Ruler Isay 3 6. Be thou our Ruler and let this ruine be under thy hand Nor can he love to have it recorded that in his dayes such evils prevailed unreformed it was when there was no King in Israel that every man did what was right in his own eyes If the health of the People be not recovered it sayeth there is no Physician there Ier 8 22. But a good Ruler scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheel over them and he may say with David Psal 75 3. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved I bear up the pillars of it he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 name and thing a Ioseph the Ston of Israel Such a one was Moses the Law-giver such was Iosua his successor such were the Judges of Israel such was Samuel such were all the good Kings of Judah such was Ezra the Scribe and such was Nehemiah the Tirshatha an eminent Reformer of Religion and state of Church and Kingdom For Religion in general Gods Holy Commandments were broken by all ranks of persons prophanity and iniquity prevailed and abounded that is solemnly confessed and amended Chapters 1. 9. In particular oppression reigned that is quashed Chap 5. and the People relieved false Prophets were hired by the enemy and bribed to compliance to weaken the Rulers hands and hinder the work of Reformation they are discovered and marked Chap 6. The ordinary worship of God and his Solemn Feasts were disused these are restored ch 8. For advancing and establishing the whole Reformation a Solemn Fast is kept ch 9. and a Covenant subscribed ch 10. The Holy Seed had mingled themselves and matched with strangers People of heathen abominations they separate themselves and that is amended ibid. The offerings of the Lord were neglected these are renewed ibid The Sabbaths were horribly prophaned That is strictly and with certification discharged and they not suffered to lodge about the walls Chap 10 31. and 13 15. and foreward The service of God was neglected by non-residence of the Priests through calamity and want that also is helped Chap. 10 11 12 13. ver 10. The orders and services of the Preists and Levits were confused these are cleared and they set to their charges as appointed by David Chap 7. 63 12. 45. and 13 30 Strangers uncircumcised had entred and defiled the Congregation of the Lord these are removed chap 13 3 Profane Persons of the Princes of the heathen had lodgings in the Lords house they are expelled and the Chambers cleansed Chap. 13. 8. 9. Some of the chief of the Preists had defiled the Covenant of the Preisthood by strange wives they are branded and that also is amended For the State the city the place of their Fathers sepulchres lay waste and the gates thereof were consumed with fire First these are repaired The people and their work are strongly opposed and sore reproached they are vindicated and their hands strengthened Chap. 2 4. When the City is built it is not manned therefore inhabitants and defendants are appointed Chap. 11. The People suffer sore by morgage the great sin of the oppressors belonging to the former head and calamity of the oppressed pertaining to this part that is redressed Chap 5. Open and secret enemies correspond and plot against the work and the Ruler these are discovered and disappointed Chap. 6. They are in great reproach and distress God is sought and means are used Chap. 4 and 6. They are poor husbandry and traffick is practised only the Sabbaths work and markets are discharged Oppression is born down and the People relieved of publick burdens Nehemtah the Governour and his brethren neither exacted the bread of the Governour nor bought Land nor refused to work as others O for such Rulers to a nation scattered and peeled a nation â—meâ—ted out and troden down whose land is spoiled Isay 18 2. Our Rulers if they had a mind have a fair occasion for I bs Gloriation Chap. 29. 13. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me c. In this time are great decayes desolations abuses and unsufferable corruptions let it not be thought an Error proceeding from the Ruler And here People would be warned to enencourage and comply with Reforming Rulers not as they were in Hezekiahs and Josiahs times inveterate incureable and obstinate in their corruptions lest they hear that Hos. 10 3 4. A King can do them no good because they feared not the Lord and spake words swearing falsly in making a Covenant But this pertaineth to the Ruler That whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven be diligently done for the house of the God of Heaven lest there be wrath against the realm of the King and his Sons Ezra 7-23 And that Judgment run like a river and righteousness like a mighty stream That he take his pattern from the type and Antitype who also is the Archetype Ruler Psal. 72. So shall there be abundance of peace and also in Judah things shall go well 3. The good Ruler hath a natural Fatherly and tender care of the People Thus it s said I say 49. 23. Kings shall be nursing Fathers And in Israel they were wont to mourn for good Rulers with this expression ab my brother Ier 2â— 18. Yea he is the breath of our nostrils Lament 4 20. by whom in the publick body we lead a quiet life and peaceable in all Godliness and honesty 1 Tim. 2. 2. He is pater patriae parens Reip. Nor can I see what should have moved those dissembling Emperours who in semblance refused the title of Lord to make so nice of the endearing name of Father of the Countrey but simply the conscience that they did as little deserve the name as they designed the thing But surely as a Rich man will never want an heir a good Ruler can never want Children nor needs he fear Coniahs fate Write ye this man Childless for if he have the heart of a Father he shall have the nameth 〈◊〉 better than sons and daughters We find not that Nehemiah was marryed yet his name flourisheth in the records of his eminent services more than if his line had continued uninterrupted to this day The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Four things are proper to the care of a Father Affection Instruction Correction and Provision all which are evident in Nehemiah the Governour Great is his Affection Chap. 1 3 4. And how Sadly taketh he on for the reproach and affliction of his brethren he sat down and weept and mourned certain dayes and fasted and Prayed before the God of Heaven He cannot digest their grief Chap 8. 9 10. When the People Weept he said Go your way eat the fat and drink the sweet and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared for this day is holy neither be ye sad for the joy of the Lord is your strength For Instruction he causeth the Priests read to them the book of the Law of
he held his peace to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not Moreover 5. in some Dispensations the Lord uses a Holy simulation and makes as if he would do that which he hath no mind to do Sometimes he makes to take leave of his People before he tell his Erand Let me go says he to Jacob when Iacob was but yet beginning to know that it was he and ere ever there was a word of the blessing which he came to leave with Iacob for his encouragement in his encounter with his Brother And Christ made as if he would have passed by his Disciples at Sea and the like semblance he made Luke 24 28. Now if we can have the patience to observe we will sometimes see the Issue of Dispensations other than it appeared And for patient Observation of Dispensations 1. respice finem a good advice Behold the end Psal. 37 37. It is the end that we are bidden mark and behold aâ— I said above We must not conclude of Dispensations neither by appearances nor parts We must wait till we see every part do its part for all works together Rom. 8. 28. And 2 respice usque finem Behold or observe to the end is an other direction necessary to the practice of the former whose would see the end must behold with patience to the end Daniel 12 8. enquires concerning the end of things and he observes till the time of the end he looks thorow all interveening times of the accomplishment of these events manifested to him so albeit none of us hath a prophetical Spirit to lead us thorow future times yet the Faith and Patience of Saints teaches us to wait all our appointed time In our patient Observation of Dispensations we must be like the Prophet Isai 21 8. where he saith I stand continually upon the watch tower in the day and I am set in my ward whole nights My soul waits for the Lord sayes David more than the watch waits for the morning Psal. 130. 6. I say more than they that wait for the morning and by such patient Observation he had seen many a foul night have a fair morning Sorrow may be at night but joy comes in the morning Psal 30 5. 3dly We should observe the Lords Dispensations with Search and Secrutiny Psal. 77. 6. my spirit made diligent search 1. We should search the Lord's affection in Dispensations and whether they be in mercy or in wrath many get their will and asking in wrath Psal. 78. 30. 31. some are rebuked and chastened but not in wrath nor displeasure as David Prayes for himself Psal. 6 1. Therefore the question would be Ier. 14. 19. hast thou rejected â—udah hath they soul loathed Zion 2dly We would search the Reasons and procuring causes of sad Dispensations Iob 10 2. shew me wherefore thou conâ—endest with me 3dly We would search and inquire â—nent the event of Dispensations wilt thou not revive us again that thy People may rejoice in thee Psal. 85. 6. We are allowed likwise 4thy to search and enquire anent the continuance of Dispensations to this purpose we read in Scripture many a how long Lord In sad Dispensations likwise 5ly we should search for solid grounds of comfort and for this we should remember bygone times and remember the kindness we have tasted of in them Psal. 89. 49. Lord where are thy former loving kindnesses Psal 77. 10. I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high But in the Observation of Dispensations our search would be 6ly chiefly about our Duty our main question would be Lord what wilt thou have me to do Act 9 6. And our great Petition with David must be lead me O Lord in they righteousnes because of mine enemies make thy way straight before my face Psal. 5. 8. teach me thy way O Lord and I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy name Psal. 86. 11. 4. We should observe the Dispensations of God with Regard the challenge is Isai 5. 