their portion in this life where lies the force of this argument that he would be delivered from them because they were men of this world that have their portion in this life It consists first in this Lord they care not what injustice they do they have no regard of any thing but in this world therefore be it right or wrong may they have but their lusts in this world that is all they care for Lord deliver me from such men Secondly here is all their good their portion is in this life and therefore they are greedy upon this if they may have this let it be with the ruine of never so many men though it be to raise their estates by my ruine and the ruines of others that are never so innocent what care they they are greedy upon having their lusts satisfied for here is all their portion they care not for religion they will make use of pretences of religion any way for their own ends what care they what pretences they make for religion so they may thrive in the world they regard not anything in religion so they may have their own ends Lord deliver me from such men Thirdly they have their portion in this world hence is it that their hearts are so swelled with pride in their lusts and so warm their malice is so heated that it is outragious O let not the foot of pride come upon me deliver me from proud men that flusht with the enjoyment of their hearts desires As long as they may have their own ends and fulfill their lusts they will be exceedingly hardened in their own wayes they will give no glory to thee but will be so much the more enraged against thy people by taking that as an argument that their wayes are good Lord therefore deliver me from those men they scorne at prayer or any thing that is said concerning the tendernesse of Conscience they despise Conscience and Prayer Lord let me never fall into the hands of such deliver me from the men of this world who have their portion in this life from the men of the world that is from mortall men from men though of the world yet are not like to enjoy the world long so some translate it Remember how short my time is saith David how short what little time I have in this world the men of this world shall have but a little time here the Hebrew word that is translated men with the change of the position of one prick signifies dead men mortui as well as viri I say with the change not of a prick but onely of the position of one prick of one point it signifies dead men they are men of the world but such men as are within one prick of death within one point of death howsoever they rejoyce in this life They are men that have all they have but onely leased for their lives nay not so much as leased they have but an estate of life at the most and this present life unto them as in stead of all lives There are these 2. doctrinall conclusions in the words that lie plainly before you The first is there are a generation of men to whom God gives some outward good things for a while but these are all that ever they are like to have they shall never have any more good from God then that they have here for the present Secondly that Gods Saints do desire to be delivered from such kind of men these 2. contain in them the hope of the holy ghost in the words First there are a generation of men unto whom God gives out a portion some comforts in this world and here is all that they are like to have And now set your hearts I beseech you unto what I have to say in this argument for meditating what to pitch upon for such an assembly I could not determine of an argument that I thought might more reach unto the hearts of those to whom I was to speak then this and I hope before I have done you will find it such a serious argument that concerns us all I have read of Gregory that being advanced to preferment he professed that there was no Scripture that went so to his heart that struck such a trembling into his spirit and daunted him so much as that Scripture did Here you have your reward Son in your life time you have had your pleasure O this was a dreadfull Scripture that sounded in his ears continually as Ierome speaks of that Scripture arise ye dead and come to judgement night and day he thought that Scripture sounded in his ears so Gregory here you have your reward in this life you have had your pleasure this was the Scripture that night and day sounded in his ears O that it might please God to assist me so far this day that I might make this Scripture ring in your eares even when you lie upon your beds after the Sermon is done that you may not forget the sound of it Men of this world who have their portion in this life if this Scripture should prove to be the portion of any one of you of the richest in this place woe unto him that ever he was born which I shall anon make out fully to you But you 'le say do you think to preach to men that have their portion here in this life I fear me I may meet with such whom it nearly concerns in this congregation therefore be not any of you too ready to put off this from you to think your selves out of the danger of this Scripture for it was spoken concerning Saul and Saul might have for ought I know as strong arguments of Gods love to him as many of you I fear have this day For 1. Saul was a man chosen immediately by God himself to be the first King that ever was over his own people and was not that a great favour 2. Saul for his person was one of the godliest men that was amongst all Israel higher from the shoulders to the head then any of them and for his endowments he was a man whom God did endow with admirable gifts of government he caused another spirit to come upon him he was a man that when he heard of his preferment seemed to be very humble as judging himself unworthy of such a dignity saying who am I and what is my Fathers house that I should be thus exalted and when he had been chosen some that would reject him notwithstanding Gods honouring of him Saul had a mighty power over his spirit he was very week and a quiet man for the Text saith he held his peace when the Children of Belial said what have we to do with him yea 3. Though he were quiet in his own cause yet he shewed himself to have an excellent spirit in a publick cause he was full of anger when it was for the good of the people that he was a governour over
