wife which is indeed the thing they aim at for though they say it is with something in the contract they are dissatisfied as not drawn up according to their mind yet indeed it is with the marriage that they are displeased for their butt holiness whereunto the marriage contract obligeth and so the renting off their double of the contract whereunto formerly they gave their consent will not make him give up with our Land and scatter his family again Likewise it will be clear from the second Psalm That the Lord will not give up with Scotland for there you will find the present case of our Land clearly set down for there is plotting against the Lord and his anointed and it is not with the Heathens only that the Lord is expostulating but also he is reproving a people who have formerly professed service to him and that have been under bonds and tyes unto him for they say Let us break their bands asunder and cast their cords away from us now if they had been Heathens then had they been under no bonds to him as they were yea the phrase is very emphatick and very significant for they say their bands implying that they would esteem Gods bands to be nothing else but the bands and cords of men that hurt them therefore they say their bands whereas they should say his bands And then the Lord begins to plead Christs right and shews that it is not by way of set tack for so many years that Christ should have these lands but in possession are they given unto him for he saith Ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Now it is concluded by all that Scotland is the uttermost part and corner of the world and therefore it was given to Christ and that not for a set time of lett but as a sure and everlasting possession so our Land being given to Christ and that as an inheritance and possession whereof the second Psalm and 8. verse is his standing Charter in the Bible we must not think that he will quit his possession but will keep his right and inheritance and therefore we declare our Land a married Land unto the Lord and a sure and on given unto Christ and therefore there being a standing evidence and charter for his inheritance and possession and a standing marriage contract and the marriage relation continuing betwixt him and our Land he will not put away his married Church no storm shall take his possession from him nor be able to keep him away from his married Church but in spite of all impediments he shall see us again Smile O Heavens at this and be Ioyful O Earth let all things break forth into singing before him rejoyce greatly in the Lord O our souls and let all that is within us bless his holy name let the redeemed of the Lord be joyful in their King who hath married our Land unto himself and given unto us thereby sufficient ground for assurance of this that he will certainly and without all doubt See us again So we come unto another Doctrine from the words which is from the time when he did thus comfort his Disciples viz. before they entred into the heat of the fernace Whence observe Obs 2. That before the Lord enters his people into a hot furnace of affliction he useth to send them a comfortable word for incouraging their hearts in order to thoron-bearing and a blessed out-gate We see it clear in the words ere they meet with the heat of the furnace he tellls he will see them again and their hearts shall rejoyce this is clear also from divers other Scriptures before the Church go into captivity he tells them that at the end of 70 years they should teturn again and before his honest Prophet met with persecution from enemies he told him that he had made him an iron pillar and brasen walls against them Jer. 2. 18. therefore though they would fight against him yet they should not prevaile against him It was also the practice of the Apostles to comfort the people of God 1 Pet. 4. 2. Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is only to try not to destroy you Jam. chap. 1. 2. My brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers tentations viz. in suffering for they would get no hurt thereby and fear none of these things shall come upon thee saith the Lord to his people Rev. 2. for though the Devil cast some of you into prison yet afterwards it shall be well with thee be faithful therefore to the death and I shall give thee a crown of life there is a sad trial coming Isa 3. 10. but he sends a comforting word to his people Say ye to the righteous it shall be well with him Daniel 12. a sad storm c. a time of trouble such as they never saw since a nation and yet tells them at that none such ill time deliverance shall come and blessed shall they be that shall see the compleat delivery So you see the point clear viz. That the Lord useth to comfort his people e're he enter them into a hot furnace of affliction or persecution for his name Many reasons might be given why the Lord does thus comfort his people e're they enter into a hot furnace for his sake but we shall not touch them here but shall bring them in with some of the uses for the saving of time Vse 1. This lets us see what the blessed and tender disposition of Christs heart is who before he enter his people in the heat of a furnace will give them something to refresh and bear up their hearts while in it Vse 2. Secondly it lets us see that it is the duty of Ministers of the Gospel even of all that bear his name before his people to comfort them when they are like to meet with a stormy trial for his sake they should imitate their Lord and his Apostles who comforted the Church in a day of trial in the hope of a gracious out-gate Therefore let us exhort so many of you as are here whom the Lord calls to speak from his word unto his people not only Ministers who have this great work lying on them but also young men who must be faithful in the little if so we may call it labour to imitate your blessed Master in this see you a dark cloud coming upon the Church and people of God O then comfort them against the present distress tell them that they shall get a blessed out-gate and that there shall be a blessed light after the present darkness And I shall give you a few reasons by way of motive for incouraging you to comfort the people of God to whom he sends you to speak in his name 1. Motive First comfort the people of God for it is your duty upon any hazard whatsoever Isa 3. 1â— Say ye to the
