usually is in the greatest flourish when the Saints are under the greatest tryals the snuffing of the candle makes it burn the brighter God suffers wicked men to beat bruise his links to make them burn the brighter and to pound bruise his spiâ—cs to make them send forth the greater aromatical savour fiery trials are like the Tezel which though it be sharp and scratching it is to make the cloth more pure and fine Stars shine brightest in the darkest nights and so do the graces of the Saints shine brightest in the darkest nights of affliction and tribulation God does sometimes more carry on the growth of grace by a Cross than by an ordinance yea the Lord will first or last turn all fiery Trials into Ordinances for the helping of grace in his Peoples souls Commonly the Saints spiritual growth in grace is carried on by such Divine methods and in such wayes as might seem to deaden grace and weaken it rather than any wayes to augment and encrease it We know that winter is as necessary to bring on Harvest as the Spring and so fiery Trials are as necessary to bring on the Harvest of grace as the Spring of mercy is Though fiery Trials are grievous yet they shall make the Saints more gracious God usually by smart sufferings turns his Peoples sparks of grace into a mighty flame their mites into millions their drops into Seas All the Devils in hell and all the sinners on earth cannot hinder the Lord from carrying on the growth of grace in his Peoples Souls When Men and Devils have done their worst God will by all sorts of Ordinances and by all sorts of providences and all sorts of changes make his People more and more holy and more and more humble and more and more meek and lowly and more and more heavenly wise faithful fruitful sincere couragious c. Though the Church of Smyrna was outwardly Rev. 2. 9. poor yet she was inwardly rich rich in grace and rich towards God I think he hit the mark who said it is far better to be a poor man and a rich Christian than to be a rich man and a poor Christian Though the Corinthians were under great tryals and 2 Cor. 8. 7. sufferings yet they did abound in every thing in faith utterance knowledge diligence in their love to Gospel Ministers The storm beat hard upon the Romans and yet you see what a singular testimony the Apostle gives of them I my self also am perswaded of Rom. 15. 14. you my Brethren that ye also are full of goodness filled with all knowledge able to admonish one another The Thessalonians were under great persecutions and troubles and yet were strong in the grace that was in Christ Jesus they were very growing and flourishing Christians singular 2 Thess 3. â— 10. 2 Thess 1 3. 8. Prophecies speak out the Saints growth and flourishing in grace The Lord is exalted for he dwelleth Isa 33. 5. on high he hath filled Zion with judgement and righteousness The Spirit shall be poured upon us from on Isa 32. 15. Cap. 35. 1. high and the wilderness shall be a fruitful field The desart shall rejoyce and blossom as the rose it shall blossom abundantly the glory of Libanon shall be given unto it The excellency of Carmel and Sharon they shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God And as singular prophecies so choice and precious promises speak out the Saints growth in grace take a taste of some of them But the path of the Just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the Prov. 4. 18. Job 17. 9. Psalm 84. 7. Psa 92. 12 13 14. perfect day The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger They shall go from strength to strength every one of them in Zion appeareth before God The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree be shall grow like a Cedar in Libanon Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God in old age they shall be fat and flourishing I have read of an Old-man who being asked whether he grew in grace Answered I believe I do for God hath promised that in old age his children should be fat and flourishing So Isa 46. 3. Hearken unto me O house of Jacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel which are born by me from the belly which are carried from the womb Verse 4. And even to your old age I am he and even to hoar hairs will I carry you I have made and I will bear even I will carry and will deliver you Zach. 12. 8. And he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God as the Angel of the Lord before them Hosea 14. 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his roots as Libanon Verse 6. His branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree and his smell as Libanon Verse 7. They that dwell under his shadow shall return they shall revive as the corn and grow as the vine the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Libanon Malach. 4. 2. But unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing under his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as the calves of the stall Psalm 1. 3. He shall be like a tree planted by the 〈◊〉 of waters that bringeth forth his fruit in his season his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever be doth shall prosper John 4. 14. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to Eternal life The light and glory of the Church rises by degrees 1. Looking forth as the Cant. 6. 10. morning with a little light 2. Fair as the Moon more light 3. Clear as the Sun that is come up to a higher degree of spiritual light life and glory By all which it is most evident that all the powers of Hell nor all the powers on Earth cannot hinder the Saints growth in grace nor the thriving and flourishing estate of their precious and immortal souls But you will say what are the reasons why God will be favourably signally and eminently present with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers I answer there are these ten great Reasons for it First To awaken and convince the Enemies of his People 1 Reason to render his suffering children glorious in the very eyes and consciences both of sinners and Saints Dan. 3. 24. Then Nebuchadnezzar the King was astonied and Ponder upon these Scriptures Micha 7. 8 9 10 16 17. Psalm 126. 1 2. Exod. 8. 19. Isa 60. 13
