sold for money According to what the Prophet Isaiah complained in his time Isa 1.23 Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of Thieves every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards they Judge not the Fatherless neither doth the cause of the Widow come unto them Or as he proceeds further in Ezek. 22.26 27. Her Priests have violated my law and have prophaned my holy things they have put no difference between the holy and prophane nor between the unclean and the clean Her Princes in the midst thereof are like roaring wolves ravening the prey to shed blood and to destroy souls and to get dishonest gain And yet says the Prophet Micah They did lean upon the Lord. How lean upon the Lord not with a holy trust and confidence which is ever accompanied with godliness but in hypocrisie out of an impudent arrogancy and a vain bold and carnal presumption as if God was engaged to protect them let them live and do what they pleased Like those that the Prophet Isay speaks of That swore by the name of the Lord and made mention of the God of Israel but not in truth nor in righteousness And yet they called themselves of the holy City and staied themselves upon the God of Israel Isa 48.1 2. Or like unto them in the Prophet Jeremies time that cried The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and yet in the mean time they oppressed the stranger the fatherless and the widow and shed innocent blood and did steal and murder and commit adultery and swore falsely Jer. 7.4 6 9. But how intollerable this was with God the sequel makes it evident Therefore shall Sion for your sakes be ploughed as a field and Jerusalem shall become heaps that is shall be utterly destroyed and laid waste So little care and regard had God of Sion and Jerusalem and of his holy Temple it self being thus polluted and defiled And therefore saith the Lord in Ezekiel 3 2. ult 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. So again for this doth the Lord threaten That their houses shall be turned unto others with their fields and wives together And he will stretch out his hand upon the inhabitants of the land For saith he from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to Covetousness and from the Prophet even unto the Priest every one dealeth falsly Jer. 6.12 13. Which avaricious or covetous disposition was so predominant in them in the Prophet Isaiah's time Isa 56.10 11. That he termed the Watchmen then which were the Priest and Rulers of the people as Jer. 8.10 and Eze◠〈…〉 not only blind and ignorant and dumb doâ—â— that could not bark c. but greedy dogs also th t could never have enough Like dogs strong in desire in lust in appetite greedy and unsatiable that could not be satisfied with money or large revenues And what follows in the next chapter v. 17. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth said the Lord and smote him and whether this might not be a smiting with the pestilence Deut. 28.22 27. comp with Ezek. 33.27 and 31. verses I shall leave it to the wise to judge How did he smite Gehazi with the Plague of Leprosie for this thing 2 King 5.27 so highly provoking a sin is this sin of Covetousness unto the Lord. And oh that this were wisely considered and applied by the men of this Generation yea by the carnal and earthly minded Professions of our times For sure it is That the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows 1 Tim. 6.10 6. The sixth Pestilential destroying sin is the sin of Cursing and Swearing and False-swearing This was the sin of Shemei that cursed David mentioned in the 2 Sam. 16.5 And see how the Lord did return his wickedness upon his own head being slain by the Command of King Solomon 1 King 2.44 46. This the Psalmist lays down as the certain Character of a wicked man that his mouth is full of Cursing and deceite And what imprecations does he use in his Prayer against him Break thou the Armes of the wicked and the evil man Seek out his wickedness till thou find none Psal 10.7 15. Rom. 3â— 14. So in the 109. Psal Let Satan stand at his righthand and when he shall be judged let him be condemned and let his prayer become sin let his days be few his Children Fatherless his Wife a Widow his Children Vagabonds and beg their bread Let their be none to extend mercy unto him let his Posterity be cut off and in the generation following let their name be blotted out let the iniquity of his Fathers be remembred with the Lord and let not the sin of his Mother be blotted out and let the Lord cut off the memory of them from the earth And mark what follows As he loved cursing so let it come unto him as he delighted not in blessing so let it be far from him As he cloathed himself with cursing like as with a Garment so let it come into his bowels like water and like oyle into his bones Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually It is true the Apostle Peter doth apply something of this to Judas who betrayed our Lord Christ Act. 1.20 But it cannot exclude all other the cursed enemies of Christ who love cursing and cloath themselves with it as with a garment So Jer. 23.9 10. Mine heart within me saith he is broken because of the Prophete all my bones shake c. because of the Lord and because of the words of his holiness For the Land is full of Adulterers for because of Swearing the Land mourneth To this agreeth that of the Prophet Hosea Chapter 4.1 2 3. verses Where it is said That the Lord hath a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing and lying c. they break out and blood toucheth blood Therefore shall the Land mourn and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish The dreadfulness of this sin is further set forth by Zacharies flying roll Zach. 5.3 4. This is the Curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth for every one that stealeth shall be cut off and every one that sweareth shall be cut off c. I will bring it forth saith the Lord of Hosts and it shall enter into the house of the Theif and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name and it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the Timber thereof and the Stones thereof And in the 3. of Malachy and the 5. I will
further in Isa 49.25 26. A dreadful place to all cruel Oppressors of Gods people saith the Lord there I will contend with him that contendeth with thee and I will save thy Children And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh and they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine And Amos 2.6 Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof Why Because they sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes So Isa 52.4 5 6. Thus saith the Lord my people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause Now therefore what have I here saith the Lord that my people is taken away for nought they that rule over them make them to bowl saith the Lord and my name continually every day is blasphemed Therefore my people shall know my name therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak behold it is I. By which it is very evident that the Lord does not onely intimate unto us how sorely he plagued the Egyptians because they had grievously afflicted and oppressed his people which voluntarily and of their own accord went down into Egypt but also that he will much more grievously plague the Assyrians that carried them away out of their own Land the Land of Canaan which he had given them for an Inheritance and there dealt so cruelly and unmercifully with them So sorely displeasing is it unto the Lord when those that rule over his people shall make them to howl that is to cry bitterly to mourn and lament so ely as it is rendred Jer. 4.8 and Ezek. 21.12 To this agrees that in the 50th Chap. of Jeremiah and the 33 and 34. Verses Thus saith the Lord of Hosts The Children of Israel and the Children of Judah were oppressed together and all that took them Captives held them fast they refused to let them go Their Redeemer is strong the Lord of Hosts is his name he shall throughly plead their cause that he may give rest unto the Land and disquiet the Inhabitants of Babylon What we may understand by the Lords pleading of the cause of his people here and disquieting the inhabitants of Babylon that oppressed them that of Jerem. 51.35 36. doth evidently declare The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon shall the Inhabitants of Sion say and my blood upon the Inhabitants of Chaldea shall Jerusalem say Therefore thus saith the Lord behold I will plead thy cause and take vengeance for thee and I will dry up her Sea and make her Springs dry When the Lord shall plead the cause of Sion then will he take vengeance for her that is he will avenge himself of his and her cruel oppressing enemies According to that which the Lord of Hosts the mighty one of Israel speaks in Isa 1.24 Ah I will ease me of mine Adversaries and avenge me of mine Enemies This is the time when he will make his Arrows drunk with blood and his Sword to devour flesh And then what follows Rejoyce O ye Nations with his people for he will avenge the blood of his Servants and will render vengeance unto his Adversaries and will be merciful unto his Land and to his people As it is in Deut. 32.42 43. This is that time which is called by the Prophet Isaiah The day of the Lords vengeance and the year of recompenses for the controversies of Sion Isa 34.8 called by Jeremiah the vengeance of the Lord our God the vengeance of his Temple Jer. 50.28 And take notice then how severe the Lord will be He tells us that his Sword shall be bathed in Heaven and it shall come down upon Idumea and upon the people of his curse to Judgement By Idumea we are to understand Edom or the Edomites who were the highest Kindred of the Israelites but notwithstanding they were their greatest enemies and oppressors And therefore said the Lord by the Prophet Obadiah Vers 10. For thy violence meaning the Edomites against thy Brother Jacob shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off for ever And these are a Type and Figure of all the enemies of the Church of God who indeed do boast and brag that they are descended and born of the Church crying up the Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord setting up a Worship of their own devising and are in the practise of Sacraments and Ordinances as the true Church and Spouse of Christ yet indeed and in truth do hate persecute and oppress the true spiritual and sincere worshippers of Jesus Whereby it is very evident what dreadful plagues and punishments the sin of oppression doth bring upon a Land and Nation 2. The second Pestilential sin is the sin of Persecution and hatred against God and his people As God hath his Arrows of his deliverance for the preservation of his people against their enemies 2 King 13.17 So he hath the Arrows of his Indignation and wrath which Job being under a spirit of desertion and temptation apprehended were within him the poison whereof he said did drink up his spirit Job 6.4 So David in the like condition That the arrows of the Lord did stick fast in him and his hand pressed him sore Psal 38.2 And the Prophet Jeremy in his Lamentations He hath bent his bow saith he and set me as a mark for the Arrow He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins Lam. 3.12 13. I say whatever might be the apprehensions of these holy and righteous men yet surely the Lord has his arrows of his sore displeasure and wrath which as the instruments of death he hath prepared and ordained against the Persecutors Psal 7.13 And this of the destroying Pestilence is one of the sorest and sharpest of them as reckoned amongst his four sore judgements Ezek. 14.21 And as the wicked do bend their bow and make ready their arrows upon the string that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart Psal 11.2 So the Lord he has his bow and arrows and his Bow is bent also and his arrows he hath ready Psa 7.12 which he sends out and scatters his enemies with Psal 18.14 With these he breaks their bones and pierces them through Num. 24.8 yea makes them drunk with their blood Deut. 32.42 These are sharp in the heart of the Kings enemies Psal 45.5 The Instruments and means that the Lord makes use of against his enemies are piercing yea so piercing that the heart the closest and strongest part even that wherein life consisteth shall be peirced thereby The arrows of the Lord are like the swords of Saul and Jonathan which did execution and returned not empty 2 Sam. 1.22 You think by flying away and hiding your selves in the thickets of the forrest you shall be secured from the stroke of these arrows of Gods vengeance but know if
come near to you to Judgement and I will be a swift witness against the Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against False-swearers O that these things were seriously laid to heart by the prophane Cursers and Swearers and False-swearers and the Damme-creatures of our times O that they would consider how their cursed hellish hideous new-invented unheard of Diabolical oaths do now make the Land mourn and those that dwell therein to languish and how near the Lord is come unto them in the terribleness of his judgment Is it not very evident that the Lord for these things hath a controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land 7. The seventh Pestilential destroying sin is the sin of Adultery Fornication and such like corporal uncleanness See this in that 25. of Num. 1 6 7 8. verses When Israel abode in Shittim it is said the people began to commit Whoredome with the daughters of Moab And Zimri and Cosbi being taken in the very act of uncleanness Phinehas the Son of Eleazar the Son of Aaron the Priest when he saw it he rose up from amongst the Congregation and took a Javelin in his hand and he went after the man of Israel into the Tent and thrust both of them through the man of Israel and the woman through her belly So the Plague was stayed thereupon from the Children of Israel yet those that died in the Plague as was mentioned before was no less then Twenty and four Thousand So in the 12. of Gen. 14 15 17. When Abraham came into Egypt with Sarai his wife a fair woman to look upon and she was no sooner beheld by the Egyptians and the Princes of Pharaoh but they commended her before Pharaoh and saith the Text the woman was taken into Pharaohs house that is she was taken away from Abraham into the Royal Seraglio or Palace to be fitted and prepared there according to the Custome of those Countries that the King might take her to Wife as Hest 2.9 In the mean time God provided for Abrahams entertainment and his Wives chastity together for Pharaoh entreated Abram well for her sake And in the 17. verse is is said The Lord plagued Pharaoh and his House with great Plagues because of Sarai Abrams wife What kind of plagues those were is uncertain but doubtless they served as well to hinder and obstruct the abusing of Sarai's body as to punish the King and his Domesticks and Courtiers trespass This great deliverance David celebrateth in Psal 105.14 When they went from one Nation to another from one Kingdom to another People He suffered no man to do them wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine anointed and do my Prophets no harm But this is observable that if the Lord was so severe to punish this filthy sin of Adultery or Uncleanness when it was but designedly or intentionally committed and Pharaoh knew not that Sarai was Abrams wife with what severity may we think will he proceed against such who deliberately knowingly delightfully and impudently live in the perpetration and commission of it and when did this sin of Whoredom Adultery and Fornication ever walk upon down so brazen-faced with such an imperious worish forehead as in the men and women of our generation so unsatiable they are in their filthiness and uncleanness Upon which account may not the Lord say to this City of London yea to the Land and Nation in general as he did to Jerusalem in the Prophet Jeremy's time How shall I pardon thee for this thy children have forsaken me and sworn by them that are no gods When I had fed them to the full they then committed Adultery and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots houses They were as fed horses in the morning every one neighed after his neighbours wife Through lustfulness like wanton horses And mark what follows Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord and shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this