doth the Lord make a sweet promise of this for the Comfort of His people Hos. 13 v. 10. I will be thy King Whereby we see that there is such a relation betwixt God and His People that will yeeld Comfort in an evil day 2. He is not a King that is far off but is neer at hand in the midst of His Kingdome and People And this is also comfortable Kingdomes may have a King and yet be little the better of Him he may be far away and unable to help them in the day of their greatest necessity But it is not so with Zions King He is alwayes at hand in the middest of His People He is established King in Zion Psal. 2 v. 6. Yet I have set my King saith the Father of His Son the Mediator upon my holy hill Zion His whole Kingdome is as it were his Throne and there He sitteth as King on his Throne and He is placed and fixed there by a sure and unchangable Decree That question of Ieremiah Chap. 8 v. 19. putteth the matter out of question Is not the Lord in Zion Is not her King in her So Ps. 99 2. The Lord is great in Zion Zions King then is a great King in the midst of her 3. Zions King is a King actually reigning upon His Throne and exercising His Kingly Office not like a King imprisoned or put out of a capacity of helping or releiving his distressed Subjects for He reigneth Psal. 93 v. 1. and 97 1. and 99 v. 1. It is the bringing of good tidings the publishing of Peace the bringing of good tidings of good the publishing of Salvation to say unto Zion Thy God reigneth Esai 52 v. 7. Zions King is not a King outted and dethroned but actually reigning and sweying His Scepter exerceing His Kingly Office and Government 4. Zions King is an everlasting King He shall reigne for ever and ever He cannot be dethroned He must reigne until all His Enemies be made His footstool 1 Cor. 15 v. 25. for He is settled on His throne by an everlasting and unchangable decree Ps. 2 v. 6 7. And therefore He is called the King eternal 1 Tim. 1 17. That is a sweet and comfortable Word of Promise Ps. 146 v. 10. The Lord shall reigne for ever even thy God O Zion unto all generations Micah 4 7. And the Lord shall reigne over them in mount Zion from hence forth even for ever Psal. 10 v. 6. The Lord is King for ever and ever And Psal. 45 6. Thy Throne ô God is for ever ever Ier. 10 10. The Lord is an everlasting King and so His Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdom for it is said Luk. 1 33. He shall reigne over the House of Iacob for ever and of His Kingdome there shall be no end So Revel 11 15. And the Seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in Heaven saying the Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ and He shall reigne for ever and ever 5. Not onely doth this King reigne in the midst of Zion His Kingdome and Throne but He ruleth in the midst of His Enemies Psal. 110 2. This is advantagious and comfortable For He can reach them a blow when He will And all their Consultations and Cabinet Counsels are well known to Him He ruleth in the midst of them and over-ruleth all their Plots and Actions as He seeth good is working out His own holy ends and designes by what they are doing Hence it followeth ver 5 6. That He shall strike thorow Kings in the day of His wrath He shall judge among the Heathen He shall fill the places with the dead bodies He shall wound the heads over many Countries Other Kings must make use of Spies and Intelligencers to know the purposes and motions of their Enemies and after all their paines remaine ignorant or if they come to some knowledge thereof be unable to prevent the mischiefe designed But this King ruleth as Commander in chiefe among the very Enemies though they know it not 6. This King of Zion is a mighty and great King He is excellent in Power Majesty and therefore is stiled King of Kings Revel 17 14. He is the blessed and only Potentat the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6 15. He hath on His thigh and on his Vesture a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revel 19 16. And therefore by Him Princes rule and all the Iudges of the earth vers 16. He is a King therefore endued with Supream Power and Authority higher than the Kings of the earth whose petty Soveraignity is as nothing compared with His. 7. As He is a Mighty and Powerful King so is He a Righteous and just King He shall reigne in righteousness Esai 32 1. The scepter of His Kingdome is a right scepter Psal. 45 6. He loveth righteousness and hateth wickedness vers 7. just and true are all His wayes who is King of Saints Revel 15 3. Righteousness and judgment are the habitation of His throne Psal. 97 2. Yea the King's strength loveth judgment He establisheth equity He executeth judgment and equity in Iacob Psal. 99 4. His strength and Power needeth not be terrible unto his Subjects for His throne is a throne of judgement and His scepter is a scepter of Righteousness All His Regalia have this engraven on them to the great comfort of His Subjects 8. He is a King that is clothed with Majestie and Terrour and so is able to affright and strike terrour in the heart of the greatest proudest Adversaries The Lord reigneth and He is clothed with Majesty Psal 93 1. This mighty one girdeth His sword on His thigh marcheth with Glory and Majesty and in Majesty he rideth prosperously Psal 45 3 4 5. The Lord is great in Zion and He is high above all people and His name is great and terrible Psal. 99 2 3. Clouds and darkness are round about Him a fire goeth before Him His lightnings enlightned the world the earth saw and trembled the hils melted like wax at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth Psal. 97 vers 2 3 4 5. What Enemie then is able to withstand or resist this Potentat 9. He is a King thorowly fournished with all Enduements and necessarie Qualifications for the Exercise of this His Government Grace is poured into his lips and He is anoynted with the oile of gladness above His fellowes Psal. 45 2 7. In Him are hid all the treasurers of wisdom and knowledge yea in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2 3 9. He is then a Compleet King fully able to administrate this Kingly Office and to performe all Acts belonging thereunto in truth and faithfulness and in due season 10. As he is a King terrible unto the Kings of the earth Psal. 76 12. and is clothed with Majestie and Power so is He a King
that their case called â—…or it otherwayes he had not exercised them thus 9. So the hand of the Lord is manifest in making the affliction answerable to their strength A potion may be fit for and suitable to the disease yet may be too strong for the weak patient and more readily kill than cure therefore a wise and tender Physician will take good notice of the patients present strength So the Lord who is tender of His peoples welfare will proportion the Physick of affliction unto their strength Hence we hear it said 1 Cor. 10. vers 13. But God is faithfal who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able Accordingly Ieremiah prayeth Chap. 10. v. 24. O Lord correct me but with judgement not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing The Lord s way is to correct his people in measure Iâ—…r 30. vers 1â—… and 46. vers 28. And as a father pitieth them that fear him for he knoweth our frame he remembereth we are dust Psaâ—… 103. vers 13 14. He knoweth that their strength iâ—… not the strength of stones nor are their bones of brass and so he knoweth they are not able to bear many blowes Thus we see the Lord measures the affliction to their strength It is true Paul saith 2 Cor. 1. vers 8. That he and his companions were pressed out of measure and above strength which would seem to contradict what is said But this seeming contradiction will be taken away by what we shall next adde 10. When the affliction and distress is such as would undo and presse the poor Beleever out of measure if he gote not some new supply of strength to stand under that burden the Lord's hand appeareth in fitting the Beleever for the stroke and in enabling him to bear it so that he is not killed thereby nor overwhelmed therewith by giving cordials he fortifieth the man against the violence of Temptations which otherwise would prevail against him Paul and his Company 2 Cor. 1. vers 8 9. were pressed with trouble in Asia out of measure above strength so much that they despaired even of life yea and had the sentence of death in themselves such a storme was it that they could not ride it out if fresh supplies of strength and courage had not been granted by God who raiseth the dead unto them and if the Lord had not thus delivered them from so great a death they had perished but how was this done See Vers. 4 5. The God of all comfort comforted them in all their tribulations and as the sufferings of Christ abounded in them so their consolation also abounded by Christ And thus the Lord fitted them for the stroke when the stroke was too sore for them So this same Apostle when assaulted with a messenger of Satan that buffeted him 2 Cor. 12. vers 7. Was strengthened by the grace of God Vers. 9. to stand out against that temptation which otherwise had overcome him as his praying thrice that it might depart from him Vers. 8. would import Thus the Lord keepeth the head of his poor people above water by making his power to rest upon them and by making perfect his strength in their weakness Vers. 9. Thus also are they strong when weak Vers. 10. 11. The Lord 's good hand of Providence appeareth in this matter in disappointing the Enemies of their malicious designes They are busie plotting and contriving the ruine and destruction of His people but the more they seek to destroy them the more they grow and thrive the more they multiply and the stronger they become It is almost incredible what multitudes of Christians through the whole Empire the bloody persecuting Emperours destroyed and put to death in the primitive times but the more they were massacred the more they grew the bloud of the saints and martyres was the seed of the Church Daniel's adversaries thought to have gote him destroyed but their enmity and rage against him tended to his further exaltation and establishment So was it with David the more that Saul did persecute him the more his bow abode in strength 12. The Lord's hand mightily appeareth in the afflictions of his people in that He powerfully and Infallibly carrieth on and bringeth to passe His own Purposes and Designes countermining and counter working the designes and wicked projects of the Enemies yea in effectuating His own ends even by what the Enemies are doing purposely to carry on their Ends. When the Enemies are blowing with all their might to make the furnace burn hot that the mettal as they suppose and intend may be wholly consumed the Lord by that same meanes is infallibly bringing about His Ends and accomplishing His designes to wit to purge the mettal and take away the drosse By what the Assyrian was doing in prosecution of his Ends to wit to destroy and cut off nations not a few Esai 10. vers 7. The Lord was performing his whole work upon mount Zion and Ierusalem Vers. 12. and what was this but to purge away iniquity and to take away sin Esai 27. vers 9 to chasten and punish for correction and amendement Ier. 30 11. and 46 28. 13. Herein also appeareth the Lord's over-ruling hand that while possibly the trouble is in its greatest strength and Enemies are swelling in their pride and thinking their contrivances cannot fail their plots and designes are laid so deep and so sure that they cannot misgive even then the Lord will make a door of outgate appear unto his people and give some foreruning tokens of the dawning of a fair day even then He will make a way for an escape that they may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10. vers 13. 14. Lastly His hand appeareth herein that in due time He putteth a period to the trial and trouble by delivering his people out of them all Psal. 34. vers 7 17 19. He will not suffer the rod of the wicked to rest alwayes on the back of the righteous Psal. 125. vers 3. He will not contend for ever lest the spirits should fail before him and the souls which he hath made Esai 57. vers 16. He will keep His people no longer under Physick than He seeth necessary and therefore it is but for a season that his people are in heaviness 1 Pet. 1. vers 6. Enemies think to keep the people of God at under for ever but the Lord 's supream over-ruling hand appeareth here that He hath limited the duration of the trial and trouble to Ten dayes Revel 2. vers 10. He hath limited the rage of Enemies to an hour a day a moneth and a year Revel 9. vers 15. And the treading of the holy city under foot to 42 moneths Revel 11 2. And when the Lord's time cometh all the power and malice of the Enemies will not be able to hinder the delivery and how little so ever His own people look for it yet He will work it so that though there be scarce faith
print of the nails and thrust his hand in his side Ioh. 20 25. And what unbeleefe these Disciples vented who were going to Emmaus unto the Lord himself whom they knew not we may see Luk. 24 21. and may gather from Christ's sharpe rebuke vers 25 26. O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to have entered into his Glory 2. Fainting of heart So long as the shipe saileth faire before the winde a raw sea-man will have courage enough Men at Christ's back who have not yet had a storme blowing in their face will be as stout as Peter who nothing doubted but he would lay down his life for his Master who yet when the Lord is out of sight and his cause seemeth to be upon the declineing hand will shrink and turn back at a very small temptation As Peter did deny his Master and that with cursing and swearing at the very word of a Damsel 3 Self love is another evil that such a day as this will discover Many will appear very self denied and willing to hazard all for Christ and His Cause in a faire day who when a storme cometh will be unwilling enough to cast their goods over board to save the shipe In a day when the Lord is hiding himself many will seek to save skin and life by such indirect courses as sometime they would have been ashamed of 4. Impatience How doth the heart of many too often say little less than that graceless King said This evil is of the Lord why should I waite any longer for the Lord 2 King 6 vers 33. Such expressions as that good man had in that dark day do evince this sufficiently Psal. 77 v. 7 8 9. Will the Lord cast off for ever And will He be favourable no more Is His mercy clean gone for ever Doth His promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies 2. The Lord followeth this way and methode that he may put his people to the trial and exercise of the graces of His Spirit such as these 1. Their Faith in Him and in His Word and Promise It is no great art or difficulty to beleeve that God will make good His promise when he is in the sight of all beholders most manifestly accomplishing whatever he said and promised But for Abraham to beleeve that in his seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed and that his Seed should be multiplied as the Stars of the Heaven for multitude when he had not one Child and himself was stricken in years his body now as good as dead he being about an hundered Yeers old and when Sarahs Womb was also dead that was faith then his faith appeared while he against hope beleeved in hope when he staggered not at the promise of God through unbeleefe but was strong in the faith giving Glory to God for he was fully perswaded that what God had promised He was able also to perform Rom 4 vers 18 19 20 21. Againe It was no great matter for Abraham to beleeve that it would be as the Lord had said when Sarah was with Childe had brought forth her Son and he was healthy and thriving but to beleeve the accomplishment of the promise when God said unto Him Go offer up thy Son thy only Son Isaac there was faith accounting that God was able to raise him up from the dead Heb. 11 vers 19. Thus faith is both tried and exercised 2. Patience is also tried and exercised when the Lord is out of sight seemeth to say He will not yet come the time is not yet come We oft cry out How long will the Lord hide his face not so much out of an earnest love and desire to see his face againe as out of impatience Psal 6 vers 2. and 13 v. 1. and 35 17. and 90 13. Iob. 7 v. 19. Hab. 1. v. 2. The Lord will thus teach his people to stand upon their watch and upon the watch towr till the Vision that is yet for an appointed time and tarrieth shall speak Hab. 2 vers 1 3. 3. To try and exercise their hope for that is the fit time for the exercise of this grace when humane appearance and probability faileth and when the Lord hideth himself and delayeth his coming Rom. 8 v. 24 25. for usually then people are ready to say there is no hope Esa. 57 10. our hope is lost Ezek. 37 11. What is my strength said holy Iob Ch. 6 11. that I should hope It is good in such a case to say with the Church Lam. 3 24. The Lord is my portion therefore will I hope in Him 4. To try and exercise their Submission to and Dependance upon Him That they may learne to carry as humble Children that they may say with David Psal. 131. Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofâ—…y neither do I exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for me Surely I have behaved and quieted myself as a Childe that is weaned of his Mother my soul is as a weaned Childe And so hope in the Lord not arrogantly set limites unto the holy One of Israel nor prescribe a way that he must follow but leave him to follow His own way and method with due Submission and Dependance laying the hand upon the mouth when He is pleased to hide himself and to take another way then we would possibly wish or desire 5. To try exercise their Diligence and Constancy in Prayer and Watchfulness As when the Master delayeth his coming so when he hideth himself as if he were not coming or would not come many are ready to fall from duty and fall a beating their fellow servants and to eating and drinking c. Mat. 24 48 94. Therefore the Lord will have all His People set a watching as not knowing what houre or after what manner He will come and to exercise them in this duty of Watchfulness and Diligence he will come and not let them know of His coming nor tell them when or after what manner He will come The Consideration of this should in general teach all His people as upon the one hand to guard against and bewar of these evils mentioned which Satan and Corruption upon occasion of the Lords hiding of His Way and keeping Himself under clouds after the manner mentioned doth provoke stirre up the soul unto so upon the other hand to minde faithfully set about the Duties mentioned which are especially called for at such a time But more particularly we may mentione some duties and recommend them to the practice of His People in such a day as this As 1. This Dispensation calleth upon all Gods People to be observing the Lord in all His wayes and actions and to mark His footsteps even when they can not be seen to observe His stately goings in Majestie