12 that they regard not the work of the Lord. This Regard is a due judgment and estimation of the works of God with reverence becoming the Majesty worth and excellency of the worker and the works and that leaves an impression of Piety and Religion upon the heart of the Observer according to that pathetick exclamation Rev. 15 4. who shall not not fear thee O Lord and glorify they name for thou art Holy for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest Due Observation of the works of God is a great curb to Atheisme and Prophanity and Atheisme and Prophanity are as great enemies to due Observation of divine Dispensations Put men in fear O Lord that they may seek thy name 5ly We should observe the Lord Dispensations with Affection Lament 3 51. mine eye affecteth mine heart the Prophet's Observation of Dispensations made him cry my bowels my bowels my heart is pained within me Jer. 4. 19. I reckon him a savage person and one that hath vicera fera triplex circa pectus robur the bowels of a tygar or bear and that his heart is brass oak or stones who is not affected with the Dispensations of our times who grieves not for the afflictions of Joseph Amos6 6. and who cryes not alas for the day for none is like it It is the day of Jacob's trouble Jer. 30. 7. 6. We should observe the Lords works with Memory in our Observations of things present we should reflect upon these that are past in former times I remember the days of old Psal. 153. 5. And likwise we would lay up in memory our present Observations for the time to come Psal. 48. 12 13. Mark ye well that ye may tell it to the generation following We have both joined together Psal 78 3 4. that which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us we will not hide from their children â—hewing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderfull works that he hath â—one The Psalmist says Psal. 111. 4. The Lord hath made his wonderful works to be remembred O! then â—t not the memory of the Lords Works go down â—n our days Let us comfort our selves with what â—s remembred and let us transmit the memory of the Lords Works to succeeding Generations that they may share of the same comforts And I believe the People of God in this time have much to â—o with their memory we hear not what we were wont to hear nor see what we were wont to see We are now left to gather up the Fragments of former enjoyments by the hand of a Sanctified memory One says O I shall still think well of Christ He shall be to me as the Apple tree alongst the trees of the Wood for the day was then I sat down under his shaddow and his fruit â—as sweet to my taste Cant. 2. 3. Another
times The plague of a general defection which as the Pest doth other deseases hath engrossed all abominations is now so common that except it were with Aaron Numb 16. 48. to stand between the dead and the living with the incense of much intercession that if it be possible the plague may by stayed I should think him a person of that stoutness which they call rashness and of a pretty well confirmed if not of a much hardned heart who otherwise could gladly come into the Company of or mix himself with the men of this Generation We say when all freits fail fire is good for the farsey if God cure this Generation of one Plague by another I shall think it no more than is necessary for Psal. 14. 3. generally they are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one And now I think I hear a voice from Heaven saying of this Generation as that other Rev. 18. 4 said to Iohn of Mystical Babylon come out of her my people that ye may not be partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her Plagues And there is another great mischief that the Lord leads his People out of its way in bringing them into the Wilderness and it is the Plagues that come upon wicked men and all Gods enemies The People of God want not their own visitations but they are not like the Plagues of the wicked their enemies Isai. 27. 7. hath he smiten him as he smote those that smote him or is he slain according to the slaughter of those that are slam by him Yea the Saints Afflictions are excellent Antidotes and preservatives against the Plagues of their enemies who are not as but indeed are the Ungodly and the Wicked We see the properity of the Saints Afflictions Psal. 94. 12 13. Blessed is the man whom thou chasteness O Lord and teachest him out of thy law that thou may est give him rest from the days of adversity till the pit be digged for the wicked A strange thing a mans motto to be perussem nisi perussem I had perished if I had not perished and that chastisment should hide a man from the day of adversity But both the History of Scripture and the Saints experience from time time in all Generations do yeeld abundance of particular instances in confirmation of this General assertion It appears by Lots slowness to depart that he took it as a grief to go out of Sodom filthy as it was and yet the Lord by that is sending him out of the midst of the overthrow It is no doubt a grief and great Affliction to many of the Saints and Servants of God that they are removed from their people and place But when judgements come upon aplace better to be away than in place And in the judgment of judicious and great Divines it prognosticats no good to a place when the Saints and Servants of God are driven out thereof Let any read Muscuus upon Math. 24. Alas then for her that bare me and whose Breasts gave me suck for the City the place of my Nativity and education for the word that is past upon her and the Prophesy When it shall be said to faithful Ministers of the Gospel go here or go there go to the south or go to the north but go not to Edinburgh then wo to thee O Edinburgh These are the words and Prophesy of Mr. Robert Rollock which are to be seen in Print before the translation of his book upon the Colossians And is not this the time spoken of 5. The Lord brings his People into the Wilderness to Humble them that they may know of whom they hold mercies and learn afterwards in prosperity to carry soberly When Israel was upon the entry of a land flowing with milk and honey Moses insists wisely throughout the book of Deuteronomy upon the Memory of their case in the Wilderness and tells them plainly Chap. 8. verse 2. The Lord did all that to humble thee To this end it was that the Lord commanded the pot of Manna to be kept by the Ark and for this was institute the feast of Tabernacles Prosperity is an insolent Piece and will readily cause men forget their maker that hath done all these things for them and came a free-hold of mercies we are Lords say they and therefore we will come no more unto thee Jer. 2. 31. Or els they will give the Glory of their mercies unto Idols in this same Hosea 2. 5. I will go after my lovers says she who give me my bread and my water my wool and my flax mine oil and my drink and therefore the Lord is concerned for the mantainance of his right to put them out of possession till they make a legal entry by a humble acknowledgment to him their righteous superior and be repossessed by a novo damus as is clear from this Chapter And many other ways the insolency of Prosperity is expressed to the dishonour of God and damnage and hurt of our neighbours by Prophanity Presumtion carnal Confidence Intemperancy Oppression and the like and therefore sayeth the Lord Zeph. 3. 12. 13. I will leave in the midst of thee on afflicted and poor People and they shall trust in the name of the Lord and the Remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity He that knows how he has gain'd his Estate should know how he imploys it and they that come to mercies hardly should use them well and humbly If ever God bring his Church and People again to good days and Prosperity O! Let it be remembred that once we were in the Wilderness And thus to the second thing in the point viz. Wherefore doth the Lord bring his People into the Wilderness Follows the Use which is the 3d thing in the point The first Use is of warning and I would sound an alarme and proclame a march into the Wilderness to all the People of God Our Leader and Commander Iesus Christ the Captain of our Salvation hath long since taken the field and is gone out on our head Heb 13. 12 13. Let us then who have taken the Sacrament and Military Oath of Christ and have given our names unto him go forth unto him without the camp bearing his reproach The cloud is now lifted up from over the Tabernacle and therefore it is time for the Children of Israel to set forth yea the Ark of the Lord his Ordinances and his People with the best of their Leaders are already in the fields and are suffering hardship as good souldiers Let us not then for shame lunch at home let us learn the Religious Gallantry of Uriah the Hittite that valiant man 2 Samuel 11. 11. And Uriah said unto David the Ark and Israel and Iudah abide in tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord are incamped in the open fields shall I then go into mine house to eat and to drink and to ly with my Wife
