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
Apud Edinburgum Vicesimo primo die Aprilis 1691 post Meridiem THâ— whilk day the Commission appointed by the late General Assembly of this Church having considered Report from a Committee of their own number whom the said Commission had appointed to Reviâ—â— two Manuscripts written by the late Reverend Mr. Thomas Bell Minister of the Gospel and Professor of Philology in the Colledge 〈…〉 Edinburgh and given in to them by his Relick the one where 〈…〉 Grapes in the Wilderness the other Nehemiah the 〈…〉 or The Character of a good Commissioner whereby the 〈…〉 â—ommittee declared that they having perused the saids Peices 〈…〉 them to be solid and edifying Discourses and that 〈…〉 Printing there would be very useful and profitable And the said Commission being well and ripely advised with the said Report They do hereby recommend to the Relick of the said Mr. Thomas Bell to get the said two Pieces printed and published with all convenient diligence Extractum c. NEHEMIAH THE Tirshatha OR THE CHARACTER OF A Good Commissioner To which is Added GRAPES IN THE Wilderness By Mr. THOMAS BELL Minister of the Gospel and Professor of Philology in the Colledge of Edinburgh EDINBURGH Printed by George Mosman and are to be sold at his Shop in the Parliament CloÌ„ss Anno 1692. UNTO THE Most Noble and Illustrious PRINCESS THE Dutchess of Hamiltoun May it please your Grace I Have adventured though not without blushing and some fear because of the vastdistance to dedicate and commit the Tutelage of these two little Orphan treatises of my deceast Husband Mr Thomas Bell Grapes in the Wilderness and The Character of a Commissioner in the person of None-such Nehemiah to your Grace the every way most fit and proper Person under the benign in fluence of whose incouraging countenance he did for a considerable time preach the Gospel at Hamiltoun And indeed if any other in the World could possibly rival it with your Grace in my esteem yet could I not without the highest both Injustice and Ingratitude Dedicate them otherwayes it having been to my certain knowledge his firm resolution if ever they saw the light that they should be dedicated thus whose will i◠〈◊〉 such things was alwayes and is still to me as an inviolably obliging Law I am very confident your Grace will read them in Print after his death with the same edifying complacency and delight that you had wont to hear him discourse by vive voice in the Noble Family and in the solemne Assembly for really they resemble their Father to the very life That I have therefore sent them abroad into the wide World under the Patronage and Protection of your Graces Noble and Renowned Name which will sufficiently secure I am against all the Censures Cavills of the most malevolent Carpers of this ill natured Age will not be construed impardonable presumption is the humble hope of Most Noble Princess Your Graces most humble most obliged and most devoted Servant L. R. TO THE READER Christian Reader THE Discoveries that the Majesty of GOD hath made of himself in these latter dayes are so transcendent and eminently beyond what was informer Ages that it may truly be said that the Men of this Generation shall be signally indebted either to the Grace and Mercy or Justice of God For informer Ages thought was comparatively dark the Sun but rising in our Horizon But in this Age the light of the Moon compared with former Generations is like the light of the Sun the light of the Sun sevenfold as the light of seven dayes But alas our not walking in the light may justly provoke the Lord to cause our Sun go down at noon Beza complained in his time that there was multum Scientiae much Knowledge but parum Conscientiae little Conscience and how much more is there ground for this Complaint now For since the Primitive and Apostolick Age greater light hath not broken forth and moe Stars of the first and greatest magnitude have not more clearly shined in any age But oh how little walking is there sutable to such great light How many eminent Christians were there in former ages who had not so much all their dayes of the riches of free Grace discovered and of the mysteries of the Gospel unfolded as some in this Generation have had in a very little time who have far surpassed us in this Generation for eminency in Faith Love Holy Zeal Prayer and Wrestling with God Patience Meckness diligence in duty and a Gospel adorning conversation And the generality have shut their eyes and will not behold the Glory of God manifested in the 〈◊〉 of Jesus Christ in this Gospel For which cause the holy and jealous God in great anger and holy indignation hath removed many and eminent Candlesticks out of their place and taken away many shining and burning lights not in their old age and gray Hairs but even in the flower of their age and in the prime and flowrishing of their Graces and Gifts One of which was the Reverend now Triumphant and Glorified Author of these following Treatises who was eminent for Piety and Learning as his Writtings do manifest His Roman Antiquities which he published before his death cannot but command his Learning to all knowing persons and his Piety was so eminent to all that knew him that he needs none of our Commendation And these his Works which are a specimen of his great Knowledge Eloquence piety and solid Judgement will praise him in the gate where he draws a Vive Picture and Patern for all but especially for Rulers and Magistrates to look on and walk after Which I am hopeful will be very acceptable to all the Judicious and Godly He I say was taken away in the flower of his Age flowrishing of his Gifts God not accounting the World worthy of him And having left amongst his Papers these two Treatises one of which was for me established by a privat Person but without the knowledge and advice of the Authors Friends some of his Friends lovers of the publick Good judged it expedient to review and correct these Treatises that they might be published for the good and edification of the Church that he by them though dead might speak Which we hope shall through Gods blessing be very edifying for over throwing of Atheism discovering of the Souls happiness in Union and Communion with God directing great Persons in their duty and holding forth the excellency of the Scripture and pointing out to these who are walking in this Wilderness the way to the Heavenly Canaan with many other edifying purposes which that the Great God may bless is the earnest Prayer of Thy Servant in the Work of the Gospel M. C. NEHEMIAH THE Tirshatha OR THE CHARACTER OF A Good Commissioner THE Scripture casteth such a light of Divinity every way its Purpose being the Mind of God its Writting the Writting of God as whole the Oracles of God and every part of it
that Charles the fifth disponed his Crowns before he took himself to the Cloister Nor should ought but despair make a Monk of a Ruler I understand not the mystery of Gyges how a man can see unseen nor what but a miserable vanity can move some great Princes of the East to shut themselves up in Canopyes but all the World knows what all the World thinks of Achilles with his distaff and Sardanapalus in his Gynaeceum and Tiberius in his retreat at Caprea But he that ruleth over men must be Just ruling in the fear of God and is as the light of thâ— morning when the Sun risetâ— even a morning without clouds as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shineing after rain 2 Sam. 23 4. His countenance and influence must reach to visit and refresh the lowest of his People That homely and accessible Prince Iames the fifth called The Carl's King of Scotland really was and was reputed the bravest Prince in his time 6. If he be a Nehemiah a Commissioner deputed by a soveraign Ruler he must be as diligent to get so faithful to give true and full information of the Peoples condition to his Master and effectually to interpose for his help and to enlarge the indulgence of his Royal Concessions to the outmost Thus Nehemiah told the King all that was told him of Ierusalem and his People chap. 2 3. and that in sadness and sought a commission for help and reparation v 5. and foreward which he shewed to the Governours beyond the river v 9. And executed to the full extent throughout the whole Book In the 4 and 6 v. of the 2 chap. His request and the Kings grant was only that he might build Ierusalem and we see in the progress of the work and sequele of the History how amply he prosecutes that Commission to the largest extent of its virtual comprehension for he not only builds but beautifyes not only beautifyes but fortifyes not only repaires but reformes Ierusalem and yeâ— exceedeth not his commission for when all this is done Ierusalem is but Ierusalem beautiful for situation a city that is compact together whether the tribes go up the tribes of the Lord unto the testimony of Israel to give thanks unto the name of the Lord for there are set throns of Iudgement the throns of the house of David Psal 48 2. and 122 3 4 5. And David by a figure understood no less in his serious us petition Psal 51 18. Do good in thy good Pleasure unto Zion build thou the walls of Jerusalem where one part helpeth to clear another to build her walls is figurativly to do her good properly and to do her good in propriety is in the figure to build her walls and Psal. 122 7 He calleth it more expresly peace and prosperity The Ruler that is thus minded may resolve with Nehemiah to meet with scorn calumny opposition and which is ordinary malicious challenges of sedition and accusations of rebellion but affection to the work adherence to his Commission the gallantry of his Person Prayer to and confidence in the God of Heaven bear him out against and over all these chap. 2. 20. I said unto them The God of heaven he will prosper us therefore we his servants will rise and build chap. 6 9. Now therefore O God strengthen my hands and 11 v. I said should such a man as I flee and who is there that being as I am would go into the temple to save his life I will not go in How chiefly necessary is this good part in a deputed Ruler where the nation to their great loss wants the desireable influence of their Gracious Princes presence 7. The good Ruler is Governed by Justice and the Law of God in the whole exercise of his Government 2 Sam. 23 3. He must be just Before there were Kings in Israel it was appointed Deut. 17 18 19. That the King should have a copy of the law which he should read and keep and do even all the words and statutes This was Davids study Psal 119 throughout This was the care of the good reforming Kings of Judah chiefly Hezekiah and Josiah this was the practise of Ezra the scribe and Nehemiah the Tirshatha According to the law he hates and refraines from oppression himself and restraines it in others According to the law he orders the Genealogies of the Priests and appoints their offices and portions According to the Law he restores the ordinary and extraordinary publick worship and Solemn Feasts According to the Law he reformes the abuse of marriage with strangers According to the Law and practise of good Rulers in former times he subscrives a Covenant for Reformation According to the Law he sanctifies the Temple and cleanses it from the abomination of heathen usurpation and profanatition of strangers According to the Law he dichargeth the profanation and enjoyneth strictly the sanctification of the Sabbath This is that which maketh the difference betwixt a good Ruler and a Tyrant But every measure is not the standard and humane Laws have too much of the man to be perfect and not so much of the Pope as to be ininfallible Other Laws are but Ruled Rules but the Law of God is the Ruling pattern Psal. 19 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect and his testimony is sure In a time of Restitution even Laws may suffer a Reformation That which hath been may 〈◊〉 and a Rescissory Act is not impossible But â—â—axerxes his decree must stand immovable Ezra 23. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven let it be diligently done for the house of the God Heaven With this inumation lest there be wrath Moses was faithful in all the house of God as a servant but Jesus Christ as a son and the Isles shall wait for his Laws by 42. 4. A voice came from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son hear ye him Be wise â—â—e Kings be instructed ye judges of the earth kiss the Son Ps. 2 12. The Ruler ought to be a â—ing Law and to remember the noble saying of â—sar to the Roman Senate In mexima fortuna minâ—â—â— licentia est which is true as he there reckonâ—â— in as far as the faults of Rulers being more noâ—ur are otherwayes also aggravated above the ansgressions of others But herewith consider the Law being the mind of the Ruler a lawless ruler as a self-contradicter maketh himself a transgressor If the Law be evil why did he make it it be good then why should he break it 8. The good Ruler is a wise person It is wisdom that saith Prov. 8. 15 16. By me Kings reign â—â—d Princes decree Iustice by me Princes Rule and â—iobles even all the Judges of the earth You have â—eard of the wisdom of Solomon and David his father was as an Angel of God discerning Good and Evil and who wiser than Daniel Happy Common-wealth where either wise men reign or Kings study wisdom Six Things in morality
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