the wicked were hunting for the precious life been forced to make use as a shelter beyond above a palace of pleasure but ô what a sure what a safe refuge is the rock of Salvation in time of trouble O how doe the environing wallâ—… of Christs righteousnesse power these everlasting armes underneath supporting and round about surrouding preserving from the tempest of wrath that it cannot invade or break thorow make such accommodation sweet pleasant But when with all this secret place of the most high hath not onely all safetie in it but it hath also all sweetnesse all satisfaction and all goodnesse laid up in it for such as it hids It s not onely a strong place that hath salvation for walls and bulwarks But it is within this also that he shines and shewes his marvelous kindnesse Psal. 31 vers 20 21. there is not onely a refuge here but there is besids a rich treasure of all goodnesse laid up in this storehouse to be laid out and made forthcoming for all who enter within the gates of this Citie It s not onely a house of war but a house of peace and pleasure it s within these walls that that peace of God which passeth understanding doth guard the heart and mind as it s here that the place of their defence is the munition of rocks so it is within this rock that their bread is given them and their waters ate mâ—…de sure there is great fatnesse within this strong hold for feasting souls and a river of pleasure for their refreshing This is that unexhausted well-spring fountain of loving kindnesse tender mercies and bountie which glads perpetually the hearts of all beleevers This is the river that maketh glade the whole Citie of God This is the very Fountain of life it self thristing to be drunk of by thristy souls which is nothing else but God himself imparting and communicating himself to his emptie and indigent people and making up thereby all their wants according to his riches in glory a saving God satiating the weary soul and replenishing it with goodnesse this River of God which is full of water running in into the heart of him who hath opened his mouth wide till it be filled to a running over O how do they who finde by tasting how good he is and what is to be had in the Kings chambers pitie the poor mistaken World that feed upon husks while they are feasted with these royal dainties Alas the World who are strangers to their joy knowes little what a Kings life they live and how while in their wildernesse lot they feed upon Manna and are feasted with Angels food they little believe how the People of the Lord in their shuttings up are so fatiat with goodnesse as their hearts are enlarged while made glade by the light of his countenance lifted up upon them in their desirings for others that it were with them in all things as it is with themselves save as to their bonds O what a blessed hiding place doe they finde him He is such a secure hiding place as is also a most sweet beautiful and refreshing resting place a refuge where repose and soul ravishment are met and marryed together without a divorce Now could a soul think of changing his dwelling place could he ever by choice and upon deliberation come out after he hath enterd into these chambers and shut the doors about him and hath tasted and seen how good God is No sure it will not it cannot think on this without terrour it will not after it hath drunk of the river of his pleasure and is satisfied with the fatnesse of his house leave these pure springs to drink of an impure pudle O how easily must the soul be arrested where it is ravished in the fruition of what it finds Now my dear and distressed Brethren Consider that you may not be weary nor fainted in your minds in the day when the blast of the terrible one is as a storme against the wall what a compleat hiding place you have from trouble and what a citie of refuge you have to flee unto Thou art my hiding place thou shalt preserve me from trouble thou shalt compasse me about with songs of deliverance said the Psalmist Psal. 32. And in this he is not alone for grace hath made you sharers with him of this great goodnesse The sure mercies of David are made sure to all who have taken hold of the Covenant so as whosoever have fled into Jesus Christ for a refuge from wrath and for pardon of sin when pursued by justice they may conclude this as a sweet consequent of it also Thou art my hiding place from trouble And whatever hardship you may meet with or whatever heavinesse you may be under yet you may conclude O comfortable conclusion That the Lord vvill command his loving kindnesse in the day time for you and in the night his song shall be vvith you yea you shall be compassed about with songs of deliverance songs shall inviron you about and joy shall break in on every side you shall be able to look no where even while all who look on may think your misery unmixed and your sorrow without the least alay of sweet but you shall finde matter of a song and be able to command a most sweet consort of musick within your own soul because both safe and satisfied The Lord will be a refuge in times of trouble Psal. 9. and they who know his name which is a strong tower may and will put their trust in him This then is the all of your businesse in order to support saftie and satisfaction in order to your being in case both to honour him and to be happie in the midst of all possible sufferings for his sake to betake yourselves to him for shelter and trust in the covert of his wings And it is for this end that this teacher taught of God hath left his Brethren in affliction these directions that as they may be persuaded to stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God so amidst all their sufferings for his sake they may know how to have a sweet serenitie of soul by acting faith upon him as a full Fountain sutably to all their needings wantings darknesses difficulties and dangers and so be put in case to say In the Lord have vve righteousnesse and strength in him by whom we are justified in him and by him do vve glory in tribulation and are more than conquerours Now that you may live more constantly with him have a more comfortable and joyful life then ever in a fellowship with the Father with his Son J. Christ that you may have grace for grace yea an all of grace whereby you may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven adorne the doctrine of God the Saviour be enabled to fight the good fight of Faith through Christ strengthening you and endure to the end by the new supplies of the Spirit
I wil raise up evil against thee out of thine own house and I will take thy wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy Neighbour and he shall lye with thy wives in the sight of this sun for thou didst this secretly but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun And this accordingly was done by that wicked wretch Absalom 2. Sam. 16. vers 22. And because of the high holy and soveraigne hand which God had in this sore aâ—…iction He saith by Nathan the Prophet that He would do it 3. We finde in the Scriptures that the wicked Enemies in following prosecuting their malicious designes against the People of God are held forth and spoken of as God's Instruments in that work As Esai 10. vers 5. Where the Assyrian is called the rod of God's anger and the staff in their hand is said to be His indignation So Vers. 15. They are compared to an aâ—… in the hand of him that heweth therewith and to a saw to a rod and to a staff all which we know can do nothing but as moved and ordered by the principal Actor To the same sense are they compared to a rasour wherewith God will shave the head and the haire of the feet and the beard Esa. 7. vers 20. Thus is Babylon called a golden cup in the hand of the Lord Ier. 51. vers 7. Likewise the Enemies are compared to a net which God will spread over his people Hos. 7. v. 12. and to a snare Ezek. 12. vers 13. They are likewise called God's sword Psal. 17. vers 13. and His hand vers 14. All which and the like expressions show That God hath a principal hand in the afflictions which his people meet with at the hands of wicked Instruments and that the wicked are but as so many Instruments and Lixes imployed by him for that effect howbeit they minde no such thing but drive on their own designes to satisfie their own wicked lusts 4. The Scripture speaketh of the Lord as raising up these wicked Instruments as leavying them and sending them to execute his will So Esai 5. vers 26. And He will lift up an Ensigne to the Nations from far and will hisse unto them from the end of the earth and behold they shall come with speed swiftlâ—… So Esai 7. vers 18. And it shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall hisse for the flie that is in the uttermost parts of the rivers of Aegypt and for the bee that is in the Land of Assyria By which we understand that as these Enemies cannot stir notwithstanding of all their malice rage and anger against the Lord's people till God send for them and hisse for them and as it were subscribe and seal their commission so they are wholly at his disposal as the armie is at the disposal of the General or of him who leavyeth them and employeth them In like manner we read 1 Chron. 5. vers 26. that the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul King of Assyria against the Reubenits the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh So it is said Psal. 105. vers 25. That God turned the heart of the Egyptians to hate his people and to deal subtilly with his servants And 2 Cbron. 21. vers 16. that he stirred up against Iehoram the spirit of the Philistines and of the Arabians that were neer the Ethiophians 5. We finde the Lord said frequently to deliver up his people into the hands of these Enemies and to sell them unto them as it were to give them wholly up to their devotion and disposal see Iudg. 3 8. and 4. vers 2. and 6. vers 1. and 10 7. Dan. 1 2. 2 King 17. vers 20. Thereby showing that these Enemies could do nothing against the people of God untill the Lord had permitted the same and given way thereto and had as it were withdrawn his protection and taken away his hedge of defence and so left them naked and exposed unto the rage and cruelty of their brutish Enemies 6. This is also manifest from the grand and noble Purposes and Designes which the Lord bringeth about by those meanes far diffâ—…rent from what these wicked Instruments intend as we see Gen 45. and 50 Ioseph's Brethren meaned evil against him but God meaned it for good So Esai 10. vers 7. The Assyrian meaneth not so as God doth neither doth his heart think so but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few but the Lord hath another work upon mount Zion and on Ierusalem Vers. 12. to wit to punish them only by his smiting with a rod and lifting up his staff after the manner of Egypt V. 24. or as it is Esai 27 9. to purge away the iniquity of Jacob and to take away sin Wherefore seing the Lord hath such soveraigne ends as the chastisement and trial of his people the exercise of their graces c. to bring about He cannot but have a special hand in and about the meanes which serve to bring about these ends This being sufficient to cleare up what was first to be spoken to we come Secondly to speak a little of the manner and way how the hand of the Lord is to be observed in and about the sharpe afflictions of his people by the hand of wicked persons who are active therein And in speaking to this we shall wave all subtile debates concerning God's Decreeing the event of sin His Predetermination and His Concourse with second causes in those Actions which are sinful and shall onely pitch upon some particulars which are more plaine and undeniable and also more useful to the point in hand As 1 There is the Lord 's holy permission giving way to and not restraining the furie and rage of Enemies when He hath a mind to make use of them for a scourge He must loose as it were the chaine with which they are bound and restrained and take away the hedge of protection wherewith he guardeth and protecteth his people and all that belongs to them Satan could do nothing against Iob nor stirre so much as one lambs tail that belonged to him untill the Lord for holy and wise ends gave way thereunto therefore he said unto the Lord Iob 1. vers 10. Hast not thou made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side This is also imported in the Lords giving up his people into the hands of Enemies and selling them and delivering them as a judge doth a Malefactor into the hand of the Executioner Yet we must not conceive of this Permission as if it were in all things like unto the bare naked permissions of men but as sutable to him who is a most pure and simple Act 2. There is herein considerable the Lord's Commission to speak so not that He will warrand and approve of them in their wickedness or give them any moral Authoritie or
