purpose Such as those they should account themselves not Owners merely but Stewards whom God hath betrusted with such Opportunities as whereby others might be the better for them This is that which they should be so much more effectually perswaded unto from the Examples which are set before them The Commemoration of our several Benefactors is not onely an acknowledgment of the good things which have been done by them but also a Provocation to our selves likewise to do the same or the like as God inables us from the Consideration of their Example going before us As those who are accountable to God not for Rules onely but also for Examples And to Incourage us so much the more herein let us Consider that there is nothing lost by it What ever is done in this kind it is not cast away but Sown and accordingly it shall have a Plentiful Crop and Harvest returned for it God will be in no man's Debt whosoeve he be but whosoever layes out any thing in Obedience to his Commandement he shall receive a full Recompence of it in the accomplishment also of his promise Lastly Ther 's another Remembrance which we may yet further make of God to this Purpose It is God that gives thee power to get Wealth and it is God that gives thee power to loose it and to want it and to be content to be without it The power of Patience and the power of Contentment is of God And indeed it is as Great a Power which is as requisite to the one as to the other to this as to that To be able to say with Holy Job The Lord giveth and the Lord takeeth Blessed be the name of the Lord to be so far sensible of the Reality of all these things here below as of the Reality of better things above to be willing to descend and to come down from a Great Estate without murmuring without Repining without Impatience and Discontent This is also the Gift of God St. Paul had learn'd to want as well as to abound Ther 's an art and Mistery in that also Which is much both to be desired and imbraced And accordingly as any do by Faith waite upon Him for it shall they have this Benefit and Experience of it And so I have done also with the Second General part of the Text as with the whole Text it self Thou shalt Remember the Lord c. SERMON III. Deuter. 11.12 A Land which the Lord thy God careth for The Eyes of the Lord thy God are upon it from the beginning of the Year even to the End of the Year It is a part of the Geat love and kindness of God towards his People not onely to be careful to provide good things forthem but also to give them some assurance of the Goodness of those things which he provides before he bestows them That so they may have them as it were in Hope before in Injoyment and in Expectation before in Fruition Partly thereby to Incourage them in the Customes of their present Obedience And partly thereby also to Satisfy them in the meanness of their present Condition And this is that which we may observe to have to do here in this present Scripture with the People of Israel in reserence to the Land of Canaan which he had provided for them and promised to bring them unto He raises their Hearts and Spirits and Affections and desires after it by giving them beforehand a Comfortable Description of it And this Text which I have now read unto you is a part of this Description Being an Account which is given by Moses of this Land of Promise not onely as the Proper Inheritance of the Children of Isarel but also as a Tipe and Figure of the whole Church of God in all Ages and Generations of the World c. THis Text which we have now before us is an Account which is given by Moses of the Land of Canaan that Land which was a long time promised and at last bestowed upon the Children of Israel not onely as their proper Inheritance but also as a Tipe and Figure of the whole Church of God in all Ages and Generations of the World So that what was true of that Considered in the Literal sense is true of this also in the Mystical and Spiritual Which is that which we shall now principally take notice of at this present time Forasmuch as the bare Letters of it contains in it either very little or no matter at all or at the best that which is but short and Impertinent It is here represented to us under the Notion of a Double Advantage which may serve to make up to us the parts of the Text. First From the Interst which it hath in God's Affection The Land which the Lord thy God careth for Secondly From the Interest which it hath in God's Inspection The Eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it from c. This is Considerable in the Church of God and such a Land wherein the Church does at any time Continue and Reside We begin with the first of these Parts Namely the Interest which such a Land as this is hath in Gods Affections The Land which the Lord thy God careth for This is true not onely of the Land of Canaan which then was and Considered in the proper sense of it but also of any other Land together with it which is the Place and Residence of the Church and Ordinances and People of God This is Reductively and Interpretatively and Proportionably the Land which the Lord thy God careth for When it is said here that he careth for it this word Care it may admit of a threefold Explication First as a word of Respect He cares for it that is he regards it Secondly as a word of Providence He cares for it that is he looks after it and takes care for it Thirdly as a word of Solicitude He cares for it i. e. is Anxious about it First As a word of Respect The Church of God and such a Land where the Church resides God cares for it that is he regards it and has an Esteem for it It 's Precious and of great Account with him Therefore he is pleased sometimes in Scripture to put such names and Titles as these upon it which do import as much in it of his Portion and Inheritance and Jewels and peculiar Treasure c. Which are such things as in the Course of the World People do commonly care for and set an high value upon them This does God in reference to his Church The Lord Regards and Esteems his Church above all other Lands and Nations in the whole World besides Thus in Psal 132.13.14 The Lord hath chosen Zion he hath defended it for his Habitation This says he This is my Rest for ever Here will I dwell for I have desired it And so again Psal 87.2.3 The Lord loveth the Gates of Zion more then all the Dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are
Christians as they are Members one of another so they rejoyce in one anothers mutual life and preservation and count their own deliverance to be still so much the greater as it has their brethrens involved with it not only we but us And then what kind of us were they Take in secondly the Quality of persons such as were especially serviceable and useful an Apostle and the Ministers of Christ for these to be delivered from death it was to be delivered from a great death The death of none is to be slighted though never so mean The life of the poorest and simplest man in the world it is precious as the life of a man no more but so but the death of such persons as for their gifts and graces are eminent and for their places and improvements are useful this it is such as is very choice and much to be set by and such was this which the Apostle here speaks of in this present Text It was so great a death c. Sixthly A great death in regard of the proximity and neerness of the evil it self It was as it were at the very next door A great death that is indeed a great danger so some read the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De tantis periculis Though Chrysostom does not so well approve of it surely it carries the sense very well though it answers not the word for if we speak properly the Apostle was not delivered from death but from danger from that which tended and inclined to death and would have proved so if it had not been prevented This is called death both here and in other places as when 't is said by the same Apostle of himself that he was in deaths oft 2 Cor. 11.23 In deaths that is in dangers of death so here from a great death that is from a great danger of death every deliverance is so much the greate as the danger is so much the nearer Lastly A great death also in regard of the apprehensions of those which were in danger of it Conceit and apprehension it does set an aggravation upon danger and does make it to be so much the greater That which is great in our thoughts and in our opinions to us it is great And so was this here to the Apostle Paul and his Company as we may see in the Verse before the Text We had the sentence of death in our selves that is we gave our selves for dead men Men that do not see their danger they do not so easily fee their deliverance nor so much take notice of Gods goodness in vouchsafing it unto them but when they are made sensible of the one they are likewise made sensible of the other If ever we would get our hearts enlarged in thankfulness afterwards we must be apprehensive of danger before For a secure spirit in danger will be an unthankful spirit in deliverance and preservation and so for the contrary So great a death Y◠here 's now the nature of Thankfulness to extend the meroies of God and to make them as great as may be It is of an amplifing and enlarging dispostion as an humble heart puts an aggravation upon sin that it may put an enlargement upon pardon so a thankeful heart puts an aggravation upon danger that it may put an amplification upon deliverance It thinks those mercies to be great which are bestowed upon it because it 's small in its own eyes and looks upon it self as less than the least of all the morcies of God Yea and that which is also further here observable when the danger it self is past and the worst is over There are many which can see it to be a great death when 't is coming and approaching and ready to surprize them when evils are present as near unto them Oh then they are great indeed yea but when they are once gone and removed then they are small or none at all The Plague when it does not spread it was not the Plague This is commonly in mens dispositions yea but with Paul it is not so he counts it a great death even now when it was past and gone It was great to his apprehensions and so great in that regard also thus now have I done with the first Particular in this first General viz. the terms of deliverance or thing c. so great a death The second Particular is the Preservation or Deliverance it self And doth deliver c. And here again take notice of two things more First The thing it self simply and absolutely propounded Secondly The Apostles acknowledgment and manifestation of it in the reflection The thing it self That God had delivered him His acknowledgment in that he blesses God for it and makes mention of it here to the Corinthians First For the thing it self this is that which we may here observe how ready God is to deliver his people from death and from great death that which the Apostle speaks of himself and those which were with him it is appliable to many others besides it is a piece of Providence which the children of God do partake of in frequent experiences and they are able to say it of themselves as so with them It is that which David does often as Psal 57.13 Thou hast delivered my soul from death Again Psal 116.8 My soul from death mine eyes from tears my feet from falling And so likewise Psal 118.18 The Lord hath chastened me sore but he hath not given me over to death And so in like manner other of the Sains There are many gracious Promises to this purpose as Job 5.20 He shall redeem thy soul from death And Psal 72.14 He shall redeem their soul from violence and precious shall their blood be in his sight So Psal 116.15 it is said That precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints The Lord does not at any time cast away the lives of his servants but though he may seem now and then indifferently and promiscuously to take them away yet he does it not without special heed and regard had unto them He is very careful so far forth as may consist with their greatest advantage and the promotion of his own gracious ends and purposes and glory which it is very fitting all this should stoop unto to keep them and to deliver them from death First Out of pity and compassion towards them the Lord has bowels of tenderness towards his people And deliverance from death it is an act of mercy In Phil. 2.27 it is said concerning Epaphroditus that God had mercy on him when he brought him from the gates of death Look how much sweetness there is in life so much mercy in preservation from death which is a privation of life And God he is full and abundant in mercy as being the God and Father of it as he stiles himself and properly to those which are his children Secondly He has work for them to do and some service which he requites
can do any good nor may expect any great matter from it those that doe so will be disappointed and so much the sooner because they doe so The strength of man and outward Power it is but weak of it's own nature but when it begins once to be trusted in it becomes weaker then it was before because that then it is God's Rival and comes as it were into competition with himself Now he is a jealous God and will not indure any thing to trespass and intrench on his Prerogative It is true that in outward strength somewhat there is which accordingly is to be looked upon as a means tending to such an end but the efficacy of it is from an Higher and it is no otherwise actually successeful then it pleases him to concur with it The bars of the Mighty are Broken and they that stumbled are girt with strength as it is in Ezekiel God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the strong and things despised to bring to nought things that are how little do they think of this which are puft up and swollen and as I may in a manner say intoxicated with the apprehensions of any thing in themselves to this purpose who glory in their great strength and the advantages whereof they partake in this particular Alas what a poor thing it is if they consider all and what little cause and ground have they for it even the strongest that are How often does the Lord in his providence confute them and convince them of the contrary and shew them that it is not in themselves We should here for our parts observe it and take notice of it that for the first Head here considerable By his own strength no man shall prevail that is by strength of Body or Arms or outward force in any kind whatsoever Secondly Not by strength of wit or parts and improv'd understanding There 's a strength which belongs to this also but it will not prevail neither considered in it self God confounds the wisdom of the wise and brings to nothing the understanding of the prudent 1 Cor. 1.19 Men of strong heads and brains and parts and of a deep and subtile reach in matters of Policy yet they are not alwayes infallibly successful He disappointeth the devices of the crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise He taketh the wise in their own craftiness and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong And the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain 1 Cor. 3.20 And Job 5.12 13. Even this strength it is many times no more but weakness neither In Eccles 9.11 the place before alleadged we have the insufficiency of such a strength as this is laid forth in three several expressions Bread is not to the wise nor Riches to men of understanding Nor favour to men of skill The meaning whereof is not this That they are to none of these at all but that they are to none of these infallibly and in such a sort as never to be otherwise Wise men may sometimes get bread that is such things as are of use to the supportment of this humane life but they do not get it purely by their wisdom And understanding men may sometimes get Riches and attain to a great estate in the world but they doe not get it by their understanding alone And skilful men they may purchase favour and credit and esteem and reputation but it is not their skill which does certainly interest them in it No but their is a line and thred of Providence which runs along in all these Dispensations These Abilities and Qualifications are no further successeful then as it pleases God himself to concurre and appear in them Thirdly To carry it still a little higher and it may be closer to the scope of the Text by his own strength shall no man prevail that is not by the strength of his own habitual Grace It is no question a very great advantage which a Saint and servant of God has over another man that he hath a principle of something and saving Grace in his heart which doth still combat and conflict and wrestle with corruption in him and also dispose and encline him to that which is good whereas a carnal and unregenerate person is swayed by nothing but his own lusts and ruled by that spirit which works in the children of Disobedience yea but this Grace now in a Christian when it comes to the Tryal and Improvement it will not hold without somewhat else A Beleever stands not so much by the Grace within Him the Grace of Inherence that Grace which is in Himself as by that which is his Support or rather by the Grace without him The Grace of Assistance The Grace that is the favourand good will and Mercy of God Himself who sustaines Him and keeps up It is he that keeps the feet of his Saints and none but He. Even in this sense also And it is not by their own but by this strength that they shall prevail Therefore let none trust to this whosoever they be Those who have never so much of it and the greatest share in it for it will not serve the turn We should still be begging of God to perfit his own work in us And when he has given us Grace for the Principal to draw it out also for the Exercise and Activity of it not to rest our selves in good Habits or in good Purposes or in good Motions ond Beginnings in us but to depend further upon the Spirit of God for his Accomplishment and Consummation of them And that also upon every new occasion which is Administred to us we need the Assisting and strengthning Grace of God in every Action and Moment of our lives and whatsoever we set our selves to and therefore let us still ever and anon have recourse unto it and make our Confidence in that alone Least with Peter while we trust in our selves and our own Grace which at present we partake off we miscarry and fall into Temptation It is one of the main Reasons in Providence why God has sometimes suffered men of Great and Eminent Graces to slip fouly and scandalously in their times that so they might learn themselves and others might learn by their Dismal Examples that they do not stand by any strength of their own but by the Grace of God whensoever they do stand By his own strength shall no man prevail That is not by any strength without God That 's the first Explication Secondly Not by strength against Him in reference especially to the Second Clause The Wicked shall be silent in Darkness Vngodly men shall not escape Punishment because they cannot be too strong for God who is a God of Power and might and is able to Crush them in pieces whensoever he pleases Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy Are we stronger then He says the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.22 Surely no we are not With him is
their Sin comes to their remembrance and Vexes and Torments their Soul Thirdly Now and then likewise the Hand of God falls heavy upon them in some Eminent and Notorious Judgment as a plain Punishment of their former Miscarriages Though this be not done always for God reserves the Wicked to the day of Judgment to be punished as the Apostle Peter speaks 2 Pet. 2.7 Yet sometimes it is so that the Case is hence altered with them and their Meat is now turned There comes Want and Sickness and Death And now what hath the Hypocrite gained when God shall take away his Soul Job 27.8 Thou Fool this night thy Soul shall be taken away from thee and then where c. Luk. 12.20 And so much for the Proposition in General His meat in his Bowels is turned The Second is the Explication in Particular It is the gall of Asps within him Where there are two things again Considerable First The Bitterness of Sin in that it is compared to Gall which is Eminent in that Qualification Secondly The Perniciousness of Sin in that it is compared to the Gall of Asps which hath a Poysonsomeness and Deadliness in it above any thing else First The Bitterness of it His meat that is his Lust and Sin it is turned to this It was sweet and delicious before pleasant in his mouth but it makes his Belly bitter as was said before of the Rowl that is he has now â—ther apprehensions of it then formerly he had and so indeed it will be Prov. 5.4 Speaking of the Harlot Her end is bitter as Wormwood And Eccl. 7.26 I find more bitter then Death the Woman whose Heart is snares c. speaking concerning the Adultress And Jer. 2.19 Know therefore and see that it is an Evil and bitter thing that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee saith the Lord God of Hosts Sin as he said of War It will be bitterness in the latter end 2 Sam. 2.26 It is like a Pill wrap't up in Sugar which when the Sugar which was over it is melted then the bitterness of the Pill does discover and shew it self so when the pleasure of Sin as I said is wasted and worne away then the Sorrows of it does appear Secondly As it is Distasteful so it is Pernicious There are many things which are bitter but they are Wholsome and do carry a Medicinal quality and property along with them But this of Sin is otherwise as it is bitter so it is Destructive it has a Poysonous and Venomous nature which is adherent to it as the Gall of Asps This is a frequent Expression in Scripture applyed to Wicked men to compare them to Aspes or to such Creatures as those are Job 20.16 He shall suck the Poyson of Asps And so Rom. 3.13 The Poyson of Asps is under their lips whose mouth is full of Cursing and bitterness The Poyson of Asps is notorious in a threefold respect in regared whereof it is a very fit resemblance of Sin First In that it kills Secretly Secondly In that it kills Suddenly Thirdly In that it kills Irresistibly First Secretly In that the Mischeif which comes by it it is not easily found out and Discern'd that 's a great Aggravation of any Mischeif because prevents all Remedies which might be administred for the Cure of it And so is it with this of Sin it kills thus it has a secret Malignity in it which goes to the Heart Undiscern'd and those which are infected with it they do not easily perceive it to be so It is a sweet kind of Poyson which kills there where it is not suspected nor thought that ever it would do so Secondly Suddenly in a very little time That is still the more horrible and dreadful for men to be surprised unawares and to be taken away in a moment it is that which all men tremble at Now Sin it has this Effect in it it destroys as soon as it is taken or at least does leave that behind it which does infallibly tend to Destruction if it be not the better prevented Thirdly It kills meerly and Irresistably Thus does the Poyson of Asps The Naturalliss and those that write the story of it affirm that there is no Antidote against it The Poyson of it it is so strong that cannot be over come by any Physick And so in some cases is Sin there 's nothing which will Cure it but the Blood of Jesus Christ and there is one Sin which is not Cured by that and therefore justly câ—ll'd a Sin unto Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Joh. 5.10 The Sin against the Holy Ghost which is a Sin of inveterate malice and despite and universal opposition against the Truth which is known and acknowledged even because it is the Truth This is absolutely unpardonable And thus we have seen how the Metaphor holds good in all the parts of it that as Sin is meat to Wicked men in regard of the present seeming sweetness and pleasure which they take in it yet it is also Poyson and Venom in the Conclusion in regard of the bitterness and perniciousness that follows upon it This meat in their Bowels is turned and as the gall of Aspes within them Now the Vse and Improvement of all comes to this First That we take heed of being taken with any sinful way or Course whatsoever from the seeming sweetness and Pleasantness which is in it Do not make that an Argument for thy Sin whosoever thou art because for the present it is sweet unto thee for it is no good Argument neither on thy part nor yet on Sinn it neither shews thee to be better nor yet it to be better for all that not thee for the sweeter it is to thee the more is it a sign of thy naughty Heart which does so far Close and Comply with it as sutable and agreeable to it Not Sin to be better for though at present be sweet to thy mouth yet hereafter it will be turned in thy Bowels and will be as the Gall of Aspes within thee It is good for the to think of Sin now as thou art likely to think of it hereafter when it shall appear in its true Colours unto thee Secondly Do not please thy self neither in the Covering and Concealing of Sin nor in the hiding of it under thy Tongue for though it be hidden and Concealed for the present yet hereafter it shall be more fully discovered when it shall pain the Bowels and wring the Belly and offend the Stomack that is the Conscieuce as at last it will doe then all thy Wickedness will come out and Disclose and manifest it self and thee also together with it Thirdly Do not please thy self neither in thine own Security and presumption upon Sin from the present escape and avoyding of Punishment for it will assuredly come at last and so as thou shalt not be able to avoid it As the Lord there threatens Babylon for
