of the Lord perswade your selves and others to be faithfull this is true thankfulnesse Blesse then God for not suffering wicked plots wicked stratagems wicked designes to prosper and take effect If God at any time curbes wicked insolencies observe it Hee sometimes breakes here and sometimes there an arme weakening thereby his Churches adversaries and this is to them terrible but to his servants comfortable and so much the more comfortable it will be if it makes them trust and relye on him onely for helpe True thankefulnesse will not trust on men nor on the sonnes of men for they are vaine England perhaps may heareof so many thousand horse and so many thousand foot of such and such a great fleete of ships which intend to have a-bout with her but let us not be dismaied for the Lord sure hath yet some terrible thing to shew on the adversaries of England and he will come riding on the chariots of salvation to helpe and releive it There are who confidently affirme that by the Laodicean Church spoke of in the Revelation the luke-warm Church the Lord meanes the English Church though I will not peremptorily affirme it yet thereupon I dare boldly make this inference That if the English Church be the Laodicean Church then if it will but heare the voyce of Christ and open the doore to him if it will become an obedient Church and repent of its sinnes and if its children would once cordially and seriously reforme their lives then Christ will come in and suppe with it And we are told what the supper is which the great God hath provided It is in breife what may be read at large the utter destruction in it of the beast and false Prophet and of such who combine with them to set up the tyranny of the Roman Papacy So terrible God will be to such that the very fore-thoughts of it should cheere up our spirits and fill us full of thankefull expectations of helpe from on high that though all nations should compasse us about and it may be they will before all be done attempt it yet repentant England shall in the name of the Lord destroy them all Christ will come and suppe in it and it shall suppe with him He rejoycing at Englands amendment and new obedience and it enjoying his comforts and deliverances The God of our Salvation will thus save and preserve by terrible things in righteousnesse So much of the first observation The Second is this Gods deliverance of his Church and people by terrible things is in righteousnesse The meaning of the point is this God in all the deliverances of his people by terrible things doth therein manifest his righteousnesse He doth therein nothing but what is righteous according to righteousnes and justice To cleare this consider that there is a double righteousnes The righteousnesse of his word which is the righteousnesse of his faithfulnes and the righteousnes of his works or his just acts of righteousnesse And God doth manifest both these in his deliverance of his people by terrible things First God in delivering his people by terrible things doth it according to his righteous word Now there is a double righteousnesse of God in his word There is his righteousnesse of fulfilling his word of promise And there is his righteousnesse of accomplishing his word of threatning And both are manifest in the Churches deliverance by terrible things 1. Gods delivering his people by terrible things is in righteousnesse that is it is according to the word of his promise He is faithfull to keepe covenant with his servants Heaven and earth shall passe but not a word of his promise shall fall in vaine And God hath in many places promised to his people deliverance The last of the quotations in the margent is to be understood of Christ misticall of Christ together with all his faithfull members God delivered Israel out of Aegypt and it was terrible by over-throwing Pharoh and all his hoast and yet in righteousnesse too according to his righteous word as Moses shewes The word of promise is fulfilled when the deliverance is by terrible things it is therefore in righteousnesse And 2. Gods delivering by terrible things is in righteousnesse that is according to his word of threatning that the word of his threatning might come on the adversaries and be fulfilled God in many places hath threatned them He by Jeremiah gives a gracious promise to his Church but a terrible threatning to the enemies of it The words are these All they that devoure thee shall be devoured and all thine enemies every one of them shall goe into captivity and they that spoyle thee shall be spoyled and all that prey on thee will I give for a prey for I will restore health unto thee and I will heale thee of thy wound saith the Lord because they called thee an outcast saying this is Zion whom no man seekes after And that the Lord will accomplish all this in the last dayâ—â— it may be in our times or a very little after us the 23. and 24. verses shewes So that when God delivers his people by terrible things as by confounding and undoing their adversaries and their forces all is but a fulfilling his word of righteousnesse his righteous threats And thus Gods deliverance is said to be in righteousnesse according to his righteous word Secondly God in delivering by terrible things doth it in righteousnesse that is he therein declares his righteous facts that they are very righteous There is a double act of Gods justice or righteousnesse manifest in it 1. His righteousnesse in righting a wronged world And 2. His righteousnesse in revenging it self upon a wronging world or on those adversaries of his people which wrong them 1. God by delivering his people by terrible things doth righteously right a wronged world he therby rights his oppressed wronged people easing and releiving them So the Prophet As for my people children are their oppressors and women rule over them oh my people they which lead thee cause thee to erre and destroy the way of thy paths the Lord standeth up to plead and standeth to judge the people c. and so the Psalmist For the oppression of the poore for the sighing of the needy now I will arise saith the Lord and will set him in safety from him that passeth at him An excellent description of a state wronged Church which is a tree shaken the windes from all corners conspiring to blow it downe it craks and shakes and the enemies like winde puffes and blowes and makes a bussell but the Lord lookes from Heaven he heares the groanes and sighes at last of his afflicted people and at length stills these windes and scatters them and so the Kingdome and Church stands and is in safety As when some honest traveller in his journey falls among theeves they unstrip him and riffle him and are searching him when suddenly while the poore man is in