Go ye up upon her walls and destroy but make not a full end take away her battlements for they are not the Lords c. Jer. 5.7 8 9 10. And may we not think the Lord may justly have a controversie with the inhabitants of this Land as he had with the children of Israel in the Prophet Hosea's time And wherefore Because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land But by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing Adultery they break out and blood toucheth blood Therefore shall the land mourn and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish c. Hos 4.1 2 3. So that good Prophet Jeremy Mine heart saith he within me is broken because of the Prophets all my bones shake I am like a drunken man and like a man whom wine hath overcome because of the Lord and because of the words of his holiness For the Land is full of Adulteries Jer. 23.9 10. And in Jer. 13.27 I have seen thine Adulteries and thy neighings the lewdness of thy Whoredoms c. What then Wo unto thee O Jerusalem This though it may have reference to their sin of Idolatry as before which may be called spiritual Adultery yet it cannot exclude that which is corporeal which God will severely punish For Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge as such who shall have no inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God Heb. 13.4 and Eph. 5.5 Thus we see how highly provoking this sin of uncleaness is for the bringing down of National judgements even this of the Pestilence among a people 8. The Eighth Sin that provokes the Lord to send the Pestilence among a people is the sin of Infidelity distrust and murmuring against God notwithstanding the great and marvellous works which the Lord hath wrought for the salvation and deliverance of his people See to this purpose the 13 and 14. chapters of Numbers There were certain men the heads of the children of Israel who by the commandment of the Lord was sent to search and spie out the land of Canaan and being returned they made a rehearsal thereof to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation and brought an evil report upon the land which they had searched saying The land through which we have gone to search it is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature And there we saw the giants the sons of Anak which come of the giants and we were in our own sight as Grashoppers and so were we in their sight This evil report caused all the congregation to lift up their voyce and cry and to murmure against Moses and Aaron saying Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt or would God we had died in this wilderness And wherefore hath the Lord brought us into this land to fall by the sword that our wives and our children should be a prey were it not better
himself Before the day pass as the chaff that is very swiftly suddenly like chaff the day is passing away therefore whiles ye have time yet before the day that runs and wears away so fast does bring forth the Decree produce and make appear what God hath decreed against you O Nation undesirable search your selves yea search your selves very narrowly whiles the heat of the Lords wrath doth not yet come upon you whiles the day of the Lords wrath doth not yet take hold of you This is further inculcated and prest by the Lord in the Prophesie of the Prophet Haggai chap. 1.5 7. Is it a time for you O ye to dwell in your ceiled houses that is in your stately and sumptuous houses for pleasure and delight and this house lye waste or desolate meaning the Lords house Now therefore thus saith the Lord of of Hosts Consider your ways Or which is more agreeable to the Original Set your heart upon your ways Observe and consider well how it fares with you by reason of your sins Had they considered or set their hearts aright upon their ways this might have prevented the execution of Gods judgements mentioned the 9 10 and 11 verses thereof For want of this the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah ch 1. takes up a bitter lamentation and complaint Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me The Ox knoweth his ower and the Ass his masters scrib but Israel doth not know my people saith he doth not consider They were more brutish and void of understanding then the beasts or brute creatures For want of this consideration it was that every one turned to his course of sin as the horse rusheth into the battel breaking and running through like a water flood as the word is properly used And why Because no man said What have I done And the Lord complaineth further That the Stork in the Heaven knew her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow did observe the time of their coming but his people knew not the judgement of the Lord Jer. 8.6 7. This is that consideration which we ought to have of our selves But what strangers are most men and women to their own hearts who enters into such a serious thought as to say What have I done Seneca reporteth of Sexius how every night before he slept he asked his own heart What evil this day hast thou amended what vice hast thou resisted in what part art thou bettered Surely such a course as this would prevent the fearless and heedless running into many gross enormities and sins and so prevent the ruine and destruction of many a poor sinful soul This course the Church took in the Lamentations Wherefore doth the living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Let us search and try our ways and turn again unto the Lord Lam. 3.39 40. Fall then in good earnest upon this work of self-examination and think it better to know thine own infirmites and thy soul-sicknesses and sores then to know the whole world and all the wonders thereof It is one of the best parts of wisdom to know thy self This will beat down thy pride and keep the humble and lead thee to the true knowledge of God It will cast out and keep out sin and preserve thee from many temptations It is the beginning and foundation of grace and repentance Lam. 3.40 And will prevent the severe stroak of Gods judgements as in that of Zephany 2.1 2. And saith the Apostle If we will judge our selves we shall not be judged of the Lord Surely did we but know what the heart of man is while unregenerate and in its natural estate what a sink a sea of sin and filthiness it is how deceitful above all things and desperately wicked as Jeremy hath it Jer. 17.9 what infinite intricate windings and turnings there are in the dark laborinths of mans heart what a multitude of vain thoughts do lodge within it Jer. 4 14. What swarms of lusts and uncleaness issue out from this corrupt and putrified fountain Mat. 12.34 comp with chap. 15.18 19 verses What a deal of self-sophistry and imposture is wrapt up there by which millions of souls are inwraped in the snares and shackels of Satan I say did we rightly know and were not strangers to these things it might put us on with all seriousness and readiness this so weighty and profitable a work But O where is the man almost that knows or sets himself in good earnest for to know and find out the Plague of his own heart O what a many of Plague-sores and running issues are in the hearts of men and women at this day and yet they are insensible of them Every one almost is sensible of the Plague-tokens or sores when they seize upon the body and most people fear and dread this contagious disease because of the loathsomness of it but for the Plague of the Heart the Soul-sickness and sores O where is there any knowledge or discerning of it where is there any sense of the loathsomness and infectiousness of it And yet without this how can we expect a healing and the removal of this severe stroke of the Lord according to Solomons prayer at the dedication of the Temple 1 King 8.37 38 39. If there be in the land famine if there be pestilence c. whatsoever plague whatsoever sickness there be what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man or by all the people Israel and mark what follows which shall know every man the plague of his own heart and spread forth his hands towards this house Then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place and forgive and do and give to every man according to his ways whose heart thou knowest for thou even thou onely knowest the hearts of the children of men Now this prayer of Solomon had its confirmation from the Lord 1 King 9.3 So that this knowledge of the Plague of the heart is a necessary qualification or ingredient to go along with that prayer which shall be prevailing with the Lord for the removal of the Pestilence out of the land or Nation wherein it is But if the men of this generaration are still unacquainted with the plagues or sores of their own heart if they be still as vain as proud as oppressing as Superstitious as Idolatrous as Adulterous as Murderous as Blasphemous as Rebellious and Disobedient against the Lord and his commands as reviling and persecuting the way of truth and holiness as ever can it be expected that the hand of the Lord should be removed or the fire of his his indignation which now burns so very hot among us should be quenched Set thy self then in good earnest upon this heart-searching work whoever thou art that would escape this severe stroke of the Lord. And if thou knowest not how to deal with thy heart it is so
furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand O King They served God and they knew that God was able and of power sufficient to protect them in the service of him Dan. 3.1 11 16 17. To this purpose when our dear Lord would encourage his Apostles and the subsequent Ministers of the Gospel to be faithful in the execution of his commands and the trust committed unto them He tells them that all power was committed unto him in Heaven and in Earth And therefore go teach all Nations and Baptise them c And teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and loe I am with you allway even unto the end of the World Mat. 28.18 19 20. As if he had said Do you faithfully and couragiously execute the Commission I have given you and be assured you shall never want my all-sufficient power and presence to support you I will make all the power I have in heaven and earth concurring in a way of serviceableness unto you O come let us sing unto the Lord saith the Psalmist let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation Shall we fear to serve that God who is the Rock of our Salvation Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving c. Why For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all Gods in his hand are the deep places of the earth the strength of the hills is his also the sea is his and he made it and his hands formed the dry land If the Lord whom we serve is so great a God so great a King above all Gods above all Angels Princes and Potentates of the World and above all that is called God O then with what thankfulness and chearfulness of spirit should we come into his presence O come let us Worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our Maker Why for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hands whom he makes to lye down in green Pastures and leadeth besides the still waters Psa 95.1 to 7. So in Psa 96.6 it is said Honour and Majesty are before him strength and beauty are in his sanctuary Where is the beauty of Gods face seen and his power and strength displayed as in his Sanctuary to wit his Tabernacle his Temple the Congregations and Assemblies of his Saints God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence by all them that are about him and why why who in Heaven can be compared unto the Lord Who among the Sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord Psa 89.6 7. And therefore it is that the Lord hath spoken saying I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me Lev. 10.3 When a fire went out from the Lord and destroyed Nadab and Abihu the Sons of Aaron for offering strange fire before the Lord Lev. 10.1 2 3. To which I suppose that place in the Hebrews hath a special reference where the Saints being exhorted to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear urges this as a strong motive thereunto for our God saith he is a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 29. Thus you see how requisite it is to be acting Faith in the power and soveraignty of God when we draw nigh to him in the solemn duties of his Worship and service and what an encouragement it is to be fearing the Lord and serving of him in sincerity and truth with all our hearts considering what great things he hath done for us 1 Sam. 12.24 5. Act faith in the mighty power of God in times of suffering So the Apostle James speaking of the cruelties that were exercised against the Saints in those days how they had condemned and killed the just and they could not resist them He exhorts them to be patient to the coming of the Lord and why to the coming of the Lord Because when he comes he will come with power and great glory Mat. 24.30 When he comes hee 'l take to him his great power and reign Rev. 11.17 When he comes he will come with ten thousand of his Saints What to do To execute Judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed c. Jude vers 14 15. When he comes he will come with fire and with his chariots like a Whirlwind to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire Isa 66.15 When he comes he will come with vengeance even God with a recompence he will come and save you Isa 35.4 And then the hand of the Lord the power of God shall be known towards his servants and his indignation towards his enemies Isa 66.14 So the Author to the Hebrews when he exhorts the Saints to a patient suffering and undergoing of the Cross of Christ what Argument does he use even this For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10.37 The Apostle would have all the suffering Saints to be acting faith in a powerful Redeemer even in him who is mighty to save That will tread down the people in his anger and make them drunk in his fury and will bring down their strength to the earth Isa 63.6 So the Apostles when the Priests and Rulers of the people had laid hands on them and put them in hold for teaching the People and Preaching through Jesus the resurrection from the dead and had further threatned them for speaking any more in the name of Jesus and had let them go what Arguments in Prayer do they use Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all that in them is Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said why did the Heathen rage and the people imagine vain things The Kings of the Earth stood up and the Rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ For of a truth against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done And now Lord behold their threatnings Act. 4. Though they had to deal with great and potent Adversaries yet they well knew that God was above them and that their rage and fury was not so much against them as against the Lord Jehovah himself and against his Christ whom he had anointed to be the chief Priest and Prophet and King of his Church who could easily break them with his rod of Iron and dash them in peices like a Potters Vessel They knew that the Lord whom they served was able to deliver them as Daniel out of the Lions mouths So it is said of Moses and laid down as a singular act of Faith in him that he forsook Egypt and feared not the wrath of the King for
