while they live here in the World Especially in his Patience towards them and Long-suffering and Forbearance of them in that he does not presently take advantage against them but heaps many comforts upon them thereby to lead them and draw them to Himself but they commonly make but an ill use and Improvement of it by being from hence so much the more harden'd and confirm'd in Sin they despise that Goodness which they should Imbrace and the Author of it as so much the greater Aggravation of Wickedness and Sinfulness in them The Mercies which God bestows upon the Publique and so upon themselves in commonwith others and the mercies which God bestows upon them in private for their own particulars each of these are misimprov'd by them as it is said concerning the Israelites Jeshuron waxed fat and kicked and when God fed them with Quayles and Manna gave them drink and water out of the Rock delivered them out of the hands of their Enemies by a strong hand and a stretched out arm yet they forgot the works of the Lord and all the wonders that he had wrought for them which he took as a contemning of himself Thus Esay 5.12 The Harp and Viol the Tabret and the Pipe and the Wine are in their Feasts but they regard not the work of the Lord nor the Opperation of his hands Whether in Judgments or if we will also in Mercy the great things which his hands have wrought for them And so Psal 28.5 There is the like expression Because they regarded not the works of the Lord nor the Opperation of their hands he shall destroy them and not build them up Again as in the Providences of Mercy so likewise in the Providences of Judgment wicked men they contemn God here also in that while his hand is lifted up they will not see neither any thing better'd or reformed by it as it is said of them in Esay 9.13 This People turneth not unto him that smiteth them neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts And the Prophet Jeremiah to the like purpose Jer. 5.3 Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have not received Correction they have made their faces harder then a Rock they have refused to return When people shall come to this pass as to be inncorrigible under Gods Afflicting hand and Chastising of them it is a Contemning of him in a way of his Judgments which is the case of many Persons When Gods Judgments are either threatned but not Executed or Executed but with some Intermission or Mitigation of them this makes some kind of Natures to slight him and despise him in them Thus we know it was with Pharoah He that first asked who is the Lord when he sent a Messuage to him to let go his People and so contemn'd him as concerning his Commands when afterwards he was followed with Gods plagues and had any respite of them he still persisted and contemn'd him in his Judgments And that is the Second Explication of this Observation The Third and last is in his Servants and those which belong unto him We know how in the affairs of the world Contempt it does oftentimes proceed and Express it self in this not onely as to mens person but as to their Relations Thus are Parents contemned in their Children Masters in their Servants Princes in their Ambassadors and the like And thus is God also contemned in those that have Relations to him He that despiseth the poor says Solomon he reproaches his maker Those that contemn the poor members of Christ they contemn Christ himself and so he will account them to have done at the last day when he shall come to Judgment as much as they have done it to any of his little ones he will reckon it as done unto himself as he there professes in Matth. 25.45 Men may think when they slight and wrong and oppress any of the poor members of Christ that this Injury and contempt reaches no further then a Company of poor and Helpless men Oh but there is somewhat more in it if it be duly considered it reaches even God Himself who is despised in their Despisings and accordingly will take it to Himself at another day As in all their Afflictions he is Afflicted and Sympathised with them in their Sufferings so in all their Contemnings he is Contemned and Sympathised with them in their Despisings Those that Despise the members of Christ they Despise Christ Himself And so as for the Members of Christ so likewise for the Ministers of Christ which is another consideration of his servants It holds here also when these come to us in the Name of Christ and by authority from him and we shall contemn them in the discharge of their office it reaches to Christ He that despises you sayes he despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luk. 10.16 And 1 Thes 4.8 He therefore that despiseth not man but God who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit What are we sayes Moses to the Isaelites that ye murmur against us your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord Exod. 16.8 And again the Lord to Samuel when they rejected him for ruling over them They have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that is not onely thee but me and me in thee 1 Sam. 8.7 Thus we see in all these particulars and according to these various explications how wicked men do contemn God as a thing which is manifest by experience In his Ordinances in his Providences and in his Servants Now it would he further inquired whence this does proceed in them Because it seems some what strange that indeed it should be so what may we then conceive to be the Ground or occasion of it Surely there is a twofold Ground which may be assign'd of it as is usually observable in other Contumelies in the world The one as proceeding from Pride and the other from Ignorance These two taken together are the grounds and occasions of this contempt First It proceeds from Pride This hath a common and usual influence upon Contempt Those that do too much pride and over-value themselves they are apt to contemn others and sometimes better then themselves and so it is here The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts in the fourth verse of this Psalm Through the pride of his countenance that is indeed through the pride of his heart which doth usually express and manifest it self in the Countenance This is that which makes him not to seek after God but to neglect him because he thinks with himself that he can do well enough without him Self-sufficiency it disposes men to pride and so consequently to contemptuousness Those that apprehend themselves independent are scornfull and whiles they think they can subsist of themselves they subject to despise others yea sometimes even God himself
young spreadeth abroad her wings taketh them and beareth them so the Lord alone did lead him c. There is a wonderful great tenderness which God expresses to his people so that when men are most cruel against them He himself is most merciful to them and expresses the greatest kindness towards them That 's for the first Expression here used in reference to their deliverance He hath taken you The second is Hath brought you and this as well as the other hath a double force in it First an Emphasis of Power brought you forth with a strong hand Secondly An Emphasis of Solemnity Brought you forth with a stretched out Arm. First There is power in it Bring you forth That is forced you forth whether your enemies would or no. Thus did God to Israel He made Pharaoh and the Egyptians to give them up whether they would or not yea as the Apostle tells us He would tells us he therefore for this purpose raised them up that he might shew his power in them Rom. 9.17 There 's no standing against the Lord when he has a mind to deliver His people He will bring them forth maugre all opposition in despite of all the powers either of Earth or Hell it self Secondly There 's also solemnity in it He brought them forth i. e. in triumph As with a strong-hand so with a stretched-out arm as the Scripture also expresses it Deut. 5.15 Stand still saith Moses and ye shall see the salvation of the Lord Exod. 14.13 Yea and not onely you shall see it but likewise others Psal 98.23 The Lord hath made known His salvation his righteousness hath He openly shewed in the sight of the Heathen He hath remembred His mercy and truth c. And all the ends of the Earth have seen the salvation of our God Now from both these expressions together Hath taken you and hath brought you forth we see the thing it self sufficiently declared unto us that God did at last deliver His people out of this Captivity under which they were He removed his shoulder from the burden and his hands were delivered from the pots as it is in Psal 81.6 8 13. Though ye have lien among the pots c. And so he does likewise with many more with them Though God suffers His servants sometimes to fall into the hand of their enemies yet he does at length free them from them This he doth upon divers considerations First out of His own bowels and compassion He will not alwayes chide neither keepeth He his anger for ever Psal 103.9 And Isa 57.16 He will not contend for ever neither will he be alwayes wroth for the spirit should fail before Him and the souls which he had made Secondly Out of respect to his People least they should be discouraged and provoked to evil Psal 125.3 The rod of the ungodly shall not lye upon the lot of the Righteous least the righteous put forth their hand unto iniquity The Lord will not too much draw out the corruptions and infirmities of His servants And then Thirdly Out of Regard to the enemies least they should insult Deut. 32 26 27. I said I would scatter them into Corners c. were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy least their adversaries should behave themselves strangely c. Let this therefore be the use which we make of it to our selves First to Expect it whereas yet it is not Secondly To acknowledge it and to improve it there where it is First I say to expect it where it is not It is that which God will do it is that which he has already done to our hands in this example before us we are ready when we fall into any trouble to think that we shall never come out of it and that there is no redemption from it well but see here the contrary in this instance of the Israelites brought out of Egypt and delivered from the Iron-furnace which though it threatned them with perpetual bondage yet we see at last had an end and consummation of it God took them and brought them forth Secondly As where it is not yet we should yet expect it so where it is we should improve it and that to several purposes First to thankfulness in acknowledging it The Spirit of God by Moses does often put them in mind of this Deliverance to draw thankfulness from them And if God's mercies have not this efficacy upon us we are then indeed very unworthy of them Secondly To Obedience which is the best expression of thankfulness Thus this Deliverance likewise is urged there in Jer. 11.4 For obeying the words of the Covenant which God commanded their fathers when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt from the Iron-furnace Thirdly To Dependence upon God and prevailing with him against another time That He which hath done so much for them already would be still pleased to do more As we find Solomon using that Argument in 1 King 8.52 For they be thy people which thou hast brought out of Egypt c. And so much may suffice to have spoken of the first General part of the Text viz. The Deliverance it self The second is the End or Consequent of this Deliverance and that we have in these words To be unto him a People of Inheritance as ye are this day In which passage we have again two particulars First The Design it self And Secondly The Amplification of it The Design it self To be unto him a people of inheritance The Amplification of it As ye are this day I begin with the first viz. The Design it self To be unto Him a people of Inheritance This is that which God aymed at concerning Israel Now this may again admit of a double Interpretation Either so as for Him to be their Inheritance or else so as for them to be His. The Scripture makes mention of either in sundry places First For Him to be theirs This is the Priviledge of God's People That the Lord himself is their portion and Inheritance and so expresses Himself to be to them Thus Psal 16.5 David speaking of himself The Lord is the portion of mine Inheritance and of my cup thou maintainest the Lot And so of Levi it is said That the Lord is his Inheritance Deut. 10.9 And the Church Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my Portion c. This is a great comfort to the Godly and to those which are most destitute amongst them to live upon the power of this truth what though they have none of the great Inheritance of the world yet as long as they have a portion in God they have that which may abundantly satisfie them and keep them from dejection forasmuch as from henceforth no good thing shall be wanting unto them He that overcometh shall inherit all things How so It follows in the next words And I will be his God c. Rev. 21.7 He that hath God for his God shall inherit all things he shall have a sufficient
easily can he also do so likewise in these Tempests of Blood He that commanded peace in that Sea how easily can he do also in this And he who stilled those Waves how easily can he also do these and that in the greatest unlikelyhood and improbability for it This is a very comfortable consideration to be thought on and meditated by us in these our Distractions that the making or breaking of our peace and that treaty which is now on foot it is not at the will and pleasure of those which labour our Ruin but in the hands of God himself if he will have it to thrive it shall prosper and if he will not there is somewhat more in it then we are presently capable off though it should come to nothing as a Treaty yet it will come to somewhat as a Providence that we may be sure of and rest upon and that which shall make most for his Glory and his Churches good Therefore this may serve further to Confound all the Enemies of the Church in their attempts and indeavours against it they do but befool themselves and labour in Vain while they think and study to hinder God's people of that Peace and quietness which he has prepared and appointed for them We may see this for instance in the Example of Pharaoh and the Egyptians in their attempts against the Children of Israel whereunto some Interpreters have been of opinion that the words of this very Text in hand did more particularly allude I say we may see it in them how the Lord by his Sovereign sentence free'd them out of Slavery and Oppression and Bondage which they were then inthralled in notwithstanding all the Plots and indeavours of their Enemies to the Contrary And so he will also doe for others of his People upon the like occasions he will create Peace for them c. Lastly It shews us the Vanity of all Peace-makers without God if the Lord do not help thee whence should I help thee c. There is one thing more which we may here observe which I think fitting to take notice off in this order before I proceed to the second Reference and that 's this The joyning of these two together whether against a Nation or against a man onely from whence we may learn thus much That it is all one to God to punish an whole Nation as it is to punish a particular Person he can as easily do one as the other When he hides his face who can behold him It may be said of Either of them and experience shews it to be thus we see how easily God punish't an whole World when they were wicked and sinned against him he brought a deluge of waters upon them wherewith he destroyed them And so afterwards Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities thereabouts he overthrew them by Fire as he did the other before by Water And so the Cananites and Perrezites and Jubesites and those Nations which were Enemies to Israel we read how the Lord hid his face from them that is how he conquered and subdued them and made an end and Desolation of them in Nahum 1.12 Though they be Quiet and likewise many yet thus shall they be Cut down when he shall pass through And in Chap. 3. vers 8. c. Speaking to Nineveh which was a great City Art thou better then Populous No that was situate amongst the Rivers that had the Waters round about it whose Rampart was the Sea and her wall was from the Sea Aethiopia and Egypt were her strength and it was infinite Put and Lubin were thy helpers yet was she carryed away she went into Captivity c. And thus it shall also be with thee we see that multitude and populousness and number cannot exempt from the judgements of God look as paucity and fewness and smalness does not disparage in regard of deliverance where God hath at any time a minde to save He can save by few as well as by many if he please so plurality and greatness and combination does not priviledge in regard of punishment where God hath a mind to destroy Though hand joyn in hand the wicked shall not go unpunish'd He can subdue a whole Kingdom as well as a private person and a Nation as well as a man onely He makes no difference either of one or the other The Ground of this is taken First From Gods Omnipotency and the Infiniteness of his Almighty Power which has all the men and People of the World in his own hands and can do with them whatsoever he pleaseth as we have it set forth unto us excellently in Esay 40.15 Behold the Nations are as a drop of a Bucket and are counted as the small dust of the Ballance behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing Alas What is all the strength and Power and Multitude in the World to the power of an Omnipotent God The drop of a Bucket it is a small and poor matter and the dust of the Ballance the least breath that is Scatters and disperses it And thus now are all Nations and Kingdomes in the hands of the Lord. Secondly As God hath infiniteness of power consider'd simply in himself so he hath also variety of instruments consider'd in those which attend him and wait upon him We see how in the Camp of Sennacherib there were an hundred fourscore and five thousand which were destroyed in one night and how by the ministry of an Angel One Angel can quickly destroy thousands of men And what shall we say then when all the Angels and Creatures in the world stand ready arm'd at Gods command for the execution of his will and pleasure upon ungodly men Surely here whatever a Nation or a man onely it 's all one unto him Forasmuch as what he does not by one means he is able to do by another The use of this Point to our selves may be drawn out in a double improvement First in a way of terror and astonishment to wicked men even there where they are arm'd and kept in with never so much multitude and power yet the hand of God can reach them and pay them home Psal 33 16. There 's no king saved by the multitude of an host a mighty man is not delivered by his much strength That is he is not thus delivered out of the hand of God Amongst men it is many times otherwise The multitude of the delinquents is sometimes an hindrance and impediment to the proceeding and execution of Justice And that as we shall ordinarily observe upon these two grounds First From a wearisomness and tediousness which is in him who is to inflict punishment upon them Where there are many offenders a man is loth to stand about it to punish them and so by this means they all scape now and then in regard of their multitude or at least the whole number and generality of them may not suffer But with God it is not thus there 's is no tyring
