Help and â—nd so as the God of Jacob. First then observe Gods influence and communication to his he is their Help or their Salvation as the word imports He is indeed a common help an help to all he bears up the Pillars of the Earth and upholds the reeling World and its Inhabitants from â—inking and perishing Psal 75.3 The eyes of all things wait upon him who is the great Almoner the grand and bountifull Benefactor of Heaven and Earth all live upon the universal Ordinary of his infinite bounty and are fed at his Providential Table and none go tristes ab illo sad from his presence that come to him and call upon him He helps the wicked sometimes against the wicked yea the wicked against the godly when they rebell against him or run away from him But yet in a peculiar manner he is their help a Saint hath him by way of propriety his help He is their help and their shield Psal 115.9 10 11. O Israel trust thou in the Lord he is their help and their shield O house of Aaron trust in the Lord. Ye that fear the Lord trust in the Lord he is their help and their shield Whether the Church of God in general considered or its particular members they stand obliged to trusâ— in him whether they be placed in higher sphears of excellency or in a lower Orb of activity for different degrees as to worldly conditions make no alteration in his paternal Indulgences and Fatherly dispensations He is styled the Rock of Israel 2 Sam. 23.1 and the strength of Israel 1 Sam. 15.29 David speaks singularly and by way of appropriation Psal 54.4 Behold God is my helper he becomes a suitor and supplicant to him upon the accompt of his choice of his wayes Psal 119.173 Let thine hand help me God is to his People a shade for delight and solace while they fit under the shadow of his wings and his Banner over them is Love and a Shield to them for defence to ward off all blows of affliction and stroaks of Calamity while under his Feathers their Souls do trust Which point being a necessary Preface and preliminary Introduction to that which follows as laying a just foundation for the Happiness asserted in the Text I shall not pass without consideration of but open what is material therein in a fivefold Postulatum Three of which Queries will satisfie the Explication thereof and the two latter fall in its practical improvement and Application First In what respects may God be styled an help his people Secondly After what way and manner doth he â—lp them Thirdly Vpon what accompt or for what reaâ—s doth he help them Fourthly At what special times and seasons doth most afford his help Fifthly Vpon what terms and conditions may vine help be expected First How or in what regard may God be acpunted an Help There are four things imply'd in the notion 〈◊〉 an Help all which agree to Gods influence 〈◊〉 his People wherein he appears so and where 〈◊〉 it will be demonstrated that he is properly â—eir help Supply of wants and indigencies â—ccour and relief under burthens and extremiâ—es Aid and assistance against enemies and adâ—ersaries Redress of failures and disappointâ—ents First God is their Help in respect of supply and â—ovision Thus the Rich helps the Poor by supâ—ying his wants out of his fulness and a man â—elps his Friend by taking care to provide for â—s necessities The Lord thus helps his people â—e is not a barren Wilderness nor a land of â—rought or darkness to them but he deals graâ—ously with them and they have enough The â—ord is the portion of their Inheritance he mainâ—ineth their lot The lines are fallen to them in pleaâ—nt places and they have a goodly heritage Upon â—his accompt he is said to be their Sun where â—e is said to be their Shield Psal 84.10 a Sun for consolation as well as a Shield for protection We finde the Apostle drawing up this Conclusion of Faith from the Promise Heb. 13.6 So that we may boldly say The Lord is my Helper He supplyes all their spiritual wants by influence of the Promises and all their temporal by the influences of his Providence Godliness hath the Promise both of this and the next life According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness the Apostle hath it 2 Pet. 1.3 He gives both Grace and Glory gives pardon of sin peace of Conscience sense of his love and assurance of his favour the Spirit of adoption a new heart and a right spirit holiness both habitual and actual in the root and blossom Grace peace comfort quickning strength establishment perfection are all his Legacies freely bestowed and gifts abundantly multiplyed on the heads and hearts of his people through Jesus Christ To the ignorant Soul he communicates saving knowledge to the unbelieving faith to the graceless true piety and godliness He sends light to them which are in darkness life to them which labour under deadness liberty to them which are captive and inslaved by sin and Satan He cloaths the naked soul with the honourable robe of justification and enriches the poor Conscience with the fine Gold of Sanctification The treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are his free grant as well as the garments of Salvation Every good and perfect gift is a ray and emanation from him the Father of lights and fountain of life and happiness He draws the beautifull features of Grace on Souls which naturally are no other than Monsters of deformity and imperfection and pours â—n the wine of spiritual consolations into the hearts of solitary and distressed Pilgrims in this â—alley of tears so as passing through the valley of Baca they dig up fountains still When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their â—ongue faileth for thirst he opens Rivers in high plaâ—es and Fountains in the midst of the Valleys Isa 41.17 18. And he feeds the hungry and perishing with that heavenly and delicious Manna which is able to nourish up their Souls to a blessed Eternity David most elegantly under the notion of a Pastor expresseth the sufficiency of divine reâ—ief Psal 23.2 He maketh me lie down in green Pastures he leadeth me besides the still waters As a Shepherd feeds guides comforts and defends his Flock so doth God his People allowing them a sufficient Viaticum untill thy come to the Supper of the Lamb Yea such is the exuberancy of his goodness as he supplys all their wants according to the riches of his glory in Christ Phil. 4.19 Neither doth he give them only the upper but as Caleb did his Daughter also the nether Springs As he gives them a double portion a Benjamins Mess in spiritual blessings so he is no Niggard to them in temporal conveniencies and accommodations but while he gives them himself for their portion he gives them these for their passage He hath entayled by way of
