the day of the most dismal and deep distresse whereby it is evident that the sweetest ferenitie of soul in the sadest most surprising of troubles is possible to him that beleeveth Thirdly That which doth commend Books and without an Epistle of of recommendation is an Epistle Commendatory sufficient makes all courting of the Reader to their perusal a superfluous complement an unprofitable waste of words yea a profuse expense of precious time is That what the Author writs be not onely upright and words of truth But that the truth treated of be pertinent to the present day the duty pressed be that which must be known that it may be practised when upon the real and right performance thereof depends in a particular manner more than the believers peace yea more than his soul and eternal happinesse can amount uuto Viz. the glorifying of God in the fires of fiery trials and the bringing up a good report upon his vvayes by a practical proof that there is a sufficiency of strength communicable whereby the weakest is made strong and a singularitie of sweetnesse experienced whereby a man otherwise of sorrows can sing in the wayes of the Lord even when his way lyes thorow fire water so that he who hath taken hold of the path of life needs neither faint in the way because of his own weaknesse there being everlasting armes underneath stronglie supporting nor yet turn aside out of it when there is a lyon in it neither wearie in going foreward through want of what is sweet and refreshing since there is a well spring of comfort insured unto the walker in these wayes so as in the greatest pinch and penurie of all outward things yea when put to the greatest pain he hath still everlasting consolation and can glory in tribulation and rejoyce not onely in the hope of the glory of God but sing as alreadie in the suburbs of heaven while under the shineings of his Masters face and the shedings abroad of his love in the heart And according to this rate and reckoning I may make bold to say the mater herein treated of is of that moment import present necessitie as to draw the eyes of all men towards it that their hearts may be cast into this mould and they put in case to practise accordingly for this was the happie Authors scope for this he wearied himself and was at this peece of pains amongst his other eminent singularly useful and assiduous labourings for the edification of the Church at home and abroad the care of all which lay upon him that thou mightest know how to finde ease safetie and refreshment when there seems nothing in thy life but sorrow and in thy cup but gall and wormewood In a word the Author hath written the first second part of the Life of Faith that the Reader may write the third part in his practise by making his life a transumpt of both in a day when most are making shipwrack of faith and a good conscience and many who once professed themselves Disciples are now turning back And Alas I am affraid it shall be observed and said of them they walked no more with him But for their turnings aside unto these croaked courses were led forth with the workers of iniquitie So that this is a word in season seeing besides the native and intrinsick beautie of truth that commends what is said to thy peruseal the adventitious beautie of seasonablenesse endears it to thee For he that writes it was a Preacher who sought to finde out acceptable words the tongue of the learned was given unto him For what he writs doth witnesse that his eare vvas vvakened to hear as the learned that so the might speak and vvrite as the learned But for a conclusion I must tell thee that the spiritually vvise and zealous Author vvas not only driven to treat of this subject because of the present pressurs of the poor remnant pressed out of measure and beyond strength though he had this also in prospect that so they might be quickened quieted encouraged and comforted under these crushing calamities and might be instructed hovv to glorifie God in this day of visitation and endure the vvorlds hatred and the vvorst that either enraged Adversaries or incensed friends can doe as seeing him vvho is invisible and as believing that all these shall vvork together for their good and as assured that they shall turn to their salvation through the intercession of the Mediator and the supplie of the Spirit of Jesus Christ But more particularly considering our vvay and our proceeding from evil to vvorse vvhat high affronts have been put upon our infinitly glorious Lord and Master hovv these have not only not been resented and vvitnessed against vvith a zeal a fervor of pure zeal proportioned to the furious fervidnesse and unhallovved heat of that opposition to Christ and hatred to the coming of his Kingdom in the World vvitnessed by the complex of the adversaries course and carriage But Alas to our shameful astonishing faint vvhen called to have been valiant for the truth and to have acquit ourselves as the good souldiers of Jesus Christ ambitious to have been sacrificed upon the Interest of our Royal Master's glorious Crovvn and Prerogative hath been added a drawing back Courses have been taken patronized and applauded partly in recto partly in obliquo And that by some vvhom least of all it became if I may say so from vvhose hand Christ might have exspected a heroick opposition to these hell-black driveings vvhereby a defection for in despite of all the palliatings and cunning plaisterings to hide this novv its manifest hath been and is novv carried on And there is no small rage vvitnessed against all vvho essay to discover our iniquitie to turn avvay our captivitie In a vvord vvhen he considered all the dispensations of God and took notice of the dispositions propensions of men not of the multitude but of Ministers and Professors even of these vvho vvould monopolize to themselves the repute of zealous according to knovvledge the onelie vvise men in the Church vvho knovv the times and vvhat the Israel of God ought to doe as if vvisdom vvere either to die vvith them or to live only with the persons of their principles and practises he fell under the apprehension and persuasion and who can escape it of a woful day coming upon the people of these practises however a great many have not only been puting far away the thoughts of this evil day but have been dreaming of a delivery ah how deep a delusion shall this be quickly found And therefore that the poor remnant who in some measure have escaped and have endeavoured to keep themselves pure frâ—…m the pollution of this defection may know what to doe and how to carry in that day of vengeance of our Godâ—… when he shall draw his wheted his glittering and furbished sword to avenge the quarrel of a
the deliverance of the people of God out of the Babylonish Captivity in which they were to be full Seventy yeers would come though at this present while he is getting this discovery and manifestation there was no appearance of their being brought in bondage led away captive out of their own land by the Babylonians far less of their delivery out of that Captivity the people being now dwelling in their owne Land living in peace and quiet far from any molestation from the Caldeans His faith and perswasion of the truth of what the Lord said to Him and by Him was the ground of this his Admiration and Ravishment For what we do not beleeve to be true how rare and uncouth so ever it be it will not ravish us nor cause in us a rapture of Admiration Hence we see all the sayings of God how improbable and unlikely so ever they may be should be embraced with fulness of faith we should with Abraham Rom. 4 18. Against hope beleeve in hope He did not consider his own body now dead nor the deadness of Sarahs womb nor did he stagger at the promise of God through unbeleef but was strong in the faith giving glory to God and was fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able also to performe vers 19 20 21. So no more should we take any notice of the humane improbability and of the many unlikelyhoods and of such things as might to humane reason walking upon humane grounds make the thing promised seem altogether improbable if not impossible But having the firme Word of God who cannot lie nor change there to rest as anchored upon that immovable Rock and ride-out all stormes of carnal Reasonings and corrupt Suggestions and Temptations of Satan 2. We see in the Prophet that all the consideration that he might have had at this time of the Improbabilities small Appearances Difficulties yea and Incredibilities to humane judgment standing as mountaines in the way of the charriot of God's Faithfulness Truth coming With Salvation to his people did but contribute to his more firme and fixed gripping of and cleaving to the Promises and Predictions and raise in his soul an holy Ravishment and Rapture of wondering at this rare and wonderful Work of God which he saw by faith