at the same time 1 Kings 8. 27. But will God indeed dwell on the Earth behold the Heaven and Heaven of Heavens God is higher than the Heaven deeper than Hell broader than the Earth and more diffuse than the Sâ—a Bern. cannot contain thee how much less this House that I have builded By the Heaven of Heavens is meant that which is by the learned called the Empyreal Heaven where the Angels and the Saints departed do enjoy the glorious and beatifical vision of God and it is called the Heaven of Heavens both because it is the highest and doth contain the other Heavens within its orb and also by way of excellency as the most holy place in the Temple Isa 66. 1. Prov. 5. 21. Heb. 4. 13. Job 26. 6. is called the Holy of Holies because it far surpasseth all the rest in splendour and glory Jer. 23. 24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I should not see him saith the Lord. Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord. Prov. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All-eye The poor Heathen couly say Deus intimior nobis intimo nostro God is nearer to us than we are to our selves Repletively he is every where though inclusively no where Job 34. 21. For his eyes are upon the wayes of man and be seeth all his goings V. 22. There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Sinners shall never be able to shroud themselves nor their actions from Gods all-seeing eye The Rabbins put Makom which signifies Place among the names of God Bithâ—er brings them in expounding that Text in Esther 4. 14. Deliverance shall arise from another Place that is from God they called him Place because he is in every place though in the Assemblies of his Saints more eminently and gloriously God is Math. 5. 45. Acts 17. â—7 â—8 Psalm 33 13 14. present with all his Creatures 1. Via productionis by raising them up 2. Via sustentationis by staying of them upâ—â— they are his Family and he foods and clothes them 3. Via inclinationiâ—â— by giving unto them power of motion man could neither live nor move unless the Lord were with him 4. Via observationis by taking notice of them he observeth and marks both their persons and their actions he sees who they are and how they are employed 5. Via ordinationis by governing and ruling of Acts 4. 25. to 29. them and all their actions to the service of his glory and the good of his poor People But this is not that presence that we are to discourse of Secondly there is a miraculous presence of Christ Mat. 7. 22. Mark 3. 15. and this some of the Prophets of old had and the Apostles and others had in Christ's time and by vertue of this miraculous presence of Christ with them they cast out Devils healed diseases and did many wonderful things But this is not the presence that falls within the compass of that main point we purpose to speak to Thirdly there is a relative presence of Christ and See Psalm 46. 4. 5. Cant. 7. 5. Joel 3. 21. Zach. 2. 10. 11. cap. 8. 3. Ps 135. 21. that is his presence in his Ordinances and with his Churches Of this presence the Scripture speaks very largly Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my Name I will come unto thee and I will bless thee Exod. 25. 8. And let them make me a Sanctuary that I may dwell amongst them Exod. 29. 45. And I will dwell among the Children of Israel and will be their God Levit. 26. 11. And I will set my Tabernacle amongst you and my soul shall not abhor you V. 12. And I will walk among you and will be your God and ye shall be my People Psalm 76. 1. In Judah is God known his Name is great in Israel V. 2. In Salem also is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion Isa 8. 18. From the Lord of Hosts which dwelleth in mount Sion Psalm 9. 11. Sing praises to the Lord which dwelleth in Sion The Churches are said to 1. Cor. 3. 16 17. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Heb. 3. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Rev. 2. 1. be the Temples in which the Lord doth dwell and the House of the living God and the golden Candlesticks amongst which he doth walk O how much do's it concern all the Churches to prize their Church-state and to keep close together and to walk sutable to that gracious presence of God that shines in the midst of them But this is not that presence that falls under our present consideration But Fourthly there is a Majestical and glorious presence of Christ and thus he is said to be in Heaven Psalm 2. 4. Job 16. 19. 2. Thes 1. 9. Psalm 16. 11. 1 Tim. 6. 14 15 16. Rev. 3. 21. He that sitteth in the Heavens will laugh the Lord shall have them in derision Heb. 1. 13. But to which of the Angels said he at any time sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool Cap. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into the boly Plâ—oes made with hands which are the figure of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Not that Heaven is circulus concludens a place wherein Christ is shut up but Palatium resplendens the Court as it were where his Majesty in acts of wisdom and power and mercy and conjunction of grace and glory doth most of all appear As the soul of man though it be in every part of man yet it doth principally appear and manifest it self in the heart and brain so here c. Manica Austin's Mother standing one day and seeing the Sun shine raised this meditation Oh if the Sun be so bright what is the light of Christ's presence in glory But this is not the presence we design now to discourse of Fifthly there is a Judicial or wrathful presence of the See Exod. 9. 14. Isa 6. 9 10. cap 64. 1 2 3 4. Psal 81. 12. 2 Thes 2. 11 12. Psalm 68. 2. Jer. 4. 26. Eze. 38. 20. Hab. 1. 12. Lord and thus he is present with wicked men sometimes blinding of them sometimes hardning of them sometimes leaving of them to their own hearts lusts sometimes giving them up to their own hearts lusts sometimes filling their faces with shame and their Consciences with terrours He is Judicially present with wicked men by a particular observation of their persons and wayes Psalm 33. 13 14. Job 34. 21 22. He sees who they are and how they are employed against his honor his interest his Saints his wayes and by a special detestation of their persons and wayes c. But this is not that presence that at this time falls under our consideration and therefore Sixthly and lastly there
with Christ to accept of Christ and to enter into a marriage-covenant a marriage-union with Christ that so they may enjoy his singular presence with them whilst they are on this sea of glass There is no presence so greatly desirable so absolutely necessary so exceeding sweet comfortable as the presence of Christ therefore before all above all secure this presence of Christ by matching with the person of Christ then you will be safe happy on a sea of glass Ninthly will the Lord be signally present with his 9 Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then let me infer that unbelief infidelity and despondency of spirit in an evil day does very ill become the People of God Is the Lord present with you in your greatest troubles and will you flag in your faith and be crest fallen in your courage when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall Isa 25. 4. what is this but to tell all the world that there is more power in your troubles to sink and daunt you than there is in the presence of the Lord to support and encourage you when a Christian is upon the very banks of the Red Sea yet then the Divine presence should encourage him To stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. It would Exod. 14. 13. be good for timerous Christians in an evil day to dwell much upon the Prophets commission Isa 35. 3. Strengthen ye the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees Say to them that are of a fearful heart be strong fear not Ah but how shall weak hands be strong and a timorous heart cease to fear and saint Why Behold your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence he will come and save you he is on his way he will be suddenly with you yea he is already in the midst of you and he will save you If you cast but Isa 41. 