afflict or annoy the People of God for God himself is very sensible of it and accordingly he will certainly requite it Acts. 9. 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me They that persecute the Servants of Christ they persecute Christ himself who liveth in them and is mystically united to them Look as there is by virtue of the natural union a mutual sympathy betwixt the head and the members the Husband and the Wife so 't is here betwixt Christ and his Saints for he is a most Heb. 4. 15. c. 5. 2. Col. 1. 24. Heb. 13 13. Isa 53. 4. sympathizing compassionate tender-hearted Saviour Those that shoot at the Saints hit Christ their sufferings are held his and their reproaches are counted his He that bore the Saints griefs when he was on Earth really and properly he â—ears them still now he is in Heaven in a way of sympathy Christ in his glorified state hath a very tender sense of all the evil that is done to his Children his members his Spouse and looks upon it as done to himself A great Lord said to another great Lord of the Council in King Henry the Eighths dayes concerning Cranmer Let him alone for the King will See the first part of my Golden Key p. 277 278. 279. more of this not suffer his finger to ake So say I to the persecutors of the day Let the People of God alone for if you do but make their finger ake God will make your heads and hearts ake for it before he has done with you But Tenthly the Lord doth manifest his favourable signal and eminent presence with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers by pouring out upon them a greater spirit of prayer and supplication in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers than formerly they have had Isa 26. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited Before they would say a Prayer but now they poured out a Prayer thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them They poured out their still prayer The Hebrew word Lachus signifieth properly a soft or low kind of muttering which can hardly be heard The Prophet hereby would intimate to us that in their great troubles and deepest distresses they sighed or groned unto God and prayed in a still and silent manner Saints never visit God more with her prayers than when he visits them most with his rod. Saints never pray with that seriousness that spiritualness that heavenlyness that humbleness that brokenness that servency that frequency as they do when they are under the mighty hand of God and all this is from that signal presence of God that is with them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses c. When it was a day of great trouble of great distress of great danger to the People of God in Germany God poured out a very great spirit of prayer upon Luther at length he comes out of his closet triumphingly saying to his Fellow-labourers and Friends Vicimus vicimus We have overcome we have overcome At which time it is obâ—â—rved that there came out a proclamation from Charles the Fift that none should be further molested for the profession of the Gospel In dayes of â—roubles and distress Luther was so warm zealous and powerful in prayer that made one of his best Friends say Iste vir potuit quod voluit That man could have of God what he pleased Being once very warm in prayer he let fall this transcendent rapture of a daring faith Fiat mea voluntas Let my will be done and then falls off sweetly Mea voluntas Domine quia tua My will Lord because thy will It is reported in the life of Luther that when he prayed it was tanta reverentia ut si Deo tanta fiducia ut si amico It was with so much reverence as if he were praying to God and with so much boldness as if he had been speaking to his Friend I have read of a fountain that at noon day is cold and at midnight it growes warm so many Christians are cold in praying in hearing c. in the day of prosperity but yet are warm and lively in praying and wrestling with God in the day of adversity Manasseh got more by 2 Chr. 33. 11 12 13. Jonah 2. Dan. 6. Ps 84 Luke 23. 42. 2 Ch. 20. 1. to the 13. Isa 37. 14. to the 12. Gen. â—2 6. to the 13. and from v. 24. to 3â— now he oyles the Keâ— of prayers with tears Hos 12. 4. prayer in his iron-chains than ever he got by his golden Crown Afflictions are like the prick at the Nightingals brest that awakes her and that puts her upon her sweet and delightful singing A sincere Christian never prayes so sweetly as when under the rod. One reports of Joachim the Father of the Virgin Mary that he would often say Cibus potus mihi erit oratio Prayer is my meat and drink When a Christian is in trouble then prayer is his meat and drink O what a spirit of prayer was upon Jonah when he was in the Whales belly and upon Daniel when he was among the Lyons and upon David in his wilderness-state and upon the Thief when he was on the Câ—oss and upon Jehoshaphat when Moab and Ammon and others came against him to battel and upon Hezekiah when Sennacherib had invaded Judah and upon Jacob when his brother Esau came to meet him with four hundred bloody cut-throates at his heels As there be two kind of antidotes against poyson viz. hot and cold so there are two kind of antidotes against all the troubles of this life viz. fervent Prayer and holy Patience the one hot the otehr cold the one quenching the other quickning When a Christian under great troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers prayes more for the sanctification of affliction than the removal of affliction when he prayes more to get off his sins than to get off his chains when he prayes more to get good by the rod than to get free from the rod when he prayes more that his afflictions may be a refining fire than a consuming fire and that his heart may be low and his graces high and that all his troubles may wean him more from this World and ripen him the more for the glory of that upper World It is a great demonstration of the signal presence of God with him in all his troubles and deep distresses But Eleventhly the Lord doth manifest his favourable signal and eminent presence with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers by drawing the hearts of his People nearer and closer to himself by all the afflictions troubles distresses and dangers that do attend them in this World Psalm 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I weut astray but now have I kept thy Word God brought David nearer to Chrysostom himself by weeping cross Affliction is fire to purge
him in the sight of all Israel be strong and of a good courage c. And why all this not because Joshua had discovered any faint-heartedness or cowardise but because the work he was to undertake was so weighty and perillous in regard of those many and mighty Nations whom he was to destroy and plant the Israelites in their room the work that Joshua was to undertake was attended with many great difficulties and dangers in respect of the Enemies he was to encounter as being men of vast and Giant-like statures and strength and dwelling in Cities with high walls and strongly fortified Now the main Argument to raise his courage and mettle is drawn from Gods special presence and assistance Joshua 1. 9. For the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest We are not to understand it of Gods general presence in all places but of his special favourable signal and eminent presence which God would manifest in his preservation and protection notwithstanding all the difficulties enterprises dangers and Enemies that he was to encounter with So 2 Chron. 32. 7. Be strong and courageous be not afraid nor dismayed for the King of Assyria nor for all the multitude that is with him for there be more with us than with him Verse 8. With him is an arm of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battels c. At this time the King of Assyria was the greatest Monarch in the world and the most formidable Enemy Israel had he had a mighty Army for there was a hundred fourscore and five thousand of them slain in one night Verse 21. Now the great thing they were to mind and attend was to look narrowly to it that the favourable signal and eminent presence of God with them did raise all their hearts above all discouragements fears and dismayedness what is the chaff to the whirl-wind what are thorns and briars to a consuming fire what is an arm of flesh to the arm strength and power of a God what is weakness to strength and the nothing Creature to the Lord of Hosts Now if the special signal presence of God with his People in their greatest troubles and most deadly dangers won't put singular courage life and mettle into them what will Acts 23. verse 10. And when there arose a great dissention the chief Captain fearing lâ—â—â— Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them commanded the Souldiers to go down and take him by force from among them and to bring him into the Castle Verse 11. And the night following the Lord stood by him namely in a vision or in a dream or in an extasie and said be of good cheer Paul for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem so must thou bear witness also at Rome The favourable signal presence of the Lord with him turned â—is Prison into a Palace Mr. Philpot being a Act. and Mon. 1663. prisoner for the testimony of Jesus writes thus to his Friends Though I tell you that I am in hell in the judgement of this world yet assuredly I feel in the same the consolation of heaven I praise God and this loathsome and horrible prison is as pleasant to me as the walks in the garden of the Kings-Bench When Paul was in See Actâ— 27. â—3 24. great danger the Lord stood by him to cheer comfort and encourage him Now God claps him on the back and puts new life and mettle into him When Dionysius was given up by the Executioner to be beheaded he remained constant and couragious saying come life come death I will worship none but the God of Heaven and Earth When Chrysostom had told Eudoxia the empress that for her covetousness she would be called a second Jezebel she thereupon sent him a threatning message to which he gave this stout and resolute answer Go tell her Nil nisi peccatum timeo I fear nothing but sin When the Executioner had kindled the fire behind Jerom of Prague he bad him kindle it before his face for said he if I had been afraid of it I had not come to this place having had so many opportunities offered me to escape it At the giving up of the ghost he said Hanc animam in flammis offero Christe tibi This soul of mine in flames of fire O Christ I offer thee The Emperour coming into Germanie sent for Luther to Worms but many of his friends from the danger they apprehended hanging over his head disswaded him from going to whom he gave this prudent couragious and resolute answer That these discouragements were cast in his way by Satan who knew that by his profession of the Truth in so illustrious a place his Kingdom would be shaken and that therefore if he knew that there were as many Devils in Worms as there were tiles on the houses yet he woulâ— go The German Knight in his Apologetical Letter for Luther against the Pontifical Clergy saith I will go through with what I have undertaken against you and will stir up men to seek their freedom I neither care nor fear what may befal me being prepared for either event either to ruine you to the great benefit of my Country of my self to fall with a good conscienee c. William Flower the Martyr said That the Heavens should assoon fall as I will forsake my profession or budge in the least degree from it Apollonius being asked If he did not tremble at the sight of the Tyrant made this answer God which gave him a terrible countenance hath given also unto me an undaunted heart When Gardiner asked Rowland Taylor If he did not know him c. To whom he answered Yea I know you and all you greatness yet you are but a mortal man and if I should be afraid of your Lordly looks why fear ye not God the Lord of us all Basil affirms of the primitive Christians that they had so much courage and magnanimity of spirit in their sufferings that many Heathens seeing their heroick zeal resoluteness and undauntedness turned Christians When one of the ancient Martyrs was terrifyed with the threatnings of his persecutors he replyed There is nothing of things visible nor nothing of things invisible that I fear I will stand to my profession of the Name of Christ and contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints come on 't what will By these instances which may be of great use in this trying day you may clearly see how the Lord has manifested his favourable signal and eminent presence to his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers by raising up in them a spirit of courage magnanimity and holy gallantry But Seventhly the Lord doth manifest his favourable signal and eminent presence to his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers by preserving them from troubles in the midst of troubles from dangers in the midst of dangâ—rs Dan. 3.
out our dross and to make virtue shine It is a potion to carry away ill humours better than all the benedicta Medicamenta as Physicians call them Master Ascham was a good Schoolmaster to Queen Elizabeth but affliction was a better c. By afflictions God humbles the hearts of his People and betters the hearts of his People and drawes the hearts of his People nearer and closer to himself V. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted The Laced emonians of old grew rich by war and were bettered by it when all other Kingdoms were undone by it The Saints gain by their crosses troubles and distresses Their graces are more raised their experiences are more Rom. 5. 3 4. 2 Cor. 1. 3 4. 5. Hos 2. 14. multiplyed and their comforts are more augmented and their communion with God is more heightned The waves did but lift Noah's Ark nearer to Heaven and the higher the waters grew the more the Ark was lifted up to Heaven The troubles and distresses that the Saints Psalm 73. 13 14 28. meet with do but raise them in their fellowship with the Father Son and Spirit When Tyribazus a noble Persian was arrested at first he drew out his sword and defend himself but when they charged him in the Kings name and informed him that they came from the King to carry him to the King he yeelded willingly So when afflictions arrest a noble Christian he may murmur and struggle at the first but when he considers it is sent from God to bring him to the sight of God the King of glory he willingly and readily submâ—ts to the rod and kisses the rod. All the stones that came thick about Stephens ears did but knock him the closer to Christ the Acts 7. 55. 60. Corner-stone Tiburtius saw Paradise when he walked upon burning coals If there be any way to Heaven on horse back 't is by the cross said Bradford Hos 2. 6. Therefore behold I will hedge up thy way with thorns and make a wall that she shall not find her paths By afflictions difficulties and distresses God hedges up his Peoples way Well what then Mark v. 7. I will go and return to my first Husband that is to God I have run away from him by my sins and now I will return to him again by repentance The grand dessign of God in all the afflictions that befal his People is to bring them nearer and eloser to himself The Church could have no rest at home nor no comfort abroad till by affliction she was brought into the presence and company of her first Husband Hos 6. 1. Come and let us return unto the Hos 5. 14. Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us be hath smitten and he will bind us up The great design of God in playing the Lyons part with his People is to bring them nearer closer to himself and behold how sweetly this blessed design of God did take Come let us return unto the Lord c. The power of God the presence of God and the grace of God is most gloriously manifested by bringing the hearts of his People nearer and closer to himself by all the troubles distresses and dangers that do attend them In the Winter-season all the sap of the tree runs down to the root anâ— when a man is sick all the blood goes to the heart so in the winter of affliction when the soul is running out more and more to God and a getting closer and nearer to God it is all most sure evidence of the signal presence of God with that soul But Twelfthly and lastly the Lord doth manifest his favourable signal and eminent presence with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers by rendering them invincible and unconquerable under all their troubles distresses and dangers Rev. 12. 11. And they overcame him by the blood of Rev. 14. 1 2 3 4 2 Chr. 32. 7 8 21 22. the Lamb and by the word of their tâ—stimony and they loved not their lives unto the death By vertue of Christ's blood the Saints are made victorious both over Satan and all his instruments they set little by their lives in respect of Christ his truth yea they despised them in comparison Sulpitius Rupertus saith that God did more gloriously triumph in Saint Lowâ—ence his patience and constancy when he was broiled on the Gridiron than if he had saved his body from burning by a miracle His faith and patience made him invinâ—ible of Gods glory and the great things of the Gospel they made so little account of them that they exposed them to all hazards and dangers for the cause of Christ In the dayes of that bloody persecutour Diocletian the Christians shewed as glorious power in the faith of Martyrdom as in the faith of Miracles The valour of the patients and the savagness of the persecutors striving together till both exceeding nature and belief bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and readers It was a good saying of Cyprian speaking of the Saints and Martyrs in those dayes Occidi poterant sed vinci non poterant They may kill them but they cannot overcome them Rev. 17. 14. These shall make war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful The presence of the Lamb has and will make the Saints victorious in all the ages of the world Modestus Lieutenant to Julian the Emperour said to Julian While they suffer they deride us saith he and the torments are more fearful to them that stand by than to the tormented there is no end instances of this nature There is nothing more clear in Scripture and in History than this that the signal presence of the Lord with his People in all their great troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers hath made them invincible and unconquerable But now others that have been destitute of this favourable signal and eminent presence of the Lord in times of great troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers how have they fled when none have pursued them how faint-hearted how greatly daunted and how sadly discouraged have they been how have they turn'd their backs and quitted the field and run from their colours without striking one stroke Many in Cyprian's time were overcome before the encounter for they revolted to Idolatry before any persecution once assailed them In the Palatinat when there was a warm persecution scarce one Professor of twenty stood out but fell to Popery as fast as leaves fall from the trees in Autumn And so in the persecution under Decius many Professors that were rich and great in the World they soon shrunk from Christ and turn'd their backs upon his wayes It is Gods favourable signal and eminent presence with his People that makes them stand to it in an evil day