perplexity some noble man rides by seeing his distresse pitties him and comes in with power and sets him free from such violence and beates and smites those who molested him giving them according to their deserts So it is the poore Church is a traveller to Heaven beset with enemies of all sorts who thinke to riffle her and leave her poore naked destitute and wounded but then the Lord comes riding in his excellency to her help and rescues his Church Thus he rights a wronged world and thus he shewes his righteousnesse 2. God by delivering his people by terrible things doth it in righteousnesse because he doth therby avenge himselfe on the wronging world It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you It is indeede a very righteous thing for God to bring troubles on them 1. It is a righteous thing to bring vengance on them for their wronging himselfe for they fight against him who warre against the Church they persecute him who persecute it they rage against him who rage against his people and God will avenge the wrong done unto him by those who attempt to roote out such who keepe up his honour in the world It is a righteous thing therfore to trouble such And 2. so it is to take vengance on them for the wrong which they do unto his people The wicked and him that loveth violence his soule hates The Lord will be avenged on unmercifull men There shall be judgement without mercie on those that will shew no mercie And therfore it is just with God to render tribulation to those who have injured and unmercifully used his Church and people Thus it is evident that the Churches deliverance is in righteousnesse the righteousnesse both of his word of promise and of his word of threatning and the righteousnesse of his justice both in righting a wronged world and in revenging himselfe on a wronging world is therby made manifest This truth serves 1. To vindicate Gods justice 2. To terrifie the Churches adversaries 3. To encourage all Gods faithfull people First let it serve to vindicate the Lords justice from any aspersions Men are ready when things fall out otherwise then they would have them to charge God foolishly when they see terrible things falling out in the world as terrible attempts terrible massacres terrible impoverishing of a nation terrible executions of wrath they are ready to say that they see not how God should be just in punishing them by these things more then others who deserves in their apprehensions as much yea more then they but such murmurers should consider that God doth all in righteousnesse he can and will do no other then that which is righteous It becomes every holy man seeing things falling out otherwise then he would to conclude with the Church I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him If God cull thee out to scare thee from thy sinnes by terrible things say thou when these things happen that God is righteous and will deliver his people by terrible things in righteousnesse for he brings terrible things upon the world to keepe the inhabitants therof from sinning When thy judgements saith the Prophet are on the earth the inhabitants therof will learne righteousnesse And the Lord doth so therby to worke also the world to an awfull reverence of him and to stirre up his owne therby to a greater fervency and importunity in praying to him for deliverance and therfore never charge God with any kinde of injustice in his saving and defending his people or in ruinating his adversaries by terrible things and by terrible meanes but say as the Psalmist I know oh Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou hast in faithfullnesse afflicted me Secondly Gods delivering his Church and people by terrible things in righteousnes sheweth unto us what the adversaries are to expect namely no more and that is enough but that God should deale with them in righteousnesse and recompence them according to their deedes This Babylon of Caldea found she spoiled peeled robbed and subjected the nations and God sent spoilers accordingly unto her who dealt with her as she had dealt with others the Prophet gives the reason for the Lord God of recompences shall surely requite The westerne Romish Babylon must shall find the like God will bring upon her slayers and destroyers and such who will undoubtedly reward her as she hath served the Saints Yea all enemies shall be recompenced according to their dealings with the Church for God will deliver it by terrible things in righteousnesse They may for a while plot and project and attempt and some times seeme to thrive but their plotting will in the end ruine themselves For the Lord will be knowne by the Iudgment which he executeth and that judgment is no more but this the wicked is snared in the workes of his owne hands Adversaries of the Church must looke for no other then to eate the bread of their owne baking and to drinke of their owne brewing Their terriblenesse to the Church shall be measured out in a full cup to them in that which is terrible unto them for God is righteous and in his due time he will deliver his Church by terrible things in righteousnesse Thirdly Gods delivering his Church or people by terrible things in righteousnesse should incourage all the followers after righteousnesse such who seeke the Lord and delight to walke and be found in a way of righteousnesse and holinesse All things to the outward appearance may seeme to worke ruine and goe crosse but they shall undoubtedly worke in the end to the ruine of adversaries for God will deliver but in righteousnesse The Lord remembers the righteous cause of his servants and though it may be a while oppressed yet it shall never be suppressed and destroyed for he will againe bring on the cause of religion and will maintaine in the world a people serving him in despite of hell and of Rome which he will destroy in righteousnesse And though your owne Persons may be tooke away yet still be incouraged to keepe faith and a good conscience because the Lord will preserve a seede of worshippers and will repaire the losse of his Church by a more plentifull increase of terror to the adversary and of comfort to all those who are faithfull in the land And therefore let us all from this point be incouraged 1. To waite contentedly on God till he worke for his people in righteousnesse so the Church did In the way of thy judgments have we waited for thee Looke for him as coming to rescue and deliver for he will doe so when we are fully fitted for it 2. Be encouraged also to cry the more earnestly to God to come and save his people in righteousnesse so did the Church Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens that thou wouldest come downe that the
God 4. The crowning of his people with everlasting salvation is from God God will give heavenly salvation to those who by patient continuance in well doing seeke for glory and honour and immortality eternall life Thus in respect of the spirituall salvation of his people God may well be stiled the God of our salvation But the text speaks most properly of such things wherby we may more properly here ascribe unto him this title as it hath reference to the temporall salvation or deliverance of Gods people though in the application we shall make use of it both wayes Secondly then this title oh God of our salvation relates to his temporall salvation of his people wherof we will consider 1. The parts of it 2. The reasons of it 1. Temporall salvation hath severall parts or rather it is represented to us severall wayes and God is the Author of every one of them 1. There is preventing salvation when the Lord prevents his peoples meeting with a danger then he saves them If a man upon the way in his journey were told that theeves did lie in waite for him and therupon he turnes aside a little and escapes them this is a danger prevented The Lord doth many thousand times thus save his people thou preventest me saith David with thy goodnesse God was then saving Iacob and his family when he sent Ioseph into Aegypt he then prevented their perishing in the famine He prevented Herods slaying Christ by sending an