which keeps it up when the Lead of Fear would pull it down or the wing of the Bird that mounts it to Heaven while the stone tied to the legg forces it down to earth But for Hope the heart would break Now though mercy deferred may make the heart sick yet the desire coming is a tree of life Prov. 13.12 Good hope and consolation are like Castor and Pollux commonly in conjunction The Palm-trees motto is Hopes Depressa Resurgo Believing is a choice and singugular Cordial to preserve the Soul from fainting Thirdly From any unlawfull course to get out of affliction He that believes makes not haste Isa 28.16 He will not leap over hedge and ditch or finde any back-doors of escape but wait till God opens a way of deliverance The Souldier though besieged never so close will not deliver up the City if he hath any hope of relief The men of Jabesh were glad when Sauls messengers came and told them To morrow by that time the Sun was hot they should have help 1 Sam. 11.9 Be the case never so sad the Soul will wait for Gods help so long as it apprehends it self not desperate Hope is not too hasty for or greedy of mercy nor will not pluck the fruit thereof too soon before it be full ripe The patient though brought never so low if in the hands of a wise Physician still hopes to recover and is content as knowing the more desperate and tedious his sickness the more will the joy be of his cure The Captain though beaten by the Enemy will by no means yield and take quarter so long as he sees any probability of fighting him he is pleased with these thoughts the sharper the enâ—ounter once overcome the greater glory of the Victory The Christian knows Gods time is the â—est and therefore is willing to attend it and will not himself make his way out of trouble â—ut find it made by Gods hand for him he will â—ot pluck a prick out of his foot to put it into â—is heart but had rather carry about him a wounâ—ed skin or torn estate than a wounded Consciâ—nce rather choose to endure trouble which ends to ease than get a little ease at present which leads to and will end in trouble He dare â—ot shackle his Spirit to discharge his Body but â—ad rather be a Prisoner and for this hope bound with a chain than a Free-man without it David although heir apparent of the Kingdom by Gods Promise and in great danger of missing it by Sauls violence yet dare not make more haste than good speed by making his death a stirrup to ascend the Throne by nay though he had opportunity dare not take off his head for destruction though for his conviction he cut off the lap of his garment and that was animo renitente too but rather waited Gods time of his advance to it and settlement in it The Primitive Christians did not only not seek or offer themselves to a composition no but would not accept of deliverance on unworthy terms Heb. 11.35 That 's the first Hope secures against sin Secondly It doth admirably remedy affliction by sanctifying and sweetning of it To name no more it hath a four-fold energy in time of affliction each of which hath a wonderful tendency towards the souls blessedness First Vim quiescentem a calming and quieting vertue it stills and sedates the soul and does motos componere flucius The soul is still when it once knows it is God and his hand and is no more disquieted Psal 43. ult It 's filled with his peace which passeth all understanding tranquillo Deo tranquillant omnia ipsum quietum aspicere est quiescere It gives not God an ill word but holds its peace nay gives good words blesseth his name and saith Good is the Word of the Lord as David 2 Sam. 15.25 If I shall finde favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both the Ark and his habitation But if he thus say I have no delight in thee Behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good to him It 's reported of a precious stone called Bufonites that cast it into the Sea and although it be never so tempestuous it will procure a calm This precious grace is hope which calms and settles the soul under its greatest tumults and commotions and staies it under its most restless inquietations The Rabbins tell us that all the letters in the name Jehovah are literae quiescentes Faith and hope can perfectly spell this his reverend name and out of every letter thereof gather a quickening lecture influential on the Christian to compose him into a serene temper under the greatest ruffles and discomposures he meets with in the world This lower Region is subject to storms and tempests but the upper Region is serene and clear no storms above the Moon and Historians report that they which are at the top of the Alps can behold great showres fall underâ—â—eath them but not a drop above or upon them Hope mounts the soul up to God advanceth it to Heaven and then 't is out of the dint of every storm and reach of every tempest whatsoever Secondly It hath vim sublevantem a supporting and sustaining vertue Faith and hope are like Jachim and Boaz the Pillars of Solomons the support of the souls Temple They are not only kept in perfect peace but securely too whose minds are stayed on him Isa 26.3 4. The fear of man brings a snare but whoso trusteth in the Lord shall be safe Prov. 29.25 He that confides in God dwells in his holy mountain Isa 57.13 Is as Mount Sion which cannot be removed Mole-hills may be scattered but Mountains are immoveable God is a buckler saith the Psalmist to all that trust in him Psal 18.30 The soul can never be cast down that hath hope to lift it up No sooner Davids spirit and countenance under a dejection but hope gives it anâ— erection and elevation A secret hope will bear up the soul under the sorest trials and temptations even though pressed down above measure so as to despair of life yet this Pillar will shore it up from tottering and falling as it did Paul 2 Cor. 1.7 8 9. Thirdly Vim consolantem a comforting power It will not only quiet the soul make it stand still and see the Lords salvation and cause it to glorifie God in the fires but rejoyce it also give it musick upon the waters alwaies most ravishing Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing So 1 Pet. 1.8 Yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory The Prophet having pronounced the blessedness of hoping in God Jer. 17.8 illustrates it by the metaphor of Palms or Lawrels Myrtles and Olive-trees which retain their greenness and endure under the scorching heats of the Sun and are alwaies flourishing and prosperous God is a Sun for consolation as well
that so he may have wherewithall to set all his Attributes on work at once his power wisdom goodness and mercy When Israel had committed a great sin yet Ezra comforts them with this There is yet hope in Israel Art thou troubled with the guilt of sin defilement and power of corruption art thou disturbed with fears doubts temptations dost thou want the evidence of Gods favour and blessed assurances of his love art thou pressed down with the weight of thy afflictions do thy feet stick in the mire and thy soul is born down and sinks through the load that is upon thy shoulders yet look up by faith to Heaven God can open a door of hope in this valley of Achor Lo he is behind the curtain though thou seest him not and will step in and help thee if he sees the swoon or faint He is praesto ready at hand to save thee though he seems to sleep he and his arm can awake Isa 51.9 as a mighty man out of sleep for his enemies confusion and eke his Peoples consolation He will arise Psal 44. ult He can turn thy captivity as the streams of the South and a word of his mouth shall do it as well as an act of his hand Be not discouraged or despondent but wait his approach Though thy heart fail be of good courage and he will strengthen thine heart Thou hast an omnipotent arm to lean upon therefore give not in nor give over Still be found in the way of thy duty pray still believe wait still and for ever hope in the Lord and his mercy God oft suggests