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
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
he faithful Sayings of God that it is hid to none â—ut those that perish whose eyes the God of this World hath blinded So absurd a thing is Atheism that even those who serve the Devil cannot want their God At the Birth of Jesus there appeared a Star in the East which guided the Wise-men by their Presents seeming to have been Greatmen to the place where the was But the Scripture like the Sun is the great Light that ruleth the day of the Gospel circling the World as long as the Sun and continuing while the Moon endureth Rom 10. 17. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God But I say have they not heard yes verily their sound went out into all the Earth and their words unto the Worlds end In the Creation the first-born Light of the first day lasting but three dayes concentred and ceased in the enduring Luminaries the product of the fourth day So in the Regeneration the light of Christs personal Preaching lasting just as many Prophetical dayes Dan. 9 27. hath given place to the Scripture-light that endureth for ever and the sure word rf Prophecy to which we do well to take heed as to a Light that shineth in a dark place This is the Light that maketh all things manifest even the thoughts and intents of the Heart that discovereth all things to Men and a Man to himself both what he is and what he ought to be And what manner of persons ought we to be 2 Pet 23 â—1 Truly this Light is sweet and intertaineth uâ— with variety of delightful Objects Amongst which of late happening to be detained with these last words of Nehemiah and seeing them like a well done Portrait in all stances looking towards me with an eye of Instruction walking and returning and still more desireously beholding hardly could I be satisfied with a sixth View Remember me O my God for good Nehem. 13. last THESE words at the very first view do clearly hold forth That There is a God And that both by an express Testimony of his blessed Name that heard in all the Scripture and seen in all his Works â—e Man of Wisdom shall see thy Name Mic. 6. 9. And force of Reason from the inclination and motiâ—â— of the Soul which finding nothing but emptiness home goeth forth in quest of Happiness and but â—arpening its desires with all that is imperfect is â—â—tisfied only with a perfect Good And that is â—od So unhappy by necessity is every one that is ungodly The Pythagorean and Hermetick Method of â—ence is the best Instructer of this Truth which euery Man may read off his own Soul Be still and know at I am God How shall I know that By my own desires and Expectations which can take up with other thing Whom have I in Heaven but thee and Earth what desire I beside thee And now Lord what â—â—t I for my hope is in thee If a raving Stoick or petulant Dialogist shall say that these Soul-ardors â—e but the intemperat extravagant heats of a working Fancy quickned by the touch of a Platonick Iâ—a rather to be starved to extinction than indulâ—â—d to satisfaction It is Answered seriously That â—â—icile est hominem exuere Or can any of them by an â—ey of Fancy quiet an earning Stomack or cure a â—erish Body let be without quenching the Spirit â—d starving the Soul still otherwise than by Satisfaction and enjoyment of the desired Object these Soul-longings and Desires which are ever strongest â—â—d most eager in the greatest serenity With my Soul â—â—ve I desired thee in the night by night upon my Bed â—ought him whom my Soul loved And the Lord is in â—e still voice To make good the Argument let it be added That the Sagest Holyest Noblest Soâ— are alwayes the hottest in this pursuit such as Pâ—â— Isay Nehemiah David Now after what is the King of Israel come out after what doth he pursue aâ—ter a Flea after a Fancy or should a wife Man â—â—ter vain knowledge and like Simon Patricks Pilgrim fill his Belly with the East-wind Now shall aâ— Man be so unmerciful to conclude all the Worâ—â— unavoidably miserable that they may be Atheist or shall they be so unwise thus to be abused to tâ—â— hazarding even of a possibility of Happiness Fâ—â— if there be Happiness there is a God and if theâ— be no God there can be no Happiness And wâ— then are all Men made in vain If there be no Men for what do we Hunger if no Drink what do 〈◊〉 Thirst for if no Glory saith Cicero for what 〈◊〉 all Men labour if no Rest way weary we our selves in vain if no God no Happiness what is this oâ—â— Souls do so importunately pursue with a serioâ—â— loathing of all that is seen or what hath wakenâ— in them those desires that can never be stilled till thâ— get what they seek And what say these Soul-longings Thirstings Pantings Breathings but that 〈◊〉 thou beest an Atheist thou must put out the Soul aâ— put off the Man How seasonable may this Reflection be in a Woâ—â—â— where Atheism is acted in so various Guises by some with a Fools Heart in a Fools Coat saying in 〈◊〉 Heart There is no God by others in a Philosopher Garment for in the judgement of God The Worâ—â— by wisdom knew not God by some in the dress of Hypocrite In words professing to know God but â—â— works denying him By others in the person of Amhitryo thinking that God is altogether such a one â—s himself By some in Epicurus his person complementing God with the Kingdom of Heaven â—nd offering to relieve him of the abaseing pensive and expensive charge of these his Low Countries saying He will neither do Good nor Evil But he is a God that judgeth in the Earth By others in the Robs of Pharaoh the Egyptian Tyrant braving and defying God Who is the Lord that I should obey him or harken to his voice By some in the Pontificalls of Antichrist With a Mouth speaking great things against the most High boasting himself that he is God exalting himself above all that is called God or is Worshiped By others in the Equipage of a Souldier fighting against God with Wit and Power Pen and Sword But let such as Make War against the holy Covenant and Saints of the most High that hate the Gospel and hinder the Preaching thereof take Gamaleels counsel and beware lest they be found even to fight against God For there is neither Counsel nor Strength against the Lord and who ever hardned himself against him and prospered The Second View of these Words presents to us clearly The Immortality of the Soul This is establisht 1. Upon the same ground with the former For if the Souls Happinessly in the enjoyment of a perfect and so necessarly an unchangeable Good sit must undeniably be Immortal both to enjoy and praise its Obiect Et miserum est fuisse felicem There is no Happiness not perpetual else
Ruler Isay 3 6. Be thou our Ruler and let this ruine be under thy hand Nor can he love to have it recorded that in his dayes such evils prevailed unreformed it was when there was no King in Israel that every man did what was right in his own eyes If the health of the People be not recovered it sayeth there is no Physician there Ier 8 22. But a good Ruler scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheel over them and he may say with David Psal 75 3. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved I bear up the pillars of it he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 name and thing a Ioseph the Ston of Israel Such a one was Moses the Law-giver such was Iosua his successor such were the Judges of Israel such was Samuel such were all the good Kings of Judah such was Ezra the Scribe and such was Nehemiah the Tirshatha an eminent Reformer of Religion and state of Church and Kingdom For Religion in general Gods Holy Commandments were broken by all ranks of persons prophanity and iniquity prevailed and abounded that is solemnly confessed and amended Chapters 1. 9. In particular oppression reigned that is quashed Chap 5. and the People relieved false Prophets were hired by the enemy and bribed to compliance to weaken the Rulers hands and hinder the work of Reformation they are discovered and marked Chap 6. The ordinary worship of God and his Solemn Feasts were disused these are restored ch 8. For advancing and establishing the whole Reformation a Solemn Fast is kept ch 9. and a Covenant subscribed ch 10. The Holy Seed had mingled themselves and matched with strangers People of heathen abominations they separate themselves and that is amended ibid. The offerings of the Lord were neglected these are renewed ibid The Sabbaths were horribly prophaned That is strictly and with certification discharged and they not suffered to lodge about the walls Chap 10 31. and 13 15. and foreward The service of God was neglected by non-residence of the Priests through calamity and want that also is helped Chap. 10 11 12 13. ver 10. The orders and services of the Preists and Levits were confused these are cleared and they set to their charges as appointed by David Chap 7. 63 12. 45. and 13 30 Strangers uncircumcised had entred and defiled the Congregation of the Lord these are removed chap 13 3 Profane Persons of the Princes of the heathen had lodgings in the Lords house they are expelled and the Chambers cleansed Chap. 13. 8. 9. Some of the chief of the Preists had defiled the Covenant of the Preisthood by strange wives they are branded and that also is amended For the State the city the place of their Fathers sepulchres lay waste and the gates thereof were consumed with fire First these are repaired The people and their work are strongly opposed and sore reproached they are vindicated and their hands strengthened Chap. 2 4. When the City is built it is not manned therefore inhabitants and defendants are appointed Chap. 11. The People suffer sore by morgage the great sin of the oppressors belonging to the former head and calamity of the oppressed pertaining to this part that is redressed Chap 5. Open and secret enemies correspond and plot against the work and the Ruler these are discovered and disappointed Chap. 6. They are in great reproach and distress God is sought and means are used Chap. 4 and 6. They are poor husbandry and traffick is practised only the Sabbaths work and markets are discharged Oppression is born down and the People relieved of publick burdens Nehemtah the Governour and his brethren neither exacted the bread of the Governour nor bought Land nor refused to work as others O for such Rulers to a nation scattered and peeled a nation â—meâ—ted out and troden down whose land is spoiled Isay 18 2. Our Rulers if they had a mind have a fair occasion for I bs Gloriation Chap. 29. 13. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me c. In this time are great decayes desolations abuses and unsufferable corruptions let it not be thought an Error proceeding from the Ruler And here People would be warned to enencourage and comply with Reforming Rulers not as they were in Hezekiahs and Josiahs times inveterate incureable and obstinate in their corruptions lest they hear that Hos. 10 3 4. A King can do them no good because they feared not the Lord and spake words swearing falsly in making a Covenant But this pertaineth to the Ruler That whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven be diligently done for the house of the God of Heaven lest there be wrath against the realm of the King and his Sons Ezra 7-23 And that Judgment run like a river and righteousness like a mighty stream That he take his pattern from the type and Antitype who also is the Archetype Ruler Psal. 72. So shall there be abundance of peace and also in Judah things shall go well 3. The good Ruler hath a natural Fatherly and tender care of the People Thus it s said I say 49. 23. Kings shall be nursing Fathers And in Israel they were wont to mourn for good Rulers with this expression ab my brother Ier 2â— 18. Yea he is the breath of our nostrils Lament 4 20. by whom in the publick body we lead a quiet life and peaceable in all Godliness and honesty 1 Tim. 2. 2. He is pater patriae parens Reip. Nor can I see what should have moved those dissembling Emperours who in semblance refused the title of Lord to make so nice of the endearing name of Father of the Countrey but simply the conscience that they did as little deserve the name as they designed the thing But surely as a Rich man will never want an heir a good Ruler can never want Children nor needs he fear Coniahs fate Write ye this man Childless for if he have the heart of a Father he shall have the nameth 〈◊〉 better than sons and daughters We find not that Nehemiah was marryed yet his name flourisheth in the records of his eminent services more than if his line had continued uninterrupted to this day The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Four things are proper to the care of a Father Affection Instruction Correction and Provision all which are evident in Nehemiah the Governour Great is his Affection Chap. 1 3 4. And how Sadly taketh he on for the reproach and affliction of his brethren he sat down and weept and mourned certain dayes and fasted and Prayed before the God of Heaven He cannot digest their grief Chap 8. 9 10. When the People Weept he said Go your way eat the fat and drink the sweet and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared for this day is holy neither be ye sad for the joy of the Lord is your strength For Instruction he causeth the Priests read to them the book of the Law of
ingratitude and fate of Joash 2 Chron. 24. Whereby is manifest that this observation is large as useful as true concerning the Ruler But the path of the Iust is as the shining light which groweth brighter and brighter unto the noon-tiâ—e of the day And such a one is the good Ruler Now from this illustrat Character shine forth in so many bright beams 1. The Original 2 Dignity 3 Duty 4. Necessity 5. Usefulness and 6. â—arity of the good Ruler All which so rich a piece is Scripture may be easily deduced from one sentence of Psal 82 6. I have said ye are Gods and all of you are Children of the most high And because I know that both is evil manners to come â—athly into and go hastily from the presence of a Ruler I shall for a salutation shut up my view with this seasonable exhortation That in this Atheistical age the Ruler would do his Author the Honour himself the pleasure and a discontented unbelieving World the favour to shew forth so much of God in his person and administrations that those who will not believe may see and those who will not see may feel That there is a God that God judgeth in the earth and that by his vicegerent that he be unquestionably good himself an incourager of those that do well and a terror of evil doers that by the shaddow of Divinity in the Ruler the World if possible may be convinced of the body and substance and by the sight of the beautiful portrait may be enamoured of the original And you O Christian People consider Christ is not divided nor contrary to himself He is by nature and eternal Generation Lord of the World and God of policy and order as well as of the Church by pact and dispensation and it is more than probable that Rulers hold not Christ as Mediator Christianity received into the policy is not so untoward or unpleasant a Guest as to disturb its own quarter and Religion but getteth the medlers blow when it sendeth a sword or occasioneth division for of it 's own nature it is a harmless peace-pursuer and they were sworn enemies and slanderers of our Saviour who said he was an enemie to Casar for he taught his followers to give unto Casar the things that are Casars and unto God the things that are Gods Learn then of him to pay what we owe unto the Ruler How much are we indebted to so rare and excellent a creature as is the good Ruler We owe the Ruler 1. Honour in heart and behaviour 2 Subjection in lawful obedience or in humble submission 3. Information and assistance in our respective stations 4. Tribute and the bread of the Governour 5. And with all our owing we owe Prayer 1 Tim. 2. 2. 1. Sam. 24. 13. As saith the Proverb of the ancients wickedness proceedeth from the wicked But God forbid that the hand of any that fear God should be upon the Lords anointed A tender conscience so far exercised to Godliness as to flee from all appearance of evil cannot digest the least approach to or appearance of wrong to the Ruler Say I this as a man or sayeth not the Scripture the same also ibid. 5 v. Davias heart smot him because he had cut off Sauls skirt The 5th view of this useful piece presents to us the Exit and retreat of the Ruler Rulers like men upon a Stage walk much in a disguise or like Mercury and Aeneas in a cloud but here we have the Ruler going off with open face and with an eye to God to himself and to his reward Remember me O my God for good His eye is upon God 1. As a Witness for remembrance is of things known and Gods knowledge is by sight and Intuition He that can say with David Psal. 119 168. All my wayes are before thee may save the travel and shun the woe of those that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord and their works are in the dark and they say who seeth us and who knoweth it Isay 29. 15. And their turning of things upside down is as the potters clay they attempt more than they are able and presume where they have no power A proud Ruler may say to the Lords Messengers who made thee of the Kings Counsel But they would remember that Elisha the Prophet could tell the King of Israel the words which the Syrian King spoke in his bed-chamber and who told him but God that heard them Let Rulers learn in their time to put God upon their counsels and make him a witness of their practises left when they must goe off they find with Jacob that God was there though they knew it not nor called him to the Council 2. As a Friend O my God Happy he Ruler or other who can say with his Saviour I go to my Father and my God He may in the Apostles words proclaim a bold defiance to all adversity If God be with us who shall be against us He may meditat terrour with the greatest security Isay 33 18. Though the World should be shaken and suffer sack he may say with the Philosopher but upon better reason that he is sure to be no loser yea though Hell were poured upon him and heaven should seem to have forsaken him My God My God even then shall support him Every one seeks the Rulers favour and the Ruler would study to have a friend of his Superior They who court alliance and interest would be perswaded that this is the highest Bewar of that friend that makes God an enemy and of that gain where God is losed Luther pronounces him a Divine who can well distinguish the Law and Gospel and he is no less a Christian Ruler or other who can reconcile them in my God Wouldst thou either get or know an interest in God take the short and sure method of the Psalmist who also himself was a great Ruler in that golden Ps. 16 2. O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my Lord. 3. As a rewarder for his remember being a figure that putteth the antecedent for the consequent in proper speaking is reward me And shall not he render to every man according to his works Prov. 24 12. Ps. 62 12 And verily there is a reward for the righteous Fear not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward I fear the bad reward of some hath tempted others to do well to themselves in their own time but with greater reason I fear that those who are thus tempted have but a faint respect to the recompense of reward But God who is not unfaithful to forget the service and labour of any will sure be mindful of a good Ruler If Iehosaphat be reproved his faults remembred and wrath threatned yet his good deeds are not forgotten Nevertheless there are good things found in thee 2 Chron. 19. 2. 3. Most frequently throught the Scripture the saints petition for reward is presented in the