And this should teach us to take notice of the Difficulties and Improbabilities that seem to us to lye in the way of the accomplishment of the great Promises for no other end than this that we may become more fixed in the faith thereby and be raised up to see more of the Glorious Power Truth Goodness and Faithfulness of God and helped to get a fuller look of God as Incomprehensible in all His wayes 3. We may observe here in the frame of the Prophet That he discovered in God something Rare Admirable Excellent and Glorious that ravished him and transported his soul He saw a Divine Holy Mysterie in God's way When the way of the Lord was to humane eyes Unclear Dark and Cloudy he saw the Glory of God shining forth with greater brightness and splendour He saw the Lord while covered as to his way of working with a thick cloud by the eye of faith he pierced the clouds and saw the Invisible Thou art a God Nay he saw that such a way whatever the shallow dim-sighted Reason of Man might apprehend concerning it was God's way and had the manifest lineaments of God engraven upon it he saw that that hid way was God-like and these thick clouds that to humane reason would darken the beauty and lustre of God's Glory did the more set off to him the Divine Glory and Majesty of God O what an excellent frame is this and how useful and necessary for his people in a day of clouds and darkness And what a sharp eagles-eye must faith have that can discover Glory in obscurity and see a rare and singular sight of God even when He is hiding himself and can observe a greater Glory and splendour of Excellency in the clouds and darkness that are about His throne How great must the difference be betwixt that sight of God which a Natural eye measuring things according to the rule of Carnal Reason can get of the most refulgent and self-manifesting Operations of God and that discovery of God which faith getteth in those dispensations of God which have no Glory or Majesty in them unto a Carnal eye How averse and unwilling should the consideration of this make us to judge of God and of his Wayes and Doings by Carnal Reason And how blinde a judge must that be of Gods Wayes and Dispensations 4. We may here take notice in the Prophets frame That he discovereth in the wayes of God about which now his thoughts are occupied an unsearchable Depth a Mystery and Incomprehensibleness For he is like a man walking into the sea and findeth it the longer the deeper and at length is like to drown and there standeth and cryeth out this ocean hath no bottom I shall lose my selfe if I go further He hath been as it were wading in his contemplations of the Mystery of God's wayes with and about his Church and People and as one loseing ground he cryeth out Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self Thy wayes are Incomprehensible Unfathomable and Unsearchable As the Apostle Paul in a case not unlike Rom. 11 33. how unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out David hath an expression not unlike in his contemplations of God Psal. 145 3. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his greatness is unsearchable 5. It is observable in the Prophets frame That as he discovereth in the wayes of God which were now the matter of his Spiritual Meditation a singular rare Beauty and Divine Excellency a transcendent Glory so he saw this while all these wayes of God were covered with clouds and darkness Even when He was hiding himself and clouds and darkness were round about Him he saw that Righteousness and Judgment were the habitation of his throne as it is Psal. 97 2. Faith can see God in the dark and discover a God hiding himself Faith can go-in thorow clouds and coverings and dark dispensations and see the Glorious God acting in Majesty and carrying on His work in Faithfulness and Truth according to His everlasting Purposes and Faithful Promises This should be our study in the day of God's hiding of Himself as to His visible dispensations and oùtward work in the world 6. We may here also mark in the holy Prophets frame a sutable Submission of spirit holy Acquiescence of soul in this singular and rare way of the Lords bringing-about His Intended Designes There is no footstep here of the holy mans Murmuring Repining Grudging or Quarrelling at this dark and unseen way of the Lord 's ordering His matters but on the contrary we may observe the Prophet stouping putting his mouth in the dust sweetly acquescing in and
also a Chideing Contending withfighting as Gen. 26 vers 20 22. So that this sin is a calling of the most High to an account and a bringing of Him before our judgment-seat as Iob 33 13. Where the the same verbe is used Why dost thou strive against him Or why dost thou call Him before thy tribunal summond Him to compear before thee or contend with Him in judgment or plead against Him He answereth not he giveth no account of his matâ—…s to any 2. It is a rebelling against the Lord. When the People of Israel murmured against the Lord and against Moses and Aaron Numb 14 v. 1 2 3. Moses said unto them Vers. 9. Only rebel not ye against the Lord. So it is said Psal. 78 vers 40. How oft did they rebel against him in the wilderness in the margine See Vers. 8. 3. It is a manifest calling his Wisdom in question and a saying that He is not wise enough to order and dispose matters aright As if He were not mighty in wisdom Iob 36 vers 5. Our Wisdom were to cease from our own Wisdom Prov. 23 vers 4. and to beleeve though we should not see that in wisdom he hath made the heavens and all Psal. 104 vers 34. and 136 vers 5. and hath established the world in wisdom Ier. 10 vers 1â—… and 51 v. 15. And not think to give Him Counsel and Advice how He should rule the world for there are Depths of Wisdom and of Knowledge in Him Rom. 11. 33. that we should think upon with Admiration for if in our wisdom we think to correct His wayes and quarrel against them and not comply with them he will destroy the Wisdom of the wise 1 Cor. 1 19 20. O what a guilt must this be to proclame ourselves wiser than He is and better able to order all things aright at least what concerneth ourselves The very hauk will not flie by our wisdom Iob 39 26. and shall we think to prescribe Rules to God 4. It is a calling in question of His Absolute Power and Soveraignity As if He might not do what he pleased but were obnoxious to us and bound to give an account of his wayes to us or could do injustice or wrong to any As if he had not that Power over His Creatures to whom he hath given being and all they have that the Potter hath over the lump of Clay or we have over our beasts which are our fellow-creatures and hold not their being of us And must not this be a great sin 5. When we are sinfully anxious and disquieted with his Dispensations towards his Church We call into question His Faithfulness and Care of and also his Love to his Church as if he had forgotten to be gracious and would be merciful no more and cared not that she perished as Christs Disciples said Mark. 4 38. contrare to 1 Pet. 5 7. And this sure must be no small sin 6. We hereby proclame Him to be an imperfect Worker and say that He is not God for his works who is God cannot but be perfect and his Way also Deut. 32 4. 2 Sam. 22 31. 7. We profess ourselves hereby able to finde out the depths of His wayes and to search Him out unto Perfection as was said to Iob Chap. 11 v. 7. Why else will we think to reprove Him and amend what He hath done as if it were amisse 8. When we are dissatisfied with His Dispensations towards us we really accuse the Most Holy of Injustice as if indeed He had wronged us and we had deserved better at His hands though all His wayes are Judgment and though He be a God of Truth and without Iniquity and just and right Deut. 42 vers 4. Eliphaz said to Iob after he heard his complaints Chap. 3. Iob 4 vers 17. Shall mortal man be more just than God Shall a man be more pure than his Maker Elihu said well Iob 34 vers 17. Shall we condemne him that is most just What a sin must it be to lay such an Imputation on Him who hath justice and judgment for the habitation of his throne Ps. 89 vers 14 and who is excellent in power and in judgment and in plenty of Iustice Iob 37 vers 23 Next The Consideration of this should cause us watch against this evil and labour for another frame of heart that will be more complying with the Wayes and Works of the Lord. And for this cause we should take another look of the Works of the Lord and consider them in another manner than we usually do and this bringeth me to the Third thing in the Text which will also lead us to a further improvment of this impossibility of helping what we suppose is amisse in the Works and Dispensations of the Lord. Thirdly Therefore let us see what way we should consider the Works of the Lord to the end we may have a suteable frame of spirit complying sweetly with all the