manner Thirdly When are the Seasons Fourthly Why God delivers Fifthly How the deliverances of the Godly and Wicked out of Trouble differ First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That God doth deliver his Children out of Troubles Psal. 22.4 Our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliver them 2 Tim. 4.17 And I was delivered out of the Mouth of the Lion viz. from Nero. Psal. 66.11 12. Thou laidst Affliction upon our Loins but thou broughtest us out into a Wealthy Place Psal. 30.5 Heaviness may endure for a Night but Ioy cometh in the Morning God brought Daniel out of the Lions Den Sihon out of Babylon God in his due time gives an issue out of trouble Psal. 68.20 The Tree which in Winter seems dead in the Spring revives Post nubila Phaebus Affliction may leap on us as the Viper did on Paul but at last this Viper shall be shaked off 'T is called a Cup of Affliction Isa. 51.17 The Wicked drink a Sea of Wrath the Godly drink only a Cup of Affliction and God will say shortly Let this Cup pass away God will give his People a Goal Delivery Secondly Quest. In what manner doth God deliver his People out of Trouble Resp. He doth it like a God in Wisdom 1. He doth it sometimes suddenly as the Angel was caused to fly swiftly Dan. 9.21 So God sometimes makes a Deliverance fly swiftly upon the Wing and on a Suddain he turns the shadow of Death into the Light of the Morning As God gives us Mercies above what we can think Ephes. 3.20 so sometimes before we can think of them Psal. 126.1 When the Lord turned the Captivity of Sion we were like them that Dreamed we were in a Dream we never thought of it Ioseph could not have thought of such a sudden Alteration to be the same Day freed out of Prison and made the chief Ruler in the Kingdom Mercy sometimes doth not stick long in the Birth but it is brought forth on a sudden 2. God sometimes delivers his People strangely That the Whale which swallow'd up Ionah should be a means to bring him safe to Land God sometimes delivers his People in that very way they think he will destroy In Bringing Israel out of Egypt God stirred up the Hearts of the Egyptians to hate them Psal. 105.22 And that was the means of their Deliverance He brought Paul to Shoar by a contrary Wind and upon the broken Pieces of the Ship Acts 27.44 Thirdly Quest. When are the times and Seasons that God usually delivers his People out of the Bondage of Affliction Resp. 1. When they are in the greatest Extremity When Ionah was in the Belly of Hell then Chap. 2.5 Thou hast brought up my Life from Corruption When there is but an Hairs breadth between the Godly and Death then God ushers in Deliverance When the Ship in the Gospel was almost covered with Waves then Christ awoke and rebuked the Wind. When Isaac was upon the Altar and the Knife going to be put to his Throat then comes the Angel Lay not thy Hand upon the Child When Peter began to sink then Christ took him by the Hand Cum duplicantur lateres venit Moses When the Tale of Brick was doubled then comes Moses the Temporal Saviour When the People of God are in the greatest danger then appears the Morning Star of Deliverance When the Patient is ready to faint now the Cordial is given 2. The Second Season is when Affliction hath done its Work upon them When it hath effected that God hath sent it for As First When it hath humbled them Lam. 3.19 Remembring my Affliction the Wormwood and Gall my Soul is humbled in me When Gods Corrosive hath eat out the Proud Flesh. Secondly When it hath tamed their Impatience Before they were proud and impatient like froward Children that would struggle with their Parents but when their curst Hearts are tamed and they say as Micah 7.9 I will bear the Indignation of the Lord because I have sin'd against him and as Eli It is the Lord let him do what seems him good Let him hedge me with Thorns if he will plant me with Grace 3 When they are more Partakers of God's Holiness Heb. 12.10 they are more full of Heavenly-Mindedness When the sharp Frost of Affliction hath brought forth the Spring Flowers of Grace now the Cross is sanctified and God will bring them out of the House of Bondage Luctus in laetitiam vertetur cineres in Corollas When the Metal is refined then it is taken out of the Furnace When Affliction hath heal'd us now God takes off the smarting Plaister Fourthly Quest. Why doth God bring his People out of the House of Bondage Resp. Hereby he makes way for his own Glory Gods Glory is dearer to him than any thing besides it is a Crown-Jewel God by raising his People raiseth the Trophies of his own Honour He glorifies his Attributes His Power Goodness Truth do all Ride in Triumph 1. His Power If God did not sometimes bring his People into Trouble how would his Power be seen in bringing them out He brought Israel out of the House of Bondage with Miracle upon Miracle he saved them with an outstretched-Arm Psal. 114.5 What ailed thee O thou Sea that thou fleddest c. It is spoken of Israel's March out of Egypt when the Sea fled and the Waters were parted each from other Here was the power of God set forth Ier. 32.27 Is any thing too hard for me God loves to help when things seem past hope he creates Deliverance Psal. 124.8 