their Spectacles is sufficiently conspicuous and may be discerned that it is the hand writing of the Lord for that it hath a peculiar stampt of Divinity that cannot be counterfited If God creat but a louse in Egypt that is an original whereof the greatest Magicians can give no copy because it is the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. And yet many read the Epistle without the inscription many see the hand work and not the hand the Work and not the Worker Not to speak of Heathen Atheists of whom some have been darkned with the fancy of a voluble blind Fortune others dammished with the impression of on inflexâ—â—â—e inexorable fate both equally opposed to the â—th of a wisely contrived and freely exercised â—â—ovidence Nor to speak of heretical Manicheâ— who attributed all evil events of sin or pain to â—e Daemoniacal influence of a malum principium an dependent unprincipiated Principle of evil in â—ain speech a Devil-God nor of malicious blasâ—emous Iews who albeit that they could not â—ny that notable Works and Miracles were â—ought by Christ yet calumniously attributed at which was the finger of God to Beelzebub â—e Prince of Devils I say not to mention these â—w many are there in all Generations who have â—gmatically received the true principles of a geneâ— Providence that either of neglect do not of infirmity and mistake cannot or of malice â—ill not see the hand of God in particular events â—nd therefore we have this frequent Conclusion Gods dispensations whether of mercy or Judgâ—ent then shall they know that I am the Lord. Unbelief of a providence looseth all the pins and â—aketh the whole frame of Religion and the â—â—th and actual observation of a Providence sixeth that Atheisme looseth Upon this pin of an observed Providence the Saints do hang many excellent vessels of greater and smaller quantity â—nd what doth not David build upon this foundation the Lord reigneth Let us then observe â—rovidence ruling in all dispensations and in every one of these let us with old Eli both see â—d say it is the Lord and whether dispensations be prosperous or cross let us remember him thâ— hath said I make peace and I creat evil Onâ—â— let not the observation of providence either slaken our hands in any good Duty This evil iâ— the Lord wherefore then should I wait any longer 〈◊〉 him was an ill use of Providence And this is bâ— like the rest of Satans and Unbeliev's Conclusion Nor 2. Let it strengthen our hands in any sinâ— project or practice It was the Devil that 〈◊〉 cast thy self down from the pinacle because he hath â—â—ven his Angels charge of thee Let us not take Providence 3. for approbation of our practice Senacherib who could say that he was not come without the Lord against Ierusalem It was a wickâ—â— word in David's enemies to say God hath forsâ—â—â— him let us persecute and destroy him But David 〈◊〉 of another spirit when God delivered Saul iâ— his hand let not my hand saith he be upon bâ— for wickedness proceedeth from the wicked saith the Proverb of the Ancients 4. Let dispensations of Providence be determining evidences of our state before God for all things 〈◊〉 alike unto all and and no man can know either â—â— or hatred by all that is before him Eccles. 9 1. â—â— a great vanity in a wicked man to think the 〈◊〉 of himself for prosperity And it a great weakâ—â—â—â— in a Saint to think the worse of himself for affliction and adversity albeit all these come from the hand of the Lord. And yet none are hereupâ—â— allowed to be Stoically or stupidly unconcerned 〈◊〉 the vicissitudes of differing dispensations for â—â—cles 3 4. there is a time to weep and a time to 〈◊〉 time to mourn and a time to dance And chap. 7. 14. the wise God by the wise mans mouth bids us in â—he day of prosperity be joyful but in the day of adâ—ersity consider The 3d. thing to be observed in the works of God and his ways to his People is the Properties and Attributes of those his works for as omne â—actum refert suum factorem every thing made reâ—embles its maker so in the works of God generally and more specially in his ways and dispensations to his own we have a lively draught and â—elineation of all the attributes of the blessed Worker Here is displayed the soveraignity of God which is exalted equally above limited â—oyality and licentious Tyranny for the Kings â—â—rength loveth judgment Psal. 99. 