as Snow And he calls to back sliding Israel to return and promises to heal their back-slidings and love them freely Jerem. 3.14 comp with Hosea 14.4 So in pangs of the New-birth spiritual infancy weakness of Faith Prayer Godly sorrow and other graces let such cordial refreshing Promises as these dwell upon thy heart Rev. 21.6 Mat. 5.6 Isa 42.3 and 57.15 and 40.11 which import How God will satisfie the hungry soul tender the weak and feeble soul dwel with the humble soul yea the exercise of faith also in the promises is of singular use in all kinds and varieties of temptations spiritual desertions deep almost despairing apprehensions of thine extreme vileness and nothingness in grace in which dark dismal and disconsolate estate let thy faith be exercised on such precious soul-supporting promises as these 1 Cor. 10.13 Jam. 1.2 Isa 30.18 and Isa 43.25 Which speaks to this effect That God is faithful and will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength That we should count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations That all they are blessed that wait for the Lord. So that if thou eiest in this waiting state thou shalt be certainly saved for the holy spirit pronounceth thee blessed And further for the exceeding great comfort and support of thy soul that it is the Lord and he onely that blotteth out thy transgressions for his own sake and will not remember thy sins So in the Hail-storms of slanderous Arrows and empoysoned Darts of disgrace how should thy Faith be fixt upon such pretious Promises as these 1 Pet. 4.18 Mat. 5.11 Yea in the valley of the shadow of death by an assurance of Gods merciful omnipotent presence Psa 23.4 And in the extremity and depth of such desperate distresses and perplexities wherein in thy present feeling thou canst see and find no possibility of help from Heaven or Earth God or man but art both helpless and hopeless as the Church complains Lam. 3.18 Let thy meditations dwell upon such like precious promises as these Isa 33.9 10. 2 Chron. 20.12 Exod. 14.13 Psal 78.65 66. Gen. 22.14 All which import that in the Mount of the greatest difficulties God will be seen Well in every thing or any thing that shall or can possibly befall thee prosperity or poverty cross or comfort calmness of conscience or tempests of terror life or death thou maist by Faith extract abundance of unconquerable patience and peace of soul from those three heavenly golden conduits of sweetest comfort Rom. 8.18 and 28.32 to wit That the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us 2. That all things shall work together for good to them that love God 3. That he that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Object But may I act faith in the Promises for things temporal as for spiritual Yea for godliness hath the Promise of the life that now is as of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Yet consider withal that temporal things are not promised absolutely but conditionally 1. With limitation to expediency 2. By way of commutation and compensation with spiritual If he gives thee not peace he will give thee patience if not wealth yet contentment which may be far better 3. With exception of the Cross Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Lands with persecution Mark 10.30 So then we may believe we shall have temporal blessings which God hath promised conditionally so far forth as will stand with these conditions his own glory our spiritual good and everlasting salvation This life is but via advitam the way to life and whatsoever God promiseth us in the way is but to help us to the end of our journey There is no temporal thing of this life falls within the compass of Gods promise but so far forth as it shall be a help and furtherance unto us as to our eternal life I shall therefore present unto thy view a few of those Promises which are of a temporal concernment as having reference to long Life Children Lands Riches Honour and external Peace and Plenty See to this purpose Gen. 22.17 and 49.15 Leâ— 25.18 19 21. and 26.4 5 6 c. Deut. 5.16 and 28.4 11 13. Psa 112.3 and 128.2 3 4. and many such like which are propounded upon the diligent and exact observation of Gods Law and the fear of the Lord. So for the duties and works of thy particular calling which if by prayer thou dost conscienciously and diligently discharge thou mayest go on with comfort contentment and freedom from carking cares and racking torturing thoughtfulness and leave the success issue and event of all thy labours and undertakings unto the Lord whatsoever it may be resting sweetly and ever relying upon this gratious promise Heb. 13.5 I will not fail thee nor forsake thee The like in ordering and guiding the affairs of thy Family depend by faith upon Gods blessing the strength and sinew of all sound comfort and true contentation that way Psa 127. So in the loss of outward things for thy love and service unto God by beleiving that Man of God 2 Chron. 25.9 The Lord is able to give thee much more then this yea in the loss of all earthly things in every kind by applying that promise in Hab. 3.17 18. And that of Jobs patient blessing of God upon the surprise of all his substance and the concurrence of an universal misery should not pass without a serious consideration if God should exercise thee with the like condition Job 1.21 But I shall forbear to enlarge further and recommend to thy consideration some of those promises for thy faith to be exercised in which have a special relation as to the present visitation of the Lord as Exod. 23.5 Ye shall serve the Lord your God c. And I will take sickness away from the midst of thee So Deut. 7.12 15. If ye hearken to these judgements and keep and do them the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the Covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy Fathers And he will love thee and bless thee and multiply thee And in the 15. vers The Lord will take away from thee all sickness and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt upon thee but will lay them upon all them that hate thee So in the Prayer that Solomon made at the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple 1 King 8.37 38 39. If there be in the Land Famine if there be Pestilence c. Whatsoever Plague whatsoever sickness there be what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man which shall know the plague of his own heart Then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place and forgive and do and give to every man according to his ways whose heart thou knowest And the Lord graciously promised that he would do according to his prayer
I may say as David said to Abimelech the Preist concerning the Sword of Goliah There is none like to it 1 Sam. 21.9 A most incomparable weapon if we have skill to use it Let us consider a little then what Prayer is as to the derivation and definition of it I find that Prayer comes of a word in the Hebrew which signifieth Appeal whereby we refer the Cause of our selves or others unto God as unto the Supream Judge calling upon him appealing unto him for right presenting our selves and our cause unto him as to one who hath power to determine Causes and to whom appeals may be made And if you would have a breif description of it it is the pouring out of the humble penitent beleiving soul before the Lord 1 Sam 1.15 Or as one very pithily defines it It is Devotae animae cum Deo colloquium that is It is the talk or conference of the devout soul with God For a man barely to speak in the air and his heart have no approaches unto God in it this is no Prayer in Gods account I cannot therefore let pass that excellent saying of Bernard Cum oramus cum Deo loquimur cum legimus Deus nobiscum loquitur Si vis cum Deo semper esse semper ora semper lege that is When we pray we speak with God when we read God speaketh with us If thou wilt always be with God then always pray and always read More plainly and fully It is a work of the spirit of Christ in the beleiving soul by which we desire of God alone things lawful and needful with confidence to obtain them through the alone mediation and intercession of Christ to the praise and glory of his name So then if thou wilt pray aright and find acceptance with God therein thou must pray to him and to him alone in the name and through the alone mediation and intercession of Christ by the powerful and immediate help and assistance of his own spirit and that beleivingly from the heart with understanding and feeling of our wants in fervency of spirit forgivingly reverently and perseveringly Without which ingredients never think of putting up an acceptable Prayer unto God with any confidence or assurance to be heard at the throne of grace I shall touch a little upon the particulars for the help of such poor souls whose desires are to grow into a more spiritual acquaintance with God First then If thou wilt pray aright thou must pray to God and to him only and that in the name of Christ God alone is to be invocated and prayed unto not Saints nor Angels Christ in his prayer which he taught his Disciples would have us direct our Petitions unto God our Father which is in Heaven Luk. 11.2 Mat. 6.9 And why to God alone 1. Because God onley is Omni present every where present in all places and at all times But this is inconsistent to any creature to be ubiquitary or present in all places But that God is so see Jer. 23.23 24. Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God a far off Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord see Psal 139.7 8. God is not only the God of the hills but of the valleys also 1 King 20.28 2. Because God as he is Omni-present so he is Omniscient he knoweth all things all the hearts of the Sons of men So said Solomon in the prayer he made at the Dedication of the Temple For thou even thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men 1 King 8.39 So Jer. 17.9 I the Lord search the heart and try the reins Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings Prov. 5.21 Doth he not see my ways and count all my steps saith Job Chap. 31.4 There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Job 24.21 22. So Psal 94.9 10 11. He that planted the ear shall he not hear he that formed the eye shall he not see he that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know the Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity 3. God is stiled a God hearing prayers Psal 65.2 and this David could speak experimentally Verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the voice of my prayer blessed be God which hath not turned away my prayer nor his mercy from me Psal 66.19 20. 4. As he is a God hearing prayer so he is most able to help Psal 52.2 I will cry unto God most high unto God that performeth all things for me He shall send from heaven and save me Eph. 3.20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us Vnto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end Amen So Asa when a mighty host came against him in his prayer lays hold on Gods power and ability to help Lord saith he it is nothing with thee to help whether with many or with them that have no power help us O Lord God for we rest on thee and in thy name we go against this multitude 2 Chron. 14.11 So Jehosaphat when a great multitude of the Moabites and Amonites came against him he sets himself to seek the Lord as able and all-sufficient to help him And said O Lord God of our Fathers art not thou God in heaven and rulest not thou over all the kingdomes of the Heathen and in thine hand is there not power and might so that none is able to withstand thee O our God wilt not thou judge them for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon the 2 Chron. 20.6 12. 5. Prayer is a Divine Worship and a Spiritual Sacrifice God would have us to call upon him in the day of trouble Psal 50.15 And if we should be seeking help from any other he will take it very ill at our hands If we have forgotten the name of our God or stretched out our hands to a strange god saith the Church shall not God search this out for he knoweth the secrets of our hearts Psal 44.20 21. In every place Incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering saith the Lord. Mal. 1.11 So Psal 141.2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense and the lifting up of mine hands as an evening sacrifice There was given to the Angel that stood at the Altar having a golden censer much incense That he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which was
unmortified corruptions Ephes 6.18 By it Crosses are prevented removed or sanctified yea all things are sanctified unto us and we are so kept and preserved that we fall not into temptation 1 Tim. 4.5 Mat. 26.41 Yea often times we obtain much more good then we desire or expect Solomon begged onely of the Lord an understanding heart and God gave him both riches and honour which he asked not 1 King 3.13 So able is the Lord to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think Ephes 3.20 So that of Prayer we may say it is a Key to open the door of Gods treasure house a present remedy for an oppressed mind a giver of strengh to the weak and an especial means to make a man fit to live knowingly fruitfully and serviceably to God in every state and condition Col. 1.9 10. What shall I say of it but as one saith well and truly It is Consolatio flentium cura dolentium sanitas aegrotoraem A Comfort for them that mourn the joy of the sorrowful and health for those that 〈…〉 force and efficacy what will 〈…〉 hath it not done It goes through the 〈◊〉 and ceaseth not until it come unto the Lord and if entreaties will not do it will with reverence be it spoken lay commands upon him Isa 45.11 Yea it doth as it were bind up the hands of the Lord and hinder him from executing his judgements overcoming him that overcometh all things Let me alone saith the Lord to Moses or suffer me that my wrath may wax hot against them to wit the Israelites that I may consume them Exod. 32.10 Abrahams prayer had saved Sodom from being destroyed had there been found ten righteous persons therein Gen. 18. Yea it is very observable that the Lord did not leave granting till Abraham left off petitioning By prayer Jacob was delivered from the wrath and fury of his Brother Esau Gen. 32.11 Jonah out of the Fishes belly Jonah 2.10 The three Children from the fiery Furnace Daniel from the Lions Den Dan. 3.6 Jonahs and Pauls Mariners from the danger of the Seas and Joseph and Paul and Silas and Peter and others out of Prison Act. 5.16 By Prayer Eliah stayed the Rain three years and six months and again obtained Rain so that the earth yeilded her fruit James 5.17 By Prayer Elisha had the spirit of Eliah doubled upon him and procured Bears to destroy the mocking Children 2 King 2. raised from death to life the Shunamites Son So Chap. 4. Had the eyes of his Servant opened so that he saw Mountains full of Horses and Chariots of fire round about him and smote the Syrians with blindness which came to take him Chap. 6. By Prayer Joshua commanded the Sun to stand still in the midst of Heaven until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies Josh 10.12 13. By Prayer Isaiah brought back the Sun ten degrees in the Dial of Ahaz 2 King 20 11. By Prayer David frustrated the wicked counsel of Achitophel and often put his enemies to flight 2 Sam. 15.31 and 16.23 and Psa 56.9 by Prayer Hezekiah was delivered from the King of Assyria and his health restored unto him again Isa 37. and 2 King 18. The Ninevites were delivered from the judgements threatned against them Jonah 2. Peter raised Tabitha and Paul Eutichus that had fallen down by sleeping Act. 9.40 and 20.10 The Centâ—rians Servant the Cananites Daughter and Lunatick persons were healed men blind received their sight the stammering and deaf were made to hear and speak Lepers were clensed and certain persons being dead were restored to life again So much availeth Prayer with the Lord if it be servent But to bring it a little more close as to the present visitation of the Lord See of what force and efficacy it hath been with the Lord to appease his wrath and stay the execution of his judgments When the Children of Israel fell a murmuring and had greatly provoked the Lord by their unbelief insomuch that the Lord threatned to smite them with Pestilence and disinherit them Moses falls a pleading and interceeding with the Lord for them Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even until now And the Lord said I have pardoned according to thy word Numb 14.12 19 20. So that only those men who brought up the evil report upon the land dyed by the Plague before the Lord vers 37. So in the case of Korah Dathan and Abiram when the Congregation of the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron saying they killed the people of the Lord This so greatly incensed the Lord that he bad them go up from the congregation that he might consume them in a moment Hereupon the Text saies they fell upon their faces and Aaron according to the command of Moses takes his Censer and puts fire therein from off the Alter and put on Incense and made an attonement for the people for there was wrath gone out from the Lord the Plague was begun And Aaron stood between the dead and the living and the Plague was staid Numb 16 45 46 47. This sheweth how greatly the Prayers and actions of Gods Servants do prevail with him when they are faithful fervent and according to his will Jam. 5.16 1 John 5.14 and foreshewed also the power and efficacy of Christs meditation for poor sinners who is represented by the Angels standing at the Altar having a golden Censer and much Incense given unto him to offer it with the prayers of all Saints Rev. 8.3 For God heareth him always John 11.40 And he it is that makes intercession for the transgressors Isa 53.12 and is the attonement or propitiation for our sins 1 John 2.1 and for his sake God before whom the Pestilence goeth in wrath remembreth mercy Hab. 3.2 5. And as the blood of the Paschal Lamb figuring the blood of Christ 1 Cor. 5.7 stayed the Angel which destroyed the Egyptians from touching the Israelites Exod. 12.23 Heb. 11.28 So the smoke of Aarons incense figuring the meditation of Christ Psa 141.2 Rev. 8.4 Stayed the Plague here from the Israelites which survived That as it is written of the Pestilence in Davids time The Lord repented him of the evil and said to the Angel that destroyed the people It is enough stay now thy hand 2 Sam. 24.16 So in this verse the further efficacy and effect of faithful fervent prayer for the removal of this sore visitation of the Lord is clearly held forth in that Prayer of Solomon at the Temples dedication If there be in the Land Famine if there be Pestilence whatsoever Plague whatsoever Sickness there be what Prayer and Supplication soever be made by any man or by all thy people Israel which shall know every man the plague of his own heart and spread forth his hands towards this house Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place and