He brought Isaac out of a Dead Womb and the Messiah out of a Virgins Womb. O how doth his Power shine forth when he overcomes seeming Impossibilities and works a Cure when things look desperate 2. His Truth God hath made Promises to his People when they are under great pressures to deliver them and his Truth is engaged in his Promise Psal. 50.15 Call-upon me in the Day of Trouble I will deliver thee Job 5.19 He shall deliver thee in Six Troubles and in Seven How is the Scripture bespangled with these Promises as the Firmament is with Stars either God will deliver them from Death or by Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will make a way to escape 1 Cor. 10.13 When Promises are verified God's Truth is magnified 3. His Goodness God is full of Compassion to such as are in Misery The Hebrew Word Racham for Mercy signifies Bowels God hath Soundings of Bowels Isa. 63.15 And this Sympathy stirs up God to deliver Isa. 63.9 In his Love and in his Pity he Redeemed them This makes way for the Triumph of Gods Goodness First He is Tender-hearted he will not over-afflict he cuts asunder the Bars of Iron he breaks the Yoaks of the Oppressor Thus all his Attributes ride in Triumph in the saving his People out of Trouble Fifthly Quest. How the Deliverances of the Godly and Wicked out of Trouble differ Resp. 1. The deliverances of
boast what we will do to morrow The Apostle seems in the Text to meet with them by way of Answer Do ye know all this Then the greater is your Sin that you do it not To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is Sin I shall only explain this Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him it is Sin that is it is an heinous Sin it is Sin with a witness every infirmity every thing that falls short of the Rule is Sin much more that which contradicts the Rule this man's Sin hath an Emphasis it is a crimson Sin and it shall have a greater punishment He that knew his Master's Will and did it not shall be beaten with many stripes Luke 12.47 If he that sins ignorantly be damned then he that sins knowingly shall be double damned 1. Doct. implied That we ought to know to do good know our Duty 2. That we ought not only to know to do good but to do it 3. That he that knoweth to do good and doth it not is of all others most guilty 1. Doct. implied That we ought to know to do good we ought to be well informed of those things which are to be done by us in order to Salvation The Word written is a Rule of Knowledge and the Word preached is a Commentary upon the Word written and both of them are to enrich our understanding and to nurse us up in the knowledge of that which is good The Reasons why we should know to do good are 1. Knowledge is our Lamp and Star to guide us in the Truth It shews us what we are to do and what we are to leave undone If we do not know that which is good we can never practise it Without Knowledge we cannot do any thing in Religion aright we offer up the Blind we cannot give God a reasonable Sacrifice He that doth not know his Trade is like to make but bad Work of it 2. Knowledge is the Foundation of all Grace Every Grace borrows its Light from this Lamp it is the radical Vertue it is the Seed out of which the Flower of Grace grows it ushers in Faith They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee Psal. 9.10 Knowledge carries the Torch before Faith A blind Faith is as bad as a dead Faith It inflames Love Phil. 1.9 This I pray that your Love may abound yet more and more in Knowledge The Knowledge of Christ's Beauty enticeth our Love it breeds Perseverance it is like the Mariner's Lanthorn to direct the Ship and as the Anchor that holds it steddy in Storms and Tempests The Apostle joyns these two together unlearned and unstable 2 Pet. 3.16 Such as are unlearned will be unstable 3. The chief Work in Conversion consists in Knowledge Rom. 12.2 Be ye transformed by the renewing of your Mind The Mind being renewed the Man is transformed The first thing in the Creation was Light so in Conversion the first thing is Illumination The first part of God's Image consists in Knowledge Col. 3.10 The first thing a Limner draws in a Picture is the Eye so the first thing God draws in the Soul is the Eye of Knowledge Psal 51.6 In the hidden part thou shal◠make me to know Wisdom 4. There is nothing in Religion though never so excellent can do us good without Knowledge The Blessed Sacrament which is one of the highest Ordinances yet if we come to it without Knowledge it can do us no good What Benefit can he receive that is not able to discern the Lord's Body If one come to a Physick Garden and knows not the Nature of the Herbs he may gather Poison instead of the Physical Herb as he who went into the Field and gathered wild Gourds and then there was Death in the Pot 2 Kings 4.39 So if one understand not the Mystery of the Lord's Supper there is Death in the Cup he eats and drinks his own Damnation Vse See how necessary it is to get the knowledge of what is good It ushers in Salvation 1 Tim. 2.4 We must know to do good before we can do it Omne Peccatum fundatur in ignorantia Ignorance of God is the cause of all Sin Ier. 9.3 They proceed from evil to evil and know not me saith the