Ruler of thy People Pray for them I though they should be persecutors That is the Rule Pray for them that persecute you This doe we and doe we it in the first place So the Apostle there presseth it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} First of all Oh that murmurers would but take out of this lesson to pray for Superiours first of all pray for them before they let flye at them or murmur against them certainly this would take off the Edge of their murmuring The more they prayed for them the lesse they would murmur against them Sure I am They which murmur most are such as pray least To prevent the one practise the other Pray for â—â—r Superiours And that as the Apostle there directs First for the King whom we acknowledge by a divine and speciall Providence set over us as a Supreme Governour in these his Dominions Be we earnest with God for him that he may be made a Moses to us having Moses his spirit put upon him and if it might be doubled upon him as Elias his spirit was upon Elisha a wise and a large spirit proportionable to the charge committed unto him that he may be wise as an Angell of God as the woman of Tekoah said to King David able to discerne betwixt good and evill And with Moses his head beg we for him also Moses heart a heart faithfull to his God that like Moses he may be as a faithfull servant faithfull in all the house of his God A heart tender and affectionate towards his people Carrying them in his bosome lovingly tenderly carefully As a Nurse beareth her sucking child as the Lord requireth Moses to doe to his Israel So making him in truth what he is by office Patrem Patriae a Father a Nursing Father to his People Gods People Every wayes a Moses a Saviour a deliverer to the Israel of God Praying for him Pray we also for those which are in Authoritie over us under him And here in speciall for the Representative Body the great Synedrion our English Sanhedrim the supreme Court and Councell of this Kingdome now assembled together in the name of God to be unto their Prince as those seventie Elders were unto Moses a Councell of Assistance to beare the Burden of the People together with him For them beg we also that God would do for them what he there promiseth Moses to doe to his Counsellours and Assistants viz. take off the spirit which was upon Moses and put it upon them even a spirit suitable and proportionable to the Burden layed upon them Making them a Wise and faithfull Councell to their Prince and Wise and faithfull guides unto his people leading them on in such wayes as God himselfe hath layed out for them so as in due time they may conduct them through this Red-Sea this Sea of blood and this wildernesse of Confusion whereinto at the present we are cast unto a Canaan a Land of rest and peace where Righteousnesse and Peace may dwell together And remembring them forget we not the Sons of Aaron who are now called together to consult about the businesse of the Tabernacle For them also beg wee a spirit proportionable to the worke which they have in hand Even the same spirit that the Lord put upon Bezaleel and Aholiab when he called them to the worke of the Tabernacle The Spirit of wisedome and understanding and knowledge to know how to worke all manner of worke for the service of the Sanctuary according to all that the Lord hath commanded Such a Spirit beg we for them that so all things in this Tabernacle-Temple-worke may be done and performed according to the Patterne in the Mount according to the mind and will of God himselfe Begging direction and assistance for them withall beg we a blessing upon their endeavours that the Rod of Aaron may Bud and Blossome and bring forth fruit No such way to quiet the murmurings of the people as this It was the Lords owne way which he bad Moses take and make use of for this very purpose Numb. 17. The people being subject to murmuring upon all occasions and in particular about the Priesthood as you have heard for a Cure of that Disease the Lord directs Moses to take twelve Rods according to the number of the Tribes for every Tribe one laying them up in the Tabernacle before the Testimony And it shall come to passe saith the Lord That the mans Rod whom I shall choose shall blossome and I will make to cease the murmurings of the children of Israel c. This was the meanes propounded What the successe was the sequell of the Chapter will shew It came to passe that Moses went into the Tabernacle and behold Arons Rod which was for the house of Levi was budded and brought forth blossomes and yleeded Almonds whereupon the Lord ordereth Moses to take that Rod and lay it up in the Tabernacle before the Testimony there to be kept for a Token against the Rebells and saith the Lord Thou shall quite take away their murmurings I shall not need to tell you that the chiefe ground of our murmuring at this day is if not the same yet not unlike to theirs about the Priesthood O that the wonder-working God would be pleased to worke the like wonder in our dayes that we might see the Rod of Aaron which at the present through the Calamitie of the times seemes to lye secure and dead to Bud and Blossome and Bring forth Almonds yeelding us not onely Hopes but Fruits Hopes of a quiet and comfortable condition to the Church with the sweet and blessed fruits of a Glorious administration in it No doubt but this would have a strong influence upon the present and future distempers of unquiet spirits either to cure and stay their murmurings