souls Nay rather then those that belong to God shall want that which will drive them unto him God himselfe will bee a Lion unto them as unto Ephraim Hosea 5. 14. which made David pray O Lord rebuke mee not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy het displeasure Of all the troubles which a child of God undergoeth in his way to heaven these bring him lowest when the body is vexed and spirit troubled it is much but when God â—rownes when neither Heaven nor Earth yeelds comfort to a distressed soule no evill in the world is like to this Imagine the horrour and straits of such a soule when all things seeme against it and it selfe against it selfe as neare to the paines of the very damned in hell The reasons of this dispensation of God are 1. because we are so desperately addicted to present things and so prone to put conâ—idence in the arme of flesh that unlesse God driveth us from these holds by casting us into a perplexed estate wee shall never know what it is to live by faith in God alone when all other props are puld away and when the streame of things seeme crosse unto us That God therefore may traine us up to live the spirituall life of the just which is by faith in him when all else faile he suffereth us to fall into the Lions mouth that so our prayers which are the flame of faith may bee more ardent and peircing rather cryes than words Why cryest thou unto me faith God to Moses when was this even when hee knew not what way to turne him It was out of the depths that David cryed most earnestly unto God and Christ in the dayes of his flesh cryed unto God with strong cryes and teares in a deepe distresse and was also heard in that which he feared strong troubles force from the afflicted strong cryes even experience shewes in prosperity and a full estate how faint and cold the prayers and desires of men are 2. Besides it is meet that the secrets of mens hearts should bee discovered for when all is quiet we know not the falsehood of our owne hearts Some over-value their strength as Peter others underprize themselves and of the gifts and graces of Gods spirit in them thinking that they want Faith Patience Love who yet wheÌ„ God calleth theÌ„ out to the crosse shine forth in the eyes of others in the example of a meeke and faithfull subjection The wisdome of God therfore judgeth it meet that there should bee times of sifting that both the Church and our selves may know what good or ill is in us what soundnesse or loosenesse remaines in our hearts When therefore we are wanting in fanning our selves God in love takes the fanne into his hand It is likewife behoovefull that false Brethren may be discovered Afflictions are wel called tryalls because then it is known what metall men are made of whether Pure of Reprobate silver thinke it not strange then when our estate seemes desperate it is but with us after the manner of Gods dearest ones why should we have a severed condition from them Remember this that God as he suffers his children to fall into the Lions mouth so he delivers them out and that hee never leaves his especially in extremity but in fit case of soule to receive the greatest comfort and to render him the greatest glory for then it is knowne to be Gods worke our extremity is his opportunity God will especially shew himselfe at such a time and make it appeare that the Church stands not by mans strength When Christians are at a losse and know not which way to turne themselves then is God nearest hand and careth most for them And this the Lord doth both for the greater shame of those that contrive mischiefe when they make themselves sâ—rest to bring their wicked plots and purposes to passe then their designes are most frustrated As also to draw on others not yet called that they seeing Gods immediate care over his Church and children may come in and obtaine like protection and deliverance The manner how God delivereth his children out of the Lions mouth is divers 1. By suspending their malice for the time as in Noahs Arke the fiercenesse of the wilde creatures was stopt by Divine Power from preying upon the tamer so the Lions mouthes were stopt from preying upon Daniel in the Lions Den. 2. By stirring up one Lion against another as the Persians against the Baby lonians Grecians against Persians Romancs against the Grecians and the other barbarous nations as the Gothes and Vandals against them so whilst Lions spit their fury one upon another the Sheepe are quiet Thus the Turke and other enemies have kept Popish Princes from raging and tyrannizing over the Church to the height of their malice 3. By casting something unto these Lions to divert them another way from their intended prey as when a man is in danger a Dogge is cast unto the Lion Thus when Saul was ready to devoure David the philistines made a breach upon him invaded the Land and turned his fury another way 4. By altering and changing Lions to be Lambes as when Paul was set upon havock and mischiefe God by changing his heart gave the Churches cause to glorifie God for him of whom before they were most affraid 5. God shewes himselfe a Lion to these Lions by breaking their teeth and Jaw-bones striking them with sudden and fearefull judgement as Herod and the persecuting Emperors and as in 88 when God with his foure windes fought for us against the enemies of his truth 6. By making them Lions to themselves witnesse Achitâ—phel Saul and other such like enemies of Gods children 7. Againe God maketh them friends without changing their disposition by putting into their hearts some conceit for the time which inclineth them to favour as in Nehemiah God put it into the Kings heart to favour his people Esau was not changed onely God for the time changed his affections to favour Iacob so God puts it into the hearts of many groundedly naught to favour the best persons 8. Lastly God maketh his owne children sometimes Lions to their Adversaries for the Image of God shining in his children hath a secret Majesty in it and striketh an awe upon wicked men so Pharaoh at length could not endure to see Moses and Aaron any more and Foelix trembled whilst Paul disputed of temperance and judgement Thus we see the Lord knows how to deliver his and can if he will and will doe it in their extremities when is most â—or his glory his peoples comfort and confusion of his owne and their enemies never despaire therefore of thy selfe or the Church of God it shall rather than faile breed in the Lions den Paul salutes the Philippians from the Church in Caesars house a place in appearance little fitter for a Church than hell it selfe what though things seeme
the world to hate them 3. They are strangers here and therefore no wonder if they finde strange entertainment from them that thinke themselves at home There hath ever beene from the beginning of the world a continuall conspiracy of Sathan and his instruments against God and goodnesse Emperours and Kings became Christians but Satan never yet became a Christian but hath alwayes bestirred himselfe to maintaine the first division and never yet wanted a stronge faction in the world Secondly observe that it is the character of a man wicked in an high degree to contrive wickednes the reason is 1. because it is a disposition of such as are given up by God to a reprobate sense and it is reckoned among other vile sinnes that they are full of maliciousnesse and inventers of ill c. A sonne of Beliall carries a froward heart and devises mischiefe 2. It shewes that malice is so connaturall to such that they cannot sleepe unlesse they cause some to fall wickednesse comes from the wicked as naturally and speedily as poyson from a spider 3. It argues such kinde of men worke out of a vicious habit which is a stamping of a second ill nature upon the former when as their hearts are exercised to doe mischiefe 4. It shewes they are of the devills trade whose onely worke it is to hurt and mischiefe all he can those that are broken loose from him Certainly such people as these are the children of the devill in an higher degree than ordinary It is said when Iudas began to betray Christ the devill entred into him he was the child of the devill in some degree before but now the Devill tooke stronger possession of him his unnatural treason did in some sort change him into the very forme of the devill When Simon Magus sought to turne away the deputy from the faith Saint Paul had no fitter termes for him than to style him Thou full of all subtlety and mischiefe and child of the devill And indeed there is no disposition so contrary to the sweet spirit of God which is a spirit of love and goodnesse as this is Learnâ— hence therefore as you love God to abhorre this hatefull disposition The serpent indeed was wiser then al the beasts of the field yet when hee became an instrument of mischiefe he was cursed above all the rest Satan labours to serve his turne of the best wits but what greater curse can befall a man than to serve the basest creature in the basest service and that with our best abilities Men of a devilish spirit carry Gods curse under zeale yea they cary the devil in their braine in all their workes of darknesse for alas what should the subtlety of Foxes and fiercenes of Lyons and malice of Devils doe in an heart dedicated to Christ Such men worke from a double principle the illnesse of their owne disposition within and Satan going with the tyde of that whose chief labor is to make a prey of meÌ„ of the best parts that by theÌ„ he may either snare others or else vexe them that have so much wit or grace as not to bee catched by his baites this is a course contrary to humanity as we are men contrary to ingenuity as we are civil men and contrary to Religion as we are Christian men and plainly argueth that such persons are lead with another spirit than their owne even by the Prince that ruleth in the ayre Our care and duty therefore should be to submit our spirits to the sweet guidance and government of Gods good spirit to be contented that every device and imagination of our hearts should be captivated to higher and better reasons than our owne Wee are not wise enough of our selves that our owne wils and wit should be our first movers Every thing is perfitted by subjection to a superiour where there should be a subordination to higher wisedome there to withdraw our understanding and wills is meere rebellion That which the Prophet speakes is too true of many in these dayes Thy wisdome hath made thee to rebell such are too wise