Word Remember whereby they referr particulars to him who is able to do abundantly above all that they are able either to ask or think David sayeth remember me Ieremiah sayeth remember me Hezekiah and Nehemiah say remember me and Augustine sweetly rendereth Psal. 8. 4. ver Domine quid est homo nisi quia memor es ejus Lord what is man but that thou art mindful of him And happy he whose name is written in that Book of Remembrance that is before the Lord Mal. 3. 16. And when each man comes to be rewarded malicious opposers of reformation and profane corrupters of Religion and the Covenant of the priesthood may readily come to be remembred Chap 6 14 and 13. 29. 2. In his retreat he goes off with an eye to himself Remember me c. The Ruler who would make a honourable retreat and come fair off would look to 5 Things chiefly that concern himself 1. His conscience Can he say with Nehemiah chap. 5. 19. Remember me O my God for good according to all that I have done for this People and chap. 13. 14. Remember me O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deeds and I have done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof Or with Hezekiah 2 King 20. 3. I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Or with Samuel 1 Sam. 12 3. I have walked before you from my Child-hood to this day behold here I am witness against me before the Lord and before his anointed whose ox have I taken or whose ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you Or if in any thing as a man he hath erred for that he must say to God with Nehemiah chap. 13 22. Remember me O my God and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy A good conscience is a strong comforter but Gods sweet and tender mercies are the sinners last refuge and sure salvation and it is Bellarmines own Conclusion Tutius tamen est adherere Christs Justitiae And if so why should unhappy men so voluminously dispute against their own mercy Psal. 119. 77. Let thy tender mercys come unto me that I may live was the suit of the man according to Gods heart the pattern of Rulers And truely this Generation would be advised to amend their manners before they change their Religion lest under the gilded large net of Popery by the Doctrine of merits they be involved and held in the inextricable grin of desperation Or if indulgence and pardon in end must do it what ails them at Gods which is infinitly better than the Popes and incompareably surer beside that it is manifestly cheaper But for the Conscience of a Ruler who can say with Titus that darling of mankind Non extare ullum suum factum Paeniteneum excepto duntaxat uno 2. His soul The Soul and Conscience are of such affinity that he who destroyes the one cannot save the other And what doth it profit a man though he should gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Or what is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his soul The soul is the man and he hath got his prize who gets that for a Prey The end of our faith is the salvation of our souls Psal. 119. 175. Let my soul live and it shall praise thee was the rare and suit of that excellent Ruler And what a pitty is it to see a Ruler upon a retreat from the World and from the Body going off with such a amentable Dirgie as did Adrian the Emperour in Aelius Spartianus Animula vagula blandula Hospes comesque eorporis Quananc abibis in loca Pallidula rigida nudula Nee ut soles dabis â—ocos Or with such a hideous rage as Tiberius in Sueâ—onius like one speaking out of Hell Du me Deaeque ejus perdant quam quotidie perire sentio 3. His fame and memory a matter that highly concerneth the Ruler as in the last view shall be showen more fully â— His posterity natural or politick 5. His Works both which are expressed together in that Prayer of Moses the man of God Psal 90. 16 17. Let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy Glory unto their Children and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and establish thou the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it The good Ruler not like the Ostrich which God hath deprived of wisdom neither hath he imparted to her understanding that is hardned against her young ones as though they were not hers her labour is in vain without fear Iob 39. 16 17. This regard to the work of God and to the good of posterity made Moses record his Song Deut. 31 and 32. and moved him to bless the People chap. 33. This moved Ioshua to make a Covenant chap. 24 25. This begot in David such a desire to build house unto the Lord. This made Hezekiah weep bitterly that the begun Reformation was like to cease by his death This incited Paul that great Church Ruler so zealously to warn and guard thâ— believers against what should happen after his departure This made Moses and David before the death so carefully give charge to their successor concerning their duty This moveth all men naturally at their death to leave their Counsel and Blesing to their posterity And finally this induceth good Rulers in their time to establish good Ordinances by which being dead they may speak to posterity 3. Like Moses he makes his retreat with a respect to the recompence of reward Remember me O my God for good And that boâ— proposed in the promise 2 Sam. 23. 5. He hath made with mean everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my Salvation and all my desire Or pledged in the testimony of a good Conscience 2 King 20. 3. Remember O Lord how I have walked before theâ— in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is right in thy sight He who can say with Iob My witness is in Heaven and my record on high may justly say with Isaiah my work is with the Lord and my reward with my God For surely there is an end and the expectation of the righteous shall not be cutt off Now by these last words of the Tirshatha the Ruler would be warned in time to think of his retreat how he may make it good with honour For whether slow footed Time which changeth not his pace for fair weather or foul for Summer or Winter advance at the ordinary rate of Journey or whether death take post or changes take wing and calamity come suddenly or whether all these hold the ordinary road with
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
shall Mercy be built and Faithfulness established in the very Heavens Psal. 89. 2. I shall illustrate this consideration with the case of Relapses a case right perplexing to exercised Spirits and wherein they find the Scripture sparing of examples at least of frequent relapses into the same fault which makes them apprehend there is no hope These I write not that any should sin and sure for that very cause the Spirit of God in Wisdom hath beeen more sparing of such examples 〈◊〉 if any man have sinned and relapsed often into sin Let him remember 1. Christ's Seventy times Seven times Matth 18 22. And withall that as far as Heaven is above the earth so far are his wayes above our wayes and his thoughts above ours Isai. 55. 9. Let him remember 2 The indefinit promises Ezek 18. 27. and the like That when and what time soever a sinner shall repent he shall find mercy 3. Let him remember chiefly the blood of Christ that cleanseth us from all sin 1 Iohn 1 7. And 4thly if he must have examples Let him read the History of Israel's relapses in the book of Iudges Notwithstanding which the Lord as often as he heard their penitent cryes returned and Repented and sent them Saviours And let him read a notable place Psalm 78. 38. 40. In the 38 verse many a time he delivered them and forgave them but how many times did he that in the 40. verse how many a time did they provoke him Even as often as they provoked him a◠often he forgave them And when any man shall tell me precisely how often they provoked him I shall then tell him peremptorly how often he forgave them A simple Soul may possibly think to prevail with God at a time by pleading thus after the manner of men Help me O Lord this once and pardon my sin and I shall never trouble thy Majesty again I apprehend such are sometimes the thoughts of some But when Heaven and earth shall be measured in one line when God shall be as man or as the son of man when his ways shall be as our ways and his thoughts as our thoughts when I shall see the man that shall not be beholding to mercy Or the day wherein we ought not to Pray forgive us our debts or the time when it shall be lawful to limit the Holy one of Israel then shall I think that a convenient Argument But if I understand the Gospel it might be more beseeming God and his Grace in the Gospel to plead after this manner O Lord be gracious to me and forgive me this once And if ever I need I shall come to thee again Providing always that the Grace of God be not turned into wantonness nor this our liberty used for an occasion to sin Now for confirmation of what hath been said in this consideration I shall apply my self briefly to two places of Scripture The first is Psal 22 7. where I observe these things from the whole tenor of the Psalm 1. A saint's case may be right odd and in many things without a match but I am a worme and no man a reproach of men c. 2. I see in afflicted Saints a strong inclination to aggrege their own case and to reason themselves out of case with a sort of pleasure verse 4. Our Fathers trusted in thee and thou deliveredst them but I am not like other men I am a worme and no man the very language of dejected Spirits to this day 3. I see that when they have reasoned themselves never so far out of account beyond all example or match of case Parrallel there is yet some further ground for the faith of the desolate Soul to travel upon in its search for discoveries of light and comfort for we see how he goes on complaining searching believeing and Praying till he arrives at Praise which ever lyes at the far end of the darkest Wilderness that a Saint can go thorow for when a Saint is in the thickest darkness and under the greatest damps there is still aliquid ultra something before them and that is light for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart 4. I see that a humble well tamed Soul will stoop right low to lift up such grounds of hope and incouragement as to a Soul that is lifted up might seem but slender and mean thou tookest me from my mothers belly and caused me to hope upon the breasts A humble faith will winn its meat amongst other folks feet and when all examples fail such they will find an example in themselves furnishing them with matter of hope 5. I see there may be extant signal and manifest evidences of Gods kindness to his People in former times and in cases as pressing as the present the Memory whereof for a long time may be darkned with the prevailing sense of incumbent pressures verse 21. save me from the Lyons mouth for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns 6. Though all Parallels and matching examples of other mens cases fail a Saint yet to him it is sufficient ground of Faith and matter of Praise that his own case hath been helped when once it hath been as ill as now it is thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns and therefore I will declare thy name amongst my brethren in the midst of the Congregation will I praise thee 7. If there must be examples of leading cases if so I may call them then some must be the example by being first in that case And thus oftentimes he that finds no Parallel before him leaves one behind him And indeed we should be as well content if so the will of God be to be examples to others of suffering affliction and enduring tentations as to have examples of others Therefore sayes he verse 27. All the ends of the World shall remember this and in the last verse They shall declare to the people that shall be to come that he hath done this The 2d place of Scripture I direct my thoughts to is Iob. 5. 8 9. Iob's case was clearly unparallel'd and absolutly matchless And sayes Eliphaz the Temanite I would seek unto God and unto God would I commit my cause And that he might do that upon good ground he shewes in the 9 verse for sayes he God doth great things Why sayes the Soul mine is a great case then he doth great things Why I know what he doth No neither thou nor all the World knows that nor can find it out for he doth unsearchable things Whether that he is a God that cannot be known be a greater mercy or that he is an unknown God be to us a greater misery is that which I know not but this I know well that more of the knowledge of God and larger thoughts of him would loose many a knot and answer many a perplexing case to his People Yea but sayes the Soul it shall be a wonder a very miracle if ever my case
and driven to the Wilderness Sometimes is more visible and glorious in the incorporat Societies of National Churches sometimes more latent and obscure in some few single persons scattered up and down in the World who it may be in their time are as little observed by the World as the seven thousand true Worshipers were by Elias in his time There is a time Prov. 28. 12. when a man is hidden And the Lord in the worst of times hath his hidden ones Psal. 83. 3. And when judgement returns unto righteousness all the upright in Heart will follow after it Psal. 94. 15. 2. God may utterly reject and totally cast off the visible Body of a particular Church Witness the Church of the Jews at this day and the seven famous Churches of Asia 3. God may sententially reject his People by Threatnings when he doth it not nor minds to do it eventually and effectually in his Dispensations God may list up his Hand against his People to overthrow them and he may say by his threatnings That he will destroy them as it is Psal. 106. 23. 26. When yet they are spared he may frame a Bill of Divorse against his Church but not give it her into her hand Zeph. 2. 2. The Decree or the threatning intimating the Decree is one thing and the bringing forth of the Decree or the execution of that Threatning is another thing Repentance will obtain both a Suspension and Repeal of a Sentence of rejection In a word God may cast out with his people and not cast them off for all that He may Censure them within doors when he minds not to put them to the door The Lord may say he cannot owne a Whore and yet he is Married to her and he threatens to cast off a Whore that so he may keep still an honest Woman 4. God may really and effectually cast out his People when yet he doth not cast them off A Whore may be put to the door and taken home again Ier. 3. 1. A Leprous Miriam may be put out of the Camp and taken in again God may not only say by his threatnings but seem to confirm it by his Dispensations that his People are out-casts and yet He gathers the out-casts of Israel Psal. 147. 2. The Lord hath oft times in his Dispensations so shewed himself to his People testifying his Displeasures against them that even those who were more than common Counsellors with God and were best acquaint with his wayes have had right sad apprehensions of total off-casting Ier. 14. 19 Hast thou utterly rejected Judah Psal. 85 5 6. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all Generations Wilt thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoyce in thee And yet in the 9th verse and O! if this were the answer for the Mourners and inquirers in Scotland his salvation is near them that fear him that Glory may dwell in our land So that these are three very different things 1. Gods casting out with his People 2. His casting out his People And 3. his casting his People off 5. God may reject one Generation of a Church or Nation as a Generation of his wrath and yet his Covenant stand with the same Nation or Church Witness that Generation with whom the Lord's Spirit was grieved fourty years and whose Carcases fell in the Wilderness 6. God may cast off the Incorporation of a Church or Nation whereof sometimes he reserves a remnant to whom he will be gracious and with whom he will establish his Covenant Paul Rom. 11 at the beginning shews that be with Israel as it will God will not cast off his own Elect such as he himself was And Rom. 9. 