crooks that are or we suppose to be in Gods Way and Works for in reference to this only shall we speak of considering the Works of the Lord. We should then consider the Works of the Lord whether of Creation or of Providence 1. So as that thereby we may become rooted and more setled in the Faith of this that He alone is Iehovah above all Gods and this would do much to quiet and calme our spirits For our murmuring at or displeasure with what He doth floweth from the want of the clear sight and apprehension of the hand of the only Supream and Soveraigne God therein Hence to the end that people may set Him above all imagined false and supposed God's he readeth a lecture to them of His great works Esai 40. from vers 12. and forward and inferreth once and againe vers 18 25. to whom then will ye liken God Or what likeness will ye compare with him So he setteth forth several remarkable works that He would do for his Church that they may see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord hath done this and that the holy One of Israel hath created this Esai 41 vers 20. And when we consider His Works so as to see Him alone to be Jehovah the Absolute and Soveraigne King Creator Conservator and Disposer of all Things according to His own will and pleasure then our hearts will bow more and submit unto His holy Determination and we will learne to say with good old Eli 1 Sam. 3 18. It is the Lord Jehovah let him do what seemeth him good 2. We should consider the works of the Lord till we finde thereby that He alone is the wise Governour of the World and that there is a beauty of Divine Wisdom to be seen and observed on all even on that which we account most crooked in our blinde and byassed judgments Thus did holy Iob Chap. 12. contemplate the most crooked like works of the Lord such as His breaking down shutting up of
a man sending-out waters to overturne the earth leading Counsellours away spoiled making the judges fools removing the speach of the trusty taking away the understanding of the aged pouring contempt upon Princes weakening the strength of the mighty destroying and straitning the nations taking away the heart of the chiefe of the People of the earth causing them to wander in a Wilderness wherein is no way to grope in the dark without light and making them to stagger as a drunken man and he saw in the midst of all this vers 12 13 16. that with the ancient is wisdom even wisdom and strength and that he had counsel and understanding Such a sight as this of the great and wonderful works of God would cause us put our mouth in the dust and adore the Depths of the Counsel of God and be far from quarrelling with Him for any thing he doth and when any thing appeareth crooked to us to suspect our own folly and ignorance as not seeing in to the profound Projects wise and unsearchable Contrivances of the only wise God rather than impute folly and ignorance to the only wise God It were best that we saw that we ourselves were beasts Ecâ—…les 〈◊〉 18. 3. It were our wisdom to consider the works of the Lord so as to finde out see and observe his Loving Kindness After a long rehearsal of the mighty and considerable works of God both of Creation and Providence and that both as to the whole world and more especially as to the Church Psal. 104 and 105 and 106 and 107. in end the Psalmist Psal. 107 43. saith VVho so is wise and will observe those things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. There is a loving kindness ingraven upon all the works and wayes of the Lord a sight of which would teach us to acquiesce more heartily in all He doth and submit more sweetly unto the most sowr and rugged of His Dispensations The faith and the sight of this would make all the works of the Lord appear most straight and lovely to us and therefore that our hearts may comply moâ—…e heartsomely and christianly with the works and dispensations of God and that we may be keeped from so much as desireing to have his wayes and dispensations other then they are let us study and meditate upon the works that He doth till we discover therein this mystery of loving kindness that is wrapped up in all and brought about by all that this great God doth in the world about and for His Church 4. We should also consider and contemplate the works of the Lord for this end and until we did remark in some measure the Purity Unspotted Holiness Righteousness and Integrity of this great Worker Hos. 14 9. Who is wise and he shall understand these things Prudent and he shall know them For the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them but the transgressours shall fall therein There is in all the wayes of the Lord whether we see it or not a divine and singular Righteousness and it is the want of the sight of this that makes us quarrel Ieremiah knew that God was righteous yet he did not see it so clearly as was necessary in the Dispensations of the Lord and therefore he sayeth Chap. 12 1 2. as desireous to reason the case with God VVherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper VVherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously Thou hast planted them yea they have taken root they grow yea they bring forth fruit c. So Hab. 1 2 3. O Lord how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear cry out unto thee of violence and thou wilt not save VVhy dost thou shew me iniquity and cause me to behold grievance For spoiling and violence are before me and there are that raise up strife and contention And againe vers 13. VVherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously and holdest thâ—… tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than â—…e c Therefore it would be our wisdom so to consider the works of the Lord as to be confirmed in the faith of this that the Lord is Just and Righteous in all He doth and so as to finde new and fresh demonstrations thereof and then our hearts will be more calme under all more ready to submit to acquiesce in all that the Lord doth 5. We would study dwell upon the thoughts of and consider the works of the Lord till we see and observe in them something of the Stateliness Excellency and Majesty of God for in His works which are honourable and glorious wonderful and powerful Psal. 111 2 3 4 6. there are discoveries to be had of His excellent Majesty yea a Spiritual eye can discerne this in the most common obvious and ordinary of his works Elihu saw this in the bright light which is in the clouds in windes cleansing of them in faire weather coming out of the North for after this he addeth Iob. 37 21. With God is terrible Majesty God is indeed terrible in his doing to the Children of men Ps. 66 5. and this we will be convinced of if we will come and see and rightly consider His works If we were thus studying the excellent works of the Lord we durst not censure or condemne Him or His works But would rather fear as it is Ps. 64 9. And all men shall fear and shall declare the work of God for they shall wisely consider of his doing And this would be our wisdom wherefore after much said of the commendation of the works of the Lord the Psalmist closeth the Psal. 111. with this vers 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom The fear of the Lord taught and learned by the works of the Lord would prove our wisdom This is one special use that we should make of His stately doings I know said the wise man Eccles. 3 14. that whatsoâ—…ver God doth it shall be for ever nothing can be put to it noâ—… any thing taken from it And God doth it that men should fear before Him See also Iob. 37. vers 22 23 24. and vers 14 15 16. 6. It were good to be so considering and meditating on the works of the Lord until we came to have low and abasing thoughts of ourselves thus did the Psalmist Ps. 8. contemplate the work of God ver 1 2 3. And then addeth vers 4. What is man that thou art mindful of him And the Son of man that thou visâ—…test him And this would stop our mouth when we were beginning to quarrel at any thing He doth and we would soon see cause of silence before Him because we would see that we were but beasts 7. We would so contemplate the works of the Lord as to see and observe how wisely steadily irresistibly He Ordereth Carrieth on His works for throughing and bringing about His designed Ends. It is our ignorance
