these Principles oblige those that own this Doctrine to put in practice Certainly it is only the want of living up to these Rules that brings this Doctrine under such contempt and reproach Now as I have spoken of our adorning this Doctrine by our carriage in reference to God and to all men in general so I should now come in the 3. How we must adorn this Doctrine by our carriage to our enemies 1. What ever injuries we meet with from enemies this Doctrine teacheth us not to be our own avengers How many unjust injuries did David suffer from Saul and how often did God deliver Saul into his hands in so much that his followers said the Lord hath delivered his life into thy hand Now he is in thy power O says David 1 Sam. 24.12 The Lord Judge between me and thee and the Lord avenge me of thee but my hand shall not be upon thee ver 11. Moreover my Father see yea see the skirt of thy robe in my hand c. how often had David the like opportunity to destroy Saul but no saith he God will avenge me he will either fall in battle or however the hand of God will come upon him for his unrighteous dealings with me So it is said of our Saviour who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who when he was reviled reviled not again who when he suffer'd he threatnld not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously he committed all to God This is that that we are taught by this Doctrine to commit all to God and not to avenge our selves 2. To be so far from being overcome with evil as to overcome evil with good To pray for them that persecure us and despitefully use us to be instruments of all the kindness we can to their Souls who are instruments of all cruelties to our bodies This was our Saviours temper Luke 23.34 Father so give them for they know not what they do he pitied them and prayed for them even then when they were acting all the cruelty they could against him and he hath left us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet 2.21 Rom. 12.19 20 21. Dearly beloved avenge not you selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him if he be thirsty give him drink for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire â—â— head be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good This would be a noble Principle in you 3. Be ready to forgive them it is an high expression of the Apostle Eph. 4.32 Forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you O! how much hath God forgiven you how many and how great were those scores that you have run into with Divine Justice hath God forgiven you for Christs sake think of that expression when you find any thing of revenge stirring in your hearts This is the Rule our Saviour prescribes that when ever we pray for pardon for our selves we should pray for it with a willingness to pardon others Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors They who expect forgiveness from God and are not willing to forgive others are never like to prevail in their requests O what high engagements does this Doctrine lay upon us and how lovely would this Doctrine appear to the world if these Rules were but strictly observed 4. To love our enemies This is a hard Doctrine Nature teacheth us to love our Friends but this goes higher it teacheth us to love our Enemies Herein we are required to shew our selves to be children of our Heavenly Father Mat 5. If you love them that love you what reward have you do not even the Publicans the same vers 44. But I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that dispitefully use you and persecute you that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven The Publicans were looked upon as the vilest sort of sinners yet these men came up to this good nature but this Doctrine teacheth us to love our Enemies and to do all the good we can to them that labour to do all the evil they can to us Indeed in some cases our Saviour gives a dispensation we must not cast Perls before Swine lest they trample them under their feet so not to throw these reproofs to them that will turn again and rend them In a word this Doctrine prescribes to us to do all we can to win our Enemies over to a liking of what they oppose and thus as to our Enemies as well as our Friends we should do what we can to commend the ways and services of God to them and to bring them into a love of them 1 Pet. 2.15 For so is the will of God that with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men You should by well doings silence them that they may not be able to speak against your persons or professions or Principles such a carriage would be hugely to the advantage of the Gospel 3. A third head is this Our carriage towards our Brethren and fellow Christians should be such as to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour and in respect of our carriage towards them take this in general Whatever friendly Office whatever expression of tenderness and care we are to shew to men in general and to Enemies we are under a stricter obligation to shew the same to our fellow Christians though we are commanded to do good to all men Gal. 6.26 yet especially we are commanded to do good to the household of Faith The whole duty of man is summed up by our Saviour in this one word Love When the Lawyer came to Christ tempting him Mat. 22. Master which is the grace Commandment in the Law vers 36 37 Jesus answered and said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God and thy Neighbour as thy self On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets our Saviour makes this duty of Love an universal duty Some of the Philosophers thought Love was an universal affection and all the other affections but a diversication of Love Love branched out in different ways and there is some reason in this The reason why we have any thing is because it opposeth what we love and the reason why we grieve for any thing is because it stands between us and what our love is set upon so I might speak of all the other affections But to be sure this will hold in Love to be a debt that we owe both to God and Man This is the sum of all the debts we owe and this debt though we are still paying it yet we are still owing it especially to the houshold of Faith our fellow Christians 1 John 3.22 23. compared with ver 22. And whatsoever we