Lord. Ignorance of God damns Hos. 4.6 My People are destroyed for want of Knowledge 'T is sad to be ignorant in Gospel-times to be blind in the Sun How many go to Hell blind-fold And which is worse not only nescire but nolle scire they do not only not know Good but they are not willing to know Ier. 9.6 They refuse to know me saith the Lord. II. Doct. That we ought not only to know to do Good but to do it This the Apostle implies To him that knows to do good and doth it not he implies that he who knows to do Good should do it The End of Knowledge is Practice Search from one end of the Bible to the other and you will find that it is the practick part of Religion is chiefly intended The Crown is not set upon the Head of Knowledge but Practice Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life The Eye is to direct the Foot Knowledge is the Eye that is to direct the Foot of Obedience Vse 1. It shews us wherein most Christians are defective in the Times of Gospel viz. In the doing part of Religion they know how to do Good but do it not They have good Eye-sight but are lame on their Feet they are like Rachel beautiful in regard of Knowledge but barren We are like our first Parents greedy of the Tree of Knowledge Knowledge is an Ornament and People love to hang this Jewel on their Ear but though they know what they ought to do yet they do it not They know they should abstain from evil and pursue Holiness they know to do Good but do it not 1. They know they should abstain from evil They know they should not swear Matth. 5.34 Swear not all yet they do it they are more free of their Oaths than their Alms. They know uncleanness to be a Sin it wastes the Body wounds the Conscience blots the Name damns the Soul Gal. 5.19 Yet they will go on in that Sin and for a Cup of Pleasure drink a Sea of Wrath. They know Drunkenness to be a Sin it doth brutifie them take away their Reason they cannot think to go reeling to Heaven God is brewing a Cup for the Drunkard Rev. 16.19 The Cup of the Wine of the fierceness of his Wrath Wormwood-Wine yet he will not leave his drunken Fits Men know that rash censuring is a Sin Iam. 4.11 Speak not evil one of another Brethren Yet they are guilty of this they will not swear but they will slander and speak to the prejudice of others They can never make them Recompence for this No Physician can heal the Wounds of the
aspects and smiles of Gods Face Which brings me to the third thing 3. The Saints at Death shall not only have a Sight of God but shall enjoy the Love of God there shall be no more Veil on Gods Face nor his Smiles checker'd with Frowns but Gods love shall discover it self in all its Orient Beauty and fragrant Sweetness Here the Saints pray for Gods Love and they have a few drops but there they shall have as much as their Vessel can receive To know this love passeth Knowledge This will cause a Jubilation of Spirits and create such Holy Raptures of Joy in the Saints as are Superlative and would soon overwhelm them if God did not make them able to bear 4. Believers at Death shall gain a Celestial Palace an House not made with Hands 2 Cor. 5.1 Here the Saints are straitned for Room they have but mean Cottages to live in but they shall have a Royal Palace to live in Here is but their Sojourning House there in Heaven is their Mansion-house An House built high above all the Visible Orbs an House bespangled with Light Col. 1.12 Enriched with Pearls and Precious Stones Rev. 21.19 And this is not their Landlord's House but their Father's House Iohn 14.2 And this House stands all upon Consecrated Ground it is set out by Transparent Glass to shew the Holiness of it Rev. 21.27 5. Believers at Death shall gain the sweet Society of glorified Saints and Angels This will add something to the felicity of Heaven as every Star adds some lustre to the Firmament First The Society of the glorified Saints we shall see them in their Souls as well as in their Bodies Their Bodies will be so clear and bright that we shall see their Souls shining through their Bodies as the Wine through the Glass and Believers at Death shall have Converse with the Saints glorified And how delightful will that be when they shall be freed from all their Sinful Corruptions Pride Envy Passion Censoriousness which are Scars upon them here to disfigure them In Heaven there shall be perfect Love among the Saints they shall as the Olive and Myrtle sweetly embrace each other The Saints shall know one another as Luther speaks If in the Transfiguration Peter knew Moses and Elias which he never saw before Mat. 17.3 then much more in the glorified State the Saints shall perfectly know one another though they never saw them before Secondly The Saints at Death shall behold the Angels with the glorified Eye of their Understanding The Wings of the Cherubins representing the Angels were made of Fine Gold to denote both their Sanctity and Splendor The Angels are compared to Lightning Mat. 28.3 because of those Sparkling Beams of Majesty which as Lightning shoot from them And when Saints and Angels shall meet and sing together in Consort in the Heavenly Quire what Divine Harmony what Joyful Triumphs will it Create 6. Believers at Death shall gain Perfection