you all I will onely give you a hint or two that you know somewhat what it is 1. It is such a portion as is fit for the spouse of the Lamb as is fit for the spouse of one that is to marry the Son of God the second person in Trinity 2. it is such a portion as is fit and suitable to an heire of life glory an heire of Heaven and Earth yea it is such a portion as God doth give men to this very end to declare what the infinite power of God is able to do to raise a poor creature to the height of happinesse what think you this must be that I say it must therefore be done that it might declare to Angels and all creatures what the infinite power of God is able to do to raise a poor creature to happinesse glory this must be somewhat Again it must be such a one as in which God must attain unto the great designe that he had from all eternity in making of Heaven and Earth which was to magnifie the riches of his grace to a Company that he had set apart to glory it must be such a portion and guesse you what this must needs be Yea it is such a portion as must require the infinite power of God to support a creature to bear the weight of that glory and all this must be now to all eternity I remember when Esau did but hear Isaac his Father tell what a blessing he had given unto Iacob he fell a weeping O that God would so strike unto the hearts of men that have so little minded any thing but the world Thou hearest but a few words to what the Lord hath reserved to all eternitie for his Saints and compare but that with what is thy portion and thou hast cause to weep I but more cause you 'l have to weep if you consider the last thing and that is what is like to be the end of all thy portion in this world if indeed thou could'st ruffle it out in this world and enjoy thy hearts desire and there an end it were somewhat O but there is somewhat else remains afterwards as 1. O the perplexity of spirit that any worldly man will have when death comes when he shall see an end of all the comforts of this world now farewell house farewell lands and farewell friends farewell acquaintance and all merry meetings and joviallities I shall never have comfort more in you as it was the speech of Pope Adrian when he was to die O thou my soul my soul whither art thou going whither art thou going thou shalt never have more jests nor be merry nor be jocund any more where art thou going so may a man that hath his portion in this world say at his death where is this poor soul of mine going I have lived here thus many years and I have had many merry meetings I have eaten with the strongest and have drunk the sweetest and gone in brave array but now my day is gone what shall become of me what peace have I now when all is gone I remember Latimer hath a story in one of his Sermons that he preached before King Edward of a rich man that when he lay upon his sick bed there came one to him and tells him that certainly by all reason they can judge he was like to be a man for another world a dead man assoon as ever he hears but these words what must I die send for a Phisitian wounds sides heart must I die wounds sides heart must I die and thus he goes on and there could be nothing got from him but wounds sides heart must I die must I die and go from all these here was all here was the end of this man that made his portion in this world Another rich man that lived not far from the place that I my self lived in heretofore when he heard his sicknesse was deadly he sends for his bags of money and hugs them in his arms O must I leave you O must I leave you And another lying upon his sickbed layed a bag of gold to his heart and then bids them take it away it will not do it will not do Another when he lay upon his sickbed his servants came to him said what lack you would you have any beer what do you want O saith he I want onely one thing peace of conscience that I would have it is not beer nor friends nor an easy pillow I want but ease of conscience O consider whether there be not like to be perplexitie in your spirits And then brethren you must be called to an account for all though as I told you before not to account for the right to use but for not right using and do but think with your selves if you now have so much as you cannot reckon how then will you be able to reckon for it if now you cannot count how will you be able to give an account at the last day especially when you have had no thoughts of this before hand There will be a dreadfull portion indeed at the day of judgement O the shame and confusion that will be upon the faces of the men of the world in that houre when they shall see their poor neighbours have their portion with Christ in glory perhaps a poor servant in the house advanced to glory and they stand on the left hand to be cast out perhaps some of these poor hospitall boyes shall be advanced to eternall glorie when as some of you that are their great masters shall be cast out eternally what an infinite shame and confusion will this be to you O now I see what it is to trust in God and not to trust in him those are happy that would trust for the future but I miserable that dar'd not trust in him The Lord will rain snares and fire and brimstones here is the portion of the ungodly at last appoint him his portion with hypocrites saith Christ where there is weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth that is the portion of hypocrites in the conclusion Now here thou seest the end of all what dost thou think then of thy portion now think but of one Text and I have done What hope hath an hypocrite though he hath gained when God takes away his soul Mark there are many hypocrites that aymed to get estates in the world but cannot thrive God crosses them well but suppose thou aymest to gain and hast got all thou wouldst desire what hope hath an hypocrite though he hath gained though he hath grown never so rich and got all he desires when God takes away his soul this time is coming it will be ere long and it may be suddenly the portion of some that are here present and perhaps this Text of mine may then ring in their ears when they lie upon their sick beds perhaps within a month or six weeks when Gods time shall be and then conscience
poor man hath not so much fewel for his uncleanesse as you have nor so much fewell for his pride and malice as you have and many rich men account the blessing and happinesse of their estates to consist in this very thing that now they may have a larger scope for their lusts then ever they could before alas a poor man cannot go abroad and drink as you can do a poor man cannot lay out so much upon a whore and an unclean wretch as you can do and you rejoyce in this if this man hath not his portion in this world who hath the Lord strike thy wretched heart A gracious man when God blesseth him in this world though there be but a little grace in him it will work thus the Lord hath raised my condition above my brother why the Lord giveth me a larger opportunitie to do him service then my brother hath or then I had before there is such a poor man he is an honest man but God knows he can do but little in the place where he is he hath but little means but God hath given me means and this means enlarges my opportunities to do God service and for this my soul blesseth God I account my estate happier then before I now may be of more use and do God more service