is a gracious a favorable a The compassionate Parent is most with the sick child so here signal or eminent presence of the Lord with his faithful People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers as the Scriptures do every where evidence Take a tast of some Gen. 39. 20. And Josepâ—'s â—aster took him and put him into the prison a place where the Kings prisoners were bound and he was there in the prison Verse 21. But the Lord was with Joseph and shew'd him mercy and gave him favour in the Acts 16. 25. sight of the keeper of the prison A prison keeps not God from his witness the Apostles and Martyrs whose prisons by Gods presence became Palaces and their stocks a Musick-school Bradford after he was put in prison Act. and Mon. f. 1489. ibid. 1457. had better health than before and found great favour with his keeper who suffered him to go whither he would upon his promife to return by such an hour to his prison again If men knew by experience the sweet that is in suffering for Christ they would desire with Chrysostome if it were put to their choice rather to be Paul a prisoner of Jesus Christ than Paul rapt up in the third Heaven Basil in his Oration for Barlaam that famous Martyr faith He delighted in the close prison as in a pleasant green meadow and he took pleasure in the several inventions of tortures as in several sweet flowers Luther reports of that Martyr S. Agatha that as she went to prisons and tortures she said she went to Banquets and Nuptials The Sun enlightens the World saith Cyprian but he that made the Sun is a greater light to you in prison c. Fire sword prisons famins are pleasure they are all delightful to me saith Basil Paul rattles his chain which he beares for the Gospel and was Eph. 6. 20. 2 Tim. 1. 16. Act. 15. 26 29. Phil. 1. 7 13 14 16. Colos 4. 3. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 9. c. as proud of it as a woman of her ornaments saith Chrysostome Paul and Silas in a prison found more pleasure than pain more joy than sorrow and when they were whipt it was with Rosemary branches as I may say Paul greatly rejoyced in his sufferings for Christ and therefore often sings out I Paul a prisoner of Jesus Christ not I Paul wrapt up in the third Heaven Christ shew'd his great love to him in wrapping him up in the third Heaven and he shew'd his great love to Christ in a cheerful suffering for him Eusebius tells of one that writt to his Friend from a stinking Dungeon and dated his Letter from my delicate Orchard Mr. Glover the Martyr wept for joy of his imprisonment Anâ— God forgive me said Mr. Bradford when a prisoner my unthank fulness for this exceeding great mercy that among so many thousands he chuseth me to be one in whom he will suffer I was carried to the Cole-house saith Mr. Philpot the Martyr where I with my fellowes do Act. Mon. fol. 16â—3 rouze together in the straw as chearfully we thank God as others do in their beds of down Philip Landgrave of Hesse being a long time prisoner under Charles the Fifth was asked what upheld him in his long imprisonment He answered that he felt the divine consolations of the Martyrs Gen. 49. 23. The Archers or as the Hebrew here hath it the Arrow-masters have sorely grieved him and shot at him and hated him These Arrowmasters were his barbarous Brethren that sould him his adulterous Mistriss that harlot-like hunted for his precious life his injurious Master that without any desert of his imprisoned him the tumultuating Egyptians that pined with hunger perhaps spake of stoning of him and the envious Courtiers and inchanters that spake 1 Sam. 30. 6. Jun us Mercer Not that his arms were adotned with bracelets gold as the Chalde saith c. evil of him before Pharaoh to bring him out of favour but by divine assistance and Gods favourable presence he proved too strong for them all Ver. 24. But his bow abode in strength and the armes of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob c. Joseph is likened to a strong Archer that as his other enemies as archers shot at him so his bow was stedfast and his armes strong by the signal presence of God with him Such an eminent presence of God had Joseph with him that he never wanted courage comfort or counsel when he was at the worst The divine presence will make a man stand fast and firm under the greatest pressures 2 Cor. 1. 9 12. it made Joseph use his bow against his adversaries As David did his sling against Goliah he slung saith one Eucholcâ—r as if he had wrapt up God in his sling Psalm 23. 4. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me The prefence of the Lord with his People in the most deadly dangers fills their souls full of courage confidence and comfort That darkness which comes upon a dying man a little before he gives up the Ghost is the greatest darkness and yet let a Christian then have but God by the hand and he will not fear the most hideous and horrid representations of death Dan. 3. 24. Then Nebuchadnezzar the King was astonied and rose up in hast and spake and said unto his Counsellers did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire They answered and said unto the King true O King Verse 25. He answered and said Lo I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God The presence of the Son of God turn'd the fiery Furnace into a garden of delights a gallery of pleasure This divine presence in the midst of fire and flame kept them from fainting sinning and shrinking and sill'd their souls with comfort peace ease and heavenly refreshing One of the Ancients rhetorically speaking to Nebuchadnezzar Augustin who said He saw one like the Son of God whence came this saith he who told thee that this was the Son of God what Law what Prophet he is not yet born into the world and the similitude of him that was to be born is known to thee whence came this who told thee this but the divine fire enlightening thee within that whilest thou beholdest these three as thine enemies in the fire thou mightest give testimony to the Son of God This heathenish Prince look't upon the fourth person as one like a Son of the Gods or like some young God most bright and glorious exceeding fair and excelling in beauty as if he were not of humane but of divine off-spring But what ever notions or apprehensions Nebuchadnezzar had we may very safely understand this
Rehoboam the Son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted and could not withstand them Rehoboam was no warriour he was no expert Prince in the use of 2 Chron. 12. 13. He was one and forty years old when he came to the Crown Arms he was but young not in age but in experience policy and valour he was hen-hearted he had no courage no mettle Jeroboam takes hold of these advantages and gathers eigth hundred thousand Racha's brainless fellows light and empty yoakless and masterless persons men of no piety civility ingenuity or common honesty Now see what a mighty spirit of Faith God raised in the children of Judah verse 17. And Abijah and his People slew them with a great slaughter so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men A monstrous and matchless slaughter the greatest number that ever we read slain in any battle far beyond that of Tamerlan when he took Bajazet or Aetius the Roman Prefect when he fought with Attilas and his Hunnes in the Fields of Catalaunia where were slain on both sides one hundred sixty five thousand Verse 18. Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time and the children of Judah prevailed because they relied upon the Lord God of their Fathers Faith at a dead lift never miscarrieth God never has nor never will fail those that place their confidence upon him in their greatest dangers Esher 4. 14. For if thou altogether hold thy peace at this time then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place but thou and thy Fathers house shall be destroyed and who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdom for such a time as this Their great trouble their deep distress and their most deadly danger you have in that 3. Esther 13. And the Letters were sent by the posts into all the Kings provinces to destroy to kill Here are great aggravations of his cruelty in that neither sex not age are spared Rage and mallce knows no boâ—nds and to cause to perish all Jews both young and old little children and women in one day even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth which is the moneth Adar and to take the spoil of them for a prey Haman that grard Informer with his wicked crew would have spoiled them of their lives and goods but that they were prevented by a miraculous providence as you know now in this deep distress and most deadly danger at what a rate doth Mordecai believe For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time then shall there enlargement Heb. respiration and deliverance arise Heb. Stand up as on its basis or bottom so as none shall be able to withstand it This Mordecai speaketh not by a spirit of prophecy but by the power and force of his faith grounded upon the precious promises of Gods defending his Church hearing the crics of his People arising for their relief and succour and grounded upon all the glorious attributes of God viz. his power love wisdom goodness and allsufficiency c. all which are engaged in the Covenant of grace to save protect and secure his People in their greatest troubles and most deadly dangers Mordecai's faith in this black dark dismal day was a notable faith indeâ—d and worthy of highest commendation Faith can look through the perspective of the promises and see deliverance at a great distance salvation at the door what though sense saith Deliverance will not come and what though reason saith Deliverance cannot come yet a raised faith gets above all fears and disputes and sayes Deliverance will certainly come Redemption is at hand Num. 13. 30. And Caleb stilled the People before Moses and said let us go up at once and passess it for we are well able to overcome it Cap. 14. 9. Only rebel not ye against the Lord neither fear ye the people of the Land for Num. 13. 32 33. they are bread for us their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with us fear them not The Spies by their lyes did what they could to daunt and discourage the People by crying up the strength of the Anakims and â—um 13. 23. to the 28. the impossibility of the conquest these hollow-hearted hypocritical Spies blow hot and cold almost in a breath First they make a narrative of the fruitfulness of the Land and presently they conclude that it was a Land that was not sufficient to nourish the inhabitants yea a Verse 32. Land that did devour the inhabitants Liars have no Iron memories But now behold to what a mighty pitch Caleb's faith is raised Let us go up at once and possess it for we are able to overcome it Or nearer the Hebrew Marching up march up subduing subdue Let us saith believing Caleb march up to the land of Canaan couragiously resolutely undauntedly for the day is our own the Land is our own all is our own They are bread for us we shall make but a break-fast of them we shall easily and as surely root them out and cut them down with our swords as we cut the bread we eat Their defence is departed from them In the Hebrew it Psalm 91. 1. Ps 121. â— 6. is Their shadow is departed from them the shadow you know guards a man from the scorching heat of the Sun Caleb by faith saw God with drawn from them by the eye of his faith he lookt upon them as a people without a fence a shadow a guard a covert a protection and therefore as a people that might easily be subdued and destroyed His faith told him that it was not their strong Cities nor their high walls nor their sons of Anack that could preserve shelter secure or defend them seeing the Lord had forsaken them and would be no longer as a shadow or a shelter to them And the Lord is with us to make us victorious to trâ—ad down our enemies and to give us a quiet possession of the good Land So Dan. 3. 16. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the King O Nebuchadnezzar we are not careful to answer thee in this matter Ver. 17. If it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace and he will deliver us out of thy hand O King In the fiery Furnace they are protected by Josephus Antiq. p. 259 260. a divine providence they escape death beyond all mens expectations for the fire touched them not neither could it burn during their aboad in the Furnace for God so fortified their bodies that they could not be consumed by fire which accident made them in great estimation with the King for that he saw that they wâ—re vertuous and beloved of God and for that cause they were highly honoured by him Here is a fiery Furnace before them and a proud boasting tyrannical enraged Prince domineering over them for not obeying his Idolatrous will Now to what a
though in the fire yet unconsumed The Church of God was hot yea all in flames and yet not consumed Let the fire be never so hot so fierce so furious so spreading the Church shall have a being and live and bear up in the midst of the flames If the Church like the Sea loose in one place it gits ground in another when the worst of men and Devils and Informers have done their worst the Lord will have a name among his People on Earth The Church with the Lamp in the story laughes at all those winds that would blow it out Well may we stand amazed and wonder that so flaming and terrible a fire falling upon so contemptible a Bush and so dry and despicable a shrub should not presently turn it into ashes for why is the fire too weak O no. Is the Bush so strong as to defend and secure it self against devouring flames O no. Or is the Bush not apt to burn and consume by so fierâ—e a fire O no. It is not from the impotency of the fire nor from the strength or constitution of the Bush for a dry Bramble-bush in the matter of it is as combustible as any chaff and as easily destroyed as any stubble but because the natural force thereof was râ—strained by the glorious power of God for if God concur not with the nature of things they cannot work nor shew their kind There are two inseparable qualities of fire 1. To give light 2. To burn And yet Divine power divides and separates these two for this fire giveth light but burneth not O what a mighty what an astonishing preservation is here The afflictions and sufferings of the Church are not a consuming fire but a trying fire as the fire in a Furnace consumes the dross but tryes the gold and puts a new lustre beauty and glory upon it Hesiod speaks of thirty thousand Demy-Gods Psalm 121. 4 Isa 27. 3. Mal. 3. 17. Zach. 2. 8. Psalm 31. 20. that were keepers of men but what are so many thousand Gods to that one God that neither slumbers nor sleeps but day and night keeps his People as his Jewels as the apple of his eye that keeps them in his Pavilion as a Prince his Favorite There is a Dialogue between a Heathen and a Jew after the Jews return from captivity all Nations round about them being enemies unto them the Heathen asked the Jew how he and his Contrey-men could hope for any safety because saith he every one of you is as a silly sheep compassed about with fifty wolves I but saith the Jew we are kept by such a shepherd as can kill all these wolves when he pleases and by that means preserve his sheep But Fifthly consider how this eminent preservation of his People from dangers in the midst of dangers is effected and brought about and that is by the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ the great Angel of the Covenant for Moses saith expresly of this Vision that the Lord appeared unto Moses and God calleth unto him out of the midst of the Bush said Moses Moses c. This calling of Moses by his Verse 4. name the doubling of his name in such a familiar loving manner was a sign of Gods singular favour to Moses Choice Favorits God frequently called by name as Scipio by way of favour call'd the Citizens by their names and so Cyrus upon the same ground called his Souldiers by their names you may see in those instances of Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. and so our Lord Jesus Christ called Peter by his name Nathanael by his name Mary by her name c. The same presence of the Son of God that preserved the three Children or rather Champions in that furious furnace of Nebuchadnezzar from burning or singeing preserved the Bush though not from burning yet from consuming by restraining the natural force of the fire and strengthning the Bush against it The Bush the Church in the fire came forth of the hottest Furnace that ever was kindled not blacker nor worser but brighter and better more glorious than the Sun in his strength and all this from the presence of the Angel of the Covevenant that dwelt in the Bush Divine presence can preserve a flaming Bush from being consumed Witness our preservation to this day though we have been as a burning Bush God is in the midst of her she shall not be Psalm 46. 5. moved God shall help her and that right early Heb. When the morning appeareth that is in the nick of time when help shall be most feasonable and best welcom The presence of the Lord in the midst of his Church will secure her from being greatly moved in the midst of all those great dreadful confusions that are abroad in the world Hence the Church is called Jehovah shammah The Lord is Ezek. 48. 35. there His presence in Heaven makes it heaven his presence in the Church makes it happy and safe Nothing shall disturb or harm them that have the presence of God in the midst of them The Church is built upon Mat. 16. 18. a rock she is invincible Jer. 1. 8. Be not afraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliver thee saith the Lord. Opposition is as Calvin writes to the French King Evangelii genius the black Angel that dogs the Gospel at the heels Verse 17. Thoâ— therefore gird up thy loyns and arise and speak â—nto them all thaâ— I command thee be not dismayed at their faces lest I 〈◊〉 thee before them Verse 18. For behold I have made thee this day a defenced City and an iron pillar and brasen wall against the whole Land against the Kings of Judah against the Princes thereof against the Priests thereof and against the people of the Land Verse 19. And they shall fight against thee but they shall not prevail against thee for I am with thee saith the Lord to deliver thee Gods presence with his Messengers is a guard and a safe-guard all-sufficient against all opposition whatsoever Earthly Princes and Soveraigns are not wont to go with those whom they send on Embassage but God always goes along with those whom he sends will by his powerful presence protect defend them against opposers at all times in all places when all others fâ—il and forsake us Christs presence is security sufficient for If he be with us who can be against us They must first prevail against him before they can prevail against them that withstand and oppose those whom he standeth by to back and protect How comes this to pass that In some cases a man were better loose his life than be cowaâ—dly Aristotle Eth. 3. cap. 1. Jeremiah a man a man alone should bear up so stoutly and stand so strong against Kings Princes Priests People 't is from the signal presence of God with him I am with thee And what can all the great ones of