the Apostle is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men Rom. 1.18 To the Jew first because their light was clearet and they had greater priviledges than others and so those Cities to whom the Gospel came Wo to thee Corazin wo thee Bethsaida c. Marth 11.22 You have been lifted up to Heaven in respect of the means of salvation but you shall be cast down to Hell in respect of the punishment because of your unfruitfulness and unthankfulness for these mercies because you have received the Grace of God in vain PSALM 18.46 The Lord liveth and blessed be my Rock and let the God of my Savation be oxalted IN the words we have that full Contentment and that compleat satisfaction which David took in God alone the Lord liveth it is as much as if he had said Though Friends die and Creature helps be removed and though all outward Comforts may wither and perish yet still that which is enough for me is this The Lord liveth David had in former times been stript at once of all his Comforts it was the saddest condition that ever that holy man was it which we find recorded 1 Sam 30 6. when David was not only benished from Jerusalen and from amongst the people of God but after he had taken shelter under Achish the Philistine Lords complain against him so that he must to longer abide there neither the only place that was left him was a little Zoar Ziglag I mean and when he thinks to retire thither the Amalekites were come and had taken away his substance and which was worse his wives and all that he had in the world was gone and that which added still to his grief was that those few followers which were yet with him spake of stoning of him but though his case was very sad yet he comforts himself in the Lord his God And let our case be whatever it will our care should be to get an interest in God and to comfort our selves in him It is in a very high strain that David begins this Psalm with and the more abrupt and sudden the expressions seem to be the more Pathetical and affectionate they are I will love thee O Lord my strength The Lord is my Rock my Fortress and my Deliverer My God in whom I will teust my Buckler and the horn of my Salvation and my Tower I will call upon the Lord who is morthy to be praised c. Here are expressions upon expresions his heart was full and he scarce knew how to give his thoughts sufficient vent in admiring and adoring the goodness of God to him Now least these high confidences that David had in God should seem to be no better than some rash and hasty raptures he lays down the ground of these confidences in the reiterated experiences he had had of the goodness of God to him in vers 4 5.6 and so on The sorrows of Death compassed me and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid the sorrows of Hell compassed me about the snares of death prevented me In my distress I called upon the Name of the Lord and cried to my God he heard my voice out of his Temple and my cry came before him even into his ears then the earth shook and trembled c. I shall not need to trouble you with the several Opinions of Interpreters particularly what his distresses then were but in general it is acknowledged by all That his distresses were such that if God had not helped him none else could and when he had none other comforter or help left none else to depend upon then he cries to God and he doth not cry in vain and so you find him in another distress he was afterwards in the 16 17 18. verses of this Psalm He sent from above he took me he drew me out of many waters that is many afflictions he delivered me from my strong enemy and from them that hated me for they were too strong for me Relating to Saul as you may see if you compare that place with the Preface of he Psalm They prevented me in the day of my calamity but the Lord was my stay he brought me forth also into a large place he delivered me because he delighted in me Now here David comforts himself in his sincerity though he doth not speak as a self-Justificiary or manifest the least of a Pharisaical temper as if he thought he merited any thing from the hands of God yet it was his comfort in respect of himslef that God had owned his uprightness in preserving him in those dangers and it is the encouragement he gives to others he gives also cautions to wicked men for 't is very observable in this Psalme that when David speaks of his Experiences and Comforts in God he frequently intermixes his Cautions to the Enemies of God that if they would deal frowardly God would deal frowardly with them But then to encourage the people of God says he With the merciful theu wil t shew thy self merciful with the upright man thou wilt shew thy self upright and with the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure In the words we have the result that Davids thoughts came too The Lord liveth he had seen how much of vanity