on them that feare him and upon them that Hope in his Mercy to Deliver their soul from death Here is Hope and that not exercised upon any Promise in Particular but upon Gods Nature in the Generall Hope in his Mercy And yet saith the Psalmist The eye of the Lord is upon such to Deliver them from death Psal 147.11 The Lord delighteth in them that feare him in them that Hope in his Mercy Mark you There is the same again though a Promise be wanting yet God delights in those that hope in his Mercy in the Generall So Though we had not a Promise yet we have a Word to discover God to us we have the Name of God his Nature his Properties to rest upon for Deliverance And this is as good a Foundation as the Disciples had now for their Faith upon the Sea What Promises had the woman of Canaan What particular Word had she for her Indeed she seemed to have one against her I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel Verrse 26. Nay Matth. 15.22.23 24. It is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it unto doggs Verse 26. i Triplex tentatio 1. Taciturnitatis 2. Particularitatis 3. Indignitatis here was a great tryall here was not onely silence Verse 2.3 no word but here was a word against her yet her faith rested upon his Nature he had Power and he had mercy therfore she rested on him 2. But wee have yet more incouragement Indeed if wee had nothing but Gods nature his Goodnesse Mercy compassion to his people to draw out our faith and Dependance upon him now yet this would goe far with us God is mercifull and gracious wee are his people First we are his by choice he hath chosen us out of the world nay we are his 2. By purchase he hath k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christus nos redemit proprie emercacatus est seu emendo exemit passor bought us So Gal. 4.5 Nay wee are his 3. By donation God the Father hath bestowed us on Christ he hath given us to him Joh. 17.6.7 And wee are his 4. by Covenant we have given our selves to him And being his in bonds nay his in such neere bonds choice relations As wee have incouragement to depend upon him Christus non tam manu potenti quam praetio dato nos redemit So also in our dependance to expect deliverance and Mercy from him 1. Besides all this we have a Book of Promises wherein in the Generall God hath made many gracious ingagements to us 2. Nay and we have a book of experiences that may be annexed to the Book of Promises both of Gods dealings 1. To other of his people 2. To our selves which might Speak some incouragement and afford some bottome for faith to rest upon 3. And we have incouragement from the Cause which is undertaken which as it speakes incouragement to us to undertake it So it doth no lesse to us in our undertaking of it 4. Yea and wee have incouragement from the Consideration of our enemies I say no more but that it will be an unparralell'd case an untracted piece of Providence if God doe not deliver us Object But you will say all these may seem but to afford us probable conjectures They may be and may not be How shall we know whether God will doe to us as to others succour his owne Cause and not give us up to our enemies except we had a particular word for it Ans For the answer of this therefore let us look and we shall see that we have something that comes neer to a particulat word that God will deliver us Let our Enemies but shew as much for their confidence as we may doe for ours and wee will give up the Bucklers Wee will first lay downe two grand Rules which Divines lay down in the interpretation of Scripture 1. Rule What God hath done to others of his people in distresse is equivalent to a Promise to us in the same condition Now God hath supported Delivered others of his people in former times And this is Equivalent to a Promise to us that God will support and deliver us Hee hath helped his Church in their straits in Egypt in Babylon in Esthers time And that which God did to others of his People in distresse is equivalent to a Promise to us as our Divines say in their interpretation of Scriptures And this seems to have a foundation in Scripture too Jobs Deliverance out of Trouble is made the Ground of our waiting upon God for Deliverance out of Trouble also You shall see it Jam. 5.7 to 11. In the seventh Verse the Apostle exhorts them unto patience under all their afflictions and Crosses upon this Ground because God will deliver them if they wait on him Why But how shall we know that Why saith the Apostle He hath delivered others of his people in the same Cases And so will he you You have heard saith he of the patience of Job and what end God made with him i. e. How God delivered him out Trouble And therefore be you patient and wait for the same Deliverance And hereupon the Psalmist reasons Psal 22.4 5. Our Father j trusted in thee and thou deliveredst them they cryed unto thee and were not confounded And what is the meaning of that but that the Church doth take up an Argument from Gods dealing with his Church in former times To trust God for the like Mercy for themselves being in the like condition Rom. 15.4 What ever things are written saith the Apostle they are written for our learning that wee through Patience and comfort in the Scripture might have hope Marke there what things are written not only Promises but Histories of Gods dealings to his Church were therefore written that we might have hope i. e. That we might depend on God in the like condition He relieved Iacob David Iehoshaphat Iob the Churches of God c. That all these might be in stead of promises to us to inable us to depend on God in the like distresses So Psal 9.10 They that know thy name will trust in thee And why He doth not say because thou hast made them ptomises though this be true But he saith Because thou Lord l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adverbum non derelinquis Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sperabant i.e. pollicebantur fibide te quod non sis ipsos deserturus quoniam alios non dereliquisti Musc hast not forsaken them that seek thee Where he urgeth the experience of Gods dealings with others to be in stead of a promise to them to trust in God Otherwise the argument were not of force He never yet forsooke any that sought him m And therefore we may trust in him he will not forsake us And this is the first rule what ever God hath done to others of his people in distresse is equivalent to a promise to us in the