you are Gods Enemies and persecutors his hand will find you out yea his right hand will finde out those that hate him and he will make you as a fiery oven in the time of his anger Psal 21.8 9. For wickedness burneth as fire and it shall devour the briars and thorns and shall kindle in the thickets of the forrest and they shall mount up as the lifting up of smoke for through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts the land shall be darkned and the people shall be as the fewel of the fire no man shall spare his brother Isa 9.18 19. I say if you be the Lords Adversaries then if the Scriptures be true and cannot be broken you shall assuredly be broken in peices yea out of heaven will the Lord thunder upon you 1 Sam. 2.10 And if that will not do he will throw you into the deeps as a stone into the mighty waters as he dealt with the persecutors of his people Neh. 9.12 I cannot let pass those dreadful imprecations which the Prophet David thundereth out against his and the Lords Adversaries under the person of Judas Set a wicked man over him saith he Let Satan stand at his right hand let him be condemned and his prayer become sin and his days few and his children fatherless and vagabonds begging their bread and such like prophetical direful wishes And why all this Because that he remembred not to shew mercy but persecuted the poor and needy man that he might even slay the broken in heart Psa 109. to ver 17. so Psa 69. verse 22. and onward Let their table become a snare before them and that which should have been for their welfare let it become a trap Let their eyes be darkned that they see not and make their loins continually to shake Pour out thine indignation upon them and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them Let their habitations be desolate and let none dwell in their tents Add iniquity to their iniquity and let them not come unto thy righteousness Let them be blotted out of the book of the living and not be written with the righteous Now what 's the reason that David devoteth his and the Lords enemies to such dreadful destructions why even for this cause For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten and talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded By all which he meaneth that the wicked laid grievous afflictions and punishments upon such whom the Lord in his fatherly love had chastised whether you understand it of Christ or of his afflicted and persecuted members This is a sin that is highly provoking unto the Lord drawing down the wrath of God to a Kingdoms inevitable desolation and destruction as upon Judah and Jerusalem 2 Chron. 36.15 16. where it is said That the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers or prophets rising up betimes and sending because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place But they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy or no healing because on the one side the people repented not and on the other side Gods Justice required that their impenitency should be most severely punished It s a similitude taken from sick bodies that are incurable For as Stephen said truly whom they stoned which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just one meaning Christ of whom saith he ye have been now the betrayers and murderers Acts 7.52 And therefore it was that our blessed Saviour took up that sad lamentation and complaint O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not And what follows Behold your house is left unto you desolate Matth. 23.37 38. Persecution is the certain fore-runner of a Nations desolation and destruction And God does usually retaliate the sin of persecuting and destroying men upon their own heads Let their way be dark and slippery and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them Psal 35.6 As the fire burneth the wood and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire so persecute them with thy tempest and make them afraid with thy storm Fill their faces with shame that they may seek thy name O Lord let them be confounded and troubled for ever yea let them be put to shame and perish That men may know that thou whose name alone is Jehovah art the most high over all the earth Psal 83.15 16 17 18. And who are they whom the Psalmist imprecates these dreadful judgments to fall upon but Gods Enemies and Persecutors For lo thine enemies make a tumult and they that hate thee have lift up the head they have taken crafty counsel against thy people and consulted against thy hidden ones They have said Come let us cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance God has his hidden ones such whose life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 whom the Lord esteems as his jewels keeping them in faithful and safe custody hiding them in the secret of his presence from the pride of man which betake themselves to the Lord for refuge to be hid and secure under his tuition and protection Psal 27.5 and 31.20 And these are they that the enemies of God did consult and conspire against even to extirpate them and to root them out of the land But see how just the Lord is in the exeution of his righteous and terrible judgements upon such Thou shalt take up this proverb saith the Lord against the King of Babylon and say How hath the Oppressor ceased the golden City ceased the Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked and the Scepter of the Rulers He that smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke mark that he that ruled the Nations in anger is persecuted and none hindereth Isa 14.4 5 6. O that this were seriously laid to heart by the persecuting spirits of this generation whether Gods controversie with the Kingdom at this time in this sore visitation of the Plague among us doth not in a great measure spring from this evil and bitter root so heinous and provoking sin it is unto the Lord. 3. The third pestilential destroying sin is the sin of Murder and Blood-shed that is exercised upon the people of God See Jer. 50.11 12 13. the dreadful threatnings of the Lord against Babylon for this very sin Because ye were glad saith the Lord because ye rejoyced O ye destroyers of mine heritage because ye aro grown fat as the heifer at grass and bellow as bulls Mark they were the destroyers of Gods heritage that was their sin and now what must be their punishment
Lord smote the people with a very great plague And the name of that place was called Kibroch-hattanah that is the graves of lust because there they buried the people that lusted Hence it was that the Apostle treating of the bountiful dealings of God with the children of Israel said That with many of them God was not well pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness Now these things saith he were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted 1 Cor. 10.5 6. This is a sore evil an intestine evil a sickness indeed that gnaws and torments the very heart called therefore the Plague of Discontent which many of the people of God themselves as well as the men of the world are too too often infected with when not contenting our selves I say with the mercies and blessings which God affords us we fall a lusting after evil things as the Israelites hereafter flesh to satisfie their lusts loathing the heavenly Manna which God gave them And our desires oftentimes are so inordinate after them that like unto Rachel in the case of her barrenness though otherwise blest with many comfortable enjoyments we are crying out Give me children or else I die Gen. 30.1 I cannot live my life will be a burden unto me if I have not this or that I must have it whatever it cost me though I part with half of my estate nay with Herod it may be to the half of the Kingdom for his Herodias sake because she pleased him and to satisfie this lust Off must go John Baptists head Mark 6.22 23 24. Or like unto Haman who though he was so highly promoted in King Ahasuerus Court Yet saith he all this availeth me nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the Kings gate Hest 5.13 Mordecai could not bow the knee nor do him that reverence as his proud ambitious heart panted after and this sowres all other his great advancements and enjoyments and now nothing will satisfie him less then his destruction and the total destruction of all the Jews Hest 3.9 So violent are persons set upon the satisfying of their lusts oftentimes though it be to their own hurt This was the sin of the Israelites they could not content themselves that God was their King and that he should reign over them but they must have a King to reign over them like unto other Nations rejecting the Lord and his Government who himself had saved them out of all their adversities and tribulations 1 Sam. 8.5 6 7. and chap. 10.19 And how great this wickedness of theirs was in the fight of the Lord the signal testimonies of his displeasure did evidently declare it 1 Sam. 12.17 So is it not just with God when a people falls a loathing of the heavenly Manna of Gods Word and where hath the Gospel been more powerfully preached and more obstinately contemned then in England that the Lord should send a famine in the Land if not a famine of bread and a thirst for water yet a famine of hearing the Words of the Lord Amos 8.11 O that this was seriously laid to heart and fruitfully applyed both by Professors as by the propbane persons of this Nation So dangerous and destructive a thing it is to cherish a carnal dissatisfied and discontented spirit against the Lord. 10. A tenth Pestilential and God-provoking Sin is the sin of Pride and Ambition and a trusting in an Arme of flesh not relying on the mighty power and faithfulness of God This was Davids sin in of numbring the people which was followed with a sore Prstilence among them See the second of Samuel 24. Chap. comp with 1 Chron. 21.1 Satan he provoked David to number the people that he might know how many valiant men there were in Israel that could draw the sword And questionless Davids heart was lifted up hereby when Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto him there being in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand And what should move David to such a thing but a proud ambitious desire to know the strength and number of his men of war accompanied with a distrustfulness of the mighty power of God and his All-sufficient arme which had so often saved and delivered him out of the hands of Saul and from the hand of all his enemies As in the 18th Psal wherein he praiseth God for his manifold and marvellous deliverances For this Davids heart smote him acknowledging that he had sinned greatly in what he had done and prayeth that the Lord would take away his iniquity for he had done very foolishly Yet the Lord would shew his justice make all the world to see and know that he will not indulge sin no not in his dearest Servants and most beloved Saints but if they sin they must expect to suffer and smart for it As Amos 3.2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities And therefore he puts David upon his choise of three things whether the Famine the Sword or Pestilence he would make choise of and this did put him into a great streight but he chose rather to fall into the hands of God then into the hands of men for that the mercies of the Lord are great So the Lord sent a Pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba Seventy thousand men And when the Angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem ready to destroy it it is said the Lord repented him of the evil and said to the Angel that destroyed the people It is enough stay now thy hand This also was Edoms sin Jer. 49.16 17 18. Thy terribleness hath deceived thee the pride of thine heart O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock That holdest the height of the hill though thou shouldst make thy nest as high as the Eagle I will bring thee down from thence saith the Lord. Also Edom shall be a desolation every one that goeth by it shall be astonished and shall hiss all at the plagues thereof As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour Cities thereof saith the Lord No man shall abide there neither shall a Son of Man dwell in it This was King Asa's sin before mentioned in the 2 Chron. 16.7 8 and 9. vers so sharply reproved and punished by the Lord. For this was a dreadful wo denouned against the Inhabitants of Jerusalem Isa 30.1 2 3. Wo to the rebellious children saith the Lord that take counsel but not of me and that cover with a covering but not of my spirit that they may adde sin to sin That walk to go down into Egypt and have not asked at my mouth to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh and to trust in the shadow