punishments of the sword that ye may know there is a judgement Wrath not onely of men but also as it seems there to be implyed of God himself as proceeding from his righteous judgement when the Lord is angry he sends the sword into such a Country for the punishment of it They chose new Gods then was there war in the gates Iudg. 5.8 Namely as a punishment of their Idolatry All these evils proceed from hence mens sinning against God As for example in the Israelites dividing from the rest of their brethren this thing is said to be of the Lord. The same may be also said in like manner of all others besides they do relate and refer to him Now therefore if He will give quietness surely none can be able to make trouble in this regard All the Armies and Forces which are abroad through the whole world they doe as I may say serve in this sense under his command and therefore if he will but disband them there must needs be peace and quietness presently out of hand without more adoe That 's the first Branch of this first proposition when God will give a Kingdom quietness none shall be able any way to disturb it Secondly Let us take notice of the other And when he hides his face who then can behold him This hiding of the face in this place is differently expounded by Interpreters I shall present to you that which is most probable and fasten upon what I conceive most agreeable to the scope of this Scripture First there are some which here by Gods face do understand the wayes of his providence and so they make the sense this when God will walk in a secret way for the disposing of things in a Kingdom there is no discerning of him this is that which we may sometimes observe in our own experience That the Lord is pleased now and then to go before us in the works of his providence after a more clear and conspicuous manner so that we may easily see and perceive and apprehend what he is doing in the world He writes it in great Characters and Capital letters as we may so express it that whosoever runs may read it as the Prophet speaks Again at other times he carries things after a more hidden manner His wayes are in the deepes and His Counsels are unsearchable and His judgements past finding out and now in such a case as this is none can behold him thus we have it in Psal 74.9 We see not our signs there is no more any Prophet neither is there among us any that knoweth how long It pleases the Lord sometimes so to order things and dispose of them that the wisest and holiest man in a kingdom cannot tell what to say to them Those which have most acquaintance with God which have greatest interest in him and which are most familiarly used unto him they are sometimes ready to be puzzled and stagger'd at some dispensations and they lay their hands upon their mouthes in a way of astonishment and admiration That 's one meaning of these words But Secondly another meaning of them is this by taking Gods face here for the visible expressions of his love and favour to any Kingdom or Nation When he hides his face from any people that is when he withdraws the pledges of his goodness from them who then can indeed behold him That is who can indure before him who is able to stand in his presence with any comfort or contentment at all And according to this interpretation we have this truth from it That when the Lord is indeed angry and displeased with any kingdom or nation that Kingdom or Nation is in a very sad and lamentable condition When he hides his face who then can behold him Psal 76.6 Thou even thou art to be feared and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry And Nahum 1.6 Who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger His fury is poured out like fire and the riches are thrown down by him And Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger even according to thy fear so is thy wrath And many such places there are to signifie the sadness of Gods displeasure This may be further explain'd and laid open to us in these following particulars as demonstrations of it First when God is angry with a people he takes them short in those outward comforts which they have formerly been partakers off as we find in that expression used in 2 King 10.32 In those dayes the Lord began to cut Israel short He takes away that former peace and plenty and abundance which they have sometimes injoy'd this in a sense is an hiding of his face forasmuch as every comfort is in its place a beam of Gods countenance It is God that puts comfort into the creatures and that makes them comfortable to us Now the Lord when he is displeased with a Nation he oftimes does deprive them of these as he threatens his own people of Israel in Hos 2.9 Therefore will I return and take away my corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and I will recover my wooll and my flax c. I will recover it Mark the expression as who should say he had let them have it hitherto in a manner before he was aware and they had stollen it as it were from him against his will but he would fetch all back again from them Secondly As he takes away these comforts so also which is the consequent of it he sends Judgments and plagues in stead of them which are quite opposite and contrary to them These he hath divers sorts of as ye may see in Deut. 28. which he threatens to the children of Israel upon supposition of their disobedience Cursing and vexation and rebuke in all that they set their hand unto ver 20. c. And so his three evil arrows which he mentions in other places likewise Sword Famine and Pestilence c. They are such as are effects and testimonies of Gods wrath and displeasure against a Nation and especially and above all the sword that judgment which is now upon us it is a principal expression of his wrath when the enemies roar in the midst of the Congregations and set up their Ensigns for signs as it is in Psal 74.4 Thirdly He also sometimes layes upon them spiritual judgements which are the greatest judgements of all He takes away his Gospel and his Ministers and his Ordinances He remove's the Candlestick out of its place as we have lately shewn out of another Scripture This is the true hiding of his face indeed there being nothing wherein he does more appear and shew himself then in such dispensations as these are The Gospel it is the glass which represents to us the face of Jesus Christ and wherein we see the glory of the Lord when therefore God takes away this at any time from any
to disquiet where mens Hearts and Consciences shall tell them that they have been wanting and failing in those performances which the Lord has expected from them this will go near to sadden and trouble them and deprive them of that inward comfort which they should otherwise have Especially if we shall add hereunto where these have been the motions and suggestions of Gods Spirit inclining and provoking thereunto then the neglect is so much the greater and consequently the disquietness will be the more It 's bad enough for us to Sin against a bare command and to neglect our Duty there where God has given us a General rule for the performance of it but now further to sin against an Excitement and Motion and invitation of Gods Spirit this has a further aggravation in it Fourthly For the getting and preserving of this peace whereof we speak there must be a daily and continual renewing of our Covenant made with God Often reckoning we use to say makes long Friends and so certainly t is here in this particular The way to keep up our peace with God is frequently to make up the Breaches and divisions which may fall between us by speedy Humiliation and Repentance and turning to Him We should not let the Sun to go down upon any difference betwixt God and us but out of hand close it up and that as soon as we discern it and apprehend it and are made sensible of it Take heed that the Heart do not ranckle or fester under the guilt of any Sin or neglect which at any time may lie upon it These and the like Courses are to be taken for the procuring and preserving of a Quietness and Peaceableness in us and we shall put these Directions in Practise that we may procure and preserve it so indeed It is a pictiful thing to consider what strangers many people are to this Business we speak off how few there are which know what belongs to true Peace such a peace as is of Gods giving which passes all understanding which the World is not able to give and which will afford a man comfort which all the world cannot take away The most sort of persons that are regard it not attend it not consider it not we are all for an outward peace and I do not speak against it I would we had it upon good Conditions but who is there almost that looks after inward peace and Tranquillity of Conscience which consists in forgiveness of Sin Reconciliation with God and the assurance of his love and favour made over and confirm'd to the Soul Alas these are things which people may talk off and these are things which people may hear off but most people know not what they mean nor what belongs unto them And this may be the first Application Secondly Seeing this is so That no condition shall be troublesome to that person which is in favour and peace with God We see then here Beloved the happy estate of the children of God in the midst of all those outward prejudices and disparagements which they lye under Happy are the People which are in such a case yea happy are the people whose God is the Lord. We see here who are in the best condition in these sad and distracting times It is not those which have the greatest abundance of these outward comforts and injoyments but which have most of this inward peace It is not he which hath the most Wealth but he that hath the most Grace He is the freest from trouble who has the greatest quietness given him from God even there where he has least from men our happiness it is not so much from without us If we have calm and quiet spirits we may make a shift to do well enough even in troubled and perplext estates And this is the blessed condition of the children of God which should make us so much the more in love with the Generation of Gods people and with Godliness and Religion Her wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all her pathes are peace as it is said of spiritual wisdom Prov. 3.17 Beloved there is not that esteem of Religion and the estate of a Christian as indeed it is fitting there should be Men do not apprehend or consider what a noble Condition it is nor improve it to that height of Comfort and Contentation as it were possible for them and that 's the reason that there are so low thoughts many times of those which are the professors and true imbracers of it whereas indeed upon the proof and experiment there is nothing of so comfortable a Consideration as this is not onely in reference to Heaven and the Comforts of a better life but also in reference to the World and our being and abode here in our Pilgrimage upon Earth Godliness it has not onely the comforts of the End but likewise of the Way It has it's reward and Happiness in it so far forth as it carryes us on with comfort through all the troubles of this present Life When he gives Quietness who then can make Trouble We may understand it by taking trouble in a temporal signification When the Lord gives inward Quietness a man shall suffer no great inconvenience from outward trouble No condition in regard of the world shall come amiss unto him And that 's the First Explication Secondly We may also take it thus When he gives Quietness none then can make trouble That is Where God gives Spiritual peace and Tranquillity of Conscience none shall then be able to cause any disturbance or perplexity in it none can possibly take away the peace of that Soul which is at peace with God This we have plainly signified to us in Rom. 8.33.34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that Condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even c. This we may see made good in all the several particulars which we may conceive as any way capable to cause disturbance First Not Satan He shall not be able to make trouble where God will give peace Satan is a mighty stickler to disturb the peace of Gods people and to weaken their confidence and assurance of his love and he takes all advantages and opportunities that may be to this purpose especially in the hour of Death and the day of Tryal c. A foul pudder he makes oftentimes in this regard but yet where God will acquit and give quietness all is in vain Christ has spoyled Principalities and Powers Colos 2.15 And he has destroyed the Devil himself Heb. 2.14.15 The Accuser of our Brethren is cast down which accused them before our God Day and Night and they have overcame him by the blood of the Lamb. Rev. 12.10.11 The blood of Christ sprinkled upon the Conscience discharges from the accusations of Satan neither is he able to do any hurt where the Lord will obsolve As for
his God so long both are implyed in this Thou art my God from my Mothers Belly First He here blesses God for being his God so Early My God from my Mothers Belly That is as soon as I had any being in the World He might have if he had pleased fetch 't it higher if we speak of Gods Decree in Election and have said from the beginning of the World Yea before the Foundations of the World were ever laid As Psal 90.2 But he speaks here rather of the Execution and Manifestation of this his Decree God is then our God properly when he manifests Himself to be our God by some special work of Grace in our Souls and by giving Himself unto us And so he is pleased to do to divers in the very first dawnings of nature in them The Prophet Jeremiah he was Sanctifyed in the womb Jer. 1.5 Before I formed thee in thee Belly I knew thee and before thou camest forth out of the Womb I Sanctifyed thee and I ordained thee a Prophet unto the Nations And so likewise John the Baptist he had the same Grace and Favour also Timothy It is said that from a Child he had known the Holy Scriptures which were able to make him wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 And Obadiah 1 Kings 18.12 I thy Servant do fear the Lord from my Youth This is the goodness of God to many persons to be early in his beginning of Grace which he works in them Thus there can be no other ground or reason assigned of it but onely his own free-Grace and good Pleasure and will towards them who as he is free in the thing it self so also in the time of Dispensation And there is a double use which we may make of this Observation First To inform and satisfy us as concerning the time of Conversion and beginning of the work of Grace which is a Question which does many times trouble and perplex many a Soul to know the distinct reason when God first brought him home to Himself For this It is not in all kind of Persons discernable by them Eccl. 11.5 As thou knowest not which is the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the Womb of her that is with Child so thou knowest not the work of God who maketh all Indeed for those who have a great part of their time lived profanely or a meer civil life in them because the change is more Eminent the time is more Conspicuous too but for those whom it hath pleased God to Sanctify in their Infancy and tender years and to carry them on sweetly imperceptibly in the tract of a godly and Religious Education all their Life in these it is not so easily distinguished neither should it trouble them when it is not If the time be up it is no matter when it is first begun It is not the change of a mans Course but the change of his Nature which is here required And that is done in those to whom God is a God from the womb Their Nature is changed in them though their Course it may be has been the same all their days to wit godly and Religious nay it is so far from being a Cause of trouble as that indeed it is rather an argument of greater comfort to them that God has loved them so soon Secondly Another use is Ingagement to all such in a special manner to love God so much the more And so much for that He blesses God for being his God so Early Secondly He Blesses God for being his God so long This is also implyed in this Expression Thou art my God from c. That is thou art my God still from whence we may note thus much That those whom God is a God too once he is a God too them always Those whom he takes into his Care and Tuition and Custody at first those he also preserves to the End There is no time wherein he Ceases to be a God unto them And therefore t is here without any sign of time Eliattah Thou my God that hast been and art and wilt be through all Generations This God is our God for ever and ever Psal 48.14 So Psal 71.6 By thee have I been holden up from the Womb c. The Ground of this in God is First His Vnchangeable Nature who is Yesterday and to Day and the same for ever If God were Alterable and subject to Varying he should then love us one Day and hate us the next to it For I am the Lord I change not Therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed Secondly His Free-Grace who shews Mercy where he will If Gods Goodness were founded in us then he should Change and Vary as we do but this it is not There is nothing moves Him to be our God but onely because he will be so Thirdly His Exactness in all he does who loves to finish there where he has begun Ye know how it is with Exact men when they have begun a thing they love to perfect it and so here This should stir us up to the Observation and Acknowledgment of Gods goodness in this particular He has the perfection of all Love in him for he begins betimes and he Continues long and what could we desire more There are many which are good friends at last but they are a great while a comming on and before they can be perswaded to it There are others which are good for a while but they quickly give over But now the Lord he fails us in neither He is our God from our Mothers Womb. Even all our following and succeeding days And this it should teach us proportionably in the Second place to keep close to Him and as he continues constant to us so for us also to persevere to Him and to walk in the Constant ways of thankfulness and Obedience to Him And thus have I after somewhat long Travel brought this Child with Gods gracious Assistance at length to the Birth And have shown you here the several particulars in which David tenders his Acknowledgment and Sacrifice of Thansgiving to God For the Blessings of the Womb for the Blessing of the Breast for the Blessing of the Cradle and for the Blessings of the Covenant That is for common Mercies for ancient Mercies and for primitive Mercies and for constant Mercies Consider what I have said And the Lord give you understanding in all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SERMON XVI Psal 10.13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God He hath said in his heart thou wilt not require it Their cannot be a better Evidence of a Good and a Gracious heart then to be tender and sensible of Gods Dishonour and having first of all sufficiently bewayled its own Distempers and Infirmities to lay to heart the Enormities and Miscarriages of other men Like Righteous Lot whose Soul was vexed with the filthy Conversation of the wicked while he dwelt amongst them seeing and hearing their unlawful deeds as the