to bee saved Wee need not bee ashamed to learne some things of our very enemies If they be so pragmaticall for evill why should not wee be as active for good I am sure we serve a better Master true love is â—ull of inventions it will be devising of good things so soone as ever our nature is changed the streame of the soule is turned another way the bent of it is for God Alas it is a small commendation to be onley passively good and it is a poore excuse to bee onely passively ill A good christian thinkes it not enough to see good done by others but labours to have a hand in it himselfe and he that suffers evill to be done which he might have opposed and hindered brings the guilt thereof upon his owne head Curse you Meroz saith God for not helping the Lord against the mighty c. What shall wee thinke then of those that helpe the mighty against the Lord that cast oyle to kindle where they should cast water to quench that inflame the rage of great persons when they should labour to reduce all to â— moderation Of this spirit was that Apostate which stirred up the Emperour to kill man woman and child of the Protestants with all their kindred and allyance fearing left any living should revenge the others quarrell Wee see God hath stooped so low as to commend his cause unto us as if hee stood in neede of our helpe and usually what good hee doth to us is conveyed by men like our selves therefore wee should labour to appeare on his side and owne his cause children In the house of God there be vessels of al kinds some are of more honorable use than others some make the very times and places good where they live by an influence of good others as malignant Plannets threaten misery and desolation where ever they come these are the calamities of the times Men may know whether they be vessels of mercy or no by the use they are put too the basest of people are sit enough to be executioners the worst of men are good enough to be reds of Gods wrath how much better is it to bee full of goodnes as the Scripture speakes of Iosiah and Hezekiah c. Indeed what is a man but his goodnes such men live desired and dye lamented yea their very name is as the oyntment of the Apothecary poured out they leave a sweet favour in the Church behinde them Now I come to their miscarriage they brought forth a lye a lye in regard of their expectation their hopes deceiving them but a just defeating in regard of God it was contrary to their desire but agreeable to Gods justice Neither were they disappointed onely so as to misse of what they intended but they met with that misery they intended not yea even with that very misery which
they thought to bring upon David This defeating ariseth by five steps 1. They were disappointed 2. they fell into danger 3. they were contrivers of this danger themselves 4. there was a pâ—â—nall proportion they fell into the same danger which they plotâ—ed for another 5. they were a meanes of doing good to him whom they devised evil against and raised him whom they thought to pull downe David sped the better for Shimeis malice and Achitophels pollicy See all these five likewise in the example of Haman and Mordecai 1. Hâ—man missed of his plot 2. he fell into danger 3. hee fell into the same danger which hee contrived himselfe 4. he fell into the same danger which hee contrived for Mordecai and 5. was the meanes of Mordecaies advancement It had beene enough to have woven a spiders webb which is done with a great deale of art and yet comes to nothing but to hatch a Cockatrices egge that brings forth a viper which stings to death this is a double vexation Yet thus God delighteth to catch the wise in the imagination of their owne hearts and to pay them in their owne coine The wicked carry a lye in their right hand for they trust in man which is but a lye and being lyars themselves too no marvell if their hopes prove deceitfull so that while they sow the winde they reape the whirlewinde The reason of Gods dealing in this kinde is first in regard of himselfe God will not lose the glory of any of his Attributes he will be knowne to be God onely wise and this he will let appeare then especially when wicked men thinke to over-reach him Secondly in regard of his tender care over his children they are as the apple of his eye and as they are very neare so they are very deare to him they cost him deare they are his Iewels and hee gave a Iewell of infinite price for them he is interessed in their quarrells and they in hâ—s If they bee in any misery Gods bowells yearne for them hee is alwayes awake and never slumbereth as we see in the parable the Master of the house waked while the servants slept Gods eye is upon them for good hee hath them written in the palmes of his hands Christ carryest them alwayes in his breast Christ who is the husband of his Church is Lord of heaven and earth and hath all pâ—wer committed to him and will rule in the midst of his enemies He is the onely Monarch of the world and makes both all things and persons serviceable to his owne end and his Churches good he is higher then the highest Satan the God of the world is but his and his Churches slave All things are the Churches to further its best good Another reason is the insolency of the enemies whose fiercenesse turnes at length to Gods praise for as hee is a just Lord so hee will be knowne to be so by executing of judgement it shall appeare that there is a God that judgeth the earth Againe Gods children will give him no rest when he seemes to sleepe they will awake him with their prayers They will not let him goe without a blessing from him they will prevaile by importunity as the widow in the Gospell Having to deale with a just God in a just cause against common enemies his as wel as theirs they binde him with his owne promises and hee is content to be bound because he hath bound himselfe first hee will not lose that part of his title whereby he is knowne to be a God hearing prayers But it will be objected that wicked men doe not onely set themselves against the people of God but prevaile over them even to the scorne of the beholders Tully could say The gods shew how much they esteeme of the Iewish nation by suffering them so often to be conquered Hath not Antichrist a long time prevailed and was it not foretold that the beast should prevaile where is then the bringing forth of a lye I answere the enemies have power but no more then is given them of God as Christ answered Pilate they prevail indeed but it is for a time a limited time that a short one too ten dayes c. and what is this to that vast time of their tormâ—nt the time will come when there shall be no more time for them to persecuâ—e in Besides even when they doe prevaile it is but over part onely not over the whole they prevaile over persons it may be not over the cause that stands impregnable they prevaile over mens lives perhaps but not over their spirits which is that they chiesty aime at A true Christian conquers when hee is conquered Steven prevailed over his enemies when they seemed to prevaile over him God put glory upon him and a spirit of glory into him The Chuâ—ches enemies may prevaile in some place but then as the sea they lose in another The more they cut downe Gods people as Pharaoh did the Israelites the more they multiply and the more they are kept strait the more they spread and are inlarged God suffers the enemies of his truth to prevaile in some passages to harden their hearts the more for destruction as Pharaoh prevailed in oppressing the Israelites and He rod in killing Iohn c. but yet lay the beginning and the end together and then wee shall see they prevailed not and so farre as they did prevaile it tended onely to hasten their owne ruine because the present successe lifts up the heart Wee see Antichrist prevailed but spiritually onely over those whose names were not written in the Lambes booke of life and outwardly over the Saints for so it was prefixed Revel 18. that he should make warre with the Saints and overcome them and this was objected as a fiery dart against the Christians in those times that therefore they might thinke their cause naught because they were so prevailed over but they by helpe of the spirit of God understood so much of the Revelation as concerned themselves and used this as a weapon confessing that they were the conquered people of God but yet the people of God still But the chiefe stay and satisfaction of the soule herein is to look to the day of the righteous judgment of God when wee shall see all promises performed all theatnings executed and all enemies troden for ever under Christ and his Churches feete This is a point of marvellous comfort when Israel can say They have afflicted mee from my youth but yet they have not prevailed over me the gates of hell may let themselves against the Church but shall not prevaile the Church is not ruled by mans counsell Wee neither live nor dye at mans appointment Our lives are not in our owne hands or Satans or our enemies but in Gods they can do no more they shall doe no lesse then God will who is our life and the length of our dayes God