27 though a number like the sand of the Sea be destroyed Yet a remnant shall be saved as saith Isaiah chap. 1 vers 9. And that is the grand consolation when all goes to all That of all that the Father hath given him Christ will lose none Joh. 6. 39. A Son of perdition when he meets with a temptation may go from Christ's very elbow both to Hell and the Halter at once ' But however such may be lent to Christ to make use of in a common Service for a time yet certain it is that they have never been given to him for Salvation But yet God is good to Israel Psal. 73. 1. But here two distinctions are fit to be remembered The 1. is Paul's distinction Rom. 9 6. betwixt Israel and those that are of Israel Common Professors Carnal Hypocrites and unbelievers may expect little mercy in a time of publick off-casting of a Church or Nation The 2d distinction is Hosea's in this Chapter betwixt the Children of a Whore and the Children of her Whoredoms This Whorish Church had lawfully begotten Children Ammi and Ruchamah to whom the Prophet who likwise himself was one and a brother of those Children is commanded to apply himself and of these there were few in that time of publick Apostacy But then in the 4th verse of this Chapter there are the ill begotten Children of her Whoredoms whose names in the 1 Chapter were called Loammi and Loruchamah and these were many The Children of Whoredoms are those who comply in judgment or practice with the common course of a Churches Apostacy whose Faith and Principles if they have any are not the fruit of the immortall seed of the incorrupted Word of God but of the inventions and Commandments of men or the delusions and impostures of Satan which their Adulterous Mother the Church that so breeds them who is damned for that she hath forsaken her first faith is so fond of If a Woman be a gaudy light Person it may readily render her Children suspected but if she be an arrand notorious Whore then it is too likely and in the case of Religion it is almost necessary and certain that si Mater Meretrix Filia talis erit If the mother be a Whore the Daughter will be such also and so the Proverb shall be fulfilled Ezek. 16. 44. As is the Mother so is the Daughter Papists breed their Children Papists and other Folk breed their Children such as they themselves are and few Children make their Fathers Religion better and therefore sad is the case of young ones that fall into corrupt times and sad is the condition of these times wherein young ones are bred corrupt There is little appearance if Soveraign goodness interpose not that they shall soon be better Because a person ordinarly persists in those Principles wherewith they have been first possessed by education for Solomon tells us that whatsoever way a Child is trained up in he will not depart from it when he is old and quo semel est imbutarecens servabit odorem testa diu A new vessel will keep the first scent long But moreover there is real ground of fear that such times shall still grow worse and worse for evil beginnings have worse proceedings they
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
to it Prov. 17 16. I shall not here mention that which is if not a strange confirmation yet a clear illustration of the Doctrine and it is the practice of Saints in Scripture who have been diligent students of all the works of God universally and particularly of his ways to his People and some have been such proficient by their observations that they have been able to leave us a perfect Chronicle with a diurnal account of events in their time as the Scripture-Historians others have searched so deep by the special assistance of him that searcheth all things even the deep things of God that they have been able to frame us certain and everlasting Almanacks of the state of future times as the Prophets But to pass these as being acted and assisted by an extraordinary motion and measure of the Spirit of God Look we thorow all the Scriptures how Religious observers of the works of God and his ways whether in general to his People or to themselves in particular we find even ordinary Saints and extraordinary persons in their ordinary conversation to have been Now being convinced that it is our concerning Duty to observe diligently the works of God and his Dispensations to his People Two great Questions require to be answered for our further satisfaction and better instruction in this Duty 1 VVhat are we specially to observe in the works of God and his Dispensations to his People 2. How are we to observe the works of God To the first Question then be it presupposed 1. That there is no work of God nor any thing in any work of God how common and ordinary soever that is not excellent and Glorious and worthy to be searched out Psal. 111. 2 3 4. But 2. Of all the works of God some are more Glorious and observable than others and of every work of God some things are more excellent and searchworthy than others 3. That we are not able to observe or take up fully any work of God far less all his works Eccles. 8 17. Whereupon it follows in all reason 4. that we are to apply our selves to the observation of some things especially in the works of God Otherwise as by a perpetual endless divisibility of the least continuous body according to the principles of Peripatetick Philosophy a midges wing may be extended to a quantity able to cover the outmost Heavens so the observation of the meanest work of God may abundantly furnish discourse deducable to perpetuity But then what shall come of short-breathed man whose days are an hand breadth in the attempt of an impossibility he mustly by the gate and leave the rest as Italians do their chess playes to be told by his posterity Wherefore I shall but hint compendiously at these four things chiefly to be observed seriously in the works of God and his ways towards his People 1. We would consider and observe seriously the works themselves with all their circumstances and this is a part to know the times to know what the Lord is doing to his people in the times none would be such strangers in Ierusalem as not to know the things that happen there in their days Luke 24 18. David Psal. 143 5. can say I meditat on all thy works I muse on the work of thy hands We might think him a bad Mariner who being at sea should not be able at any time to tell from what airth the wind did blow and we may think him a litle better Christian who can give no account of the times nor of the Works of God in the times and knows not it may be cares not how the wind blows upon the Church and People of God Every one that would be worthy of their roome in the time would study to be acquainted with the accidents of divine Dispensations in the time not out of Athenian curiosity but Christian inquiry But if it be asked how far is it betwixt Antioch and Athens or plainly what difference is there betwixt Christian inquiry and Athenian curiosity it may not be amiss as Paul inpassing by beheld their devotion Act. 17. 23. by the way to take notice out of Act 17. 19. 20. 21. of these three properties of Athenian curiosity which difference is from Christian inquiry 1. It runs all upon new things Even the Ancient truths of the Gospel and the best things in Gods dispensations if once they become old and ordinary do not relish with curiosity 2. Curiosity satisfies it self with telling and hearing of those new things it hears to tell and tells what it hears and tells that it may tell and nothing els as the Text says it is taken up with the report of things more than with the things it is an empty airy thing 3. It is a time spending thing they spend their time so sayes the Text Curiosity like nigards can spend well upon another mans purse and give liberally of that which is none of its own let no man trust his time to Curiosity which will be sure to give him a short account of All spent But for further satisfaction in the difference betwixt Athenian curiosity and Christian Inquiry let all that be considered which rests to be answered to both the Questions proponed before upon a particular survey whereof we shall be able to give a more distinct judgment in the case of this difference Only as it is kindness not curiosity that makes men inquire how their friends do so where there is true kindness to the People of God it will kyth in a solicitous inquiry concerning their state in all things But as the man asked Christ who then is my neighbour so may the Church and People of God justly ask But who is my friend she sees so many as the Levite pass by on the other side who never turn aside so much as once to ask how she does and to whom all is as nothing that she suffers Lament 1. 12 Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by c Let it be remembred then that the works of God themselves with all their circumstances be duely considered The 2d thing to be observed in the works of God is the Author and hand that worketh these works This the Saints have observed in the works of God Psal. 39 9. this they will that others may observe Psal. 109 27. This all may and ought and shall in the end see Psal. 9 16. Isai 26. 11. who ever be the Amanuensis or what ever be the instrument Gods works as Pauls Epistles are all given under his own hand with this inscription all these have my hands done The Scripture hath diverse expressions to this purpose of the finger of God the hand of God the arme of the Lord and God himself appearing in his works intimating the gradual difference of manifestations of a Providence appearing sometimes more darkly sometimes more clearly in the works and dispensations of God And yet even the smallest character of providence if men had on
their Spectacles is sufficiently conspicuous and may be discerned that it is the hand writing of the Lord for that it hath a peculiar stampt of Divinity that cannot be counterfited If God creat but a louse in Egypt that is an original whereof the greatest Magicians can give no copy because it is the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. And yet many read the Epistle without the inscription many see the hand work and not the hand the Work and not the Worker Not to speak of Heathen Atheists of whom some have been darkned with the fancy of a voluble blind Fortune others dammished with the impression of on inflexâ—â—â—e inexorable fate both equally opposed to the â—th of a wisely contrived and freely exercised â—â—ovidence Nor to speak of heretical Manicheâ— who attributed all evil events of sin or pain to â—e Daemoniacal influence of a malum principium an dependent unprincipiated Principle of evil in â—ain speech a Devil-God nor of malicious blasâ—emous Iews who albeit that they could not â—ny that notable Works and Miracles were â—ought by Christ yet calumniously attributed at which was the finger of God to Beelzebub â—e Prince of Devils I say not to mention these â—w many are there in all Generations who have â—gmatically received the true principles of a geneâ— Providence that either of neglect do not of infirmity and mistake cannot or of malice â—ill not see the hand of God in particular events â—nd therefore we have this frequent Conclusion Gods dispensations whether of mercy or Judgâ—ent then shall they know that I am the Lord. Unbelief of a providence looseth all the pins and â—aketh the whole frame of Religion and the â—â—th and actual observation of a Providence sixeth that Atheisme looseth Upon this pin of an observed Providence the Saints do hang many excellent vessels of greater and smaller quantity â—nd what doth not David build upon this foundation the Lord reigneth Let us then observe â—rovidence ruling in all dispensations and in every one of these let us with old Eli both see â—d say it is the Lord and whether dispensations be prosperous or cross let us remember him thâ— hath said I make peace and I creat evil Onâ—â— let not the observation of providence either slaken our hands in any good Duty This evil iâ— the Lord wherefore then should I wait any longer 〈◊〉 him was an ill use of Providence And this is bâ— like the rest of Satans and Unbeliev's Conclusion Nor 2. Let it strengthen our hands in any sinâ— project or practice It was the Devil that 〈◊〉 cast thy self down from the pinacle because he hath â—â—ven his Angels charge of thee Let us not take Providence 3. for approbation of our practice Senacherib who could say that he was not come without the Lord against Ierusalem It was a wickâ—â— word in David's enemies to say God hath forsâ—â—â— him let us persecute and destroy him But David 〈◊〉 of another spirit when God delivered Saul iâ— his hand let not my hand saith he be upon bâ— for wickedness proceedeth from the wicked saith the Proverb of the Ancients 4. Let dispensations of Providence be determining evidences of our state before God for all things 〈◊〉 alike unto all and and no man can know either â—â— or hatred by all that is before him Eccles. 9 1. â—â— a great vanity in a wicked man to think the 〈◊〉 of himself for prosperity And it a great weakâ—â—â—â— in a Saint to think the worse of himself for affliction and adversity albeit all these come from the hand of the Lord. And yet none are hereupâ—â— allowed to be Stoically or stupidly unconcerned 〈◊〉 the vicissitudes of differing dispensations for â—â—cles 3 4. there is a time to weep and a time to 〈◊〉 time to mourn and a time to dance And chap. 7. 14. the wise God by the wise mans mouth bids us in â—he day of prosperity be joyful but in the day of adâ—ersity consider The 3d. thing to be observed in the works of God and his ways to his People is the Properties and Attributes of those his works for as omne â—actum refert suum factorem every thing made reâ—embles its maker so in the works of God generally and more specially in his ways and dispensations to his own we have a lively draught and â—elineation of all the attributes of the blessed Worker Here is displayed the soveraignity of God which is exalted equally above limited â—oyality and licentious Tyranny for the Kings â—â—rength loveth judgment Psal. 99. 4. The Soverignity of God flows from his unlimited Indendâ—nt nature is founded upon his transcendent unâ—erived right in his creatures and runs in this method 1. he is over and before all things 2. all things are of him 3. all things are his and therefore 4. he may do with his own what he will â—e is the only potentat and to him belongs the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever Amen This â—overaignity of the works of God or of God in â—is works is a common pass-key that will open all â—he Adyta the secret passages of the most mysterious reserved works of God in his most surprizing â—ispensations to his People and gives the only answer to Questions about many of his dispensations otherways unanswerable instance these few Question Why hath the Lord elected one to Salvation and appointed another to Damnation and that it may be of two Brethren as Iacaâ— and Easu Twins born where all things are equal in the Object Answer Because the Potter hath power over the clay to make of the same lump one vessel to honour and another to dishonour Rom. 9. 21. Question 2 Why iâ— pursuance of the design and accomplishment of the work of our Salvation did the Lord bruise his own Son and put him to grief It pleased the Lord Isai 53. 10. Question 3. Why doth the Lord shew mercy to one and harden another Answer So he â—â— Rom 9. 18. Question 4. Why to all those that anâ— really in a state of Grace doth the Lord dispensâ— Grace so differently in time measure method manner and other circumstances Answer thâ—â— is as the spirit of God will 1 Cor. 12 11. Question 5. Why doth the Lord distribute an equal reward of Glory to those whose works and service iâ— very unequal in the World Answer Because it is lawful for the Lord to do what he will with â—â— own Math. 20. 15. Question 6. Why doth the Lord vouchafe Grace to those most ordinarilâ— who naturally ly at the greatest disadvantages â— that the Poor the Fools Babes yea the most desperat forlorn sinners Publicans and Harlots aâ— called and do receive the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and enter thereinto whilst thâ— Wise the Mighty the Righteous Civil Well Natured and Well bred Pharisees are passed by Whâ— should all this be Answer Even so father for so seemed good in thy sight Math. 11. 26 Question 7. Why doth the Lord choose one People and â—ation to make them
