c. The Jews upon that passage Exod. 29.43 And Moses saw all the worke meaning of the Tabernacle with all things belonging to it and the service thereof and Moses blessed them have this observation Worke is a great thing For Shecinah i.e. the Divine presence or Majesty of God dwelled not in Israel till they had done the work as it is written Exod. 39.43 When the Faith of Gods Church worketh by love and manifests it self unto the world God is now at liberty to shew and manifest himselfe from heaven to be theirs by mercies poured out in abundance upon them and by doing the greatest thing for them And this for the fourth and last reason of the point CAP. V. Containing the first Vse of Instruction In sixe particulars THe Doctrine propounded opened and established is very usefull and profitable by way of Instruction and that in sundry particulars First we may herein behold as in a Glasse with open face that Philanthropie that sweet and gracious and soule-indearing disposition in God wherein he inclines to that poore creature of his called Man which wrought mightily in him in that day wherein he raised up the Tabernacle of Adam that was fallen and lifted up the heads of many thousand generations of his posterity from the gates of death The fountain and spring-head of this rich interest and blessed propriety the Church hath in God can be no other but such a nature or disposition as this gloriously ruling and triumphing in him Who would have said that ever that roote of bitternesse should have been healed that such a prey should have been taken away from the mighty that the captivity of the world should be turned againe that Adam with his poore blinde naked and miserable children after such a grievous fall and fearefull elongation from God thereby should ever have seen dayes of immortality and have been made company for the Angels and worne Crownes of righteousnesse and glory in the heavens Yes Hee that had knowne or possibly could have seen the glorious enlargements of the soule of the Almighty towards man that could have measured the height and depth the length and bredth of that love of God towards him hee might have prophecied of and foretold these great wonders In the face of this affection of his there shined a light by which the blessed history of mans exaltation might have been read before any thing tending thereunto had been outwardly acted or done On the other hand if it had been possible for a creature to have comprehended all other things in God or should God have laid himselfe as open and naked before his creature as all things are to him hiding only from him this affection to man we speake of together with the secret of his purpose for the accomplishment of the thing yea should Man or Angell have added to this knowledge of God the perfect knowledge of all things whatsoever besides of all mysteries of all secrets either in heaven or in earth or under the earth it would have been impossible that by all the strength of this knowledge the least or feeblest thought should ever have been conceived for the raising up of flesh and blood from that great death under which it was so hopelesly fallen This had still been a darknesse which all other light in the world would never have comprehended It was more easie without the knowledge of the power of God to have said that Sarah in her old dayes should give suck then without the knowledge of the unconceivable love of God towards man to have said that man being once fallen should ever have recovered any favour or interest in God more and therefore as in Sarahs being brought back again from the unfruitfulnesse and uncomfortablenesse of old age to the priviledge and solace of youth as the sunne in the Dyall of Ahaz being made a nurse the invisible power of God was made visible so in this interest and propriety which now the Church and People of God have in God that far more exceeding abundant love of God towards man is brought forth into a perfect light and the whole world filled with the glory of it Secondly from this propriety of the Church in God we may likewise observe by way of instruction a further confirmation then yet happily we have attained in that which I suppose wee have often heard of concerning the nature and property of good as being communicative or dispensive of it selfe The natures and properties of things for the most part are most willingly learned from those subjects that are fairest and perfectest in their kinde We love generally whether it be our prudence or pride to be taught by great Masters He that desires to understand the properties and qualities of light will rather goe to the great fountaine and informe himselfe from the Sun and the full streames of light issuing from that then to Wax Tapers or Torches or other inferiour Luminaries that give out their light by measure and with more malignancy To know how the glory and greatnesse of the world tastes and rellishes in the heart and soule of a man what contentments or discontentments they bring with them the greatest Prince or Monarch in the world is the only Oracle to consult with Men of inferiour place or standing on earth can certifie but in part and give but a broken and imperfect answer to him that should aske the question in comparison of the other If a man would know among those that have suffered how sore and terrible the avenging wrath of God for sin is if it were lawfull to enquire of Beelzebub and he had a minde to tell the truth there were none to him to give information thereof So to gaine a perfect understāding and knowledge what the maner law motion influence c. of good and goodnesse are there is no such opportunity as to looke stedfastly upon the glorious God of heaven when he goeth forth in the wayes of his goodnesse unto the world The lineaments beauty and proportion of goodnesse are no where to be seen so clearely and perfectly or upon tearmes of like advantage as in the face of his goodnesse because he is both the Fountaine and Sea of goodnesse yea the Truth it selfe saith that there is none good but one and this one is God Mat. 19.17 None good originally and from himselfe but God none good entirely and without some touch of malignity but God none good comparatively with a full perfect inexhaustible unwearied goodnesse but God Now in the Doctrine delivered this property of goodnesse we speake of which we may call self-communication is gloriously manifested and that from the greatest subject of it in heaven and in earth yea from him to whom goodnesse is essentiall yea essence it selfe His goodnesse serveth him as Davids zeale to his house dealt by him It even consumed him and eate him up it left no David for David to care for or regard so the exceeding goodnesse of the most high God
quisque deos that is every man hath a right of comming to those gods for succour whom hee worships and serves So that David expressing himselfe thus He is our God that is the God of salvation it is as if he had said Other Nations and People have their severall gods as Paul saith There are that are called gods whether in heaven or in earth Gods many and Lords many The Moabites have their god the Amorites their god the Sidonians their god but saith hee He that is the God of Israel He that is our God he hath a preheminence above them all He is the God of salvation or as the originall hath it in the plurall number Salvations that is he only stands possessed with a Prerogative Royall of a true God of a God indeed namely Power to save those that worship him and that every way it being one of the great royalties annexed to the Crowne of heaven as we have it Psal 3.8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord. Salvation that is both the power and the act of faving and delivering are so proper to the true God that they are not communicable with any creature as is well expressed in Esay 43.11 I even I am the Lord hee speaks it once and again for the greater Emphasis and weight and that they which heare not the first voice may heare the second And besides mee there is no Saviour not only none so great so mighty c. but none at all Therefore it seemes but a needlesse limitation of Nebuchadnezzar in that speech of his Dan. 3.29 There is no God that can deliver or save after this manner the truth is none after that manner or any other It followeth And to God the Lord belong the issues of death the originall sounds issues against death This clause may stand under a double interpretation it may either be taken concerning the destruction of the wicked or concerning the deliverance of the godly According to the former interpretation the sense falls thus To the Lord God are or doe belong Exitus mortis the issues of death that is Judgement or death never goeth out against any man but the hand of God is in it it is of his fending he hath death at that command that hee can send him forth against any man But I finde Interpreters rather inclining to the other Exposition which riseth thus And to the Lord are the issues of death that is E morte From or out of death so that there is no creature one or many that can be brought so low so neare unto death or never so much under the power of death but God hath not only one or some few but many secret wayes of escape for it he hath choice of wayes and meanes for deliverance when it selfe is ready to say there is none at all With him there is plenteous Redemption Ps 130.7 In this sense this latter clause further expounds those words in the former is the God of Salvation and addes weight to them and imports that God is not simply and barely a God of Salvation that can save if he sets himselfe about it in time or if the danger and strait bee not over-pressing above measure No but though a man be in the greatest and deepest exigents and extremity that can be imagined though in the very jawes of death yet God can make out an outstretched arm of help and reach him at any distance whatsoever This Interpretatiō being more agreeable to the frequent Method of the Psalmes wherein the latter member of the verse is exegeticall or expository of the former I rather chuse to follow In the words there are three things considerable 1. The interest the Church and Children of God have in God in the first words He that is our God 2. The benefit that redounds to the Church or which the Church may assuredly expect by meanes of this interest in God Salvation or Salvations Many in number and divers in kinde 3. And lastly the extent of this benefit This salvation is not from common ordinary lighter dangers but from the greatest and deepest and dreadfullest of all From death or out of death it selfe in those words To the Lord belong the issues of death The first of these the interest the Church hath in God the God of Salvations poureth us out the blessing of this observation First That the Church and Children of God have a peculiar and speciall interest in God so that he truly is and may be called Theirs The second which is the great and singular benefit redounding unto the Church from this her interest in God comes not much behinde it leading us directly to the Contemplation of this sweet conclusion That the Church of God may with all confidence and assurance of hope expect from him Salvation yea Salvation upon salvation Salvations of all kindes The third and last thing considerable in the words the extent of this great benefit crowneth the soule with the fatness of this observation or doctrine That the Church of God by vertue of her interest in God may expect and shall certainly finde safety and deliverance by one meanes or other not from common or lesser dangers only but from the greatest and deepest of all or more briefly thus if you please The Church of God can never be brought so low so neare death and ruine but that God hath still choice of wayes and meanes for her deliverance CAP. II. Wherein the nature and importance of that propriety or interest which the Church hath in God is declared LEt us take the first thing which is the groundworke of all into consideration It is like we shall have occasion in the handling hereof to draw in some of the best of the strength in the other two The great and important truth which we are now to enquire after and search into is this The Church and people of God have a peculiar right and interest in God by meanes whereof he may truly and properly bee called theirs or their God For the opening and managing this point to the best advantage for Christian service these foure things I conceive are requisite to bee done 1. To shew you what this interest is what manner of interest it is and what is the nature and importance of it 2. To establish you in the truth of the point by the mouth and testimony of more witnesses from the Scripture 3. To lay downe consider some grounds and reasons of the point 4. And lastly to bring all home into your bosomes in the use and application For the first That interest which the Holy Ghost here certifies the Church and People of God to have in him may be shadowed out unto you by some such description or overture as this It is a gracious propriety of himselfe which God by speciall Covenant and deed of gift as it were hath made over to the creature willing to enter into such Covenant with him for every such benefit and advantage to the creature