vehis fortunam Caesaris So I Christ vehis gloriam benedictionem Christi Nemo nos laedit nisi qui Deum vincet you carry Christ and all his glory that can never miscarry nor you whose safety is imbarqued with it And therefore bee not discouraged though stormes arise though the flouds of ungodlinesse doe lift up their voyce he that sits in heaven shall laugh them to scorne and he that sits at the sterne will bring all safe to harbour at last 2. We are not to forgoe the cause This were to forsake the Arke because the waves and billowes rise to jump into the Sea because the wind blowes the Sea is stormy You see the Disciples they did not forsake the ship because of the storme Nor did any of them let down a Cock-boat and labour to secure themselves In personall persecutions there God permits us to seek our preservation by flight if we be persecuted in one Citie we may flye to another But when persecution is generall and nationall we are to seek our preservation in the whole 3. Wee are not to slacken our indeavours tempests arising in our way should quicken us more to working in a shipwrack that p Iu naufragio iste rector laudandus quem obruit mare clavum tenentem Senec. ad peli cap. 6. Pilot is to be commended who is swallowed up of the sea with his Rudder in his hand q Non navem deserunt sed remigando laborant The disciples here fel to rowing they forsook their Cabins but not the ship they forgot their particulars every man to the general work They did not look every man to secure himselfe but every man to secure the whole every man to secure the ship in which their safety lay They saw their personall security to lye in the securing of the whole their Cabins could not bee safe if their ship were in danger r qui amissa republica piscinas suas fore salvas sperare videntur Epist ad Attic 15. lib. 1. Necesse est ut eam non ut vivam Omnes omnium charitates patria comple ctitur Cicer. Offic. l. 1. qui curat esse nisi propterte pro nihilo est Bern. Tully laughs at the solly of those men which in his time had such thoughts that their fish-ponds should bee safe though the Common-wealth were lost Such windy conceits have too many with us and therefore seek not their preservation in but from the whole with but in separation nay in opposition to the whole How farre are such from a noble spirit t Valet maximus l. 5. c. 553 I have read of one Publius Decius that when the Roman Army was reduced to great straits hee couragiously forgetting himselfe for the publike good ran into the midst of his enemies demanding safety for his country death for himself by that means occasioned an unexpected victory the publikenesse of his spirit did carry him above the thoughts of private safety Every man should bee nearer to Religion nearer to common interests than to himself u Dicitur de Alvanio ille propior publicae religioni quam privatae charitati Valer Maxim li. 1. c. 11. So Alvanius was It is a shame that Heathens should doe that which Christians can not do w Non prestet fides quod praestitit infidelitas Jerom. As Hierome in another case complaines oh that infidelity should be able to doe that which faith cannot doe It was used to be said by Christians to Heathens x Non magna loquimur sed magna vivimus we doe not speak great things but wee live and doe great things but we speak much and doe little happy were wee and the Kingdome too if the practise of our lives did come up to the professions and protestation of our mouthes c. That is the first what we must not doe Now Secondly what we must doe 1. Search out the cause why God hath obstructed our promising and hopefull beginnings Is there not some Ionah that lyeth under Deck as yet asleep some sin unseen unhumbled for Is there not some old sins that God comes now to reckon for old sins raise new stormes former sins a present tempest See what sin is the cause the Jewes in every judgement that was inflicted on them did use to say that God weighed out an ounce of the golden Calfe to them Though an old sin yet they saw God might reckon with them for it And there seems something to bee implyed that speakes for these thoughts hee is said to forgive yet hee would remember them at the time of visitation 31 Exod. 34. Is there not some Achan some wedge of Gold some Babalonish garment that hath thus disturbed our prosperous beginnings Have not some fresh issues of lust and corruption broken forth now in the expectation of healing Have we not been unthankfull for unfruitfull under all the incomes and receits of mercy Did we not grow secure proud selfe-confident upon the hopes of mercy and deliverance What is that hath caused God to strew our wayes with difficultie to hedge up our way with thornes to increase our throwes to multiply our pangs when the children were