shew of humility yet sometimes is a blossom of pride To be sensible of our weaknesses so as to make us humble and wary and dependent in the works which we undertake that 's very good and commendable but to be sensible of them so as to hinder us or dishearten us in the undertaking of them that is such as we are able to give no good account or reckoning of This was that which was the fault of Moses when God would have sent him on a Message to Pharaoh How did he excuse the matter Why namely from his own inabilities Exod. 4.10 11. O Lord I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since then hast spaken unto thy Servant but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue This was now no sufficient put off at such a time as God called him to the work who was able to conquer and overcome all those difficulties for him as it follows afterwards in the next Verses And the Lord said unto him who hath made Man's Mouth or who maketh the Dumb or Deaf or the Seeing or the Blind have not I the Lord Now therefore go and I will be with thy month and teach thee what thou shalt say As who should say As long as it is I that send thee what shouldst thou stand upon thy want of Eloquence or thy difficulty of Speech When we venture upon such works and businesses as do not belong unto us merely of our own heads and without a Call from God we may expect there justly to suffer for our own arrogancy and presumption But on the other side when we set upon those things which he requires at our hands we may expect there safely his assistance and enablement of us And that is the first particular in regard whereof c. viz. The Performance The Second is In regard of Acceptance That is another thing which belongs to our Works and which sometimes we are apt to be very careful and sollicitous about How our works and actions may be presented in the minds and apprehensions of other Men Not only that they may be done well in regard of the things themselves but likewise that they may be taken well in regard of the persons which are privy to the doing of them or concerned and interessed in them This is another Affection in us and such as considered simply in it self and modestly pursued it may not be amiss neither But yet as concerning this we are to commit our works also to the Lord and to trust him in this particular for the ordering of it to us let us do that which becomes us and which is fitting to be done by us and he will order Men's hearts towards us who has their Affections in his own hand and disposes them as seems good to him When a man's ways please the Lord he will make even his very enemies to be at peace with him as it is in the seventh Verse of this present Chapter And though we do not find it presently yet we shall find it in due time and by leisure it will be made good unto us As it is said concerning seasonable Reproof so it holds good concerning any other Action He that rebukes a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue Prov. 28.23 Afterwards he shall find it though at present he be not sensible of it Thus also in the place before cited Psal 37.5 6. Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy judgment as the Noon day That is he shall clear thee and justifie thee in the eyes of all that except against thee and which are ready to be offended with thee Thirdly We are to commit our Works to God also in regard of the Success This is another appurtenance to them likewise and a matter which does exercise our own thoughts how far any Enterprize we take in hand be successful and take effect It was the great care of the Apostle Paul which is also for the most part of every one else besides that he might not receive in vain or labour in vain Frustrations and Miscarriages and Disappointments are such things as are very irksome and tedious in the thoughts of them Now for this also is this Counsel before us very requisite and necessary for us Commit our works unto the Lord This is the issue and fruit of our works Let us do that which concerns us and leave the efficacy and success to God which he will be careful to order to us so far forth as may be most requisite and expedient for us This is that which holds good in any thing which we undertake especially in reference to others as in point of Government and Instruction and Reformation when we cannot do always that good which perhaps we desire to do yet to wait and depend upon God who is the Beginning and End of our Actions and who is able to give life and vertue and efficacy and success unto them And thus much now of the first Explication of our Works namely the Works which are done by us The Second is The Works which are done to us Thy Works that is thy Businesses and Conditions and Affairs Those things which do any way concern thee and which in any special manner thou art interessed in these are also thy works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we find it sometimes expressed This is another parcel of the Object of this present Commitment which is here exhibited to us Whatever Condition we are in or whatever Estate happens unto us we are to commend it and to commit it to the Lord And especially which seems principally to be intended Conditions of distress when we know not what to do nor which way to turn our selves as sometimes it falls out to be with us then to betake our selves to God and seek for help and direction from him in the case and condition which we are in and rest and stay our selves upon him This was the practise of Jehoshaphat when he was encompassed with the Ammonites 2 Chron. 20.12 We know not what to do but our eyes are upon thee This was the practice of David when he was invaded by the Amalekites 1 Sam. 30.6 David encouraged himself in the Lord his God And this should be our practise also as we have at any time occasion for it whether in matters of distress or ambiguity trust in the Lord. And thus much for the first particular viz. the Object Thy works The Second is The Act which is conversant about this Object and that is Committing Commit thy works unto the Lord. This for the better opening of it to us may be laid forth in sundry Particulars whereof it does consist and we may be conceived and said to do it divers manner of ways I will briefly mention them unto you First of all In a way of Simple Commendation We do then commit our
own infinite Majesty and Glory what are all Nations and Kingdoms of the World Surely as the Prophet Isaiah speaks of it Isa 40.21 Behold the Nations are as the drop of a bucket and are accounted as the small dust of the ballance Behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing The Lord is high above all Nations and his Glory above the Heavens Psal 113.4 He encreaseth the Nations and destroyeth them he enlargeth the Nations and straitneth them again Job 12.23 Who smote great Nations and slew mighty Kings Psal 135.10 Secondly The Importunity of Sin and Guilt that makes for this likewise Nahum 1.12 Though they be quiet and likewise many yet thus shall they be cut down when he shall pass through says the Lord there by his Prophet because their Sins call for Vengeance As we see it was with the Sodomites and tâ—â— Cities round about them whilst the Cry of their Wickedness ascended and came up to Heaven in their committing of Fornication and going after strange Flesh it is said That even they suffered the vengeance of eternal fire And so the Cananites and the rest of the Nations which opposed and fought against Gods People we hear what a quick and speedy riddance the Lord made of them for it in their Universal overthrow and ruine and destruction And so he is ready to do with many more in the like circumstances Who would not fear thee O King of Nations as it is in Jer. 10.7 What cause have all the People and Kingdoms of the Earth to tremble before this great God who is able thus to crush them in peices and to destroy them even in Hell it self if they provoke him as he here threatens them We should here learn to satisfie our selves in this great Mystery both of Prudence and Religion It seems to be a strange thing to reason that God should damn whole Nations And therefore such Persons as make Reason to be the Rule of Faith they do much doubt of it and call it into Question For which purpose they have found out salvation even for the Heathen that know not God nor ever heard word of Christ But we see here how the Scripture it self expresses it self in this particular whereby it tells us that whole Nations shall be turned into Hell That so we may not be wiser or mercifuller than God himself But submit our own reason and the Dictates of our own understanding to his Discoveries and Proposals And in the mean time bless God our selves if he hath exempted us out of the number of those Nations which shall be thus dealt withal by a more peculiar manifestation and dispensation of himself unto us Thus for the Subjects here mentioned in reference to this Punishment All the Nations The Second is the guilt which is fustned upon those Subjects as the Ground and Foundation of this Punishment and that is Forgetting of God This now does a little qualifie it and restrain it and take it in It is not all Nations Absolutely and Indefinitely and without exception howsoever qualified but under this Notion of Impiety God does not in this case proceed in a way of Soveraignty but in a way of Justice It is true he might if he pleased do the former forasmuch as all the Nations of the World they are his own Creatures and the Workmanship of his own hands therefore if he saw good he might deal with them as the Potter with his vessel And no man might say unto them what dost thou But he has thought fitting to take another course than this with them and that is by proceeding upon the account of their own guilt as it is here declared unto us Therefore this Punishment and Destruction it is here limited and restrained to Sinners And so we find it to be also in other places as Psal 79.6 Pour out thine indignation upon the Heathen that have not known thee and upon the Kingdoms that have not called upon thy name Not upon the Heathen considered Absolutely nor upon the Kingdoms considered Indefinitely But upon those Heathens and Kingdoms which have not known God Nor called upon him And so likewise here in the Text All the Nations that forget God This is a Particular Character whereby a wicked People are distinguisht viz. Forgetfullness of God as that which carries the very root of all wickedness in it For hence it is that any Persons do make so bold with God as commonly they do by offending him and rebelling against him because indeed they are such as do forget him and think not of him This forgetfulness of God which wicked men are thus guilty of to explain it a little to you it extends to Sundry Particulars First To the Essence of God They forget God that is they forget that there is a God They have heard of it it may be and have seen Habitual Notions of it yea but in such and such cases and circumstances they do it or reflect upon it They do not Actually mind or consider it which makes them so to carry it as if indeed they did not beleive it Secondly To the Nature of God They forget God that is they forget who or what manner of one God is They forget him in his Properties and Attributes and such Expressions of him as whereby he has revealed and made himself known In his Holiness and Justice and Power and Omniscience and Omnipresence and the like In these they do not remember him but plainly forget him Wicked Men they frame to themselves such a God as is suitable to themselves and their own Fancies and Imaginations As he tells that wicked Man in the Psalm 50.21 Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self As if that which pleased them it were pleasing to him also Thirdly To the Word of God They forget God that is They forget what God does command or commend unto them They forget his Instructions and they forget his Injunctions and so in that respect they forget God himself for as much as he accounts himself interested and concerned in such things as these are as a Prince in his Laws David resolved with himself that he would never forget God's Precepts But this is that which such Persons as these do continually though they may seem to remember God Notionally yet they forget him Practically And though they profess that they know him yet in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate Tit. 1.16 Lastly To the Providence of God They forget God that is They forget what God has done and brought to pass in the World As it is charged upon the Israelites that they forgat the works of the Lord aad the wonders that he had shewed them Psal 78.11 His Works of Mercy they forgat them They remembred not his hand nor the day when he delivered them from the Enemy Psal 78.42 They forgat God their Saviour which had done great things for them in Egypt Psal 106.21 And
God a people of Inheritance As we should serve God in our own Generation so we should take care that others may likewise serve him in theirs and thereby propagate Religion in the World Thus we have seen the end of Gods delivering of his People That they might be to him a people of Inheritance Now further we may look upon it also as a Consequent and so see the Connexion of these two both together How did God bringing his People forth out of Egypt make them to be to him a people of Inheritance Namely thus far as they had now larger Opportunities for the serving of him afforded unto them while they were in Egypt they were there restrained in regard of the Idolatrous people which they were mingled withall but now being escaped they were more at liberty This therefore is the Advantage which we should still make of such opportunities That being delivered out of the hands of our Enemies we may serve him without fear in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of our life as it is there in Zacharys song Luk. 1. vers 74.75 And so much of the first Particular observable in this second General viz. The design it self to be c. The Second is the Amplification of it That we have in those words As ye are this day In which clause we have three things especially hinted to us concerning God First the Accomplishment of his purposes Secondly The Certainty of his promises Thirdly The Continuance of his performances The Accomplishment of his purposes God does whatsoever he decrees and propounds to himself He had propounded this to make Israel a peculiar people to himself and he had now at this day performed it and brought it to pass so that we see how there is nothing stands in his way for the hindering of what he has a mind to He spake and it was done He commanded and it stood fast Psal 33.9 Our God is in Heaven and doth whatsoever he pleaseth Psal 115. vers 3. This should satisfy us and incourage us as to our Expectations for the good of the Church that all Gods thoughts of peace towards it shall be accomplished and brought to pass and are sure as if we see them done already before our Eyes wheresoever he intends good unto them their good shall not be kept from them but shall certainly be Effected and brought to pass and all the attempts to the contrary they prove in vain As for Pharaoh and the Egyptians they were both to part with Israel and to let them go out of their Land having a desire to keep them in Bondage and Service still and they thought they dealt very wisely in so contriving as we may see in Exod. 1. vers 10.4.5 But yet for all that they mist of their mark and their aim as it appeared in the Event and as it was now at this present day with them That 's the first Accomplishment of Gods purposes The Second is the Certainty of his promises as to the performance and effecting of them also As ye are at this day We see how punctual God is with them to a day he keeps his time to a moment and as he had long ago promised that he would bring his people out of that land so he now effected it and brought it to pass All Gods promises they are Yea and Amen God is not a man that he should lye nor the Son of man that he should repent Hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good as it is Numb 23.19 Therefore let us rest upon his promises where-ever he does vouchsafe them to us and comfort and incourage ourselves by them and make use of this point as to Corporal Deliverance so to Spiritual He promises for treading down Sin and Satan and Death and all the Enemies of our Salvation and bringing us out of the Thraldome and Captivity of them which he will surely do for us The third and last is the continuance of His performances As ye are this day Namely in the fruit and efficacy of it This was performed fourty years ago for the thing it self but yet Moses speaks of it as done at that day to wit in regard of the benefit which thereby did redound unto them God's mercies they are mercies of extent which do not only reach to the present times in which they were first wought but also to many succeeding Generations Now from hence will follow another point as our Duty which is here also to be observed and that is that we are accordingly to remember them and call them to our mindes and so from thence make them fresh unto us as if done at this present time It is that which Moses indeavours to make these Israelites to do here In the Text who minds them of a mercy which was done many years ago for them as if it had been done for them just at that time This is the scope of this narration and this also hath been the practise of the Saints of God in other places Thus Psal 78.1.6 Give ear O my people to my law encline your ears to the words of my mouth I will open my mouth in a parable I will utter dark sayings of old Which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us We will not hide them from their children shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful works that he hath done For he established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which he commanded our fathers that they should make them known to their children That the generation to come might know them even the children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their children c. Thus there 's very good ground for First Because the mercy in its own nature is still one and the same and Time does not take away from the greatness or largeness of it That which was done so many years ago is as great a Mercy as if done at this day 3dly because one Age alone is not sufficient to praise God for them therefore posterity must take notice of them for them The children must herein help the fathers to publish and set forth Gods praises for the mercies bestowed upon them This therefore should be our own particular practise as we have any occasion afforded us for it Not content our selves to take notice of those mercies which are bestowed upon us at present but which have a long time been bestowed upon one to another that have been before us or upon our selves though for many years past To conclude our Meditations on this Text we may here take notice of two things more with which I will shut up First The Inlargements of God towards his people We see here in how many particulars he expresses Himself towards them First In that He brings them out of that sad condition in which they were though in