10. c. 43. 2 Heb. 13. 5. Jer. 32 40 41. cap. 31. 31 to 38. Gen. 41. 35 36 48 49. Col. 1. 19. cap. 2. 3. your eye upon precious promises if you cast but your eye upon the new Covenant which is Gods great store-house there you will find all supports all supplyes all helps and all comforts laid up and laid in for you and therefore never despond never faint never be discouraged in an evil day in a dark time As Joseph had his store-houses to give a full supply to the Egyptians in time of famine so dear Jesus of whom Joseph was but a type has his store-houses of mercy of goodness of power of plenty of bounty out of which in the worst of times he is able to give his People a full supply according to all their needs and therefore be not discouraged don't despond in a day of trouble O my Friends how often has the Lord hid you in the secret of his presence Ps 27. 5. Ps 31. 20 from the pride of men and kept you secretly in his pavilion from the strife of tongues And therefore be strong and lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees When David was in a very great distress Heb. 12. 12. he does not despond nor give way to unbelief but encourages himself in the Lord his God The Hebrew word is 1 Sam. 30. 6. derived from Chazack which notes a laying hold on God with all his strength as men do when they are in danger of drowning who will suffer any thing rather then let go their hold When David was almost under water when he was in danger of drowning then by a hand of faith he layes hold on the rock of ages and encourages himself in the Lord his God What heavenly gallantry of spirit did good Nehemiah shew from that Divine presence that was with him in that great day of trouble and distress when the remnant of the captivity were in great affliction and reproach and the wall of Jerusalem broken down and the gates thereof burnt with Neh. 1. 3. fire You know Shemajah advises him to take Sanctuary in the Temple because the enemy had designed to fall upon him by night and slay him and cause the work to cease but Nehemiah having a signal presence of God Cap. â— 11. Cap. 6. 10. with him gives this heroick and resolute answer Should such a man as I flee and who is there being as I am would go into the Temple to save his life I will not go in Should I flee into the Temple like a malefactor to take sanctuary there How would God be dishonoured Religion reproached the People discouraged the weak scandalized and the wicked imboldned to insult and triumph over me saying Is this the man that is called by God and qualified by God for this work and service Is this the man that is countenanced and encouraged by the King to build the walls and gates and city of Jerusalem Is this the man that is the chief Magistrate and Governour Neh. 2. 5. to the 10. of the City Is this the man that is sent and set for the defence of the People and that should encourage them in their work O what a mouth of blasphemy would be opened should I make a base retreat into the Temple to save my life This is a work that I will rather dye than do I have found the face of God the presence of God in bowing the heart of King Artaxerxes to contribute his Royal aid and commission me to the work and in the bending of the hearts of the Elders of the Jews to own my authority and to rise up as one man to build and therefore I will rather dye upon the spot than go into the Temple to save my life Oh my Friends it becomes not those that have the presence of God with them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers to sink so low in their faith and confidence as to cry out with the Prophets Servant Alass Master what shall we do Or with the 2 Kings 6 15. Mat. 8. 25. Ez. 37. 11. Lament 3. 18. Isa 49. 14. Disciples when in a storm We perish Or with the whole house of Israel Our bones are dryed and our hope is lost and we are cut off for our parts Or with weeping Jeremiah My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord Or with Sion The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Oh 't is for a lamentation when Gods dearest Children shall bewray their infidelity by a fainting sinking discouraged spirit in an evil day But Tenthly and lastly will the Lord be signally present 10 Inference with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then let the People of the Lord be very thankful for his presence with them in their greatest troubles c. O Sirs this Divine presence is Exod. 33. 13 14 15 16.
Rehoboam the Son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted and could not withstand them Rehoboam was no warriour he was no expert Prince in the use of 2 Chron. 12. 13. He was one and forty years old when he came to the Crown Arms he was but young not in age but in experience policy and valour he was hen-hearted he had no courage no mettle Jeroboam takes hold of these advantages and gathers eigth hundred thousand Racha's brainless fellows light and empty yoakless and masterless persons men of no piety civility ingenuity or common honesty Now see what a mighty spirit of Faith God raised in the children of Judah verse 17. And Abijah and his People slew them with a great slaughter so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men A monstrous and matchless slaughter the greatest number that ever we read slain in any battle far beyond that of Tamerlan when he took Bajazet or Aetius the Roman Prefect when he fought with Attilas and his Hunnes in the Fields of Catalaunia where were slain on both sides one hundred sixty five thousand Verse 18. Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time and the children of Judah prevailed because they relied upon the Lord God of their Fathers Faith at a dead lift never miscarrieth God never has nor never will fail those that place their confidence upon him in their greatest dangers Esher 4. 14. For if thou altogether hold thy peace at this time then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place but thou and thy Fathers house shall be destroyed and who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdom for such a time as this Their great trouble their deep distress and their most deadly danger you have in that 3. Esther 13. And the Letters were sent by the posts into all the Kings provinces to destroy to kill Here are great aggravations of his cruelty in that neither sex not age are spared Rage and mallce knows no boâ—nds and to cause to perish all Jews both young and old little children and women in one day even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth which is the moneth Adar and to take the spoil of them for a prey Haman that grard Informer with his wicked crew would have spoiled them of their lives and goods but that they were prevented by a miraculous providence as you know now in this deep distress and most deadly danger at what a rate doth Mordecai believe For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time then shall there enlargement Heb. respiration and deliverance arise Heb. Stand up as on its basis or bottom so as none shall be able to withstand it This Mordecai speaketh not by a spirit of prophecy but by the power and force of his faith grounded upon the precious promises of Gods defending his Church hearing the crics of his People arising for their relief and succour and grounded upon all the glorious attributes of God viz. his power love wisdom goodness and allsufficiency c. all which are engaged in the Covenant of grace to save protect and secure his People in their greatest troubles and most deadly dangers Mordecai's faith in this black dark dismal day was a notable faith indeâ—d and worthy of highest commendation Faith can look through the perspective of the promises and see deliverance at a great distance salvation at the door what though sense saith Deliverance will not come and what though reason saith Deliverance cannot come yet a raised faith gets above all fears and disputes and sayes Deliverance will certainly come Redemption is at hand Num. 13. 