4. The Soverignity of God flows from his unlimited Indendâ—nt nature is founded upon his transcendent unâ—erived right in his creatures and runs in this method 1. he is over and before all things 2. all things are of him 3. all things are his and therefore 4. he may do with his own what he will â—e is the only potentat and to him belongs the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever Amen This â—overaignity of the works of God or of God in â—is works is a common pass-key that will open all â—he Adyta the secret passages of the most mysterious reserved works of God in his most surprizing â—ispensations to his People and gives the only answer to Questions about many of his dispensations otherways unanswerable instance these few Question Why hath the Lord elected one to Salvation and appointed another to Damnation and that it may be of two Brethren as Iacaâ— and Easu Twins born where all things are equal in the Object Answer Because the Potter hath power over the clay to make of the same lump one vessel to honour and another to dishonour Rom. 9. 21. Question 2 Why iâ— pursuance of the design and accomplishment of the work of our Salvation did the Lord bruise his own Son and put him to grief It pleased the Lord Isai 53. 10. Question 3. Why doth the Lord shew mercy to one and harden another Answer So he â—â— Rom 9. 18. Question 4. Why to all those that anâ— really in a state of Grace doth the Lord dispensâ— Grace so differently in time measure method manner and other circumstances Answer thâ—â— is as the spirit of God will 1 Cor. 12 11. Question 5. Why doth the Lord distribute an equal reward of Glory to those whose works and service iâ— very unequal in the World Answer Because it is lawful for the Lord to do what he will with â—â— own Math. 20. 15. Question 6. Why doth the Lord vouchafe Grace to those most ordinarilâ— who naturally ly at the greatest disadvantages â— that the Poor the Fools Babes yea the most desperat forlorn sinners Publicans and Harlots aâ— called and do receive the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and enter thereinto whilst thâ— Wise the Mighty the Righteous Civil Well Natured and Well bred Pharisees are passed by Whâ— should all this be Answer Even so father for so seemed good in thy sight Math. 11. 26 Question 7. Why doth the Lord choose one People and â—ation to make them
your lusts Iam. 4. 1. Ungodly mens lusts are like themselves for extremes they are and they are like extremes that differ alike from themselves and from the mids A varice differeth as much from Prodigality her Sister Vice as from Liberality her contrary vertue But Godliness sets a man at one with himself it is a heart-uniting thing Psal. 86. 11. unite my heart to fear thy name It makes a good understanding betwixt the understanding the will the affections and the whole man And blessed be the Peace-maker shall she not be called the Child of God 5. Is it not the great Glory of Godliness that as many do sute her as few do espouse her and she hath as many pretenders as few matches Are not all men her pretenders Do not her greatest adversaries pay her the Devotion at least of a complement Is not their great request to her like that Isai. 4. 1. only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach Do not her greatest enemys Glory to be called her servants Call an evil man good and you cannot please him beeter for he hateth as much to be called evil as to be good And loveth as much to be evil as to be called good And it is yet as much her Glory that few do enjoy her But pray whom doth she reject are they any but the Ungodly those unworthy Persons that were brought in upon her and came to mock her nor doth she despise any that have not first despised her or should she prostitute her self to such as care not for her none get a Rejection from her without their own consent and they take it before they get it for as none are Godly so neither are any Wicked against their will Lastly Beside the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come which makes Godliness profitable to all things 1 Timoth. 4. 8. It is the ready way even in ordinary probability to give a man honour wealth and pleasure and to continue these with him yea even in this World I would these tymes did give a better testimony to this Observation but I hope the Observation shall stand when some are fallen and shall continue when these times are past way for that these things are as naturally purchased by good and vertuous as lost by lewd and wicked practices And how shall a man have Honour who prostitutes himself to courses wherein he hath none but base and unmanly persons for his Companions Are not Pages Grooms and Lackeyes as good fellows as their Lord himself at Whoreing Drinking Swearing Carding where all are fellows Is not my Lord well Honoured when he sends his man to convoy a Whore to the Chamber who because upon the Road he uses to lead the way for his Master thinks he will do him the like service here and serves him with his own remains But who doth not Reverence the Presence and Honour the Face of a really Good man Yea many a time such an one hath more Reverence than God himself with Evil men who dare do many things in the Eyes of God that they will be loath to do in presence of such a man Yea how convincing many a time is the Carriage of a Godly man to his greatest Enemies Surely thou art more Righteous then I said Saul to David and when a Mans wayes please the Lord he maketh even his Enemies to be at peace with him Prov. 16. 