then otherwise I could do have you such workings in heart you rich men if you have not never be at quiet till you get your hearts working in this manner this will be a blessed testimony that God gives you a portion here and intendeth another portion for you in the world to come Again what is that thing that you strive to make most sure that which a man strives to make most sure that he counts his happinesse to consist in O for thy Land and debts thou strivest with all thy might to make them sure but as for the matter of thy salvation and peace in Christ thou hast a good hope thereof but takest no pains to make it sure See what thou dost most admire men for O such a man is happy he hath so much coming in and hath so much a year but dost thou call the vile man happy this is a signe that thou hast not thy eye enlightned canst thou look upon those that are poor and mean in this world as most happy creatures because the Lord gives them the grace of his spirit and think well it is true I have a greater estate then such a poor man that is my neighbour or then such a poor kindsman but God knows he doth God more service then I do he prayes more and more heartily in one day then I do in a whole year O the Lord hath other manner of prayers and sighes come from his poor cottage then ever he had from my brave pallace I have my citie house and my countrey house but they were never so perfumed with prayers some that live in poor cellars send up more prayers and God hath more honour from them then he hath from me in my familie perhaps there is cursing and blaspheming of God in such poor cottages there is perhaps blessing and praysing of God now canst thou look upon them as the most happy people in the world Lastly what art thou most carefull to lay up for thy children if the things of the world take up thy care for thy children most it is an argument thou thinkest thy children shall have a good portion if thou canst leave them so many thousands it is like it is thy portion too if thou countest it theirs Examine also thy services what they are dost thou put off God with slight services then know thy portion is like to be of Gods slight mercies Again art thou hypocriticall in thy service dost thou ayme at the praise of men in outward duties that is a signe thou hast thy reward here and are thy services forced that thou art compelled it is meerely conscience compells thee and not an inward agreablenesse between the frame of thy heart and holy things then it is like a servants portion will be thine and not a childs portion Further hast thou heretofore been a forward professour in religion and hast now forsaken the wayes of God I 'le give you a dreadfull Scripture for this in the 17. of Ieremiah All you that forsake the Lord shall be ashamed they that depart from me shall be written in the earth if thou hast been forward heretofore and now thou comest to be more ancient and now thou art dead and dull and cold here is a Text for thee go home tremble least thou be a man whose name is written in the earth And doth not God for the present curse thy portion thou findest the more thou hast the worse thou growest as if a man should eat meat at ones table and assoon as he hath eaten it begin to swell he will conclude certainly the meat was poysoned so when thy estate rises thy heart rises with pride surely it was poysoned with the curse of God that was in it Again I 'le onely name one signe more what sayest thou to this that man that spends his dayes without having some fear least God should put him off with the things of this world there may be some danger of that it is said of some that they feed themselves without fear you can go to a merry meeting and feed upon the chear and eat without fear but never have such a thought as this in your heart what if God should put me off with these things I hear indeed there are some menare put of so what if that should prove to be my portion what a miserable creature were I I fear there were some men never had such a thought in their lives what if it should prove so with me what a miserable creature were I. I have one word of exhortation to you all then I have done this exhortation must be divided First unto you that have some evidences that God hath given you a better portion that God hath not put you off with the portion of this world O blesse the Lord for his goodnesse to you that ever he hath shewed you better things then the world affoords your line is fallen into a good ground you have a goodly inheritance though thou hast not so much as others have yet thou hast that that will make thee happy forever I have read of one Didimus a learned godly Preacher but he was blind whereof he complained was much troubled for his want of sight whereupon a Christian friend rebuked him sharpely what saith he hath God given you that that is the excellency of an Apostle of a Minister of Christ and are you troubled for want of your sight that a pismire may have that a bruit beast may have for the want of thy sight that the rats and mice may have are you troubled with that and rather not taught to blesse God that hath given you
indeed when they came to receive their wages but saith the M r of the vineyard did you not agree with me so so you agree with God all you intend in Gods service is that you may have some present comfort in this world you dare not trust God for the future and here is that that God will shew his infinite displeasure against the sin of distrust by that when the Lord propounds now in this day of grace such glorious and blessed things to the children of men and for ought you know any of you may have your portion in them as well as others yet you dare not trust God for these gratious things you think rather with your selves let me have somewhat now somewhat for the present that for the present is reall that which you talk off is to come I know not whether they be imaginations or no Therefore you mean it seems to serve God for your present pay present pay you shall have no more there are some servants that are your day labourers that expect their pay at night and if you give them that there is an end but there are other servants that will serve you in expectation of a reversion expectation of preferment especially when they serve noble men Princes though they have no present pay given them at night yet they go on cheerfully in their service they expect some great reversions and leases preferments afterwards now though they have nothing at present yet when the other befalls them they and their posterities are inriched this is the direct difference between the men of the world Gods children the men of the world will do nothing without present pay that which is just before them they must needs have their hearts are upon that but the Saints they hear what a blessed thing God hath revealed