and comforts arising from a due consideration of the foresaid power of God See The Guide to go to God § 213 214. And of other instructions arising from the helpe which God affords in mans extremity see the next § but one to this §. 40. Of Gods perfect preservation II. GODS succour is salvation It freeth out of all danger Thus much intended Moses when the Israelites despairing of all helpe he thus said to them Feare yâ— not stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Such was that salvation as they had no cause to feare those their enemies any more The like may be exemplified in other deliverances which God undertooke to give especially in the cures which Christ did in the daies of his flesh When his pleasure was to heale any he made them whole and for evidence thereof he commanded Lâ—pens to shew themselves to the Priests whose office it was to judge whether a leprosie were perfectly cured or no. Others that had beene very weake and impotent he willed to carrie their beds that thereby is might be seene that they were perfectly cured The dead he caused to rise up Dâ—moniacks he charged to preach the Gospell But the greatest and best evidence that can be given hereof is the eternall salvation which is given to Saints whereunto the Apostle having relation saith He is able to save to the uttermost God will have his works to be manifested to be divine to be so perfect in their kind as nothing need be added thereto non helpe sought of any other but of him that so by evident demonstrations men may be forced to say This is the finger of God 1. Assuredly they that know and believe this truth that the Lord â—weth them whom he undertaketh to help cannot but be much encouraged in their distresses to seeke helpe of him In such cases as are to men incurable we use to do much for some present case and yet faile oftentimes in that which we seeke for and expect at mens hands as that woman which had suffered manythings of many Physitians and had spent all that she had and was nothing bettered but rather grew worse If we could believe as she did assuredly we should do as she did and have as good successe as she had 2. Let us beware of Asa his fault who in his disease sought not to the Lord but to the Physitians How much better had it beene to have sought not to the Physitians but to the Lord. Which I would not have so taken as if Physitians were not at all in any case to be sought unto but to shew that it is much better to neglect all means then to neglect the Lord who giveth a blessing to all the means that are at any time of any use Warrantable meanes may lawfully must conscionably be used but used as the hand of Gods providence whereby he doth whatsoever good thing is done by them Woe is denounced against them that trust to means without the Lord Isa 30. 1 c. and 31. 1 c. Whether therefore meanes be used or not used let not the Lord be neglected He saveth §. 41. Of Gods taking occasion to helpe at a pinch III. MAâ—â— extrimity is Gods opportunity Then even then especially is God ready to helpe when men are at the lowest To passe over those instances which are mentioned before § 39. there are two proverbes asod in scripture which give good proofe to this point The one is this â— In the monus will the Lord â—e scene Knowledge of the just occasion of this proverbe will give light to the true interpretation thereof The occasion therefore was this God gave an expresse charge to Abraham to take his onely his beloved sonne even him of whom it was said In Isaac shall thy sâ—en be called and to offer him for a burnt offering on a mountaine which the Lord should shew him Abraham in obedience to the Lords charge went on whither the Lord appointed him with a full resolution to do what he was commanded to do Three daies was he in journying to the place and at length came to the top of a mount where he built an altar laid the wood in order bound Isaac laid him thereon tooke a knife and stretched out his hand to slay his sonne Thus in his intent he had slaine and sacrificed his sonne In all this time did not God shew any mind or meanes to save Isaac but even then when there was scarce a step betwixt him and death the Lord shewed himselfe and declared his pleasure for preserving Isaac Now because it was on a mount where Isaac was thus neare unto death and that on the mount and not before God shewed himselfe for the preservation of Isaac thence arose this proverbe In the mount will the Lord be seene And to be an evidence to all future ages of Gods wisdome in affording his help at the last cast the Holy Ghost prefixeth this clause as it is said to this day The other proverbe is this The children are come to the birth and there is no strength to bring forth By this proverb Ierusalem being so besieged by the King of Assyria as there was in regard of humane helps little hope of deliverance is compared to a woman great with child in paine of travell the Inhabitants of the city are resembled to the children in the mothers wombe the extremity of distresse wherein they were to the difficulty and danger of travell Such then was their case as the case of a woman which having a weake child not able to helpe it selfe is spent with paine and travell and hath no midwife nor any other meanes of helpe Were they not now brought even to uttermost extremity In this extremity when they were so low brought the Lord helped them The helpe that in such extremities is afforded manifestly appeareth to be from God When the Egyptians observed the succour which was afforded to the Israelites in the midst of the Red Sea they