of the Dispensations of GOD AND OF The pertinent Duties and Comforts of His PEOPLE in these Times WITH A Preface of the fulness of Scriptur sufficiency for Answering all Cases Hosea 9. 10 I found Israel like Grapes in the Wilderness Jer. 2 2. I Remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thine espousals when thou wantest after me in the Wilderness in a Land that was not sowen Numb 33 1. These are the journeyes of the Children of Israel which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron 2 Verse And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeyes by the Commandment of the Lord and these are their journeyes according to their goings out 1 Epistle of John 1 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you Written in the Wilderness Edinburgh Printed by George Mosman and are to be Sold at his Shop in the Parliament-Close Anno Dom. 1692. THE PREFACE THE Jews have a Tradition of that Manna wherewith God fed Israel in the Wilderness fourtie years that the taste thereof was such and so various that it answered every mans Appetit and tasted to him of whatsoever food his soul desired And look how uncertain is that Jewish Tradition of the materiall Manna that was gathered off the Earth for the space of fourty years in the Wilderness of the land of Egypt So certain is this Christian Truth of the Spiritual Manna the word of God that bread of Heaven that Angels food wherewith God feeds his Church in all ages successively and every Child of his House the Israelite indeed respectively throughout the whole course of their life and travel in the World which is the great Wilderness that it hath in it a real supply of all their necessities and hath always in it a word in season to all persons at all times and in every condition To the Dead it is life to the living it is health to the weary it is refreshment to the weak it is strength to Babes it is milk to strong men it is meat to the hungry it is bread to the thirsty it is waters To the drooping soul and sorrowful heart it is wine to the faint it is apples and Pomegranats cinnamon safron spiknard Calamus and all spices of the merchant To such who love dainties it is marrow and fatness honey of the rock and droping from the honey-comb to the wounded it is the balme of Gilead to the blind and weak sighted it is eye salve and oyntment to annoint the eyes To such neat souls as love to be all Glorious within and to keep clean Garments it is a Crown chains of the neck braceless ear-rings pendents and Ornaments of all sorts and if they like to be in fashion and to go fyne in the court of a Heavenly Conversation and communion with God it presents them a bright large glass whereat they may dayly adorn themselves to purpose This Glass is no falsifying nor multiplying Glass but a just discovering and directing one here are also discovered not only all the obliquities of gesture and faults of feature and all spots upon the face or cloaths but likwise the very in most thoughts and intents of the heart with the most subtile imaginations of the mind are here manifested Here ye are directed to sit all your Soul-ornament in the fynest spiritual fashion and to compose your gestur and order your motion so as you may be able to stand in the presence of him who is greater than Solomon This large bright Glass doth stand in King Solomons bed-Chamber in the Pook of Canticles and in it you may see your self from head to foot There ye see the head beautiful with locks Cantic 4 There ye see the sweet comly Countenance of the Saint which the Lord is so much in love with that he is in continual desire to see it there you see those eyes that ravish his heart and so throughout even to the feet that are very beautiful with shooes Chap. 7. 1. For such as are destitute and unprovided the word of God is a portion to the poor it is Riches of treasure of choice Silver and fine Gold Here is that which dispelleth darkness cleareth doubts dissolveth hardness dissappointeth fears dischargeth cares solaceth sorrows and satisfieth desires Here is counsel and strength for peace and war Here is daily intelligence from Heaven And in a word here is the best Companion that ever a soul did choose And blessed they who can spiritually tone that short but high note Psal. 119. 98. Thy Commandments are ever with me And that they are not with the soul as a burden of idle attendants are with a man see what good offices they perform by their presence Prov. 6. 22. 