Angell to forewarne the danger Gods people are oft ignorant that evill is devised contrived prosecuted against them but God prevents it and saves them and afterward they come to understand so much I will say of the Lord he is my refuge and my fortresse my God in him will I trust he shall deliver from the snare of the hunter and from the noisome pestilence 2. There is a preparing salvation which is from God I call that preparing salvation wherby the Lord sits his people to meet with adversaries dangers troubles and perplexites The Lords preparing his people to it is his saving them from it Thou hast saith David girded me with strength unto the battle Thus the Lords establishing the heart with grace to beare a trouble and the Lords giving unto the spirit comfort and consolation in the midst of the thoughts within and the Lords speaking peace to the soule when all the world is in tumults and the Lords feasting the soule and spirit within with joyes and expectations of comfort in himselfe in heaven when the haile rattles on the tiles and there is no peace abroad these a thousand other wayes are part of the salvation which God workes for his people It is his preparing salvation or his preparing them for safety against the trouble which they incounter 3. There is an upholding salvation when any is kept from perishing in a danger or trouble and this is also from the Lord I was sore thrust at that I might fall the Lord susteined me And so the Lord saves when he upholds from perishing If we were let alone the trouble would overmaster the waters are perhaps so deepe they would drowne the fire so raging it would devoure But if God upholds holds us by the chinne that we sinke not if he carrieth us through the fire and water through all and we be preserved then he vouchsafes his up holding salvation wherby we perish not 4. There is an establishing or confirming salvation wherby one is so strengthned that no troubles nor adversaries can out daunt them My arme as it is in the Psalmist shall hold him up and my arme shall strengthen him When a man walkes in slippery dangerous wayes and then is established that he treades confidently and slips not here is salvation troubles crosses afflictions adversaries are occasions of falling but when the Lord notwithstanding this keepeth up our feete that they slip not it is his salvation and a deliverance Thou hast delivered my feete saith the Psalmist from falling The Church is described coming out from the wildernesse leaning on her beloved Gods people may be in many troubles and perplexities in a wildernes at a mase not knowing what way to turne but the Lord upholds and establishes them and brings them out of all but leaning on their beloved The Church partakes of establishing salvation 5. There is also another part or manifestation of salvation which we may call rescuing salvation when the Lord suffers his people to come into danger and trouble and to be as it were in the enemies hand and yet then he snatches them out and rescues them As David did strike in and take a lambe out of the mouth of the lion and of the beare so the Lord strikes in to rescue his servants commanding deliverances for his peeple He suffers them sometimes to come to the mouth but he gives them not up a prey to the teeth but then delivers them 6. There is a crowning salvation or a compassing about with songs of deliverance when God putteth his people into a state and condition of security that no evill shall surprize them to their dammage And this is the highest pitch of temporall salvation and God is the author of it God is my King of old working salvation in the midst of the earth And thus from all these parts or degrees rather of temporall salvation it is plaine that God is the God of our salvation Thus of the parts of it 2. The reason proving that God is the Author of his peoples deliverance is this in stead of many others In him are to be found all those things which are effectuall to worke the salvation of his people out of troubles For in the salvation which he grants to his people are to be seene these footesteps of Gods glory 1. His pitty and compassion towards his people There is in him towards them the sounding of bowells and he will surely have mercy on them Out of his compassion he stands as it were deliberating what to doe How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israell how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together c. And we finde that when the people confessed there sinne saying doe to us what thou pleasest only deliver us this once then the soule of God was greived for Israell his pitty moves him to help 2. God is omniscient he only knowes how to deliver his The Lord knowes how to deliver the godly out of temptation he is only infinitely wise and knowes all purposes policyes engines instruments which attempt any thing against his people he knowes what they can worke to the utmost and he knowes how to defeate their working to insnare them in their owne net He sitts in heaven and sees and laughs the enemies of his Church to scorne He suffers them a while to busie
adversaries and yet by such terrible revelations God doth often preserve his people 7. And so he doth sometimes by terrible destructions when either God destroyes the adversary or shewes his judgements on them in some horrible manner so as they shall never be able to lift up the heele and kicke and spurne his people When the Lord pleases to knock off all the hornes that pushed it will bee very terrible and yet thus he often times saves his Church Pharaoh is drowned Haman is hanged and his people escape Thus the things by which God delivers his people are terrible in respect of the terror which thereby befalls the adversaries Secondly The things by which God preserves his Church are terrible in respect of the wonder and amazement which they produce both in the adversaries and in Gods people filling them both full of astonishment and amazement when they are seriously considered For 1. It is wonderfull that the Lord oft saveth his people by weak meanes God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the things which are mighty It was a thing wonderfull that Sisera should be sold into the hands of a woman That deliverance should come by Esther That Sampson should slay a thousand with the jaw-bone of an Asse That a few Protestants in Ireland should yet remaine there notwithstanding the whole Kingdome be full of Popish Rebells It is wonderfull that true Christianitie and the true reformed Religion should get ground and winne upon the world daily increasing and spreading notwithstanding all opposition which it hath had from the beginning Though Emperours Kings Princes Nobles great ones and men of all sorts have combined against the puritie of Religion yet that it should prevaile and finde multitudes of Professours in all Kingdomes this is wonderfull It is very marveilous in our eyes that the stone which the builders refused should become the head-stone in the building and so it is that Antichrist should be destroyed daily by the breath of the Lords mouth that by the preaching of the word the Man of Sinne should be at length fully revealed That a few Rammes-hornes should breake downe the walls of Ierico These and a thousand such are wonderfull things terrible in respect of the amazement into which they may put all sorts 2. It is terrible that is a thing wonderfull causing