they shall never be prevalent Enemies over Zion Pharaoh followed the Exod. 14. Israelites but he and his mighty men were drowned and Israel delivered for God was with them Saul 1 Sam. 26. 20. hunted David as a Partridge iâ— the Mountains but Saul perisheth and David was crowned for God was with him Haman hated Mordecai and plotted against Mordecai Hesther 6. 7. but Haman is hanged and Mordecai advanced for God was with him The Presidents and Princes inform Dan. 6. against Daniel and plot against Daniel but they are by the Lions torn and devouâ—ed and Daniel is delivered and exalted for God was with him Herod kills Acts 12. James with the sword and imprisons Peter but Herod is devoured by worms and Peter is delivered out of prison by an Angel for God was with him Let Atheists Papists and Persecutors cease from plotting against Zion from persecuting of Zion for it is utterly impossible to prevail against Zion Let all Zions Adversaries remember once for all that if any Policy counsel lying cursing strength or cruelty could have prevailed against Zion Zion had been rooted out of the world long ago If Balaam was at our Enemies elbows he would tell them roundly and plainly That it is in vain to curse those whom God blesseth It is hard to Num. 23. 8. Acts 9. 5. kick against the pricks It is high madness for men to run their naked Bodies against a swords point Let Zions Enemies remember that God who takes pleasure in Zion sits upon the Circle of the Earth and all the Inhabitants Isa 40. 22. 15. 17. are as Grashoppers yea all the Nations as a drop of a Bucket and less than the dust of the Ballance and therefore he can easily revenge all the wrongs and injuries Some observe that Fauls Stile is so beautified with wonderful Eloquence and Rheâ—orick that not Tully nor Deâ—â—oâ—â—henes could ever haâ—e so spoken August Erasmuâ— Some report of Augustin that he wished for three things â— To see Christ in the flesh 2. To see Rome in the pride of it 3. To have heard Paul preach that is done to Zion by those that would fain prevail over her and triumph in her ruin But Thirdly If God be with us who can be against us I answer None can be so against us as to be able to separate us from the love of God and the love of Christ Rom. 8. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distresses or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword Verse 36. As it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter Verse 37. Nay in all these things we are more than conquerers through him that loved us Verse 38. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come Verse 39. Nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus It is not the pleasures of life nor the pains of death it is not evils felt nor evils feared it is not the height of prosperity nor the depth of adversity it is not bonds nor banishment it is not power nor policy honour nor baseness it is not violent persecutions nor multiplyed tribulations it is not the scorns of men nor reproaches of men nor revilings of men nor designs of men nor any thing else that can separate us from the love of the Father or the love of the Son In the 35. Verse is a position that no crosses nor creatures can deprive us of the love of God which is set down in a double interrogation that he might add the more force and life to it and ravish the Readers Who shall separate us That is none can But he speaks with contempt Who shall shall tribulation as if he should say I scorn it As Goliah defied David saying Doest thou come to me with a staff so Paul with a better Spirit defies all crosses sufferings trials c. as things not able to deprive sincere Christians of Christs love shall tribulation c. He had before spoken of Persons now here he speaks of things because Satan and his sworn Slaves think by such things to separate between God and his People Chrysostome observes Paul's wisdome in three things 1. That he saith not Shall the love of riches pleasures honours c. which have a mighty force in them to bewitch us but shall tribulation distress c. 2. That he begins with the lighter and so riseth to greater troubles placing them in this order not casually but by singular art 3. That though these which he here rehcarseth consist of a certain number yet every one as a General hath special Troops under it As when he saith Tribulation he saith imsprisonments bonds slanders banishments c. Shall tribulation distress persecution c. No They are blessed which endure these Matth. 5 10. 11. things Shall famine He which feeds on Christ shall never perish for hunger Shall nakedness Christs righteousness is my cloathing I shall willingly follow him even naked who when he was cloathed with infinit glory as with a garment was content to be born naked and to be stript on the Cross for my sake Shall peril I know the hardest Shall the sword Christ is to me in life and death advantage But Fourthly If God be for us who can be against us I answer None can be against us so as to bring us to their bow their bâ—â—k their will their humour their lusts 1. Kings 19. 18. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal and every mouth which hath not kissed him That is I have Kissing was an outward token 1. of great and entire affection 2. of submissive reverence 3. of willing and ready subjection many thousands that have not worshipped Baal Here a set number is put for an indefinite number he means a very great number Idolaters used not only to bow kneel before their Idols but also to kiss them according to that Hos 13. 2. Let the men that sacrifice kiss the Calves Cicero saith that the chin of the image of Hercules was much worn with the kisses of them that adored him Now God had several thousands of true Israelites indeed that had not in the least kind polluted themselves with the Idolatrie of Baal The denial of bowing the knee and kissing with the mouth shewes that Gods faithful Servants were so far from setting their hearts upon Baal as that they would not make the least shew of any affection or subjection to him These good souls had too great spirits to be conformable to the Idolatry of the times Jeroboam with his eight hundred thousand 2 Chr. 113. 3 20. chosen men his Popish Priests and his golden Calves could not bring Judah to his bow