we shall die to morrow then let us hold a hearty house to day Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die and as their sin was desperate so also was their Judgment for their contempr for the Prophet adds It was revealed in mine eares by the Lord of Hosts Surely or if I be to be trusted who am the unchangeable God this iniquity that is so presumptuously committed shall not be purged from ye till ye die and so he subscribes their sentence Thus saith the Lord God of hosts So I say there is ground to affirm that it shall be a wonder if ever the world shall see your repentance if there be any such here so we leave you to the great dreadful God to take you in his own hand to take order with you to purpose But the persons I am speaking against here are your 4 hour Professors who would expect some part of comfort with the Church of God when she shall see you again when he shall visit Jacob's tents and have mercy upon his dwelling places and yet take all their up-chearing at the Wine or Ale-house and seek not this precious Cordial the assurance of Christs return to hold up their hearts Oh oh is it a time for you to do so if there be any such here I say unto you believe it the storm shall lay you by and you shall not be invited to rejoyce with Jerusalem when Christ shall see her again and shall give her the fresh sweet milk of pure Ordinances again for only they that mourn with her are invited to rejoyce with her and they that So love her will the Lord invite to suck out of the breasts of pure Gospel-ordinances the sweet milk of Gospel-consolations wherewith he feedeth and nourisheth his children when he sees them again and no part of that Joy shall be unto you but ye shall grow worse and worse for those that profit not by a tryal they shall grow worse as Paul saith 2 Tim. 3. 13. Evil men as well as seducers shall wax worse and worse therefore all of you try your selves what Cordials you take for the people of the Lords choicest Cordial against their present heart-faintings now at Christs departure is the assurance of his return Obj. 1. But I know some will be ready to object at this and to say there is no ground to think Christ is going away and therefore what needs such pressing us to this only Cordial why may we not take our other encouragements Ans I shall say first in answer to this objection I wish there were no ground to fear that Christ will go away but I must also say what heart can he have to stay amongst us and not retire himself for a time out of our sight And is not his glory already gone to the tops of the Mountains howbeit we also hope that some of his dear children get afar-off-look of him from thence But I shall speak to four things that may speak out his going away and that he can have no heart to stay amongst us Evidence 1. The first evidence of his approaching departure is the many Proclamations of his mind as to this he hath sent forth his faithful Ministers proclaming this upon the mountain of his visible Church they did foresee this stroak and lifted up their voice and cryed and yet notwithstanding their giving such allarms of the Lords departure especially since the dreadful stroak at Dunbar O how small hath the success been for though indeed many have been converted since that time in mercy to their souls yet O how little reviving hath been upon the hearts of Professors few have been stirred up to more seriousness notwithstanding all these allarms It does not affright the hearts of many that Christ is going away they think if he will go away who can hold him and if he will not stay who can help it hee 'l take his own will and so their moan is ended and O how sad is it that they will neither take hold of him to keep him nor will they put on a mourning robe for him and is there not ground then to fear his going away seeing so few care for his abiding and what heart can he have to stay amongst us Evid 2. The second Evidence of his going away is our treacherous dealing with him and our unfaithfulness to him for as a Wife treacherously departeth from her Husband so have we departed from him and have altogether lost our credit at his hand for neither Word nor Write nor Oath nor Covenant will bind us And when he can neither believe the word that we speak nor the oath we swear what expectation can he have of us that we will be servants unto him we did swear away our selves to be a holy people unto him in our Covenant and have we not broken our Covenant and so said upon the matter that we will not be a holy people and so have lost all credit at his hand and what heart can he have to stay amongst us and is there not ground to fear his going away when he cannot believe the word that we speak nor the oath that we swear Evid 3. The third evidence that we shall name that may give us sad ground of fear that he will go away is the tolleration of ungodliness and all sort of wickedness in the Land and we need goe no farther than this the Mother City of our Nation which sendeth forth a dark smoak and cloud of profanity through all the Land These abominations take their beginning here and doe overspread and defile the whole Land Our heart hath been like to bleed when we have been sitting in some Lodging Houses by the way-side as the Lord called us to be on our way in some parts of the Land where we heard numbers of Travellers as they returned