7. An excellent Divine I think it is Greenhame sayes well Let not a Saint be afraid of Men for that by his Prayers he hath more Power of their Hearts than they themselves have And the Scripture sayes the same 1 Pet. 3. 13. And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good And how well had it been with the Profane Ruffian that he had spent that Time Strength Estate and Credit for God in the way of Godliness with the sweet and sure gain of his Soul which he hath wasted in riffling and base living with the evident hazard of his Soul's ruine if that may be said to be ruined that was never repaired nor in case But be it yet that the godly man attaineth not to these advantages Temporal The Peace of Righteousness the Contentment of Soberness the Considence of Faith and the Rejoycing of Hope do more than compense all that is wanting elsewhere and cause that a good man is satisfied from himself Prov 14. 14. Now let all that hath been said be a reproof of the Worlds hard opinions of Godliness and give cheque to their unkind dealing with her as if she were a sorry Piece to be desired by none but such as would be miserable I have not yet travelled so far but that I can remember from whence I set forth In my entry upon the point I told my Erand was with Eleazar Abraham's Servant Genes 24. To seek a Wife to my Master's Son and to Espouse and bring home Souls to Christ And now to conclude Let me with them Gen. 24. 57 58. Call the Damsel and enquire at her Mouth Wilt thou go with the man And she said so be it said unto me I will go The fourth and last thing we learn from the point in a word Is to put a good construction upon all Gods Dispensations to his People for his thoughts towards them are Thoughts of Peace and not of evil to give them an expected end Jer 29. 11. And in complyance with the Lords great design in the vicissitudes of all our Lots let us learn to give him more of our Hearts For he brings his People into the Wilderness and there he allures them If these Melancholly times do but make us more tractable condescending and kind to Christ Iesus we may well expect that he will speak comfortably unto us I will bring her into the Wilness and will speak comfortably unto her ANd thus I am led by the hand into the fourth and last thing proposed to be considered in the Text. The juncture and coincidence of the Churches affliction and the Lords Consolations I will bring her into the Wilderness and I will speak comfortably un to her Hence the Doctrine is That the Lord useth to tryst his peoples sadest afflictions with his sweetest consolations He is a God that comforteth those that art cast down It is his way and use The Apostle 2 Cor. 1. 5. abounded in consolations by Christ as their sufferings for Christ abounded And reading through all the Scripture I never find the Saints more indulged with the sweet consolations of God and his kind manifestations than in the greatest afflictions Reasons of this are 1. His free love and kindness So it becomes him with whom the fatherless find mercy He loveth and preserveth the Stranger he is a Father of the Fatherless and a Husband to the Widow a Judge of the oppressed out of his holy habitation He will be known in adversity to be a Friend 2. Their necessity
iniquities and the Rods of men that is such corrections as men use upon misdemeaning Children I find this true of publik Affliction of a whole Church or Nation 4 It is clear that the Lords Rods whether publick or personal upon his sinful People â—ow from love in the fountain are mixed with â—ove in their course and run forth into love in the â—ssue If this seem strange to any let him remember that he who spareth his Rod hateth his Child â—ut he that chasteneth him betimes delivereth his â—oul Gods thoughts concerning his People are thoughts of peace and not of evil to give them an expected end Jer. 29. 11. And in the midst of wrath he will remember mercy Habbac 3. 2. Gods love to his People is very consistent with anger though that be even servent to the Degree of wrath but not with hatred and hatred not anger is lov 's opposite an angry love is ofttimes most profitable Heb. 12. 