brought to the birth when in our thoughts deliverance was so neare Secondly when you have found it out be humbled for it You have an advantage this day unto these duties such a one as our fathers never injoyed y An ordinance for the solemn humbling of our soules for natinall sins You have here sent you a list of the sins the nation is guilty of and there is nothing required of you but that you should lay them to heart this day that God may never lay them to your charge This seems to be the day-starre the harbinger of mercy to us As the Apostle saith of another duty it is the first Commandement with promise So this it is one of the first duties that speakes deliverance not to persons onely but to the whole nation Oh that we could in earnest this day draw water as out of a well and poure it forth before the Lord. A floud of teares would now prevent a deluge of wrath Nationall repentance might yet procure a nationall pardon if we have once made our peace with God then will not God onely be at peace with us but cause our very enemies to bee at peace with us also This is a soul-humbling a soul-afflicting day Other dayes are humbling dayes this is a heart-breaking day other dayes are afflicting dayes this should be a soul-melting day oh that Englands teares might prevent Englands bloud 3. When you have found out the cause humbled your selves for it your next work is to reforme it What is it to lament sin z Non nocent praeterita peccata si non placent prefentia Aug. if you doe not leave sin what were it to weep our eyes out of our heads if we doe not weep our sins out of our heaats It is not humiliation is
feare brings on us it doth not only blind our eyes that we cannot see the Cause of God and when we see it make us shie to acknowledge it nay prevail with a man to bawk and decline it But it will make us deny and forsake the cause of God too and here might be examples enough many there are who have forsaken Christ denyed his truth truth professed truth preached truth in some measure contended for and all for feare of men You know the sad stories of Peter Spira of Cranmer It is an easie matter to make him who is under the power of sinfull feares any thing to preserve himselfe from danger and any thing to recover himselfe out There are foure sorts of men who will never hold to any cause 1. Ignorant persons we must know and prove before we can hold fast the Apostle bids us Prove all things and then hold fast to that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 That which was never proved is easily deserted 2. Unsound hearted persons It is an easie matter to make him any thing who inded is nothing men that are carried in away onely by a byasse and not by a principle it is an easie matter if you either unbyass or counter-byass them to make them move as fast the other way l Qualitates Symbolicae facilime transmutuntur we say Symbolicall Elements do quickly slide one into another A Hypocrite and an Apostate are so neer that it 's easie to make him an Apostate who was before an Hypocrite hypocrisie is that vertually which Apostacy is actually there is Apostacy in causis in hypocrisie and there is hypocrisie in effectis in Apostasie and as times vary looke for more discoveries 3. 1 Tim. 6.10 Wordly minded men The love of Money will cause men to erre from the Faith as the Apostle saith When men are lovers of themselves more then lovers of God when they are lovers of honour more then lovers of God m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.3 4. lovers of pleasure of profit more then n Non amat te Domine qui aliquid amat praeter qui non propter amat Ang. lovers of God there need no great baits it will be a matter of no great difficulty to draw them from God Such men will if occasion serve raise themselves upon the ruines of others make themselves great by making others little such men they are for any service that may advance their corrupt desires It is said of Demas that he forsook Christ and imbraced this present world he forsook the faith of Christ and for gaine he became an Idoll Priest at Thessalonica as Dorotheus reports of him So easie it is to take them from God whose hearts are once taken with the world There is no cause can be sure of those whom honour or money can buy out Such men are onely this way till they can mend their wages and then they are gone it 's easie to intice him who is led away by his own lusts 4. Fearfull hearted persons Fearfull men will be unfaithfull men It 's all one to trust a coward and a traytor he that is one will quickly be made the other where there is ground to suspect any mans feare there is no ground to trust his faith his feare will make him unfaithfull o Terribilior cervorum excercitus Leone duce quam Leonum Agmen ducente cervo Plutar. Apoth and infeeble the hearts of them who follow him such dangerous snares then you see will base feares bring upon men and therefore far unworthy those who are Christians Use Oh let us learne to banish these sinfull sinking feares as unworthy men much more unworthy Christians It is a wonder to read and peruse that daring courage that the very Heathens have had I might here give you innumerable examples of their courage and valour all which might be a shame to us what though our troubles be great our God is great what can over-swell either his power or his love there is nothing can be too big for God and why should any thing be too big for faith upon whom it depends for shame let faith work more and sense lesse heare the reasonings of faith as well as the reasonings of sense when you see no help below cast your eyes