from Edenburgh singing over the most profane and ungodly Songs that could be devised tending only to the stirring up of corruption in all unregenerate and unmortified hearts who heard the same and one of them saying to another This is the most common or chiefest Song that is now in fashion in Edenburgh for almost there is no other Song to be heard in the Streets This is a known truth and would not such abominable things make Christians ears abhor to hear them or a sanctified mind to record the same in memory if necessity did not require for reproving such unfruitfull works of darkness Ye know that this is no secret for have not most of your own ears heard these profane Songs on your Streets Nightly and Dayly which is yet tollerated unto this day and never curbed or punished by these that are in Authority which speaks out great indifferency and want of zeal for our dear Lord Jesus Christ And O is it not sad to see our Mother City wherein righteousness did dwell become such a Mother of prophanity and ungodliness And may not all this give us too ground to
fear that our dear Lord Jesus is like to goe away and leave us And beside this there hath been many other dreadful abominations committed by night and day which would make Christian ears abhor to hear or tongues relate O but this is not all will you but hear a little farther and we will tell you of a greater abomination than this though little minded or laid to heart by many and that is the turning over of this holy Book into Stage-playes What is the holy Bible but the Eternal Gods Love-letter to his Church wherein his mind is written Yet is it turned over into Stage-playes For will you but walk down to the Nether-Bow and you shall there almost every night see some part thereof turn'd over into a Stage-play is not this a horrid blasphemy Yet this is not done in a corner they openly avow the same for while they stand at the Close-head calling in Passengers they proclame their wickedness saying Walk in Gentlemen walk in and you shall see a choice piece of Art and what is this choice piece of Art You shall see Adam and Eve Cain and Abel all walking in a lively manner to see how they were created naked and then deceived by the Serpent and how Cain slew Abel Oh Oh was it not this began all our miseries and woes did not this begin all our sorrow and lamentation and shall this be turned over into a Stage-play and sport to make people laugh and be merry O that some would cause plead for their Mother that that order might be taken with such abominations These things we could not but mention being so abominable in the sight of God And may not this say that he can have little heart to stay amongst us seeing we give so little esteem of his blessed Word that you see there is ground to fear his departure and going away from amongst us Evid 4. The fourth evidence of the Lords departure which we shall name is the corrupting of his Worship and overturning the comly order of his House in a violent way the setting up a few vain self-seeking men over the Inheritance of the Lord who have on the matter renounced their Ministers as not of God And if such men be fit for ruling the house of God let the Bible and unbiassed people of God be Judge of the matter This way was never blessed of God in our land formerly as to the conversion of souls and much less is it to be now expected that he will bless the same O how unbeseeming a title would Paul have thought it for him if any had come to him and called him your Lordship or your Lordships grace and how would he have abhorred himself if he had seen Prelats Mytre upon his own head and their syd robe upon him and some bearing up his taile no ground in the Bible for this yet it is done let this neither he looked upon as matter of Laughter to strangers nor of affrightment to friends being necessity constrains us to speak of these things unto you Now may not all this give sad ground of fear that the Lord will go away and leave us seeing such abominations are set up amongst us Vse 2. Now we would in the next place desire you that are the people of God to encourage your selves in him ye see as we have cleared That the assurance of Christs return is the choice only sufficient cordial against the heart faintings of the sorrowful soules of his people at his departure O therefore make use of this Cordial against the present distress and faintings of your heart in this hour of affliction because of Christs departure this is your present condition your hearts are sorrowful because your dear Lord is now shortly to be taken from you but let this hold up your hearts He will see us again therefore we say make use of this Cordial for you that are his people have no less to hold up your fainting discoveraged hearts then his Disciples got and that is the assurance of his return he will visit our land and so see us again Object But some of the Lords affrighted trembling-hearted people will here object alas that is the great thing in question and ye have spoken so much of his going away that we can hardly think he will return to us again and besides all he hath not tyed himself to any particular Church and therefore no particular Church can apply this promise to themselves and so what ground hath Scotland to apply this promise as a present cordial Vse 2. Though we have spoken much of his going yet we have not said that he will not come again and we spoke to somethings the last day for making it appear that he will come again As first our faithful Reformers Mr. Welsh Mr. Wishart Mr. Knox Mr. Hamilton c. others asserted that how be it Christ shall be crucified in Scotland yet glorious shall his Resurrection be and may we not make use of this as a cordial against our present heart-faintings 2. There are very many precious young men Students of Divinity whom the Lord hath fitted as polished shafts for the