insisted upon his case because of it self it is a weighty deserving one and I have not seen any who hath directly spoken to it but one who dispatcheth it to good purpose in a word It is worthy Mr. Scuder in his Christians daily walk this book was by famous Mr. Alexander Henderson recommended and gifted as a vade mecum or pocket piece to his â—riend at that time a young Gentlman going into â—rance where page 263 he speaketh thus You will say if you did bear Afflictions for Christ then you could think and expect well of it but you oftimes suffer Affliction justly for your sin I Answer saith he for he had been speaking of that Scripture 2 Cor. 4. 17 18 though this place principally point at Martyrdom and suffering for Christs cause yet it is all one in your case if you will bear Afflictions patiently for his sake A man may suffer Afflictions for Christ two ways First when he suffereth for his Religion and for his cause 2dly when a man suffereth any thing that God layeth on him quietly and for Christs will and commands sake This Latter is more general than the former and the former must be comprehended in this Latter els the former suffering for Christs cause if it be not in love and obedience for Christs sake out of Conscience to fulfil his will is nothing whereas he that endureth patiently endures Affliction for Christ though he never be put to it to suffer for profession of Christ and iâ— such an one were put to it he would readily suffer for Christs cause and such Afflictions as these thus patiently endured work also this excellent weight of Glory as well as the other By these and the like reasonings of faith you may world your Souls to patience as David and others have done by casting Anchor on God and on his word fixing their stay and hope in God Let the issue of your reasoning be this I will wait on God and yet for all matter of disquietment will praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Thus Mr. Scudder and truely none could have spoken more nor to better purpose in so few words And thus have I spoken to Scripture examples of cases Parralleling the weightiest of cases incident to any man now living Only be it remembered that cases are as faces many agree in some things some in many things none in all things There is in every mans case something peculiar aggravating it beyond that of another man and as the Heart knows its own grief every man knows best the plague of his own Heart but he knows not at least feels not his Neighbours sores Hence every one judgeth his own case worst of all it may be the best is bad enough and yet the worstis not so bad but it may be better In the second place for Vindication of the Scriptures from the foresaid disheartning prejudices I shall lay down this very self-ground whereupon the querulous Soul doth walk though with a halting foot That those Cases are hopeful and cureable that are paralleled and practicable in Scripture that is to say That such whereof the Scripture gives account have been either hopeful and curable or actually have been cured and helped And thus I reason è converso or by exchange That case is hopeful and curable which is paralleled and practicable But such is thy case it hath a match in Scripture and therefore curable That is Paralleled and hath a match in Scripture I prove thus A case concluded hopeless hath a match in Scripture But such is thy case thou concludes it hopeless And therefore it hath a match in Scripture That a case concluded hopeless hath a match in Scripture it is clear in that the Lord finds fault with those in Ieremiah that said their was no hope and assures them there is hope if they will return and repent It is clear likewise from the Churches case in Isaiah who said her judgment was passed over of the Lord and for that is taxed that she spoke unreasonably Likewise from David's case in the Psalms that said He was cut off from God's presence and yet he found heart to look again to God and to cry to him and was heard notwithstanding his former peremptoriness Likewise from the case of the Church or Ieremiah for the Church in the Lamentations who with one breath said My hope and my strength is perished from the Lord and at the next breath could say This I call to mind therefore have I hope And thereupon hath left a general experimental instruction to all others That it is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord Lament 3. 26. But in the third place The Soul affected is to be advertised and put in mind that it is an error and weakness to think that matchless and unparalleled cases are therefore hopless and uncureable For it is to be considered that Scripture instances and examples of parallel matching cases are neither the only nor compleat nor principal ground of curing and resolving cases For some cases were the first of their kind and so could have no precedent nor yet practicable example And yet in that case according to this crazie principle That no unparalleled Case is curable the very fixed examples and choice copies of curable cases should themselves have remained uncurable as having no precedent nor example but the only square and compleat ground of curing all cases is the whole Scripture whereof examples are but a small part and that too but as the illuminating colours and not the substantial lineaments thereof For exempla illustrant examples do but enlighten things and all that an example can do is to show that such a case is practicable and potentially curable But it doth not it cannot actually cure it Wherefore the principal yea proper ground of resolving and curing all cases are the universal fundamental truths of the Gospel the knowledge of God and Christ and of God in Christ according to the Gospel whereof the Covenant of Grace is the sum and text and this David knew right well 2 Sam. 23. 5. This Covenant will mend all the holes of the believers house and compleatly fit every case he can be in Till the foundations be destroyed it is never time to ask what can the Righteous do Psal. 11. 3. But so long as there is a God in Heaven that doth wonders so long as Christ is all and in all and â—o long as Gods Covenant with his Saints endures which shall be while Sun and Moon endure and longer too For his Covenant shall live to lay its hands upon those two shining Eyes of this corruptible World that is passing and posting off daily and which now like the first Covenant Heb. 8. 13. decaying and waxing old is ready to evanish and die So long I say as these foundations stand sure the righteous in every case may still know what to do For upon these
under a Christians Cognition to be resolved according to the Word of God which are determinable only by the Spirit of God eveâ— all these that may most desevedly be called to things of a man which none knows and therefore cannot competently judge of but the Spirit of God that knoweth all things and the Spirit the man and that not either without a special presence and assistance of the Spirit of God Nay you should conveen about these Questions a Council or General Assembly of the learnedst Doctor or ablest Divines in Christendome they could noâ— define them Such are the Questions of a Manâ— personal interest in God and his state toward God whether a man have the Spirit and be born of God and the like They may give evidences of theâ— things in the general and indefinitly which maâ— be as media to conclud upon and which they maâ— frame into universal propositions that he who haâ— these evidences is of God c. But to subsume those propositions and from these premisses to conclude particularly belongs only to the Spirit of God witnessing with our Spirits that we are â—e Children of God for by the Spirit we know â—â—e things that are freely given us of God The â—â—ke is to be said of many particular matters of fact â—hat concern a man I instance in one but it is a â—ain on The nature of the sin against the Holy Ghost I find the best advised Divines very warry as they have Reason to determine in and yet â—ore awar of personal application of their determinationss because of latent circumstances impossible to be infallibly reached and discerned by any â—an in his neighbour Now whether is my sin against the Holy Ghost is a Question so puzling and perplexing oftimes some know what I â—â—y even to such as are dear to God that it passes â—e reach of all created wisdom to ridd their doubt â—nd let me say only by the way there is no more compendious method in the World to draw or â—ther to drive a man to the sin against the Holy â—host than the apprehension that he hath already â—â—nned that sin for that apprehension renders him â—esperat and what will not a desperat man do O cunning Devil But O wiser God! that gives subâ—lty to the simple and makes them able to stand against the wyles of Satan But how is the Question ridd I answer the Spirit of God rids it thus according to the Scripture That surely is not the sin against the Holy Ghost whereof a man repenteth Now when the Soul is at its wits end â—nd ready to sink the Spirit of God sendeth such loose into the Soul of the sinner of Godly sorrow unto repentance for that sin whereof he was so jealous and the Soul of him so joyes in hiâ— sorrow and sorrows with his joy de peccato 〈◊〉 let de dolore gaudet that he cannot be satisfyed nor get his fill of that Godly sorrow which is so warme with love and so wet with tears thaâ— except a man that is wet to the Skin should deâ—â— that he has gotten the showre he cannot deny bâ— he repents of that sin And than sure he is not â—â— sinner against the Holy Ghost For it is impossible to renew such an one to Repentance I do noâ— here mean that only an overflowing power of Repentance such as I have spoken of is a cure 〈◊〉 the case no for the very desire of Repentance vindicats a man from any fear of this sin because a sinner against the Holy Ghost so sins and so delights to sin that sin that he would not do other wise if it were in his choise But when the Soul's perplexities about this question are over whelming then it is fit that they be cured wiâ—â— this measure of Repentance that is so overflowing I marked before and I mind it again as gooâ— Showrs calme and clear the Air so much Repentance it clears many doubts resolves many Cases ridds the Soul from many perplexities and settles it in a sweet calme and serenity The Fourth Direction I give to those thâ—â— would keep so in with the Scriptures as to maâ—â— use of them with comfort and profit is this thâ—â— they despise not the Discipline of tentations Book learned Christians and Divines are not the be Scholars but they that would be taught the mysteries and Acroamaticks of Religion and Divinity must be Luther's Condisciples and he was bred at the School of Tentations he confessed that his tentations had learned him more of the Gospel than all his books had done This School of tentations is of an old erection and not to speak of others here our Lord Jesus took all his Degrees Hence he was commenced Master of experiences and Doctor universal in all cases for in that he suffered being tempted he is able also to help those that are tempted and in all things he was tempted as we are that he might succour them that are tempted Heb. 2. 