and disappointment there was in all Creature comforts many of his people had been time after time knockt off from them but says he the Lord lives and therefore here he sits down here he is resolved to fix In these words be these three particulars 1. There is a Declaration of what God is in himself he is the living God The Lord lives 2. A Description of what God is to his people And blessed be my Rock A Rock denotes strength fafety protection God doth often set forth his goodness to his people under this Metabhor He is said to be a Rock higher than all waves a shelter from all storms their Fortresses of old were usually built upon Rocks that so the accesses of the Enemy might be the more difficult and therefore they were looked upon as places of the greatest security Their Rock is not as our Rock even our Enemies themselves being Judges says Moses Deut. 32.31 3. Here is Davids magnifying and admiring of God upon this double consideration both of what God is in himself and of what he is to his people The Lord liveth and blessed be my Rock and let the God of my Salvation be exalted He is careful to comfort himself in this God and he would have others follow his practise Doct. That 't is the admirable suppore of the people of God that when friends die and all Creature comforts fail yet God lives yet the Lord Lives You Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever Zech. 1.5 Those Relations that are most comfortable and who use to have the most care in them for us yet these are fading Relations Your Fathers where are they Nay those Relations that are most useful not in
removed and turned into hatred God shewed a great deal of love to Saul in chusing him out of all the Tribes of Israel to be head over his People and Saul himself was at first very sensible of the goodness and love of God to him in this respect and therefore when Samuel tells him how God 1 Sam. 9.21 had chosen him to be the head of his People Saul answered and said am not I a Benjamite of the smallest of the Tribes of Israel and my Family the least of all the Families of the Tribes of Benjamin Wherefore then speakest thou so to me he thought this was too much kindness to be shewed to such a mean and unworthy person as he was Nay in the beginning of his Reign God did wonderfully honour him both in giving him the hearts of his People it s said God touched the hearts of his People chap. 10.26 and likewise in giving him success against his Enemies Yet after all these favours which were but Fruits of common love Saul for his disobedience was cast of He first rejected God and then God rejected him 1 Joh. 15.23 when Samuel expostulated with Saul and told him he had not executed the Commission he had received from the Lord he had not destroyed all the Amalekites according to the Commandments of God he pleased himself with a fine excuse the People took of the cheif of the things to Sacrifice to the Lord 1 Sam. 15.22 23. Saith Samuel hath the Lord as great delight in burnt Offerings and Sacrifices as in obeying the voyce of the Lord Behold to obey is better then Sacrifice and to hearken then the fall of Rams For Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft and stubborness of iniquity and idolatry Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord he hath also rejected thee from being King Here was first favour from God and then anger but this was but the common favour of God The Apostle doth not speak of this So concerning that case the prosperity of the wicked which hath so much staggered the faith of Gods People and put them to a non plus Why do do the wicked prosper what expostulations do we find not only in David but in many other holy men in Scripture in this Case God may be bountiful to all men but this is but his common love But now if we speak of what love the Apostle speaks of here it is special love which is manifested in distinguishing Mercies in those Gifts and Graces that are without Repentance Rom. 11.29 2. We must distinguish between the peculiar love of God in it self and the appearance and evidence of it to our apprehension This love in it self hath a real constancy though in our apprehensions it may be seemingly uncertain God is ever careful to love his People with this peculiar love really though this love may not always be visible and apparant to us Isa 49.14 read there the complaint of the Church and the Church is as dear to God as the most beloved Wife is to the tenderest Husband She is said to be betrothed to God nay God is said to marry her Hosea 2. yet you see the Church complains And Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hoth forgotten me Not only forsaken but forgotten not only cast out of doors but quite cast of this was the sense she had of her own Case But God answered that Objection with many comfortable and gracious promises in the verse following Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee I might bring a whole Cloud of Witnesses to prove this truth that the love of God is real and constant when in our apprehensions it seems to be uncertain and that he then loves us when he seems to have taken off his love from us Psal 77.7 8. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favour able no more is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for ever more hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he in anger shut up his tender Mercies Selah Shut them up that there is no hope of future Mercies I said this is my Infirmity but I will remember the years of the right band of the most High This was the Fruit of his deliberation when he had recollected his thoughts this was my weakness it was not so with God Gods love is certain and constant It is many times with gracious Souls that are beloved of God with a peculiar love as it was with Hagar she wept and lamented she looked on her self and Child as hopeless till the Angel opened her Eyes to see the Well Gen. 21.16 And she went and sate her down over against him a good way off as it were a Bow shot For she said let me not see the death of the Child And she sate over against him and lift up her voyce and wept And God heard the voyce of the Lad and the Angel of God called to Hagar out of Heaven and said unto Her what aileth thee Hagar fear not for God bath heard the voice of the Lad where he is 19. verse God opened her Eyes and she saw a Wall of Water and she went and filled the Bottle with Water and gave the Lad to drink Her Bottle was spent her hope was quite gone but God opened her Eyes So it is said of the Prophet 2 Kings 6.15 when he saw such a multitude that came against him and his Master And when the Servants of the man of God was risen early and gone forth behold an Host compassed the City both with Horses and Chariots And his Servants said unto him alas my Master how shall we do And he answered fear not for they that be with us are more then they that be with them And Elisha prayed and said Lord I pray thee open his Eyes that he may see And the Lord opened the Eyes of the young man and he saw and behold the Mountain was full of Horses and Chariots round about Elisha This Eye is the Eye of Faith now when this Eye of Faith is dim objections are raised but when God opens this Eye this dispels all these Objections How ever the love of God is constant though to our sense and apprehension it may many times be over clouded and dark in Isa 50.10 you read of Children of light walking in the darkness those to whom comfort was their right and priviledge they who had a real Title to it yet those Children of light sate in darkness This is the Case of many gracious Souls I add this to the former as it is the distinguishing love of God the Apostle speaks of in the Text so it is the distinguisthing love of God as to its reallity not to its visibility 3. We must distinguish between the love of God in its self and various degrees of this love I grant not only in appearance but
been apt to fall into an overwhelming sense of both and to look upon their wound as incureable and their disease past healing Some think so well of themselves that they stand in no need of help others think so ill of themselves that they look upon themselves as past all help It is no ease matter to keep in the middle between both These are both dangerous to us and highly derogatory to the grace of God both are a reproach to his kindness On the one hand to think that God would be at that vast expence and charge to make so full provision for poor souls beyond what they need this is to make the blood of his Son to run wast To think on the other side that the provision that God hath made is too narrow short and scant for our relief this is a great reproach to the mercy of God But because this is frequently the case of souls whom the Spirit of God convinceth of sin and are not yet throughly convinced of righteousness they stick in these Bryars and are aâ—t to be gravelled with objections doubts and 〈◊〉 Therefore God as a tender Father to 〈…〉 high regard of his Peoples comfort 〈…〉 hath been pleased to provide against 〈…〉 ragements these three ways First By the discovery of his rich and free grace the boundlessness and unfathomableness of his mercy Secondly by discovering so many rich and precious promises as they are called 2 Pet. 1.4 By which he gives incouragement to them to come to him Thirdly By notable instances of his superabundant mercy to sinners in times past leaving them as monuments for ages to come as here in S. Paul and others The Apostle in the 15 verse saith This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners whereof I am chief having set down the â—â—ches of Divine Grace and the full provision that God hath made therein for the chief of sinners propounds himself here in the text for on example and pattern to strengthen the faith of others and by his own experience to incourage them to make â—â—yal of what he had sound such full and sufficient relief from How be it for this cause I obtained mercy c. In the words here is 1 S. Pauls humble and thankful acknowledgment of that kindness and mercy which God had shewed to him 2. The gratious interpretation and Construction with the improvement he makes of this mercy 1.8 Pauls humble and thankful acknowledgement of that kindness and mercy which God had shown him How be it I obtained mercy there is an emphasis in the words how be it I who seemed to be at such a distance and remoteness from mercy I who seemed to be so unmeet so unworthy and under so many discouragements and great disadvantages for what case can possibly go beyond mine how be it I obtained mercy though my case was so bad S. Paul speaks here of such instances as can scarsely be paralelled I that was in the 13 vers a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and Injurions yet I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief not that S. Paul would thereby extenuate or diminish his sins he onely comforted himself in this that his sins were committed out of ignorance there was more of mistake then maliciousness in them and that he did not intend an extenuation or diminution of his sins appears because he aggravates them so much and maketh it so great a