of Holiness Here Grace was but in Cunabulis in its Cradle very Imperfect we cannot write a Copy of Holiness without Blotting Believers are said to receive but Primitias Spiritus the first Fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 But at Death the Saints shall arrive at Perfection their Knowledge clear their Sanctity perfect their Sun shall be in its full Meridian Splendour They need not then pray for Encrease of Grace they shall Love God as much as they would Love him and as much as he desires to have them Love him they shall be then in respect of Holiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Angels of God 7. At Death the Saints shall gain a Royal Magnificent Feast I told you before what a glorious Palace they shall have but a Man may starve in a House if there be no Chear The Saints at Death shall have a Royal Banquet shadowed out in Scripture by a Marriage Supper Rev. 19.9 Bullinger and Gregory the Great understand by that Marriage-Supper of the Lamb the stately Magnificent Festival the Saints shall have in Heaven they shall feed on the Tree of Life Rev. 22. They shall have the Heavenly Nectar and Ambrosia the Spiced Wine and Iuice of the Pomegranate Cant. 8.2 This Royal Supper of the Lamb will not only satisfie Hunger but prevent it Rev. 7 16. They shall hunger no more Nor can there be any Surfeit at this Feast because a fresh Course will be continually served in New and fresh Delights will spring from God therefore the Tree of Life in Paradise is said to bear Twelve sorts of Fruit Rev. 22.2 8. Believers at Death shall gain Honour and Dignity they shall reign as Kings therefore we read of the Ensigns of their Royalty their White Robes and Crowns Caelestial 2 Tim. 4.7 We read that the Doors of the Holy of Holies were made of Palm-Trees and open Flowers covered with Gold 1 Kings 6.35 An Emblem of that Victory and Triumph and that Golden Garland of Honour wherewith God hath invested the Saints glorified When all Worldly Honour shall lye in the Dust the Mace the Star the Robe of Ermin the Imperial Diadem then shall the Saints Honour remain not one Jewel shall be pluck'd out of their Crown they shall gain at Death a Blessed Eternity If the Saints could have but the least Suspicion or Fear of losing their Glory it would much cool and imbitter their Joy but their Crown fades not away 1 Pet. 5.4 As the Wicked have a Worm that never dies so the Elect have a Crown that never fades Ever is a short Word but hath no ending in fine erit gaudium sine fine Bern. 2 Cor. 4.18 The things which are not seen are Eternal Psal. 16.11 At thy right Hand are Pleasures for evermâ—re Who can span Eternity Millions of Ages stand but for Ciphers in Eternity This is the Elah or highest strain of the Saints Glory ever in Christ's Bosom Quest. How come the Saints to have all this Gain Resp. Believers have a right to all this Gain at Death upon a diverse account By vertue of the Fathers Donation the Sons Purchase the Holy Ghosts Earnest and Faiths acceptance Therefore the state of future glory is called the Saints proper inheritance Col. 1.12 They are Heirs of God and have a right to inherit Use 1. See the great difference between the Death of the Godly and the Wicked the Godly are great gainers at Death the Wicked are great Losers at Death They loose Four things 1. They lose the World and that is a great loss to the Wicked they laid up their Treasure upon Earth and to be turned out of all at once is a great loss 2. They lose their Souls Mat. 16.26 The Soul was at first a noble piece of Coin which God stamped his own Image upon this Caelestial spark is more precious than the whole Globe of the World But the Sinners Soul is lost not that the Souls of the Wicked are annihilated at Death but damnified 3. They lose Heaven Heaven is Sedes
Children to show their Honour to their Parents Resp. I. In a Reverential Esteem of their Persons They must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give them a Civil Veneration Therefore when the Apostle speaks of Fathers of our Bodies he speaks also of giving them Reverence Heb. 12.9 This Veneration or Reverence must be shown 1. Inwardly by Fear mixed with Love Lev. 19.3 Ye shall fear every Man his Mother and his Father In the Commandment the Father is named First here the Mother is named First 1. Partly to put the Honour upon her the Mother because by reason of many Weaknesses incident to her Sex she is apt to be more slighted by Children And 2. Partly because the Mother endures more for the Child therefore here God gives the Mother the Priority names her first Ye shall fear every one his Mother and his Father 2. Reverence must be shown to Parents Outwardly viz. In Word and Gesture 1. In Word and that either in speaking to Parents or speaking of them First Reverence in speaking to Parents Children must speak to Parents respectively and in decent Language 1 Kings 2.20 Ask on my Mother said King Solomon to his Mother Bathsheba Secondly Reverence in speaking of Parents Children must speak of their Parents honourably they ought to speak well of them if they deserve well Prov. 31.28 Her Children rise up and call her Blessed And in case a Parent betrays Weakness and Indiscretion the