THE SWAN-SONG Or the Second Part of the LIFE of FAITH in times of TRIAL AFFLICTION Opened and applid by That Late Learned eminently Gracious singularly Faithful exemplarly Zealous Minister of Iesus Christ MR JOHN BROWN And published by his afflicted Friend a poor Well wisher to the Interest of Christ his suffering Remnant 1 Cor. 16 13. Watch ye stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong Eph. 6 13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day c. Ver. 16. Above all taking the shield of faith c. 1 John 5 4. And this is the victory that over-cometh the world even our faith Philip. 4 13. I can all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Printed ANNO DOM. M. D C. LXXX To the CHRISTIAN READER More particularly to the poor suffering Remnant of the CHURCH OF SCOTLAND DEAR BRETHREN and Companions in tribulation in the Kingdom patience of JESUS CHRIST I make no other Apologie for this my present addresse than that it was amongst the last commands laid upon me by the great now glorified Author of this following treatise revised by himself almost wholly printed before his death to prefixe a few lines unto it so send it out into the Church that by it he being dead might yet speake particularly to his Brethren in tribulation to whom living he was so comfortable by holding forth light sanctuary light in their darknesses and difficulties and now continues still to be after he hath no more a being amongst us by pointing forth the way of life and strength whereby the suffering saint without succumbing or sinking because of sorrow misery and affliction may be made able to do all things and endure all things while he walks in that light But Christian Reader while I obey the last command of my dear Brother I shall so far consult thy advantage as not to keep thee back by my tedious and tastlesse scrible from the perusal of a peece which not onely as to thee needs not my Epistle of Commendation For the First Part long aâ—…oe in thy hands is a sufficient Epistle to this Second with all who are in love with know the necessitie of the way of living by faith which is the Christians life in this life for till the day of immediat vision and full fruition come we must walk by faith not by sight O blessed walke which brings with it joy unspeakeable and full of glory And so it must since it is a walking with God For as faith's first work is the association of the soul with him so its next and after vvork is the assimilation of the soul to him whereupon followes that neer that sweet and dear fruition of him which hath unspeakable joy as its inseparable Companion or native effect But the due and deserved praise of the Author is so much in the Church of Christ as it needs not the Epistle of any else to command it For First If thou be not a stranger in our Israel whoever thou be then if either eminency in grace or learning if vastnesse and pregnancy of parts if fervor of zeal according to knowledge if unvvearied diligence in the work of the Lord wherein he laboured more aboundantly than any of us all for no man in the Church of Scotland hath filled up his measure even as to that nor know nor see I a man who is like to doe it nay who is in capacitie for it If a holy heroick misreguard of men and their estimation in approving himself to God by a ready and resolute withstanding the corruptions of his time and opposing all these courses and contrivances and these unworthy connivings whereby the cause hath been prejudged yea basely abandoned and the free course and progresse of the Gospel obstructed If single sollicitousnesse and strenuous endeavours how to have pure ordinances preserved in this generation and propagat to the posteritie in a word if faithfulnesse as a servant in all the house and matters of his God even that God who counted him faithful and put him in the Ministery and loyaltie to his princely Lord and Master the prerogatives of whose Crown the Privileges of whose Kingdom and the establishment of whose Throne were more prized by him more precious and dear unto him than all other interests whatsoever nay he was so far from reguarding any other interest in respect of that alone valuable one that as he was never daunted from a plain peremptorinesse in owning thereof by the dread of poor mortals or the fear of what the stated enemy could doe unto him so he was never demurred into a forbearance or brow-beaten into a base and un Ambassadour becoming silence by the displeasure and disconntenancings even of such of his Brethren whom otherwise he loved and highly honoured as to a plain contending with them wherein he perceived them not to walk uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel and to the former principles of that Church while she retained first love and did first works Yea he judged it duetie and in this he had the mind of Christ to contend earnestly with them for their not earnest contendings for the Faith though for this he should have been contemned and accounted as he was a man of contention I say if thou be such an one to whom such a blessed Conjunction of rare Gifts with such a rich and plentiful measure of Grace can endear any man I then nothing doubt but MR BROWN Great and Gracious MR BROWN hath such a place in thy soul and such a preference to others as thou wilt judge it superfluous in me to say any thing to commend what the truely great Elijah of his time I mean of this present time when having served his generation according to the will of God he fell asleep the man jealous for the Lord God of Hosts above all his Brethren whom he hath left behind him I except not one Soul nor am I ashamed or affraid to give it under my hand doth here present thee with as his farewell to the Saints and the excellent Ones in whom he so much delighted and for whose advantage he so much laid out himself night and day and for the work and cause of Christ his Lord In so much as this his kindnesse to the Saints and care of all the Churches particularly that poor Church of Scotland keept him alwayes neer unto death through his not reguarding his own life to supply the lack of other mens service to Christ and to his Church But if thou be not such an one then as thou declares thy self unworthy of what is here presented so thou canst not quarrel if I be so far of the same opinion with thee though I dare not but wish thee to be quickly of another mind I know very well this which is here hinted of the excellent and savourie Author will be unsavourie to some yea will
incense not a few who would be accounted Masters in Israel who have been busie while he was busied about the work of the Lord in backbiting defaming reproaching him that because he withstood them all to the face wherein they were are justly to be blamed But I must lay my reckoning and have done it with that and many such things Onely by way of Apologie I must tell such that it is not my work to engage with them at present on this head they may exspect to hear of that afterward yet next till more come I doe not crave their libertie or pardon to say that it shall be amongst the posteritie as it is already with the more serious in this generation a stain which shall never be vviped off the memorie of the reproachers vvhen his memorie shall be blessed and his cognizance in the succeeding generations of the Church shall be that in the day vvhen he fell a sleep the Church of Scotland was deprived of the most incomparably able and the most absolutly burning and shining light belonging to that Church Secondly it may be an appreciating and endearing consideration unto thee that this Treatise is not only the work of such a worthy vvorkman such a Walker with God such a Wrestler with him such a Witnesse for his Master and such a beloved Disciple But it is his last Work this he wrote at the close of a long walk with God For in his walk with him and after him having by experience found there neither would nor could be courage nor constancy nor comfort in that course except faith were acting vigourously upon its blessed object that Fountain of all fulnesse both for furniture frame both for the light of direction consolation and for a measure of life in order to action according to the emergent difficulties dangers that are the inseparable attendants of the duties of the present day He was taught by the things which he suffered frō all hands to make a blessed beneficial vertue of this necessitie so he held on in his way being thus upheld and supported without turning aside to the right hand or the left and without being diverted or deterred from following the Lord fully The things that he suffered of late especially at the hands of Brethren their shame but his garland and glory put him to studie and learn the obedience of faith wherein he was helped and taught to make such progresse and proficiency as he enjoyed a sweet serenitie calme in the midst of all these boisterous blasts which out of all airths blew in his face but most bitterly out of that airth whence the storme could or should least of all have been exspected so that he did not onely possesse his soul in patience as moved by none of these things which befell him from foes or friends but he was quieted quickened and comforted in his conflictings yea he got meat out of the eater out of weaknesse he was made strong enabled to doe exploits as knowing his God And finding the sweetnesse of this life otherwise of many sorrowes and experiencing how much he was enabled for all things