in his word what a blessed Covenant of grace there is what rich promises of glorious things to come now they believe God and trust in God for these and they say Lord let me have my portion in the life to come and what ever thou doest with me here I care not as it was the speech of Austin Lord here burn here cut mee but spare mee hereafter I am content Lord to be burnt to be cut to endure any thing in the world onely hereafter I look for somewhat else and I 'le wait for hereafter You 'le not wait for hereafter but you must have it for the present and that is the reason you are put off here O it is a serious thing I speak off to you many a soul will wring its hands and curse it self eternally that it was not content to trust God for hereafter but would have present pay you that are great Merchants if you buy a thing that is but a trifle you pull out your purse and give the mony down presently but suppose you go to the exchange and bargain for 1000 l. there you may give a little down now but the great pay must come upon pay dayes afterwards it is not expected it should be presently done so there are some men in the world will trade with God but they trade with God for pidling things for their credit and applause and for their preferments and estates God gives down the pay presently you shall have it there is your mony presently it is done but now there are other of Gods Saints that trade with God for great things for immortality and glory a Kingdom and the Crown of eternall life now they expect not to have it down presently they are content to stay O these are the best Traders the best Merchants that will trade with God for great things and be content to stay Further these things that are here they are the onely suitable things to your hearts and what will you do with any more hereafter these things doe exceedingly please you and give you content as agreable to you and the things that are to come are disagreable what would men do that are carnall and wicked now what would they do in heaven certainly if you hate Gods Saints now that have but a little grace you would hate them infinitely more afterwards when they are perfect in grace when all your common gifts shall be taken away for so it shall be now the things of God are unsuitable to you though you have now many common gifts and you now abhorre the grace of God though it be imperfect what then when all common gifts shall be taken from you and grace made perfect how insuitable will it be then to you therefore expect nothing hereafter Again 5. You abuse your portion you have now what will you do with more who will trust you with the true riches you abuse that you have indeed men of the world that are wicked and very rich and preferr'd to places of honour and power O what a deal of mischief they do in the world what dreadfull evills are they unto the earth such men how do they abuse their portions why now as it is with a tooth in a mans head a tooth indeed is preferr'd to have an eminent place in the head but when the tooth comes to be rotten painfull what do we but pull it out and throw it away so though God preferres men to eminent places when through their wickednesse they grow rotten and do hurt the Lord pluckes them out in his anger they abuse their portion and do a great deal of mischief therefore must expect to be thrown away But above all the argument is because they have no interest in Iesus Christ the rich treasures of the infinite grace of God are let out in Christ God hath divers conduit pipes as I may say of his grace to let out unto his creatures there are some lesser conduit pipes and those conduit pipes may be opened through the generall bounty of God but now the Lord hath the great current of his eternall mercies for some that he doth intend eternall good unto and this great current of his it is stopped by justice the infinite justice of God doth stop this great current so as it cannot be opened to have any drop of that mercy let out untill the divine justice comes to be satisfied in the mean time the other smaller pipes run the generall bounty of God still flowes Christ therefore out of pitty to mankind that they may not be put off with these generall outward comforts he comes and satisfies Gods infinite justice that he might open the current the sluce of his infinite eternall grace to others now happy are those creatures who have interest in the Lord Christ for this is his work to satisfy the justice of the Father that so the great pipe may be opened and then flowes in all grace infinite eternall grace when that comes once to be opened no mervail though we hear of such glorious things that the Saints of God have in the life to come no
sheep wander a little out of his place it knows not how to come back again but wanders up and down till it be lost swine are not so ungodly men though they go up and down wandering they know how to come to their trough at night they have better skill in the world they are more artificiall in the things of this life as the Scripture speaks the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light why is it why their portion is in this world Secondly here we see the reason why there are so great ones in the world that regard religion so little as they do and the wayes of God and the Church of God why it is not their portion those things that concerns another life is not any part of their portion they mind what it is that concerns the present life because this is their portion when many come into places of dignitie and power what are their thoughts why now they think of gratifying their servants now they think of respect and honour that they shall have abroad in the world and be accounted some body now they think of revenging all their wrongs of making up of all their broken titles c. this hath been heretofore very ordinary in men advanced amongst you these are all their thoughts as for doing service for God and for the Church and vindicating the truth of God and his honour that is scarce in all their thoughts for they do not look upon that as part of their portion here is the reason why so many magistrates are like to Gallio caring for none of those things they were to him but matter of words and yet they were about the great fundamentall points of religion whether Christ were the true Messias and whether he were God or no but to Gallio these things were but matter of words and so the great things of God and religion to carnall hearts are things of no great consequence yea when as Sosthenes that was the ruler of the Sinagogue for countenancing of Paul had the rude multitude of the Citie rose up to apprehend him Gallio cared for none of these things what did he care for rectifying any thing that was amisse in religion O let us say they that have their portion here what ever becomes of things let us have peace