Nebuchadnezzar nor his Princely Informers nor his fiery Furnace could never bring the three Children to his bow the three Dan. 3. Champions would be Non-conformists though Court City and Country were violent for Conformity Neither Darius his Presidents nor Princes could ever bring Dan. 6. Daniel to their bow Daniel would keep off from idolatry and keep close to his God and close to his duty let all his enemies do their worst The Rulers and Elders of Israel charged the Apostles and threatned the Apostles and beat the Apostles and commanded the Apostles Acts 3. ibid. 4. and 5. that they should not speak in the Name of Jesus but they could never bring them to their bow For they Acts 5. 41. 42. departed from the presence of the Council rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name and daily in the Temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ Pharaoh by all his oppressions could never bring Israel to his bow Nor Saul by all his persecutions could never bring David to his bow Nor Haman by all his plots and designs could never bring Mordecai to his bow and Paul will rather dye upon the Acts 20. 21 22 23 24. cap. 21. 13. spot than be brought to his enemies bow The ten persecuting Emperours could never bring the primitive Christians to their bow Nor the bloody fierce and fiery Papists could never bring the Martyrs to their bow as you may see through out the Books of Martyrs Among the many hundred instances that are there I shall only refresh your memory with this one There were Endeavours to bring Hawkes to their bow but all in Fox Acts and Mon. p. 1447. vain at last some of his Christian Friends desired him for their encouragment and confirmation to give some token when he was in the flames a strange time one would think to attend upon signs by Friends whether pains were tolerable or no. He was bound to the stake fire put to the wood it burns it flames it consumes his flesh his eyes start out of his head his fingers are consumed with the fire and when every one thought him dead expecting the fall of his body lo suddenly he lifts up his stumps and thrice as a famous conquerour he claps them over his head In this he was more than a Conquerour In former times the sense of the love of God made the Martyrs esteem Tyrants as gnats and fleas and torments as the fleabitings Tertullian speaking of his times saith Accâ—satio votumest paena faeliâ—itas Tert. advers Gent. that to be accused was the wish of Christians and punishment for Christ they counted felicity A certain Woman â—unning in all hast with her child in her arms being asked the cause O saith she I hear a great sort of Christians are appointed to be martyred and I am afraid lest I and my little one come too late When the Emperour Valens banished Basil and the Tribune threatned his death I would said Basil I had any thing of worth I would bestow it on him that should cut Basil's wind-pipe and when he had that night given him to deliberate he answered That he should be the same man to morrow and wished that the Tribune would not be changed Chrysostome being in banishment by the means of Eudoxia the Empress wrote to a Bishop called Cyriacus and upon occasion tells of his resolution before he was banished I thought with my self saith he that if she will banish me the Earth is the Lords if she will saw me asunder I remembred the Prophet â—say if drown me Jonas came to my mind if stone me I thought of Stephen if behead me of John Baptist if take away my goods Naked came I out of my mothers womb By all which you may clearly see that let the wicked do their worst they can never bring the Saints to their bow But Fifthly If God be with us who can be against us I answer none so as to hinder the operation of all things for our good When men and devils have done their worst all the great troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers that do attend the Saints shall work for their good Rom. 8. 28. And we know that all I have read of a Jewish Rabbin who would still say it was good what ever befel him when he met with a cross he would say it was good when he met with a loss he would say it is good things work together for good to them that love God to them that are called according to his purpose In this Verse there are two things observable First a proposition or a glorious priviledge All things work together for good This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Work together is a physical expression several poysonful ingredients put together being tempered by the skilful Apothecary make a soveraign medicine and work together for the good of the Patient they work together not invicem between themselves but together with God not of their own nature for so they do not co-operate but contra-operate but being sanctified by God And therefore one takes the verb passively are wrought for indeed take away God and afflictions work for our hurt but all Gods providences â—eing divinely tempered and sanctified do work together for the best to the People of God When the worst of men have done their worst against the Saints all things shall sweetly concur yea conspire for their good 2. The proof which is double 1. From the experience of all Saints We know it is not a matter pendulous or doubtful The Apostle doth not say We think but We know Nor he doth not say We hope but We know Nor he doth not say We guess we conjecture but We know Nor he doth not say We desire that all things may work together for good but We know all things work together for good Nor he doth not say We pray that all things may work together for good but We know all Judg. 14. 