wife which is indeed the thing they aim at for though they say it is with something in the contract they are dissatisfied as not drawn up according to their mind yet indeed it is with the marriage that they are displeased for their butt holiness whereunto the marriage contract obligeth and so the renting off their double of the contract whereunto formerly they gave their consent will not make him give up with our Land and scatter his family again Likewise it will be clear from the second Psalm That the Lord will not give up with Scotland for there you will find the present case of our Land clearly set down for there is plotting against the Lord and his anointed and it is not with the Heathens only that the Lord is expostulating but also he is reproving a people who have formerly professed service to him and that have been under bonds and tyes unto him for they say Let us break their bands asunder and cast their cords away from us now if they had been Heathens then had they been under no bonds to him as they were yea the phrase is very emphatick and very significant for they say their bands implying that they would esteem Gods bands to be nothing else but the bands and cords of men that hurt them therefore they say their bands whereas they should say his bands And then the Lord begins to plead Christs right and shews that it is not by way of set tack for so many years that Christ should have these lands but in possession are they given unto him for he saith Ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Now it is concluded by all that Scotland is the uttermost part and corner of the world and therefore it was given to Christ and that not for a set time of lett but as a sure and everlasting possession so our Land being given to Christ and that as an inheritance and possession whereof the second Psalm and 8. verse is his standing Charter in the Bible we must not think that he will quit his possession but will keep his right and inheritance and therefore we declare our Land a married Land unto the Lord and a sure and on given unto Christ and therefore there being a standing evidence and charter for his inheritance and possession and a standing marriage contract and the marriage relation continuing betwixt him and our Land he will not put away his married Church no storm shall take his possession from him nor be able to keep him away from his married Church but in spite of all impediments he shall see us again Smile O Heavens at this and be Ioyful O Earth let all things break forth into singing before him rejoyce greatly in the Lord O our souls and let all that is within us bless his holy name let the redeemed of the Lord be joyful in their King who hath married our Land unto himself and given unto us thereby sufficient ground for assurance of this that he will certainly and without all doubt See us again So we come unto another Doctrine from the words which is from the time when he did thus comfort his Disciples viz. before they entred into the heat of the fernace Whence observe Obs 2. That before the Lord enters his people into a hot furnace of affliction he useth to send them a comfortable word for incouraging their hearts in order to thoron-bearing and a blessed out-gate We see it clear in the words ere they meet with the heat of the furnace he tellls he will see them again and their hearts shall rejoyce this is clear also from divers other Scriptures before the Church go into captivity he tells them that at the end of 70 years they should teturn again and before his honest Prophet met with persecution from enemies he told him that he had made him an iron pillar and brasen walls against them Jer. 2. 18. therefore though they would fight against him yet they should not prevaile against him It was also the practice of the Apostles to comfort the people of God 1 Pet. 4. 2. Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is only to try not to destroy you Jam. chap. 1. 2. My brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers tentations viz. in suffering for they would get no hurt thereby and fear none of these things shall come upon thee saith the Lord to his people Rev. 2. for though the Devil cast some of you into prison yet afterwards it shall be well with thee be faithful therefore to the death and I shall give thee a crown of life there is a sad trial coming Isa 3. 10. but he sends a comforting word to his people Say ye to the righteous it shall be well with him Daniel 12. a sad storm c. a time of trouble such as they never saw since a nation and yet tells them at that none such ill time deliverance shall come and blessed shall they be that shall see the compleat delivery So you see the point clear viz. That the Lord useth to comfort his people e're he enter them into a hot furnace of affliction or persecution for his name Many reasons might be given why the Lord does thus comfort his people e're they enter into a hot furnace for his sake but we shall not touch them here but shall bring them in with some of the uses for the saving of time Vse 1. This lets us see what the blessed and tender disposition of Christs heart is who before he enter his people in the heat of a furnace will give them something to refresh and bear up their hearts while in it Vse 2. Secondly it lets us see that it is the duty of Ministers of the Gospel even of all that bear his name before his people to comfort them when they are like to meet with a stormy trial for his sake they should imitate their Lord and his Apostles who comforted the Church in a day of trial in the hope of a gracious out-gate Therefore let us exhort so many of you as are here whom the Lord calls to speak from his word unto his people not only Ministers who have this great work lying on them but also young men who must be faithful in the little if so we may call it labour to imitate your blessed Master in this see you a dark cloud coming upon the Church and people of God O then comfort them against the present distress tell them that they shall get a blessed out-gate and that there shall be a blessed light after the present darkness And I shall give you a few reasons by way of motive for incouraging you to comfort the people of God to whom he sends you to speak in his name 1. Motive First comfort the people of God for it is your duty upon any hazard whatsoever Isa 3. 1â— Say ye to the