Necessity he is the person that cannot be wanted by any that would be happy Deut. 30. 20. he is thy life and the length of thy days And if any think they may do as well elswhere let them answer the question John 6. 68. Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal Life Now this is my beloved and this is my friend O Daughters of Ierusalem Cant. 5. 16. The Lords second Motive and external allurement is his Words Words are very charming and enticeing things and how forceable are right words says Job Hence the Latines wisely give the name of verba dare to that which the Court calls a complement but the Countrey plainly calls a Cheat. Hence the way of Fishing which catcheth by the Ear applauded of the greatest Wits approven and much practised by Lovers the most ingenious because the most serious Anglers who busk their hooks with words and bait with the artificial flee of Complements Hence as the world goes he is the finest man that can say fairest to it and albeit Solomon both a Wise Man and a great Preacher and Spokes-man hath said Proverb 17. 28. even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise yet with most men even a wise man if he bold his peace is counted a fool But the truth is multum ille assecutus est qui bene didicit loqut bene qui tacere non minus assecutus est he hath attained much who hath learned to speak well and he hath attained no less who hath learned to hold his peace well But to say no more in general of the allurements of Words how specially excellent are the words of the Lord to the purpose of Soul-converting and heart-alluring Zach. 1. 13. They are good words and comfortable words Jer. 15. 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of mine Heart Gold and Treasure is alluring unto any Honey and Apples to Delicate Persons And if it were even the mortal forbidden Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil yet if it be good for Food and I leasant to the Eyes and a Tree to be desired it must be had if the price should be Death Gen. 3. But the words of God are more to be desired than Gold sweeter also than Honey and the Honey comb Psal. 19. 10. Psal. 119. 72 103. verses If nature could propine the World with Golden Apples as a present of her first Fruits sure those would ravish the Hearts of the greatest Potentates and would raise Wars among Princes for the possession and keeping of the Tree that bare those they would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apples of Strife properly and indeed And the Words of God which are the Flower and first Fruits of all fit Words are Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver Prov. 25 11. They Nourish Solidly Comfort Cordially and Inrich Mightily How charming the Lords Words are we have famous instances in the Gospel that with his Words he catched those that were sent and intended to catch and entrap him he sent them back with this Report never man spoke like this man And here in the â—â—xt it self I will allure her saith the Lord and I will speak comfortably unto her The third chief Motive and Allurement is The Works of the Lord and his Doings He hath done for his People and is daily doing to them that which cannot but rationally entice any ingenuous Soul to be for him If God had not loved us I should have wondered at every thing he does for us Love is the chief of the wayes of God to us God loved the World God so loved the World A Wonder indeed But after that stupendious portent of his Works to us That he loved us I shall wonder at nothing he does for us For what will we not do for those we Love But again I must wonder that he loved us and in this love to us he was humbled and emptyed for us For us he came into the World For us He took the likeness of sinful flesh and the form of a servant For us he suffered Temptations Crosses and Contradictions in his Life and for us he tasted death He gave him â—â—s for us He came under the Law and Sin and the Wrath and Curse of God for us For us he drank the Cup of astonishment which would have made all the Elect tremble to Eternity Yea and he rose and was victorious over death for us â—e hath also ascended Heaven for us and there he interceeds for us he is our Friend at Court he stands in the way there that nothing pass against us and when there is hazard he warns us and by his Word and Spirit he keeps intelligence with our Souls and gives us daily accounts of the true state of our Spiritual business Thence he issues daily many favours on our behalf Psal. 103 2 and forward Forget not all his Benefits who forgiveth all thine Iniquities c. And his negative Mercies are not the least part of what he doth for us That he prevents and holds off us so many temptations suares and evils that otherwise would even over-run us and that for all these he waiteth to be gracious to us at the voice of our Cry when he shall hear it And in a word that he is so wholly taken up for us as if he had nothing else to mind but us Now to a rational ingenuous Spirit and every one that deserves to be called a Man all these will be the Coras of a Man and Bands of Love Hos. 11. 4. Yea there is some secret alluring quality in the saddest and darkest of Gods dispensations to the Soul of the Saint Hence we never find the Godly Soul more fond so to speak of its beloved and more earnest upon him than in the time of desertion which of all dispensations is the most afflicting to such an one If the Lord withdraw such an one will fall down sick of Love to him and then go tell him O ye Daughters of Ierusalem that I cannot live in his absence And if he do not come quickly skipping like a young Roe or Hart yea and if he take not the nearest way over the mountains of Bether he may come too late to lay his hands upon the eyes of his distressed Beloved Psal. 28. 1. If thou be silent to me sayes David I shall be like them that go down into the â—â—t O Lord I cannot live I value not Life if thou be not the God of my Life I have resolved I shall never be glad till thou be the health of my Countenance and make me glad with thy Works For I see little difference betwixt Sorrow and Joy if thou be not my chiefest joy And in our Text the Wilderness is the alluring place to this ungracious froward Church The fourth chief Motive wherewith the Lord allures his People is his Gifts Gifts and tokens use to pass betwixt Lovers and
an alluring thing And the World is more ruled by Example than by Law Example oft-times usurps upon Reason sometimes it agrees with her but seldom is it subject to Her And thus while men ask rather quid fit what is done nor quid fieri debet what ought to be done Many follow the broad way that leadeth to destruction while but few do find the narrow that leadeth to Life Many choose rather to go to Hell in company than to go to Heaven alone But in Religion and in Travel I would hold the rule to choose day Light rather than Company Nor would I willingly wait for any man till Night who in the dark Might lead or mislead me whither he would If once a man turn his eye off the fixed Light of Scripture the wandering Star of Example may lead him whither he knows not and lodge him where he would not Now how the Lord allures his People by Example see Cant. 1. 3 4 There the Church finds others before her whom she would gladly follow The Virgins love thee draw me we will run after thee Lord I love good company well and therefore let us all go together And as she finds good Example before her she leaves the like after her that allures others to follow her as she had followed others Cant. ch 5 and 6. Whither iâ— thy beloved gone O thou fairest among Women â—â—hither is thy beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee And all this by the Lords direction chap. 1. 8. Go forth by the footsteps of the flock O that God would raise up many Lights of Religion in this dark Generation Many who might be exemplary in Piety who might go before others â—s the hee-goats before the flock Jer. 50. 8. O that God would perform more in our days that which he hath promised of old Zach. 8. 21. the inhabitants of one City shall go to another saying let â—s go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts I will go also Mean time let us follow the Examples we have and that the Example of those who have chosen and owned the Lord and his way may be the more alluring to us Consider 1. that many of them were Kings and Great Men Religion and the strictness of Godliness is too far above every man to be below any man I fear those who think Godliness below them find it too far above them Prov. 24. 7. wisdom is too high for a fool 2. Many of them were Wise men Let our Sages Senators and our Counsellours remember this and if they say there are few Godly men Wise I can say to them there are as few Wise men Gody and chosen to obtain mercy 1 Cor. 1 26. not many wise men after the flesh are called and chosen But truely till the Cabiâ—â—â— Councils of secular heads and the Conclaves of the Clergy find me amongst them all four men whom they will undertake to match for wisdom with Moses Joseph Solomon and Daniel I cannot but think that Godliness doth as well become a Wise Man as Wisdom doth a Godly man withal consider that Godliness and Wisdome are one in Scripture 3. All of them were Righteous and truely Holy Men strange it is that so many should choose to be wicked whilst none can enâ—ure tâ— seem or to be called such and who but the worst man takes it worst to be told of his faults And as strange it is that every one should choose to seem and to be called Righteous and Good whilst so few do choose indeed to be such But is it noâ— as much the Glory of true Godliness that Hypocrits and Prophane Persons love to go in its Liveâ—y and to be called by its name as it is their reproach to have or hold the forme of Godliness whilst they deny the power thereof 4 They were Impartial and Uninteressed men that except upon Heaven could not with the least colour be suspect of any designe in their doings yea did they not renounce and go cross to all Worldly interests of nature Education Credit Profit Pleasure and the like 5. They were Resolute and Constant in what they did Indeed if the Saints had Repented their choice they might have renounced Religion when they pleased as is said of the Patriarchs Heb. 11. 15. that if they had been mindful of that Countrey from whence they came out they might have â—ad opportunity to have returned but now they desire a better Countrey that is an heavenly I should think it a poor office to perswade men to that which might repent them but if they whose example commend and whose Practise gladly I would perswade did with Constancy and Confidence without Relenting go thorow and pass the difficulties of the flatterings and Frownings the Fears and Hopes the Threats and Intreaties of a present World may I not conclude that Godliness is that which is not to be Repented of It now follows to treat of the inward power of Grace which maketh these external motives effectual upon the Soul If any should attempt by â—â—rce to storme the Soul of man it is so sure to be â—â—zed to the ground and brought utterly down â—â— nothing before it yeeld for voluntas non potest cogâ— the will which is the Fort Royal of the Soul cannot be forced that the Assailant may resolve to loss it before he win it and to win only the expensive loss of all his labour and to triumph ridiculously over a nothing for nature and invention have made the Soul a strength impregnable and unaccessable to any power without and all attempts thence may certainly prove ineffectual except a ready course be taken to gain a correspondency with these within Also sinners are naturally very shie and ill to be courted But the Lord as he is good at all that is good is excellently good aâ— courting and allureing an untoward heart Others it may be have got from her at once their leave with a repulse yea my servants in my name have possibly been so served but wild as she is I will not leave her so I will speak to her my self and I 'le in gage I shall quickly cause her say yea therefore behold I will allure her he can but say to a Soul follow me and it leaves all and follows him he can catch a sinners heart from him ere ever he is aware Ier. 20. 7. O Lord thou hast deceaved me and I was deceaved thou art stronger than I and hast prevailed He can mix a Love-cup to the Soul that shall cause it speak of him when he is gone and follow him faster than ever it fled from him and that even when he seems to flee we remember thy Love more than wine the virgins love thee draw me we will run after thee Cant. 1. 2 3 4. yea more he can make an ointment the very savour whereof shall cause sinners love him because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointmen poured