is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God and withall He is just and they are conscious to themselves of much guilt But yet notwithstanding of this the thoughts of Gods having a principal hand in all these afflictions may keep from fainting because 1. He is not intending their destruction as Enemies do but their Good their Amendement their Repentance and Returning unto the Lord c. 2. He measureth not out their aâ—…lliction according to his strength and almighty Power else He should soon crush them and bring them to nothing Will He plead against me said Iob Chap. 23. vers 6. with his great power No but He will put strength in me 3. Nor according to strick Justice and pure Wrath. In plenty of justice He will not afflict as the words of Elihu Iob 37. vers 23. may be read He will not stir up all his wrath Psal. 78. vers 38. 4. Nor according to their deservings for that word of Zophar holdeth true Iob 11. vers 6. God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth And Psal. 103. vers 10. He hath not dealt with us according to our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities 5. Nor doth the Lord deal with them as Enemies the difference is great betwixt his dealing with the one and with the other Esai 17 vers 7. Hath He smitten him as He smote those that smote him is he slaine according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him But on the contrary He dealeth with them according to a rule of Mercy and fatherly Compassion for as a Father pitieth his Children and only chasteneth them so doth the Lord deal with them He knoweth what they can bear and layeth no more upon them than they are able to bear The wise Prophet tels us Prov. 12. vers 10. That the righteous man regairdcth the life of his beast and therefore will not overcharge him with a load heavier than he can bear And will not the righteous Lord regaird the life of his own servants Are they not of much more value than many beasts Sure then He will not overcharge them 1. Cor. 10. vers 13 2. The beleeving and right consideration of this Truth That God over-ruleth and disposeth of and ordereth afflictions as He seeth good would much help unto the life of Patience which is so commendable Iam. 5. vers 11. Being a piece of the honour and badge of Saints Revel 13 10. and 14. vers 12. and so much taken notice of by God Revel 2. vers 2 19. Yea and profitable having its perfect work Iam. 1. vers 4. and bringing happiness with it Iam. 5 11. This Consideration I say rightly Improven may help hereunto for it will fortifie the soul of the Beleever against those thoughts which usually occasion impatience as 1. When the man is poreing upon the uncouthness of the Affliction wherewith he is exercised and saying with the Church Lam. 1. vers 12. Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger he is ready to give way unto impatience But when he considereth who hath prepared this potion for him that it was no unskilful Apothecary it was not the malignant Enemie that intended his death and destruction but the only Wise and Supream God who was seeking his good his life and health and who knew that no other potion would suite his distemper and purge out his peccant humores this will help him to lye under the workings of that physick with patience Though the potion of physick be bitter and work something hard yet a wise man will have patience when he considereth that the Physician who did appoint it was both well skilled and his special friend and therefore perswadeth himself that no less would do him good So when the beleever considereth that it is His God and Father who hath prepared that potion for him and that He saw his distemper called for it and when he considereth that God with his own hands did make and prepare it weighed all the doses with great carefulness and mixed in nothing but what was most necessary he will drink it though bitter with the better will and albeit it work hard and make him sick yet he will not be impatient and cry out why am I so and so handled doth every one get such paining sickning physick as this but rather say because every one needeth not such strong physick I must be dealt with in a special manner I have other corruptions than ordinary and therefore must have patience and be content to be otherwise dealt with than others usually are 2. The person in affliction when he seeth himself compassed about with evils and that he is not visited with one or two rodes but with many at once and that innumerable evils compass him about as said David Psal. 40. vers 12. which in part occasioned his adding therefore my heart faileth me or forsaketh me then he is ready to say how can I while thus invironed with evils have patience But if he would call to mind God's hand in the matter as Iob did he would with him bless the name of the Lord for then he would see that God himself had ordered all and that not one of all these multifarious evils came without the Lord 's special and active Permission and Providential Ordination Appointment and Commission and that God alone had ordered that mixture and combination of troubles and trials 3. The impatience of Gods people is oft occasioned by their imagining that the trouble is greater than they can bear as we see in Iob Chap. 6. vers 11 12. What is my strength that I should hope And what is mine end that I should prolong my dayes Is my strength the strength of stones Or is my flesh of brasse And againe Chap. 7. vers 11 12. Therefore I will not refraine my mouth I will speak in the anguish of my spirit I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Am I a sea or a whale that thou settest a watch over me But would they consider and beleeve that God knoweth what they are able to bear and is proportioning the load to their strength which He knoweth better than they do or when He seeth it fit to presse them above measure that they may despaire in themselves and not trust in themselves that then He under proppeth and supporteth the weak back and conveyethin secret strength enabling them to stand under the load and thus never layeth more on than they are able to bear If I say they were calling this to mind they would see no cause of Impatience but rather cause of crying out when we are weak then are we strong and therefore we will glory in our infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon us 2 Cor. 12. â—…ers 9 10. And they would through faith be in case to say with Paul 2 Cor. 4. vers
8. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 4. Their Impatience is likewise occasioned by considering that their Trouble and Affliction is still growing when they supposed that it should have decreased But the right Improvement of this Truth would frame the Soul for patience notwithstanding hereof because the beleever would see ground to say grow as it will the hand of the Lord is about it it will grow to no greater height than he seeth good let Enemies blow at the fire as fast and with as great earnestness as they will the furnace shall be no hoter than the Supream Master and Over-ruler of all seeth fit for the ends He intendeth He knoweth the nature of the mettall and how hote a fire will serve the turn to purge it 5. This also raiseth impatient thoughts in their heart That they can see no appearance of an outgate all doores are so shut that no hope appeareth thus was it with Iob therefore hath he many such expressions as Chap. 7. vers 6. My daies are swifter than a weavers shuttle and are spent without hope Vers. 7. Mine eye shall no more see good Vers. 8. The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more But this Impatience would evanish if this were beleeved That the Lord's hand were in and about the affliction making a faire way to a saife escape and at length in his own due time putting a period to the Trouble when his work is finished the end He designed attained and if it were firmly beleeved that let Enemies make all as sure as they can and rage as they will they shall not be able to keep them longer under their yron harrowes than He seeth good no not one day nor an houre 3. The right improvement of this Consideration would help unto an holy and sweet Submission and cause us say with David Psal. 39. vers 9. I was dumb not opening my mouth because thou didst it When Aaron met with a sad dispensation two of his prime sones Nadab and Abihu were taken away in the fiour of their age and that in a very terrible manner by fire from heaven for their rashness and when Moses told him Levit. 10. vers 3. That this was it which the Lord spoke saying I will be sanctified of all them that come neer me it is said of him And Aaron held his peace A sight of the hand of God though in a terrible manner in that dispensation made him lay his hand upon his mouth and sit silent in the dust He had not one word to say So that a sight of the hand of God in the dispensation ordering all things in it would help them unto a Christian yea unto a cheerful Submission It would not be patience by force but an hearty willing cheerful choosing bearing and embracing of that lot because bound on their back by the hand of God Shall we not drink would they say this potion with delight that God hath prepared and carefully made up for us He knoweth what is best for us Shall we not willingly lye under the crosse that God hath tyed upon us when He knoweth what He is doing and what we must not want and will not sufler us to be temâ—…ted above what we are able When His good time is come there will be an end and all the power of Enemies shall not obstruct our Delivery The Church Micah 7. vers 9. could sweetly sit down and bear the indignation of the Lord when by faith she could say Rejoice not against me O mine Enemie when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be alight unto me He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousness V. 8 9. 4. The beleeving improvment of this would keep the beleever from fainting and sincking through discouragment many thoughts come into the minde while affliction is lying on their loines and Satan can suggest many things at that time to cause the poor man succumb while under the load but the faith of God's Soveraigne and Absolute O dering of all things in and about the Trouble according to his own mind would keep up their head and preserve them from a sinful and shamful fainting They look too much to instruments and pore too much upon their Nature Disposition Activity Power Wisdom Wickedness Maliciousness Rage Cruelty and Indefatigableness and forget that they are but under agents and can do nothing but as the Supream God Willeth Ordert he Disposeth and Permitteth and that He alone Over-ruleth all Moderateth and Ordereth all according to His own mind and for His own holy ends So that they cannot do any thing whether as to the Substance or as to the Circumstances of the affliction but as He who is the Supream Master of work is pleased to suffer and give way unto 5. The beleeving thoughts of this Truth would keep the Soul from that dreadful sin of Murmuring against the Lord upon occasion of any Trouble or Distress he meeteth with It is the Lord would the Soul say and who am I that I should quarrel with Him He is ordering disposing and moderating all that under agents and lixes are doing so that all things are done as He will and shall I yet be displeased and quarrelsome Enemies cannot get their will They are over-ruled in all their Consultations Projects Contrivances bloudy Resolutions and cruel Executions matters go not as they will but as He will who is over them and why then should I murmure and repine against Him 6. This would also airth the Eyes of the soul towards the right object in a day of Trouble They would not with Heathens look to chance or fortune as ruling and ordering all nor would they with the carnal multitude fâ—…x their eye upon the instruments and run with the dog to the stone that is cast at him but would see another more noble object of their sight to wit the Principal Agent Mover and Orderer of all in whose hand the wicked are as the ax and saw in the hand of the workman and as the rod in the hand of the father and this sight would help unto a Spiritual Christian frame of Godly fear Subjection of Soul and would put the soul in case to observe the Wisdom Soveraignity and absolute Dominion of God doing what He will frustrating the toakens of the liars and disappointing the craftie devices of wicked men as also this sight would minde the man of Christian duties of searching his wayes repenting of his sinnes and turning againe to the Lord for he would see it was the Lord with whom he had to do He would look for his Outgate and Salvation from God alone so that his Faith his Hope and his Confidence would be in the Lord alone His eye being fixed on this object he would not see cause of troublâ—…ng himself much about-Enemies
Church here should taste of the Worm-wood the Gall of Affliction and wade thorow Trouble and Persecution He hath seen it fit that she should be in a wilderness Condition here And so it hath been in almost all ages as might be evidenced if necessary 2. Not only hath the Church of God met with Affliction but the cup hath been long at her Head without any intermission The seed of Abraham were to be strangers to serve and be afflicted foure hundereth yeers and more even from Ismaels beginning to mock until they were delivered out of Aegypt Gen. 15 v. 13. Act. 7 6 7. with Exod. 12 41. Was not the Church keeped fourtie yeers wandering in the Wilderness before she came to rest And when settled in the promised Land how many yeers together was she oppressed by Enemies sometimes Eight Iudg. 3 8. then Eighteen vers 14. then Twenty Iudg. 4 v. 3. Then Senventie Years in captivity in Babylon And we know how the Christian Church was in an afflicted and persecuted condition in the primitive times three hundereth Yeers untill Constantine the great came to the Empire and how long she hath groaned under Antichrist's tyrannie 3. The Lord also thinketh good to renew the daies of the Church her sorrow after some warm blainks and some short respite as the primitive Church had in the intervals betwixt the Ten vehement and fiery Persecutions some whereof were of longer some of shorter continuance After a respite He sendeth a new storme so that her calamites are like waves of the sea ere one be well away another cometh Hence the Psalmist saith Ps. 129. vers 1 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth 4. Yea moreover the Lord seeth good to afflict her with billowes of waves of His displeasure and to afflict her very sore as Esai 64. vers 9 10 11 12. Be not wroth very sore Thy holy cities are a wilderness Zion is a wilderness Ierusalem a desolation Our holy and our beautiful house where our fathers praised thee is burnt up with fire and all our pleasant things are laid waste wilt thou refraine thy self for these things O Lord wilt thou hold thy peace and afflict us very sore This was a sore stroke which destroyed both Church and State 5. Some times the Church hath to do with moe Enemies than one at once See Psal. 83. ver 5 6 7 8. For they have consulted together with one consent they are consederat against thee The Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Hagarens Gebal and Ammon and Amalek the Philistines with the Inhabitants of Tyre Assur also is joined with them they have holpen the children of Lot This was a dreadful conspiracy of all the Enemies round about both far and neer and their designe was to cut off the people of God from being a Nation that the Name of Israel might be no more in remembrance vers 4. As Herod and Pilat will agree when they are to concurre to the cutting off of Christ so these Enemies though sometimes at variance among themselves yet can agree in one to joine their forces together to destroy and cut off if they could the Inheritance of the Lord. 6. Withall the Lord may hide His face in the midst of these outward calamities and refuse to give light comfort counsel or direction She may be afflicted and tossed with tempests and withall not comforted How hath the Lord said the Church Lam. 2. v. 1 3. covered the Daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger He burned against Iacob like a flame of fire See also Chap. 3 8 9 10 11 c. and several other passages 7. Sometime the Lord so ordereth the affliction as that the very timeing of it maketh it much more heavy than otherwise it would be as when His people are secure and crying peace peace The Israelites thought all was well when they were gote out of Egypt but ere they were awar how quickly were they invironed with new Difficulties pursued by Pharaoh all his hosts having the red sea before and no way to escape upon either hand doubtless the very season time of this new difficulty made it very grievous It cannot be but sad when it is with the Church as Ieremie saith of the Church in his time Ier. 8 v. 15. and 14 19. We looked for peace but no good came for a time of healing and behold trouble 8. Not only is the Church put to contend with open Enemies but she is also much molested with false friends who under pretence of friendship seek to ruine her These prove most dangerous Enemies as traitours within a besieged place While she is prospering many offer their service to her and seem to be cordial friends and yet are but a mixed multitude who when the first occasion offers will seek to returne to Egypt for all their profession of kindness and friendship when a fit opportunity offereth there are none more bitter Enemies than they are So that it oft fareth with her as Paul said it would fare after his death with the Church of Ephesus in respect of Hereticks and false Teachers Act. 20. vers 29 30 For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaâ—…ing perverse things c. 9. Yea so low may the Church sometimes be brought under the feet of adversaries that little hope may remaine of her recovery yea she may be looked on by one and other as in a desperat and forlorne condition so that even many of the faithful may be shaken in their hops and saying will the Lord be favourable no more Are His mercies clean gone Doth His promise fail for ever more Hath He forgotten to be gracious Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies Such may be her condition that all humane probability of her recovery may be gone and the faithful have nothing but a bare haire ofhop to hold by or a small plank ofa promise that also under the waters of contrary dispensations to stand upon and so far may the delivery be out of sight that when it beginneth to dawne they may be as those that dream Ps. 126. vers 1. 10. Yet withall it is considerable that notwithstanding of all the opposition made by the Devil and his Instruments against the Church she hath been a burning bush and yet not consumed though she hath been many a time afflicted and that from her youth yet her adversaries have not prevailed against her the plowers have often plowed upon her back and made long their furrowes yet still the righteous Lord hath cut the cordes of the wicked Psa. 129. vers 1 2 3 4. Many an arrow have they shot at her yet mount Zion stands and she hath her Towers Bulwarcks and Palaces Psal. 48. She is founded upon the rock of ages and the ports of hell cannot prevail against her Mat. 16. No