12 13 14. things work together for good The wicked know not this secret as the Philistins understood not Sampsons riddles but we know that all the world shall not hinder the cross from working for our good 2. From a dâ—scription of them that love God they are called according to Gods purpose That is God hath purposed the salvation of his People he hath chosen them to salvation and called them to it and therefore it must needs be that all these afflictions that befal his People must work together for their internal and eternal good otherwise he should do that which should cross his own purpose which wise men will not do and O how much less will the most wise God act counter cross to his own purpose So Jer. 24. 5. Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel Like these good Figs so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah whom I have sent out of this
virtually all evil will be raising doubts and cavils and objections in the soul so that if God does not stand by us now what can we say what can we do how can we bear up how can we stand fast What was Sampson that Judges 16. 19 20. man of strength when his hair was gone but as weak as water and what is the strongest Christian when his God is gone but as weak as weakness it self all our doing strength and all our suffering strength and all our bearing strength and all our witnessing strength lies in the special presence of God with our souls all our comforts and all our supports and all our ease and all our refreshments flow from the presence of God with our souls in our greatest troubles and deepest distresses and therefore if God should leave us in a day of trouble what would become of us and whither should we go and where should we find rest When doth a man need a Brother or Friend but in a day of adversity A Brother Prov. 17. 17. is born for adversity though at other times Brethren may jar and jangle and quarrel yet in a day of adversity in a strait in a stress birth and good blood and good nature will be working Adversity breeds love and unity Ridley and Hooper differed very much about Ceremonies in the day of their liberty but when they were both Prisoners in the Tower thâ—â— they could agree well enough and then they could be mutual comforts one to another and when does a Christian most need the strength of God the consolations of God the supports of God the teachings and quicknings of God and the signal singular presence of God but when they are in the greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers When the People of God are in a low and afflicted condition then the Lord knows that that Isa 33. 9. 10. is the season of seasons for him to grace them with his gracious presence When calamities and dangers break in upon us and when all heads and hands and hearts and counsels are set against us now is the time for God to help us for God to succour us for God to stand by us But. Fifthly the Lord will be signally present with his 5 Reason People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers because he dearly loves them God Deut. 7. 6 7 8. Amat quiâ— amat Bernard entirely loves his People and therefore he will not leave his People persons whom we entirely love we cannot leave especially when they are in a distressed condition Prov. 17 17. A friend loves at all times saith Solomon and God is such a friend God loves not by fits and starâ—â— as many do but his love is like himself sincere and stedfast because he loves them he won't forsake them when they are in the greatest troubles and most terrible dangers 1 Sam. 12. 22. For the Lord will not forsake his People for his great Namessake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People He chose you for his love and he still loveth you for his choice and therefore he won't forsake you Chide you he may but forsake you he won't for it will not stand with the glory of God to leave a People to forsake a People of his love Should I cast you off whom I love the Heathen Nations would say that I was mutable in my purposes or unfaithful in my promises Though David's Parents forsook him yet God did not forsake Psalm 27. 10. him but took him up into his care and keeping It is the deriding question which the enemies of the Saints put Psâ—lm 79. 10. to them in the time of their greatest troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers Vbi Deus Where is now your God But they may safely and groundedly return this answer when they are at lowest Hic Deus Our God is here he is nigh unto us he is round about Isa 52. 12. us and he is in the midst of us Witness that golden promise that is more worth than a world I will never leave thee nor forsake thee God is a God of bowels a Heb. 13. 5 11. Hos 8. 9. Mich. 7. 