasticall Stories of which take a few which I will but mention and not largely relate unto you Abraham here was come into the very top of the Mount to the greatest extremity to the highest point before God called unto him and gave him a dispensation the Altar was made the wood laid on Isaac bound and laid on the wood and Abraham was putting forth his hand to slay his Son there wanted but a moment of time to doe that which all the world could not undoe Isaac had been slaine and offered for a burnt offering unto God So Israel was in Ægypt a land of affliction not in Canaan a land of promise that was somewhat to humble them Exo. 1 c. 5.7.8.9 10. the King was against them and oppressed them that was more he slew their male-children and afterward drowned others this was more grievous this riseth high after that their task was doubled which still added to their misery Then againe at the Red Sea the enemies were armed behind them the rocky mountaines on each side and the Sea before them nothing probable but death in their eyes In the wildernesse the fiery Serpents so great wants of water bread and flesh that Moses himselfe did doubt whether it were possible that so great a multitude could there be provided for 1 Sam. 13.22 unlesse all the flocks and heards be slaine All Israel in Sauls time was brought to that extremity that their mighty enemies the Philistines came against them they had neither Sword nor Speare save onely Saul and Jonathan So the Church of God 2 Chr. 13 14 15. all Iudah in Abijahs time were encompassed round about with their enemies a great army So againe in Asaes reigne when Zerah the Aethiopian came against Iudah and Ierusalem with an host of a thousand thousand and three hundred Chariots 2 Chr. 14.9 In Iehoshaphats days by the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir 2 Chr. 20.3 10 â—â— 22. against whom Iudah had no might nor knew not what to doe their enemies were so exceeding many and mighty Vnder Hezekiah 2 Chr. 32. when Senacherib and railing Rabshakeh came against him and his people Againe In the Babylonian Captivity Ezek 37.3 4 11. they were all as dead bâ—nes under a most potent enemy and that neare 70. yeares when they might have thought God had quite forgotten them So in Hosters dayes Host 3.7 12 13 14 15. the Decree was sealed to kill and destroy all the Iewes in all the Provinces under Ahashucrus Instances in particular persons we have many as in a 1 Sam 23 25. David in the wildernesse of Maon and sundry other times as at b 1 Sam. 30.6 Ziglag in c Ion. c. 2. 3.6 Ionas d Hest c 3. 6. Mordecai e Dan c. 3. 6.16 Daniel the three Children f 2 Cor. 11.23 24 25. Paul often g Act. 12. Peter and many others So if need were we might out of the Histories of the Church bring many instances to this purpose from the Primitive times hitherto even a large Volume of them but what needs more instances to proove so evident a truth which none denyeth Now The Reasons why the Lord will sometimes bring his people into great straits Reasons may be taken from the ends of the Lords providence in afflicting his people and bringing them into great extâ—emities which are these 1. To humble his people the more and so make them more fit for mercy every godly man is not fit for every mercy fit for deliverance much lesse others that are not such they would be proud unthankfull abuse mercies An humble man is the onely fit man for mercy as an empty vessell is only fit to receive not
good meanes to cure a man of love of the world sicknesse poverty persecution and other great troubles make men weary of their lives Elias when he fled from the wrath of Jezabel and Ahab 1 〈◊〉 19 4. he sate under a Juâ—iper tree and requested for himselfe that he might dye not a word of dying before hee was brought into this great strait that he must either fly for his life or dye by the hand of wicked Iezabel This made Paul desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ that he was then in bloody Nero his prison though that was not the sole cause of that his desire If we had all things here at will wee should with Peter desire to build Tabernacles and abide here but afflictions and troubles especially great ones make us weary of the world like as wormewood on the mothers brest doth imbitter it and makes the child out of love with the brest So afflictions and troubles doe imbi tâ—r our worldly comforts make us weary of the world out of love with it and to aspire and long after Heaven And both these tend much to draw his people to trust in him and so to rely and bottome themselves upon him as to commit themselves to him to roule themselves and leane upon him alone When a man is come so faâ—te into such an extremity that all outward helpe and meanes faile him and there is none to rely upon but God that either be must cast himselfe wholy upon God or perish be undone if God helpe him not he is undone he hath no hope elswhere it will drive him to roule himselfe and rely upon God if there be any faith and hope in him that God can and will helpe as a man shipwrackt at Sea when hee sees there is no other way to be saved but such a rocke or planke Heb. 11.17 18 19. then he casteth himselfe on that and resolves to rest thereon Here Abraham was brought to a very great strait he cast himselfe on God he beleeved that God was able to raise up