or else to be a witnesse against them to all succeeding ages This we know our God is able to doe and this we hope he will yet doe In the meanetime let us and all the Lords people Stand still waiting and quietly waiting upon our God for his salvation It is good for us so to do so faith the Church Lam. 3 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord I have done with the first Branch of this Direction which I confesse hath taken more of my thoughts and your patience then at the first in my intentions I allotted it Stand still not Wavering Passe we now to the second Stand still not Wavering This men naturally are very apt to doe being all by nature ever since the first man left his standing become very unstable but some more then others It is that which the Patriarch Iacob saith to and of his sonne Ruben Gen. 49. Vnstable as water Water it is an unstable Element seldome standing still specially if there be any wind stirring then we
flying to him Fourthly In the fourth and last place holding their Tongues and Hearts and Feet still he bids them also hold their Hands still not Murmuring not Wavering not Flying he tels them they should not need to fight neither So Master Calvin here construeth the phrase Verbo standi vult quietos manere Bidding them stand still saith he he wils them to rest themselves quiet as if he had said there shall be no need for any of you to stirre a hand to move a fingar in this service stand you still God will doe the worke for you and without you And this exposition the verse following seemeth to countenance where Moses tels them The Lord shall fight for you and you shall hold your Peace ye shall be silent ceasing as from speaking so from doing any thing in this businesse so that phrase is sometimes used being applied to actions as well as words Keep not â—ilence O God saith the Psalmist Hold not thy Peace and be not still Psal. 83. I haue a long time holdeâ— my Peace saith the Lord I haue been still and refrained my selfe Is. 42. refrained my selfe viz. from taking vengeance upon mine Enemies which when God doth forbearing to punish them then hee is said to hold his peace and sit still In a like sense not improperly may Moses be conceived there to speake unto the people yee shall hold your peace i.e. yee shall not strike a blow nor draw a sword nor lift up a hand let God alone with the worke stand yee still Put these foure together and you have as I conceive the full latitude of the word as here it is used Stand yee still saith Moses to the people not Murmuring not Wavering not Flying not Fighting Never a one of these but will afford us somewhat for our Instruction I shall touch upon them severally by way of Illustration Application Stand still not Murmuring First Stand still not Murmuring whether against God or me This corrupt nature is very prone and readie to doe to murmur against God and Superiours those whom God hath set over us and made his Ministers for our good To make good this charge we shall need no other evidence or instance but this of the Israelites whom if we follow in their march through the wildernesse wee shall take them murmuring no lesse then eight severall times besides that in the Text against God and his servant Moses Looking upon them stand not to wonder at their wawardnesse and forwardnesse but rather reflect upon our selves in this Glasse beholding our owne faces taking notice how prone our corrupt nature is to fall into this distemper upon all occasions This we are prone and ready to doe but this we may not doe Sand still saith Moses unto them willing them not to give way to any discontented Passions that might cause them to murmur A Lesson for all the Lords people the Israel of God teaching them what to doe or rather what not to doe in all their straits and difficulties viz. Stand still not Murmuring It is Pauls advice and charge to his Corinthians 1 Cor. 10. Neither murmur yee as some of them also murmured some of the Israelites in the wildernesse And how did they murmur Why upon all occasions they were discontented and displeased with Gods administrations and dealings with them and withall ready to vent their discontents expressing them both in words and deeds As for instance In case 1. They wanted something which they would haue 2. Liked not what they had 3. Met with some dangers difficulties discouragements 4. Saw others honoured and preferred before themselves In all and every of these cases we shall find their spirits like the Sea in this Winter season presently stirred and their Tongues ready to pumpe out the secret discontents of their hearts in quarrelling with and murmuring against God and his servant Moses Take a briefe view of particulars First In case they wanted somewhat that they would haue Thus we find them thrice murmuring for water viz. once in the wildernesse of Shur Exod. 15. A second time at Rephidim afterwards called Massa and Meriba from their strivings Exod. 17. A third time in the Desert of sinne Numb. 20. Twice for Food viz. once for Bread Exod. 16. once for Flâ—sh Numb. 11. and every time ready to fall foule upon Moses Secondly In case they liked not what they had Thus being cloyed with their Mannah they nauseate and loath it and loathing it fall to murmur against God and his servant Moses for not making them better provision They speake against God and against Moses saying Wherefore have yee brought us out of Aegypt to dye in the wildernesse Here is neither Bread nor water and our soule loatâ—eth this Mannah this Light-Bread Numb. 21. 