Lord Jesus will see or visit us again wherefore we say unto all of you keep your hands from off the precious bread which is appointed for the mourning and heavy hearted sons and daughters of Zion for only they share with Zion in her consolations when the Lords sees her again who so loved her and mourned for her in her low condition and without the Wedding garment of repentance for these evils and a forsakeing of them together with a heart and practical sympathy with Zion in this her distress you shall never tast of this choice part of the Marriage supper and Gospel feast wherewith the fainting and trembling discouraged hearts of the people of God shall be cheared up and revived when he sees us again but we desire not altogether to leave you here and therefore we say if ye will be so wise for yout selves as to joyn your selves to Zion and from a principle of heart honesty take a share of a suffering lot with her you shall be very welcome and upon these terms we heartily invite you to come and partake of these dainties otherwayes you cannot be admitted for none can rejoyce with the people of God but they who mourn with them none can land with them upon the shore of consolation with them save they who set their face to the stormy and tempestuous waves swimming thorough the deep flouds of persecution and affliction with them But upon the other hand we do in the blessed name and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ heartily invite you to this blessed Feast of joy who are the fainting and sad hearted people of God we are not speaking to you of the great consolation wherewith your souls shall be satisfied when our Lord sees us again draw near therefore O ye discouraged sons and daughters of Zion eat of this fat and drink of this sweet for only to you doth this blessed feast belong and unto you and you only is the word of this consolation sent O rejoyce in the hope of what dancing dayes you shall have when Christ sees us again which joy shall then wreath a necessity of gladness of heart upon you as a Chain about your neck draw near therefore with all humble boldness and chearful confidence unto this feast of joy Eat O friends drink abundantly O beloved feed largely eat and drink for the time to come and journey that is before you Now for further application may not all we have said make it appear that the people of God as to their state are a most blessed people and may not all we have said be sufficient for engaging the hearts of you that are as yet strangers to the first dancings of a glorious work upon your hearts to come and joyn your selves to Zion to take a life and death with the people of God seeing they have that which may bear them up in the dâ—â—â—est afflictions and most tempestuous flâ—â—â— wherein they may be tossed But that we may draw to a close we would now speak a word unto you the people of God as to your present duty from all we have said ye see we have cleared this good ground to hope that our Lord will see you again and that ye shall have very joyfull and dancing dayes when that shall be for your hearts shall rejoyce O therefore blessed hearts be comforted in him in the hope and sure expectation of this precious day let us in the hope hereof resolve chearfully to set about those duties suitable to us in order to his seeing us again let us resolve to be faithful unto him in his absence let us resolve in the strength of him to bide by his precious truths and interests let us keep our selves free from touching the unclean thing for this will hasten his seeing us again let us do all things that tend to the good of his cause that the cause of our Lord Jesus may win the day though we should fall in the field of suffering guard against all pollutions of his Ordinances keep close by the covenant whereof ye need not be ashamed for it binds you to nothing but holiness towards God and Loyalty towards your Prince and so is the most clear â—eâ—eanly and sure Oath of Allegiance under Heaven yea 〈◊〉 the Marriage contract between God and 〈◊〉 Land so ye need think no shame of any thing in it but may cast up your face before all the World owning and avowing it before Heaven and Earth Angels and Men in a word let us set our face as flint against the storm resolving upon the greatest of hazards in the Lords strength not to yield to any thing not agreeable to the word of God when matters are violently carried on against Jesus Christ his interests and people it is the duty of all the faithful seed to set their face as flint against the storm and not to yield in a foot to any thing prest upon them contrary to his word Now 1. here is your work be faithful unto him bide by the truths of him who endured the Cross for you defile not your selves with abominations prest upon you 2. The simpathy and fellow feeling of our great high Priest who is touched with the feelings of all our trials together with the precious promises is your expence and charges whereupon you are to spend on your way 3. Christs seeing you again together with the joyful and danceing dayes ye shall then have is your incouragement O therefore up with your fainting and discouraged hearts for nothing shall keep him away from you he will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce sometimes he has even returned to these places where they had formerly sought to slay him What said his Disciples wilt thou go up to Jerusalem knowest thou not that not long ago the Jewes sought to stone thee Joh. 11. 