midst of all persecutions that they meet with they are animated unto the like stedfastness and to resolution in adhering fixedly to the truth such examples will make even a timorous man wax bold and the exemplary carriage of sufferers is very encouraging and comfortable wherefore the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 1 6. whether we be afflicted it is for your Consolation Therefore these Sufferings are much for the advantage of the Church 6. Hereby is the Church awakened from security and made to look out for a suffering lot when thus it is done to the green tree they are made to take Warning Such a dispensation is as the sounding of the trumpet for an alarme and this is no small advantage when she is raised to her feet and put in a postour and made ready for the battel then she needeth not fear a surprisal but hath time to prepare and make ready for the storme In order to the Improvement of this Consideration we would 1. Beware to conclude that all is gone when we hear or see Christs eminent Servants put to sad sufferings We are ready to wonder why the Lord should suffer such and such things to be done why He should suffer such sad things to befall His eminent and useful Servants who cannot well be missed one whereof is worth an hundered so that the Death or Imprisonment of one such threatneth more destruction to the Church than the loss of many But we know not the thoughts of the Lord we know not what He is designing and what He mindeth to effectuat thereby And if we beleeved that even such a dispensation as this could do no harme to the Church how little would we be troubled at it If we saw what an effectual way this were in the steady unerring Hand of God to bring about the spiritual advantage of the Church how would we lay our hands upon our mouth and be silent And though we can not see in particular what advantage the Church is like to get by the taking away of such as were as Pillars of the Church Yet we should by faith rest assured that the Head and Husband of the Church would not suffer such a Dispensation to come if He knew not how to bring good and advantage out of it and that thereby good seed was sowen which though accompanied with teares and bloud yet should yeeld full sheaves at length which should be brought home with Joy 2. We would do well to search ourselves at such a time to see if we as particular members of the Church be reaping any advantage by what we hear and see of the Sufferings of Christs eminent Servants as for example see if thereby the truth of the Gospel become more riveted in our souls we becometh more rooted in the faith and assurance thereof and more fixed in our Resolution to adhere thereunto See if Truth becometh lovely desireable to us upon this account See if grace be growing more within and if our hearts and affections be loosed more and more from the things of a world and we be prepared more to quite all for Christ and His Cause See if by the example of others we be more animated and encouraged to avow and abide by the truth cost what it will See if these newes be raising us out of our bed and making us prepare for the battel and make ready for the approaching storme if we finde any such advantage thereby let us blesse Him who is giving us meat out of the eater and doing us good by the dear cost and charges of others 3. This should comfort such as are called forth to suffer for the Name of Jesus they need not trouble themselves with thoughts what shall become of the Church and Interest of Christ but leave that upon the Lord and beleeve that He shall make it contribute to the furtherance of the Gospel and to the enlairgment of His Kingdom Ministers called to suffer may possibly think Oh what shall become of the poor people we cannot get preached unto them as formerly but what if God make their stedfastness in suffering more advantagious than their preachings would have been What if that edifie more than many preachings did or would do Ought not they upon this Consideration rejoice in their Lot and suffer cheerfully that Christs Interest may prosper more thereby What know they what influence their Christian carriage may have on all On-lookers yea and on Enemies and Persecuters themselves beside what confirmation friends may have thereby CONSIDERATION XVII The Lord Reigneth in Zion BEleevers are not like unto the Subjects of Kings here on earth who may be dethroned and their Crowns may fall from their Heads and the Scepters be taken out of their hands and they may lose all the Ensignes of Royalty and when it falleth out so as is done many a time Subjects have but cold Comfort in looking to the Throne when it hath forsaken him that sat thereon But Beleevers have a King who liveth and reigneth for ever and ever and whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom It cannot then but be strange that when Men who have all their temporal happiness hanging upon the standing of Kings of Clay can rejoyce in adversity when they have any hope of their King 's recovering of his lost Throne and Kingdome though the grounds of their Hop be most disputable and uncertaine that the Children of God in the day of their Adversity can draw so little Comfort from the sure and certaine Grounds of Hope which they have to look to If Christs Crown and Throne were not surer than the fading and perishing Regalia of Men what would beleevers do Whither could they go for consolation in the day of their Distress and Anguish But now seing their King is not like the Kings of the Earth why are they so heartless in the day of their extremity Sure the Reason must be because they beleeve not that He is such a King as He is indeed or they know not how to improve to any spiritual Advantage such a noble Ground of Consolation as this is Wherefore it may be useful to speak a little unto this And so we shall first lay down some Propositions clearing up this Truth and next some Conclusions pointing out the improvement that may be made thereof First As for the Propositions take these following 1. The Lord standeth under the Relation of a King to His Church and People He hath taken to himself that Name and Title and accordingly we finde them eyeing this in the day of their Distress So David Psal. 5 vers 2. and 84 v. 2. embraceth Him crying My King and my God and he comforteth himself with this Ps. 10. v. 16. The Lord is King for ever and ever And the Church crieth out Psal. 74 v. 2. God is my King of old and comforteth herself with this Esai 33 v. 22. The Lord is our judge the Lord is our Lawgiver the Lord is our King He will save us So
46 5. It is promised Mic. 4 7. That the Lord shall reigne over them in mount Zion and what followeth And thou ô Toure of the Flock vers 8. the strong hold of the Daughter of Zion unto thee shall it come even the first Dominion the Kingdome shall come to the Daughter of Ierusalem 5. Though it frequently come to passe that God's people are brought low and Enemies get the upper hand yet Zion's King liveth and therefore He will Assemble her that halteth and will gather her that is driven out and her that have been afflicted and make her that halteth a remnant her that was cast off a strong Nation Mica 4 6 7. Because He liveth His members must live also Seing the Churches Head is above the water she cannot drown Wherefore upon this very ground that Zions King liveth and reigneth His Church and People even while low and under the feet of Enemies may lift up their head in hop and be sure that their day of redemption draweth neer and they may conclude with the Church Esai 33 22. The Lord is our judge the Lord is our King He will save us Seing He is King He can command deliverance Psal. 44. 4. and work Salvation Psal. 74 12. Upon this ground David inferreth a Delivery and a Victory Psal. 10 v. 16. The Lord is King for ever and ever the heathen are perished out of his land Enemies will not be able to stand long in Immanuel's Land It is His work as King to deliver and defend His Subjects and they may be sure He will not deny Himself He will answere â—…is Title and Relation 6. When His people see that all their Strength is gone and that there is none shut up or left they are ready to conclude that all is gone But what cannot this King in Zion soon leavy an Army How easie is it for Him to speak to dry bones and make them armed men Ezek. 37. When mention was made of this Ruler in Israel whose goings forth were from of old and who should stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord His God Micah 5 4. It is added This man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our Land and when he shall trade in our Palaces then shall we raise against him Seven shepherds and eight Principal men and they shall waste the Land of Assyria with the sword and the Land of Nimrod in the entrance thereof Thus shall He deliver us from the Assyrian when he cometh into our Land and treadeth within our borders And the remnant of Iacob shall be among the Gentils in the midst of many people as a Lion among the beasts of the forest as the young Lion among the Flocks of sheep Thine hand shall be lift up upon thine Adversaries and all thine enemies shall be cut off vers 5 6 7 8 9. When His people are brought very low so that in all probability they shall not be able to raise up themselves then this King can help the business He can raise up an invincible army out of lame sick souldiers He can make Ierusalem a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone for all people Zech. 12 2 3. He can make the Governours of Iudah like on hearth of fire among the wood and like a toarch of fire in a sheaf and they shall devoure all the people round about on the right hand on the left ver 5. He can make Him that is feeble among them like David and the house of David as God as an Angel of the Lord before them v. 8. Out of Him cometh the corner out of Him cometh the nail out of him the battel bow and He can make them to be as mighty men which tread down as the mire of the street in the battel and He can strengthen the house of Iudah Zech 10 4 5 6. He can bend Iudah for himself and fill the bow with Ephraim raise up Zions sones against their Enemies Zech. 9 13 He can make poor worm Iacob a new sharp threshing Instrument having teeth and say to them thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small and shall make the hils as chaff c. Esai 41 14 15. 7. This Consideration speaketh dread and terrour unto Enemies for He is a King that is terrible to the Kings of the earth He maketh the Earth and the heavens to tremble the hils melt and quake before him what then can weak man do What will they be in the hands of the Almighty who shaketh Nations The Lord reigneth Let the earth tremble He sitteth between the Cherubims Let the earth be moved Psal. 99 1. At the wrath of this everlasting King the earth shall tremble and the Nations shall not be able to abide his Indignation Ier. 10 10. Where then shall His Enemies stand in the day of His Indignation We are oft afraid of the terrour of Enemies but saw we Him who is our King we would see that our Enemies had more cause to be afraid of Him who is clothed with Majestie there goeth a smoak out of his nostrils and fire out of His mouth devoureth and coals are kindled by it Psal. 18 vers 8. Read what followeth 8. When we are thinking on the Wit Skil and Activity of the Adversaries let us call to mind that our King is infinitly beyond them He searcheth the heart and tryeth the reines He knoweth the thoughts afar off He is privie to all the motions of Adversaries He knoweth when they march and when and where they halt Esai 10 28 29. See what is said of our King Esai 11 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of Wisdom Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and Might the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. Though the Adversaries should soon out-wit us yet they will not be able to out-wit Him who is our King for the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are in Him So that it is an easie business for Him to countermine all their Plots and Machinations He hath formed all their hearts and so He knoweth what is in their hearts Nothing can be hid from Him His very eye-lids try the Children of Men Psal. 11 4. Wherefore when we are at a non-plus and know not what to do this may comfort us and compose our Spirits our King knoweth very well how to carry on his own Contrivances glorious Projects So that when we are blinde we are to look to Him who knoweth what to do when we know not what to do and let Him alone with His own work 9. It is sad when the Children of God are wronged and cannot get faire Justice wickedness is to be seen in the place of judgment and iniquity in the place of righteousness Eccles. 3 v. 16. judgment is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off for truth
is fallen in the streat and equity cannot enter yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey Esai 59 v. 14 15. But here is comfort against this that Zions King reigneth who is just and a King that reigneth in righteousness He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes neither reprove after the hearing of his eares but with righteousness shall He judge the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth and righteousness shall be the girdle of His loines and faithfulness the girdle of His reines Esai 11 3 4 5. His people then need not fear seing there is Justice to be had at His bar 10. The Children of God are much fainted and discouraged when second meanes are out of sight they see not horses nor horsmen to appear in the fields for them but a right sight of this Truth would prove helpful and encouraging in this case Did they but by faith see that Zions King were reigning on His Throne and actually sweying His Scepter they would easily conclude that all would be well for this King would either work without meanes as sometime He doth or creat meanes for His own use A wight man we say never wanted weapons and shall our King be straitned for want of meanes Could Sampson without either Sword or Spear only with what came next to his hand the Jaw-bone of an asse slay so many And need we fear that our King shall want Instruments when He mindeth to work by Instruments Omnipotency cannot want hands Any of all the Creatures is sufficient in His hand with vermine He made an end of proud Herod If He but speak the word He will therewith command deliverance So that we need not fear though the fig tree should not blossome and though we should see nothing but dry bones and dry bones scattered about the graves mouth so long as this King liveth and reigneth unto whom belong the shields of the Earth Ps. 47 v. last 11. The Lords reigning in Zion may assure us that there are great and rich off-fallings to be had Courtiers fear not want so long as the King possesseth His Throne yea they dar adventure to take on Luck's head as we say and why may not the Lords people also rejoice on Lucks head seing their King shall never be dethroned It is said Esai 32 vers 1. that a King shall reigne in righteousness And what is to follow thereupon See vers 2 3. And a man shall be as an hiding place from the winde and a covert from the Tempest as Rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land and the eyes of them that see shall not be dim and the eares of them that hear shall hearken 12. This Consideration may fill the souls of his People with Joy and Consolation however matters go with them were they never so low were Enemies never so high were the case of the people of God never so desperat like That Zions King liveth and reigneth is the most encouraging newes that can be The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoice and let the multitude of the Isles be glade thereat Psal. 97 1. There is Joy and gladness here sowen for all the upright in heart Is not the Lord in Zion Is not her King in her Said Ieremie Chap. 8 19. It is a shame that Beleevers should any way carry themselves so as On-lookers might have ground to think that Zions King were not in her or that they themselves did not beleeve that Zions King indeed were reigning CONSIDERATION XVIII The time of Affliction is but short IT is an ordinary thing for people under Affliction to be putting moe hours in their day than twentie foure to be multiplying their yeers and accounting their moneths Yeers their weeks Moneths and their houres Dayes and to be crying out Oh will this life never have an end How long how long will this Cup be holden to my head When shall the day dawn when God shall loose this Yoke from off my neck The Harvest is past and the Summer is ended and we are not saved Ier. 8 vers 20. Will not this year put an end to our trouble How long shall the rod of the wicked rest upon the lot of the righteous How long will God lengthen-out this sad trial These speaches and the like are but too frequent in their mouth and their thoughts are too oft upon this Subject and thus eternizing their sad lot in their mindes or foolishly imagining it will not have an end in hast they multiply their own Sorrow whereas did they calculat by the Scripture-account they would see the time shorter than they now imagine it to be Now to help them as to his We shall 1. Shew what is the Scripture account of the time of Affliction 2. Answere what can be objected to the contrary 3. Show how this Consideration may and should be improven to advantage As to the First The Scriptures give us this account of the matter 1. That it will not be for ever 1 King 11. v. 39. And I will for this afflict the Seed of David but not for ever Though for their iniquities He resolved to punish and afflict the Seed of David yet it will not be for ever And what is here spoken of David's Seed will in some respect agree to the Church and People of God in all ages Ay and there may be here a Meiosis a Figure whereby much more is imported than the words signifie and this not for ever is as much as for a short time It must then be the language of unbeleef to say that God will cast off for ever and that He will be favourable no more for His strokes upon the Godly are not of that nature He may afflict for a time but not for ever 2. The Scripture telleth us that these dayes will be shortened Matth. 