to the Scriptures are lies So he takes away that not onely derogates from the Divine Authority of Gods book but he also that any ways changeth or maliciously perverteth or contradicteth any thing therein written Christ will have the integrity sincerity and sacred Authority of this Prophesie to be faithfully preserved in the Churches and that the contemners falsifiers and corrupters thereof be no way suffered under the pain of Anathema or dreadful curse For if falsifyers of Coin are lyable unto the civil curse of the law much more shall the Anathema of eternal damnation be inflicted upon the corrupters of the Scriptures which are the words of God These with the Beast and the false Prophet shall the Lord cast into the Lake of fire burning with brimstone Rev. 19.20 This is a dreadful sin drawing down the Lords severest plagues and punishments Therefore take we heed that we add not unto the word which God commands us nor diminish ought from it but that we keep the Commandments of the Lord our God which he commandeth us Deut. 4.2 And mark well the reason that Solomon giveth Every word of God saith he is pure he is a shield to them that put their trust in him And consider what follows Add thou not unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a lier Prov. 30.5 6. Having now spoken of the several Sins which so highly provoke the Lord to pour down his sore Judgements even this of the Plague or Pestilence among a people I shall now come to speak of some special spiritual Remedies which may be fitly applied and made use of as Soveraign Antidotes and Preservatives to prevent the further spreading of this pestilential contagious disease among us 1. THe first spiritual Receipt that I shall then prescribe unto thee who ever thou art that gettest in thy hand and readest this little tract Consider seriously and let thy thoughrs dwell long upon those Sins that I have insisted on as such which are the procuring Cause of this so sore a visitation from the Lord and entring into a diligent scrutiny and examination of thine own heart and ways Consider how far thou hast been or art a partaker of those sins which have so highly provoked the Lord to send down this National Judgement of the Plague and Pestilence among us For if we stand guilty of the same Sins how then shall we think to escape the like punishment This was the way and course the Apostle took when speaking of Gods displeasure against the Israelites whereby many of them were overthrown in the Wilderness how does he bring it home by way of special application Now these things saith he were our Examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted Neither be ye Idolaters as were some of them c. Neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in one Day three and twenty thousand Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of Serpents Neither murmure ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the Destroyer Now all things happened unto them for enamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come 1 Cor. 10.5 6 to the 11 and 12. ver So say I as from the Lord. As to the first Pestilentiall sin of Oppression Did the Lord plague Pharaoh and his Land with sore and dreadful plagues even this of the destroying Pestilence for his cruel oppressions which he exercised over the bodies and consciences of Gods people Take heed then that thou art not found an Oppressor of the true worshippers of Jesus the spiritual Israel of God Take heed of exalting thy self against God in seeking still to hold the spiritual Seed under Egyptian captivity and bondage See that thou lets them go to sacrifice to the Lord God as he has commanded them Take heed of ruling over them with rigour and making their lives bitter with hard bondage Take heed ye rich men that ye do not oppress the poor Know that the Lord surely looks upon the afflictions of his people and hears their cry by reason of their Task-masters and will come down to deliver them Exod. 3.7 8. So to those that are the Bishops Elders and Overseers the Spiritual Rulers and Leaders of the flocks of Christ Take heed that ye be not Lords over Gods heritage but examples to the flocks See that ye feed the flocks of God taking the oversight of them not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind 1 Pet. 5.2 3. Take heed that ye do not exercise a dominion over their faith but are helpers of their joy 2 Cor. 1.24 Take heed that ye do not eat the fat and cloath you with the wool and kill them that are fed Take heed that with force and cruelty ye rule not over them So then to all that oppress whether in one kind or another see that ye undo heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free and break every yoke else surely the Lord will visit for these things and his soul will be avenged on such a Nation as this 2. So for the Sin of Persecution and Hatred against God and his people Hath the Lord ordained the Arrows of his Indignation even the Instruments of Death against the Persecutors and will he strike them into the hearts of his Enemies O then take heed that thou art not found a hater of God and a Persecutor of the people of God lest the Arrow of the destroying Pestilence that flyeth at noon day do light upon thee and the Angel of the Lord persecute thee 3. So for the Sin of Murder and Bloodshed Hath the Lord threatned his sore plagues against the Destroyers of his heritage and will he avenge the blood of his Servants at the great whore of Babylons hands and is there a time when the Lord will make inquisition for blood Then beware that thou hast not a hand in killing and destroying the Saints of the most high God And take heed that thou partake not of Babylons sins lest thou receive of her plagues For the Lord will avenge the blood of his Servants and will render vengeance to his Adversaries and will be merciful unto his land and to his people Deut. 32.43 4. So for the fourth Pestilential and highly provoking Sin of Idolatry Was the anger of the Lord so kindled against Israel when Israel had joyned himself to Baal-peor that no less then four and twenty thousand died in the plague And did the Lord plague the people because of the Calf they had made Then beware that ye be not Idolaters as were some of them and provoke the Lord to anger with your inventions For surely the Lord our God is a jealous God his glory he will not give to another neither his praise to Graven Images Isa 42.8 5. So for the Sin of Covetousness and a greedy desire after gain Is
treacherous and vile put up Davids prayer unto the Lord. in Psal 139.23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts And see if there be any way of wickedness in me and lead me in the way everlasting If there be any pernicious hurtful or oppressing way in me and lead me upod the way of eternity upon that way which may lead me to eternal life But know that if thou wilt be careless and neglectve still of this so necessary a work and put the Lord upon it he will then make a very strict and diligent search and see what will be the sad event and consequent of it Zeph. 1.12 And it shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with candles and punish the men that are settled on their lees that say in their heart The Lord will not do good neither will he do evil And what follows Therefore their goods shall become a booty and their houses a desolation they shall also build houses but not inhabit them and they shall plant vineyards but not drink the wine thereof Then the mighty man shall cry bitterly And God wyll bring distress upon men that they shall walk as blind men because they have sinned against the Lord and their blood shall be poured out as dust and their flesh as the dung and at that time neither their their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wroth but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousie For he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land And when is this time that the Lord will make this strict and diligent search as with candles ver 7. declares it It is in the day of the Lord when he prepareth a sacrifice and shall bid his guests And in that day of the Lords sacrifice then will be punish the Princes and the Kings children and all such as are cloathed with strange apparel that leap on the threshold and fill their Masters houses with deceit O England then be exhorted to consider thy ways that thou mayst find out thy hideous provoking abominations before the Lord make a speedy riddance This is the first spiritual Receit I would prescribe unto thee The Second Receit Having made this diligent search lnto thine own heart and found out thy soul-pestilent sores then the next spiritual Receit I shall prescribe unto thee Is a good draught of a sound and sincere Repentance Which if sound and sincere will operate these four things in thee First A kindly mourning in secret before the Lord 1. For thine own iniquities 2. For the sins and abominations of the times Secondly It will breed a hatred and abhorrency in thy heart against those evils together with an humble confession and acknowledgement of them Thirdly A willing forsaking and renunciation of them Fourthly A returning unto the Lord with all thy heart Surely as to this Receit we may write a Probatum est it s a tried Receit a sure Remedy a soveraign Plaister for this running sore Repent and turn your selves from all your trangressions saith the Lord so iniquity shall not be your ruine Ezek. 18.30 So in v. 32. Turn your selves and live ye for why will ye die O house of Israel But more particularly to the several branches of Repentance as they are laid down First then see that the true sense of thy sin does work thy heart to a kindly mourning and sorrowing for the same in secret before the Lord. This sorrow and contrition for sin will I say evidence the soundness and sincerity of thy Repentance when thou canst mourn before the Lord not onely in respect of the danger which thou hast incurred by reason of thy sins to wit the curses of this life temporal death and eternal plagues and torments in another world but also that thou hast so unkindly grieved and provoked so good a God so compassionate a Father so gracious a Redeemer so blessed a Sanctifier and incurred the loss of so great a God even the favour of so good and gracious a God that taketh no pleasure in the death of the wicked Ezek. 33.11 This is that godly sorrow that the Apostle Paul speaks of 2 Cor. 7.10 11. that worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of the notable effects whereof are there also demonstrated and declared which will be of such singular efficacy and force to quench the fire of the Lords indignation and wrath now broken out among us In the seventh of Ezekiel the Lord threatning the final desolation of Israel telling her that her end was come and that he would judge her according to her ways and recompence upon her all her abominations That the Sword was without and the Pestilence and Famine within and that he that was in the field should die with the sword and that he that was in the City Famine and Pestilence should devour him In verse 16. he tells us That they that escape of them meaning those that should escape the common calamity of the Sword Pestilence and Famine they shall be on the mountains like Doves of the valleys all of them mourning every one for his iniquity that is for his own iniquity shall every one mourn as Doves of the valleys The word signifieth a making a stir by sighing whining and howling So Hezekiah in the time of his sickness tells us That he did mourn as a Dove Isa 38.14 Such will be the gratious temper and disposition of soul of the Lords escaped ones They shall mourn every one for his own iniquity as Doves in the Valleys in their secret retirements with the Lord the sence and remembrance of their sins in dishonouring and grieving so good and gratius a God will make them to sob and sigh and even to howl before the Lord. So did Ephraim when he repented and turned unto the Lord. I have surely heard Ephraim saith the Lord bemoaning himself Jer. 31.18 In this spirit and temper will the Loeds escaped remnant be found in So in Israels restauration when the Lord shall gather them from the Coasts of the Earth in what spirit shall they then be found They shall come with weeping saith the Lord and with supplications will I lead them as in the 9th vers of the same Chap. with weeping for their sins and with supplications or petitions unto the Lord for mercy and pardon And suitable to this is that in the 3d. of Zephan 18. I will gather them that are sorrowful saith the Lord for the solemn assembly to whom the reproach of it was a burden Those that are sad and sorrowful because they are obstructed and hindered from meeting in the Temple of God in the Assemblies of his Saints for the solemn worship and service of God when they must converse with and among such scoffing Companions which make but a mock and derision of God and his Word In this gratious temper
loath themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations So in the 36. of Ezekiel speaking of the restauration of Israel how that he will take them from among the Heathen and gather them out of all Countries and bring them into their own Land and save them from all their uncleannesses in the 11. verse Then saith he shall ye remember your evil ways and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations This shall be the temper and spirit of the Lords escaped remnant they shall loath themselves in their own sight for their iniquities or for all the evils that they have committed as it is Ezek. 20.43 They shall even abhor and detest themselves for their iniquities which will appear so odious filthy and abominable in their sight As the Israelites loathed the Manna in contempt counting it base or vile in comparison with other meats Num. 25.5 Or as Job loathed his own life when his soul would chuse strangling and death rather then life Job 7.15 16. This indignation or bitter hatred against sin is made a fruit or note of true repentance 2 Cor. 7.11 Now soul examine the soundness and sincerity of thy Repentance hereby Did the sighs of thy sin ever work in thee a hatred and abhorrency in thy soul against sin Did it ever make thee to abhor thy self in dust and ashes to loath thy self in thine own sight An impenitent person may refrain from sin but a true converted and penitent person will hate sin An impenitent person may forbare to swear but a true convert feareth an oath Eccles 9.2 A wicked person may abstain from some gross evils but the godly person will abstain from all appearance of evil 1 Thess 5.22 A wicked person may leave some evil but the godly and such as love the Lord will hate evil Psal 97.10 A wicked person may abandon some evil way but the truly repenting person hateth every false way Psal 119.104 A wicked and an impenitent person may refrain from telling a lye but the godly and such as are truly converted will hate and abhor lying vers 163. A wicked man may perhaps check himself for his unclean thoughts but the godly man hateth vain thoughts vers 113. And as David in the case of a wicked person so will the godly say upon the account of all and every sin Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee I hate them with a perfect hatred Psal 139.21 22. Now to work this hatred detestation and aversion in thy will against sin Take these helps Consider First What sin is in it self Secondly How God is provoked with it Thirdly How thou art hurt and prejudiced by it First Consider then what sin is in its self Sin in its self is fouler then any Fiend or Divel in Hell because it made that so as fire is hotter then water that is heated 2ly It is extreamly ill nothing comes nearer it for take sin in the abstract so it s a greater ill then the damnation of a mans soul For when two ills fight together that which conquers must needs be the greater Now when a man hath lain in Hell ten thousand years he is as far from coming out as ever for the eternal duration in Hell cannot expiate sin 3ly It is most infectious and therefore compared to a Leprosie For the first sin that peeped into the world stained the beauty of it No sooner was sin committed by Adam but the Stars seemed impure in Gods sight the creatures were all at variance the earth full of Briars and Thorns and all things subjected unto the Curse 4ly It is most filthy and therefore compared to the most vile things that can be named To menstruous raggs To the vomit of Dogs and whereas no dirt or filthy thing can stain a Sun-beam sin stains a more glorious creature which is the soul of man 5ly It is of a hellish nature that it draws out and takes into it self the wrath of God being full of cursed consequences 1. Privative the loss of Gods favour the blood of Christ the guard of Angels peace of Conscience then which what can be more obnoxious 2. Positive It brings all misery spiritual hardness of heart blindness of mind horrour of conscience despair c. with all temporal losses and crosses here and hereafter eternal torments both of soul and body in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone forever more Rev. 21.8 Secondly Consider how God is provoked with it For 1. Each sin is the only object of Gods infinite hatred what infinite of infinites of hatred hast thou then upon thy soul with all thy sins when each sin hath the infinite hatred of God upon it 2. Each sin is against the Majesty of that dreadful God of Heaven and Earth who can turn all things into Hell nay Heaven and Hell into nothing by his word Now against this God thou sinnest and what art thou but dust and ashes a lump of filth and of uncleanness and all that is naught And what is thy Life but a Span a Bubble a Dream a Shadow of a Dream and shall such a thing offend such a dreadful and glorious Majesty 3. Every sin strikes at the glory of Gods pure eye which cannot look upon iniquity Hab. 1.13 4. Sin is that which killed his Son the least sin could not be pardoned but by Christs carrying his heart blood to his Father and offering it for sin 5. Each sin is an offence to all his mercies This aggravated the sin upon Ely 1 Sam. 2.29 and upon David 2 Sam. 12.8 9. Mercy is the most eminent Attribute of God and therefore the sin against it is the greater With what aggravations then are our sins committed in the time of the Gospel Thirdly Consider how thou art hurt and prejudiced by it Each sin I mean unrepented of kills thy soul which is better then all the world It robs thee of abundance of joy and comfort and will cause thee to walk heavily in the bitterness and anguish of thy soul perhaps all thy days as David and Hezekiah did And how dreadful was that example of Francis Spira who after his backsliding lived a while in exquisite horror and after died in despair And know that thine own conscience will one day accuse thee for every sin thou livest wilfully in though now it seems hid unto thee and thy conscience is more then a thousand witnesses And for the sins which peradventure thou now livest in and accountest but petty and venial many poor souls are at this instant burning in hell fire By all which thou mayst clearly see what misery and hurt does attend on thee continually for the same And therefore when any bait of Satan or old companions would allure thee to sin take this Dilemma Either I must repent and then it will bring more sorrow then the pleasure or profit did good or if I repent not it