his People bring them with 〈◊〉 the bond of his Covenant and give them a free â—â—spensation of his ordinances whilst he doth not to others and loves them that are of themselves may be the least lovely Answer The Lord loves and chooses because he loves and chooses â—eut 7. compare the 7 and 8. verses Question 8. â—â—w comes it that the Lord surprises his Saints any times with such unexpected kindness and â—ercies as distress their wits and dash their moâ—sty so that they are equally ashamed and ignorant of that kindness wherewith they are so loaded â—d weighted without wearying that they are â—terly at a loss to express let be to requite it hence is all this I say Answer Because Gods way with his People is not the manner of man And what can David say more to it 2 Samuel 19 20. Question 9 But how is it that the Lord withdrawes his comfortable presence many times â—om his People when they are most earnest to keep â—m and solicitous to entertain him Answer â—hat is as he pleases Cant. 2 7. It becomes us well to â—ait his Dyets and it as well becomes him to be â—aster of his own Dyets Question 10. Why is it â—at the Lord gives many of his finest and most â—oly Saints such a sad inward life of desertions â—ears Tentations that are able to distract even a â—ise Heman from his youth and to make them â—iferenters also of such Exercises Answer I find â—is Question made by Heman Psal. 88 14. but I â—nd no answer to it And it may be the Lord would have said it is ill speired The just answer to this and such like Questions is Job 33. 13. Gâ—â— gives not account of any of his matters Question 11. â— dispensations how is it that either all things fâ— alike to all or if there be any odds of Lots the worst falls to the Saints in this life And that somâ— times men that are singulary Holy are strangely afflicted as Iob. Answer Job 9 22 23. This â—â— one thing therefore I said it he destroyeth thâ— perfect and the wicked if the scourge slay suddainly he will laugh at the tryal of the innocenâ— O Soveraignity becoming him only who doth â— Heaven and Earth whatsoever he pleaseth Thâ— next property and attribute of God observable iâ— his works is wisdom and this sweetly influence the former for albeit God always will not yet always he well can give a good account of his maâ—ters known unto God are all his works from the beginning Act 1â— 18. Yea the Lord somâ— times manifests the wisdom of his works evidentlâ— and eminently to his Peoples admiration rathâ—â— than satisfaction and lets them see more wisdom in his dispensations than they can fathom O thâ— depth Rom. 11. 33. I dare not cast my self into the depth of this wisdom of God in his dispensations lest I be not able in haste to recover my self Only let us mind that what we know not now â—â— God 's mind in his dispensations it may be wâ— shall know afterwards to our great satisfaction We should likewise observe in the works of God Power Holiness Justice Goodness whereoâ— more in the sequel of our discourse and particularly we would observe the Truth for which the Psalmist so much commends the judgements and â—nd works of God we should observe how every work of God verifies some word of his book and â—ow all fulfills the whole We find it frequent in the mouth of Christ and his Apostles and sure it was first in their eyes thus and thus it was done that the Scriptures might be fulfilled The works of God are an enlarged Commentary of â— daily new edition upon the Word of God And be sure this shall not be an Orleans gloss that will overturn the Text nor will the only wise God so far forget himself in the least to counter work his Word And if thus we observe the correspondency of Gods Works with his Word our Song shall be as we have heard so have we seen in the â— City of our God And that according to his name so is his praise to all the ends of the earth Psal. 48 8 10. Only let us be sure to have the Word on our side if ever we would expect good of the Works of God for if Gods word be for us himself is on our side if God be for us who shall be against us who is the man what is the thing neither death nor life c. The Fourth thing to be observed in the works of God is the voice of them Gods words have a hand and are active working words his Works have a tongue and are speaking works his words may be seen Ier 2. 13. O generation see ye the word of the Lord and his works may be heard Mica 6. 9. the Lords voice cryeth to the City and the man of wisdom shall see the thy name hear ye the rod and him that hath appointed it There is both a visible Voice and name and an audible Rod. Men have no ears for Gods Word or if they hear it they dally with it and make iâ— but what they please darkening it with the duâ— of their Carnal self-pleasing glosses but God hath another Voice the heavy voice of a bloody lashing rod that Voice will cause men hear and iâ— speaks so distinctly that it will make the meaning of a despised Word so plain that it shall be even visible what God would say to such hearers As the Apostle sayes 1 Cor 24 10. there are so many kinds of voices in the World and every voice hath its own signification So the several works oâ— God have their several signifying voices to the Sons of Men. Some Works of God have a Voice oâ— Instruction some have a voice of Lamentation Jesus once weept over the City Ierusalem with the proper voice of his Body Jesus often weeps over Cities Churches Provinces and Kingdoms with the Metaphoricall voice of his Dispensations some works of God have a voice of gladness and singing Psal. 9. 4. thou Lord hast made me glad through they work Some have a voice of Victory and Triumph and dividing the spoile I will triumph in the works of thy hands ibidem in that same verse Miriam sang Exod. 15 1. the Lord hath triumphed Gloriously and Psal. 47. the Lord is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet Sing praises to God sing praises sing praises to our God sing praises Some Works of God have the voice of a Lyon roaring some of a thunder cracking some of waters rushing some Works of God have a still whispering voice some have â— clear speaking voice some have a loud crying voice The still voice whispers in the Conscience the plain clear voice speaks in the Word and the loud voice cryes in the rod the Lords voice cryes to the City hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Now they hear and observe the voice of God's Works
that make the true use of every dispensation that it requires that lament when the Lord Mournes that dance when he Pipes that tremble when he Roares that hearken when he teaches that answer when he calls and thus every Godly Soul is an Eccho to the voice of God The spirit says come and the Bride says come The Lord says return and the sinner says behod we come He says seek ye my face and the Soul says thy face will I seek O Lord. But as Christ says it is only he that hath an ear who will hear and as the Prophet Micah says it is only the man of wisdom that will see Gods name and hear the Rod. And I take him to have a bad ear and little skill in discerning voices that cannot give the Tune of God's present dispensations to his People in these Nations But it will appertain to the answer of the next question to give the particular notes of this tune and to hold forth the proper uses of present dispensations to the Church and Saints of God The 2d Question proponed was how are we to observe the Works and dispensations of God To the Question I answer that we are to observe the dispensations of God 1. with selfdenyal and humble diffidence of our own wisdom and understanding There is 1. so much of mystery in thâ— dispensations of God Verily thou art a good that hâ—est thy self O God the Saviour of Israel Isai 42 15 And 2dly So many even good observers Godly men have verily mistaken so far in their apprehensions of Divine dispensations Witness Job and his freinds who darkned counsel by words without knowledge Iob 38. 2. and 42 3. whereupon the Lord poses â—ob in the former place and which he freely confesses in the latter That it is needful in this point if in any to hearken to instruction Prov 3 5 7. lean not to thine own understanding be no wise in thine own eyes Humble David though wise David who for his discerning was as an Angel â—â— God 2 Sam 14. 17. would not exercise himself â—â— matter too high for him Psal 131 1. whereof the dispensations of God are a high part which hâ— acknowledges to be too hard for him to understand Psal. 73. 16. And his Son Solomon whose wisdom is so renowned taxes all rash and unadvised inquiry into the works of God Eccles. 7 10. There is no safe nor true discovery of the Works of God but through the prospect of his Word Psaâ— 73. 17. We must â—o to the sanctuary with Gods Works the Word will let us see that wicked men are seâ— upon slippery places even when they seem to stand surest Psal. 73. 18. And when their roots are wrapped about the earth and they see the place oâ— Stones while they lean upon their House and holy it fast While they are in their greenness they are cut down and as the rush they wither before any other herb Iob. 8. 11. and foreward Yea whilst the Saints look not upon their own state and Gods dispensations to them according to the Word they are ready to mistake right far I said in my prosperity my mountain stands strong and I shall never be moved thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled And upon the other hand when I said my foot slippeth Thy mercy Lord it held me up Wherefore let us ay be ready to hearken to better information in our apprehensions of Divine dispensations and particular events remembring that all men are lyars But for the general issue of things we may be well assured without all fear of mistake That it shall be well with the righteous and ill with the wicked for this is the sure word of Prophesie Isai 3. 10. 11. Yea not only shall it be well with the Righteous in the end but every thing how cross soever in the way shall conduce and concurr to work his wellfare And this is a truth that shall never fail and wherein there is no fear of mistake Rom. 8. 28. And the Scripture abounds with Noble instances of this truth But by the contrary all things how prosperous soever that fall to the wicked in his way shall in the end redound to his woe and turn to his greater misery of this likewise there are in Scripture instances not a few Learn we then to observe dispensations of particular events with humility and submission to a better Judgment 2dly We must observe the works of God with Patience if we would know the Lords going forth we must follow on to know Hosea 6. 3. In our observation of dispensations we must not conclude at a view nor upon their first appearance There is I so much of surprisal in many dispensations that often they escape our first thoughts verily says Jacob God was in this place and I knew it not Genes 28 16. when the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion sayes the Church we were as men that dreame Psal. 116 1 When the Angel delivered Peter he wist not whether that it was true that was done but thought he saw a vision Act. 12 9. There is 2 oft times much Error in our first thoughts of things that needs to be corrected by second thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 second thoughts are the wiser I say ays David I am cut off from thine eyes but I said it over soon I said it in my haste I took no leasure throughly to consider the matter And therefore I will look again toward thy Holy temple I looked but I must look again I said but I must say again The Scriptures gives many instances of the Saints mistaks and errors in the first thoughts of Gods dispensations and in these patâ—untur aliquid humani they are but like men Somtimes again 3 the Lord goes thorow in his dispensations by a method of contraries he brings his People into the dark before he cause light shine out of darkness he brings them as the Text says into the driery Wilderness and there he comforts them he wounds before he heal he kills before he make alive he casts down before he raise up And therefore there is need of Patience to observe the whole course of dispensations and their connexion for if we look upon them by parts we will readily mistake in our Observation I find likwise 4. In many Dispensations a reserve the Lord keeping up his mind as it were to bait and allure his People to observe Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self O God the Saviour of Israel Isai 45. 14. O Lord we cannot see what thou wouldst be at what I do thou knowest not now sayes Christ but thou shalt know afterwards Like a man if he see his hearers slack their attention to a serious discourse he breaks off and pauses a little to reduce them to a serious attention so does God in his works to gain us to a diligent Observation Threfore in our Observation of Dispensations we would be like Abraham's Godly servant Genes 24 21.