upwards as Iehosaphat did 2 Cor. 20.12 We know not what to doe but our eyes are up to thee what though there be a famine on earth there is no dearth in heaven as the noble man thought what though there be weaknesse below there is strength above Well then shut your eyes to things below and open your eyes to God above Converse lesse with Sence and Reason and converse with faith and the promise Look upward more when a man hath been looking downward from the top of some high place his eyes grow dim the head growes weak But when he lookes upward he recovers himself again So it is with us while we look onely downward our spirits fail we are at the end of our faith and hope but lift your eyes upward look upon God and the promise and your spirits shall be incouraged What though the waves rise The storm be great Yet you have a Skilfull Pilot a safe Bottome a strong God who is able to allay all storms to hush all windes or to make all commotions serve to bring you to Harbour which is gods usuall way p Ita Solet Deus cum suis agere ut prius eos inmortem mergat atque omnem spem liberationis quantum humano consilio prospici potest adimat praecidat deindè vero gloriosè liberat ut apareat non humana industria aut prudentia sed Solius Dei potentia hanc salutem partem essc Moler Psal 68.20 Gods delights CHRIST I am JESUS whom thou persecutest v Haec formula loquendi ego sum duplicem habet effectum unum plenum consolationis apud credentes alterum plènum terroris apud in credulos Chem. The same words were spoken to the Iews and they Fell down backward as if they had been strucken with a Thunderbolt Iohn 18.5 The same words are spoken to the Goats Matth. 25.44 But though these words be Full of Terrour to the wicked and unbeleevers yet are they full of Comfort to Gods people The same words were spoken to Moses when he went to deliver Israel out of Egypt w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ehjeh hath sent me to you I Am hath sent me Exod. 3.14 x Haebraei testantur hoc verbum trium temporum differencias inse continere preteriti prepresentis futuri fui sum ero lege Chem. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A word of all Tenses Past Present and to Come Rev. 1.4 Peace from him that Is and that Was and that Is-to-Come It is a word CHRIST frequently used I am the bread of lise Iohn 6.35 And it could not choose but be a great deal of Comfort to them It is I. I
are fewll for patience are enjoyed when a man hath what his heart can wish what tryall of Patience Therefore doth God bring Iob into the Field exercise him with an hard Battell wherein hee had not onely to deale with Satan but his friends too as enemies Nay God himselfe seemes also to joyn with Satan not only by withdrawing of himselfe from him but by possitive inflicting of displeasure upon his spirit Thou fightest against mee with all thy terrours and overwhelmest me with all thy waves Iob 13. And all this while God increased his troubles to discover his heart When God brings judgements and calamities on a nation he is said to sift a nation Amos. 9.9 Troubles are Gods sieve The greater the troubles the smaller and finer is Gods sieve smal troubles they are but a course sieve they will not bee able to discover the flower from the bran much bran notwithstanding this sifting will passe through Orpha may goe farre with Ruth but will not goe throughout The Scribe came to Christ and would have gone farre if you will believe him upon his solemne protestations Master 8. Matth. 19 20 21. I will follow thee withersoever thou goest but when he heard it was a matter of paines and hardship he must bee content to lye with Christ in the fields The Foxes have holes and the Fowles of the ayre have nests but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head then hee returnes home to his warme bed f Quid fine domo si non sine domino sine lecto non sine Christo fulgens rather contenting himselfe to have his bed without Christ than Christ without a bed And as big professions the young man made also 19 Matth. 16. he would follow him too but when it came to the discovery that it was a matter of cost to follow Christ he was to goe sell all and give to the poore then he leaves him though sorrowing While Peace and Plenty Religion and injoyments go hand in hand together so long many will be religious but if once godlinesse comes to bee a matter of cost if once Religion and riches shake hands and must part if the world goe one way Christ another then with the young man they leave him and follow that Master they love better The Stony ground went far too 13. Matt. 20 21. It received the seed aswel as the best It sprang up promised as much as the best But the Sun scortcheth in the times of persecution when troubles and persecutions arise because of the Word by and by he is offended Many that are good for want of temptation like the Weather-Cock they stand this way for want of a stronger wind It is a strange thing to see upon what slight and easie grounds many doe adhere and more doe fall off from the cause of God Some there are that adhere to it as the Beare-bind to the Wheat * Hic est nos vulgi quod magno ex par te religionem ventris causa emolumenti colit hoc corruptum vulgi ingenium notat Propheta Chem. 2 Micac 11. or as the Ivie to the tree not because they love it but because it nourisheth them they can suck leaves and berries from it these hold to it for matter of gaine others againe because it is matter of cost therefore they fall off from it the more costly things the lesss lovely Some againe that hold to it out of private and personal ingagements