Apud Edinburgum Vicesimo primo die Aprilis 1691 post Meridiem THâ— whilk day the Commission appointed by the late General Assembly of this Church having considered Report from a Committee of their own number whom the said Commission had appointed to Reviâ—â— two Manuscripts written by the late Reverend Mr. Thomas Bell Minister of the Gospel and Professor of Philology in the Colledge 〈…〉 Edinburgh and given in to them by his Relick the one where 〈…〉 Grapes in the Wilderness the other Nehemiah the 〈…〉 or The Character of a good Commissioner whereby the 〈…〉 â—ommittee declared that they having perused the saids Peices 〈…〉 them to be solid and edifying Discourses and that 〈…〉 Printing there would be very useful and profitable And the said Commission being well and ripely advised with the said Report They do hereby recommend to the Relick of the said Mr. Thomas Bell to get the said two Pieces printed and published with all convenient diligence Extractum c. NEHEMIAH THE Tirshatha OR THE CHARACTER OF A Good Commissioner To which is Added GRAPES IN THE Wilderness By Mr. THOMAS BELL Minister of the Gospel and Professor of Philology in the Colledge of Edinburgh EDINBURGH Printed by George Mosman and are to be sold at his Shop in the Parliament CloÌ„ss Anno 1692. UNTO THE Most Noble and Illustrious PRINCESS THE Dutchess of Hamiltoun May it please your Grace I Have adventured though not without blushing and some fear because of the vastdistance to dedicate and commit the Tutelage of these two little Orphan treatises of my deceast Husband Mr Thomas Bell Grapes in the Wilderness and The Character of a Commissioner in the person of None-such Nehemiah to your Grace the every way most fit and proper Person under the benign in fluence of whose incouraging countenance he did for a considerable time preach the Gospel at Hamiltoun And indeed if any other in the World could possibly rival it with your Grace in my esteem yet could I not without the highest both Injustice and Ingratitude Dedicate them otherwayes it having been to my certain knowledge his firm resolution if ever they saw the light that they should be dedicated thus whose will i◠〈◊〉 such things was alwayes and is still to me as an inviolably obliging Law I am very confident your Grace will read them in Print after his death with the same edifying complacency and delight that you had wont to hear him discourse by vive voice in the Noble Family and in the solemne Assembly for really they resemble their Father to the very life That I have therefore sent them abroad into the wide World under the Patronage and Protection of your Graces Noble and Renowned Name which will sufficiently secure I am against all the Censures Cavills of the most malevolent Carpers of this ill natured Age will not be construed impardonable presumption is the humble hope of Most Noble Princess Your Graces most humble most obliged and most devoted Servant L. R. TO THE READER Christian Reader THE Discoveries that the Majesty of GOD hath made of himself in these latter dayes are so transcendent and eminently beyond what was informer Ages that it may truly be said that the Men of this Generation shall be signally indebted either to the Grace and Mercy or Justice of God For informer Ages thought was comparatively dark the Sun but rising in our Horizon But in this Age the light of the Moon compared with former Generations is like the light of the Sun the light of the Sun sevenfold as the light of seven dayes But alas our not walking in the light may justly provoke the Lord to cause our Sun go down at noon Beza complained in his time that there was multum Scientiae much Knowledge but parum Conscientiae little Conscience and how much more is there ground for this Complaint now For since the Primitive and Apostolick Age greater light hath not broken forth and moe Stars of the first and greatest magnitude have not more clearly shined in any age But oh how little walking is there sutable to such great light How many eminent Christians were there in former ages who had not so much all their dayes of the riches of free Grace discovered and of the mysteries of the Gospel unfolded as some in this Generation have had in a very little time who have far surpassed us in this Generation for eminency in Faith Love Holy Zeal Prayer and Wrestling with God Patience Meckness diligence in duty and a Gospel adorning conversation And the generality have shut their eyes and will not behold the Glory of God manifested in the 〈◊〉 of Jesus Christ in this Gospel For which cause the holy and jealous God in great anger and holy indignation hath removed many and eminent Candlesticks out of their place and taken away many shining and burning lights not in their old age and gray Hairs but even in the flower of their age and in the prime and flowrishing of their Graces and Gifts One of which was the Reverend now Triumphant and Glorified Author of these following Treatises who was eminent for Piety and Learning as his Writtings do manifest His Roman Antiquities which he published before his death cannot but command his Learning to all knowing persons and his Piety was so eminent to all that knew him that he needs none of our Commendation And these his Works which are a specimen of his great Knowledge Eloquence piety and solid Judgement will praise him in the gate where he draws a Vive Picture and Patern for all but especially for Rulers and Magistrates to look on and walk after Which I am hopeful will be very acceptable to all the Judicious and Godly He I say was taken away in the flower of his Age flowrishing of his Gifts God not accounting the World worthy of him And having left amongst his Papers these two Treatises one of which was for me established by a privat Person but without the knowledge and advice of the Authors Friends some of his Friends lovers of the publick Good judged it expedient to review and correct these Treatises that they might be published for the good and edification of the Church that he by them though dead might speak Which we hope shall through Gods blessing be very edifying for over throwing of Atheism discovering of the Souls happiness in Union and Communion with God directing great Persons in their duty and holding forth the excellency of the Scripture and pointing out to these who are walking in this Wilderness the way to the Heavenly Canaan with many other edifying purposes which that the Great God may bless is the earnest Prayer of Thy Servant in the Work of the Gospel M. C. NEHEMIAH THE Tirshatha OR THE CHARACTER OF A Good Commissioner THE Scripture casteth such a light of Divinity every way its Purpose being the Mind of God its Writting the Writting of God as whole the Oracles of God and every part of it
Word Remember whereby they referr particulars to him who is able to do abundantly above all that they are able either to ask or think David sayeth remember me Ieremiah sayeth remember me Hezekiah and Nehemiah say remember me and Augustine sweetly rendereth Psal. 8. 4. ver Domine quid est homo nisi quia memor es ejus Lord what is man but that thou art mindful of him And happy he whose name is written in that Book of Remembrance that is before the Lord Mal. 3. 16. And when each man comes to be rewarded malicious opposers of reformation and profane corrupters of Religion and the Covenant of the priesthood may readily come to be remembred Chap 6 14 and 13. 29. 2. In his retreat he goes off with an eye to himself Remember me c. The Ruler who would make a honourable retreat and come fair off would look to 5 Things chiefly that concern himself 1. His conscience Can he say with Nehemiah chap. 5. 19. Remember me O my God for good according to all that I have done for this People and chap. 13. 14. Remember me O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deeds and I have done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof Or with Hezekiah 2 King 20. 3. I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Or with Samuel 1 Sam. 12 3. I have walked before you from my Child-hood to this day behold here I am witness against me before the Lord and before his anointed whose ox have I taken or whose ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you Or if in any thing as a man he hath erred for that he must say to God with Nehemiah chap. 13 22. Remember me O my God and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy A good conscience is a strong comforter but Gods sweet and tender mercies are the sinners last refuge and sure salvation and it is Bellarmines own Conclusion Tutius tamen est adherere Christs Justitiae And if so why should unhappy men so voluminously dispute against their own mercy Psal. 119. 77. Let thy tender mercys come unto me that I may live was the suit of the man according to Gods heart the pattern of Rulers And truely this Generation would be advised to amend their manners before they change their Religion lest under the gilded large net of Popery by the Doctrine of merits they be involved and held in the inextricable grin of desperation Or if indulgence and pardon in end must do it what ails them at Gods which is infinitly better than the Popes and incompareably surer beside that it is manifestly cheaper But for the Conscience of a Ruler who can say with Titus that darling of mankind Non extare ullum suum factum Paeniteneum excepto duntaxat uno 2. His soul The Soul and Conscience are of such affinity that he who destroyes the one cannot save the other And what doth it profit a man though he should gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Or what is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his soul The soul is the man and he hath got his prize who gets that for a Prey The end of our faith is the salvation of our souls Psal. 119. 