wonder that ever such an one as he should obtain mercy He speaks it as a matter of admiration and astonishment for if any person may seem to be uncapable of mercy saith he I was as like as any I came so near the borders of the unpardonable sin that it is a wonder to me and to all that understand what my carriage hath been that I should obtain mercy Secondly Here is the interpretation that S. Paul makes of the kindness of God to him it is not singly to him to his benefit to his personal and peculiar advantage but for the incouragement of others in after times For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe c. It is the Language of a humble and thankful soul For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first First how it cannot be understood in respect of order of time because there were multitudes who had obtained mercy that lived in the ages before and as great sinners as S. Paul as Manasseh and others in the Old and New Testament How then doth he say in me first Not so much in respect of the order of time as the clear evidence of the riches of mercy In me first that is in me chiefly thus many learned interpreters expound it Besides the word is the same with that in the verse before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated there Chief This is a faithful saying that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am chief 1. Doct. God in shewing mercy to some doth intend good to others S. Paul was sensible of this in the mercy that he himself had partaken of I obtained mercy but it was that I might be a pattern to them who believe David was sensible of this in that prayer of his 51 Psal 9 10 11 12 13. when he had been petitioning of God for mercy 9. vers Hide thy face from my sins c. 13 Then will I teach transgressours thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee Oh do but shew me these favours and mercies and I will improve them for the benefit of others 40. Psal 1.10 David expresseth his faithfulness to God and his thankfulness for the mercies he had received because he did thus declare it Nay this is the very end of Gods leaving these things upon record the kindness he shews to his people and the severity he expresseth toward his enemies that these might be improved by us to our good 15. Rom. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope But I shall not insist on this 2. Doct. One of the highest expressions of our thankfulness to God for the mercies he hath vouchsafed to us is to do our utmost to encourage others to own and acknowledge and to come in to God and partake of what we enjoy What a wonder doth S. Paul make it here that he had mercy from God How be it I obtained mercy though such and such a one as I was yet I obtained mercy but it was for a pattern to others that hereafter should believe on him to everlasting life He debaseth himself as low as hell and exalteth Gods mercy above the heavens indeed every thing of mercy is a great wonder considering what we are in point of vileness and
unworthiness but it is an evidence that mercy is then in mercy when it doth not onely elevate and lift up our hearts in admiration and praising God but in commending him to others as the object of their trust and hope 3. Doct. That the scope and aim of every Person should be everlasting life 4. Doct. That the onely way to obtain this everlasting life is in a way of believing 5. Doct. That the work of beleiving is a difficult work 6. Doct. Because it is a difficult thing to believe therefore God hath appointed all kind of helps for the working of faith in the hearts of believers But I shall wave all these and speak to this Doct. God is pleased sometimes to single out Capital and notorious offenders to make them the objects of his special and distinguishing mercy to the end they may be as standing instances and famous Monuments of his mercy in after ages and thereby prevent all occasions of doubts suspicion and jealousies which humble sinners are in danger of This Doctrine must be warily understood I do not say God always or ordinarily doth so this cannot possibly be it is contrary to the holiness and truth of God As God is a holy God be cannot but abhor sin Though he hath mercy sometimes on the greatest sinners yet he bears a perfect detestation to sin therefore sin is called ant abominable thing do not that abominable thing that I hate He cannot but have an infinite displeasure against sin because it is so unsuteable to his holiness 11. Psal 5 6 7. The Lord trieth the Righteous but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth His countenance doth behold the upright and those only with approbation and delight So as to the truth and veracity of God in his threatnings against sin which he hath so severely pronounced his displeasure against he is in point of his truth and faithfulness obliged to make good what he hath threatened as well as promised Therefore God doth not always nor ordinarily make notorious sinners the objects of his pardoning mercy because this would make God a seeming approver of what himself hates and a countenancer of what he puts a great discountenance upon but sometimes God singles out some notable sinners and leaves them as instances and monuments to after ages and it is to this end and purpose that they might be as so many Beacons on a hill to warn others to take heed of their sins and to give light to others to encourage them notwithstanding their objections doubts and fears Sometimes you finde S. Paul admiring the grace of God shewed to him that he who was at that remoteness and distance from