20 22. And except those dayes should be shortened no flesh should be saved but for the Elects sake those dayes shall be shortened Christ is speaking there of sore and sharp Tribulation that was to come upon the Land and for the comfort of the Elect He saith that those dayes of Affliction and Tribulation should not long continue but should be shortened for their sake And this will hold good in all Ages the Lord being as careful of His Elect now as then and His Elect being as ready to fainte through long Affliction now as formerly Therefore the ground of this promise continueing we must not say that the promise it self is out of date To say then that Affliction shall never have an end is upon the matter to annul this Promise 3. We finde the Scripture saying That Affliction or the rod of the wicked should not rest upon the Lot of the righteous lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity Psal. 125 v. 3. This promise containeth likewise in the bosome of it a ground of assurance that it is not
short in regaird of the great and manifold effects which God is to bring about by the same a through Consideration of which would make us say if we judged according to our usual manner that the Afflictions must of necessity continue a long time to the end those great and noble effects may be produced thereby Would we consider how much Dross and Corruption in His own people remaineth to be purged away as Pride Carnality Inordinat Self-love and Love of Pleasures Riches Honours Ease c. Carnal-Security Passion Self-conceite Formality Hypocrisie c. we would see a necessity for the Crosses lying-on for a long time in order to the purging of these away As also would we consider how much Hypocrisie Hollow-heartedness there is to discover how many false Friends to Christ and His Interest there are to be made known we could not but think that of necessity in order to the effectuating of this discovery a long time of trouble and trials were requisite As likewise if we called to minde how many things His people are to learne thereby Considering I say those and such like noble Effects which the great Master of Work is to effectuate and produce by the Affliction And how they would seem to call for the continuance of the same for a considerable time And withall how notwithstanding the Lord prevents the thoughts of many and maketh a short work and doth that in a few Moneths or Dayes which we could have thought should have called for many Yeers When then the Lord maketh such a quick dispatch of such a great Business we may well say that the time is short and that many Years are but a very short time 2 The time of Afflictions may be accounted short considering what our Sins and Provocations call for at His hand When in righteousness the Lord might keep us under the rod all our dayes and multiply Afflictions upon us to our very dying day Ten or Twenty Years Captivity should seem a very short time a few Years Imprisonment would seem nothing to a man who had been condemned to perpetual Imprisonment To another possibly who got no such Sentence a few Moneths Imprisonment would seem longer than many Years to him because he expected no less than perpetual Imprisonment So were we considering that in regaird of our deservings the time of Afflictions might justly be continued to the end of our dayes a few Years or Moneths would appear to be no considerable time Wherefore in respect of our deservings a long time of Affliction is but a short time because the longest is nothing to what we have deserved 3. They may be accounted short in respect of the dayes of Prosperity which they have had sometimes in the world The Lord doth not alwayes chide He will not cast off for ever but though he cause griefe yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His tender Mercies Lam. 3 vers 32. and so He sendeth Prosperity which lasteth longer than their Adversitie did as we see Iudg. 3 vers 11. after Eight Years bondage they had rest Fourtie Years And vers 30. after Eighteen Years trouble they had rest Fourscore Years So Chap. 5 vers last after twenty Years bondage they had rest Fourty Years Thus the Lord sometimes sendeth such a length of Prosperity that the dayes of Adversity are forgotten as if they had been few and inconsiderable 4. The time of Affliction may be accounted short considering how that oftentimes for as long as the delivery seemeth to be a coming yet when it cometh His People are surprized therewith their expectation is prevented they imagined in their own apprehensions a longer duration of the trouble so that mercy preventeth them when it cometh and this maketh the by-past time of their Affliction seem short Though the People of God had been a conderable time in bondage and under the feet of Adversaries yet it appeared unto them but as it were as the time betwixt seed time and harvest Psal. 126 vers 5 6. after God had wonderfully delivered them out of Captivity and Bondage they draw this Conclusion from this rare Act of Gods Providence about them They that sow in tears shall reap in Ioy and he that goeth forth and weepeth having precious seed shall doubtless come againe with rejoiceing bringing His sheaves with him Whereby is imported that Gods People abiding by the Lord though they should meet with Affliction in their Duty and be made to weep sore be reason thereof yet the time of delivery should come like an Harvest with fruit recompensing all their toile and tears and so they summed up all their Seventy Years into less than Seven Moneths And how came it to passe that the time seemed so short That Psalm pointeth this forth as one Reason hereof Vers. 1 When the Lord turned againe the Captivity of Zion we were like men that dream They were surprized with the mercy for they did not look for it but thought their exiled Condition should have continued longer because they saw no appearance or probability of a returne So that in regaird of what the People of God themselves may imagine the time of the Affliction may be short 5. It may likewise be accounted short and inconsiderable in regaird of the wonderful and extraordinary goodness of God that appeareth in the delivery when it cometh it may be attended with such signal and notable Mercies which so fill their souls with amazement and satisfaction that the length of the time of their Affliction disappeareth and evanisheth and as if it had been nothing it is presently forgotten So in that forecited Psal. 126 vers 2. The delivery is accounted signal and wonderfully remarkable such as filled their mouth with laughter and their tongue with singing It was such a notable delivery accompanied with so many rare Passages and carrying in the bosome of it so many rare demonstrations of Gods Power Tenderness Faithfulness Constancy and loving Kindness that they could not but be filled with admiration thereat and have their tongues loosed to sing his praises Yea they took notice of this circumstance which increased the admirablness of the delivery that even Strangers and Heathens were made to say that God had done great things or the poor Jewes and they themselves being no less convinced hereof could not but subscribe to the truth thereof and as it were take the word out of their mouth and say v. 3. The Lord had done great things for us whereof we are glade Now this being so remarkable a delivery the first sight and apprehension of it did so fill their soul with Joy and Admiration that the long Seventy Years Bondage seemed to them but as the paines and labour of a few Moneths in expectation of a good harvest after the seed was sowen as the long paines of a women travelling in Child-birth are forgotten when she hath brought forth a Man-Child In respect therefore of the delivery so signal as to its Ingredients Attendants and
hereof 3. When the Lord surprizeth His People with a Mercy and a Deliverance and cometh upon them with an unexpected Out-gate whether 1. As to their present Frame and Fitness for the mercy and delivery Or 2. As to their Present Hopes and Expectation When First I say the Lord cometh with a sweet and merciful delivery unto a People that seem to be in no present capacity for it as being out of all good Frame or Fitness for receiving such a mercy with advantage because lying in their sin and impenitency When the Lord cometh with Salvation unto such a people sure his way must be covered with darkness and hid from the eyes of Beholders with a clothing of Soveraignity for who could think that deliverance were upon its march towards such a people who are not seeking it nor turning from their sinful wayes that the Lord may have mercy upon them according to his usual Method and Order Such steps of Soveraignity are hid steps of Majesty and full of Glory and therein the Lord is hiding Himself and His way coming with Salvation in an unusual path As when he saith Esai 57 17 18. For the iniquity of his Covetousness I was wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his wayes and will heal him I will lead him also and restore Comforts unto him and to his mourners Next When the Lord surprizeth a people with a mercy that they are not in Expectation of nor Waiting for then he acteth like a stately King and His Way is Glorious and hid as it was when the Captivity was brought back from Babylon concerning which they say Psal. 126 vers 2. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion we were like them that dream It is true they had good ground to be now looking for their delivery because of the Prophecy of Ieremiah foretelling that after Seventy Years they should return back to their owne land and Daniel understood so much and thereupon when the time was approaching set himself to pray Dan. 9. But as to the generality they were in all appearance little looking for this outgate but rather fearing more trouble and vexation by Babylons warrs with the Medes and the Persians who were coming against them though the name of Cyrus because of what was foretold by Esai Ch. 44. and 45. might have caused them lift up their heads in hope But notwithstanding of all this we see they were at least as to the generality and bulk of the people little looking for an outgate at this time therefore at the first report of freedom granted to them to returne they were like men that dream scarce beleeving their owne eyes and eares At which time while they were in this dreaming posture how were they surprized with this mercy And how was the way of the Lord in His stately Marchings hid from their eyes In reference to this same Dispensation of deliverance to his People by Crus is the Prophet here crying out thus Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self as the former part of the Chapter from the beginning cleareth 4. When Dispensations upon the one hand and the other say that in humane probability there is no appearance or ground of hope of an outgate or deliverance yet delivery cometh in an unexpected way how hid must the way of the Lord then be Thus He loveth to hide Himself in His advancing with Salvation when there is no appearance to humane Consideration whether mens eye be upon the Enemies or upon the People of God themselves As to Enemies they may 1. Be Strong Mighty and Invincible the Consideration of which might alone be sufficient to dash all hopes as who could have thought that the People of Israel being so under the feet of that mighty Monarch Pharaoh could get out of his Territories and be freed of his mighty Yoke 2. They may not only be strong but prevalent and prospering in their evil way all things succeding according to their mind the Lord as it were shining upon their Counsels and granting to them their hearts desire crossing them in none of their wicked interprizes and designes but even suffering them to devise mischiefe upon their bed and to put it the next day in execution Was it not so with Saul in his wicked persecution of David oftentimes Had he him not sometimes in a net and compassed him about on all hands that there was no apparent escaping and yet deliverance came 3. They may be also Crafty and Politick and lay their traines so sure that they may think they cannot misgive and have all things prepared to their minde that in a moment they may blow up His People that there should not so much as a memorial of them be left and yet be disappointed The Lord in an unseen way may bring about His Peoples deliverance so was it with the people of the Iewes in the dayes of Mordecay when Haman had gote a Commission sealed by the Kings ring and a Decree passed that might not be ranversed or recalled the day appointed and designed and that by a lot as having something like a divine approbation Orders dispatched to put all in execution and thus the mine was ready for the springing what hop could the poor Iewes then have of a delivery And yet behold the Lord was then a God that hid himself He was counter-working this myne and laying a back traine that might cause it spring back upon the Authors and so it did as the Storie cleareth When the Enemies thought themselves sure of their designes and thought it impossible that their purposes could fail behold the God of Israel the Saviour was hiding himself and laying an unseen ambush that cutt them off who thought to have destroyed the Iewes So upon the other hand this God will bring about deliverance to his People When upon their part there is not one toaken for good not one thing apparent that can be a probable ground of hope As 1. When their strength is gone and there are none shut up or left not a man that might be an hopful Instrument to the fore all their valiant Men and Men of Courage and such of whom any thing could be expected destroyed and taken away Yet He who is a God that hideth Himself can come in an unseen way and loveth to come so according to that gracious Word Deut. 32 vers 36. For the Lord shall judge his People and repent Himself for His Servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left Was it not thus also in the dayes of Deborah when there was not a spear or sheild seen among Fourty Thousand in Israel Iudg. 5 vers 8. 2. When their heart and courage is gone they are desponding and desparing and looking on their own case as hopless and helpless as it is said of the People of Iudah while in Babylon who said Ezek.