17 18. and 4 15. And as his temptations accomplished him highly for the rest of his Mediatory Work so particularly and especially for the Ministery these were his Tryalls for the Ministery Matth. 4. at the beginning he is tempted and in the 17 verse from that time Iesus began to Preach Wherefore let Ministers remember that if they be tempted the Lord is giving them the highest point of breeding for their imployment But blessed is the man that endureth temptation or bides out the Tryal for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him James 1 12. Now having thus spoken at length to the Commendation of Scripture what excellent uses it serves to in all cases and what kind Offices it performes to the People of God in every condition Let us for Conclusion behold how it shewes to us the kindness of the Lord in that Iethro-like it comes to visit â—s in the Wilderness And let us hearken what it till say to us there For there we are Text Hosea 2. 14. Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably unto her INTRODUCTION WE have in the contexture of this Chapter a solemn confirmation of three great Truths that are noted in the Scripture of Truth 1. That the Lord will not cast off his People nor forsake his Inheritance Psal. 94. 14. Which general assertion it will be fit to clear in these particular Propositions 1. God will never cast off the universal Church nor leave himself destitute of a People upon the Earth who may owne him and his Truth and may hold forth the Word of Life shining â—s Lights in the World being blameless and â—armless in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation Thus in our Creed We believe a Church Universal which sometimes is cloathed in Scarlet and sometime again is set upon the Dunghill Sometimes is courted of the multitude in the City and sometimes is persecuted
proceed saith the Prophet from evil to worse Jer. 9 3. And evil men and seducers saith the Apostle proceed and wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Timoth. 3. 13. I hid me and was wroth saith the Lord Isai. 57 17. And he went on frowardly in the way of his heart And what shall the end be and where will they stand if the Lord say not that also which followes in the 18. verse I have seen his wayes and I will heal him Prelacy will breed Popery to which it naturally inclines Profanness will make a straight path to Atheism and Barbarity Ignorance will nourish superstition Formality Indifferency Loosness Lightness and Luxuriancy of wanton-witted Preachers especially but God be thanked their skill is not so good as their will nor their wit so great as their wantoness and they are like evil favoured old Whores out of case to do worse and therefore they must entertain their paramours with painting for beauty and complement for courtesie will foster Heresy Ceremonies straight way will learn to say Mass and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord help it But the other sort of Children that are the Children of the Whore yet not of her Whoredoms but of her Marriage bed are these whose Faith is the off-spring of that first Faith of the Apostat Church and that unspoted chaste Religion which she professed before she forsook her first Faith and brake her Covenant of Marriage and who owne their righteous Father whom their Whorish Mother hath dishonoured and forsaken and who with grief and shame make mention of the lewdness of their Mother who mourn for her back-slidings and plead as here in the 2d verse they are commanded for the honour and right of their Father With these it shall not fare worse for their Mothers cause for they are fellow sufferers of reproach with their Father and they bear his name nor will he deny his interest in them they are Ammi nor yet will he refuse them Fatherly kindness and Duty they are Ruhamah to him And though their base Mother by Adulterating her Faith doth forfeit her dowry of the priviledges of a true Church yet their Righteous Father will find himself obliged by their Mothers Marriage Covenant and contract to give them the Inheritance of lawfully begotten Children and they shall be kept and brought up in his House when she shall be sent off to call her Lovers Baali with her Adulterous Brats at her foot who cry Father to Balaam If I might insist this consideration would clear the case well betwixt us and the Popish Church But to speak to a purpose nearer us If our Mother will Debord let us tell her of it and plead with her If that cannot help it let us be sorry for it But let us not in any thing be partakers with her Adulteries lest we be thought Bastards Let us owne our Father and Study to be like him even to be living Pictures of his Divine Nature that so it may be out of all question that we are his own lawfully begotten Children when we Bear his Name upon our Foreheads Rev. 22. 4. and that is Holiness to the Lord Zach. 14. 20. Now these are they even these who study sound Faith and sincere Holiness that go the World as it will and let Gods Dispensations and their own apprehensions say what they will shall never be forsaken nor cast off of God Psal 9. 10. Thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee Psal. 37. 25. David in his old Age who had seen many things in his time Yet never had he seen the Righteous forsaken Joh. 6. 37. Him that cometh to me sayes Christ I will in no wise cast out Heb. 13. 5. the Lord hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee II. The Second grand Scripture Truth that is confirmed so solemnly in the context of this Scripture is That all the wayes of the Lord to his People are mercy and truth Psal. 25. 0. We see in the former part of this Chapter in the 8th verse so long as she obeys and serves God what kindness he shews her he lets her want for nothing And though 〈◊〉 most shamefully playes the wanton under all â—â—at Mercy yet long he forbears her and is still â—â—ving her till she begins insolently to reflect upâ—â— the Lord and to speak more kindly of her â—overs than of him Then the Lord as one that cannot endure to be so far disparaged as to have said that there is any Service or Fellowship so â—ood as his finds it now time that she be taught â—â—at she can no where do so well as with her own â—â—st Husband And this she must learn in the Wilderness where he remembers mercy in the midst of â—rath and as it were forgets what he had even â—ow been saying and from threatning falls a comforting and alluring of her and there intertains â—â—r with the most convincing expressions of Love â—â—d Respects And we may mark especially in â—â—e Text proposed how the Lord loves not to tell â—â—s people ill News and that he desires in a â—anner to tyne his threatnings in the telling if â—â— could be for his Peoples good or at least to â—ll them so cannily and convey them so artificialâ—â— and as it were insensibly and by the by and withall to drop them out so sparingly as that they may neither hinder nor hide his great design â—â— love and alluring Mercy I will allure her and â—â—ing her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably â—nto her And when the Lord hath gained his great â—esign and hath once won the Heart of her then followes mercy upon mercy and promise upon promise to the end of the Chapter where he deâ—ares that he will betroath her unto himself for ever in Faithfulness and that there shall be â—â— thing but inviolable kindness betwixt them in â—â— time coming The Lords Threatnings Froâ—â— and Chastening Rods are all necessary Mercy advancing the great Mercy of God's People in â—â— nearer Injoyment of himself And that which â—â— its own nature and at sometime is mercy at â—nother time to such a person were no mercy or cruel Mercy such as are the tender Mercies of â—â— wicked But God will not shew wicked mâ—n Mercies cruel Mercies to his People I compare the mercy of God to his People in all â—â— wayes to a white threed in a Web 〈◊〉 ing through many dark colours A child or â—â— that knows no better will readily think at eveâ— disappearing of the white that there is no whâ—â— there But when they look to the inner-side thâ—â— find the white appearing there that was interrupâ—â— and lost as they thought on the other side Evâ—â— so the mercy of the Lord which indureth â—â— ever to his People runneth uninteruptedly alonâ—â— all his dispensations to them and if they pointâ— any black part of the web and ask whereâ—â— your white threed now if they pitch upon aâ—â— sad dispensation of Providence and ask what