10. Let none therefore be so weak and Child-witted as to eonclude I am sharply scourged and sore smitten for my folly herefore my Father hath cast me off and cares not for me And yet we find Affliction that makth a wise man mad raising such apprehensions oftâ—â—s in the wise heart of strong David I do not here speak how the Lord causeth his People to pass under the rod and bringeth them within the bond of the Covenant Ezek. 20 37. and how he chooses them in the furnace of Affliction Isai 48. 10. and that was an Affliction for sin and sadly deserved Rod And yet the Lord when he would pick out a piece of the finest mettal goes neither to Coffer nor Cup-board where the glistering of Peace and posterity dazle the eyes of undescreet behold ers but he goes to the smoak and Soot of the furnace and there he pitcheth upon the rareâ— Saints of the last refine The Lord goeth down to the Land of Affliction and to the house of Bondage to visit his People and there he falls in love with them there he wooes them and there he wedds them in their mourning Garments For the get not the oil of joy nor the Garment of Praise till the second day of the Marriage and then theâ— rise from the Dust and shine their light cometh and the Glory of the Lord ariseth upon them See Isai 48. 10. cited Hos. 2 14. and foreward Isai 61. 3. and 60. 1. In fine the Scripture is full oâ— rare and satisfactory Expressions of Gods love to his People even under sufferings which their own wickedness hath procured whereof it will apper tain to speak more particularly in the sequel of ouâ— ensuing Discourse 5thly It is clear from Scripture that there is difference to be put betwixt sin procuring and bringing on Sufferings and bitter Afflictions and sin discovered in and by suffering Let God caâ— a Holy Iob in the furnace and it will discover scum that will cause him say My Transgressions are infinit And yet the Lord himself sustains Iob's Plea that it was not for sin that he was pursuing him 6. It is clear that there is a great difference often times betwixt the Righteousness of God and the Righteousness of Men Afflicting his People as we see frequently in David's Cases Yea I find an excellent rare comfortable Dispensation of God to his People that he will sometimes scourge them with the Golden Rod of Martyrdom and correct their faults in an Honourable way and chastile them soundly and yet never let the World know what is betwixt him and them The Lord loves not to proclaim and blaze the bemoaned faults of his People nor to make them Odious to the World which hath a bad enough Opinion of them alwayes But if I must correct my Child saith he I will stay till the World and he fall out in some point of Conscience in Faith or manners wherefore he must suffer and then in my Gracious Wisdom I will shew a rare Conjunction or meeting of these three Planets in one house 1. The correction of my Child 2. His Glory and 3. His acceptable Duty and I will let him earn a reward of thanks and Glory in that very suffering wherein I shall visit his iniquities and he shall give Testimony for me God can go many Earauds at once and sold up many Projects in one piece of Providence the Lord will finish the whole work and cut it short in Righteousness because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth Rom. 9. 28. The Lord is good at dispatches If the Question be then whether God will ever Honour a Man with whom he hath a Controversie to suffer for Righteousness I Answer Yes and I confess I should hardly have been of that Judgment if I had not found clear Divine truth going before me in it comparing the whole tenor of the 38 Psalm with the 20. verse thereof where at once the Psalmist is suffering from men for that which is good and from God for his foolishness and iniquity Verses 4 5 and 18. Here it is fit to remember Luther's seasonable warning that when David in his Prayers speaketh of his Righteousness we would refer it to its true correlative to wit towards men his enemies he was Righteous but towards God that is his Language Be merciful to me O God be merciful to me in the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquities Psal. 51. The accuser of Gods Children will be ready to carry ill reports betwixt him and them and to keep up an ill understanding betwixt them if he can and in times of suffering for their Duty he will not be idle he will tell them a thousand Stories of their own sins to weaken their hands and cause them believe that God will never accept service of them but that they shall come foul off with all their fair Essayes Ye have heard of Gods Gracious Wisdom and now these are the Devil 's malicious wyles but a Syllogism or Argument framed of one premise of Gods and another of the Devil 's will never infer a Conclusion of Faith and that can claime â—iducial assent Wherefore in such a mixed case which I desire may be remembred to be every caseable let a man freely declare his iniquity 〈◊〉 God and be sorry for his sin Psal 38. 