his some again from the dead and therefore hee cast himselfe upon God So it wrought with Paul and others they received the sentence of death in themselves i. e. saw no way or meanes of life all hope from outward meanes failed and therefore they cast themselves wholy on God heare his words 2 Cor. 1.9 10. We received the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead who delivered us from so great a death It was a great extremity Paul and the rest were brought into Act. 27. Act. 27.20 No small tempest lay on us saith the Apostle all hope that we should he saved was taken away See how this drove him to trust in God v. 25. Sirs be of good cheare I beleeve God c. When the storme was exceeding great the Ship split and all failed nothing but the waves or peeces of plankes yet then he cast and committed himselfe to God yea then he must doe it or perish no hope no helpe any other way Thus the Lord would have his people to trust in him and rely upon him alone and this is a speciall meanes to drive men to it to unbottome them of the creature necessity is a good argument and it is well if any thing will make a man truly and sincerely to cast himselfe on God 12. Sometimes againe The Lord brings his people into troubles to make his Word and Promises sweeter unto them and all his mercies to relish better When a man is tossed to and fro and wearied with beating his braines and endeavouring by all wayes and meanes yet in vaine and as it were against the streame and wind ô how welcome then will a promise be to such a soule Ps 110.50 Contraria juxtase posita magis cluceseunt how sweet will the word to be to him that finds no helpe no comfort in any outward thinâ—â— This said David is my comfort in mine affliction thy word hath quickned me put life into his drooping dying soule Every mercy is sweet to a gracious heart but in case of extremity it is most sweet contraries doe best discover one another the bitterer the affliction is here the more grievous the trouble the sweeter will the word be to a gracious heart as every thing is sweet to an hungry soule Also troubles bitter afflictions will sweeten glory they put a kind of excellency and eminency on Heaven and glory it selfe and make it more sweet and glorious Great afflictions and troubles here make Heaven if I may so say more heavenly the haven is most pleasing to a weather-beaten Mariner sweet after bitter health after sicknesse ease after paine meat after hunger the triumph after a sharpe battell so troubles here on Earth doe after a sort sweeâ—en the life to come and make it more excellent and soul-ravishing 13. The Lord dealeth thus with his people to increase thankfullnesse in them for mercies When he comes in the very necke of time at the last pinch when all outward helpes and hopes faile then mercy will be welcome indeed and thankfully received Here when it was come to the uttermost Abrahams hand was lifted up to slay his sonne then comes a dispensation from God which much affected Abraham therefore he presently as it were erects a monument with this inscription In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seene and called the name of the place Jehovah-jireh i. e. the Lord will see or provide So in Hesters time when things were brought to a great height Hest c. 4. 9. a desperate pinch then God workes their deliverance and they were much affected with it when a man is brought to extremity then mercy affects much and accordingly the heart is inlarged in thankfulnesse The more bitter the affliction is and the greater the extremity the more welcome and thanks-worthy mercy and deliverance will be A hungry beggar will be thankfull for every small matter and course almes but he that is full is ready to slight every thing A full stomacke loaths the hony-combe Pro. 27.7 sayes Salomon 14. Lastly the Lord suffers the enemies of his people to prevaile and bring his people to an extremity that he may have occasion to manifest his glorious Power Wisdome and Justice also 1. His Power Wisdome and Goodnesse in the manifest support of his people in their troubles holding them up as it were by the chinne in the midst of the waters that they sinke not So Gods admirable power and goodnesse did appeare in making the Arke to float safe upon the waters the bush to burne and not be consumed the Church to be brought into great straites sometimes to the utter most extremity and yet not be quite dissolved and perish likewise preserving Daniel in the Lyons den the three children in the fiery furnace Jonas in the Whales belly Likewise in delivering them cut of extremities that