them are not incorporated with your soules and spirits you doe not finde that such notions and apprehensions as are fire in your bones and make your consciences spring and worke lively when they doe but touch and come neare them the interpretation of this signe is that you have more of that which is lesse and lesse of that which is more that you have memories that would doe worthily indeed with better hearts and soules that would escape better with worse memories But I hope the best things of you The great and mighty God of Heaven and Earth who must teach you and all the world besides to profit whether by the eye or by the eare as well by writing as speaking by reading as hearing in the knowledge of himselfe and of the great things of your peace make these meditations as a Cloud of the latter raine unto you to drop fatnesse upon your soules and command them to give out their strength fully and freely unto you that they may be felt by your selves in the renewing and strengthening your inner man be seen upon you by others in an unstained excellencie of life and conversation amongst men and found also in your accounts and reckonings at the great day as having cōtributed their share toward that joy and lifting up of your heads for ever which is the promised reward of all those that know God to be the only true God and him whom he hath sent Jesus Christ Which Crowne of blessednesse there is not a man of you but shall most assuredly obtaine if you be as true to your selves and the things of your owne glorie and will runne for your selves with as much faithfulnesse as he is readie to runne for you night and day who here in the presence of Heaven and Earth subscribeth and giveth it under his hand that he is Your loving truly affectionate Pastor Iohn Goodwin From my Study in Coleman streete London this August 7. 1640. To the Reader Good Reader WHether hee hath done wel or ill whoever he was be it my selfe or some other who was the principall of making more Presse-worke of these Sermons I conceive it is not worth the lightest exercise of thy thoughts to consider judge or determine If he hath done ill doubtlesse it cannot bee much things that are weake though otherwise unusefull yet will they serve for foile to set off that which is strong with more grace and acceptation as the Thistle in Lebanon commends the stature and beauty of the Cedar in Lebanon And the truth is that many Bookes of worth and value indeed had need of some further recommendation in one kinde or other unto men then their owne worth they suffer obscurity and neglect at the hands of men this notwithstanding Impertinencies would be of great consequence if they could bring things of consequence into request If he hath done well thou thy selfe wilt easily be perswaded to say that this cannot be much howsoever in this point thou and I shall not much differ Now then in matters where the difference is very small and almost imperceptible a man may soone be out more in deliberation then it is possible for him ever to recover or get in againe by any resolution As in suing at Law for a trifle the victory or conquest with all the advantages will not defray the one halfe of the cost and charge of the Warre I would gladly therefore save thee thy time and thoughts touching the premisses Yet two things there are which have their plea in their mouthes such as they are for loosing their prisoners and setting them at liberty in the world The one is the occasion of their Preaching the other their argument or Subject For the first it was the Anniversary remembrance of that great battle fought between Hell and Heaven about the peace and safety of our Nation on Novemb. 5. 1605. wherein Hell was overthrowne and Heaven and We rejoyced together I have not to my present remembrance met with any thing published of late of any speciall influence or tendency to maintain the life and spirit of the solemnity joy of that day and deliverance And pity it is that such a Plant of Paradise should wither or languish for want of watering Such a deliverance may through the Mercy and Goodnesse of God prove a breeder and become a joyfull Mother of many Children like unto her selfe if the hearts of our Nation did converse with her more frequently and more affectionately The Argument or Subject discoursed in these Sermons is the true Church her Interest in God with all her members A Subject I confesse that hath passed through many hands and gained much of many But the depth and weightinesse of it is such that it still calleth upon the greatest abilities of men to be further sought and inquired into I assume nothing unto my selfe beyond the discoveries of other men if thou meetest with any thing that may excuse or qualifie the Printing of the whole remember him that said concerning a sinfull City Gen. 18.32 I will not destroy it for ten righteous mens sake If thou either desirest or fearest the sight of any thing more of mine thou maist make thine owne bargaine herein by handling this piece accordingly For as for me I am not conscious to my selfe either of forwardnesse or backwardnesse of being made publique the tongues and judgements of men if they could agree may easily over-rule me either way It argues some distemper of spirit to be importune upon the world with a mans private conceptions neither is it the best posture to put the world upon importunity with us to purchase them if they have a minde to them Pardon me thus far and that which remaineth I shall pray for thee that thou maist with the Church have Interest in God and that this Interest may be established and confirmed unto thee by the reading this piece untill through fulnesse thou breakest out with David saying The Lord is my Light and my Salvation Whom shall I feare Psa 27.1 And by this time when thou knowest not whom or what to feare I hope thou wilt be at good leisure and in case to pray for him who resteth Thine in the Lord alwaies I. G. Colemonstreet Lond. Aug. 7. 1640. The Contents of the CHAPTERS CAP. I. WHerein the Coherence together with the sense and meaning of the words are cleared and Doctrines raised Fol. 1 CAP. II. Wherein the nature and importance of that propriety or interest which the Church hath in God is declared Fol. 23 CAP. III. Containing proofes from Scripture of the Churches propriety or interest in God Fol. 44 CAP. IV. Wherein foure severall Grounds or Reasons of the Churches propriety in God are laid downe and opened Fol. 54 CAP. V. Containing the first Vse of Instruction in six particulars Fol. 102 CAP. VI. Wherein the Doctrine is further drawne out in an use of Encouragement or Consolation Fol. 155 CAP. VII Wherein the two first branches of the third Use
goodnesse and omnipotency be theirs for what is God without these The Prophet David often in this Booke of Psalmes professeth and triumpheth in this peculiar interest himselfe had in God as a member of his Church and confirmeth likewise the generall title and right which the Church of God hath in him Psal 144.15 Blessed be the people that be in such a case yea blessed is that people whose God is the Lord. Where the Prophet doth not only speake to the point in hand to confirme and establish that namely that the Lord is the God of his People Church for it is cleare he speaks of these these are the persons upon whose heads he sets this crowne of blessednesse but withall more particularly and fully he informes in what sense it must needs be taken where it is said that God is the God of his people or that they have a propriety in him namely in the sense already expressed he is theirs quantus quantus est as great as glorious as mighty as excellent every way as he is For we see hee pronounceth them blessed in respect of this propriety or interest of theirs in God Blessed is that people whose God is the Lord. Now if their interest extended no further but to some inferiour degree of his power the people that had some creature for their God might be as blessed as they Nebuchadnezzars Courtiers had him for their God they had an interest in their King and no question he did many things for them for their advancement in the world but these were not blessed by any such interest because Nebuchadnezzar could not bee a God unto them Another testimony you may peruse at leisure 2 Cor. 6.16 I now make haste to the Grounds and Reasons CAP. IV. Whereing foure severall Grounds or Reasons of the Churches propriety in God are laid downe and opened AMongst many considerations that might be laid downe as grounds or reasons of this interest and propriety of the Church in God I shall only insist upon foure which are most obvious and nearest at hand to every mans thoughts The first is the love and affection that God bare unto this Church and people of his yea even before they were either Church or People unto him or he theirs in any such relation as now they stand It is true that now he loves them because they are his in that peculiar maner that now he hath made them his by the great cost and charge both of his Son and Spirit bestowed on them And yet I conceive hee loves them as much or rather more because he is theirs then because they are his An upright and just man loves his promise and upright dealing more then he doth his possessions or estate as David in effect affirmeth in Psal 15.4 Now God loving his People because they are his loves them as a wise and upright man loves his inheritance or possession which kinde of love in the expression of it is capable of subjection to a Superiour and must give place when time is but loving them because he is theirs and they have a propriety in him hee loves them as he doth his owne truth and faithfulnesse in the performance of his promise which is a soveraigne love and to be commanded over-ruled by nothing whatsoever And if God had not loved his Church and People before they became either the one or the other unto him it is certaine hee would never have loved them because it is impossible that any or all other meanes whatsoever either in heaven or earth should ever have made a Church or People unto him of persons defiled with sin without the concurrence and assistance nay without the precurrence and ducture of his owne love thereunto Of this love of God towards his Church before their Church-making or drawing neare to him in any such relation the Scripture speaketh exprefly John 3.16 So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. That love of God in the wombe whereof Jesus Christ as given unto the world and consequently unto those of whom his Church is raised and built for no man can imagine these to bee here excluded though neither doe I conceive them to bee solely and precisely intended was conceived must needs go before the raising of this Temple unto him because this was actually done by Jesus Christ as given at least in promise So John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and ver 44. No man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him And again ver 45. Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth unto me Now all these and such like acts of God acted and exercised upon men not yet actually brought home to Christ but for and about the bringing of them home to him as giving to Christ drawing to Christ teaching c. are apparently the fruits or acts of such a love in God towards them which hath precedency both in order of nature and time also before that love of his wherewith he loveth them as being in Christ that is as being made a Church and People unto him Thus it is evident that there was in God a love towards his Church and People before the light of either of these or the like relations arose upon them Let us then proceed in our Demonstration The nature and property of love we know that is reall and in truth is to be bountifull as S. Paul affirmeth 1 Cor. 1.13 The Father loveth the Son saith Christ John 3.35 and hath given all things into his hand When the love and affection of God is cast upon the creature Himselfe Son Spirit and all he hath shall not stay behinde Love and Gift affection and expression in God we shall still finde together John 3.16 So God loved the world that he gave c. and 2 Thes 2.16 Even the Father which hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation So S. Paul speaking of Christ saith thus Who hath loved me and given himselfe for me Gal. 2.20 Now the love of God to his Church being the greatest and most transcendent love he must finde out an expression or gift answerable to it otherwise there would be losse of some part of the glory belonging to it For he cannot be praised and magnified but according to such a measure thereof as is manifested to the creature The gift that should expresse the height depth breadth length of this love to the full can be no other then himselfe and that as God all other would be defective If there had beene any thing greater any thing better then himselfe it is like we should have had it and that had been fittest for his purpose herein I am drawne to use such an expression unto you which I confesse might otherwise seeme somewhat hard and strange because I finde one of like importance in a matter not much unlike or rather indeed very neare to that
we now speake of in that Scripture Heb. 6.13 When God saith the Apostle made the promise to Abraham because he had no greater to sweare by he sware by himselfe Because he had no greater c. if that be the spirit of the words which I conceive neither can I apprehend what other it should be with any tolerable congruity of Reason they are a straine of speech to be heard out of the mouth of an infinite God fearefully high and glorious Because he had no greater to sweare by therefore he sware by himselfe clearely implying that if he had a greater then himselfe he would have sworne by him For this is the reason delivered in plaine and expresse tearmes why he sware by himselfe because he had no greater As if the infinite Al-sufficiency of God himselfe did not give him that satisfaction which he desired for the confirmation of his oath made to the heires of promise in respect of the weaknesse and marvellous backwardnesse of their hearts to beleeve unto perfect establishment and assurance but he would have had a greater if it might have beene and have passed by himself if there had been infinitum infinito infinitius this had been an only choice for him in this case To say that the words imply only this Gods greatnesse above all others makes the sense but cold and waterish For it is not the scope of the Holy Ghost here to declare the greatnesse of God but rather the greatnesse of his desire to satisfie the heires of promise as they are called that is his Church and People with the strongest and mightiest consolations touching the truth and stablenesse of that promise of life by Christ And for this purpose the words in the sense given are as is evident of mighty importance So desirous he was that his children should be filled with faith and the strong consolations of it that if hee had had any greater or more effectuall meanes for the bringing it to passe they had been used and the words thus understood are but an expression and breaking out of the mighty power of that love of his towards his Children which all this while we speake of which moves him to give his owne selfe unto them if he had any greater then himselfe they should have had it but for himselfe they shall be sure of As we heard before of Christs love mentioned by S. Paul Who loved me and gave himselfe for me Like love like bounty like affection like expression Thus you see the love and affection in God towards his Church to be one cause or reason why he gives them this interest and propriety in himselfe which the Doctrine speaketh of A second Ground of the point is The gift or bestowing of Iesus Christ upon the world So God loved the world that hee gave his only begotten Son c. as you heard before Iohn 3. Though the love of God to his Church was the Basis or prime cause of that propriety it now hath in him yet was it not either the only or immediate cause thereof This affection of his notwithstanding they were yet afarre off as S. Paul speakes and lay at as great a distance as is between heaven and earth from being a Church or holy People unto him from having any such peculiar interest or propriety in him Sin had separated and that with a high hand betweene him and them and had fixed a great gulfe betwixt the one and the other moveable only by him that hath power to remove the earth out of his place which kept them asunder from comming one at the other God could not reach or come at his creature with any other expression of his love till this gulfe was removed till sin that hindered was taken out of the way much lesse was it possible for the creature to have made any approach neare unto him to have gained any thing upon him or in him till then Now to fill up this vaste dreadfull and devouring gulfe and so to make the way passable from God to the creature and from the creature back again unto God there was nothing else to be found in heaven or earth of any proportion or any wayes commensurable thereunto but only one that might lawfully count it no robbery to be equall with God being God himselfe blessed for ever The infinitely wise just and righteous God could have found no other consideration of value and weight sufficient to have built a dispensation of that most righteous and just Law of his upon In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death but only the death of his owne only begotten Had all other creatures in heaven and earth consented together in one to have given out their strength and beeings to the uttermost to have raised a consideration or reason amongst them why God should have passed over those words of his as if they had never beene spoken should have let fall that solemne intermination or threatning of his to the ground never to have executed what he had threatned the wisdome of God doubtlesse and zeale to his glory would have despised it and laughed it to scorne whatsoever possibly it might have amounted unto and would have beene more ready to have fallen upon Mediators and Offenders together with fiery indignation then any wayes relented or stood so much as to consider what he had to doe upon the tender of any such propositions unto him It was no worke no undertaking for creatures to salve the glory of an infinite Wisdome and Majesty in case he should let such words of his goe for nought and vanish into the winde which were uttered with such solemnity upon such just and righteous grounds in the sight of heaven and earth It might justly have been thought that God had prized such words as those at a low and under rate and consequently undervalued himselfe in the bargaine if he had sold them at any such rate or price as the creature could have given But the death and sufferings of his owne Son this was a price that weighed somewhat like in his hand upon consideration hereof it was no waies grievous unto him to dispense with his Law and suspend the execution thereof for ever as far as it concernes those that shall unfainedly acknowledge this inestimable grace of his who hath thus bought them from under so heavy a curse and condemnation It is not the least prejudice or disparagement to the infinite Wisdome or Majesty of God or the least diminishing of the authority of any of his Lawes or threatnings whatsoever to let Lawes and threatnings sleep upon such a Pillow as this is and not to be put into execution upon the intercession of such a consideration as this And thus we see how the gift of Iesus Christ likewise was of absolute necessity to bring about this great and wonderfull thing in the world that sinfull men and women the generation of which the Church of God is made should have this deare
blaspheme their Graces or once suspect or imagine that any thing that is found upon them in that kinde that carrieth the appearance of glory and excellency in it but that it hath the reality truth weight and substance also The holinesse of the Saints hath no enemy but either he that is ignorant of their interest in God or else of that God in whom their interest is Fourthly you may see in the Doctrine delivered that faire Fountaine opened that hath sent forth and still sendeth all those sweet and pleasant streames wherewith the City of God hath been refreshed and made glad in all ages I meane all those mercies blessings those great and strange deliverāces which have been brought about for them wherein they have been blessed above other men That interest they had in God hath stood them in this stead this hath been as a Fountaine of living waters unto them springing up continually to relieve them The Lord saith David Psal 126. hath done great things for us whereof we rejoyce What is the reason of that great difference between the Church of God and all other societies of men and Kingdomes and Monarchies and Nations of the world which David expresseth Psal 20.8 They are brought downe and fallen but we are risen and stand upright that so many great and mighty Nations that had Chariots and Horses and walled Cities and the thickest shields every wayes that could be made of flesh for their safety and yet these destroyed we that are but a few weake and unarmed in comparison and yet we stand The reason of this difference may well be gathered out of the former verse They trusted in Chariots and Horses these were their owne they had propriety in these and so had the help they could afford But the Church having the name of the God of Iacob for them this was more for their security and defence then all the Chariots and Horses of war then all Castles and Fortresses whatsoever The one had interest in the Lord God was theirs his Power his Might his Wisdome was theirs and he hath let them have their owne in all times of their necessity and so they have been supported whereas all the world besides having no other strength then themselves no better hope then what an arme of flesh could doe for them have not been able to stand If the Lord had not been Ps 124.1 on our side saith David that is had not God been ours may Israel now say if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quicke when their wrath was kindled against us then had the Waters over-whelmed us c. So may we say in this our solemne rejoycing and thanksgiving for that great deliverance now remembred and for many others formerly If the Lord had not been on our side when men rose up against us and went downe against us too we also had been swallowed up quick and if not the waters the flames of fire had over-whelmed us but whether they be aloft or below God meets with them as David speakes Psal 139. If I climbe up into heaven thou art there if I goe downe into hell whither these wretches were in going thou art there also God hath set his seale upon this great deliverance with a faire and glorious impression because he would have it knowne for his and make of it for himselfe an everlasting name that should not be cut off Therefore woe be to him that shall deface this Monument which the Lord himselfe hath erected in the midst of this Nation and hath engraven and written praise and glory to his owne name upon it Woe be to him I say that shall let the remembrance of it perish or fall to the ground When mens owne tongues fall upon them and cause them to fall All men saith David shall see and know it is the Lords worke Psal 64.8 9. Let me say one thing further to you I would not have you only to consider how great the deliverance is