since through means of that deliverance vouchsafed unto us I say it behoves us to provoke our selves to all kind of Thankfulness in this regard and to take advantage of this Annavasary Commemoration which is appointed to this purpose That it may not be onely a matter of Course and Formality which we cannot well decline but may have a real Influence and Impression upon us to raise our Hearts in the praysing of that God who hath done so great things for us Secondly As to matter of Faith we are to improve it to that likewise having had Experience of God's Goodness hitherto to be ready to expect as much from him for time to come That he that hath kept the feet of his Saints will do so still Sutable to the manner and Carriage of the expression here in the Text which is not in the time past but in the Future Not he hath kept onely but he will and therefore will because he hath experience of former Mercies should teach us to trust and to depend upon God for following as 2 Cor. 1.10 Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Thirdly and Especially To Fruitfulness and Obedience God having done so great things for us we should indeavour to do somewhat for him And being thus Delivered out of the hands of our Enemies should study to serve him as now without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of our Life And this for the keeping of the feet of his Saints In the deliverance of his people Now further Secondly For the Wicked's silence in Darkness in the Disappointment of his Enemies we may observe the Parallel in this also Here was both Darkness and silence in Darkness Darkness there was in the very Letter It was a work in the Dark And that both as to Place and Time in which it was wrought There was Darkness in the Place For where did these Wicked Conspirators prepare their Devices Surely it was in the Seller and in the Vault which they had fitted to that purpose They dig'd deep to hide their Counsell from the Lord and their work was in the Dark saying who seeth us and who knoweth us as the Prophet speakes in Esay 29.15 And there was Darkness likewise in the Time For it was the Night which they chiefly made choyce of for the carrying on of their wicked Designes A time and place of Darkness sutable to a work of Darkness And then there was Silence as to this Darkness When they were Discovered they were in a manner Confounded and knew not what to say for themselves As others were silent in a way of Astonishment at the Horridness and Strangeness of the Fact so were themselves silent in a way of Confusion being Prevented and Disappointed of it and as a Reproach not onely to their Persons but also to their Religion the Principles whereof led them and carryed them thereunto in the full extent and improvement of it But that which made them chiefly to be so was the last thing of all And that is That by their strength they could not prevail Neither by the strength of their interest and Combination Nor by the strength of their Wit and Conspiracy God infatuated their Counsels and turned all their Wisdom into Foolishness And in the things wherein they dealt proudly he was above them Their strength it was proved to be Weakness both ways both to the hurting and spoyling of us And as to the helping and securing of themselves as sayling in either I will Conclude all at this time with these words of the Prophet David in the name of the People of Israel which are applyable likewise to our selves Blessed be the Lord who loadeth us daily with Benefits even the God of our Salvation Selah He that is our God is the God of Salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from Death SERMON IX Job 20.11 His bones are full of the Sins of his youth which shall lie down with him in the dust The Scope of this present Scripture which we have here in hand is to set forth to us the miserable Estate of an Ungodly Person And for sureness sake it takes him in his full Latitude and Compass from his Youth to his riper Years from the Beginning of his Life to the end of it wherein the Evil of his sinful Courses does continually pinch upon him His bones are full of the Sins c. IN the Text it self there are two General parts observable First The State or Condition of a Wicked man Secondly The Extent or Amplification of this his Condition His State that 's exprest in these words His bones are full of the Sins of his youth The Amplification or extent of it in these Which shall lye down with him in the Dust We begin with the first General viz. The State or Condition His bones are full of c. Wherein again two Particulars more First The Sin and Secondly The Punishment of the Sin The Sin That is Youthfulness in the Miscarriage of it The Sin of his youth The Punishment of his Sin that is Exprest in this that his Bones are said to be full of it First For the Sin here mentioned It is the Sin of the youth The word in the Hebrew Text is Gnalumaw which signifies properly his Youths and being applyed to a matter of Guilt Youthful prankes These are things which are laid to the Charge of evil men By Sins of youth for the better opening of this passage to us we may understand two things Especially either the kinds of Sin or the time of Sin The kinds of Sin that is such Sins as are more Especially proper and incident to that particular Age and Condition of Life to wit his youth The time of Sin that is such Sins as are indifferent to any Age but which for the Commission of them have been Acted very Early and betimes First The Sins of youth it does denote the kinds of Sins by way of Specification and does signify such kind of Sins as are more proper and peculiar to that Age as some Sins there are Corrupt Nature though it cleave to all Conditions of Life in the whole latitude and Extent of it yet it does not Act and put forth it self alike in all but as is it varies to other things besides In Constitution in Improvement in Place and the like so amongst the rest in matter of Age and the periods of Life There are the Sins of Elder years and there are the Sins also of Youth which are to be observed and taken notice of by us and to be understood and avoyded Thus 2 Tim. 2.22 Fly Youthful Lusts Such Lusts namely as Youth is more Especially subject unto St. Paul would have Tymothy a Young man Especially to take heed of those These they are of divers sorts ' I le instance briefly in some few of the Cheifest of them which may give us an hint of the rest
Jobs Fearand Suspicion The Second is his Practise in order to his Fear Thus did Job Continually What did he do This refers to that before He offered up Sacrifice for them Prayers must be joyned with Fears the more Jealous and Suspicious we are of any the more need and cause have we to pray to God in their behalf and to seek to him for them Thus Job is said to be continually that is upon all occasions either every day or all day all the days of their Feasting while his Children were a Playing he was a Praying while they were Feasting he was Fasting and Humbling himself before God for them and so he had heed Parents have cause to Pray always for their Children and upon all occasions but they have never more need to do so then at such time as they are in Places or performances of Liberty and Sport and recreations Then to follow God with Prayer for them Continually so much for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SERMON XII Job 34.29 When he gives quietness who then can make trouble and when he hides his face who then can behold him c. There 's many a good and true saying which may be utter'd upon a false foundation and a misapplying of it to that party to whom it is directed And so it falls out with many speeches which we here meet with in this book of Job in the discourse which his friends had with him They were very grave and serious animadversions but they did very little concern tht person whom they aym'd at of all others besides Like good matter which is nothing to the Text and subject in hand We shall finde in the beginning of this book and so through the whole current of it that Job had three friends especially which entertain'd conference with him which were all very harsh against him In conclusion towards the latter end there steps in a fourth which serves to moderate the business with them but yet upon the point does also miscarry in the same prejudice as they did And that is Elihu the son of Barachel the Burite of the kindred of Cham. These words which I have now read unto you are a part of his discourse but still mistaking Job's condition and imagining him to suffer for his miscarriages and breaking with God As among other passages we may judge from this place in hand THe Text for the Parts of it consists of a double Question and a double reference The question is in these words When he gives quietness who then can make trouble when he hides his face who then can behold him The reference is to a double subject an whole Kingdom or a particular person whether it be done against c. Affirmative questions are equivolent to absolute negations and so here who can is as much as none can And thus we have two Propositions in brief exhibited to us First when God will give peace to any Kingdom none shall interrupt or hinder it when he will deny the same peace none shall be able to work or procure it Secondly When God will give peace to any person none shall there be able to trouble him when God will withdraw peace from him none shall then be able to comfort him We begin with the first of these Propositions with the second as we shall see in its due place which together consists of two branches First That when God will give peace to a Kingdom none can hinder it Secondly When God will deny the same peace to a Kingdom none can procure it when the Lord is peremptory and absolute and resolv'd upon either of these two there is no crossing of him First wee 'l look upon the first Branch When God will give peace to a Kingdom none can hinder it when he gives quietness who can make trouble We have divers instances in this observation in common experience both in other people of old and also of our selves in former times whom when God in his providence was so pleased as to crown with the blessing of peace none was able to make a disturbance And the Ground of it is clear First because all these things are in a subjection to his disposing As for example Men's Purposes and Counsels they are all guided by him The peace and welfare of any State does very much rest and depend upon the contrivances which are carried on for it and the disappointments of those conspiracies which are laid against it subject and subordinate to Divine dispensation It is a most true speech that of Solomon Pro. 21.30 There is no wisdom nor counsel nor understanding against the Lord. And that again of the Psalmist in Psal 33.11 The Counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations And that further of the Prophet His Counsel shall stand and he will do all his pleasure Isa 46.10 He regulates all the Counsels and Contrivances which are stirring in the world Again As he orders mens heads so he also orders their hands As there is no Counsel which he is not privy to so there 's no enterprise which he does not over-rule And as men cannot think without him so neither can they act without him He disappointeth the devises of the crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise Iob 5.12 When the enemies of a State and people have done all that they can possibly against it yet it is still in his power to frustrate it No weapon that 's formed against them shall prosper as it in Isa 54.17 He breaketh the bow and knappeth the spear in sunder and burneth the chariot in the fire And lastly which must be added to the other he hath the hearts of all in his disposing also He that can command affections he may also command peace because the being of want of peace does much depend hereupon Now thus are all the hearts of all men in the world The hearts of Princes and other men with them they are all in his hand and he turneth them whithersoever he pleaseth even as the rivers of waters Therefore if he will but please to give peace and quietness to any Kingdom or Nation there 's none whosoever they be which shall be able to molest or disturb it And that may serve as the first account of this point Secondly When God will give quietness none shall be able to make trouble because that trouble which is at any time made it is in reference to God himself and for the avenging of his quarrel upon people There are divers and sundry occasions of wars and tumults in such a Kingdom some grounded upon one cause and some grounded upon another but yet the main and chief of all is the displeasure of an offended God He hath not been so well used as he hath deserv'd to have been in such and such places and therefore he suffers differences and divisions to grow amongst them In Iob 19.29 Be ye afraid of the sword for wrath bringeth the
lie within the compass and reach of every particular person amongst us Every Christian may thus far be a Statesman and it becomes him so to be and every private Person may in this sense much dispose of the Kingdom as to that peace which we are to procure to the Kingdom in General which as I Conceive may be brought about in a likely way by these means and ways viz. First By every ones Lamenting and Bewailing of his own private Sins and the abominations of the Land wherein he lives every Sin unrepented off is a quarrel which God has against the Kingdom and for which he threatens the Destruction of it And therefore the way to reconcilement is Mourning and Humiliation for it this is the counsell which the Lord gives by his Prophet in Zeph. 2.1.2 c. Gather your selves together yea gather your selves together O Nation not desired and before the decree bring forth before the day pass at the Chaff before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you c. This gathering of our selves here together is not so much a gathering of our Persons as it is indeed a gathering of our thoughts and recollecting of matters with our selves to consider how things are with us neither does it imply this onely but also doing it with some Affection so as to be grieved and afflicted in our selves where we are conscious that we have done any thing amiss this is one way and means to procure Atonement and Reconciliation betwixt God and the Kingdom wherein we are Secondly This is not all but further there is required Amendment and Reformation for time to come Humiliation without Reformation is of no Efficacy or avayl at all as being indeed but false and Counterfeit and such as consequently is unaccepted of God The Prophet Esay has given us an item to this purpose in Esay 32.17.81 The work of Righteousness shall be peace and the Effect of Righteousness Quietness and assurance for ever And my People shall dwell in a peaceable Habitation and in sure Dwellings and in quiet resting Places See here the work of Righteousness is peace So 2 Chro. 7.14 If my People shall humble themselves and Pray c. And turn from their Evil ways then will I be Merciful to their Iniquities and heal their Land Mark turn from their Evil ways Thirdly Intercession and Supplication and Prayer we should all here improve that interest which we have in God to this purpose That he would be pleased not onely to be reconciled to our own Persons in particular but also to the whole Land in General whereunto we belong Pray for the peace of Jerusalem as the Prophet David calls upon us to do and for the peace of it in the first place with Heaven that the Lord himself may have no Controversie against it ye which are the Lords Remembrancers keep not silence and give him no rest till he has broken down the Partition-wall and reconciled himself to us Certainly this is such a Business as may well deserve our greatest Importunity and wrastling with God that may be And that 's the Second use of this point seeing when he gives Quietness c. Therefore to teach us all to be diligent in the use of all those means whereby God may be reconciled with the Land and kingdom wherein we live Thirdly This gives us an account of the present Evils and troubles which are amongst us from whence they proceed namely from hence that God himself is angry with us and hath hidden his face from us we are subject to fasten our Eyes onely upon Second and External Causes to say t is this thing and t is that thing and to think of any thing rather then of that which we should be most sensible off but this is the true ground and reason of all because the Lord himself is at variance and at difference with us as 't is exprest concerning Israel in Deut. 32.30 How should one chase a Thousand and two put ten Thousand to flight except their Rock had sold them and the Lord had shut them up And so Esay 42.24.25 Who gave Jacob for a spoyl and Israel to the Robbers Did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned for they would not walk in his ways neither were they obedient unto his Law Therefore he hath powred upon them the fury of his anger and the strength of Battel and it hath set him on fire round about c. Let us therefore here be advised of the true cause of so many troubles amongst us A Disease when it is found out in the cause of it it is half cured And so here this is the way to make us look after God and to put in practise that former Duty which I urged of seeking peace with him when we shall consider that all the Evil which is upon us it does arise from his difference with us as indeed it does It 's true he makes use of Instruments but these Instruments they are carryed on by his Providence and he has the ordering and regulating of them It is because God is angry with us that he suffers so many Divisions amongst us and that he permits us to sheath our Swords in the Bowels one of another as we do now in this Land and Kingdom And therefore let us still carry it as high as this and take notice of the true ground and Original of all Fourthly It carryes a word of Comfort in respect of our present Condition and the Calamities which are now upon us as it signifies thus much unto us that they are disposed off by an higher hand then the hand of our Enemies and so consequently that it is not in their Power to continue them to us There are no doubt dayly Plots and Conspiracies by those which are ill-wishers to Sion for the Continuing and advancing those Broyles and Differences which are amongst us and for the hindering of all means which may tend to peace and accommodation of things to us but here 's now the Comfort of all that these things are not in their Power but are over-ruled by God himself When he gives Quietness who then can make Trouble If the Lord notwithstanding all this will but speak a word of Peace to his People all Counsel and desirs to the contrary shall be sure to come to nought you know how it was with our Saviour sayling in the Ship with his Disciples when there was a great Tempest arose in the Sea insomuch that the Ship which they were in was almost ready to be sunk and cast away As soon as ever he once arose and rebuked the Winds and the Sea it is said there was a great Calm Matth. 