Quicunque occupati sunt negotiis reipublicae debent hoc ipsum facere propter Deum Rab. Gaâ— friendship love relations and others upon the same ground or else upon some personal grudges to some that appear in it fall off from it what dis-service we have had by such private spirits wee all know to our cost It was the behaviour of Themistocles and Aristides when ever they were imployed in the publike service of the state they left all their private enmities in the borders of their owne Countrey and did not resume them till they returned and became private men It had been well for us if the publike affections to the cause in those who have appeared in it might have swallowed up all personall and private grudges and discontents Thus you see the many slender grounds and ends that weak and deceitfull spirits have and doe propound to themselves in their adhering to and falling off from the cause of God pitty it were that Religion so precious a thing should have such assertors to whose defence I know nothing so meane but is too good to bee intrusted Woe bee to us if Religion stands in need of such defenders Men whose Morives are from without are like unto clocks carried about with waights have no principle of motion within therefore * Nullum violentum est perpetuum Simulata non diu durant can never hold long to any cause he that will serve God for outward respects may be drawne to serve the Devill for the same if hee may mend his wages hee is unfit for a souldier of Christ who hath an eve to things visible 11 Heb. 27. but wants an eye to see him that is invisible 11. Heb. 27. That which inabled the Apostles to goe through all those difficulties as true souldiers of Christ which you may read at large in the 2 Cor. 4 8 9. c. 2 Cor. 4.8 9 10.17.18 It was this they looked not at the things that were seene but to those things which are * Eternitaâ—â— pingo better aeternitate pugno not seen verse 18. Christians these times will uncase you they will discover the bottome of your hearts they will not make them that are good bad but onely discover mens badnesse It is true what one saith A hypocrite is but an Apostate vayled and an Apostate is but an hypocrite revealed Had wee not had these times of tryall wee had not had so many hearts discovered As the Apostle saith â— Tim. 5 2â— Some mens sinnes goe before them to judgement some follow after So here though many had been discovered yet some men had passed this life for Saints whereas now their sins goe before them to judgement their hearts are layd open before those bookes are opened How many that in former times would have said Come see my zeal for the Lord of Hosts with Iehu who would have sided against the corruptions of the times who now with Iehu doe march furiously against the Reformation of them And as it was said of the Spaniards of Aldens Company in Germany they fired the Castle of Lippa which before they pretended to defend So now they set themselves against that which before they pretended to advance * Ficta Cito ad naturam redierint suam Luke 2.34 35 And therefore to discover the bottome of mens hearts and spirits as it was said of Christ Luke 2.34 35. That he was set up for the fall and rising of many
have heard of Christs addresses to relieve them and upon a mistake the increase of their feares though not of danger And thus farre hath Christ exercised their graces discovered their corruptions now begins the rise of their comfort and deliverance Christ can neither deferre their deliverance nor conceale himselfe any longer And therefore it followes But straitway Jesus spake unto them saying Be of good comfort it is I be not afraid a Quomodo solemus trepidos compellara qui nos ex voce agnoscere possunt ego sum Jansen As the mother sometimes speakes to her childe in the darke of the night when it is afraid Peace child do not cry 〈◊〉 it is I thy mother be not afraid So doth Christ here speak to his Disciples when they were in their childish feare of a ghost b Alloeutus statim cos voce illis non ignota fignificat quis sit Chem. Peace be of good comfort It is I your Saviour be not afraid They deserved reproofe but he pitties their weaknesse In this Text Christ doth apply himselfe to the cure of three severall distempers under which they laboured 1 They were in feare of a Ghost 2 They were in feare of their danger of being swallowed up of the waves 3 They were even out of hopes of preservation and deliverance See here how Christ doth apply himself to the cure of these three distempers 1 To settle them aright in their misapprehension that he was a ghost he tels them It is I. 2 To quiet their hearts in the feare of the danger of the waves He saith It is I be not afraid 3 To comfort and strengthen their hearts in assurance of deliverance he saith c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem est consolamiui fiduciam habere Be of good cheere or beleeve be of good confidence It is I. This in a more generall way is observable in the Text. In particular cast your eye upon these foure things 1 Look upon the way which Christ takes to settle comfort incourage his Disciples in their fears dangers misapprehensions He spake unto them 2 Looke upon the incouragement it selfe which is double 1 Be of good cheere 2 Be not afraid 3 Looke upon the ground of this incouragement It is I Be of good comfort It is I be not afraid 4 Observe the time when and that is in the first words straightway But straightway Jesus spake unto them c. We will begin with the first The way Christ takes to settle comfort and incourages them Iesus spake to them But to what Them doth