is a Cup full of mixture How may we reconcile these two Expressions one with another in one place without mixture an aggavation and in another place an aggravation that it is full of mixture This is according to the nature of the things themselves which are related unto without mixture in the former place that is without mixture of Grace and Goodness whereby the Affliction might be allayed unto them Judgment without Mercy Correction without Mitigation Again full of mixture here in this Text that is of the Wrath and Anger of God with the Evil and Affliction it self which several phrases being thus explain'd we may here learn how to take this present Expression here before us which according to a double reference may admit of a double sense There is a mixture of Strength and Patience There is a mixture of Comfort and Goodness We may take it either way and first of the former of these two as it carries a reference to the Godly and children of God This Cup of red wine and affliction which is tendered to them it is full of mixture in this sense as it is mitigated and mollifyed unto them Forasmuch as their Corrections are dispenst in much Mercy and Love unto them In all the Afflictions of Gods people there 's an intermixture and temperament of love and favour which shews it self in them The cup is full of mixture to them as may be made good in sundry particulars which are Ingredients into it As First of all There 's a mixture of Strength and Patience for the bearing of it God never lays any thing upon his Servants though it be never so harsh and terrible but he gives them some ability to indure it and to wrastle and buckle with it this is called in other places of Scripture a Correcting in measure which God does often make promise of that he will be sure to take care off The Lord is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which ye are able but will with the Temptation find a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it The Lord as he strikes with one hand so he still supports and holds up with another that 's one friendly intermixture Secondly There 's a mixture of Comfort and Goodness as to the things themselves God is not altogether in Affliction but he is very much in Mercy with it and as he is pleased to exercise his Servants with several troubles so he does likewise vouchsafe them many blessings together with them which he does comfort them withall He turns his Anger away and does not stir up all his wrath as it is in Psal 78.38 But as in one kind he brings Evil so in another kind he brings good with it His work is Checker-work as we may so call it of black and white Indeed this mixture is not always so taken notice of by them as it were fitting to be No if at any time we have any Troubles or Afflictions upon us we do not for the most part observe the many Mercies which we injoy with them but yet they are never a whit the less for all that There is a mixture of bad and good together in regard of Gods Dispensation And then Thirdly There 's another thing also which is much observable in the Afflictions of Gods People which makes up this Temperament Compleat and that is a mixture of Improvement and Edification God is still doing his Children good by all the Evil which he brings upon them He Chastises them for their profit that they may be made partakers of his Holiness as it is in Heb. 12.10 There 's the Excellency of it That so now though no Chastening for the present be joyous but grievous yet nevertheless afterwards it yeilds the peaceable fruit of Righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby What a sweet mixture is this And that 's now the First sense of the words according to the first reference of them to wit as to the People of God and so full of mixture that is full of Love and Mercy which is mingled and temper'd with it Secondly We may take it in reference to the Wicked the Enemies of God and his People and so full of mixture that is full of Wrath and Revenge which does mingle it self in the Judgments which here fall upon them This is considerable in the Miseryes which they indure not onely the Evil of the Affliction in its own Nature whatsoever it be but of the Hatred and Fury and Vengance of God Himself which is intermixt with it He Distributes Sorrows to them in Anger as Job speaks Job 21.17 This is that which is considerable in them this cup of red wine it is without the mixture of Sweetness and it is full of the mixture of Bitterness which is added unto it Thus we have it in Psal 11.6 Vpon the Wicked he shall Rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup. And Rom. 2.8.9 Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish upon them that obey Vnrighteousness And Revel 14.10 They shall drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his Indignation These are the Phrases and Expressions by which the Scripture uses to set forth the Misery of wicked men in this particular And so the Terrours of the Almighty and the Arrows of the Almighty and the Gall and Vinegar and Wormwood and such as these What does all this come to but from hence so much the more to awaken men out of their natural Condition and especially as they do any thing abound and overflow with Sin that the Judgments of God they do not come singly or simply to them but with very sad and grievous intermixtures even of Gods wrath and fierceness with them which does aggravate and extend them and set them out so much the more this is their great Misery and Unhappiness that as the Comforts which they partake off they have them without the rellish of Gods Love and Favour in them so likewise the Judgments which light upon them they have them mingled with his Anger and Indignation and the Portion of their Cup. Comforts are less Comfortable and Afflictions are more Afflicting to them this is their Lot and Condition and so ye have also the Second particular considerable in this Resemblance namely the Liquor or matter which is here first in the simple Nature of it which is red Wine And Secondly In the Composition It is full of mixture The Third and last is the Posture and Situation of this cup or the Orderer and Disposer of it In the Hand of the Lord. All things are in the hand of God as the Scripture does all along signify unto us and among the rest these Judgments and Punishments which are sent abroad into the World This cup of red Wine it is in the hand of God Himself It is so and it is said to be so
and He will bring it to pass As not one word shall fail of His Promises so not one word of His Threatnings neither but they shall be all accomplished and fulfilled and and that also in the very exactness of them to the least parcel that we can possibly imagine And this is worth our consideration that so we may not put off these things as improbable and as carrying too much severity in them No it is not so in these things they are sure and certain and infallible Secondly Here 's the necessity also of it It is unavoidable They shall drink it that is even against their minds whether they will or no. It is very likely that wicked men would be very loath to come to this condition they can be content to sin but they cannot indure to be punished for sin There was never any poor sick patient was more loth to take a potion then they are to drink of this cup of Divine wrath well but this shall not serve their turn for all that The Lord 's resolved upon it he has determined it and given his word for it and he will force them and compel them unto it they shall not go unpunished but shall surely drink of it see also Jer. 49.12 Yea they shall drink and be drunk and spue and fall and never rise more as it is again in Jer. 25.27 Look as they some of them have forced others to drink their cups of luxury and riot so shall God here deal with them in compelling them to drink of His Cup of fury and indignation This Cup it shall not pass from them but they shall drink of it even against their stomacks where they never so much loath it Yea and which is more they shall suck it up God will turn the Cup up to them and will make them to take it every jot He will not spare them one drop of it which they shall be suffer'd to leave behind They shall pay the utmost farthing as it is in Matth. 5.26 Suffer as much as they are well capable of suffering The Lord Himself as I may say will stand over them and see them do it without any favour or indulgence These things are not meer Phrases and Expressions and words of course as buckbears to scare children but they carry a weight and force with them which accordingly should be minded by us that so from hence we may take heed of comming into such conditions as these are by avoiding and declining that which is the occasion of them we should all labour to make our peace with God and to keep in good terms with him to come as it is said out of Babylon and not partake with her in her sins that so we may not share with her in her plagues And so ye have also the third General in the Text which is Gods Judgement in the Participation of it respecting especially wicked and ungodly men As for the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SERMON XIX Psal 27.8 When thou saidst seek yea my face my heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek There are two things especially wherein the Happiness of a Christian consists here in this Life The one is that God will vouchsafe to speak to Him And the other is that He may have the Liberty and Opportunity of speaking to God And these are then in their full Perfection when they are Reciprocall one to another that is when we both so speak to God as that He gives an answer to us and when God also so speaks to us as that we return again readily upon Him Now both of these are here Exhibited to us in this Scripture which we have now before us IN the Text it self there are two Generall parts considerable First Gods Invitation of the Soul to Communion with Himself when thou saydst seek ye my face Secondly Davids Acceptance and Entertainment of this Invitation My Heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek We begin with the first of these parts viz. Gods Invitation when thou saydst seek ye my face when thou saydst is not expresly in the Text but it is necessarily supplyed in the Translation to make the sense more full and compleat and accordingly we shall take notice of it as it lies here before us but that which is cheifly considerable is the Invitation or Command it self Seek ye my face where are divers things very profitably observable of us wee 'l take them as they offer themselves to us First We see here thus much that God must begin with us before we can close with him God must seek us before we can seek Him God must first desire that we should draw near to Him before we for our particulars are able to draw near unto God Thou saydst seek my face and then and not till then my heart said Thy face Lord will I seek This is true and holds good both in regard of our first Acquaintance and Conversion to Him as also to our further Intercourse and Communion with Him we can neither seek to God at first so as to know him nor yet seek to him ofterwards so as to injoy him till he first of all breathes upon us and excites us and provokes us hereunto First Take it as to our first Conversion and so it holds true there that God must first of all make the motion for our inquiry and seeking after him or else we should never do it Take a man in his natural Condition and he desires no acquaintance or fellowship with God at all But as he is at present a Stranger and Enemy to Him so he is willing still to abide so therefore it is said of such persons in Job 21. vers 14. thus they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledg of thy ways They are so far from seeking after God as that they rather run away from Him And so Psal 10.4 The Wicked through the pride of his Countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts The pride of his own Countenance makes him not care for the Countenance of God he will not vouchsafe to seek after Him because he thinks to do well enough without him through that pride and self-sufficiency which is in him and this is naturally in every mans Heart A conceit to shift well enough without God and therefore it is that they minde him no more nor look not after Him But Secondly Take it as to Communion after Conversion so it is God that must begin here likewise and must put us upon it it is he that must first say seek my face in regard of out Sluggishness and Aversness and Non-attendency As it was with the Spouse in the Canticles Christ first knocked at the door of her Heart before she sought after Him Draw me says she and we will run after thee First Do thou draw and then we will
Condition of all created Comforts whatsoever But now the Lord God he is like the Sun which has light in Great Abundance and what it has it has onely in it self And this now makes very much for our Satisfaction and Contentment in Him yea and that in opposition also to the Creatures and that Comfort and Happiness which we expect from him when the Sun is once up there is no want or miss of the Stars and so where God will please to inlarge himself to the Soul of any poor Christian he has Enough and sufficency in that respect We know what is said of Heaven Revelat. 21.23 The City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof The same is true in a proportion even here in this present life according to Gods Gracious Importment of himself to any soul so is it better able to sustain under the want of other things But Secondly Seeing the Lord God is a Sun we should then hence learn to rejoyce in that light and Comfort which he does impart and which we receive from him We should still desire that the light of his Countenance may shine upon us more and more and nothing should be more greivous to us then the with drawing of this from us When the Sun is at any time darkned it causes sadness in the minds of men we see what a stir people make but about a common and ordinary Eclipse of the Sun in the Firmanent which is natural and certain and necessary and such as is Expected What Fancies possesses the minds of ignorant and simple persons in that regard and what sad and dismal Events they do project to themselves hereupon Oh but what is it then to have an Eclipse of this Sun in the Text which is here commended unto us for God Himself to hide his face from us and to carry himself strangely towards us and to desert us and leave us to our selves to cast us into dark Conditions of doubting and fear and distrustfulness and Horrour of Spirit this is that which is most sad and grievous of any thing else and so should be accounted by us especially those which has had any glimps and expressions of this his favour manifested unto them the more brightly that this Sun hath shown into any ones Heart the more does it concern them to be affected with the withdrawings of it and that as now the half of the Saints and Servants of God they know what belongs to such things as these are and understand what they mean These which are in their natural Condition which live in a state of continual Ignorance and Darkness they scoff and mock at such points as these are and think them to be altogether needless but those which are Savory Christians apprehend them and are sensible of them and lay them to Heart As an Eclipse it is a great deal more dreadful then an whole Night and yet a Night in it self considered simply is more then that It is more in regard of the darkness which is in a greater Degree and it is more in regard of the time which is of greater Continuance onely here 's the difference that an Eclipse we speak of the Sun it s always in the day which being a diversion from the common and ordinary course of it makes it so much the more to be observed even so it is here in this particular Take an Unregenerate Person with whom t is Night always and that knows no other Condition then that is this Sun it may be absent from him and he never regards it but now a Christian which is a Child of Light and a Child of the Day as the Apostle Paul expresses it We are not of the Light nor of Darkness 1 Thes 5.5 Such an one as this is to have the Sun though but for some time withdrawn from him it is very grievous and tedious to him Well we should all Labour and indeavour to have the fulness of this Metaphor made good and confirm'd unto us that God is a Sun that we may find him so for our own particulars and that influence which he has upon our Hearts as we shall have occasion to speak more anon and do nothing on our parts which may cause any Suspension or Intermission or Interruption of his favour and the sense of it to us We should be affraid not onely of an Eclipse of this Sun but also of any Cloudings of it by any Fogs or Mists or Damps which do at any time arise out of our Earthly and carnal Hearts we should study as near as may be that our Day it may be clear and bright and Sun-shine not onely to have some imperfect glimmerings and sparklings of Light to us but the Sun in its full strength and splender Our Graces glittering our Evidences sure our Consciences full of Comfort our Hearts in a full and constant apprehension of Gods love to us and inlarged in our love to him that so it may be with us which Solomon speaks of a Righteous person Prov. 4.18 The Path of the Just is as the shining Light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day And that 's the first part of the Resemblance whereby God is set forth unto us The Lord God is a Sun The second Resemblance is of a shield that is of another thing whereby God does set forth himself unto us and we have it in other places of Scripture we have it once before in this Psal the 9th vers of it Behold our God our Shield It was that which God promised to Abraham and upon that account exprest Himself to Him Fear not Abraham I am thy sheild and thine Exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 So Psal 115.9.10 O Israel trust thou in the Lord he is their help and their shield And Prov. 30.5 Every word of God is pure he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him Under which expression we have signified unto us Gods Protection and Preservation of his People from those dangers which they are subject unto he will not onely be a Sun unto them to fill them with all Comfort but will likewise be a shield unto them to keep them from all Evil this is that which he is here in the second place set forth by as remarkable in him The Lord God is a sheild Indeed other things in Scripture are sometimes styled by this Name and that also in a Metaphoricall Acception as Magistrates they are called sheilds Psal 47.9 Cypri terrae The sheilds of the Earth which are said there do belong to God Forasmuch as it is their Place and Office to preserve and protect the Innocent from any wrong or injury which may be offered them therefore they are called shields unto them so likewise Faith is called a shield Eph. 6.16 Above all taking the sheild of Faith But all this is still in reference to this shield
is there will the Heart be also What 's the reason that Earthly and worldly Persons all their thoughts are taken up about the world and worldly accommodations why it is because they place their chiefest contentment in such things as these are They think of that most which they most desire and most affect In like manner is it so on the otherside with the children of God Because they look upon God as their greatest and chiefest Good and most desire the injoyment of Him therefore it is that they thus think upon him And then properly to meditate on God as mine that 's that which makes my meditation of him to be sweet as that this House is mine this Land is mine c. That 's that which puts sweetness into it and so here c This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our Guide even unto Death Psal 48.14 And so this is my Beloved and this is my Friend c. Cant. 5. last vers And then Thirdly There is much also in their Imployment and the things which they are busied about Mens Imployments have a great influence upon their thoughts for the qualifying and ordering of them It is natural for men to think of their Business and of such things wherein they are most Conversant Now thus it is with Gods Servants in this particular they are much in divine Exercises Prayers and Reading and Hearing and such as these and therefore they are also much in divine with Meditation These Performances do suggest Holy thoughts and Meditations unto them and put them as it were before they are aware upon the Exercise and upon the practise of them Lastly From the Spirit of God that dwells and abides in them Gods Children they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost which Inhabits them and takes up his special residence and Commoration in them And he is not in them to no purpose but he is a very fruitful and profitable Inhabitant who still puts them upon that which is Good and infuses Gracious thoughts into them Look as on the otherside the Devil the Spirit that rules in the Children of Disobedience he is filling them still with sinfull and evil thoughts and suggests corrupt things into them So here the Holy Ghost which is the Spirit that rules in the Children of God he does put them upon Holy Meditations and the thinking of that which is good and agreeable to Himself As he puts into them Gracious desires in reference to Prayer and teaches them what to Ask so he likewise puts into them Gracious thoughts in reference to Meditation and teaches them here what to Contemplate and so helps their Infirmities for them in this particular also Thus we see how it comes to pass in sundry respects that Gods Servants are much in the thoughts and Meditation of Him This shewes us the difference betwixt Gods Children and the men of the World As for worldly men they have this Reproach fasten'd upon them That God is not in all their thoughts Psal 10.4 No more he is not there are many men in the world that live without God in the world that pass from Day to Day without any thoughts at all of him as if there were no such one as he is or if they have some flitting thoughts of him they are not such as do stick with them and by them They do not indeed meditate upon him as is here mentioned in the Text this they are far from If ye could anatomize and rip up the Heart of a Carnal Person ye should see little of God in it but all of the world His Riches and Honours and Pleasures and Carnal Contentments as it is recorded of that worldling in the Gospel Luk. 12.17 It is said that he thought within him self and what did he think off Of his Lands and of his Fruits and his Possessions Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years c. This was that which he contemplated upon and that alone not a thought of God which past through Him till God Himself awakned him and so is it likewise with many more whereas this is the property of Gods Servants to be very much in the Meditation of Himself and to have their thoughts pitcht upon him as is here intimated of the Prophet David And this is the first Particular viz. The Performance implyed Divine Meditation The Second is the Qualification Exprest and that is Pleasantness or Sweetness My Meditation of him shall be sweet which passage as it lies before us in the Text is capable of a threefold Emphasis or Impression which may be fastend upon it First of an Assertion Secondly of a Resolution and Thirdly of a Petition of an Assertion as signifying what it was of a Resolution as declaring what it should be of a Petition as desiring what it might be First Take it as an Assertion and as signifying what it was The Meditation which a Christian Soul has of God it is very sweet and Comfortable this is that which is here intimated unto us Meditation is very pleasing of it self considered as an Imployment of the Soul which does naturally take delight in such reflexions but it is inlarged and further advanced from the quality and Condition of the Object which it is carried unto a delightful Argument makes a delightful Meditation Now thus it is here with a Christian to God while he meditates upon Him and that in his full Extent First The Attributes of God there 's a great deal of delight in thinking upon them in their several kinds and Varieties as for example First The Power of God how much sweetness is there in that to a Christian that shall seriously consider it and think upon it that God is Almighty and Alsufficient and can do whatsoever he pleases both in Heaven and Earth as the Scripture represents him This is that which the Servants of God have been very much affected withall when they have taken it into Consideration as from whence they have been very Hopeful concerning themselves That God is able to Kill and to make alive that God is able to Help and to cast down that God is able to raise even from the Dead and the like such thoughts as these have upon occasion much delighted Gods Servants Thus the three Worthies in Daniel which were cast into the Fiery Furnace The God whom we serve is able to deliver us It was a very Comfortable Meditation to them Dan. 3.17 So Abraham being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Rom. 4.21 And so Heb. 11.19 Accounting that God was able to raise up his Son Isaac from the Dead It was a very great Incouragement to him So Secondly The Goodness and Mercy of God there 's a great deal of sweetness in that also to be suck'd out by us in Meditation that the Lord is Gracious and Merciful and Long-suffering and Pittiful as we have lately had occasion to shew there is very much