18. Let him repent and mean himself to God who as I have said loves to keep his People's Counsel and to keep their faults sub sigillo confessionis and under the rose that is he will be to them a good Secretary but â—â—t them cleave to that which is good and incourage themselves in a good matter and beware of failing in present Duty in a discourageing sense of former iniquities for one fault will never â—end another and yet that is even the best method that Satan useth to offer in such cases But the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem rebuke him for troubling his poor afflicted People who are as â—rands plukt out of the fire I have
he held his peace to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not Moreover 5. in some Dispensations the Lord uses a Holy simulation and makes as if he would do that which he hath no mind to do Sometimes he makes to take leave of his People before he tell his Erand Let me go says he to Jacob when Iacob was but yet beginning to know that it was he and ere ever there was a word of the blessing which he came to leave with Iacob for his encouragement in his encounter with his Brother And Christ made as if he would have passed by his Disciples at Sea and the like semblance he made Luke 24 28. Now if we can have the patience to observe we will sometimes see the Issue of Dispensations other than it appeared And for patient Observation of Dispensations 1. respice finem a good advice Behold the end Psal. 37 37. It is the end that we are bidden mark and behold aâ— I said above We must not conclude of Dispensations neither by appearances nor parts We must wait till we see every part do its part for all works together Rom. 8. 28. And 2 respice usque finem Behold or observe to the end is an other direction necessary to the practice of the former whose would see the end must behold with patience to the end Daniel 12 8. enquires concerning the end of things and he observes till the time of the end he looks thorow all interveening times of the accomplishment of these events manifested to him so albeit none of us hath a prophetical Spirit to lead us thorow future times yet the Faith and Patience of Saints teaches us to wait all our appointed time In our patient Observation of Dispensations we must be like the Prophet Isai 21 8. where he saith I stand continually upon the watch tower in the day and I am set in my ward whole nights My soul waits for the Lord sayes David more than the watch waits for the morning Psal. 130. 6. I say more than they that wait for the morning and by such patient Observation he had seen many a foul night have a fair morning Sorrow may be at night but joy comes in the morning Psal 30 5. 3dly We should observe the Lords Dispensations with Search and Secrutiny Psal. 77. 6. my spirit made diligent search 1. We should search the Lord's affection in Dispensations and whether they be in mercy or in wrath many get their will and asking in wrath Psal. 78. 30. 31. some are rebuked and chastened but not in wrath nor displeasure as David Prayes for himself Psal. 6 1. Therefore the question would be Ier. 14. 19. hast thou rejected â—udah hath they soul loathed Zion 2dly We would search the Reasons and procuring causes of sad Dispensations Iob 10 2. shew me wherefore thou conâ—endest with me 3dly We would search and inquire â—nent the event of Dispensations wilt thou not revive us again that thy People may rejoice in thee Psal. 85. 6. We are allowed likwise 4thy to search and enquire anent the continuance of Dispensations to this purpose we read in Scripture many a how long Lord In sad Dispensations likwise 5ly we should search for solid grounds of comfort and for this we should remember bygone times and remember the kindness we have tasted of in them Psal. 89. 49. Lord where are thy former loving kindnesses Psal 77. 10. I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high But in the Observation of Dispensations our search would be 6ly chiefly about our Duty our main question would be Lord what wilt thou have me to do Act 9 6. And our great Petition with David must be lead me O Lord in they righteousnes because of mine enemies make thy way straight before my face Psal. 5. 8. teach me thy way O Lord and I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy name Psal. 86. 11. 4. We should observe the Dispensations of God with Regard the challenge is Isai 5. 