astonishment that God should save and deliver his Church under the unlikelihood of meanes when all meanes instruments of its helpe seeme to bee insufficient Moses a weak man is sent to deliver Israel and when he was sent their burdens were greatned and yet Israell was then upon the point of deliverance God many times is working deliverance for his people when the meanes of it is crost seemes to bee frustrated disappointed to worke backward and altogether unlikely and this is to the amazement of the adversaries and to the wonder of his owne people It was a terrible that is a thing wonderfull that when all the European world was in a manner filled in all places with agents for Antichrist Luther should arise and carry on the cause of the Gospell against Leo the Pope Charles the Emperour against Cajetan the Cardinall against Rome Italy Europe the world and Hell This was a terrible astonishment to the Pontificians and a wonderfull though comfortable amazement to Gods owne people who had long groaned for a Reformation And so when Germany mourned under the pride and oppression of the Emperour and house of Austria and when the Jesuites the Popes factours had devised and contrived its utter ruine yet then God raised up the King of Sweden who landed in Germany but with ten thousand men at most and God made him an instrument to curbe the Imperialists this was a terrible thing the amasement of the world The Papists bragged let us beat the Sweede and then all Germany is ours but God made the Sweede a rod to whip and lash the Pontifician Nation in those parts unto this day this is so terrible to them that they gnaw their tongues for vexation of spirit And so likewise who would have thought that the troubles in the North should have procured a pacification betweene the two Nations of England and Scotland and give a light to the whole Island to looke to its security And who would thinke that God is at this time bringing about the peace and security of England though all the Agents and instruments of it should be slighted contemned and despised but God is he who worketh wonders effecting by unlikely meanes the Salvation of his Church and when this cometh to passe it will be a terrible astonishment to all the enemies of the Land and a wonderfull comfort to all Saints 3. It is a thing terrible that is wonderfull causing astonishment when God preserves his people without meanes in a miraculous way and manner this strikes terror into the adversaries and wonder into his people When the sea was made a passage for Isarell and therin the Aegyptians troubled they were afraid when Jordane was dryed up for the people to passe over the hearts of the Cananites melted in them It was terrible when God rained downe stones on the Kings which fought against his people terrible when he suddenly cut off many of the persecuting Emperors gave therby his Church rest and a breathing time from trouble And so when the Lord shall have effected miraculously I beleeve he is now working it though most think otherwise the peace and security of England though all the prime wits of Christendome among the Antichristians have beene imployed to undoe it I say when it shall be seen that all their labours are miraculously quasht and Englands feares are suddenly husht and that Englands Troublers shall but trouble and undoe themselues in their attempts against her and that their now warring against her peace doth but lay ground worke for the utter ruining of the Papacy in all Europe when the Lord I say shall miraculously effect all this then shall the enemies be ashamed and confounded together it will bee their terrible astonishment and then shall all the righteous be wonderfully comforted Thus the Church is delivered by terrible things in respect of the terror wrought therby in the adversaries and the wonder they worke in his servants Thirdly the things by which God preserves his Church are terrible things in respect of the reverence and awfull regard which they worke or should worke in all sorts towards God Therfore some translate the word here reverend things understanding therby things which should cause us reverence dread that mighty God who hath done them and who is for them to be feared Thus if God deliver by some actuall judgment and vengeance she wed on the adversaries this should make us feare and dread him I am afraid of thy Judgments saith David And when thy Judgments as it is in the Prophet are on the earth the inhabitants therof will
learne righteousnes Or if the Lord deliver his Church by overthrowing only the plots and conspiracies of the wicked disappointing them in bringing to passe their mischeife yet this also is a thing Reverend it should cause us to reverence him because he is able to confound the wise and to be-foole the wicked with the workes of their owne hands or lastly if the Lord releive his Church by small meanes or by unlikely meanes or by no meanes yet all this should worke reverence in us to feare that God who doth so great things in so great and wonderfull and unexpressible manner doing for his Church above all that we can imagine and thinke of Thus every way God delivers and preserves his Church by terrible things we now see what these are Secondly that God will thus preserve his people by terrible things that is by things striking terror into adversaries and working wonder in his children and which workes or should worke reverence towards him from all sorts three reasons evince 1. God delights to meete with his Churches adversaries in their owne way he will out shoot them in their owne bow They desire to appeare terrible and formidable to it if they can but put men into feare they thinke they shall have the day they triumph if they can raise a terrour and feare in people and therfore God will serve them as they would serve others he will meete with them in a way of terrout searing them and making them slie when none pursues Adoni-bezek confessed that seventy Kings by him had their thumbes and great toes cut off as I have done so God requited me saith he Haman prepares a gallowes for Mordecai and the same gallowes hangs him God will be terrible to those who delight to be terrible The wicked have drawen out the sword and have bent their bow to cast downe the poore and needy and to slay such as be of upright conversation their sword shall enter into their owne heart and their bowes shall be broken Cruell terrible men shalt be dealt with cruelly at one time or other Ebedmelech shewed kindnesse to Jeremiah in prison and therfore God preserved him But the other Princes which had incensed the King against him were given up into the hand of their adversaries God will be terrible to those who seeke to put his people into horror and amazement Pashur smote Jeremiah and put him into the stocks all night he thought to have terrified the Prophet but the Lord threatens him to be terrified The Lord saith Jeremiah from the Lord hath not called thy name Pashur but Magor-missabib for thus saith the Lord behold I will make thee a terror to thy selfe and to all thy friends 2. God will save his people by terrible things because he will shew to all the world how terrible a God he is whom his people so dreadfully and reverentially adore All shall therby understand that he is a God working wonderfully Thou art great and dost wondrous things thou art God alone saith the Psalmist He himselfe challengeth his creatures to doe