175. Let my soul live and it shall praise thee was the rare and suit of that excellent Ruler And what a pitty is it to see a Ruler upon a retreat from the World and from the Body going off with such a amentable Dirgie as did Adrian the Emperour in Aelius Spartianus Animula vagula blandula Hospes comesque eorporis Quananc abibis in loca Pallidula rigida nudula Nee ut soles dabis â—ocos Or with such a hideous rage as Tiberius in Sueâ—onius like one speaking out of Hell Du me Deaeque ejus perdant quam quotidie perire sentio 3. His fame and memory a matter that highly concerneth the Ruler as in the last view shall be showen more fully â— His posterity natural or politick 5. His Works both which are expressed together in that Prayer of Moses the man of God Psal 90. 16 17. Let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy Glory unto their Children and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and establish thou the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it The good Ruler not like the Ostrich which God hath deprived of wisdom neither hath he imparted to her understanding that is hardned against her young ones as though they were not hers her labour is in vain without fear Iob 39. 16 17. This regard to the work of God and to the good of posterity made Moses record his Song Deut. 31 and 32. and moved him to bless the People chap. 33. This moved Ioshua to make a Covenant chap. 24 25. This begot in David such a desire to build house unto the Lord. This made Hezekiah weep bitterly that the begun Reformation was like to cease by his death This incited Paul that great Church Ruler so zealously to warn and guard thâ— believers against what should happen after his departure This made Moses and David before the death so carefully give charge to their successor concerning their duty This moveth all men naturally at their death to leave their Counsel and Blesing to their posterity And finally this induceth good Rulers in their time to establish good Ordinances by which being dead they may speak to posterity 3. Like Moses he makes his retreat with a respect to the recompence of reward Remember me O my God for good And that boâ— proposed in the promise 2 Sam. 23. 5. He hath made with mean everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my Salvation and all my desire Or pledged in the testimony of a good Conscience 2 King 20. 3. Remember O Lord how I have walked before theâ— in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is right in thy sight He who can say with Iob My witness is in Heaven and my record on high may justly say with Isaiah my work is with the Lord and my reward with my God For surely there is an end and the expectation of the righteous shall not be cutt off Now by these last words of the Tirshatha the Ruler would be warned in time to think of his retreat how he may make it good with honour For whether slow footed Time which changeth not his pace for fair weather or foul for Summer or Winter advance at the ordinary rate of Journey or whether death take post or changes take wing and calamity come suddenly or whether all these hold the ordinary road with
iniquities and the Rods of men that is such corrections as men use upon misdemeaning Children I find this true of publik Affliction of a whole Church or Nation 4 It is clear that the Lords Rods whether publick or personal upon his sinful People â—ow from love in the fountain are mixed with â—ove in their course and run forth into love in the â—ssue If this seem strange to any let him remember that he who spareth his Rod hateth his Child â—ut he that chasteneth him betimes delivereth his â—oul Gods thoughts concerning his People are thoughts of peace and not of evil to give them an expected end Jer. 29. 11. And in the midst of wrath he will remember mercy Habbac 3. 2. Gods love to his People is very consistent with anger though that be even servent to the Degree of wrath but not with hatred and hatred not anger is lov 's opposite an angry love is ofttimes most profitable Heb. 12. 10. Let none therefore be so weak and Child-witted as to eonclude I am sharply scourged and sore smitten for my folly herefore my Father hath cast me off and cares not for me And yet we find Affliction that makth a wise man mad raising such apprehensions oftâ—â—s in the wise heart of strong David I do not here speak how the Lord causeth his People to pass under the rod and bringeth them within the bond of the Covenant Ezek. 20 37. and how he chooses them in the furnace of Affliction Isai 48. 10. and that was an Affliction for sin and sadly deserved Rod And yet the Lord when he would pick out a piece of the finest mettal goes neither to Coffer nor Cup-board where the glistering of Peace and posterity dazle the eyes of undescreet behold ers but he goes to the smoak and Soot of the furnace and there he pitcheth upon the rareâ— Saints of the last refine The Lord goeth down to the Land of Affliction and to the house of Bondage to visit his People and there he falls in love with them there he wooes them and there he wedds them in their mourning Garments For the get not the oil of joy nor the Garment of Praise till the second day of the Marriage and then theâ— rise from the Dust and shine their light cometh and the Glory of the Lord ariseth upon them See Isai 48. 10. cited Hos. 2 14. and foreward Isai 61. 3. and 60. 1. In fine the Scripture is full oâ— rare and satisfactory Expressions of Gods love to his People even under sufferings which their own wickedness hath procured whereof it will apper tain to speak more particularly in the sequel of ouâ— ensuing Discourse 5thly It is clear from Scripture that there is difference to be put betwixt sin procuring and bringing on Sufferings and bitter Afflictions and sin discovered in and by suffering Let God caâ— a Holy Iob in the furnace and it will discover scum that will cause him say My Transgressions are infinit And yet the Lord himself sustains Iob's Plea that it was not for sin that he was pursuing him 6. It is clear that there is a great difference often times betwixt the Righteousness of God and the Righteousness of Men Afflicting his People as we see frequently in David's Cases Yea I find an excellent rare comfortable Dispensation of God to his People that he will sometimes scourge them with the Golden Rod of Martyrdom and correct their faults in an Honourable way and chastile them soundly and yet never let the World know what is betwixt him and them The Lord loves not to proclaim and blaze the bemoaned faults of his People nor to make them Odious to the World which hath a bad enough Opinion of them alwayes But if I must correct my Child saith he I will stay till the World and he fall out in some point of Conscience in Faith or manners wherefore he must suffer and then in my Gracious Wisdom I will shew a rare Conjunction or meeting of these three Planets in one house 1. The correction of my Child 2. His Glory and 3. His acceptable Duty and I will let him earn a reward of thanks and Glory in that very suffering wherein I shall visit his iniquities and he shall give Testimony for me God can go many Earauds at once and sold up many Projects in one piece of Providence the Lord will finish the whole work and cut it short in Righteousness because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth Rom. 9. 28. The Lord is good at dispatches If the Question be then whether God will ever Honour a Man with whom he hath a Controversie to suffer for Righteousness I Answer Yes and I confess I should hardly have been of that Judgment if I had not found clear Divine truth going before me in it comparing the whole tenor of the 38 Psalm with the 20. verse thereof where at once the Psalmist is suffering from men for that which is good and from God for his foolishness and iniquity Verses 4 5 and 18. Here it is fit to remember Luther's seasonable warning that when David in his Prayers speaketh of his Righteousness we would refer it to its true correlative to wit towards men his enemies he was Righteous but towards God that is his Language Be merciful to me O God be merciful to me in the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquities Psal. 51. The accuser of Gods Children will be ready to carry ill reports betwixt him and them and to keep up an ill understanding betwixt them if he can and in times of suffering for their Duty he will not be idle he will tell them a thousand Stories of their own sins to weaken their hands and cause them believe that God will never accept service of them but that they shall come foul off with all their fair Essayes Ye have heard of Gods Gracious Wisdom and now these are the Devil 's malicious wyles but a Syllogism or Argument framed of one premise of Gods and another of the Devil 's will never infer a Conclusion of Faith and that can claime â—iducial assent Wherefore in such a mixed case which I desire may be remembred to be every caseable let a man freely declare his iniquity 〈◊〉 God and be sorry for his sin Psal 38. 18. Let him repent and mean himself to God who as I have said loves to keep his People's Counsel and to keep their faults sub sigillo confessionis and under the rose that is he will be to them a good Secretary but â—â—t them cleave to that which is good and incourage themselves in a good matter and beware of failing in present Duty in a discourageing sense of former iniquities for one fault will never â—end another and yet that is even the best method that Satan useth to offer in such cases But the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem rebuke him for troubling his poor afflicted People who are as â—rands plukt out of the fire I have