Lord that I cannot suffer and therefore will allure her Behold I will allure her She forgot me and could not tell wherefor except it was for my indulgence and that I spilt her with too much kindness as it is written for my love they are my enemies And I will pursue her love and follow her for her heart I will allure her and I will tell her wherefore not Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you Be ashamed and be confounded for your own wayes O house of Israel Ezek. 36 32. But I will not tell her wherefore but so it must be therefore I will allure her and if my former kindness and indulgence was a fault for the Prosperity of fools destroyes them Prov. 1. 32. that shall be mended I will bring her into the Wilderness For she is so wild that I must tyne her before I win her I must kill her before I make her alive I must loose her before I find her I must cast her down before I comfort her And therefore I will bring her into the Wilderness and I will speak comfortably unto her All this we are willed to Behold Therefore Behold c. In the words then we have these four things distinctly so be considered 1. The Note of observation Behold 2 The intimation of the Churches condition I will bring her into the Wilderness 3. The Lords great design upon his Church in this and all his Dispensations to her I will allure her which rules all the vicissitudes of her divers Lots as means depending in a due Subordination upon this high end whereinto they are â—ll to be resolved as into the last cause and reason This great design of God upon his People is as the Principles and fundamental propositions of Sciences which prove all particular conclusions whilst themselves only remain unproven by infeâ—ence as being received by evidence of all that â—re but acquaint with the terms For if it be asked wherefore God will afflict his Church and bring her into the Wilderness The answer is because he will allure her And wherefore will he comfort her Because he will allure her He must have her heart as I said before But if it be asked and wherefore will he allure her What sees he in her That thus he should Court her for her Kind ness That must answer it self that is the therefore that hath no wherefore but. Even so Lord for so it pleases thee 4. I shall consider the juncture and coincidency of her Afflictions and his Consolations I will bring her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably unto her Therefore behold FRom the first thing then the Note of Observation we have this Doctrine That it is our Duty and a weighty one well to consider the Lords wayes with his People and his Works towards them Therefore behold c. When God bids us behold it is sure we shall have something worthy of the seeing Now that this is a concerning Duty seriously to observe the Lords works and wayes towards his People is confirmed By these three things from the Scripture The 1. is Scripture Commands to this purpose such as the many Beholds that the Lord either prefixes or annexes to his works whereof we have one in this place and Psal. 37. 37. We are commanded to mark and behold the end both of the upright and of the transgressours And to the head of commands because I love not to multiply things without great necessity I refer all these things that are proper pertinents and pendicles of a command 1. Exhortations such as Ier. 2. 31. O generation see ye the word of the Lord. 2. complaints and expostulations such as Isai 26. 11. Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see 3. Promises such as Hosea 6. 3. Then shall ye know if ye follow on to know the Lord c. 4. Threatnings such as Psal. 28. 5. because they regard not the works of the Lord nor the operation of his hands he shall destroy them and not build them up with Psal. 50. 22. Consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver 5. Commendations such as Psal. 107 43. whoso is wise and will observe these things c Hosea 14. 9. And he that was a wise man and a great observer tells us Eccles. 2 14. that the wise mans eyes are in his head 6. We have also Discommendations and Exprobrations wherewith the Lord upbraids such as observe not his works and ways Isai 42. 18. they are deaf and blind that will not see yea Ieremy 4 22. calls them Sottish and the Psalmists call them Bruits Psal 92 6. So then by the command of God which is the undoubted determiner of Duty it is a necessary concerning duty to observe the Lords works and ways towards his People The 2d thing that confirmes the point is this That the Works of God are wrought before his People for that very end that they may observe them and he makes his ways known to men that all men may observe him take but one pregnant place for this Isai 41 20. That they may see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord hath done this and the Holy one of Israel hath created it The Holy one of Israel is no Hypocrite and yet he doth all his works to be seen of men The third thing that confirmes the point is the usefulness of the works of God There is never a work of God but it hath some excellent instruction to men that will observe them every work hath a word in its mouth There is something of use in every one God speaks no idle words every word of God is pure yea his words are like Silver tryed in the furnace seven times there is no dross nor refuse in the Bible the light of Israel and his Holy One works no unfruitful works like the works of darkness Gods works of Providence are an inlargement and continuation of his first piece of Creation and if the first edition of his works was all very good perfect and unreproveable how excellent to all admiration must the last edition be after so many But who is wise to understand these things and prudent to know them who hath these two useful volumes of the word and works of God bound in one and so makes joynt use of them in their dayly reading But howbeit many are unlearned and to many the book be sealed yet there are rare things in the book So then since the works of God are so useful it concerns us to observe them as things tending even as also they are intended to our great advantage And upon this very useful consideration we will find our selves obliged to observe seriously the Lords works and ways to his People except we can answer that question wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom seeing he hath no heart
first thing in the Text the Note of Observation Behold I will bring her into the Wilderness THE second thing in the Words is the intimation of the Churches Condition I will bring her into the Wilderness And hence the Doctrine is That these to whom the Lord minds good may expect to come to the possession of intended blessedness by the way of a Wilderness Behold says the Lord I will allure her and speak comfortably unto her there is my design upon her and these are my thoughts of Good concerning her but first I will bring her into the Wilderness In the prosecution of this Doctrine three things are to be considered 1. What is this Wilderness 2. Wherefore doth the Lord bring his People into the Wilderness 3. What use we are to make of this intimation of such a Condition 1 First then what is the Wilderness I Answer 1. in general it is a Figurative expression of an afflicted Condition I will bring her into the Wilderness that is I will erercise her with such Afflictions as men are wont to meet with in a Wilderness And therefore 2dly I find a Wilderness Condition importing these things particularly 1. It imperteth a Condition of Want and scarcety both of Temporal and Spiritual things Heb. 1. 37. those of whom the World was not worthy were destitute of all things 2 Cor. 6. 10. The Apostles that made many Rich were themselves as poor and they that possessed all things were as having nothing Psal. 107 4 5. They that wander in a Wilderness are hungry and thristy and their Soul fainteth in them David Psal. 63. 1. says my Soul thristeth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thusty land where no water is he had no doubt his own temporal Wants and those great enough but his greatest Want was of the waters of the Sanctuary as is clear from the 2d verse To see thy power and thy Glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary and the same was his Condition in the 42. and 43. Psalmes And this is the supposed Condition of all the People of God Isai. 41. 17. they are poor and needy seeking water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thrist The want of Water which is a most common thing denoteth the extremity of scarcety and want And this is the first thing in a Wilderness-Condition The many hungry Bellys and no fewer hungry Souls in these times which are crying my Leanness my Leanness do plainly say that we are entred more nor a days journey into the Wilderness The 2d thing imported in a Wilderness-Condition is Desolation and Barrenness Psal. 63. 1. and Psal. 107. 33. a Wilderness is a dry land a thristy land where no water is Jer. 9 12. It is burnt up like a Wilderness and likwise a Wilderness is a desolate place there no foot of man doth come there the Cities are made heaps there nettles grow upon the ruines of Glorious Temples This Desolation and Barrenness is the cause of scarcety and want in a Wilderness And this likwise we have felt in our Wilderness we Want but we know not where to get it the Wells are stopped good Occasions for our Souls are removed our Teachers are removed into Corners the Songs of our Temples are become howlings We may sing the 8 verse of the 46. Psalme with a sad note Come behold the works of the Lord what desolations he hath made in the earth and where Desolations end there beginneth Barrenness and dry breasts As in one place we have the Wells of water and the Streams from Lebanon stopped in the next place we come to we find Clouds without rain and Pits without water Trees whose fruit is withered and without fruit Epistle of Iude 12 verse men who either never had any thing or elss have lost what once they promised As if Christ O sad had come by and said henceforth never fruit grow upon you if we were thristy beside the water or hungry beside Food or sick beside the Physician or sorrowful beside a comforter or in darkness beside light we might the better bear it But that it is other ways shews we are indeed in the Wilderness 3dly The Wilderness importeth a Solitary Condition of Separation from comfortable sweet and useful Society David felt this in the Wilderness Psal. 42. 4. When he remembred that he had gone to the house of God with the multitude with the voice of joy and praise with the multitude that kept Holy day and for that his Soul was poured out in him Heman felt this in his Wilderness Psal. 88. 18. lover and friend hast thou put far from me and mine acquaintance into darkness The afflicted overwhelmed Composer of the 102 Psalm felt this likwise in his Wilderness 6 and 7 verses I am like a Pelican in the Wilderness and like on Owl of the desart I watch and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top Isai 35 1. The Wilderness is a solitary place Good company and sweet comfortable useful Society hath this to prove it a choice mercy that as the rest of that nature it is never well known nor prized by us till we are denyed it and deprived of it And now with Pharoahs Butler Gen. 41. 