say they that we may live peaceably in our houses and enjoy that we have quietly they look no further then that because their portion is here As for truth how do they reject that and contemne it such a speech as is credibly reported hath come from a Citizen here even in cursing of truth so as had he lived amongst the Iews he would certainly have been stoned to death let us have peace and a pox of truth I say such a speech as this among the Iews would have caused him to have been stoned to death being such horrible blasphemy but how many are ready to say with Pilate when as Christ talked to him of truth truth saith Pilate what is truth as if he had said what a strange man is this the man is in danger of his life and he talks of truth what is truth saith Pilate and turns it back upon him presently just thus for all the world are the hearts of many they think what should we look at truth or at any thing now but to preserve our lives and estates and outward comforts in the world what is truth They are a company of mad-braind-fellows that are factious and seditious who talk of truth but know not what they say come let us have peace though it be upon any terms who is there in this place that desires it not the Lord knows peace it is the desire of those that are accused most for want of desires in this thing yea we dare challenge any of you with this challenge those who have been most at the Throne of grace begging unto God for peace for England let them carry the day those that have put forth most prayers for peace before the Throne of grace we are willing they shall have the day we read that amongst all the tribes that came up in a warlike-way to help the people of God against oppression in Iudges that of all Nephtali was the onely tribe that joyned with Zebulun that jeoparded their lives in the cause of God that would take up armes to defend themselves and the people against oppression surely these 2. tribes by the others that would not venture themselves were at that time accounted very factious and very seditious what they onely Zebulun and Nephtali why yet that is observable though there where none joyned with Zebulun but onely Nepthtali there is no tribe of which it is so much spoken to be a tribe full of courtesie and civilitie of a peaceable quiet disposition as Nephtali was you shall find that if you read the 49. of Genesis there are these 2. things said of Nephtali 1. that he was as a Hinde let loose gave goodly words I but they may be but words of complement and false nay when Moses comes with the blessing you shall find these 2. places one in Genesis and the other in Deuteronomie when Moses comes with the blessing upon Nephtali Nephtali filled with favour and with the blessing of the Lord what is the meaning Nephtali was a tribe that had most courtesy and civility of all compared to a goodly Hind of a quiet disposition and courteous language one that had the favour of God and the favour of men and yet this Nepthali was the tribe that would jeopard their lives and take up armes in defence of the people of God against oppression in those times above all And Phinehas that was so zealous and would make use of the sword God said he would make a Covenant of peace with him even with Phinehas that is such a fiery hot man a Covenant of peace must be made with him by God himself for he did indeed by that way procure peace to Israel for so the Text saith there in that place of Numbers that because Phinehas was so zealous it was saith God that I might not consume them in my jealousie As if he should have said if there had not been some amongst them that had been zealous and as they account fiery I would have been zealous my self and fiery my self and consumed them and it was well they had such amongst them and one day those that cry out of them may come to see cause to blesse God for them we had such would not have the world put off and gull'd with the fair name of peace we know the divell hath made much use of words in former times and would fain make use of it as if those that desir'd truth most were not greatest friends unto peace God forbid but it should be so why though it is true we think not we have our portion here and therefore we
so shall all the just they shall shine as the Sun every glorified Saint by the reflection not onely of their mind but if their ocular body upon one another by a mutuall reciprocation of their beams every one shall shine in every one The glory of the soul shall transfuse it self and redound to the body Saint Paul in effect speaks as much as it is sowen a naturall body it riseth a spirituall body As the soul here is swallowed up of the body to the body as it were shall be swallowed up of the soul in a word both soul and body shall be turned into glory and the glory shall be to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight FINIS THE RIGHTEOUS MANS REFVGE Ieremiah 33.3 Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great mighty things which thou knowest not THe Prophet Ieremiah in this the foregoing Chapter layes down sundry and eminent mercies that he intends for the good of his elect people notwithstanding their provoking of God by their severall relapses sundry backslidings though their enemies also did threaten them with utter desolation and that they should be desolate without man and without inhabitant and without beast yet the voice of joy and the voice of gladnesse the voice of the Bridegroom the voice of the Bride the voice of them that shall say praise the LORD of hosts for the Lord is good for his mercy endureth for ever this voice shall be to the inhabitants of Ierusalem But by what means shall these mercies be bestowed on then in this Text he tells them where ever they are afflicted or in any great distresse call unto me and I will answer thee And as Christ in the Gospell having the book of the Prophet Esaias delivered unto him when he was in the Synagogue read apart of it then closed the book and began his sermon to the people this day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Luke 4.21 So may I say of this Text that we have out of this Prophecy read unto you Behold this day hath the Lord fullfilled this word of his in our ears before our eyes And therefore is it that we are all here this day met before the Lord that we may witness unto this his good word and promise Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not In the two last Verses of this Chapter the Lord promiseth to establish a Covenant with David and raise up a deliverance to the seed of Iacob and cause them to return out of their captivities he will have mercy on them That which he saith to his people he speaks it plainly and openly I have not spoken in secret in a dark place of the earth The heathen Gods did speak darkly and ambiguously to their worshippers that they