8.26 Mark there was not onely a stilling of the Tempest that the Winds and Sea and Waves were not so Violent and Boisterous as they were before but on the otherside there was a great Calm a quite opposit and contrary Condition Thus did Christ in those Tempests of Water and how
that occasionally hears it If the Lord would make Windows in Heaven might this thing be This is all the thanks which God has for his kindness But then it has a Reply suitable and agreeable to it Behold thou shalt see it with thine Eyes but c. IN the Text it self there are two General part considerable First A Presumptuous question And Secondly A Peremptory answer The Question that is in those words If the Lord would make windows in Heaven might this thing be The Answer that is in those Thou shalt see it with thine Eyes but shalt not c. We begin with the First General viz. The Presumptuous Question If the Lord c. This question according to the force of it may be resolved into an absolute Definition Conclusion or Determination If he would might it be that is Though he should it could not be and Though he says it it will not be Here is a plain and direct Gain-saying and Contradiction of what was delivered by the Prophet The Sinfulness and Abominableness of this passage for the better opening of it to us is conside rable as to the subject of it in two particulars especially First In the Rise and Foundation of it as it refers to the Judgment and Apprehension and so it has in it the Sin of Infidelity He did not believe that which was declared Secondly In the Extent and proceeding of it as it refers to the Language and Expression and so it has in it the Sin of Blasphemy He declared what he did not believe First To speak of the former that is the Sin of Infidelity which did most grosly discover it self in this discourse as the very Ground and occasion of it for therefore did this Person say it because indeed he did first of all think it and apprehend it to be so The miscarriage of his Language it proceeded from the Erroneousness of his Judgment and Understanding as it does commonly in all others besides And there were two things against which this Infidelity did extend unto First As to the Question of the Power of God for the possibility of the thing it self Secondly As to the Questioning of the Truths of God for the Certainty and Infallibility of the message in the mouth of Elisha Here was a denyal of Gods Ability as to the doing of that which he had undertaken And here was a denyal of Gods Veracity as to the performing of that which he had promised Each of which was very gross and the argument of a very wicked and ungracious Heart First Here was Infidelity as to the Power of God A Denyal of Gods Ability and Omnipotency That he could not do such a thing as this was which he had now signified for the releif of the Famine of Samaria And there were two things in it which gave occasion for it First The Greatness of this Change or Transaction And Secondly The Suddenness of it The Greatness of it was considerable in the Distance and opposition of the Terms for it was to be from Extraordinary Scarcity to Extraordinary Plenty The Suddenness of it was considerable in the shortness of the time for the Accomplishment for it was to be within the space of but four and twenty hours at farthest to Morrow about this time Both these taken together made it a matter wholy Incredible to an Incredulous and Vnbeleeving mind That which we may take notice of from it is that General Weakness and Corruption which by Nature rests in man's Heart even to Suspect and doubt of and call in question the Power of God in his Providential Dispensations That which was done by this Person in the Text is the Inclination of all men else where it is not mended and corrected by Grace and greater watchfulness over themselves This is that which we find recorded of Sarah and blamed in her That when God promised to give her a Son in her Age she laughed at it and questioned about it Shall I of a surety bear a Child who am old to whom it was therefore replyed Is any thing too hard for the Lord. Gen. 18.13.14 So of Moses Numb 11.22.23 When God promised to give his people Flesh Shall the Flocks and the Herds be slain for them to suffice them to whom it was accordingly return'd Is the Lords hand waxed short Thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass to thee or not So to the Israelites Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness Can he give Bread also And can he provide Flesh for his people Thus they turned back and tempted God and limited the holy one of Israel Psal 19 78.41 The Ground of this Unbelief in us is First An Ignorance of the Nature of God if we did but indeed know what a manner of one God were we should not think any thing too hard or difficult for him nor forbear to depend upon him for it They that know thy name will trust in thee but Generally men have not the Knowledge of God and therefore have strange conceits of Him They are become vain in their Imaginations and their foolish Heart is darkned as it is said of the Gentiles Rom. 1.21 We think God to be altogether such an one as our selves Psal 50.21 So that which we our selves cannot do we think that he cannot do neither That which is too hard for us is too hard for him also Our Expectations from God are answerable to our Apprehensions of him now these being for the most part in us far inferiour and below Himself therefore they carry us to this Distrustfulness whereof we now speak when we have made God like man we shall look for no more from Him then what is sutable and agreeable to man and thus it is commonly and usually with us Secondly As non-attendency to the works of God as we consider not sufficiently what God is in regard of his Nature so neither indeed what he does or has done in the World already for this being duly ponder'd on would lead us to proportionable Expectations we would think that he that hath done so great things as he has done already he were able to do as great things again and at another time Our Experiences might be Confirmations of our Faith therefore in the same place of Scripture where the Israelites are charged with Distrustfulness they are charged also with forgetfulness where they are taxt for not beleeving the power of God they are taxt for not remembring the works of God That they remembred not his hand nor the day that he delivered them from the Enemy but forgat his works and the wonders that he had shewed among them Psal 78.11 The reason of it is this Because the one followed upon the other as a Fruit and an effect of it which indeed it does Thus we may conceive it to have done here in this Text in the Example before us What was that which made this person to question the power of God as to the removal of this
that men shall say Verily there is a reward for the Righteous Verily there is a God that Judges in the Earth Psal 58.11 And then love to his Church that 's another thing which puts him upon it likewise That the Rod of the Vngodly may not rest upon the lot of the Righteous and so they put forth their hands to work Iniquity as it is Psal 135.3 If God should not take such a course as this is sometimes with wicked men which are his Enemies and the Enemies of his People there would be no hold or pass with them Therefore does he indeed take such a Course as this is against them If we shall ask when he will do it because he does it not always nor presently I answer in these two Cases First When the Sins of the Enemies are throughly ripened Secondly When the Hearts of the Christians are throughly Humbled in these two conditions does God wound the Head of his Enemies and not before First When their sins are ripened when wickedness is come to an Head and Judgments come to an Head likewise God stayes oftentimes till then Insolency it provokes Revenge as long as there is any appearance of Moderation and Tenderness so long he forbears but Outragiousness puts him upon Execution As he told there Senacherib Esay 37.29 Because thy rage against me and thy Tumult is come up into mine Eares therefore will I put my book into thy Nose and my bridle into thy Lips c. And so Psal 12. vers 5. For the Oppression of the Poor and for the sighing of the Needy I will now arise saith the Lord and I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him Thus he did with the Israelites when oppressed with the crueltyes of the Egyptians Secondly When the Hearts of the Church are throughly Humbled God suffers his Enemies sometimes as Exercises of his peoples Graces and as preventions of Extravagancy in them to abase them and Humble them and keep them Low When this is once indeed effected then he restrains them and curbs them and takes them off And that may be the Second Explication God shall wound the Head of his Enemies as it does Express his punishing of them in their Vitals not onely takeing away their Brains but also their Lives Thirdly In their Principalities and Eminencies The Head it has that notion in it likewise and so here also in the Text as may appear by what is joyned with it the Hairy Scalp In vertice capilli That which is men's Crown and Glory their greatest Ornament wherein they most rejoyce which they chiefly glory in and are proud off As Absalom his Hairy Head God made it to be his Destruction so he will likewise do with many others besides which do lift up themselves in any carnal Excellency which they partake off whether Wit or Wealth or Strength or Beauty or Honour or whatever we can name while men boast in any of these things and withall go on in their Sins without Repentance and amendment God will wound and blast them in them he will wound the Head of his Enemies Let this therefore serve to Humble men and to keep them low in their own thoughts I said unto the Fool deal not foolishly and to the Wicked lift not up thy Horn lift not up your Horn on high speak not with a stiffe neck For God is the Judg c. as it is in Psal 75.4.5 c. Let every one make this use of it which Nebuchadnezar seems to make Dan. 4.37 Even to see that those that walk in pride God is able to abase them Look what ever it is that Wicked men make to be their Idol that does God make to be their Ruine And in the thing wherein they magnify themselves or deal proudly he is above them As even Jethro could there take notice of it in Exod. 18.11 In their Head that is in their greatest Eminencies or Perfections And now having thus explained the punishment or evil it self which God does here threaten we may seasonably again return to the Persons which are here interested in it which as we shewed before were his enemies and obstinate sinners such as persist and continue and go on still in their Trespasses where we may pertinently likewise take notice of the Connexion of these two expressions both together which holds as we may say reciprocally and in dependance of one upon the other Those which are Gods enemies they will go on still in their Trespasses and those which go on in their Trespasses are no other then enemies of God First I say Those which are Gods enemies will go on still in their Trespasses for there 's no restraint or withholding of them As for those which are his children there 's his Spirit and his providence to take them off his Spirit within them His Providence without them He does by these graciously prevent them and keep them off from many a miscarriage He that pleaseth God shall not be taken in evil snares but the sinner shall be overtaken with them as it is in Eccles 7.26 So the Connexion it holds in that Again Secondly Take it also the other way Those which go on in their Trespasses they are no other then the enemies of God we see here how they are made synonymous and the one as explicative of the other as if indeed they were all one and so they are Look how far forth any one does go on and persist in sin and evil courses so far forth is God his enemy and he an enemy to God Those mine Enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring them hither c. Luk. 19.27 Such as these they oppose God in his Laws in his Attributes in his Government and what not And how can they then be any other then enemies indeed unto him and so he accounts them Let all these things laid together for the use and Improvement of them have therefore this influence upon us to restrain us in this particular And if we cannot avoid sin absolutely let us at least avoid continuance in it let us take heed of going on in our Trespasses by any means Every one knows what corruptions they are most of all addicted unto and it concerns them to be most wary and watchful in that respect Shall we continue in sin sayes the Apostle God forbid Rom. 6.1 This is that which aggravates all the rest But how may some say shall we be kept and preserved from it what helps are there against persistency in sin First Mortifie the principle of corruption in us The way to be kept from the Acts of sin is to have the habit of it subdued in us There must be the killing of this viper in the egg a slaying it in the root till this be done there 's no security at all for us Men may think to keep from sin for a little while but ere long they 'l be as bad as ever until there be this true principle of