through Christ strengthening him he was moved and constrained from the aboundant furniture the sweet facilitie yea the begun felicitie he found in this life and course to point forth this way of pleasantnesse and this path of peace to such as are put to walke in the midst of trouble that so they may finde by following this course the same Light arising to them in Darknesse and the same life strength courage and comfort springing up and communicat unto them whereby they may be enabled to goe foreward through all difficulties all dangers yea and all deaths Hereby thou who in the sight of difficulties and the sense of thy impotency art made to say What is my strength that I should hope Art taught to anwer by another question Since he is strong why should I despond or doubt For all things are possible to him that believes all difficulties are superable to faith for faith is the engaging of an Omnipotent God for an impotent Creature whereby the believer is more than a conquerour And because that stronger is he who is in the believer than he that is in the World therefore being by him that dwells in him strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulnesse conquer he must and this is the victorie whereby he overcomes the World even his faith for faith's valour is when overpowered to cast it self and its burden upon God who performeth all things for the believer and so how weake so ever in the conflict yet by faith he carries away the conquerours Crovvn in the issue and is set dovvn at last to sing Thanks be to God who hath given me the victory I say then these are the last vvords of a great Student in this blessed and mysterious art and of a noble proficient in this happie studie for he speaks vvhat he knovves he speakes vvhat he hath found and tasted instructing thee hovv thou mayest with him hold on in thy vvay and vvax stronger and stronger yea hovv thou mayst surmount all difficulties othervvise insuperable as carried uppon eagles vvings and run vvith the greatest burden upon thy back and not be vveary and vvalk vvith the greatest load upon thy loins and not be faint Naturalists you knovv and Mariners tell us of the flieing fish vvhich vvhen pursued in the vvater by the Shark flies up into the air as a foul and so escapes the danger But it can flee no longer in the air than its fins continue vvet and vvhen these become dry it falls down again into the sea A lively embleme of a lively Christian vvho vvhen in hazard to be svvallovved up of trouble and devoured by the teeth of sharks mounts up above them upon eagles vvings and so escaps them But that vvhich vvaters these vvings vvhereby faith flies and that vvhich gives it this vigour is fresh influence of the Spirit The supplie of the Spirit of Christ quicken's and strengthen's faith and then failing and feeble faith renews its strength as the eagle renews her age It s this which gives weake and withered faith a fresh vigourous and youthful greennesse and puts the beleever in case both to say in God have I put my trust I will not fear what flesh can doe unto me and also I am able for all things through Christ vvho strenghtens me or puts povver in me Now the Authors scope and aim is to tell thee and teach thee how thou mayest be expert in this noble flight above trouble O happy dexteritie in a time of trouble upon earth to know how to make use of faith's wings in flieing heaven height and to be instructed in the exercise of that blessed art how to make use of thy faith whereby thou pleases God in thy ordinarie walk for performing these high heroick acts in
Calamity to a sweet quiet submissive and patient life for 1. By this meanes the soul will be freed from sinful murmurings grudgings frettings and repineings at this or that Particular this or that Instrument or this or that other Circumstance of its present Distress and Calamity in that hereby it will be made to see that its murmuring thus is against the Lord and against his Soveraignity who determineth what he will according to the good pleasure of his will and is to give an account of his wayes and determinations to none 2. This will help unto a Christian Patience under all that God thinketh good to lay on and to endure patiently without wearying untill his good time come for they will easily see that it is not for them to strive against the Almighty or to think to cause Him alter his Purposes and Resolutions seing He is of one mind and none can turn him 3 This will teach Christians sweetly to comply with all the holy determinations of God concerning their sufferings and to say heartily and cheerfully The will oâ—… the Lord be done as those did who were perswading Paul not to go up unto Ierusalem and found that he would not be perswaded Act. 21 14. O what a sweet life is this to be sailing with the stream of God's eternall Determinations and to be embracing and kissing every Dispensation we meet with how sharp and bitter so ever it be because it is Determined by the absolute Soveraigne and Lord of Heaven and Earth How light and easie doth this make every load that is lying upon our shoulders when we bear it as bound upon us by an everlasting Decree 4. This will help unto a life of practical Praising of the Lord as Absolute Soveraigne for when the event is submitted unto and sweetly embraced because determined by a fixed Decree of the Lord Jehovah the soul doth thereby declare and acknowledge His Soveraignity and upon the matter by practice in submission even though silent doth Celebrat the praises of that Absolute Soveraigne who is God over all blessed for ever while as such upon the contrary who fret and rebell against the Lord's Determinations by refusing to give that sweet hearty submission that is requisite do give a practical declaration of their not beleeving and acknowledging of Him to be the Soveraigne Lord of all 5. The thoughts of this will free the soul of many heart-perplexing soul-distracting disquieting and renting thoughts such as these If this had not been or if I had not been in such a place or had not done such or such a thing I had been free of all this so that every thought of every thing that had but a far-off and remote tendency unto the occasioning of the trouble is enough to distract disquiet and perplex the man I do not mean here sins occasioning or bringing on of trouble for these should be thought on and mourned for which will not marre this sutable frame of Spirit but other things about which our thoughts are more readily conversant in such a time and beside these thoughts of what hath been done or not done in times by past there are other thoughts of what may yet further be and how that may be prevented which may not a little unhinge and disquiet the soul Now from all such is the soul freed by the beleeving thoughts of God's eternal Decree concerning their trouble and all the way of its coming to passe and the occasion and all other circumstances how and by whom it was brought on Here the soul will finde such a satisfying subject of Meditation that other disquieting thoughts will be quickly hush'd to the door and the soul will finde no leasure for them 6. Hereby will the soul be keeped from poreing upon and too much eying of the motions of the under-wheels of Creatures and instruments of the trouble and calamitie which will rather cause a reeling and giddiness and hence occasione a staggering and falling than any stayedness or establishment because hereby the soul will be brought to fix its eye upon that one wheel of the Lords that moveth evenly fixedly and invariably in the midst of all the wheels of men the motions whereof are so irregular eccentrick and so opposite and contrarious one to another 7. Hereby is the beleever helped to win to that life of tasting and feeling the sweet of that serenity of soul that a filial disposition possesseth the man of by an holy humble son-like submission and subjection of soul unto the good will of the Lord When this submission is yeelded unto the Supream will of God upon Christian Grounds and Considerations the soul is in a manner brought into the suburbs of heaven and enjoyeth an heavenly serenity and peace of minde whereby it is in case to sing under all its sorrowful pressures and the confused noise of such as are the Agents and Instruments of all the calamity and the beleeving thoughts of the Soveraigne will of God ordering and appointing all is a singular help hereunto 8. The beleever is hereby put without the reach of many a Temptation and is strengthened against them whether to use unwarrantable means to be delivered from the Trouble and Distress incumbent or to prevent what may be further imminent and is to be feared or to vent his displeasure against the Instruments of all the calamity or the like for here will be an antidote at hand The Lord ordereth and disposeth of all things according to His own holy and wise will and nothing can come to