work of the Gospel and of whom he hath never as yet made use therein and shall we think that he will now lay them by and not imploy them in his service haveing been at great pains to fit them for the same 3. A faithful service of our Lord Jesus Christ who had this testimony that he feared God did lately amongst us before many thousand witnesses at his death openly declare his confidence as to this That how be it our cloud may be long and dark yet the Lord shall shine once more with the glorious light of his Gospel upon these Lands and shall we think that the Lord would have suffered his faithful servant to have brought himself under the imputation of a deceived Prophet at his death being in so great a strait for him if he had not had a mind to fulfill his servants word in seeing us again And we say now unto you that the Lord had never more precious people in Scotland then he hath now though there be many hypocrites neither hath ever had so many faithful Ministers in a suffering time for serving in the work of the Gospel as now he hath though there be also many that are unfaithful and we must think he will not lay them altogether byas useless but rather that he hath work for them and therefore we may take this as a ground of incouragement to confirme our hope of his seeing us again Object 2 But the Lord did cast of the seven Churches of Asia when in a very flourishing condition and did never visit them again with the Gospel and why then may he not also go away from us and never return nor see us again Ans There were never such a formal marriage contract passed betwixt God and the seven Churches of Asia in their most flourishing condition as heath passed
righteous it shall be well with him c. I command you speak comfortably to them though it should cost you never so dear and may not this perswade you to it seeing it is his command therefore set about it 2 Motive You run a great hazard if you comfort them not Ezek. 3. 17. Thou shalt hear the word at my mouth and give them warning from me when I say to the wicked thou shalt die say thou so and surely speaking freely against the wicked makes much for the strengthening of the godly It may cost you dear your life may be in hazard for speaking freely against them and to comfort the godly But if you do it not their blood will I require at your hand 3 Mot. Comfort the people of God against the storm and you shall imitate your blessed Master who comforted his Disciples when going away with this I will see you again 4 Mot. If you do not comfort the people of God e're they enter in the furnace it will be more difficult to get comfort born in upon them when their hearts are down and they in the heat and bitterness of their affliction their present sorrow will not let them admit of comfort Christ knew this well for he saith let these sayings sink down into your hearts ground your comfort well now else ye will be very incapable of hearing comfort when I am taken from you and slain And in the Text he comforted them because he knew they would not hear of comfort in the furnace and may not this stir you up to this duty of comforting the Lords people now e're they enter the furnace that it will be a hard work to get them comforted when in the hot furnace of affliction 5 Mot. Comfort the people of God e're they enter to the heat of the furnace for ye know not if ye shall be near unto them when they shall have most need of comfort from you if a persecution for Christ did send away faithful Ministers and their people into one shlp when banished or to thrust them into one prison together ye might suspend your comforting them till you were sent into banishment or prison together but the nature of a persecution for Christ is to smite the shepherd and to scatter the flock he is either thrust into prison or banished out of the land or out of the world and the flock is scattered so that he cannot have opportunity to speak comfortably unto them and what trouble may he have in that case if he hear of any thing falling wrong in them if they faint in the furnance his heart must challenge him for not comforting and strengthening them when he had opportunity And may not this encourage you to your duty O therefore to your work while you have opportunity 6 Mot. O comfort the people of God and strengthen them for the storm and ye shall have great peace when taken from them Christ had this to say John 17. that he had given them his fathers word And this was Paul's great encouragement in his last discourse at Miletus Acts 20. 26. that he had told them the whole counsel of God and so was free from the blood of all men O how great an encouragement is this when a godly Minister is thrust from his charge or is a dying if he can say now I am put away from my work but blessed be God I never withheld any thing from them might tend to their encouragement or edification There is not one sentence in my mind that ever I refused to speak nor is there one text of Scripture in my mind that the Lord bid me to preach from unto them tending to their instruction or encouragement that ever I refused to preach from upon the greatest hazard and therefore I have no more ado for my work is ended with my opportunity as I am to have no more liberty to labour among them so also I have no more work to do I laboured while I had opportunity and so now my work and opportunity are ended at once O how great peace may this give and may not this incourage you to comfort the people of God e're they enter the heat of the Furnace 7. Mot. There shall not a hair of your head perish for your faithfulness they are all numbred and your time is in Gods hand Rev. 11. the two Witnesses cannot be killed nor put from their work till they have finished their Testitmony and prophecyed unto the end of the dayes appointed them of God ye can neither be slain nor put from your worke as long