30. And Caleb stilled the People before Moses and said let us go up at once and passess it for we are well able to overcome it Cap. 14. 9. Only rebel not ye against the Lord neither fear ye the people of the Land for Num. 13. 32 33. they are bread for us their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with us fear them not The Spies by their lyes did what they could to daunt and discourage the People by crying up the strength of the Anakims and â—um 13. 23. to the 28. the impossibility of the conquest these hollow-hearted hypocritical Spies blow hot and cold almost in a breath First they make a narrative of the fruitfulness of the Land and presently they conclude that it was a Land that was not sufficient to nourish the inhabitants yea a Verse 32. Land that did devour the inhabitants Liars have no Iron memories But now behold to what a mighty pitch Caleb's faith is raised Let us go up at once and possess it for we are able to overcome it Or nearer the Hebrew Marching up march up subduing subdue Let us saith believing Caleb march up to the land of Canaan couragiously resolutely undauntedly for the day is our own the Land is our own all is our own They are bread for us we shall make but a break-fast of them we shall easily and as surely root them out and cut them down with our swords as we cut the bread we eat Their defence is departed from them In the Hebrew it Psalm 91. 1. Ps 121. â— 6. is Their shadow is departed from them the shadow you know guards a man from the scorching heat of the Sun Caleb by faith saw God with drawn from them by the eye of his faith he lookt upon them as a people without a fence a shadow a guard a covert a protection and therefore as a people that might easily be subdued and destroyed His faith told him that it was not their strong Cities nor their high walls nor their sons of Anack that could preserve shelter secure or defend them seeing the Lord had forsaken them and would be no longer as a shadow or a shelter to them And the Lord is with us to make us victorious to trâ—ad down our enemies and to give us a quiet possession of the good Land So Dan. 3. 16. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the King O Nebuchadnezzar we are not careful to answer thee in this matter Ver. 17. If it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace and he will deliver us out of thy hand O King In the fiery Furnace they are protected by Josephus Antiq. p. 259 260. a divine providence they escape death beyond all mens expectations for the fire touched them not neither could it burn during their aboad in the Furnace for God so fortified their bodies that they could not be consumed by fire which accident made them in great estimation with the King for that he saw that they wâ—re vertuous and beloved of God and for that cause they were highly honoured by him Here is a fiery Furnace before them and a proud boasting tyrannical enraged Prince domineering over them for not obeying his Idolatrous will Now to what a
mighty pitch is their faith raised Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us and he will deliver us Their faith was bottomed upon their propriety in God Our God and upon the power providence and all-sufficiency of God Is able to deliver us and upon the gracious readiness and willingness of God And he will deliver us out of thy hand O King When dangers are greatest then God commonly raises the faith of his people highest faith doth most and best for us when we are at a dead lift It Heb. 11. 34. quenches the violence of fire as the Apostle speaks pointing at the faith of these three Children or rather Champions though now the fiery Furnace was heat seven times hotter then it used to be at other times yet such was the strength and might and power of their faith that it so quenched the flames that they had not one hair of their heads singed nor their coats changed Dan. 3. 27. nor the smell of fire found upon them and thus the blessed Martyrs may be said by their faith patience and constancy to quench the violence of the fire though their bodies were consumed to ashes in the fire So Dan. 6. 16. Daniel is cast into the den of hungry enraged Lions innocent Daniel is exposed to the cruel paws and hungry jaws of Lyons This Kind of capital punishment was not unusual among the Babylonians the Medes and Persians and among the Romans also with whom it was a common saying in Tertullian's time Let the Christians be cast to the Lyons The faces of the Aâ—os â— 8. Lyons are stern and their voices are terrible they are roaring and ravening they are greedy of their prey they are vigilant and subtil lying in wait to get their prey they sleep little and when they sleep it 's apertis Psalm 17. 12. oculis With open eyes they mind their prey much and are cunning to catch it the Lyon hides himself and when the prey comes near he suddenly surprises it they are proud and stately they go alone they eat not with the Lyonness much less with other creatures they will not stoop to any or turn away from any they do what Prov. 30. 3. Nah. 2. 12. 2 Kin 17. 6. Prov. 28. 15 1 Pet. 5. 8. they list they are most cruel bloody devouring creatures they have terrible claws sharp teeth and are strong and mighty to crush and break the bones and it is very dangerous to meddle with Lyons Num. 24. 9. He layeth down as a Lyon as a great Lyon who shall stir him up Lyons if offended and provoked are very revengful in the hunting or taking of Lyons the Lyon observes who wounds him and on him if possible he will be revenged Aelian tells of a Bear that came into a Lyons den and bit the whelps she found there the Lyon returning the Bear to shift for her self got up into a high tree the Lyoness watch'd at the foot of the tree the Lyon ranged abroad in the woods and meets with a man that had an axe and us'd to fell trees this man the Lyon brings to the den shew'd him the wounded whelps directs him to the tree where the Bear was which he cut down the Bear being torn in pieces the man was safely dismist By these hints we may guess at the deadly danger that Daniel was in Some Writers tell us that if a cloth be cast upon the eyes of a Lyon Aristot Pliny Pererius to cover them he will not hurt a man 2. Or if he be full Josephus to illustrate the History saith that these Josephus Antiq. pag. 262 263. Princes pleaded before the King saying that the Lyons were full and gorged and therefore they would not touch Daniel which he hearing being displeased with their injurious malice said that the Lyons should now be sed and then they cast in to see when they were gorged whether they could likewise escape but this being done they were suddenly destroyed before they came Dan. 6. 