12 that they regard not the work of the Lord. This Regard is a due judgment and estimation of the works of God with reverence becoming the Majesty worth and excellency of the worker and the works and that leaves an impression of Piety and Religion upon the heart of the Observer according to that pathetick exclamation Rev. 15 4. who shall not not fear thee O Lord and glorify they name for thou art Holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest Due Observation of the works of God is a great curb to Atheisme and Prophanity and Atheisme and Prophanity are as great enemies to due Observation of divine Dispensations Put men in fear O Lord that they may seek thy name 5ly We should observe the Lord Dispensations with Affection Lament 3 51. mine eye affecteth mine heart the Prophet's Observation of Dispensations made him cry my bowels my bowels my heart is pained within me Jer. 4. 19. I reckon him a savage person and one that hath vicera fera triplex circa pectus robur the bowels of a tygar or bear and that his heart is brass oak or stones who is not affected with the Dispensations of our times who grieves not for the afflictions of Joseph Amos6 6. and who cryes not alas for the day for none is like it It is the day of Jacob's trouble Jer. 30. 7. 6. We should observe the Lords works with Memory in our Observations of things present we should reflect upon these that are past in former times I remember the days of old Psal. 153. 5. And likwise we would lay up in memory our present Observations for the time to come Psal. 48. 12 13. Mark ye well that ye may tell it to the generation following We have both joined together Psal 78 3 4. that which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us we will not hide from their children â—hewing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderfull works that he hath â—one The Psalmist says Psal. 111. 4. The Lord hath made his wonderful works to be remembred O! then â—t not the memory of the Lords Works go down â—n our days Let us comfort our selves with what â—s remembred and let us transmit the memory of the Lords Works to succeeding Generations that they may share of the same comforts And I believe the People of God in this time have much to â—o with their memory we hear not what we were wont to hear nor see what we were wont to see We are now left to gather up the Fragments of former enjoyments by the hand of a Sanctified memory One says O I shall still think well of Christ He shall be to me as the Apple tree alongst the trees of the Wood for the day was then I sat down under his shaddow and his fruit â—as sweet to my taste Cant. 2. 3. Another
is over 6. The Wilderness importeth a Condition of fears and perplexing Doubts for the Wilderness being a land of darkness Jer. 2 31. and a place where there is no way it puts the traveller ineviâ—ably to many sad fears and perplexing doubts The afflicting fears and doubts of Saints in the Wilderness may be reduced to those three chief â—eads The 1 are concerning their spiritual Conâ—ition and state before God The 2 are concerning their present incumbent Duty and Work The â— are concerning thee vents of incumbent Dispensations I cannot endure nor dare I expatiat more â—rgly in a discourse of these particularly lest either saint in the way or once turning off but a little â—to those dark mysterious paths I be not able â—ickly to recover the high way for if I speak to â—â—e purpose I may readily prognosticat that to â— the fate of my discourses which is of their case â—ho once are ingaged in the intricacies of these â—â—rplexities that hardly can they quickly ridd themselves This only I must say that those â—â—uls that have been at their wits end in these things and have not known in all the World what to do can best tell what it is to be brought into the Wilderness And this I observe that even as men have got a custome to plant Wildernesses in the midst of pleasant Gardens so many meâ—â— in their otherwise good Books and Sermons imprudently either starting difficulties unseasonably or pursuing them excessivly do rather creat that clear perplexities to poor Souls and give them the entertainment of a toilsome divertisment in placâ— of solid refreshment But my project invites mâ—â— if I could be so happy rather to plant a Garden iâ— a Wilderness than a Wilderness in a Garden I feaâ— there is in the World but too much artificial Religion and exercises like Garden-Wildernesses invented rather for pleasure than created by necessity I fear some Christians like some Preachers read more off their book nor they repeat off their hearâ— But I doubt the pleasure of an artificial Wilderness will either relieve or compense the grief