thou wilt not be better thou art in league with some secret sinne thy heart riseth against those that reprove thee of it thine owne conscience tells thee that thy heart is naught for if thou wouldst set thy selfe to obey God in truth assuredly he would deliver thy soule And therefore the Apostle to prevent such doubts speakes of deliverance from evill workes as comming from God But some may object we sin every day and if we say we have no sinne wee deceive our selves and the truth is not in us You must not understand this Phrase Legally in the vigor of it as that God will deliver us from every ill thought or rising in the heart or from every outward slip and failing c. But by every evill worke the Apostle meanes every reproachfull sinne that breakes the peace of our conscience that swallowes up a mans salvation from such kinde of sins that bring a staine and discredit unto a mans profession that wound his soule and may discourage others the Lord will deliver his he will keepe them from greater sinnes altogether and from being in league with lesser You know in falls there are severall degrees there is a slip a falling and a falling on all foure as we say a flat falling Now God will deliver his children from falling so fouly Nay Sometimes he will deliver them from evill workes by not delivering them from evill workes Hee will deliver from great ill workes by letting them alone in losser ill workes God delivers from evill divers wayes he delivers from falling into ill and he delivers out of ill when we are fallen he delivers from ill likewise by supporting us nay which is more he delivers from ill workes by ill workes How is that How doe Physitians deliver from an Apoplexie â— from a Lethargâ—e Is it not by casting the sicke person into an Ague to awaken that dull sicknesse so God to cure the conscience of a man when he sees him in danger of security by those soule-killing sinnes Pride Covetousnesse Loosenesse Hypocrisie and the like suffers him sometimes to fall into lesse offences to awake his conscience that being rouzed up he may fly to Gods mercy in Christ so infinite is Gods care this way that he will deliver either from ill workes or from the evill of ill workes or if hee deliver not from ill workes yet hee will deliver us from worse workes by those ill workes Austin saith I dare presume to say it is profitable for some men to fall if a man be of a proud peremptory disposition or of a blockish dull and secure nature it is good he should bee acquainted what sin he carryes in his breast where his corruptions are c. that so he may know himselfe and his danger the better I beseech you make use of this to helpe your faith and thankfulnesse when we are delivered from evill workes it is God that doth it The consideration whereof mee thinkes should strengthen our faith against Satan and all his fiery darts and incourage us to set confidently upon any corruption that we are moved to by others or our owne naturall inclination It is Gods enemy and it is my enemy it is opposite to Gods will and it is an enemy to my comfort God will take my part against that which is opposite to him he hath promised me to assist me against every evill worke by his holy Spirit A Christian is a King and hee hath the triumphing Spirit of Christ in him which will prevaile over all sinne in time But some poore soule may object Alas I have beene assaulted by such a corruption a long time in a grievous manner and am not yet delivered from it God doth by little and little purge out corruption as every stroke helpes the fall of the oak the first stroke helpes forward so every opposing of corruption never so little helpes to root it out and it is weakned by little and little till death accomplish more mortification But to proceed God doth not onely deliver from evill workes but preserves us to his heavenly Kingdome We must take preserve here in its full bredth he preserves us whilst he hath any worke for us to doe in this life and when he will have us live no longer he will preserve us to heaven howsoever by death he takes us away yet even then the Lord still preserves us Hee will preserve us in our outward estate by himselfe and by under-preservers for there be many such under God as Angels that are his ministring spirits and Magistrates who are the shields of the earth they may preserve under God and likewise Ministers that are the Chariots and horsemen of Israel and good Lawes c. but God is the first turner of the Wheele we must see him in all other preservers whatsoever And therefore the Apostle in the language of the holy Ghost and of Canaan saith here The Lord will preserve me And rather than a man shall miscarry when God hath any thing for him to doe God will worke a miracle The three men could not be burned in the fire God so suspended the force thereof Daniel could not bee devoured of the greedy Lions c. rather than Gods purpose shall faile that a man should perish before the time that God hath allotted him the Lions shal not devoure and the fire shall not burn God hath measured our glasse and time even to a moment and as our Saviour Christ out of knowledge of this heavenly truth saith My time is not yet came so let us know that till 〈◊〉 houre comes all the Devils in hell cannot hurt one haire of our head And this is a wondrous ground of confidence that we should carry our selves above all threatnings and above all feares whatsoever Thou canst doe nothing except it were given thee saith Christ to bragging Pilate who boasted of his power alas what can all the enemies of Gods people doe except God permit them If a King or a great man should say to an inferiour Goe on I will stand by thee and preserve thee thou shalt take no harme what an incouragement were this Oh but when God shall say to a Christian walke humbly before me keepe close to my word be stedfast in the wayes of holinesse feare not man you are under my protection and safeguard what an incouragement is this to a beleeving soule But put case wee cannot bee preserved from death for so it was here with the Apostle hee dyed a bloody death Why let us observe his blessed carriage in all this and doe likewise I regard not that saith hee doe your worst God will preserve me still So it should be the bent of a Christians soule to come to God with this limitation in his faith and in his prayer Lord if thou wilt not deliver me from suffering ill preserve me from doing ill If thou wilt not preserve mee from death preserve me
to reconcile justice and mercy to Christ But what stirred up this wisdome of God Oh bowels of compassion to man he would not have man perish when the Angels did without remedy Therefore let us desire to be inflamed with the love of God that hath loved us so much All the favors of God in Christ tend next after satisfaction to justice to inflame our hearts to love him againe wherefore else are the favours of creation and Providence How sweet is God in providing for our bodies giving us not onely for necessity but abundance withholding no comfort that is good for us c. But chiefly in his Master-piece God would have us apprehend the greatest love of all other because there hee hath set himselfe to glorifie his mercy more than any thing else therefore wee may well cry with the Apostle Oh the height of his love c. I beseech you fixe your thoughts on this think not now and then sleightly of it but dwell on the meditation of the infinite love of God in Christ till your hearts be inlarged and warmed and inflamed with the consideration thereof and then love will set you forward to all good workes what need we bid you be liberall to the poore to bee good subjects just in your dealings c all this may bee spared when there is a loving heart And when shall we have loving hearts when they are kindled and fired at Gods fire when they are perswaded of Gods love then the apprehension of his love will breed love in our hearts againe and that is the reason why the Apostles are not so punctuall as heathen Authors in particularities of duties they force upon men especially the love of God and the ground-points of religion as knowing when the heart is seasoned with that once it is ready prepared to every good duty Thinke seriously of this The love of Christ constraineth mee ◠there is a holy violence in love there is a spirituall kinde of tyranny and prevailing in this grace One thing further wee may learne from this forsaking of Christ viz. that It is no strange thing for GODS deare children to bee forsaken To have the apprehension of their sinnes and the wrath of God to bee forsaken in regard of sense of all comfort doe we not see it done in the naturall sonne and shall we wonder that it is done in the adopted sonnes Wee see this forsaking was in the natur all branch and shall wee wonder that it is done in the grafted branches It was done to the greene tree and shal we wonder if it be done in the drie no certainly The whole Church complaines Psal. 44. Of drinking Gall and Wormewood that God was hid in a cloud c. both the head complaines and the body too as wee see in David Iob and other Saints so that there is a kinde of desertion and forsaking that the childe of God must undergoe What is the ground and end of it First Gods prerogative is such that sometimes when there is no great sinnes to provoke him to withdraw comfort yet will he leave holy men to themselves to shew that hee will doe as pleaseth him Another ground is our own estate and condition wee are here absent from the Lord strangers on earth now wee would take our pilgrimage for our Countrey if wee had alwayes comfort and new supplies of joy Againe our disposition is to live by sense more than by faith wee are as children in this wee would have God ever smile upon us that we might walke in abundance of cōfort and I cannot blame Christians for desiring it if they desire the work of grace in the first place if they desire the worke of God in them rather than the shining of comfort by the Spirit for that is the best worke Now because Christians desire rather to live by sight than by faith wherein they might honour God more he leaves them oftimes Sight is reserved for another world for the Church triumphant there wee shall have sight enough we shall see God face to face Sometimes Gods Children are negligent and keepe not a holy watch over their soules they cleave to the creature too much and then no wonder though God forsake them since they will have stolne waters of their owne and fetch comfort else-where But one maine ground is conformity to Christ he suffered for our sins and God will conforme the members in some measure to their head though Christ dranke the cup of Gods wrath to the bottome yet wee must sip and taste a little that we may know how much we are beholding to Christ and there are few that come to heaven few that truly belong to GOD but they know what sinne is and what the wrath of GOD is first or last the wrath of God is the best corrosive in the world to eate out sinne A little anger of GOD felt in the conscience will make a man hate pride and malice and all sinne whatsoever But for what end doth GOD leave his children as he did here our blessed Saviour 1 In regard of himselfe 2 In regard of his Children In regard of himself he leaves them that he may comfort them more afterwards that hee may bring more love with him and that they may love him more than before there will after a little forsaking be a mutuall reflection of love betweene GOD and a Christian God delights to shew himselfe more abundantly after a little forsaking and the soule inlargeth it selfe after it hath wanted the love of God for want inlargeth the capacity of the soule and want makes it stretch it selfe to receive more comfort when it comes God doth this for the increase of his love to us and of our love to him againe he both drawes nigh to us and goes away in regard of feeling for our good That wee may bee more watchfull over our hearts for the time to come that there may bee a more perfect divorce and separation wrought in us to the creatures our adulterous hearts have stolne delights that GOD likes not and therefore when wee have smarted for it in the anger and displeasure of God a divorce will bee wrought It is hard to work a separation from sinne sinne and the soule being so nearely invested together yet God therefore uses this way of spirituall desertion to effect the same Likewise to make a Christian soule ransacke and search the ground of all the comforts that are left him by God It wil make him rifle and search all the Scriptures Is there any comfort for mee poore wretch that am troubled with sinne It will make him search the experience of other Christians Have you any word of comfort for me It will make him regard a gracious man as one of a thousand it will make him stretch his heart in all the degrees of grace Have I any evidence that I am the Childe of God and not a cast-away It will make him