the World and all the wicked ones of the World do against one Messenger of the Lord that is armed with his glorious power The Ambassadours of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords must not be terrified with the multitude of opposers nor with the grandure or greatness of opposers but set the presence of the Lord against them all and say as that noble Souldier Paedarelus in Erasmus did to them that told him of that numerous and mighty Army which came against him Tanto plus gloriae referemus quoniam â—o plures superabimus The number of opposeâ—â— makes the Christian conquests the more illustrious The more the Pharisees of old and their Successors of late time have opposed the Truth the more it hath pâ—evailed and â—is observable that the Reformation in Germany was much furthered by the Papists opposition yea when two Kings amongst many others wrote against Luther viz. Henâ—y the eight of England and Ludovicus of Hungary this kingly title being entred into the controversie making men more curious to examine the matter stirred up a general inclination towards Luther's opinion So Jerem. 15. 20. And I will make thee unto this People a fenced brasen wall and they shall fight against thee but they shall not prevail against thee for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee saith the Lord. When the Messengers of the Lord go on constantly and couragiously in the faithful discharge of their duties not relenting or yielding or complying with their greatest opposers then they shall have such a signal presence of the Lord with them as shall sufficiently protect them against all their enemies might and malice wrath and rage Verse 21. And I will-deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible or violent ones Though thou shouldest fall into the hand of the wicked id est power and into the hand of the terrible and violent ones yet they shall not hurt thee nor harm thee they shall not have their wills upon thee when thou art in their hands I will lay a law of restraint upon their hearts that they shall not mischief thee nor triumph over thee I will be sure to secure thee and rescue thee from dangers in the midst of dangers A gracious Messenger of the Lord in the midst of all oppositions as Chrysostome said of Peter is a man made all of fire walking in stuble he overcomes and consumes all opposition all difficulties are but whetstones to his fortitude The Moon will run her course though the dogges bark at it so does the Traveller and so will the faithful messengers of the Lord hold on in their way and work let men and devils bark do their worst Moulin speaking of the French Protestants said When Papists hurt us for reading the Scriptures we burn with zeal to be reading of them he is a fool we say that will be laughed out of his coat but he 's a fool in folio that will be laughed out of his skin out of his profession out of his Religion out of his principles out of the wayes of God nay out of his soul out of his salvation because he can't endure to be opposed derided or laughed at by lewd and wicked men The Divine presence will make a man set light by such paper-shot A gracious spirit is raised by opposition the more opsition it meetes with in a way of duty the more resolute he is for it So far is he from being afraid of the threatnings of men of the frowns of men or of losing this mans favour or of incurring such a mans displeasure that his spirit riseth far more for it It is with such a man as it is with the fire in Winter the fire burns the hotter because of the coldness of the air So it is with all the Messengers of the Lord who are inflamed in the way of their duty Come to David and tell him O there is a Goliah and he is come out with a spear like a weavers beam and 1 Sam. 17. 4. to the 11. compared with Ver. 26 27. there is one that bears his target goes before him where is he saith David I will fight with him saith he Difficulties and dangers do but whet and raise his spirit he is not afraid of any uncircumcised Philistin Ah my Friends this is a true noble spirit Holy greatness of mind lies in this when a mans spirit is born up upon the greatness of his God and the goodness of his cause and if that will not bear me out saith such a soul let me sink in it I am content to perish That 's a good word more worth than a world in a faithful Ministers eye Ezek. 3. 8. Behold I have made thy face strong against their faces and thy forhead strong against their forheads Verse 9. As an Adamant harder than a flint have I made thy forehead fear them not neither be dismayed at their looks though they be a rebellious house The Adamant is the hardest of stones it is Lapis servabilis because it keeps it self by its hardness from all injuries no weather no violence of hammer or fire will break it or conquer it God engages himself to give the Prophet such undaunted boldness and invincible courage and constancy as neither shame nor fear should prevail against Divine presence Divine assistance does alwayes accompany a Divine call such whom God sends he seconds such whom he calls he encourages against all difficulties and discouragements such as are called by Christ and sent by Christ shall never want the strengthning comforting coroborating animating and preserving presence of Christ It is this Divine presence that makes them stand it out and shew themselves like men like men of courage like men of God and that secures them from dangers in the midst of dangers in the greatest storms the Adamant shrinks not it fears not it changeth not its hue no not in the least Divine presence will keep gracious men from shrinking fearing and changing their way their work their Lord and Master in the worst of storms that can beat upon them in all winds and weather the Adamant is still the same and so will all the faithful Messengers of the Lord be what ever wind may blow upon them The signal presence of God with them will keep them from fearing fainting flying and preserve them from dangers in the midst of dangers But Eightly The Lord doth manifest his favourable signal and eminent presence with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers by frustrating and disappointing the plots designs counsels and contrivances of their powerful subtil secret and malicious Adversaries who would fain be multiplying of their troubles sorrows sufferings The Thebanes had a band of men they called Sacra Câ—hors consisting of such only as were joyned in bonds of love and resolved to live and dye together these Jews under Nehemiah's command
were such and were therefore insuperable and miseries upon them Nehem. 4. 8. And conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to hinder it Verse 11. And our adversaries said they shall not know neither see till we come in the midst amongst them and slay them and cause the work to cease Verse 15. And it came to pass when our Enemies knew that it was known unto us and God had brought their counsels to nought c. The craft of the Churches Enemies is never but accompanied with cruelty and their cruelty is seldom without craft the Devil lends them his seven heads to plot and his seven horns to push but in the things wherein they deal proudly God is above them and by his presence with his People he brings all their plots counsels and enterprises to naught The Gunpowder Traitors betrayed themselves and all came to light though they had digged as low as hell to hide their counsels from the Lord. The Enemies of the Jews in Nehemiah's time made great brags at first what they would do but when they saw their plots discovered and their purposes defeated they are presently crest-fallen and have no mind nor courage to advance at all so that to these Plotters may be fitly applyed that which Guicciardin saith of Charles the Eight King of France in his expedition against Naples That he came into the field like thunder and lightning but went out like a snuff more than a Man at first and less than a Woman at last In all the Ages of the World the heads the wits the hands the hearts and the tongues of the wicked have been engaged against the Just they have been still a plotting and devising mischief against the favourits of heaven as if Rebels could medle with none but the Children of a King and yet Gods signal presence with his People in point of affection and protection has blasted all their designs and frustrated all their counsels as the rage of wicked Men against the Saints have been endless so it has been fruitless because God has been in the midst of them Haman Esther 3. 8. ult plots against the lives liberties and Estates of the Jews but his plot was timely discovered and seasonably prevented and the grand Plotter and Informer detected debased condemned and executed Esther 7. 10. So they hanged Haman on the Gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai then was the Kings wrath pacified The Kings of Persia had absolute and unquestionable power to do whatsoever they listed Quicquid libuit licuit all their Subjects except their Queens where no better than Slaves whom they would they slew and whom they Dan. 5. 19. would they kept alive whom they would they set up and whom they would they put down Haman is here Esther 7. 9. without order of Law more than the Kings command adjudged to be hanged the truth is it was a clear case and the Malefactor was self condemned Hang him therefore saith the King a short and just Sentence and soon executed Ah how soon is Haman fallen from the Palace to the Gallows from the highest Stage oâ— honour to the lowest stair of disgrace from feasting with the King to be made a feast for crows and so lies wrapt up in the sheet of perpetual infamy So let all thine Enemies perish O Lord. It is a good observation of Josephus Vnde mihi contigit mirari nomen Dei sapienâ—iam justiâ—iam ejus â—gnoscere c Joseph Ant. lib. 1. cap. 6. upon Esther 7. 10. I cannot saith he but admire the Lords wisdom and acknowledge hiâ— Justice in that he not only punished him for his malice to the Church but by turning his own mischief upon himself hath made him an example to all posterity hanging him up in gibbets that others may take warning Let all Plotters and Informers beware of making a match with mischief they may have enough of it in the end Haman was a main stickler for the Devil who paid him his wages at last with a witness or if you will with a halter Let all the Enemies of the Saints tremble at such ends and be careful to avoid them by flying such like foul and flagitious practices The bloody plot being thus laid by Haman the Kings Minion behold the footsteps of Gods favourable signal and eminent presence for his People and Esther 4. with his People in their deadly dangers and that in raising up in them a very great Spirit of faith prayer and mourning and by raising an undaunted courage and resolution in Esther And so I will go in unto the Verse 16. King and if I perish I perish This she speaks not rashly or desperately as prodigal of her life but as one willing to sacrifice the same for the honour of God his cause and People saying as that Martyr can I die but once for Christ Esther had rather die than shrink from her duty she thought it better to do worthily and perish for a Kingdom than unworthily and perish with a Kingdom here was a mighty presence of God in raising Esther's heroical courage and resolution above all those visible dangers that did attend her attempt of going in to the King against the known Law of the Land And the King held out to Esther the golden Cap. 5. 2. Scepter He did not kick her out of his presence as some Cambyses would have done neither did he command her to the block as Henry the Eight did his Ann Bullen upon a meer misprâ—sion of disloyalty neither yet did he cashier her as he had Vashti for a less offence but by holding out his Scepter shews his gracious respects unto her This was the Lords own work and a great demonstration of his signal preseâ—ce with her in giving her favour in the eyes of the great King So Esther drew near and touched the top of the Scepter with her hand saith the Chaldee with her mouth saith the Vulgar translation this she did either in token of submission or as a sign of reverence and subjection or for the avoiding of danger For as Josephus saith He that touched the Kings Scepter was out of the reach of evil or according to the custom of the times Gods favourable presence is transparent in the Kings extended favour to her On that night could not the King Esther 6. â— sleep Heb. the Kings sleep fled away and like a shadow it fled away so much the faster as it was more followed Crowns have their cares thistles in their arms and thorns in their sides lo he that commanded one hundred and twenty seven Provinces cannot command one hours sleep The Kings head might perhaps be troubled with thinking what great request it should be that Esther had to make that was so hardly drawn from her but herein appeared the signal presence of God in keeping the King awake for Mordecai might have been hanged before Esther had known any thing of it Haman
mischief shall return upon his own head and his violent dealing upon his own pate Henry the Third of France was stabbed in the same Chamber where he had helped to contrive the French Massacre And his Brother Charles the Ninth had blood given him to drink for he was worthy there is no end of Stories of this nature so Psalm 9. 15. The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made in the net which they hid is their own foot taken The wicked are compared to Hunters for their cruelty and to Fowlers for their craft but see their success they are sunk down in their own pit caught in their own net thus it befel Pharaoh Jabin and Sisera Exod. 9. 15. Judg. 10. 4. 2 Chron. 32. Euseb lib. 9. c. 9. Senacherib Antiocbus Epiphanes Maxentius the Tyrant who fell into the Tiber from his own false bridge laid for Constantine the Spanish Azmado and our Powder-plotters Ver. 16. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Higgajon Selah Goliah was killed with his own sword Christs justice hath two acclamatory Notes Higgajon Selah the like is not found in all the Scripture as worthy of present admiration and of deep and perpetual meditation I have been the longer a glancing at this famous Story of Esther because of its seasonableness and sutableness to the dayes and times wherein we live A further proof of this eight particular that is under our present consideration you have in Isa 8. 9. Associate Counsel is the extract of reason the result of serious sad debates saith Ciâ—ero your selves O ye People and ye shall be broken in pieces and give ear all ye of far Countreys gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces Heb. And be broken in pieces And be broken in pieces And be broken in pieces It is thrice repeated to work it the deeper into the minds and hearts of those that should either hear or read it and to give the stronger assurance of the certainty of their being inevitably broken in pieces who were adversaries and conspirators against the People of God This speech is directed to the Kings of Assyria and other Nations that combined with him against the People of God but especially against the City of Jerusalem It is an holy Ironie or laughing to scorn the associating Enemies of the Church Well saith the Prophet proceed as unanimously as politickly and as powerfully in your combinations consultations and preparations as you can yet be assured that all your associations shall be dissolved and your counsels frustrated and your attempts returned back upon your selves to your own ruin and confusion Verse 10. Take See Isai 7. 5 6. Psalm 33. 3. counsel together Heb. consult a consultation to wit about invading Judab and surprizing Jerusalem and it shall come to naught Speak the word and it shall not stand for God is with us Consult conclude determine resolve upon what you please you shall never be able by all your power and policy to prevail against the People of God for his favourable signal and eminent presence is constantly with them to assist counsel and protect them against all oppositions and assaults Psalm 33. 10. God bringeth to naught the councel of the Nations neither the Devil nor his Imps nor any of their counsels or inchantments shall ever be able to stand before the presence of the Lord with his People Charles the Fifth and the French King had upon counsel taken covenanted and agreed utterly to extirpate the Lutheran Faction out of all their Dominions but God found them other employment and by his signal presence with his People he gave them an happy Halâ—yon Let Men and Devils conspire let them plot consult and determine all shall be in vain because there is no counsel against the Lord there is no possibility of carrying of it against the presence of the Lord with his People his signal presence will be their greatest safety and security in the midst of all plots designs dangers c. The signal presence of God with his People marrs and frustrates all the plots counsels and curious contrivances of the worlds wizards as might be shewed in those instances of Balaam Pharaoh Saul Herod with many others But I must hasten and therefore Ninthly the Lord doth manifest his favourable signal and eminent presence with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers by his sympathizing with them in all their troubles tryals distresses dangers as you may clearly see by consulting the choice Scriptures in the margin So Isa 63. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel Exod. 2. 23 24 25. c. 3. 7 8 9 10. Isa 37. 28 29. Ez. 35. 7 8 9 10. Mat. 25. 4. ult Deut. 32. 9 10 11 John 14. 9 10 Col. 15. Heb. 9. 24. Rom. 8. 34. of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the days of old Christ is here in the Hebrew called The Angel of his face either because he doth exactly ressemble God his Father or because he appeareth before the face or in the presence of God for us This Angel took to heart their afflictions he was himself grieved for them and with them This Angel secured and safegarded them all the way thorow the Wilderness from Egypt to Canaan This Angel did not only lead them but he also lifted them up and took them in his arms as Parents or Nurses are wont to do with such Children that are young and weakly and in danger And this Angel carryed them as the Eagle doth her young ones that are not fully fledged or that are unable yet to fly on her wings O the pity the clemency the sympathy and admirable compassion of Christ to his People in their suffering estate Zach. 2. 8. He that toucheth you toucheth Ishon of Isâ— it is here called Bath the daughter of the eye because it is as dear to a man as an only daughter Oâ—utus â—â— fama non patiuntur jecâ—s The eye and the good name will endure no jests the apple of his eye The eye is the tenderest piece of the tenderest part the eye is kept most diligently and strongly guarded by nature with five tunicles A man can better bear a thump on the back the biting of his finger the cutting of his hand the pricking of his leg or a blow upon his arm than a touch on the eye O that persecutors would be quiet and let Gods People alone and take heed how they meddle with Gods eyes There is no touching of them to wrong or injure them but you wrong and injure the holy one of Israel who will certainly revenge himself upon you they that strike at Gods eyes do through them strike at God himself which he will never put up 'T is a dangerous thing to molest and trouble to