his Creatorship in Scripture to encourage his People in great extremities As to Jacob Isa 40.27 28. So Psal 124. ult Our help is in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth And thus in this present Psalm in the words following the Text Which made Heaven and Earth to teach us that God can do any thing who made all things What is it God cannot do as well as he did create the world out of nothing What should we doubt in his way of providence whose power we have such demonstrative proof of in the work of creation And the Apostle Peter seems to make that relation speak mercy too as well as power and goodness as greatness 1 Pet. 4.19 Where he exhorts Saints in a suffering condition to commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing as into the hand of a faithful Creator This title alone speaks comfort and assurance to Gods People and abundant incouragement to wait and hope in him not crying out in their passions I shall one day fall by the hand of this evil but staying themselves on him in the worst of humane miseries and calamities Let me leave it with this Memento That thy condition is not such neither can ever any such state befall thee that either God hath not holpen in or cannot help in No temptations betide thee but what are common to the Saints and should there God can do that he never did as well as thou need that none ever had and being thy God and Creator thou mayest be sure his help shall alway be sufficient to thy needs for he will not forsake the work of his hands He can work and none shall let him He that said Let there be light and there was so in the world can say Let there be grace peace comfort and there shall be so in the heart Let there be truth and peace and there shall be so in the Church If God be your help then make him your hope in all conditions and cases publick or private Hath God broken your estates your families or man ruined them God can repair them Hath he broken his Church and People broken down her hedge so that the Boar of the Wood doth waste her and all the wild beasts of the Forrest devour her he can yet look down upon her and raise her up when lowest and throw down her enemies when highest Let the house of Aaron and Levi yea and all that fear the Lord trust in the Lord and ye that have no helper make him your hope and help Say This God is our God and shall be our guide to death I shall dismiss this branch of Application with an answer to these two Questions First What are the conditions upon which we may challenge help from God in an evil day Secondly What are the times and seasons when we may most confidently expect it All evils are reduceable to two general heads They are either Gods immediate visitations or humane afflictions and pâ—rsecutions The former of these I shall answer with special reference to the first the latter to the second First On what terms may Gods People expect help when he is going out in the way of his Judgements as Sword Pestilence c I shall but name these five conditions the discourse being swoln far beyond what it was intended First A religious severity which consists in an accurate walking before God in a day of prosperity and mercy a setting strait steps to his Kingdom a cleaving to him a dwelling in him as our habitation a maintaining strict and close communion with him Isa 32.17 The effect of righteousness shall be peace quietness and assurance for ever Communion with God in a good day layes a sure foundation for confidence in him in an evil He that remembers God in his high estate God will remember him in his low that makes God his song in Sun-shine daies shall finde him his strength in tempestuous times who give God a room in their hearts and houses in times of felicity shall have room in his Ark in the day of adversity Gen. 6.8 9. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord he was a just man and perfect in his generations and walked with God Whereas they who forsake God in the time of mercy he will forsake them in the time of extremity those who now turn the back on him he will then turn the face from Jer. 18.17 As they gave a deaf ear to the voice of his mercy shutting the door of their hearts to him he will give a deaf ear to the voice of their cry and shut the door of his grace on them Prov. 1.24 This also consists in an immunity from the sins of the times not only a sympathy of their sufferings but a freedom from their sins and defilements When a Christian saves himself from a perverse generation is unspotted with the times keeps his garments fair though he lives in a contagious Air yet preserves himself free from its infection and like the fish keeps the freshness of his grace though swimming in the salt-waters of sin and wickedness When out of an holy and reverential fear he dares not comply with but withstands opposes protests witnesses against and mourns for the abominations of the times This was Noabs carriage being warned of God and moved with an holy fear of his threatned Judgements he makes
to your Rulers and Governours as the woman did once to that King 1 King 6.27 Help O King who were all forced to return you that sorry answer If the Lord helps not whence should we help Ah what thousand pities had Heaven pleased to have prevented to see so many famous structures antient and venerable Monuments learned Libraries rich goods and treasures beautifull Halls and Exchanges usefull Churches and Chappels within so small a compass turned into a Chaos of confusion and heap of utter destruction Ah how lamentable a sight to see so many able Citizens impoverisht so many mean ones quite beggar'd how hideous an out-cry to hear men complaining We who had thousands in the morning had not a penny left to help us by the evening we who had full tables could afford plentiful entertainments rich purses and large banks enough for back and belly for necessity and delight for us and ours are now reduced many of us to a morsel of bread and glad to live on the alms of the charitable we went out full but came in empty Ah how sad to behold so many families ruined and undone so many dwellings and places that must never more know their owners and inmates but have for ever cast them out leaving them to the wide world and exposing them as so many Tenants at will and that without any warning to the mercy of the great and soveraign Land-Lord of Heaven and Earth What true Son of Sion upon view or tydings of so sad a catastrophe must not bear a part in the Churches Funeral Elegy over Jerusalem Lam. 1.1 How doth the City sit solitary that was full of people How is she become as a Widow she that was great among the Nations and Princess among the Provinces And so cap. 4.11 The Lord hath accomplisht his fury he hath poured out his fierce anger and hath kindled a fire in Zion and it hath devoured the foundations thereof Oh that by the brightness of these flames we could see our sin that hath long appeared as at noon day but we would never yet behold by the Sun-light of the word And that this most formidable fire may become to us a flaming beacon to signifie our approaching danger and ruin unless Gods anger be timely quenched by the blood of Christ and tears of repentance And that amidst the cold formalities and freezing devotions in the winter quarter of these last and perilous times our cooler souls