when it comes to that passe that point of extremity that all helps and meanes faile yet that he can and will help at such a pinch of need a dead lift when none else can here appeares his great care wisedome and goodnesse to his people as in delivering Israel out of Egypt where they had been so many hundred yeares and under so powerfull an enemy and Judah out of Babylon Peter out of prison Jonas out of the Whales belly 2. His justice appeares also in the destruction and confusion of the enemies of his Church as Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar proud and potent enemies Senacheribs great army Exod. 9.16 Rom 9.17 Of Pharaoh it is said and may be of the rest of them For this cause have I raised thee up to shew in thee my power and that my Name may be declared throughout all the earth God sometimes suffers his people to be brought into great extremity and their incorrigible enemies to goe far and prevaile much for a time but it is that his power and justice may be more cleare and remarkeable in their destruction Beloved his people into afflictions and troubles Tantum admittitur Dâ—â—â—olus tâ— nâ—â—re â—nâ—mii 〈◊〉 be proâ—est ut exeâ—â— arâ—â— ut â—â—â—beâ—â—â— uâ—â—â—ui â—e â—â—se â—baâ—â— teipso invemaris 〈◊〉 Aug. in Psal 61. these are the reasons and ends why the Lord things even into the Mount sometimes to the uttermost extremity to humble them the more and make them the more fit for mercy to prove their faith patience love and obedience to manifest the truth and strength of his owne grace in them to quicken them to duty to exercise and brighten their graces and increase grace to discover corruption purge out sinne purifie and prevent sinne to let them see the vanity of the creatures weane them from the world and draw them to relye wholly on him to make his Word and Ordinances sweeter to make them more thankfull and to shew his power wisedome providence and goodnesse in preserving and delivering his people and his justice also in destroying his and their stubborne enemies Now while I tell you what Gods end and ayme is I doe also tell you what is your duty it is to put you on to j yne with God to accomplish his ends Now the Lord hath brought us into the Mount almost to the very top I truâ—t for some great mercy to his people doe you now labour to answer Gods ends to be kindly and throughly humbled and so fit for mercy fit for deliverance fit for peace and reformation The great mercy that God intends therefore to manifest your faith and obedience your love and patience at this time of tryall to manifest to the world the truth and strength of your graces be quickened to duties of falling and prayer exercise grace and let your profiting appeare labour to finde out your lurking corruptions to be rid of them to be more carefull to av yde sinne for the time to come to see the vanity of all outward things and be weaned from the world long and labour after Heaven to rest wholly on God find more sweetnesse in the Ordinances be more thankfull for mercies when they come and admire Gods pure wisedome and goodnesse towards you and juâ—tice on his Churches enemies when God shall take vengeance on his adversaries and deliver his Israel 1. For terrour to the enemies of Gods people Vse If his owne people are subject to sufferings and troubles and are sometimes brought into such extremities that they know not what to doe or which way to turne themselves what shall then the wicked and the enemies of his people suffer If all that will live godly must suffer and sometimes undergoe hard things shall the wicked escape Doth God deale so with his children what then will he doe with his servants yea with his enemies the slaves and vassals of Satan will he not spare them that make conscience of their wayes that endeavour to live most holily to walke uprightly with God in all their wayes what will he doe with them that live prophanely loosely scandalously If God so lash them that sinne out of infirmity weaknesse ignorance want of watchfulnesse carelesnesse whose hearts are bent to please the Lord and honour him what will he doe with them that wittingly and wilfully goe on still in their sinnes after many faire warnings and admonitions If sinnes of infirmity be accompanyed with crosses and troubles and that in extremity sometimes what will be the end of bloud-shed of whoredome drunkennesse cursing swearing fearefull imprecations scorning and scoffing at goodnesse and envying purity and sincerity If he deale so hardly as it may seeme with Abraham Jacob David Jeremy and other his dearest ones what will he doe with prophane Esau's scoffing Ismaels cursed Cams and the rest of the rabble of wicked men Luk. 23 31. If it be thus with the greene Tree what shall be done to the dry If God deale thus with his owne people what will he doe with his and their enemies the common enemies of his Church bloud-thirsty enemies that seeke the suppression of his glorious Gospell the ruine and destruction of his Church people Prov. 11. â—1 Behold sayes Solomon the righteous shall be recompenced in the earth much more the wicked and the sinner I conceive the place to be meant of suffering for evill-doing God will correct and punish his owne people therefore much more the ungodly and most of all the professed bloud-thirsty enemies of his Church 1 Pet. 4.17 18. If Iudgement begin at the house of God where shall the sinner and ungodly appeare yea where shall the professed and publicke enemies of the Church appeare If Christ shall be revealed from Heaven in flaming fire 2 Thes 1.7 8 9 with his mighty Angels to take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ and punish them with overlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power what shall be the end of these men that despise and spurne at the Gospell and seeke to suppresse it suspend and silence the most able faithfull and conscionable Preachers of it See Jer. 25. ver 12 c. where God by his Prophet Jeremy after he had threatned the Jewes with 70 yeares captivity he prophesies of the utter destruction and perpetuall desolation of Babylon and other Nations that were the adversaries of his Church and people and ver 15. he causeth the Prophet to take the cup of Gods wrath and make all the Nations drinke of it but especially looke upon and weigh well ver 28 29. In case they refuse saith the Lord to take the cup at thy hand to drinke then shalt thou say unto them Thus saith the Lord of Hosts ye shall certainly drinke For loe marke the reason I bring evill on the City that is called by my Name and should ye be utterly unpunished ye shall not be unpunished