23. They are as Hobab to Israel and David to Nabal Eyes and a Guard to us in the Wilderness In the World and chiefly in this World we change seats and Societies we shift conditions and habitations we go thorow the Wilderness of Baca from troop to troop we are driven from Temple Altar and Oracle and we are divided from our relations and dearest acquaintance whom we loved as our own Soul we are spoiled of our Companions with whom we took sweet counsel and went into the house of God But blessed that Soul who in all this can say I am not alone my good old friend the word of God the Bible the guide of my Youth hath not yet forsaken me it is with me yea it is in me in the midst of my heart and I bear about me daily a living coppy of those livly Oracles and they are more near me than my very self for my heart is within me and they are within my heart I may be separated from my self by death that parts the dearest Friends my heart may be pluckt from my breast and my Soul dislodged of my Body but my Companion the word of God and me shall nothing part Prosperity shall not cause me forget it And adversity will not cause it forget me I will never forget thy Precepts for with them thou hast quickned me Psal. 119. 93. As those who live upon the shoar have a very just diall of the measure and motion of the water which they can make use of without the sun so are the ebbings and flowings of our affections to the word of God the surest most universall and constant witnesses of our daily condition for albeit the darkness that is upon the face of our Souls may pretend that it is night with us yet if it be full sea in our affection to the word of God we may be sure it is noon day and when it is low water in our affection to the word sure then it is mid night and the sun was never seen at mid night Be sure it is ill with that Soul that is out of conceit with the word of God Now to say nothing of the malignant qualities of gross ignorants prophane
iniquities and the Rods of men that is such corrections as men use upon misdemeaning Children I find this true of publik Affliction of a whole Church or Nation 4 It is clear that the Lords Rods whether publick or personal upon his sinful People â—ow from love in the fountain are mixed with â—ove in their course and run forth into love in the â—ssue If this seem strange to any let him remember that he who spareth his Rod hateth his Child â—ut he that chasteneth him betimes delivereth his â—oul Gods thoughts concerning his People are thoughts of peace and not of evil to give them an expected end Jer. 29. 11. And in the midst of wrath he will remember mercy Habbac 3. 2. Gods love to his People is very consistent with anger though that be even servent to the Degree of wrath but not with hatred and hatred not anger is lov 's opposite an angry love is ofttimes most profitable Heb. 12. 10. Let none therefore be so weak and Child-witted as to eonclude I am sharply scourged and sore smitten for my folly herefore my Father hath cast me off and cares not for me And yet we find Affliction that makth a wise man mad raising such apprehensions oftâ—â—s in the wise heart of strong David I do not here speak how the Lord causeth his People to pass under the rod and bringeth them within the bond of the Covenant Ezek. 20 37. and how he chooses them in the furnace of Affliction Isai 48. 10. and that was an Affliction for sin and sadly deserved Rod And yet the Lord when he would pick out a piece of the finest mettal goes neither to Coffer nor Cup-board where the glistering of Peace and posterity dazle the eyes of undescreet behold ers but he goes to the smoak and Soot of the furnace and there he pitcheth upon the rareâ— Saints of the last refine The Lord goeth down to the Land of Affliction and to the house of Bondage to visit his People and there he falls in love with them there he wooes them and there he wedds them in their mourning Garments For the get not the oil of joy nor the Garment of Praise till the second day of the Marriage and then theâ— rise from the Dust and shine their light cometh and the Glory of the Lord ariseth upon them See Isai 48. 10. cited Hos. 2 14. and foreward Isai 61. 3. and 60. 1. In fine the Scripture is full oâ— rare and satisfactory Expressions of Gods love to his People even under sufferings which their own wickedness hath procured whereof it will apper tain to speak more particularly in the sequel of ouâ— ensuing Discourse 5thly It is clear from Scripture that there is difference to be put betwixt sin procuring and bringing on Sufferings and bitter Afflictions and sin discovered in and by suffering Let God caâ— a Holy Iob in the furnace and it will discover scum that will cause him say My Transgressions are infinit And yet the Lord himself sustains Iob's Plea that it was not for sin that he was pursuing him 6. It is clear that there is a great difference often times betwixt the Righteousness of God and the Righteousness of Men Afflicting his People as we see frequently in David's Cases Yea I find an excellent rare comfortable Dispensation of God to his People that he will sometimes scourge them with the Golden Rod of Martyrdom and correct their faults in an Honourable way and