3. In case they met with any danger thus in the Text any difficulties or discouragement Thus at the returne of their Spies making a discouraging report to them of the good Land which they had taken a view of representing to them a great deale of difficultie in the conquest of it hereupon they fall soule upon Moses and Aaron and upon Caleb and Ioshuah ready to Cashire the one and to stone the other and so to create a new Generall that might conduct them back againe into Aegypt of all which you may read Numb. 14. Fourthly Seeing others honoured and preferred before themselves This was the ground of that grand Rebellion or Sedition raysed by Korah and his Confederates those two hundred and fiftie Captaines or Princes of the Assembly as they are called i.e. Chiefe Senators principall States-men Famous in the Congregation men of renowne of which you may read Numb. 16. These combine and make head against Moses Aaron whom they maligned and envied onely for their promotions and preferments that they should be in any thing preferred before themselves Hereupon they charge them to be too Pragmaticall too busie to usurpe and arrogate to themselves more then was their due Yee take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation is holy v. 3. And afterwards when God had made the chiefe Actors in that Conspiracy exemplary by causing the Earth to take vengeance upon some and the Fire to doe execution upon others of them the next day the people begin to take up the quarrell afresh making a fresh charge upon Moses and Aaron calling them to account for the disaster of the day past charging all that Blood upon their heads On the morrow all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron saying Ye haue killed the People of the Lord v. 41. Thus did some of them murmur But take wee heed that none of us thus murmur This is Pauls counsell to his Corinthians and this is mine to you at the present and I beseech you in the feare of God to hearken to it Thus let us not murmur A piece of counsell I think
vengeance hee took upon on these their contumacious wanton envious malicious murmurings When the People became murmurers saith the Text in that 11 Numb. i.e. contumacious murmurers conquerentes injuste unjust Complainers as the Originall hath it not contented with Gods allowance but quarrelling with his administrations This displeased the Lord malum fuit in auribus Domini it was very evill in the eares of God and therefore his wrath was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt amongst them the fire of the Lord i.e. a fire sent from the Lord or a vehement and terrible fire as that Hebrew phrase often signifieth which consumed the utmost part of the Hoasts Thus dealt the Lord with those wanton murmurers who would not be at his finding being weary of their Mannah they would have flesh God giveth them their longing but withall he sends a Curse and a Plague with it so you have it in the close of that same Chapt. ver. 33. While the flesh was between their teeth yet it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the People and the Lord smote them with a very great Plague And for the same cause hee sent the fierie Serpents amongst them Numb. 21. How he dealt with that seditious confederacie Korah and his company the storie is well knowne The Earth swalloweth up some of them and the Fire consumeth the rest And as for the people who took up their quarrell the next dsy no lesse then fourteeen thousand and seven hundred of them are swept away with the Plague As for those wicked Spies and that Rebellious rout which sided with them God suffered them not to go unpunished They were all of them by little and little consumed in the Wildernesse not one of them entred into Canaan but were destroyed of the destroyer as the Apostle hath it Thus did God make them Exemplarie to us that we might heare and feare and take heed of committing the like wickednesse These things were our Examples saith the Apostle to the intent that we should not lust as they lusted nor yet murmure as they murmured which if we shall dare to doe doe not thinke that God will beare with it in us more then in them specially if we murmure as they murmured Contumaciously Wantonly Enviously Maliciously And are there not such murmurings to bee found amongst some of us my Brethren at this day Murmurings not of Infirmitie but Contumacie we murmure and wherefore is it not for Bread and Water Blessed be God we are not yet reduced to that necessitie though it may bee many of our Brethren are It is not for any necessaries whether for Body or Soule but for Flesh for Quailes It may be some of us want what wee would have and formerly what we have had and herein we cannot indure to be abridged and cut short or else we like not what we have and so murmure for a change of condition wanton murmurings In some of us it may be Envious and Malicious murmurings Murmurings against the Callings of some and Persons of others whom we envie and maligne and that for no other cause but for some speciall honours which God himselfe hath put upon them Our murmurings against the waies of God against which we are prejudiced through the evill reports that some slanderous Spies have brought upon them Or â—o come neerer and there not murmurings to be found amongst some of us rising chiefly from this ground we are afraid lest we shall not have the like licence the like libertie for our lusts