wilt never act Faith upon him But this was the Fruit that this escaping Remnant should bring forth and is that which God expects from preserved ones in a day of slaughter All this confirms the Truth I have been driving at and in the prosecution of it I shall propose two things to be spoken to 1. To show what Engagement there lieth upon them that escape in a day of slaughter to be thereby led unto an esteem of Christ why it should render this Branch of the Lord and Fruit of the Earth beautiful and glorious in their eyes 2. When those that do escape may conclude their escaping hath this issue and effect upon their Souls And 3. Try what Improvement we may make of this Truth First How doth our escaping in a time of Calamity lay an engagement upon the heart to prize and value Christ the more I suppose it is very natural I would evidence it in four or five things 1. Christ hath the management of all Providences and surely then of such as these a Sword goeth not thorow a Land nor a Plague thorow a City Country or Town but Christ hath a great hand in it Joh. 3.35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand the Father out of his great love unto his Son and confidence he hath in him that he will do nothing but what is well hath committed the management of all Providences into his hands he hath given him the power of life and death in the World and where he will he spares and where he will he slayes the People of God represented under the notion of the two Witnesses it is said of them that they have a kinde of power to kill People as they will Rev. 11.6 These meaning the two Witnesses have power to shut Heaven that it rain not in the days of their Prophecy and have power over Waters to turn them into Blood and to smite the Earth with Plagues as often as they will but their power is but in a way of Prayer through the great interest they have in the Lord and his Christ they can do much and carry a great stroke for or against a People But now the power of Christ is absolute he can do and govern in this matter as he pleaseth and why hath he this power look Joh. 5.22 23. The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all Judgement unto the Son by judging here I humbly conceive Ruling and Government ordering and disposing of things in the World is intended which the Father doth not do without but by the Son the matter is left unto him and why That all men might honour the Son even as they honour the Father therefore is this Government committed unto the Branch of the Lord that it might gain him the more esteem We that have seen so much of Christ in these his Dispensations ought it not to have this effect upon our hearts to teach us to honour the Son as we honour the Father Especially 2. Considering That that Escape which you and I have in a day of Calamity it is through the Son if thou do'st escape this Branch of the Lord hath a great hand in it however we may rob Christ of his honour and attribute it unto second Causes yet indeed and in truth the matter is in Christs hand You read of a Retiring-Chamber for the People of God in days of Calamity Isa 26.20 Come my People enter into your Chamber and shut the doors about you hide your selves for a little moment until my indignation be over-past Are there Retiring-Chambers in the day of Gods Controversie when he comes to contend and smite down unto the Earth I might ask the question Where are they and say as David Psal 139.7 c. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence if I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there if I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me where may a man be hid in the day of Gods anger I would say Retire into Christ he is a Rock of shelter he is the Munition of Rocks where the Soul shall be hid it is the man Christ Jesus shall be a Covert from the storm a hiding place in the day of distress suitable unto which the Psalmist speaks in Psalm 32.7 Thou art my hiding-place thou shalt preserve me from trouble thou shalt compass me about with Songs of Deliverance Soul art thou preserved it is Christ hath been thy hiding place There were some in the days of David's Calamity scoffed at him and bid him flee as a Bird unto his Mountain but see what he saith Psal 11.1 In the Lord I put my trust how say ye to my Soul Flee as a Bird to your Mountain It was a Psalm penn'd in the time when he fled from Saul as I conceive and it is as if he should say It is true I have recourse sometimes unto this and that Mountain and I do go up and down from place to place to be hid from the hand of Saul but I go as God leads me as Christ goes before me and where-ever I am and which way so ever I look it is the Lord is my Refuge from him I expect my security You read Ezek. 1.26 of a Throne and upon the Throne there was one like unto a man that Man was the Man Christ Jesus the Throne upon which he sat is the Throne of his Providential Kingdom where he sits and governs all things in the World and where he sits to order all the matters in the following part of this Prophecy Now see what he doth upon this Throne of his And the Lord said unto him that is the Man cloathed with Linen that had the Writers Inkhorn by his side Go through the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the Abominations that be done in the midst thereof and to the others he said Go ye after him through the City and smite let not your eye spare neither have ye pity slay utterly old and young both maids and little children and women but come not near any upon whom is the mark c. I gather hence that it is Christ hath the marking men for destruction or preservation he upon the Throne of his Providential Kingdom governs and orders for preserving or destroying in a day of slaughter therefore if thou art kept know who hath been thy Keeper This was typified in the Case of Aaron in that sore Plague Numb 16.46 c. And Moses said unto Aaron Take a Censer and put fire therein from off the Altar and put on Incense and go quickly unto the Congregation and make an attonement for them for there is wrath gone out from the Lord the Plague is begun