said The Lord fighteth for them Thus is God the more honoured by reserving himselfe to such extremities In extremities succour is much more welcome much better accepted more highly prized and mans heart more affected and enflamed therwith When the Israelites were safely led thorow the depths then they sang the Lords praises Is there not now great and just reason that God should take this opportunity to helpe 1. Wait therefore to the very uttermost of an extremity This being the most seasonable time for God to helpe most meet it is that we should tarry the Lords leasure and wait for his season This the Prophet noteth to be a property of true faith He that beleeueth maketh not haste He seeketh not to preuent the time appointed of the Lord. If the Lord tarry the beleever will wait He well knoweth that there is an appointed time which cannot be prevented which shall not be overslipt
pronenesse to fall well weighed of them who by reason of some gifts bestowed on them wax insolent and secure Surely this is one use which is to be made of Saints fals that no man boast himself of his owne good deeds when he beholdeth the storms of such men to be taken heed of and wrecks to be bewailed §. 56. Of Gods establishing the weake VII GOD estâ—â—lisheth such as are reâ—die to fall This he did when he delivered this Prophets feet from falling He that falleth faith the Apostle shal be holden up for God is able to make him stand Very fitly to the point in hand saith the Psalmist He brought me up out of an horrible pit out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rocke and established my goings And againe When I said my foot slippeth thy morcie O Lord held me up As Gods power so his pity and prudence are more clearely manifested hereby Where the Lord saith My strength is made perfect in weakenesse he meaneth that the lower men be brought and the more weake and unable to be established they may seem to be the more divine is that power manifested to be whereby they are established and then doth pity and mercy most brightly shew it selfe when in falling a man is preserved so as if then he had not been preserued he had perished Thus e Christ shewed his pity in saving Peter even when he began to sinke Mat. 14. 30 31. This then must needs be a principall part of prudence In these and other like respects God is so ready to uphold him that is falling and to hold him that is departing that he may seeme to mind such alone and to leave all others 1. Despaire not now though thy foot be slipping or thou sinking in a sea of sorrowes God is as neare at hand in all out troubles as Christ was in that sea where Peter was As a tender mother though she suffer her weake and feeble child to go alone yet will she not suffer it to be alone or out of sight If it slide or fall she presently catcheth it up againe Yea she will give her servants charge over it to keepe it and to take it up in case it fall Thus deales thy heavenly Father with thee poore weake feeble brat He will not suffer thy foot to be moved namely to thy ruine He that keepeth thee will not slumber And lest thou shouldst think that by reason of his greatnesse he will not take care of thee He giveth his Angells charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy waies They â—â—all beare thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone Psal 9â— 11 12. Despaire not then Mercy grace and indulgency is promised Who can despaire that knoweth and beleeveth this 2. When thou findest thy selfe sinking and thinkest thy selfe lost doe as Peter did Cry out to God and say Lord save me Call to mind his promise When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee Plead his dealing with others whose feet he hath delivered from falling Perswade thy selfe that thy heavenly Father as farre surpasseth earthly parents in pity and goodnesse as he doth in Majesty and greatnesse Hereupon ponder with thy selfe and consider if earthly parents can suffer their children when they are fallen to lie and crie and not come and take them up Yea they may Yet will not I saith the Lord forget thee If now being fallen thou liest still and cryest not for helpe doest thou not justly deserve to be let alone even for punishment of thy stoutnesse Surely it becommeth every soule to eye God continually not onely as an helper at a pinch but also as one that taketh the care and charge of us upon himselfe §. 57. Of Gods seasonable kindnesse VIII GODS remedy is answerable to mans necessitie That which was a cloud in the day to shelter his people from the scorching heat of the Sun was a pillar of fire to give them light in the night that they might go by day and by night When they had no bread he rained downe Manna from heaven When they had no water he opened a rocke and gave them water to drink When they had water enough but it was so bitter as they could not drinke of it he made it sweet When their enemies infested them he overthrew those enemies According to all their needs he afforded them fit helpe Thus while his people were in the wildernesse he gave extraordinary but visible demonstrations of his more invisible but ordinary providence towards his in all ages Hereby is accomplished that of the Psalmist Psal 121. 