he meane to all in the ship or only to his Disciples If to all that might have been as bad as a ghost to some to tell them it was Christ Guilty consciences wicked men are ready to say with their father Art thou come to torment us before the time At the best it could be little comfort to those who had not an interest in Christ who had not Christ their friend Well might they thinke as Ahab sometimes said to Eliah Hast thou found me oh my enemy 1 It was spoken to the hearing of all 2 But to the comfort chiefly of his owne Doct. The same word of God may be spoken to the hearing of all but to the comfort of a few Christ spake to the hearing of all in the ship but yet to the comfort of his Disciples And yet we cannot but think the rest of the Passengers and Mariners might receive some comfort by it so far as they understood who it was that spake The newes of a Saviour to a man in misery is some comfort though as yet the man is not able to cleere his interest in him And it might be the more to them now because they were in the same ship with the Disciples and therefore like to be shaters with them in their deliverance Doct. It is good to be in the ship with the people of God though it be on a stormy and troublesome sea The Mariners found this to be true They were in the ship with them and therefore did partake of the common salvation It is good to be in good company in a good cause though you meet with many difficulties in it If any salvation come you shall be sure to heare of it there It is better to be on a stormy sea with the people of God then to be without them upon the shore you see that here They had not only their bodies but their soules saved too as you may conjecture charitably by the sequell of the story Verse 33. Againe in that the whole ship was saved for a few Disciples in it we learne Doct. That God may have mercy upon many for the sake of a few God would have spared Sodome for ten righteous persons Ierusalem for one Ier. 5.1 d Credit mihi Pii homines sunt civitatum sacre fulcra columna quibus se motis subrutis nihil nisi perditio Aug. Beleeve me saith Augustine holy men are the pillars of a Common wealth which being taken away we can look for nothing but ruine Eliah was called e Quia praecibus suis populum non aliter ac curru ab inimicis liberavit Aug. The Chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof f Luther dum in vivis esset multas precibus suis calamitates a patria sua advertâ—bat semovit Luther is said to be the pillar of Germany who by his prayers did keepe back and helpe off many miseries upon them It is said Numb 14.9 Feare not the people of the land for they are bread for you their defence is departed from them The Lord is with us feare them not their defence is departed from them It is in the Margin Their Shadow The Rabbins say That this was Job and as long as he lived he was a shadow and defence to Canaan that they could not enter but now being dead they might goe in and enter they were all bread for them for their defence is departed from them Wicked men look upon Gods People as the Troublers of a Kingdome of a City of a Parish when yet God saith they are the Defence the Shelter of them The whole Ship was saved for a few Disciples in it nay a whole Ship for one Paul Acts 27. God hath oftentimes Mercy upon many for the sake of a few But wee proceed JESUS spake unto them This is the way that Christ took here to incourage and comfort the hearts of his people He spake unto them They were in a sad condition before Christ spake but now their souls revive Doct. A word from Christ is able to raise up and encourage the drooping spirits of Gods people in trouble I say Though the hearts of Gods People lie low in trouble and sorrow yet one word of Christ is able to raise them and revive them You see here The Disciples were in a sad condition before even at their wits end for feare g Quantaris
faithfulnesse truth Ignorance of the power of God of the mercy truth of God is the ground of all our unsteadinesse in depending on him Psalme 9.10 They that know thy Name will trust in thee If you will eye God more men lesse converse more with Heaven lesse with earth If you will have to do more with his word lesse with workes if you will shut the eye of sense and open the eye of faith You shall be more able to depend on him Thus we come from the generall view to the incouragement it selfe in particular which you see is doubled Be of good cheere be not afraid Be of good cheere That 's the first It seemes their spirits were much sunk their hearts cast downe And there was great ground if any thing below might be a ground to cast downe mens spirits They were first in the midst of the sea 2 Tossed with waves 3 The winds contrary 4 In the darke of the night and 5 Christ was absent God may exercise his people with such oppressing difficulties Doct. that their spirits may faile and their hearts may even be ready to sink under them It was so here with the Disciples It was so with David I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul And this ariseth not so much from the greatnesse of our straits as from the lownesse of our spirits under them We are too big in our successes and too little in our losses we are too high when things go well and too low when things go ill Men that are proud in successes are sure to be as base in losses We are apt to extreames Hard it is to be nothing in our selves when things goe well and all in God when things go ill but this lessen we must learne otherwise we shall be as unstable as the times themselves live and dye according to successes of things