persons as mind their Health they will take a sickness in the first risings and beginnings of it Even so also in regard of the Soul such persons as mind their Salvation they will in like manner resist their sins and temptations in the very first beginning Now therefore accordingly should we learn this piece of spiritual wisdom and Prudence our selves even to indeavour our spiritual recovery upon the first apprehensions of Distemper Let not Satan take possession of our souls let not vain thoughts lodge in us let us not continue in sin nor suffer it at any time to continue in us but exterminate it and dispossess it and discard it as soon as may be And apply our selves to such courses as may free us and deliver us from it The first grace is to see our Infirmities but the next grace is to remove them and shake them off as soon as we can as the Psalmist here did This is mine infirmity But I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High And thus much of the scope in General Now to come more Closely to the words themselves in particular I will remember the years c. The words in the Hebrew Text are Shenoth Jemin Gneljon which I find to be variously rendred and translated by Interpreters I shall not trouble you with them all at this present time but onely take notice of two of them which I conceive are the Principle and most comprehensive the one is of our Oldest English Translation and the other of our last and Newest the Former reads the words thus The right hand of the most High can change all this the latter reads the words thus as we have it now before us I will remember the years of c. The main Ground of this Variation is the different Exposition of the Hebrew word Shenoth which may be translated either to change from the Verb in the Infinitive mood or else may be translated yeares from the Noun in the Plurall Number This hath given the occasion to this difference and variety of Translation but the sense is very good and agreeable which way soever we take it and such as contains in it matter for our special Instruction First Take it according to the former Translation as it does Exhibit to us the Power of God The right hand of the Lord can change all this This was that whereby David did support himself in his present Affliction which we had mentioned in the beginning of the Psalm that the Lord was able to change and alter this his Condition to him and that for the better Mutatio Dextrae Excelsi There is a change in the right hand of the most High Though God himself be unchangeable considered in his own Essence yet his works and Providences and Dispensations have a variety in them and all such as do perfect and Accomplish his most unchangeable Purpose and Decree which he has set down with himself God does never less change his mind then when he does most change his Carriage and Practise and outward Administrations as being able from Contrary means to bring about the same Gracious Ends and Effects which he hath appointed to accomplish so that this Expression hath no Repugnancy or Inconsistency with it at all but is freely to be admitted by us and to be improved as t is here by the Psalmist This is the great Comfort of the Church and of every Person who is a member of it that let their present State and Condition be never so troublesome and Calamitous and full of Affliction yet the Lord is able to qualify it and mitigate it to them yea to mend it and better it for them and they may say in the words here before us The right hand of the Lord can change all this Where for the better amplifying and Illustrating of this present Passage unto us we may take notice of two words in it which are very Significant and Emphaticall The one is in that God is here called the most High And the other is that there is mention made of his Right hand It is not said God can do it no more but so but the most High and with his right Hand The one is an Expression of Eminency which carries an Advantage with that And the other is an Expression of Strength which carries an advantage with that likeness First There is the Advantage of Eminency in that God is called the most High because Height it has the Opportunity of Prospect he that stands Higher then others he has the advantage of overlooking them and beholding them and of seeing what they do and so is able to order and to manage his affairs accordingly with greater success Now thus is God the Lord he is the most High God and so he is said to dwell on High frequently in Scripture from whence he has the better Inspection to behold the things which are done both in Heaven and Earth and likewise the greater Influence as to the ruling and disposing of them Secondly There 's the Advantage of Strength in that there is mention made of his right hand which is a word of Power The right hand of the Lord doth Valiantly the right hand of the Lord brings mighty things to pass Prov. 118.15.16 And so Psal 89.13 Thou hast a mighty Arm strong is thine hand and high is thy right hand Gods right hand it is a strong hand and does great things in the world But more particularly as pertinent to the Text David does Comfort himself in this Power and strength of God and this right hand of the most High As to the Business of Change and Alteration The right hand of the most High can change all this And here again it has a double Reference or respect with it The one in order to his Condition And the other in order to his Mind as also the word Infirmity mentioned in the former part of the verse it may have a double sense with it either as it denotes his outward State or temper of Body or as it denotes his inward Disposition and frame of Soul This is mine Infirmity but God can change that that is He can renounce this present Distress which is upon me or again This is my Infirmity but God can change that that is he can remove the present Disturbance which is upon me he can heal the Infirmities of my Spirit Gods Power it extends to both First As to the Infirmities of his Condition and the present State in which he now was Take it so and here he Comforts and pleases Himself that as bad as it was now with Him God was able to better it to him Here 's my Sickness but there 's my Physitian This is my Infirmity but there 's a Power to Deliver me from it even the right hand of God This is a great Satisfaction to Gods Servants in the worst Conditions that there is Hope and Help for them in God when they know not how to help
this Mercy and that we are inabled so to do it is that which every one cannot do even there where there is Mercy fitted and prepared and provided for him go praise God for that Thirdly That God accepts of this Hope from us and is so well pleased with it in us we have cause to praise him likewise for this to say the Lord be magnified as who rejoyces in the Prosperity so takes pleasure in the Graces of his Servants and that even at such times as he neglects the great thins of the World and in a sort despises them That the Bones of the mighty are oftentimes broken while they that stumbled are girt with strength as Hannah in her Song expresses it 1 Samuel 2.4 And so I have done with these words as in their absolute Consideration so in their Comparative and so with the whole Text it self The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his Mercy SERMON XXIX Prov. 3.17 Her wayes are wayes of Pleasantness and all her paths are Peace It is the Nature and Disposition of Artists and those which are of any Mystery or Profession as much as they can to extoll and advance that Profession which they are off and to Commend it to the Consideration of others As Paul of the Ministry of the Gentiles I magnifie mine own Office Rom. 11.13 Every one is ready to magnifie that way which he takes up to Himself above all others whatsover and this as it is observable in other things so amongst the rest especially in Religion and the wayes of Godliness Those which are the Professors of this they desire as much as may be to Commend it and set it forth to the view of other men Wisdom is justified of her Children as our Saviour tells us Thus we may observe it to be here in this Scripture which we have now before us in the Example of the wise man Solomon who being a Son of Wisdome and of special Wisdom especially that is Grace and Holiness and Religion which he here speaks off does in divers Chapters together applaud it and praise it all he can that so thereby he may invite others unto it IN these words we have described unto us the Excellency of Godliness and Religion in two particulars which may serve to make up unto us the parts of the Text. First From it's Pleasure and delight Her wayes are wayes of pleasantness Secondly From it's Tranquility and Quiet And all her paths are peace We begin First of all with the former to wit the description of Godliness from the pleasure and delight which is in it The wayes of Godliness and Religion are exceeding pleasing and delightful wayes they carry a great deal of sweetness and Contentment and pleasantness in them This is the point which is here exhibited unto us and it dâ—â—â— appear out of other places of Scripture likewise as Psal 36.8 David speaking of the Church and members of it sayes That they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Gods House and that he would make them to drink of the Rivers of his pleasures And Psal 118.15 The voyce of joy and Salvaton is sayd to be in the Tabernacles of the Righteousness So Psal 97.11 Light is sown for the Righteous and Gladness for the Vpright in Heart Esay 51.11 The redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion and everlasting joy shall be upon their Head they shall obtain gladness and joy and Sorrow and Mourning shall flee away Esay 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh Righteousness where you see they are both joyned together And Galat. 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit is joy Now this Truth it may be further amplyfied and made good to us in sundry particulars which do prove and confirm it unto us There is a great deal of pleasure in Religion in sundry respects Wee 'l take them in that order as they do offer and present themselves to our thoughts As First of all In the work of Grace and Regeneration wrought in the heart All the several Graces of the Spirit and the habits of Sanctification which are in us they do reflect very sweetly upon us and there is a great deal of delight and Contentment to the Soul which does see them in it self Take a man which is full of Lusts and Corruptions which bear sway in him and he is a loathsome and abominable Creature sometimes even in his own Apprehensions A wicked and ungodly man he is in some manner odious to himself and is overcome as I may say now and then even with his own stench like a man which is in filthy Rags and torn and uncomely Garments he does not like himself in them But now on the otherside a good Christian which has the Grace of the Spirit of God in him and the work of the New Creature in his Soul he is so far forth pleasing to himself Grace is a very sweet and odoriferous Qualification as it casts a sweet savor into the Nostrils of all others that stand by it so especially as I may say into the Nostrils of all those that partake of it That Soul which is indued with it is like one that has roll'd himself in a Bed of Spices who is all over sweet and delightful I might set it forth to you in all the resemblances of Comfort and Contentment look whatever it be which in the discovery and discerning of it does usually afford delight to our selves the same may be applyed to the Graces of Gods Spirit and the sanctifying Qualities which are in us not onely as odoures and sweet spices to the smell it 's pleasing to be sensible of them But likewise further as Treasures of Gold and Silver there are many which much delight in them The Rich man when he looks in to his Coffers how much contentment does he take in them even there where others deride him and laughed at him Populus mei sibilat c. Yea but now a Godly man recounting the Graces which are in him has more true comfort and content by far And that 's the First particular wherein Godliness proves so delightful In the work of Regeneration and the habits of the Spirit of God in us Secondly As there 's a sweetness in reflecting upon Grace in the having of it so especially in the Exercise of it Every Grace the more it is improveed carries a delight and pleasurableness in it in what kind soever Therefore the Psalmist tells us that in keeping of Gods Commandments there is great Reward Mark not onely for the keeping but in the keeping be-shomran Psal 19.11 There 's Praemium ante Praemium A reward before the reward even in the thing it self Sutable to the nature of the Grace is the Exhibition of the comfort yea the very Heathen and Moralists themselves so far forth as they exercised vertue and practised that natural goodness which was in them they had some kind of comfort and contentment
shew of humility yet sometimes is a blossom of pride To be sensible of our weaknesses so as to make us humble and wary and dependent in the works which we undertake that 's very good and commendable but to be sensible of them so as to hinder us or dishearten us in the undertaking of them that is such as we are able to give no good account or reckoning of This was that which was the fault of Moses when God would have sent him on a Message to Pharaoh How did he excuse the matter Why namely from his own inabilities Exod. 4.10 11. O Lord I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since then hast spaken unto thy Servant but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue This was now no sufficient put off at such a time as God called him to the work who was able to conquer and overcome all those difficulties for him as it follows afterwards in the next Verses And the Lord said unto him who hath made Man's Mouth or who maketh the Dumb or Deaf or the Seeing or the Blind have not I the Lord Now therefore go and I will be with thy month and teach thee what thou shalt say As who should say As long as it is I that send thee what shouldst thou stand upon thy want of Eloquence or thy difficulty of Speech When we venture upon such works and businesses as do not belong unto us merely of our own heads and without a Call from God we may expect there justly to suffer for our own arrogancy and presumption But on the other side when we set upon those things which he requires at our hands we may expect there safely his assistance and enablement of us And that is the first particular in regard whereof c. viz. The Performance The Second is In regard of Acceptance That is another thing which belongs to our Works and which sometimes we are apt to be very careful and sollicitous about How our works and actions may be presented in the minds and apprehensions of other Men Not only that they may be done well in regard of the things themselves but likewise that they may be taken well in regard of the persons which are privy to the doing of them or concerned and interessed in them This is another Affection in us and such as considered simply in it self and modestly pursued it may not be amiss neither But yet as concerning this we are to commit our works also to the Lord and to trust him in this particular for the ordering of it to us let us do that which becomes us and which is fitting to be done by us and he will order Men's hearts towards us who has their Affections in his own hand and disposes them as seems good to him When a man's ways please the Lord he will make even his very enemies to be at peace with him as it is in the seventh Verse of this present Chapter And though we do not find it presently yet we shall find it in due time and by leisure it will be made good unto us As it is said concerning seasonable Reproof so it holds good concerning any other Action He that rebukes a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue Prov. 28.23 Afterwards he shall find it though at present he be not sensible of it Thus also in the place before cited Psal 37.5 6. Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy judgment as the Noon day That is he shall clear thee and justifie thee in the eyes of all that except against thee and which are ready to be offended with thee Thirdly We are to commit our Works to God also in regard of the Success This is another appurtenance to them likewise and a matter which does exercise our own thoughts how far any Enterprize we take in hand be successful and take effect It was the great care of the Apostle Paul which is also for the most part of every one else besides that he might not receive in vain or labour in vain Frustrations and Miscarriages and Disappointments are such things as are very irksome and tedious in the thoughts of them Now for this also is this Counsel before us very requisite and necessary for us Commit our works unto the Lord This is the issue and fruit of our works Let us do that which concerns us and leave the efficacy and success to God which he will be careful to order to us so far forth as may be most requisite and expedient for us This is that which holds good in any thing which we undertake especially in reference to others as in point of Government and Instruction and Reformation when we cannot do always that good which perhaps we desire to do yet to wait and depend upon God who is the Beginning and End of our Actions and who is able to give life and vertue and efficacy and success unto them And thus much now of the first Explication of our Works namely the Works which are done by us The Second is The Works which are done to us Thy Works that is thy Businesses and Conditions and Affairs Those things which do any way concern thee and which in any special manner thou art interessed in these are also thy works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we find it sometimes expressed This is another parcel of the Object of this present Commitment which is here exhibited to us Whatever Condition we are in or whatever Estate happens unto us we are to commend it and to commit it to the Lord And especially which seems principally to be intended Conditions of distress when we know not what to do nor which way to turn our selves as sometimes it falls out to be with us then to betake our selves to God and seek for help and direction from him in the case and condition which we are in and rest and stay our selves upon him This was the practise of Jehoshaphat when he was encompassed with the Ammonites 2 Chron. 20.12 We know not what to do but our eyes are upon thee This was the practice of David when he was invaded by the Amalekites 1 Sam. 30.6 David encouraged himself in the Lord his God And this should be our practise also as we have at any time occasion for it whether in matters of distress or ambiguity trust in the Lord. And thus much for the first particular viz. the Object Thy works The Second is The Act which is conversant about this Object and that is Committing Commit thy works unto the Lord. This for the better opening of it to us may be laid forth in sundry Particulars whereof it does consist and we may be conceived and said to do it divers manner of ways I will briefly mention them unto you First of all In a way of Simple Commendation We do then commit our