knew not what to make of their words but I have not done so to you saith God They would have you worship them but they cannot help you when you have so done it is not so with me Thus saith the Lord if my Covenant be not with day and night and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth then will I cast away the seed of Iacob that is the Church of God the Saints You will say Why are the people of God called the seed of Iacob rather then the seed of Abraham or the seed of Isaac the seed of Iacob The reasons may be these two First because that all Iacobs posterity were the Church of God all Iacobs children the Patriarchs were every one of the Church All that came from Abraham were not so Ishmael was not so All that came from Isaac were not so Esau was not But all Iacobs children were therefore speaking of the people of God of the Church that should be to the end of the world they are said here to be the seed of Iacob rather then the seed of Abraham or of Isaac Then secondly the seed of Iacòb because the Lord is here speaking of the blessing of his seed namely in the hearing of their prayers Call unto me and I will answer thee Now because Iacob was the most eminent in prayer though Abraham and Isaac no question were mighty with God in prayer yet the Scripture doth not put such an eminency either upon Abraham or Isaac for prayer as upon Iacob You have the most eminent expression for prayer that ever was spoken of any man never the like Gen. 32.28 And he said thy name shall be called no more Iacob but Israel for as a Prince hast thou power with God and with men and hast prevailed O how eminent was he in prayer Therefore it is rather said the seed of Iacob then of Abraham or Isaac But you will say then they should rather have been called the seed of Israel for his name of Israel was given him upon his prevailing with God We must not be too inquisitive These names are used promiscuously But this is one reason that is given and it seemeth to have probability with it In Scripture when God speaks of the Church in a low condition he puts the name of Iacob on them rather then Israel Fear not thou worm Iacob and it follows ye men of Israel Isa 41.14 He puts them in mind of their low condition by this name rather then Israel Fear not thou worm Iacob For before Iacobs name was changed ye know what a low condition and what streights he was in So here the Lord speaking of his Churches deliverance out of distress he calls them the seed of Iacob that they might see how by their prayers they were brought from their streights as Iacob was brought from his streights by prayer When he was Iacob before he was Israel he was in great streights so shall the Church be till they seek God Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not That is first I did require it of them and my requiring did prevail with them I did not exhort them to it or require it and my words fell to the ground and they did not call unto me but what I required of them was effected in them When God speaks to a people and they do not what he requires his word may seem to be slighted there being no efficacy in his words to prevail But saith God Call unto mee and I will answer thee that is I called not on my people to call unto me and they went their own way but what I spake to them prevailed with them and in them and they did that which I required This is a blessed thing that we do that which the Lord requires of us to be done That is the first observation Secondly call unto me and I will answer thee that is I did not onely command but I did promise to answer them They calling unto me in a right manner by
dwell in safety alone the fountain of Iacob shall be upon a land of Corn and Wine also his heavens shall drop down dew Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord the shield of thy help and who is that sword of thy excellency and thine enemies shall be found lyars unto thee and thou shalt tread upon their high places Here are promises to the Saints of God They shall have all things that are good and God will manifest himself especially against his enemies There must be a mighty efficacy in such a plea when there are such large promises So in the 14. Chapt. of this book of Isaiah there are diverse promises for Gods people For the Lord will have mercy on Iacob and will yet choose Israel and set them in their own land the stranger shall be joyned with them and they shall cleave to the house of Iacob and the people shall take them and bring them to their place and the house of Israel shall possesse them in the land of the Lord for servants and handmaids and they shall take them captives whose captives they were and they shall rule over their oppressours And it shall come to passe that in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow and from thy fear and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve c. I make no question but some of the people of God have been pleading this promise in prayer where the Lord hath promised to have mercy on Israel and to give him rescue from his sorrows and fears and hard bondage It was hard bondage that we were made to serve in not long ago here is a promise that God will give us rest from it and upon the pleading of this promise God hath made it good to his people And in Isa 41.8 there are large promises in that Chapter to the Saints of God But thou Israel my servant Iacob whom I have chosen the seed of Abraham my friend Thou whom he have taken from the ends of the earth Here are promises for prayer to set foot upon no marvell if it hath so much power and efficacy There are divers others and many things behind of the efficacy of prayer as it depends upon the promise covenant that God hath made with his people for every promise is but a severall branch and expression of the covenant of God therefore we are to referre them all to the Covenant I will give you but one Scripture Ier. 30.10 11. Therefore fear thou not O my servant Iacob neither be dismaied O Israel for lo I will save thee from a far and thy seed from the land of their captivity and Iacob shall return and be in rest and quiet and none shall make him afraid For I am with thee saith the Lord to save thee though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee yet will I not make a full end of thee but I will correct thee in measure and will not leave thee altogether unpunished There is somewhat that God doth but yet still he remembers his promise in the middest of affliction that he will leave nothing of that undone therefore though his people be under great afflictions the Lord will be good to them according to his promise Now again the Lord will regard the prayers of his people the efficacy of their prayers depends upon this because it is Gods own work That which is the work of God is not in vain God made none of his