might be heated and our dying affections by an holy kind of Anteperistasis advanced into a diviner flame of holy zeal in seeking the Lord lest he makes us as Admah and sets us as Zeboim and kindles a fire in the Palaces of Joseph so as none shall quench it Oh that we could all learn from the highest to the lowest those lessons Gods intention is to teach us by so severe dispensations either for humiliation for what is past or reformation for time to come And if I mistake not the physiognomy of this providence whether it be looked on in the glass of a more immediate or more mediate agency Gods hand appeared most remarkably in it and concurring circumstances give us plain intimations of its commission and direction by a special superintendency from Heaven And though like a picture well drawn it looks wishly on every one in the room yet it seems to prefer a particular charge against those wickednesses of pride luxury wantonness security earthliness and uncharitableness which have so long burnt as fire among us Ah what haughtiness idleness and fulness of bread was to be found in our streets with what pleasure did we live upon earth what port and state did we begin to carry what wantons were we grown forgetting the God that made us not attributing to him our power to get wealth having our hearts lifted up or like foolish children with Jesurun standing on our heads kicking against Heaven and neglecting the God of our salvation sacrificing Gods corn wine oyl wooll and flax to our lusts and lovers instead of our Creatour Were we not grown like Sodom and the Old World a God-despising and a self-pleasing people that gave up our selves to eating and drinking buying and selling planting and building every man looking to his own way and gain and as for the ship of the Church the interest of God and Religion having caught the fish we laid aside the net and so we could but save our own petty Cabbins let Gods and Christs cause sink or swim we were become Gallio's not minding these things Oh how did we that pretended to God mind little or nothing but the world How went we one to his farm another to his merchandize our shop was become our closet and the Exchange our Church The Courtier the Merchant the Tradesman all busie as so many Ants on an Hill to scrape together so much refined dust and lade themselves with this thick clay Every one setting up his Heaven on Earth and singing a requiem to his soul in his stately houses full warehouses vast incomes if not unjust gains and oppressions looking so much to earth as those that had neither time or mind to look up to Heaven but if with the Lark soaring to Heaven in pretences of zeal and affection on the Sabbath with the Worm groveling on the worlds dung-hill all the week after Like him in the Poet that cried out O Coelum with his tongue when his hand toucht the earth committing even a sollicism with our hands and bidding an express practical contradiction to our professions Ah is it not just God should deny us the world as a creature which we could not have but must adore as our God Is it not righteous that should be taken out of our hands which instead of being trodden under our feet had got up so near our hearts Oh how much better Christians for to you alone I now speak as for the wicked who grow worse and worse and do more wickedly Hell fire shall shortly do that in consuming them which this could not do for refining had it been for you to have cast your bread on the waters than to have had it wasted by such a fire Ah had you but worn the world as a loose garment that you might have put off and on at pleasure it would not now have come from you as your skin from your flesh with pain and torture but ease and delight or as the blood out of your veins with reluctancy and opposition but as water from a fountain with freedom and liberty These pictures if hung up loosly would have been taken down with less rending tearing and noise than they are like to be if your hearts be fastened or glewed to them Oh Sirs had you minded God and Christ as you did this Mammon of the world and attended your heavenly trade as you did your East-India Turky French Spanish or the rest and conversed with God in your closets as you did with your customers in your shops and
that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed and in Damascus in a Couch When the ravenous Wolf or Lion of Judgements hath worried a people and almost torn them asunder yet their hunger shall be so satiated and rage stopt as still there shall be some remnant undevoured Thirdly By bringing them up out of the affliction that though they suffer by it they shall not be utterly cast down when they are judged nor wholly destroyed God brings back the captivity of his people Psal 14. and Psal 126.1 He may frown but causeth his face to shine again The Sun of mercy may go down in the evening in a cloud but riseth in the morning in a very glonous shine It will turn again and have compassion on us Micah 7.19 God may for a while turn his back but will turn his face in due time toward his people and though for a moment he forsakes with everlasting kindness he will remember He will not contend for ever or be alwaies wroth Heaviness may indure for a night but joy comes in the morning ad momentum irascitu◠ut in aeternum delectetur While he punisheth th◠community he reserves a remnant whom h◠resolves to pardon Jer. 50.20 He promises to return the captivity of Judah Jer. 31.42 and cap. 33.26 And like as he brought great evil upon them so to bring all the good he had promised Though brought low he will raise them up again call back his plagues if they return from their sins As the Prophet emphatically expresseth it Hos 6.1 2. For he hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up After two daies will he revive us in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight An allusion to our redemption by Christ which is a sure pledge of all temporal deliverances as of that they were a type According to that of the Evangelical Prophet Isa 26.19 Where having expressed by significant metaphors the Churches travel with its pangs and dolour and her misconception as it were and miscarry as to any hopeful productions he yet closes with a comfortable promise Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead Though the Church may suffer from and in the world yet her sickness shall not be to death though God breaks his people with breach on breach yet this wise Physitian will in due time give an healing plaister he will set them into joynt again and then the bone that was broken shall be stronger than ever Nay though they be brought to deaths-door to the graves mouth he will command a resurrection and breathe on those dry bones that they shall live Ezek. 37.11 12. His providence shall be a midwife to usher in to them a full and glorious deliverance They shall have rest from the daies of adversity Psal 94.13 They may go into the Fire with others but when they perish there these shall come out and be refined Gold while the major part is consumed as dross Zech. 13.8 9. Two parts shall be cut off and die but the third shall be left therein They may be proved and tried as Silver in a very hot Furnace brought into the Net affliction laid on their Loyns ridden on pass through Fire and Water but God will make