Lord is with them or their heart is lifted up in the worship and service of God and they have refreshment and are nourished by hearing of the Word at God But souls consider do not deceive your serves you that wonder thus at Religion a gracious Soul finds much comfort in the wayes of God a gracious heart speaks thus Psal 84.10 For a day in thy Court is letter then a thousand I had rather be a door keeper in the House of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickedness Saith a gracious heart all the wayes of God are wayes of wisdome and all the wayes of wisdome are ways of pleasantness Secondly whicked men wonder to see men afraid of the power of God it s no wonder to see one man afraid of another man it is no wonder to see a poor man afraid of a great mans anger but it is a wonder to wicked men to see a gracious soul afraid of Gods power and anger against him for sin it may be that wicked men will not sin so openly before the world as to commit sin that is by the Lawes of the Nation to be punished in the presence of Authority that is to punish sin though it may be they will do it in private or in the presence of their wicked communions whereas the sincere heart cries out with good Ioseph How shall I do this great wickednesse and sin against God Gen. 39.9 O consider souls if ever you come to a holy knowledge of the precious good of our souls you will come to know that what ever you do in secret cannot be hid from the All-seeing eye of God Psal 94. ver 4. The Lord planted the ear shall he not hear he that formed the eve shall he not see Beloved God hath both made your ears and your eyes and therefore he doth both hear you and sée you when man sees you not Consider God sées you and takes notice of you Prov 21.12 verse The hearing ear and the seeing eye the Lord hath made them both so likewise in 1 Pet. 3. ver 12. For the eyes of ths Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open to their prayers but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil Now consider all you that forget God you can do nothing so secreetly but God sées you God sees both the just and the unjust and will reward them according to their works and their doings all things are open and plain before the Lord there is nothing hid from him the Lord sées you knows your very thoughts Psal 94. ver 11. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity The Lord hath an eye whereby he discerns all things that you do Thirdly wicked men wonder at the Child of God pressing upon others to serve God and to turn from their sins this they count great business like to those wicked persons we read of Acts 17. that made a tumult when theâ— saw men believe the Gospel Acts 17.4 5 6. wicked men are moved with envy when they sée the people of God séek to draw away men from sin and so count that what they do are unlawfull customs Acts 16.20 But beloved consider I desire you in the name of the great God of heaven and take heed of your selves consider what you have to do for the good of your poor souls Fourthly Wicked men wonder at the child of Gods Heavenly conversation wicked men despise the child of Gods zeal for God even as Michaell the Daughter of Saul despised David for his zeal before the Lord 2 Sam. 6. verse 20. for which she was childless verse the last now consider all you that despise Gods people for their zeal lest God smite you with his judgements and you perish in his anger Psal 2. ver 12. Kiss the Son least he be angry and ye perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little Beloved it is that that wicked men are incident unto to wonder at Gods people and they do not only wonder at them but they rail at them Fifthly The practise of wicked men is to rail at them that are really godly and to revile them and say all manner of evill against them therefore our Saviour Jesus Christ in Mat. 5.11 verse pronounceth them blessed now there are divers wicked men that wonder at Gods people of divers qualities and so they practice and act divers wayes in wondring at Gods people First There is the openly prophane person he rails at you that truely fear God and scoffs and jéers Religion Secondly There is the civil worldly Wise man and he wonders much at the Child of Gods Heavenly conversation and godly life he is on that fashions himself like to the world and when Religion is in fashion he will be religious and when religion is in persecution he will persecute it too and so the child of God becomes a wonder to all Psal 14.6 You have shamed the counsels of the poor because the Lord is his refuge The worldly wise men they count all the ways of Godliness to be foolishness whereas the Apostle saith plainly in the 1 Cor. 1.21 The world by wisdome knew not God Beloved it is not the worlds wisdome that will redéem you from hell or bring you into heaven 1 Cor. 1.26 ver For you see your calling brethâ—en 〈◊〉 noâ— many wise men are called c. Beloved consider of it you that are worldly wise men and you that are formal professors outside Christians you that count all below you wicked and prophane and all that are above strict and precise you are as ill enemies to Christ as the openly prophane person is for he that is openly prophane is openly known and discerned whereas you cover your selves with the fig-leaves of outward Profession whereas your hearts are most wicked and vise although you are not common swearers nor Drunkards nor such as are accounted Sabbath-breakers but you are worldly wise men you are such as indeed have a form of godliness but you have not the true power and true practice of godlinesse why if this be your condition you are out of the way you are the greatest enemies to Christ for you make an Idoll of your own way and set up that in your heart and think evill of all the ways of godliness when as there is within you a root of bitterness and an heart that heareth gall and wormwood Deut. 29.18.19 And now Beloved having shewed you how the people of God are the worlds wonder and wâ—cked mens wonder and how wicked mâ—n revile them and take occasion to scoff and jeer them I shall now in the third place shew the occasions why it is that Gods people are the worlds wonder And First of all God hath for secret ends ordered it that Gods own people are the worlds wonder it is so by Gods appointment Isa 8.8 Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signes and wonders in Israel