Furnace This we may be sure and take notice of for our instruction we are not born Christians but made so Christiani Non nasciuntur sed siunt It is not a business of Nature but a business of Art Nor of Humane Art neither but Divine as we shall see more hereafter out of the following words of the Text The Lord tryeth the hearts And therefore this may discover to us the vanity of all such persons as have other conceits of it which think to be Gold and Silver as they come out of the impure Earth without refining in their pure Naturals No it will not be If we have no other Principles in us than which we brought with us into the World we shall never be Currant Coin in God's Account no such as he will one day take or accept from us But he will reject us and cast us away at the Great Day and time of Payment Therefore I say let us here take notice of our Conditions in this particular and see what we are Take the best of us by nature and there we are nothing but Dross no Gold nor Silver at all in us but such as is counterfeit And take us when Grace has refined us and we have many gross and drossy Intermixtures still adhering to us which will not be removed but by those means which God has sanctified and set apart for such a purpose a these here before us in the Text. These are here under a Double Specification The Fining Pot and the Furnace which have their answerable Preparations even in Spirituals The Fining Pot that is the Word of God And the Furnace that is the Rod of God Either of these does the Lord as he sees sitting take an occasion to purifie his Servants by First By his Word he desires to begin with that The word of the Lord tryed him Psal 105.29 And so it does many more besides This it has a Special Vertue through the power of God's Spirit joyning with it to reform and better the heart and to purge away its dross from it Heb. 4.12 For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart This it will shew a man his Corruption of Nature and discover to him the wickedness which is in his heart As we have divers instances hereof in the Disciples that went to Emmaus Did not our hearts burn within us And St. Peter's Converts When they heard it they wee pricked at their hearts And so the Jayâ—oâ— and divers others to whom the Word of God has been instead of a Fining Pot to separate their Corruption from them as to discover it to them Secondly By Affliction that is his Furnace Isa 58.10 I have refined thee but not with silver I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction Affliction is God's Furnace wherein he purges and purifies his Gold and takes away the dross of it And accordingly does the Scripture represent it Therefore it is called the Fiery Tryal which is to try us 1 Pet. 4.12 And the tryal of our faith which is much more precious than the gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire c. 1 Pet. 1.7 Therefore we should so look upon it and be perswaded of it and of God's Intendments in the imposing of it The Furnace it is not for the hurt of the Gold but for the advantage to make it more pure and useful and precious to form it in some Vessel of Service and Honour sit for the Master's use and so are Troubles and Afflictions to the people of God which should make them the more patiently to bear them when he lays them upon them It is true that this is an harsh Doctrine to Flesh and Blood and we are all ready to shrink at it but Grace it will close with it so far forth as it is prevailing in any measure in us And so it should We should look upon the Furnace not so much in the heat of it but in the improvement the end of setting it up and the effect which follows upon it and then we shall be satisfied exceedingly by it as the Apostle intimates to us Heb. 12.11 There is no chastisement which for the present is joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it brings forth the peaceable fruit of Righteousness to those which are excercised thereby This is that which we should look upon such Dispensations as these in the love and Wisdom of God which does appoint them and the blessed and happy Fruit which does arise from them And further labor also to be bettered by every hand of God upon us that so therein we may close with his gracious Ends If God casts us into the Furnace to come out of it better then we went in be sure of that otherwise it will be so much the worse for us Yea if we be true Gold indeed it will be so with us Corruption it is hardened by Affliction but Grace it is refined Take a man that has a wicked heart and crosses they do not make him better but make him worse more impatient and obstinate and Rebellious and standing out against God and contesting with him like that wretched Jehoram 2 Kings 6 ult But a man that hath a true work of Grace wrought upon his Spirit he will be so much the better more wary of himself more compassionate to others more meek and humble tractable and obedient and thankfull These things will follow with it But so much for this as also of the First General in the Text viz. The Propsition The Fining pot c. The Second follows which is the Reddition But the Lord Tryeth c. According to the usual manner of Speech it should not be but but so But we will take it as lies before us where this Adversative Particle hath a Threefold Emphasis in it First an Emphasis of Proportion Secondly an Emphasis of Exception Thirdly an Emphasis of Designment or of Appropriation An Emphasis of Proportion First by taking but for so And so it signifies thus much unto us that the Lord is no less able or carefull to try the hearts of the Sons of men then the Goldsmith is his Silver and Gold As that does the one so does this also the other so the Lord tryeth the hearts When we speak of Gods trying of the heart it may be taken two manner of ways Either first of all in a way of Discovery or Secondly in a way of Purification He tries them to make known what is in them and he tries them to remove that which is corrupt and amiss from them to each purposes he tries them First In a way of Discovery He tries them so as to discern them and make known what they are This the Lord does and this he is said to do in Scripture not only here but elsewhere Thus Exod. 16.4 I
will rain bread from heaven that I may prove them whether they will walk in my Law or not Exod. 20.20 God is come to prove you that his fear may be before your faces that ye sin not Deut. 8.2 He proved them to know what was in their hearts c. And Deut. 13.24 The Lord our God proveth you c. This although it be spoken after the manner of men yet it is not so to be understood by us There 's a great deal of difference betwixt Gods Tryings and mens for men when they try they use some means for the discovery of that to them which they knew not before and for the knowing of that more fully perfectly which they knew but in Part But with God it is not so He is ignorant of nothing and therefore cannot in this sense be said to try But when he tries us it is to discover and make known our selves to our selves that what we as yet know not he may manifest and discover to us Tentat Deus ut ipse hominem inveniat sed ut homo se inveniat as Austin calls God he therefore tries not that he may find out man but that man may find out himself and be sensible of his own condition Now for this kind of Tryal to wit by way of discovery there is a double time and season of it First of all sometimes even now in this time of the World He takes occasion to discover many persons both to others and to themselves To themselves in their own Consciences And to others in the open view and beholding of them thus 2 Tim. 3.8 9. They shall proceed no farther for their folly shall be made manifest to all men so 1 Tim. 5.24 25. Some mens sins are open before hand c. God makes tryal both of mens Graces and of their Sins even in this present time And he has divers ways to do it according to his different Providence and Dispensations to us in the World Sometimes by his Mercies and sometimes by his Judgements sometimes by his dealings with themselves and sometimes by his dealings with others sometimes by his inlarging himself to them and sometimes by withdrawing of himself from them There are not more persons to be Tryed then there are various and different ways for the Tryal of them and discovery of what is in them But Secondly As here in this World so especially in the World to come and in the day of Christs second comming The day of Discovery or Revolution Rom. 2.8 And 1 Cor. 3.13 Every mans work shall be manifested for the day shall declare it and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is That 's a special time and season for this purpose indeed And those which may scapethe test now yet then they shall be sure to undergo it and be subject to it God will bring every secret thing to light and every work whether it be good or bad Eccl. 12.14 The improvement which we may make of this Point comes to this namely from hence to teach us so much the rather to try our selves The Lord will try us either sooner or later Therefore let us look to our own hearts and try them It is that which does of course follow upon it as a necessary inference We must prove our selves that so we may be approved As Schollars that must say to their Masters will first say to themselves It is a peice of wisdom so to do that we may not be surprised and overtaken before we are aware Let as search and try our ways and turn unto the Lord our God Lam. 3.40 Try our Graces what strength and weight there is in them and try our actions what goodness and sincerity there is in them And so much the rather as we may the better be able to suffer this tryal we speak of And that especially upon any special occasion which is administred unto us whether of Service or Comfort and Affliction Either of these do call for this especial work of self-examination and tryal here commended unto us from the Lords trying of us To set home this Point more effectually we may take noâ—ce of the word which is here mentioned and that is the Heart The Lord tryeth the Hearts And we have two things in it First It is an Emphatical Expression And Secondly It is an Indefinite Expression It is an emphatical Expression The Hearts as that which is principally to be looked after And it is an indefinite Expression The Hearts that is of all men whosoever they are without exception First Take it Emphatically The Lord tryeth the heart as that which is principally to be looked after as the main and first moving Wheel for so it is God looks at that which is the chiefest and most to be regarded and that is the Heart If that be right all will be right with it eye and ear and tongue and hands and all other parts they all conform to this so that he has reason to try this God looks after that most which Man looks after least For man looketh after the appearance but the Lord looketh after the heart as the Lord himself told Samuel 1 Sam. 16.7 This is the General Principle which carries on all the rest That we are what we are in our hearts whether in respect to God or Men whether ye take the heart for the vigor of it the life and spirit of the performance or whether ye take the heart for the truth of it the sincerity and reality of the performance it is this which is all in all for which reason God tryeth the heart The Heart Emphatically But Secondly The Hearts indefinitely universally and without exception Here is none which can escape this Scrutiny neither high nor low rich nor poor wise nor unwise whatsoever All men's hearts must come to the Touch-stone and undergo this Tryal of God upon them He comes within men's private Closets and Cabinets though never so much retired He searcheth the hearts and tryeth the reins as it is often said of him in Scripture This is a matter of awaking to all dissembling and hypocritical persons whosoever they are whose hearts are not perfect with God in the midst of all pretences to him that God will at last find them out and discover what they are And though they may lye hid to men and carry a fair shew to them yet he will not be deceived by them as our blessed Saviour tells the Pharisees Luk. 16.15 Ye are they which justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is an abomination in the sight of God And so as a matter of Terror and Astonishment to those which are evil so of Comfort and Encouragement also to those which are good There is great satisfaction in this that the Lord tryeth the hearts in as much as they can appeal to him for his Vindication of them As Peter Lord thou knowest all things thou
and is confident Still to the same purpose and effect So which is also much at one with it Prov. 28.5 Evil men understand not judgment but they that seek the Lord understand all things And again Eccles 2.14 The wise man's eyes are in his head but the fool walketh in darkness It is true as concerning God's Judgments If we shall ask how this comes about that a Godly man hath this fore-sight in him we may take it thus First By the Dictates of the Word of God He fore-sees it from hence A Christian considers what God has threatned against such and such ways and sinful courses and finding those courses to be taken does hence conclude that such Judgments will in all likelihood follow upon them For God he is true to his Word and what he has threatned he will bring to pass As nothing shall fail of his Promises and of the good things which are foretold by him so not of his Threatnings neither We may conclude it and build upon it Secondly by the Observations of Prudence and the concurrence of one thing with another We may see what God will do hereafter by that which he hath done already and the comparing and laying of things together God does usually things in their Preparations before he does them in the things themselves And there are the Warnings of Judgment before the Accomplishments and Consummation of it Now a wise man he has regard to these which he takes notice of A good Christian he studies Providence he marks what God does in the World and for what end and purpose he does it and so thereby does satisfie himself as to the Expectation of it and it is no strange matter to him then when it comes For every thing which God does it has a Voice and Tongue in it and speaks somewhat or other to us by it if we will listen and give heed unto it This is that which the prudent man does He is an Observer and from thence a Fore-seer Thirdly By the Inward Hints and Suggestion of the Spirit of God it self There is a Spirit of Discerning which God does in these Cases bestow upon his Servants whereby they are able to say much to future things I know Abraham says God and shall I hide from him the thing that I will do speaking of the Destruction of Sodom Gen. 18.17 And the Lord will do nothing but he reveals his secrets to his Prophets Amos 3.7 It is true there are not now to be expected those direct and immediate Revelations which were to the Prophets in former times but yet there is somewhat answerable to them There are certain General Discoveries and Intimations of things at large so many of Gods servants even now as of what he will bring to pass in the world so as may tend to their preparation and qualification and predisposition for it Those which are much acquainted with God and are accustomed to Communion with him they have many an hint tendred to them which every one is not acquainted withal And that as in reference to Gods Judgments and Dispensations And that 's the First part of Spiritual Wisdom which is considerable in a Christian Namely this That to fore-see the evil in reference to it The Second is in reference to Activity or Practise And hides himself this must be joyned with the other or else it is in vain It is to no purpose for any one to fore-see evil and to rush into it for so it were no better for him than if he were wholly ignorant of it But upon fore-sight of it to avoid it This a Godly man does He improves his fore-sight and discovery of evil coming on to his own safegard and protection Thus t is said of Noah that being moved with fear he prepared an Ark He did not only fear and rest himself in that fear but his fear put him upon Preparation and Provision against the eminent danger or that which was fore-seen by him And so it is also with every good Christian As he has wisdom to preapprehend evil so he has care likewise to prevent it and keep it from himself This is signified in this expression of Hiding which implies an Indeavour to Escape the danger which is fore-seen It is that which we often meet withall in Scripture the Saints hiding of themselves against Time of Trouble especially in the Book of Psalms It is that which David makes mention of again and again of Gods Hiding of him and of his hiding himself with God we can hardly turn a leaf but we find it he makes mention of it upon all occasions Now this is that which is here also signified to be the property of every other Beleiver even to hide himself in such times as these are If we would know how this is done I answer in the Exercise of all such Graces as are pertinent hereunto As First of all Meekness and Humility that 's an Hiding-Grace A Grace which keeps men safe from a storm Proud and lofty Person they are liketrees exposed to wind and weather but the humble and lowly they are preserved as it is in Job 22.29 When men are cast down then they shall say There is lifting up And he shall save the humble person So Zeph. 2.3 Seek ye the Lord all ye meek of the Earth which have wrought his Judgement seek righteousness seek meekness it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger The meek they are most likely to be hid of any other besides Secondly Repentance that 's another Hiding Grace The more we hide our sins the less we hide our selves but when by Confession and Humiliation before God we lay them open to him he covers them and our selves with them There 's no better way for any one to be kept in safety from any eminent evil than by repenting and turning to God with all his heart such as these they do receive special safeguard and protection from Him and shall be kept from Evil. Thirdly Faith that 's another Faith it shrowds it self under Gods wings and keeps it there A true Beliver betakes himself to Gods Attributes and finds a great deal of satisfaction from them his power and truth And God himself takes such an one into his protection How great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee Thou shalt hide them in the secret af thy presence from the pride of man Thou shalt keep them in the secret of thy presence c. Psal 31.19 20. Fourthly Charity and Bounty to the poor That 's a Grace also which Hides He that hides his money he does not hide himself but he that distributes it and gives it abroad The Lord takes special care of such as those in time of trouble to secure them and protect them from evil And that also as the fruits of those mens prayers whom they are kind unto According to that in
Psal 41.1 2. Blessed is he that considereth the Poor the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive c. Lastly A Godly man hides himself in the whole work of self-reformation and holiness of life In carefulness to please God in all things and to do those things which he requires of him sin it makes a man naked it exposes him and lays him open to evil and all manner of danger but a good and Pious Conversation is a sure defence Innocency is the the best shelter that can be and that which will keep a man safe when nothing else will And thus we see how in all these respects a good Christian hides himself which is his Activity or Practise Now to join these two Points both together in the Improvement and Application We see here two Properties of a wise and Godly man The one as to matter of Fore-sight He fore-sees the Evil. And to other as to matter of Indeavour He hides himself What now remains but that we for our particulars should be careful to put those both into practise and to be carefull of them in regard of our selves First To Fore-see the evil to look after that We see how in every thing else it is counted a peice of wisdom in men and that which they indeavour after In matter of trade to fore-see the Dearness of the Market In matter of Wars to fore-see the devices of the Enemy In matter of Health to fore-see the coming on of a Disease And why should we not also in Providence fore-see also the arising of a Judgment Surely as we do ever disire to approve our selves for wise men it concerns us to be skilfull in this We see how the want or neglect of it is still reproved and upbraided in Scripture Thus the Prophet Jeremy Jer. 8.7 The stork in the Heaven knows her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow know the time of their coming but my people know not the Judgement of the Lord. And so our Blessed Saviour we find him upon this censure likewise of the Jews Matth. 16.2 3. When it is Evening ye say it will be Fare weather for the sky is Red and in the Morning it will be fowl weather to day for the Sky is Red and lowring O ye Hypocrites ye can discern the face of the Sky but can ye not discern the sign of the times He reproves them for that they had skill in natural Predictions but yet had not skill in spiritual There are some kind of foresights sometimes in the world and fore-tellings of evil but what are they Even the bold and presumptuous undertakings of insolent persons your Astrologers and Star-gazers and the like whom God suffers in his judgement to seduce and deceive a people that love to be deceived But as for this Christian fore-sight here spoken of It is thas which few are acquainted withall or which care to be acquainted It is our Wisdom to regard it our selves that so evils may not surprize us or that day come upon us unawares For which purpose we should first pray to God to instruct us and direct us and to open our eyes we should beg of him the spirit of Revelation as whereby to see the Mystery of Religion so likewise to see the Mystery of Providence and understand Gods dealings in the world That which I see not teach them me as it is Job 34.3 Secondly We should also our selves mark things and take notice of what is done in the world we should as I said lay things together and compare one thing with another and see how one thing follows upon another This should be done by us in order to our fore-sight and pre-apprehension of any evil which is to come As we desire to shew our selves discreet and prudent Christians so we should be carefull of this Fore-seeing of Evil. And then again also farther to hide our selves let us look to that also As our knowledge should tend to practise to us in every thing else so amongst the rest in this As we do any thing pre-discern and apprehend it we should we should hide our selves from it which is done especially in the fore-named Graces There are many false coverts in the world which will not do it The bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it as it is Esai 28.20 Such is Wealth or strength or Wit or Friends or any of such things as these are It is not these which will be able to cover us in the day of the Lords anger No it is nothing but the love and favour of God himself that will do it when nothing else will He shall cover thee with his Feather and under his wings shalt thou trust Psal 9.19 And that we may do this the more effectually it will concern us to acquaint our selves with God without this there is no expectation of shelter from him For he hides none but his Friends and his houshold-servants And therefore Eliphaz does very properly give Job such Counsel as this Acquaint thy self with him c. Then shall the Almighty be thy defence He is a buckler to all that trust him and he is good to them that know him and whom himself does know Therefore labour to get an interestand propriety in him yea and that before trouble comes the evil it self which is fore-seen Let the Ark be built before the flood and deluge over-flows there 's no hiding then if we take not care to hide our selves before-hand Therefore let us have a regard to that Close with God before the Plague comes that so when it does come we may find favour and mercy with him and refuge and safety in him which will be our greatest security And those which are in some measure acquainted they should labour to be more and to perfect their acquaintance with him Yea not only to have acquaintance but Communion and dayly Converse We should take heed of being in such a state and condition of Soul as from whence God may refuse to shelter us and protect us when Evil draws near But then again He hides himself We are to take this not only as an Expression of Enedavour but of Success He foresees the evil and hides himself that is he so behaves himself as from whence God does undertake to hide him The Lord hides such prudent persons as these are in the days of evil and danger as Jeremy and Baruck Jer. 36.26 it is said the Lord hid them This he does to the rest of his prudent and provident Servants In his Presence in his Pavilion under his Wings in the hollow of his hand he has many Receptacles and Hiding Places for them His Providence is large and broad enough to hide them from any Evil which may happen unto them sometimes in other Countries sometimes in their own sometimes in the Grave as Job 14.13