what they should meet with in the way to Heaven and prepare for the worst Quest. You will say what is to be done that we may be prepared for troubles that whatsoever troubles may befall us we may be able with comfort to undergoe them Answ 1. First and above all get God to be thy friend Directions Rom 8 31. Isa 54.17 to be reconciled unto him and have interest in him For if God be with us saith the Apostle who can be against us what enemy what weapon can prevaile If a man be brought into the Mount into never so great troubles to the uttermost extremity that all meanes helps and hopes in the world faile him yet if he have assurance of Gods love and favour who is all sufficient and all iâ— all all outward troubles and wants will seem little or nothing to him Therefore here Abraham went as willingly into the Mount and did undergoe this great tryall with as composed and cheerfull a spirit and so hath many a faithfull servant of God formerly and of late yeares went to prison to the Pillory yea to the stake as cheerfull as many a man would goe to his owne house Therefore seeke unto God betimes make thy peace with him confesse and bewayle thy sinnes humble thy selfe before him intreat his favour in the Lord Jesus Act. 12. as the Sydonians did Herods favour by the meanes of Blastus the Kings Chamberlaine And this if we doe be at peace with him while we are in peace and prosperity he will know our souls in adversity and we shall alwayes have a rocke to sly unto in the greatest waves and surges of affliction and a sure way to save all Mat. 20.39 even then when we lose all in the world for his sake 2. Fore-cast the cost and charge of Religion and likewise the rewards and comforts Fore-thinke the worst that may come the greatest afflictions troubles persecution or other tryals that can befall And thinke also of the rich reward and comforts of well doing here and hereafter and then câ—st up the accounts and see what a mighty disproportion there is betwixt the affliction and troubles here and glory hereafter As the Apostle did saith he I reckon Rom 8.18 that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us I reckon He cast up all before-hand In vulgata Edit Roberti Stephaâ—i The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not as the vulgar translation renders it Existimo I thinke implying only a probable conjecture but a certaine weighing and concluding upon sound consideration As a man that casts up accounts reckons up all the small summes and layes the particulars together to see what the product or totall is so the Apostle casts up all the particular sufferings that he had or could suffer from the hands of God Men Devils or any other creatures or any way for righteousnesse sake and layes all together and then compares that with glory and upon sound judgement concludes I reckon that the sufferings And so must we doe if we would comfortably undergoe the worst condition as Paul did This good advise our Saviour gave to his followers when he saw great multitudes he turned to them and said Whosoever doth not beare his Crosse and come after me Luk. 14 27.28 â—9 30 31. he cannot be my Disciple Also more clearly in the Parables of buâ—lding a Towes and making warre with another King therefore fore-cast the cost consider before-hand what you may sâ—ffâ—r and the great and incomparable reward of well-doing and suffering in a good cause 3. Settle in thy heart a full purpose and firme resolution in the Name of God to stand it out to undergoe the worst come what will come be it losse of credit in the world losse of liberty or wealth yea to dye and to part with all rather then Christ and his truth or betray the peace of the Land or doe any unrighteous action resâ—lve to suffâ—r rather then to sinne Such a resolution Paul â—ad when his friends told him that he must be bound at Jerusalem Act. 21 13. and be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles and besought him with teares not to goe up to Jerusalem saith he What doe ye meane to weep and to breake my heart I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Jerusâ—lem for the Name of the Lord Jâ—â—us C. 20. v. 23 24. Likewise Cap. 20. The Holy-Ghost witnesseth in every City saying That bonds and afflictions abide me but none of these things move me neither count I my life deare unto my selfe so that 〈◊〉 might finish my course with ioy and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus Resolution will carry a man on far and inable him to undergoe much 4 Labour for an habit of Self-denyall This will be of great use and help us much Therefore our Lord Christ when he exhorted any to follow him in taking up his Crosse i.e. by a willing submitting to suffer and undergoe all troubles they should meet with in the way to Heaven gives them this good counsell and commands them to observe it to deny themselves Mat. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his Crosse and follow me Marke the order of the words and then this will follow That he that will beare all afflictions and tryals comfortably and follow Christ sincerely must first deny himselfe When a thing is dead you may doe with it what you will pricke it or throw it into the fire it is not moved so it is with the man whose carnall will reason and affections are mortified when a man is dead to the world then whipping buffering or the fiery tryall of persecution which strips a man of all outward things troubles him not or very little Let us therefore labour to mortifie our lusts to deny our selves take off our hearts and affections from the world and the things of it and set them upon God Christ Heaven and Life eternall and so on the wayes and meanes that will bring us thither for he that hath learned to deny himselfe in any thing and hath his heart weaned from them will without trouble part with an Isaac with any thing at Gods command suffer the losse of all with joy as the faithfull Jewes did Heb. 10. and regard no bands afflictions Heb. 10.34 Rev 12.11 Act. 20.23 24. or sufferings They loved not their lives unto the death None of these things move me saith Paul a self-denying Christian neither count I my life deare unto me c. Oh this world is a mighty hinderance to suffering When God cals into the Mount these earthly comforts and contentments are like a great clog on our hearts and hinder us much We are wonderfull unwilling to part with a deare friend especially an Isaac a beloved sonne or husband or wife or our estates
preferment reputation in the world ease liberty or any carnall contentments we affect therefore get thy heart off from those deny thy selfe in those or whatsoever worldly thing is deare unto thee and then it will be an easie matter with Abraham to follow God into the Mount to doe or suffer any thing at his command and for his sake 5. That a man may undergoe with comfort greater tryals he must begin and exercise himselfe with smaller sufferings to beare them cheerfully He must doe as men doe for temporall skirmishes to sight with men First they learne in private Schooles and it may be with woodden swords or with blunted points that will doe little or no hurt They that will be victorious in set-battles doe first traine themselves at home and see how they can carry themselves learne their severall postures for every sadden emergent occasion shoot first with powder at marks c. So a Christian that would behave himselfe bravely in Christs field in Christs cause with Abraham Job c. must learne and exercise himselfe at home and before hand learne to suffer at home and beare the thrusts of woodden Swords the persecutions of Protestants the scoffes scorns reproaches and other vile carriages of carnall Protestants before he enter into the field to encounter the bloody perfections of Papists and their Adherents He that cannot indure the frownes disgraces threats and such like petty in juries from evill men prophane wretches though they be great persons in the world will never by any ordinary providence stand out to shed his blood in the cause of God for the Lord Christ and his Countries good So againe he that cannot beare petty losses crosses or troubles will hardly ever great tryals with more then ordinary assistance from God It is therefore good to begin betimes to accustome our selves to beare and slight all scoffes scornes and custome our selves to beare and slight all scoffes scornes and frownes of men cheerfully to undergoe all small losses and troubles sicitur ad magna and so we shall in time be inabled t undergoe great things with little alteration in our affection yea with much patience cheerfulnesse courage and constancy 6. Labour to have a strong well rooted and well grounded faith and love of God and Christ 1. Faith a well planted and well grounded faith this will enable to cleave unto God in the hardest times to cast our selves and rely wholy on his providence in hope above hope when all worldly means helps and hopes faile 2. Love Eph. 3.17 labour to be rooted and grounded in love as the Apostle speakes what is the reason that many fall away in evill times in times of suffering is it not because they have no true sincere love to Jesus Christ and his Truth Many waters are not able to quench Love neither can floods of water drowne it i. e. no afflictions Cant. 8.6 7. Rom. 8.37 38 his cause and waies but as he in the Story if one hand be cut off he will hold by the other if that also be cut off he will catch hold with his teeth He will resolve with Ruth for Christ and the cause of God and his Countries good Whither thou goest I will goe Ruth 1.16 17. and where thou lodgest I will lodge where thou diest I will die c. Therefore Beloved in the Lord labour for a well grounded faith and a sound unfained love to God to Jesus Christ and your Countries peace and welfare sound love I say not superficiall a lip-love but a deepe rooted and well grounded love The reason why the good seed that was sowne and sprang up quickly wither'd when the Sunne rose was because it had not sound rooting it wanted root be carefull therefore to have a well grounded love that hath good