Labour for steadinesse of spirit get to be setled in unsetled times get to be fixed on God be as a Rock in the Sea Though the waves move the sea rises and fals yet the rock abides that stands firme where it was So let us It is said of a beleeving man He shall not be afraid of evill tydings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112.7 But we shail passe this There is something more offers it self from the words Be of good cheere The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies three things 1 Courage r 2 Forti animo estote Be of good courage 2 Comfort ſ 2 Consolamini Be of good comfort 3 Confidence t 3 Fiduciam habete Juxta vulgarem versic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Be of good confidence u Firmam animi fiduciam requirit Musc Beleeve Have faith in God The same word that signifies comfort signifies confidence To shew us that all comfort in God in times of trouble doth arise from confidence in God in the time of trouble No more confidence then you have no more comfort you have We have so little comfort in our trouble because we have so little confidence We want comfort the reason is because we have misplaced our confidence God hath blasted our carnall confidences that he might be our only stay now in times of trouble While we have others to go to we will not go to God whiles we have Bulwarkes of our owne we will not take Towre in God Whiles we have any thing else to rest on wee will never anchor on the Rock Would you have comfort from the Name from the Attributes of God Would you have comfort from the Promises from the Covenant of God Let God have confidence from you and you shall have comfort from him Assure your selves so much confidence as you lay upon God so much comfort you shall have from God But yet there is something more observable from the word Be of good cheere be of good courage be of good confidence You see before Christ wold allay the tempest without he applies himself first to quiet the tempest within There was as great a tempest in the ship in the hearts of the Disciples as there was in the sea Isay 57.20 Their hearts were like the sea casting up nothing but mire and dirt doubtings feares and unbeliefe Here was the greatest tempest w Non primum res adversas tollit ut postea suos quietos reddit sed contra Musc Christ applies himselfe to lay this to quiet their spirits before he did quiet the sea And this for three reasons 1 Because that this was the root of their troubles even their lownesse of spirit their diffidence and distrust in God All the troubles without had not troubled them if they had not had an unbelieving distrusting heart within Hence Musculus upon this place x Timor non habet causam ex rebus adverfis sed ex diffidentia animi imbecilitate Musc Feare doth not arise so much from troubles without as distrusts and weaknesse within 2 Because the greatest trouble was that within The other did but in danger the body this the soule The minde was most oppressed y Mentes afflictorum solumodo fiducia pacificantur Musc and therefore Christ applyes himselfe that the minde might be first relieved Bono animo estote Be of good comfort Christ applyes himselfe first to succour that part that doth chiefly labour under any trouble and that is the minde If once the minde be set right the heart cheered strengthned troubles will easily be borne 3 Because till their hearts were raised up to believe they were not fitted to receive mercy God loves to put his people into a posture for mercy before he bestow mercy on them They were not in fit posture for God to work till he had raised up their hearts to beleeve and expect It s an observation that z Nunc vero etsi opportur num erat ferendi auxilii tempus quando Christus apparuit tamen in illorū exercitationem salutem distert quae in manu habuit Calvin Calvin hath upon this Verse Although it was now a fit time for Christ to helpe yet the tempest is not laid because his Disciples were not yet awaken'd to pray and beleeve in his mercy Therfore faith hee wee must know it is not without cause that God doth often times deferre that helpe which he is ready to bestow God loves to have his people in a posture of mercy before he doe bestow it Hee would lay the tempest within the storme in their soules he would lay their fearfull unbelieving thoughts and put them on to believe to hope to expect to pray for mercy before they had it The mercies God bestowes upon his people he is willing should come in a believing praying way therefore doth God shut his hand sometimes and with-hold his help that we might believe And here is work for faith And therefore doth hee make obstructions in the breast of the promise that we should suck that we should
to satisfie their unbelieving hearts their feares were above all the security God tendred as you see in the sixteenth verse and you see how God meets with them Take another place in Isay 7. You may reade of a confederacy between the King of Assyria and the King of Israel to come up against Iudah and Ierusalem And in the second Verse you read how the hearts of the men of Judah were moved even as the trees of the wood are moved with the winde Now in this their feare and danger God sends a Prophet to them to tell them he would bee their security if they would trust on him the third and fourth Verses Be quiet fear not neither be fainthearted I will helpe you Verse 7. But notwithstanding all this their feare prevailed against their faith whereupon God sends the Prophet againe in the tenth Verse and bids the King Ask a signe either in the depths below or height above That is if he