8. Yet he went and so will he return again to us he will give us a gracious visit and our hearts shall rejoyce but many others shall look very blank at that day when he sees us again but your heart shall revive at that day O therefore comfort your fainting hearts in the hope of it that ye may go chearfully through the present distress committing the keeping of your souls unto him in the way of duty and well doing as into the hands of a faithful Creator who will make a glorious accompt of all that is committed unto him Now we have told you that our Land is a married land and that therefore he will see us again and we call God to record upon our soules that he laid a necessity of speaking this unto you and that under no less hazard then of being rejected of him never to be countenanced in his work again but to be made a weathered spectacle of his displeasure for disobedience durst we forbear to say these things unto you and we are sure it is from the Lord unto you And receiving his tender hearted Christian friends trembling which he supposing might be for fear of his danger he speaks these words What ayleth you O faithful friends in the Lord Jesus Christ and why does your faces look pale are ye affraid of the approaching storm O may not this quiet your hearts that he will carry you well through will see you again and cause your hearts rejoyce Why then are ye disconsolate are ye affraid to lose a friend for Christ and his cause O may not this satisfie your hearts as to this that it is not lost which Christ getteth it falls in a friends hand Secondly We say unto you that there is protection and security in our God in the most tempestuous and stormy day Isai 26. 2. We have a strong City what is the City there it's Gods salvation salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks where ye may see that when the Lords people have no outward protection neither walls nor bulwarks then the Lords Salvation is walls and bulwarks for their protection and shelter so that he can shelter them as within strong holds even 〈◊〉 they are amongst the greatest of snares and so may not this quiet your hearts that the Lord can protect your friends though in the midst of trouble and you have this to make up all your losses our Lord Jesus will see you again we leave you with the same soul comforting promise in your bosome that howbeit now you have sorrow because your hour is come yet he shall certainly and without all doubt see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and shall add no more â— but unto him that is able to perswade your Hearts of this That he will see you again and who can manifest the same in your joyfull experience we desire to give Praise The end of the first Sermon FINIS
themselves nor can make their sad condition known unto others 2. Obs Secondly We noted from the ground of their sorrow which was Christs departure That sometimes the Lord Jesus Christ may leave and depart from his people as to the sensible enjoyment of him 3. Obs Thirdly From the impression of sorrow was in their hearts at Christs departure we observed That there is nothing so bitter to the spirits of the Lords people as his withdrawment Their hearts were filled with sorrow All these Particulars were spoken unto at some considerable length And then from the cause of the encrease of their sorrow which was the near approach of his departure the hour was now come and therefore they were filled with sorrow we observed 4ly 4. Obs That the nearer the hour of Christs departure approacheth the hearts of his friends are the more filled with sorrow and bitterness This we cleared from the frame and disposition of the Apostles their hearts were filled with sorrow as you see verse 5. because that now the hour was come that he was to be taken away from them From this point when we had cleared it at length we took occasion to reprove three sorts of people making it applicable to our present condition And first from the point we reproved those that are never troubled for any alterations can come upon the matters of God although such things fall out as prognosticate Christs departure yet are never moved but will tell you it s all one whether Presbyterianism or Prelacie prevail provided we be still Protestants and if changes and alterations come to a greater heighth they will not trouble themselves for that neither but will tell you it is all one whether Prelacie or Popery prevail provided we be still Christians are not Papists Christians surely the Disciples of the Lord were not such their heart was filled with more sorrow as they saw the evidences of his going away Ye see to what this Region has turned already and therefore you that are indifferent people when a shaking commeth on the house of God apprehending no danger although these things prognosticate Christs departure the point tells you that you have reasons to doubt whether you have any interest or part in the rich loading which is in Christs ship of Gospel Ordinances amongst us the nearer the time be of Christs departure the more are the hearts of his people fill'd with sorrow Secondly we reproved those from the point who though they pretend some interest in the rich loading of Christs Ship and that their treasure is therein yet their hearts are not touched with the dreadfull evidences of Christs departure they never change their chear nor keep a rioband off their apparel for all the sad evidences that are amongst us of Christs departure and going away but are as proud and as soon stirred up now to passion and anger and are as vain as when there was not