and Aaron took as Moses commanded him and ran into the midst of the Congregation behold the plague was begun among the People and he put on Incense and made an atonement and stood between the dead and the living and the Plague was stayed Aaron he was the High Priest and in that Office a great Type of Christ and in this action a great Type of Christ also it is he by his intercession and mediation steps in between the Living and the Dead if thou art not fallen among them that fall it is because this Aaron hath stept in to thy help because he hath rescued thee and been a Preservation unto thee The 68th Psalm is a Psalm applicable to Christ witness that passage in the 18th verse Thou hast ascended up on high thou hast led captivity captive and received Gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them This you know is spoken of and applied unto Christ by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Ephesians Chap. 4. mark now what follows in this 68th Psalm vers 26. He that is our God is the God of Salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death This is also spoken of Christ unto him belong the issues from death so that if thou art spared and saved in a day of slaughter it is from the Lord thou must say thou hast had this issue from death That which I drive at is this that you may not lose my design Have you not cause great cause to see that the Branch of the Lord by your escape be rendered so much the more excellent and comely to you since what escape you have is through him if you are preserved it is by Christ unto whom you are beholding for your preservation 3. Further The escaping of slaughter should render the Lord beautiful and glorious to you seeing it is from him that thou hast not onely thy Escaping but the Good of thy Escape not onely the Thing it self but the Mercy with it by him it is blessed unto you if it be blessed Some there are and O unhappy they unto whom every thing is accursed Psal 69.22 Let their Table become a snare before them and that which should have been for their welfare let it become a trap Every enjoyment is a snare unto some The curse of the Lord is in the House of the Wicked Prov. 3.33 Some men though they have houses to hide their heads in and it may be many things in them that look like mercies they are yet curses to them possibly their houses are full of the things of this World Waters of a full Cup may be rung out unto them their Eyes may stand out with fatness and they may have more then Heart can wish they may have Basket and Store and yet be cursed both in the Basket and in the Store it may be their Houses are full of Children and the Substance they leave is left unto their Babes as is the Psalmists expression but they are cursed also in the fruit of their Womb it may be Health and Life are within their Walls not one sick not one dead all preserved and well but yet it is not well for this their preservation is not blessed Let me tell you that read these lines As God smites some in anger in anger also sometimes he forbears to smite therefore in Isa 1.5 Why should you be smitten any more It was a word of great displeasure The escaping of some may be cursed unto them but if thy escape be blessed unto thee and thou hast it and the mercy with it thou art beholding unto Christ for both Some are preserved in love sweet is that expression and happy they that can say so Isa 38.17 Behold for peace I had great bitterness but thou hast in love to my Soul delivered it from the pit of corruption He was not onely delivered from the pit of corruption but delivered in love unto his Soul in a way of mercy and special kindness happy they that can say Thou hast given me this escape in love to my Soul But how comes a Soul to have such a Deliverance and to have it in love too from that general word Gen. 22.18 there is the fountain-head from whence our mercies flow In thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be bâ—essed in Abraham's Seed meaning Christ all the Blessings come that come upon the World Whatever comes to thee or me if it come as a Blessing it is through the Seed of Abraham and upon that score we are to place it Now if thou do'st escape and this Escape be sanctified unto thee and all this be but Fruit growing upon this Branch of the Lord should not thy Escape render the Lord Jesus the more amiable to thy Soul 4. Thou hast not onely the mercy of thy Escape from Christ but skill to walk under it becomingly Vain man would be wise though he is born as the wild Asses Colt untoward untractable good for nothing unruly and perverse and if there be any thing of Wisdom given him it is from this fountain 1 Cor. 1.30 it is Christ that is made of God unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption it is in him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge and from him communicated and given down unto poor Creatures as Paul Phil. 4.12 13. saith I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me that is I can do all wisely I can use and manage every Providence rightly and how canst thou do this Paul Through Christ that strengthens me So to use Afflictions and Distresses Miseries and Mercies becomingly thy strength is in Christ and from him it must be communicated unto thee and therefore the sence of this should much endear Christ unto thy Soul that not only the Mercy of an Escape is from him but also Wisdom to use and rightly to manage it To which adde 5. That by Jesus Christ this Branch of the Lord we have not onely an Escape in time of common Calamity but greater and better things which by our Escape we may be led unto the consideration and meditation of Certain it is that through this Branch of the Lord we have salvations of more kinds then one in that 68th Psalm vers 20. where it is said He that is our God is the God of Salvation Junius renders it thus He is a God powerful to all kindes of Salvation or as the Hebrew is He is the God of Salvations in the plural number So is it with Souls that have really Grace and Mercy from Christ they have Salvations of divers sorts they have Salvation from Sin from that power and dominion that sin is wont to have in the Soul they are wonderfully by Christ delivered
in the midst of the years in the midst of the years make known in wrath remember mercy God came from Teman and the Holy One from Mount Paran his glory covered the Heavens that is God came forth to work the Exaltation of his Son and what course doth he take in order to it vers 5. Before him went the Pestilence and burning Coals went forth at his feet The Pestilence is here called a fore-runner of Christs Exaltation he sends it before him to make room and way for himself though we possibly and our capacities are too shallow to conceive how it should be brought about It is possible if God let us stand upon the Earth some few years we may be much more enlightened in this matter and may see that God was this day eminently working to that end And that is what I would say to that Head That Slaughter and slaughtering-Judgements work for and shall end in the making Christ glorious Thirdly What is that glory that shall be put on Christ in the issue and end of these things I answer in a few particulars 1. The Essential Glory of Christ in the day of his Glory shall be more abundantly seen and discovered then now it is and shall take more upon the hearts of all Persons Christ is as glorious in his Essential Glory as can be for he is infinitely glorious and more then infinite cannot be imagined but this Glory may be discover'd and manifested beyond what it is The Sun is always a glorious Body but you know the light of it is hid many times Clouds stand between and we cannot see it at some times as we can at others Christ is exceedingly glorious but little of his Glory hath been hitherto manifested to the Children of Men more Eyes shall see it and more Hearts be taken with it then at this day Something of Christs Glory is seen already by the Saints who have a spiritual Eye they see that that takes their Hearts and makes them cry out as the Spouse sometimes doth He is altogether lovely Some of the Saints see that in Christ which is more to them then all that is in this World they take more comfort and content in it more of joy and satisfaction to their Spirits When Christ came in the Flesh it is said John 1.14 The Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst us and we saw his Glory the Glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth That Glory that we do for the present behold in Christ and with which our hearts are taken it is rather for the most part that fulness of Grace that is in Christ for the good and benefit of Believers with that we are usually more taken then with his Essential Personal Perfections But the whole of Jesus Christs Glory shall yet shine forth so as it hath not done at any time therefore Psal 102.16 When the Lord shall build up Sion he shall appear in his Glory He is glorious now but he shall appear in his Glory hereafter beyond what he hath done at any time to this day suitable unto which is that Word Isa 33.17 Thine Eyes shall see the King in his Beauty they shall behold the Land that is very far off The best of Saints upon Earth if they see something in Christ that makes them in love with him in the day of his Glory there shall be abundantly more discovered that shall make them in love with him possibly more then ever they thought they should be for ever That is one part of that Glory shall come to this Branch of the Lord. 2. Christ shall in the end of this slaughter be made glorious in his Priestly Office as he is a Saviour he shall be made more glorious then ever It is the honour of Christ that he is a Saviour Act. 5.31 Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour But it hath been greatly to the disparagement of Christ and his dishonour in this his Office that he hath been so lightly esteemed of among the Children of Men that so few have taken hold of him for Life and Salvation Those that have believed on Christ have been a small number compared with the rest of the world and of these few they have been chiefly the poor low and little ones of the World persons