yet they are as dead flesh unmoveable therefore Why should I smite them any longer c. saith GOD. This comes from 3 grounds 1 From pride when men thinke it a shame for such Romane spirits as they are to stoope Or from hypocrisie when they will not discover their griefe though their conscience be out of tune Or else out of stupid blockishnesse which is worst of all when they are not affected with the signes of Gods wrath It is a good thing to bee affected with the least token of Gods displeasure when we can gather by good evidence that GOD hath a quarrell against us you see how sensible Christ was and so will it with bee us if wee get not into him betimes we â—hal be sensible of sin one day whether we will or no coÌ„science is not put in us for nought you may stupifie and stifle the mouth of Conscience with this or that tricke now but it will not bee so for ever it will discharge its office and lay bitter things to our charge and stare in our faces and drive us to despaire one day sinne is another matter when it is revealed to Conscience than we take it howsoever we goe blockishly and stupidly on now It is sweet in the temptation and allurement but it hath an ill farewell and sting If wee could judge of sinne as we shall doe when it is past especially when we come to our reckoning at the houre of death and at the day of Judgement then wee would bee of another minde then wee would say that all sinners as the Scripture termes them are fooles But to goe on Christ we see expresseth his sensiblenesse by complaint My God my God why hast thou for saken mee Here some Cautions must bee rendred that wee doe not mistake Christ complaines notâ— of God but to God Was Christ ignorant of the cause of Gods forsaking him No hee knew the cause for his sufferings were intolerable but taking our nature upon him he takes our speech also and expresseth himselfe like to a miserable man having the greatest affliction that ever was upon a Creature The divine nature of Christ stopped the excesse of any passion he was turbated but not perturbated hee was moved with the sinnes of men but not removed hee was as water in a cleare glasse there is nothing but water though you stirre it never so much if there were mudd in it it would soâ—one bee uncleane wee cannot stirre our affections and complain but with a tincture of sinne it was not so with Christ hee knew when to raise and when to allay his affections and though there were much nature in these affections a naturall shunning of griefe and a naturall desire of Gods presence yet here was grace to direct and sanctifie the same for nature sometimes carries grace with a stronger winde more fully when they goe both in one current as here It was grace to have the love of GOD yea it was death to be without it and it was sinlesse nature to desire ease for without sinne nature may desire ease so it bee with submission of it selfe to God For the soule may have divers desires as there are divers objects presented to it when the soule apprehends releafe and ease it rejoyces and is glad but when upon higher considerations and better ends there is paine presented to the soule to doe it good the soule may desire that and upon deliberation chuse that it refused before A man may have his hand cut off and cast his wares into the Sea that hee would not willingly doe yet when upon deliberation he considers I shall save my life by it hee will doe it So Christ by a naturall desire without sin might desire release of paine but when it was presented to him what shall become of the salvation of man and obedience to God then Vpon these considerations that respected higher ends there might be another choice so in things subordinate one to another one thing may crosse another and yet all be good too But you must know this likewise that â—orsaking and to bee sensible of forsaking is no sinne especially when it is not contracted by any sinne of ours it is a suffering but not a sinne and to be sensible of it is no sinne it is rather a sinne to bee otherwise affected God allowes those affections that hee hath planted in us he hath planted feare and forrow in presenting dolorous objects If a man doe not sorrow in objects of sorrow he is not a man after Gods making GOD allowes griefe and seare in afflictions and trouble alwayes remembring it be with submission to him Not as I will but as thou wilt Againe consider Christ was now in a conflicting condition betweene doubting and despaire the powers of hell being round about him Sathan as he was busie about him at the entrance into his office so hee was now vexing his righteous soule with temptations God hath for saken thee and this and that wee know not the malice of Sathan at such a time but certainly the powers of hell were all let loose then upon him The truth is God had a purpose to finish his sufferings presently upon his complaint and because hee will have us all receive what wee receive even Christ himselfe by prayer and opening our desires to him God suffers Christ to complaine and powre out his supplication into his bosome that presently after hee might be released of all seeing hee had now fully satisfied for the sinnes of man The Use of it in a word is this That God having stooped so low to poore creatures to be a father and a friend to them will suffer them familiarly as there is a great deale of familiarity in the spirit of adoption yet reverently to lay open their griefes into his bosome and reason the case with his Maiesty without sinne Why Lord am I thus forsaken what is the matter where are the sounding of thy bowels where are thy former mercies c. There is another kinde of familiarity betweene God and his Children than the world takes notice of yet withall remember they are not murmuring complaints but seasoned with faith and love as here My God my God still whence you see that Christ in his greatest extremities had a spirit of faith There is a question between the Papists and us about Christs faith they will have him to bee a comprehender and a traveller c. indeed hee needed no justifying faith to apply any thing froÌ„ without him because he had righteousness enough of his owne but yet to depend upâ— on God as his Father so hee had faith neither was he alway in the state of happinesse for that distinction is a confusion of the abasemeÌ„t of Christ his exaltatioÌ„ howsoever there was the happinesse of union the humane nature being alway united to the Godhead yet there was not alway the happinesse of visiâ—n he did not see the face of God
for theÌ„ why did he cry out My God my God c. Sight was due to him from his Incarnation in himselfe considered not as our sâ—rety Now that which made a stopp of the influence of comfort to his soule was that he might fully suffer for our sinnes that hee might bee humbled and â—empted and suffer even death it selfe Therefore in regard of the state of humiliation there was faith in him faith of dependance thâ—re was hope in him and he made great use therof to support himselfe But what supported the faith of Christ in this woefull rufull estate he was in being forsaken of God as our Surety Christ presented to his faith these things The unchangeable nature of GOD My God c. Whom he once loves hee loves to the end therfore he layes claime to him Thou hast beene my God heretofore and so thou art stâ—ll Againe faith presented to the soule of Christ Gods manner of dealing he knew well enough that God by contraries brings contraries to passe Hee brings to heaven by the gates of hell hee brings to glory by shame to life by death and therefore resolves notwithstanding this desertion I will depend upon my God Againe Christ knew well enough that God is nearest in support when he is furthest off in feeling so iâ— is ofâ— where hee is nearesâ— the inward man to strengthen it with his love he is furthest off in comfort to outward sense To whom was God nearer than Christ in support and sanctifying grace and yet to whom was he further off in present feeling Christ knew that there was a secret sense of Gods love a sensible sense of Gods love he had a secret sense of God that hee was his Father because he knew himselfe to be his Sonne but he had it not sensibly Faith must bee sutable to the thing beleeved Now Christ in saying my God suites his faith to the truth that was offered to him he knew GOD in the greatest extremitie to bee nearest at hand Be not farre off for trouble is neare c. This should teach us in any extremity or trouble to set faith on worke and seed faith with the consideration of Gods unchangeable nature and the unchangeablenesse of his promises which endure for ever we change but the promise changeth not and GOD changeth not My God still The word of the Lord indureth for ever GOD deales with â—is people in a hidden maner hee supports with secret though not with sensible comfort and will bee nearest when he seemes to be furthest off his Children I beseech you acquaint your selves with these things and thinke it not strange that GOD comes neare you in desertions considering that it was so with Christ present to thy soule the nature of GOD his custome and manner of dealing so shalt thou apprehend favour in the middest of wrath and glory in the middest of shame we shall see life in death we shall see through the thickest Clouds that are betweene GOD and us for as God shines in the heart in his love secretly through all temptations and troubles so there is a spirit of â—aith goes backe to him