that formerly we have had but that we shall be more straitlaced that way then heretofore we have been This it was that irritated and stirred up some of the Corinthians against Paul occasioning their mâ—rmurings against him as P. Martyr notes upon that 1 Cor. 10.10 Vincebantur impatientiâ Disciplinae Their spirits would not stoop to Pauls Discipline They being loose themselves thought him too strict and thereupon did in a manner preferre the false Apostles before him they would give them that libertie that licence allow them that latitude in their walkings that Paul would not And is not this the case of some amongst us at this day doe not their murmurings spring from the same root they cannot indure Pauls Discipline the very shaking of Pauls Rodde over them that Rodde which he telleth his Corinthians of 1 Cor. 4. what will yee shall I come unto you with a Rod this afrights and terrifies them They cannot indure so much as to heare of a Rodde under which they must Passe that they may be brought into the bond of the Covenant The very name of Discipline and noise of Reformation founds so harsh in their â—ares that it even sets their teeth on edge as some harsh founds sometimes use to doe so as they are even ready to gnash them against all those whom they looke upon as Instrumentall in this worke Now are our murmurings such Contumacious Wanton Malicious Envious Murmurings surely these God will not beare with And therefore in the feare of God take wee heed all of us how we give way to them which that we may not doe Give way to the Counsell and Charge here given by Moses unto the People of Israel when they were in a condition not unlike unto ours at this day Stand wee still Not murmuring against God not quarrelling with his Administrations and dealings whether with our selves or Brethren which if we doe yet to put a little more strength to it know we First In the first place This will be the next way to blast all the mercies which wee have what was it that tainted the Israelites Quailes so as though in themselves both toothsome and wholesome delicious food yet to them they proved pernicious surseiting and poisoning of their bodies Insomuch that what they put in at their mouths came out at their nosthrils becommâ—ng most loathsome unto them why it was their murmuring which had blowen upon them and caused God to blow upon them They despised the Lord which was amongst them as the Lord bids Moses tell them murmuring against him not contented with his allowance and that turned this Blessing into a Curse Againe secondly This is the next way to keep off the mercies which we want and would have What was it that kept the old stock of Israelites even all that came out of Aegypt from entering into Canaan Not one entred in but Ioshua and Caleb not one of them received the promise It was their Murmuring Murmâ—rings upon Earth will cause Repentings in Heaven making void promises keeping off Mercies at least retarding and delaying them What was it that made the Israelites march in the Wildernesse so long so tedious unto them keeping them there for so many yeares when as they might have dispatched it in as few dayes It was their murmuring which still set backwards the work when it was in a good forwardnesse putting them
heare his voice and follow him Thus did the people of Israel not goe before but follow after Moses and Aaron being guided and ordered by those directions which they had received from God for them And surely my Brethren would wee but take this course not to runne before but follow after our Leaders I meane following them as Paul would have his Corinthians to doe him so farre as they are followers of Christ our advance would have both more beautie and safetie in it whereas being confused and disorderly it can have neither Thus much I have spoken more I shall not speake wishing if it were the will of God I might never have occasion to speake againe of this Subject being led to it as I conceive very aptly by the word in my Text Sure I am my aime in speaking it hath been proved no other then Moses his here was viz. to stay the spirits of the Lords people amongst us which at this day are so ready to runne out and to hold them downe in a quiet expectation of what God will yet doe for us that so by their precipitancies and over-hastinesse they may not outrunne their owne and the Churches mercy One Branch of this Point is yet behind and that is touching Temporall Enemies Where the Question may be how Christians ought to demeane and carry themselves in the case of outward and open Persecution when they are pursued by cruell and bloody Persecutors such as Pharoah and his Egyptians here were A case which the Lords people in most ages of the Church have been well acquainted with how soon we may be we know not It will not be amisse therefore to enquire afore-hand what to doe or how to demeane our selves in such a case To which the Text returnes an answer which being rightly understood will prove not unusefull bidding us to stand stand still Q. Stand still you may say what then May not Christians flye in times of Persecution A question which we find often put up and as variously prosecuted and resolved by Divines and Casuists A threefold answer I find returned to it each having an antient Father for the countenance of it The two former extreames the third a medium a middle way betwixt both which as in other cases so here we shall find to be the viatuta the safe way and the way for us to