of their sufferings their bonds their burdens their oppressions their dangers c. he presently runs to their relief and succour Psalm 33. Our soul waiteth for the Lord he is our help and our shield Psalm 49. 17. Thou art my deliverer God is the Lord of Hosts with him alone is strength and power to deliver Israel out of all his troubles He may do it he can do it he will do it he is wise in Psalm 9. 7 8. Esay 43. 11. Psalm 5. 12. Psalm 22. 12. 2 Kings 6. 26 27 heart and mighty in strength besides him there is no Saviour no deliverer he is a shield to the righteous strength to the weak a refuge to the oppressed he is Instar omnium All in all who is like him in all the world to help his People at a dead lift when Friends can't help when power can't help when policy can't help when riches can't help when Princes can't help when Parliaments can't help yet then God can and will help his People when all humane help fails For the Lord shall judge his People and repent himself for his Servants when he seeth that their power or hand is Deut. 32. 36. gone and there is none shut up or left When Gods People are at the very brink of ruin then God wilâ— come in seasonably to their help their extremity shall be his opportunity to succour his People and to judge their Enemies no men no divels no power no policy can hinder God from helping aiding assisting and succouring of his People when they are at a dead lift But. Tenthly If God be with us who can be against us I 10. answer None so as to hinder the springs of joy and comfort from rising and flowing in their Souls Psalm 71. 20. Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me again and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the Earth Verse 21. Thou shalt encrease my greatness and comfort me on every side The Psalmist was in those desperate dangers that he seemed to be as a man that was dead and buried and yet he had faith enough to believe that God would surround him with cordials and supply him with comforts from all sides there is no true comfort to be drawn out of the standing pools of outward sufficiences but out of the living fountains of the all-sufficiences of the Lord Almighty Thou shalt comfort me on every side Psalm 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me or of my careful troubled perplexed thoughts as the word properly signifies thy comforts delight my soul As the Psalmist alwayes found God a present help so he alwayes found him a present comfort in the day of troubles God never did nor never will want a cordial to revive and keep up the Spirits of his people from fainting and sinking in an evil day when the Psalmist was under many griefs cares fears and perplexities of Spirit God came in with those comforts that did delight his soul and chear up his Spirits The word of the Lord is never Psal 119. 49 50. more a word of comfort nor the Spirit of the Lord is never more a Spirit of comfort than when the Saints are in their deepest distresses and sorest perplexities John 14. 16. And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Verse 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name Hudson the Martyr being at the stake he went from under his chain and having prayed earnestly he was so comforted and refreshed by the Holy Spirit that he suffered valiantly and cheerfully The Holy Ghost is called again and again the Comforter because his office is to work consolation in the hearts of Gods People in all their troubles and distresses Spiritual comfort is therefore called joy in the Holy Ghost because the Holy Ghost doth Rom. 14. 17. create it in the soul When a man suffers for righteousness sake God comes with his cordials in the very nick of time 1 Pet. 4. 13. when a mans suffering is upon the account of Christ God seldom fails to send the Comforter for the refreshing and relieving of his Spirit When a man is under bodily confinement Isa 12. 3. cap. 66 11. for the cause of Christ God will never fail to be a Spring of life a Well of Salvation and breasts of consolation to him When a Christian is brought to a piece of bread then is the season for God to feed him with heavenly Mann I have told you of Mr. Glover who found no comfort in the time of his imprisonment but when he was going to the stake he cried out to his Friend He is come he is come meaning the Comforter Hab. 3. 17. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vines the labour of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls Vers 18. Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation In these words you have these two parts 1. A sad supposition Although the fig-tree shall not blossom c. 2. A noble and comfortable resolution yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Let me first hint a little at the sad supposition Although the fig-tree should not blossom c. First though there should be a famin in that Land that of all Lands was the most plentiful fruitful Land yet Habakkuk would rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of his salvation The Land of Canaan of all Lands was the fruitfullest 't was as the garden of God 't was a Land that flowed with milk and honey a Land of vineyards the best of all Lands as Moses describes it A Land that brought forth to Isaac no less than a hundred fold It was so rich a Land that it was the granary of other Dent. 8. 7 8 9. cap. 32. 13 14 Gen 26. 12. 1 King 5. 11. Acts 12. 20. neighbouring Cities and Countries it had not only plenty for it self but bounty for others Yet now when God shall turn a Paradise into a Wilderness Habakkuk will rejoyce in the Lord and â—oy in the God of his salvation But Secondly when the anger and wrath of God shall cause a dearth in those fruits that naturally are most yielding and pleasant yet then Habakkuk would rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of his salvation The fig-tree of all trees is most fruitful bringing forth of its own accord with the least care and culture fructifying in the most barren and stony places bearing twice a year soonest ripening and rarely failing So the vine that 's a fruitful plant 't is made the emblem of plenty and fruitfulness Now when there shall be a dearth upon these
pleasant fruits yet then Habakkuk will rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of his salvation But Thirdly another print of Divine displeasure in the scarcity threatned is that it is a national famine a general famine an overspreading famine usually if one part of the Land suffers scarcity other parts abound with plenty but when God calls for a famine he turns a whole Land into a desart into a barren wilderness Bashan languisheth and Carmel and the flower of Lebanon Psal 107. 33. 34. Nahum 1. 4. languisheth these were the richest soyl of all the Country yet these were parched up and fruitless by his displeasure and yet for all this Habakkuk will rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of his salvation But Fourthly another print of Divine displeasure is this that the Lord makes it an universal scarcity-upon all kind of foods and supports of life here is the staff of bread broken and the herds and flocks fail and the refreshing of the wine press the seed and the vine and the fig-tree and the olive-tree all become fruitless such a desolation is more than ordinary usually when one commodity fails another abounds if corn be dear cattel will be cheap that weather oft times that hinders one kind of grain helps another but here God blasts all the helps of the nature Therefore God compares his judgments to a fire that burns all before it The Land is Joel 2. 3. as the Garden of Eden before it and behind it a desolate wilderness and this the Lord points at as a wonder Joel 1. 2. Hear this ye old men who can talk of dear years hath this been in your dayes or even in the dayes of your Fathers that which the Palmer-worm hath left hath the catter pillars eaten When God begins in a way of judgment he makes an end he makes the decayes of nature excessive and violent and yet Habakkuk will rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of his salvation In his resolution you have the first particle although Verse 17. Now this particle is an act of forecast these miscries may befal us And in the 18. Verse you have the particle yet that 's an act of preparation against these miseries That particle although forecasts the misery and that particle yet forelayes the remedy he foresees sorrows in the first and he provides against them in the second yet I will rejoyce in the Lord and joyin the God of my salvation So Paul comes with a Benedictus in his mouth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is word for word Let God be well spoken off God blesseth us really signally greatly and we bless him verbally mentally practically surely it was in his heart before it was in his mouth 2 Cor. 1. 3. Blessed be God even the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Verse 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God Verse 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation aboundeth by Christ The Apostle begins here with thanksgiving according to his accustomed man ner in all his Epistles but contrary to his custom doth he apply this thanksgiving wholly to himself The reason was saith Beza because the Corinthians did begin to despise him for his afflictions It being the common course of the world to dâ—spise the People of God when they are under sufferings Therefore he answered confidently for himself that though he had been much afflicted yet he had been much comforted and rejoyced the more in his comforts because God had comforted him for that very cause that he might be able and willing to comfort others God is the God of all sorts and degrees of comfort who hath all comforts at his dispose This phrase The God of all comforts intimates to us 1. That no comfort can be found any where else he hath the sole gift of comfort 2. Not only some but all comfort no imaginable comfort is wanting in him nor to be found out of him Look as the air lights not without the Sun and as fuel heats not without fire so neither can any thing soundly comfort us without God 3. All degrees of comfort are to be found in him in our greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers The lower the ebbe the higher the tide the deeper the distress the greater the comforts though the Apostle was greatly afflicted yet his comforts did exceed his afflictions 2 Cor. 7. 6. Nevertheless God that comforteth those that are cast down comforted us by the coming of Titus This is a most sweet attribute of God a breast that we should be still sucking at When the Corinthians were in a very low condition when they were even spent with grief and swallowed up in sorrows when they were destitute of all relief and comfort then the God of all comforts did comfort them No tribulations no persecutions no grievances no prison doores no boults no bars can keep out the consolations of God from flowing in upon his People God loves to comfort his People when all their outward comforts fail them Gods comforts are not only sweet but seasonable he never comes too soon nor never stays too long If one drop of the joy of the Holy Ghost should fall into Hell it would swallow up all the torments of Hell saith Austin The joy of the Holy Ghost will certainly swallow up all the troubles and sufferings that we meet with in a way of righteousness None have 1 Pet. 4. 12 13 14. been more Divinely cheerful and merry than the Saints have been under their greatest sufferings John Noyes took up a faggot at the fire and kissed it saying Blessed be the time that ever I was born to come to this preferment When they fastned Alice Driver to the stake to be burnt never did neck-kerchief said she with a cheerful countenance become me so well as this chain Mr. Bradford put off his cap and thanked God when the Keepers wife brought him word that he was to be burnt on the morrow Mr. Taylor fetcht a frisk when he was come near the place where he was to suffer Henry and John two Augustin Monks being the first that were burnt in Germany and Mr. Rogers the first that was burnt in Queen Mary's dayes did all sing in the flames Thus you see that it is not the greatest troubles nor the deepest distresses nor the most deadly dangers that can hinder the joy of the Lord from overflowing the soul But Eleventhly If God be with us who can be against us I answer none so as to deprive us of our graces which next to Christ are our choicest jewels 1 John 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin That is doth not give himself over to a voluntary serving of sin he do's not make a
usually is in the greatest flourish when the Saints are under the greatest tryals the snuffing of the candle makes it burn the brighter God suffers wicked men to beat bruise his links to make them burn the brighter and to pound bruise his spiâ—cs to make them send forth the greater aromatical savour fiery trials are like the Tezel which though it be sharp and scratching it is to make the cloth more pure and fine Stars shine brightest in the darkest nights and so do the graces of the Saints shine brightest in the darkest nights of affliction and tribulation God does sometimes more carry on the growth of grace by a Cross than by an ordinance yea the Lord will first or last turn all fiery Trials into Ordinances for the helping of grace in his Peoples souls Commonly the Saints spiritual growth in grace is carried on by such Divine methods and in such wayes as might seem to deaden grace and weaken it rather than any wayes to augment and encrease it We know that winter is as necessary to bring on Harvest as the Spring and so fiery Trials are as necessary to bring on the Harvest of grace as the Spring of mercy is Though fiery Trials are grievous yet they shall make the Saints more gracious God usually by smart sufferings turns his Peoples sparks of grace into a mighty flame their mites into millions their drops into Seas All the Devils in hell and all the sinners on earth cannot hinder the Lord from carrying on the growth of grace in his Peoples Souls When Men and Devils have done their worst God will by all sorts of Ordinances and by all sorts of providences and all sorts of changes make his People more and more holy and more and more humble and more and more meek and lowly and more and more heavenly wise faithful fruitful sincere couragious c. Though the Church of Smyrna was outwardly Rev. 2. 9. poor yet she was inwardly rich rich in grace and rich towards God I think he hit the mark who said it is far better to be a poor man and a rich Christian than to be a rich man and a poor Christian Though the Corinthians were under great tryals and 2 Cor. 8. 7. sufferings yet they did abound in every thing in faith utterance knowledge diligence in their love to Gospel Ministers The storm beat hard upon the Romans and yet you see what a singular testimony the Apostle gives of them I my self also am perswaded of Rom. 15. 14. you my Brethren that ye also are full of goodness filled with all knowledge able to admonish one another The Thessalonians were under great persecutions and troubles and yet were strong in the grace that was in Christ Jesus they were very growing and flourishing Christians singular 2 Thess 3. â— 10. 2 Thess 1 3. 8. Prophecies speak out the Saints growth and flourishing in grace The Lord is exalted for he dwelleth Isa 33. 5. on high he hath filled Zion with judgement and righteousness The Spirit shall be poured upon us from on Isa 32. 15. Cap. 35. 1. high and the wilderness shall be a fruitful field The desart shall rejoyce and blossom as the rose it shall blossom abundantly the glory of Libanon shall be given unto it The excellency of Carmel and Sharon they shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God And as singular prophecies so choice and precious promises speak out the Saints growth in grace take a taste of some of them But the path of the Just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the Prov. 4. 18. Job 17. 9. Psalm 84. 7. Psa 92. 12 13 14. perfect day The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger They shall go from strength to strength every one of them in Zion appeareth before God The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree be shall grow like a Cedar in Libanon Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God in old age they shall be fat and flourishing I have read of an Old-man who being asked whether he grew in grace Answered I believe I do for God hath promised that in old age his children should be fat and flourishing So Isa 46. 3. Hearken unto me O house of Jacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel which are born by me from the belly which are carried from the womb Verse 4. And even to your old age I am he and even to hoar hairs will I carry you I have made and I will bear even I will carry and will deliver you Zach. 12. 8. And he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God as the Angel of the Lord before them Hosea 14. 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his roots as Libanon Verse 6. His branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree and his smell as Libanon Verse 7. They that dwell under his shadow shall return they shall revive as the corn and grow as the vine the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Libanon Malach. 4. 2. But unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing under his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as the calves of the stall Psalm 1. 3. He shall be like a tree planted by the 〈◊〉 of waters that bringeth forth his fruit in his season his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever be doth shall prosper John 4. 14. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to Eternal life The light and glory of the Church rises by degrees 1. Looking forth as the Cant. 6. 10. morning with a little light 2. Fair as the Moon more light 3. Clear as the Sun that is come up to a higher degree of spiritual light life and glory By all which it is most evident that all the powers of Hell nor all the powers on Earth cannot hinder the Saints growth in grace nor the thriving and flourishing estate of their precious and immortal souls But you will say what are the reasons why God will be favourably signally and eminently present with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers I answer there are these ten great Reasons for it First To awaken and convince the Enemies of his People 1 Reason to render his suffering children glorious in the very eyes and consciences both of sinners and Saints Dan. 3. 24. Then Nebuchadnezzar the King was astonied and Ponder upon these Scriptures Micha 7. 8 9 10 16 17. Psalm 126. 1 2. Exod. 8. 19. Isa 60. 13