were not carnal but mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons which they used by the Gospel of Christ to convert men and to bring them under the Kingdome and obedience of Christ were not carnal that is such as natural and worldly men are wont to make use of either by eloquence or deceit or by force to bring others in subjection under them but mighty or powerful through God in moving and convincing of the hearts of men by his Spirit Act. 16.14 Surely if these things were seriously laid to heart we must needs acknowledge that the sins of professing people as well as others have been highly provoking unto the Lord as to the drawing down of this sore visitation of the Plague among us And this may put us to silence that we murmur not and will justifie the righteousness of God in the way of his severity as he now comes forth against many of his own people For we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3.23 And what says the Lord by the Prophet Amos. All the sinners of my people shall dye by the sword which say The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us Amos 9.10 So the Lord by the Prophet Jeremy complains For among my people are found wicked men they lay waite as he that setteth snares they set a trap they catch men As a Cage is full of birds so are their houses full of deceit therefore they are become great and waxen rich They are waxen fat they shine they overpass the deeds of the wicked they judge not the cause the cause of the fatherless yet they prosper and the right of the needy do they not judge And mark what follows Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this Jer. 25.26 27 28 29. And who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers Did not the Lord he against whom we have sinned for they would not walk in his ways neither were they obedient unto his law And consider well what follows Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battle and it hath set him on fire round about yet he knew not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart Jsa 42.24 25. So Jeremy the 12.7 I have forsaken mine house I have left mine heritage I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hands of her enemies And what may we gather from all this Surely thus much That no near relations as to God or any external priviledges can yeild a protection from a sin-deserved correction Remember Lots wife Luk. 17.32 Vengeance closely waits on disobedience Punishment doth dog impiety For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep saith Paul to the Church of Corinths speaking of eating and drinking unworthily at the Lords Table 1 Cor. 11.29 30. God is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity with any approbation or tolleration as to his own peculiar people If his children forsake my law speaking of David and his seed as a Type of Christ and the true spiritual seed and walk not in my judgments If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments What then says the Lord Then will I visit their transgression with a rod and their iniquity with stripes Psal 89.30 The Lord hath laid righteousness to the rule and waighed his justice in a ballance and his judgments are right and in faithfulness he doth afflict Psal 119.75 His sentence is past forth and stands irrevocable Tribulation and anguish upon every soul that doth evil Rom. 2.9 If we sin we shall suffer How Aut a Deo vindicante aut ab ipso homine penitente as one says excellent well Either from God revenging or themselves repenting For he that repenteth himself of his sins doth punish himself for his sins And now O England if thou repent not let me say unto thee as the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 10.2 to the men of that generation What wilt thou do now in the day of thy visitation and in the desolation that shall come from far To whom wilt thou flee for help and where will ye leave your glory O then bethink thy self yet before it be too late before the wrath of the Lord break out so that their will be no remedy O gather thy self together O Nation not desirous before the Decree bring forth before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon thee before the whole Land be devoured by the fire of his jealousie before he make a speedy riddance of all that dwell in the land As the Lord by the Prophet Zephaniah exhorts Chap. 1.18 Chap. 2.1 2. O then return unto the Lord thy God for hou hast fallen by thine iniquity Take unto you words and turn unto the Lord say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously Hosea 14.1 Suitable to which is the Churches exhortation Come and let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up Hosea 6.1 This is the way the Lord himself propounds for the removal of his sweeping devouring Judgments Turn ye even to me with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning and rent your heart and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God who knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him Joel 2.12 13. Let the King lay his robe from him and cover him with sackcloth and sit in ashes let man and beast be covered with sackcloath let there be some demonstrative tokens of a more then ordinary sorrow and humiliation for each and every ones so highly provoking sins Let all cry mightily to God yea let them turn every one from his evil way and from the violence that is in their hands Who can tell if God will turn and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not This will move Gods repentings towards us this will divert his wrath Jonah 3. and the latter end Jer. 31.20 And that you may not question the truth and certainty of it in the least will you consider that the Lord stands engaged by his unalterable word and promise to make it good If I shut up heaven saith he that there be no rain c. Or if I send Pestilence among my people if my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways What then will he do Then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land 2 Chron. 7.13 14. Wherefore let that counsel be acceptable to all which Daniel gave to King Nabuchadnezzar O King break off thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility Dan. 4.27 As if he had said If thou wilt follow the
he endured as seeing him who is invisible Heb. 11.27 Now this was an act of Faith in the power of God He knew that though he might incur the wrath of an enraged King by refusing the honours and dignities of his Court yet his eye being fixt upon a most powerful invisible Lord God that was sufficient to uphold him under all the sufferings he might undergo for his sake And that this Lord was able to strike through Kings in the day of his wrath Psa 110.5 In which spirit of faith and confidence David brake forth when he said Though I walk in the midst of trouble thou wilt revive me thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies and thy right hand shall save me Psa 138.7 So Paul that tried Apostle and courageous sufferer for Christ For which cause saith he I also suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed for I know whom I have beleived and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day He acts faith in the ability and all-sufficiency of God to carry him through all difficulties and hardship for Christ 2 Tim 1.12 And upon this score it was he so much incouraged his Son Timothy in the faith as to a suffering state for Christ Be not therefore ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord nor of me his Prisoner but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God as in the 8. vers of that Chap. Whether he meant Christ the power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 Or whether he would have him bear those afflictions patiently as God afforded him power and strength yet surely it cannot exclude but take in the exercise of his faith in the power of God in all his sufferings for Christ whose power will ever be manifested in weakness And therefore it is that we are exhorted to be looking up unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God at the right hand of Gods power For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds Now this looking up unto Jesus is not only a looking up unto him as a pattern and example of patience in our sufferings and persecutions for his and the Gospels sake but we must look upon him also as made perfect by suffering who for the suffering of death is now crowned with glory and honor as him whom God hath highly exalted and set at the right hand of the throne of God where he must sit and reign till all his enemies be made his foot-stool or as the Apostle expresseth it Till he hath put all his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15.25 Thus you see how necessary it is to be Acting faith as in the blood of Christ so in the power of God And that First In times of great difficulties and straights 2. In times of sore sicknesses and deaths 3. In times of great sinning 4. In times of serving and worshipping of God 5. In times of suffering for God Thirdly We are to Act Faith in the faithfulness of God Know therefore saith Moses that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations Deut. 7.9 The consideration whereof made the Psalmist break forth into this pious interrogation or expostulation rather Psal 89.8 O Lord God of Hosts who is a strong Lord like unto thee or to thy faithfulness round about thee Consider then that this Faith in the faithfulness of God is to be acted upon several accounts First Upon the account of the unchangableness of Gods love and the immutability of the Covenant of Grace which he hath made with us in his Son and which he hath ratified and confirmed unto us in his most precious blood See the 89. Psalm speaking of David as a Type of Christ The Lord promiseth there That the enemy shall not exact upon him nor the son of wickedness afflict him And that he will beat down his foes before his face and plague them that hate him But my faithfulness saith he and my mercies shall be with him Ver. 22 23 24. So in the 30 31 32 33 and 34. Vers of that Psalm If his Children forsake my law and walk not in my judgments If they break my statutes and keep not my Commandments then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes But what follows Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips So David in the 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure Now that Gods love in Christ is unchangable as it is founded upon the immutability of the New-covenant of Grace appears 1. Because it is dearer then a Mothers love to her sweetest and most tender Babe Isa 49.15 Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet I will not forget thee 2. It is stronger then the Mountains Isa 54.10 For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee 3. It is as constant as the courses of the Sun Moon and Sars of the Day and of the Night Jer. 31.35 36. Thus saith the Lord which giveth the sun for a light by day and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar the Lord of Hosts is his name If those ordinances depart from before me saith the Lord then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a Nation before me for ever 4. It is as sure as God himself Psal 89.35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lye unto David His seed shall endure for ever and his throne as the sun before me It shall be established for ever as the Moon and as a faithful witness in heaven We give much credit to the word of an honest man much more when we have his oath for it This the Author to the Hebrews makes the ground or foundation of a Beleivers strong consolation Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set
sacrifice is it not evil and if ye offer the lame and sick is it not evil Offer it unto thy Governour will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person Mal. 1.8 God requires to be served with the mind Matth. 22.37 We must therefore know the will of God as he hath revealed it unto us by his commandments promises threatnings the approved practices of the Saints and that we must desire and pray for and onely so as we know Gods word doth warrant us This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us 1 Joh. 5.14 And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight 1 John 3.22 So said the blind man that had his sight restored to him again Now we know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth Joh. 9.31 Again We must pray with a feeling of our wants Christs invitation to come unto him is to all that labour and are heavy laden Matth. 11.28 In prayer we should feel sin as a burden and mourn under the sensibility of our want of grace So Ephraim bemoued himself Jer. 31.18 And the Church Isa 63.17 O Lord why hast thou made us to err from thy ways and hardned our heart from thy fear return for thy servants sake the Tribes of thine inheritance So David being made very sensible of his great fall after what manner is his spirit led forth in prayer Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit Psal 51.10 11 12. Now this ariseth from the consideration of Gods judgements due to sin and of the necessity of saving grace So Ezra O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are encreased over our heads and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens Ez. 9.6 And the Apostles being sensible of the imbicility and weakness of their faith pray unto the Lord for the increase of it And for this thing said Paul I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me So sensible was he of the thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan that buffeted him 2 Cor. 12.7 8. Again our Prayer must be accompanied with a spirit of love and forgiveness Mark 11.25 And when ye stand praying forgive if ye have ought against any man that your Father also which is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses For if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your father forgive your trespasses Mat. 6.14 15. And as we must forgive our enemies and such as have offended us so must we bear a hearty affection to the Children of God Ephes 4.32 and Collos 3.12 13. Again our Prayer must be accompanied with fear and reverence in respect of the purity and Majesty of that presence we come into So saith Solomon Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few Eccles 5.2 And we are to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12.28 Surely did we seriously consider Gods most excellent Majesty we should not rashly conceive or utter any thing before him but with reverence So Abraham Behold said he I have now taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 This reverential fear is an unfeigned abasement of the mind proceeding from a consideration of Gods divine Majesty and our own indignity So the Prodigal Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son Luk. 15.21 So Jacob I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant Gen. 32.10 Job abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes Job 42.6 The Prophet Isaiah cries out he is undone woe unto him for his eyes had seen the King the Lord of Hosts Isa 6.5 and Ezra also he did blush and was ashamed to lift up his face to God for that their iniquities were encreased and their trespasse grown up unto the heavens Ezra 9.6 Lastly our Prayer must be with perseverance without ceasing 1 Thes 5.17 The Parable concerning the importunate Widow was to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint Luk. 18.1 That is that we should be constant and earnest in prayer use all importunity with the Lord and not to faint this is that which will distinguish us from being Hypocrites and false-hearted before the Lord For what is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his soul will God hear his cry when trouble commeth upon him Will he delight himself in the Almighty will he always call upon God No he will not Job 27.8 9 10. But the gracious soul loves to draw nigh to God and takes delight always in his approaching to him Thus having spoken of the several ingredients that will make up an acceptable Prayer unto the Lord I shall speak a little as to the singular worth excellency and efficacy of it and the worth and excellency of it appears in this Because it is a sweet priviledge which Christ hath purchased of the Father for us Ephes 2.18 It is through him that we have an access unto the Father so as to come with boldness unto the throne of his grace Heb. 4.16 Hereby we do and may continually commune with the Lord after a familiar manner and lay open our griefs into his bosome As David Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto And is this the manner of man O Lord God 2 Sam. 7.18 So again From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the Rock that is higher then I for thou hast been a shelter for me and a strong Tower from the enemy Psa 61.2 3. Hereby we testifie our dutiful affection to him as the Prodigal to his Father Luk. 15.18 And become helpers to others Rom. 15.30 Phil. 1.19 Col. 4.12 2 Thes 3.1 This adds strength to our faith and gives life to the graces of God that are in us By it we obtain at the hand of God whatever good we stand in need of Mat. 7.7 Isa 65.24 And do grow into a better acquaintance with God As Abraham Gen. 18.23 27. For such is the Promise that if we draw nigh to God he will draw nigh to us Jam. 4.8 By it we fight manfully against our in bred