walke in First The first and most antient is Tertullians who held it simply unlawfull for Christians in any case to flye in time of Persecution upon which Subject hee hath written a whole booke indeavouring to strengthen his opinion with many Arguments Herein wee find him followed as by those antient Heretiques the Circumcillions so by some of the Anabaptists of later times Secondly A second opinion is Athanasius his who in opposition to Tertullian held it not onely lawfull for Christians to flye in Persecution but necessary as a thing not onely permitted and allowed but enjoyned and commanded grounding his opinion upon those words of our Saviour Mat. 10.23 Where speaking to his Disciples he bids them When they persecute you in one Citie then flee into another Thirdly A third is Augustines who in an Epistle to Honoratus yeeldeth it to be sometimes lawfull though not simply necessary a thing at sometimes and in some cases permitted and allowed though not enjoyned and commanded To this judgement of his Divines generally subscribe as being sound and Orthodox declining the two other the one as being an Error on the right hand the other on the left And in this middle way wee shall goe along with them Flight in persecution is not at all times and in all cases simply unlawfull Christians are not alwayes bound to stand still Arguments to evince the truth of this assertion if need were we might soone muster up many some taken from Scripture others from Reason Scripture will furnish us with Permissions and Presidents For Permission wee shall need no other but that of our Saviour fore-named Mat. 10. When they persecute you in one Citie flye into another An expresse allowance for flight in some cases I in some cases a Precept not onely permitting but commanding Obj. I know what Tertullian and some others reply to that Text viz. that it was a Temporary precept peculiar to that time and those persons to continue onely so long till the Apostles should have preached the Gospell throughout the Cities of Iudea and no longer A. This Evasion is groundlesse in as much as wee no where find any other Text of Scripture repealing or countermanding that permission And besides as our Master Perkins further alledgeth we shall find the Apostles to whom this commandement was given practizing it after our Saviours Ascension and not onely amongst the Iewes but almost amongst the Gentiles To back this warrant we have many Presidents many Examples and that both of Christ himselfe who being in danger as the Story tells us frequently withdrew himselfe escaping out of the hands of his Enemies not yeelding himselfe to them untill the houre of his Passion was come of many other Worthies both of the Old and New Testament In the Old Testament Iacob flyeth from his brother Esau Gen. 27. Moses having slaine the Egyptian and being in danger of his life flyeth from Egypt into Madian which act of his the spirit approveth recording it as a work not of Feare but of Faith Heb. 11. By faith he forsooke Egypt c. Elias being threatned by Iezabel and in danger of his life flyes to Mount Horeb 1 King 19. The rest of the Prophets many of them betaking themselves unto their Caves under Obadiahs protection In the New Testament Ioseph and Mary being guardians to our Saviour during his minoritie and being in danger by Herod they flye with the Babe into Egypt Peter being in prison and destinated by Herod to be sacrificed the next day to the fury of the people the Angel of the Lord awakning of him in the night bids him be gone Paul being in Damascus beset by the Governour the Garrison there he maketh an escape being let downe by the wall through a window in a basket Act. 9. The woman in the Revelation the Church being persecuted by the Red Dragon Satan and his instruments cruell and bloody persecutors she had given unto her two wings of an Eagle meanes for a speedy escape that she might flye into the wildernesse a place of secrecy and safetie Here is Permission here are Presidents If need were wee might sub-joyne Reasons proving the Lawfulnesse of flight at some times and in some cases First It is that which Nature dictates to preserve it selfe and that not corrupt but pure nature Now what nature dictates Grace doth not contradict onely it regulateth and ordereth it for the way and meanes of that preservation that they be lawfull and warrantable Secondly Christians are bound
the out-casts of Israel Psal. 147. Expulsos Ejectos those that are cast and driven out as Exiles from house and home Incertâ sede vagantes wandring as those Primitive Saints are said to doe not having any certaine habitation but exposed to the wide world as we say such the Lord gathereth Stepping into his people in the midst of their greatest straits and extremities then shewing himselfe to them most clearly most gloriously perfecting his Power his Goodnesse in their weaknesse their wants Whatever our condition then be though wee be stripped never so naked of all humane helpes and creature-assistances yet despaire not If God have a purpose to save us to deliver us his counsell shall stand his purpose shall take place My counsell shall stand saith the Lord and I will doe all my pleasure I have spoken it I will also bring it to passe I have purposed it I will also doe it Take wee this for an universall Truth and build upon it whatever God hath purposed to doe whether against his Enemies or for his people it matters not what seeming improbabilities or