24. to the bottom of the dâ—n To what a fatal end came these Informers as to their wives and children that were cast into the den of Lyons it is most probable that they were accessary to that wicked conspiracy against Daniel by stirring up and provoking their Husbands and Fathers to engage all their power interest and policy against him and never to suffer a poor captive to be advanced in honor and dignity above them and how just and righteous a thing was it with God that they who had plotted together and contrived together the ruine and destruction of a holy innocent person that these should suffer together and go to the den together and be torn in pieces together Sinners look to your selves if you will sin with others you must expect to suffer with others 3. Or if a man hath been beneficial to him 4. Or if a man lyeth prostrate before him in the manner of a supplicant but Daniel was not safe he was not secured by any of these meanes but God secured him in the midst of these dreadful dangers by the ministry of an Angel My God hath sent his Angel and hath shut the Lyons mouths that they have not hurt me Dan. 6. 22. Others say that God secured Daniel by taking away the Lyons hunger from them at that time and by causing in them a satiety And some tell us that God secured him by raising such a phantasy in the Lyons that they looked upon Daniel not as a prey but as on one that was a friend unto them But now in the midst of this dreadful danger how doth Daniel's faith sparkle and shine Ver. 23. Then was the King exceeding glad for him and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no manner of hurt was found upon him because he believed in his God Daniel in a fiery Furnace looks upon God as his God in the midst of the flames he acts faith upon the power of God the promises of God c. Of all living creatures Lyons are most fierce cruel and irresistible and yet such was the strength and force of Daniel's faith that it stopped their mouths though Daniel See Heb. 11. 33. Judg. 14. 6. 1 Sam. 37 34. was but one man yet such was the power of his faith that it stopt the mouths of many Lyons As Luther says of prayer so may I say of faith it hath a kind of omnipotency in it its able to do all things est quaedam omnipotentia precum Thus you see by these famous instances to what a mighty pitch the Lord has raised the faith of his People when they have been in the greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers And this is the first way wherein the Lord doth manifest his favourable his signal his eminent presence with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers But Secondly the Lord
mischief shall return upon his own head and his violent dealing upon his own pate Henry the Third of France was stabbed in the same Chamber where he had helped to contrive the French Massacre And his Brother Charles the Ninth had blood given him to drink for he was worthy there is no end of Stories of this nature so Psalm 9. 15. The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made in the net which they hid is their own foot taken The wicked are compared to Hunters for their cruelty and to Fowlers for their craft but see their success they are sunk down in their own pit caught in their own net thus it befel Pharaoh Jabin and Sisera Exod. 9. 15. Judg. 10. 4. 2 Chron. 32. Euseb lib. 9. c. 9. Senacherib Antiocbus Epiphanes Maxentius the Tyrant who fell into the Tiber from his own false bridge laid for Constantine the Spanish Azmado and our Powder-plotters Ver. 16. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Higgajon Selah Goliah was killed with his own sword Christs justice hath two acclamatory Notes Higgajon Selah the like is not found in all the Scripture as worthy of present admiration and of deep and perpetual meditation I have been the longer a glancing at this famous Story of Esther because of its seasonableness and sutableness to the dayes and times wherein we live A further proof of this eight particular that is under our present consideration you have in Isa 8. 9. Associate Counsel is the extract of reason the result of serious sad debates saith Ciâ—ero your selves O ye People and ye shall be broken in pieces and give ear all ye of far Countreys gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces Heb. And be broken in pieces And be broken in pieces And be broken in pieces It is thrice repeated to work it the deeper into the minds and hearts of those that should either hear or read it and to give the stronger assurance of the certainty of their being inevitably broken in pieces who were adversaries and conspirators against the People of God This speech is directed to the Kings of Assyria and other Nations that combined with him against the People of God but especially against the City of Jerusalem It is an holy Ironie or laughing to scorn the associating Enemies of the Church Well saith the Prophet proceed as unanimously as politickly and as powerfully in your combinations consultations and preparations as you can yet be assured that all your associations shall be dissolved and your counsels frustrated and your attempts returned back upon your selves to your own ruin and confusion Verse 10. Take See Isai 7. 5 6. Psalm 33. 3. counsel together Heb. consult a consultation to wit about invading Judab and surprizing Jerusalem and it shall come to naught Speak the word and it shall not stand for God is with us Consult conclude determine resolve upon what you please you shall never be able by all your power and policy to prevail against the People of God for his favourable signal and eminent presence is constantly with them to assist counsel and protect them against all oppositions and assaults Psalm 33. 10. God bringeth to naught the councel of the Nations neither the Devil nor his Imps nor any of their counsels or inchantments shall ever be able to stand before the presence of the Lord with his People Charles the Fifth and the French King had upon counsel taken covenanted and agreed utterly to extirpate the Lutheran Faction out of all their Dominions but God found them other employment and by his signal presence with his People he gave them an happy Halâ—yon Let Men and Devils conspire let them plot consult and determine all shall be in vain because there is no counsel against the Lord there is no possibility of carrying of it against the presence of the Lord with his People his signal presence will be their greatest safety and security in the midst of all plots designs dangers c. The signal presence of God with his People marrs and frustrates all the plots counsels and curious contrivances of the worlds wizards as might be shewed in those instances of Balaam Pharaoh Saul Herod with many others But I must hasten and therefore Ninthly the Lord doth manifest his favourable signal and eminent presence with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers by his sympathizing with them in all their troubles tryals distresses dangers as you may clearly see by consulting the choice Scriptures in the margin So Isa 63. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel Exod. 2. 23 24 25. c. 3. 7 8 9 10. Isa 37. 28 29. Ez. 35. 7 8 9 10. Mat. 25. 4. ult Deut. 32. 9 10 11 John 14. 9 10 Col. 15. Heb. 9. 24. Rom. 8. 34. of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the days of old Christ is here in the Hebrew called The Angel of his face either because he doth exactly ressemble God his Father or because he appeareth before the face or in the presence of God for us This Angel took to heart their afflictions he was himself grieved for them and with them This Angel secured and safegarded them all the way thorow the Wilderness from Egypt to Canaan This Angel did not only lead them but he also lifted them up and took them in his arms as Parents or Nurses are wont to do with such Children that are young and weakly and in danger And this Angel carryed them as the Eagle doth her young ones that are not fully fledged or that are unable yet to fly on her wings O the pity the clemency the sympathy and admirable compassion of Christ to his People in their suffering estate Zach. 2. 8. He that toucheth you toucheth Ishon of Isâ— it is here called Bath the daughter of the eye because it is as dear to a man as an only daughter Oâ—utus â—â— fama non patiuntur jecâ—s The eye and the good name will endure no jests the apple of his eye The eye is the tenderest piece of the tenderest part the eye is kept most diligently and strongly guarded by nature with five tunicles A man can better bear a thump on the back the biting of his finger the cutting of his hand the pricking of his leg or a blow upon his arm than a touch on the eye O that persecutors would be quiet and let Gods People alone and take heed how they meddle with Gods eyes There is no touching of them to wrong or injure them but you wrong and injure the holy one of Israel who will certainly revenge himself upon you they that strike at Gods eyes do through them strike at God himself which he will never put up 'T is a dangerous thing to molest and trouble to
Rom. 8. 31. If God be for us who can be against us That is none but this is a more forcible denying Who can Doest thou Paul ask Who can I 'll tell thee The Devil can and Tyrants can and Informers can and Persecutors can and the whole World can but ridendus est furor inanis They are as nothing and can do nothing against us Wicked men may set themselves against the Saints but they shall not prevail against the Saints What if all the world should strive to hinder the Sun from rising or shining or the wind from blowing or the rain from falling or like those Pigmies which went with their arrows and bows to repress the flowing of the Sea Ludibrious acts and meer follies All that wicked men can do against the People of God will be but as throwing stones against the wind If God be with us who can be against us Me thinks these are words of great resolution as if he should say we have many enemies and powerfulenemies and daring enemies and malitious enemies and designing enemies and enraged enemies yet let the proudest of them shew their faces and lift up their banners I fear them not I regard them not Who can who dare be against â—â— Let me give a little light into this precious Scripture If God be for us who can be against us that is none First None can be so against us as to hurt us or harm us therefore Aquinas well expounds that Quis contra Dan. 3. 25. 27. Cap. 6. 22. nos i. e. Quis efficaciter and others Quis laesivè prevalenter who can be against us so as to hurt us Acts 18. 9. Then spoke the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision be not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace Verse 10. For I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to burt thee for I have much people in this City God had many Souls in this ity to convert and What said Justin Martyr to his murtherers in the behalf of himself and his fellow-Mortyrs you may kill us but you can never hurt us to bring in to Christ and therefore he animates and encourages Paul to preach boldly and to go on in his work undauntedly I but Lord there be many in the City that will set themselves against me I but I am with thee I but Lord there be many in the City that will hate me I but there is no Man that shall set on thee to hurt thee They may kill me said Socrates of his Enemies but they cannot hurt me It was the speech of Anaxarchus a Heathen when as he by the Tyrant he was commanded to be put in a Mortar and be beaten to pieces with an Iron pestel he cries out to the Persecutors you do but be at the vessel of Anaxarchus you do not beat me nor hurt me you do but beat the case the husk the vessel that contains another thing his body was to him but as a case a husk he counted his soul himself which his persecutors could not reach nor hurt Though there were many in the City of Corinth that would be ready furiously to set on Paul yet there should not be a man that should be able to hurt Paul God would be his life guard to protect him and he would make void all the mischievous designs and endeavours of his adversaries against him When in a City the Lord hath those that are ordained to Salvation he will bless the labours of his faithful Servants with happy success so that faithful Ministers may not yea must not for fear of the invincible malice of some neglect the Salvation of others All the Arrows that Men of might and malice should shoot at Paul in the City of Corinth should never reach him they should never hurt him nor harm him 1 Pet. 3. 13. And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good They may oppose you but they cannot harm you they may hate you but they cannot harm you they may plot and devise mischief against you but they cannot harm you they may persecute you but they cannot harm you I know Caesar told Metellus that he could as easily take away his life as bid it be done but these were only bravado's for that is a Royalty which belongs to God only To whom belong the issues Psalm 68. 20. of death or the goings out from death that is deliverances from death and deadly dangers It is an allusion to one that keepeth a passage or a door that is God hath all the wayes which lead out from death in his own keeping Christ hath the keys of death the sole Revel 1. 18. 2 Pet. 2. 9. dominion and disposal of it the Lord knows how to deliver his People from the most desperate and deadly dangers he can deliver them out of the mouth of the Lion he can pull them out of the jaws of death and so secure them from all harm or hurt none can be so against the People of God as to harm their souls as to hurt their happiness But If God be with us who can be against us I answer Secondly None can be so against us as to prevail 2. Matth. 