rooting root of judgement and root of affection to have such a love as Christ hath to us even to dye for us so doe you love him so as to be willing to part with an Isaac with any thing be it life it selfe for his sake Now treasure up faith and patience and love as Joseph did corne seeing a day of utterance will come a day of spending not of getting a day wherein all wee have may bee little enough 7. To adde one more for we cannot say too much we cannot be too well prepared for the evill day I say with the Apostle Tut on the whole Armour of God Eph. 6.11 12 13. that you may be able to withstand in the evill day and having done all to stand for we wrestle not with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers c. If a man be to fight with his enemy in the field he will put on his armour to defend himselfe in the best wise he can and great reason he should doe so his life is in danger In like manner should the true Christian doe we in our suff rings and tryals have to encounter not onely with outward troubles and inward corruptions but also with Satan who is not flesh and blood but a spirit mighty in power and policy therefore called Principalities Powers the Rulers of the darknesse of this world the god of this world c. and therefore we have great need to buckle about us all the peeces of our spirituall armour and be well skilled in the use of them and they are these 7. The 1. Pecce of the Christians spirituall Armour ver 14. is the girdle of Truth that is Vprightnesse Sincerity and single heartednesse to sticke to the Truth for the Truths sake to take Christ for himselfe Religion for Religions sake A girdle is for use and ornament it is comely and profitable and so is this it will be of great use for a Christian in evill times as a girdle was in those dayes when men wore long garments to bind them together that they might better apply themselves to their worke runne goe or doe any thing which a long loose garment would hinder Therefore buckle on this peece of Armour labour to be sincere upright hearted in all your wayes and dealings with God and men and to imbrace Christ the truth and Religion for themselves not for by-respects 2. The Breast-plate of Righteousnesse or Justice Ver. 14. Put on the Brest-plate of Righteousnesse saith the Apostle Righteousnesse or Justice I meane distributive Justice whereby a man doth carry himselfe righteously and justly in all his wayes toward God and men giving unto God that beliefe love feare honour praise and obedience that is due unto him and to men that love respect obedience c. that is due unto him I meane in respect of unfained desire and endeavour This is a Brest-plate what is the use of a Brest-plate to guard the heart liver and other vitall parts from darts arrowes shot and the thrusts of the enemies so doth Righteousnes guard a man against temptations in times of tryall Therfore labor to manifest the truth and power of godlines
controule and no thoughts of Reformation and therefore much more will he spare it now Reformation is begun If God should now suffer the enemies to prevails now England begins to reforme then it wâ—â—â— be to his great dishonour the enemies of the Church would impute it to the Reformation and blasphemously say That because â—â—e goe about to reforme things amisse in the Church and remove evâ—ls therefore God is angry with us and hath giâ—â—n us up into their hands and so impute our destruction to reformation which is Gods worke as the procuring cause of our â—â—â—sery and overthrow and their victory and triumph in our ruines to their Popish prayers and Idoll-Saints but God will not part with his glory which he hath purchased with a strong hand See a notable promise and an example to this purpose 1. A notable instance to this purpose in Jehosaphats dayes 2 Chron. 19. he seeing things greatly amisse in the Church and Civill State set upon the worke of Reformation purged the house of God and reformed much in the Church and Common-wealth presently upon that came the Moabites Cap 20. v. 10 11 12. Ver. 25. the Ammonites and the inhabitants of Mount Seir against him with so great an army that he professed there was no might in him and his people to withstand them and that they knew not what to doe yet the enemies of Judah had a mighty overthrow and why because Jehosaphat had put himselfe and his people into a good posture of defence in respect of their spirituall state towards God by their humiliation and reformation they were returned againe to the Lord and sought him and therefore God would not now leave them when they had most need of his help Ionah 3.10 Yea when Pagan Niniveh did begin to reforme and turne away from their evill wayes God did not destroy them as he had threatened and otherwise had undoubtedly done and yet their reformation is generally supposed to be but outward and hypocriticall not inward of the heart and sincere much lesse will God destroy a Christian Nation when we begin to reforme and turne to him 2. See also a notable promise to this purpose Jer. 18. saith God At what instant I shall speake concerning a Nation Ier. 18.7 8. and concerning a Kingdome to plucke up to pull downe and destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turne from their evill I will repent of the evill thought to doe unto them God threatens destruction