he held his peace to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not Moreover 5. in some Dispensations the Lord uses a Holy simulation and makes as if he would do that which he hath no mind to do Sometimes he makes to take leave of his People before he tell his Erand Let me go says he to Jacob when Iacob was but yet beginning to know that it was he and ere ever there was a word of the blessing which he came to leave with Iacob for his encouragement in his encounter with his Brother And Christ made as if he would have passed by his Disciples at Sea and the like semblance he made Luke 24 28. Now if we can have the patience to observe we will sometimes see the Issue of Dispensations other than it appeared And for patient Observation of Dispensations 1. respice finem a good advice Behold the end Psal. 37 37. It is the end that we are bidden mark and behold aâ— I said above We must not conclude of Dispensations neither by appearances nor parts We must wait till we see every part do its part for all works together Rom. 8. 28. And 2 respice usque finem Behold or observe to the end is an other direction necessary to the practice of the former whose would see the end must behold with patience to the end Daniel 12 8. enquires concerning the end of things and he observes till the time of the end he looks thorow all interveening times of the accomplishment of these events manifested to him so albeit none of us hath a prophetical Spirit to lead us thorow future times yet the Faith and Patience of Saints teaches us to wait all our appointed time In our patient Observation of Dispensations we must be like the Prophet Isai 21 8. where he saith I stand continually upon the watch tower in the day and I am set in my ward whole nights My soul waits for the Lord sayes David more than the watch waits for the morning Psal. 130. 6. I say more than they that wait for the morning and by such patient Observation he had seen many a foul night have a fair morning Sorrow may be at night but joy comes in the morning Psal 30 5. 3dly We should observe the Lords Dispensations with Search and Secrutiny Psal. 77. 6. my spirit made diligent search 1. We should search the Lord's affection in Dispensations and whether they be in mercy or in wrath many get their will and asking in wrath Psal. 78. 30. 31. some are rebuked and chastened but not in wrath nor displeasure as David Prayes for himself Psal. 6 1. Therefore the question would be Ier. 14. 19. hast thou rejected â—udah hath they soul loathed Zion 2dly We would search the Reasons and procuring causes of sad Dispensations Iob 10 2. shew me wherefore thou conâ—endest with me 3dly We would search and inquire â—nent the event of Dispensations wilt thou not revive us again that thy People may rejoice in thee Psal. 85. 6. We are allowed likwise 4thy to search and enquire anent the continuance of Dispensations to this purpose we read in Scripture many a how long Lord In sad Dispensations likwise 5ly we should search for solid grounds of comfort and for this we should remember bygone times and remember the kindness we have tasted of in them Psal. 89. 49. Lord where are thy former loving kindnesses Psal 77. 10. I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high But in the Observation of Dispensations our search would be 6ly chiefly about our Duty our main question would be Lord what wilt thou have me to do Act 9 6. And our great Petition with David must be lead me O Lord in they righteousnes because of mine enemies make thy way straight before my face Psal. 5. 8. teach me thy way O Lord and I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy name Psal. 86. 11. 4. We should observe the Dispensations of God with Regard the challenge is Isai 5. 12 that they regard not the work of the Lord. This Regard is a due judgment and estimation of the works of God with reverence becoming the Majesty worth and excellency of the worker and the works and that leaves an impression of Piety and Religion upon the heart of the Observer according to that pathetick exclamation Rev. 15 4. who shall not not fear thee O Lord and glorify they name for thou art Holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest Due Observation of the works of God is a great curb to Atheisme and Prophanity and Atheisme and Prophanity are as great enemies to due Observation of divine Dispensations Put men in fear O Lord that they may seek thy name 5ly We should observe the Lord Dispensations with Affection Lament 3 51. mine eye affecteth mine heart the Prophet's Observation of Dispensations made him cry my bowels my bowels my heart is pained within me Jer. 4. 19. I reckon him a savage person and one that hath vicera fera triplex circa pectus robur the bowels of a tygar or bear and that his heart is brass oak or stones who is not affected with the Dispensations of our times who grieves not for the afflictions of Joseph Amos6 6. and who cryes not alas for the day for none is like it It is the day of Jacob's trouble Jer. 30. 7. 6. We should observe the Lords works with Memory in our Observations of things present we should reflect upon these that are past in former times I remember the days of old Psal. 153. 5. And likwise we would lay up in memory our present Observations for the time to come Psal. 48. 12 13. Mark ye well that ye may tell it to the generation following We have both joined together Psal 78 3 4. that which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us we will not hide from their children â—hewing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderfull works that he hath â—one The Psalmist says Psal. 111. 4. The Lord hath made his wonderful works to be remembred O! then â—t not the memory of the Lords Works go down â—n our days Let us comfort our selves with what â—s remembred and let us transmit the memory of the Lords Works to succeeding Generations that they may share of the same comforts And I believe the People of God in this time have much to â—o with their memory we hear not what we were wont to hear nor see what we were wont to see We are now left to gather up the Fragments of former enjoyments by the hand of a Sanctified memory One says O I shall still think well of Christ He shall be to me as the Apple tree alongst the trees of the Wood for the day was then I sat down under his shaddow and his fruit â—as sweet to my taste Cant. 2. 3. Another
youth there is no lot so ill but a well exercise Soul can make good of it 3dly From the hope â— an out-gate in the issue verses 31. 32. the Lord will not cast off for ever but though he can grief yet will he have compassion according â— the multitude of his mercies 4. From the Lords unwillingness to afflict verse 33. for he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of men 5. From the Lords Soveraignity verse 37 38 out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not evil and good 6. From mens deserving justly the saddest things verse 39. wherfore doth a man complain for the punishmentâ— his sins and verses 35. 36. the Lord approvâ— no unjust dealing But true submission is not stupid idle heartless thing and if we suffer oâ— hearts wholly to be idle they will not fail like unemployed Souldiers to mutin and so find themselves both unhappy and unlawful Worlâ— therefore they must be diverted to that which good Take we then the 4th Use of present Dispensations to imploy our hearts with all and that is Seâ—â— examination verse 40. Let us search and try oâ— ways a pertinent and very necessary work for suâ—â— a time Amongst the many things we get leisuâ—â— now to think on let this be minded as none the least as the â—yning Pot for Silver and the Furnace for Gold so is affliction to a sinner a discovering and purging thing Affliction as I not before will cause men hear on the deafest side of their head it will open their ears to discipline it will cause them see things that before they would not see Let us then set in earnest to the Work of â—elf-examination while we have the advantage of â—uch a help The 5th Use of present Dispensations is Repentance in that same 40 verse and let us turn again to the Lord What ever by Self-examination is discovered to be amiss as hardly any man shall search himself faithfully but many such things will be â—ound with him let all that be amended for if â—ur scum be only discovered and go not out from â—s we shall be in hazard to be consumed in the Furnace Repentance well becomes a sinner at any â—ime but especially when God with rebukes is â—hastising man for iniquity and persuing sin with â— Rod And Gods hand will fiul be stretched out nor will his anger turn away till the People turn to him that â—nites them Isai 9 12 13. If we would freely turn to the Lord from all iniquity we needed neither fear the wrath of men nor be beholden to their kindness the Lord should then command deliverances for Iacob as it is said Psal. 44 4. and should cause the best of them be glad to go his Erands and serve at his Commands But our iniquities turn away and with hold good things from us Ier. 5. 25. O if once that sweet Word were going thorow the Land Hosea 6. 1. every one sending it to his neighbour and saying come and let us return unto the Lord. The 6th Use of present Dispensations is much Prayer verse 41. Let us lift up our heart with our hands to God in the Heavens and if the People of God set once to Prayer in good earnest it will be high time for their enemies to fear a mischief for sure the cloud of the Saints Prayers will break in a tempest upon their fatal heads The three last verses of the Chapter are dreadful to them Render unto them a recompence O Lord according to the Work of their hands give them sorrow of heart thy curse unto them persecute and destroy them in anger from under the Heavens of the Lord. And if the destitute People of God were mighty in Prayer wrestling with God weeping and making supplication to the Angel as Iacob did I could tell the Church of God good news that then the Lord would build up Zion and would appear in his Glory and thaâ— he would regard the Prayer of the destitute and noâ— despise their Prayer Psal. 102 16 17. For the Lord is even waiting his Peoples Call Isai 30. 18. 19 the Lord waiteth to be Gracious he will be very Gracious to thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall hear it he will answer thee And what will he give us he will give us our removed Teachers with the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel in a plentiful and powerful Dispensation of the Word Isai 30. 20 21. O then Let all that love Ierusalem Pray and let us wrestle together by Prayer and each Pray with another and for another and to anothers hand and let us all join hands and see who can give the kindest lift and go nearest to raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen that we bear not the shame that this breach is under our hand Now all these uses of afflicting Dispensations are as pertinent to the Cases of particular Persons whose heart knows its own grief and who know every one the plague of their own heart And by all the rest Prayer by the Holy Ghost is prescribed as a chief ingredient in all the cures of an afflicted case Jam. 5 13. Is any man afflicted let him Pray Prayer hath its famous witnesses in the Scriptures of the great things that it hath done neither wants it its witnesses in the breasts all the Saints One word of sincere Prayer will cause Devils and men and lusts and fears and cares all run and will burst the strongest bands One word of sincere Prayer from the end of the earth will at a call bring God to the Soul and with him light joy peace inlargment and Soul-solace But if any be so obstinate as the Jews were in the case of the Blind man that they will not believe famous well qualified witnesses who know what they speak and speak that which they have seen I say but of Prayer to them as the blind mans Parents said to those of him John 9 21 ask him he shall speak for himself Try but Prayer in earnest and I have no fear to be found a false witness for its own works shall praise it self best and then I shall be thought to have spoken within bounds And thus I have answered the questions proponed for instruction in the Observation of divine Dispensations all which may serve as I said to state a clear difference betwixt Athenian curiosity and a Christian inquiry into the works of God and his ways towards his People Having already prosecuted the Doctrine in a way as I hope not unuseful there remains the less to be said to it by way of Use distinctly in the usual way Only be it remembered that we observe the Lords Dispensations in manner aforesaid and for incouragment take but one place Psal. 107. 42 43. the righteous shall see it and rejoyce and all iniquity shall stop her mouth Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. And so much for the
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-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
a Wilderness may easily understand this and there is reason for it because a man is there deprived of any thing that may chear his Spirit and of all gladening Objects besides that he is possessed with fearful apprehensions of evils that may befal him and his spirit in the very entry is amused with the uncouth and solitary nature of the place To say no more of this the very Countenances of of the Lords People in these times look like a Wilderness and sâ—d cause why we see many things to make us sorry little to make us glad We see such things as we nor our Fathers have not seen the like And if there were no more and albeit for our own particular we had no occasion of grief and though like Nehemiah we were serving the King with Wine and were of as jovial an humor as he who was not wont afore time to be sad yet if any should ask the Kings Question Nehemiah 2 2. Why is thy countenance sad seing thou art not sick This is nothing els but sorrow of heart may we not sadly reply with him in the 3 d verse Why should not my Countenance be sad when my City the place of my fathers Sepulchres lyeth waste and the Gates thereof are consumed with fire That is when the Church of God is laid desolate But I suspect there are few that truly love God or are kindly sons of Zion but they have their own particular grievances in these times wherein they share of the common lot of the Church their Mother that sits in the dust and â—â— is good it be so For wo to them that are at ease â—â— Zion Amos 6. 1. The particular grievances of Saints and their pressures serve well to keep them mindful of the Churches common lot for fellowship in calamity is such a pregnant incentive to sympathy that even Jesus himself was made the more compassionat for what he himself suffered being in all points tempted as we are yet without sin he cannot but be touched with the feeling of our infirmity Heb. 4. 15. And does it not well suite all the Children to go in Mourning when the Mother sits desolate and afflicted as a Woman forsaken Eâ— how could they expect to be comforted with her if they do not Mourn for her Solomon that great Master of Religion Nature and Reason hath determined Eccl. 7. 2 3. that it is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting And that sorrow is better than laughter for that by the sadness of the Countenance the heart is made better and he who is greater than Solomon who himself often weept but never that we read once laughed pronounceth them blessed that mourn for that they shall be comforted Matth. 5. 4. 9. This Wilderness importeth a Condition of Weariness and fainting This yet follows naturally from all that hath been said Psal. 107. 5. those that wander in a Wilderness their soul fainteth in them Psal. 63. 1. Davids Wilderness was a thristy or as the Original hath it a weary Land and Isai 32 2. it is expresly rendered a weary Land The Saints case in their Wilderness is often like that of the Egyptian 1 Sam. 30. 