of â— real One Elaborat fine accurat Discourses oâ— Christians Doubts and cases whatever they deservâ— in their own place will be found but Physician of no value and miserable comforters to Souâ— that are in earnest except he that reveals secrâ—â— and looseth the Prisoners lighten the doubtinâ— Soul's darkness with a beam of his own presencâ— In the 42 Psal. David had said well to it but thâ— says best 11. verse he is the health of my countenam and my God As Gardens are more pleasant fâ—â— men in health than for sick men so Discourses of Christian cases in doubts and perplexties will readily do better either before or after the distempter than in the time Much Prayer and communion with God is the best book of cases that ever a doubting Soul read and is blest with the maniest discoveries and manifestations of God to those that walk in darkness and have no light 7. The Wilderness importeth a Condition of Reproach and Persecution Iob 30. 5. descrives the reproachful base Condition of his Adversaries that mocked him from this that they fled into the Wilderness and were driven forth from among men who cryed after them as after a thief And Rev. 12. 6. the woman in travel the persecuted Church fled into the Wilderness This was Davids Wilderness-Condition Psal. 55. 3. because of the voice of the enemy because of the oppression of the wicked for they cast iniquity upon me and in wrath they hate me and in verse 6 7 I said O that I had wings like a dove for then would I flee away and be at rest Lo then would I wander far off and be in the Wilderness Selah The scourge and persecution of false tongues being worse than the venome of Asps the sting of Serpents or Poyson of Dragons that â—aunt the Wilderness makes often the Wilderness a refuge and rest to be desired by the Reproached People of God and the wrath and cruelty of wicked men makes the Saints often times find Lyons Bears Wolves and Dragons to be better neighbours Heb. 11. 36. Cruel mockings is the first Item in the account of Saints sufferings and then follows Scourging Bonds Killing Sawing tempting Torturing and wandering about And the Apostle 2 Timoth. 3. 12. warns all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus that there way lyes thorow this Wilderness of persecution whereof reproach is not the least part for compare Gen. 21 9. with Galat. 4. 29. that was carnal Ishmael's Persecution wherewith he persecuted his Brother Isaac the son of the promise And they had tryal says the Apostle of Cruel mockings and the slandering tongues of wicked men are compared in Scripture to the sharpest and most bitter instruments sharp arrows Coals of Juniper Swords Spears and the poyson of Serpents Racking and Torturing may break a mans bones But Reproach says the Psalmisi hath broken my heart and it hath dammished my very Spirits for I am ful of heaviness Psal 69 20. And now when the People of God live in a land of trouble and anguish from whence come the young and old Lyon the viper and fiery fleeing Serpent Isa. 30. 6. pray who will not call that a Wilderness and where are they think you whose soul is among Lyons Psal. 57. 4. If any shall search the records of our Scotish Inquisition the Creature that likes not to be called the high Commission they may be soon convinced that these are no fictions of Fanaticks and disaffected persons But the question is not demonstrative for I warrand they have more Loyalty than to deny these things that they say are so good service to but juridical for Jure factum diâ—uâ—t they do all by Law forsooth and so justify all their practises But are all Laws righteous or is there such a thing in the World as a throne of iniâ—ity which frameth mischief by a Law Psal. 94. 20. They think possibly as Paul once thought that they ought to do these things and that they do good service to God indeed they do not say but â—â— they cry But stay till Christ examine the Braâ—est man amongst the Examinators upon that little qvestion Why persecntest thou me and then my Lord â—nquisitor comes in upon second thoughts with his confession I was a Blasphemer a Persecuter and inâ—rtous 1 Timoth. 1 13. And then the fools excuse is alledged by him that thought himself so â—ise for sapientis non est dicere Putavi I thought that I should have done these things But what think you now Sir Why now I see that which formerly â— called Loyalty zeal and good service must change â—ts Name without any change in the Thing for it â—â—oth was and is no other thing but Blasphemy Persecution and injury Such a thing as this has been 8. The Wilderness importeth a Melancholiâ—us sad and dejected Condition This follows from all the rest Any who ever travelled alone thorow