passe but what He hath decreed and what He hath decreed shall come to passe and that when and neither sooner nor later and how and by whom He hath decreed and no otherwayes what have I then more to do but to minde my present duty and welcome what the Lord's will determineth for me will he say There are these Three particulars which set home this Consideration and promoveth thereupon this work of Submission and hearty acquiesceing unto the will and determination of God and which should be thought upon to this end 1. The Lord is in all his Determinations and Decrees unalterable as he is unchangable in himself there being no variablness or shadow of turning with Him Iam. 1. vers 17. And if it were otherwise He could not be infinitly Wise in himself or not Almighty and Irresistible by others for any alteration that might be in the determinations of his will must either flow from new and second thoughts in himself and so He were not Infinitly wise or from inability to effectuat or through his former Determinations and therefore must take new measures and so He were not Almighty Now the Soul should think with it self Should I wish or desire that the Lord's will were not done that He should not be able to do what soever he will Psal. 115 3. and 135 6 or that any of his everlasting Purposes and Decrees should fail and not take effect or that He should alter his purposes
refused and therein have walked consonant unto both his former Doctrine Practice and Writtings by all which before this time he had declared that the Ceremonial Law was not obliging Christ the special end and substance of all these shadowes being now come and having established the Gospel way of worship and others though they will not blame Paul nor think he dissembled in what he did yet they think Iames and the rest should have forborne to have pressed him to do what they urged him to do Yet we see that notwithstanding of this which gave the rise and occasion to these his last sufferings this not being the ground or cause for which he was persecuted but his maintainance of the Gospel and opposing of the necessary observation of the Law of Moses which was now abrogate he is in all his sufferings which followed hereupon owned of God and approven of him If it be said Though I dar not deny the Truth upon which I am challenged and staged nor dar I say but I am suffering for Truth and that I could not have shunned this affliction but by sinning yet I am made to doubt of God's call and warrand because He hideth his face from me yea He hideth himself from me more than ever This causeth me suspect that all is wong and that I have run in this matter without his warrand and allowance I Ans. This is no certaine ground whereupon to draw such a conclusion These out-lettings of his free grace and sensible significations of his favour are dispensed according to the Soveraignity of his will and pleasure A person therefore may have an unquestionable call and warrand to hazard on suffering when he cannot otherwayes do unless he would sinne though he misse these soul-comforting and heart-establishing blainks of His face How oft do we finde the Saints of God in Scripture cry out of the hiding of God's face when outward trouble was lying heavy upon them As in Iob and David and why may not the Lord dispense thus with others I grant the Trial and the Exercise is upon this account the greater but what do we know but the Lord be ordering matters so in his holy wisdom for our further trial and for the exercise of faith It is easie to swime we say when the head is born up above the water And if the Lord thinketh good to double our Trials ought we not sweetly to submit His word should satisfie us and He hath promised enough to him that overcometh We ought to remember our duty that is hold fast what we have till he come and He will come quickly Revel 2. vers 25. and 3. vers 11. If He will have us venturing upon faith why should we not glorifie him thereby He knoweth when the fittest season is of intimating his favour and acceptance That holy martyr that complained of this want all the time he was in prison yet while going to the staik was made to cry out He is come He is câ—…me Let us now speak a word unto the improving of this Consideration to the end we may see how it can contribute unto life in an evil time 1. This Consideration may calme and quiet the Sufferer and may make him enjoy peace within what ever trouble he meet with from without because hereby he understandeth that he is about his Master's work he is following dutie and walking in a commanded path whatever trouble he meet with therein So whatever other thing occurre to cause disquietment this may bear him thorow all that he is in the way of duty and obeying the command of the great Lord and Law-giver Christians use to pacifie their own spirits with this when they meet with unexpected crosses and disappointments That they were following their duty So this may quiet them under all their Tossings Troubles Persecutions and Vexations that they have sinfully occasioned none of these things nor by their sin and foolly brought them on themselves 2. When on-lookers are ready to condemne them of Foolly Rashness Inconsideratness Pertinaciousness and the like this Consideration That they are about a commanded duty may counterballance all for then they may know that whoever condemne them their Lord and Master will approve of them and how ever men construe of their doings He will account their Sufferings loyal and faithful service to Him 3. The consideration of this will helpe the Beleever to a life of Patience and Submission without fretting at their lot for sure the honest beleever hath engaged himself unto God and hath promised absolute obedience unto him in all things and to take up his cross and yoke whatever it be that God shall think good to appointe for him and without all doubt he is to have respect to all the commands of God and is obliged to carry as a Son and as a Servant and therefore must willingly and with sweet submission do any piece of service that is laid upon him go about any commanded duty with cheerfulness because it is commanded how unpleasant so ever it be to the flesh The honest beleever will say I have given up my self to His service and count it my glory to be called the Servant of God and why should I not go willingly and cheerfully and with heart and hand without all repineing or murmuring about any piece of service He is pleased to put in my hand I made no reserves nor exceptions when I resigned and gave up my self unto Him and why should I not now submit to all He commandeth Sure it is He who is Lord and Master and so must command and give-out orders I am but a servant a sworn-servant and am highly advanced when I am called and accounted a servant to him and therefore must not carve-out my own work and service but be under Authority and go and abide or do this or that or bear this or that burden as commanded It is not seemly for a childe or for a servant or for a souldier to quarrel with his Father Master or Commander for putting him to any piece of service but rather sweetly to acquiesce and run cheerfully about what is commanded And should the beleever say it is more unseemly for me to quarrel with God who is my Father Master and Commander upon a more noble and substantial an account for any piece of service He putteth in my hands I never covenanted with Him upon condition He should not call me to suffering or put any piece of service in my hand that was not easie and sweet to the flesh So that the Consideration of this would certainly move to submission and shoot-out all contrary thoughts which distract and disquiet the soul and make his spirit bitter and his life less lively and comfortable 4. Hereby would the beleever be helped to a life of Patience and Long suffering under the Trial and Tribulation when continueing long and like yet to continue longer without fainting or wearying for the honest soul would think with it self I