a way of escape he will bring them out into a wealthy place They may he among the Pots Scullion-like in a sooted smeared forlorn condition yet shall they be as the wings of a Dove covered with Silver and her Feathers with yellow Gold Psal 66.10 11 12. Psal 68.13 And so much for the second particular imply'd in this notion of help assistance and aid against all Enemies and Evils Thirdly It imports succour and redresse under burdens or deliverance out of dangers feared straits and miseries injuries oppressions and afflictions felt Psal 20.1 2. The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee Send thee help from the Sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Sion So Psal 9.9 The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed a refuge in time of trouble God is an help a refuge a defence and Sanctuary to his people Thus the Porter helps his partner by lending him a shoulder to heave under his Load one man helps another up when he be fallen down Eccles 4.10 We are commanded to help out our Neighbours Oxe or Ass out of the Ditch Deut. 22.4 Thus one is said to help another in battel Josh 10.4 2 Sam. 10.11 And God is on this accompt said to help Vzziah against the Philistines 2 Chron. 26.7 Thus a Friend helps another in distress by commiserating his Case visiting him and administring in Food Physick or other necessaries to his afflicted condition And thus is God a Helper to his people and that upon a threefold accompt First Under the otherwise unsupportable burden of sin and guilt This is an heavy burden to a gracious Soul his Iniquities go over his head and are a burden too heavy for him to bear One sin weighs more than Hell set home upon the Conscience by the Impressions of Gods Spirit it oppresseth it very sore The sense hereof made David pray with that vigour and earnestness Psal 40.12 13. Be pleased O Lord to deliver me O Lord make haste to help me What is the matter Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of my head therefore my heart faileth me Like one arrested upon many actions at once here one Serjeant and there another claps hold on him so that the man is put into such a distraction and confounding amaze that he knows not what to do nor which way to turn him This made Paul breathe out with so much dolour his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 7.24 O wretched Man who shall deliver me from this body of death Just like the Malefactor condemned to drowning in Tiber that had a dead body tied to his own living and so was dragged along the streets and haled into the River Than which there is no worse punishment And indeed the weight of sin is Onus Angelorum bumeris formidandum such as Christ himself though but imputed could never have undergone had not his Humanity been supported by the power of his Deity but must have sunk under the Oppression of it It was not only Agnus Dei but Deus qui tollit the Lamb of God but the Lamb who also was God that could bear the sins of the World And verily for a poor disconsolate sinner to look upward and see God frowning downward and see Hell gaping inward and see Conscience accusing outward and see all Creatures withdrawing it would sink his Soul presently into an Hell of despair if not elevated by the infinite arm
multiplication without it For man lives not by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God Matth. 4. He fills his peoples hearts with food and gladness He can carse much while the meat is in sinners mouths he can send leanness into their souls and they may eat but not have enough drink but not be filled be clothed but not be warm So he can bless a little Daniel's pulse he can render more nourishing than the Kings dainties Though the staff of bread be broken in pieces yet he can renew it or at least deal graciously with the soul so as it shall say I have enough Nimis avarus animus cui non sufficit Deus Bernard The experience of this was that gave the Church such a large festival of joy in a fasting-day Hab. 3.17 Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off in the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation And as in the want of necessary competencies for outward and bodily sustenance so in the loss of worldly conveniencies God is his peoples helper He recompenseth them an hundred-fold what they lose in temporals they gain in spirituals and when bereaved of all this world can afford can yet cry out we have enough all in our God Though they be as having nothing yet they possess all things and retain their heirship while they appear to the world to have lost their Sonship Yea in the utmost misgivings of their souls when not only their enjoyments but even their expectancies are thrown over-board and set all on float their hope perisht from the Lord yet his compassions bear them up Lam. 3.21 And when with Jonah they apprehend themselves cast out of his sight yet can they look towards his holy Temple Jonah 2.4 Yea secondly As under the frustration of expected comforts so under the feeling of unexpected crosses and afflictions is God their help God is never far from his people when trouble is near When men draw back he draws most near and misery advanceth forward he never goes away and leaves them naked combatants with it If outward mercies fail he will give contentation under the want of them or better mercies instead of them exchanges the gold of Heaven for this earthly dross Though others have the portions they have with Isaac the Inheritance and the men of the world gifts with Jehoram they have the Kingdom and change of worldly comforts for the hopes of future glory and a double portion of the gifts and graces of his Spirit is no robbery or injury Yea he often bestows better in kind as well as value as he gives them himself who is better than many wives children estates for when all these die he yet lives so he raiseth up other comforts to sweeten their crosses when he takes away one mercy sends another in the stead If David loseth his child which surviving had been a standing monument of his shame he shall have a Solomon that shall be to him a Crown of Glory in his stead So if outward afflictions approach he will finde out a way of deliverance 1 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of all temptations Troubles rush in upon us suddenly oftentimes and we know not which way we come into them but God makes our way out of them He opens for us a back-door of escape when there appears of it no humane probability Many a time did he deliver them saith the Psalmist of Israel Psal 106.42 They cried unto the Lord and he delivered them out of their distresses Under soul-conflicts when they have even concluded their case desperate God hath come in with his salvation When Hezekiah saies He is cut off and shall never more see the Lord in the Land of the Living so that his soul was in great bitterness in love to his soul his God delivers him from the pit of corruption Isa 38.17 When the soul is reduced to such extremities as it knows not what to do how any longer to hope but draws up desperate conclusions against mercy and saies The Lord will be gracious no more he hath in anger shut up his tender mercies I shall surely fall by the strength of this corruption that temptation As Mris. Honywood said As sure as this Glass breaks I shall be damned