the right hand of the most High SERMON XXV Psal 118.18 The Lord hath Chastened me sore but he hath not given me over to Death The Afflictions of the people of God are apt sometimes to be Misinterpreted both by others and by themselves by themselves in a way of Impatience and questioning of Gods Goodness to them by others in a way of Reproach and Aggravation of Gods Judgments against them Each of which Evils have need both to be removed and prevented by them and accordingly we find them so to be in this Scripture which we have now in hand in the Example of the Prophet David who partly to keep his own Heart from sinking under the manifold Tryals which God had exercised him withall and partly to restrain his Enemies in their uncharitable Censures of him occasionally from those Afflictions does here most pertinently and seasonably break forth into this sweet and Comfortable Meditation and Expression of Himself now before us concerning both the manner and measure and quality of Gods dealings with him in the words of this present Text. The Lord hath Chastened me sore but he hath not given me over unto Death IN the Text it self there are two General parts observable First The Condition Secondly The Qualification of this Condition The Condition The Lord hath Chastened me The Qualification But he hath not given me over to Death We begin with the First viz. The Condition wherein three particulars more First The Author of it and that is the Lord. Secondly The Nature of it and that is Chastening Thirdly The Aggravation of it and that is exprest to be Sorely He hath Chastened me sore First The Author of it We are Chastened of the Lord. 1 Cor. 11.3 Affliction comes not out of the Dust God is the Inflicter of all Evils and Crosse upon us No Evil in the City namely of Punishment which the Lord hath not done Amos 3.6 God hath an hand in all Afflictions whatsoever even the Afflictions of Evilmen but he hath a special hand in the Afflictions of his people in ordering and disposing them to their good And not a Hair falls from their Heads without the will of their Heavenly Father This is a point which we often hear of but do not improve so much as we should do and yet indeed the life of it lies in the Application we need not so much to inform our Judgments as to quicken our Practises and there is this use to be made of it First That therefore we look up to the Lord in every Affliction and labour to see him in it Hear the Rod and who hath appointed it we are apt to look much to Instruments and second Causes but we should acknowledg God in all and consider that our Business is with him And therefore when any Evil befals us have still recourse with him and make our Peace with him because otherwise we are upon no sure terms at all There 's none can secure us against any Affliction but he onely that inflicts it and lays it upon us it is at his disposing Who as the Centurion in the Gospel to his Servants says to it God and it goeth Come and it Cometh do this and it doth it Secondly Here is also matter of Comfort to the Servants of God That whosoever or whatsoever may be the Instrument God Himself is the principle Cause of every Trouble to them It is the Cup which their Father gives them to drink and therefore they may be sure that it is well mingled and tempered for them and this upon occasion hath still been an Incouragement to them As Job when the Sabeans spoyl'd him The Lord hath taken And David when Shimei Curst him The Lord hath bidden him This was that which was a Comfort to both and so may be likewise to any other else besides But so much briefly of the Author of this Condition which was the Lord Himself The Lord hath Chastened me The Second is the Nature of it It is a Chastening which is a word of Oeconomie and Dispensation A molifying term it is not Punishment but Correction not for Satisfaction to his Justice which is done Sufficiently in Christ but for the better rule and Government of his Family As for the thing it self God thinks fitting sometimes to Afflict and so to Correct his dearest Servants Yea of all them more or less in one kind or other at one time or other shall be sure to partake of this from him We have a pregnant place to this purpose in Heb. 12.6 which is worth our most serious Meditation For whom the Lord loveth he Chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth If ye indure Chastening God dealeth with you as with Sons for what Son is he whom the Father Chasteneth not But if ye be without Chastening whereof all are partakers then are ye Bastards and not Sons Where we see that seasonable Correction it is an Evidence and Testimony of our Adoption and Favour with God Himself Thus it is with some other things besides taken in with it Affliction simply in it self is no argument at all of the love of God no more then Prosperity nay the Afflictions of wicked men they are rather arguments and Testimonies of Gods Hatred even to him and Fore-runner of his future wrath and further Punishment of them in Hell but to Gods Children who are in Covenant with Him and who have his Image and stamp upon them they are thus far beneficial to them and God sees them to be necessary for them these Chastenings in sundry regards As First To wean us from the world and an inordinate love of these things here below This is still our Folly that we cannot injoy any Comfort here but our Hearts are ready presently to be overwhelmed and smother'd up with it and we are apt to grow so much the more Carnal and worldly minded from it now therefore is God fain to take such Courses as these are to restrain us and to work Sobriety in us to put aloes upon these Breasts that we may not cry too fiercely after them Intermingled Afflictions they teach us the better to injoy Comforts and are like sower sauce to sweet Meat For which reason it pleases God in wisdom and goodness to inflict them and lay them upon us to make us the willinger to Die and leave the World when our time Comes and that we may not say it 's good for us to be here And then to make us so much the more to relish Spiritual things and Spiritual Truths for a man must still have somewhat to pitch his Heart and Affections upon and when Earthly things fail him then do Heavenly more savour to him and he finds so much the greater Sweetness and Contentment in them Now he Chewes upon them and sucks out that Delight out of them which before he did not so much regard And Spiritual Truths as long as men are well and in Prosperity so long they are taken with Fansies and
the case of Senacheribs invading Him he spake Comfortably to his Souldiers about him saying be strong and Courageous be not afraid nor dismayed for the King of Assyria nor for all the Multitude that is with him for there be more with us then with him With him is an Arm of Flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our Battels 2 Chro. 32.7 Thus has the Lord still had more delight in those that have feared Him and that have hoped in his Mercy then he has had in all Humane Helps and Refuges and Advantages whatsoever And there 's a threefold Account which may be given hereof unto us First For the greater Confusion and Astonishment of those who are his Enemies There 's nothing which God does more delight in then to Crush the pride of man and to frustrate him of his Carnal Expectations now because that men do commonly trust and rely upon such things as these Horses and men and the like The strength of the one and the legs of the other as it is here exprest therefore does the Lord so much the rather and of purpose defeat and disappoint them and in that wherein they deal proudly does chuse to be above them Pride and Presumption and self Confidence and earnal Relyance is a thing so hateful and odious to God wheresoever he fins it that he will suffer or indure it But will chuse the weak things of the world to confound the strong 1 Cor. 1.27 He will make men to renounce all their Confidence in the Arm of flesh as the Church there seems to do in Hosea 14.3 Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon Horses neither will we say any more to the work of our hands ye are our God for in thee the Fatherless find Mercy Secondly As for the Confusion of his Enemies so also the Incouragement of his own Servants that more readily close with him and with greater chearfulness commit themselves to Him in the greatest straits and exigences that may be that they may have somewhat to bottom upon even then when all outward helps fail them and give them the slip for this reason will God the rather own them in such cases as these are when they are armed with Faith and Patience and Hope and such Graces as these the Principle and Spiritual Armour of God rather then when accommodated with all other meanes besides Thirdly For the greater Advancement of his own Honour and Gloy There is nothing which God does more delight in or indeed has cause to delight in then the magnifying and advancing of Himself now this he does in nothing more then in owning of the Necessities of his People who fly unto him by Prayer and depend upon him by Faith and that especially when they are shut of all other Helps and means besides His power is most seen in their weakness and his strength in their Infirmities and his Assistance in their want and deprivation of all other Advantages And therefore because it is so does he delight to put it forth and evert it yea and sometimes refuses the Addition of outward Helps unto them as we see it was with Gideon as to the Midianites The Lord said unto him the people that are with thee are too many to give into their hands least Israel Vaunt themselves against me saying mine own hand hath saved me Judg. 7. vers 2. The Consideration of this Point may be thus far improved First As a word of Direction and Councel to the Servants of God to teach them what Especially to look after and to fortify in themselves and that is such Graces as these are which are here mentioned in the Text. These are the Churches best Weapons and Preparations which she can make to her self and which will stand here more instead then all others besides as is here intimated to us It is not so much how far she is provided in other respects and Considerations as how far in this These are of use against Temporal Enemies and these are of use also against Spiritual for which reason there is cause that we should get them and take them to our selves Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the Wyles of the Devil for we wrestle not against Flesh and Blood onely but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the Darkness of this world against Spiritual Wickedness in high places in Ephes 6.10.11 And again in vers 13. of the same Chap. Take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the Evil day and having done all to stand These are armes which are liked and approved of by God himself who has the approaching and accepting of them he delights not so much in the others as is signified in the foregoing Scripture but these are such wherein he takes pleasure and in them that wear them Secondly Here 's a word of Consolation to the Church in her greatest Distresses which sometime she may fall into and under the snares and Insultations of her Enemies who are apt sometimes to judg of her according to outward Supplies and either to esteem of her or to despise her as she abounds or is defective in these but let her see here what is her greatest and cheifest security and that which must be most of use unto her in the Evil Day where man despises God has there in greatest regard and takes cheifest pleasure in her Thirdly Which is the General Scope and Drift of the whole Psalm and so of this part of it amongst the rest here is that which should inlarge our hearts in Praise and Thanksgiving to God for his Providence and care over his Church as it is here exprest unto us Praise ye the Lord for it is good to sing praises to our God for it is pleasant and â—â—â—se is comely As it is so in other regards so for this also which is here mentioned before us That takes pleasure in those that fear him and in those that hope in his Mercy This is brought in here in the Text not onely as a matter of Information but likewise of Celebration not onely as that which is to be be known but also acknowledged There are three things here propounded at once which are matter of due acknowledgment to us First That there is Mercy for us Secondly That there is occasion given us of hoping in this Mercy And Thirdly That our hope in it is so pleasing and acceptable to God himself First That there is Mercy for us and that God is a God of Mercy and Compassion he is to be praised and acknowledged for this that God deals not with us in a way of Rigor and strict Justice but in a way of Mercy and Love It is matter of just Acknowledgment the Scripture and the Psalmist especially is full of it's praises of God for them Secondly That there is administred to us occasion of hoping in
they are sometimes called to Punishment in regard of their own places yet they cannot so freely do it from their own guilt which wholly flies in their faces does frequently obstruct Justice in their hands and stops them from the Execution of that Punishment which is otherwise done to Offenders But now for God he is free from all Tainture in this regard He is upright and no Vnrighteousness is found in him And because he is so he is therefore so much the freer and fitter for Punishing This should therefore teach us upon all occasions to have special recourse to him and to acknowledge his Hand in these matters the nature whereof was the particular Guilt of these people here in the Text as it is noted of them in the Verse immediately preceding that they turned not their eyes to him indeed that smot them It may be they might have some reflection upon their Enemies and such Persons as were Instruments of their Affliction but they did not look to him who was the Main and Principal Cause of it namely the Lord himself And therefore does the Prophet here admonish them and mind them of it and us in them That in any thing which is given to us whether War or Sickness or Want or Captivity or whatever it be that we do not pore so much upon Second Causes as to have our eyes carried to the Lord. Look as in Mercies we should look upon God as the Principal Doner so likewise in Judgments we should look upon God as the Principal Sender and Inflicter of them And this will have this happy Issue and Effect consequent upon it as that it will make us occasionally so much the better by God's dealings with us These Afflictions which we look upon as coming more directly from God they will carry us so much the readier to God both as expecting Deliverarice from him and yielding Obedience to him As we have an Expression plain to this purpose in Hos 6.1 Come let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn us and he will heal us he hath smitten us and he will bind us up And that is the first thing here considerable to wit the Author of this Judgment It was the Lord. The Second is the Nature of it And that is signified in these words The Lord will cut off Wherein again two things more First The nature of the Thing Secondly The nature of the Expression The nature of the Thing that is Cutting off The nature of the Expression that is by way of Production and Declaration of somewhat as future and as yet to come The Lord will cut off First To speak of the nature of the thing which is Cutting off This is that which the Lord here threatens against this People in these present Circumstances and Conditions That for as much as they were no better by his dealings with them hitherto he would now make an utter End and Consummation and Riddance of them He would now no longer spare them or forbear them but would cut them off He had told us that he had smitten them before by the same token that they did not turn to him that smot them And now he tells us that instead of smiting them he will now absolutely destroy them This is the method which God usually observes with People in this Particular That when they are not bettered by lesser Judgments he then commonly proceeds to greater From Correction he passes to Destruction First he cuts them short and if that will do no good upon them he cuts them off First he makes use of his Pruning Knife whereby he lops them and then he makes use of his Axe whereby he fells them And this is that which we may observe him to do here in this place with this People which we have here before us and is signified here unto us in this threatning which is denounced against them The Lord will cut off from Israel There is a twosold Sword which God makes use of for cutting with before he proceeds to cutting off The one is the Sword of his Mouth and the other is the Sword of his Hand The Sword of his Mouth that is the Word of God which is the Sword of the Spirit in the Voice of his Ministers The Sword of his hand that is the Rod of God which is the Sword of his Wrath in the hand of his Enemies First he does it Gladio oris and then he does it Ore gladii And when neither of those do prevail he then comes with his Hatchet and Axe Which we may here take notice of in the occasion of this present Scripture which we have now before us First I say God is pleased to begin with the Sword of his mouth and to strike with that before he proceeds to final and absolute Destruction The Sword of Elisha goes before the Sword of Jehu I have hewen them by my prophets I have slain them by the words of my mouth Hos 6.5 Thus it was here in this present Chapter and upon this present occasion The Lord sent a Word into Jacob and it hath lighted upon Isael Isa 9.8 The word of God is powerful and sharper than a two-edged Sword Heb. 4.12 But now when this Word and Sword does not prevail and take effect he then takes up the others Those that are not bettered by God's Gracious Admonitions they shall be sensible of his destructions Again Secondly God takes up his other Sword which is the Sword of his hand But he does not make use of that presently in the greatest security He does at the first but only brandish it and as it were flourish with it or at the most he does but only strike he does not kill he cuts but he does not cut off Yea but when the former does not succeed he proceeds to the latter And this is that which we are more especially to take notice of here in this place that is Preparatively Judgments neglected and not improved they do provoke God to proceed to Destruction They which are not bettered by Smiting they are exposed to Cutting off And there is very great reason for it First As frustrating the pains and labour which hath been taken about them The Fig-tree whereupon the Husbandman had bestowed many Years cost and care for the bettering of it and yet was not bettered it was cut down as altogether unprofitable Unprofitableness under God's Judgments is a kind of slighting of him that sends them And then Secondly They do but cumber the places where they are and hinder others Cut it down says the Master of the Vineyard why cumbereth it the ground And besides that It does often times much hurt to the rest which are near unto it Immedicabile valens en se recidendum est ne pars sincera trahatur And so much of the first thing which is here considerable to wit the nature of the thing which is Cutting off The Second is The nature of the Expression or the Form of Speech