againe My God my God for faith hath a quicke eye and seeth through contraries There is no cloud of griefe but faith will pierce through it and see a fathers heart under the carriage of an enemy Christ had a great burden upon him the sinnes of the whole world yet he breakes through all I am now sinne I beate the guilt of the whole world yet under this person that I sustaine I am a sonnâ— and God is my God still notwithstanding all this weight of sinne upon mee And shall not wee beloved say My God in any affliction or trouble that befals us oh yes In the sense of sinne which is the bitterest of all and in the sense of Gods anger in losses and crosses in our families c. let us break through those clouds and say My God still But you will say I may apprehend a lie perhaps God is not my GOD and then it is presumption to say so Whosoever casts himselfe upoÌ„ GOD out of the sense of sinne to be ruled by God for the time to come shall obtaine mercy Now dost thou so doth thy conscience tell thee I cast my selfe up on God for better direction I would be ruled as GOD and the Ministery of the Word would have mee hereafter If so thou hast put this question out of question thou doubtest whether ther God be thy God I tell thee God is the God of all that seck him and obey him in truth but thy conscience tels thee thou dost this certainly then whatsoever thou wert before God is now before hand with thee hee offers himselfe to bee thy God if thou trust in him and wilt be ruled by him and not onely so but he intreats us we should beseech him but he intreates us such is his love nay he coÌ„mands us to beleeve in his Sonne Jesus CHRIST Now when I joyne with Gods intreatie Oh Lord thou offerest thy selfe thou invitest mee thou commandest me I yeeld obedience and submit to thy good word then the match is stricken and made up in doing so God is thy God and Christ is thy Christ and thou must improve this claime and interest here in all the passages of thy life long Lord thou art my God therefore teach me thou art my GOD I have given my self to thee I have set up thee in my heart above all things thoâ— art in my soule above all sinne above all profits and pleasures whatsoever therefore save mee and deliver mee have pitty upon me c. The claim is good when we have truely given our selves up to him else Goâ— may say Goâ— to the gods you have served 〈◊〉 were your gods for whom you cracked you consciences â—â—ches and pleasure were your gods goe to them for succour Oh beloved it is a harder matter to say My God in the middest of trouble than the world takes it there was a great conflict in Christ when he said My God when he brake through all molestations and temprâ—â—â—ons of Sathan together with the sense of wrath and could say notwithstanding My God there was a mighty strong spirit in him But no wonder faith is an Almighty grace wrought by the power of God and laying hold upon that power it layes hold upon Omnipotency and therefore it can doe wonders it overcomes the invincible God hee hath made a promise and cannot deny his promise hee cannot deny himselfe and his truth put case his dealing be as an enemy his promise is to bee as a friend to those that trust in him he is mercifull forgiving sinnes his nature now is such satisfaction to his justice makes him shew mercy I speake this that you might beg of God the gift of faith which will carry you through all temptations and afflictions yea even through the shadow of death as David faith
Or 2. to Gods children and so they are moderate corrections and therefore the Prophet so often urgeth Correct us ô Lord in judgement c. God alwaies moderates afflictions to his owne children but as for the wicked he sweepes them away as doung as drosse and as chaffe c. Againe it is a comfort to Gods children that he beginnes with them first rather then God will suffer them to perish and be condemned with the world hee beginnes with them here they have their worst first and the better is to come This likewise is some comfort that the time when God corrects his children is most seasonable â—it for them God pruneth his trees in the â—ittest time A plant cut unseasonably dieth but being cut in due time it flourishes the better All the works of God are beautifull in their season Every Châ—istian may truly say God loves me better then I doe my selse hee knowes the best time of purging and visiting his people This is the time of lacobs trouble c. therefore we should lay our hands upô our mouths kisse the rodd and stoope under judgements as côsidering Gods time to be the best time and that hee knowes better what is good for us then wee doe our selves Thus you see though we have cause of fearing Gods judgments yet there is something to comfort us in the midst of all God mingles our Comforts and Crosses together whilest we are here both to keepe us in awe of offending his Majesty and to incourage uâ— in well-doing Therefore let us alwayes looke what matter of feare and what matter of hope wee have for both these are operative affetions Oh that I could stirre up this blessed feare in you it is that which preserves the soule and God hath promised that hee will put his feare into our â—earts that wee shall not depart from hiâ— I beseech you plie the thronâ— of grace and desire the Lord that it may bee to every one of your soules according to his good word Labour likewise â—or iâ—câ—urâ—gement in the waies of holinesse blessed be God yet wee have a time of respite God forbeares us with much patience goodnesse Answerable to our good courses that we take nâ—w will be our comfort in the evill day If wee carelesly goe on in sinne thinke it time enough to renew our covenant with God then when his judgments are abroad and ready to ceasse upon us we doe but delude our owne soules expose our selues to inevitable dangers Marke what the Lord saith Because I called and you would not heare c. therefore will I laugh at your destruction Is it not strange that the mercifull God should laugh at the calamity of his poore creatures yet thus it is with every wilfull sinner that dallies with God and puts off his repentance from time to time God will take pleasure in the ruine of such a man and laugâ— when his feare cometâ— because those that seeke him then doe it not out of any love or liking of God and the waies of goodnes but merely out of selfe-love and respect to their owne well-fare THE VNGODLIES MISERY SERMON II. And if it first beginne at us what shall the end of those be that obey not the Gospell THESE words are pâ—opounded by way of admiraâ—â—â— as if the Apostle had beene at his wits end could not certainly set downe how great the judgment should bee of those that obey not the Gospell it was so terrible and unavoydable The points considerable are these 1. That the seeming prospâ—rity of the wicked shall have an end 2. That it is wisedome to conâ—ider the end of gracelesse persons 3. The description of them in these words they are such as obey not the Gospell It is naturally in the hearts of carnall persons to thinke it shall be alwaies well with theÌ„ whereas the Prophet saith the happinesse of a wicked man is but as a candle that ends in â— snuffe or like a Rose the beauty whereof suddenly fades and nothing remaines but the prickles The favours of men for which theyso much offend God shall have an end their strength shall end their pleasure shall end alas they are but pleasures of sinne for a season their life it selfe the foundation of all their comforts that shall have an end but their sinnes by which they have offended God shall never have an end See what a feareful judgmeÌ„t followes every wicked wretch that which he sinnes for his honor riches delights all shall vanish and come to nothing they shall not be able to afford him one droppe or dramme of comfort at his dying day but the sinne it self the guilt of that and the punishment due to the same shall indure for ever to torment his soule without serious repentance turning to God in time But secondly if the happinesse of wicked men shall have an end and their misery shall have no end let us not bee dazeled with their present happinesse so as to imâ—tate their evill waies let us tremble at their courses whose ends we tremble at if we walke in the same path shall wee not come to the same end All wicked men that delight in the company one of another here are brethren in â—vill and shall bee like a company of tares all cast into hell fire together hereafter It is pitty they should be sâ—vered then that will not be severed now Those mens courses therefore which wee follow here of their judgmeÌ„t wee shall participate eternally afterwards Let this admonish us to have nothing to do with sinfull persons nor to bee troubled with their seeming prosperity They stand in â—lippery places God lets them alone for a while but their pleasure will end in bitternesse at last all their riches shall end in poverty beggery They shall not have a drop of â—ater to coole their tongues All their honour and greatnesse shall end in conâ—usion and shame and lie in the dust ere long In deed we should rather pitty them if wee consider their latter ends Alas what shall become of them ere long The fall of there wretches shall bee so terrible that peter could not set it downe but leaves it to the admiration of the Reader What shall the end of such be c. One difference betwixt a wise man and a foole is that a wise man considers his end and frames his life sutable therunto therefore if we would be truly wise let us consider the end of those things in this world which wicked men offend God for and set so light by Heaven and everlasting happinesse for the procurement of Alas whatsoever is here shall have an end A Christian should frame his course answerable to eternity that when his happinesse shall end in this world it may beginne in the world to come els wee may out-live our happinesse This is the misery of wicked men that their soules are eternall