6. The Sun shall not smitâ— thee by day nor the Moone by night Which not unfitly may be applied to mens severall estates of prosperity and adversity Remedies answerable to mens necessities are seasonable seasonable remedies are profitable profitable remedies are acceptable acceptable remedies are most availeable to provoke men to all gratitude gratitude makes them diligent in observing what may most make to the honour of God and zealous in promoting the same Thus the very kind of remedy which God affordeth maketh most to mans good and his owne glory Learne hence wisdome of this wise God and that in two especiall points 1. Seeke of him such things as are seasonable for thee to receive as they who in the daies of Christs flesh came to him for succour The blind for sight the deafe for hearing the dumbe for speech the lame for sound limbes and so others 〈…〉 remedy sit for their particular malady Answerably art 〈…〉 danger of death Seeke preservation from death with a â—â—â—erâ—ation to Gods good pleasure Doth any anguish so worâ—â— on thine inward passion as to force teares from thine eyes pray to have those teares wiped away Dost thou find thy â—eet sliding thy spirit fainting Desire God either to keepe thee from falling or to raise thee againe and to revive thy Spirit Seeke not unnecessaries seeke not superfluities seeke not to satisfie thy lusts Well weigh what an Apostle saith in this case Ye aske and receive not because ye aske amisse that ye may consume it upon your lusts 2. Let thy kindnesse be as seasonable as thou canst Give bread to him that is an hungry drinke to him that is a thirst Endeavour to allay the passion of such as are in passion raise up those that are fallen Instruct the ignorant bring into the way of truth such as wander Comfort such as are troubled in conscience Herein lieth a maine difference betwixt a skilfull Physitian and a deceitfull Emperick The Physitian enquireth after the kind of disease constitution of person temperature of climate season of yeare and answerably prescribeth his remedy The Empirick gives his remedy without any respect to the forenamed respects If it do any good then it s well if it do none it was all that he could do and
there is just occasion Ioel 1. 13. and hath commended it in such as have rightly done it 2 Chro. 34. 27. yea and hath expresly recorded the passion of him that is the wisdome of God Mar. 3. 5. and taxed the contrary in obdurate persons Isa 22. 12 13. it cannot but seeme a more then Heathenish and brutish conceipt 2. Be not too censorious of others passionate manifestation of their griefe especially when there is just cause and a Christian meane is not exceeded All that Sathan could doe against Iob did not so deeply pierce to his soule as his friends unfriendly censure of him 3. Have compassion of such as having cause are in passion Weepe with them that weepe Let us shew our selves to be fellow-members of one and the same body by a Christian Sympathy and fellow feeling of one anothers sorrowes 4. As for such as take occasion from the signes and effects of others sorrowes to insult over them let them well weigh the fearefull imprecations made against them and withall know that propheticall imprecations are divine denounciations of judgement It much provokes the righteous Lord to give them just matter of sorrow who laugh at others sorrowes §. 54. Of Gods turning sorrow into solace V. GOD can remove all matter of mourning He here delivered this Prophets eyes from teares he tooke away all occasion of weeping in which sense he is said to wipe away all tears from mens eys Isa 25. 8. Rev. 7. 17. and to bid them refraine their voice from weeping and eyes from teares Ier. 31. 16. Luk. 7. 13. Pertinent to this purpose are these proverbes They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy Psal 126. 5. weeping may endure for a night but joy commeth in the morning Psal 30. 5. Answerable hereunto have beene Saints prayers Gods promises and performances For instance of prayers take these Make me to heare joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Make us glad according to the yeares wherein thou hast afflicted us Of promises these I will turne their mourning into joy and will comfort them and make them rejoyce for their sorrow Their fasts shal be joy and gladnesse and chearefull feasts Thou shalt weepe no more Of performances these Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladnesse When the Lord turned againe the captivity of Zion then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing Were not the eyes of that woman which so wept as with her teares she washed the feet of Iesus delivered from teares when Christ said to her Thy sinnes are forgiven When Hezekiah heard this doome Thou shalt die and not live he wept with great weeping But this second message from the Lord I have seene thy teares behold I will adde unto thy daies fifteene yeares did questionlesse wipe away all his teares Most pregnant for the point in hand is the end of the commission given to Christ thus expressed The Lord hath annointed me to preach good tidings to comfort all that mourne to give unto them beauty for ashes the oile of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesse That which God said to Hezekiah I have seene thy teares giveth the true and just reason of Gods removing all matter of mourning For the Lord being full of pity the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort his bowels are moved at the sight of his childrens teares as it is noted of Christ When he saw Mary weeping and the Iewes also weeping he groaned in the spirit and was troubled and wept And againe when he saw a widow weepe he had compassion on her Vpon that compassion he tooke away the occasion of her weeping When God came to deliver Israel from the Egyptian bondage he renders this reason of his purpose I have surely seene the affliction of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their