so dreadfull signs of his approaching departure surely the point reproves such The third sort reproveable from this point were those that are not only indifferent for all that is come on the work and people of God as the evidences of Christs departure but also are debauching and drinking away their Spirits not remembring the afflictions of Joseph the Lords people are not such their hearts are sorrowfull when they see Christ departing The next use here was of Encouragement to these who are now mourning for all the afflictions of Joseph they are in their duty and shall rejoyce with Jerusalem when the Lord shall put on the beautifull garments of joy and praise upon her again Then we came to the second part of the Text which is the Encouragement he gives them for holding up their fainting and discouraged hearts that were filled with sorrow because of his approaching departure in these words But I will see you again and your Heart shall rejoyce c. VVherein first we noted his scope and aim which was to have their fainting Hearts comforted for which cause he applyed this precious Cordial 2. There is the Cordial it self viz. the assured and not to be doubted promise of his return 3. The time when he did apply this Cordial viz. when they were to meet with the Storm and before they entred into the heat of the Furnace which Cordial or Encouragement is drawn from that which afterward they were to receive which was a joyous outgate 4. There is the blessed consequence and effect of this in this phrase and your Heart shall rejoyce Lastly there is the firmness and stability of their consolation and joy they would have at his return Your joy shall no man take from you though they clip the wings of your joy now yet shall they not get it done at that day From the first of these we observed 5. Obs That whatsoever be the Perplexities of his peoples Spirits at his withdrawment yet is it his desire that they be comforted this is his aim while he tells them he will see them again and lastly we left at this note from the Encouragement it self 6. Obs That no Storm can be so permanent or tempestuous as that it can be able to keep the Lord and his people asunder he will see them again this point we cleared from divers considerations that in spite of the most swelling and tempestuous blasts he 'l see or visit his people again from this point we drew first an use of reproof 1. Use To all those who when the Church is low turn their back upon her as if Christ and She would never meet again they evidence much Faithlessness who do so 2. Use Secondly we deduced from the point an use of Encouragement unto the people of God applying it to the present distress now upon the Church Christ is now going away but if any would inquire what of the night the answer is as our night approacheth so also the morning Christ will see us again that dwell in Scotland These things we thought fit to name this being your hour of sorrow because of Christs approaching departure But we shall dwell no longer at present upon what we then spake but shall now come to that which we have further from the Lord to say unto you at present And so now we come to another Doctrine from this Encouragement the Lord gives his Disciples Ye have sorrow now because the hour is come but I give this unto you to hold up your hearts against your present discouragement I will see you again Whence observe Obs 1. That the assurance of Christs return is the only Cordial against the heart-faintings of the sorrowfull Souls of his people at his departure You see this point clear from the words his Disciples hearts were filled with sorrow and they had good reason so to be they were to want their dear Master who went ay between them and the storm and he gave them this as the most choice and only sufficient Cordial against their heart-faintings I will see on
again I am now to be taken away from you I am within a little to be offered up and my departure is at hand for Judas that false hearted seeming friend is gone away from me and hath renounced his Ministry as if he had been doing wrong all the time that he was following my Call and Order and whereas he went from me alone having no company but my curse and an evil conscience in his bosome he is returning again with companies and troops at his back guarding him But he is never a hair the honester man for all that he has gotten to back him for he has betrayed me unto them and has told them that he will profess kindness and friendship to me till he get the black intent of his heart accomplished yet he hath given them secret advice to hold me fast that I never wen out of their gripes again and your hearts are sorrowful because ye see the time draws near and your hour is come but I give unto you my fainting friends this choice Cordial as sufficient to revive and hold up your discouraged hearts I will see you again I shall propose some Considerations to make the truth of this Point appear And Cons 1. First It will be clear if you consider the ground and cause of their sorrow for what was it that they were sorrowful but becase he was going away And the thing did most imbitter their spirits as to this was the near approach thereof the hour was come wherein he was to be taken away from them and if this had not been they had not had this sorrow of heart for where there is no cause there can â—ollâ—◠〈◊〉 effect therefore Christs going 〈…〉 only cause of their sorrow his return again behoved to be most yea sufficiently encouraging and so the assurance thereof the choicest Cordial against the heart-faintings of sorrowful souls at his departure Cons 2. Secondly It will be clear also if we consider That his return evidenceth his being pacified towards his people Ye know that his going away speaks out much anger and the most tender hearts of his people are most sensible thereof and that it is not without great provocation he goes away and are deeply affected therewith and so must look upon his return as the clearest evidence of his being pacified towards them and that his anger is turned away and what can be so refreshing as that And therefore is there not ground to say That the assurance of Christs return is the choicest and only Cordial against the heart-faintings of sorrowful Souls at his departure Cons 3. Thirdly The hope the people of God have of being freed of many great miseries and trusted with many choice blessings when he returns will clear this Hosea 9. 