of God never departs â—here hee once takes up his loâ—ging there is no question therefore of the salvation of the righteous they are as it were saved already Let this teach us thus much that in all the changes and alterations which the faith of man is subject unto hee is sure of one thing all the troubles and all the enemies of the world shall not hinder his salvation If it bee possible the Elect should bee deceived but it is not possible Oh what a comfort is this that in the midst of all the oppositions and plottings of men and Devils yet notwithstanding some what we have that is not in the power of any enemy to take from us nor in our owne power to lose namely our salvation set this against any evill whatsoever and it swallowes up all Put caâ—e a man were subject to an hundred deaths one after another what are all these to salvation Put case a man were in such griefe that hee wept teares of blood alas in the day of salvation all teares shall be wiped from his eyes Set this I shall be saved against any misery you can imagine and it will unspeakably comfort and revive the soule beyond all But it is here said hee shall scareely be saved This is not a word of doubt but of difficulty it is not a word of doubt of the event whether hee shall be saved or no there is no doubt at all of that but it is a word of difficulty in regard of the way and passage thither so it is here taken which leads mee to a second point that the way to come to salvation is full of difficulties Because there is much adoe to get Lot out of Sodome to get Israel out of Egypt it is no easie matter to get a man out of the state of corruption oh the sweetnesse of sinne to an unregenerate man oh how it cuts his very heart to thinke what pleasures and what profits what friends and what esteeme amongst men he must part withall what a doe is there to pull him out of the kingdome of Sathan wherein the strong man held him before Againe it is hard in regard of the sin that continually cleaves to them in this world which doth as it were shackle them and compasse them about in all their performances They would doe well but sinne is at hand ready to hinder stop them in good courses so that they cannot serve God with such cheerfulnesse and readinesse as they desire to doe Every good worke they doe it is as it were pulled out of tho fire they cannot pray but the flesh resists they cannot suffer but the flesh drawes back in all their doing and suffering they carry an enemy in their owne bosomes that hinders them Beloved this no small affliction to Gods people how did this humble Paul when no other affliction laid upon him Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death it was more troublesome to him than all his irons and pressures whatsoever Besides it is a hard matter in regard of Sathan for hee is a great enemy to the peace of Gods children when they are once pulled out of his kingdome hee sends flouds of reproaches and persecutions after them and presently sends hue and crie as Pharaoh after the Israelites oh how it spights him What shall a piece of dust and clay bee so neare God when I am tumbled out of heaven my selfe though I cannot hinder him from salvation I will hinder his peace and joy he shall not have heaven upon earth I will make him walke as uncomfortably as I can thus the Devill as hee is a malignant creature full of envy against Gods poore Saints so hee is a bitter enemy of the peace and comfort which they enjoy and therefore troubles them with many temptations from himselfe and his instraments to interrupt their peace and make the hearts of Gods people sad all he can TheÌ„ by reason of great discouragement il usage which they finde in the world form wiâ—ked men who are the Devils pipes ledd with his spirit to vexe and trouble the meeke of the earth for though they thinke not of it Sathan is in their divellish natures hee joynes and goes along with their spirits in hating and opposing the Saints of God for indeed what hurt could they doe but by his instigation How are good men despised in the world How are they made the onely Butt to shoot at Alas beloved wee should rather incourage men in the waies of holinesse wee see the number of such as truly feare God is but small soone reckoned up they are but as grapes after the vintage or a few berryes after the shaking one of a City two of a Tribe they have little incouragement from any but discouragements on all sides Besides this Scandall makes it a hard matter to bee saved to see evill courses and evill persons flourish and counten anced in the world Oh it goes to the heart of Gods people makes them slagget at Gods providence it is a bitter temptation and shakes the faith of holy men as wee see Psal. 73. Againe it makes the heart of a good Chrisâ—ian bleed within him to see scandalls arise from professors of the Gospell when they are not so watchfull as they should bee but bring a reproach upon Religion by their licentious lives Yea Gods children suffer much for their friends whose wicked courses are layd to their charge and sometimes even by their friends for whilest they live here the best of all are subject to some weakenes or other which causeth even those that are our inâ—ouragers through jealousy or corruption one way or another to dishearten and trouble us in the way to heaven This likewise makes the way difficult we are too to apt to offend God daily giving him just cause to withdraw his spirit of comfort from us Which makes us goe mourning all the day long wanting those sweet refreshments of spirituall joy and peace wee had before the more comfort Gods child hath in communion with God the more hee is grieved when hee wants it When Christ wanted the sweet solace of his Father upon the Crosse how did it trouble him My â—od my God why hast thou for saken mee How did hee sweate water and bloud in the garden when hee felt but a little while his Fathers displeasure for sinne Thus is it with all Gods children they are of Christs minde in their spirituall desertions And when they have gotten a little grace how difficult is it to keepe it to keepe our selves in the sense of Gods love To manage our Christian State aright to walke worthy of the Gospell that God may still doe us good and delight to bee present with us What a great difficulty is it to bee alwaies striving against the Streame and when wee are cast backe to get forward still and not bee dâ—scouraged
chaine so God is said to command them when hee lets them loose to doe mischiese they are full of malice themselves which God useth as Physitians doe their poyson to cure poyson God and they goe two contrary wayes as a man in a shipp walkes one way but is carryed another In the death of Christ the will of Iudas and the rest went one way and Gods will another so in all our sufferings when God useth wicked men their will is destructive and hostile but Gods will is cleane otherwise ayming at the good of his people in all this Nebuchadnezar did the will of God in carrying the people captive how ever he thought not so Every sinful wretch that offers violeÌ„ce to the poor Saints imagine they do God good service in it when as indeed they doe but execute the malice and venome of their owne hearts In the highest heavens as they say in Philosophy the first thing moved is by a violent motion the Sunne is carried about the heavens violently against its owne proper motion which inclines to a cleane contrary course so GOD dealeth with wicked men hee carries them they know not whither they are set to doe mischiefe and God useth their sinfull dispositions for his owne ends which plainly shewes that God is without all fault and they without all excuse But observe further that we never suffer but when God will and beloved his will is not that wee should alwayes suffer though generally our estate be so in one kinde or other God is not alwayes chiding but hath times of breathing and intermission which hee vouchsafes his children for their good Hee knowes if we had not some respite some refreshment wee should soone be consumed and brought to nothing The Lord knowes whereof wee are made and considers wee are but dust therefore he saith Though for a season you are in heavinesse yot rejoyce c. And this the Lord doth oâ—t of mercy to his poore creatures that they might not sinke before him but gather strength of grace and bee the better fitted to beare further crosses afterwards You know Acts 9. after Sauls conversion when hee was become a Paul then the Church had rest and increased in the comforts of the Holy Ghost God gives his people pauzing times some lucida intervalla our time of going into trouble is in Gods hands our time of abiding trouble is in Gods hand our time of comming out is in gods hands As in our callings hee preserves our going our and our comming in so in every trouble that befals us wee come in and tarry there and goe out of the same when hee pleaseth Hee brings us to the fire as the Goldsmith puts his metals and holds them there till he hath refined them purged out the drosse and then brings them out again Our times as David saith excellently are in thy hands O Lord. Beloved if our times were in our enemies hands we should â—ever come out if they were in our owne hands wee would never stay in trouble but come out as soone as wee come in nay we would not come into trouble at all if we could chuse Beloved every thing of a Christian is deare unto God his health is precious his blood is precious especially precious to the Lord is the death of his Saints Doe you thinke therefore he will let them suffer without his will No hee will have a valuable consideration of all those that are malignant Persecutors of his people at last and it is for matters better than life that God lets his children suffer here for alas this life is but a shaddow as it were nothing God regards us not as we are in this present world but as strangâ—rs therefore hee suffers us to sacrifice this life upon better termes than life or else he would never let us suffer for his truth and seale it with our dearest blood as many of the Saints have done I beseech you therefore considering all our sufferings are by the appointment and will of God let us bring our soules to an holy resignation unto his Majesty not looking so much to the grievance wee are under as to the hand that sent it wee should with one eye consider the thing with another eye the will of GOD in the same When a man considers I suffer now but it is by the will of God he puts me upon it how cheerfully will such a one commit his soule to the Lord It is as hard a matter to suffer Gods will as to doe his will Passive obedience is as hard as active in the active we labor that what we doe may please God in the Passive we must indeavor that what hee doth may please us our hearts are as untoward to the one as to the other therefore let us begge of GOD to bring our wils to the obedience of his blessed will in every thing Would you have a patterne of this Looke upon our blessed Saviour to whom wee must bee comformable in obedience if ever wee