mercy is here I will bid them look to the inner-siâ—â— for we must not judge by appearance but we mâ—â— judge righteous Iudgment There is a disappeariâ—â— white threed of mercy on the innerside of all blackest and most afflicting lots of Saints and â—â— any have not the faith to believe this in an hâ—â— and power of darkness yet I shall wish them â—â— patience to wait till they see the white threed â—yth again in its own place and till they find undenyable mercy that will not suffer it self to be mistaken tryst them upon the borders of that dark valley for mercy follows them all the days of their life Psal. 23. 6. and sometimes it will compass them round about Psal. 32 10. In a word all the very outfallings that are betwixt God and his People they are amantium irae that is but amoris redintegratio â—overs cast out and agree again and they cast not out but that they may agree again and so are God and his People mercy shall conclude all that passes betwixt them and that mercy is joyned with truth for God hath said it and he was never yet worse than his word to any but to many very oft much better You see here which confirms the point not a little what a wilde â—iece she is to whom the Lord does all this neither minding God nor his Covenant nor Commandments but courting her lovers and following her lightness and yet the Lord pursues her â—ight and litle worth as she is courts her and invites her to come home All this is strange and yet all this is but like God that the Holy One of Israel should thus like the Adullamite Judah 's friend Gen. 38. go to seek a Harlot by the way side But consider 1. That when the Lord Married her he knew all the faults that followed her and â—ook her with them all If God had not known before what she would prove it might be strange that thus he suits her but if there be any thing to be admired here it is his first love to her whom he knew to be such an one But 2dly consider where will the Lord do better Where is there any in the World that without his own undertaking would serve him otherwayes And therefore till the Lord find a better match he thinks and with all reason even as good hold him at his first choise Especially since 3. He knows of a way how to gain her And 4. sees her already rewing her courses and saying that she will return to her first husband And by all this 5. he will let it be seen that he is not so unstable and light as she is She could find in her heart to entertain others in his place and surely she was not ill to please that could take an Idol in his rooms but yet he will make it manifest to all the World that he is God and changes not and therefore he will mantain his old kindness to her and will remember the love of her espousals and the kindness of her youth For 6. Foolish as she was he had gotten more love of her in former times than he had gotten of all the World besides And thus the very case stands betwixt God and his deboarding Children and backsliding People unto this day III The third great Scripture truth that is here solemnly confirmed is this That Gods way will his People is not the manner of men 2 Sam. 7 19 Hosea 6 7. They like men transgress the Covenant and Chap. 11. 9. He like God and like himself and there is none like unto him for if any were like him he were not himself will not exeâ— cut the fierceness of his anger nor return to destroy them because he is God and not man Jer. 3 1. Theâ— say if a man put away his wife and she go from him and become anothermans Shall be return unto her again â—â—all not that land be greatly polluted but thou hast â—ayed the Harlot with many lovers yet return again â—nto me saith the Lord. Now that Gods way with â—is People is not the manner of men warrands them to expect from him things not ordinary â—or it was the greatness of his extraordinary kindness to David that made him say so of God yea â—â— warrands them to expect above expectation Isai. â—4 3. Thou didst terrible things that we looked not â—â—r Yea more it even warrands them to expect above admiration Zech. 8. 6. If it be marvelous â—â— the eyes of the remnant of this People in these dayes should it also be marvelous in my eyes saith the Lord of Hosts And the Ground of all is Isai. 55 9. Because as the Heavens are higher than the earth so are â—â—e Lords ways higher than our ways and his thoughts than our thoughts This is solemnly confirmed in â—he Text proposed where we have such a stupendious strange inference a Therefore that considering what hath been last said all the World cannot â—ell Wherefore a Therefore that if it had been left â—o all the World to supply what follows it considering what hath immediatly gone before I doubt it could have entered into any created heart to have once guessed it She went after her lovers and forgot me saith the Lord and therefore I will allure here and comfort her To this Therefore is well subjoined Behold which observation teacheth Admiration of what we cannot reach to satisfaction Only from all this let us consider whether the great sin of limiting God be not too ordinary and too litle abhorred an evil amongst us We frame to our fancy a litle modest God forsooth that must not take too much upon him and by those fancies we model our Prayers and returnes and pardons of sin and accounts of Providences and events of dispensations and all things And if that be not to have another God before the true God I have not read my Bible right nor do I understand the first Commandment But now after that I have wandered so long before though I hope not beside the purpose I am yet but entering the Wilderness SERMON Hosea 2 14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak Comfortably unto her A Wilderness is a land of darkness Ier. 2 31. and whilst I but look into the Wilderness I am surrounded with the darkness of a mysterious transition in the particle Therefore But when I begin to enter and while my foot standeth even upon the borders of darkness I see a light shining out of darkness Psal. 119. 130. the enterance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple This lights me over the border where being come I hear a voice which bids me Behold and beholding I see a strange Wherefore of this strange Therefore and it is this that by any means the Lord must have his Peopl's heart and be sole owner of their love without a Rival or partaker In the close of the former verse she forgot mâ— saith the
good Company when they shew their goodness in Company so that they may do good to the Company and therefore though it may seem a Paradox yet it is too true that we cannot always say we have been in good Company when we have been in the company of Good Men. Let Good People keep fellowship and company let the evils and vanities of good People be discharged the Company let Good People do good in Company and so Good People shall be Good Company But as often as we miss good Company let it mind us that we are in the Wilderness And be it here added because I love not to multiply that it is no small part of the Saints Wilderness to be vexed and intested with evil Company The Scripture descrives a Wilderness to be the place of Owls Ostriches Wolves Lyons Serpents Satyres Devils Dragons and all evil Beasts and doleful Creatures And as it is said of Christ literally Mark 1 13. that in the Wilderness he was with the wild Beasts so Christians are mystically neighboured with the like in their Wilderness their righteous Souls are vexed with hearing and seeing daily their doleful and detestable practises besides their Persecutions whereof it follows to speak particularly 4. The Wilderness importeth a Wandering and unsetled Condition Psal. 107. 4. they wandered in the Wilderness in a solitary way they found no City to dwell in Heb. 11. 37 38. those of whom the World was not worthy wandered about in desarts and in mountains and in Dens and Caves of the earth We read in the History of Scripture how Israel wandered and how many seats they changed in the Wilderness of Egypt fourty years We read of the Patriarchs Psal. 105 13. how as strangers in the land of Promise they went from one Nation to another from one Kingdome to another People We read in the 1 Sam. of David's wandering from one Wilderness to another and amongst the rocks of the wilde Goats which he â—esents with Tears Psal. 56. 8. Thou tellest my wanderings sayes he put thou my Tears into thy bottle are they not in thy Book And this is even the wilderness-condition of the Saints and Servants of God this day in these Nations How many driven from Station and Relations and put to seek Lodging amongst Strangers What strange Unsettlings are there among us By Outing Confinement Banishment denouncing Fugitive and all these by Laws and Acts so contrived as if they meant only to grant the Lords Servants Ieremys deploring wish Ier. 9 2. O that I had in the Wilderness a lodging-place of waysaring men that I might leave my People and go from them And all these are beside all the particular wanderings of the Lords scattered flocks whose Condition we may see Ezek 34. 6. and throughout my sheep wandered through all the mountains and upon every high hill yea my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth and none did search nor seek after them 5. The Wilderness importeth a Condition of Tentations Matth. 4 1. Christ was led into the Wilderness to be tempted Psal. 95 8. 9. Israels time in the Wilderness is called the day of Tentation I know it is there meant Activly of these Tentations as is clear from the 9th verse Your fathers tempted me proved me and saw my works â—ut when I look back upon Moses who himself â—as with the Church in the Wilderness and well â—ew their case I find him reckoning it a time â— Passive Tentations also such I mean wherewith â—â—ey were tryed and tempted Deut. 8. 2. And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these fourty years in the Wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldst keep his Commandments or not It is â—ar 1. from Jam. 1 15. that God tempteth no â—n 2. It is a great question whether Satan â—â—th a hand by tentation in every sin of man â—t 3dly I judge that Satan hath not such a hand every sin as some are ready to say and think â—he Devil is not so ill we say as he is called nor â— ugly as he is painted many men father those â—s upon the Devil that have their own hearts â—th for Father and Mother and many sin withâ—â—t a Tentation ab extra or from without Yet the 4th place it is manifest from Iam. 1 14. 15. at a man is tempted at least by his own lust as often the sins And thus there is no sin without some â—nd of tentation either from another or from the â—ner himself and where there is much sin and â—ovocation as was amongst the Israelites in the â—ilderness there is much Tentation Let the â—ords People then expect to find their Wilderness place of Temptation And are not Tentations â—awed thick in the way of Gods People in these â—es Is there not a neâ—t spread upon mount Tabor may we not say with the Psalmist Pâ— 142. 