A Wonder of Wonders OR GODS People THE WORLDS WONDER OR They are Men wondred at Very profitable for these Times wherein men take so much liberty to sin and dishonour our God Written by Roger Hough a Lover of the Truth Isa 8.18 Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath give me are for signs and for wonders in Israel before the Lord of Hosts that dwell in Mount Sion Psal 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doth good London Printed for T. Passenger at the Three Bibles on the middle of London-Bridge 1666. Zachariah 38. Hear now O Joshua the High Priest thou and thy Fellows that sit before the Lord they are Men wondred at BEloved in this Chapter the holy Prophet brings in under the Type of Jâ—shua the high Priest Gods dealing with his Church and people in all Ages they are and were ever wondred at by wicked and ungodly mâ—n the Lord also in the foregoing verses of this Chapter gives this exhortation to Ioshua to put off the filthy Garments wherewith he stood cloathed before the Lord the reproach of wicked men is as filthy Garments But the ungodly man puts off this garment by his holy and humble carriage both in the presence of God and his people and so he becomes cloathed with the White Robe of Christs Righteousness as if were with a garment whereby he hath access with boldness to the throne of Grace and can boldly stand before God and own God as his Faithfull Creator and though a World of wicked men wonder at him because he fears God and walks in his war yet he needs not be discouraged the Lord owns him and the Lord will own him and all those that fear him and walk before him in the great day of account When he makes up his Iewels Mal. 3.17 But it is so Beloved Gods dearest Saints are the worlds wonder the more religious any soul is the more the world wonders at it and that I may discover unto you the truth of this I shall first of all shew you what it is wicked that men wonder at And 2ly I shall hold forth unto you the practice of wicked men And 3ly I shall labour to shew you the reason of wicked mens wonder And 4ly I shall apply this truth first in reference to the world and wicked men and thereby shall not only shew you their wonder but Gods people wonder at them and wicked men wonder at one another and secondly I shall hold forth a word or two to them that are really Godly and then in the last place conclude all in a word of Exhortation which will be all I shall insist upon at this time And first of all in the generall wicked men wonder at religion and at holiness wicked men wonder not at the notion of the things of God Tâ—… 1.16 wicked men profess in words they know God but in works they deny God they do not so much wonder at the profession of Gods people but they wonder at their holiness Wicked men sometimes make an outward profession of Christ being come in the flesh in their words outward expressions but in their inward works and actings they do deny Christ come in the flesh 1 John 4.1 2. Beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirit whether they are of God because many falfe Prophets are gone out into the world Hereby know we the spirit of God every spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and wicked men profess that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh in outward expression but in works they deny him and so they become foolish Saying in their hearts there is no God Psal 14.1 and thus you may perceive the folly and madnesse of wicked men in that they deny holinesse and scoffe and féer at Gods wayes wherein his people serve him they do not wonder that men profess God so much as they wonder that men should serve God so exactly according to the word of God and that men should take so much pains in the service of God as they do they wonder that men should give themselves to such strict duties as reading prayer and meditation in their families conferring one with another and should take so much pains in the publique assemblies to hear the word preached and go so often to dayes exercise as they do The wicked man thinks it strange that he cannot have his godly neighbour overtaken in his baits to run with him into the same excesse of wickednesse this is the wicked mans wonder that men profess Religion as they do that men declare so much for God and serve God on that fashion a wicked man will serve God a little on the Lords day and himself all the wéek after and when the Lords day is come he will not give the whole day to the Lord he 'l have the greatest part to himself and that day his heart is so set upon worldly profit that his whole desire runs after it But Beloved consider I beseech you what will it profit a man to gain the whole world if he thereby bring his poor soul in danger our Saviour Christ speaking to the same purpose Mark 8.36 For saith he What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and loose his own soul Beloved consider I beseech you it is worth your pains you cannot do to much in the worship of God for when you have done all you can do you are but unprofitable servants for all you can do in the worship and service of God is little enough for you to do if you would but seriously consider it I pray you lay it to heart what do you think will be the end of those that never in all their life time take eare to serve God those that are common great sinners as Drunkards Swearers Sabbath-breakers and such as die continually lasting themselves asleep in their sinns 1 Pet. 4.17.18 For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God and if it first begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God and if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appear Secondly wicked men wonder at the power of godliness wicked men have a form of godliness but deny the power of godlinesse 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away some men there are in the world that have a zeal for God but it is not according to sound know edge like the Jews we read of Rom. 10.2 And as wicked men wonder at the power of godliness and at the practise of godliness so they wonder at the inward notions of the things of God and first they wonder to hear a man saâ— the