what a glorious train of mercies and blessings it hath to follow it and attend upon it but if I could I would teach you an art how to fulfill your owne joy how to make a double and treble improvement of this and other mercies given you Then must I wish you not to lay out the strength of your joy too freely upon your deliverance it selfe or all that comes by it for indeed it was a Mother-mercy having a thousand more conceived in the bowels of it and brings forth fruitfully to this day but reserve your selves rather to consider who it was that wrought it for you it was the Lord it was your God The woman of Samaria Iohn 4.12 thought their Wel of Sychar had a kinde of blessing upon it above others because so great a man as their Father Iacob dranke of it but on the contrary we that are the Church and People of God may truly and with sobernesse of judgement thinke our selves blessed indeed that we draw all the waters we drinke all the mercies and preservations we enjoy from such a Fountaine as the goodnesse of the great God of heaven and earth The same mercies and good things did we receive from another from an inferiour hand were not the same the best and pleasantest taste and relish that is in them what ever they be is the taste of the hand out of which they come And therefore prophane and ignorant men lose the best part of all the temporall good things they enjoy because they doe not savour the hand that gives them forth unto them The Lord saith David Ps 126.3 hath done great things for us whereof we rejoyce If David were now alive and the question put to him where the Emphasis and life of these words lay I verily beleeve his answer would be not in the great things that were done for them but rather in the great doer of them the Lord. The Lord hath done c. It is a rule and principle in common reason and experience and weak apprehensions will reach it which Xenophon well expresseth in his language thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things that are alike or of equall worth contentment in themselves comming from persons unequall in place and dignity doe not equally affect men that receive them but still a great difference there is if the inequality of persons from whom they come be great To kisse the hand of a man inferiour to us is as nothing rather indeed a disparagement and a thing ridiculous but to kisse the hand of a Prince is a matter of favour and countenance So Solomon saith of the light of the countenance or favour of the King that it is like a Cloud of the latter raine which often is more worth then a Kings ransome Prov. 16.15 whereas a good looke from a meane man is scarcely valued at two drops of water God cannot give any light or slender mercies because
meate for the people in the Wildernesse He calls the proud cruell insulting King by the name of Leviathan i. e. the great Whale Iob 41.1 because he would adventure to change his Element and take the Seas and meant to destroy and devoure there as well as he did on the Land Thou brakest his head in pieces i. e. thou utterly destroyedst him leftest nothing of him remaining there was not one Aegyptian left saith the Scripture that accompanied Pharaoh in that bloody Expedition Thou gavest him to be meate for the people in the Wildernesse What is this I conceive this to be the meaning The People when they came into the Wildernesse and saw small or no meanes to support them saw no table no provision c. might be tempted to doubt of or to distrust the providence of God towards them But God saith David had given them Leviathan for meat that is that great overthrow that was given unto Pharaoh and that wonderfull deliverance which God wrought for his people thereby was sufficient to uphold their spirits and maintaine a life of hope and confidence within them that God that had done such great things for them would never suffer them to perish by forgetfulnesse of them by withdrawing the arme of his preservation and protection from them if they would but looke up unto him and make their dependance upon him according to the glorious encouragement and triumphing provocation of so great and unheard of a deliverance So suppose we be now in the Wildernesse we see no meanes of support of subsisting before us we have not those visible those sensible testimonies of Gods presence with us as sometimes we have had yet God hath given us meat to feed and live upon those 36. Barrells of Gunpowder wherewith God furnished us out of the Cellar at our enemies cost let us drinke downe them they will breed good blood spirit and courage againe those Iron barres and billets of the same gracious and miraculous provision let us feed upon them and digest them by a mature and kinde concoction I make no question but we shall renew our strength like Eagles and be yong and lusty againe in our Faith towards God When the Israelites afterwards so oft proveked God in the Wildernesse as David speaketh Psal 78.40 and grieved him in the Desart viz. by murmuring and distrustfulnesse When they tempted God and limited the holy One of Israel hee imputeth all this sin of theirs to this as the cause They remembred not his hand nor the day wherein he delivered them from the enemy they forsook the meate God had given them they gave over feeding on Leviathan and so they fainted their Faith was affamished and themselves perished Therfore let us preserve the memoriall of this great deliverāce as a precious treasure by us Let us season the flesh of the Traitors the Gunpowder the Barre the Billets that they may keep fresh and sweet and so doubtlesse they will be a nourishment of an high and excellent spirit both for us and our posterities to feed upon and to preserve the life of the peace and safety of the Nation as long as Sun and Moone shall endure Such a Preservation such a Deliverance as this so deep and downe laden as it were with the precious spoiles of heaven the ingredients and substance of it being nothing else but the infinite incomprehensible wisdome power goodnesse love and mercy of God is enough to enrich a Nation alone and to fill the hearts of all the Inhabitants thereof with the entirenesse strength of Faith and dependance upon God which are able to laugh all future enemies dangers and attempts in the face to scorne This for the third use of the Doctrine by way of encouragement or consolation CAP. VII Wherein the two first branches of the third Use being an use of Reproofe are handled IN the third place the Doctrine first propounded is further serviceable unto us by way of Reproofe For if the Church and Children of God have that deep and deare interest in God which hath been opened unto you how shall those be excused or spared from passing under the rod of Reproofe who taking this great honour to themselves of being the Church of God and People of God whether truly or falsely whether they be his People or no and yet doe things contrary to the tenour of such an interest and by many misdemeanours and unworthy cariages of themselves deface the glory of so high a prerogative that in word professe an interest in God but in workes and deeds which are witnesses of greater value deny it Now three things there are more especially whereby men wave all interest in God and doe little lesse then make open confession in the world against themselves that they are not the men in heart that they are in the face First in a base creeping or crouching before the world and seeking the face of the creature in inordinate desires after outward things and not being richlysatisfied with God Secondly in making dependance upon an arm of flesh and upon the creatures and not upon God Thirdly and lastly in inordinate feares of those that are enemies and rise up against them and not making God their only feare and dread In these particulars especially amongst others men often offend and that greatly against such interest as they have in God such carriages as these being interpreted are as much as to say Such men confesse that they have no portion nor interest in the Lord. First when men in an unseemly manner are officious in doing suit and service to the world when they suffer themselves so farre to bee brought into subjection by Silver and Gold and Houses and Lands by faire and full Estates by Pleasures and Ease and Liberty c. that a man in Scripture phrase is not able to live without these yea and to raigne too as Paul speakes to live like Kings without these this is a betraying of the glory and happinesse which is annexed to that interest which any creature hath in God Are there not many that would bee thought people of God and to have interest in him that yet are as effeminate and impotent in their desires and lustings after things of this life as Rachel was after Children Give me Children or else I die Gen. 30.1 So many must have the flowre of the Wheate and Honey out of the Rock they must have the best and sweetest aspects of the world or else it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he said Their life is not worth the living their hearts die and sink within them and they are Like to those that goe downe into the Pit as David speaks and what can be more prejudiciall to the glory of God what can derogate more from his goodnes bounty power then to finde men in these deep discontentments in such faintings of heart for want of these by-matters of the world who pretend and challenge interest in God and his All-sufficiency
have any thing else any creature that flatters them and sayes unto them as the Bramble said to the Trees of the Forrest in Iothams Parable Judg. 9.15 Come and put your trust under my shadow place your confidence in me Men will hardly be intreated to cast away such a confidence upon any termes If a great estate or some great friend that is eminent in place and power should but allure us and speake as kindly and gratiously unto us as the great God of heaven and earth doth from place to place in his Word cast all your care and your burden upon us we will take care for you Men would take hold of such words as soone as they should be spoken and would doe that which was desired of them with all their hearts and would hardly aske any question about it either for conscience sake or for feares sake But now God inviting us to doe him that honour and our selves that ease as to cast all our care on him i. e. to doe it in a carelesse secure and resolute manner as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth assuring us that hee doth care for us which no creature doth in comparison of him men will thinke of it ten times before they will doe it once 1 Pet. 5.7 Even they which doe any thing in this kinde they will not cast their care upon him all they will be brought to doe is to lay it on him faire and softly as we use to lay burdens of any weight upon Tables or Stooles when we suspect the joynts to be crazy and shaken we lay them downe as gently and easily as may be for feare we should breake all in pieces and our burdens fall to the ground and as men use to walke upon Ice over deep Waters they doe not at first leap and jump upon it but first set one foote and then another to see whether the Ice crack or no whether it will beare them that so they may retire back againe to the ground without danger before they be on too far but to goe thus to worke with God is not to cast our care upon him but rather to tempt him and see whether he wil beare it or no. Wheras he gives us in that an assurance before hand yea gives it as the reason or ground upon which he requires us to cast all our care upon him in such a manner Cast all your care on him for he careth for you I would never wish you to doe it to cast it upon God but that I know he doth take care for you and will discharge that trust alone as much for your comfort and satisfaction as if you should be over-busie your selves and would needs joyne your selves in Commission with him Therefore now if thou hast interest in God and hast any burthens one or more to beare or carry if thou wilt carry this burden thy selfe and toile and turmoile thy selfe till thou beest ready to faint and sinke and die under it and not cast it upon God now walkest thou laden to the prejudice and scandall of heaven thy burthen would be honourable upon the shoulder of the Almighty both