works in vain Now all their calling upon God it is from God it is Gods own work and a most glorious piece of the work of God Every prayer that comes from the poorest Saints of God every gracious and faithfull prayer it is a glorious piece of Gods work It is a work of the holy Ghost and therefore it is not in vain Again as their prayers come from God they seek God from God so they seek God for God they seek the Lord for himself If the people of God seek God onely for Corn and Wine and Oyle if they did seek him onely for their own ease and outward liberties and accommodations and for the lives of their enemies perhaps they might seek in vain No but when they seek God they seek God for God thence they prevail so much with God Ye ask amisse that ye may spend it on your lusts Iames 4.3 You pray to God oft to be delivered from enemies and you think your prayers if it be in such a time as this they come in vain No marvell if so you pray that you may have liberty to trade and deliverance from taxations these may be sought but the house of Iacob seeks God for his name that that may not be dishonoured and for his Gospell that that be not taken away and the power of godlinesse trodden as dirt in the street When they seek God for God no question but God will hear and answer But the great efficacy of prayer is this it is part of the purchase of the bloud of Christ that God might hear the prayers of the Saints it comes from the merits of Christ it is a part of his purchase that God should regard them it is in his name that we pray so we are taught It is by Christ that we have accesse to the throne of grace our priviledge of seeking God is that which Christ hath purchased by his bloud So that our seeking of God is not onely a duty and beneficiall to us but it is a high priviledge purchased by the bloud of Christ by him we have accesse with boldness the word is with liberty of speech liberty of speech is by the bloud of Christ that we may come before the Lord and open our minds fully certainly there is a great deal of efficacy in prayer Whatsoever our prayers are as they are from us though they be vain as they are from us yet take them as Christs purchase here lies the great efficacy of prayer Think not that the efficacy of prayer lies in earnestnesse or enlargement though it be a comfort and an evidence that God enlargeth us by his Spirit it is not parts that enlarge but the Spirit but the virtue of prayer lies not here the strength whereby prayer doth great things it lies in secret in the purchase of Christ Again Christ takes all the prayers of his people and tenders them up to his Father for acceptance We have a more glorious way of coming to God then Adam had in innocency yea in some respects then the Angels themselves by having such an Intercessor that takes all our prayers and carries them to his father Yea not onely so but he joins with us to the Father There is a place in the Hebrews quoted out of the Psalms that shews that Christ praiseth God in the congregation it is not onely the Saints that praise God but Christ himself Heb. 2.12 I will
former times and then to pray onely in affliction it is a dangerous condition but this temptation comes upon such as have sought God before I now you seek God but this is in your affliction and will God regard you now I speak it onely to comfort such as are carefull to seek God in the time of their health yet if thou hast been negligent it is possible that God should regard thee in the time of affliction Ionah prayed and said I prayed and cryed by reason of mine affliction to the Lord and he heard me Ionah 2.2 But suppose it be affliction for sin for so the objection may arise It is true if I did call unto God in the time of affliction that God did send for tryall it may be God would hear me but suppose Gods hand be on me for sin will God hear my prayers That one notable example of David may help the people of God against such a temptation Gods hand was on him for his sin when he fled before Absolom God threatned that warre should not depart from his house yet David then prayed against that wicked politition and counsellour that the Lord would turn his counsell to folly and God heard Davids prayer in his affliction that was for sinne And the Lord turned the counsell of Achitophel to folly Let us not be discouraged though polititians work never so craftily though Gods hand be on us and we have conscience accusing us and say I this is for your sins that God leaves you thus in the hands of your enemies that God gives them such power that they find such favour with the Prince as they do though this be for our sins yet let us seek to God to turn the counsell of Achitopell to folly It shall not be nor hath not been in vain we have found it so that in our affliction and affliction for sin yet crying to God to turn the counsell of Achitophel to folly God hath done so graciously hath incouraged us more and more to cry and call unto him for that end But what need I seek to God God hath decreed and determined what he will do what God intends to do he hath decreed from eternity therefore whether we pray or no it shall come to passe if we do not pray it shall come to passe If God have intended to deliver me out of a sicknesse it shall be done whether I pray or no when any ones time is come they shall die and so when the time of a Kingdome is come it shall be destroyed and not till then therefore what good can prayer do Though I suppose you cannot but be satisfied and think that this objection hath little weight yet for answer I will give you a Scripture or two Psalm 2. I will declare the decree The decree of God concerning the advancement of Christ in his resurrection and so of the successe of the work of Christs mediation I will declare the decree the Lord hath said thou art my son this day have I begotten thee Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession Gods giving of Christ the heathen for his inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession it was decreed of God yet Christ must ask it of his Father notwithstanding Gods decree And another Text remarkable is in the prophesie of Daniel where the Text saith Dan. 9.2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years whereof the word of the Lord came to Ieremiah the Prophet that he would accomplish 70. years in the desolation of Ierusalem And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications Mark Daniel understood by books what God had determined concerning Ierusalem what need Daniel go further he knew Gods mind what he would do whether he did pray or no but mark vers 3. I set my face to seek the Lord. After he knew what God had decreed and what he would do and what he had promised Now we know not Gods decree but if we did certainly know the decree of God in shewing mercy to the Land yet it