upon the Earth yet He will come and perfect what He hath intended We come now to speak a little to the 3 particular to wit To shew how this Consideration may and ought to be improven to advantage in a time of affliction And 1. The faith and right thoughts of this Truth That the Lord ruleth and over-ruleth all that the wicked are devising and executing according to their own lust and rage to afflict persecute and destroy His people according to His own mind would yeeld comfort and encouragment unto His people be their trouble what it would In a time of Trouble there are several thoughts that come in the minde of His people which occasion Discouragment and Sorrow all which this Consideration of God's over-ruling hand if rightly improven would either prevent or keep them from the hurt of so that notwithstanding of these they were in case to rejoice and to sing as 1. When they think upon the Instruments of their calamitie they are ready to pore too much on them and to look upon them as if there were none above them to marshal and order them to command and over-rule them as people are terrified by souldiers that are under no Command or Discipline and expect no pity or favour from them But the faith of God's being above their heads to over-see and over-awe them would free the Child of God from this discouragment He would not be so cast down and affrighted if he beleeved that God hath all these wicked Instruments more under his command than the best disciplin'd souldiers are under the Command of the most strick and awfull General that ever was These Instruments cannot move a finger without God Souldiers when out of the sight of their Commanders may do much mischiefe and their Commanders cannot hinder it because they know not of it But neither Devils nor the most wicked of his Instruments can move one haire of God's people till the Lord give way and permit it to be done He must first loose the raignes or they cannot move a foot because they are chained hand foot in the chaines of his Providence yea their very tongue is chained that they cannot so much as curse or reproach any of His people untill the Lord loose their tongues and say as it were go curse and raile upon such an one 2. When they observe the Confusion Irregularity Brutishness and Unreasonableness of these Enemies in their way and actions they are ready to think that God hath forsaken the earth and is unconcerned with what these wretches were doing and upon this they cannot but be much fainted and discouraged But the faith of this that God is working hitherto Ioh. 5. vers 17. and that these wicked Instruments of their calamity were under his eye would free them of this misapprehension Nay they would beleeve and by faith see a divine Order and Regularity in the midst of the greatest Confusions brutish Maâ—…sacres that ever were if they beleeved that God had a principal hand in all these Actions Moving Ruling Ordering and Over-ruling all according to His own mind 3. The consideration of the Activity Diligence Malice Restlesness and Malicious wickedness of the Enemies troubleth them and maketh them fear that ere ever they be aware they shall be swallowed up But this discouragment would evanish if they remembered and beleeved that the timing of their affliction is not in the hand of their Enemies They cannot stirre till their commission be as it were subscribed and the houre and minute appointed come when they must beginne He who is Supreame determineth the season and the time and over-ruleth all so that were the hunger and desire of these ravenous wolves never so great they cannot attempt any distruction till the minute appointed come 4. When they consider the exceeding great Rage and Cruelty of their Enemies they are ready to think that sure they will make havock of all they will destroy utterly and make an end of all But how terrible so ever this thought be yet its terrour is weakened when the beleever calleth this to minde That it will not be as these enraged and merciless Beasts intend but as God will who is the Soveraigne Disposer of all and Supream Master of work they are but under-Agents and the Instrument in His hand They are no Master of themselves in this matter but as the ax and saw in the hand of the workman that cannot cut but as he ordereth it The child will not be afraid of a sword or of an ax when he seeth it is in the hand of his father Their threatnings are not much to be regairded They have said come and let us out them off from being a nation that the Name of Israel may be no more in remembrance as it is Psal. 83. vers 4. But they have not yet gotten it done They intend Destruction and therefore breath-forth nothing but cruelty but God who is above them intendeth but Correction and some Chastisement and will suffer them to do no more than may contribute to that end 5. The thoughts of the strength and liveliness of the Enemies create also terrour and fear they see their power decayeth not but groweth rather and their number increaseth and thence they art ready to inferre There shall be no outgate But a sight of God as neer as David prayeth when he took such a look of his Enemies Psal. â—…8 vers 19 21. saying But miâ—…e Enemies are lively they are strong and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied Forsake me not O Lord O my God be not far from me would help in this case the Beleever would not be much cast down for all this for he would be in case to say They must be keeped up so long as God hath work for them as a man will keep his ax and his saw sharpe and clear so long as he mindeth to make use of them but all their strength saith not that there shall be no outâ—…ate when the Lord hath finished his work in Zim he will punish the fruite of the stout hâ—…art of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks And the Lord of hosts will send among his fat ones leanness and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire Esai 10. vers 12 16. And for as strong as they are the Lord can raise up a scourge against them as Esai 10 26. yea and make the light of Israel for a fire and his holy one for a flame and it shall burne and devoure their thornes and their briers in one day and shall consume the glory of their forest and fruitful field c. as Esai 10. vers 17 18 6. But even this proveth sometimes fainting and discouraging unto his people That it is not man that they have to do with but with God principally whoever be the Instruments and that upon several accounts as because He is a God of Might of Power and of Terrour and it
8. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 4. Their Impatience is likewise occasioned by considering that their Trouble and Affliction is still growing when they supposed that it should have decreased But the right Improvement of this Truth would frame the Soul for patience notwithstanding hereof because the beleever would see ground to say grow as it will the hand of the Lord is about it it will grow to no greater height than he seeth good let Enemies blow at the fire as fast and with as great earnestness as they will the furnace shall be no hoter than the Supream Master and Over-ruler of all seeth fit for the ends He intendeth He knoweth the nature of the mettall and how hote a fire will serve the turn to purge it 5. This also raiseth impatient thoughts in their heart That they can see no appearance of an outgate all doores are so shut that no hope appeareth thus was it with Iob therefore hath he many such expressions as Chap. 7. vers 6. My daies are swifter than a weavers shuttle and are spent without hope Vers. 7. Mine eye shall no more see good Vers. 8. The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more But this Impatience would evanish if this were beleeved That the Lord's hand were in and about the affliction making a faire way to a saife escape and at length in his own due time putting a period to the Trouble when his work is finished the end He designed attained and if it were firmly beleeved that let Enemies make all as sure as they can and rage as they will they shall not be able to keep them longer under their yron harrowes than He seeth good no not one day nor an houre 3. The right improvement of this Consideration would help unto an holy and sweet Submission and cause us say with David Psal. 39. vers 9. I was dumb not opening my mouth because thou didst it When Aaron met with a sad dispensation two of his prime sones Nadab and Abihu were taken away in the fiour of their age and that in a very terrible manner by fire from heaven for their rashness and when Moses told him Levit. 10. vers 3. That this was it which the Lord spoke saying I will be sanctified of all them that come neer me it is said of him And Aaron held his peace A sight of the hand of God though in a terrible manner in that dispensation made him lay his hand upon his mouth and sit silent in the dust He had not one word to say So that a sight of the hand of God in the dispensation ordering all things in it would help them unto a Christian yea unto a cheerful Submission It would not be patience by force but an hearty willing cheerful choosing bearing and embracing of that lot because bound on their back by the hand of God Shall we not drink would they say this potion with delight that God hath prepared and carefully made up for us He knoweth what is best for us Shall we not willingly lye under the crosse that God hath tyed upon us when He knoweth what He is doing and what we must not want and will not sufler us to be temâ—…ted above what we are able When His good time is come there will be an end and all the power of Enemies shall not obstruct our Delivery The Church Micah 7. vers 9. could sweetly sit down and bear the indignation of the Lord when by faith she could say Rejoice not against me O mine Enemie when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be alight unto me He will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousness V. 8 9. 