to him and thee We account it a meane calling among men and servile to carry burdens but it is exceeding glorious in God to beare all the burdens of his Saints that they may walke upright and not have their backs bowed downe to the earth This point of the Reproofe likewise as the former did concerneth us not only as we are private men but as we are together a Church and People of God If our interest in him be such as hath been declared as doubtlesse it is if we be the People of God why do we cause this great blessednesse of ours to be blasphemed and evill spoken of in the world by seeking to lay other foundations of our peace and comfort besides the favour and power of God alone why doe we not stand sure upon him though we have nothing else to establish us why are we not built upon him what addition can be made unto him if we had all the flesh in the world made up into an arme of salvation unto us could it adde any thing to our security Dan. 6.20 Is not thy God saith Darius to Daniel in the Lions Den whom thou servest alway able to deliver thee from the Lion Either he is able to deliver us and save us out of the mouthes of all Lions able to rebuke all our destroyers or he is not able if he be not able then I aske who made heaven and earth doubtlesse it will not aske a greater power to save us then it did to create us and the whole frame of heaven and earth besides Ps 124.8 And therefore David in the name of the Church of God fats and flesheth as it were his trust and confidence with that consideration Our help standeth in the name of the Lord that made heaven and earth as if he meant never to trouble himselfe further as long as he saw heaven and earth standing before him to enquire out more names of helpers and defenders to joyne with him that made heaven and earth Our help stands in the name of the Lord c. Here it is permanent and fixed it did not remove up and downe and shift from one name to another as if now they were confident in God another while confident in some creature or outward support they did not remove from bottome to bottome as men that are double minded doe they have no standing help or comfort any where but still are shifting and flitting from under the shadow of one tree to another from under the wing of one creature to another If he be able to deliver us and we be his People and have interest in all the glory of his power why do we suffer any thought to enter into us of standing upon any other ground why are we troubled and distracted in our selves about seeking and providing a hiding place from storms and tempests when we remaine under the shadow of his wing If any enemy have power to pluck any of his feathers then had we some cause to feare a lying open to the weather And what shall we say in this point to our Romane Catholiques for the name of Catholiques they must have to themselves and all the world must give out their right to them but for the truth and substance of it that they leave to divide who will amongst them But let it be here againe considered what interest it is like that they have in God or whether their wayes in the point we speake of be like the wayes of men Whose God is the Lord. Doe they make their dependance intire upon God doe they trust in him alone for the bearing up of the Pillars of their Church doe they commit their cause unto him attempting nothing but that which is lawfull and right for the advancing thēselves their Church and Religion are they content to fall
to the ground and lie in the dust if innocency and righteous dealing will not sustain them which is an essentiall Character of him that hath confidence in God yea have they not cast off his Word as Esay 30.12 and trust in violence and wickednesse as the former or Oppression and perversenesse as the latter Translation hath it and stay thereupon do they trust more in Treasons in Poisons in Rebellions in Conjurations in Fires in Swords in Ships in bloody Butchers in Gunpowder in Vaults in Iron in Wood in any thing then in God and doe they not stay themselves thereon are not these the goodly Pillars and polished Corners of their Temple doe they not hope to live and subsist in the world and to hold up their heads above Water by such engines and projects and designes as these This is the interest that Church hath in God Surely that Church may say He that is their God is not the God of Salvation but of Destruction the name of their God in Hebrew is Abaddon Rev. 9.11 CAP. VIII Wherein the third and last branch of the Use of Reproofe is handled THirdly and lastly if the Church and People of God have such interest in God as hath been formerly opened then those also are to be reproved that challenge this interest in him and yet suffer their hearts in times of danger to be troubled and over-whelmed with inordinate and tumultuous feares If they see but a great Wave comming towards them they are ready with Peter in Mat. 14.29 to cry out We perish or if they taste but some bitternesse in the Broth presently cry out with the Prophets Children 2 Kings 4.40 There is death in the Pot. How many are there that say they have interest in God whose hearts faile them and become like stones within them cold and heavy if trouble or affliction doe but come forth and look a little upon them they are not able to endure the appearance of any danger As when the great Champion of the Philistims did but shew himselfe in the field 1 Sam. 17.24 it is said that all the men of Israel when they saw the man they ran away from him and were sore afraid they knew not whether ever he should have come neare them to hurt any of them or no and yet they were all afraid and ran away only upon sight of him So the Israelites Exod. 14.10 did but lift up their eyes and saw the Egyptians marching after them and the Text saith they also were sore afraid If dangers and troubles doe but put forth a little and begin to bud we conclude that a deadly Winter must needs be at hand If there be but a thick arme of flesh lifted up against us to strike we thinke the blow must presently fall upon us If Satan doth but shew himselfe in armes and bring forth his troopes and display his colours before the Wals we give the City as lost presently Yea some men are as teÌ„der of their fears in this kinde and as impatient to have them rebuked and touched as David was of his Son Absolon or Adoniah 2 King 1.6 it is said that his Father would not displease him from his Childhood to say Why dost thou so Some men even take such a felicity and contentment in their feares and apprehensions of dangers though otherwise feare hath torment as S. Iohn speaketh that neither will they displease them themselves nor suffer any other to displease them they will not endure any man to dispute or to conceive any hope when they have once feared So that they seem to have a touch of Ionahs spirit in them that was angry with God for not executing judgement upon Ninevch when he had prophesied the destruction of it Some men seem so highly to honour the Propheticall signes of their feares as if they would take offence at Gods goodnesse and mercy if he should not bring upon them and the Church of God amongst them the judgements and mercies that they have prophecyed of in their feares Now I say all such distracting and dismaying feares as these are no wayes seemly and comely in those that professe this speciall interest in God Are they not rather a giving honour to men and magnifying the powers of darknesse and the devill himselfe above God What are any such feares being rightly interpreted but as much as to say the rage and malice and wickednesse of men are greater then the goodnesse and truth and power of God These are windes and waves that will not obey him that he cannot 〈◊〉 and commanâ—â— Should such a man as I feare saith Nehemiah that have professed such confidence in God and still you shall finde that in Scripture there is an opposition between those feares and that honour that is due unto God from those that are his and say they have interest in him See those Scriptures Ezra 8.22 Nehem. 4.14 1 Pet. 3.14 15. at your leisure But you will say Object If the Lion hath roared who will not or shall not be afraid as Amos and if the Trumpet be blowne in the City ought not the people to feare If God himself denounce war against his people and take part with their enemies and strengthen their hands daily and suffer the men of the earth to exalt themselves against them and to doe with his Saints even as they list as it is said they did to Iohn the Baptist in his time and cuts off the wonted signs and tokens of his presence with his owne so that they can see few or none of them left are not these things enough to shake the foundations of any mans confidence to make all hands hang downe Amos 3.8 and all knees wax feeble to breake the heart of any mans hope who is able to stand in the face of such a destruction comming from the Almighty and doth not tremble exceedingly And therefore they that feare in this case are in no cause of reproofe but rather to be relieved with mercy and compassion To this I answer divers things Answ but very briefly First The roaring of the Lion that is heard it may be the roaring of that Lion that goes up and downe the world seeking whom he may devoure it may be the roaring of hell and of the devill comming with open mouth upon the poore Church of God like a ramping and roaring Lion as David speaketh and not the roaring of the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah against his Church and People If it be so we may give losers leave to speake and cry out and to roare too and no great cause thus far to be troubled at it We must pardon the devill the excesse of his wrath he is in great straights his time is shorter then ever and that which he doth he must doe quickly the sound of his great Masters feete is behinde him with the great chain of darknesse in his hand to lay him up fast in the bottomlesse Pit for ever Secondly it is to be considered
that though all the wayes and pathes of God are Mercy and Truth unto his Church and such as keep his Covenant as David speakes yet are there many things in these wayes of his Ps 25.14 very liable and obnoxious for a time to another interpretation To give the true sense and meaning of all passages in Gods providence and administration towards his Church requires an Interpreter one of a thousand God may be comming towards his Church in a way of Mercy and Truth when the thoughts of our hearts are ready to say he is comming in a way of judgement and destruction There was given to me saith S. Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 A messenger from or of Satan It was well spied of S. Paul to finde out a gift of God in a message and messenger from the devill It sometimes requires much wisdome and pondering and consideration of things to understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord in them as David speakes Psal 107.43 There are some things hard to be understood saith Peter in Pauls Epistles which some pervert to their owne destruction So are there in Gods government of the Church many things hard to be understood for a season which some pervert to their owne discomfiture till God himselfe by the light of a joyfull issue cleeres his owne intent and meaning therein A 3. thing to be coÌ„sidered is that as it was said of Christ the head of the Church that he was appointed or set up for the falling as well as for the rising of many in Israel So is it true likewise of the whole body of the Church God hath so appointed it and so carries and orders the affaires state and condition of it that it shall be and must be the great stumbling stone of the world upon which the principle haters of God and his truth shall dash themselves in pieces God could have confounded the world and the wise things therof otherwise and have brought to nought the mighty things of it by a more immediate way but said the holy Ghost God hath chosen the weake 1 Cor. 1.27 28. things of the world and the foolish things and things that are not to doe it by God divides the glory with his Church he will honour himselfe and his Church together in the destruction of the world God could have tempered another cup that should have been as present death to the Nations to have drunke of it Zach. 12.2 but Ierusalem must be made the cup of poyson to all the people round about when they shall be in the siege against Judah and Jerusalem He could have framed and throwne Millstones downe from heaven upon all people as he did upon those five Kings and their Armies in the dayes of Ioshua Iosh 10.11 but Ierusalem againe must be made the heavy stone for all people that whosoever shall offer to heave at it and lift it up to carry it away shall be torne in pieces by it though all the earth should be gathered together against it Zach. 12.3 The Church of Rome indeed gapes after this priviledge and makes account that all Nations and Churches in the world that will not bow downe and serve her and fall downe and worship her shall be destroyed and imputes the fearefull desolation of the Grecian Churches to that enmity against her which they professe to this day Fourthly it is to bee knowne likewise and considered that the Church is not appointed only and simply to be the destruction of the wicked and enemies of God but to be their destruction in a speciall and more remarkable way and manner viz. in the nature of a Snare that they may not feare nor thinke of destruction from it till it be upon them or that kinde of destruction which the Scripture usually calls a being confounded Behold all they that provoke thee saith Esay 41.11 shall be ashamed and confounded To be confounded properly is this when a man hath been lifted up in great hopes and confidence of successe victory and prevailing in any thing and then on a sudden quite besides his expectation is brought downe and falls upon inevitable destruction knowes not how to help himselfe And so the other word that is joyned with it of being ashamed is a word of like importance we know it is not simply poverty and want and a meane condition that makes a man ashamed in the world but only when it succeeds riches and plenty and fulnesse A poore man in the Country that is borne only to inherite the dust that had never a good Coate on his back since he was borne he is not ashamed of a 〈…〉 walkes and holds up his head and shewes his face before any man for all that but take a Courtier or a Merchant or a Citizen of best ranke and quality that have been clothed with fine linnen and fared deliciously every day that have not been seen but in soft raiment in Silke in Silver and Gold if such a man shall be brought downe to rags and have no better to put on but some course Mantle or the like this makes him hold downe his head and ashamed to shew his face to any that knowes him So when the Lord saith that the enemies of his Church shall be ashamed it implies that they shall have a time granted them wherein they shall flourish like a green Bay tree which tastes not of Winter as most trees besides do losing the beauty and verdure and comelinesse of their leaves which the Bay tree doth not that they shall have a time wherein they shall doe even what they list in the world as David speakes Psal 73.7 c. or as the originall hath it shall even passe the desires of the heart that is shall have more power and authority and glory in the world then they could well tell what to doe with wherein they shall have the Saints of God and the Church of the most High under their feet and shall throw downe the foundations and shall see no man able to doe any thing against them able or likely to make resistance In this great prosperity of theirs and poore and contemptible condition of the Church before them God layes the foundation and corner stone of their shame and confusion which otherwise to speake properly could not be brought to passe And â—o those two similitudes we opened out of Zach. 12.23 whereby the Lord represented unto us how termes stand between his Church and the wicked the enemies of it in this point viz. that the Church should certainly be the ruine and confusion of the wicked they both cary an intimatioÌ„ of what I now speak of viz. that the Church shall be their destruction in the nature of a Snare or in such a way and at such a time when they shall little feare it or expect it Jerusalem shall be a cup of poyson to all the people i. e. when the people shall thinke the Church fit to be devoured and swallowed up and shall thinke to
have a very sweet pleasant draught of it that would do them good at the heart and breed the best blood that ever beat in their veines it shall prove a cup of poyson and death to them now poyson we know especially in a cup hath the nature of a snare in it men that drinke it are not aware of it if it be artificiall and Italian right it hath neither smell nor colour in it to cause any feare or jealousie at all in him that shall drinke it it shall have the appearance and smell and manifest taste of Wine that is made by God to strengthen mans heart as David speakes and this poyson God will put into a cup too the Church shall be a cup of poyson Ierusalem shall be made fit to provoke the thirst of the enemie to draw him on to take it as Wine or the like is when it is in a cup for whilst it is in the vessel or hogshead no man offers to drinke it there this is not fit to be drunke but out of cups or glasses So the Church though it be at all times poyson to the wicked and enemies if they shall drinke it yet is it not at all times a cup of poyson to them fit to be drunke but only when the estate and condition of it is so low that there seemes no danger at all in attempting the ruine and desolation of it when the enemies conceive there is no more danger in destroying it then a man that is thirsty thinkes there is in drinking a cup of Wine that stands before him And so the other comparison of making the Church a heavy stone that shall over-heare and teare in pieces him that shall offer to heave and lift it up falls this way also He doth not say he would make Ierusalem a great stone but a heavy or massy stone We know the greatnesse or bignesse of a stone may be discerned by the eye before a man tryes to lift it and if it be a stone of any extraordinary bignesse enough in appearance to load a Cart or as big as can well be forced or removed from place to place by an engine a man though of great strength will never try to lift it not so much as a thought enters into him of taking it upon his shoulder to steale and carry it away but the heavinesse of a stone is not so apparent it is not knowne till a man taste it with his arm or shoulder or the like Now the Church of God is sometimes a great stone the enemies have no great minde to be medling with it they have no hope to heave it there is a face of beauty and glory and strength upon it and then they make no great hast to the spoile of it but sometimes again the outward appearance and figure of this stone is quite changed and altered it seems to be brought to so small a size that it may well be loaden and carried away the enemies make no question but to build themselves houses with it but it is now as heavy and massy as ever and will be the breaking in pieces and certaine death of who ever shall offer to lift it up Fifthly therefore that is further to be considered concerning Gods withdrawing his visible presence frō his Chruch at any time when their wonted tokens are not to be seen I meane in respect of any favour or countenance he gives his Church in the eyes of the world to assist and strengthen the hand of it there is no great cause of feare for all this as if the Church were now upon the point of perishing or sinking under water because such a withdrawing as this from his Church is simply necessary for setting his Snare The Church could not be a Gin to catch the enemies of it in such a manner as is spoken of except things were thus carried in the wisdome and providence of God If there were any visible beame or glimmerings of the glorious Majesty of God amongst his people his Church might be to the world and enemies of it as those figures and shapes of men are which husbandmen set up in their Corne to skare and keep vermine away but not to kill them So if the world saw or apprehended any thing to be afraid of in the Church as any outward testimony of the presence of God must needs be that falls within the reach of their understandings this might binde the world to some termes of good behaviour towards them this might keep violence and oppression and injury from off them it might keep down desires within them of doing them harme But when men set Gins or Snares to be the death of Birds of Prey Vermine Beasts or the like every man conveyes himselfe out of sight as much as may be and they leave nothing at all not so much as the appearance of a man that lookes like a man or any part of him but only the bait as naked as may be and the snare covered otherwise this would make the Vermine suspect and keep away So the Lord intending to make the Church a snare for the wicked and wretched enemies of it he must wholy withdraw himselfe and hide himself in some secret place where they may not discry him nor yet suspect him that so being drawn on by their cursed hungring and thirsting after the blood of the Church the Lion may take his advantage and breake out of the thicket upon them and teare them in pieces suddenly The truth is that all holy and consecrate things are snares to the wicked as the Scripture speakes it in a particular case Prov. 20.25 Ier. 2.2 but there is a greater generality of the truth of it It is a snare to a man to devoure that which is holy His intent is not only nor as I take it so much to expresse the danger a man falls upon when he hath devoured that then he shall pay deare for it but further and more principally to intimate this that things that are sanctified and set apart to God are in mens way as it were where they may easily and without any visible danger come at them and that there are few that will take heed of devouring them whether they be persons or things As snares are not only intended to be the destruction of Vermine when they fall into them or upon them but they are set in the way where they are likely to come and make most bold c. And therefore in the sixth and last place neither is the power nor the proud and high lookes of the enemy nor their breathing out threatnings nor making great boasts nor any ground they get from day to day of the Church nor any cruelty they can practise against it or the like none of all these nor all of them together are any just causes of feare to such as are the People of God and have interest in God Their hearts may be lifted up within them to their destruction as it