12. Yea and woe also unto them when I depart from them He had spoken of many other miseries but he adds this as a non-such and compleating misery Yea woe also unto them when I depart from them And so it may be turned over again at his return yea and all blessings unto them when I return unto them and therefore in this respect the assurance of his return must be a sufficient Cordial against the heart-faintings of the sorrowful souls of his people at his withdrawment and going away Use 1. The first use here as of Tryal so also is of Reproof to these who take not this choice and only Cordial now when Christ is going away O what make ye your Cordial ye see the assurance of Christs return is the only and choice Cordial therefore is this thy Cordial now when the time of our Lords withdrawment is at hand and the hour of his departure draweth near whatever you make your Cordial yet well I know that the thing which holds up and revives the sainting hearts of his people is the assurance of his return and seeing us again But more particularly I would speak to two or three Cordials which some take unto themselves at such a time as this which are none of Christs but will prove poysonous Pills in the end The first poysoning Cordial we name is Self-quiet and preservation there are some who if they get preservation to themselves it gives them Peace and if they get any gainful place it gives them yet more peace and quiets them notwithstanding their seeing Gods matters go wrong O! is this thy Cordial though thou seest the desolation of Zion and think'st her wronged yet satisfiest and comfort'st thy heart with thy Preferment or Self-preservation O how deadful a Cordial is that and how poysoning a Pill will it prove The second Cordial is Self-hiding there are some who if they can couch down and hide themselves sitting in silence when God calls for a testimony at their hand when all are Apostatizing from him O how bitter a Pill will that prove in the end and how well might that word be applyed to such which the Lord spake to another purpose Micah 2. 10. Arise ye and depart This shall not be your rest it shall cast you out The third woful Cordial that is very full of Poyson is Tipling and Drinking there are some who acknowledge that Christ is getting wrong and they have some sort of heartlesness thereat and yet draw not their encouragement from the assurance of Christs returning visiting and seeing us again but go into the Inn to their 4 hours and there drink up their hearts to a chearful frame I am not speaking here of those abominable and miserable wretches who at their carrousing at the afflictions of Joseph will drink over the ruine and destruction of the work and people of God in a cup of Wine dreadful shall the doom and condemnation of these be from the Lord their Judgment sleeps not and therefore we will not deal with them but leave them to be taken severe course with to purpose by the Lord and to surfeit themselves on their carnal delights we leave them we say to the dreadful Majesty of God to take them in his own hand with this certificate that it shall be a wonder if ever the world see their repentance for their doom is set down Isa 22. where you see from the 9th v. They had broken down and builded up at their pleasure for strengthening themselves without respect to the maker thereof but they would not hear of their duty to God for ver 12. When the Lord God of hosts called for fasting and weeping to baldness and cloathing with sackcloth then behold joy and gladness killing of oxen slaying of sheep eating of flesh and drinking of Wine but see with what contempt of Gods command in the mouth of his servants did they thus glut themselves with sensuality Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die the Prophets tell us we should fast and weep what should we fast and weep now when we have made our selves strong and no arm can hurt us when should we feast and rejoyce if not now does the Prophet say that
between God and Scotland the Lord did formally and openly marry our Land unto himself in the marriage contract of our Covenant Scotland hath this privilege beyond all the Nations or Churches in the World except the Jewes only our Land is long ago a married land unto the Lord and so there being a standing marriage contract between God and our Land in our Covenant we most conclude that how be it he go away yet he will see us again Object 3. But here it is objected our Covenant was not so cleare a marriage contract for we heard no audible voice from Heaven at the making of it as Abraham heard at the making the Covenant with him for his seed and therefore seeing we heard no voice how shall we know whether he gave his consent unto or sealed and subscribed the same Ans We answer how be it audible voices be ceased yet must we conclude that God speaks as really now from Heaven as he did then otherwise the Church were in a worse condition now then under the Law which cannot be granted therefore if he made it appear by his word and his providence we most conclude that he did really subscribe that marriage contract and this we shall labour to make appear unto you First that he gave his consent unto and