mercy should find mercy and favour You have a notable instance in the 2 Ephes 2. Wherein in times past speaking of them in their Gentilism ye walked according to the course of this world c. This was a sad condition to be under the power to be captive to the will and pleasure of such an usurper Vers 4. But God who is rich in mercy hath quickned us together with Christ In the 7. vers That in the ages to come be might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ That he might leave such standing objects of his mercy as might obviate and prevent all discouragements in doubting Christians and because S. Paul propounds himself singly in this Text I shall confine my self to that particular instance and the end and account upon which he obtained so much mercy it was that he might be a pattern to others In opening the Doctrine I shall speak to three things 1. What those sins were that S. Paul before his conversion was guilty of and notwithstanding which he obtained mercy which was in his eye so great a wonder 2. What mercy he did obtain notwithstanding those great sins 3. What there is of Encouragement from these instances of S. Paul and others recorded in the Scripture for the encouragement of doubting Christians in after ages 1. What were those sins S. Paul was guilty of before his Conversion You find them summ'd up in the 13 vers of this Chapter I was a blasphemer That is the first Now blasphemy was a capital crime and to be punished with death and by stoning to death There are two things remarkable in the punishment of blasphemers It was no less then death and every person who was not guilty was bound to purge himself from so great a crime by witnessing his detestation of it Thy hand shall be first against him The tender Father must be severe against the Child of his own bowels Blasphemy is branded in Scripture with many black titles and the punishment of it was very severe This was the great crime objected against Naboth he must be carried out of the City and stoned as a vile Person not fit to live because he blasphemed God and the King 1 King 21.9.13 A greater crime then this the enemies of our Saviour notwithstanding all their combinations against him could not alledge a stronger charge then that of blasphemy they could not lay against him 26 Matth. 65. Then the high Priest rent his clothes saying he hath spoken blasphemy What was the blasphemy 61 vers This fellow said I am able to destroy the temple of God and build it in three days Here was reproachful Language this fellow this contemptible fellow spake thus and thus and you have heard his blasphemy what need you any more witnesses This is such a sin that Herod though he was not guilty of blaspheming God himself yet because he did seem to countenance others who did when he made that eloquent Oration when the People cryed out it is the voice of a God and not of a man 12. Act. 21.22 for his bare connivance at this sin brought ruine upon himself because he took the glory to himself Because David had but occasioned the enemies to blaspheme God dealt so severely with him the Child must die 2 Sam. 12.14 I might shew at large with what severity the Magistrates were bound to bear witness against this sin 5. Levit. 1. And unless we express a detestation of this sin we make it our own That is the first a blasphemer 2. A persecutour and that he was to purpose do but observe those emphatical expressions by which S. Paul sets out the hainousness of his guilt of this sin 7. Act. 58. And cast him out of the City and stoned him 8. Act. 1. And Saul was consenting to his death 9. Act. 1. And Saul yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord c. And this is the next step to blasphemy perfecution He would neither imbrace Christianity himself nor could he patiently endure that others should but with all the rage and fury imaginable he laboured to oppose the ways of Christ 3. He was Injurious the word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is but once more used
nothing but anger against us as when God opens a window into our breasts and thereby gives us a full view and prospect of our own wretchedness when he reveals to us our guilt andat the same time conceals his own love oh what a dreadful condition is the soul then in where ever it goes the curse of the Law and the cry of its own sins pursue it My sin is ever before me says David Psal 51.3 and how does Job bemoan himself Chap. 13.23 24 25. How many are mine iniquities and sins c. Wherefore hidest thou thy face from me and holdest me for thine enemy c. and vers 26. thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth So Job 6.2 3 4. Oh that my grief were throughly weighed c. The arrows of the Almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrours of God do set themselves in aray against me His afflictions in outward respects were neither few nor small his estate was gone his relations gone his health gone but all these were small matters in comparison of the withdrawings of God Had God smiled upon his soul he could better have endured his frownings upon all his outward comforts could he but have discerned God to be his friend he could more chearfully have born all his other tryals but that which occasion'd all his pathetical moans was Gods hiding his face 2. How far is it that God does hide his face at any time from his people 1. Negatively God will never totally nor finally hide his face from them 't is his promise Heb. 13.5 He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee and if he hath said it it is not for us to question it The Disciples