to sin there is not onely Privative evil in it but a Positive He that toucheth Pitch shall be defil'd and so here srequent converse and society it does convey a similitude of disposition which goes along together with it nay this fire it does quickly take but upon a little mingling and joyning in this particular We see here then what to think of such persons as are for all companies and Societies whatsoever they be that care not with whom they converse and associate themselves it is a sign that they have little of true grace or goodness in them for if they had they would be a little more wary in this respect they would consider where they went and whom they joyn'd and appli'd themselves to in regard of their intimacy and intireness We see how it is with men which regard the health of their bodies they will not go into infectious places but as they desire to avoid the plague so they will shun and avoid the house which is visited with it They that would keep themselves from Leprosic they will take heed of coming near the Leper The same should it like wise be with them in regard of their Sould when it is not it is so far taxable in them as here in Ephraim He hath mingled himself among the people it was a fault in him to converse with them no more but so That 's the first Explication as we may understand a mixture which is Local The second is a Civil mixture a mixture of Affinity and Alliance this is another thing forbidden in the People of God with Heathen and Idolaters that they mix not themselves with them thus Thus Exod. 34.15 16. Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the Land and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons c. So Deut. 7.34 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them c. Again 2 Cor. 6.14 Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness and what concord hath Christ with Belial Such unsuitable mixtures as these are of Gods People and those which are either enemies or strangers to Religion they are not without a great deal of mischief and hazard in them they are like the lying of a living and a dead body together which was wont to be accounted of the greatest punishments that could be But thirdly which seems here chiefly and principally to be intended a mixture Spiritual or Moral Fphraim hath mixed himself with the people that is Israel hath shared in the iniquities and abominations of the Heathen And so it seems not to be much unlike to that in Hos 4.17 Ephraim is joyned to idols For Gods people to comply with those which are wicked and ungodly in their practises and to conform themselves to their customs and manners is a thing very grievous and unsufferable This is that which the Prophet especially condemns here in this place and it is that which the whole Scripture besides does almost every where set it self against in sundry passages as Rom. 12.2 Be not conformed to the world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds c. So 1 Cor. 8.6 A little leven leaveneth the whole lump Purge out therefore the old leven c. And Eph. 5.11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them And many such places as these are This we have cause to take care of upon sundry grounds and considerations First as contrary to our Election and Gods special designation of our persons to eternal life Those whom God has separated from others in regard of their end and final condition they should be separated from them likewise in regard of their way and present conversation Now thus is it with those which are the Saints and Servants of God God has appointed them to another end than he has done those which are not his people and therefore their course especially should be varying and different from them This is the very argument and reason of the Scripture it self as 1 Thess 5.6 Therefore let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober Why upon what ground it follows in verse 9. of that chapter For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ Because we are not appointed to wrath as others are therefore let us not walk in ways of wrath as others do that so the Way may be suitable to the End So Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love God hath chosen us that therefore we might be holy So again Rom. 8.29 Whom he did foreknow he did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son as in glory so also in suffering and in holiness tending to glory And 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God standethsure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are his And Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity Gods peculiar interest in our persons by reason of Election calls for a peculiarity of carriage from us towards him again as to our holy life and conversation Secondly This conformity of Gods people to the fashions and manners and corruptions of men of the world as it is contrary to their Election so it is likewise opposite to their Redemption we are redeemed for another purpose than this is Thus Luke 1.74 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life And Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works So Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God And 1 Pet. 1.17 18 19. And if ye call on the Father c. pass the time of your sojourning here in fear forasmuch as ye know that ye were redeemed from your vain conversation not with corruptible things as Silver and Gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb c. Thirdly Our effectual Calling and Vocation This is another thing which restrains us herefrom we should not therefore be mingled with the world because we are call'd out of it and God hath thereby distinguisht us from other men which are in it This the Scripture does likewise with other arguments press upon us to this purpose As Eph. 4.1 I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech ye that ye walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are called So 1 Thes 4.7 God hath notcalled us to uncleanness but unto holiness And Heb. 3.1 Holy Brethren partakers of the Heavenly Calling And 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us
the Judge and the Prophet as we find them there suited together and fitted to our hands in the third Chapter of the Prophecy of Isaiah the beginning of it These are as they are there styled the stay and the staff or as here the strength of a Nation to wit in regard of the Persons But now when a Nation shall provoke God by sinning against him he threatens to remove and take away his strength from them And that in all particulars and the several distinctions of it First the mighty man and man of war Those which have strength of body young men and of skill as those which are train'd and brought up to it Thus Isa 3.25 Thy yong men shall fall by the sword and thy mighty in the war This is that which is here threatned to them And he does accordingly often effect it not only in them but in others we may say in our selves How many have been taken away in their very strength and the flower of their age such as are in a sort the strength of the Land in regard of the state and condition which they are in God finds ways for his removing of them Secondly wise and prudent men the Ancient and the Counsellor God threatens in case of miscarriage to take away these likewise This is a very great judgment In the multitude of Counsellors is safety as Solomon speaks And so consequently in their decay is danger When God removes such as these which may advise and direct and give counsel he then takes away much of the strength of any people which is that which he oftentimes does And so Thirdly gracious and spiritual men not only which are so from their calling ex officio as the Priest and the Prophet but especially from their inward dispositions and qualifications Men of sanctity and holy lives and conversations which are much in an holy acquaintance and converse with God These though we may think sometimes they might be very well spared as weak and silly persons yet in truth they are the very strength of a Nation which God suffers very much to be but this best kind of strength the strength of persons is devoured either in the discouragements or removal of them The Second is the strength of Substance Ephraim 's strength that is Ephraim's Wealth his vast and great treasure That 's a great piece of strength to a Nation and the very nerves of war it self as it uses to be exprest The rich man's wealth is his strong City and an high wall in his own conceit Prov. 18.11 So Eccl. 7.12 Wisdom is a defence and Money is a defence and indeed in a temporal way it does carry very much with it It is a very great advantage to any Nation to abound in wealth but when that Nation shall begin to be exorbitant God will then cut it short of it and take away this strength from it and he has ways enow wholly to do it We shall not need to stand long upon this our own experiences in this Land and in this City will give very good testimony and confirmation hereunto for the making good of this particular to us among many other Thirdly The strength of Arms and warlike preparation Castles and Strong-holds Ordnance and Ammunition Shipping and the appurtenances thereof these are the strength of a Nation and God takes them away also upon the same provocations of him There 's nothing which any people can hold to and boast themselves in which is so strong as to keep them and defend them from the judgments of God in their sinnings against him but he can and will also upon occasion remove it from them That 's the first emphasis here considerable The thing it self taken away here called his strength His strength of Persons valiant men wise men good men His strength of Substance Wealth and Treasure His strength of Arms and warlike preparation Castles and Strong holds Ordnance and Ammunition Shipping and the accomplishments of it The Second is the persons by whom that 's here exprest to be strangers This has another Emphasis of aggravation The sufferings of a Nation from strangers are a great deal more grievous than those which are amongst themselves though in some respects home-bred contentions may be worse than forreign yet in others and in more are those of strangers worse than those which are domeâ—iques and so to be accounted Thus the Scripture also sets it and delivers it to us Therefore we shall find the Prophet David twice together in one Psalm desire to be kept from such Psal 144.7 Rid me and deliver me from great waters from the hand of strange children And presently again in ver 11. Rid me and deliver me from the hand of strange children Enemies which are strangers they are the worst enemies of all And that for this reason especially because they have nothing of nature to restrain them or mitigate their fierceness Where they are of one and the same Nation there 's somewhat in the relation of Country it may be of kindred and alliance which has a curb and restraint with it but where they are stangers there 's none of these restraints there wants those bowels and pitifulness and compassion which in the other sometimes shews it self As therefore David said let us fall into the hands of God rather than into the hands of men so we may say let us fall rather into the hands of men at home than into the hands of strangers which have an aggravation of enmity from their condition Again as it is aggravated from the actors of this enmity so likewise from the sufferers of it also who are a great deal more content usually to part with that which they have to those which are neighbours or of their own Nation than to those which are strangers as that which is more easily regained and recovered by them Strength which is taken away by strangers it is not so easily come to again as by nearer hands Strangers in any land though they be friends may be burdensome enough to it and eat up the strength and satness of it but if enemies then so especially Thus for the persons But Thirdly Here 's an Emphasis also in the manner and a very great one it is And that is devouring We may not lightly pass over that which is very significant It is not strangers have simply taken it away no but they have moreover devoured it which is a taking away in an extraordinary fashion and with some kind of extremity And there are three things especially signified and implyed in it First greediness and vehemency of desire He that devours any thing it is a sign he is very cager upon it and has a great mind unto it This was the condition of Ephraim's enemies and so of all others which are in Ephraim's condition their enemies shall be thus affected towards them Secondly there 's also absoluteness of destruction He that devours he takes up all leaves nothing remaining
had the better of Mary even at this present time for to be conscionably employ'd in ones Calling is more acceptable to Christ than to be formally employed in Religion The many things in this sence are a great deal more necessary than the one thing Thirdly and lastly Seeing this better part taken in the full extent and latitude of it is such as shall not be taken away from us here 's that which may serve to justify God's servants in their choice and embracing of it against all gainsayers whatsoever and may free them from all kind of censure which is apt sometimes to be cast upon them for it It is not only the good part but the lasting part and the better in regard of that Take Religion and compare it with the world and it is better upon even terms if we consider them but in the nature and condition of the things themselves But if we shall add now this to the rest That the World that 's transitory and that Religion that 's immovable this does make it transcendently above it and far superior to it And consequently it does so much the more advance the judgment of those that choose it and lay hold upon it They are from hence so much the wiser and so much the more to be commended and so will appear to be in conclusion against all contradiction Is not he the wisest man who prefers a certainty before an uncertainty and a perpetual inheritance before an annuity which is only for some time Why this is the case and condition here of such persons as make choice of Religion rather than of such things as are inferior It is both the better and it is also the longer as is here signified to us And both these considerations taken together are sufficient to justify it which therefore our Saviour here uses for the defending and justifying of it He hereby wholly stops the mouth of Martha in her quarrelling and contending with her Sister in the pursuit and prosecution of it Here are divers and sundry arguments at once to make it more effectual It 's one thing in opposition to many things It is necessary in opposition to superfluity It is the better part in opposition to the worst And it is that part which shall never be removed or spoyl'd or lost or diminished in opposition to that which shall be taken away from us That 's the Second Part of the Text to wit the Amplification And so I have done with the whole Text and the whole Verse it self But one thing is needful And Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her SERMON IX LUKE 22.31 32. And the Lord said Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not and when thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren It was the care and manner still of our Blessed Lord and Saviour in the converse which he had upon earth here with his Disciples to forewarn them of future evils that so being no strangers to them they might be the better prepared for them and armed against them Thus he did as to the matter of his own Death and Passion The Son of man must suffer many things and be slain Luke 9.22 And thus he did also as to the consequents and influence which this Passion of his was likely to have upon the shaking of their Christian Faith and Courage and Resolution in this Scripture which we have now before us at this present time The whole Text which I have now read unto you consists of three Principal Heads First a Christian's Danger Secondly a Christian's Safety Thirdly a Christian's Duty The Danger of a Christian that we have in the first Verse Simon Simon Satan hath c. The Safety of a Christian that we have in part of the next But I have prayed for c. The Duty of a Christian that we have in the close of all And when thou art converted c. Our business at this present is with the first only of these three which will take up all our time And that is a Christian's Danger in these words Simon Simon c. This Verse is a Spiritual Alarm wherein our Blessed Saviour gives warning to all Believers of the attempts of their spiritual enemy We may in it take notice of two General Parts First the Person warned And Secondly the Warning it self which is given unto him The Person warned that is Peter Simon Simon The Warning it self which is given him that is of the conspiracy of Satan both against himself and all others which were such as he was Behold Satan hath desired to c. We begin with the First General Part viz. The person warned which is the Apostle Peter Simon Simon Where we may observe the doubling of the word as carrying some special intimation with it And that in three particulars First the greatness of the danger Secondly the security of the person warned of the danger Thirdly the affection of the Monitor or of Him that gives the warning First The greatness or nearness of the danger Where danger is but small or remote there is not need of that quickness men may take their time and leisure for the escaping and avoiding of it but where it is more grievous and imminent there is greater need of warning and admonishing of it and that with all the speed that may be And so does our Saviour here Simon Simon because the danger was now at hand and the enemy ready to surprize him As Delilah to Sampson The Philistines be upon thee Sampson when she awoke him out of his sleep And as God to Abraham when he was ready to slay his Son Abraham Abraham he doubles his name unto him This was the case here As ye would do with a man who has the house on fire about his ears and himself ignorant of it hasten all that may be to deliver him Even so does our Saviour with Peter And it teaches us what we should do likewise upon the same occasions even save them with fear pulling them out of the fire as the Apostle Jude speaks in Jude ep ver 23. There are some souls that there 's no delaying or dallying with them but if ye will save them at all ye must save them quickly ye must deal roundly and nimbly with them if ever ye intend them any good Forasmuch as of themselves they are running upon the very brink of destruction their judgment lingers not and their damnation slumbers not as it is in 2 Pet. 2.3 They are almost in Hell's mouth This is that which is here taught us by our Saviour in this expression of ingemination Simon Simon And so we have it in some other places of Scripture likewise in the same circumstances Thus Ezek. 33.11 Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye dye ye house of Israel And so Cant. 6.13 Return return O