3. in the way wherein I walked have they laâ—â— snare for me Is not the cass now you must either do thus or thus as men who because they have â—â— Conscience of their own therefore care not â— yours shall please to command or els do other waâ— upon your perill And when things might therways be better ordered and established aâ— not Laws and Acts contrived so as occasions 〈◊〉 be sought against those against whom like Daâ— Chap. 6 5. there can be found no occasion except the matters of their God Is not this the houâ— temptation Rev. 3. 10. But when enemies hâ— given over and done their worst in come 〈◊〉 friends who as Peter to Christ Matth. 16. 23 〈◊〉 a temptation to us O say they look to your self and play not the Fool. And when all the prevail not yet in comes Carnal Worldly 〈◊〉 believing Grudging and disquieting thoughâ— from our own hearts and these as in a refer guard give the last and most dangerous assault â— specially if the force of our spirits be any wâ— daunted or disordered by the foresaid attempt and therefore James 1. 14. looking over tâ— former as it were tells us that then a man is temâ—ed when he is led away of his own lust and entiâ—e and then it is high time to look to our selves whâ— our enemies are those of our own house Maâ— have born the force of outward attempts who hâ— much ado to sustain the impetuous assaults of thâ— own disquieted and disquieting hearts Psal. 42 and 43 5. Why art thou cast down O my seâ—â— and why art thou disquieted in me And therefore Iames pronounces him the blessed man Chap. 1. 12. that endureth tentation The Tentations of an afflicted lot is the great Affliction of our lot and therefore in Scripture Afflictions are called Tentations and they that escape the Tentations of Affliction have got above all hazard of Affliction otherwise for Tentations being the snare of Affliction when that is once broken the strength of it is spent and it's force
in Intimate and more than ordinary fellowship with God as I cited of Moses before we would enter the Clouds and go up into the Mount to God and we shall be no homlier than welcome Cant 4 8 invites us to this We never find David higher upon it than in the Wilderness We owe that sweet 63 Psalme to the Wilderness of Iudah in the 8 verse where of it is said my soul followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholdeth me and in the 5 verse my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyfal lips If a Soul make a visit to God from the Wilderness they may expect Joseph's Brethrens entertainment they may resolve to Dine with him at noon Our Lord Jesus learned this of his Father This is a desart place says he and we cannot send the People away fasting lest they faint by the way Yea and after they may have that sweet Musick my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips and Psal 57. 7 8. my heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed O Lord says he I am now well at my heart I will sing and give praise Awake up my Glory awake Psaltery and harp I myself will awake early and that was also a Wilderness Psalme We owe the 4 Psalme to the Wilderness likwise and the 84 whereof more anone Take we then the direction that the times of our affliction be times of more than ordinary Communion with God 5. In the Wilderness we would be diligent to seek good occasions and means for the relief of our Afflictions and supply of our wants Need must make vertue with us Psal. 84. 5 6. Blessea is the man in whose heart is the ways of them who passing thorow the vally of Baca make it a well We must not like the unjust Steward refuse in this case both to dig and beg we must use all means lawful both spiritual and natural with God and men we must with Nehemiah both Pray to the Good God of Heaven and supplicat the King Nehemiah 2. 4 5. The day has been when the Nobles and Estates of Scotland and our Courtiers would have suted and courted the King for a Commission to build the City of the Lord and of their Fathers Sepulchers the Church owning that Faith wherein their Fathers Died who have left there to Posterity the Sepulchers and lasting Monuments of their Fidelity Zeal and Religious gallantry when a Great man would have pleaded for a liberty and protection to a faithful Minister Then Israel and the Lords People in their bounds in commendation of their Zeal and Diligence sang that song Numb 21. 17 18. Spring up O well sing ye unto it the Princes digged the well the Nobles of the People digged it by the direction of the Law-giver with their staves But now since our Princes and Nobles turned herdmen to the Philistines and servants to Prelates their work hath been to stop and take away and strive for Isaac's wells to deprive the People of God moe ways than one of those occasions of pure and plentiful Ordinances which they had digged and drunk of had with labour provided and with refreshment enjoyed See the case in ane Allegory Gen. 26. from the 17. verse to 23. I fear when this generation is gone and if carcasses fall not in the Wilderness if God make not a clean field if he do not root out and make a speedy riddance of this evil Generation from the face of the earth wiser men than I are much deceaved that Nigrum theta or black mark shall be found written upon the Sepulchres of most of our Nobles Nehemiah 3. 5. that the put not their necks to the work of their Lord. And when it is come to that then who knows but the sons and little ones of our Nobles may be Well-diggers And as it was in the case of the drought Ier. 14. 3. may come to the waters and to the pitts may be such as shall seek out and labour for the means of their Souls refreshment The Lord may bring the little Ones of those transgressors whose carcasses fall in a Wilderness into a land flowing with milk and hony Numb 14. 31 32. Mean time let us be digging in the Wilderness let us seek occasions for our Souls and where we do not find them let us make them 6. In the Wilderness we would thankfully receave and improve thriftily all offers of accidentall occasions that providence layes to our hand Psal 84. 6. the rain also filleth the Pools that is the Lord will now and then be giving his out-wearyed People some unexpected means of present relief and refreshment which they must acknowledge and use till they get better and more lasting occasions Rain water in a Pool is neither so good nor so enduring as a spring or fountain of living Water and yet the former is good where the latter cannot be had for to the hungry Soul every bitter thing is sweet and little will do a poor man good If God give us an occasion of a good Sermon or a Communion or make any other good means to drop upon our heads as unexpectedly as the rain falls from the Heaven or if we have the benefit of the neighbour-hood of a faithful Minister for the time these things howbeit for their nature and vertue they be fountain water yet herein the best of them is but like a Pool that they are of an uncertain endurance For such is the condition of these Wilderness-times that where one day you have a fountain the next day you have nothing or an empty cistern nor is there throughout all the land so much as one Rehoboth Gen. 26. 22. one well that the Philistines do not strive for Therefore we must drink for the drought that is to come we must hear for the time that is to come Isai. 42. 23. we must make the best we can of every occasion that remaines or accidentally offers for the time and we must feed upon the little Oyl in the crâ—ise and the handful of Meal in the barrel till there be plenty in the Land 7. In the Wilderness we would make use of good Company yea we would make much of it where ever we can have it Psal. 84 7. they go from sirength to strength as our Translation reads it but the Original hath it They go from company to company or from troop to troop Indeed solitude and want of good Company is not the least of the evils of the Wilderness as I shewed above in the description of the wilderness and I believe the People of God in these times will bear me witness in this But we would seek good Company and make use of it Mal. 316 the fearers of God that were then in the Wilderness spake often one to another But wandering and unsettlment another great mischief of the Wilderness will not let the Saints lodge
they be spiritual sanctuary mercies that we miss then remember Ezek. 11. 16. Although I have scattered them among the Countreys yet will I be to them a little Sanctuary in the Countreys where they shall come Remember and sing 84 Psal. already cited with Psal. 63. and 42. If they be remporal earthly mercies that we desiderat then remember Psal 24. above cited with Deut. 8. 2 3. the Lord led thee through the Wilderness and humbled thee with hunger and gave thee Manna that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live I leave it to every one to try what is in God and in the blessing of God And in the mean time let us learn to take more upon trust with God There is no waste ground in God meet his People with scant where they will they will meet with none in him Jer. 2. 31. have I been a Wilderness unto Israel sayes God they could not say he had Even as Christ said to his Disciples Luk. 22. 35. when I sent you without purse and scrip and shoes lacked ye any thing and they said nothing why many truely of the Saints and servants of God in these times who cannot boast of much wealth yet do not speak of want many wonder how they live and yet they are both living and Life-like And for one I shall say that first and last once and again God hath cast my lot more to satisfaction than I could have chosen with most deliberation hereby teaching me that which I have taken for my Lesson and till I can say it perfectly by his grace I shall still be learning to choose nothing for my self and though I shall not say with Leah Gen. 30. 18. God hath given me my hire yet I may be excused to think that God hath given me a hire for albeit Moses's respect to the recompence of reward Heb. 11. 26. and it may be not that either but rather a free love and respect to the name of God hallowed be that great and precious Name Rev. 2 3 give the chief determination in all an upright Mans most serious deliberations nor would he as he shall not be reckoned with those men Math. 6. 2. who have their reward yet my present satisfaction with my condition outvyeth till it is envyed of the lot of those who have sought a fortune by moe turnes Let Ravens hunt and catch and rugg and Prey and croack over what they have gotten and cry from more I judge him happy Cui Deus obtulit Farcà quod satis est manu That hath enough and finds no want Tho his allowance be but scant And I have learned 2 Kings 5. 