life of fellowship and communion with God as the Apostle John expresseth it 1 Joh. 1.3 Again To make God our habitation includes these four or five particulars 1. A mans habitation is the place of his constant residence and abode 2. It is the place of his safety security and strength 3. It is the place of his secrecy 4. It is the place of his recreation delectation or delight 5. It is the chief place of his negotiation commerce and converse Under these five heads or several sences may we understand our dwelling in God or making God our habitation 1. Then the place of a mans dwelling is the place of his constant residence or abode When we would speak with a man we enquire where he dwells where his habitation is for there we suppose he is resident So then if thou dwellest in God if God is thy habitation thou wilt have thy constant abode with him thy residence with him this holds forth a fixed station or habitation in and with God Thou wilt not be as a stranger in a forreign Land and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night as Jeremiah expresseth it Chap. 14.8 Thou wilt not take up a nights lodging with him and then away and be gone as Travellers and wayfaring men use to do but thou wilt abide with him set up thy dwelling with him many will out of a complement now and then go and give a Friend or an Acquaintance a visit or for diversions sake being tired it may be in their Shops through multiplicity of business and their worldly negotiations they are willing to take a little recreation when they can best dispence with it Even so do many deal with God they will give him it may be a complemental visit now and then Some they will go to Church now and then and hear Divine Service as they call it or it may be if they hear where an able powerful man Preacheth they will perhaps out of a humour or some itching desire go and hear him And others they will give God a visit now and then if it be but to stop the mouth of conscience they will pray now and then and hear now and then when their worldly occasions will give them leave they will be serving God when they know not how to serve themselves Nay it may be they will go a strain higher and express some kind of delight in what they do it shall be some kind of recreation unto them now and then to come among the assemblies of Gods Saints like those whom the Lord reproves in the Prophet Ezekiels time forward hearers they were they spake one to another every one to his Brother saying Come I pray you and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord And saies the Lord they come unto thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee 〈…〉 as my people and they bear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness And lo thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument for they hear thy words but they do them not Ezek. 33.30 31 32. O he 's a gallant man a learned man say they how excellently did he speak even like a lovely song that soundeth pleasantly So is it said of Herod that he heard John the Baptist and observed him yea did many things and heard him gladly yet rather then he will part with his Herodias his darling sin off must go his head Mark 6.20 But this is not to dwell with God Some people they have their fits in Religion they will be seemingly devout now and then and especially if their religion swims along with the times and is in fashion and a step to worldly preferment so long they will follow Christ but these not having root in themselves endure but for a while for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by and by they are offended Mat. 13.21 See then that thou hast thy dwelling in God thy fixt habitation and abode in God So had the Church in Psa 90.1 2. Lord Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the earth even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God This Psalm is said to be a Prayer of Moses the man of God in which Moses does acknowledge the Lord to be their dwelling place their habitation or mansion-house or place of retreat in all generations in all their travails through the terrible Wilderness wherein God lead them God was a refuge unto them in their greatest streights and troubles at all times He had promised that his presence should go with him and that he would give him rest Exod. 33.14 and Moses did experience the truth of it And therefore in Deut. 33.26 27. It is said There is none like unto the God of Jesuran who rideth upon the heavens for thy help and in his excellency on the skie The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting armes So in the 29. verse Happy art thou O Israel Who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord the shield of thy help and who is the Sword of thy excellency and thine enemies shall be found liers unto thee and thou shalt tread upon their high places And then indeed mayst thou be said to dwell in God to have a constant abode with him 1. When as David thou art continually with him Psa 73.23 and set'st the Lord allways before thee Psa 16.8 This will awe us when we have opportunities and temptations to secret sins Gen. 39.9 This will possess us with more reverence and godly fear in duties of his worship and service 1 Cor. 11.10 This will provoke us to diligence in every good work The eye of the Master makes a diligent Servant Col. 3.22 This will comfort us in our afflictions and encourage us against fears If we walk through the Valley of the shadow of death we shall fear no evil if the Lord is with us Psa 23.4 And he will be with us while we be with him 2 Chron. 15.2 If we set the Lord always before us we shall not be moved Psa 16.8 Moses endured as seeing him who is invisible Hebr. 11.27 2. Then mayst thou be said to dwell in God and make him thy habitation and constant place of abode when thou makest him thy chiefest good when thou chosest him as thy portion and chief happiness and livest wholly upon him as thy All in all Rom. 11.36 When his name and glory is first inscribed on thy heart chiefly in thine eye and principally as thine end and aim in all thy actions and undertakings 1 Cor. 10.31 When thou canst say with the Psalmist Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my
heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Psa 73.26 Then wilt thou not know nor desire nor love any creature but purely as subordinate to God If this were but setled in our hearts how would it ballast them and keep them steddy that they would not be tossed up and down with the various occurrences of this life neither lift up with Prosperity nor cast down with adversity for whether we have more of these things they make no considerable addition to us God is our happiness and not the creature or whether we have less of these things it is no diminution to our happiness we still have our portion We are but as a man that hath turned his estate into money though he hath not houses nor lands nor flocks nor herds yet he hath that which answers all things Eccles 10.19 So it is with one that hath God for his portion whose is the earth and the fulness thereof He can with Habakkuk rejoyce in God in the deprevation and absence of all other things Hab. 3.17 18. And say with Paul As sorrowful yet alway rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6.10 Give twenty pounds to a poor man and you make him take so much from him and you undoe him but it is nothing in a rich mans Purse that hath thousands coming in yearly Let an unbeleiver loose the World and he looseth all he complains with Laban that his gods are gone let him have these things in abundance and he is transported like Haman but these are small things with him whose portion is the Lord And therefore call nothing prosperity or pleasure but his love and nothing adversity or misery but his displeasure When any thing would seem lovely and desireable which is against him call it Dung And hear that man as Satan or the Serpent that would entise thee from him and count him but vanity a worm and dust that would affright thee from thy duty to him 3. Then mayst thou be said to dwell in God to have thy constant abode with him When thou shalt prize all opportunities of communion with God in his Ordinances as Prayer Reading and Hearing the Word of God So David As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God Psa 42.1 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is To see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Psa 63.1 2. and 84.1 2. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God So Psal 122.1 I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the House of the Lord. This to do is our Duty and our Priviledge 1. It is our Duty and part of that homage which we owe to God as our Lord and Lawgiver by prayer to acknowledge our dependance on him Psal 65.2 and our subjection to him by sitting down at his feet to receive the Law from his mouth to take our instructions from him Deut. 33.3 2. It is our Priviledge which cost two of the greatest gifts which heaven could afford Eph. 2.17 the Son of God that we might have acceptance The Spirit of God that we might have assistance What greater priviledge are we capable of then at any time to go and reveal our cause to God and to pour out our complaints before him Jer. 20.12 To have leave to beg any thing of him Luk. 11.13 To ask Counsel of him Psal 119.24 There being in our communion with God a transfusion of spirits the Lord communicating his Spirit or Divine Nature to us therein 2 Cor. 3.18 Besides our own pressing necessities which should daily provoke us hereto And the oftner we come to God the more welcome shall we be Cant. 2.14 and the more boldness and liberty of access we shall have dis-use and in-frequency breeding a strangness betwixt God and the Soul and deading the heart to communion with him 2. A Mans House is the place of his safety security and strength We use to say a mans House is his Castle then we make God our habitation when we make him our refuge and our strength So did David I will love thee O Lord my strength The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my buckler the horn of my salvation and my high tower Psal 18.2 God was his strength his defender in all adversities God was his rock where he fled for refuge when hunted and pursued by his enemies his fortress or strong hold wherein he was safely kept and preserved his sheild to overshadow and defend him The horn of his salvation that is the strength of his deliverance and the high tower or strong tower of his protection wherein to his righteous soul did run and was safe Prov. 18.10 In the 61. Psal 2. and 3. David prayeth That God would lead him to the rock that was higher then he For thou hast been a shelter for me saith he and a strong tower from the enemy So in the Psal 71.3 Be thou my strong habitation whereunto I may continually resort Be thou to me for a rock of habitation where I may continually fly unto in all my difficulties and distresses See also Psal 31.2 With what confidence in God was the Chuch carried forth upon this account God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble Therefore will not we fear though the earth he removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof Psal 46.1 2 3. By the changing of the earth and removing of mountains are often meant the alteration of States and Polities Hagg. 2.21 22. Jerem. 51.25 Rev. 6.14 By which we are given to understand That in the time of the greatest mutations and revolutions in time of the greatest toffings and tumblings turnings and over-turnings the Church would not be dismayed but confidently expect deliverance from God Well then if thou wilt make God thy habitation thy place of security and strength thy rock and thy fortress Thou wilt make him thy only rock thy only stay and trust thou wilt seek help and deliverance in all thy streights and trouble from him and from him only He only saith the Psalmist is my rock and my salvation he is my defence I shall not be moved And from hence it is that he encourages his soul To waite only upon God telling us that his expectation was from him Psal 62.6 7. Nor would he trust in his Bow nor on his Sword to save him Psal 44.6 Now then dost thou make God thy only rock thy only
trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters and that spreadeth out her roots by the river whose leaf shall be green and shall not cease from yeilding fruit Jerem. 17.7 8. Pro. 28.25 And as David Psal 40.4 Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust and respecteth not the proud nor such as turn aside to lies 3. A mans House or Habitation is the place of his Secresie Where does the Husband and the Wife or a man and his freind unbosome themselves communicate their thoughts and the very secrets of their hearts each to other but usually and for the most part in their Houses in their private Chambers and Closets So it is with the Man or Woman that makes God their habitation They 'l go to God and in their Closet and close retirements with the Lord how will they unbosome themselves and lay open their very hearts and most secrets thoughts and spread them before the Lord. So did Hanna in the bitterness of her soul she prayed and wept sore and in her secret retirements she poured out her soul before the Lord 1 Sam. 1.10 15. meaning the trouble and anguish of her heart So David when his spirit was overwhelmed within him then he cried unto the Lord and poured out his complaint before him and shewed him all his trouble Psal 142.1 2 3. So Jeremiah 20.10 11 12. when he lay under evil reports and defamation and his familiars watched for his halting what course does he take He goes to God and opens his cause unto him or discovers his cause unto him as to an Advocate or Patron O Lord of Hosts saith he that triest the righteous and seest the reins and the heart let me see thy vengeance on them for unto thee have I opened my Cause So is it said of Hezekiah when he had received the Letter of railing Rabshekah and read it he goes up into the House of the Lord and spreads it before the Lord in this manner O Lord God of Israel which dwellest between the Cherubims thou art the God even thou alone of all the kingdoms of the earth thou hast made heaven and earth Lord bow down thine ear and hear open Lord thine eyes and see and hear the words of Sennacharib which hath sent him to reproach the living God This hath been the manner of the Servants of the Lord who have made God their habitation they go to God in secret and pour out their souls before him O saith Job that I knew where I might find him that I might come even to his seat I would order my cause before him and fill my mouth with arguments Job 23.3 4. Holy Job even now a Proverb or a Prodigy rather perceiving his freinds discourses were fuller of reproaches then consolations neglects to answer them and resolves to get him to God the onely support and refuge of the miserable The soarest strokes cannot drive away gracious souls from God but rather draw them nearer unto him they seldome or never think themselves near enough unto