as blasteth though all the World should oppose you therefore with all peace and safety you may go about your work of comforting the Godly as being in his blessed hand who can preserve his people though amongst the midst of adversaries therefore encourage the people of God for this your sure preservation while he has work for you is undoubted Vse 3. Is it so that the Lord Jesus useth to send a word of comfort to his people e're he enter them into the furnace for his name then they should imbrace the same good word that is sent unto them though it be far off I say they should make use of the expectation of future comforts for their present distress You see Christ give his people a promise the sweetness of which they were not to enjoy till after the storm yet he wills them to draw incouragement from it for bearing up their fainting and discouraged hearts It was also Davids practicn Psal 27. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living It was but a far of look of comfort my faith got all that I could come at was the hope of seeing his goodness in the land of the Living once e're I should go off this World yet though it was far of I was glad to grip to it I durst not put it away but laid hold on it and so incouraged my self by it against my present faintings of heart Therefore we say unto you that are here you see this is your duty to comfort your selves in the expectation of future consolation yea it is for this very end that Christs sends it O therefore make it practicall when God sends a word of consolation unto you close with it for your comfort it is your duty so to do especially when it it is conveyed to you with danger hazard and so I shall say no more unto you but leave it on you for you will have enough to do with all your comfort far off or near to you when ye meet with the storme therefore let not a word fall to the ground when he sends it for yout comfort I come to the last note which is the blessed effect should flow unto them upon his return which is joy of heart I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce Obs That the time of our Lord Jesus return after
A COMFORTING Farewel-Word TO THE LORDS Trembling-Hearted People AT THE Removal of the Cloud of his Glory from the Sanctuary applyed as a present Cordiall against their heart saintings Act. 14. 22. We must thorow much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Zach. 14. 7. It shall come to passe that at the evening time it shall be light Zach. 8. 6 If it be marvelous in the eyes of this People in these Dayes should it be also marvelous in mine eye saith the Lord of Hosts Printed in the Year 1664. TO THE READER WHen the Children of Israel departed out of Egypt they met with many sad difficulties in their way before they entered into the land of Canaan they had the Red Sea before them the Armies of the Egyptians behind and Rocks upon every hand thus they were in very evil case and when the Lord had manifested his power and goodness in pathing a way for them on the face of the deeps so that his Redeemed did walk thorow as upon dry land even then their troubles were not ended for their faith had great tryals in the Wilderness where they wandered fourty years sometimes fleeing before her enemies sometimes wanting Water sometimes hungry sometimes sting'd with Serpents yea and that after they were at the very border of the land of Promise so that they met with many afflicting dispensations in their way yea and at last there is a raging Jordan when they are at the very entry into that Land wherein they were to rest And it s very clear that Egypt was a Figure of that spiritual bondage wherein we are by nature under the oppression of the great Pharaoh Satan and sin whereunto even the Elect are servants before Conversion and the place whereunto they went viz. Canaan which was a type of Heaven whereunto Believers do go and wherein they are to rest and therefore by the long wearisome journey thorow the wast bowling Wilderness and the many difficulties wherewith they did meet in their march to Canaan must shadow forth these many sad and afflicting dispensations and disappointments wherewith Believers are exercise from the day of their conversion from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God till the day of their passing from the miseries of time and entering into that glorious and blessed Rest that waiteth for the people of God Heb. 4. whereof Canaan was but a figure And as tossed Israel attained to that rest thorow the goodness of God sending the pillar of the cloud to direct them by day and the pillar of fire to lead them in the dark night and inclining them to follow the same so also shall Believers come to that blessed Rest thorow the goodness of our God who sendeth these two precious pillars of his word and providence between which there is so sweet a concord and so pleasant a harmony to direct our way Canaan is before us therefore we ought not to be weary though we be sometimes walking in the deep and miry Clay the rest that is before us will sufficiently make up all our losses and pains in walking thither therefore let us not give way to sinkings of bea rt which may occasion wearying in the way its good taking a view of the land that is afar off that so by looking beyond the things that are seen being temporal unto the things that are not seen being spiritual and eternal we may esteem our afflictions light and of short continuance being delighted with the forehand conceptions of that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory and may be encouraged thereby to indure unto the end and be saved surely there 's good ground so to do seeing that there can no sader dispensation befall the Church then that wch the cloud of witnesses have travelled thorow Heb. 11. and we are commanded to walk by the foot steps of the flock in dayes of tribulation and astonishment and it is most safe for us so to do and to make our blessed Lord Jesus our hiding place from the wind storm rain and tempest Isa 32. 