19. Jer. 31. 18 19 20. God of great pity a God of tender compassion and therefore he will not leave his People in a time of distress Parents bowels do most yearn towards their Children when they are sick and weak and most in danger it goes to the very heart of a man to leave a friend in misery but what are the bowels of men to the bowels of God! or the compassions of men to the compassions of God! There is an Ocean of love in the hearts of Parents 2 Sam. 19. 6. towards their children when they are in distress and this love makes them sit by their children and sit up with their children and not stir from their children Gods love does so link his heart to his People in their deep distresses Psalm 91. 15. that he can't leave them he can't stir from them Isa 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee Well and what then This love so endeares unites God to his People that he can't leave them he can't stir one foot from them V. 2. When thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee The Lord dearly loves his People and he highly prizes his People and he greatly delights in his People and therefore he will be signally present with his People both in the fire and in the water both in the fire of persecution and iâ— the waters of affliction God loves the persons of his People and he loves the presence of his People and he loves the graces of his People and he loves the services of his People and he loves the fellowship of his People and therefore he will never leave his People but stand by them and be signally present with them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses Such is Gods singular love to his Covenant-People that he will neither forsake them nor forget them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers The Jews were low yea very low in Babylon their distresses were great and their dangers many they looked upon themselves as so many dead Ezek. 37. 1. to 15. men Our bones are dry our hope is lost and we are cut off for our parts They looked upon themselves both as forsaken and forgotten by God Behold captive Sion lamentingly saith The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord Isa 49. 13. to 18. Psalm 84. 7. Isa 1. 27. Heb. 12. 22. hath forgotten me Sion is taken several wayes in Scripture 1. For the place properly so called where they were wont to meâ—t to worship
Will the Lord be signally present with 4. Inference his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then from hence you may see the Lords singular love and admirable kindness to his People in gracing them with his presence in their greatest Isa 43. 2. 4. troubles that is a Friend indeed that will stick close to a man in the day of his troubles as Jobs friends did Job 2. 11 12 13 1 Sam. 20. 30 31. 32 33. stick close to him in the day of his troubles and as Jonathan did stick close to David in his greatest dangers and as the primitive Christians did sticâ— close one to another though with the hazard of their lives and to the amazement of their Enemies Behold said they how the Christians love one another and stand by one another The People of God in their greatest troubles are a People of his special love when they are in distress he lyes them in his very bosom and his banner over Cant. 2. 4. them is love The love of God to his People is engraven upon the most afflictive dispensation they are under when he smartly rebukes them even then he dearly loves them Hear ye the rod. Oh the rod speaks love Rev. 3. 19. Micha 6. 9. many of the Saints have read much of the Lords love written in letters of their own blood they have read love in Priâ—â—ns and love in flames and love in banishment and love in the cruellest torments their Enemies could invent When a Christians wounds are bleeding Mal. 4. 2. then God comes in with a healing plaster when a Christian is in a storm then the presence of the Lord makes all calm and quiet within The presence of the Lord Matth. 8. 26. with his People in their troubles and distresses speaks out the reality of his love the cordialness of his love the greatness of his love and the transcendency of his love The truth and strength of Relations love one to another doth best appear by their presence one with another when either of them are in the Iron Furnace or in bonds or in great straits or wants or deep distresses The Parents shew most of their love to their sick and weak Children by their daily presence with them and the Husband shews most of his dear and tender love by keeping his Wife company when she is in greatest straits and dangers so here But Fifthly Will the Lord be signally present with his 5. Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then this may serve to justifie the Saints and to encourage the Saints to write after this fair copie that Christ has set them O visit them O stand by them O stick close to them in all their troubles distresses and dangers let the same mind be in you one towards another as is in Christ towards you all Phil. 2. 5. Job 11. 12 13. Are there any Jobs upon the dunghil visit them are there any Pauls in chaines find them out and be not ashamed of their chaines 2 Timoth. 1. 16. The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain Verse 17. But when he was in Rome he sought me out diligently and found me Verse 18. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day and in how many things he ministred unto me at Ephesus thou knowest very well He oft refreshed me Greek Poured cold water upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me As that Angel did upon the wracked limbs of Theodorus the Martyr mentioned by Socrates and Ruffinus in the dayes of Julian the Apostat 't is a Metaphor taken from those who being almost overcome with heat are refreshed by cooling And was not ashamed of my chain Learned Antiquaries observe that the Apostle at this time was not in prison with fetters but in the custody of a Souldier with whom he might go abroad having a chain on his right arm which was tyed to the Souldiers left arm Paul at this time was not in prison much less a close Prisoner for then Onesiphorus needed not to have made any great search to find him but was a Prisoner at large going up and down with his Keeper to dispatch his affairs and therefore he speaks not of chains in the plural number but of a chain in the singular with which he was tyed to the souldier that kept him It no wayes becomes the Saints to be ashamed of the bonds or chains that may be found upon the Ambassadours of Christ in an evil day The primitive Christians were not ashamed of the Martyrs chains but owned them in their chains and stood by them in their chains and frequently visited them in their chains and freely and nobly relieved them and refreshed them in their chains And will you will you be ashamed to visit the Saints in bonds O let not this be told in Gath 2 Sam. 1. 20. nor published in the streets of Askelon that the high-flown Professors and Christians of these times are ashamed to own relieve and stand by the Saints in bonds So Matth. 25. 36. I was sick and ye visited me I was in See Exo. 2. 11 12. compared with Acts 7. 23. to 29. only remember the case was extraordinary and his call was extraordinary prison and ye came unto me It is very remarkable that the last definitive Sentence shall pass upon men according to those acts of favour and kindness that have been shewed to the Saints in their suffering state and that the Sentence of absolution shall contain a manifestation of all their good works In this great day Christ sees no iniquity in his People he objects nothing against them and he only makes honourable mention of the good that has been done by them O Sirs all the visits you give to sick Saints and all the visits you give to imprisoned Saints Christ takes as visits given to himself suffering Saints and you are Brethren and will you not visit your own Brethren suffering Saints and Christ are Brethren Matth. 25. 40. John 20 17. Psalm 119. 63. 2 Cor. 8. 19. and will you not visit Christs Brethren suffering Saints and you are Companions and will you not visit your own Companions suffering Saints and you are travelling Heaven-wards and will you not visit your Fellow-travellers suffering Saints and you are Fellow-citizens and will you not visit your Fellow-citizens Ephes 2. 19. suffering Saints and you are Fellow souldiers Phil. 2. 25. and will you not visit your Fellow-souldiers suffering Saints aâ—d you are Fellow-heirs and will you not visit Rom. 8. 17. your Fellow-heirs O never be ashamed of those that Christ is not ashamed of O never fail to visit those whom Christ daily visits in their suffering state O never turn your backs upon those to whom Christ hath given the right hand of fellowship O be not
shy of them nor strange to them whom Christ lyes daily in his bosom O be not unkind to them with whom one day you must live for ever But Sixthly Will the Lord be signally present with his 6. Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then never give way to base slavish Psal 51. 12 13. Pfalm 46. 1 2 3. Matt. 10 2â— â—â— fears there are as many fear nots in Scripture as there are fears take a tast of some of them Hebr. 13. 5. He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Verse 6. So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me This Text is taken out of Psalm 118. 6. The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me Some read it by The Earl of Mâ—rray speaking of Mr. John Knox said Here lies the body of him who iâ— hiâ— life time never feared the face of any man way of Interrogation What can man do unto me There is some difference in the Apostle's quoting the Text betwixt the Hebrew and the Greek The Hebrew thus reads it The Lord is with me or for me or as our English hath translated it The Lord is on my side The Greek thus The Lord is my helper but the sence being the same with the Hebrew the Apostle would not alter that translation The alteration which is in the Greek serves for an Exposition of the mind and meaning of the Psalmist for God being with us or for us or on our side presuppofeth that he is our helper So as there is no contradiction betwixt the Psalmist and the Apostle but a clear interpretation of the Psalmists mind and a choice instruction thence ariseth viz. That Gods signal prefence with us for us or on our side may abundantly satisfie us and assure us that he will afford all needful help and succour to us the consideration of which should abundantly arm us against all base slavish fears God is not present with his Saints in their troubles and distresses as a stranger but as a Father and therefore he cannot but take such special care of them as to help them as to succour them and as to secure them from dangers in the midst of dangers and therefore Isa 43. 2. why should they be afraid The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is translated helper in that Hebr. 13. 