9. I remember my faults this day and I fear I have too many fellows in the fault who either neglect disdainfully or els abuse good Company to the increase of vanity Now begin I to understand more of that Text Eccl. 4. 9 10 11 12. And what a woe is it to him that is alone and yet I doubt not but the kindness of the Lord is shewn to many even in separating and scattering them one from another And to confirm me in this judgment I remember the Opinion of some who have been in account for skill in things of that nature And thus they have thought that when a Family or Bairn-time incline to a Consumption which being a disease hereditary runs much in a blood in that case it is good that they part Company and live at a distance one from another for that the disease is strengthned by their social conversation I apply that the evil and hazard of the Company of those that are tenderly beloved Children of God may move him even in kindness to send them apart but they will find it a kindness not so comfortable as needful As I could like to be hungry beside good meat or weary beside good lodging so I would choose to be solitary beside good Company that is so to enjoy my self by my self as that I might likwise enjoy the help of Christian Company at will with conveniency And as I am sure that God was never the instituter of the Monks order so sure I am none can choose to shun good Company but such as would choose their own affliction and forsake their own mercy Only I must here mind that good People are not always good Company but a good Man or Woman are only then
Necessity he is the person that cannot be wanted by any that would be happy Deut. 30. 20. he is thy life and the length of thy days And if any think they may do as well elswhere let them answer the question John 6. 68. Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal Life Now this is my beloved and this is my friend O Daughters of Ierusalem Cant. 5. 16. The Lords second Motive and external allurement is his Words Words are very charming and enticeing things and how forceable are right words says Job Hence the Latines wisely give the name of verba dare to that which the Court calls a complement but the Countrey plainly calls a Cheat. Hence the way of Fishing which catcheth by the Ear applauded of the greatest Wits approven and much practised by Lovers the most ingenious because the most serious Anglers who busk their hooks with words and bait with the artificial flee of Complements Hence as the world goes he is the finest man that can say fairest to it and albeit Solomon both a Wise Man and a great Preacher and Spokes-man hath said Proverb 17. 28. even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise yet with most men even a wise man if he bold his peace is counted a fool But the truth is multum ille assecutus est qui bene didicit loqut bene qui tacere non minus assecutus est he hath attained much who hath learned to speak well and he hath attained no less who hath learned to hold his peace well But to say no more in general of the allurements of Words how specially excellent are the words of the Lord to the purpose of Soul-converting and heart-alluring Zach. 1. 13. They are good words and comfortable words Jer. 15. 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of mine Heart Gold and Treasure is alluring unto any Honey and Apples to Delicate Persons And if it were even the mortal forbidden Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil yet if it be good for Food and I leasant to the Eyes and a Tree to be desired it must be had if the price should be Death Gen. 3. But the words of God are more to be desired than Gold sweeter also than Honey and the Honey comb Psal. 19. 10. Psal. 119. 72 103. verses If nature could propine the World with Golden Apples as a present of her first Fruits sure those would ravish the Hearts of the greatest Potentates and would raise Wars among Princes for the possession and keeping of the Tree that bare those they would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apples of Strife properly and indeed And the Words of God which are the Flower and first Fruits of all fit Words are Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver Prov. 25 11. They Nourish Solidly Comfort Cordially and Inrich Mightily How charming the Lords Words are we have famous instances in the Gospel that with his Words he catched those that were sent and intended to catch and entrap him he sent them back with this Report never man spoke like this man And here in the â—â—xt it self I will allure her saith the Lord and I will speak comfortably unto her The third chief Motive and Allurement is The Works of the Lord and his Doings He hath done for his People and is daily doing to them that which cannot but rationally entice any ingenuous Soul to be for him If God had not loved us I should have wondered at every thing he does for us Love is the chief of the wayes of God to us God loved the World God so loved the World A Wonder indeed But after that stupendious portent of his Works to us That he loved us I shall wonder at nothing he does for us For what will we not do for those we Love But again I must wonder that he loved us and in this love to us he was humbled and emptyed for us For us he came into the World For us He took the likeness of sinful flesh and the form of a servant For us he suffered Temptations Crosses and Contradictions in his Life and for us he tasted death He gave him â—â—s for us He came under the Law and Sin and the Wrath and Curse of God for us For us he drank the Cup of astonishment which would have made all the Elect tremble to Eternity Yea and he rose and was victorious over death for us â—e hath also ascended Heaven for us and there he interceeds for us he is our Friend at Court he stands in the way there that nothing pass against us and when there is hazard he warns us and by his Word and Spirit he keeps intelligence with our Souls and gives us daily accounts of the true state of our Spiritual business Thence he issues daily many favours on our behalf Psal. 103 2 and forward Forget not all his Benefits who forgiveth all thine Iniquities c. And his negative Mercies are not the least part of what he doth for us That he prevents and holds off us so many temptations suares and evils that otherwise would even over-run us and that for all these he waiteth to be gracious to us at the voice of our Cry when he shall hear it And in a word that he is so wholly taken up for us as if he had nothing else to mind but us Now to a rational ingenuous Spirit and every one that deserves to be called a Man all these will be the Coras of a Man and Bands of Love Hos. 11. 4. Yea there is some secret alluring quality in the saddest and darkest of Gods dispensations to the Soul of the Saint Hence we never find the Godly Soul more fond so to speak of its beloved and more earnest upon him than in the time of desertion which of all dispensations is the most afflicting to such an one If the Lord withdraw such an one will fall down sick of Love to him and then go tell him O ye Daughters of Ierusalem that I cannot live in his absence And if he do not come quickly skipping like a young Roe or Hart yea and if he take not the nearest way over the mountains of Bether he may come too late to lay his hands upon the eyes of his distressed Beloved Psal. 28. 1. If thou be silent to me sayes David I shall be like them that go down into the â—â—t O Lord I cannot live I value not Life if thou be not the God of my Life I have resolved I shall never be glad till thou be the health of my Countenance and make me glad with thy Works For I see little difference betwixt Sorrow and Joy if thou be not my chiefest joy And in our Text the Wilderness is the alluring place to this ungracious froward Church The fourth chief Motive wherewith the Lord allures his People is his Gifts Gifts and tokens use to pass betwixt Lovers and
an alluring thing And the World is more ruled by Example than by Law Example oft-times usurps upon Reason sometimes it agrees with her but seldom is it subject to Her And thus while men ask rather quid fit what is done nor quid fieri debet what ought to be done Many follow the broad way that leadeth to destruction while but few do find the narrow that leadeth to Life Many choose rather to go to Hell in company than to go to Heaven alone But in Religion and in Travel I would hold the rule to choose day Light rather than Company Nor would I willingly wait for any man till Night who in the dark Might lead or mislead me whither he would If once a man turn his eye off the fixed Light of Scripture the wandering Star of Example may lead him whither he knows not and lodge him where he would not Now how the Lord allures his People by Example see Cant. 1. 3 4 There the Church finds others before her whom she would gladly follow The Virgins love thee draw me we will run after thee Lord I love good company well and therefore let us all go together And as she finds good Example before her she leaves the like after her that allures others to follow her as she had followed others Cant. ch 5 and 6. Whither iâ— thy beloved gone O thou fairest among Women â—â—hither is thy beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee And all this by the Lords direction chap. 1. 8. Go forth by the footsteps of the flock O that God would raise up many Lights of Religion in this dark Generation Many who might be exemplary in Piety who might go before others â—s the hee-goats before the flock Jer. 50. 8. O that God would perform more in our days that which he hath promised of old Zach. 8. 