afflictions distresses and dangers Some scores of Psalms do evidence the truth of this proposition the same measure and degree of the presence of the Lord but in one affliction they have more in another less of the Divine presence in one affliction a Christian may have more of the enlightning presence of God than in another and in another affliction a Christian may have more of the comforting presence of God than in another in this trouble a Christian may have more of the awakning presence of God than in another and in that trouble a Christian may have more of the sanctifying presence of God than in another and in this distress a Christian may have more of the supporting presence of God than in that No one Saint doth at all times nor in all troubles need a like measure of the Divine presence The primitive Christians and the Martyrs had sometimes more and sometimes less of the Divine presence with them as their condition did require God who is infinitly wise does alwayes suit the measures and degrees of his gracious favourable signal presence to the necessities of his Saints This is so clear and great a truth that there are many thousands that can seal to it from their own experience and therefore I need not enlarge upon it But The sixth and the last proposition is this that many 6 Proposition precious Christians in their great troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers may have this favourable signal and eminent presence of God with them and yet fear and doubt yea peremptorily conclude that they have Joâ—ah 2. 4. Cant. 5. 6 7 8 9 10. Psalm 88. not this presence of God with them Psal 77. 7 8 9 10. These sad interrogatories argues much fear diffidence but let me evidence the truth of this proposition by an induction of particulars Thus first If Christ be not signally with you why are you in your troubles so fearful of offending of him and so careful and studious in pleasing of him Gen. 39. 9 10. Psalm 17. 3 4 5. Dan. 3. 16 17. Dan. 6. 10 11 12 13. Secondly If Christ be not signally with you how comes it to pass that under all your troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers you are still a justifying of God a clearing of God a speaking well of God a giving a good report of God Psalm 119. 75. Ezra 9. 13. Neâ— 9. 32. 33. Dan. 9. 12 14. Thirdly if God be not signally with you how come you to bear up so believingly sweetly stoutly cheerfully and patiently under your troubles deep distresses and greatest dangers Gen. 49. 23 24. 1 Sam. 30. 6. Hab. 3 17 18. Acts 5. 40 41 42. Cap. 16. 25 26. Acts 27. 22. 26. Heb. 10. 34. Fourthly if Christ be not signally present with you how comes it to pass that your thoughts desires hearts thirstings and longings of soul are so earnestly so seriously so frequently and so constantly carried out after more and more of Christ and after more and more of the presence of Christ and after more and more communion with Christ Psalm 139. 17 18. Psalm 63. 1 8. Psalm 27. 4. Psalm 42. 1 2 3. Exod. 33. 13 14 15 16. Cant. 1. 2. Fifthly if Christ be not signally present with you why are you so affected and afflicted with the dishonours and indignities wrongs and injuries that are done to the Lord by others Psalm 69. 9. Psalm 119. 53 136 158. Jerem 9. 1 2. Ezek. 9. 4 6. 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. None but such that have the presence of the Lord signally with them can seriously and sincerely lament over the high dishonours that are done to the Lord by others Sixthly if the Lord be not signally present with you under all you troubles and deep distresses Job 15. 4. Heb. 10. 25. why do you not cast off prayer and neglect hearing and forsake the assembling of your selves together and turn your backs upon the Table of the Lord and take your leaves of closset-duties But seventhly if the Lord be not signally present with you under your great troubles and deep distresses why don't you say with Pharaoh Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice Exod. 5. 2. 2 Kings 6. 3◠〈◊〉 7. 2. 1 Sam. 28. 15 16 1 Kings 21. 20. 2 Chr. 28. 22. Isa 51. 20. cap. 59 10 11. And with the King of Israel Behold this evil is of the Lord and why should I wait for the Lord any longer Or with that Noble Pagan If the Lord would make windows in Heaven might this thing be Or with Saul why don't you run to a Witch Or with Ahab why don't you sell your selves to work evil in the sight of the Lord Or with Ahaz trespass most when you are distressed most Why don't you fret and faint and lye in the streets as a wild Bull full of the fury of the Lord Why don't you grope for the wall and stumble at noon-day and rore all like Bears But eigthly if the Lord be not signally present with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses why do you with Moses prefer suffering before Heb. 11. 25 26. sinning and Christs reproaches before Egypt's treasures Why do you scruple the sinning of your selves out of your Psalm 38. 4. Gen. 39. 9 10. sorrows Why do you look upon sin as your greatest burden Why are you so tender in the point of transgression and so stout in resistance of the most pleasing temptation But ninthly if the Lord be not signally Psalm 16. 3 4. Prov. 12. 26. Heb. 11. 38. with you in your great troubles and deep distresses why do you set so high a price upon those that have much of the presence of God with them in their troubles and tryals Why do you look upon them as more excellent than their Neighbours yea as such worthies of whom this world is no ways worthy But tenthly and lastly Psalm 119. 67 71 Hosea 5. 14 15. cap. 6. 1 2. Hof 2. 6 7. if the Lord be not signally present with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses how comes it to pass that you are some what bettered some what amended some what reformed by the rod by the afflictions that have been and still are upon you when the heart is more awakened humbled and softned by the rod when the will is more complyant with the will of God in doing or suffering when the mind is more raised and spiritualized when the conscience is more quick and tender Eph. 5. 15. and when the life is more strict and circumspect then we may safely and roundly conclude that such persons do undoubtedly enjoy the signal and singular presence of God with them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers And thus I have laid down these six propositions which if well weighed and improved may many ways be of singular use to sincere Christians We shall now come to the application or useful
improvement of this great and seasonable Truth Explication is the drawing of the Bow but application is the hitting of the mark the white Is it so that when the People of the Lord are in great troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers that then the Lord will be favourably signally and eminently present with them Then let me briefly infer these ten things First that the Saints are a People of Christs special 1 Inference care 2 Chron. 16. 9. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole Earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him The words contain 1 The universality of Gods providence his eyes walk the rounds they run to and fro through the whole Earth to defend and secure the sincere in heart Diana's Temple was burnt down when she was busied at Alexander's birth and could not be at two places together but God is present at all times in all places and among all persons and therefore his Church which is 1 Cor. 3. 16. cap. 6. 19. his Temple can never suffer through his absence The Egyptians had an Idol called Baal-Zephon which is by interpretation Dominus speculae Lord of the Watch-tower Exod. 14. 2. his office was to fright such fugitive Jews as should offer to steal out of the Country but when Moses and the People of Israel past that way and pitched their camp there this drowsy God was surely fast a sleep for they all marched on their way without let or molestation Psalm 121. 3 4 5 Isa 27. 3 4. Whereas he that keepeth Israel Neither slumbreth nor sleepeth he kept his Israel then and he hath kept his Israel ever since he made good his title then and will make good his title still he ever was and he ever will be watchful over his People for their good 2. The efficacy of his providence to shew himself strong God fights with his eyes as well as his hands he doth not only see his Peoples dangers but saves them from dangers Zach. 2. 5. in the midst of dangers When the Philosopher in a starry night was in danger of drowning he cried out Surely I shall not perish there are so many eyes of providence over me King Philip said He could sleep safely Psalm 3. 5 6. because his friend Antipater watched for him O how much more may the Saints sleep safely who have always a God that keepes watch and ward about them God Prov. 18. 10. is so strong a Tower that no cannon can pierce it and he is so high a Tower that no ladder can scale it and hâ— is so deep a Tower that no pioneer can undermine it and therefore they must needs be safe and secure who lodge within a Tower so impregnable so inexpugnable Now this is the case of all the Saints the fatherly care and providence of God is still exercised for the good of his People Deut. 32. 10. He found him in a desart Land and in Isa 49. 16. c. 31. 5. and cap. 32. 1. 2. See my Heavenly Cordial after a wasting Plague much of the special care of God the wast howling wilderness he led him about he instructed him he kept him as the apple of his eye Verse 11. As an Eagle stirreth up her nest fluttereth over her young spreadeth abroad her wings taketh them beareth them on her wings Verse 12. So the Lord alone did lead him c. The Eagle carries her young ones upon her wings and not between her talons as other birds do openly safely swiftly and so did God his Israel being choice and chary of them all the way securing them also from their enemies who could do them as little hurt as any can Isa 63. 4. 5. 6. cap. 59. 16. do the Eagles young which cannot be shot but through the body of the old one See at what a rate God speaks in that Isa 40. 27 28. Observe how God comes on with his high interrogatories Hast thou not known What an ignorant People Hast thou not heard What a deaf People what keep no intelligence with Heaven 1 Pet. 5. 7. Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you I will now with you sing away care said John Careless Act. and Mon. fol. 1743. Martyr in his letter to Mr. Philpot for now my soul is turned to her old rest again and hath taken a sweet nap in Christs lap I have cast my care upon the Lord which careth for me and will be careless according to my name It was a strange speech of Socrates a Heathen Since God is so careful of you saith he what need you be careful for any thing your selves Gods providence extendeth to all his Creatures it 's like the Sun of universal influence but in a special manner it 's operative for the safety of his Saints In common dangers men take special care of their Jewels and will not God will not God take Mal. 3. 17. Heb. 3. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5. special care of his Jewels surely yes The Church of God is the house of God and will not God take care of his house surely that shall be well guarded whatsoever be neglected his house is every moment within the view of his favourable eye and under the guard of his almighty arm his thoughts and heart is much upon his house God hath a peculiar and paternal care over his Saints that disâ—ich of Museulâ—s cometh in fitly Est Deus in caelis qui providus omnia curat Credentes nunquam deseruisse potest A God there is whose Providence doth take Care for his Saints whom he will not forsake His eyes run implying the celerity and swiftness of God in hastning relief to his People his eyes run through the whole Earth implying the universality of helps there is not a Saint in any dark Corner of the world under any straits or troubles but God eyes him and will take singular care of him God will alwayes 〈◊〉 his care to his Peoples conditions to which his eminent appearances for them in dayes of distress and trouble give signal testimony It is our work to cast care it is Gods work to take care let not us then by soul dividing thoughts take the Lords work out of his hand But Secondly Will the Lord be signally present with his 2. Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then here you may see the true reason why the Saints are so comfortable cheerful and joyful Acts 5. 40 41. Cap. 16. 25. Rom. 5. 3. 2 Cor. 7. 4. Cap. 12. 10. 1 Pet. 4 12 13 14 these Scriptures are already opened and improved in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers it is because of that signal presence of God with them It was this signal presence of God with the Martyrs that made them rejoyce in the midst of their greatest sufferings and that made them endure great
sufferings without any sensible feeling of their sufferings As that young Child in Josephus who when his flesh was pulled in pieces with pincers by the command of Antiochus said with a smiling countenance Tyrant thou losest time where are those smarting pains with which thoâ— threatnedst me make me to shrink and cry out if thou canst And Bainam an English Martyr when the fire was flaming about him said You Papists talk of Miracles behold here a Miracle I feel no more pain than if I were in a bed of down it is as sweet to me as a bed of Roses Surely their strength Job 6. 12. was not the strength of stones nor their flesh of brass that they should not be sensible of so great sufferings but this was only from that signal presence of God that made them endure grievous pains without pain Heb. 11. 33. to 35. and most exquisit torments without torment and sore sufferings without feeling of their sufferings and other choice souls there were who though they were sensible of their sufferings yet by the Divine presence they were filled with unspeakable courage comfort and alacrity Laurence when his body was roasted upon a burning Gridiâ—on cryed out This side is roasted enough turn the other Marcus of Arethusa a worthy Minister when his body was cut and lanced and anointed with honey and hung up a loft in a Basket to be stung to death by Wasps and Bees he looking down cheerfully upon the the Spectators said I am advanced despising you that are below and when we shall see poor weak feeble Creatures like our selves defying their tormenters and their torments conquering in the midst of their greatest sufferings and rejoycing and triumphing in the midst of their fiery trials singing in Prison as Paul and Silas did kissing the stake as Henry Voes did clapping their hands when they were half consumed in the flames as John Noyes did calling their execution day their wedding day as Bishop Ridley did We cannot but conclude that they had a singular presence of God with them that made all their sufferings seem so easie and so light unto them Caesar cheered up his drooping Mariners in a storm by minding them of his presence but alass alass what was Caesar's presence to this Divine this signal presence that the Saints have enjoyed in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses But Thirdly Will the Lord be signally present with his 3. Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then from hence you may see the weakness madness sottishness and folly of all such as Isa 8. 9 10. Cap. 27. 4. 1 Cor. 1. 25. make opposition against the Saints that affront injure and make head against those that have the presence of the great God in the midst of them O Sirs the weakness of God is stronger than Men. What then is the strength of God 1 Cor. 10. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he Ah who knows the power of his Psalm 90. 11. anger It is such that none of the Potentates of the world who set themselves against the Saints can avert or avoid avoid or abide That God is a mighty God the Scriptures do abundantly evidence and it appears also in the Epithet that is added unto El which is Gibbor importing that he is a God of prevailing might By Daniel he is called El-Elim the mighty of mighties Now what folly and madness is it for Dust and Ashes for crawling Worms to make head against a mighty God yea an Almighty God who can curse them and crush Genes 49. 25. Num. 24. 4. 16. Ruth 1. 20 21. them with a word of his mouth 2 Chron. 32. 7. Be strong and couragious be not afraid nor dismayed for the King of Assyria nor for all the multitude that is with him for there be more with us than with him Verse 8. With him is an arm of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battels The King of Assyria was at that time the greatest Monarch in the World and the most formidable Enemy the Church had yet the Divine presence was a soveraign Antidote to expel all base slavish fears that might arise in any of their hearts concerning his greatness power or multitude What was that great multitude that was with the King of Assyria to that innumerable Company of Angels that was 2 Kings 6. 17. Psalm 34. 7 c 91. 11. Heb. 12. 22. Cap. 1. ult Isa 37. 29. 36 37 38. with Hezekiah And what was an arm of flesh to Gods supreme Soveraignity that had this proud Prince in chaines and that put a hook in his nose and a bridle in his lips and cut off his great Army by the hand of an Angel in one night and left him to fall by the sword of his own Sons The Lord of Hosts can crush the greatest Armies in the world into Atomes at pleasure When the Emperour Heraclius sent Ambassadours to Chosroes King of Persia to desire Peace of him he received this threatning answer I will not spare you till I have made Diac. Cedren you curse your crucified God and adore the Sun he was afterwards like another Senacherib deposed and murthered by his own Siroes When the Divine presence is armed against the great ones of the World they must certainly fall In Dioclesian's time under whom was the last and worst of the ten persecutions though then Christian Religion was more desperately opposed than ever yet such was the presence of God with his Ruffin People in those times that Religion prospered and prevailed more than ever so that Dioclesian himself observing that the more he sought to blot out the name of Christ it became the more legible and to block up the way of Christ it became the more passable and what ever of Christ he thought to root out it rooted the deeper and rose the higher thereupon he resolved to engage himself no further but retired to a private life This is a good copy for the Persecutors of the day to Acts 5. 38 39 40 Psalm 76. 12. Psalm 110. 5. 6. Rev. 6. 14 15 15. write after O Sirs what folly and madness is it for weakness to engage against strength the Creature against the Creator an Arm of flesh against the Rock of Ages What is the chaff to the whirl-wind stubble and straw to the devouring flames no more are all the Enemies of Zion to the great and glorious God that is signally present with his People in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses c. There was not one of those persecuting Emperours that carried on the ten bloody Persecutions against the Saints but caâ—e to miserable ends yea Histories tell us of three and forty persecuting Emperours that fell by the hand of revenging Justice first or last the presence of God with his People will undo all the Persecutors in the world But Fourthly