but take heed that he gets not advantage against us as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 2.11 Whosoever he be that at any time takes upon him the Ministery he should among many other things besides be in a special manner prepared for temptations and arm'd against them It was one of Luther's three Masters which he profest he learn'd so much by and in like manner should others do also We see our Blessed Saviour himself did no sooner appear in the publick Ministery but he had Satan setting upon him to tempt him And the Disciple is not better than his Master nor the Servant than his Lord and therefore accordingly to be provided for it It concerns us all to be so and that according to the several kinds and varieties of temptations especially such as lye within the compass of our work it self that we be shy of them as may either keep us from it or retard us in it or corrupt us in the performance of it And we should study among other Points in a special manner the Doctrine of Temptations both for others sakes and our own This is the Use of this Point as to Ministers Secondly This Point is also as useful to People as to Ministers Seeing Ministers are chiefly aim'd at by Satan in his attempts upon them there are two things therefore which will follow from hence concerning them First you then see how much they need your prayers Secondly ye then see how little they need your censures and other discouragements First How much they need your prayers It is that which the Apostle Paul does very often and frequently urge upon the Believers to whom he wrote that they would pray for him and the rest of the Ministers with him Brethren pray for us Now we see here among other good reasons and causes which they have for it how much cause they have from this even the endeavours of Satan against them There 's none have more need of our Prayers than those who are most subject to temptations which are best scatter'd by such kind of means And we may learn it from the practice of our Saviour himself here in the Text who when he had said to Simon that Satan desired him he adds upon it I have prayed for thee Secondly We may learn hence how little the Ministers need our censures and other discouragements This is the disposition of many people in the world that they are glad to take all opportunities to speak evil of the Servants of Christ and to pass hard censure upon them upon any occasion where there is no occasion to make it where there is occasion to aggravate it and make it worse Now this is very unworthy if it be rightly consider'd we should consider them as men of temptations and so be tender of them It was that which the Apostle Paul so much commended in the Galatians that they had regard to him in this particular in Gal. 4.14 My temptation which was in my flesh says he ye despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus Ye despised not my temptation that is ye despised me not for my temptation my temptation was no occasion to you for despising of me nay rather it was an argument to you for tenderness towards me Thus it should be betwixt People and Ministers especially when they shall consider that it is the rather for their sakes as sometimes it is Therefore does Satan lay wait for the Ministers because they take care of the souls of the people so that they suffer in reference to them This should work them to all kind of love and affection and bowels to them But so much for that God was angry with me for your sakes says Moses to Israel c. And I fear lest my God should humble me among you says Paul c. I suffer all things for the Elects sake and amongst the rest Temptations That 's the third Gradation you that is you Apostles and Ministers of all other eminent Believers And so much also of the First Particular in this Second General viz. the perfons aim'd at you The Second is the Design upon them hath desired to have you and to sift you c. Wherein again two Branches more First the Design it self hath desired to have you Secondly the Amplification of it and to sift you as wheat For the First the Design it self Satan hath desired you Our own Translators put in to have you to make the sense more full as included in the Text. Desired of whom namely of God himself That 's here to be understood as the Devils ask'd leave of Christ to enter into the Swine It is said they besought him There are divers things which I might here insist upon but two especially First here 's Satan's restraint and the limitation of power to him He must ask leave for what he does before he can do it His inward desires are infinite and enlarged as Hell it self but the ctings of them are bounded and circumscribed by the will of God This we may see in the example of Job and other of God's servants in Scripture The Angel of the bottomless-pit he his his chain whereby he is kept in This is much for the comfort of God's people and may serve to keep up their hearts as to this matter of temptation When they are ready to be overwhelmed in themselves and to think that they shall be quite undone by their spiritual adversaries that they shall one day perish by the hand of Saul No there 's more than so in it Their times are in God's hands and so are their souls their enemies are under God's command and can do no more than what is permitted them Thou couldst have no power against me except it were given thee from above Therefore further Let the servants of God from hence learn the more to stand in awe of himself and take heed of doing any thing which may cause him to give them up to their enemy and to let the Devil loose upon them It is good for us to walk in good ways to keep in good terms with God and to take heed of being obnoxious to him that so he may not be provoked to lay us open to Satan's incursions For what is said of one kind of temptation to wit of that to wantonness and uncleanness the same may be likewise applied to any other else besides Who so pleaseth God shall escape from those snares but the sinner shall be taken by them Eccles 7.26 We should all endeavour to be such as are pleasing to God not only from our General Condition as persons in Covenant justified and reconciled in Christ but also from our Particular Conversation as acting and living to Christ and walking worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing Col. 1.10 What was the security of Job when Satan sollicited against him and would have perswaded God to have destroyed him God himself has given us an account of it Job 2.3 It
As all the actions of Christ they were in a sort introductive and preparatory to our Salvation so amongst the rest and more immediately was his Ascension and going up into Heaven that had a more imediate influence and efficacy hereupon of all other And accordingly should the Servans of God strengthen their Faith and Hope in God from this consideraion and they should thus argue and reason with themselves That he that hath prepared Heaven for them he will bestow Heaven upon them and he that is gone thither himself will bring them thither also with him for no action or undertaking of his shall ever be in vain As this was the end of his Death and for which he went out of the world to prepare a Heaven for us as I have shewn before so this also was the end of his Ascension and his going up into Heaven likewise that he might prepare it for us thus also Thirdly By his Mediation and Intercession Faiher I will says he that those whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold the glory which thou hast given me c. Joh. 17.24 And Heb. 9.24 Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it self there now to appear in the presence of God for us Our blessed Saviour having procured for us a right unto Heaven by his Death he doth daily and continually present the Merit of his Death to his Father for this purpose to be applied unto us and so in that regard does make way for us It being but just and equal with God per form the Condition of Christs Obedience and Satisfaction being exhibited and presented unto him Therefore in Heb. 7.25 it is said that he is able to save to the uttermost or for evermore those that come unto God by him seing he ever liveth to make intercession for them His eternal and everlasting Intercession maketh their eternal and everlasting Salvation Hence also in Rom. 8.34 is there a special Emphasis laid upon this Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Forasmuch as this is the perfection and accomplishment of all men Thus we see how in all these ways Christ prepares this place for us By his Death and Sufferings By his Resurrection and Ascension And by his Mediation and Intercession Now farther that we may take to a full account of this expression yet more whiles Christ says that he goes to prepare a place for is Servants in this preparing is impli'd not onely his providing it but his furnishing it Preparing it has t is sense also with it As if some kind and bountiful Lord and Master here upon earth should not onely give his Servans an House but also provide them Houshold-stuff with it and furnish them with all necessaries for it not onely bestow upon them some rich and goodly Farms but also take care that the ground be well Stock'd for them and to have all things requisite and pertinent thereunto Thus does Christ do for the supply of his Servants he does no onely provide them Mansions but prepares the place for them so that they now shall have ned of nothing else when they come to them but merly to enter them and to take possession of them there is all things which they can desire fitted and provided to their hand Look as when he brought his People into the Earthly Canaan he drove out all their Enemies before them and prepared it for them before they came thither themselves even so does he likewise in order to their introduction into this Heavenly Canaan whereof we now speak as he supplies them with Mansions so he furnishes those Mansions which he has supplied He does not bring them into ruinated Cottages and Houses which will fall upon their heads nor he does not bring them to bare walls and nothing but the meer places themselves but he follows them with all appurtenances and additional accommodations whatsoever that can be thought of by them Forasmuch as he that sits on the Throne shall dwell amongst them therefore they shall hunger no more nor thirst any more neither shall the Sun light upon them nor any heat For the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 7.17 And so again in Rev. 22.19 The foundations of the wall of the City were garnished with all manner of precious stones And in verse 23 of the same Chapter The City had no need of the Sun nor of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof that is it had all things necessary belonging unto it All this it comes still to this purpose so much the more to commend the love of Christ himself unto us What a Blessed Lord and Master have those that are his Servants that does graciously and plentifully and honourably provide for them And who would not now therefore be Servant and Retainer to such a Person as this We see how ambitious sometimes men are of Places and of Preferments in the world if they get but a Place of Profit or Pleasure or Dignity here what an advantage they think it to them and how much they count themselves engaged to such persons as will prepare it and procure it for them such Places sometimes as when they have gotten them and attained unto them they are hardly worth the keeping of them in regard of the manifold snares and hazards which are attending upon them Oh but we see here what a Place Christ has prepared for those that are his I go says he to prepare a place for you A Place a Place indeed such as cannot well be exprest how glorious and amiable it is being beyond all exception and humane earthly apprehensions St. Paul himself who for a time had been in it and was as well able and likely to express it and to give an account of it as any man living in the world yet he prosesses he knew not how to do it he neither knew how he came thither neither was he able to declare what was there then when he came thence as we may see in 2 Cor. 12.3 4. I knew a man in Christ about fourteen years ago meaning himself whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweh such an one caught up into the third Heaven And I knew such a man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth how he was caught up into Paradice and heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful or possible for a man to utter Such is the nature and condition of this place which Christ hath prepared for all those that
interest in any outward and worldly blessing is belonging unto them It is true that they cannot absolutely and peremptorily conclude upon it no more than upon any other outward comfort of the same nature with it for all things fall alike unto all here in this life to the good and to the bad to the just and to the unjust c. as the Preacher speaks but yet they may more certainly expect it than any other besides may and they have a promise made of it to them so far forth as is requisite for them and may most consist with the glory of God which all things are to be subservient unto Job 5.26 Among other Blessings of the same condition with it this is reckoned as one pertaining to those which are faithful That they shall come to their grave in peace like a shock of corn in its season This was that kind of death which the Apostle here was delivered from in this danger which he speaks of in Asia as we may see if we look into the story where we shall find that he was ready to be pull'd in pieces in the tumult which was there made and therefore his friends intreated him that he would not adventure himself upon the Theatre namely to the rage and fury of his Enemies which were there met in a cobustion together This is a part of the aggravation of the miseries and calamities of War The difference betwixt a fever and a sword betwixt dying by the hand of an enemy and dying by the stroke of a disease The end and conclusion is all one and the same only there 's some difference in the conveyance when as the soul does not so much take its leave as it is rather driven out of its lodging This is that which nature shrinks at even there where grace has learn't in some degree to submit unto it And that 's the first aggravation which is implyed in this expression so great a Death namely from the nature and kind of it a violent death not a natural The second is from the Quality and manner of it a painful death not a gentle and easie Death it is unpleasing in it self considered as a meer dissolution and separation of two loving friends and companions the soul and body from each other but when to this we shall add pain and torture this makes it to be so much the more This was that which many of the Godly Martyrs suffer'd and indur'd They were stoned they were sawn asunder they were killed they were slain with the sword Heb. 11.35 Deaths full of torment and pain and so great there are likewise such kind of Deaths in a natural way also Sone and Gout c. I need not name them some are afflicted with them and if we be delivered from them we have cause to bless God for it for delivering us from such great Deaths or Diseases as those as namely are painful and tormenting which makes up the second Aggravation Thirdly Take in another from the coming and proceeding of it A sudden death and not an expected This is another aggravation of Temporal Death which the Apostle seems here to allude to in his danger in Asia It was such as he did not look for and in that regard it was great indeed to speak properly Death is not altogether sudden to the Children of God because they are still more or less in the expectation of it and in some sort prepared for it but yet comparatively some is suddener than other and that which is so has the aggravation of a great death in it We find David cry in Psal 39. ult Oh spare me a little before I go hence c. that I may recover my self A Christian though he be able to give some good account of himself whensoever God shall call him as desiring always to live in such a constant frame and temper of spirit as from whence he may be fit to leave the world yet he desires to have some time to make his accounts up and to have them in a more perfect readiness than at all times else he has in which regard it is lawful for him with a submission to the good will of God to desire to be kept and preserved from a sudden stroke that so he may the better be able to reflect and recollect himself to consider what he is and what he has been and what he has done and whither he is going c. which in these sudden surprisals he is not so well able to do Fourthly From the time and season of it when it is an hastened death not a mature one in Eccles 7.17 it is there the counsel and advice of the Preacher Be not overmuch wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldst thou dye before thy time And Psal 55.23 It is said of bloody and deceitful men that they shall not live out half their days For men to dye before their time and not to live out half their days it is reckoned in the Catalogue and account of great Deaths Now death may be said to be untimely in a twofold Consideration Either First of all in a way of Nature Or else secondly in a way of Providence First In a way of Nature When one dyes in infancy or youth or such time as he is not come to full age and it is a mercy to escape this God gives us great occasion of thankfulness when he sets us to run out our time here in the world when he cracks not the hour-glass before all the sand be spent or when the glass is but newly turn'd up as sometimes he does This is an untimely death in a way of Nature Secondly There 's an untimely Death also in a way of Providence When a man is at any time taken out of the world ere he has done his work and before he has accomplish't that business which in all likelihood he was to perform which is the very life of life it self Thus had this Death in the Text been a great Death to St. Paul because it had taken him off from that service which he was to have done for the Church and so consequently it was a great deliverance to be freed from it that he might now glory as afterwards he did before his departure that he had sought a good fight that he had finished his course c. 2 Tim. 4.7 Fifthly The greatness of Death has an aggravation of it from its latitude and extent When it is a death involving and including such and such persons in it As first for the number of the persons the death of many the death of a great many that 's a great death that 's a great death which does devour multitudes and swarms at once Thus had this death been in Asia not only Paul himself but his companions more had been taken away besides him in this violence he here speaks of And this is another thing which would have made it to have been so great a death