will be conformable in glory Loe I come saith hee I am ready to doe thy will O Lord what was the whole life of Christ but a doing and a suffering of Gods will Behold it is written in the Volume of thy Booke that I should doe thy will and here I am ready prest for it It should he therefore the disposition of all those that are led by the spirit of Christ as all must bee that hope to raigne with him to bee willing to suffer with Christ here and say with him Lord I am here ready to doe and suffer whatsoever thou requirest when once wee are brought to this all the quarrell is ended betweene God and us I come now to that which I chiefly intend which is the Christians Duty Let him commit his soule to God in well doing wherein observe 1. The manner how hee must commit in well doing 2. What his soule 3. To whom to God 4. The reasons moving implyed in these words as unto a faithfull Creator Now this well doing must bee distinguished into two times 1. Before our suffering when a sonne of belial shall offer violence to a poore Saint of God what a comfort is this that hee suffers in well doing Oh beloved wee should so carry our selves that none might speak evil justly against us that none unlesse it were wrongfully might doe us hurt we should be in an estate of well doing continually in our generall and particular callings wee must not goe out of our spheare but serve God in our standings that if trouble comes it may finde us in a way of well pleasing either doing workes of charity or else the workes of our particular calling wherein God hath set us In all that befals thee looke to this that thou suffer not as an evill doer So likewise in suffring wee must commit our soules to God in well doing in a double regard 1. Wee must carry
alas who can not doe this Our study therfore should bee to know the depth and meaning of the same how that wee are not onely to commit the essence of our soules to God that hee would take them into heaven when we dye but also to commit the affections of our soules to him that he might owne us and governe us whilest wee live for how are our soules knowne but by those active expressions in ouâ— affectioÌ„s which immediately issue from them when we coÌ„mit all our thoughts desires and affections to him setting him highest in our soules and making him our hope our trust our joy our feare c. Thus I have spoken of the duty of the thing to be committed our soules and to whom to God and the manner in weldoing and why because hee is a faithfull Creator Now I beseech you consider how nearly it concernes us all to bee throughly acquainted with the practise of this duty God knowes what extremities wee may fall into certainly in what condition so ever we bee either publike or private whether in contagion and infection or warre and desolation happy are we if we have a God to goe to if we have Him to retire to in Heaven a good conscience to retire to in our selves we may rest secure Though the earth be removed and the mountaines bee carried into the midst of the sâ—a yet we shall bee safe that is Though the order of nature were confounded yet there is a river shall refresh the house of God there are Chambers of divine protection that the Christian enters into as the Prophet saith Enter into thy Chambers and God is his habitation still If a Christian had no shelter in the world yet hee hath an abiding place in God continually as God dwels in him so hee dwels in God Sathan and all other the enemies of man must breake through God before they can come to us when once we commit our selves to him as to a Tower and habitation and enter into him as into an hiding place the enemies must wrong him before they can hurt us so blessed an estate it is to bee in God having commended our soules to him as unto a faithfull Creator But wee see many of Gods deare children that commit themselves to his care and protection miscarry and goe by the worst in the world Beloved it is not so for when they commit themselves to God they are under safety and if he keepe them not out of trouble yet he will preserve them in trouble I will be with thee in the â—ire and in the water saith God he saith not I will keepe you out of the fire and out of the water for hee brought many holy Martyrs into it some were drowned some burned c. Though God will not keepe us out of trouble yet hee will preserve our spirits in trouble nay God many times by a small trouble preserves us from a greater Even the sufferings of the godly are oft preservations to them Was not Ionah preserved by the Whale What had become of him if that had not swallowed him up A Whale that one would have thought should be a meanes to destroy him was a meanes to carry him to the Coast and bring him safely to land Againe God seemes for a time indeed to neglect his children when they commit themselves unto him but marke the issue All the workes of God are beautifull in their season he suffers them it may be a long time to bee in danger and trouble till hee hath perfected the worke of mortification in their hearts and crucified their confidence in earthly things till he hath made them more sensible of the evill of sinne and watchfull against it but waite a while and you shall see that the end of the righteous man is peace Gods presence and assistance to support his children in trouble is invincible they have gladnesse and comfort that wee woâ—e not of they commit the safety of their soules to God and hee seemes to neglect them if we looke to their outward man but they have a Paradise in their conscience God preserves their soules from sinne and their consciences from despaire they have an invisible protection There was a sence about Iob that the Devils saw and a guard of Angels that Elias saw and that his servant saw afterwards Wicked men see not the guard of spirits that is about the children of God as Christ saith They have meate the world knowes not of they feed on hidden comforts As for carnall men that doe not commit themselves to God they have no preservation but rather a reservation to a further evill Pharaoh was kept from the tenne plagues but was drowned in the sea at last and Sodome was kept by Abraham hee fought for them but yet it was destroyed with fire and Brimstone afterwards Let us then try our trust in God those that intend to imbarke themselves and their estates in a shipp will bee sure to try it first This committing of our soules to God must be our shippe to carry us through the waves of this troublesome world to the heavenly Canaan of rest and peace Wee should therefore search and prove the same whether it be indeed safe and sound able to support our soules in the evill day and not leake and prove insufficient for us Those that commit themselves to God aright are farre from tempting his Majesty God will bee trusted but not tempted What though things fall not out according to thy expectation yet waite thou and thinke God hath further ends then thou knowest of God will doe things in the order of his Providence therefore if wee neglect that it is our owne fault if hee doe not helpe us If Christ had committed his health to God and had cast himselfe downe from the Pinnacle what an act had this beene but hee would not so tempt the Almighty Neither should wee unadvisedly runne into dangers but serve his Providence upon all occasions God useth our indeavor to this very end He saves us not alway immediately but by putting wisedome into our hearts to use lawfull meanes and using those meanes hee will save us in them A Christian therefore should bee in a continuall dependance upon God and say I will use these meanes God may blesse them if not I will trust him hee is not tyed to the use of meanes though I bee Againe those that commit their soules or any thing to God finde themselves quieted therein Is it not so amongst men If a man commit a Iewell to a trusty friend is hee not secure presently Have wee not Gods Word and faithfulnesse ingaged that hee will not leave us nor forsake us but continue our Alsufficient God and portion to our lives end why then are wee disquieted Those that are full of cares and feares may talke their pleasure but they never yet had any true confidence in God for faith is a quieting grace it stils
the soule Being justified by faith wee have peace with God Those that are hurried in their life with false doubts and perplexities What shall become of mee what shall I eate and what shall I drinke c Though they use lawfull meanes yet commit not themselves to God as they should for where there is a dependance upon God in the use of meanes there is an holy silence in the party All stubborne and tumultuous thoughts are hushed in him My soule keepe silence to the Lord saith David and trust in God why art thou so vexed within me still there is a quieting of the soule where there is trust Can that man put confidence in God that prowles for himselfe and thinkes he hath no Father in heaven to provide for him Doth that childe trust his father that besides going to schoole thinkes what hee shall put on how he shall be provided for and what inheritance he shall have hereafter Alas this is the Fathers care and belongs not to him Wheresoever these distractions are there can be no yeelding up of the soule to God in truth There be two affections which mightily disturbe the peace of Christians 1. Sinfull cares and 2. Sinfull feares to both which we have remedies prescribed in the Scripture 1. Feare not little flocke saith Christ for it is your fathers will to give you a kingdome As if he had said Will not hee that gives you heaven give you other things In nothing be carefull saith the Apostle that is in a distracting manner but doe your duty and then let your requests bee made knowne to God and the peace of God shall keepe you and therefore were we redeemed from the hands of our enemies that wee might serve him without feare all our dayes A Christian should keepe an inward Sabbath in his soule and goe quietly on in doing all the good hee can what a fearfull thing is it to see men lie groveling in the earth and live without God in the world troubling and â—urmoyling themselves how to compasse this thing and that thing as if they had no God to seeke unto nor no promise to relye upon Againe where this committing of a mans selfe and his soule to God is there will bee a looking to God onely in all a man doth not fearing any danger or opposition that may befall him from without as the three yong men said to Neâ—ucâ—adnezar Our God can keepe us if he will But what