shy of them nor strange to them whom Christ lyes daily in his bosom O be not unkind to them with whom one day you must live for ever But Sixthly Will the Lord be signally present with his 6. Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then never give way to base slavish Psal 51. 12 13. Pfalm 46. 1 2 3. Matt. 10 2â— â—â— fears there are as many fear nots in Scripture as there are fears take a tast of some of them Hebr. 13. 5. He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Verse 6. So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me This Text is taken out of Psalm 118. 6. The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me Some read it by The Earl of Mâ—rray speaking of Mr. John Knox said Here lies the body of him who iâ— hiâ— life time never feared the face of any man way of Interrogation What can man do unto me There is some difference in the Apostle's quoting the Text betwixt the Hebrew and the Greek The Hebrew thus reads it The Lord is with me or for me or as our English hath translated it The Lord is on my side The Greek thus The Lord is my helper but the sence being the same with the Hebrew the Apostle would not alter that translation The alteration which is in the Greek serves for an Exposition of the mind and meaning of the Psalmist for God being with us or for us or on our side presuppofeth that he is our helper So as there is no contradiction betwixt the Psalmist and the Apostle but a clear interpretation of the Psalmists mind and a choice instruction thence ariseth viz. That Gods signal prefence with us for us or on our side may abundantly satisfie us and assure us that he will afford all needful help and succour to us the consideration of which should abundantly arm us against all base slavish fears God is not present with his Saints in their troubles and distresses as a stranger but as a Father and therefore he cannot but take such special care of them as to help them as to succour them and as to secure them from dangers in the midst of dangers and therefore Isa 43. 2. why should they be afraid The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is translated helper in that Hebr. 13. 6. according to the notation of it signifieth one that is ready to run at the cry of another Now this notation implieth a willing readiness and a ready willingness in God to afford all succour and relief to his People in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses herein God shews himself like a tender Father Mother or Nurse who presently runs when any of them hear the Child cry or see danger near Isai 8. 10. God is with us Verse 12. Fear ye not their fear nor be afraid The Divine presence should arm us against all base slavish fears of mens power policy wrath or rage Kings and Princes compared with God or with the signal presence of God are Isa 40. 2â— but as so many Grashoppers skipping and leaping up and down the field and does it become Christians that enjoy this Divine presence to be afraid of Grashoppers Isa 41. 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with thâ—â—â—ht hand of my righteousness God expects that his signal presence with us should arm us against all base fear and dismayedness â—salm 23. 4. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me The Divine presence raised David above all his fears Psalm 27. 1. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Who is the Enemy that I should be afraid of where is the Enemy that I should be afraid of by what name or title is the Enemy dignified or distinguished that I should be afraid of I look before me and behind me I look round about me and I look at a distance from me and I cannot see the man the Devil the Informer that I should fear or be afraid of for God is with me Where God is said King Herod in Josephuâ— lib. 15 a speech to his Army there neither wants multitude nor fortitude we may safely readily and cheerfully set the Divine presence against all our Enemies in the world When Antigonus his Admiral told him that the Enemies number far exceeded his But how many do ye set me against said the King Look about you and see who is with you Ah Christians Christians look about you look about you and see who is signally present with you and then be afraid if you can But Seventhly Will the Lord be signally present with his 7. Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then certainly there is no such great evil in troubles distresses sufferings c. as many conceive fear dream think judge many men look upon troubles afflictions sufferings in a multiplying glass and then they cry out there is a Lion in the way Prov. 22. 13. Cap. 26. 13. a Lion in the streets But Sirs the Lion is not alwayes so fierce as he is painted nor afflictions are not alwayes so grievous as men apprehend there are many who have been very fearful of Prisons and have looked upon a Prison as a Hell on this side Hell who when they have been there for righteousness sake and the Gospels sake have found â—â—â—ns to be Palaces and the imaginary Hell to be a little Heaven unto them Many fear afflictions and flee from afflictions as from Toads and Serpents as from Enemies and Devils and yet certainly there is no such great evil in affliction as they apprehend for the Lord is signally present with his People in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses Now what evil can there be in that condition wherein a man enjoyes the Divine presence that makes every bitter sweet and every burden light and that turns Winter nights into Summer dayes c. yea many times the Saints enjoy more of the singular presence of God in their afflictions in their day of adversity than ever they did in the day of prosperity or in the day of their worldly glory What Bride is afraid to meet her Bridegroom in a dark entry or in a dirty lane or in a narrow passage or in a solitary wood and why then should a Christian be afraid of this or that afflicted condition who is sure to meet his blessed Bridegroom the Lord Jesus Christ in every estate in every condition who is sure to enjoy the presence of Christ with him in every turn or change
that may pass upon him How many Martyrs have ventured into the Heb. 11. 34. very flames to meet with Christ and that have many other wayes made a sacrifice of their dearest lives and all to meet with Christ O the cruel mockings the scourgings Rev. 12. 11. Heb. 11. 36 37 38 the bonds the imprisonments the stoning the sawing asunder that many of the Lords worthies have ventured upon and all to meet with the presence of the Lord and why then should any of you be afraid to enter into an afflicted condition where you shall be sure to meet the singular presence of the Lord that will certainly turn your afflicted condition into a comfortable condition to you The great design of the Lord in afflicting of his People is to meet with them and to draw them into a nearer communion with himself it is that they may see more of him than ever and taste more of him than ever and enjoy more of him than ever in order to which he subdues their corruptions by afflictions Isa 1. 25. c. 27. 8 9 Heb. 12â— 10 11. Hos 2. 14. and strengthens their graces and heightens their holiness by all their troubles and trials When ever he leads his Spouse into a wilderness it is that he may speak friendly and comfortably to her or that he may speak to her heart as the Hebrew runs The great design of the Lord in bringing her into a wilderness was that he might make such discoveries of himself of his love and of his soveraign grace as might chear up her heart yea as might even make her heart leap and dance within her Or as some sence it I will take her alone for the purpose even into a solitary wilderness where I may more frâ—ely impart my mind to her that she having her whole desire she may come up from the wilderness leaning upon her beloved and so be brought into the bride-house with all Cant. 8. 5. solemnity By all which it is most evident that there is no such evil in a wilderness estate in an afflicted condition as many imagin But Eightly will the Lord be signally present with his 8 Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then what a high encouragement should this be to poor sinners to study Christ to acquaint themselves with Christ to embrace Christ to chuse Christ to close with Christ to submit to Christ Joh. 1. 12. Ps 112. 2 3. Ps 2. 12. 2 Cor. 8. 5. and to make a resignation of themselves to Christ and to secure their interest in Christ that so they may enjoy his signal presence in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers O how many mercies are wrapt up in this mercy of enjoying the singular presence of the Lord in all the troubles and tryals of this life It is a mercy to have the presence of a Friend it is Psalm 23. 4. a greater to have the presence of a near and dear relation with us in a day of distress in a day of darkness But what a mercy is it then to have the presence of the Lord with one in a dark day That 's excellent counsel that the wisest Prince that ever swayed a scepter gives in that Eccles 11. 8. Remember the days of darkness for they shall be many When light shall be turned into darkness pleasure into pain delights into wearisomness calms into storms Summer dayes into Winter nights and the lightsome dayes of life into the dark dayes of old age and death O now the singular presence of the Lord with a man in these dayes of darkness will be a mercy more worth than ten thousand worlds To have a wise a loving Psalm 71. 20 21. a powerful a faithful Friend to own us in the dark to stand by us in the dark to uphold us in the dark to refresh us in the dark to encourage us in the dark c. is a very choice and singular mercy O then what is it to have the presence of the Lord with us in all those dark dayes that are to pass over our heads What David said of the sword of Goliath in another case There is none 1 Sam. 21. 8 9. like that that I may say of the Divine presence with a man in the dark There is none like that The Psalmist Psal 73. 26. The Greek saith The God of my heart c. hit the mark the whit when he said My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever When his flesh that is his outward man and when his heart his courage that is his inward man failed him then God was the strength of his heart or the rock of his heart as the Hebrew runs at the very last gasp God came in with his soveraign Cordial and revived him and recovered him and brought new life and strength into him When a Saint is at worst when he is at lowest when he is even overwhelmed with troubles and sorrows and when the dayes of darkness so multiply upon him that he seems past all hope of recovery then the Divine presence does most gloriously manifest it self and display it self in supporting strengthning comforting and encouraging of him In the Rev. 4. 6. you read that the world is like a sea of glass I saw before the Throne a sea of glass The world is transitory very frail and brittle as glass and it is instable tumultuous and troublesome as the sea Here the world is shadowed out to us by a sea of glass and how can we stand on this sea how can we live on this sea how can we walk on this sea if Christ don't take us by the hand and lead us and support us and secure us O Sirs we can't uphold our selves on this sea of glass nor others can 't uphold us on this sea of glass it is none but dear Jesus it is no presence but his singular presence that can make us to stand or go on this sea of glass And if this world be a sea of glass oh what infinit cause have we to secure our interest in Christ who alone can pilot us safe over this troublesome dangerous and tempestuous sea Oh that I could prevail with poor sinners to take Christ into the ship of their souls that so he may pilot them safe into the heavenly Harbour the heavenly Canaan No Pilot in Heaven or Earth can land you on the shore of a happy eternity from off this sea of glass but Jesus When on this sea of glass the winds blow high storms arise and the bold waves beat into the ship O then the sinner cryes a Kingdom for a Christ a world for a Pilot to save us from eternal drowning Oh that before eternal storms and tempests do beat upon poor sinners they Ps 11. 6. Ps 9. 17. Hos 2. 19 20. 2 Cor. 11. 2. would be prevailed with to close
with Christ to accept of Christ and to enter into a marriage-covenant a marriage-union with Christ that so they may enjoy his singular presence with them whilst they are on this sea of glass There is no presence so greatly desirable so absolutely necessary so exceeding sweet comfortable as the presence of Christ therefore before all above all secure this presence of Christ by matching with the person of Christ then you will be safe happy on a sea of glass Ninthly will the Lord be signally present with his 9 Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then let me infer that unbelief infidelity and despondency of spirit in an evil day does very ill become the People of God Is the Lord present with you in your greatest troubles and will you flag in your faith and be crest fallen in your courage when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall Isa 25. 4. what is this but to tell all the world that there is more power in your troubles to sink and daunt you than there is in the presence of the Lord to support and encourage you when a Christian is upon the very banks of the Red Sea yet then the Divine presence should encourage him To stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. It would Exod. 14. 13. be good for timerous Christians in an evil day to dwell much upon the Prophets commission Isa 35. 3. Strengthen ye the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees Say to them that are of a fearful heart be strong fear not Ah but how shall weak hands be strong and a timorous heart cease to fear and saint Why Behold your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence he will come and save you he is on his way he will be suddenly with you yea he is already in the midst of you and he will save you If you cast but Isa 41. 10. c. 43. 2 Heb. 13. 5. Jer. 32 40 41. cap. 31. 31 to 38. Gen. 41. 35 36 48 49. Col. 1. 19. cap. 2. 3. your eye upon precious promises if you cast but your eye upon the new Covenant which is Gods great store-house there you will find all supports all supplyes all helps and all comforts laid up and laid in for you and therefore never despond never faint never be discouraged in an evil day in a dark time As Joseph had his store-houses to give a full supply to the Egyptians in time of famine so dear Jesus of whom Joseph was but a type has his store-houses of mercy of goodness of power of plenty of bounty out of which in the worst of times he is able to give his People a full supply according to all their needs and therefore be not discouraged don't despond in a day of trouble O my Friends how often has the Lord hid you in the secret of his presence Ps 27. 5. Ps 31. 20 from the pride of men and kept you secretly in his pavilion from the strife of tongues And therefore be strong and lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees When David was in a very great distress Heb. 12. 12. he does not despond nor give way to unbelief but encourages himself in the Lord his God The Hebrew word is 1 Sam. 30. 6. derived from Chazack which notes a laying hold on God with all his strength as men do when they are in danger of drowning who will suffer any thing rather then let go their hold When David was almost under water when he was in danger of drowning then by a hand of faith he layes hold on the rock of ages and encourages himself in the Lord his God What heavenly gallantry of spirit did good Nehemiah shew from that Divine presence that was with him in that great day of trouble and distress when the remnant of the captivity were in great affliction and reproach and the wall of Jerusalem broken down and the gates thereof burnt with Neh. 1. 3. fire You know Shemajah advises him to take Sanctuary in the Temple because the enemy had designed to fall upon him by night and slay him and cause the work to cease but Nehemiah having a signal presence of God Cap. â— 11. Cap. 6. 10. with him gives this heroick and resolute answer Should such a man as I flee and who is there being as I am would go into the Temple to save his life I will not go in Should I flee into the Temple like a malefactor to take sanctuary there How would God be dishonoured Religion reproached the People discouraged the weak scandalized and the wicked imboldned to insult and triumph over me saying Is this the man that is called by God and qualified by God for this work and service Is this the man that is countenanced and encouraged by the King to build the walls and gates and city of Jerusalem Is this the man that is the chief Magistrate and Governour Neh. 2. 5. to the 10. of the City Is this the man that is sent and set for the defence of the People and that should encourage them in their work O what a mouth of blasphemy would be opened should I make a base retreat into the Temple to save my life This is a work that I will rather dye than do I have found the face of God the presence of God in bowing the heart of King Artaxerxes to contribute his Royal aid and commission me to the work and in the bending of the hearts of the Elders of the Jews to own my authority and to rise up as one man to build and therefore I will rather dye upon the spot than go into the Temple to save my life Oh my Friends it becomes not those that have the presence of God with them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers to sink so low in their faith and confidence as to cry out with the Prophets Servant Alass Master what shall we do Or with the 2 Kings 6 15. Mat. 8. 25. Ez. 37. 11. Lament 3. 18. Isa 49. 14. Disciples when in a storm We perish Or with the whole house of Israel Our bones are dryed and our hope is lost and we are cut off for our parts Or with weeping Jeremiah My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord Or with Sion The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Oh 't is for a lamentation when Gods dearest Children shall bewray their infidelity by a fainting sinking discouraged spirit in an evil day But Tenthly and lastly will the Lord be signally present 10 Inference with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then let the People of the Lord be very thankful for his presence with them in their greatest troubles c. O Sirs this Divine presence is Exod. 33. 13 14 15 16.