21. the inhabitants of one City shall go to another saying let â—s go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts I will go also Mean time let us follow the Examples we have and that the Example of those who have chosen and owned the Lord and his way may be the more alluring to us Consider 1. that many of them were Kings and Great Men Religion and the strictness of Godliness is too far above every man to be below any man I fear those who think Godliness below them find it too far above them Prov. 24. 7. wisdom is too high for a fool 2. Many of them were Wise men Let our Sages Senators and our Counsellours remember this and if they say there are few Godly men Wise I can say to them there are as few Wise men Gody and chosen to obtain mercy 1 Cor. 1 26. not many wise men after the flesh are called and chosen But truely till the Cabiâ—â—â— Councils of secular heads and the Conclaves of the Clergy find me amongst them all four men whom they will undertake to match for wisdom with Moses Joseph Solomon and Daniel I cannot but think that Godliness doth as well become a Wise Man as Wisdom doth a Godly man withal consider that Godliness and Wisdome are one in Scripture 3. All of them were Righteous and truely Holy Men strange it is that so many should choose to be wicked whilst none can enâ—ure tâ— seem or to be called such and who but the worst man takes it worst to be told of his faults And as strange it is that every one should choose to seem and to be called Righteous and Good whilst so few do choose indeed to be such But is it noâ— as much the Glory of true Godliness that Hypocrits and Prophane Persons love to go in its Liveâ—y and to be called by its name as it is their reproach to have or hold the forme of Godliness whilst they deny the power thereof 4 They were Impartial and Uninteressed men that except upon Heaven could not with the least colour be suspect of any designe in their doings yea did they not renounce and go cross to all Worldly interests of nature Education Credit Profit Pleasure and the like 5. They were Resolute and Constant in what they did Indeed if the Saints had Repented their choice they might have renounced Religion when they pleased as is said of the Patriarchs Heb. 11. 15. that if they had been mindful of that Countrey from whence they came out they might have â—ad opportunity to have returned but now they desire a better Countrey that is an heavenly I should think it a poor office to perswade men to that which might repent them but if they whose example commend and whose Practise gladly I would perswade did with Constancy and Confidence without Relenting go thorow and pass the difficulties of the flatterings and Frownings the Fears and Hopes the Threats and Intreaties of a present World may I not conclude that Godliness is that which is not to be Repented of It now follows to treat of the inward power of Grace which maketh these external motives effectual upon the Soul If any should attempt by â—â—rce to storme the Soul of man it is so sure to be â—â—zed to the ground and brought utterly down â—â— nothing before it yeeld for voluntas non potest cogâ— the will which is the Fort Royal of the Soul cannot be forced that the Assailant may resolve to loss it before he win it and to win only the expensive loss of all his labour and to triumph ridiculously over a nothing for nature and invention have made the Soul a strength impregnable and unaccessable to any power without and all attempts thence may certainly prove ineffectual except a ready course be taken to gain a correspondency with these within Also sinners are naturally very shie and ill to be courted But the Lord as he is good at all that is good is excellently good aâ— courting and allureing an untoward heart Others it may be have got from her at once their leave with a repulse yea my servants in my name have possibly been so served but wild as she is I will not leave her so I will speak to her my self and I 'le in gage I shall quickly cause her say yea therefore behold I will allure her he can but say to a Soul follow me and it leaves all and follows him he can catch a sinners heart from him ere ever he is aware Ier. 20. 7. O Lord thou hast deceaved me and I was deceaved thou art stronger than I and hast prevailed He can mix a Love-cup to the Soul that shall cause it speak of him when he is gone and follow him faster than ever it fled from him and that even when he seems to flee we remember thy Love more than wine the virgins love thee draw me we will run after thee Cant. 1. 2 3 4. yea more he can make an ointment the very savour whereof shall cause sinners love him because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointmen poured
your lusts Iam. 4. 1. Ungodly mens lusts are like themselves for extremes they are and they are like extremes that differ alike from themselves and from the mids A varice differeth as much from Prodigality her Sister Vice as from Liberality her contrary vertue But Godliness sets a man at one with himself it is a heart-uniting thing Psal. 86. 11. unite my heart to fear thy name It makes a good understanding betwixt the understanding the will the affections and the whole man And blessed be the Peace-maker shall she not be called the Child of God 5. Is it not the great Glory of Godliness that as many do sute her as few do espouse her and she hath as many pretenders as few matches Are not all men her pretenders Do not her greatest adversaries pay her the Devotion at least of a complement Is not their great request to her like that Isai. 4. 1. only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach Do not her greatest enemys Glory to be called her servants Call an evil man good and you cannot please him beeter for he hateth as much to be called evil as to be good And loveth as much to be evil as to be called good And it is yet as much her Glory that few do enjoy her But pray whom doth she reject are they any but the Ungodly those unworthy Persons that were brought in upon her and came to mock her nor doth she despise any that have not first despised her or should she prostitute her self to such as care not for her none get a Rejection from her without their own consent and they take it before they get it for as none are Godly so neither are any Wicked against their will Lastly Beside the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come which makes Godliness profitable to all things 1 Timoth. 4. 8. It is the ready way even in ordinary probability to give a man honour wealth and pleasure and to continue these with him yea even in this World I would these tymes did give a better testimony to this Observation but I hope the Observation shall stand when some are fallen and shall continue when these times are past way for that these things are as naturally purchased by good and vertuous as lost by lewd and wicked practices And how shall a man have Honour who prostitutes himself to courses wherein he hath none but base and unmanly persons for his Companions Are not Pages Grooms and Lackeyes as good fellows as their Lord himself at Whoreing Drinking Swearing Carding where all are fellows Is not my Lord well Honoured when he sends his man to convoy a Whore to the Chamber who because upon the Road he uses to lead the way for his Master thinks he will do him the like service here and serves him with his own remains But who doth not Reverence the Presence and Honour the Face of a really Good man Yea many a time such an one hath more Reverence than God himself with Evil men who dare do many things in the Eyes of God that they will be loath to do in presence of such a man Yea how convincing many a time is the Carriage of a Godly man to his greatest Enemies Surely thou art more Righteous then I said Saul to David and when a Mans wayes please the Lord he maketh even his Enemies to be at peace with him Prov. 16. 7. An excellent Divine I think it is Greenhame sayes well Let not a Saint be afraid of Men for that by his Prayers he hath more Power of their Hearts than they themselves have And the Scripture sayes the same 1 Pet. 3. 13. And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good And how well had it been with the Profane Ruffian that he had spent that Time Strength Estate and Credit for God in the way of Godliness with the sweet and sure gain of his Soul which he hath wasted in riffling and base living with the evident hazard of his Soul's ruine if that may be said to be ruined that was never repaired nor in case But be it yet that the godly man attaineth not to these advantages Temporal The Peace of Righteousness the Contentment of Soberness the Considence of Faith and the Rejoycing of Hope do more than compense all that is wanting elsewhere and cause that a good man is satisfied from himself Prov 14. 14. Now let all that hath been said be a reproof of the Worlds hard opinions of Godliness and give cheque to their unkind dealing with her as if she were a sorry Piece to be desired by none but such as would be miserable I have not yet travelled so far but that I can remember from whence I set forth In my entry upon the point I told my Erand was with Eleazar Abraham's Servant Genes 24. To seek a Wife to my Master's Son and to Espouse and bring home Souls to Christ And now to conclude Let me with them Gen. 24. 57 58. Call the Damsel and enquire at her Mouth Wilt thou go with the man And she said so be it said unto me I will go The fourth and last thing we learn from the point in a word Is to put a good construction upon all Gods Dispensations to his People for his thoughts towards them are Thoughts of Peace and not of evil to give them an expected end Jer 29. 11. And in complyance with the Lords great design in the vicissitudes of all our Lots let us learn to give him more of our Hearts For he brings his People into the Wilderness and there he allures them If these Melancholly times do but make us more tractable condescending and kind to Christ Iesus we may well expect that he will speak comfortably unto us I will bring her into the Wilness and will speak comfortably unto her ANd thus I am led by the hand into the fourth and last thing proposed to be considered in the Text. The juncture and coincidence of the Churches affliction and the Lords Consolations I will bring her into the Wilderness and I will speak comfortably un to her Hence the Doctrine is That the Lord useth to tryst his peoples sadest afflictions with his sweetest consolations He is a God that comforteth those that art cast down It is his way and use The Apostle 2 Cor. 1. 5. abounded in consolations by Christ as their sufferings for Christ abounded And reading through all the Scripture I never find the Saints more indulged with the sweet consolations of God and his kind manifestations than in the greatest afflictions Reasons of this are 1. His free love and kindness So it becomes him with whom the fatherless find mercy He loveth and preserveth the Stranger he is a Father of the Fatherless and a Husband to the Widow a Judge of the oppressed out of his holy habitation He will be known in adversity to be a Friend 2. Their necessity