crie by reason of their task masters for I know their sorrowes Yea further to demonstrate the notice which the Lord taketh of his Saints teares there is in Scripture mention made of a bottle wherein they are put as a liquor most precious in Gods account and of a booke wherein they are registred as things to be reviewed and not forgotten Learne hereby to set a meane to mourning Sorrow not as others which have no hope Know that God taketh notice of thy teares believe that God can and will wipe them away Believe this when sense and smart of affliction makes thee weepe and waile but especially when with a deepe apprehension of thy sinnes against God and of his displeasure against thee thou doest as Peter did weepe bitterly In these and other like cases thou maist and must pray as the Psalmist did and say O Lord give eare unto my cry hold not thy peace at my teares For assuredly he that putteth teares into his bottle and registreth them will wipe all tears from thine eyes What he hath done to others thou being like to them in like cases maist expect For God ever remaineth like himselfe §. 55. Of Saints fallings by affliction VI. GReat afflictions may 〈◊〉 Saints Though they be not utterly overthrowne thereby they may be as a man in a quagmire out of which he hath much adoe to come much foiled In such a case was he who said My feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt My foot slippeth I am ready to halt My flesh and my heart faileth My strength faileth My spirit was overwhelmed My life is spent with griefe and my yeares with sighing How it falls out that this thus befalls the Saints is shewed before on vers 7 § 44. The Apostle giveth a seasonable exhortation for preventing or redressing the danger of this infirmity which is this Lift up the hands which hang downe and the feeble knees and make strait paths for your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed Hanging hands and feeble knees are the signes of a fainting spirit and here put for that whereof they are signes To lift up these is to rouse up our spirits and to quicken them The danger which otherwise may follow upon fainting much enforceth the exhortation For these words least that which is lame be turned out of the way imply that upon fainting may follow a falling away A fresh-water-souldier once fainting soone falls to the enemy Let us therefore well looke to our standing and well prepare our selves before hand The Apostle giveth an excellent direction to this purpose Eph. 6. 10 11 c. For particular directions to keepe from fainting read The Whole Armour of God Treat 2. Part. 5. § 22. Is the forementioned weaknesse of Saints and
bound with the roots of it as with strong bars and kept within the two leav'd gate of the lips and the percullis of the teeth notwithstanding all which strait charge is given to him that desireth life and loveth many daies that he may see good to keepe his tongue For Death and life are in the power of the tongue And who so keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soule from troubles and the Psalmist well knowing that he of himselfe was not able to rule that unruly evill thus prayeth to God Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips Seeing passion openeth the gate pulleth up the percullis and maketh a passage for this wild beast and not only so but stirreth up the rage of it and sharpneth the deadly point of it surely this one effect is motive sufficient to make men doe what possibly they can to moderate passion For the tongue is as slippery as an â—ele It being placed in moisture it must needs soone slip Hereby take notice of the corruption of man in soule and body As the eyes and eares are windowes to let in corruption into the soule so the mouth is a doore to let it out whereby it comes to be the more infectious to the damage of others For evill words corrupt good manners in our selves and others Thus the tongue that is the pen of a ready writer in one is a sword in another not in its owne nature but by the different use of it For the nature of this and that mans tongue is the same but the use is not the same Which should make us the more watchful over our tongue §. 71. Of Saints questioning Gods promises in distresse VI. EXtremity of distresse maketh Saints account promises of release to be vaine Which that worthy Saint did who said in his heart I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul and againe speaking to God I am cut off from before thine eyes After that God had promised to Abraham that he would Make of him a great nation and make his sâ—ed as the dust of the earth he and his wife being both old he thus said Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I goe childlesse Did not this speech shew that he accounted Gods promise to be vaine Yea and this speech also of Moses I am not able to beare all this people alone because it is too heavy for me And if thou deale thus with me kill me I pray thee out of hand And this Shall the flocke and the heards be slaine for them to suffice them Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together to suffice them Did not Christs Disciples and others that believed in him account the promises of his resurrection to be vaine Too evident fruits of the great weakenesse of those worthy Saints were these For not to be stedfast in faith is a great weaknesse Afflictions do oft so stirre the corrupt humour of the flesh which is in every Saint as it sendeth up such abundance of vapours of infidelity as they cause a great mist to spread it selfe before the eyes of mens