11 12. who was so outwearyed that he fell off from his company and sunk in the Wilderness David often complaineth that he was weak that his spirit failled his soul fainted this throat was dry his eyes failed whilst he cryed upon the Lord and waited for him And no wonder it is that the Saints so often weary and faint by the way but a great wonder it is that any of them should hold up to the end They have such long stages in the Race that is set before them and those in a thirsty Wilderness where hardly they can drink of the brook by the way and they must run it so oft about with fresh parties whereof possibly the worst comes last upon them when they are already so much exhausted that there is great reason for him that would wager upon their heads to ask whether they have so much confidence remaining as to answer that Question Jer. 12. 5. If thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee then how canst thou contend with horses and if in the land of peace wherein thou trustedst they wearyed thee how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan But the Lord that makes the Question must answer and one Prophet must Answer another and how Jeremy could do all that Isaiah can tell Chap 40. from the 28 verse to the end the everlasting God the Lord that created the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary c. Let the people of God in their Wilderness expect to have their hands full of it and as much as shall put them to a strict necessity either to believe or utterly to give it over Psal 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living Now this is the Wilderness and thus is answered the first thing in the point What is the Wilderness II. The second thing to be considered in the point is Wherefore doth the Lord bring his People into the Wilderdess The Scripture sheweth that for one or more of these five Reasons the Lord doth this 1. He doth it for their sin and that in these five Respects 1. to convince them of sin It is long many a time ere the Lords sinful People will see or acknowledge their sin yea they will say they are innocent when their transgressions are most evident Jer. 2 23. and therefore verse 35. I will plead with thee because thou sayest I have not sinned Such as are kindly Melancholians may know by experience what effectual impressions the change of places hath to the changing of mens minds and for this it is necessary often times that men be sent to learn that in the Wilderness which they could not it may be they would not see at home in a land inhabited Jer. 22. 21 22. I spoke unto thee to thy prosperity but thou saidest I will not hear and therefore thou shalt go into captivity Affliction is quick-sighted and necessity is wise and Ingenious affliction according as it is blest or not blest of God hath very contrary effects upon men Solomon tells us that affliction makes a wise man mad and he that is greater than Solomon tells us that affliction sometimes makes a mad man wise Luk. 15 17. it brought a distracted Prodigal to himself Many men think it a piece of Wit and Gallantry to mantain their sinful courses in a Day of prosperity and if he be a beneficed person or one in place he is ill worthy either place or benefice who is so scant of Discourse that he cannot if this our craft be in danger to be set at nought Act. 19. 27 make an Oration in defence of Diana and at least cannot say to his Companions with more truth than Wit though
yet with more Wit than Honesty Sirs ye know that by this Craft we have our wealth ib. verse 25. Yea if the Lord by his servants plead with some men in Prosperity for their iniquities anon he shall have a reply till he bring forth his Rod which is sitted for the back of fools and is the only cogent argument with such persons Take two instances shortly one is Isai. 31. 2. those people were bent upon Idolatry and when they were reproved and threatned for that by the Lord then they were confident in the assistance of Egypt and when yet they were taxed for that no doubt they would tell the Prophets Self-defence was not unlawful and many such witty stories till the Lord concludes the dispute with that yet he also is wise and will bring evil and will not call back his words but will arise against the house of the evil doers and against the help of those that work iniquity And now let those great Wits and grand Disputers say to it Jer. 13. 21. What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee Say to that Gallants or you have said nothing The next instance is Ezek. 17. from 11 verse to the end Zedekiah had given an Oath of fealty and subjection to the King of Babylon he Rebells against the King of Babylon and breaks his Oath the Lord pleads with him for that O! might he say mark you the Language of our times it was a forced Oath made against his will yea may be it was an unlawful Oath for him to subject himself and the Lords People to Heathens by a bond and therefore why might not he take his occasions to break it if once he had but strength to maintain the breach And may be as Papists think that Faith ought not to be kept to Hereticks so they call Protestants he thought neither ought it to be kept to Heathens But â— mark from the place 1. against the Popish whimsy that it is called significantly the King of Babylons Oath in the 16 verse I mark 2. In the same verse against other Covenant-breakers That whatever by Zedekiah was or might be alledged it was all but a prophane despising of the Oath for untill once it be lawful to take Gods Holy and fearful name in vain it shall never be any thing els but Prophanity and Perjury to break Covenant upon interest I mark 3. from the 20 verse against all Patrons of Perjury and such as teach Rebellion against the Lord the Lords great Argument which usually he reserves to the Conclusion of such Debates well says the Lord in the 19 verse he hath sworn an Oath and hath broken it but I will let him know what an Oath is I will Swear another and will keep it as I live saith the Lord surely I will recompense it upon his own head And in the 20 verse I will spread my net upon him and he shall he taken in my snare and I will bring him to Babylon and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me And this was performed 2 Kings 25. 6 7. and 2 Chron. 36. 20 21. Prosperity to many is as the day light to Owles and Batts it daz'ls their eyes and blinds them that they do not see their Errors till it be too late Zedekiah saw not his faults till he saw them without his eyes at Riblah in the Land of Hamath To say no more of this if other Arguments will not convince men that are guilty of Perjury there is a necessity they must go to Babylon for Instruction As the Lord lives they are the words of God and it is their meaning Perjury shall get a convincing stroak It is a Scots Proverb As sore greets the Child that is beaten after noon as he that is beaten before noon The Church of God and his Saints in these Nations have gotten a forenoons correction but wo to them that get the after-noon stroaks See the Parables Ier 24 throughout To conclude this reason then Let us not seek conviction of our sin the length of the Wilderness nor at the rate of bitter Affliction but let us all take the Councel Ier. 6. 8. Be thou instructed O Jerusalem lest my Soul depart from thee lest I make thee desolate a land not inhabited The 2d Account whereupon the Lord brings his People into the Wilderness for sin is for the vindication of his Glorious and Holy Name from all appearance of connivance at or partaking with his peoples Sins Numb 14. 21. As truly as I live sayes he all the earth shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord that is with the Glorious manifestation of his Justice against his Peoples Sins And he often threatens that those who profane his Name and make it to be Blasphemed he will return their shame upon their own Faces If any of us hath a Friend who is leud and dissolute and debauched we are ashamed of him because his Faults reflect upon us And therefore we hold our selves obliged for our own Vindication to testify our displeasure against him And so it is with the Holy one of Israel and his sinful People The 3d. Account is to imbitter sin to them Jer. 2. 19. Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that his fear is not in thee As Abner said to Ioab of the war so I say to every one of their sin 2 Sam. 2. 26. Knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end Prosperity sweetens sin to Sinners which of it self is sweet enough to their corrupted Palate But the Gall and Wormwood of affliction gives it its own kindly relish The 4th Account is that he may put a stop to his People in their course of Sin Thus Hosea 2. 6. I will hedge up thy way with Thorns and make a wall that she shall not find her Paths and verse 7 She shall not overtake nor find her Lovers Many in prosperity are so engaged by custom to courses of Iniquity which nothing but affliction can interrupt and put a stop to and they must take their march into the Wilderness to divert them off the Paths of Wickedness O that all who are in Affliction and in the Wilderness would take this advantage of their impetuous over-hailing Lusts and Idols and had Wisdom to improve such a good occasion of a perpetual Divorce and Separation from the sins that were wont easily to beset them and as easily to prevail with them It is not time when people are in the Wilderness to rush every one to their course as the Horse rusheth into the Battel never once asking what is this I am doing But it is then seasonable Daniel 4. 27. To break off our Sins and Iniquities Least we go further on than that we can safely retire our selves The 5th Account is that they may truly repent and throughly return from Sin to God In the 7 verse of
this chapter when by affliction she is put to a stand in her course of sin it is yet intended further that she return to her first Husband and this is brought to effect Hos chap. 6. verse 1. Come sayes she and let us return unto the Lord For he hath torn c Simple cessation from sin without true conversion in time of affliction may put a person or People to Pharaoh's Expences of multiplyed Rods and Plagues one after another with the hazard of utter destruction in the end Learn we then in the Wilderness to say as is meet to be said unto God Iob 34. 31 32. I have born Chasitsement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more Let us turn throughly from all iniquity and that with all our Heart And thus to the first reason and its several respects Why the Lord brings his People into the Wilderness It is their sin 2. The Lord brings his people into the Wilderness for their Tryal and Exercise Deut. 8. 2. The Lord did all that unto thee to prove thee to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest keep his Commandments or not Rom. 5. 3 4 5. Tribulation sets all graces on work in the Saints Thus the Lord dealt with the Church Psal. 44. from the 17 verse to the 23 and Psal 66. 10. Thus he dealt with Iob. The Lord is come to these Nations with his fan in his hand he is winnowing us as Wheat and he will throughly purge his floor Matth. 3 12. and who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he is like a refyners fire and like fullers sope and he shall sit as a refiner and as a purifyer of silver and he shall purify the sons of Levi and purge them as Gold and Silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness Malach 3 2 3. Now the secrets of many hearts are discovered now we â—ee the ground of mens stomachs and what corruption and rotten stuffe hath been lurking under â—he beauty of untryed profession Would not some have said am I a dog if that which they have how done had been told them a few years ago Now it is seen Daniel 11. 34. that many did cleave to the Covenant with flatteries but the next verse being the 35. says further That some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and to make them white even to the time of the end because it is yet for a time appointed Therefore blessed is he that endureth to the end And let him that standeth take heed lest he fall The strange discoveries the great stumbling and many off fallings â—f men in these times afford me the serious and confirmed thoughts how few there are that shall â—e saved and how hardly these few Malachie's â—efiners fire comprehends both all the tryals of a present time and also and specially the great and solemn last tryal of the Judgment of the great day when many a mans work shall be burnt up and himself shall be saved yet so as by fire 1 Cor. 3. 15. â—hen shall all the sinners and hypocrits in Zion be affraid and surprized for that they cannot dwell â—â—th devouring fire nor with everlasting burnings Isai. â—3 14. There will be many amissing that day in the Congregation of the righteous that here haâ—â— sitten chief in the Assembly In general this is thâ— verity but towards the particular persons of â—â— ther 's I must walk with Charity as toward â—â— self with fear and humble Jealousie This oâ—â— all would remember that they who cannot enduâ—â— the wide sieve of larger tryals in a present time wiâ—â— never be able to abide the narrow search of a striâ—â— judgment at the end of time But as the Lord will have his People tryed so he will have theâ—â— likwise Exercised and their Graces imployed Idleness is a hateful and unhappy evil in People We faâ— an idle man must always have something to work he that ceaseth to do well will soon learn â—â— do ill To prevent that the Lord puts work 〈◊〉 his Peoples hand for he hath not given theâ— Graces and Talents to hide in a napkin under thâ— earth but to be imployed and improven to use and therefore he appoints affliction as a taâ—â— master to call forth all their Graces to workâ— and to receive the Tale of every mans Work that it may be known what profit they make Thâ— time of affliction should be a bussy time like Eating time and Harvest to the People of God But alas to many may be said in truth that which Pharaoh said to the Israelites in cruel scorn ye â—â— idle ye are idle Exod. 3 17. Only his inference and mine run very contrary ye are idle says he and therefore ye say let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord But ye are idle say I and therefore ye say noâ— let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord Now if the Lord bring his People into affliction for their Exercise hence it is consequentially inferred that if their Afflictions do not Exercise them to purpose they are not like to come out of them in haste I fear many but play with their Afflictions and look upon all the sad sights they see in the Wilderness but as so many farleyes fit to entertain their curiosity and to cause them gaze And I exhort all to be serious with their Afflictions 3. The Lord brings his People to the Wilderness that they may be the more fit to receive the impressions of his will and communications of his Goodness Thus we see throughout this Chapter the Lord designes jointly her Reformation and Consolation by all these bitter threatnings and afflicting Dispensations And Chapter 5 15. of this â—ame Prophesy of Hosea I will go says the Lord and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face In their Affliction they will seek â—e early And as the whole have no need of the Physician but the sick they now finding the disease of their Affliction to purpose and so being the better fitted for the Communications of the Lords goodness in their deliverance return to him in this confidence that he who hath torn will heal them c. and that his coming to them verse 3d shall be as the rain to the earth which being parchâ—d with drought is well ready for a showre People â—n Prosperity readily are not so fit to receive either the impressions of Gods will for then speak to them and they will not hear Jer. 22. 1. Or the Communications of his Goodness for then they an say we are Lords and we will not come to thee Jer. 2. 31. But Affliction fits them better both for the one and for the other In prosperity as in the noise of a City every thing is heard but nothing is hearkened to and the common noise swallows