2. for he hath a real fellow feeling and simpathy with his people and hath learned from his own bitter sufferings to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2. 18. and also there is some comfortable dispensations also wherewith the Lord refresheth weary Israel there 's a path thorow the Red Sea there 's a brasen Serpent to cure the stings of the fiery Serpent in the Desart there 's an Elim as well as a Marah Numb 33. 9. where are twelve fountaines of Water and threescore and ten Palm Trees where weary Israel may be refreshed the Lord dealeth not with his people as if they were briers and thornes ranked in his way Isa 27. 4. but as with his Vineyard Vers 8. contending in measure there for removeing corrupt buddings forth staying his North wind in the day of his East wind some breathings he giveth his people some fair blinks after tempestuous storms so much the Scripture alloweth his people to look for and that which followeth doth tend somewhat to the encouragement of the Lords people to look for his goodness as to this in the land of the living Times and seasons are known to our God and we are only to look to his word as our rule and to admit of no comfort nor comforter but is according unto this unerring rule viz. the Scriptures This Sermon going abroad thorow many hands cannot be expected to be so full as it hath been at the first yet nothing is rendered here but what was then delivered there may also be found divers Erratas and possibly some Tautologies which may be easily helped if the Author shall upon notice or sight hereof be perswaded to revise it himself in the mean time let the Discreet Reader amend or candidly passe over what he finds not so distinct nor sounding so well as in another case might be expected Farewell A Comforting Farewell Word to the Lords Trembling Hearted People at the removal of the Cloud of his Glory from the Sanctuary as a present Cordial against their Heart-faintings Text JOHN 16. 22. But I will see you again and your Heart shall rejoyce OF all the people that are in the VVorld the people of the Lord who have dedicated and given away themselves to him have most yea and only reasons to be joyfull in their blessed King and there are none that have solid ground of consolation but they alone for albeit they have their times of heaviness when need requires they and only they have also that which may hear up their spirits under the heavy pressures of such sad and bitter Dispensations and howbeit their lot may be to fit low for a time and with the Church Lamen 1. 13. to interline this melancholious meditation among the rest of their sad Complaints From above hath he sent a fire into my bones and it prevaileth against them The yoak of my transgressions is bound by his hand they are wreathed
snell and stormy blasts is the most joyfull and dancing dayes of his people This we find clear from many Scriptures when this glorious Sun shineth after a dark Ecclipse in the Firmament of his Church all the Sons and Daughters of Zion are made to rejoyce and no wonder for she hath many bruises and he comes with healing under hir Wings And in the text ye have now sorrow but I will see you again and your hearts shall rejoyce We shall give you some Scripture considerations to cleare the point a little further passing by what we said formerly as to their seeing him pacified when he returns whereas his going away prognosticates anger and as to their being freed of much misery for his going away is the most cronning misery Wo also unto them when I depart from them Hos and so it may be turned over yea and all blessings unto them when I return unto them which must make them as joyful dayes but further the point will be clear if ye consider Cons 1. Consider first her geting on her new apparel Zion hath her mourning garments in mourning dayes when she lyes in the dust O but when the Lord returns again unto her she gets on Garments of Gladness shake thy self from the dust O Zion and put on thy beautiful Garments O Jerusalem Isa 52. 1 2. therefore seeing she gets on brave Apparel must she not be made very glad and so have not reason in this respect to say that the time of Christs return after such blasts is the joyous dayes of his people Cons 2. Oftentimes Zion gets the intimation of her pardon ere she come out of the Furnace Isa 40. 2. Tell her that her iniquities are pardoned And therefore in this respect the time of Christs returning must be the most joyous dayes to his people Cons 3. Zious stoutest enemies who ranted her down in the dayes of her affliction are made to submit themselves to her when the Lord sees her again Isai 60. 14. The Sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet and shall call thee the City of the Lord the Zion of the holy oue of Israel Though they repreached you in the day of your low condition yet they shall be forced to acknowledge you to be my people when they shall see my goodness to you at my seeing you again must not that be very comfortable to the people of God when they see those who formerly in their affliction domineered over them treading on their necks coming and submitting themselves unto them and confessing them whom formerly they persecuted to be the Lords people and so there is ground in this respect to say that the time of the Lords returning after cold and stormy blasts is the joyous and dancing days of his people Cons 4. Consider 4. when the Lord returns for delivering his people he both surprize them with unexpected deliverance and also maketh much of his glory appear 126 Psal When the Lord brought back our captivity we were like them that dream we were so amazed with such an unexpected deliverance that we were like folks speaking in their sleep for joy then was our mouth filled with laughter and so our dancing dayes began Psal 102. 