of Pythagoras had their Master in so great Reverence that an ipse dixit he hath said it was enough to them they thought it presumption in them to question what they had received from him now though this was too much arrogance in men either to give or take such an autoritativeness yet when God speaks he who is truth it self he who can do all things but cannot lie 't is not for us to doubt or question 2. Positively Though God may hide his face from his people yet will he not turn it from them he never ceases to love them though he does not always manifest it he retains towards them the love of a father even when he discovers the anger of a Judge Isa 54.7 8 10. for a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer The mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed So Isa 57.16 17 18. Many times 't is in respect of outward comforts only God hides his face to let them know the excellency of spiritual comforts sometimes not only in respect of spiritual comforts but graces also that his people may know their dependance upon him but still God regards their safety 3. The reasons why God deals thus with his people 't is not from any delight he takes in their sorrows nor from any pleasure he hath in their troubles But 1. 'T is to chastise them for their fins every sin is a forsaking God and consequently a provoking God to forsake us did not we by our disobediences withdraw our selves from him God would not withdraw himself from us That the Sun is overclouded 't is from those vapours which the earth it self sends up but there are some sins especially branded in Scripture as the causes of this calamity 1. Spiritual Idolatry when our hearts wander from him after strange loves the great thing God requires is our hearts if we deny them to him no wonder if he hide his face from us When we set up creatures in Gods throne and give that to them which is only due to him this is high disloyalty and provokes his jealousie Deut. 31.17 18. Deut. 32.17 20 21. God will admit no rivals have no partners in our hearts he that hateth not all in comparison of him is not accounted aright to love him for this sin God sometimes gives the soul a kind of divorce 2. Obstinacy and stubborness against all Counsels and instructions because I have purged thee and thou wouldst not be purged c. Ezek. 24.13 because the people of Israel would none of Gods Counsels he leaves them to their own Psal 81.11 12. 3. Lukewarmness in Gods service this was the sin for which God threatned the Church of Ephesus Revel 2.4 5. the Church of Laodicea Revel 3.15 16. 't is not enough that we serve God but we must serve him with all our might and with all our strength 4. A willing connivance at any known sin either in our selves or in others so far as concerns us thus in the Church of Pergamus Revel 2.14 in the Church of Thyatira Revel 2.20 5. A disesteem of his love and the pledges thereof when Israel once loathed their Mannah they did not long enjoy it when they slighted Sabbaths and spiritual opportunities God sends a famine of this spiritual food Amos 8.5 compared with verses 11 12. 6. Unfruitfulness under the means of grace for his sin God threatned his Ancient people to remove his Gospel from them they brought not forth the fruits of it Matth. 21.43 2. To carry on the designs and purposes of his own grace towards them God hides his face for a time that he may not hide it for ever he does not now spare them that he may for ever spare them But more particularly 1. God hides his face sometimes that he may recover his people to a due esteem of his favour The spouse flagged in her affections towards Christ his withdrawings raise up her desires 2. That they may be more wary and cautious in shuning whatever might renew these breaches again and consequently enjoy his favour more fully and more constantly The burnt child dreads the fire 4. The uncomfortableness of this condition 1. Proportionably to the withdrawings of God there will be a damp uon all our comforts If the sun be set all the stars in the firmament cannot make day if God hide his face it must needs be night with the poor soul Thus with David Psal 30.7 Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled 2. Accordingly there will be a decay in all our graces those plants which while the sun is near thrive and flourish in the winter season seem to die and wither the soul of man is but a barren foil in respect of all spiritual good while God who is the spiritual husbandman is tilling and dressing and taking pains with it 't is then fruitful but when God withdraws all decays John 15.2 Jerem. 23.3 3. There will
under all those agonies and pains he neither brake out against Instruments nor against God but patiently endured all Again the most high and listinguishing favours that God his Father shewed to him as the Son of his love and that Son of his in whom his Soul alone delighted could not lift him up as afflictions could not fink him so neither could these transport him as the one could not cast him down so nither could the other lift him up Alas it is hard for us to be in a high condition and to keep our hearts humble but consider the great favour that God shewed him in his Baptisme when the Angel descended in the shape of a Dove and by that voyce from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased yet how humbly and how evenly did he carry it under all varieties of occurrences that he met with here upon earth Again the strongest temptations could not unsettle him when Satan came with his large proffers All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me