subscribed our Covenant as the marriage contract between him and our Land will appear from the frame of great tenderness was upon the spirits of his people at the making of it they were marrying away themselves unto him to be a holy people and he did set home a lively frame of tenderness of spirit upon them which is well known to these did see it as a part of his sealand subscription to the marriage contract and therefore we may conclude that he did own it as the marriage contract and therefore that our Land is married unto him Secondly his subscriping of the Covenant as the marriage contract between him and our Land will appear from his after carriage to his Church in that he did attend the same with blessed effects suitable to a standing mar-marriage relatfon for when our Fathers had married away our Land unto him he did begin to extend his husbandly care towards his Church therein and to do the duties becoming such a married husband for after the subscribing the marriage contract with our Land he took up house therein and began to beget Children by his new married Church for holding up his family in our Land for it 's known that there were never so many converted and born again as were after the making of that Covenant and Marriage contract and have we not ground to take this as his subscription to the Marriage contract and his formal marrying our Land therein and may not this assure us that he will see us again seeing our Land is so formally and clearly marryed unto him therefore make use of this your cordial against your heart-faintings Object 4. But some affrighted heart will object and say our Land hath rent the Marriage contract between God and us and therefore we are no more a Married Land having given up with God and therefore have no ground 〈◊〉 encourage our selves from the hope of his â—â—â—ing us again Ans In answer to this we altogether deny it to be in the power of any now to disanull or make of none effect that Marriage contract for it is with our Land as with the bond servants after the year of Jubile or release ye know that the bond servant under the Law had his choice to stay with or go away from his Master when the years of jubile came but if the servant having in his choice to go or stay did say I desire to serve my Master for I am well with him therefore I will not go away from him then he was brought unto the door post and his ear was nailed thereunto after which time he had never liberty thereafter to go away from his Master but behoved to serve him for ever and if he did run away then his Master having a more lasting right in him then formerly might pursue after him and bring him back again So is it with our Land our Fathers served God a while then the year of the Covenant was as the year of Jubile for then it was put in our Lands choice to Covenant with and marry themselves unto God or not do it and because our Fathers found that it was good serving him therefore they would not go away from him nor continue free as they were but entered into Covenant with him to be his servants 〈◊〉 ever which was the nailing of our Lands 〈◊〉 to the Lords post and wherein we were tyed to him for ever So that how be it our Land should go away from him yet now hath a mutual Covenant right in us and may follow and bring us back again unto him And his subscribing of the Covenant as its everlasting answereth all other doubts of mind for our Fathers did not only Covenant and marry themselves away unto God but also and mainlie as the representative of his Church in Scotland for it was an everlasting Covenant never to be forgotten but that our Land should remain a married Land for ever and that from Generation to Generation he should have a Church and people therein to serve him and God did subscribe this Marriage contract as everlasting for in evidence of his subscribing that marriage contract both as to the matter and duration thereof he did take up house in our Land and did begin to extend his Husbandly care towards his Church in providing for her and begeting Children by her which cleares that he did not only subscribe the Covenant but also as it is everlasting So that it is not in the power of any now to make void or disanull that contract when so perfected Neither have the Lords people who are chiefly interested given their consent to the riveing of the Marriage contract between God and our Land it is against their heart and how ridiculous a thing would it be thought by a husband is his wifes friends who had formerly given their consent unto and subscribed the Marriage contract if they would come after that he hath taken up house with her continued with her in a married state and begotten Children by her I say if they would come and rive their double of the contract and say they would not have marriage to stand would he stand to that would he satisfie their desire and put away his wife who desires not to leave him and scatter his family again even after she has brought forth children to him surely not he would rather cover her faults as being more concerned in her than her friends are and would keep house with her and such indeed is the case betwixt God and Scotland God hath taken up house with his Church in our Land and therefore he will not satisfie her former friends desire in putting away his married