chastile them soundly and yet never let the World know what is betwixt him and them The Lord loves not to proclaim and blaze the bemoaned faults of his People nor to make them Odious to the World which hath a bad enough Opinion of them alwayes But if I must correct my Child saith he I will stay till the World and he fall out in some point of Conscience in Faith or manners wherefore he must suffer and then in my Gracious Wisdom I will shew a rare Conjunction or meeting of these three Planets in one house 1. The correction of my Child 2. His Glory and 3. His acceptable Duty and I will let him earn a reward of thanks and Glory in that very suffering wherein I shall visit his iniquities and he shall give Testimony for me God can go many Earauds at once and sold up many Projects in one piece of Providence the Lord will finish the whole work and cut it short in Righteousness because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth Rom. 9. 28. The Lord is good at dispatches If the Question be then whether God will ever Honour a Man with whom he hath a Controversie to suffer for Righteousness I Answer Yes and I confess I should hardly have been of that Judgment if I had not found clear Divine truth going before me in it comparing the whole tenor of the 38 Psalm with the 20. verse thereof where at once the Psalmist is suffering from men for that which is good and from God for his foolishness and iniquity Verses 4 5 and 18. Here it is fit to remember Luther's seasonable warning that when David in his Prayers speaketh of his Righteousness we would refer it to its true correlative to wit towards men his enemies he was Righteous but towards God that is his Language Be merciful to me O God be merciful to me in the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquities Psal. 51. The accuser of Gods Children will be ready to carry ill reports betwixt him and them and to keep up an ill understanding betwixt them if he can and in times of suffering for their Duty he will not be idle he will tell them a thousand Stories of their own sins to weaken their hands and cause them believe that God will never accept service of them but that they shall come foul off with all their fair Essayes Ye have heard of Gods Gracious Wisdom and now these are the Devil 's malicious wyles but a Syllogism or Argument framed of one premise of Gods and another of the Devil 's will never infer a Conclusion of Faith and that can claime â—iducial assent Wherefore in such a mixed case which I desire may be remembred to be every caseable let a man freely declare his iniquity 〈◊〉 God and be sorry for his sin Psal 38. 18. Let him repent and mean himself to God who as I have said loves to keep his People's Counsel and to keep their faults sub sigillo confessionis and under the rose that is he will be to them a good Secretary but â—â—t them cleave to that which is good and incourage themselves in a good matter and beware of failing in present Duty in a discourageing sense of former iniquities for one fault will never â—end another and yet that is even the best method that Satan useth to offer in such cases But the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem rebuke him for troubling his poor afflicted People who are as â—rands plukt out of the fire I have
and driven to the Wilderness Sometimes is more visible and glorious in the incorporat Societies of National Churches sometimes more latent and obscure in some few single persons scattered up and down in the World who it may be in their time are as little observed by the World as the seven thousand true Worshipers were by Elias in his time There is a time Prov. 28. 12. when a man is hidden And the Lord in the worst of times hath his hidden ones Psal. 83. 3. And when judgement returns unto righteousness all the upright in Heart will follow after it Psal. 94. 15. 2. God may utterly reject and totally cast off the visible Body of a particular Church Witness the Church of the Jews at this day and the seven famous Churches of Asia 3. God may sententially reject his People by Threatnings when he doth it not nor minds to do it eventually and effectually in his Dispensations God may list up his Hand against his People to overthrow them and he may say by his threatnings That he will destroy them as it is Psal. 106. 23. 26. When yet they are spared he may frame a Bill of Divorse against his Church but not give it her into her hand Zeph. 2. 2. The Decree or the threatning intimating the Decree is one thing and the bringing forth of the Decree or the execution of that Threatning is another thing Repentance will obtain both a Suspension and Repeal of a Sentence of rejection In a word God may cast out with his people and not cast them off for all that He may Censure them within doors when he minds not to put them to the door The Lord may say he cannot owne a Whore and yet he is Married to her and he threatens to cast off a Whore that so he may keep still an honest Woman 4. God may really and effectually cast out his People when yet he doth not cast them off A Whore may be put to the door and taken home again Ier. 3. 