The soul lookt for comfort from Ordinances and Promises expected help from faithful Ministers and fellow-Christians but findes none to save none to comfort even then he findes out some Messenger an Interpreter one among a thousand to shew to man his uprightness then he is gracious and delivers him from going down to the pit he delights in the Almighty and lifts up his face to God Job cap. 22. and cap. 33. And so under outward calamities which come so suddenly and violently as there seems no way of rescue or resistance but a man cries out with David He shall must one day fall by the hand of Saul by the power of this or the other affliction yet God delivers out of the mouths of these ravening Lions as he did him Psal 31.22 I said in mine haste I am cut off from before thine eyes nevertheless thou heardst the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee Though he were even at deaths door at the graves mouth God brought up his soul from the grave and kept him alive that he went not down into the pit The sorrows of death compassed him and the pains of Hell got hold upon him and he said in his haste all were lyars the Prophet Samuel and all yet at length God gave him such experience of his salvation as he could not contain but cries out Thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling It 's Gods usual method to work by contraries and as he disappoints sinners in the height of their hopes and confidences so he relieves his Saints in the lowest ebbs of their diffidencies and despondencies he casts them down when advanced on the highest pinnacle of undeserved and abused mercy and lifts his own up when plunged into the most deep and intricate labyrinths of affliction and misery And that is the last particular in this first branch of the Proposition In what respects God is an help to his people The second follows How or after what sort and manner he gives them help Take it briefly in these following particulars which will enhance the excellency of divine help First He helps suddenly and unexpectedly when his people little dream of it least of all look for it and expect it Psal 126.1 When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion we were like them that dream The deliverance was so great as it seems incredible too good news to be true Wicked
by thy great power and stretched-oâ—â— arm As he hath infinite wisdom and knows alâ— things so infinite power and can do all things â— he is wonderful in counsel and mighty in working And thus we finde the Church shoring up her reeling and sinking spirits with the stud oâ— his infinite boundless and never failing mercy and compassions Lam. 3.21 This I recall to my mind therefore have I hope Saints hope in his mercy Psal 33.18 The Attributes of God are as so many props and pillars to uphold a falling soul as so many shields which he may bear before him to fence off the strokes of evil When they cannot lay hold on a Promise they may yet lay hold upon an Attribute and though they sit in darkness and see no light yet may they stay upon it One shine of an Attribute in its full lustre and glory is able to dispel in a moment all those mists of fear doubt and temptation which have over-spread the souls Heavens and cause them utterly to vanish Secondly The merits of his Son They are also strong pillars of this hope He is that mighty one on whose shoulders God hath laid his peoples help Psal 89.19 All fell and became a ruinous heap in Adam but is repaired by Christ It hath pleased the Father all fulness should dwell in him the spirit without measure treasures of wisdom and knowledge And all the grace and mercy of God runs through the chanel of his blood whether concerning our eternal or temporal condition He is the Saviour of all but especially of them that believe with him we have all things as being entailed upon him all is yours because you are Christs 1 Cor. 3. ult Through the knowledge of him all things are given us which pertain to life and godliness God supplies all our wants according to the riches of his glory in Christ He is represented to us under all possible names of fulness and excellency to assure us that whatsoever we want may be had in him He is called light life treasure yea the Apostle calls his unsearchable riches Ephes 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfathomable wealth It 's reported of the Spanish Embassadour that when he had beheld the Duke of Venice's treasury with great admiration as indeed being the richest in the world yet in the end commends his Masters above it which the auditors wondring at and demanding the reason of he gives this answer This treasure though vast hath a bottom but my Masters hath no bottom alluding to the Isles of Mexico c. This is much more true of Christ he hath bottomless treasures of grace and peace wisdom and holiness joy and comfort life and glory bliss and happiness to give out to his members And considering help in the other notion he is also the most proper and adequate object of our hope For him hath God exalted a Prince and Saviour not only to dispense out the gifts of repentance and forgiveness as Kings do on their inauguration daies but also hath raised him up to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and deliverer of his People from the hands of all their enemies The Redeemer that shall come out of Sion to turn away ungodliness from Jacob. He shall raise the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof Act. 15.16 He is called Gods strength Isa 27.5 His neck saith the Spouse in her description is like the Tower of David builded for an Armoury whereon there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men Cant. 4.4 He is the Saints chief helper the Antesignanus or standard-bearer of the whole Army or as we render it the chiefest of ten thousand under whose conduct himself going in the front before us we may rout Armies of sins fears temptations men and Devils though never so combined or bandied against us Though they compass us about like Bees yet in this name of the Lord may we destroy them He is a security against the wrath of God and against the violence of men also Saith Bernard sweetly ubi tuta firmaque requies nisi in vulneribus salvatoris Every wound of Christ is a City of Refuge to the pursued soul of a Christian The destroying Angel will pass over those who are sprinkled with Christs blood The avenger of blood shall never touch those who are once lodged in this sure Sanctuary and they who have the scarlet thred of his merits tied upon their hearts are certain of delivery from wrath to come and being proximi Jovi are yet procul à fulmine This man saith the Evangelical Prophet of him shall be as an hiding-place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary Land Isa 32.2 A shelter against colder and battering storms and a shadow under burning and scorchsing heats He comes forth saith the other Prophet that is to be Ruler in Israel from among the least of the thousands of Judah whose goings forth have been from of old from everlasting And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in â—he Majesty of the name of the Lord his God And this man shall be thy peace when the assyrian shall come into the Land strength against or comfort under his oppression This was that the Prophet Zachariah comforts the Church with against the Babylonish captivity Zach. 9.9 11 12. Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Sion Behold thy King cometh unto thee And what follows upon his advent As for thee also by the blood of the Covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water and so directs them to turn to him that strong hold as prisoners of hope Never failed that soul of help who made Christ his hope He never will cast out those which come to him and citius clavem ab Hercule none can pluck his sheep out of his hand Thirdly The relations of the Covenant Whom should a child trust to for help but his Father and the innocent for right but the Judge This is that the Prophet pleads all along in times of calamity and trouble Gods Paternity Kingship conjugal relations The Church alwaies goes to him under these relations of a God a Judge a King a Father an Husband all which are moving his bowels of affection she laies her claim to God as hers on all occasions I am thine saith David save me So the Church impleads her interest The Lord is my portion therefore will I hope in him Fourthly The truth and fulness of his Promises What God hath a tongue to speak is ouâ— duty to have an ear to hear and heart too to believe for what he hath spoken with his mouth he will fulfil with his hand 2 Sam. 7.24 25. Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you â— Joshua tells the people cap. 23.14 And so Solomon blessing God before
who will ever set upon that of which he hath no hopes of accomplishment and who ever will go to God that can go any where else It 's a following lying vanities and forsaking our own mercies a running from the fountain of everlasting waters and hewing out broken cisterns It laies us under a curse and that a dreadful one Jer. 17.5 13. Cursed is he that makes flesh his arm All that forsake thee shall be ashamed and that depart from thee their names written in the Earth than which nothing more sad and dismal A cursed change it is to leave God and go to the Creature such confidence commonly ends in shame and confusion Dependance on the Creature forfeits divine protection it clips the wings of mercy It 's a going out of Gods blessing into the warm Sun Nay the Hypocrites bow which never aims right on at the mark is not only erring and deceitful but often recoils and proves to him deadly and destructive They who repose in humane help do not only miss of the prosperity and safety which by these means they made account to attain to but bring evils on themselves which they both sought and thought to escape and lose the lives they went about so industriously to save And indeed God takes himself highly wronged by this abuse at the hands of his People and will sooner or later say to them as to Israel Judg. 10. Go to the gods ye have chosen and see if they can deliver you See how God threatens them Isa 30.12 15. In returning and rest I would have saved you and ye would not but ye said no we will flee upon horses therefore shall ye flee They who will not rest on God shall be forced to run for all the creature May I not say to you as once Saul to the people revolting to David Can the Son of Jesse give you Vineyards and Olive-yards Can the creature give you souls satisfaction in its fullest enjoyment and can it afford you relief in the day of distress Can these gods of your own making arise and save you Can they chear your hearts when God is frowning succour you when Satan is tempting comfort you when the world is failing Can they give you any peace in an hour of trouble ease under horrours of pain life under pains of death settlement and composure in a day of distraction and confusion have you not sufficiently experienced and so may be effectually convinced of the vanity of the whole arm of flesh That all flesh is as grass that fadeth and the flower thereof that withereth That men of low degree are vanity and of high degree a lye That there is no salvation in Hills or Mountains no help in Princes Senates Armies Navies if God does but blow upon them Have you not by sad and wofull experience known the failure of friends contingency of estates the uncertainty of worldly advancements the moth the worm the dying perishing nature that is in all created comforts and contentments and will ye yet lean upon these weak bulrushes and make his your refuge May not God say to you as once to his People Numb 14.11 How long will it be ere ye believe me Nay may not God justly leave you when ye have first left him and then what will become of you To which of all the Saints will ye turn what will ye do in the day that he comes out to visit Suppose God coming out with the glittering sword in the one hand nay he is come out already and the destroying Plague in the other and fire and famine become his followers whither will ye fly where will ye hide how shall you escape or endure his fierce wrath and burning indignation what will you do in the day of your calamity or where will you leave your glory Well to close this point for I would hope better things of all you that fear God though I thus speak know assuredly that by going from God your Centre unto the Creature you will either run into the mouth of danger like a bird far from her nest never under such danger of the snare you cannot be established but may be as they were Jude 5. for their unbelief destroyed or however you will cut short the arm of mercy and deliverance As impatient snatching at mercy makes it not half so sweet fruits pluckt too soon or raw eaten commonly gripe Jacob had not only a blow but a piece of a curse a deal of turmoil and trouble with his blessing because he would be his own Carver and not stay to receive it at his heavenly Fathers hand and discontented murmurs and repinings against God under affliction cut short of mercy and salvation a sad instance whereof we have in those two prime Leaders of Israel Moses and Aaron Numb 20.12 Because they believed not the Lord to sanctifie him before the eyes of Israel they were not priviledged to lead the Congregation into the good Land So confident reposes in the Creature without God or conjunction of it in our dependance with him will certainly breed in the issue disappointment and destruction and the soul that with Babylon sits Lady-like in its Chair of State and Ease will become a Widow and desolate in one day And which is the great aggravation of the misâ—ry of all such confidence the more we lean and greater stress we lay on any creature-comfort when God comes once to blast it and take it away as 't were by a stroke it will become so much the greater cross and so much affliction we may expect from it as we have had affection to it and placed dependance upon it Put not your trust therefore in man or place your confidence in bare Creatures for whose shoulders an immortal Soul carries too great a burden but Trust in the Lord from henceforth and for ever Let me conclude this with the Prophets advice Jer. 9.23 Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom nor the strong man in his might nor the rich man in his riches But let him that glorieth glory in the Lord And with that of the Psalmist Psal 62.8 10. Trust not in Oppression if riches increase set not your heart upon them But trust in him at all times and finally with that of the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.17 Trust not in uncertain riches but in the living God Fourthly Solamen ministrat This Doctrine comes full fraught with comfort and speaks abundant and matchless consolation to all the People of God who have this Interest in him and exercise dependance upon him as their hope and help The godly man is the only blessed man The World may count and call her darlings happy but no such blessedness to be found as in the fruition of God and derivations from him Blessed he is First In all his Relations and concernments as to his spiritual state and as to his temporal He having an interest in God hath an interest in all that is Gods all his Attributes Relations Promises