is said of Vzziah when he was waxen strong and great in power 2 Chron. 26.16 When the Jews at Nazareth Luke 4.29 had thrust our Saviour out of their City and had gotten him to the edge or brow of the hill whereon their City was built thinking to have made quick dispatch of him to have throwne him down headlong it is said Hee passed through the midst of them and went his way he was as secure never a whit the nearer death when he was upon the very brow and brinke of the hill then when he was a mile off in a plaine and safe place So we are to conceive of the State of the Church that it is never the nearer destruction for being neare to destruction Luke 12.6 Dan. 4.11 as we count nearnesse for God may be as far from giving his voice and consent for the desolation and destruction of it as at other times when there is lesse danger in appearance and we know there is nothing done without him If a Sparrow falls not to the ground without our heavenly father as Christ spake without him that is except he orders and disposeth of the silly Bird accordingly which yet is of so little worth that five of them are bought for two farthings How shall we thinke that the Church of God which could not bee bought at any under rate then the precious blood of the Son of God should fall to the ground without the speciall hand of God yea either without it or with it For as it is altogether impossible it should fall without it so is it very incredible it should fall with it But though it be as possible for a particular Church to fall to the ground by the hand of God as it is for a poore Sparrow yet except there be a voice from heaven calling to men on earth to hew downe the tree of it and breake off the branches as Daniels expression is in another case it is not Edoms crying out Downe with it downe with it even to the ground this will not do it nor bring it ever a whit the lower Though they should get all the Carpenters and Smiths and all the world together about the Church and every man stand ready with their Axes sharpened seven times more keen and sharp then ordinary yet shall the tree stand in the sight of them all and laugh the workmen and instruments to scorne in the face When the enemies of the Church have gotten the greatest advantage against it that can be supposed yet is the Church no more nearer perishing or falling then the salvation of the world was in danger of miscarrying when Jesus Christ hung upon the Crosse or lay in the Grave The powers of darknesse had him at the greatest advantage at the lowest ebbe that ever they had or are ever like to have him more True he upon whom the hope of the world depended was then at the lowest step of his humiliation he was fully emptied and had nothing left But hee went downe so low only to take his rise as it were to mount up the higher and to carry all up on high with him and he was never nearer his exaltation nor the world its salvation then when he lay at the lowest point of his humiliation Such is the condition of the Church it is never nearer the glory and beauty and full strength of it then when it seemes to be most forsaken of God As Christ was then ready and never till then to enter into Paradise when he cryed out My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me Ought not Christ to suffer saith he himself and so immediatly and without delay upon his sufferings to enter into his glory So when the Church is readiest to cry out and complain of being forsaken this complaint and cry is the greatest signe of the time of the Churches Paradise at hand Our Saviour himselfe hath given us this signe and therefore it is a foundation that will beare a building of greater weight and worth then a conjecture or a hopefull probability of such a thing you may cast your soules upon it and not feare When the Son of man commeth viz. to avenge his People and Church of their enemies Shall he finde Faith upon earth Luk. 18.8 that is amongst those servants of his for whose deliverance he comes for as for any others upon earth this faith of his comming is neither to be found then when he comes nor at any time else in them CAP. IX Wherein the Doctrine is applyed to the enemies of the Church by way of Exhortation A Fourth and last Use is for Exhortation If the People Church of God have that speciall and deep interest in God that hath been laid open and proved then have we a good foundation laid to build some Exhortations and to presse severall duties upon The men or persons that wee shall have to doe with in point of Exhortation are of two sorts First the People of God themselves that make this Church of God and accordingly have their interest in God Secondly the wicked that are enemies of the Church and People of God whether openly or professedly such or only secretly and under hand First to dispatch with the latter because I hope there are few of that brood in presence if any especially for Heads and Captaines of that cursed confederacy with whom especially matters of this nature would be transacted and negotiated I cannot conceive there should bee any of these before me and therefore the worke of our Exhortation to these shall be the fewer and then we shall bee free to converse with the first the Church and People of God with whom we desire chiefly to have to doe in our present Exhortation First therefore if the Church and People of God stand really possessed of that high priviledge and prerogative Royall that hath beene spoken of if they have indeed that interest in the Lord Almighty in his Mercy Wisdome Power with all the rest of his glorious perfections as hath been proved then heare all you that are enemies to the People of the God of Abraham you that either cry out with Edom or speake it in your hearts with Sanballat Tobiah and such like under-hand enemies of the Church of God Down with it down with it even to the ground let this generation I say heare from all the ends of the earth and suffer two words of Exhortation First be exhorted and perswaded to lay aside all thoughts of violence to let fall all your desires and purposes of evâ—â— against the generation of the righteous so greatly beloved on high have nothing to doe with these men in a way of hatred and contradiction Breake your Swords into Mattocks and your Speares into Sithes and lift not up a Sword against this Nation neither accustome your selves to fight against them any more Suffer them to passe peaceably and safely through your Land if the earth be yours but indeed it is theirs towards their
eye hath cost the world deare The touching of it hath cost the blood of the greatest Monarchs of many Kings and Princes of the earth It hath cost whole Monarchies Kingdomes and States the greatest the richest the strongest that ever the world saw their whole Estates Riches Glory and Peace True we reade often of the jealousie of God over his great name in respect of any pollutions and prophanation of it by other sins but we do not reade of his great jealousie but only for and over Jerusalem his Church but as concerning the case of Jerusalem wee reade of it twice in the same Prophet Zach. 1.14.8.2 As if God had a jealousie and a jealousie a two-fold jealousie a double and a single a greater and a lesse and the lesser jealousie he puts on and armes himselfe with when he went forth to execute vengeance for other sins but whē he sets forth against the enemies of his Church when he comes to plead Jerusalems cause with her adversaries his double jealousie now went on his great jealousie was reserved for causes of this nature as of highest and greatest importance for his glory Yea I shall say yet more that when men have put forth their hands to this worke I meane to afflict the Church of God upon the fairest termes upon greatest advantage or likelihood that can be conceived of doing any good upon it and making earnings of it I meane when they have seemed in doing it even to give the right hand of fellowship to God himselfe when he hath begun to punish them yet did never any man come off fairely from the worke God still found something or other against those that were his workmen and executioners which made a breach between him and them they never eate of their labours nor ever rejoyced in any of these works of their hand seldome any of their heads went downe in peace to their Graves An instance hereof we may see in the Aegyptians according to the Lords owne prediction long before how it would fall out Know for a surety saith the Lord to Abraham Gen. 15.13 14. that thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them foure hundred yeares notwithstanding the Nation whom they shall ferve will I judge c. And that God did not only foresee and foretell this that the Israelites should serve the Aegyptians and be in bondage but that himselfe had a speciall hand in it in bringing it to passe it is evident from Psal 105.25 where it is said that God turned their heart i. e. the heart of the Aegyptians to hate his people and to deale craftily with his servants because they began now to be corrupted in Aegypt and to displease him God tooke off the good will and the affections of the Aegyptians from them and yet we know how deare the Aegyptians paid for that worke and service the Israelites did them they had better have given double treble wages to other men to have made their Bricks then to have the people of God make them for nothing Other instances of like nature you may finde in Scripture Esa 36.20 if you reade Psal 78.61.2 with Psal 65.8 you shall finde a passage of like importance Rabsheka it is like lyed or at least spake upon a groundlesse presumption viz. because till then he had prospered when he told Hezekia's messengers that he was not come against Jerusalem without the Lord God had said to him destroy it But in Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel the case is plaine 2 Chron. 36.17 it is said expresly that God brought upon them the King of the Caldeans yet if you reade Ier. 50.17 18. besides many other places you shall finde he had his wages paid him in sorrow and desolation Israel is scattered as Sheep the Lions have driven him away First the King of Assyria hath devoured him and last this Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon hath broken his bones Therefore saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel Behold I will punish the King of Babylon and his Land as I have punished the King of Assyria c. So Iudges 3.12 you may reade the like of Eglon King of Moab it is expresly said that God strengthened his hand against Israel c. yet we know this medling with Israel was his ruine As for example of the just vengeance and fiery indignation of the Lord breaking out upon those who without any warrant or commission from him have evill intreated despitefully used oppressed and persecuted the Church of God these both in sacred Records and other Histories of the Church are without end or number There is not only a Cloud of such witnesses but the whole heaven is spread over with them and divers of them known unto all men So that it would be but time lost to produce them Therefore now I beseech you consider you that are enemies of the truth that have imbittered spirits against the holy City and Church of God consider and ponder with your selves the truth and weight of this motive There was no man ever spread a snare to take the People of God with but first or last if he continued his malice his owne foot was taken with it No man ever digged a Pit for such but fell himselfe into it no man ever attempted mischief against it and continued in it but it still returned upon him and fell on his own pate as David speaketh It was the argument the Lord Jesus Christ himselfe used to Paul when he tooke him hard at this worke busie in persecuting the Saints and meant to take him off from it Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9.5 It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against sharpe pointed Irons as Goads or Nailes have teaching that a man cannot lift up his hand or heele against the meanest of the servants of God but with as much folly and madnesse and with as little hope of doing themselves good as he that shall stand chopping and dashing his naked hands or feete against the sharpest points of weapons or instruments made of Steele or Iron Pilates wives argument that she used to take of her husband from having any thing further to doe against Christ was that she had suffered many things that day in a dreame by reason of him Mat. 27.19 But the argument wherewith the Holy Ghost now presseth upon you to have no more to doe against these men is of greater efficacy not only one womā hath suffered many things in a dreame but a thousand thousands both men and women whole Nations and Kingdomes and States as was said Kings and Princes and mighty ones of the earth have suffered really full waking in deed and in truth the soarest and most grievous destructions the most fierce fiery and horrid judgements that the world hath seen To let all other instances passe only to mention that fiery storme and tempest which was the