and put his posterity according to His faithful word in possession of that promised land he should incontinent after He had brought them thorow the red sea and brought them to the very border of Canaan have entered them into Canaan Yet we see He caused them to wander in a waste houling Wilderness Fourtie Years Againe when He brought them over Jordan we would think He should in all haste with great expedition have destroyed the Canaanites that in a short time Israel might have had peacable possession of the whole Land Yet we see the Lord thought good to do other wayes And how many a time doth He think good to exercise the Patience and Faith of His People and for this end delay the carrying on and perfecting of the work He intendeth And this He doth not for want of strength to go over all Opposition nor for want of Wisdom as if he were put to new Resolutions and to a stand in carrying-on his old Purposes But that he may give proof of His Majestick Soveraignity and shew how Stately and Glorious He is in His Operations performing all according to the Counsel of His own will cutting short His Work when we might think it could not be finished in haste and againe drawing it forth to a longer period of time when we would think that all things cry for His hastning of it 10. The Lord hideth Himself in His workings when He suffereth Enemies at once to destroy and overthrow a work that hath been long in building and hath been carried-on with much trouble toile work and care by prayers fastings and blood We understand not what that meaneth which the Lord saith by Ieremiah unto Baruch Ier. 45 4. Behold that which I have built will I break down and that which I have planted I will pluck up even this whole land But this is a piece of His working who loveth sometimes to be a God that hideth himself It is a sad complaint which the Church hath Psal. 74 vers 4 5 6 7 8. Thine Enemies roar in the midst of thy Congregations they set up their ensignes for signes A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers They have cast fire into thy sanctuary They said in their hearts let us destroy them together They have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the Land Thus was there more destroyed in one Year than was built-up in many Is not our Lord in such a case a God that hideth Himself Who can see thorow such a Dispensation as this 11. There is a time also in which we may say the Lord is a God that hideth himself and that is when his Dispensations are so mixed and composed to speak so of mercy and judgment that People shall not know which to regaird most or what to judge of the complex Business As it was when the Ark came to the Bethshemites there was great joy and offering of brunt Offerings and Sacrificeing of Sacrifices 1 Sam. 6 vers 13 15. But behold ere the day was ended their mourning was as great as their joy for the Lord slew Fifty Thousand and Threescore and Ten Men because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord v. 19 Whereupon the people lamented because the Lord had smitten them with a great slaughter and they said vers 20. Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God and to whom shall he go up from us A wonderful dispensation wherein the Lord shewed himself to be a God that hideth Himself 12. We may adde to these another case in which the Lord may be looked upon as one that hideth himself and that is when He is unwilling to make use of holy and useful Instruments of whom much might be expected and who would willingly spend themselves and be spent in the service of the Lord. As the Lord thinketh good to make use of Instruments in his work so it is an hopeful business when the Lord raiseth up fitteth and animateth Instruments for carrying on of his work and the Lord is then appearing in His power on the head of His work But when He saith by His dispensations that He will not make use of hopful and steadable Instruments for beginning or carrying on of His work then He is as it were hid and his footsteps cannot be seen Whether 1. He expresly declareth that he will not make use of such or such a worthy Instrument that would gladly be Imployed in the work as when David did so earnestly desire to be imployed in building of Gods House yet the Lord said he should not build Him an House He would not have that service from him 2 Sam. 7. but would employ one out of his loines for that end and David must be content to prepare money and materials for the work Or 2. When the Lord taketh away Instruments before their work be ended as He did Moses who would faine have passed over Iordan to have seen that good Land and have perfected his work of leading the people thereinto Or 3. When He suffereth worthy and eminent Instruments to be snatcht away basely and unworthily as we see in Iohn Baptist a man that had not a marrow that day upon the face of the earth the only forerunner of Christ greater then any Prophet that was before him and a man that had done much good yet see how unworthily he is taken away he is cast in prison and at the desire of a light dancing damesel prompted thereto by a base and unworthy harlot and taken away in a most unworthy manner murthered in his prison and his head given as a propine and satisfying gift to that girle What a wonderful dispensation was this that the Lord should suffer them to do to this non-such and eminent man even what they would and listed But in these and the like workings of the Lord He is a God that hideth himself We have thus declared how the Lord is a God that hideth himself even when He is about to do good to and to deliver his People and have for further clearing and explaining of the mater given some instances of cases wherein the Lord may be said to be a God hiding himself If we should now enquire Why and for what Reasons doth the Lord choose to work so and bring about deliverance to His people in such an hid and unobservable manner It should satisfie us for an answere That thus it pleaseth Him to do for his own glorious ends which we may not too curiously prye into Yet seing all that God doth is done in great wisdom both for matter and method and for holy ends which His word mentioneth we may so far with soberness and humility enquire into these to the end we may be able to observe something of the wise holy workings of God and so be in better case with knowledge understanding to carry
so multiplied motives to seek salvation an outgate by sinful and unlawful wayes and meanes doubled yet the soul is fixed on Him and on Him alone and will say Asshur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses but in God alone the fatherless findeth merey Hos. 14 3. All which may discover our sinful and unsutable frame in such a dark day when the Lord is in Glory and Majesty sutable to Himself carrying on His work out of our sight and is hiding Himself that we cannot see him nor know what he is doing so may it point forth our duty and teach us what to think and what to do in such a day And to this end we may hence learn in particular to minde those duties following 1. In such a day wherein the Lord hideth Himself we should beware of entertaining any jealous thoughts of Him Satan will then be busie to muster up all the Arguments and Grounds he can to cause Beleevers at least turn jealous of God and to doubt if He will appear any more for Zion to the end they may faint and give over Faith and Hope and then he hath gained his point and Beleevers in such a day may expect this and feare their own hearts that will be too ready to comply with all Satans Motions and Suggestions This therefore would be carefully guarded against 2. In such a day the unchangable Purposes of God His faithful Word and Promises should be the subject of our Meditation on these should we dwell and ruminate to the end our heads may be keeped-up in hope and we may not despond 3. We should beware to make the day darker by sinful departing from God and by giving way to Satans Temptations When folks in a dark night are walking among snares and pits they will set down their feet with great warriness and circumspection so should we do in such a day lest we make our Condition worse 4. We should observe narrowly what we can mark in the Dispensations of the Lord that will say and evince to us according to the grounds of spiritual reasoning that God is about His work and that though we see Him not yet He in working under ground and carrying on His projects to the end we may be confirmed in our hope and strengthened to waite with patience and faith 5. We should minde our duty whatever He do for that is it we are called to and so much the rather that the Lord hideth Himself should we be diligent in unquestionable duties for He meeteth him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness Esai 64 v. 5. 6. We should beware to limite the holy One of Israel let us rather stoup and adore and acknowledge Him to be Jehovah who doth what He will The Third thing considerable in these words of truth is what is imported by that word Verily And it wouldseem to pointe out to us these particulars following which I shall but mention First That it is no light or easie mater to win to the faith and to the sight of this by saith That God is the Lord and the God of Israel and the Saviour when He hideth Himself For this ejaculation seemeth to have been or is so here expressed as if it had been the issue and result of some great inward wrestling out of which when the Prophet getteth up his head he cryeth out Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself c. And considering the frame of our heart by Nature and the subtilty of Satan and his skill and diligence to muster up all Considerations in such a day to our disadvantage this difficulty cannot but be great Secondly That this truth is of great moment being here confirmed by such an asseveration It is a truth useful and necessary to be beleeved and fixed in the heart For it is attended with great advantages and the want of the faith of it is not only sinful but most hurtful and dangerous being accompanied with many sad evils and being the cause of dreadful effects and consequences Thirdly That this Truth should be fixed in our hearts as a great and fundamental point and put beyond all doubt or disput with us that He is a God that hideth Himself the God of Israel and the Saviour The Last Particular here considerable is the Prophets uttering this Mater to God and speaking thus to Him Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself c. Which pointeth forth to us these things First The sincerity and uprightness of heart in the Prophet who could thus speak unto God and lay the matter before Him as it was Which should teach us to be honest sincere and upright in all our carriage free of deceit and hypocrisie Secondly The reality of this his Exercise and outgate for it was no made and supposed thing but real To teach us so to carry Thirdly That the Prophets heart was more warmed unto God and that this was the result of his excercise in his meditations that his heart was drawn nigher unto God for now he uttereth the matter in the very bosome of the Father It is well when our exercises have this issue and outgate Fourthly His open Profession of this matter was to exalt and glorify God for herein is a piece of solemne worship performed unto God which pointeth forth our duty in the like case CONSIDERATION XXI No man can make straight what God hath made crooked ECCLES VII V. 13. Consider the Work of God for who can make that straight which He hath made crooked IN a day wherein the People of God are persecuted and afflicted for His sake and cause it were a great help and advantage unto a christian and sutable carriage under that dispensation to have right and sutable thoughts of God and of His divine works In such a day we fancie and imagine many things amiss in the Providential Workings of God many things we think we see that might be helped and if we had the disposal of matters in our hand should be quickly redressed and thus being led away with our own proud hearts and insensibly carried down the strame we fall a censureing of the holy Way of the Lord and a quarrelling with Him because He doth not rectifie matters according to our mind and doth not governe the world or at least the Church according to our wishings and wouldings Now because this frame of spirit is so repugnant unto the Holy Will of God so unsutable unto the Children of God so hurtful unto the Soul and such an Enemie unto the right deportment of Souls in the day of Crosses and Affliction it will be of use to to speak some thing if the Lord will help to rectifie our mistakes and to cure us of these Distempers We think we see many crooked Passages in God's Way and Dispensations with the Church and with ourselves in particular and we imagine also we know wayes how to set all these crooks even But this is really a clear demonstration of our follie