veho in his mouth if I perish I perish and can confidently look danger bonds death in the face being willing with Paul for the hope of Israel to be bound with this chain Act. 28.20 As holy fear so this invincible faith and undaunted courage is an evident token of salvation and that from God Phil. 1.28 Whom in the world should God help if not them that help with him or stand close to if not those who stand fast to him distinguishing duty shall certainly be rewarded with distinguishing mercy Secondly At what special times may Gods People look for help in time of mens violence and oppression Let me resolve that one question in case the cause of the People of God should be brought to an extremity and leave it with them as a fortification of their hopes and spirits Now though as it 's impossible for us infallibly to determine the periods of Gods grace to sinners when abused so the times and seasons of his giving out mercy and salvation to his People when wanted times being in his hand yet so far as we have the Scripture for our guide we may assign some particular and extraordinary cases wherein help is promised and so may be justly expected As First When Gods Cause lies a bleeding and the general concern and interest of Religion is at stake God is jealous for his great Name Thus Joshua pleads when Israel fell before their enemies in battel cap. 7.9 And Jeremiah cap. 14.9 We are called by thy Name leave us not and vers 21. Do not abhor us for thy Names sake do not disgrace the Throne of thy glory When the enemy houted Gods People pointing with the finger at them These are the People of the Lord he had pity for his holy Name Ezek. 36.21 When the whole interest of Religion and Gods people must go off at a blow God will step between the Axe and them We have such a memorable example of this in Gods deliverance of the whole body of the Jews from Haman's conspiracy as the defeatment thereof may be a standing encouragement to his people in all ages Secondly When a cloud of reproach and scandal is cast upon his Peoples innocency and integrity and thereupon ariseth an unjust oppression of them This was Job's case all along his Friends falsly accused him but his God did compurgate him and so Davids as appears almost in every Psalm where he now appeals to God and makes protests of his innocency as Psal 7.3 then prays for relief Psal 38. ult and 71.11 12. and 109.26 professeth his hope in God notwithstanding Psal 35.15 promiseth himself redress Psal 37.6 So Jeremiah cap. 20.11 and the Church Mic. 7.8 10. who promise themselves salvation and prophesie their enemies destruction upon their slanders and scandals cast upon them God will take part with his people what is done to them he takes as done to himself whether in way of kindness or abuse As they vindicate his Name and glory in the World so will he theirs from all reproach put upon it Thirdly When there is a failure and disappointment of all humane help This is the Psalmists argument Psal 44. ult and the ground of his plea Psal 79.8 Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us for we are brought very low When Pharaoh said The Israelites were intangled the Wilderness had shut them in God comes and cuts a passage for them Exod. 14.3 God commonly helps his People at the lowest the taking the weakest part is to him no disadvantage When vain is the help of man and the cause is concluded desperate for want of an Advocate then God is called in by our Prophet Psal 12.1 Help Lord for the godly man ceaseth Cum nemini obtrudi potest Psal 116.6 I was brought low and he helped me When Sion is called an Outcast and no man seeks after her then God chooseth to have mercy on her Jer. 30.17 Fourthly When the Enemies of Gods Truth and Cause blaspheme his Name and insult and triumph over his people Whom hast thou reproached saith God to Rabshaketh Isa 37.23 There 's the ground of his appearance against him The King of Heaven may pardon his Peoples rebellions but revilings are too saucy for subjects to give or the infinite and eternal God to bear from a vile worm a sinfull and mortal creature It 's time for God to arise when wicked men thus make void his Law and so far usurp upon his Supremacy and Prerogative as to offer a competition with him who he or they shall be Lord Controller in the World When the Assyrians talked blasphemously that God was the God of the hills and not of the valleys therefore did he deliver them into Israel's hand 1 King 20.28 God dare wrastle or engage with them though on disadvantagious ground This argument the Church useth for deliverance Psal 74.10 and strongly urgeth Psal 79.10 11 12. and the cruelty and blasphemy of the enemy may prevail with God sometimes when cannot the Prayers of his Saints and People Isa 47.6 7 8. God will save the afflicted People and bring down the high and proud looks Psal 18.27 It 's observable when God assigns to his people the reason of the expulsion of the Nations and the introduction of Israel in their room he gives it thus Not for your righteousness but their wickedness Deut. 9.5 when Saints holiness cannot avail for mercy sinners iniquity may call for justice Fifthly When the spirits of the Saints begin to despond and fail and yet are carried out with serious humiliation for their sin and recovering these fits and qualms with out-goings of Faith and Prayer to Heaven When Christ comes there will scarce be Faith in the Earth when the hearts of Gods people begin to swoon he will contend no longer lest their spirits should fail before him When the wicked are flesht and pufft up with vain hopes God breaks their bones asunder and their horn in pieces when Gods people are as dry bones he lifes and fleshes them Ezek. 37. When the Question is asked By whom shall Jacob arise for he is small the answer is The Lord repented for this Amos 7.2 3. God will not always suffer the rod of the wicked to rest on the lot of the righteous lest he puts forth his hand to iniquity Psal 125.3 God passes by his People when as tall Cedars and beholds them when low and weak Shrubs he delights in them when in an abject low condition and shews them mercy When the Locusts do most over-run the Cassians then the Seleucidian Birds come and are their devourers and destroyers God is willing his people sometimes should be brought to that pass that they know not whither to turn that so they may know what their God can and will bring about for them When Gods people are laid upon their backs then is a fit time for him to take them up into his arms and put them into his bosom Especially when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled by their