understanding so as they cannot clearely see the light of Gods promises whereby they are brought to make question of the truth thereof even as children and fooles doe thinke there is no light in the Sun when a thicke cloud hath overspread the face of the skie and hindereth the beames of the Sun from shining on the earth The best many times thorow the violence of temptations in the things of God shew themselves as children and fooles Let us all learne by such patterns of the weaknesse of the flesh even in the best to suspect our selves and to seare lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of us seeme to come short of it Before the time of triall come let us pray as Christ did for Peter that our saith faile not and according to the promise made to Paul that Gods grace may be sufficient for us and that the Lord would not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able Above all take we heed of presumptuous selfe-conceipt that we be not like him who in too much confidence of his owne strength said to Christ Though all men should be offended because of thee yet will I never be offended and againe Though I should die with thee yet will I not denie thee A worthy profession and resolution this was if it had not beene uttered upon too great a confidence of his owne ability to stand and withstand all temptations But it being uttered on presumption of his owne strength the issue thereof was most wofull Nothing more provokes God to leave men to themselves and to suffer Satan to prevaile against them then an high conceipt of themselves It is most meet that such should know their owne weakenesse But nothing can give to man a more evident demonstration of his frailty and weaknesse then his slips and falls when he is brought to the triall This will make him say Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I abhorre my selfe I repent in dust and ashes §. 72. Of Saints reverend esteeme of God in their greatest straits VII SAints in their disturbed passion beare a reverend respect to God So did they who said to God Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee c. I will lay my hand upon my mouth Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further And he who said of God How unsearchable are his judgements and his waies past finding out And thereupon made this inference O man who art thou that repliest against God Though the Apostle were not disturbed in his passion when he uttered these speeches yet the occasion which made him utter them was such as did amaze many But his respect to God made him admire and adore that which others excepted against 1 There are certaine principles against which men of understanding will not oppose or dispute no nor search after the reason of them Among and above all other principles those which concerne the infinitenesse and perfection of Gods essence properties word and works are most infallible and undeniable Saints therefore who have a true and right understanding of God dare not impeach Gods truth justice wisdome power mercy or any thing els in God though the works of God and Gods dealing with them do seeme very strange unto them Knowledge of Gods perfection works such reverence in them towards God as they had rather remaine as in a maze not knowing what to say then impute any blame to God If they lay any blame it shal be rather on man then on God 2 The spirit never wholly leaveth the Saints Though the weaknesse of the flesh be very great yet will the
it pleaseth the Lord better then an oxe or bullocke Psal 69 30 31. yet were those ordained for solemne sacrifices under the Law Praise therfore is it which the Psalmist doth especiall vow to God vers 17. God standeth in need of nothing that we can doe or bestow But we stand in need of all that is his Our thankes which we give him addes nothing to him but makes him the more to respect us By it if it be rightly performed God is acknowledged to be what he is to give what he gives and to doe what he doth More then this the creature cannot doe more then this the Creator nor exacteth nor expecteth provided that it be not a meere lippe-labour but come from an heart thorowly affected with his excellencies and kindnesses and be ratified by an answerable carriage towards him spirit and truth Yet this hindreth not but that he may and must be also worshipped in body and in outward actions He must euer be worshipped in spirit whether with the body or without the body Spirituall worship may be without bodily worship and also stand with bodily worship but bodily worship cannot stand without spirituall worship 2 The Spirits of others are stirred up to joyne with us in congratulation and mutuall thanksgiving When the people saw and heard Ezra blesse the Lord they answered Amen Amen with lifting up their hands When Hezekiah made it knowne that he meant to celebrate a solemne passeover many of Ephraim Manasseh Ishaker and Zebulon came thereto This is one principall end of externall rites of gratulation mutually to stirre up one anothers spirit 3 Our owne spirits are much roused and quickened hereby Outward gratulatory actions as they manifest an inward gratefull affection so they are meanes as it were by a reflection to increase the heate of gratitude and enflame our zealous affection the more Now our dulnesse and coldnesse in all pious duties giveth evidence that all meanes that can bee used for quickening our spirits are little enough Too austere and severe are they who censure as unlawfull and condemne all chearefull rites and actions of gratulation Their maine ground is the evill consequence