thus hate Him and corrupt His Ordinances This was also given as a cause of the destruction that came on this People 2 Chron. 36 v. 14. They polluted the House of the Lord which He had hallowed in Jerusalem So Ezek. 5 vers 11. it was threatned Wherefore as I live saith the Lord God surely because thou hast defiled my Sanctuary with all thy detestable things and with all thine abominations therefore will I also diminish thee neither shall mine eye sparer neither will I have pity See also the following Verses where the dreadfulness of the blow is laid forth yea saith he Vers 13. thus shall mine anger be accomplished and I will cause my fury to rest upon them and I will be comforted And all is sealed in end Vers 17. with this I the Lord have spoken it So Ezek. 7 vers 20. As for the beauty of his Ornament he set it in Majesty But they made the Images of their Abominations and of their detestable things therein This was their sin and what followeth Therefore have I set it far from them or made it unto them an unclean thing And further in the following Verses He threatneth to give it into the hands of strangers for a prey and to robbers who shall defile it c. See likewise Chapt. 8. throughout and Chap. 23 vers 38 39 So Jerem. 9 vers 12 13 c. The Land was perishing and was burnt up like a Wilderness that none passeth thorow And wherefore was this Because saith the Lord they have forsaken my law which I set before them and have not obeyed my voice neither walked therein but have walked after the imagination of their own heart and after Baalim which their Fathers taught them c. 4. When a land or Church maketh defection from God apostatizeth breaketh wedlock renounceth their Covenant relation then a sword is to be expected wherewith the Lord shall avenge the quarrel of His Covenant Levit 26 25. there is ground to fear that judgment shall inevitably overtake such sinners For thus was it with this people of Judah Ier. 2 9 10. 11 12 13. So Ier. 4 16 17 18. They had forsaken God and rebelled against Him and therefore came destruction upon destruction v. 28. and Ier. 11 10. Because they brake God's Covenant which He had made with their Fathers Therefore v. 11. He threatned to bring evil upon them which they should not be able to escape and that He would not Hearken though they should cry unto Him And then followeth vers 14. Therefore pray not thou for this people c. So Ier. 22 6 7. The Lord threatned to make them a wilderness and Cities not inhabited in so much that Nations shall be astonished and enquire what can be the cause of this And the answere they shall receive is this v. 9. Because they â—…ave forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God and wâ—…rshipped other Gods srved them And in this same place Ier. 15 6. it is said Thou hast forsaken me saith the Lord thou art gone backward therefore will I stretch out mine hand against thee destroy thee I am weary with repenting See what was threatned for breach of Covenant Ier. 34 v. 17 18 19 20. The Lord said He would proclame a liberty to the sword to the pestilence and to the famine and would make them to be removed into all the Kingdomes of the earth and give all ranks among them into the hands of their Enemies and give their dead bodies to be meat unto the fowls of heaven and to the beasts of the earth We see Ezek. 16. how the Lord deduceth along process against them and proveth them to have plaid the harlot and that in a most impudent manner And how therefore he saith that He will judge her as a woman that breaketh wedlock v. 38. make his fury towards them to rest and his jealousie shall depart and He will be quiet vers 42. and againe v. 59. He saith I will even deal with thee as thou hast done which hast despised the oath in breaking the Covenant See the like charged upon Israel as the ground of their desolation Hos. 4 12 13 14. 5 4 5 6 7. 8 1 2 9 1 2 3. 13 16. 5. When this Defection and Apostasie from God in the matter of Religion is accompanied with gross immoralities fearful sins against the Second table of the Law which the very light of Nature condemneth then may the guilty fear an unavoidable stroke a blow of justice that shall not be evited for the Lord will not have it said or supposed by strangers that He will bear with gross impieties in His own professed people and suffer them to exceed the heathen in wickedness without control or punishment We see this people of Judah upon whom inevitable ruine was coming were charged likewise with many gross and hainous impieties Ier. 5 26 27 28 29. There vvere among them wicked men they did lay waite as such as laid snares they set a trap they watched men their houses were full of deceit yea they did overpasse the deeds of the wicked thereupon it followeth v. 29 Shall I not visite for these things saith the Lord Shall not my soul be avenged of such a Nation as this So Ier. 9 1. They were all adulterers an assembly of treacherous men they bend their tongues for lies like bowes they did proceed from evil to evil they taught their tongues to speak lies and deceived their Neighbours they spoke peacably but in heart they did lay wait Therefore it is added v. 9. Shall I not visite them for these things c. So Jer. 21 12. O house of David thus saiâ—…h the Lord execute judgement in the morning and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressour lâ—…st my fury go out like fire and burn that none can quench it because of the evil of your doings These things were neglected by them and therefore wrath came upon them at length and there was no remedie Jer. 22 3 4 5 6. And the Prophet Ezekiel hath the same charge against this people Chap. 5 5 6. They changed Gods judgments into wickedness more than the Nations and his statutes more than the Countreys And therefore the Lord threatned v. 8 9 10. to execute judgment in the midst of them and to do that unto them which He had not done before and the like whereof He would not do any more He would bring on them an unexemplified stroke and a stroke that should not have a parallel And againe Chap. 9 9 10. The iniquity of the house of Israel and of Judah is exceeding great and the Land is full of blood and the city full of perversness And therefore it is added mine eye shall not spare neither will I have pity but I will recompense their way upon their head Therefore was it that commission was given to the Lord's executioners to go thorow and slay Old and young
they fast I will not hear their cry but I will consume them by the Sword by the Famine and by the Pestilence So the Prophet Ezekiel Ch. 24. seeth Ierusalem in the likeness of a pot full of pieces and she is called Vers 6. the pot whose scum is therein and is not gone out of it she would cast away none of her abominations and therefore the Lord said Vers 9. Wo to the bloudy City I will even make the pile for fire great Vers 10. Heap on wood kindle the fire consume the flesh and spice it well and let the bones be burnt Vers 11. Then set it empty upon the coals thereof that the brasse of it may be hot and may burn and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it and that the soumme of it may be consumed She would not put away her scum in time and therefore the Lord will put an end to it in her destruction and He will not be hindered for it is added Vers 13 14. In thy filthiness is leudness because I have purged thee and thou mast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee I the Lord have spoken it it shall come to passe and I will do it I will not go back neither will I spare neither will I repent c. The same was the sin of Israel for saith Hosea Ch. 7 10. And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face and they do not return to the Lord their God nor seek Him for all this So Chap. 11 7. And my People are bent to back sliding from me though they called them to the most High none at all would exalt Him They hardened their necks that they might not hear God's Words Therefore the Lord said Ier. 19 15. that He would bring upon Ierusalem and upon the rest of the Towns all the evil that He had pronounced against it It was this same People of which Zephaniah spaketh Chap. 1 12. That were setled on their lees and said in their heart the Lord will not do good neither will He do evil Upon which dreadful and desolating strokes are denounced to the end of that Chapter 10. When a People under their sins turne brutish sensual and senseless regarding nothing that the Lord is either doing or saying by His Servants or Dispensations but following their pleasures then an alarming and destroying stroke that shall not be turned away may be feared according to that Esai 22 v. 12 13 14. And in that day did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping and to mourning and to baldness and to girding with sackcloth and behold joy and gladness slaying Oxen and killing Sheep eating Flesh and drinking Wine Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die And it was revealed in mine eares by the Lord of Hosts surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die saith the Lord God of Hosts The like we have pronounced by Amos Chap. 6 v. 1 c against such as are at ease in Zion put far away the evil day lye upon beds of yvory stretch themselves upon their couches and eat the Lambs out of the Flock and the Calves out of the midst of the Stall that chant to the sound of the viol invent to themselves Instruments of musick like David that drink wine in bowls anoynt themselves with the chiefe oyntments but they are not grieved for the Affliction of Ioseph Now see what the Lord threatneth upon this account Ver. 7. and forward confirming the same with an Oath Vers 8. to shew the immutability of this Counsel 11. When People are so far from taking conviction and making challenges welcome and from humbling themselves before the Lord in the sense of their iniquities that they will justifie their owne wayes and plead themselves innocent before God Then there being no more hop of their recovery their case seemeth desperat and they may expect a final blow For this was also the sin of this People of Iudah as we see Ier. 2 v. 23 How canst thou say I am not polluted I have not gone after Baalim Therefore Vers 24. their moneth must come wherein they shall be found and taken So Vers 35. Yet thou sayest because I am innocent surely his anger shall turn from me What followeth Behold I will plead with thee because thou sayest I have not sinned So that the Lord is engaged so much the more to plead His controversie against them and make them and the world both see by sad effects how guilty they have been Also we see how the Lord justifieth His procedour with this same People by Ezekiel Chap. 11. throughout they would say that all these calamities which they did meet with and were yet to meet with came not on them for their own sins but for their Fathers sins their Fathers said they had eaten sowre grapes and their teeth was set on edge and therefore they concluded that the way of the Lord was not equal but the Lord in that Chapter is vindicating Himself and evinceing that they were as guilty as their Fathers did tread in their Fathers footsteps approving all that their Fathers did and therefore could not plead innocent See likewise Ezek. 33 11 to 20. 12. When People will go on in their wickedness and shelter themselves under an outward Profession of Religion and Piety then it is to be feared that God shall vindicat His Name and His Glory in the sight of the Nations and make it appear that His outward worship and service shall be a scug to no profane Person For this was also the sin of this People Jer. 7 3 4. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel amend your wayes and your doings and I Will cause you to dwell in this place Trust ye not in lying words saying the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these Because they had the Temple among them they thought all should be well and they should never be ruined do what they pleased But the Lord in the following Verses manifesteth that all that should no more save them than it saved Shiloh and then addeth Vers 15 16. And I will cast you out of my sight as I have cast out all your Brethren the whole Seed os Ephraim Therefore pray not thou for this People c. So saith the Lord by Esaias Ch. 1 11 c. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices c. The Lord cared for none of these things when their outward walk was not answerable to their profession He would not hear their Prayers Vers 15. So Esai 66 3 4. He thereupon threatened to choose their delusions as they had chosen their own wayes and that in which He delighted not See also Amos 5 21 to 23. Micah laith his to the charge of this same People Chap. 3 11. The heads thereof judge for reward
and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money Yet will they lean upon the Lord and say is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us But what followeth upon this Vers 12. Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field and Jerusalem shall become heaps and the mountaine of the House as the high places of the forest 13. When iniquity aboundeth particucularly amongst Church-men who should both by their doctrine example have reclamed the people from their sinful courses then the matter seemeth desperat and God must be avenged on all together Hence we see this same people charged with this Jer. 2 8 9. The Priests said not where is the Lord And they that handle the Law knew me not The Pastors also transgressed against me and the Prophets Prophesied by Baal walked after things that do not profite Wherefore I will yet plead with you saith the Lord and with your Childrens Children will I plead See also Ch. 6 14 15. and 8 11 12 13. There was falshood among the Priests and the Prophets and they healed thehurt of the daughter of Gods People slightly saying Peace Peace when there is no Peace And therefore followeth Vers 13. I will surely consume them c. So Ezek. 22 25 26. There is a conspiracy of her Prophets in the midst thereof they have devoured souls her Priests have violated my Law and have profaned my Holy things c. Therefore as it followeth Vers 31. have I poured out mine indignation upon them I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath their own way have I recompensed upon their heads saith the Lord God See also Hos. 4 v. 6 7 8 9. and 9 vers 8. 14. When a People lay not God's controversie to heart when He is pleading the same against them by lesser judgments nor are taking warning thereby but notwithstanding thereof are going on in their sins then it is to be feared that God shall once for all send a consuming stroke that they shall not evite for this was also the sin of this People as we see Jer. 5 3. Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction So Chap 2 30. and 12 v. 11. Thus was it also with Israel Amos 4 v. 6. and forward to the end several particular judgments are there mentioned but they wrought them not up unto a returning to the Lord vers 6 8 10 12. And then a nameless Judgment or a Judgment without a parallel a judgment that could not be expressed is threatned and they are bidden prepare for it vers 12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel because I willd o thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel See Amos 7. where also several Judgments are mentioned but the Lord made not yet a full end But at length vers 8. He saith I will not againe passe by them any more And so againe Chap. 8 2. See likewise Zeph. 3 7. Esai 1 v 5 6 7 8. 