if hee will not Yet know O King that wee will not worship nor fall downe before thy Image So it is with a Christian foreseeing some danger disgrace or displeasure of this or that man which may befall him he resolveth notwithstanding in despight of all to commit himselfe to God in doing his duty come what will whether God will save him or no hee will not breake the peace of his conscience or doe the least evill hee is no foole but foresees what may befall him for well doing this inconvenience may come that trouble yet he sets light by these he hath an eye to heaven and sees more good to himself in the Creator that gave him his beeing of nothing and more good for the time to come that will make him a blessed Saint in heaven then there can be ill in the creature therefore come what can come his heart is fixed to trust the Lord and rather than hee will displease him desert his honour and his cause or doe any unworthy action he will commit himselfe to God in the greatest dangers The ground hereof is this A Christian is the wisest man in the world and hee understands well enough that God is Alsufficient hee sees there is a greater good in God than hee can have in the Creature and counts it madnesse to offend God to please the creature because there is a greater evill to bee expected from God than from the Creature though it were the greatest Monarch in the world considering therefore that he hath his best good in his union with God and in keeping his peace with him hee will not breake with him for any Creature And thus hee doth wisely for hee knowes if hee lose his life he shall have a better life of God than hee hath in his body for God is his life God is his soule and his comfort and hee hath his beeing from God hee is his Creator and hee hath a better being in God when hee dyes than he had when he lived for our beeing in God makes us happy and therefore Christ saith He that loves his life before God and a good cause hates it and hee that hates his life when Christ cals for it loves it for hee hath a better life in him wee give nothing to God but hee returns it a thousand times better than we gave it Let us yeeld our lives to him wee shall have them in heaven if they be taken away on earth Hee will give us our goods a thousand sold we shall have more favour in God then in any Creature and therefore a Christian out of this ground commits himselfe to God though hee foresee never so much danger like to fall upon him Againe if we doe in deed and not in pretence commit our selves to God as to a faithfull Creator we will not limit his Majesty as many carnall hearts doe oh if God will do so and so for them then they would trust him if they had but so much to live on a yeare and sâ—ch commings in c. then they would depend upon God but they must have a pawne and so much in hand first What a shame is it that wee should trust the vilest man in the world as farre as wee see him and yet unlesse wee have somewhat to leane on we will not trust God Beloved when a man limits God in any thing such a one may talke but hee trusts him not at all Indeed wee should indent with God and tie him to looke to the salvation of our soules but for other things leave them to his owne wisedome both for the time for the manner and measure doe what hee will with us Suppose it come to the Crosse hath hee not done greater matters for us why then should we distrust him in lesser If times come that Religion flourish or goes downward yet relye on him still hath hee not given his Sonne to us and will hee not give heaven also Why doe wee limit the holy One of Israel and not cast our selves upon him except hee will covenant to deale thus and thus with us A true Christian hath his eye alwayes heaven-ward and thinkes nothing too good for God O Lord saith he of thee I have received this life this estate this credit and reputation in the world I have what I have and am what I am of thee and therefore I yeeld all to thee backe againe If thou wilt serve thy selfe of my wealth of my selfe of my strength thou shalt have it If
thou wilt serve thy selfe of my credit and reputation I will adventure it for thee If thou wilt have my life of thee I had it to thee I will restore it I will not limit thy Majesty come of it what will I leave it to thy wisedome use mee and mine as thou wilt onely be gracious to my soule that it may goe well with that and I care not Thus wee should wholly resigne our selves to the Lords disposall and thereby wee shall exceedingly honour his Majesty and cause him to honour us and to shew his presence to us for our good which hee will assuredly doe if we absolutely yeeld up our selves to him But if a man will have two strings to his Bow and trust him so farre but not so farre so hee may bee kept from this danger or that trouble c. this is not to deale with God as an Omnipotent Creator For hee that doth a thing truely in obedience to God will doe it generally to all his commands so farre as the reason of his obedience reaches his trust extends hee that commits any thing to God will commit all to him he chooseth not his Objects but upon the same ground that hee commits his soule to God when hee dies hee commits his estate liberty and all hee hath while he lives Hee can never relye on God for greater matters that distrusts him in lesser Againe a man that truely trusts God will commit all his wayes unto him hee will take no course but what hee is guided in by the Lord hee lookes for wisedome from above and saith Lord though it is not in mee to guide my owne way as thy Word shall leade mee and the good counsel of thy Spirit in others direct me so I will follow thee Hee that commits not his wayes to God will not commit his comforts to him God must bee our Counsellor as well as our Comforter Therefore the Wise man bids us Acknowledge God in all our wayes and leane not to our owne wisedome Most men looke how safe their counsels are not how holy and agreeable to God is this to trust in him Will God save us at last and yet suffer us to live as wee liâ—t now Deceive not your selves hee that will have his soule saved must commit it to GOD before hand to bee sanctified Againe those that commit themselves aright to God will commit their posterity to him their wives and children c. Why doe not men make their Wils and commit their goods to them Oh but how doe they resigne them how covetous and full of distrust are they I must leave such a childe so much and so much and why I pray you because God cannot blesse him else Oh fearefull Is God â—yed to meanâ—s cannot heblesse with a little as well as with a great deale Is not the earth the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Why must God have so much in hand or else hee cannot inrich and raise up thy Children Oh consider he hath declared himselfe to bee the father of the fatherlesse and lookes to the Widdow in a speciall manner he doubles his Providence there hee provides for all but takes speciall notice of them therefore quiet thy selfe they are in covenant with God and God is thy God and the God of thy seed also therefore if thou wilt commit thy soule why not thy Wife Children goods c. Looke into the course of Gods people in all times those that have left but little with honest dealing God hath blessed the same exceedingly whereas those that have left great matters ill gotten in stead of a blessing have often left a curse and a snare behinde them Why then should men take indirect courses and wound their consciences for worldly pelâ—e Consider 1. thy children are Gods and not thine hee gave them to thee at first and he can provide hereafter when thou artgone thou art the father of their body but he is the father of their soule 2. He provided for them before they were borne doth not hee provide care and affection in the Mothers heart doth not he provide suck in the Mothers breasts and will hee not care for them now they are borne as well as he did before they came into the world it is Atheisme to thinke such a thought Those that commit themselves to God in one thing will doe so in all things otherwise they deceive their owne soules for it is a universall Act that runnes through their whole life Committing is an Action of trust and there is a kinde of entercourse of trust betweene God and a Christian continually Lastly those that commit themselves to God wil be faithfull stewards in whatsoever hee hath trusted them withall Thou committest thy selfe and thy health and estate to God and at length thou wilt commit thy soule when thoudiest unto him very well but what doth God trust thee withall hath hee not trusted thee with a Body and a soule with a portion of goods with place time strength and abilities to doe good Hast thou not all thou hast from God as a Steward to improve for thy Masters advantage If ever thou expectest the performance of what thou hast put in him bee faithfull in that trust which hee hath committed to thee Those that have misused their bodies and wounded their soules in their lives how can they commit theÌ„ to God at their deaths How dares the soule looke up to him when the life hath beene nothing else but a perpetuall offending of his Majesty I beseech you let us learne this wholesome lesson great is our benefit thereby Hee that trusts in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion that cannot bee moved wee may be shaken but shall never be removed The earth is shaken with Earthquakes but the earth keepes its owne Center still Our best peace is in God and our chiefest safety in his protection I laid mee downe to rest because thou Lord watchest over me saith the Prophet and Returne O my soule to thy rest for the Lord hath beene very beneficiall to thee Is it not a good thing to have a sweete security of soule that whether I sleepe or wake whether I bee at home or abroad live or die I have a Providence watching over mee better then mine owne When I yeeld my selfe up to God his wisedome is mine his strength is mine whatsoever hee hath it is for me because I am his What a heaven upon earth is this that a Christian out of a holy familiarity with God can resigne up his soule to him upon all occasions Set heaven and salvation aside what greater happinesse can be desired How sweet is a mans rest at night after he hath yâ—elded himselfe to God by faithfull prayer I beseech you let us bee acquainted with the practise of this duty and labour to bee in such a state as God may owne us and receive our poore soules to himselfe Let us keepe them pure and undeâ—iled