6. according to the notation of it signifieth one that is ready to run at the cry of another Now this notation implieth a willing readiness and a ready willingness in God to afford all succour and relief to his People in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses herein God shews himself like a tender Father Mother or Nurse who presently runs when any of them hear the Child cry or see danger near Isai 8. 10. God is with us Verse 12. Fear ye not their fear nor be afraid The Divine presence should arm us against all base slavish fears of mens power policy wrath or rage Kings and Princes compared with God or with the signal presence of God are Isa 40. 2â— but as so many Grashoppers skipping and leaping up and down the field and does it become Christians that enjoy this Divine presence to be afraid of Grashoppers Isa 41. 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with thâ—â—â—ht hand of my righteousness God expects that his signal presence with us should arm us against all base fear and dismayedness â—salm 23. 4. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me The Divine presence raised David above all his fears Psalm 27. 1. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Who is the Enemy that I should be afraid of where is the Enemy that I should be afraid of by what name or title is the Enemy dignified or distinguished that I should be afraid of I look before me and behind me I look round about me and I look at a distance from me and I cannot see the man the Devil the Informer that I should fear or be afraid of for God is with me Where God is said King Herod in Josephuâ— lib. 15 a speech to his Army there neither wants multitude nor fortitude we may safely readily and cheerfully set the Divine presence against all our Enemies in the world When Antigonus his Admiral told him that the Enemies number far exceeded his But how many do ye set me against said the King Look about you and see who is with you Ah Christians Christians look about you look about you and see who is signally present with you and then be afraid if you can But Seventhly Will the Lord be signally present with his 7. Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then certainly there is no such great evil in troubles distresses sufferings c. as many conceive fear dream think judge many men look upon troubles afflictions sufferings in a multiplying glass and then they cry out there is a Lion in the way Prov. 22. 13. Cap. 26. 13. a Lion in the streets But Sirs the Lion is not alwayes so fierce as he is painted nor afflictions are not alwayes so grievous as men apprehend there are many who have been very fearful of Prisons and have looked upon a Prison as a Hell on this side Hell who when they have been there for righteousness sake and the Gospels sake have found â—â—â—ns to be Palaces and the imaginary Hell to be a little Heaven unto them Many fear afflictions and flee from afflictions as from Toads and Serpents as from Enemies and Devils and yet certainly there is no such great evil in affliction as they apprehend for the Lord is signally present with his People in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses Now what evil can there be in that condition wherein a man enjoyes the Divine presence that makes every bitter sweet and every burden light and that turns Winter nights into Summer dayes c. yea many times the Saints enjoy more of the singular presence of God in their afflictions in their day of adversity than ever they did in the day of prosperity or in the day of their worldly glory What Bride is afraid to meet her Bridegroom in a dark entry or in a dirty lane or in a narrow passage or in a solitary wood and why then should a Christian be afraid of this or that afflicted condition who is sure to meet his blessed Bridegroom the Lord Jesus Christ in every estate in every condition who is sure to enjoy the presence of Christ with him in every turn or change
Physician Souls immediatly make up the breach take up the controversy between God and your souls humble your selves judge your selves and speedily return to the most high Thus Peter did and recovered the favourable Mat. 26 â—5 Mar. 16. 7. presence of God presently But if men will commit sin and lye in it if they will fall and have no mind to rise God will certainly withdraw his favourable presence from them as you see in David and Solomon This Psal 51. 11 12. 1 Kings 11. 9. Josh 7. 1 2 3 4 5 is further evident in that case of Achan Josh 7 The Israelites they came to fight with the men of Ai and fled before them for the Lord was not with them Why what was the cause of Gods withdrawing himself See Verse 11. Israel hath sinned And Verse 12. Therefore the Children of Israel could not stand before their enemies but turned their backs Their sins having betrayed them into the hand of Divine Justice and into their enemies hands also Mark what followes Neither will I be with you any more except ye destroy the accursed from amongst you If we will not stone our Achans our sins by the lively exercise of faith and repentance If we will keep up our lusts in despite of all that God does against us we must never expect to retain the gracious presence of God with us But Thirdly take heed either of neglecting Gospel-worship or of corrupting Gospel-worship Omissions will damn as well as commissions and omissions will provoke God to withdraw his presence as well as commissions When persons are careless in their attendance on Cant. 5. 2 3 6. Cant. 4. 1 2 3. Gospel ordinances no wonder if God withdraw his presence from them in their distresses Cain went off from ordinances Gen. 4. 