to England England begins to reforme her evill wayes and pâ—â—â— away her whoredomes and abominations and therefore surely God will spare not destroy England whatsoever dangers seem to threaten us 3. God hath many mourners in England that sigh and groane because of the abominations and sinnes of the land and doe strive against them and thirst after a pure state of the Church with longing desire Yea the Parliament the representative body of this Kingdome hath ever in these declining times bin against the evils declared themselves against them and laboured what in them lay to redresse evils and purge the Church and God doth not use to destroy a Nation or give them up into the hands of their enemies so long as the Lots Jobs Samuels Daniels remaine in it and stand in the gap much lesse when the whole kingdome as the Parliament is by representation and deputation stand in the gap and seeke to turne away wrath from the people So much is clearly implyed in that speech of God Ezek 22.30 I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it but I found none This Argument hath given good hopes to many even when things were at worst and no Parliament thought of that God would yet be gracious to England 4. England fals to Fasting and Pryaing throughout the Land and God hath put a mighty spirit of prayer into the hearts of his people generally throughout the Kingdome every good mans heart is inlarged towards God for the peace of Jerusalem even children in yeares and young persons have eyes to see that things are amisse and their hearts open to goe to the throne of grace for mercy and favour for England and have their dayes of humiliation and prayer yea scarce any that hath the face of a Christian or principle of common honesty in him but doth as well as he can pray for Englands peace and happinesse And we doe not any where reade of any people whom God destroyed when they fell generally throughout the Land to Fasting and Prayer but ever that God spared them Ion. 3.5 Israel and Judah often yea and some out of the Church as the Ninevites and very often when they have bin brought to a very low condition yet when they sought unto God in their trouble he delivered them See one place instead of many namely Psal 107. especially v. 6 13 19 28 Then they cryed unto the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them out of their distresses I will trouble you with one publike instance 〈◊〉 that is in Hester Host 2.4.7 3 and two instances in particular persons in Hesters time the Church of the Iews was brought into a very low condition and a most desperate strait nothing was before them in the eye of humane reason but death and utter destruction the Deerbe was sealed never to be reversed and the Postes hasted to publish it every where that all their enemies might be ready at the day appointed to destroy them the Jewes fell to Fasting and Prayer and God delivered them For particular instances one is in Nebuchadnezzar he was brought so low that a man would have thought Dan. 4.31 it had been impossible for him ever to have been restored he had lost his Kingdome and wits also which are as a learned man said the onely way to bring a man in againe he had lost all his beauty and was become as a Beast of the field Ver. 34. not in substance but in condition and carriage yet when be looked up to Heaven God heard him and restored him to his senses kingdome and honour againe and so he did Ionah when a man in all reason would have thought it impossible Jon â— 2.1 being then in the middle of the Sea covered over with waters and in the Whales belly a creature whose stomack can digest any thing 4. And surely this also hath weight in it and is a good argument of hope and comfort that God hath set up many worthy lights and put many faithfull painfull and profitable labourers into his Vineyard very lately and many especially young people come in aâ—pâ—ce and submit to the Gospell and beginne to shew forth the power of Godlinesse in their lives 5. Also it is very remarkable and comfortable consider that all the plots designes and indeavours of the enemies have hitherto been so timely through Gods goodnesse
buty the Churches mercies and hopes in the ruines of destruction and that curse when they should blesse and blaspheme where they should set up monuments to perpetuate the praises of God and the remembrance of his mercies So especially doth that wicked Balaam of Rome by his Buls and Excommunications and his Abettouâ—s here Such are in a fearfull condition the good Lord open their eyes to see and consider and make use of that gracious and terrible speech of God comfortable to his people and terrible to their enemies Cursed be he that curseth you Gen 27.20 Num. 24.9 and blessed be he that blesseth you spoken indeed to Jacob but in him to all the Israel of God as it is applyed by him whose eyes were open and saw the vision of God Vse of Exhortation Secondly Whatsoever others doe or our selves have formerly done yet let us now be hence convinced of our failings be humbled for them and excited to our duty and that is 1. To give God the praise of all mercies and deliverances and of all his wondrous workes God gives deliverance to his people that he may fill their hearts and mouthes with Songs of praise and gives us a charge so to