16. 18. Heb. 2. 10. Jer. 1. 19. Cap. 20. 11. over us the Gates of hell may fight against us but the Gates of hell cannot prevail against us Christ is the Captain of your Salvation God hath made him General of the Field and therefore you may be sure that he will stand by you and bring you off with honour you need never fear having the day who have Christ your Captain for your second though your persecutors are as so many roaring Lions yet Christ who is the Lion of the Tribe of Judab will make you victorious over Revel 5. 5. Psalm 129. 2. them all In all storms and tempests the Church will stand fast because it stands upon a rock God is on Zions side and the Enemies of Zion must first prevail against Zions God Before they can prevail over Zion her self Zions God will be a wall of fire about her and Zach. 2. 5 Dent. 33. 26 27 28 29. therefore Zions Enemies shall never prevail over her Were Zions shelter stones these might be battered were it walls of lead these might be melted were it a defence of waters these might be dryed up were it garrisons of mighty men these might be scattered were it engines of war these might be defeated were it trenches these might be stopped were it bulwarks these might be overthrown But Zion is guarded with a wall of fire round about her and therefore all her opposers can never prevail over her The Enemies of Zion 2 Chron. 32. 7 8 Rom. 8. 37. Genes 3. 12. Num. 14. 9. are weak Enemies they are infatuated Enemies they are conquered Enemies they are limited Enemies they are chained Enemies they are cursed Enemies and they are naked Enemies and therefore
virtually all evil will be raising doubts and cavils and objections in the soul so that if God does not stand by us now what can we say what can we do how can we bear up how can we stand fast What was Sampson that Judges 16. 19 20. man of strength when his hair was gone but as weak as water and what is the strongest Christian when his God is gone but as weak as weakness it self all our doing strength and all our suffering strength and all our bearing strength and all our witnessing strength lies in the special presence of God with our souls all our comforts and all our supports and all our ease and all our refreshments flow from the presence of God with our souls in our greatest troubles and deepest distresses and therefore if God should leave us in a day of trouble what would become of us and whither should we go and where should we find rest When doth a man need a Brother or Friend but in a day of adversity A Brother Prov. 17. 17. is born for adversity though at other times Brethren may jar and jangle and quarrel yet in a day of adversity in a strait in a stress birth and good blood and good nature will be working Adversity breeds love and unity Ridley and Hooper differed very much about Ceremonies in the day of their liberty but when they were both Prisoners in the Tower thâ—â— they could agree well enough and then they could be mutual comforts one to another and when does a Christian most need the strength of God the consolations of God the supports of God the teachings and quicknings of God and the signal singular presence of God but when they are in the greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers When the People of God are in a low and afflicted condition then the Lord knows that that Isa 33. 9. 10. is the season of seasons for him to grace them with his gracious presence When calamities and dangers break in upon us and when all heads and hands and hearts and counsels are set against us now is the time for God to help us for God to succour us for God to stand by us But. Fifthly the Lord will be signally present with his 5 Reason People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers because he dearly loves them God Deut. 7. 6 7 8. Amat quiâ— amat Bernard entirely loves his People and therefore he will not leave his People persons whom we entirely love we cannot leave especially when they are in a distressed condition Prov. 17 17. A friend loves at all times saith Solomon and God is such a friend God loves not by fits and starâ—â— as many do but his love is like himself sincere and stedfast because he loves them he won't forsake them when they are in the greatest troubles and most terrible dangers 1 Sam. 12. 22. For the Lord will not forsake his People for his great Namessake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People He chose you for his love and he still loveth you for his choice and therefore he won't forsake you Chide you he may but forsake you he won't for it will not stand with the glory of God to leave a People to forsake a People of his love Should I cast you off whom I love the Heathen Nations would say that I was mutable in my purposes or unfaithful in my promises Though David's Parents forsook him yet God did not forsake Psalm 27. 10. him but took him up into his care and keeping It is the deriding question which the enemies of the Saints put Psâ—lm 79. 10. to them in the time of their greatest troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers Vbi Deus Where is now your God But they may safely and groundedly return this answer when they are at lowest Hic Deus Our God is here he is nigh unto us he is round about Isa 52. 12. us and he is in the midst of us Witness that golden promise that is more worth than a world I will never leave thee nor forsake thee God is a God of bowels a Heb. 13. 5 11. Hos 8. 9. Mich. 7. 19. Jer. 31. 18 19 20. God of great pity a God of tender compassion and therefore he will not leave his People in a time of distress Parents bowels do most yearn towards their Children when they are sick and weak and most in danger it goes to the very heart of a man to leave a friend in misery but what are the bowels of men to the bowels of God! or the compassions of men to the compassions of God! There is an Ocean of love in the hearts of Parents 2 Sam. 19. 6. towards their children when they are in distress and this love makes them sit by their children and sit up with their children and not stir from their children Gods love does so link his heart to his People in their deep distresses Psalm 91. 15. that he can't leave them he can't stir from them Isa 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee Well and what then This love so endeares unites God to his People that he can't leave them he can't stir one foot from them V. 2. When thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee The Lord dearly loves his People and he highly prizes his People and he greatly delights in his People and therefore he will be signally present with his People both in the fire and in the water both in the fire of persecution and iâ— the waters of affliction God loves the persons of his People and he loves the presence of his People and he loves the graces of his People and he loves the services of his People and he loves the fellowship of his People and therefore he will never leave his People but stand by them and be signally present with them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses Such is Gods singular love to his Covenant-People that he will neither forsake them nor forget them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers The Jews were low yea very low in Babylon their distresses were great and their dangers many they looked upon themselves as so many dead Ezek. 37. 1. to 15. men Our bones are dry our hope is lost and we are cut off for our parts They looked upon themselves both as forsaken and forgotten by God Behold captive Sion lamentingly saith The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord Isa 49. 13. to 18. Psalm 84. 7. Isa 1. 27. Heb. 12. 22. hath forgotten me Sion is taken several wayes in Scripture 1. For the place properly so called where they were wont to meâ—t to worship