as he hath done Where wast thou when I laid the foundation of the world c. Hast thou an arme like God and canst thou thunder with his voice The great ones of the earth which cause others to trimble and feare are hurled up and downe as piles of dust in a whirlewinde by the smoake of his nostrills God will have the world to know that he is more terrible then any thing which the world accounts terrible Wicked and sinfull men are many times a great terror But who art thou saith the Prophet that are afraid of man who shall dye and of the sonne of man who shall be made as grasse and forgets the Lord thy maker They may destroy the body but when they have done they can doe no more but feare God who can destroy both body and soule in hell fire Againe death is the terrible of terribles saith the Philosopher adversaries of the Church are so terrible because they come as it were armed with death and are ready to destroy but yet God is more terrible for he only can instict death It is not the rage fury and malice of adversaries which can cause any to die as God gives life so he takes it away he makes alive and he kills Now God will shew himselfe to be more terrible then they though they come armed with death by turning their owne terror death upon themselves He shall bring on them their owne iniquity and shall cut them off in their owne wickednesse yea the Lord our God shall cut them off And 3. God will save his people by terrible things that all the earth may stand in awe of him and feare him and know him only to be God Who would not fear thee oh thou King of nations there is none like thee c. saith the Prophet The Lord is the true God he is the living God and an everlasting King at his wrath the earth shall tremble and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation God would be terrible to Pharoh in his judgments to get himselfe a name in all the world and so he will be to the enemyes of his Church that the world may know that he is a terrible God and that the adversaryes may be compelled to cry out who is able to dwell with the everlasting burning and likewise that his owne people may therby learne to serve him acceptably with reverence and godly feare because our God is a consuming fire Wicked enemies may kindle a fire to scare a Nation and fill therby a Landfull of terror and trembling but yet God can keepe his own so as there shall not passe the small of fire on them for he will be with them when they passe through fire and water How ever the adversaries fire shall not be a destroying fire to Gods Church for when he beginnes to shew himselfe terrible to them he will be unto them a consuming fire and will quench all the fires which they have kindled and so free the Land from all their feare but yet all will be with a terrible destruction to the most terrible ones continuing unrepentant among the adversaries Behold all yee that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparkes walke in the light of your fire and in the sparkes that you have kindled this yee shall have of mine hands you shall lie downe in sorrow Thus the point is cleared Because God will shew himselfe to be a God of terror a God of vengeance a God to befeared respected reverenced and dreaded therefore he will execute terrible things on the wicked and thereby preserve his Church and people by terrible things Thirdly We will now see what for practice may hence be learned And briefely 1. Seeing God will preserve his Church and people by terrible things then surely the world must expect no other but
terrible things before the quiet of it and of the Kingdomes in it can be established If you should heare at any time of terrible battles of terrible Sea-fights of terrible conspiracies of terrible treasons of terrible persecutions of terrible massacres yet as our blessed Saviour said so say I Let not your hearts be troubled Ioe I have told you all these these things must come but the end is not yet these things must be expected and so looked on that we may see and perceive how that by these and the like things the Lord is working the peace of the world and of all his Churches in it We must therfore still looke for terrible things and prepare for them and a better preparation cannot be made then to make God our feare and dread Feare him and not any terrible thing need to affright us because he will not suffer those who feare him to miscarry spiritually thorough any trouble If you would not then be affraid of evill tydings get your hearts fixed trusting in the Lord 2. If God will preserve the Church by terrible things then the enemies of it may know that they can expect nothing but what is terrible Indeed the Church her selfe must looke to heare and perhaps to feele in some measure things terrible A whale may swallow Ionah a-while and afterwards restore him Troubles may for ought I know swallow us deeper though not for destruction but for a better restitution the Church must expect to feele lesse or more things terrible but her enemies must expect to feele the utmost destroying-smart of all things terrible The cup of fury is begun to be drunk and it must goe round about the nations It began at Hierusalem and thence past on to the Churches of God in the primitive ages of the Gospell who did drink of it under the Pagan and Arrian Persecutions it past along to the faithfull servants of God who did drink of it at sundry times under the tyranny of the Romane Antichrist and it is now passing the reformed Churches going from people to people as we see at this day It hath gone about Germany Bohemia Palatinate the reformed parts of France it is come into Ireland and into England too and it must about to other Kingdomes And in their due time Spaine and Italy and other Nations must also drink thereof and by that time it hath gone thorough the Kingdomes the Kings and Rulers of these people whether the cup hath gone will be all awaked to consider how they and their people have beene made to drinke of the cup of trouble and to reele againe with it and out of indignation they will cause the Seate of the Beast and the Papacy in all their Kingdomes which was the cause of their bitter draughts to drinke up the dregs of it for the King of Sheshach a type of Antichrist as some averre must drinke after them The sufferings of Christs Church for the present in their feares and unsettlements and other molestations are as the purest wine bitter I confesse they are because there is something of Gods frowne in them and something of their sinnes to be discerned in them as the cause of such sufferings but yet these sufferings are nothing in comparison to the troubles distresses and perplexities which shall fall on the Nations which are Enemies to the Church for such must drinke up dregs of wrath which shall fill them with horror and astonishment and make them reele and stagger and no more keep footing to annoy and trouble the Churches of the Saints as they have done formerly Enemies of God and his Church must therefore looke for no other but terrible over-throwings of their plots terrible revelations of their treacheries terrible consumptions of their designes and persons and they are to looke for a fearefull expectation of judgement and for some terrible destruction whensoever they come once to be high enough to be destroyed and Gods people low enough to be delivered And all these temporall judgements shall be but as a few drops before