And that Punishment which is light of it self Impenitency aggravates it And that Punishment which is passive of it self Impentence stays it Impenitency is the Cause and Ground and Occasion of the greatest and heaviest Judgments that are And the reason of it is this Because it does seem in a manner to own and justifie sin and stand in the Commission of it Where People sin of Infirmity but yet repent they do thereby in a sort and interpretatively undo what has been done by them And though the Acts of it cannot be recalled by them yet the Guilt of it is in some manner quallified by a contrary frame and temper of spirit and consequent departing from it But Impenitency does as it were repeat and renew the former miscarriage even there where for a time there may be an Actual Abstinency from it He that does not repent of Sin he commits it even then when he refrains it as to the Actual Condition of it Again further Thus is this also in Impenitency that it does in a manner trespass upon all the Attributes of God which it either questions or else vilifies and makes nothing at all of them The Omniscience of God as to the deserts of Sin Psal 94.7 Tush the Lord doth not see neither doth the God of Jacob regard it The Truth of God as to the Threats of Sin 2 Pet. 3.4 Where is the promise of his coming for since the father fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation The Justice of God as to the punishing of Sin Considering God to be all Mercy and Pitty and Indulgence c. The Power of God as to the executing of Judgment As thinking that his hands cannot reach them nor that he is able especially in some cases to be avenged upon it or to do what he threatens against it Yea the Mercy and Goodness of God which it abuses to a further Continuance and Persistency in Evil. Thus trespassing upon all God's Attributes it must needs especially draw down God's Judgments The Third and Last thing observeable in this Passage for the ground and occasion of Judgment whereupon it proceeds is their Continued Obstinacy This was that which was the unhappiness of this People here in the Text as it is also sometimes of divers others besides not only that they did not repent but moreover that they would not there was not only their Negative Remorselesness but also their Positive Perverseness Far as they did not turn to him that smote them so neither did they seek the Lord of hosts They were now so settled upon their Lees and confirmed in their wicked and sinful Courses as that they were wholly and absolutely incorrigible And this must needs now introduce and hasten and hale and pull the Judgments of God down upon our heads Therefore and therefore with a witness will God now proceed to the punishing of them The Consideration of these things should makes us so much the more wary of our selves in this Particular As we desire to avoid Punishment so to be careful to abstain from sin and to take heed of that And especially to take heed of Impenitency and persistence and abiding in sin If by chance we should fall into it not to stay and rest in it Shall we continue in sin saith the Apostle God forbid And so long as we do not repent of it God makes account that we do continue in it which we should be heedful and wary of And more especially above all of Obstinacy and Perverseness of Spirit It is bad enough to sin at first and after that to forbear to repent but to sin and to refuse to repent that is a great deal worse by far and so most of all to be declined by us And so near I have done with the First General Part of the Text which is the Ground or Occasion of God's Judgments threatned against this People included in the Particle Therefore as relating to what went before Therefore because of their impiety and Therefore because of the impenitency and Therefore because of their obstinacy The Second is The Judgment it self in these words The Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail branch and rush in one day Wherein again we have three Branches more First The Denuntiation of the Judgment Secondly The Extent of it And Thirdly The Time The Denuntiation of it The Lord will cut off from Israel The Extent of it Head and tail The Time or Season of it In one day First To speak of the former viz. The Denuntiation of the Judgment The Lord will cut off from Israel Wherein again take notice of three things further First The Author of it and that is the Lord. Secondly The Matter of it and that is Cutting off Thirdly The Subject of it or the Persons and People which are more particularly involved in it and that is Israel For the First The Author of this Judgment which is here mentioned it is expressed to be the Lord. The Expression of it is to be referred to such as themselves who took Samaria and led Israel Captive to Assyria 2 King 17.23 But the Infliction of it is to be referred to the Lord as sole in it Whoever may be the Instrument it is God alone who is the Author of Judgment The Lord will cut off take notice of that This is that which the Scripture does every where declare unto us as Isa 42.24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the Robbers did not I the Lord He against whom ye have sinned And so Isa 45.7 Saith the Lord of himself I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things And so Isa 10.5 6. O Assyrian the rod of mine anger and the staff in their hand is my indignation I will send him against an hypocritical Nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire in the streets There is no evil in the City that is of punishment and the Lord hath not done it This holds good especially upon a twofold Consideration First Of the Sovereignty and Power of God It is he only that is able to punish It is he alone that hath all Men and Creatures under his Command Men are sometimes out of the reach one of another And though they have now and then a mind to punish yet they have not always an Ability or Opportunity But as for the Lord he is able and powerful As he is mighty to save where he will deliver so he is mighty to punish where he will destroy And then Secondly Upon the Account of the Holiness and Purity which is in God There are none which are so fit to punish others as those who are innocent Persons Guilty and Obnoxious Persons although sometimes they are prevailed to punish in regard of others miscarriages And although
one and the same purpose Whereby we have signified to us the Vniversality and Impartiallity of this Destruction which is here threatned It shall be of so general an Extent as to reach to all sorts of Persons High and Low Rich and Poor Great and Small to one as well as to another But yet for Order's sake we will speak distinctly of each and begin first with the former which is the Metaphor taken from a Body in the Head and the Tail Under this Resemblance first of all we have declared unto us the Generality of the Persons which are here threatned with final Abscision or cutting off It shall extend even to such as these Head and Tail in the sense and use of Scripture are sometimes the Expressions of Superiority or Inferiority of Conditions the one being an Emblem of Preferment the other of Disparagement Thus we find them to be taken in Deut. 28.13 where Moses speaking to such an one as is careful to keep God's Commandments he thus expresses it The Lord shall make thee the head and not the tail and thou shalt be above only and shalt not be beneath Where the later Expression does seem to interpret the former Thou shalt be the Head that is thou shalt be above and in degrees of Honour and Dignity And not the Tail that is not beneath and in places of Servitude and Subjection And so again in Vers 44. of the same Chapter speaking to one who refuses to keep God's Statutes he says this to him The stranger that is within thee shall get above thee very high and thou shalt come down very low he shall be the head and thou shalt be the tail So that by the Head and the Tail is meant the High and the Low such Persons as are in a state of Advancement and such Persons as are in a state of Abasement both one and the other We may reduce it by way of Explication to a threefold Rank still First Of Age and so Head and Tail that is Old and Young Secondly Of Estate and so Head and Tail that is Rich and Poor Thirdly Of Place or Authority and so Head and Tail that is Governors and Governed Magistrates Ministers People and those who are subordinate and in subjection to them When God says here that he will cut off from Israel Head and Tail he threatens in case of their Impenitency and Persistence in Sin the Extirpation of all these Ranks and Conditions of Men. First In point of Age Old and Young He will cut off these The Ancient he is said to be the Head in the Verse immediately following And so by proportionable Opposition the Young are the Tail But both in case of Obstinacy and Perverseness of Carriage exposed to God's destroying hand Age in its Nature is such as calls for great respect and therefore in the same Place joyned with Honourable the Ancient and the Honourable The hoary head is a Crown of Glory if it be found in the way of righteousness Prov. 16.31 Therefore the Lord had so much respect for such Persons as he gave a Commandment in particular about them Levit. 19.32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man But yet Age where it shall degenerate into Wickedness it becoms obnoxious to Judgment When these who are old in years shall withal become old in Sin and confirmed in the custom of Evil Doing their hoary head shall not save them nor their gray hairs be a security to them The Lord shall cut off from Israel the head that is him that is mighty And So the Tail even him that is young also God threatens to cut off this likewise Those which are young there is somewhat in them inviting to tenderness and compassion from the tenderness of their condition as also from the hopefulness of Succession Such as these may continue in the World when others have left it and are in their Graves Yea but if these grow naught and wicked and loose and licentious and incorrigible there is no hopes for them neither that they should escape God's Destroying Hand but shall so much the sooner be cut off by it as the greater punishment to that Nation whereunto they belong Because when the young ones are destroyed there 's no likelihood for a succeeding Generation And this is that which is threatned expresly even here in this Chapter the 17th verse of it the next but one following the Text Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men neither shall he have mercy on their fatherless and widdows for every one is an hypocrite c. And that 's the first Branch of Explication as it refers to Age Head and Tail that is Old and Young The Second is as it refers to Estate Head and Tail that is Rich and Poor This is another explication which may be well fastned upon this expression For Rich and Poor are as much distant one from the other as those two Those who are rich may very well be called the Head from that priviledge which they have in the World And those who are poor may as well be called the Tail from that dependance which they have upon them and inferiency to them together with that scorn and contempt and reproach which is now and then put upon them when the Lord threatens even such as these also in case of Impenitency in either Head or Tail First The Rich he will deal with them and their wealth shall not secure them from the Judgment of God Those who abound in wealth and withall abound in sin they shall consequently abound in punishment and there shall be no escape for them When God comes to punish any People for the sinfulness and wickedness which is amongst them this shall be no defence unto you Riches avail not in the day of wrath Prov. 11.4 And in Ezek. 7.19 They shall cast their silver in the streets and their gold shall be removed their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord they shall not satisfie their souls nor fill their bowels because it is the stumbling-block of their iniquity Therefore the Apostle James does upon this account denounce a most heavy woe to such persons in Jam. 5.1 c. Go to now ye rich men weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon you your riches are corrupted and your garments moth-eaten your gold and silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as it were with fire Ye have heaped up treasure for the last days This for the impenitent Rich. And so for the impenitent Poor Ther 's Judgment and cutting off for them likewise if they so continue Look as there are the Temptations of Poverty as well as of Riches and therefore of those which are Poor as well as of those who are Rich so there are the Punishments which do belong to
and diseases and plagues and corporal death Those that receive the Sacrament unworthily they are said to eat and drink judgment to themselves that is in part temporal judgment We shall find if we look into Scripture many sad proofs and instances of this unto us wherein as people have been any thing more formal and hypocritical in Gods Service he has exercised them and follow'd them with many grievous temporal calamities which for this cause he has inflicted upon them Thirdly and last of all Eternal the vengeance of eternal fire and everlasting destruction Damnation as some render that place 1 Cor. 11. It is that which hereupon they deserve and which without repentance they likewise shall suffer The Lord will not hold them guiltless that thus take his name in vain but will give them their portion with the hypocrites in the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone Thus we see how much danger there is in it as well as sinfulness and therefore danger because sinfulness The greater sin has always the greater danger attending it What 's the use of all this to our selves but even the Question of the Text it self Will ye now be any of you guilty in this particular shall any man now dare to presume in this kind as we have now exprest Oh far be it from us let them not so much trespass upon God and abuse his patience nor yet so much venture themselves by provoking of his indignation and the fierceness of his wrath against them And so now I have done with the first Branch of these peoples wickedness which God does argue and expostulate with them for viz. their abominable hypocrisie in the conjunction of these two both together Will ye steal and murther c. and yet will ye come c The second is their stupidity or carnality in these words And say We are delivered to commit all these abominations There are divers Translations which I find to be made of these words The Septuagint reads the words thus and so does the Arabick and say We have withdrawn or abstained from all these abominations and so it signifies their impudence in denying their manifest wickedness and notorious profaneness which is that which a great many people are also guilty of Though they be never so manifestly wicked yet they will not acknowledge it or be brought to the confession of it The Syriack renders them thus Deliver us because we have abstain'd from all these abominations which makes it more impudent still not onely to deny their notorious and manifest guilt but likewise to plead their innocency as meritorious of their preservation But there are three Translations which I shall especially fasten upon The first is that of the Chaldee Paraphrase We are delivered though c. which agrees both with Geneva and our Old English Translation The second that of St. Hierom and the Vulgar Latin We are delivered because c The third and last is that of our own last and newest English Translation which we have now before us which reads it that we may or 't is lawful to commit c. First Here was their security and insensibleness of their present condition in regard of sin We are delivered though c. whereby they would make their iniquities to be no hinderance at all to their preservation they might be delivered for all them and for all that the Prophets did menace and threaten against them for them their abominations should do them no hurt This was the first step and degree of carnality in them and it is that which accordingly the Lord does by his Prophet here call them to account for It is that which is oftentimes observable abroad in the world that men imagine as if their wickedness would bring no very great trouble or inconvenience unto them but that they shall scape well enough with it let them be as vile and bad as they can be steal and murther and commit adultery and swear falsly and what not yet that they shall evade for all this No evil shall overtake them or happen unto them They have made a covenant with death and with hell they are at an agreement as the Prophet Esay speaks They say When the over-flowing scourge shall pass through yet that it shall not come unto them as having made lies their refuge and under falshood hid themselves Isa 28.15 There is a various ground of this security and presumption in the hearts of many people First a false conceit in them of the mercy and indulgence of God they think that God is not so severe a punisher of sin as indeed he is or as he is said and proclaimed to be and as long as they do so they are well enough in their own apprehensions Tush the Lord does not see it nor the God of Jacob regards it as it is in Psal 9.7 Secondly A freedom and preservation from Judgment and Punishment at the present They are delivered and therefore they shall be Judgment is not executed speedily and therefore it shall not be at all This is commonly mens humour and disposition to go by sense and to make that to be a rule unto them either for fear or hope where they feel some evil at present there they think they shall feel it still and when they do not as yet feel it they never think they shall feel it at all And so it is here Because judgment is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the sons of men c. as I have lately shewed Thirdly Carnal refuges and reliances they think they shall be delivered because they think it is impossible they should be punished they think they are Judgment-proof and that all that can be done unto them shall be no way able to offend them or be disquieting of them This is the true account of such security Now the Lord by this Expostulation does seem to check them for it and to shew them the vanity of such thoughts as these are Do ye say so that is Ye are mistaken in saying so it is an error and misconceit in you and which in conclusion you 'll find to be so And that 's the first thing here impli'd viz. their Security according to that reading of the words We are delivered though we have committed all these c. The second is their Stupidity according to the reading of it thus We are delivered because c. Here is a further step and degree of the wickedness of these rebellious people and which is observable in many more not onely to think they shall receive no hurt by their sins but also that they shall have good for them that the more they abound in abominations the more they shall abound in deliverances and that God multiplies their mercies so much the rather as they multiply their transgressions Thus we find it in another place of this present Prophesie as in Jer. 44.16 When we burnt incense to the Queen of Heaven and poured out our drink-offerings
dispensations towards the Sons of Men and especially to his own people We have here intimated to us in this passage that care which God takes of his Church which he sometimes calls his Vineyard to provide all things necessary for it especially as are essential to it and within the compass of it self Means of Illumination and Instruction and means of Fructification and Increase and oftentimes does wonderfully work in his providence for it keeping it and defending it from enemies and preserving it from outward dangers and destruction that so this expression in the Text may be in a manner all one with that in another place Isa 5.4 What could I have done more unto my Vineyard that I have not done unto it And it agrees also with that in another in Isa 27.22 In that day sing ye unto her A Vineyard of Red Wine I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment Lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day And so of Sion which is all one I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfie her pâ—or with bread I will also cloath her Priests with salvation and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy in Psal 132.15 16. As for Israel which his here mentioned in the Text that particular People and Nation the Scripture does sufficiently inform us of the overflowings of God's kindness towards them in all kind of blessings This is a Point so far to be emproved as the truth of it is to be observed and taken notice of by all those who have a share in it in a way of due thankfulness and acknowledgment The more that God does for any people the more does he expect from them in a way of retribution to him Their thankfulness is to be answerable to his mercies and their obedience is to be answerable to their thankfulness and an expression of it It is that which God expects from them and accordingly they are not to be failing or defective in it when-ever they prove to be so they walk unsuitably to his dealings with them That 's the second Emphasis also of this expression as it hath with it the force of a remembrance or sensible intimation The Third is as it hath the force of a secret Gird or Exprobration Have I been a wilderness unto Israel that is Has not Israel been rather a wilderness to me And so it serves to represent to us the unfruitfulness oftentimes of God's people notwithstanding his manifold waterings and irrigations of them and expectations from them as not making answerable returns to his goodness towards them This is that which the Lord often complains of as we shall â—ind if we look into Scripture Thus in ver 21 of this present Chapter I had planted thee a noble Vine wholly a right seed how art thou turn'd into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto me And so Isa 5.4 Wherefore when I looked that my Vineyard should bring forth grapes brought it forth wild grapes I looked for judgment but behold oppression for righteousness but behold a cry This is that which oftentimes falls out thus to be From whence we may observe thus much that God's people are still behind-hand in their observances of him It is not he that is obnoxious to them but they rather to him It is is not he that is chargable with unfruitfulness or unprofitableness but rather they Therefore let them accordingly reflect and enter into themselves and consider how it is with them and be confounded and troubled for it It is the reason why God is pleased to use such expressions as these to them that so thereby he might the better affect them and work upon them and convince them of their uneven carriage and behaviour towards him That whiles he loaded them with mercies they loaded him with provocations made him to serve with their sins and wearied him with their iniquities Isa 43.24 There are three things especially which do much aggravate the unfruitfulness of God's people First the mercies which they enjoy Secondly the means which they partake of Thirdly the expectations which are upon them and that even from God himself First the mercies which they enjoy This is that which God does very much stand upon and frequently urges all-along in Scripture that he has done thus and thus for them and yet they have made no more answerable returns unto him but rather the contrary This is a very great evil and so to be accounted for if mercy and kindness will not work upon us what will Despisest thou the riches of God's goodness c. says the Apostle Rom. 2.4 Secondly the means they partake of there is very much also in that seeing God has not been a wilderness to them they should not certainly be so to him But forasmuch as he affords them means of better improvement they should be careful to improve under those means We know what was said of Capernaum and Chorazin and Bethsaida that if the mighty works which had been done in them had been done in Sodom and Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long before in sackcloth and ashes therefore it should be easier for those places at the day of judgment than it should be for those Cities Matth. 11.22 Thirdly the expectations which are upon them and that even from God himself This is spoken after the manner of men and as the Lord after an humane manner expresses himself to them Not that God can properly be frustrated of his expectations or have any thing to fall out otherwise than as he thought it would do â—ut the meaning of it is this that there was occasion given to him to expect it from the connexion of things one with another and their subordination one to another and their contrary carriage was therefore an aggravation of their sin All this laid together serves to make us to look to our selves in this particular It is a sad thing for any to be under the upbraidings of the Almighty that he should have any thing against them which he might justly charge them with in a way of unworthy carriage or behaviour towards him as having not only reproach but danger in it They may charge him to be a Wilderness and a Land of Darkness to them and wrong him in so doing by doing it unjustly and without a cause but where-ever he charges them to be a Wilderness and a Land of Darkness to himself as he seems here to do in the Text after a tacit and implicit manner there is some cause and ground for it and where it is so it is there inexcusable And that 's also the third Emphasis of this expression as it hath the force of a Revelation or secret Exprobation Have I been a wilderness as my people have indeed been to me The Fourth and last is as it hath the force of an appeal and provocation as it were to themselves and their own consciences Have I been c. that is let Israel