up the most distinct and audible voices in a confused insignificant sound But in Affliction as in a Wilderness the stillest whisper of a voice is soon discerned and seriously attended to Likwise i◠prosperity as in a plentiful City or Country men enjoy all things and esteem nothing but in Affliction as in a Wilderness wanting all or many things they account the more of any thing In a Word the Lord in the Wilderness and by Affliction is tuneing his People to Obedience that he may bring them forth singing the Songs of Deliverance Gods commands and his mercies will have another kind of lustre and relish to a Soul coming out of a sanctified Wilderness Formality in Religion with much vanity and many superfluities wait but too well upon Prosperity but the cold wind of the Wilderness bloweth these all away and strengthens the vital heat of the inward man and makes solk more Religious than formerly with less noise and adoe Prosperity is an unthankful Piece for readily the more it receives the less it accounts of what it receives and as a full Soul loaths the honey comb with a fastidious insolency it thinks and by falsely thinking truely makes abundance of mercy a very misery but as to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet the Wilderness and an afflicted lot blessed of God will give a man a good stomach for a piece of the bread of Adversity and a Cup of the cold water of Affliction and will teach him to say Grace to it thus I am less than the least of all thy mercies Genes 32 10. So said Iacob when he was coming from his twenty years travels in the Wilderness of his Afflictions in Padan Aram. Prosperity extenuates sanctified Adversity aggravates mercies to it any thing less than Hell is a mercy Lament 3. 22. It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed to it any mercy is a great Mercy a great mercy is an extraordinary one and an extraordinary is a marvelous incomprehensible one Prosperity counts its mercies by Subtraction it will take its Bill with the unjust Steward and for a hundred it will write fourscore and for fourscore it will write fifty But in the Wilderness men learn to cast up their Mercies by Multiplication with the help of Division in the same place cited Lament 3. 22. That we are not consumed to some might seem but one mercy and that a poor one too yea but the lamenting Prophet finds mercies in that mercy And truely the mercies of the Lord are homogeneous things whereof every part hath the Nature and Denomination of the whole as every drop of water is water so the least piece of any Mercy is Mercy and the afflicted humble thankful Soul loves to anatomize and diffect the Lords Mercies into parts as Physicians do humane bodies that they may informe themselves the better of the number and nature of the parts and of the frame and structure of the whole The 136 Psalme hath this common with those Mercies which it recounts that there is more in it than every one can see This only to my purpose everyone may see how the Psalmist tells out the Lords Mercies by parts and insists upon one and the same Mercy to shew that every part of it is a Mercy and that as all the rest derived from the underived uncreated unexhaustible and ever runing fountain of the Lords Mercy that endures for ever Prosperity like the Widow and her Sons in the matter of the oil loses and comes short of many Mercies for want of the vessels of faithful accounts and thankful acknowledgments The Saint in the Wilderness as the Disciples in a desart place obeys Christs Frugal command it gathers up the remaining Fragments of mercies that nothing be lost and with those it fills whole baskets As by the blessing and miraculous Power of Christ the broken meat after that Dinner whereat so many thousands were well filled was more than that which at the first was set down whole O! but it is good holding house with Christ It is good to have our portion be otherwise what it will with his presence and Blessing and to have it coming thorow his hands And as the power of divine contentment can make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the half more not the whole so the Wilderness will teach the People of God the mystery of improving Mercies to make the increase more than the stock This as the rest of divine Arts is best profest in the Wilderness and therefore it is that the Lord sends so many of his most hopeful Children thither to be bred and there they are continued till the 〈…〉 past their Course and taken their Degrees and then they return Masters of the Arts able to teach others and to comfort them with the same comforts wherewith they themselves were comforted of Christ. 2 Cor. 1. 4. 4. The Lord brings his People into the Wilderness that he may lead them by and deliver them from that which is worse Exod. 13. 17 18. And it came to pass when Pharoah had let the People go that God led them not thorow the way of the land of the Philistins though that was near for God said lest peradventure the People repent when they see war and they return to Egypt but God led the People about thorow the way of the Wilderness of the red sea The Lord prepares his People a place in the Wilderness from the fury and persecutions of men Rev. 12. 6. And albeit before I called Persecution one of the parts of a Wilderness-Condition yet I would have it understood that every one that comes into the Wilderness is not led thorow all the Wilderness nor made to see all the evils thereof nor do all Afflictions tryst upon every afflicted person for often times God makes one a mean to prevent and escape another even as in the case in hand the Lord sends sometimes his People to enjoy Davids and Ieremys wishes in the Wilderness that so they may be ridd of ill neighbours for we say in the Proverb Better be alone than in ill Company And likwise the Lord by bringing his People into the Wilderness delivers them from the contagion and vexation of the sins of those with whom they conversed aforetimes Albeit the Wilderness as I before said be a place of temptation yet the Lord by some one tentation which his People can better guide many times leads them out of the way of some other one or moe which might be of more hazard to them Surely it is no small mercy to be out of the way when tentations are marching thorow all the land in solemn procession and they cry before them bow the knee and when the wicked walk on every side who but the viles◠men Psal. 12 8. would covet the preferment of the midst And would not any person of a Holy breath prefer a Cottage in a well aired Wilderness to the foul winds and corrupt infectious air of these plaguy
in Intimate and more than ordinary fellowship with God as I cited of Moses before we would enter the Clouds and go up into the Mount to God and we shall be no homlier than welcome Cant 4 8 invites us to this We never find David higher upon it than in the Wilderness We owe that sweet 63 Psalme to the Wilderness of Iudah in the 8 verse where of it is said my soul followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholdeth me and in the 5 verse my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyfal lips If a Soul make a visit to God from the Wilderness they may expect Joseph's Brethrens entertainment they may resolve to Dine with him at noon Our Lord Jesus learned this of his Father This is a desart place says he and we cannot send the People away fasting lest they faint by the way Yea and after they may have that sweet Musick my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips and Psal 57. 7 8. my heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed O Lord says he I am now well at my heart I will sing and give praise Awake up my Glory awake Psaltery and harp I myself will awake early and that was also a Wilderness Psalme We owe the 4 Psalme to the Wilderness likwise and the 84 whereof more anone Take we then the direction that the times of our affliction be times of more than ordinary Communion with God 5. In the Wilderness we would be diligent to seek good occasions and means for the relief of our Afflictions and supply of our wants Need must make vertue with us Psal. 84. 5 6. Blessea is the man in whose heart is the ways of them who passing thorow the vally of Baca make it a well We must not like the unjust Steward refuse in this case both to dig and beg we must use all means lawful both spiritual and natural with God and men we must with Nehemiah both Pray to the Good God of Heaven and supplicat the King Nehemiah 2. 4 5. The day has been when the Nobles and Estates of Scotland and our Courtiers would have suted and courted the King for a Commission to build the City of the Lord and of their Fathers Sepulchers the Church owning that Faith wherein their Fathers Died who have left there to Posterity the Sepulchers and lasting Monuments of their Fidelity Zeal and Religious gallantry when a Great man would have pleaded for a liberty and protection to a faithful Minister Then Israel and the Lords People in their bounds in commendation of their Zeal and Diligence sang that song Numb 21. 17 18. Spring up O well sing ye unto it the Princes digged the well the Nobles of the People digged it by the direction of the Law-giver with their staves But now since our Princes and Nobles turned herdmen to the Philistines and servants to Prelates their work hath been to stop and take away and strive for Isaac's wells to deprive the People of God moe ways than one of those occasions of pure and plentiful Ordinances which they had digged and drunk of had with labour provided and with refreshment enjoyed See the case in ane Allegory Gen. 26. from the 17. verse to 23. I fear when this generation is gone and if carcasses fall not in the Wilderness if God make not a clean field if he do not root out and make a speedy riddance of this evil Generation from the face of the earth wiser men than I are much deceaved that Nigrum theta or black mark shall be found written upon the Sepulchres of most of our Nobles Nehemiah 3. 5. that the put not their necks to the work of their Lord. And when it is come to that then who knows but the sons and little ones of our Nobles may be Well-diggers And as it was in the case of the drought Ier. 14. 3. may come to the waters and to the pitts may be such as shall seek out and labour for the means of their Souls refreshment The Lord may bring the little Ones of those transgressors whose carcasses fall in a Wilderness into a land flowing with milk and hony Numb 14. 31 32. Mean time let us be digging in the Wilderness let us seek occasions for our Souls and where we do not find them let us make them 6. In the Wilderness we would thankfully receave and improve thriftily all offers of accidentall occasions that providence layes to our hand Psal 84. 6. the rain also filleth the Pools that is the Lord will now and then be giving his out-wearyed People some unexpected means of present relief and refreshment which they must acknowledge and use till they get better and more lasting occasions Rain water in a Pool is neither so good nor so enduring as a spring or fountain of living Water and yet the former is good where the latter cannot be had for to the hungry Soul every bitter thing is sweet and little will do a poor man good If God give us an occasion of a good Sermon or a Communion or make any other good means to drop upon our heads as unexpectedly as the rain falls from the Heaven or if we have the benefit of the neighbour-hood of a faithful Minister for the time these things howbeit for their nature and vertue they be fountain water yet herein the best of them is but like a Pool that they are of an uncertain endurance For such is the condition of these Wilderness-times that where one day you have a fountain the next day you have nothing or an empty cistern nor is there throughout all the land so much as one Rehoboth Gen. 26. 22. one well that the Philistines do not strive for Therefore we must drink for the drought that is to come we must hear for the time that is to come Isai. 42. 23. we must make the best we can of every occasion that remaines or accidentally offers for the time and we must feed upon the little Oyl in the crâ—ise and the handful of Meal in the barrel till there be plenty in the Land 7. In the Wilderness we would make use of good Company yea we would make much of it where ever we can have it Psal. 84 7. they go from sirength to strength as our Translation reads it but the Original hath it They go from company to company or from troop to troop Indeed solitude and want of good Company is not the least of the evils of the Wilderness as I shewed above in the description of the wilderness and I believe the People of God in these times will bear me witness in this But we would seek good Company and make use of it Mal. 316 the fearers of God that were then in the Wilderness spake often one to another But wandering and unsettlment another great mischief of the Wilderness will not let the Saints lodge
they be spiritual sanctuary mercies that we miss then remember Ezek. 11. 16. Although I have scattered them among the Countreys yet will I be to them a little Sanctuary in the Countreys where they shall come Remember and sing 84 Psal. already cited with Psal. 63. and 42. If they be remporal earthly mercies that we desiderat then remember Psal 24. above cited with Deut. 8. 2 3. the Lord led thee through the Wilderness and humbled thee with hunger and gave thee Manna that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live I leave it to every one to try what is in God and in the blessing of God And in the mean time let us learn to take more upon trust with God There is no waste ground in God meet his People with scant where they will they will meet with none in him Jer. 2. 31. have I been a Wilderness unto Israel sayes God they could not say he had Even as Christ said to his Disciples Luk. 22. 35. when I sent you without purse and scrip and shoes lacked ye any thing and they said nothing why many truely of the Saints and servants of God in these times who cannot boast of much wealth yet do not speak of want many wonder how they live and yet they are both living and Life-like And for one I shall say that first and last once and again God hath cast my lot more to satisfaction than I could have chosen with most deliberation hereby teaching me that which I have taken for my Lesson and till I can say it perfectly by his grace I shall still be learning to choose nothing for my self and though I shall not say with Leah Gen. 30. 18. God hath given me my hire yet I may be excused to think that God hath given me a hire for albeit Moses's respect to the recompence of reward Heb. 11. 26. and it may be not that either but rather a free love and respect to the name of God hallowed be that great and precious Name Rev. 2 3 give the chief determination in all an upright Mans most serious deliberations nor would he as he shall not be reckoned with those men Math. 6. 2. who have their reward yet my present satisfaction with my condition outvyeth till it is envyed of the lot of those who have sought a fortune by moe turnes Let Ravens hunt and catch and rugg and Prey and croack over what they have gotten and cry from more I judge him happy Cui Deus obtulit Farcà quod satis est manu That hath enough and finds no want Tho his allowance be but scant And I have learned 2 Kings 5. 26. that this is not a time to receive Money and to receive Garments and olive-yards and vineyards and sheep and oxen and men servants and maid servants I fear something worse than the Leprosie of Naâ—nian cleave to the Gehazi's of this time If God will give me my life for a prey in all places whither I go by his grace I shall not seek great things for my self for I fear he will bring evil upon all flesh and will break down what he hath built and pluck up what he hath planted even the whole land Ier. 45. 4 5. I love tacitus pasci a morsel be it of green herbs with quietness and I hope I have learned Philip. 4. 