be unto dissolution corruption though not as the end yet as the meanes whereas wee know corruption in that sense whether considered as end or meanes is contrary to the desire much more the fervent desire of every creature Therefore the vanity whereunto the creature is here said to be subject and to be subdued unto viz. by the over-ruling hand and power of God seems rather to be meant of a vanity in their service and labour implying that they doe otherwise then they have a minde to doe or then stands with their owne inclination and so it is to be taken rather for a vanity of sorrow then of mutability which is called a bondage of corruption ver 21. either because to be thus subdued and held to it by God to serve his enemies it is to the creature as unpleasant and bitter as a bondage unto corruption or because such a subjection doth staine and corrupt the glory of the creature Notwithstanding it is the pleasure of God so to have it for a season and in respect of that hope God hath given it that it shall shortly be delivered the creature is well content with it it is no vanity to it in either of these respects Now if question be made Wherefore doth God subdue the creature to vanity in this sense and compells it to serve and comfort wicked and sinfull men One maine reason is this It is because God hath yet many of his Children upon the way of their Pilgrimage in the world amongst them and he hath more to succeed them for a while But if these were once all through the Wildernesse of this world and entered into their glorious rest God would deliver the creature from the bondage mentioned it shall no more minister to the children of disobedience but shall be restored into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God it shall be as free from serving sinfull men as these in the state of the Resurrection shall be free from obeying any sinfull corruption Therefore those that seek to take away the lives of the Saints of God they make the foundations of the round world to reele totter and stagger and attempt to shake the pillars of heaven and earth They doe as if a man should undermine and dig down the foundations of the house he dwells in to cause it to fall on his head and those that were with him We see whilest Lot was in Sodome Gen. 9.22 Sodome was in Lot i. e. the safety and peace of Sodome was in Lot I can doe nothing saith the Angell to him meaning towards the destruction of the City till thou beest gone out of it and hast taken Sanctuary Now suppose the men of the City had persecuted Lot and thrust him out of their City before this as words brake out that way they were talking of such a matter ver 9. had not the storme and tempest of the fiery indignation of the Lord come swifter upon them then it did Except those daies were shortned saith our Saviour of the troubles of Jerusalem no flesh could be saved but for the Elects sake these daies shall be shortened Mat. 24.22 On the contrary concerning the mercies and good things wicked men enjoy in this world except these dayes were lengthened and prolonged there could none of these mercies be enjoyed but for the elect and righteous mens sakes these dayes are lengthened unto them And therefore the Prophet Esay makes a solemne and sad observation upon it that righteous men should perish and so few consider it and lay it to heart Esay 57.1 The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart c. as if it were a thing of neare concernment and to be taken much to heart when a righteous member is cut off from the body of any State or Society of men and yet of the two it is a thing much more to be laid to heart that such a righteous man should be thrust our by men themselves from amongst them or lose his life by their hand then if God should take him away by death It is true in both cases it is likely he is taken away from the evill to come but in the former when men destroy the righteous from amongst them the evil to come is like to come both more suddenly more heavily upon those that are left Therefore they that persecute the Saints of God they call for fire as it were downe from heaven upon their owne heads they put a sword into the Lords hand wherewith to slay them If that Scarlet Whore of Rome had been or ever should be able to performe the devise she imagined and yet imagines daily to roote out all the holy Seed the whole family that is descended of Jesus Christ in all the world so that she had left none but her owne adulterous generation to possesse the earth she might then thinke indeed that she sate like a Queen but the truth is she should have prevented her judgment and torments so much the sooner Shee had but brought the feare and dread of the devill which was To be tormented before his time so much the more speedily upon his owne head Suppose the Lord had given us up into their bloody hands which yet we and our posterity shall have cause to blesse him so long as the Sunne and Moone indures that it was far from all his thoughts to doe but put case I say that she had been let alone with State People Gospell Religion that she might have done with all these as it is said the Jewes did by Iohn the Baptist Mat. 17.12 even what she list that she had triumphed in that fatall blow for ought that she knew or was aware of she might have shaken the foundations of her owne Mountaines and have caused her Sun to have set over her head even at noone dayes she might have thundered even the Lord Jesus Christ out of heaven to have taken speedy vengeance upon those that would bring up hell from beneath upon the face of the earth and that had destroyed out of the world the beauty and glory of it Fourthly and lastly this consideration also may prevaile with the enemies of the Church and People of God to cause them to desist from persecuting the Saints from attempting and plotting evill against them because they cannot lift up a hand against these but in a way of unrighteousnesse wrong They are called in Scripture The generation of the righteous and their waies are just and holy and good therefore whoever shall touch any of these to doe them any harme to afflict or bring evill upon them cannot be innocent but injustice and violence will be found in his hands Many of those that are the sourest enemies of the Church and that beare a tyrannicall and inveterate hatred against the Saints are men that for Morall honesty and Justice stand upon termes of honour and reputation and thinke it their great glory that they wash their hands in
own Countrey their heavenly Canaan If the motion doe not yet relish and savour kindly with you let me season it with a few considerations and motives it may be then it will be found savoury meate unto you such as your soules will love First consider and ponder seriously with your selves the tenor and contents of the Doctrine delivered and fully established and this alone will be a pledge sufficient to warrant the counsell and advise given you to be good and wholesome These men against whom your eye is evill whose flesh you eate like bread and whose blood you drinke like sweet and pleasant Wine against whom you have suffered your selves to be provoked and inraged by the cursed and common enemy both yours theirs the devill These men I say have interest in heaven and are the Children the Sons Daughters of the Almighty they are a people confederate with the great and terrible Lord of Hosts they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they are called a peculiar People unto him or as the word signifieth they are a People more then a People as Iohn Baptist is said by our Saviour to be a Prophet yea and more then a Prophet Shall any man but such as love death and seek their owne destruction and confusion as a treasure rise up against these or offer to lay their hand upon these annointed ones Is it because there is no other way that leadeth to destruction As the People in their murmurings against Moses reasoned with him Hast thou brought us to die in the Wildernesse because there were no Graves in Aegypt meaning there was Grave-room enough in the Wildernesse but nothing else Ex. 14.11 So let me reason the case with those men that will needs magnifie thēselves as the Scriptures speake against this heritage of the Lord. Is it because they thinke no other sin no other way of wickednesse against God that will bring vengeance and damnation swift enough upon their heads unlesse they provoke him in his holy ones Know they not how to provoke the Lord to anger to purpose by striking at him in other places except they smite him in the face Nay except they levell and aime at the very apple of his eye which is the tenderest part in the face There is no Childe of God but may speake it as truly as the Wisdome or Truth of God it self doth Prov. 8.35 He that sinneth against me hurteth his owne soule and all that hate me love death they love death i. e. if death were a thing to be loved and desired men could take no way more ready and certaine to obtaine it then by hating the Wisdome and let me put in also then by hating the Children and People of God What Is that man of sin and all his confederates with him all that have been baptized in the spirit of that fornication are they afraid and of doubtfull and deliberative thoughts whether all their other sins abominations wherein notwithstanding they are mighty men like the sons of Anak of old and other sinners in the world of ordinary stature are but Grashoppers to them doe they indeed question whether all their other sins be able to bring downe that great Mountaine of their power is it made so strong that unlesse they drinke also freely of the blood of the Saints they are afraid that God otherwise should passe them over and forget them when he comes to take vengeance of the world Are they afraid they shall perish and be destroyed but after the common manner of other men and that their destruction shall not come upon them with a sufficient glory of terrour and astonishment or as Esaies expression is like a destruction from the Almighty Esay 13.6 except they make havock in the Lords heritage Doe they know that this is a sin by it selfe for the purpose that will swell and be seen in their destruction above all their other sins Doe they thinke they shall never have their cup full of the fury and indignation of the Almighty except they provoke him in his Saints Surely my Brethren the tenour and proceedings of their malice and hatred against the servants of the living God and glorious Gospell of Jesus Christ Their Faggots their Fires their Swords their Poysons their Whips their Ships their Vaults their Powder their Billets their Barres these and such like strange things and doings of theirs being interpreted in the plaine language which the Scripture speaketh are as much as to say we would not fall or be destroyed after the dull manner of other Kingdomes of the earth we would have the day of our vengeance celebrated with more solemnity of horrour we shall not be satisfied with our destruction except the powers of heaven and earth be shaken together at the terrour of it If such a desire were indeed and in truth to be found in these men and in their religion if it were a reall designe and project amongst them to procure another hell to be created for them by themselves beneath the nethermost hell that is now extant wherein they might have more cruell tormentors then devills a more horrid Lake then that which burneth with Fire and Brimstone a darknesse blacker then utter darknesse a Worme that shall gnaw with greater extremity then that which never dyeth a Fire that shall burne with more paine and torture then that which is unquenchable where weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth should be but pleasure and recreation They could not furnish themselves with any other meanes under heaven more sutable and better proportioned to bring such a thing to passe then to set themselves in that desperate and implacable manner as they doe to fall upon the rereward of the Hosts of heaven for so may the Saints on earth be well termed they are called Angels in the Revelation for that communion and fellowship they have with the Angels in fighting Christs battailes here beneath then by seeking to roote out the generation of the righteous from under heaven then by grieving and afflicting the soules that have that precious interest in God This is one consideration or motive to presse the Exhortation upon the enemy A second motive to perswade the enemies of the Church of God to stay their hands and to give over that service of the devill persecuting Saints may be this because it is a worke that never prospered in the hands of any from the beginning of the world till this day but still hath been a work like the Land of Canaan as the spies described it to the people Num. 13.32 that eates up the Inhabitants of it So this work of persecuting the Church and Children of God hath ever been a worke and imployment that hath been the ruine and destruction of the doers of it Yea the sharpest and sorest contentions that ever fell betweene heaven and earth between God and the men of this world have still risen about injuries and violence offered to his Church This apple of Gods