the storme of terror for God hath appointed a day wherin the Church shall have a full deliverance and the world a full riddance of all destroyers In which day he will raine on such destroyers snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup 3. If God will preserve his Church by terrible things then let us all feare this great and terrible God Consider that he can avenge himselfe with terror on those who feare him not The Lord chides his people for not considering what he hath done can doe and daily doth that so they might be provoked to fear him All of us are naturally prone to feare men when they are terrible We usually feare a man of power who is able to doe us a shrewd turne to molest our estate spoile our goods who can restraine us in our libertie or imbitter any of our comforts at the approach of such men quake and tremble Let us be much more ready to feare and reverence the great God who is able to doe terrible things above all that the most terrible of men can doe for men can doe no more then what he permitts but Hee doth whatsoever he will in heaven and in earth He can soone blow on thine estate bring thee to povertie lay on thee sicknes exercise thee with paine and fasten thee to a prison he can scare thee with visions and terrifie thee with dreames he can awaken conscience and smite the soule and make a man a terror to himselfe Feare therefore this dreadfull God and considering how terrible he hath already beene to Enemies be perswaded the more to dread him They have oft molested and he hath as oft rescued his people they have devised mischeife but he hath defeated it they have rose in tumults and he hath ever stilled the tumults and the madnesse of the people though they have been mighty yet the Lord is more mighty who will cut off the spirit of Princes and who is terrible to the Kings of the earth So terrible a God he is that he ought to be reverenced and therefore the Psalmist having related what combinations there are against Christ and his people though Christ will breake them all in peeces like a Potters vessell concludes with an exhortation to serve the Lord with feare to rejoyce with trembling Kisse the Sonne least he be angry and yee perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him Let therefore all that heare of the Lords terror answerably feare him 4. Seeing God preserves his Church by terrible things then let us all be thankfull when at any time by terrible things he hath preserved his Church Shew your thankfulnesse by speaking of it and by admiring his goodnesse in it and by resolving to live in his feare and as men knowing thereby the terror
mountaines might flow downe at thy presence c. to make thy name knowne to thine adversaries that the nations may tremble at thy presence when thou didest terrible things which we looked not for c. 3. Be incouraged to take notice of every particular act of Gods helping any wayes in righteousnesse it is an excellent meanes to gaine comfort in discomfortable times Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse those that remember thee in thy wayes 4. Let us all be encouraged to put our selves into such a condition that we may be ready to be delivered in righteousnesse when God will save and preserve us and that is in few words study righteousnesse seeke righteousnesse thirst after righteousnesse desire to be found in a way of righteousnesse The more we looke after and apply our selves to the righteousnesse of sanctification or holinesse the fitter shall we be to be saved and delivered in righteousnesse Let it be your prime and principall care not to be found in your owne righteousnesse for that is very odious but in Christs Labour to be found in him and when God comes to deliver in righteousnesse he will espy your consciences sprinkled by the blood of Christ and thereby purged from dead workes he will discerne that your hearts are quickned by the spirit of Christ the spirit of righteousnesse and that your lifes are conformable to the life of Christ who is the sonne of righteousnesse and finding you thus he will deliver you among his faithfull people in righteousnesse though he smites terribly the adversaries of his Saints for by terrible things in righteousnesse he answers us the God of our salvation And so much for the second observation The third is this The deliverance of the Church by terrible things is Gods answering his people Gods answering implyes some things done by the people of God and some things done by him 1. It implyes that his people prayed unto him for deliverance and that he gives a gracious audience and full-fillance of their prayer I will looke as it is in the Prophet to the Lord I will waite for the God of my salvation my God shall heare me the Church speakes in prayer and God heares her in granting her prayers 2. It implyes that his people expects mercies from him and Gods answering them is his affording helpe his reall contributing succour unto them They looked unto him saith the Psalmist and were lightned and their faces were not ashamed this poore man cryed and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles his people expects mercy and his answer is the fulfilling of their expectation I will saith Habbakuk stand upon my watch and set me upon the tower and will watch to see what he will say unto me So then Gods deliverance of his people is an answering their prayers and an answering their expectations They pray for deliverance and he gives it they expect it from him and answerably it comes to passe Gods delivering of Israel out of Aegypt was an answering of their prayers I have heard saith God their cry by reason of their taskemasters for I know their sorrowes and I am come downe to deliver them When he delivered them at the red sea it was an answer to the prayer of his servant Moses The Lord said then unto him why cryest thou to me When he gave Israell victory over Amaleck he then answered the prayer of Moses on the mount while Joshua and Israell fought in the valley His deliverance of his people from Jabin from the Midianites yea from all their other enemies at any time all was an answering of their prayers and expectations They prayed in faith for deliverance and they waited in faith untill God had given a full deliverance and so deliverance was but Gods answering his people Because God usually giveth not unto his Church and People deliverance till they have sought and sued to him earnestly for it Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israell to do it for them though he knowes that his Church doth need deliverance yet he will have his Church to be apprehensive and sensible of that her need for he will have from it the honour of his mercie towards it and of his providence and care over it as also of his wisdome power and justice in confounding all its adversaries by terrible things This point teaches 1. To pray for deliverance that God with it may answer us And 2. To observe Gods severall answers unto his people by giving unto them the deliverances prayed for First If deliverance be Gods answering his people then surely it concernes all the people of God to put up prayers for deliverance Prayer must preceed deliverance and deliverance is the returne of prayer in a gracious answer of it We must be praying men and men expecting deliverance as an issue and consequent of prayer and that our prayers may be answered we are to put up no other then