which do not take notice of a kindness they are so far forth conceived to despise it Ingratitude it is a piece of contempt and this is that which is in wicked men in a great measure in regard of Gods favours and kindnesses to them they are unmindful and forgetful of them and give no heed unto them Thus Isa 17.10 Thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength So Psal 78.42 They remembred not his hand nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy So Psal 106.13 They soon forgat his works they waited not for his counsel And ver 21. They forgat God their Saviour which had done great things in Egypt Omnia quae curant meminerunt Those things which men care for they remember and call to mind but when men do not do thus with Gods mercies it is a sign that they do but little regard or care for them when as namely they are unthankful for them for that 's indeed the meaning of it and which is intended in this forgetfulness we speak of It is not a matter of notion but affection a man may remember the things which God has done for him so far as concerns the brain and the receiving of them into the understanding and yet for all that forget them and so consequently despise them when as namely his heart is not raised and enlarged in the blessing and praising of God for them when we shall so carry and behave our selves in regard of those mercies and favours which at any time we receive from God as if they were not worth the acknowledging which we do by non-attendency to them and unthankfulness for them we are effectively judged to despise them Secondly By non improvement and unfruitfulness when we we do not that good which we may and ought to do with those mercies which God bestows upon us we do slight and contemn those mercies in Gods account Every man esteems of any thing according to the use which he puts it to And so in this take it in what you will whether in Parts or Estate or Authority or any thing else if we do not improve it and draw it out to those ends for which we enjoy them and are made partakers of them we are despisers both of the things themselves and him that gives them And thus now are men of the world for the most part with those they have They have them but they do no good with them neither in one kind or other but have them only to have them and sometimes to say that they have them and to look upon them with their eyes as Solomon speaks of riches whilst they keep them and ingross them to themselves This it is a despising of them Indeed at the first hearing it may seem to be the contrary when worldly men keep their riches to themselves and hoard them up and detain them by them What do they despise them why they rather value them and make much of them and prize them which makes them loth to part with them Yes they value them in a sort as to the things but they contemn them and despise them as to the use and right improvement of them so far forth as they have them themselves so they prize them but so far forth as they come from God so they contemn them and are justly reckoned to be despisers of them Thirdly and especially by misimprovement and a contrary use of them they despite them so likewise Those good things which God bestows upon them they do not only do no good with them but they do a great deal of hurt and they are themselves so much the worse for them This is discernable in sundry Particulars First In security and carnal confidence wicked men because God spares them and follows them with outward comforts therefore they think themselves to be in a very good estate and condition and never mind the good of their souls This makes them more confirmed in evil than ever they were before and more setled and grounded in wicked courses as Psal 52.7 Lo this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthened himself in his wickedness or in his substance Such persons because God spares them therefore they think he approves them and because he bestows good things upon them that therefore he is well-pleased with them which is a mistake and a misimprovement Secondly To the neglect and contempt of others There are many who when they are well and in good plight themselves are forgetful of their brethren and scornful and disdainful to them forget the afflictions of Joseph and sometimes as Job's friends have sinister thoughts of them for them This is a misimprovement of the riches of Gods goodness to them who from hence should be more kind and merciful and tender-hearted to others as a piece of gratitude and thankfulness for Gods goodness and indulgence to themselves which yet for the most part they are little affected withall Thirdly By doing mischief with them this is a misimprovement indeed when those things which men should receive from God they shall use against him and make them to be means and occasions for the feeding and venting of their lusts and corrupt affections Riches when men shall use them to luxury and riot and excess Power when men shall use it to malice and revenge and oppression Honour when men shall use it to pride and vanity and contempt Wit when men shall use it to Heresie and deceitfulness and the defence of evil ways c. this is with a witness a misimproving and so a despising of the mercies of God And yet is that which wordly men are frequently guilty of upon all occasions They do in all these respects which I have now mentioned and may more despise the riches of Gods goodness c. If we would know whence this does arise and proceed in them there is this account which may be given of it First from Ignorance and not knowing the worth of the things themselves that 's one cause and occasion of despising as it is hinted also in the Text which in its place we shall come unto not knowing that the goodness of God c. That which men do not know they do not esteem and so it is here men do not know the worth of those good things which they enjoy from him Not know them why they know them too much and are too much in love with and that makes them oftentimes to so admire them yea but they do not know them as they should know them and under that notion they do not know them as tending to their betterment and as leading them to repentance as it is afterwards exprest of them Thus they do not know them and so from thence do despise them Secondly It proceeds from pride and self-conceit those that have high thoughts of themselves have commonly low
Psal 41.1 2. Blessed is he that considereth the Poor the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive c. Lastly A Godly man hides himself in the whole work of self-reformation and holiness of life In carefulness to please God in all things and to do those things which he requires of him sin it makes a man naked it exposes him and lays him open to evil and all manner of danger but a good and Pious Conversation is a sure defence Innocency is the the best shelter that can be and that which will keep a man safe when nothing else will And thus we see how in all these respects a good Christian hides himself which is his Activity or Practise Now to join these two Points both together in the Improvement and Application We see here two Properties of a wise and Godly man The one as to matter of Fore-sight He fore-sees the Evil. And to other as to matter of Indeavour He hides himself What now remains but that we for our particulars should be careful to put those both into practise and to be carefull of them in regard of our selves First To Fore-see the evil to look after that We see how in every thing else it is counted a peice of wisdom in men and that which they indeavour after In matter of trade to fore-see the Dearness of the Market In matter of Wars to fore-see the devices of the Enemy In matter of Health to fore-see the coming on of a Disease And why should we not also in Providence fore-see also the arising of a Judgment Surely as we do ever disire to approve our selves for wise men it concerns us to be skilfull in this We see how the want or neglect of it is still reproved and upbraided in Scripture Thus the Prophet Jeremy Jer. 8.7 The stork in the Heaven knows her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow know the time of their coming but my people know not the Judgement of the Lord. And so our Blessed Saviour we find him upon this censure likewise of the Jews Matth. 16.2 3. When it is Evening ye say it will be Fare weather for the sky is Red and in the Morning it will be fowl weather to day for the Sky is Red and lowring O ye Hypocrites ye can discern the face of the Sky but can ye not discern the sign of the times He reproves them for that they had skill in natural Predictions but yet had not skill in spiritual There are some kind of foresights sometimes in the world and fore-tellings of evil but what are they Even the bold and presumptuous undertakings of insolent persons your Astrologers and Star-gazers and the like whom God suffers in his judgement to seduce and deceive a people that love to be deceived But as for this Christian fore-sight here spoken of It is thas which few are acquainted withall or which care to be acquainted It is our Wisdom to regard it our selves that so evils may not surprize us or that day come upon us unawares For which purpose we should first pray to God to instruct us and direct us and to open our eyes we should beg of him the spirit of Revelation as whereby to see the Mystery of Religion so likewise to see the Mystery of Providence and understand Gods dealings in the world That which I see not teach them me as it is Job 34.3 Secondly We should also our selves mark things and take notice of what is done in the world we should as I said lay things together and compare one thing with another and see how one thing follows upon another This should be done by us in order to our fore-sight and pre-apprehension of any evil which is to come As we desire to shew our selves discreet and prudent Christians so we should be carefull of this Fore-seeing of Evil. And then again also farther to hide our selves let us look to that also As our knowledge should tend to practise to us in every thing else so amongst the rest in this As we do any thing pre-discern and apprehend it we should we should hide our selves from it which is done especially in the fore-named Graces There are many false coverts in the world which will not do it The bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it as it is Esai 28.20 Such is Wealth or strength or Wit or Friends or any of such things as these are It is not these which will be able to cover us in the day of the Lords anger No it is nothing but the love and favour of God himself that will do it when nothing else will He shall cover thee with his Feather and under his wings shalt thou trust Psal 9.19 And that we may do this the more effectually it will concern us to acquaint our selves with God without this there is no expectation of shelter from him For he hides none but his Friends and his houshold-servants And therefore Eliphaz does very properly give Job such Counsel as this Acquaint thy self with him c. Then shall the Almighty be thy defence He is a buckler to all that trust him and he is good to them that know him and whom himself does know Therefore labour to get an interestand propriety in him yea and that before trouble comes the evil it self which is fore-seen Let the Ark be built before the flood and deluge over-flows there 's no hiding then if we take not care to hide our selves before-hand Therefore let us have a regard to that Close with God before the Plague comes that so when it does come we may find favour and mercy with him and refuge and safety in him which will be our greatest security And those which are in some measure acquainted they should labour to be more and to perfect their acquaintance with him Yea not only to have acquaintance but Communion and dayly Converse We should take heed of being in such a state and condition of Soul as from whence God may refuse to shelter us and protect us when Evil draws near But then again He hides himself We are to take this not only as an Expression of Enedavour but of Success He foresees the evil and hides himself that is he so behaves himself as from whence God does undertake to hide him The Lord hides such prudent persons as these are in the days of evil and danger as Jeremy and Baruck Jer. 36.26 it is said the Lord hid them This he does to the rest of his prudent and provident Servants In his Presence in his Pavilion under his Wings in the hollow of his hand he has many Receptacles and Hiding Places for them His Providence is large and broad enough to hide them from any Evil which may happen unto them sometimes in other Countries sometimes in their own sometimes in the Grave as Job 14.13
sometimes by stupifying their Enemies and keeping them from finding them out As our Blessed Saviour hid himself when he was amongst them Luk. 4.29 30. And so other ways Again He hides himself A wise man takes careof one He would willingly hide others also by his Counsel and Friendly Admonitions but if he cannot do so yet at last he will be sure to hide himself We should learn this good Selfishness also as the Greek Proverb hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thou beest wise thou wilt be wise to thy self Prov. 9.12 And so much for the first thing here considerable viz. An Account of the Prudent or Godly Man A prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself The Second is the Account of the Wicked or Foolish But the simple pass on and are punished Wherein again we have two Particulars more First Their Carriage their Disposition and their Condition And Secondly Their Miscarriage Their Carriage or Disposition that is that they pass on Their Miscarriage or Condition that is that they are punished For the First Their Carriage is here expressed that they pass on This has again two things more in it First It is an Expression of Security Secondly Is is an Expression of Pertinacy or Progress in Sin First It expresses Security They pass on as such as are not aware of the danger which is near them It is a Phrase taken from our ordinary Affairs in the World Men which are going in any way and apprehend some hazard or danger in it they make a stop and go no further but those which think the way clear before them they go on and make no scruple at all of it Even so is it here with Worldly Persons they pass on as conceiving no danger near unto them This is one great misery in Sinfulness that it has Security for the most part following it and attending upon it That though it be most exposed to danger yet it is least sensible or apprehensive of it It does not so easily see and discern the danger which it is in but like Balaam herein more simple and foolish than his Ass it self rushes on even upon the Sword of the Angel This is that which the Preacher signifies Eccles 9.12 Man also knoweth not his time As the fishes that are taken in an evil net and as the birde that are caught in the snare so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddainly upon them So Prov. 7.22 It is spoken of one which is a pursuer of Harlots and it is true likewise of any other Sinner as it may be applyed unto him He goes on as an Oxe to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks That we may see some ground for it we may take this Account of it First Sin blinds the Judgment it puts out the light of the understanding from whence Evil should be discerned by it The Devil perswades Eve that by sinning her Eyes should be opened and her Understanding should be more increased whereas indeed by this it was so much the more darkened and so is every ones else besides The more that any man sins the less shall he be able to see sin either in regard of its filthiness or danger which is attending it This does quite bereave one of his Judgment as to Spiritual things It deales with him as the Philistines with Sampson blinds him and then binds him first puts out his eyes and then makes him to grind in the Prison It makes a man a stark fool and Idiot without any reason or sense at all in him As the horse and mule which have no understanding whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle as it is there in Psal 32.9 Secondly Sin as it besots the minds so it also carries away the heart and the affections are transported with it Though it gives a man leave to see the dangers yet it suffers him not to be moved by it or to be wrought upon from it Whoredom and Wine and New Wine that is Drunkeness and Uncleanness they take away the heart And hence it is that men pass on securely They are so intoxicated and bewitched with Lust that they care not what comes on them so that they may but come to the accomplishment of it and do that which they have minds unto Thirdly It fills men with Vain Hopes and Fancies and Imaginations and pleasing Conceits That though it is true such courses in themselves be dangerous and turn to ruin and destruction yet it shall fare better with them for all that God is merciful and he will not exact the utmost upon them but they shall do well enough for all this As that person there in Deutronom 29 19. Who when he hears the words of the Curse blesses himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of mine heart to add drunkenness to thirst So Psal 36.2 He flatters himself in his own eyes The Use which we are to make of it is to be so much the more jealous of our selves and of our own hearts The more deceitful and fraudulent Sin is the more watchful and vigilant should we be that we be not surprized and overtaken with it We should from hence have our Wits about us to apprehend the Slights and Subtilties of it from whence we may the more avoid it and be freed from the Annoyances of it Especially considering the evil which is attendant upon a contrary course and disposition for as Sin is always presumptious so Security and Presumption adds to the perniciousness of it and makes it to be so much the more The Lord will not spare such an one but his anger and his jealousie shall smoak out so much the more against him as it is there in the place before alledged Deut. 29.20 The second is as it is an expression of pertinacy c. Progress in sin that 's another thing implyâ—d in passing on That wicked and ungodly men they do persevere and continue in sin yea add unto it They are the same that ever they were nay a great deal worse as St. Paul speaks Evil men grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 There is both these in it First I say sinfull continuance They pass on that is they do not change or alter their sinfull course They were sinfull formerly and so they are sinfull still no alteration at all of them Yea and that which does serve to aggravate and set it home more effectually upon them even in these circumstances which are considerable of us As First In the Improvement of years and age growing upon them There are some things which are mended in Time and there are some people which will be mended by it That though it may be in younger years they gave themselves liberty in some kind of vanities yet as they have grown older they have reformed themselves of them and have put a check and stop