which followeth from thence But that followeth not from a lawfull use of warrantable rites but from an abuse of them which is indeed unlawfull If abuse of a thing were sufficient to prohibit the use of it the use of the most necessary and bounden duties which the word commandeth should be prohibited It is an especiall point of wisdome to discerne whence every evill ariseth and accordingly to be so circumspect in avoiding the evill as a warrantable commendable needfull usefull duty be not forborne thereby The wise farmer neglecteth not to sow his ground because weeds use to grow among the corne No wise man will forbid the drinking of wine because some by intemperancy are made drunke Evill consequences arising from good things give just occasion to be watchfull over our selves in the doing of those good things that by our carelesnesse they prove not pernicious So as it is not a sufficient plea for intemperancy to say the thing that we doe is lawfull He that hath warranted a thing to be done hath prescribed rules for the manner of doing it by a due observation whereof good things wil be well done In generall outward gratulatory actions must be 1 Such as are approved by God himselfe as those were which we noted in the proofe of the point For how can we thinke that those things which he approveth not will please him 2 Such as may beseeme the occasion even such chearefull actions as may revive mens spirits such also were those that are before mentioned As outward rites of humiliation must be such as may humble the soule so of gratulation such as may quicken it Psal 81. 1 c. 3 Such as are not offensive nor occasions to any corruption As are drinking healths especially on bare knees and in measure above that which sober men are able to beare lascivious dauncing revelling on the Lords Daies and other the like Among other externall rites of gratulation that which is here intended feasting is a principall one Thereof See The Whole Armour of God Treat 3. Part. 2. § 73. §. 87. Of joyning prayer with praise III. VVIth gratulation invocation must be joyned As with our petitions we must ioyne praises so with these those Prayer and praise are like two twinnes which though they have each of them their severall and distinct members yet by the navell are from their birth knit together and so grow together as if you force them asunder you kill them both one without the other cannot live They are therefore in sacred Scripture oft joyned together sometimes one sometimes another set in the former place thus In every thing by prayer and supplication with thankesgiving let your request be made knowne to God Pray without ceasing in every thing give thanks Give thankes unto the Lord call upon his name Praise the Lord call upon his name Observe the formes of praises and of prayers noted in Scripture and you shall finde where the principall occasion hath beene gratulation supplication to be added and also where the principall occasion hath beene supplication gratulation to be added Such is our estate here in this world and such is Gods dealing with us as there never wanteth occasion of both Never was any Saint brought into so desperate a distresse but that thorow the mist of his misery sweet beames of Gods mercy have shined upon him Nor ever was there any set in so bright and cleare a sun-shine of Gods favour but that some clouds have let fall showers of sorrowes if not in outward troubles yet in regard of inward corruptions yea and in the thought or feare of some eclipses of that sun-shine Thus in greatest occasion of hearty thanksgiving there is just occasion of humble petition And where there is most cause of humiliation there is also much cause of exultation Herein lyeth a maine difference betwixt mens estates here and hereafter Hereafter in Heauen is nothing but matter of gratulation in Hell is nothing but matter of exclamation and ejulation On Earth there is a mixture of both As for adding invocation to gratulation which is the particular here expressed thereby our sacrifice of praise is sanctified As every creature of God is sanctified by the word and prayer so the actions that we performe not pious and religious duties and among them not the most principall praising of God excepted The Word sheweth it to be a warrantable duty Prayer presented to God in the name of Christ maketh it an acceptable duty And whereas every thing that passeth from us is not onely imperfect thorow the defect thereof but also polluted by that sinke of corruption which is in us by faithfull prayer the defect is supplied the pollution is purged away What therefore God hath joyned together let no man put asunder
he meaneth the Temple If David as it is most probable were the penman of it then can it not be meant of the Temple which was not then built but rather of the Tabernacle But hence ariseth another doubt In Davids time there were two sacred Tabernacles One made by Moses called the Tabernacle of the Lord which was in the high place at Gibeon The other made by David for the Ark of God In both these Tabernacles there were Ministers appointed to performe daily services to the Lord. Which then of these Tabernacles is here meant They were in severall places Gibeon was one of the cities of Benjamin allotted to the Priests There was the Tabernacle But the Arke was in the city of David which was Zion in Ierusalem The title house of God and the courts applied to that house give some evidence that he meaneth the Tabernacle made by Moses For that is usually stiled the house of God the Tabernacle of the Lord. But the Tabernacle