God its Sun and Sheild and Center O that I knew where to find him that I might come even to his Seat And Gods Judgment-seat where he sits to hear and determine Causes is not terrible or unapproachable to a Beleiver who knows it to be a Throne of Mercy as Job did here And happy are all that can say so For we must all appear defore the Judgment-seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 11. and it will be terrible to all those that do not often resort thither before hand And it is good to have our hearts and mouths fill'd with Arguments when we come to plead and expostulate and reason out our great concernments with our God who hath all good things lying ready by him and waits only for Prayer to come and fetch them away Not that God stands in need of our informing him concerning our necessities which he knows better then we but because hereby we give some proof that we are not altogether strangers at home as many careless ones are but know something of our selves and our own cases and of him and his dealings towards us If our mouths then be fill'd with arguments we may be sure of an Answer God will not sit still and say nothing he will not sit like an Image like a dumb Idol as the Abominations of the Heathens their Dii Stercorei their Dunghil Gods as they are called Deut. 29.17 must of necessity do they can do no otherwise though men fill their mouths with Arguments and empty their veins of their blood before them 1 King 18.28 Go boldly then to the Throne of grace plead with God and fill your mouthes with arguments spread thy complaints before him and open thy cause unto him for when ever you do so beyond all peradventure God will answer There 's no fear that he will interpret this sawciness and presumption in thee and so answer thee with his fists about thine ears or with his foot to kick thee out of his presence there is no fear that he will smother thee under the waight of his greatness or dazle thee with his beams or burn thee with his flames or drive thee from the judgement seat as Gallio did the Jews Act. 18.16 No he never beats his people lower then their knees and thence suffers them yea helps them to rise again nay he will lay his hand upon thy head yea under thy feet to do thee good he will stroke rather then strike a pleading soul He will strengthen thee and put mettle into thee He will not plead against thee with his great and absolute power So he dealt with Daniel a man that had great intimate acquaintance with God Chap. 10.19 How was he strengthened when the Angel touched him The Righteous may plead and dispute with him even at the bar of Equity and Justice and the Judge cannot but pronounce and pass sentence in their favour Thus righteous Jeremiah pleaded with him Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee Jer. 12.1 And he invites his people to come and plead freely Isa 43.26 Put me in remembrance saith the Lord let us plead together declare that thou mayst be justified if thou haste any thing to say for thy self say on Yea Idolaters shall have this permission to plead for themselves and their dumb Idols if they have any thing to say for them Isa 41.21 Produce your cause saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons saith the King of Jacob Shall Idolaters have this liberty and not the true Worshippers that worship him in Spirit and in truth The wicked shall they have it and not the righteous Yes doubtless this is that boldness of speech 2 Cor. 7.4 mentioned as the great priviledge of the Saints especially now under the new Testament Heb. 4.16 Accedamus cum loquendi ubertate ad thronum gratiae Letus come boldly unto the throne of grace Heb. 10.19 Having
therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus a right and freedom to enter in with our persons hereafter and now by our Prayers let us draw neer with a true heart with full assurance of faith He hath given us two great friends of his for our Advocates the one at his own right hand in heaven moving and negotiating and always appearing for us the other seated in our breasts his holy spirit making intercession for us Yea the Fathers own heart is full of love brim full and running over and he loves to hear his children reason it out with him and he doth of set purpose delay to grant their requests sometimes because he loves to hear often from them to hear their voices and see their faces Cant. 2.14 to hear what they can say for themselves and so he dealt with the woman of Canaan in those several repulses he gave her Mat. 15.22 23. Acquaint thy self then with him and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee Job 22.21 O the secret intimate and heavenly familiarity that is betwixt God and the gratious beleiving soul It is said of Moses that the Lord spake unto him face to face as a man speaketh unto his friend Exod. 33.11 That is plainly familiarly The like phrase is used of speaking mouth to mouth My servant Moses saith the Lord is not so who is faithful in all mine house With him will I speak mouth to mouth even apparently and not in dark speeches Numb 12.7 8. Well then if thou makest God thy habitation thou wilt not thou canst not be a stranger to God thou wilt have some intimacy with him some secret talk and communion with him thou wilt ever and anon be opening thy heart unto him and be pleading and expostulating the case with him Daniel could not be restrained from this though he knew the decree or writing was signed that whosoever should ask any petition of any God or Man for thirty days save of the King Darius he should be cast into the Den of Lyons But he goes into his House and kneels upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did aforetime Dan. 6.10 he would rather dye then omit his wonted Worship and that close intimate communion he had with the Lord in prayer And it must needs be so for howsoever natural men and worldlings out of their obnoxiousness and secret terror do slavishly retire and do not willingly neither dare they draw near to that God which to them is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Yet all these who have truly tasted how gracious the Lord is shall find their hearts out of a secret sence of Gods love unto them first kindly inflamed with infinite desire to live under the comfortable influence of his pleased countenance to enjoy his holy Majesty with constant peace and an humble spiritual access and acquaintance continually His spirit of Prayer infinite love yea all his loving kindness protections preservations bounty patience divine illuminations spiritual blessings exercise of repentance temptations and troubles from Satan pressures and oppressions from the world loss of inward peace faintness of faith want of spiritual strength assault of some special sin sweetness of meditation daily favours showred down without number and above measure the forethought of the great and last account motions of the blessed spirit spiritual desertion c. but above all the unutterable and inexpressible blessedness goodness and excellency of that highest Majesty it self are and should be quickening and powerful motives to drive us frequently and incessantly unto God Object But perhaps thou wilt say It is true the righteous may be thus familiar with him plead with him and not be cast in their suit But where are those righteous ones And who are they for it is not so with me God be merciful to me a greivous sinner I dare not be so bold with him Mine iniquity stops my mouth Answ I answer Every one that hath a share in yea a sincere desire after the righteousness of Christ is righteous before him and may in that righteousness plead and prevail and as a Prince have power with God For this is his own righteousness of his own contrivance and appointment The righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3.8 9. A righteousness spun and woven out of his own bowels and the obedience of his dear Son a better then ever came upon the back of Angels for which the personal and legal righteousness of a Paul of an Angel is to be abandoned Evangelical being far better then Angelical righteousness Thou canst not miss a blessing in his garments who is not ashamed to be called thine Elder Brother who came to change cloaths and places with thee and to take all upon himself that thou mightest escape The Father cannot but be well pleased with the smell of his Sons raiment and he sits too upon a Seat of Judgement and must do thee right and Justice it self which will not be twice paid is as much for thee as much thy freind as Mercy Rom. 3.26 He is just and yet nay therefore a justifier of him that beleiveth in Jesus So that if thou art not utterly shut up in unbeleif if there be but the least spark of true faith alive in thy heart thou mayst go boldly and plead and prosper Object 2. But I have nothing to say for my self my heart is dryed up like a Potsheard and withered like grass I have sin'd away all arguments and must never open my mouth any more before him Answ True not to boast but to plead thou mayst And hast thou nothing to offer not a sigh nor the groanings of thy soul Let the sighings of the Prisoner come before thee saith David Psal 79.11 And for the oppression of the poor and for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the Lord himself Psal 12.5 I will set him at safety from him that puffeth at him We own help from the spirit when we are enlarged He helps us even when we are straightned Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought no not Paul and the Apostle but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Rom. 8.26 with unutterable straightnings Our enlargements may be but the flowings of the Gifts of the Spirit but our inward pinchings and coarctations may be the Intercession of the Spirit it self the more immediate operations of the Spirit And we forget that there is such a Prompter behind the Hangings such an Interpreter as his Title signifies as well as a Comforter Ille suggerit vobis omnia He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance Joh. 14.26 such an Interpreter I say to make known the mind of God to us and ours to him and as he betrayes the secrets of God to the Saints so he rips up their hearts before God
an hill therefore when the Apostle presseth Gospel-obedience he bids us lay aside every weight that we may run with patience Heb. 12.1 The old Adam is a clogg to our obedience and weights easily pull us down and if down to rise again it is up-hill work What a do have we to get up our hearts unto true Gospel-sorrow for our sins Oh what a hard work it is to bring our hearts up to a beleif of the promises to trust God in difficulties c. Oh how difficult to get up the hill of Gospel-obedience what pains must we take to get to communion with God in the Spirit Gods call for our obedience is like his command to Moses Deut. 32.49 50. Go up to Mount Nebo and dye there So go up into thy Closet and kill thy corruptions there let thy dearest lusts dye there pluck out thy right eye there and cut off thy right hand there and we had as live dy as do such a thing such verily is our natural stubbornness against God When God bids us up and do this or that oh how irksome and unpleasing is it to flesh and blood When the Gospel bids us look above all things Father Mother Wife Children Lands Houses Life and and leave forsake and hate them all and then thou shalt be a Disciple of Christ upon the account of Gospel-obedience Are we not ready to say with those Disciples of Christ This is a hard saying who can bear it Joh. 6.60 Yet I say the soul that is carried upon the wings of faith and love and strengthened with might by the Spirit of the Lord in the inward man can chearfully and willingly conform to such harsh difficult and unpleasing commands considered as to flesh and blood But I shall come a little closer as to the thing in hand to excite thee to this evangelical obedience Consider first how acceptable and well-pleasing a thing it is unto the Lord in that he prefers it above legal Sacrifices whatsoever As Sumuel said to Saul Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and Sacrifices as in obeying the voyce of the Lord Behold to obey is better then Sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of rams For rebellion is as the sin of witch-craft and stubbornness is as iniquity and Idolatry 1 Sam. 15.22 23. Hos 6.6 So Jer. 7.22 23. For I spake not unto your Fathers nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the Land of Egypt concerning burnt-offerings and sacrifices But this thing commanded I them saying Obey my voice and I will be your God and ye shall be my people and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you that it may be well with you But they hearkened not nor inclined their ear but walked in the counsels and imaginations of their evil heart and went backward and not forward c. And because they rejected the Lords Prophets he sent among them and would not hearken unto the Lord nor incline their ear but hardned their neck and did worse then their Fathers Therefore the Prophet Jeremy was to say unto them This is a Nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God nor receiveth correction truth is perished and is cut off from their mouth Object But did not the Lord command their Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices after he had brought them out of the Land of Egypt were they not things of his own appointment Answ Yea Surely the Lord did command and injoyn their sacrifices and it was their sin to omit them but the meaning is this as if the Lord had said This was not the chiefest thing that I commanded them as ye Hypocrites do conceive and imagine but it was their sincere obedience which they have not yeilded unto me and you have yeilded me less then they I did expect that your forefathers should have obeyed my voice in all other things that I had enjoyned and commanded them to do as well as in matters of burnt-offerings and sacrifices but seeing they disobeyed my voice and yet would come and sacrifice unto me with impure hands and unclean hearts rebellious and disobedient spirits their Sacrifices and Offerings to me were as if I had not commanded them at all my soul did loath them and abominate them and so they do yours so long as you hearken not to my voice but walk in the counsells and imaginations of your own evil hearts The Prophet Hosea gives much light into this understanding of the mind of God in Hosea 6.6 and so doe our blessed Saviour referring his speech thereunto For I desire mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt-offerings See Mat. 9.13 and 12.7 that is I preferred works of mercy before Sacrifice and the knowledge of God as it is joyned with obedience to the will of God before burnt-offering The outward bare offering considered in it self without faith and repentance the Lord highly reproved and rejected See to this purpose Psa 50.12 to 17. So Isa 1.11 to 15. See there how the Lord did abominate their offerings notwithstanding he had instituted and appointed them To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt-offerings of Rams c. bring no more vain oblations incense is an abomination unto me the new Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity even your solemn meeting your new Moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble unto me I am weary to bear them And when ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when ye make many prayers I will not hear And why Your bands are full of blood will ye kill and murder my servants the Prophets and shed the blood of mine innocent ones and come and think to appease my wrath with your hypocritical offerings And therefore he exhorts them to repentance Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well seek judgment releive the oppressed judge the fatherless plead for the widow Come now and let us reason togeather saith the Lord when these things are done then come unto me then bring your offerings unto me then shall they be accepted by me then we will reason together then I will hear your prayers and pardon your sins and not before Hence it is that Solomon saies The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15.8 So Prov. 21.27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind It is always evil but how much more abominable is it when he brings it with a wicked mind or with a wicked intent expresly intending to effect or accomplish some wicked act or enterprise thereby and as it were calling upon God to be an help to advance and set