so Verse 11. The same words are repeated again God is not gone God is not withdrawn God is not departed from us O no. The Lord of Hosts is is with us The Lord of Hosts is with us The God of Jacob is our refuge the God of Jacob is our refuge And therefore we are Divinely fearless Divinely careless though Hell and Earth should combine against us yet we will bear up and be bold to believe that all shall go well with us for God is in the midst of us The Lord of Hosts is with us Even the Lord who commandeth far other Hosts and Armies than the enemy hath any The God of Jacob is our refuge Heb. Our high Tower God is a Tower so high so strong so inaccessible so invincible that all our enemies yea â—ll the powers of darkness can never hurt reach storm or take and therefore we that are sheltered in this high Tower may well cast the gantlet to our proudest strongest and subtlest enemies And let thus much suffice for the inferences The next use is a use of exhortation to exhort all the 2 Use People of God so to order and demean themselves as to keep the Divine presence as to keep the signal the singular presence of God with them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers Now that this may stick in power upon your souls consider seriously of these following motives First the signal presence of God with his People puts 1 Motive the greatest honour dignity and glory upon a People imaginable There are many titles of honour amongst men but this above all is the truly honourable title that Vide Isa 43. 2 4 Jer. 13. 11. Ezek. ult and ult we have God so near unto us Deut. 4. 7. What Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is to us Whiles he vouchsafed his presence amongst them how honourable how renowned were they all the world over But when he departed from them they became the scorn and contempt of all Nations It may be said of some men they have large Estates but not the presence of God with them they are highly honoured and dignified in the world but no presence of God with them they have great trades and vast riches but no presence of God with them they are nobly related but no presence of God with them they have singular parts and natural accomplishments but no presence of God with them the want of the Divine presence gives a dash casts a blot upon all their grandures worldly glory and like Coprice turnes all their wine be it never so rich into ink and blackness What a deal of honour and glory did the presence of God cast upon Joseph Gen. 39. 19 20. in prison and upon Daniel in the Den and upon the three Children in the fiery Furnace and upon the three Children in the fiery Furnace and upon David 1 Sam. 24. 17. Mar. 6. 20. Acts 24. 25. when a persecuting Sanl could cry out Thou art more righteous than I and upon John when a bloody Herod feared him and observed him and upon Paul when a tyrannical Felix trembled before him as if Paul had been the Judge and Felix the prisoner at the bar Some write of the Chrystal that what stone so ever it toucheth it puts a lustre and loveliness upon it The presence of God puts the greatest lustre beauty glory and loveliness that can be put upon a person Now because the witness of an Adversary is a double testimony let Baalant who as some write of a Toad had a Pearl in his head though his heart was naught very naught stark naught give Num. 24. 5. in his evidence How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel He speaks both by way of interrogation and admiration their Tents are so comely and their Tabernaeles so lovely that their grand enemy was affected ravished with them But whence is it that Israel is so formidable and terrible in his eye how comes this about that he who came to fight against them thinks them beyond all compare nay doth himself admire their postures and order their great glory brave gallantry why all is from the presence of their Lord-General with them The Lord their God is with Num. 23. â—1 them the shout of a King is amongst them It is the highest honour renown and dignity of a People to have God in the midst of them to have God near unto them Thus Moses sets out the honour and dignity of the Jews Deut. 26. 18. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar People Verse 19. To make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honour When God reckons up the dignities of his People this is the main the top of all Psalm 87. 5. And of Sion it shall be said this and that man was born in her and the Highest himself shall establish her If you would keep your honour and dignity keep the presence of God in the midst of you when God is departed from Israel then you may write Ichabod upon Israel The glory is departed 1 Sam. 4. 21. 22. from Israel But Secondly To move you so to order demean and 2 Motive carry your selves as you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider that nothing can make up the want of this signal presence of God it is not the presence of Friends of Relations of Ministers of Ordinances of outward comforts that can make up the want of this presence it is not candle-light or torch-light or star-light nor moon-light that can make up the light of the Sun When the Sun is set in a cloud all the world cannot make it day and when the presence of God is withdrawn nothing can make up that dismal loss Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled that Psalm 30. 6 7. is thou didst suspend the actual influence and communication of thy grace and favour the Chaldee calleth it Shechinah the Divine presence anâ— I was all-amort It was not his Crown his Kingdom his Riches his Dignities his Royal attendance c. that could make up the loss of the face of God neither is it the presence of an Angel that can make up the want of the presence of God Exod. 33. 2. And I will send an Angel before thee God here promiseth Moses that he would send an Angel before them but with all adds that he would Exod. 33. 3. not go up himself in the midst of them I but such a Guide such a Guardian such a Nurse such a Companion such a Captain General would not satisfie Moses Verse 14. And he said my presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest Verse 15. And he said unto him if thy presence go not with me carry us not up
may tast of the same honey But Fourthly To move you so to order demean and carry 4. Motive your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider the excellent properties or qualities of this favourable this signal presence of God with his People this I can but hint at because I must hasten all I can to a close 1. It is the best presence Ps 63. 3. 't is better than the presence of Friends of Relations of Saints of Angels c. 2. 'T is the greatest presence 't is the presence of the 1 Kings 8. 27. Revel 17. 14. Cap. 19. 16. Numb 24. 4. 16. Ruth 1. 20. 24. great King 't is the presence of the King of Kings Lord of Lords 't is the presence not only of a mighty but of an Almighty God 3. It is the happiest presence 't is a presence that makes a man really happy presently happy totally Psalm 144. 15. 1 Kings 10. 8. Deut. 33. 29. Prov. 3. 18. happy eminently happy and eternally happy he can never be truly happy that wants this presence he can never be truly miserable that enjoyes this presence true happiness is too great a thing to be found in any thing below this favourable this signal presence of God he that enjoyes this presence enjoyes all he that wants this presence enjoyes nothing at all he that wants this presence may write nothing or nought upon his honours riches Amos 6. 13. pleasures dignities offices Relations Friends c. All a man has are but ciphers without a figure if he be not blest with this Divine presence This Divine presence was Jacob's enough yea Jacob's all Li-col Genes 33. 11. I have all Esau had much Li-zab I have much my brother Verse 9. But Jacob had all Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia He hath all who hath him that is Augnstine Coloss 3. 11. all in all Omne bonum in summo bono All good is in the chiefest good Secure this Divine presence and you secure all 4. It is the most desirable presence consult these Psalm 42. 1 2. Psalm 63. 1 2 8. Psalm 27. 4. Genes 28. 20. Psalm 84. Scriptures in the margin Job 23. 3. O that I knew where I might find him that I might come even to his seat Exod. 33. 15. If thy presence go not with me carry us not up hence Verse 16. For wherein shall it be known here that I and my people have found grace in thy sight is it not in that thou goest with us Cant. 3. 1. By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not The presence of bad men is never desirable the presence Jer. 9. 1 2. Job 16. 1 2 3 4. Cap. 19. 3 4 5. of good men is not alwayes desirable for there are cases wherein their presence may be a burden to us as Job and others have experienced Job 16. 2. Miserable Comforters are ye all Cap. 19. 2. How long will you vex my soul and break me in pieces with words But the presence of the Lord is very desirable most desirable and alwayes desirable and the more any man has of this Divine presence the more his heart will be inflamed after more and more of it A sound sincere Christian can never have enough power against sin nor never enough strength against temptation nor never enough weannedness from this World nor never enough ripeness for Heaven nor never enough of the presence of the Lord enough of the Divine presence he may have to quiet him and cheer him and encourage him but whil'st he is out of Heaven he can never have enough of the Divine presence to satisfy him so as not to cry out Lord more of thy presence O a little more of thy presence Prov. 30. 15 16. 5. 'T is the most joyful refreshing and delightful presence Psalm 16. ult Acts 5. 40 41. Cap. 16. 25. This Isa 60. 1 2. Psalm 46. 7. Vincentius and many thousand Martyrs and suffering Christians have experienced in all the Ages of the world but of this before 6. 'T is a peculiar and distinguishing Exod. 33 16. presence this favourable signal presence of God is a choice Jewel that he hangs in no breasts a Bracelet that he puts upon no arms a Crown that he sets upon no heads but such whom he loves with a peculiar love with an everlasting love The general presence of God extends Jer 31. 3. Joh. 13. 1. Psalm 139. 7 8 9 10. and reaches to all Sinners and Saints Angels and Devils to all both in that upper and this lower world But this favourable signal presencè of God is peculiar to those that are the purchase of Christs blood and the travail of his soul 7. 'T is an inflamming presence Oh how does it 1. Inflame the heart to duty Psalm 63. 1 2 3. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Isa 53. 11. Ruth 1◠4. to 18. 2. How does it inflame the heart against sin Job 31. 4 5 6 7. Genes 39. 9 10. Rom. 8. 10. 3. To long for the Majestical and glorious presence of God in Heaven Cant. 8. ult Luke 2. 28 29 30. 2 Cor. 5. 8. Phil. 1. 23. Rev. 22 20. 4. How does it inflame their love to the Lord his wayes his worship his interest his glory Cant. 1. 3 4. Cant. 2. 3 4 5 6. Cap. 8. 1 2 3 5 6 7. 5. It inflames against temptations 10. 11. It was this Divine presence that did steel and strengthen Basil Luther and a world of others against the worst of temptations 6. It Heb. 11. inflames the hearts of the Saints into great freeness readiness and willingness to suffer many things to suffer great things to suffer any thing for Christ his Gospel his interest c. O how did this Divine presence make many Martyrs hasten to the flames c. 8. 'T is a soul quieting a soul silencing and a soul stilling presence Psalm 3. 5. Psalm 4. 8. Cant. 2. 3. Cap. 3. 4 5. When Friends can't quiet us when Relations can't quiet us when Ministers can't quiet us when Duties can't quiet us when Ordinances can't quiet us when outward comforts can't quiet us yet then this Divine presence will quiet us when Babies and Rattles can't quiet the Child yet then the breasts can so here 9. This Divine presence is a sweetning presence 1. It sweetens all duties and services publick and private ordinary and extraordinary 2. It sweetens all personal afflictions and tryals 3. It sweetens all our sufferings for righteousness sake 4. It sweetens all Gospel Ordinances Exod. 20. 24. 5. It sweetens all a mans outward mercies and blessings it sweetens health strength riches trade c 6. It sweetens all interchangeable providences here providence smiles and there it frownes here it lifts up and there it casts down this providence is sweet and that is bitter
removes not at once but by degrees now a step and then a step as Lot did when he lingred in Sodom Gen. 19. 16. Lot was not more loth to depart out of Sodom than God is loth to leave his People he goes first to the threshold Ezek. 9. 3. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the Cherub whereupon he was to the threshold of the house Then over the threshold Cap. 10. 4. Then the glory of the Lord went up from the Cherub and stood over the threshold of the house Here is a second step this is the second time of resting before God departs The Lord had his ordinary dwelling-place in the Holy of Holyes Now Gods first remove was from the most Holy place his second remove was from the Holy place 1 Sam. 4. 4. Psalm 8. 10. Isa 37. 16. his third remove was higher towards Heaven Verse 19. And the Cherubims lift up their wings and mounted up from the Earth in my sight then to the door of the East gate or foremost gate of the Lords house To note Gods total remove from his house Then to the midst of the City Ezek. 11. 23. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City and then he stood upon the mountain which is on the East-side of the City This is Gods last stop in his departure by which is signified that he was willing to make one tryâ—l more to see if the People would in this present danger call him back by invitation and lively repentance God is greatly troubled when it comes to parting Hâ—s 118. 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Rebâ—im Mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together This is spoken per anthropâ—patheian and not properly because diverse thoughts and repentance are not incident to God Jam. 1. 17. who is without all variableness or shadow of change The Lord seemeth here to be at a stand or at strise with himself about the destruction of this People Howbeit God in the bowels of his mercy yearning and taking pity of his Elect amongst them spareth to lay upon them the extremity of his wrath and is ready to save them for his mercies sake Observe how fatherlike he melts and mournes over them and how mercy interposeth her four several How 's Here are four such pathetical interrogations as the like are not to found in the whole Book of God and not to be answered by any but God himself as indeed he doth to each particular in the following words My heart is turned within me that is the first answer The second is My repentings are kindled together The third is I will not execute the fierceness of my wrath The fourth is I will not destroy Ephraim And why First I am God and not man Secondly the Holy One in the midst of thee God is mighty unwilling to break up house and to leave his People desolate Now is God so unwilling to withdraw his presence and shall not we do all what we can to retain him in the midst of us When dear Friends are unwilling to leave us we are the more earnest in pressing them to stay and abide with us God is marvellously unwilling to go and therefore let us with the Church cry out Leave us not Jerem. 14. 9. But Eightly To move you so to order demean and carry â— Motive your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider that troubles will be no troubles distresses will be no distresses dangers will be no dangers if you can but secure the presence of God with you Mountains will be mole-hills stabs at the heart will be but as scratches upon the hand if the Divine presence be with you Gods signal presence will turn storms into calms winter-nights into summer-days prisons into pallaces banishments into enlargments The favourable presence of God will turn sickness into health weakness into strength poverty into plenty and death into life It can never be night so long as the Sun shines no afflictions no tryals can make it night with a Christian so long as he enjoyes the presence of God with his spirit 2 Tiâ— 4. 22. That Courtier needs not complain that this man slights him and that the other neglects him who enjoyes the delightful presence of his Prince When Sampson had the presence of God with him he made nothing of carrying the gates of the City with the posts and bars to the Judge 16. 3. top of an hill So whil'st a Christian enjoyes the singular presence of God with him he will make nothing of this affliction and that of this trouble and that of this loss and that This presence makes heavy afflictions light 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. and long afflictions short and bitter afflictions sweet It Heb. 11. 33. to 19. was this presence that made the Martyrs set light by all the great and grievous things that they suffered for Christs sake and the Gospels sake Gods gracious presence makes every condition to be a little Heaven to the believing soul A man in misery without this gracious presence of God is in a very hell on this side hell there is nothing there can be nothing but Heaven where God is signally present But Ninthly To move you so to order demean and carry 9 Motiâ—e your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepâ—st distresses consider that the worst of men cannot fasten a curse upon you whil'st you keep the prefence of God with you Num. 23. 21. The Lord his God is with him Num. 23. 23. and the shout of a King is among them There could be no enchantment against them for the Lord their God was with them the shout of a King was among them that is God reigneth as a King among them Hereby also is meant the faith joy boldness courage and confidence of Gods People in their King as when a King comes amongst the Armies of his People he is received with joyful shoutings and acclamations and when he goes forth to battel with them he goes accompanied with the sound of trumpets and shouts of the People signes of their joy and courage So it fared with the Israelites because of that signal presence of God that was amongst them which was evident by his protecting and defending of them 1 Sam. 4. 5. And when the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord came into the Camp all Israel shouted with a great shout so that the earth rang again Here is a valorous shout of a puissant People encouraging each other to the battel and a victorious shout as having obtained the victory in the battel So 2 Chron. 13. 12 And behold God himself is with us for our Captain and his