Child should make the best of it and by his wise Apologies for his Father cover his Fathers Nakedness 2. In Gesture Children are to show their Reverence to their Parents by Submissive Behaviour by uncovering the Head bending the Knee Ioseph tho he were a Great Prince and his Father grown poor yet he bow'd to him and behaved himself as humbly as if his Father had been the Prince and he the poor Man Gen. 48.46 And King Solomon when his Mother came to him rose off his Throne and bowed himself to her 1 Kings 2.19 Among the Lacedemonians if a Child had carried himself arrogantly and sawcily to his Father it was lawful for the Father to appoint whom he would to be his Heir O how many Children are far from this giving Reverence to their Parents They despise their Parents they carry themselves with that Pride and Malapertness towards them that they are a shame to Religion and bring their Parents Grey Hairs with Sorrow to the Grave Deut. 27.16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his Father or Mother If all that set light by their Parents are Cursed how many Children in our Age are under a Curse If such as are disrespectful to their Parents live to have Children they will be Thorns in their sides and God will make them read their Sin in their Punishment II. The Second way of showing Honour to Parents is in careful Obedience Col. 3.20 Children obey your Parents in all things Our Lord Christ herein set a Pattern to Children Luke 2.51 He was subject to his Parents He to whom Angels were subject yet was subject to his Parents This Obedience to Parents is shown three ways 1. In hearkning to their Counsel Prov. 1.8 Hear the Instruction of thy Father and forsake not the Law of thy Mother Parents are as it were in the room of God if they would teach you the Fear of the Lord you must listen to their Words as Oracles and not be as the deaf Adder to stop your Ears Ely's Sons hearkned not to the Voice of their Father 1 Sam. 2.25 but they were called Sons of Belial ver 12. And Children must hearken to the Counsel of their Parents as in Spiritual Matters so in other Affairs which relate to this Life as in the Choice of a Calling and in case of entring into Marriage Iacob would not dispose of himself in Marriage tho he were Forty Years old without the Advice and Consent of his Parents Gen. 28.1 2. Children are as it were the Parents proper Goods and Possession and it is high Injustice in a Child to give away her self without the Parents leave If Parents should indeed counsel a Child to match with one that is Irreligious or Popish I think the case is plain and many of the Learned are of Opinion that here the Child may have a Negative Voice and is not obliged to be ruled by the Parent Children are to marry in the Lord 1 Cor. 7.39 Therefore not with Persons Irreligious for that is not to marry in the Lord. 2. Obedience to Parents is shown in subscribing to their Commands A Child should be the Parents Eccho When the Father speaks the Child should Eccho back Obedience The Rechabites were forbidden by their Father to drink Wine and they did obey him and were commended for it Ier. 35.6 And Children must obey their Parents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all things Col. 3.20 Things that are more against the Grain and which they have some Reluctancy to yet they must obey their Parents Esau would obey his Father when he commanded him to fetch him Venison because it is probable he took pleasure in hunting but refused to obey him in a matter of greater Concernment namely in the Choice of a Wife But tho Children must obey their Parents in all things yet restringitur ad licita honesta it is with this Limitation Things just and honest Obey in the Lord Ephes. 6.1 That is so far as the Commands of Parents agree with and are consonant to Gods Commands If they command against God here they lose their Right of being obeyed and in this Case we must unchild our selves 3. Honour is to be shown to Parents in relieving their Wants Ioseph cherished his Father in his Old Age Gen. 47.12 It is but the paying a just Debt Parents have brought up Children when they were young and Children ought to nourish their Parents when they are old The young Storks by the Instinct of Nature bring Meat to the Old Storks when by reason of Age ther are not able to fly Pliny Lex Pelargica The Memory of Aeneas was honoured for carrying his Aged Father out of Troy when it was on Fire I have read of a Daughter whose Father being condemned to be starv'd to Death she did in Prison give him Suck with her own Breasts which being known to the Governours procured his Freedom out of Prison To blame are such shall I say Children or Monsters who are ashamed of their Parents when they are old and fallen to decay When Parents Tears and lean Cheeks may plead Pity yet Children have no Compassion When they ask for Bread they give them a Stone When Houses are shut up we say the Plague is there When Childrens Hearts are shut up against their Parents the Plague is in those Hearts Our blessed Saviour took great Care for his Mother When he was on the Cross he charg'd his Disciple Iohn to take her home to him as his Mother and see that she wanted nothing Iohn 19.26 27. The Reasons