16. When the Lord builds up Zion he appears in his glory he maketh the bright rayes of his glory glance upon his Church making it evident that he regards the prayer of the destitute which formerly he seemed to despise howbeit he did not so indeed and so setteth their hearts a dancing again Consider 5. Zion hath then her spring time of flourishing and heareth his most sweet voice and is invited to communion with him of whom she could not get a blink formerly Cant. 2. 10. Arise my love my fair one and come away for the winter is past wrath and anger is now departed the rain is over and gone thy stormy dayes are by thy hand and the flowers appear on the earth and the time of the singing of birds is come Heartless Zion must now have her Songs again for the winter is over the fig-tree puts forth her young figs and the vines with their tender grapes give a good smell there is a brave spring time of all Zions graces and the sweet smelling of her ointments when the Lord of whom she had been deserted sees her again and so have we not reason in all these respects to say that the time of the Lords returning is the joyous and dancing dayes of his people But while we are speaking of the joyous dancing and merry dayes the people of God have when he sees them again we would give you advertisement that the point whereupon we are is a large and noble dish of the glorious marriage feast of the Gospel and therefore before we go any further to make application hereof we do in the name and by the authority of our dreadful Lord and Master Jesus Christ excommunicate and debarre from this blessed part of the Gospel feast first all those that have been active in carrying on our deâ—â—ctions from God and his way that they take â—ut upon them to meddle with this joy the people of God shall have at his return being strangers to all the toyl his people are put unto in labouring to keep their garments clean Secondly we do excommunicate from this blessed part of the Gospel feast all casters off of the yoke of God in the holy band of our Covenant Thirdly all those that have not heart-sympathy with Zion in this day of her low condition fourthly We do excommunicate and debarr from this part of the Gospel Feast all those in whose heart it is at present to do any thing to the hightening of the affliction of any of the people of God in relation to his new controverted but glorious work in this present distress whether by false accusation of them or false witness bearing against them surely such shall not tast of this blessed part of the marriage supper and Gospel feast fifthly All those who are not willing to adventure their whole Estate I and Life and Geir in the same broken Ship with Zion to die and live sink and swim with her in all her afflictions and all such as upon the greatest hazards will not as they are called in their stations do all way tend to her instruction and incouragement And lastly we excommunicate and debar from this noble dish of the Gospel feast viz. the joy the Lords people have at his return all such as willingly without remorse or endeavour to amend are wallowing in the same sins wherein they did lie before the Lord began to smite us especi-O you four hours professers who think ye love Zion and do approve the things that are best yet are not leaving off your four hour-companions be it known to all of you whom we have named it is not for your sakes that our
Lord Jesus will see or visit us again wherefore we say unto all of you keep your hands from off the precious bread which is appointed for the mourning and heavy hearted sons and daughters of Zion for only they share with Zion in her consolations when the Lords sees her again who so loved her and mourned for her in her low condition and without the Wedding garment of repentance for these evils and a forsakeing of them together with a heart and practical sympathy with Zion in this her distress you shall never tast of this choice part of the Marriage supper and Gospel feast wherewith the fainting and trembling discouraged hearts of the people of God shall be cheared up and revived when he sees us again but we desire not altogether to leave you here and therefore we say if ye will be so wise for yout selves as to joyn your selves to Zion and from a principle of heart honesty take a share of a suffering lot with her you shall be very welcome and upon these terms we heartily invite you to come and partake of these dainties otherwayes you cannot be admitted for none can rejoyce with the people of God but they who mourn with them none can land with them upon the shore of consolation with them save they who set their face to the stormy and tempestuous waves swimming thorough the deep flouds of persecution and affliction with them But upon the other hand we do in the blessed name and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ heartily invite you to this blessed Feast of joy who are the fainting and sad hearted people of God we are not speaking to you of the great consolation wherewith your souls shall be satisfied when our Lord sees us again draw near therefore O ye discouraged sons and daughters of Zion eat of this fat and drink of this sweet for only to you doth this blessed feast belong and unto you and you only is the word of this consolation sent O rejoyce in the hope of what dancing dayes you shall have when Christ sees us again which joy shall then wreath a necessity of gladness of heart upon you as a Chain about your neck draw near therefore with all humble boldness and chearful confidence unto this feast of joy Eat O friends drink abundantly O beloved feed largely eat and drink for the time to come and journey that is before you Now for further application may not all we have said make it appear