of little esteem and account therefore Christ saith Mat. 11.5 The Poor have the Gospel preached unto them he saith it is preached to them because it is received by them the poor inconsiderable ones of the World have generally hitherto been the persons that have received Christ It is true some of the Great Ones of the World have courted Christ and professed to own him but not one of many have given up themselves unto Christ as a Saviour But now this shall be the Glory upon the head of Christ that Souls shall abundantly flock in unto him Before Christ makes an end of his work in the World he will so break the Hearts of Men that they shall flow in unto him in great abundance Hag. 2.7 And I will shake all Nations and the Desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this House with Glory saith the Lord of Hosts Christ by his Sword Pestilence and Famine is shaking the Nations that is his way and when he hath done shaking the Nations the Desire of all Nations shall come It is Christ is here intended and he is called the Desire of all Nations because the Nations of the World shall generally come unto him and imbrace him such shall be the confluence and flowing in to Christ This is intimated in that known place Isa 60.8 Who are these that fly as a Cloud and as the Doves unto their Windows It is spoken about the access of Souls unto Christ and mark the Saints that shall be alive at that day they cry with wonder and amazement Who are these that like Doves come to their Windows Doves you know fly in great flocks where they are plentiful and the meaning of this is multitudes shall subject themselves to Christ in truth and give up themselves to be saved by him Christ now doth sprinkle many Nations according to that Isa 52. here and there a few Souls in divers parts and places of the world but at length things shall be so ordered that even a Nation shall be born in a day and abundance of poor Hearts shall give up themselves unto the Lord Jesus This you have Numb 24.7 He shall pour the water out of his Buckets and his seed shall be in many waters and his King shall be higher then Agag And this is another part of the Glory that is to come unto Jesus Christ 3. Slaughter shall terminate in the Glory of Christ in this respect He shall be glorious in his Kingly Power he shall be owned as the Head and Lord and Law-giver the one onely Law-giver so shall he be owned Isa 33.22 For the Lord is our Judge the Lord
is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us It relates unto a time when Christ shall be glorious The glorious Lord shall be as a place of Broad Rivers and Streams so you have it in the foregoing verse and then there shall be a cry The Lord is our King and he shall be our Law-giver For the present there is great debate between Christ and the Men of the World who should give Laws whose Prerogative it is to rule the Conscience and men say unto Saints Bow down that we may go over they say unto the SOULS of Saints Bow down But when Christ shall be made glorious these controversies shall soon end then a Nation shall come and acknowledge it is Christ is to rule them in every thing Isa 2. decides the Controversie where more then once it is said The Lord ALONE shall be exalted and what then vers 3. Many People shall go and say Come ye and let us go up unto the Mountain of the Lord to the House of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways and we will walk in his paths for out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem and he shall judge among the Nations and shall rebuke many People This is the Spirit that shall be put upon many People and they shall say It is not this and that and the other that pretends Dominion over the Conscience must teach us how to walk but HE will teach us and we will walk in his ways and it is out of Sion the Law shall go forth and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem therefore Numb 24.7 it is said Israel's King shall be higher then Agag and shall carry the day and all the men of the Earth shall be constrained to submit to him 4. Christ shall be glorious in this respect That all the Great Ones of the World shall come and fall at his Foot and acknowledge they are in his hands that Christ can and may dispose of them as he pleaseth It is a business there is much tugging about in the World the Great Ones of the World are loth Christ should take his place they would fain stand upon their own legs and it is from hence all their contrariety and hatred against his People and Ways doth arise intimated in Psal 2.3 The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed saying Let us break their Bands asunder and cast away their Cords from us They cannot think of stooping unto Christ but it is in vain for to this the greatest on Earth shall be brought therefore Christ hath his Name Rev. 19.16 He hath on his Vesture and on his Thigh a Name written KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS It is written upon his Vesture and Garments which is in the sight and full view of all Men He shall be in the sight of the World owned as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS and the greatest upon Earth shall be constrained to stoop unto him as is excellently set forth in that typical Psalm Psal 72. where Christs Dominion is much held out The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring Presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts yea all Kings shall fall down before him all Nations shall serve him 5. Again The Glory of Christ shall lie in the maintaining and excellent managing of his Power and Government he shall maintain his Government and Glory It is that that eclipses the glory of the Princes of this Earth that they are not able to keep their stations oft times but Christ shall keep and maintain and make good his ground Psal 132.18 His Enemies will I cloath with shame but upon himself shall the Crown flourish Those that would oppose him shall fall before him but he shall maintain his own station at a glorious rate And likewise his Glory shall be in the management of his Government he will put an end to Oppression and judge with Equity he will manage his Government so as that none shall find fault with him It is the misery of the Potentates of this World that their ill management of their Power loseth them their Glory but Christ and all that shall have any power under him shall not do so Isa 32.1 A King shall reign in Righteousness and Princes shall rule in Judgement all matters shall then be managed with much equity and uprightness Isa 11.1 c. is a notable Scripture for this There shall come forth a Rod out of the Stem of Jesse that is Christ the Spirit of the Lord and of Wisdom shall be upon him there is his Glory when he comes to govern he shall do things with wisdom that is Wisdom really for the Wisdom of this World comes to nothing and the ends of the Men of the World are not accomplished but Christ shall rule with Wisdom and also with Equity vers 4. With Righteousness shall he judge the Poor and reprove with Equity for the Meek of the Earth Now Christs thus managing of his Government will render him very glorious Which leads me to the fourth thing propounded Fourthly That Christ in his being glorious shall be glorious for the good of his People those of Israel that shall be carried thorow the distresses and straights they shall meet withal in the World they shall share in and partake of all the Glory of Christ with much comfort Psal 72.7 it is there said In his days shall the righteous flourish when it is well with him it shall not be ill with them So Isa 24. where it is said ver 23. Christ shall reign in Mount Zion and before his Antients gloriously and you shall see vers 16. how it will be with his People From the uttermost parts of the Earth have I heard Songs even Glory to the Righteous When Christ shall be glorified his People shall be glorified with him If the Saints say unto Christ as Joseph did unto Pharaoh's Butler Remeber me when it is well with thee their Desires shall be answered at a better rate then Joseph's were When Christ shall be made glorious in the World as he shall be one day he will not be one day without his Peoples reaping the good and benefit thereof and it must needs be thus for consider First the Union between Christ and his People Christ is the Head and Husband of his Saints And Civilians say Uxor lucet Mariti radiis the Wife partakes of the honour of her Husband so it shall be here the Saints shall partake of and reap the good of that honour that shall be upon the Head of Christ Christ is so full of love to his People that the very love he bears them were there no other tie would engage him to interest them in the good of his Glory Christ is the Head and his People are the Members and if the Head be dignified all the Members must
also it cannot be otherwise Secondly Christs Glory must needs be for the good of his People in that all the Glory he is intrusted with as Mediator it is in their names for their sakes and for their uses he is Head over all things to his Church Eph. 1.22 I may therefore say unto Saints as they in Cant. 3.11 Go forth O ye Daughters of Jerusalem and behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother crowned him in the day of his Espousals in the day of the gladness of his Heart Go forth and look upon by the Eye of Faith that Glory that shall be upon the Head of Christ and look upon it with comfort you may account it a joyous spectacle for it is that that shall work out your Mercy if your hearts be upright with God A little further to shew you what benefit shall come unto Saints by Christs being glorious 1. When Christ is glorious glorious Liberty shall come unto the Saints We are now a company of inthralled Creatures not only unto our own lusts but the lusts of men you have a notable expression Rom. 8.21 The Creature it self also shall be delivered into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God The Creatures of the Earth are now in bondage unto the lusts of Men our Rayment is in bondage to our Pride our Meat to Gluttony our Drink to Drunkenness and other things the like the Creatures are held in slavery unto the lusts of Men but there is a time when they shall have glorious Liberty when men shall not be able at their pleasure to inthrall and oppress them Psal 72.12 14. the Psalmist speaking of Christ in his glory saith of him That he shall deliver the Needy when he crieth the Poor also and him that hath no helper he shall redeem their Souls from death and violenee and precious shall their Blood be in his sight It is worth your observing that the whole design of Christ is but to do his People good to save them and therefore at the 4th verse of that Psalm it is said He shall save the Children of the needy and particularly this service he shall do them he shall give