1. A Leprous Miriam may be put out of the Camp and taken in again God may not only say by his threatnings but seem to confirm it by his Dispensations that his People are out-casts and yet He gathers the out-casts of Israel Psal. 147. 2. The Lord hath oft times in his Dispensations so shewed himself to his People testifying his Displeasures against them that even those who were more than common Counsellors with God and were best acquaint with his wayes have had right sad apprehensions of total off-casting Ier. 14. 19 Hast thou utterly rejected Judah Psal. 85 5 6. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all Generations Wilt thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoyce in thee And yet in the 9th verse and O! if this were the answer for the Mourners and inquirers in Scotland his salvation is near them that fear him that Glory may dwell in our land So that these are three very different things 1. Gods casting out with his People 2. His casting out his People And 3. his casting his People off 5. God may reject one Generation of a Church or Nation as a Generation of his wrath and yet his Covenant stand with the same Nation or Church Witness that Generation with whom the Lord's Spirit was grieved fourty years and whose Carcases fell in the Wilderness 6. God may cast off the Incorporation of a Church or Nation whereof sometimes he reserves a remnant to whom he will be gracious and with whom he will establish his Covenant Paul Rom. 11 at the beginning shews that be with Israel as it will God will not cast off his own Elect such as he himself was And Rom. 9. 27 though a number like the sand of the Sea be destroyed Yet a remnant shall be saved as saith Isaiah chap. 1 vers 9. And that is the grand consolation when all goes to all That of all that the Father hath given him Christ will lose none Joh. 6. 39. A Son of perdition when he meets with a temptation may go from Christ's very elbow both to Hell and the Halter at once ' But however such may be lent to Christ to make use of in a common Service for a time yet certain it is that they have never been given to him for Salvation But yet God is good to Israel Psal. 73. 1. But here two distinctions are fit to be remembered The 1. is Paul's distinction Rom. 9 6. betwixt Israel and those that are of Israel Common Professors Carnal Hypocrites and unbelievers may expect little mercy in a time of publick off-casting of a Church or Nation The 2d distinction is Hosea's in this Chapter betwixt the Children of a Whore and the Children of her Whoredoms This Whorish Church had lawfully begotten Children Ammi and Ruchamah to whom the Prophet who likwise himself was one and a brother of those Children is commanded to apply himself and of these there were few in that time of publick Apostacy But then in the 4th verse of this Chapter there are the ill begotten Children of her Whoredoms whose names in the 1 Chapter were called Loammi and Loruchamah and these were many The Children of Whoredoms are those who comply in judgment or practice with the common course of a Churches Apostacy whose Faith and Principles if they have any are not the fruit of the immortall seed of the incorrupted Word of God but of the inventions and Commandments of men or the delusions and impostures of Satan which their Adulterous Mother the Church that so breeds them who is damned for that she hath forsaken her first faith is so fond of If a Woman be a gaudy light Person it may readily render her Children suspected but if she be an arrand notorious Whore then it is too likely and in the case of Religion it is almost necessary and certain that si Mater Meretrix Filia talis erit If the mother be a Whore the Daughter will be such also and so the Proverb shall be fulfilled Ezek. 16. 44. As is the Mother so is the Daughter Papists breed their Children Papists and other Folk breed their Children such as they themselves are and few Children make their Fathers Religion better and therefore sad is the case of young ones that fall into corrupt times and sad is the condition of these times wherein young ones are bred corrupt There is little appearance if Soveraign goodness interpose not that they shall soon be better Because a person ordinarly persists in those Principles wherewith they have been first possessed by education for Solomon tells us that whatsoever way a Child is trained up in he will not depart from it when he is old and quo semel est imbutarecens servabit odorem testa diu A new vessel will keep the first scent long But moreover there is real ground of fear that such times shall still grow worse and worse for evil beginnings have worse proceedings they