that David made is never so called Besides we read of a spatious court appertaining to the Tabernacle made by Moses For that Tabernacle as afterwards the Temple after the patterne thereof was divided into three parts 1 The innermost called the Sanctum Sanctorum the most holy place whereinto the High-Priest onely was to enter and that but once a yeare 2 The Middlemost called the holy place wherein the Priests performed their daily services in which respect it was called the court of Priests 3 The outermost called the court of the Tabernacle Into this came all the people in which respect it was called the great court Hither they brought their sacrifices here they stood and beheld the Priests offering them for the great altar whereon the ordinary sacrifices were offered stood at the partition betwixt this court and the holy place Hence was it that the people are said to compasse the altar and to lay hold on the hornes of the altar But we read not of any such courts appertaining to the Tabernacle which David made Yea after David had made a Tabernacle for the Arke the most solemne assemblies were notwithstanding at the other Tabernacle It is therefore most probable that by the Courts of the Lords house he here meaneth that publike and solemne place of assembling at the Tabernacle of the Lord. Object That Tabernacle was in Davids time at Gibeon how can that stand with the scituation of the place here mentioned In the middest of Ierusalem Answ It is not necessary that both those clauses be applied to one and the same place But as he mentioneth two duties so he noteth two places fit for each duty The first duty is to offer sacrifice of thanksgiving This was most fit to be done in the Tabernacle at Gibeon which was the court of the Lords house The other was to call upon the name of the Lord. This was most fit to be done before the Arke which was in the Tabernacle that David had made for it in his owne city even in the middest of Ierusalem Ierusalem was the most famous city that ever appertained to the Iewes It was the place where Melchizedek the first most ancient and best King that we read of after the floud even that King who by reason of his integrity was called a King of righteousnesse and by reason of the peace which he preserved the place where he raigned was called Salem That Ierusalem was this Salem both the notation thereof and also the title Salem after it was called Ierusalem given to it do give sufficient proofe The Hebrewes do use the name Ierusalem where this Salem is mentioned This title Ierusalem is compounded of two words One is taken from that proverbiall name which Abraham gave to the place where he was about to sacrifice his sonne Iehovah-jireh the Lord will provide The other is taken from the name of the place where Melchizedech was King which was Salem peace So as the meaning of the name of Ierusalem is He will provide peace or the vision of peace The Hebrew word is oft set down in the f duall number a number that signifieth two because of the two places whereon it was built which were Salem before mentioned and Moriah the place whither God sent Abraham to sacrifice his sonne This place being the chiefest of all the cities that were among the Iewes the onely people of God under the Law wherein the Arke then was wherein the Temple was to be built was an especiall type of the Church of God and as in the Old Testament the militant Church is oft set out by that name so in the New the triumphant Church Though therfore I cannot but think that the Prophet here meaneth literally the city which was called Ierusalem yet I doubt not but that under this title may also typically be meant the Church of God The substance of that which he intendeth by this description of the place is to shew that he would performe the forenamed duties in publike and populous places such were the courts of the Lords house where all the people of the Lord met together Such also was Ierusalem the metropolis and chiefe city of the Kingdome where the Kings court was and whither all of all sorts resorted And that he might not be thought to intend to do it in a private corner of the city closely and secretly he addeth in the middest in the most open and populous part of that ample and populous place which implieth an holy boldnesse he would not be ashamed to bind himselfe publikely to performe such bounden publike duties Yea further to shew how his heart was set on that place where the Arke of the Lord was by a most elegant and familiar kind of turning his speech to that place as speaking to a most familiar friend in whom he delighted he saith thee O Ierusalem In the midst of thee In this patterne of the Prophet is declared A fit place for solemne and publike duties Of this Description both the Matter and the Manner are distinctly expressed The Matter pointeth at two places 1 That which was consecrated to sacred duties 2 That where the most glorious representation of Gods presence was set The former is set out 1 Generally by the use of it In the courts Courts are places for assemblies 2 Particularly by the quality of it House of God Gods house is a sacred house where sacred duties of piety are performed to him The latter is expressed by the name of it Ierusalem and amplified by that part thereof where hee would performe the fore mentioned duty the middest The Manner of setting out this latter is by an Apostrophe turning his speech to the place it selfe and speaking to it as to an intelligible creature thee O Ierusalem 3 There are times of founding new Churches and edifying setled Churches Planters and