in this Scripture And there are divers grounds of this also as well as of the other First a piece of spiritual laziness and sluggishness which is in them There is a mollities and softness upon some spirits which makes them impatient of resistance and fighting against sin who rather than they will endure the conslicts and combats of it do rather yield the cause they find temptations so strong and violent and frequent upon them and their corruptions so fiercely to beset them that they think they had as good now give up and so they do Ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin says the Apostle in Heb. 12.4 Nay they give themselves over to lasciviousness to commit all uncleanness with greediness Ephes 4.19 Secondly Men come to despair of conquering their lusts and corruptions from Infidelity which prevails in them because they believe not those blessed and gracious promises which God has made to this purpose This is that which sometimes even the servants of God themselves are too much guilty of who are ready to conclude in this case that they shall one day perish by the hand of Saul not considering what God has promised for their encouragement that he will subdue their iniquities for them and that he will put his Spirit within them and that he will cause them to walk in his statutes c. This Infidelity it breeds Despair and the want of Faith it is the cause of the want of Hope with it therefore there is so little of the one because there is so little or none of the other there is a questioning of God in his Promises Thirdly Carnal confidence and reliance upon mens own strength By his own strength shall no man prevail 1 Sam. 2.9 those that think to do so may be disappointed and so they will be Now this is that which most men do and are thereby at last driven to despair Men go about the conquering of their lusts by their own strength and neglect Christ and so it is no wonder if they be at last out of hope Alas what hope is there in our selves I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me that was the conclusion of the Apostle and so it must be of every one of us we must use our own endeavours and do all we can for the resisting of sin in us but in them all depend still upon Christ and fetch strength from him which not doing we shall quickly be out of heart It is not the strength of Natural Reason it is not the peremptoriness of Vows and Resolutions it is not fear or poenal restraints which will be able to mortifie sin though there be also use of these but the grace and power of Christ My grace is sufficient for thee as the Lord said to Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 Fourthly Another thing which makes men to despair of being better and of getting victory over their temptations is because indeed they have false hearts and have no good mind to the thing it self Those who are resolved are courageous and where they have a mind any thing should be done they do not question the doing of it But it is otherwise here with men in this particular there is no hope they should be better because indeed they are well contented with their present naughtiness that they are so bad as they are as it was here with these people before us in this present Text. The use which we our selves are to make of this Observation is as much as may be to free our selves from this miscarriage and to prevent this distemper i us Let us take heed of giving so much advantage either to Satan or to our own evil hearts as to lie under the power of our corruptions and to yield our selves up unto them Oh by all means take heed of that take heed of base despair and infidelity and hardness of heart to say ye shall never be able to overcome such and such sins It is that sluggishness and softness and falsness which makes you to say so because ye are indeed willing to be overcome by them As there is no evil whatsoever which is above the Bloud of Christ as to matter of pardon and remission of it so there is no defilement whatsoever which is above the Spirit of Christ as to matter of power and Dominion over it There is enough in the grace of Christ to mollifie the stoutest heart and to purge away the greatest corruption and therefore make use of that upon all occasions First labour to be in Christ and to be at first incorporated into him by a Faith of Vnion And then be daily fetching strength from Christ for the subduing of corruptions in thee by a Faith of Communion But to despair and to cast off all hope it is to betray thy Soul into the hands of Satan himself and to shut thy self out of Heaven it self in the conclusion of all What was that which lost the Israelites their earthly Canaan a great many of them Why it was their Despair and Infidelity they were afraid of the Sons of Anak those mighty Gtants which were in the Land and whom they thought they should never be able to conquer Numb 13.33 and they doubted of the power of God for them It is said They could not enter in because of unbelief Heb. 3. And so it is that which will hazard the loss of the Heavenly Canaan too if we look not to it for which cause we should beware of it And that 's the first reference of this expression here in the Text namely to the People themselves There is no hope in regard of us that we for our parts should ever be better or get the victory over our present corruptions The second is in reference to the Prophet Jeremy There is no hope namely of Thee that thou shouldst ever be able to do any good upon us by all thy arguings and reasonings with us or preaching or discoursing to us thou dost but spend thy labour to no purpose for we are resolved and determined in this business what to do This is agreeable to some other Translations of the Text. The Septuagint reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We 'll play the men the Arabick and Syriack Let us take heart and courage to our selves namely as these who will not be beaten off from our own devices This is another description of the temper of evil and sinful persons to labour to discourage even the endeavours of the Ministery amongst them if it will be discouraged by them that those who should heal and recover them may have no hope of them Of this we shall find an express instance in another place of this Prophecy in Jer. 44.16 Then all the men c. answered Jeremiah faying As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee There they tell him as much to his face The People that Ezekiel had to do withall they
loose his hand and cut me off And so the Prophet Jonah because his message was crost which he had delivered concerning Nineveh therefore he desires to live no longer in the world Therefore now O Lord says he I beseech thee take away my life from me for it is better for me than to live in Jonah 4.3 In others of worse principles it is commonly more frequent and ordinary but it is such as is very grievous and dangerous in them Those that with for death lightly and rashly and discontentedly they know not what they wish for as having not leisure to recollect themselves To wish for it as an opportunity of nearer and fuller and closer communion with Christ and enjoyment of him as a cessation and period to sin as an exemption from temptation this is very good and praise worthy and such as the Scripture leads us unto But to wish for it out of murmuring and impatience and discontent it is no way allowable especially according to the circumstances which such persons may possibly be in which is of strangeness and unacquaintedness with God and unpreparedness for another world Oh! it is a mad thing indeed to desire death in such a case as this is let their condition here in the world be otherwise never so lamentable because that then they do change but out of one bad condition into another yea out of a less evil into a greater as it follows after in the next verse to the Text. As if a man did flee from a Lion and a Bear met him or went into the house and leaned his hand upon the wall and a Serpent bit him such is the fruit of such desires as these And that 's one expression of this rash and unadvised desiring of the day of the Lord in those who do so desire it as proceeding from a principle of discontentedness in their own condition Secondly from a principle of presumption of their own innocence This is that which hypocrites sometimes do They seem to desire the day of the Lord as if they were ready in a manner to try it out with the Lord and to justify themselves at his Tribunal There are some persons that are so full of carnal confidence and conceited of their own righteousness as that they dare even to plead and contend with God himself and think to do well enough with him Such an one as this was that young man in the Gospel that said he had kept all God's Commandments from his youth upward and such an one also was the Pharisee that thanked God he was not like other men And such also were the people of the Jews that stood upon their own righteousness Now such as these might well have a woe to be denounc'd against them Woe unto him that strives with his maker as the Prophet Isaiah sometimes expresses it It was that which Job in all his innocency durst not do as himself professes Job 9.15 Whom though I were righteous yet would I not answer but would make supplication to my Judge This is that which these considerate persons will not vouchsafe to do but rather think to carry it out by the strength of their own deserts as having nothing which might be charged upon them Thirdly From a principle of ignorance of the nature of the thing it self They know not what death is in the properties and consequences of it nor they know not what judgment is in the strictness and severity of it And therefore it is that at a distance they think favourably both of the one and the other and seem as if they were desirous of them Which is a very sad case to be so Thus do they desire the day of the Lord without understanding either the day of death or general or particular judgment Again further Take this day of the Lord in the other sense for the day of captivity and National desolation as it may be also taken And so there is a woe likewise belonging to those which do desire it or at least which so carry themselves as if they were little affected with it Thus it was with some of the Jews at this present time they were so far from being humbled under the predictions and prognostications of this condition which was threaten'd to them as that they were in a manner at a point about it and did in some sort wish for it so it happens to be sometimes with divers others of the like temper and disposition with them They do sometimes according to the discontents which may be upon them wish for war and wish for calamity and wish for confusion it self as conceiving that such extremities may be some kind of help and relief unto them But alas they do not know what they wish for in so wishing Such desires as these are rash and unadvised in them and have a woe attending upon them as it is here exprest It is not safe to give way but to the first beginning and entring of Judgment because we know not where they will stop or stay when we once dye I have not desired the woful day thou knowest it as Jeremy speaks in another case So it concerns all persons in this case to be able to say in this particular Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord that is that desire it rashly or foolishly because ye do not consider it or attend to the circumstances of it That 's the first explication Secondly Wo unto you that desire the day of the Lord that is that desire it scoffingly and scornfully because ye do not believe it This is another sense which may be founded upon this expression Desiring it in their mouthes but not in their hearts and so desiring that it might come as yet thinking it would not come and therefore mocking at the coming of it Such persons as these there are also sometimes in the world the Prophet Esay makes mention of them to us Isa 5.19 They say Let him make speed and hasten his work that we may see it and let the counsel of the holy One of Israel draw nigh and come that we may know it Therefore as they laugh at the Day of the Lord so accordingly they laugh at the Word of the Lord and his Message concerning that day as the Prophet Jeremy has it in Jer. 17.15 Behold they say unto me Where is the word of the Lord let it come now That is Where is that which the Word of the Lord has so much threatned and spoken of as that which shall come to pass Not onely scoffing at Judgment it self but likewise at all the fore-runnings and monitions of it This is an high piece of wickedness and impiety indeed yet such as the sons of men are now and then subject unto Where they have not so much grace as to avoid Judgment they have at least so much vileness as to despise it and to make a mock and derision of it and of those that proclaim it They desire it
measure and degree of goodness which might be desired can hardly be perswaded to acknowledg any good in them at all but set them at an absolute distance and remoteness from the Kingdom of God and as having nothing to do with it This we must take heed we do not do as carrying too much rigour and severity in it Indeed we must be careful we do not sow pillows under mens elbows and nourish them in a course of security perswade them that it is well with them and in good case when 't is no such matter but on the other side we must not blemish their Graces nor deny the work of God in their hearts Woe unto them which call either evil good or good evil which put darkness for light or light for darkness which put bitter for sweet or sweet for bitter as the Prophet speaks there in that place in Isa 5.20 That 's the first Notion in this expression as it is a word of commendation and so has with it the force of encouragement Secondly It is also a word of diminution Thou art not far from that is thou art not quite at home thou hast somewhat further yet to go and so now it is a word of excitement Christ by shewing him his distance does perswade him to go a little further He takes him as it were by the hand and directs him to a further pitch in Christianity which he would have him to attain unto Thus should we do likewise so acknowledg beginnings of goodness as to carry on to further progress that so as on the one side we may not dishearten them or discourage goodness in them so on the other side we may not flatter them or sooth them up in a more remiss condition and so make them contented with less Grace instead of labouring to attain to greater This we learn here from our Saviour's practice whose drift was to carry on this Scribe to further perfection And this speech of our Saviours it was effectual to him hereunto in sundry respects First as it shewed him his defects and imperfections for which he had need to go forward and proceed a little further whiles he says he is not far from it he does imply he has not fully attain'd it There 's nothing which is at any time a greater hindrance and impediment to improvement than an apprehension and conceit of perfection when men shalll think they are at their journeys end they will not step any further but when they shall be perswaded and consider that they are not yet at home this will set them upon going This now is the speech of Christ to this person before us thou hast not absolutely come to the mark and therefore go on It was the text which wrought upon St. Paul as himself relates it to us Phil. 3.12 13. Not as though I had already attain'd or were already perfect but I follow after c. Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press c. Secondly It shew'd him also his hopes and possibilities that 's another encouragement and excitement and provocation to endeavour Those which think they shall never attain they will never undertake But this expression thou art not far off it takes off that there is hope of coming thither for you are almost there already Do not give over now in the very end and close of all He that has begun a good work in you will perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ as the Apostle Paul speaks in Phil. 1.6 Thirdly It shewed him also his engagements from what he had done already to proceed Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God that is thou hast hitherto made some endeavour after it do not now decline and grow worse There 's no greater engagement to perfect goodness than this consideration that we have begun it that so we may not lose the labour of all our former undertakings and attempts We should imitate this example of Christ in helping others forward in Religion as Aquila and Priscilla did Apollos And thus has this expression in it the force of a peroration and an excitement not only shewing what now was but what ought to be for time to come in pursuit of what was already We might here now further look upon these words not only consider'd in themselves and as declaring the state and condition of this Scribe to whom they are spoken but also reslexively as coming from our Saviour the Speaker of them and that as the words of judgment and discretion Whiles our Saviour passes this censure upon this person he does it out of a spirit of discerning and as one that knew what was in man as it is said of him in Joh. 2.25 Now although we cannot expect to reach to this in the perfection of it yet we may and ought to imitate it in a degree as much as may be namely to discern and distinguish of persons that so we may be able to pass true and right judgment upon them and what verdict we give of them we may give it out of a sound understanding Our Blessed Lord and Saviour he did not converse with men carelesly or heedlesly without any regard but he did mind them and took notice of them and observ'd what they were He discerned the Pharisees and Sadducees in the foregoing part of the Chapter as to their hypocrisy and dissimulation and treachery against him and here now he discerns the Scribe in his sincerity and honesty and plain-dealing and the integrity that was in his heart together with the weakness and imperfection of Grace within Thus it should be with us proportionably in our conversation in the world as Politicians study men so also should Christians especially those above others who live in places of society and converse and have many persons to deal withal Here it is very useful and necessary in sundry regards that so according to variety of circumstances and occasions which are upon us and the difference of dispositions and affections we may either learn or teach or rebuke or encourage or decline or close withal and that we may neither wrong our selves nor other men This is another thing which we gather from this practice and example of Christ And so now I have done with the first General Part of the Text which was the censure at first in these words Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God The second General is the occasion whereupon this censure was past that we have in the words before When Jesus saw that he answer'd discreetly Where again there are two things more considerable of us First the thing it self in the simple proposition and that is that he answer'd discreetly Secondly the Inference which is made hereupon in the connexion and that is that therefore he was not far c. First for the thing it self simply propounded it