from the Lord of Hosts that dwelleth in mount Zion It is the lot of Gods people to be for signes and wonders God in his secret wisdom hath so appointed it therefore be contented with it all you that fear God it was to old in time and it is so in our time we may sée it by experience God people are wondred at Secondly worldly wise men that are blind in their judgements they are as men blind-folded they do not sée nor discern the wayes of God and his people 1 Cor. 2.14 there is a natural blindness in natural men that makes the things of God dubious unto them they cannot understand them and so they become foolishness unto them and they esteem them not Beloved consider it this is the condition of natural men and worldly minded men Heaven is lest in their thoughts and they look very little after Heaven but let a man discourse with them and this for the most part they will reply that they hope they shall be saved as well as the best that make much ado and they know God is mercifull and they rest themselves upon the Lords mercy but the whole course of their desires is after the world and worldly profit all their affections are upon things below but the word and the message of God by his spirit in the mouths of his Ministers they count parables Ezek. 20. ver 49. Mark 12. ver 24. wicked men as naturall bruit beasts speaking evil of the things they understand not 2 Pet. 2. v. 12. Beloved the men of the world they never understand nor séek after God O consider this all you that forget God Psal 50.22 Consider this all you that speak proud words against the Lord Mal. 3.13 You whose words have been stour against the Lord Consider this all you that are naturally blinded in your sins if you did but know the danger you were in you would not do as you do Thirdly There is a principal of Irreligion in wicked men rather then they will condemn themselves they will condemn all the wayes of Gods people nay rather then they will condemn their own sins they condemne the ways of holiness nay rather then they would forsake their sins and become new creatures they will rather seek to perswade others to sin with them there is so few in the world that are really godly that they may well become a wonder though many profess Christ yet there are but a few that truely rest and acquiess themselves in Christ Beloved there are many men in the world that are Religious but there are but few in the world that are truely and really religious Many are called but few are chosen the whole world lyeth in wickedness 1 John 5.19 Whole Nations lie in wickednesse whole Countries Cities and Towns lie in wickednesse Beloved wickedness is the fashion of the world and he that is most wicked is most in fashion a man that hath his cloaths out of fashion is a man that is sore looked at and wondred at Beloved he that is a true Saint of God is like a man out of fashion with his cloaths he is a man sore looked at and wondred at godly men they are but few and as we may say they are thin sowed they are but here one and there another one in a City and two in Tribe it may be a man can scarsly find one in a City in some places in the world the Lord was ever so merciful that if there had bin but ten righteous persons found in Sodome the Lord would have spared Sodome for their sakes but there was not ten to be found in the whole City that were righteous persons we do not read of any but Lor and his family Gen. 18. ver 32. And that very moment that Sodome was destroyed Lot entred into Zoar and that City was saved for Lots sake Gen. 19.21 22 23. Beloved if it be so that godly persons are so few to be found as indeed it hath been so formerly and I pray God for his mercies sake it be not so amongst us at this present day Ier. 5. ver â— Run ye too and fro throughout the streets of Ierusalem and know and seek in the broad places of the City and see if you can find a man if there be any that executeth judgement and that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it And thus ou may see they that are really the people of God they are but few in number godly men are vâ—ry few and they have many Enemies affronting them wicked men they are a great numbers and stand stiffly in opposition against them and when they have nothing else to say they can affront the people of God with their holy carriage towards God what they say do you think that none must go to Heaven but you we make not such a do and yet we hope to be saved as well as you what say they shall no one be saved but such as you shall no one never come to Heaven but such as make so much a do of praying and preaching as you do as if we were ready to die every moment soul whoever thou art that thus reasons against God and his people thou if ever the Lord opens thy eyes will repent of the folly and at the hour of death when thou knowest that thou must die and can live no longer thou wouldst give all the treasure in the world if it were in thy power to be in such a condition as the poorest soul is in the world that hath feared God truly yea thou wouldest wish then that thou hadst lived as such a one hath done when thou formerly hath despised mocked and jeered thou could be willing new to change condition with him Fourthly Goods People are become the worlds wonder because there are many great men that are wicked men many great men are wonderers there are many great men and but few great men that are good men great men are either proud or presumptuous for the most part Jer. 5.5 I will go unto the great men and speak unto them for they have known the way of the Lord and the judgements of their God but these have altogether broken the Yoak and burst the bands Great men are great enemies to God and his people But beloved consider if it be so as you chance to see a great man to become a good man that indeed is a mighty forceing argument to encourage people in the ways of God and a mighty help to Religion and thus you see godly persons are men woudred at for these ends First God hath ordered it Secondly Worldly wise men are blinded in their judgements Thirdly There is a principal of irreligion in most men and Fourthly Few great men are good men And now Beloved to apply this truth to our selves consider that he that the world most wonders at and esteems the least and counts the most unhappiest it s most certain that that man is the most happiest of all other Soul