he held his peace to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not Moreover 5. in some Dispensations the Lord uses a Holy simulation and makes as if he would do that which he hath no mind to do Sometimes he makes to take leave of his People before he tell his Erand Let me go says he to Jacob when Iacob was but yet beginning to know that it was he and ere ever there was a word of the blessing which he came to leave with Iacob for his encouragement in his encounter with his Brother And Christ made as if he would have passed by his Disciples at Sea and the like semblance he made Luke 24 28. Now if we can have the patience to observe we will sometimes see the Issue of Dispensations other than it appeared And for patient Observation of Dispensations 1. respice finem a good advice Behold the end Psal. 37 37. It is the end that we are bidden mark and behold aâ— I said above We must not conclude of Dispensations neither by appearances nor parts We must wait till we see every part do its part for all works together Rom. 8. 28. And 2 respice usque finem Behold or observe to the end is an other direction necessary to the practice of the former whose would see the end must behold with patience to the end Daniel 12 8. enquires concerning the end of things and he observes till the time of the end he looks thorow all interveening times of the accomplishment of these events manifested to him so albeit none of us hath a prophetical Spirit to lead us thorow future times yet the Faith and Patience of Saints teaches us to wait all our appointed time In our patient Observation of Dispensations we must be like the Prophet Isai 21 8. where he saith I stand continually upon the watch tower in the day and I am set in my ward whole nights My soul waits for the Lord sayes David more than the watch waits for the morning Psal. 130. 6. I say more than they that wait for the morning and by such patient Observation he had seen many a foul night have a fair morning Sorrow may be at night but joy comes in the morning Psal 30 5. 3dly We should observe the Lords Dispensations with Search and Secrutiny Psal. 77. 6. my spirit made diligent search 1. We should search the Lord's affection in Dispensations and whether they be in mercy or in wrath many get their will and asking in wrath Psal. 78. 30. 31. some are rebuked and chastened but not in wrath nor displeasure as David Prayes for himself Psal. 6 1. Therefore the question would be Ier. 14. 19. hast thou rejected â—udah hath they soul loathed Zion 2dly We would search the Reasons and procuring causes of sad Dispensations Iob 10 2. shew me wherefore thou conâ—endest with me 3dly We would search and inquire â—nent the event of Dispensations wilt thou not revive us again that thy People may rejoice in thee Psal. 85. 6. We are allowed likwise 4thy to search and enquire anent the continuance of Dispensations to this purpose we read in Scripture many a how long Lord In sad Dispensations likwise 5ly we should search for solid grounds of comfort and for this we should remember bygone times and remember the kindness we have tasted of in them Psal. 89. 49. Lord where are thy former loving kindnesses Psal 77. 10. I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high But in the Observation of Dispensations our search would be 6ly chiefly about our Duty our main question would be Lord what wilt thou have me to do Act 9 6. And our great Petition with David must be lead me O Lord in they righteousnes because of mine enemies make thy way straight before my face Psal. 5. 8. teach me thy way O Lord and I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy name Psal. 86. 11. 4. We should observe the Dispensations of God with Regard the challenge is Isai 5. 12 that they regard not the work of the Lord. This Regard is a due judgment and estimation of the works of God with reverence becoming the Majesty worth and excellency of the worker and the works and that leaves an impression of Piety and Religion upon the heart of the Observer according to that pathetick exclamation Rev. 15 4. who shall not not fear thee O Lord and glorify they name for thou art Holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest Due Observation of the works of God is a great curb to Atheisme and Prophanity and Atheisme and Prophanity are as great enemies to due Observation of divine Dispensations Put men in fear O Lord that they may seek thy name 5ly We should observe the Lord Dispensations with Affection Lament 3 51. mine eye affecteth mine heart the Prophet's Observation of Dispensations made him cry my bowels my bowels my heart is pained within me Jer. 4. 