compassionate to others in that condition Heb. 2.17 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people For in that himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Thirdly God suffers his servants to be tempted for the honour of his own Grace in supporting them and keeping them up and for the confusion likewise of the enemy in his attempts upon them Satan here desired to have Peter and the rest of the Disciples and he promised himself very great matters in the having of them thought he should surely conquer them and have them for his own now would Christ therefore suffer him to assault them that he might come off with the greater reproach that when he had done all he could against them he might see at last how little he could prevail upon them Thus ye see it was in the case of Job the Lord triumphs as it were over Satan in that attempt Hast thou consider'd my servant Job that there is none like him upon the earth a perfect and an upright man c. As if he had said thou hast endeavoured Satan to do all that thou could'st to undo him but yet for all that it will not do he has still the better of thee and for all that holds his integrity This reason which we now mention for this dealing is exprest in the case of Paul why the Lord did not take away his temptation but rather gave him Grace sufficient against it For my strength is made perfect in weakness And the Apostle himself also so improves it in the words that follow Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in mine infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me 2 Cor. 12.9 Thus we see that there is cause why Christ should suffer his servants to be tempted as he did Peter c. The Use which we are to make of it is therefore to arm our selves against temptation as much as we can We should not promise our selves absolute freedom and immunity from it but be prepared for it We should as our Saviour elsewhere advises pray against it that we enter not into it but yet withal be provided against it and to this purpose get a stock of Grace that may then stand us in stead Let us not then have our Armour to get when our Enemy is coming upon us but be furnish'd afore-hand and remember that we trust not to any Grace which we have already received but be still labouring and striving for more We had need of more Grace for the saving of that Grace we have already and especially the Grace of watchfulness and circumspection and of an holy fear But so much of this Passage in the Negative what our Saviour here does not pray for It is not for the preventing of Temptation which he did suffer and permit to befall the Apostle Peter The Second is the Positive part of it in the words of the Text That thy Faith may not fail Which words may be again consider'd of us two manner of ways First Simply and absolutely as they lye in themselves and so they do signify to us the safety of Peter's condition Secondly Respectively and dependantly in their connexion with the words going before and so they do signify to us the cause of Peter's safety First To take them Absolutely as they lye in themselves and so they do signify to us the safety of Peter's condition and together with him of all other Believers Their Faith it shall not fail Those who are true Believers they shall never wholly depart from the Faith but shall abide and continue stedfast to the end For the better opening of this present Point unto us we must know that there is a double Faith and so consequently a double sort of Believers There is the Doctrine of Faith and there 's the Grace of Faith There 's Faith as it lyes in the understanding and is a belief of the Truths of the Gospel And there is Faith as it is rooted in the heart and is a receiving and embracing of Christ Now it is not the former but the latter which is here chiefly intended The Papists that they may from hence prove that their Church cannot err which they will never evince from this Text they carry this Faith altogether to a Faith of Doctrine and so would infer That Peter as the Head of the Church should be infallible But besides the silliness of the inference they are much mistaken in the ground and supposition For the Faith which our Saviour here speaks of it is a Faith of Principles a saving justifying renewing and regenerating Faith whereby we are united to Christ as Members of his Mystical Body This is that which our Saviour here prayed for Peter that it should not fail in him Indeed it has a truth likewise of the other so far forth as it is included those which are born again as they are acquainted with all necessary Truths which God's Spirit does lead them into so they are likewise by the same gracious Spirit preserved in it But that which is mainly here intended is that Faith which lays hold upon Christ which though not excluding the former is more especially the Faith of God's Elect Tit. 1.9 And so Faith may here be taken by a Synecdoche for the whole work of the new creature in us This it is such as shall not fail and so is intimated to us in this Scripture and so in other places besides As Psal 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be moved but abideth for ever And Isa 6.13 He shall be like and Oak whose substance is in him whiles his leaves fall and the holy seed shall be the substance thereof c. This it may be made good unto us from sundry considerations First The nature of Grace it self which is an abiding Principle Faith is not a thing taken up as a man would take up some new fashion or custom but it is a thing rooted and incorporated in us and goes through the substance of us it spreads it self through the whole man and is as it were a new creature in us Therefore it is said of a regenerate person that he cannot commit sin namely the sin of Apostacy and that sin which is unto death because the seed of God remaineth in him 1 Joh. 3.9 Secondly The Covenant of Grace which is an everlasting Covenant Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will never turn from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Therefore Faith shall not fail because God himself does not fail who hath put this Faith into the hearts of his servants Thirdly The Spirit of Grace which is not only a Worker but an
the Nature of the Disciples condition upon supposal of Christs removal from them it was such as was sad and comfortless The second is the care of Christ for them in reference to this condition and this is exprest two manner of ways unto us First in the Negative that he would not leave them And secondly in the Affirmative that he would come unto them First for the Negative that he would not leave them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were now within a little while likely to be very sad and comfortless as Children deprived of their Parents as I shewed before in an orphan-like and fatherless condition But Christ was resolved that he would not leave them or continue them still in it but would recover them out of it I will not leave you comfortless or I will not leave you fatherless This is that which he makes promise of to them The word Comfortless it does denote two things especially First a comfortless estate And secondly a comfortlesness of mind I will not leave you comfortless that is not in a comfortless condition And I will not leave you comfortless that is not in a comfortless frame and temper of heart First Take it as to condition or state which seems chiefly here to be intended this is that which Christ promises to his Disciples that he will not leave them thus and it is appliable to all other Believers where there are two things further considerable First what it is which Christ does not promise to his Disciples And secondly what it is which he does First what he does not And here he does not promise them that he will absolutely free and exempt them from a comfortless condition so as they shall never fall into it this he does not promise them It is not I will not make you or suffer you to be comfortless no but I will not leave you so this is the sum of that which he promises them Christ is pleased oftentimes to cast his Servants into very sad and comfortless conditions and to exercise them with very great troubles and afflictions whiles they are here in the world This is here to be supposed and taken for granted And there is very great cause and reason for him to do so That he may beat them and knock them off of themselves and shew them their own frailty and weakness and that he may teach them so much the more earnestly and affectionately to look after him and to seek for comfort and relaxation from him Therefore we should not wonder at it when at any time we find it to be so nor yet absolutely expect the contrary as being more than Christ ever promised or engaged himself for to his Servants He never said That they should never be comfortless no but that he would not leave them so I will not leave you comfortless That 's for that which he does not promise But secondly for what he does I will not leave you This again it does denote and implies two things in it First that he would not continue them in that sad condition in which they were And secondly that he would not desert them or disown them or relinquish them in it First Not leave them comfortless that is that he would not continue them and keep them still in it This is that which God has often promised to his people for their comfort in affliction that it should not lie continually upon them And so here Christ was absent but he was not absent always as we shall hear more afterwards All the troubles and afflictions of the Church and People of God they have a period at last put unto them He will not always chide neither will he keep his anger for ever Psal 103.9 He will not contend for ever neither will he be always wroth as it is also in Isa 57.16 His anger is but for a moment But secondly I will not leave you comfortless that is I will not desert you or disown you in your comfortless condition but even then will take care of you And as in your condition so also in your sensibleness and apprehensions of it in your comfortless frame and temper of spirit It holds good of both together That Christ will by no means forsake his people in either There 's nothing more common and ordinary here in the world than for those that are left fatherless to be left friendless those that are destitute and deprived of outward accommodations to be neglected and forsaken by men but with Christ now it is far otherwise The poor committeth himself to thee and thou art the helper of the fatherless Psal 10.24 And Hos 14.3 In thee the fatherless find mercy God does not forsake any persons for the meanness and lowness of their conditions but does therefore so much the rather regard them and looks after them and takes care of them as his proper charge To this purpose he is called the God that comforteth those that are cast down 2 Cor. 7.6 The reason of it is this namely the Royalty and Goodness that is in God that 's the ground of this Dispensation Base and low-spirited persons where they see any in good and prosperous conditions Oh! who is then for them but they hug them and embrace them and fawn upon them and make much of them but let them be at any time in distress and here they will not know them Yea but the Lord now he owns his Servants in their most desperate and dejected circumstances I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh on me says David Psal 40.17 And again Thou hast considered my trouble and known my soul in adversity Psal 31.7 He raises the poor out of the dust and the needy out of the dunghill c. Psal 113.7 The Use of this Point is to believe it and to observe it and to take notice of it and to lay it up against a time of need It is a very sweet and comfortable Truth if it be duly improv'd That Christ will not leave thee comfortless but will have a special care of them when no body else cares for them besides Oh thou afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted says the Lord there to the Church Isa 54.11 Not comforted that is not by men I will do thus and thus for thee Therefore let us take heed of charging God foolishly as Sion there sometimes did The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me No he has not done so nor never will We should entertain good thoughts of God in this particular and be perswaded of his good-will to us It is useful both as to our own particular cases as also to the common case of the Church For this purpose let us learn to judge of Christ not always by his present carriage and behaviour towards us as according to outward appearance but judge of him by his Nature and sweet Disposition and judge of him by his promises and gracious intimations and discoveries of himself
may likewise join Gods gracious assistance of his servants as to further progress and perseverance in Grace To him that hath shall be given And the more that any abide in Christs Doctrine hitherto the more likely are they to abide in it still because God will never be wanting more or less to gracious endeavours but where he has begun a good work in any of us will there perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ in Philip. 1.6 But yet all is not limited and confined to this present life there 's a further reach in this expression still which we have not yet spoken unto when 't is said here that he that abides in Christs Doctrine he hath God both Father and Son And that is in reference to eternal glory and that life which is to come hereafter He hath him now by Adoption and Sanctification and hereafter by Salvation and Glorification Thus when the Apostle had spoken of the Grace of God appearing to all men c. he tells us it brings Salvation And when he had spoken of living godly and holy he presently adds Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour c. Neither is this any way diminished by the word in the present tense He hath God but rather confirmed which does signifie the certainty of it as if it were done already He that abides in the Doctrine of Christ he is as sure of eternal Salvation as if he were saved already Therefore the Apostle Peter has such an expression as this is A partaker of the glory which shall be revealed 1 Pet. 5.1 The glory which shall be and yet a partaker of it already And so the Apostle Paul Ephes 2.6 He hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ. This holds good first in the faithfulness of Gods promise he has promised it and therefore it is as good as if it were actually performed And secondly in the preparations to it and anticipations of it in the first-fruits of the spirit that of God which a Believer has already it does bespeak more of him to him which he is thence assured further to injoy He hath both the Father and the Son But why is not the Holy Ghost joyned with them as which he has likewise To this I answer that he is included in the two other persons as he is also in other places of Scripture of the like expression Therefore it is a very good observation of Austins which shall shut up this discourse Cum Spiritus sanctus sit nexus Patris Filii ubicunque ponitur persona Patris persona Filii simul ibi semper intelligitur persona Spiritus sancti Forasmuch as the Holy Ghost is the band uniting Father and Son therefore wheresoever there is mention made of the Person of the Father and of the Person of the Son together there is always to be understood the Person of the Holy Ghost as included And so now I have done also with the second general part of the Text which is the Proposition in the Affirmative expression as qualifying the former He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the son And so much for this Text for this time SERMON XLVI Revel 1.5 And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness and the first-begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood There is nothing more necessary for Christians in the blessings and good things that they partake of than to be fully sensible and apprehensive of the spring and fountain of them and of the conveyance of those blessings to them and this as that which is here done in this Scripture by the Aposile John in his Salutation of the seven Churches of Asia to whom he directs and inscribes this his Book of Revelation more especially He wishes them Grace and Peace and he withal informs them who it is from whom they must expect them and that is not only from God himself considered essentially From him that was and that is and that is to come but from God especially considered Dispensatively and as revealed and made known in Christ whom he adds to the other And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness c. IN this present Text before us we have a threefold description of Christ according to his several Offices which he hath undertaken for us First From his Prophetical who is the faithful witness Secondly From his Priestly who is the first-begotten of the dead And thirdly From his Regal who is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth These are the Parts of the Text. We begin with the first of these Parts viz. the Prophetical Office of Christ exprest to us in these words wherein Jesus Christ is said to be the faithful witness There are two words here put together and both of them with their distinct Emphasis as they run in the Original Text it is the witness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is the faithful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Article prefixt to each First It is the witness Christ is a witness and he is a witness with a witness he is a special and singular witness so as there is none else besides that in this particular is like unto him Isa 55.4 Behold I have given him for a witness to the people it is spoken of Christ This he is said to be according to a twofold Explication First By way of Discovery and Revelation And secondly By way of Assurance and Confirmation In each of these respects is Christ a witness First By way of Discovery and Revelation as making known to us the will of his Father Thus in Matth. 11.27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him So Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Christ being God's Eternal Wisdom and so always present with the Father By him as one brought up with him Prov. 8.30 He from hence knows the mind of the Father and so is able to discover it to us and make it known which accordingly is done by him In Heb. 2.3 it is said that the Gospel began to be spoken by the Lord himself And in Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son c. There were two ways wherein Christ did make known unto us the Gospel and the will of his Father The one was directly and mediately in his own person and the other was immediately and ministerially in the mouths and pens of his Servants who were sent and appointed by him First In his own person Isa 61.1 c. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me
the Election of Grace Now therefore come Lord Jesus and make way for thy last coming by this preparation Whiles the Church desires Christ would come she supposes other things as antecedent and preparatory hereunto before the full accomplishment of that coming and so in desiring his coming it self she does implicitly desire all those things which make way for it and which are sure to be there when he does come and such is this which we now speak of the hastening of the number of Converts and the bringing in the full number of the Elect. We are to take this Prayer in the full latitude and extent and comprehensiveness of it and so as including this in it amongst the rest which is in a special manner considerable of us as pertinent to this purpose Those that are good themselves they desire that as many others as may be may be good with them besides themselves and partake of the same happiness that they do partake of Therefore come in reference to this for the Conversion of the Jews and for the accomplishment of the fulness of the Gentiles which whensoever thou meanest to come are both of them sure to be effected aforehand And then further which is also pertinent hereunto for the speedier meeting of all the Saints together which have ever been in the world from they very first beginning of it As Christians desire to have a full enjoyment of Christ himself which is the main and chiefest of all so they desire likewise to have an enjoyment one of another Now this is that which shall follow upon Christs coming there shall be a general and universal meeting and gathering together of all the Members of Christ in all ages and generations whatsoever He shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe at that day 2 Thes 1.10 Christian friends they are now separated and scattered one from another some in this place fo the world and some in another some are yet remaining alive and others are taken away by death but then when Christ shall come to judgment they shall all meet and never part When they shall meet the Lord in the air they shall likewise meet one with another The ascending of Believers to Christ it shall not be personal only but collective in a body and community and in a way of mutual society and communication And so the Scripture it self seems to carry it as 2 Cor. 4.14 He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus and shall present us with you With you not only as to your conditions but also as to your persons not only as to the likeness and participation of the same blessed state and heavenly life but likewise as to the enjoyment and possession of the same blessed place and heavenly communion we and you shall be present together And so in 2 Thes 2.1 We beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him Mark the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our own gathering together the one inferring the other When our Lord Jesus Christ shall once come all his Members shall be then gathered together both to him and one another Heb. 12.22 Tou are come unto Mount Sion the city of the living God c. This will be a blessed and glorious time when-ever it shall happen and his coming so much the more desirable and to be longed after in this particular Especially if we shall further add the circumstances and qualifications that shall attend it which shall be with al lthe sweetness and amiableness and loveliness that can possibly be imagined The Servants of God here in the world they do not meet many times when they do meet though they come together in their persons yet they do not always come together in their affections through the reliques of corruption which is in them and the imperfection of Grace There are oftentimes many jealousies and prejudices and censures and misconstructions amongst them which makes even the Communion of Saints it self to be less pleasing and acceptable But now when Christ himself shall come all these evils shall be taken away and removed there shall be a perfect accord and agreement and correspondency of one with another and a perfect delight and contentment and complacency of one in another And therefore in this regard also does the Church here say Come that is come to reconcile us and unite us and to make us friends one with another which here in this present world and before thou doest come we are so much averse to This is a third account of this Prayer and Petition here before us in this present Text. Fourthly For the execution of justice and vengeance upon wicked and ungodly men and especially such persons as do please themselves in their present impunity which grow bold and impudent in sinning occasionally from God's temporary indulgence and sparing of them who because judgment is not executed speedily therefore have their hearts fully set in them to do evil as the Preacher speaks which think they may speak what they list their tongues are their own and think they may do what they list and no body restrain them because that vengeance does not presently fall upon them Come and come in reference to those come to assert thy Soveraignty to manifest thy Power to make good thy Truth to testifie thy just Wrath and Indignation and severity against sin Come as thou hast threatned to do with ten thousand of thy Saints to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst men of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him as it is Jude 14 15. This is another reference which we may conceive of in this Word of Invitation The Church desires that Christ would come for the destruction of Antichrist and of all her implacable Adversaries and Enemies whatsoever This shall be effected when-ever Christ does come That wicked one and Man of sin with all his adherents for so we must take it the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming as the Apostle Paul tells us 2 Thes 2.8 and his coming is desirable for it The servants of God are thus far impatient in the delay of God's just executions and therefore hasten them and call for them and seem to be weary of Gods forbearance Thus Rev. 6.9 10 11. The souls under the Altar that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony that they held and they cryed with a loud voice How long O Lord holy and true doest thou not judg and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth and white robes were given to every one of them and it was said unto them That they should rest yet for a little season until their fellow servants also and