26. that this is not a time to receive Money and to receive Garments and olive-yards and vineyards and sheep and oxen and men servants and maid servants I fear something worse than the Leprosie of Naâ—nian cleave to the Gehazi's of this time If God will give me my life for a prey in all places whither I go by his grace I shall not seek great things for my self for I fear he will bring evil upon all flesh and will break down what he hath built and pluck up what he hath planted even the whole land Ier. 45. 4 5. I love tacitus pasci a morsel be it of green herbs with quietness and I hope I have learned Philip. 4. 11. in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content Yea and I am the more content that I find my case somewhat common in the time To confirme it I give you a story A vapouring Time-divine who hath changed his gang twice already and possessed two honest mens Churches one after another seeking a fatter Pasture lately met accidentally with an honest deprived Minister of his old acquaintance and seeing him in case better than wont asked confidently ha sir how is it that you look so well upon it in this World The other a Notable Man gave him a Notable Answer why thus it comes said he we go in God's common Gods common is better pasture than the Worlds inclosure and what wonder if we who go iâ— Gods common look better on 't than you who go in the Devils inclosure At this the petulant man kept silence and iniquity stopt her mouth I Remember it is said Psal. 112. 10 the wicked shall see it that which befalls the righteous to his satisfaction and honour and be grieved he shall gnash his teeth and melt away the desires of the wicked shall perish Now as we would by faith take God for all things els in the Wilderness so in the case of fainting and weariness which as I shewed in the description is the last and not the least evil of a Wilderness-condition we would take him for our strength Psal. 48. 5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee Psal. 73. 26. my flesh and heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart Cant. 8. 5. The Church coming up out of the Wilderness lâ—aneth upon her beloved Isai. 12 2 The Lord Iehovah is my strength and my song Isai. 33. 2. be thou their arm every morning Haback 3. 19. the Lord God is my strength and he will make my feet like hindes feet and he will make me to walk upon my high places to the chief singer on my stringed instruments if strength quite fail and be exhausted he makes the weary to renew their strength if strength be weak and the Soul drives heavily and comes up with a slow pace in Duty then he shall run if when they winn to that they fear it shall not last nor they be able to continue at that rate then they run and weary not they walk and do not faint Isai. 40. 31. 10. And lastly In the Wilderness we would long and haste much to be through and press with importunity for a delivery This we see in David Psal. 42. Psal. 63. Psal. 84. and Psal. 107 6. those who wandered in a Wilderness cryed unto the Lord in their trouble And Moses who had been long in the Wilderness was very earnest to have gone over Jordan to see the good Land though for his fault at Meribah it was denyed him Deut 3. 25. 26. This direction is nothing so strange as is the disposition of those to whom it is meant For I begin to observe many who have seen the Lords Glory and Power in the Sanctuary but too modest not to say worse be it from desponcency or from some worse quality in their Suits for a restoration of these Mercies Either the length of our affliction hath put us so far out of memory or the deepth of it hath put us so far out of hope of better dayes that as if there had never been nor never should be better dayes we content our selves with the present Truly it astonishes me to see such a Spirit of slackness possess many as if the Lord had said
out therefore do the virgins love thee yea he â—an give a Soul-charming vertue to the very words of his name and cause the very naming of him kindle a flame of love in the Soul that many waters cannot quench thy name is as ointment that is powred forth He can open with his finger the â—stest lock that is upon the heart of any sinner Cant. â— 4. my beloved put in his hand by the hole of the â—â—or my bowels were moved for him and if it â—o not open freely he can drop a litle mirrhe from is finger upon it that shall make it easy â— rose â—â— to open to my beloved and my fingers droped myrrhe verse 5 and 6. yea without once asking liberty he â—an ravish a sinners heart and when ever he comes â—pon such a design he coms rideing in King Soâ—â—mons Chariot the midst whereof is paved with love â—â— the daughters of Ierusalem Cant. 3. 9. 10. and after the Kings Chariot follows a large train the Chariots of Aminadab waiting to convoy and bring â—p his willing people Cant. 6. 12. and if once the â—â—ul is got up into the Chariot the King bids drive the 13 verse return return O Shulamite return â—urn and then farewell thy Fathers house Psal. 5. 10. forget thine own people and thy fathers house â—ow the Chariots of Aminadab the Chariots of the â—ords willing People run upon these four wheels â— plain termes the inward power of Grace whereâ—â— the Lord allures sinners and gains them to himself consisteth and is carryed on of these Four â—1 A sound and clear Information of the understanding and Illumination of the mind as it is â—â—ten in the Prophets and they shall be all taught of God John 6. 45. out of Isai. 54 13. with Ier. 24. 7. and I will give them an heart to know me 1 John 5. 20. he hath given us an understanding that we maâ— know him that is true If a man by nature and study were never so judicious and learned yet ere he bâ— converted and effectually allured to ingage throughly in Covenant with God he hath need to be taught of God that the eyes of his understanding being opened he may know that which passes knowledge Otherways it may seem a strange saying but it is that which is noted in the Scripture of truth and the Scripture expressions of opening the eyes giving an understanding and the like make it clear That the meanest Saint and convert hath more knowledge of Christ and seeth somewhat in him that the most Subtile Seraphick Resolute or Angelick Doctor unconverted cannot see So that whatever differences there be betwixt Saving and Common knowledge there is certainly a difference even in regard of the intensive degree 〈◊〉 clearness or if it be not so let any man tell 〈◊〉 what such expressions mean 2 Cor. 4. 6 that God who commandeth the light to shine out of darkness hatâ— shined in our hearts to give the light of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and verse 3 and the Gospel is hid from those that perish for Satan hath blinded their mindes and no doubt many of these had more natural judgment and learning with more of the means also than some of theâ— that believed To conclude there is greater odd betwixt a Saint and a Rabbi than betwixt a Raâ—â—â— and an Idiot for the last two I now suppoâ— them unconverted are neighboured in Nature but Grace separats the first from them both 2. The inward power of Grace consisteth in a powerful inflection and Bowing of the Will. Psal. 110. 3. thy People shall be willing in the day of thy power the Lord findeth sinners Unwilling he worketh on them not willing and he makes them Willing The Will as I said before is the strongest hold of the Soul and the most wilful piece of the man command the Will and you command the man the New Will say Divines is the New Man and therefore the Lord is concerned to possess the Will and this he doth wherever he savingly allures a Soul for he scorns any should say that they serve and follow him against their will all his Souldiers are Volunteers his People are a Willing People I find a Godly Man once saying and all such must say it often the good which I would that I do not Even as by Conversion oft times the greatest sinner becomes the greatest Saint so the Will before Conversion the most obstinate and unplacable enemy doth afterward become the most kind and trusty friend to God for in the midst of many exorbitancies of affections and irregularities of Practice and Conversation the Will retains its loyalty and persists in its duty to the Lord and when the whole Soul is in an uproar and confusion like that of the City of Ephesus Act. 19. 32. a most lively Representation of a Soul in Perturbation wherein some cryed one thing some another for the Assembly was confused and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together All this while the Will is at ready to protest for the Lord as the superstitious Ephesians were for their Diana And when in a disorder all plead liberty I consent unto the Law says the will Rom 7. 16 and 25 with the mind I serve the Law of God 3. The inward power of Grace consists in a sweet Inclination of the Affections Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy Soul The Psalmist Prayes Psal. 119. 36. incline mine heart unto thy testimonys and Psal. 141. 4. incline not mine heart to any evil thing The Affections are ticklish things By much working and subduing with frequent turnings they become as ductile and formable as the potters clay whereof he makes a vessel as it pleases him Like those we call Good Natures they are sweet Companions but not so sure And as readily you do not leave them as you found them so you shall hardly find them where you left them nor know you when you have them or when you want them They are primi ocâ—upantiâ— they can refuse no body They welcome all comers follow all Counsels comply with all Companies And in a word they are compleat Conformists And they are courted by so many Lovers that it is much if they turn not common strumpets to the dishonour and grief of this concerned chaste Suter Who is broken with such whorish Hearts Ezek. 6. 9. Again they are like an Instrument with many Strings they make sweet Melody in Gods Service but with the least wrong touch you Mis-tune them Indeed the Saints have their affections frequently to Tune and it requires a time to do it This causes that the Affection of Grief which is the Basse of the Soul is oftest in Tune and keeps in Tune longest with the Saints Psal. 57. 7 8. When David's Heart was fixed his Harp was out of Tune when his