19. I reckon him a savage person and one that hath vicera fera triplex circa pectus robur the bowels of a tygar or bear and that his heart is brass oak or stones who is not affected with the Dispensations of our times who grieves not for the afflictions of Joseph Amos6 6. and who cryes not alas for the day for none is like it It is the day of Jacob's trouble Jer. 30. 7. 6. We should observe the Lords works with Memory in our Observations of things present we should reflect upon these that are past in former times I remember the days of old Psal. 153. 5. And likwise we would lay up in memory our present Observations for the time to come Psal. 48. 12 13. Mark ye well that ye may tell it to the generation following We have both joined together Psal 78 3 4. that which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us we will not hide from their children â—hewing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderfull works that he hath â—one The Psalmist says Psal. 111. 4. The Lord hath made his wonderful works to be remembred O! then â—t not the memory of the Lords Works go down â—n our days Let us comfort our selves with what â—s remembred and let us transmit the memory of the Lords Works to succeeding Generations that they may share of the same comforts And I believe the People of God in this time have much to â—o with their memory we hear not what we were wont to hear nor see what we were wont to see We are now left to gather up the Fragments of former enjoyments by the hand of a Sanctified memory One says O I shall still think well of Christ He shall be to me as the Apple tree alongst the trees of the Wood for the day was then I sat down under his shaddow and his fruit â—as sweet to my taste Cant. 2. 3. Another
this chapter when by affliction she is put to a stand in her course of sin it is yet intended further that she return to her first Husband and this is brought to effect Hos chap. 6. verse 1. Come sayes she and let us return unto the Lord For he hath torn c Simple cessation from sin without true conversion in time of affliction may put a person or People to Pharaoh's Expences of multiplyed Rods and Plagues one after another with the hazard of utter destruction in the end Learn we then in the Wilderness to say as is meet to be said unto God Iob 34. 31 32. I have born Chasitsement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more Let us turn throughly from all iniquity and that with all our Heart And thus to the first reason and its several respects Why the Lord brings his People into the Wilderness It is their sin 2. The Lord brings his people into the Wilderness for their Tryal and Exercise Deut. 8. 2. The Lord did all that unto thee to prove thee to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest keep his Commandments or not Rom. 5. 3 4 5. Tribulation sets all graces on work in the Saints Thus the Lord dealt with the Church Psal. 44. from the 17 verse to the 23 and Psal 66. 10. Thus he dealt with Iob. The Lord is come to these Nations with his fan in his hand he is winnowing us as Wheat and he will throughly purge his floor Matth. 3 12. and who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a refyners fire and like fullers sope and he shall sit as a refiner and as a purifyer of silver and he shall purify the sons of Levi and purge them as Gold and Silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness Malach 3 2 3. Now the secrets of many hearts are discovered now we â—ee the ground of mens stomachs and what corruption and rotten stuffe hath been lurking under â—he beauty of untryed profession Would not some have said am I a dog if that which they have how done had been told them a few years ago Now it is seen Daniel 11. 34. that many did cleave to the Covenant with flatteries but the next verse being the 35. says further That some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and to make them white even to the time of the end because it is yet for a time appointed Therefore blessed is he that endureth to the end And let him that standeth take heed lest he fall The strange discoveries the great stumbling and many off fallings â—f men in these times afford me the serious and confirmed thoughts how few there are that shall â—e saved and how hardly these few Malachie's â—efiners fire comprehends both all the tryals of a present time and also and specially the great and solemn last tryal of the Judgment of the great day when many a mans work shall be burnt up and himself shall be saved yet so as by fire 1 Cor. 3. 