could no way hinder us but encourage us to set our faces to seek the Lord and to seek him more earnestly therefore that is a vain objection Again it is not in vain to call unto the Lord if we examine all we have had already though we have not all we would have yet if we consider the supporting mercies the preventing mercies and the guiding mercies that God hath granted us we shall find that it is not in vain that we have sought him There are abundance of mercies that thou hast had already It is an evill thing to complain of Gods grace when God hath bestowed such mercies Thou thinkest thou hast nothing because thou hast not all thou wouldest have as a froward child because it hath not every thing to its mind casts away all God hath been exceeding gracious to us other souls would have adored God and have blessed him with their faces to the ground if they had had but the hundred part of those mercies that we have yet because we have not all we desire we are ready to think it is in vain O let us take heed of dishonouring the grace of God Again further thou thinkest it is in vain because God sometimes denies in granting and grants in denying Many times God grants that we pray for in denying it and denies that we pray for in granting it our denyals are grants to us Wo to us if all were granted to us that we pray for Much good may be gotten out of Gods denyalls and God denyes us to do us good and to prepare us for mercies therefore it is not in vain that thou hast fought God because it is not in vain that thou art denyed But further it may be God delights more in thy praying then in thy praising voice therefore though thou have not that thou hast sought for give leave to God to delight in thee which way he pleaseth There is the praying and the praising voice of Gods people thou delightest that God should hear thy praising voice it may be God delights to hear thy praying voice and it may be he should not if thou haddest what thou wouldest have Saith God to the Church Let me hear thy voice for it is sweet There is no man that will think the King denies his petition as long as the King loves to read it If one present a petition to the King he doth not say he will presently do it but if he read it and when he hath read it calls for it again and again will any man think it in vain that he hath put up that petition as long as the King hears it and delights to read it it is not in vain So as long as God loves to hear thy voice and to read thy petition it
and the curse of God may follow such a mans estate Take heed know that there is an ingagement after this time And so for the libertie of the Gospell God expects that you should prise the Gospell more then ever Lord we were afraid the Gospell would have been gone if thou hadst given us up into the hands of our enemies and our eyes should not have seen their teachers we should not have heard things that refresh our hearts shall we have the Gospell and hope that our posterity shall have it we hope that we shall never provoke thee as we have done heretofore to take it away A man that hath been in danger to loose his estate and hath recovered it will be carefull after Our slighting of the Gospell because we had it so ordinarie might have caused God to take it from us and hath God restored it let us take heed we provoke not God now but attend upon the word more then ever we did Lastly doth God say to us Call upon me and I will answer thee then when God seeks us let us be found of him There is all the reason for it in the world If God be so gracious to poor base worms sinfull creatures that if we do but chatter our prayers are answered Is it not reason when God calls upon us that we should call upon him When God calls out of his word to perform such and such duties God seeks thee then make use of this Text I have called upon God and he hath answered my requests And now I go to hear the word and out of the word he calls unto me and seeks me let me say Lord what sayest thou to thy servant The Lord is ready to hear your call be you ready to receive his answer and go on go on with encouragement the Lord hath incouraged us this day And let all your prayers and indeavours break through all difficulties and the Lords mercy shall break through all oppositions for he hath said Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not FINIS These Books are lately Printed for Francis Eglesfield at the Marigold in St. Paul's Church-yard THe Leaper cleansed or the Return of Richard Bellamy of Tiverton in Devon from Anabaptisme to the Truth wherein their wiles to deceive are also laid open 3. Treatises First The young mans Memento Second Now if ever Third The danger of being almost a Christian published by Iohn Chishull Minister of Gods Word at Tiverton in Devon These Books following are now in the Press Mr. David Dickson his excellent Expositon on all St. Paul's Epistles lately translated into English and Printing in Fol. A new vol. of Dr. Prestons never before published Choice and rare experiments both in Physick and Chirurgery with variety of excellent receits for any distemper of the body never before published discovered by the Elaborate pains and industry of Mr. Tho. Collins Practitioner of Physick near the City of Glocester Verse 2. Verse 5. Verse 7. The words opened 89. Psal 47. Doct. 1. 1 Sam. 9.21 1 Sam. 10.27 1 Sam. 11.16 1 Sam. 14.27 1 Sam. 15.13 1 Sam. 15.30 1 Sam. 15. 14. chapters 21. Genes 14. 2. Chron. 21.3 33. Genes 19. 16. Luke 25. Why God gives any thing to wicked men 29. Ezekiel 18.19.20 Aug. de Civitate Dei 5. book 12. chap. Luther in Gâ—nes 33. Isaiah 1. The portion of the wicked is confined to this life 17 Ierem. 13.14 Revel 3. 11. Dan. 21. Vse 1. 1 Corinth 2.12 Vse 2. 18. Acts 17. 18. Iohn 38. 5. Iudges 18. 49. Genes 21. 25. Numbers 12.13 3. Philip. 2. Kings 23.13 1. Kings 11.7 â— â— Rom. 14.2 Vse 3. What poor things worldly men strive for 25. Acts. 10. Proverbs 26. Iob 7. 10. Hebr. Luther 11. Psal 6.24 Matth. 51. 27. Iob 8. 1. Signes of a man whose portion is in this world 17. Ierem. 13. Iude 12. 11. Hebr. 14. 5. Isaaih 8. Hebr. 11.36 The Saints have the Image of God Psalm 111.9 Isai 6.3 Revel 4.8 Rev. 15.4 Grace is the chiefest good that God doth bestow The excellency of things consecrated The Saints Relation to God The Saints Priviledges The Saints immunities that come by the Covenant of Grace The Saints have accesse to the Throne of Grace The Saints are the excellent on earth Luther an advancer of faith and holiness 〈…〉 Vse Vse Psalm 51.17 Psalm 34.18 The King of Babylons message to Hezekiah Boniface Prov. 10.20 Observation Communion of Saints is comfortable 1 Cor. 3.3 Cant. 6.9 Cant. 5.1 Psal 8.11 Why God is said to dwelâ— with his Saints Observation Isaiah 57.13 2 Chron. 20.21 Who are Iacobs seed Who are Esaus seed How are Iacobs seed known Gen. 32.24 Ruth 4.11