such which God will answer as namely 1. Let our prayers be prayers of faith coming from a beleeving heart Aske and doubt not beleeve the promises of deliverance and confidently rely on Gods word to be accomplished and from assurance that God will fullfill his word put up prayers Both the cloud of promises and the cloud of witnesses persons families kingdomes Churches which from time to time have beene delivered and the consideration that the Lords hand is not shortned should prevaile with us not to doubt but to pray for deliverance in faith not doubting but that God will answer us 2. Let our prayers be in humility A broken and a contrite heart God will not despise He heares the prayers of the humble destitute Pray for deliverance in humilitie and it shall be granted as an answer to an humble prayer Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that hee may exalt you in due time 3. Let our prayers be importunately earnest without fainting I have saith the Psalmist waited long and sought the Lord oh my Lord saith he I cry in the day time but thou hearest not and in the night season I am not silent The Lord sometimes delayes deliverance to make us importunately wrastle with him in prayer for it and so it may be the answer of our earnest prayers 4. Let our prayers be sanctifiedly performed with hearts which are departed from iniquity If I saith the Psalmist regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare me Sinne causeth him hide his face that he will not heare If we pray for deliverance let us pray lifting up pure hands from an holy heart and then God will give deliverance as an answer to our prayers which are thus prayers of faithfull humble importunate sanctified petitioners Secondly if the deliverance of the Church by terrible things be Gods answering it then let us observe Gods severall answers unto his people in his
giving severall deliverances from time to time Indeede we must not looke to see an answer to some of our requests at all in our owne time we must not think to live to see the accomplishing of the number of Gods elect or the putting an end to the dayes of sinne or the making of the Church and people of God compleatly glorious Again it may be we may not live to see the answer of many of our other petitions which are put up and for which we are to expect daily tydings of some preparations at least towards their accomplishment as namely the calling of the Jewes the spreading of the Gospell at once into all places the joint profession of Christ publiquely and unanimously in all kingdomes and among all people prayers for such things are put up by us it may be in our age but the ages to come will see the fruites of them only this know that when the heart firmely beleeves the truth of these things and that God will in his due time accomplish these then ther is some answer of our prayers because the same spirit which inables a man to pray for these workes beleefe and carryes the eye of the soule to looke beyond all difficulties and all times and by faith to see them as certainely as if they were already come to passe Thus Abraham by faith saw the day of Christ and rejoyced and so we by faith see the answer of all the petitions we have put up and we should rejoyce therfore knowing that when they shall be granted the grant of them will be every way answerable to that which we formerly beleeved and prayed for But moreover ther are some things which it pleaseth God to bring to passe in our times as perhaps some particular mercies for our selves or others or for the whole Church now after prayer we must waite for an answer therby shewing our dependency on God so the Psalmist As the eyes of servants looke unto the hand of their masters and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistresse so our eyes waite upon the Lord our God untill that he have mercie upon us It may be God will not grant that very deliverance which hath been prayed for but some other yet then the prayer is answered though not in the very particular which was desired A man perhaps prayeth that God would roote out and destroy all enemies God pleaseth to cut off some but he will not slay all least his people forget it and therfore he scatters them by his power and brings them downe And though perhaps God give not a speedy deliverance yet he answers the prayer for the present when the heart is afterward more humble and more carefull to walke with God and is more dependant on him and is still more earnest to seeke and cry unto him and is thankefull for any favour though never so little for any deliverance for any safety vouchsafed from time to time and still continued Likewise God heares our prayers and for the present giveth an answer unto them or rather assurance that he will in due time answer them when he filleth the heart with content to be denyed and to magnifie him however Thus let us pray but with an expectation of an answer to our prayers When God gives deliverance it will be an answer to the prayers desires wishes longings and expectations of his people by terrible things thou wilt answer oh God of our salvation So much for the third observation The fourth is this God is the Author of his peoples salvation or deliverance Salvation or the deliverance of Gods people is every wher ascribed unto God in scripture God is stiled the hope of Israell the Saviour therof in the time of trouble and the Church is stiled a people saved by the Lord as if the maine care of God were to save and deliver his people Salvation belongs to the Lord and his blessing is upon his people and he only workes salvation in the midst of the earth I even I saith he am the Lord and besides me ther is no Saviour For the better understanding of this title know that there is a double salvation spoke of in scripture 1. There is a spirituall salvation from sinne and Satan and the power of both and from Hell And 2. There is a temporall salvation which is Gods deliverance of his people from outward temporall afflictions calamities and distresses under which they are I take the temporall is cheifely intended in this title of God as it stands in the text yet the other must not be excluded A word or two of both First if we referre this title here given to God to the spirituall salvation then it may be very evident to us that he is the Author of it 1. Because he calls us to salvation He did ordeine us to it and he hath called us therunto Our soules were running headlong to Hell and perdition but God called us back from the pit We were as sheepe straying but God hath called us by his word and such who listen to it and obey it returne from the way of destruction and are saved Besides Gods call to salvation 2. He putteth men into it The very entrance which any make into it is from him Man is naturally averse therunto he is unwilling to passe thorough so many difficulties to undergoe so much mortification selfe denyall crucifying of the world and to aspire to so much heavenly mindednesse as is requisite It is the Lord only who makes the heart and soule overlooke all this and a great deale more It is he only who raiseth up the spirit to a resolution to go thorough all to follow him in all My soule saith David followeth hard after thee As a child doth what he can to keepe company with his father so he still applyed himselfe what he could to imitate his heavenly father God only brings the spirit to this that though it hath many discouragements doubts and troubles and hath spent much of its time in by and sinfull thoughts and wayes yet now being put into the way of salvation it goes on in a way of holines and righteousnes and is sure to meete with perfected salvation at the last We have a strong City salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks open yee the gate that the rightous nation which keepeth the truth may enter 3. The progresse and perfecting in the way of salvation is from God The God of all grace who hath called us into his eternall glory by Christ Iesus after that yee have suffered a while will make you perfect stablish strengthen and settle you God perfects and God guides us to salvation he guides with his eye and after he will receive us up to glorie It is his worke to make us persevere unto the end and to bring his people to establishment strength settlement and perfection in piety and goodnes salvation is of