15. â—hen shall all the sinners and hypocrits in Zion be affraid and surprized for that they cannot dwell â—â—th devouring fire nor with everlasting burnings Isai. â—3 14. There will be many amissing that day in the Congregation of the righteous that here haâ—â— sitten chief in the Assembly In general this is thâ— verity but towards the particular persons of â—â— ther 's I must walk with Charity as toward â—â— self with fear and humble Jealousie This oâ—â— all would remember that they who cannot enduâ—â— the wide sieve of larger tryals in a present time wiâ—â— never be able to abide the narrow search of a striâ—â— judgment at the end of time But as the Lord will have his People tryed so he will have theâ—â— likwise Exercised and their Graces imployed Idleness is a hateful and unhappy evil in People We faâ— an idle man must always have something to work he that ceaseth to do well will soon learn â—â— do ill To prevent that the Lord puts work 〈◊〉 his Peoples hand for he hath not given theâ— Graces and Talents to hide in a napkin under thâ— earth but to be imployed and improven to use and therefore he appoints affliction as a taâ—â— master to call forth all their Graces to workâ— and to receive the Tale of every mans Work that it may be known what profit they make Thâ— time of affliction should be a bussy time like Eating time and Harvest to the People of God But alas to many may be said in truth that which Pharaoh said to the Israelites in cruel scorn ye â—â— idle ye are idle Exod. 3 17. Only his inference and mine run very contrary ye are idle says he and therefore ye say let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord But ye are idle say I and therefore ye say noâ— let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord Now if the Lord bring his People into affliction for their Exercise hence it is consequentially inferred that if their Afflictions do not Exercise them to purpose they are not like to come out of them in haste I fear many but play with their Afflictions and look upon all the sad sights they see in the Wilderness but as so many farleyes fit to entertain their curiosity and to cause them gaze And I exhort all to be serious with their Afflictions 3. The Lord brings his People to the Wilderness that they may be the more fit to receive the impressions of his will and communications of his Goodness Thus we see throughout this Chapter the Lord designes jointly her Reformation and Consolation by all these bitter threatnings and afflicting Dispensations And Chapter 5 15. of this â—ame Prophesy of Hosea I will go says the Lord and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face In their Affliction they will seek â—e early And as the whole have no need of the Physician but the sick they now finding the disease of their Affliction to purpose and so being the better fitted for the Communications of the Lords goodness in their deliverance return to him in this confidence that he who hath torn will heal them c. and that his coming to them verse 3d shall be as the rain to the earth which being parchâ—d with drought is well ready for a showre People â—n Prosperity readily are not so fit to receive either the impressions of Gods will for then speak to them and they will not hear Jer. 22. 1. Or the Communications of his Goodness for then they an say we are Lords and we will not come to thee Jer. 2. 31. But Affliction fits them better both for the one and for the other In prosperity as in the noise of a City every thing is heard but nothing is hearkened to and the common noise swallows
as thou livest and as thy soul liveth I will not do this thing It is time our loins were girded our shoes were on our sect our staff in our hand and our stuff and provision upon our shoulder for we must to the Wilderness and what if we go out in haste It is good to be in good Company it is better if Moses had any skill to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Heb. 11. 25. They who will not suffer with the people of God may suffer with worse Company They who will not go forth with Lot unto the mountains may possibly sit still till they get brimstone and fire from Heaven and the smoak of Sodom about their ears for he that will save his life unlawfully shall loss it unhappily and he that will loss his life in Resolution may find it in Reality Even as a man doth in stepping of a Ditch with any thing that is either of weight or worth to him his Clock his Case of letters or Papers of concernment his heavy purse or the like lest he loss and indamnage himself and them both he casts all over before him and so coming over with the less trouble he lifts all again upon the other side and so losses nothing of that which he cast away but that he might keep it and himself both whereas if he had kept all about him he might have lost himself and all together but all is not ost that is in peril Let us then with chearfulness turn our face towards the Wilderness The second Use shall be for Information to all such of the Lords People as are either upon their way to the Wilderness or are already arrived there they would not think strange of such a condition it has been it is and it will be the lot of the Lords Children Cant. 8. 