doe Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Sing unto him sing Psalmes unto him Isal 50.15.105 2. and talke of all his wondrous workes 2. To praise Gods due and our duty for all his goodnesse to us and his ioyne prayer to God for our selves and the Church that God would be pleased still to goe on to doe us good that God would accomplish his worke and doe good unto Zion and be favourable to Ierusalem ever watch over it preserve support comfort it and perfect his mercies and evermore mightily defend it that Ierusalem may be the praise of the whole Earth Cant 6.4 Comely as Titzâ—h in respect of pure order and ordinances and terrible as an Army with banners to the enemies in respect of dâ—â—me blessing and protection To move us to thankfulnesse consider these Motives 1. The number Motives greatnesse variety sutablenesse and continuance of Gods mercies and deliverances both personall and nationall temporall and spirituall of which a touch hath bin given before And surely the more the greater and more excellent mercies are the more they will a fect and stirre the heart if there be but a principle of common honesty in it and any notice taken of them 2. Consider the affections of God the giver which is to be preferred before a Parents Never was a Father nor a Mothers love whose affections are usually more tender more to their child then Gods is to his chosen See Isa 49.15 It is therefore set downe by way of admiration God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 3.1 and Behold what love the Father hath shewed unto us This consideration and perswasion is very needfull for unlesse we be perswaded and doe consider that what God doth for his people and for our selves in particular is not in wrath as he sometime gave Israel a King in his anger and Quailes to murmuring Israel but in mercy out of love and for our good we cannot be truely thankfull we are more thankfull for a small kindnesse from him whom we know loveth us then for a farre greater matter from him of whose good affection towards us we have just cause to doubt it is the perswasion of a kindnesse and love in a benefactour that stirres up to thankfulnesse and when these meet together that good turnes are great many sutable to our condition and desires durable and out of love and a man is perswaded of this then they affect the heart kindly 3. Consider all so the freenesse of God the giver that all mercies and deliverances are free and altogether undeserved He is not bound to us by way of desert and debt but of free promise Gen. 32.10 We are all as was Iacob lesse then the least of all his mercies all is of meere grace and free favour If we have but a bit of bread and cold water it is free mercy if more it is his bounty if nothing at all if he give nothing but take away all we have and punish us also for our sins he doth us no wrong we have no cause to complaine but to justifie the Lord. This is very considerable to move us to thankfulnesse 4. Consider our miserable condition without these mercies which we may know carendo magis quam fruendo best by the want of them Did we a while want health strength liberty meat drinke apparell or the like we should thinke our case ill Were we turmoyled a while with civill warre which God in mercy avert as in Germany and Ireland at this day where very many thousands are already slaine and they that survive most of them have their goods spoyled their houses burnt themselves turned out naked very many of them some have their husbands some their sonnes barbarously murdered before their eyes some their wives or daughters or both desloured shamefully abused and afterward butchered by rude Souldiers some women as I remember ript up alive some have their fruit drop from them as they hang on the gallowes some grievously mangled and many other miseries which they onely can best know that feele them or are eye and ear-witnesses of them But it is much worse where a soule lyes under an accusing condemning tormenting conscience wants and feeles the want of pardon of sinne and Gods favour this is the greatest misery Thinke then what a piteous case you should be in were it thus with us as undoubtedly it had bin before this if our proud enemies had prevailed as they hoped and believed they should doe and are yet confident yea if you want but outward mercies as liberty meat drinke c. but a few dayes and much more if you want pardon of sin for which a conscious sinner would give all the world and lye under a sore wounded conscience and let the consideration of the want of mercies make us truely thankfull for what we doe enjoy 5. Thinke also on the other-side what an happinesse it is to enjoy these mâ—râ—rs and deliverances which we by the goodnesse of God and the wisedome and care of the Parliament doe enjoy Oh how happy would many a thousand in Germany and Ireland that are in extreame want ready to perish thinke themselves did they enjoy the plenty we doe or the fourth part of it if they had but bread enough though never so course to put into their bellies Or he that is extreame heart-sicke even ready to breathe out the last gaspe to have health I he poore wearied man with continuall frights fears alarums and great dangers to enjoy peace And so in other things all which by the indulgent goodness of God we doe yet enjoy We were happy if we had eyes to see our owne