impossibities may crosse the way of his Providence it shall be performed It is that which the Prophet Ieremy saith concerning Babylon Jer. 51. Every purpose of the Lord shall be performed against Babylon What he there speakes of the literall it may as truely be said of Mysticall Babylon One purpose of the Lord shall be performed against Babylon Now wee know what the Lord hath purposed concerning it Babylon it is fallen it is fallen It shall certainly fall it shall speedily fall both imported in that phrase and manner of speech And this purpose it shall be performed It matters not what Babylon it selfe be though seemingly never so impregnable Such the Eastern Babylon was and such the Western Babylon is yet this shall not frustrate or make void the purpose of God Babylon the Great is fallen Though Great for Power Great for Iurisdiction Great for Wealth Great for Honour and Reputation Great for Friends and Allies yet Babylon the Great is fallen On the other hand we know what God hath purposed concerning his Church Ierusalem shall be established and made a praise in the earth Isa. 62. The Mountaine of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the Mountains and shall be exalted above the Hills Isa. 2. Above the Hills I above those seaven Hills whereon the woman in the Revelation is said to sit whereon the Citie of Rome is built The Church shall be elevated and lifted up above all Romish Power and Iurisdiction This is Gods purpose concerning Babylon and concerning Sion the one shall Fall the other shall Rise this shall come to passe It matters not though at the present we see no meanes no likely instruments to effect this great worke God can if he please Create both rayse up both in an instant A truth excellently represented and set forth unto Zachary in a vision the vision of the foure Hornes and foure Carpenters Zach. 1. I lift up mine eyes saith the Prophet and saw and behold foure Hornes vers. 18. And the Lord shewed me foure Carpenters vers. 20. Now what were those foure Hornes Why the Enemies of the Church as the 19 verse expounds it which are called Hornes for their Power and said to be foure in reference to the foure parts of the World East West North and South from all which they come as the Geneva Glosse explaines it And what are the Carpenters Why instruments raysed up by God to break batter those Horns to oppose to overthrow that adverse power so the last verse explaines it and they againe are said to be foure to import an equalitie of power and strength Thus when God hath a worke to doe be it to â—eat downe Babylon or build up Ierusalem he can rayse up Carpenters instruments that shall be sufficient for the worke It may be making use of meane instruments to effect great matters by Trumpets of Rams Hornes to lay the walls Iericho flat Nay more rather then faile he both can and will worke without instruments Hee hath done it he can doe it and rather then his purpose should not stand he will doe it Though instruments faile yet the Promise shall not faile Though the Carpenters should not strike a stroake yet God hath wayes to take off the Hornes of his Enemies Though the Church should be destitute of all humane protection yet God hath wayes to deliver it to secure it Expresse is that of the Prophet Esay Isa. 4. The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Sion and upon her Assemblies a cloud and smoake by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night alluding as you know to the Pillar of the Cloud and of the Fire which went before the Israelites in the wildernesse pledges and tokens of Gods gracious protection and direction These saith the Prophet the Lord will Create Now to Create you know what it is viz. to bring something out of nothing to worke as I said without meanes without instruments And thus rather then faile God will worke salvation and deliverance for his Church he will Create it bring it out of nothing effect it without any such meanes or instruments as it may be our eyes are fixed upon Which let it serve as for the bearing up the hearts of the Lords people in the midst of these drooping and doubtfull times So in the second place for the taking off their eyes from looking too much at meanes too much at instruments a thing which generally we are very act to doe And there is it that our pulses beat so unequally that there is so much unevennesse in our spirits they are up and downe like wells digged upon the Sea shore neere the highwater marke which rise and fall according as the tide ebbs and flowes Even thus is it generally with our spirits they Rise and Fall with the Tide and current of meanes and instruments When the Tide commeth in meanes and instruments appeare to us so as wee apprehend things outwardly in a hopefull condition then our spirits are up but if there be a slake of them presently they are downe againe Thus it should not be and thus it would not be did we not live more by Sense then by Faith Faith will tell us that Gods decrees and purposes they doe not Stand or Fall to secondary causes That which God hath purposed to doe he can doe it he will doe it he will carry through his owne worke Bring wee it home to the particular case of the Kingdome at the present as sad a case as ever this Kingdome saw If God have a gracious purpose towards it to save and deliver his people to build and to plant and to purge his Church to establish his Gospell to settle Truth and Peace amongst us it is not the deficiency of whatever