that the people of God as to their state are a most blessed people and may not all we have said be sufficient for engaging the hearts of you that are as yet strangers to the first dancings of a glorious work upon your hearts to come and joyn your selves to Zion to take a life and death with the people of God seeing they have that which may bear them up in the dâ—â—â—est afflictions and most tempestuous flâ—â—â— wherein they may be tossed But that we may draw to a close we would now speak a word unto you the people of God as to your present duty from all we have said ye see we have cleared this good ground to hope that our Lord will see you again and that ye shall have very joyfull and dancing dayes when that shall be for your hearts shall rejoyce O therefore blessed hearts be comforted in him in the hope and sure expectation of this precious day let us in the hope hereof resolve chearfully to set about those duties suitable to us in order to his seeing us again let us resolve to be faithful unto him in his absence let us resolve in the strength of him to bide by his precious truths and interests let us keep our selves free from touching the unclean thing for this will hasten his seeing us again let us do all things that tend to the good of his cause that the cause of our Lord Jesus may win the day though we should fall in the field of suffering guard against all pollutions of his Ordinances keep close by the covenant whereof ye need not be ashamed for it binds you to nothing but holiness towards God and Loyalty towards your Prince and so is the most clear â—eâ—eanly and sure Oath of Allegiance under Heaven yea 〈◊〉 the Marriage contract between God and 〈◊〉 Land so ye need think no shame of any thing in it but may cast up your face before all the World owning and avowing it before Heaven and Earth Angels and Men in a word let us set our face as flint against the storm resolving upon the greatest of hazards in the Lords strength not to yield to any thing not agreeable to the word of God when matters are violently carried on against Jesus Christ his interests and people it is the duty of all the faithful seed to set their face as flint against the storm and not to yield in a foot to any thing prest upon them contrary to his word Now 1. here is your work be faithful unto him bide by the truths of him who endured the Cross for you defile not your selves with abominations prest upon you 2. The simpathy and fellow feeling of our great high Priest who is touched with the feelings of all our trials together with the precious promises is your expence and charges whereupon you are to spend on your way 3. Christs seeing you again together with the joyful and danceing dayes ye shall then have is your incouragement O therefore up with your fainting and discouraged hearts for nothing shall keep him away from you he will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce sometimes he has even returned to these places where they had formerly sought to slay him What said his Disciples wilt thou go up to Jerusalem knowest thou not that not long ago the Jewes sought to stone thee Joh. 11. 8. Yet he went and so will he return again to us he will give us a gracious visit and our hearts shall rejoyce but many others shall look very blank at that day when he sees us again but your heart shall revive at that day O therefore comfort your fainting hearts in the hope of it that ye may go chearfully through the present distress committing the keeping of your souls unto him in the way of duty and well doing as into the hands of a faithful Creator who will make a glorious accompt of all that is committed unto him Now we have told you that our Land is a married land and that therefore he will see us again and we call God to record upon our soules that he laid a necessity of speaking this unto you and that under no less hazard then of being rejected of him never to be countenanced in his work again but to be made a weathered spectacle of his displeasure for disobedience durst we forbear to say these things unto you and we are sure it is from the Lord unto you And receiving his tender hearted Christian friends trembling which he supposing might be for fear of his danger he speaks these words What ayleth you O faithful friends in the Lord Jesus Christ and why does your faces look pale are ye affraid of the approaching storm O may not this quiet your hearts that he will carry you well through will see you again and cause your hearts rejoyce Why then are ye disconsolate are ye affraid to lose a friend for Christ and his cause O may not this satisfie your hearts as to this that it is not lost which Christ getteth it falls in a friends hand Secondly We say unto you that there is protection and security in our God in the most tempestuous and stormy day Isai 26. 2. We have a strong City what is the City there it's Gods salvation salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks where ye may see that when the Lords people have no outward protection neither walls nor bulwarks then the Lords Salvation is walls and bulwarks for their protection and shelter so that he can shelter them as within strong holds even 〈◊〉 they are amongst the greatest of snares and so may not this quiet your hearts that the Lord can protect your friends though in the midst of trouble and you have this to make up all your losses our Lord Jesus will see you again we leave you with the same soul comforting promise in your bosome that howbeit now you have sorrow because your hour is come yet he shall certainly and without all doubt see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and shall add no more â— but unto him that is able to perswade your Hearts of this That he will see you again and who can manifest the same in your joyfull experience we desire to give Praise The end of the first Sermon FINIS