11. in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content Yea and I am the more content that I find my case somewhat common in the time To confirme it I give you a story A vapouring Time-divine who hath changed his gang twice already and possessed two honest mens Churches one after another seeking a fatter Pasture lately met accidentally with an honest deprived Minister of his old acquaintance and seeing him in case better than wont asked confidently ha sir how is it that you look so well upon it in this World The other a Notable Man gave him a Notable Answer why thus it comes said he we go in God's common Gods common is better pasture than the Worlds inclosure and what wonder if we who go iâ— Gods common look better on 't than you who go in the Devils inclosure At this the petulant man kept silence and iniquity stopt her mouth I Remember it is said Psal. 112. 10 the wicked shall see it that which befalls the righteous to his satisfaction and honour and be grieved he shall gnash his teeth and melt away the desires of the wicked shall perish Now as we would by faith take God for all things els in the Wilderness so in the case of fainting and weariness which as I shewed in the description is the last and not the least evil of a Wilderness-condition we would take him for our strength Psal. 48. 5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee Psal. 73. 26. my flesh and heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart Cant. 8. 5. The Church coming up out of the Wilderness lâ—aneth upon her beloved Isai. 12 2 The Lord Iehovah is my strength and my song Isai. 33. 2. be thou their arm every morning Haback 3. 19. the Lord God is my strength and he will make my feet like hindes feet and he will make me to walk upon my high places to the chief singer on my stringed instruments if strength quite fail and be exhausted he makes the weary to renew their strength if strength be weak and the Soul drives heavily and comes up with a slow pace in Duty then he shall run if when they winn to that they fear it shall not last nor they be able to continue at that rate then they run and weary not they walk and do not faint Isai. 40. 31. 10. And lastly In the Wilderness we would long and haste much to be through and press with importunity for a delivery This we see in David Psal. 42. Psal. 63. Psal. 84. and Psal. 107 6. those who wandered in a Wilderness cryed unto the Lord in their trouble And Moses who had been long in the Wilderness was very earnest to have gone over Jordan to see the good Land though for his fault at Meribah it was denyed him Deut 3. 25. 26. This direction is nothing so strange as is the disposition of those to whom it is meant For I begin to observe many who have seen the Lords Glory and Power in the Sanctuary but too modest not to say worse be it from desponcency or from some worse quality in their Suits for a restoration of these Mercies Either the length of our affliction hath put us so far out of memory or the deepth of it hath put us so far out of hope of better dayes that as if there had never been nor never should be better dayes we content our selves with the present Truly it astonishes me to see such a Spirit of slackness possess many as if the Lord had said
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
Babylon durst he yet do it Yea though he were very cold and never so much needed to be warned And who among Hypocrites or Prophane Livers shall dwell with devouring Fire Who amongst them shall dwell with everlasting burnings Isa. 33 14. In a word men must either say that it is a great Unhappiness to be in Heaven or that it is their great Happiness to be more Holy 2. The pleasures and delights of Holiness are of the highest descent they spring from the rock of Eternity And O! how pure how wholsome how pleasant must they be The pleasures which God gives his People have himself for their spring and life for their vertue Psal. 36. 8. 9. with thee is the fountain of life 3. They have the deepest root and so farrest in upon the Soul as the delights of Hypocrites Worldlings and prophane persons are but the dreggs so they are but the scruse and pairings of pleasures their pleasures are but Skin-deep in the midst of all their laughter the heart is sad they are as Hypocritical in their delights as in their duties The Soul and Conscience of a wicked man hath nothing like Christ but this that they are never seen to laugh they are men of sorrows indeed and many sorrows are their portion That is appointed to them of God Psal. 32 10. with Isai. 65. 13 14. 4 The Consolations Joys Pleasures and delights of Godliness the most strong and efficacious in the multitude of their frighting repenting tempting doubting and inquiring thoughts Gods comforts delight their soul. Psal 94. 14. These turn their mourning into dancing they make them sing in a Prison and rejoice in tribulation But Affliction maketh a wicked man soon to forget his pleasures as waters that pass away yea and the memory of their former delights is to their present sorrows as he that singeth songs to a heavy heart and their song is miserum est fuisse saelicem It is the greatest misery to have once been happy 5. The delights of Godliness are pure and chast delights they are such as the Soul enjoys with Gods blessing and approbation yea with his command Psal. 37. 4. delight they self also in the Lord the pleasures of Godliness are our duty And for their Chastity they are like the pleasures that a man hath in the company of his lawful Wife Prov. 5. 19 Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times and be thou ravisht with her love the word in its own language is Eire thou always in her love If a man must play the fool let him do it lawfully and if it be an error it is an innocent one to erre with Gods approbation But the delights of wickedness are impure whoorish and strange delights such as a man hath in the company of a harlot and why will thou my son be ravished with a strange woman and embrace the bosome of a stranger Prov 5. 20. 6. The delights of Godliness are secure and safe delights This follows from the former Here the Soul is ridd of all fear of going too far there is no excess in those pleasures Eph. 5. 18. in wine there is excess but be filled with the Spirit there is no excess in that the more you drink of that the more sober you are and also in the delights of Godliness there is no fear of the sad after-claps of sorrow that conclude sinful pleasures for the end of that mirth is heaviness Prov. 14 13. The ungodly mans sinful pleasures are but a showr-blink that ends in a tempest their delights are like the pleasures of drunkards who drink and swill till their head ake and their heart be sick and they have their sentence with Babylon Ier 51. 39. In their heat I will make their feasts and I will make them drunken that they may rejoice and sleep a perpetual sleep and not awake saith the Lord 7. This follows from all that is said The pleasures and delights of Godliness are constant and induring pleasures John 16 33. your joy no man taketh from you As the World doth not give the Saints joy and delight so neither can it take these from them The Saints delights in Godliness are like spring waters that will rise as high as they fall in their courses As they descend first from Heaven so they never cease running till they ascend thither again they are like living running waters that make what turnings they will about mountains or whole countreys in end they fall into the Sea The River of pure pleasures that maketh glad the the City of God hath its outgoing into the Sea of that fulness of joy that is in Gods presence and that ocean of pleasures that are at his right hand for evermore And now I go forth unto the streets and stand in the open places and cry O all ye who love pleasures turn in hither tast and see that the Lord is Gracious I am so litle an enemy to pleasures and so much an Epicurean in opinion as you see that if any man shall shew me pleasures more pleasant than those of Godliness I am content to change for the better and that shall be when men and beasts make an exchange of Soules water and wine of natures and vertues and Heaven and Earth shall change places when evil shall be good black shall be white bitter sweet darkness light crockedness straight heaviness light when cold shall be hot and time shall be Eternal 4 Godliness is the only perfect harmonious and uniforme of all the Soules lovers what lame and defective pieces are all her companions I said as much in the description of the inward power of Grace as may shew how exactly commensurable her perfections are to all the powers and to the whole capacity of a man she satisfieth the understanding will and affections and exercises the whole man But of her defective companions some want the head as error superstition profanness whatever of the will and affections and practise be in these yet they are against the truth of a well informed judgment some want the heart as Hypocrisie and formality whatever of knowledge profession or practice be in these yet the will and affections do not consent some want the hands and feet and are meer trunks as all those who pretend to know will and love their Masters will but do it not And for their moral qualifications The first is a fool the next is a knave and the last is a sluggard But compleat Godliness hath the head heart hands and feet with all the parts of a perfect man and is a wise trusty and active piece And as it is compleat and perfect so it is most uniforme and harmonious Ungodhliness is a City of Division a Babel of Confusion it parteth chief friends and putteth a man at variance with those of his own house the wicked are like the troubled Sea their lusts are continually fighting and warring one against another and altogether against Holiness whence are Wars and fightings but from
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.
times The plague of a general defection which as the Pest doth other deseases hath engrossed all abominations is now so common that except it were with Aaron Numb 16. 48. to stand between the dead and the living with the incense of much intercession that if it be possible the plague may by stayed I should think him a person of that stoutness which they call rashness and of a pretty well confirmed if not of a much hardned heart who otherwise could gladly come into the Company of or mix himself with the men of this Generation We say when all freits fail fire is good for the farsey if God cure this Generation of one Plague by another I shall think it no more than is necessary for Psal. 14. 3. generally they are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one And now I think I hear a voice from Heaven saying of this Generation as that other Rev. 18. 4 said to Iohn of Mystical Babylon come out of her my people that ye may not be partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues And there is another great mischief that the Lord leads his People out of its way in bringing them into the Wilderness and it is the Plagues that come upon wicked men and all Gods enemies The People of God want not their own visitations but they are not like the Plagues of the wicked their enemies Isai. 27. 7. hath he smiten him as he smote those that smote him or is he slain according to the slaughter of those that are slam by him Yea the Saints Afflictions are excellent Antidotes and preservatives against the Plagues of their enemies who are not as but indeed are the Ungodly and the Wicked We see the properity of the Saints Afflictions Psal. 94. 12 13. Blessed is the man whom thou chasteness O Lord and teachest him out of thy law that thou may est give him rest from the days of adversity till the pit be digged for the wicked A strange thing a mans motto to be perussem nisi perussem I had perished if I had not perished and that chastisment should hide a man from the day of adversity But both the History of Scripture and the Saints experience from time time in all Generations do yeeld abundance of particular instances in confirmation of this General assertion It appears by Lots slowness to depart that he took it as a grief to go out of Sodom filthy as it was and yet the Lord by that is sending him out of the midst of the overthrow It is no doubt a grief and great Affliction to many of the Saints and Servants of God that they are removed from their people and place But when judgements come upon aplace better to be away than in place And in the judgment of judicious and great Divines it prognosticats no good to a place when the Saints and Servants of God are driven out thereof Let any read Muscuus upon Math. 24. Alas then for her that bare me and whose Breasts gave me suck for the City the place of my Nativity and education for the word that is past upon her and the Prophesy When it shall be said to faithful Ministers of the Gospel go here or go there go to the south or go to the north but go not to Edinburgh then wo to thee O Edinburgh These are the words and Prophesy of Mr. Robert Rollock which are to be seen in Print before the translation of his book upon the Colossians And is not this the time spoken of 5. The Lord brings his People into the Wilderness to Humble them that they may know of whom they hold mercies and learn afterwards in prosperity to carry soberly When Israel was upon the entry of a land flowing with milk and honey Moses insists wisely throughout the book of Deuteronomy upon the Memory of their case in the Wilderness and tells them plainly Chap. 8. verse 2. The Lord did all that to humble thee To this end it was that the Lord commanded the pot of Manna to be kept by the Ark and for this was institute the feast of Tabernacles Prosperity is an insolent Piece and will readily cause men forget their maker that hath done all these things for them and came a free-hold of mercies we are Lords say they and therefore we will come no more unto thee Jer. 2. 31. Or els they will give the Glory of their mercies unto Idols in this same Hosea 2. 5. I will go after my lovers says she who give me my bread and my water my wool and my flax mine oil and my drink and therefore the Lord is concerned for the mantainance of his right to put them out of possession till they make a legal entry by a humble acknowledgment to him their righteous superior and be repossessed by a novo damus as is clear from this Chapter And many other ways the insolency of Prosperity is expressed to the dishonour of God and damnage and hurt of our neighbours by Prophanity Presumtion carnal Confidence Intemperancy Oppression and the like and therefore sayeth the Lord Zeph. 3. 12. 13. I will leave in the midst of thee on afflicted and poor People and they shall trust in the name of the Lord and the Remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity He that knows how he has gain'd his Estate should know how he imploys it and they that come to mercies hardly should use them well and humbly If ever God bring his Church and People again to good days and Prosperity O! Let it be remembred that once we were in the Wilderness And thus to the second thing in the point viz. Wherefore doth the Lord bring his People into the Wilderness Follows the Use which is the 3d thing in the point The first Use is of warning and I would sound an alarme and proclame a march into the Wilderness to all the People of God Our Leader and Commander Iesus Christ the Captain of our Salvation hath long since taken the field and is gone out on our head Heb 13. 12 13. Let us then who have taken the Sacrament and Military Oath of Christ and have given our names unto him go forth unto him without the camp bearing his reproach The cloud is now lifted up from over the Tabernacle and therefore it is time for the Children of Israel to set forth yea the Ark of the Lord his Ordinances and his People with the best of their Leaders are already in the fields and are suffering hardship as good souldiers Let us not then for shame lunch at home let us learn the Religious Gallantry of Uriah the Hittite that valiant man 2 Samuel 11. 11. And Uriah said unto David the Ark and Israel and Iudah abide in tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are incamped in the open fields shall I then go into mine house to eat and to drink and to ly with my Wife