righteous it shall be well with him c. I command you speak comfortably to them though it should cost you never so dear and may not this perswade you to it seeing it is his command therefore set about it 2 Motive You run a great hazard if you comfort them not Ezek. 3. 17. Thou shalt hear the word at my mouth and give them warning from me when I say to the wicked thou shalt die say thou so and surely speaking freely against the wicked makes much for the strengthening of the godly It may cost you dear your life may be in hazard for speaking freely against them and to comfort the godly But if you do it not their blood will I require at your hand 3 Mot. Comfort the people of God against the storm and you shall imitate your blessed Master who comforted his Disciples when going away with this I will see you again 4 Mot. If you do not comfort the people of God e're they enter in the furnace it will be more difficult to get comfort born in upon them when their hearts are down and they in the heat and bitterness of their affliction their present sorrow will not let them admit of comfort Christ knew this well for he saith let these sayings sink down into your hearts ground your comfort well now else ye will be very incapable of hearing comfort when I am taken from you and slain And in the Text he comforted them because he knew they would not hear of comfort in the furnace and may not this stir you up to this duty of comforting the Lords people now e're they enter the furnace that it will be a hard work to get them comforted when in the hot furnace of affliction 5 Mot. Comfort the people of God e're they enter to the heat of the furnace for ye know not if ye shall be near unto them when they shall have most need of comfort from you if a persecution for Christ did send away faithful Ministers and their people into one shlp when banished or to thrust them into one prison together ye might suspend your comforting them till you were sent into banishment or prison together but the nature of a persecution for Christ is to smite the shepherd and to scatter the flock he is either thrust into prison or banished out of the land or out of the world and the flock is scattered so that he cannot have opportunity to speak comfortably unto them and what trouble may he have in that case if he hear of any thing falling wrong in them if they faint in the furnance his heart must challenge him for not comforting and strengthening them when he had opportunity And may not this encourage you to your duty O therefore to your work while you have opportunity 6 Mot. O comfort the people of God and strengthen them for the storm and ye shall have great peace when taken from them Christ had this to say John 17. that he had given them his fathers word And this was Paul's great encouragement in his last discourse at Miletus Acts 20. 26. that he had told them the whole counsel of God and so was free from the blood of all men O how great an encouragement is this when a godly Minister is thrust from his charge or is a dying if he can say now I am put away from my work but blessed be God I never withheld any thing from them might tend to their encouragement or edification There is not one sentence in my mind that ever I refused to speak nor is there one text of Scripture in my mind that the Lord bid me to preach from unto them tending to their instruction or encouragement that ever I refused to preach from upon the greatest hazard and therefore I have no more ado for my work is ended with my opportunity as I am to have no more liberty to labour among them so also I have no more work to do I laboured while I had opportunity and so now my work and opportunity are ended at once O how great peace may this give and may not this incourage you to comfort the people of God e're they enter the heat of the Furnace 7. Mot. There shall not a hair of your head perish for your faithfulness they are all numbred and your time is in Gods hand Rev. 11. the two Witnesses cannot be killed nor put from their work till they have finished their Testitmony and prophecyed unto the end of the dayes appointed them of God ye can neither be slain nor put from your worke as long as blasteth though all the World should oppose you therefore with all peace and safety you may go about your work of comforting the Godly as being in his blessed hand who can preserve his people though amongst the midst of adversaries therefore encourage the people of God for this your sure preservation while he has work for you is undoubted Vse 3. Is it so that the Lord Jesus useth to send a word of comfort to his people e're he enter them into the furnace for his name then they should imbrace the same good word that is sent unto them though it be far off I say they should make use of the expectation of future comforts for their present distress You see Christ give his people a promise the sweetness of which they were not to enjoy till after the storm yet he wills them to draw incouragement from it for bearing up their fainting and discouraged hearts It was also Davids practicn Psal 27. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living It was but a far of look of comfort my faith got all that I could come at was the hope of seeing his goodness in the land of the Living once e're I should go off this World yet though it was far of I was glad to grip to it I durst not put it away but laid hold on it and so incouraged my self by it against my present faintings of heart Therefore we say unto you that are here you see this is your duty to comfort your selves in the expectation of future consolation yea it is for this very end that Christs sends it O therefore make it practicall when God sends a word of consolation unto you close with it for your comfort it is your duty so to do especially when it it is conveyed to you with danger hazard and so I shall say no more unto you but leave it on you for you will have enough to do with all your comfort far off or near to you when ye meet with the storme therefore let not a word fall to the ground when he sends it for yout comfort I come to the last note which is the blessed effect should flow unto them upon his return which is joy of heart I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce Obs That the time of our Lord Jesus return after