15 16. and the Lord set a mark upon him O the black and dismal marks of misery that God has set upon many that have neglected Gospel-worship and for profits sake and for Diana's sake are fallen roundly in with the 2 Tim. 4. 10. Acts 19. 24 36. worship of the world O Sirs the great God stands upon nothing more in all the world than upon purity in his worship There is nothing that doth so provoke exasperate God against a People as corrupt worship corrupt worship sadly reflects upon the Name of God the honour of God the truth of God and the wisdom of God and therefore his heart rises against such worship and worshippers and he will certainly withdraw from them and be a swift and terrible witness against them as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margin together Psal 106. 39. to 43. Psal 78. 58. to 64. 2 Chro. 7. 19 20 21 22. Cap. 32. 16. to 21 Deu. 29. 22. to 29 Corrupt worship is contrary to the unity of God Now deny his unity and you deny his Deity For the Lord is one and his Name is one Zach. 14. 9. 'T is contrary to the soveraignty of God He is the only Ruler the only Potentate 1 Tim. 6. 15. 'T is contrary to the all-sufficiency of God The Heathen worshipped several Gods as thinking that several Gods did bestow several blessings they begged health of one God wealth of another God and victory of a third God thus imagining to themselves several Deities for several supplies their God was but a Jupiter a partial helper an auxiliary God but Our God is Jehovah who is abundantly able to Eph. 3. 20. supply all our wants Now if either we neglect his true instituted worship or fall in with a false worship with a devised worship with a humane worship with a worldly worship he will certainly withdraw his gracious presence from us Will-worship accuses and charges God with weakness and folly as if God were not careful Heb. 3. 4 5 6. John 4. 23 24. enough nor faithful enough nor mindful enough nor wise enough to order direct and guide his People in the matters of his worship but must be beholding to the wisdom prudence and care of man of vain man of sinful man of vile and unworthy man of weak and foolish man to compleat perfect and make up something that was wanting in his worship Now assuredly God will never keep house with them who give in such severe accusations and charges against him But Fourthly take heed of a willing willful and presumptuous running cross to Divine commands to Divine warnings The disobedient child is turn'd out of doors the disobedient servant shall have none of his Masters smiles the disobedient wife has little of her husbands company a willing willful presumptuous running cross to Divine commands speaks out much pride Atheism hardness blindness and desperate security and contempt of the great God It speaks out the greatest disingenuity stoutness and stubornness that is imaginable and therefore no wonder if God turn his back upon such and if he disdains to be in the midst of such Num. 14. 42. Go See Deu. 1. 42 43 44 45 46. not up for the Lord is not among you that ye be not smitten before your enemies Verse 43. For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you that is on the top of the hill lying in readiness to set upon you and therefore are said To come down Verse 45 And ye shall fall by the sword because ye are turned away from the Lord therefore the Lord will not be with you Verse 44. But they presumed to go up to the hill-top though they had not the presence of God with them nor the signs of his grace favour with them nor the company of Moses with them but mark they paid dear for their presumption Verse 45. Then the Amalekites came down and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill and smote them and discomfited them even unto Hormah When men are without Gods presence they are without Gods precincts and so out of his protection To act or run cross to Gods express command though under pretence of revelation from God is as much as a mans life is worth as you may see in that sad story 1 Kings 13. 24. We frequently deny our presence unto disobedient Persons and so does God his disobedience to Divine commands shuts the door against the Divine presence and will not suffer God to come in to succour us comfort us or support us under our greatest troubles and deepest distresses But Fifthly Take heed of carnal confidence of resting upon an arm of flesh Psalm 30. 6. And in my prosperity I said I shall never be moved that is when I was prosperously Adam in Paradice was overcome when Job on the dunghil was a conqueror settled in the Kingdom I began to conclude within my self that now there was an end of all my troubles I should now live all my dayes in a prosperous estate David having taken the strong Fort of Zion and having vanquished his Enemies round about and all the Tribes having submitted themselves to