he answered him Get thee behind me Satan for it is written thou shalt worthe Lond thy God and him only shalt thou serve The greatest oppositions could not abate his diligence or make him the more remiss neither the opposition of enemies nor the mistaken Counsels of friends as Peter Master spare thy self could take him off from his duty his obedience was so full and compleat that he left nothing unfulfilled of all that God commanded him John 17.4 I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work thou gavest me to do I might shew the activeness and usefulness of the life of Christ and what a notable example we have in all respects of his burning zeal for Gods glory and his melting compassions towards poor Souls and his stooping to the meanest offices in order to his peoples good and his preferring the doing of good to others before his enjoying all the good of the world thus you see as our Principles are higher so our pattern is better 3. Your engagements are stronger than all others are other creatures are beholding to God for their beings for he made them and for their continuances in their beings he keeps their breath in their no strils they are beholding to God for their daily bread and outward comforts but the engagements of Christians are far greater than all these outwards mercies though these are great Consider the great things that God hath done for them in spiritual things in sanctifying their hearts with Grace this is a blessing that makes every thing a blessing to us to the pure all things are pure if God hath once seasoned our hearts with Grace in sanctifying them our Comforts are sanctified at least in a great measure for what is the sanctification of our comforts but only a bility to discharge those duties that those comforts enjoyn us to that is to be faithful in serving God with them In sanctifying our hearts our afflictions are sanctified now what is the sanctifying of our afflictions but the improving of them to the good of our Souls and the Glory of God nay in sanctifying our hearts all the Ordinances and Priviledges that we partake of are sanctified we make a sanctified use of all O what a great mercy is this such were some of you saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. But ye are sanctified You were in the lowest rank of sinners but you are now in the highest form of Creatures you are sanctified by the Spirit of God It is the work of sanctification that makes the great difference between persevering and Apostate Angels this is that that makes an everlasting difference between the Souls of some and the Souls of others some are born in sin and live and die in sin and perish for ever for their sins all are born in sin indeed but some are recovered out of the power of sin by the work of sanctification now what a wonderfull mercy is this so I might instance in the work of Convesiron in the work of the Justification of our Persons this is another Priviledge that God hath instated us in and O how great a priviledge is this David pronounceth him a blessed man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered And then God adopts them to be his Sons they who were enemies are made sriends by Justification but they that were strangers are made Sons by adoption and have the priviledge of Sons that is boldness of access to God as our Father Again every sincere Professor is made an heir not only a Son of God but also on Heir of Heaven and how great a Priviledge is this What ever our Condition is in this World yet all this will end in heaven glory happiness Then is the unspeakable aggravation of the mysery of the most flourishing ungodly man in the world whatever his condition is as to riches and greatness and all the grandure he is capable of yet all this will end in Hell but the sincere Soul though it lives under reproaches contempts and scorns and all things that are unlovely to flesh and blood shall have Heaven at last for they are heirs of Heaven 4. Your encouragements are greater than the encouragements of others it is a great word that the Apostle hath to all sincere Professors in the 1 Timoth. 4.8 Godliness is profitable to all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come it hath the promise of Earth and Heaven How great an encouragement is this we shall want nothing that is good for us that God sees convenient we shall have no more of trouble and affliction that when God sees convenient and needful for us for a little time if need be ye are in heaviness we shall have no more loads nor weights upon us but what we shall have assistance from God to support us under God hath engaged that we shall meet with no more difficulties in his service but what he will carry us through And then as to the other world all shall tend to their happiness there Now what an unspeakable comfort is this Alas this life is a life of vanity at the best nay this life is many times mixt with vexation in the best but to think of future Glory one would wonder there should be any thing of remissness or slightness in the service of God 5. Gods expectations from you are higher than others To whom much is given of them much is required God hath done so much for for you already and hath promised so much to you hereafter that he expects you should live not at the rate of other persons but above them and to outstrip them 6. Your dangers are greater if you be not faithful all they that enjoy the Gospel and do not answer the engagements of the Gospel are so far from being better than others that it is worse with them than others The wrath of God saith