Priests with sounding Trumpets to cry alarm against you O Children of Israel Num 23. 23. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob neither is there any Divination against Israel That is there is none against Israel that shall be of force or that shall take any effect to do the posterity of Jacob or Israel any hurt any harm any prejudice But why because the Lord his God is with him and the shout of a King is among them The presence of God with his Israel blasts all Balaams enchantments and makes null and void all his Divinations God is with his People to counsel them in all doubtful and difficult cases and to defend them and secure them Num. 23. 1 13 28 29. Cap. 24. 1. 2 Sam. 16. 7 9 11 12. Jer. 15. 10. Cap. 1. 17 18 19. against all their enemies and opposers Balaam had a moneths mind to curse the People of God as his wearied endeavours to that purpose do abundantly evidence But the presence of God with his People prevented all his mischievous designs Shemei curses David but his curses could not hurt him for God was with him The People generally cursed Jeremiah but all their curses could not harm him for God was with him The Jews in their prayers daily curse the Christian Exod. 20. 24. Churches but all their curses can't prejudice them because God is in the midst of them And who will say that the reformed Churches are one pin the worse for all the Popes excommunications and execrations with Bell Book and Candle The signal prefence of God with his People is a most soveraign antidote against all the curses and cursings of cursed men and therefore what ever you part with be sure you don't part with your God let him be but in the midst of you and then no curses shall be prevalent against you This age abounds with such monsters whose mouths are full of curses but if every curse should stick a visible blister on the cursers tongue as it doth insensible ones on the cursers soul their tongues would quickly be too big for their mouths and they would soon grow weary of cursing the People of God the things of God the wayes of God the providences of God and the faithful dispensers of the mysteries of God but the best of it is when they have done their worst and spit out all their curses the curse causeless shall not come for the ever blessed God is in his People Prov. 26. 2. and with his People and among his People and a Zach. 2. 5. wall of fire alwayes about his People and therefore they are safe and secure enough when men and Devils have done their worst But Tenthly and lastly To move you so to order demean 10 Motive and carry your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider that the Divine presence will make up the absence of all outward comforts this gracious presence will supply and fill up the place of a friend a child a father a husband Some of the Rabbies write that Manna had all sorts of tasts and all sorts of sweets in it Sure I am that the favourable presence of God has Psal 4. 6 7. all sorts of sweets in it it has the sweet of all ordinances in it it has the sweet of all duties in it it has the sweet of Prov. 4. 23. all Church priviledges in it it has the sweet of all Relations in it it has the sweet of all your outward comforts in it and therefore above all keeping keep the presence of God with you Many in their distresses and miseries are full of complaints one cries out he wants a faithful Friend another cries out he wants an active Relation a third cries out that he wants necessaries both â—or back and belly a fourth cries out he wants the means that others enjoy but he that enjoyes the gracious presence of God finds all these wants made up to him Yea he finds the Divine presence to be infinitly better 1 Sam. 1. 8. than the presence of all outward comforts As Elkanah said to Hannah Am not I better than ten Sons So assuredly the presence of the Lord is wonderfully better than all other things to every soul that has tasted the sweetness of it You know that one Sun is more glorious delightful useful and comfortable than ten thousand Stars so here Seneca tells a Courtier that had lost his Son Fas tibi non est salvo Caesare de fortuna tua queri c. That he had no cause to mourn either for that or ought else so long as his Soveraign was in safety and he in favour with his Soveraign he had all things in him and he should be unthankfull to his good fortune if he were not chearful both in heart and look so long as things stood so with him as they did How much more may we say to every sincere Christian that enjoyes the gracious presence of God with him Let thy wants and thy crosses be never so great thy afflictions never so pressing thy necessities never so biting thou hast no just cause to be troubled or dejected so long as thou art in favour with God and enjoyest the presence of God All mercies all comforts all contentments all enjoyments they meet and center in the gracious presence of God as all lights meet in the Sun and as all waters meet in the Sea and therefore let not that soul mourn or complain of the want of any thing who enjoyes that gracious presence of God that is better than every terreâ—e thing Thus much for the motives But some may say O Sir what means should we use that we may enjoy the gracious presence of the Lord with us in our greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers I answer first there are some things that you must carefully shun and take heed off As First take heed of high sinnings take heed of scandalous sins High sinnings do greatly dishonour God wound conscience reproach Religion stagger the weak grieve the strong open the mouths of the wicked and provoke God to withdraw his gracious presence Psalm 51. 11 12. Exod. 32. 8. Cap. 33. 3. Isa 63. 10. Turn to these Scriptures and seriously ponder upon them Great transgressions do eclypse the favour of God as well as the honour of God In great transgressions we turn our backs upon God and God turns away his face from us Gross sins will provoke God to withdraw his presence both in respect of vigour and strength as also in respect of peace and comfort But Secondly take heed of impenitency Next to our being preserved from sin it is the greatest mercy in the world when we are fallen by our transgressions to make a quick and speedy return to God When by your sins Hosea 6. 1. Exod. 3â— 9. to 15. you have made work for repentance for hell or for the
stand before the powerful presence of God with his People and a spirit of prayer upon his People Hezekiah prays and finds such a powerful presence of God with him as bears up his heart and as strengthens his faith and as cuts off his enemies Isa 37. 14. to 21. with Verse 36. O beg hard of the Lord that he will stay with you do as they did when Christ made as though he would have gone from Luke 24. 28. Equivocators abuse this place greatly but they must know that Christ did not pretend one thing and intend another but as he made an offer to depart so without question he would have gone further if the importunity of the Disciples had not staid him them Luke 24. 29. But they constrained him saying abide with us for it is towards evening and the day is far spent and he went in to tarry with them By prayer and importunity lay hold on Christ say Lord night is near the night of trouble the night of distress the night of danger the night of death is near stay with us depart not from us They over-intreated him by their importunity they compelled him by intreaty Night is near and the day is far spent Some conjecture that Cleophas observing Christ to be very expert in the Prophets and to discourse so admirable well-of Christs person sufferings and glory his heart burning in him with musing who this should be he is marvellous importunate with him to stay at his house and at last prevailes O lay a hand of holy violence upon God as Jacob did and say as he Gen. 32. 25 26. Hos 4. 12. I will not let thee go Jacob though lamed and hard laid at yet will not let Christ go Jacob holds fast with both hands when his joynts were out of joynt being fully resolved that what ever he did let go he would not let go his Lord till he had blest him O be often a crying out with Jeremiah Leave us not Lord though in our great Jer. 14. 9. troubles and deep distresses friends should leave us and Relations leave us and all the world leave us yet don't thou leave us O don't thou leave us Lord though all Creatures should desert us yet if thou wilt but stand by us we shall do well enough But wo wo unto us if God depart from us O leave us not But Seventhly keep humble and walk humbly with your Mic. 6. 8. Psal 25. 9. God The highest Heavens and the lowest hearts are the habitation of Gods glorious presence Isa 57. 15. For saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity whose Name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy Place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones He that would in good earnest enjoy the gracious presence of God with him in his great troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers he must keep humble and walk humbly with his God God will keep house with none but humble souls there are none that feel so great a need of the Divine presence as humble souls there are none that so prize the divine presence as humble souls there are none that so love the divine presence that are so enamoured with the Divine presence as humble souls there are none that so thirst long for much of the Divine presence as humble souls there are none that so lament and bewail the loss of the Divine presence as humble souls there are none that make such a singular and through improvement of the Divine presence as humble souls and therefore no wonder that of all the men in the worl God singles out the humble Christian to make his heart the habitation where his honour delights to dwell Abraham is but dust and ashes in his own Gen. 18. 27. eyes and what man on earth had ever more of the Divine presence of God with him than he Gen. 15. 12. Gen. 32 10. to 19. Gen. 17. 1. to 10. Gen. 18. 17 18 19 c. Jacob was less than the least of all mercies in his own eyes he had a mighty presence of God with him Gen. 32. 24. to 31. c. David in his own eyes was but a worm no man Psal 22. 6. The word in the Original Tolagnath signifieth a very little worm which breâ—deth in scarlet it is so little that no man can hardly see it or preceive it and yet what a mighty presence of God had David with him in the many Battels he fought and in the many dangers he was in and in the many miraculous deliverances he had See them all summed up in that 18 Psalm it is his triumphant song after many victories won deliverances vouchsafed and mercies obtained and therefore worthy of frequent perusal Paul was the least of all Saints in his 1 Cor. 15. 8. 1 Cor. 4. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 15. own eyes yea he was less then the least of all Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is a double diminutive and signifies lesser then the least if lesser might be here you have the greatest Apostle descending down to the lowest step of humility Great Paul is least of Saints least of the Apostles and greatest of sinners in his own eyes and never had any mortal more of the gracious presence of God with him in all his services and in all his sufferings in all his afflictions and in all his temptations in all his trials and in all his troubles which were many and great See Acts 16. 23 24 25. Acts 23. 10 11. Acts 27. 23 24 25. 2 Cor. 1. 8 9 10. 2 Cor. 4. 8 9 10 11. 2 Cor. 7. 4 5 6 7. 2 Cor. 11. 21 ult 2 Cor. 12. 7 8 9 10. Is your condition low then let your hearts be low he that is little in his own account is great in Gods esteem and shall be sure to enjoy most of his presence God can dwell God will dwell with none but those that are lowly in heart and therefore as ever you would enjoy the signal presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses be sure you walk humbly with your God Many may talk much of God and many may profess much of God and many may boast much of God but he only enjoys much of God who makes conscience of walking humbly with God But Eightly and lastly If you would enjoy the signal presence of God with you in your greatest troubles deepest Ponder upon these Scriptures Isa 58. 8. 9 10 11 2 Cor. 6. 16 17 18. Cap. 7. 1. Deut. 23. 13 14. distresses and most deadly dangers then labour every day more and more after greater measures of holiness the more holiness you reach to the more you shall have of the presence of a holy God with you in all your straits and trials If the Scriptures be narrowly searched you will find that
Covenant a firm Covenant c. p. 42 43 44 45 Three springs from whence the Covenant of Grace flowes may assure us that the Covenant of Grace is a sure Covenant pag. 45 46 47 The sureness of the Covenant is further demonstrated from the blood of the everlasting Covenant pag. 47 48 49 50 Eightly and lastly the Covenant of Grace is stiled a well ordered Covenant pag. 50 51 52 The reason why the new Covenant is call'd a Covenant of Grace pag. 52 53 54 55 None can make void our Covenant-relation our Covenant-interest II. Part pag. 107 108 Of the Covenant of Redemption What is the substance of the Covenant of Redemption pag. 66 67 68 The Covenant of Redemption defined pag. 68 69 Scripture proofs of the Covenant of Redemption pag. 69 to 97 The Covenant of Redemption differs from the Covenant of Grace in five particulars pag. 97 98 Of the Covenant of Works The woful misery of men that live and dye under a Covenant of Works pag. 27 28 29 First the Covenant of Works in the nature of it requires perfect personal and perpetual Obedience under pain of the curse and death 29 30 Secondly such as are under a Covenant of Works their best and choicest duties are rejected and abhorred for the least miscarriages or blemishes that do attend them pag. 30 Thirdly this Covenant admits of no Mediator pag. 30 31 E. Of Embracing Christ Poor Sinners should embrace Christ as they would have his signal sence with them in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses II. Part pag. 155 156 157 158 Of Enemies The Enemies of the Church are weak and contemptible II. Part p. 212 213. F. Of base slavish Fears The signal presence of God with his People should arm them against all slavish Fears of Men. II. Part pag. 152 153 154 Of Fighting against God To Fight against God is labour in vain II. Part p. 213 G. Of the Graces of the Spirit None can be so against us as to deprive us of the Graces of the Spirit II. Part p. 85 86 Of Growth in Grace None can be so against us as to hinder our growth and increase in Grace II. Part p. 108 109 110 111 112 H. Of Harming the Saints None can Harm the Saints II. Part p. 61 62 63 Of being Hid in an evil day None can be so against the Saints as to hinder them from being Hid in an evil day II. Part p. 90 91 92 I. Of Imitating Christ The Saints should Imitate Christ in visiting of the Lords People in their greatest troubles II. Part p. 150 151 152 Of Holy Joy None can be so against us as to hinder the springs of Holy Joy from rising and flowing in our souls II. Part p. 79 to 85 The presence of God with his People is the true ground of their Ioy in all their troubles II. Part p. 145 146 147 Of the general Judgment Scriptures that refer to the general Iudgment opened pag. 177 to 184 L. Of Lessons Six great Lessons the poor Heathen might have learned out of the Book of Nature pag. 184 185 Of Life A man in the Covenant of Grace hath three degrees of Life pag. 36 Of Losing the presence of God and of the means to recover it First observe how you lost the Divine presence II. Part p. 218 219 Secondly enquire where when and why God has withdrawn himself II. Part p. 219 Thirdly stand not with Christ for any thing II. Part p. 219 Fourthly let your hearts lye humble and low under the losâ— of the Divine presence and why II. Part p. 220 Fifthly send up a mighty cry to Heaven II. Part p. 220 221 Sixthly take not up your rest in any outward comfort II. Part. p. 221 222 Seventhly patiently and quietly wait upon him in the way of his Ordinances II. Part p. 222 Of the Fathers Love and the Sons Love Of admiring the Fathers Love in entring into the Covenant of Redemption pag. 174 175 Of Christs matchless Love pag. 175 176 177 Nothing can separate us from the Fathers or the Sons Love II. Part p. 64 65 66 Gods signal presence with his People in their greatest troubles speaks out the Lords singular Love to his People c. II. Part p. 149 150 First God loves his People with a first Love II. Part p. 214 Secondly he loves his People with a free Love II. Part p. 214 215 Thirdly he loves them with an everlasting Love II. Part p. 215 Fourthly he loves them with an unchangeable Love II. Part p. 215 Fifthly he loves them with a peculiar Love II. Part p. 215 Sixthly he loves them with the greatest Love II. Part p. 215 216 M. Means to retain the presence of God with us in our greatest troubles and deepest distresses First take heed of high sinning II. Part p. 181 Secondly take heed of impenitency II. Part p. 181 182 Thirdly take heed of neglecting Gospel-worship or of corrupting Gospel-worship II. Part p. 182 183 Fourthly take heed of a willing willful and presumptuous running cross to Divine Commands to Divine Warnings II. Part p. 183 184 Fifthly take heed of carnal confidence of resting upon an arm of flesh II Part p. 184 185 Sixthly take heed of barrenness under Gospel-ordinances II. P. p. 185 186 Seventhly take heed of pride and haughtiness of spirit II. Part p. 186 187 Eightly take heed of a slothful lazy trifling spirit in the things of God II. Part p. 187 188 189 Ninthly take heed of a covetous worldly spirit under the smarting Rod. II. Part p. 189 190 191 192 Tenthly take heed of a cross froward irflexible spirit under the Râ—d II Part p. 192 193 But then as these ten things are to be avoided so there are eight things to be put in pâ—actice as ever you would enjoy the signal presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses First be sure that you are brought under the bond of the Covenant II. Part p. 193 194 Secondly look to the practical part of Holyness keep up the power of Godliness in your hearts and lives II. Part p. 194 195 196 197 Thirdly keep close to instituted worship keep close to your Church state II. Part p. 197 198. 199 Fourthly be sure you make much conscience of five things when you are not in troubles II. Part p. 199 Fifthly then maintain uprightness and integrity of spirit with God II. Part p. 199 200 201 Sixthly be importunate with God not to leave you II. P. p. 201 202 203 Seventhly keep humble walk humbly with your God II. P. 203 204 205 Eightly labour more and more after greater measures of Holyness II. Part p. 205 206 207 208 Of Mercies God will time his Peoples Mercies for them II. Part p. 210 211 Ten Motives to perswade Christians to keep the signal presence of God with them in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses c. First consider the signal presence of God with his People puts the greatest honour dignity and glory