Rom. 8. 31. If God be for us who can be against us That is none but this is a more forcible denying Who can Doest thou Paul ask Who can I 'll tell thee The Devil can and Tyrants can and Informers can and Persecutors can and the whole World can but ridendus est furor inanis They are as nothing and can do nothing against us Wicked men may set themselves against the Saints but they shall not prevail against the Saints What if all the world should strive to hinder the Sun from rising or shining or the wind from blowing or the rain from falling or like those Pigmies which went with their arrows and bows to repress the flowing of the Sea Ludibrious acts and meer follies All that wicked men can do against the People of God will be but as throwing stones against the wind If God be with us who can be against us Me thinks these are words of great resolution as if he should say we have many enemies and powerfulenemies and daring enemies and malitious enemies and designing enemies and enraged enemies yet let the proudest of them shew their faces and lift up their banners I fear them not I regard them not Who can who dare be against â—â— Let me give a little light into this precious Scripture If God be for us who can be against us that is none First None can be so against us as to hurt us or harm us therefore Aquinas well expounds that Quis contra Dan. 3. 25. 27. Cap. 6. 22. nos i. e. Quis efficaciter and others Quis laesivè prevalenter who can be against us so as to hurt us Acts 18. 9. Then spoke the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision be not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace Verse 10. For I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to burt thee for I have much people in this City God had many Souls in this ity to convert and What said Justin Martyr to his murtherers in the behalf of himself and his fellow-Mortyrs you may kill us but you can never hurt us to bring in to Christ and therefore he animates and encourages Paul to preach boldly and to go on in his work undauntedly I but Lord there be many in the City that will set themselves against me I but I am with thee I but Lord there be many in the City that will hate me I but there is no Man that shall set on thee to hurt thee They may kill me said Socrates of his Enemies but they cannot hurt me It was the speech of Anaxarchus a Heathen when as he by the Tyrant he was commanded to be put in a Mortar and be beaten to pieces with an Iron pestel he cries out to the Persecutors you do but be at the vessel of Anaxarchus you do not beat me nor hurt me you do but beat the case the husk the vessel that contains another thing his body was to him but as a case a husk he counted his soul himself which his persecutors could not reach nor hurt Though there were many in the City of Corinth that would be ready furiously to set on Paul yet there should not be a man that should be able to hurt Paul God would be his life guard to protect him and he would make void all the mischievous designs and endeavours of his adversaries against him When in a City the Lord hath those that are ordained to Salvation he will bless the labours of his faithful Servants with happy success so that faithful Ministers may not yea must not for fear of the invincible malice of some neglect the Salvation of others All the Arrows that Men of might and malice should shoot at Paul in the City of Corinth should never reach him they should never hurt him nor harm him 1 Pet. 3. 13. And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good They may oppose you but they cannot harm you they may hate you but they cannot harm you they may plot and devise mischief against you but they cannot harm you they may persecute you but they cannot harm you I know Caesar told Metellus that he could as easily take away his life as bid it be done but these were only bravado's for that is a Royalty which belongs to God only To whom belong the issues Psalm 68. 20. of death or the goings out from death that is deliverances from death and deadly dangers It is an allusion to one that keepeth a passage or a door that is God hath all the wayes which lead out from death in his own keeping Christ hath the keys of death the sole Revel 1. 18. 2 Pet. 2. 9. dominion and disposal of it the Lord knows how to deliver his People from the most desperate and deadly dangers he can deliver them out of the mouth of the Lion he can pull them out of the jaws of death and so secure them from all harm or hurt none can be so against the People of God as to harm their souls as to hurt their happiness But If God be with us who can be against us I answer Secondly None can be so against us as to prevail 2. Matth. 16. 18. Heb. 2. 10. Jer. 1. 19. Cap. 20. 11. over us the Gates of hell may fight against us but the Gates of hell cannot prevail against us Christ is the Captain of your Salvation God hath made him General of the Field and therefore you may be sure that he will stand by you and bring you off with honour you need never fear having the day who have Christ your Captain for your second though your persecutors are as so many roaring Lions yet Christ who is the Lion of the Tribe of Judab will make you victorious over Revel 5. 5. Psalm 129. 2. them all In all storms and tempests the Church will stand fast because it stands upon a rock God is on Zions side and the Enemies of Zion must first prevail against Zions God Before they can prevail over Zion her self Zions God will be a wall of fire about her and Zach. 2. 5 Dent. 33. 26 27 28 29. therefore Zions Enemies shall never prevail over her Were Zions shelter stones these might be battered were it walls of lead these might be melted were it a defence of waters these might be dryed up were it garrisons of mighty men these might be scattered were it engines of war these might be defeated were it trenches these might be stopped were it bulwarks these might be overthrown But Zion is guarded with a wall of fire round about her and therefore all her opposers can never prevail over her The Enemies of Zion 2 Chron. 32. 7 8 Rom. 8. 37. Genes 3. 12. Num. 14. 9. are weak Enemies they are infatuated Enemies they are conquered Enemies they are limited Enemies they are chained Enemies they are cursed Enemies and they are naked Enemies and therefore