the Lord but this place was long ago destroyed 2. For the blessed Angels Ye are come to mount Sion to the heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of Angels 3. For the congregation Psalm 87. 2. of Saints of Believers of which it is said The Lord loves the Gates of Sion more than all the habitations of Jacob. The believing Jews being sorely oppressed afflicted by a long captivity and by many great and matchless miseries that did befal them in their captive state they Dan. 9. 22. Lam. 4. 6. look upon God as one that had quite forsaken them and forgotten them but they were under a very high mistake and very erronious in their complaint as appears by Gods answer to Sion Verse 15. Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Verse 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands thy walls are continually before me In these words as in a christal glass you may see how pathetically how sweetly how graciously how readily how resolutely God â—oth engage himself that he will neither forsake Sion nor yet forget Sion in her captive state Now let us a little observe how this singular promise is amplified and that 1. By an emphatical illustration Gods compassionate remembring of Sion far transcends the most compassionate remembrance of the tendrest Mother to her dear sucking Babe Now this is laid down First interrogatively Can a Woman the most affectionate sex forget her sucking Child from having compassion on the Son of her womb Can a Woman can a Mother so forget as not to compassionate a Child which she naturally inclines to pity A sucking Child that hangeth on her breast such as Mothers are wont to be most chary of and to be most tenderly affected towards her sucking Child which together with the milk from the breast draws love from her heart her sucking Child of her own womb which her bowels do more yearn over than they do over any sucking Nurs-child in the world and this the Son of her womb which the Mother usually embraceth with more warm affections than the Daughter of her womb Can a Woman yea can a Mother forget to exercise love pity and compassion to such a poor Babe surely very rarely 2. Affirmatively Yea they may forget It s possible that a Woman may be so unwomanly and that a Mother may be so unmotherly in some cases and in some extremities as to forget her sucking Child yea as to eat the fruit of 2 Kings 6. 24. to 30. Lan. 4. 10. her womb as the pitiful Women did boil and eat their own children in the siege of Samaria and Jerusalem Extremity of hunger overmastred natural affections and made the pitiful Mothers require of their children those lives which not long before they had given them laying their children not in her bosoms but in their bowels Thirdly negatively Yet will I not forget thee God will be more constantly unmovably and unchangeably mindful of Sion and tender of Sion and compassionate of Sion and watchful over Sion than any Mother could be over her youngling yea he would be more motherly to his poor captives in Babylon than any Mother could be to her sucking Babe 2. This precious promise is amplified by a convincing argumentation and that parâ—ly from his engraving of them upon the palms of his hands This is an allusion say some to those that carry about with them engraven on some tablet or on the stone of some ring which they wear on their finger the mark name or picture of some person they entirely affect their portraiture their memorial was like a signet graven upon his hand God will assoon blot out of mind and forget his own hands as his Sion and partly from his placing their walls still in his fight the ruined demolished walls of Jerusalem were still before him as to their commiseration and to their reparation God being fully resolved in the fittest season to raise and reedifie them Look as the workman hath his model or pattern constantly either before his eye or in his thoughts or in his brain that he is for to work by So saith God Sion is continually in my eye Sion is still in my thoughts I shall never forsake her I shall never forget her But Sixthly the Lord will be signally present with his 6 Reason People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers because of his propriety and interest in them and his near and dear relation to them Isa 43. 1. But now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob and he that formed thee O Israel fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine Thou art mine for I have made thee thou art mine for I Esa 15. 16. 1 Cor. 6. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 18. have chosen thee thou art mine for I have bought thee I have purchased thee thou art mine for I have called thee thou art mine for I have redeemed thee thou art mine for I have stampt mine image upon thee thou art Ph. 4. 23 24. 36. 26 27. miâ—â— for I have put my Spirit into thee Now mark what follows Verse 2. When thâ—â— passest through the Waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee God will certainly keep his own People his own Children company both in the fire and in the water that is in those various tryals and troubles that they are incident Isa 54 5. P. â— 103. 13 14. Exod. 15. 3. Mal 4. 2. Mat. 9. 12. Psalm 23. 1. tâ— in this World When should a Husband be with his wife but when she is in greatest troubles and a Father with his child but when he is in deep distresses and a General with his Army but when they are in greatest dangers When should the Physician be most with his Patient but when he is most desperately sick and when should the Shepherd be nearest his sheep but when they are diseased and the wolf is at hand Now God you know stands in all these relations to his People and therefore he will not fail to be near them when troubles distresses and dangers are growing upon them But Seventhly the Lord will be signally present with his 7 Reason People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers because such times are commonly times of great and sore temptations when â—ods hand is heaviest then Satan will be busiest the Devil is never Job 2. 7 8. Mat. 9 4. Heb 2 18. more violent in his temptations than when the Saints are under afflictions Jam. 1. 2. My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations that is afflictions Verse 12. Blessed is the man that endureth