5. the high way to Christs mountain of Myrrh and hill of frankincense lyes thorow the Wilderness and there he comes forth to meet them and leads them up in his bosome leaning upon his own arms There doth no strange thing befall the Saints when the Lord brings them into the Wilderness for even as Moses Exod. 3. 1. led his flocks into the backside of the desart and was not that a presage of what followed when he led Israel as a flock through the Wilderness so doth the Lord oft times with his People albeit the Wilderness is a solitary unfrequented place where no foot of man cometh yet in it you may take up and trace the footsteps of the Lords flock who through much tribulation have entred into the Kingdome of God and there ye may follow them who through faith and patience have inherited the promises The Saints will find the footsteps of the flock in their greatest Wilderness and may be helped with the light of precedent Examples in their greatest darkness For now that the Lord through so many ages hath led his Saints to Heaven by so many different paths of Dispensations for there is but one common road of Religion the Kings high Way I doubt there is any untroden path remaining to be discovered by this Generation I only fear one difference which makes indeed a great odds in lots be found betwixt our case and the case of those that have gone before us and it is this That they were better men in as ill times for worse I would none But in that I pray whom shall we blame and know we not how that should be helped See that ye walk circumspectly as wise and not as fools redeeming the time because the days are evil Eph. 5. 15 16. If ill times find no good men let ill times make good men and good men will make good times or els bad times shall make good men better But of the Parity of cases I said much in the Preface The Third Use of the point shall be for Direction bsince the People of God may thus expect to be rought into the Wilderness it concerns them to take their directions for the Wilderness for our direction in such a condition I shall without insisting briefly hint at some things I to be avoided 2 dly some things to be endeavoured Things to be avoided by such as are brought into the Wilderness are I Unbelief Psal. 78. 22 23. the Israelites believed not God in the Wilderness and therefore he was provoked Heb. 3. 18 19. the Apostle tells us expresly that those who believed not their carcasses fell in the Wilderness and for their unbelief they could not exter into the land of promise 2 Discouragment would be avoided Numb 14. 1. the People through Discouragment cryed and weept for the report that the spyes gave them and frequently els-where they expressed their Discouragement upon the emergency of every new difficulty their cry was always that they should die in the Wilderness and in that they read their own fortune Numb 14. 28. for the Lord was provoked for their unbelief and other sins to do to them as they had said Beware of Unbeliefs bode-words for like the Devil's responses their accomplishments are always evil to those that take them In all the World I know no such ready way to Apostacy and utter forsaking of God as Discouragment Experience hath said so much to confirme this that I shall not need to bring reason into the field But this I must say have the experience of Discouragment who will they have it to their expences And if I were to die I would leave Discouragment this testimony that it is dear bought misery 3. Avoid Murmuring fretting discontentment with the Lords Dispensations with complaints of his unkindness Numb 14 2. all the Children of Israel murmured and Chap. 6 42. they murmured against Moses and Aaron But Moses could tell them what are we that ye speak against us nay but your words are against the Lord yea and Numb 21. 5. it is expresly said the People spoke against God and against Moses And still their tune was wâ—y have ye brought us up out of Egypt Just like many in our Generation why say they your Reâ—ormation your Covenant and your Ministers have served you well but verily their words are against the Lord for we owne his name in these and glorify him whom they dishonour When the Children of Israel murmured in the Wilderness they had forgotten how once they groaned because of their oppression in Egypt and in that they may be more excusable than we for the Red sea had ridd perpetual marches betwixt them and their oppressours but we get not leave to forget our oppression in the times of our former subjection to them who derive their power from her who is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt Revel n. 8. I mean Prelats who are indeed the house of the Elder brother but fallen back for that they have come short of the blessing and now hold of the Pope the younger who hath supplanted them handsomely and got betiwxt