and weary themselves in plotting and ruining his people and then on the sudden he turnes all upon themselves having them all in derision As when a man overlookes a company of boyes busie in making clay walls and castles and heares them talke that they will destroy hereby any who meddles with them he laughs at them and suddenly comes in and breakes all their workes in peices and sets them all on crying and lamenting even so the Lord is wise to understand fully all the adversaries attempts he laughs at them and suddenly breaks their power and fills them with wailing 3. God is all sufficient to rescue and save his people and deliver them out of all their troubles He only is able to save So he is described by the prophet Who is this that cometh from Edom with died garments from Bozra this that is glorious in his apparell travelling in the greatnesse of his strength I that speake in righteousnesse mighty to save Nothing can withstand his power with a strong hand he brought his people out of Aegypt Deliverances are at his command Knowest thou not said our blessed Saviour to Peter that I can pray to my father and he shall presently give me more then twelve legions of Angells All the Armyes in heaven and earth are commanded by him He is able to raise up and fit instruments to be deliverers of his people from them that spoile and distresse them The Midianites thought to overbeare Israell with multitude and mighty Armies but the Lord raised up Gideon and made him successefull that the Midianites helped to slay one another and so he utterly discomfited them 4. God is very watchfull to do his people good to give deliverance Behold he that keepeth Israell shall neither slumber nor sleepe He will let no opportunity slip to releive The Lord standeth up to plead and standeth to judge the people the Lord will enter into judgement with the Ancients of his people and the Princes therof for yee have eaten up the vineyards the spoile of the poore is in your houses what meane yee that yee beate my people to peices and grind the faces of the poore saith the Lord These footsteps of Gods glory his pitty omnisciency all sufficiency and watchfulnes doth evidence that the salvation of Gods people comes from no other but God He is the God of their salvation From this double salvation of the Church wherof God is the Author and therefore is stiled here the God of our salvation we learne 1. To ascribe both to him 2. To seeke for both from him and 3. To labour to have an interest in the salvation which he workes for his people First let us ascribe all the salvation which is wrought to God only According to the title here given unto him say as the Psalmist Not unto us oh Lord not unto us but to thy name give the glory And this we should do both in respect of the spirituall and of the temporall salvation whereof he makes us partakers 1. We are to ascribe our spirituall deliverance to God only The foure beasts and twenty foure elders fell downe before the lambe saying Thou art worthy for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy bloode out of every kindred and tongue and people and Nation and hast made us unto our God Kings and Preists and we shall reigne on earth All the glory of mans salvation is only to be ascribed to God He contrived the meanes of salvation by Christ and he gave him to worke salvation and to brin̄g his people to it let him therefore have the glory of it By grace saith the Apostle we are saved and as if he had not said enough he addes by grace yee are saved thorough faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of workes lest any should boast It was prophesied that when the temple should be built by Zorobabell the people of God should with on joynt cry say Grace to it and he shall bring forth the head stone thereof with shouting crying Grace Grace to it It was a type of Gods building his spirituall temples by working grace in their hearts and fitting them to be come holy temples an habitation of God through the spirit Indeed there shall be mighty oppositions many difficulties mountaines to be removed but the head stone shal be fetched out Christ the corner stone wch the builders once refused should be laid in the heart and they should all shout Grace Grace to it It is of free grace that the worke is begunne continued and finished the Lord must therefore have the praise of our salvation He brings salvation into the heart he causes it to persevere unto salvation and he only will compleate our salvation and therefore every gracious man must confesse that all of his salvation is only from the God of his salvation And so the Lord will count when he writes up the people that this man was borne there He will count that Christ was formed and framed in the hearts of his people living in this or that Kingdome the Lord keepes as it were a record of all his glorious salvations which he hath wrought in any and he will be glorified by his people for it The glorie then of our spirituall salvation is only to be ascribed to God 2. And so we must ascribe only to him our temporall salvation If he at any time doth deliver or preserve let us say of this his salvation as we did of the other Not unto us oh Lord not unto us but to thy name give the glory And with the Psalmist They got not this or that deliverance by their owne sword neither did their right arme save them but thy right hand and thine arme and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a favour unto them Say not it was the valour and strength and wisdome of such and such which hath done thus and thus for us but acknowledge that God only was the Author and the other his instruments of the mercies injoyed Many a time from my youth up have they afflicted me may England now say yea many a time have they afflicted me from my youth yet they have not prevailed against me the plowers plowed on my back and made long furrowes but it was the righteous Lord that cut asunder the cords of the wicked It would be a great worke to relate the bare heades of the mercies which from day to day God vouchsafes to his people every day brings out new mercies new kindnesses new helps new succours new escapements sundry sorts of deliverances in on kinde or other England had long before this have bin as Sodom and as Gomorah unlesse the Lord had saved her let us therefore ascribe her salvation unto God only and when at any time the Lord saves any part of it or our selves temporally let this his kindnesse lead us on to repentance Let