them glorious Liberty 2. This shall be their Glory their Reproach shall be wiped away the People of God have been a reproached People greatly reproached but their reproach shall be rolled away When Israel came to Canaan they were circumcised and the place where they were circumcised was called Gilgal and the reason given Josh 5.9 For there he rolled away the reproach of Egypt the lot of the Saints is to be reproached in Egypt but there shall be a time and day and a Place also which he will name Gilgal a time and place when and where he will roll away the reproach of his People For the present sometimes God gives his People unto reproach as you have it Isa 43.28 Therefore I have profaned the Princes of the Sanctuary and have given Jacob to the curse and Israel to reproaches but there is also a time when reproaches shall be taken away Then will the Lord be jealous for his Land and pity his People yea the Lord will answer and say unto his People Behold I will send you Corn and Wine and Oyl and ye shall be satisfied therewith and I will no more make you a reproach among the Heathen 3. The Glory of the Saints shall be this They shall be raised up to much height and dignity that the greatest of all the ungodly ones of the Earth shall bow before them for which take one place insted of many Isa 60.14 The Sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soals of thy feet and they shall call thee The City of the Lord the Zion of the Holy One of Israel It were great arrogancy for any of the Saints to hope for such a thing as this had not God spoken it and it is as great infidelity not to believe it since the mouth of the Lord hath uttered it 4. They shall have this Glory More eminent and uninterupted Communion with God and Christ then ever yet they had and this is the thing that every good Soul longs for long for it they do that is certain and when they are hinder'd in that enjoyment it is their great burthen when their Tabernacles are taken down their communion's broken this is that that makes them go mourning but the Lord will give his People more eminent and glorious communion with himself and his Son then they have yet partaken of It is said Isa 60.7 with respect to a time yet to come The Flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee the Rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee they shall come up with acceptance on mine Altar and I will glorifie the House of my Glory Observe it the Glory of the Temple of old was the presence of God in the Temple he was said to fill the House with his Glory the communion that the Saints had with God was the Temple-Glory God meeting with them in his Appointments and Administrations and now he promiseth here I will glorifie the House of my Glory I will fill my Churches and Saints with more Glory then yet they have seen the meaning is they shall have more of my presence with them and more abundant communion and fellowship with me then heretofore Isa 66.11 it is said They shall be delighted with the abundance of her Glory that ye may suck and be satisfied with the Brests of her Consolation that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her Glory 5. And in the last place this shall be the Glory of Saints Even their glorious Union one with another and this shall be their mercy in the day of Christ in Zeph. 3.8 9. the Lord saith Therefore wait ye upon me until the day that I rise up unto the prey for my determination is to gather the Nations that I may assemble the Kingdoms to pour upon them mine indignation even all my fierce anger for all the Earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousie for then will I turn to the People a pure language that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord to serve him with one consent It is the great cry among the People of God O that we could come to Unity to love as Brethren all cry for want of it though few endeavour after it as they ought to do but when we have done our utmost endeavours which is our Duty yet it will not rise up to any great height till Christ come in his Glory Wait upon ME until I arise to the prey to do gloriously in the World and then I will work thus and thus that you may come to serve me with One Consent They mistake greatly that think to force People to a Union to make them all of one mind it is the work of
if you are the Lords People in truth you are much in the heart of God and your Good in the very next place to his own and his Sons Glory is designed however he deals with you If he lets loose men upon you it is not with a design to hurt you Psal 66.12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads we went through fire and water but thou hast brought us out into a wealthy place If he comes to thunder down Judgements upon the World it is with a design to do you good it is for your safety Isa 43.14 Thus saith the Lord your Redeemer the holy One of Israel For your sakes I have sent to Babylon and have brought down all their Nobles and the Caldeans whose cry is in the Ships Christ in all his Administrations and in all the Dispensations of his Kingly Power from first to last aims at the good of his People and it is for their benefit that he acts however we are apt through blindness and ignorance to interpret it If he cuts down his People it is to do them good if he spares them it is because he delights in them and will make them partake of sparing-mercy How admirable is the