Then they need consolations and then they come in season Prov. 30. 6. Wine should be given to those that are of heavy hearts When I said my foot slippeth thy mercy Lord held me up This was a mercy that came in good season 3. Their fitness As then they most need consolations so then are they fittest to receive and intertain them The Lord will not have his Consolations to run by and be spilt by pouring them out into full vessels But Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for they shall be filled I spoke before upon the second part of the Text how afflictions fits for consolations and that therefore God sometimes brings his people into the Wilderness that thus he may fit them Most sweet are the Consolations wherewith the Lord trysts his people in their afflictions 1. He draws forth to them the bowels of â—ost tender compassions In all their affliction he is afflicted Isa. 63. 9. Jer. 31. 20. Since I spoke against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him Zach. 2. 8. He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye It is a very acceptable consolation to an afflicted person to mourn with them and to be touched with their condition And the Lord cryes alas at every touch of affliction that comes upon people Nor need they fear he shall forget them For whatever is a mans pain it will not fail to put him in mind 2. He ownes them and takes notice of them when others sight them and care not for them Psal. 31. 7. He knows their Soul in Adversities Psal. 142. 4 5. I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me refuge failed me No man cared for my Soul I cryed unto thee O Lord I said thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living Jer 30. 16 17. and forward The Lord promises with great Mercies to owne his Church because in the 17 verse They called her an out-cast saying this is Zion whom no man seeketh after Lament 1. 12. It was nothing to those that passed by to see all that she suffered But her desire is frequently throughout the Chapter Behold O Lord for I am in distress Yea and he will behold For his eyes behold the things that are equal Act. 7. 34. I have seen I have seen the affliction of my people which is in â—gypt and I have heard their groaning This is a time wherein there be few to Resent the wrongs done to the Church of God and his Saints and Servants and fewer there be to right them And therefore that Prayer is good Psal. 17. 2. Let my Sentence come forth from thy presence Let thine eyes behold the things that are equal And the Saints may have justice for the asking For he Beholds mischief and spight to requite it with his hand Ps. 10. 14. 3. He vouchsafes them a more special presence Ps 91. 15. I will be with him in trouble Psal. 23. 4. In the valley of the Shaddow of death thou art with me Isai. 43. 2. When thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee c. The Lord is ever near to those that fear him but in affliction he goes very near them They have alwayes his special presence Ps. 140 13. The upright shall dwell in thy presence But in trouble they have a more special presence His presence is either a secret supporting presence whereby his people are held up they know not how For many a time when the Saints look back upon those times wherein they said their strength and their hope is perished from the Lord and see the way that they have come they wonder how they have win through But God was with them whilst they knew it not Or else his presence is a manifest comforting presence and that the Scripture calls his visiting of his people 4. Then the Lord vouchsafes his afflicted people many a kind visit And in those visits 1. He salutes his people with Peace He will speak Peace unto his people and to his Saints in the world ye shall have trouble sayes he but in me ye shall have Peace 2. He gives a hearing to all his peoples Confessions Complaints and Petitions Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble 3. He speaks his mind to his people both concerning their Duty and the issue of their lot The times of the Lords visits to his afflicted people are the times wherein he communicates most of his secrets to those that fear him The Soul that goes through manyfest afflictions is ordinarily the wisest and most experienced Soul Heman the Ezrahit who was so sore afflicted even from his youth was one of the wisest men in his time Speculation speaks of cases like a Geographer Experience speaks like a Traveller That sayes that which our ears have heard this sayes that which our eyes have seen declare we unto you 4. In his Visits he gives his people tokens for good He comes never empty-handed to them But gives them such things whereof they may say in their straits when he seems to have forgotten them Lord whose are these 5. And further as the original hath the words of the Text he speaks to his peoples heart He satisfies them concerning his Dispensations and convinceth them of the equity and kindness of his dealing with them He gives them such rational accounts of his dispensations as makes them say he hath taken the best way with them and makes them sing thou hast dealt well with thy Servants Ps. 119. 65. And by convincing them that good is the Word of the Lord Isai. 39. 8. He makes them say from their Heart that if variety of lots were in their offer they would choose the present O but that speaks well I will speak to her heart I will even speak as she would have me Thus he comforts by his kind visits 5. He comforts his people in affliction by being all things to them and doing all things for them Thus we find the Saints in their afflictions making applications to God with Titles suted to their condition And it is God faith the Psalmist that doth all things for me He is the Shepherd of Israel If they be scattered he gathers them if they go astray he leads them if they want he feeds them and makes them Lie in green Pastures by the still waters If they be in hazard He is their refuge Are they sad He is the Health of their countenance Are they weak or weary He is their strength and with him is everlasting strength Are they sinners and guilty He is the God of their Righteousness Is Law intended against them He pleads their cause and stands at their right hand Is the judge an unfriend to them He is their judge and their Sentence cometh forth from his presence Do Kings or others command them to be Afflicted Fined Beaten Imprisoned Confined Banished Then Psal 44. 4. Thou art my King O God command deliverances for Jacob Have they no Friends nor any to do for them He that is the kind Lord can cause men shew them the kindness of the Lord That which the Scripture calleth the kindness of the Lord. 1 Sam. 20. 14. hath as much in it as may shew us that the Lord makes men Instruments at his pleasure to shew kindness and do a good Office to his people And when the Saints and Servants of God come to count kindness I hope there will be found more of the kindness of the Lord than of men in Courtesies that are done them I am so little a Patron of unthankfulness That I shall thank him kindly and pray as our Scots Proverb is The Lord reward him that doth me good whether with his will or against it But truly when from men I meet with less kindness where I might have expected more and more where I might have expected less The Meditation of this Scripture expression To shew the kindness of the Lord hath taught me the more earnestly to ask mercies of my God and to leave the expressing and dispensing of it to himself by Means and Instruments of his own choosing He can make a Babylonian Enemy to 〈…〉 his own Servant Ieremiah well 6. To add no more for that hath all The Lord comforteth his afflicted People by Christ â—esus 2 Cor. 1. 5 This is the Saints unchangeable Consolation in all changes of Dispensations and truly our Consolations will come to a poor account if Christ be not the sum of them all in all Cases and Conditions Christless comforts will leave us comfortless Christians The Use of this point shall be for strong Consolation to the Saints in their greatest afflictions The Lord hath laid it straitly upon us to comfort his People in their afflictions Isai. 40. 1. 2. and here he takes it upon himself to be their Comforter He hath given this Name and O shee to his Holy Spirit The Comforter and shall not the afflicted People of God with these words be comforted and comfort one another But according to the rule of Scripture Comforts and Duties must be matched together Nor must we expect in the event a Separation of those things that God hath joyned in the intimation Wherefore if we would have much of the Lords heart Let us give him much of ouâ—s If we would have him comfortable to us we must be kind to him If we would have him speak comfortably to us we must give our consent to him If we would have him speak to our Heart we must be to his Heart for so the Text runneth Therefore behold I will allure her I will bring her into the Wilderness and I will speak comfortably unto her Now to the God of all Consolation Father Son and Holy Ghost be â—ll 〈◊〉 and Dominion and Praise for ever and ever Amen Written in the Wilderness 1665 FINIS See Grenhams directions for reading the Scriptures See the fulfilling of the Scriptures Remark how the Plague followed in London the next year 1660.
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