desired to have his faith confirmed by any visible signe either in Heaven or Earth God would condescend so farre to the weaknesse of his faith to afford it to him but yet his feares prevailed against his faith and against all the security God offered and he puts all this off very cunningly Verse 12. I will not ask a signe neither will I tempt God One would thinke he spake well he would not tempt God in asking a signe he would beleeve on his bare word doth not Christ blame the Scribes and Pharisees for asking a signe but it is one thing to aske a signe when God doth not offer it and meerly out of temptation too as the Scribes Pharises did another thing to refuse a signe when God tenders it and that for the confirming of their faith That hee spake wickedly The 13. verse tels you Is it a small thing to weary men but yor will weary God also Indeed the meaning is he will not tempt God That is he will not trust God hee would not trust on Gods promise Gods security he would run to the arm of flesh provide the best means for his own safety for he would not trust on Gods security hee would rather trust to the provision feare could make then to the provisions faith could finde in God * In periculis non bebemus otiose pendere a divino auxilio sed omnia facere quae sunt in nostra potestate Quamvis credamus in Deum faciamus tamen quae facienda sunt ne praetermittentes ea Deum tentare videamur Aug. Sometimes we tempt God in trusting upon God in the neglect of means and sometimes we tempt God in the trusting upon means in the neglect of God so did he See 2 King 16.5 to the 10. verse And so you see feare is a heart infeebling sin it betrayes the succours which God tenders God and all God is too little to secure an unbelieving man 6. It doth gratifie the enemy our feares are our weaknings the enemies strengthnings 1. Our weaknings I say feare is an army in battalia against it selfe the heart doth arme the head and the head useth all its enginery to batter the heart the heart makes use of the head to heighten a danger and that againe layes battery against the heart to lessen that Hee needs no enemies without who hath a fearefull heart within how can he stand out against enemies from without that is not able to stand against it selfe This is the nature of fear where courage lessens difficulties and makes great things conquerable such a spirit looks through a lessening glass and sees great dangers to be small the heart still riseth above the difficulty This is the nature of feare it looks through a multiplying glasse and makes small dangers great and unresistable Assure your selves feare will make a man weake amidst all the provisions of strength your forts are nothing if you retaine your feares you will be naked in the midst of armes weak in the midst of strength fear is an armory of weapons against it selfe It is our weaknings 2. And it is the enemies strengthening your feares are their courage and your courage their feares It is said in Iudges 2. That Israels sin was Eglons strength so our sin of feare is the courage and strength of our adversaries you weaken your selves and strengthen them you disarme your selves and arme them you unweapon your selves and put weapons into their hands to destroy you It is a dangerous sin and therefore God would not suffer such to goe to war they were unfit for wars Deut. 20.8 there were two qualities that were to be casheered malitia molities wickednesse of life and fearfulnesse of heart the one makes our enemies weapons successefull and the other makes our owne uselesse 7. It is a sin that indangers our forsaking of the Cause of God Solomon saith 29 Prov. 25. Prov. 29.25 The fear of man worketh a snare if once base feare get the possession of the heart what snares wil they not expose a man unto I will name some to you 1. They will make a man shie to acknowledge the Cause of God You see Nicodemus and many of the Iewes of whom it is said They believed but durst not confesse him for feare of the Scribes and Pharisees 2. Fear will make a man-decline and bawk the Cause of God the Rulers were afaid to acknowledge Christ because of the Romans if they had done so the Romans would have come and taken away their place and nation 3. Fear will blind the understaning hinder us from decerning good from evil and evil from good It is a Maxime Sin in the affection will breed Error in the understanding a corrupt heart will cause a corrupt head feare in the heart will cause darknesse in the minde It is a hard thing for a man under the power of any sinfull passion either by-assed with corrupt affections or blinded with corrupt passions to judge of the truth and justnesse of any cause though it be never so evident Men in feare are apt to judge those things good which yet are evil and they themselves would so acknowledge if they stood upon even ground if the feares and dangers had not got the hill of them And I believe this is a great ground of mens judgings in these times They think if they should acknowledge things as they are they should be at great costs for the present and run great hazards for future and therefore they will rather smother the Light and Evidences they have then let in more to their danger and cost Thus our enemies make us drive their mills with our owne breath and doe their worke with our own hands a fair policie Pyrrhus used to say of Cyneas That he had gained more Cities with his eloquence then he himself had done with his sword It is wisdom to expect most venom where there is most Art the Spider hath much Art but yet a great deale of poyson 4. The fourth snare that this