15. When oppression injustice rageth among a people then is there just ground to fear such an overflowing blow Violence was one of the sins that brought on the floud on the old world Gen. 6 11 14. And for this sin was Ierusalem threatned with destruction Esai 1 21 23 24. How is the faithful city become an harlot they judg not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them Therefore thus saith the Lord the Lord of hosts ah I will ease me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies So Jer. 7 6. they were oppressing the stranger the fatherless and the widow and shedding innocent blood As also Jer. 22 17 18. And therefore are sore judgments threatned against their King Iohojakim vers 18 19. that he should be buried with the burial of an asse drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Ierusalem We see what was threatned against Israel Amos 2 6 7 8. For this sin of selling the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of â—…hoes for panting after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor turning aside the way of the meek and laying themselves down upon cloths laid in pledge drinking the wine of the condemned in the house of their God See also Amos 8 4 5 6. where this sin of unrighteousnese and oppression is charged upon them and then followeth vers 7. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob surely I will never forget any of their works 8. shall not the land â—…remble for this every one mourn that dwelleth therein c. So Mic. 2 1 2. the like sin is charged upon that people and then it followeth V. 3. Therefore thus saith the Lord behold against this family do I devise an evil from which ye shall not remove your necks And utter desolation is threatned v. 4 5. And v. 10. It is said Arise ye depairt for this is not your rest c. See likewise Ch. 3 1 2 3 4. and againe v. 9 10 11 12. Habbakuk also saw this sin in Judah Chap. 1 2 3 4. Violence Iniquity Grievance Spoiling Strife and Contention no Judgment but wrong Judgment Therefore v. 5 6. c. an incredible work of Judgment was to be wrought and the Caldeans were to be sent against them So was the like threatened by Zephaniah Ch. 1 3 7 9. for the same sin and 3 v. 3. See Es. 5 23. to the end 16. When people will not follow Gods way and turne at His reproof but go on in their sin and when evil cometh upon them use carnal shifts to save themselves and run to the arme of flesh then it is to be feared that God's anger shall break-out and burn without remedie For this was also the sin of Iudah they would not turn to God but trust in Egypt and Assyria in their strait Ier. 2 8 9 36 37. So Es. 8 6 7 8. For as much as this people râ—…fuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly and rejoice in Rezin and in Remaliah's Son Now therefore behold the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river â—…rong and many even the King of Assyria and he shall passe thorow Iudah and shall overflow and go over c. So Hos. 5 13 v. 14. When Ephraim saw his sickness Iudah his wound then went Ephraim to the Assâ—…rian I will be unto Ephraim as a lion and as an young Lion to the house of Iudah I I will tear and go away I will take away and none shall rescue And againe Chap. 7 11 12. Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart they call to Egypt they go to Assyria When they shall go I will spread my net upon them I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven I will chastise them as their congregation hath heard And againe Ch. 8 8 9 10 Israel is swallowed-up
suffered more than we 159 to 170. How little ground of complaint if all were known cleared in 5. particulars 170 to 173. How the example of others should be improved in 8. particulars 173 to 176. Consid. XV. Suffering is Gods Gift 177. That suffering is Gods Gift 178 179. Right suffering is Gods Gift cleared in 12. particulars 180 to 187. This Gift is purchased by Christ. 187. How this gift is beyond the gift of Faith cleared in 10. particulars 188 to 192. Five evils that this Consideration would help 194 to 198. This Consideration informes us of 3. particulars 199 200. And calleth for 4. Duties in general 200 201. And for 5. other Duties more particularly 202 to 204. How comfortable it is in 7. particulars 204 to 207. Consid. XVI The Sufferings of Christs Servants are for the good of the Church 208. Six advantages which the Church reapeth by such Afflictions 210 to 215. How this is to be improved in 3. particulars 216 to 218. Consid. XVII The Lord reigneth in Zion 219. How Christ reigneth cleared in 14. particulars 220 to 228. Twelve Conclusions drawn therefrom 229 to 240. Consid. XVIII The time of Affliction is but short 241. How the Scriptures express this shortness in 11. particul 242 to 248. An Objection answered by 8. particulars 246 to 256. How this is to be improved in 7. particulars 257 to 261. Consid. XIX Remember Peter's Fall 262. Three things good and imitable in Peter 264 265. Three things wrong and to be shunned by us 265 to 268. Twelue useful Lessons drawn from this Passage 269 to 279. Consid. XX. Gods way of delivering his People is oft hid and Mysterious 280. Various hidings of God 280. Various Effects of this hiding 281. What is the hiding mentioned Esai 45 v. 15. 282 283. Ten things considerable in the Prophet's frame 284 to 294. Singular steps of Majesty sometimes to be seen in Gods Deliveries 296. This cleared in 12. partic 299 to 316. Four Reasons of the Lords taking this way in reference to Himself 319 to 322. Six Reasons of this in reference to Enemies 324 to 328. Two maine ends of this in reference to his own People 329 to 334. Six particulars which this dispensation calleth for at the Hands of Gods People 335 to 339. Three things observable from the Prophets seeing God even then to be the God of Israel 340 c. First That Gods dark dispensations alter not His Relations 340 c. This improved in 4. partic 346 to 350. Secondly God may be seen when hiding Himself and how 350 to 353. How this should be improved in 4. particulars 353 to 355. Thirdly That when God hideth Himself his People should assert His relation to them and expect He will answer His relation both cleared in several particulars 356 to 358. Six duties then to be minded 359 to 361. Two other particulars in the Text cleared 361 to 363. Consid. XXI No man can make straight what God hath made crooked 364. Eight crooked things which are more controverted 368 to 377 Six other things in the Lords Dispensations which seem crooked 377 to 382. Eight particulars about the Church which seem crooked to us 383 to 385. Eight other particulars about privat beleevers that seem crooked 386 387. How these cannot be made streight 389. When we foolishly seek to make streight what God hath made crooked in 10. particulars 392 to 398. Eight aggravations of this evil 398 to 401. Eight wayes of considering the works of the Lord aright 403 to 412. Consid. XXII Iudgment on a Land sometime is not to be held off by Prayer 413. The matter cleared from Ierem. 15 ver 1. 413 to 416. How sad this is cleared from 8. particulars 417 to 421. When such an inevitable stroke is to be feared cleared in 20. partic 423 to 453. How this should be improved in several particulars 456 c. What should satisfie the Godly in this case when their prayers are not heard in 4. particulars 458 What the Godly should do when God is about to cut off the Righteous with the wicked cleared in 6. particulars 462 FINIS ERRATA PAg. 51. lin 14. wong r. wrong p. 54. l. 2. their r. his p. 65. l. 21. maice r. malice p. 87. l. 25. art r. are p. 97. l. antep penult ordereth p. 117. l. 20. fragrant p. 118. l. 128. put to the. p. 141. l. ult Seventy p. 197. l. 4. aer r. are p. 217. l. 17. becometh l. 18. become p. 226. l. 21. treasures p. 255. l. 11. woman p. 264. l. 10. this r. his p. 305. l. 9. Crus r. Cyrus p. 320. l. penult there r. there p. 328. l. 9. them ore r. the more p. 358. l. 10. noly r. only p. 422. l. 25. after People adde were guilty p. 429. l. ult r. served
ourselves as Christians with a sutable frame and disposition To the Question then Why the Lord thinketh good to follow this way We answer He doth it for great and weighty reasons partly 1. concerning Himself partly 2. concerning Enemies and partly 3. concerning His own People As to the first the reasons concerning Himself we may take notice of these 1. The Lord thinketh good to bring about His purposes of delivering His people in an hid unseen and unobservable way that He may shew forth the glory of his Soveraignity who chooseth Wayes and Methods as He pleaseth and doth as whatever he will so after what manner he will in heaven and in earth and is not obliged to follow ordinary methods or to walk in beaten and troden paths but to do what beseemeth a great King and a Royal Soveraigne who giveth not an account of any of his matters whose will is a law to us and a rule to speak so to himself Hence in this same Chapter Esai 45. is this so oft repeated I am the Lord and none else vers 5 6 18 21. Hereby laying down the ground of His so acting and quieting his peoples mindes and stilling their thoughts concerning this matter 2. The Lord thinketh good to trade in such an unseen way that spiritual eâ—…es may the more see that it is He even He who is God and there is none else that it is He who formeth the light and creaâ—…eth darkness who maketh peace and createth evil and is the Lord who doth all these things vers 7. Wherein should it appear that He were Jehovah if in all things he should work according to the thoughts and imaginations of men Is not this a manifest proof of His being God when his wayes and Actings transcend our Comprehensions Though in all his wayes and workings He is God and worketh and doth like himself even in such as are most ordinary and obvious and a Spiritual eye can discerne and espve something truely divine the marks of a divine hand there yet when His way is in the deep waters and his foot-steps cannot be seen He acteth in a manner more like Himself like one who is indeed God and whose wayes are beyond and above the reach of Men the wisest and holiest of Men and then may all have ground to say This is the finger of God as the Magicians of Egypt said when the Lord did somethings which they with all their inchantments could not imitate Exod. 8 18 19. 3. The Lord chooseth this way to give some signal proof of His Wisdom if Statsmen should mannage and carry-on their affairs of State alwayes in such an open and plaine manner that every plaine and simple man that knoweth nothing of the intrigues of state should be able to discerne their motions designes and all their contrivances they would not give great proof of their State wisdom and Policy And if a Commander and Leader of an army should so manage all his affairs in that conduct that the meanest souldier should be able to discover and understand all his designes and stratagems he should give but a sory proof of his singular dexterity in conduct But when the Statsman and the Commander in chiefe so carry on their projects that few or none can well understand what their Designe and Intention is then a demonstration is given of their Ability Wisdom and Accomplishment for such places of power and trust So when the Lord hideth His holy Purposes and Projects and acteth so as ordinary on-lookers will suppose imagine that he is going East when He mindeth to march west ward and even many of his own will think that He is about to destroy his work and people when He is upon His way to raise them up and set them on high and to destroy the Adversarieship and thigh then His deep and unsearchable Wisdom appeareth Then it appeareth that He also is wise Esai 31 2. Iob gote a sight of this in the Lords rare works of providence Iob. 12 12 13. to the end and therefore saith with the ancient is wisdom and in length of dayes understanding with Him is wisdom and strength he hath counsel and un derstanding So Paul gote such a sight of this that made him cry out Rom. 11 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out 4. Hereby also the Lord giveth a clear demonstration of his Faithfulness and Truth If He were carrying-on the accomplishment of his Promises and Purposes of good towards his people in a visible discernable and obvious manner folks would have but an ordinary and cursory observation of His Faithfulness and their hearts accordingly would be but in an ordinary manner affected and they moved but to praise and blesse Him therefore of course for remarking nothing singular their hearts would not be raised-up above what is usual and ordinarie to admire extol Him upon that account But when he followeth another method taketh an unusual course to bring about his grand designes and such a course as whereby Enemies might think He did not see nor regard He would never come to helpe His people the day was theirs they should prosper and never be moved for there is no appearance or probability might they think that ever the case shall alter our affairs be overturned upon the other hand whereby his owne People might sâ—…e no visible or probable ground of hope that the promises should be accomplished the word of the Lord should take effect then His appearance with salvation after he had wrought so long under ground out of sight all hop was gone from them fear from the enemie is much more remarkable his Faithfulness shineth forth with a more then ordinary Glance and Lustre It cometh forth then with a witness Then they see and say that his faithfulness is unto the clouds Psal. 36 5. that his righteousness is like the great mountains and his judgments are a great depth vers 6. and that his faithfulness is unto all generations Psal. 119 90. So that no vicissitudes or changes here below can alter Him no delay of time or procrastination or the like can make any alteration in Him for his faithfulness is unto all generations Then will they praise his Truth Psal. â—…1 22. But next as to such grounds and reasons hereof as concerne Enemies we may take notice of these 1. He cometh with deliverance unto His people in a way not obvious nor observable that enemies may appear in their own colours and give a plaine and open discovery of the latent malice and wickedness of their heart against the People of God If the Lord did alwayes appear openly and manifestly in the behalfe of His owne let all the world see that He owned them for His people and would suffer none to do them harme the malice and wickedness of many latent enemies who can speak