kindness of the Lord and what effect should it have But 1. To teach you to see the hand of Christ in all and to sing forth the praises of the Lord your preservation is through Christ When the Passeover was instituted of old God bid the Israelites to sprinkle the Blood of the Lamb upon the door posts and when the Angel passed by to slay the first-born of Egypt he would pass by their doors that were sprinkled If the destroying Angel hath passed by your Doors and hath not come in it is because your post was sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus the Blood of the Lamb It is to Christ that you own it and O that the praises of the Lord might be sounded forth by you in Psal 22.3 God is said to inhabit the Praises of Israel it is a remarkable expression O Thou that inhabitest the Praises of Israel our Fathers trusted in thee and were delivered Israel should be a praising People and God delights in their Praises He loves to be where his Praises are spoken forth O that your habitations might be the habitations where the Praises of God might dwell and where the goodness of God may be sounded forth 2. Sure your escaping should make 〈◊〉 to be Holiness unto the Lord Hath the Lord written you unto Life as the expression is in this 4th of Isaiah Are you by his appointment and counsel in the Land of the living O then see that you be a People walking with him He says in this 4th of Isaiah to them that do escape that they shall be a holy People vers 3. It shall come to pass that he that is left in Sion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called Holy even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem O that every one written among the living this day might also be called Holy that is might be so for God calls things as they are There be great engagements lie upon our Souls that we live up to this expectation of God 3. Surely your work is to help forward the glory of Christ and your own good by all ways you can Faith and Prayer are the great means by which you may be serviceable to this great end We are apt to be faithless and unbelieving when things succeed not according to our desire and expectation but the work of the Soul is to wait for the salvation of God and to believe for the accomplishment of all that the Lord hath spoken to beg earnestly that God would remember his Promise that he would do according to the Faith of his People Whatsoever God has engaged himself to his People that he will do for them he expects that they should enquire of him for it 4. How much ought it to be your care to be found in a spirit fit to meet Christ in his glory There is great talk in the World of what expectations are upon the hearts of the Saints O that we could see suitable preparations in every Soul putting off the works of darkness and pressing after a Spirit of Humility and Holiness that we might be crucified to the World and raised up to a spiritual frame the day of Christs glory will be exceedingly filled up with spiritual things and a carnal earthly spirit will be loathed and abominable O then shake off the filth of sin and the filth of this World and put on your beautiful Garments that so you may be prepared to meet the Lord in his glory 5. Do you much pity Sinners When Christ shall come in his glory with what shame and confusion will poor sinners stand every heart will tremble and the proudest spirit will then stoop O pity them now for then you will have no pity for them the Righteous shall rejoyce when he sees the vengeance they will then onely triumph in the righteous Dispensations of God O pity them now and mourn over them and pray for them and pray them into Christ if possible and walk so before them that thou maist make them in love with the ways of God This is your work the Salvation of Sinners should be much upon your hearts if you know the worth of your own Souls And the more there are brought into Christ the greater will the solemnity be and the glory of this glorious appearance To close all therefore It is a sad day for the present even with the Saints of God and though we are preserved yet we and all our mercies lie open to we know not how much misery we and our best Priviledges how they may be dealt with we cannot tell however of this be confident That all this time the Lord is at work graciously for his People As he says in this fourth of Isaiah when he had said in the Text The Branch of the Lord should be glorious for them that are escaped he addes vers 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the Daughter of Zion In the â—ean time before this glory the Lord is waâ—â—ing away the filth of his People and purging out their dross that yet is among them that when his glorious appearing shall be you and all your Mercies will at once be delivered and as he says in the fifth verse The Lord will create upon every dwelling place in Mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a Cloud and Smoak by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the Glory shall be a defence Now we have our Opportunities with hazard and little Communion with God in them but at that day there shall be upon the Assemblies of Mount Zion a Cloud The Cloud in the Temple was the token of Gods presence God will be among his People And upon their Glory shall be a defence They shall be safe from the fear of evil and God will bless his People with peace He will bless them out of Zion Laus Deo Opt. Max. FINIS