4. The beleeving improvment of this would keep the beleever from fainting and sincking through discouragment many thoughts come into the minde while affliction is lying on their loines and Satan can suggest many things at that time to cause the poor man succumb while under the load but the faith of God's Soveraigne and Absolute O dering of all things in and about the Trouble according to his own mind would keep up their head and preserve them from a sinful and shamful fainting They look too much to instruments and pore too much upon their Nature Disposition Activity Power Wisdom Wickedness Maliciousness Rage Cruelty and Indefatigableness and forget that they are but under agents and can do nothing but as the Supream God Willeth Ordert he Disposeth and Permitteth and that He alone Over-ruleth all Moderateth and Ordereth all according to His own mind and for His own holy ends So that they cannot do any thing whether as to the Substance or as to the Circumstances of the affliction but as He who is the Supream Master of work is pleased to suffer and give way unto 5. The beleeving thoughts of this Truth would keep the Soul from that dreadful sin of Murmuring against the Lord upon occasion of any Trouble or Distress he meeteth with It is the Lord would the Soul say and who am I that I should quarrel with Him He is ordering disposing and moderating all that under agents and lixes are doing so that all things are done as He will and shall I yet be displeased and quarrelsome Enemies cannot get their will They are over-ruled in all their Consultations Projects Contrivances bloudy Resolutions and cruel Executions matters go not as they will but as He will who is over them and why then should I murmure and repine against Him 6. This would also airth the Eyes of the soul towards the right object in a day of Trouble They would not with Heathens look to chance or fortune as ruling and ordering all nor would they with the carnal multitude fâ—…x their eye upon the instruments and run with the dog to the stone that is cast at him but would see another more noble object of their sight to wit the Principal Agent Mover and Orderer of all in whose hand the wicked are as the ax and saw in the hand of the workman and as the rod in the hand of the father and this sight would help unto a Spiritual Christian frame of Godly fear Subjection of Soul and would put the soul in case to observe the Wisdom Soveraignity and absolute Dominion of God doing what He will frustrating the toakens of the liars and disappointing the craftie devices of wicked men as also this sight would minde the man of Christian duties of searching his wayes repenting of his sinnes and turning againe to the Lord for he would see it was the Lord with whom he had to do He would look for his Outgate and Salvation from God alone so that his Faith his Hope and his Confidence would be in the Lord alone His eye being fixed on this object he would not see cause of troublâ—…ng himself much about-Enemies
Weapon that is formed against Israel shall prosper Esai 54 17. If these particulars were rightly thought upon and improven we might be helped thereby to a life of Faith and Hope both in reference to the sad condition of the Church in general and also in reference to our own particular suffering condition And first In reference to the Church we may from these particulars see ground of giving a check to our Inferences from the Lords's present Dispensations with His Church savouring of Unbeleef Despondency Discouragment and Hoplesness We see it is true the Church over-whelmed with sorrow fitting as a widow and her teares upon her face We see her looking pale as if death were in her face all beauty and liveliness gone her Enemies multipliying and prospering daily and the Church still sincking more and more in the sea of sorrow and distress Many it is true are ready to say can this be the true Church and these the real people of God whose life is thus constantly made bitter with renewed stormes and tempests of adversity Can this indeed be the work of God which is thus cast down to the ground and trampled under-foot Would the Lord stand by and look on when His spouse if she were so indeed is thus abused by the vilest of men Would He suffer His Name and Work to be thus blasphemed True all this and much more may be said and be done against His Church and she remaine the true Church of Christ and His work be His work It hath been so before now and there is no new thing under the Sun And the right thoughts of what is said would prevent the trouble that such Atheistical and perplexing thoughts necessarily cause if they be admitted and fomented Hath not the Church of Christ been a militant Church from the beginning hath there not been a constant enmity betwixt the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the woman Is it any new thing to see the Church driven to the wilderness and tossed in the sea of afflictions Is it any un-heard-of thing that the Church must be tossed betwixt winde and wave and have stormes and tides and all against her Is it any new thing to see the Church even while within the sight of the haven of an happy and glorious Reformation driven back to sea againe What hath she not oftentimes seemed to on-lookers to be sunck have not false friends many a time sought to drive her upon rocks or cut her cables that she might be left to the mercy of the seas or to make lecks that she might sinck to the ground Is outward prosperity the mark of the true Church No let Antichrist make it a mark ofhis seing so the Papists will The Church of Christ must be the speckled bird She must have many horns in her side Her rest and triumphant state is above though it is true she may have some breathing times some lucide intervals and a more glorious day when the Vial is poured forth on the Seat of the Beast Euphrates dried up and the Kings of the East brought in and when Babylon the great is fallen Gog and Magog destroyed and the Beast and the false Prophet cast into the lake of brimstone but then the end of her warfare will be nigh Againe would we call to mind how often the Church hath been very low and her Enemies singing a triumph as if they had gotten an everlasting victory and as if they were assured that the Name of Israel should be no more mentioned and yet the Lord hath hithertill saved and hath brought that broken Vessel saife to land Notwithstanding of all that the red Dragon the Hethenish Emperours did in persecuting with their bloudy massacres the Christian Church the first three hundered Years yet the Church of Christ grew and multiplied and spread over all the Empire And though the Antichristian abomination did prevail in the Church and the woman was made to flee to the wilderness 42 moneths or 1260 dayes or Years from the Year 660 or 666 as some compute untill the Reformation 1550. or 1560. Yet notwithstanding of this long desolation and darkness dureing which time the Gentiles possessed the outter court the Lord in his own good time in the dayes of Luther and afterward made light break up and made the world see that His Church was not yet destroyed And though now Antichrist be thinking to possesse the outter Court againe and to destroy the Reformation to make even the lands that were by solemne Covenant devouted unto Christ as His peculiar Inheritance become lands of graven images and brought under his tyrannie yet the Lord liveth we are to waite in faith hop and to possess our souls in patience for now is the faith patience of the Saints to beleeve that in due time He who hath begun to poure forth the vials of His wrath upon that Antichristian cursed conspiracy will also make an end in His own good time shall poure forth the Vial on the Beast Revel 16. vers 10. And the judgment of the great whore shall come that fitteth upon many waters with whom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication even the woman that sitteth upon a scarlet-coloured beast full of Names of Blasphemy having seven heads and ten horns arayed in purple and scarlet coloure and decked with gold and precious stones and pearles having a golden Cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication upon whose fore-head is a Name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH And which is drunken with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyres of Jesus Which is manifestly interpreted by the Spirit of God Revel 17. vers 8. to the end to be the Papal Church and State sitting at Rome and commanding all Wherefore it becometh all who love their lives to take notice of that word Revel 18. vers 4 5. Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues c. for the day is coming when it shall be said as it is vers 6 7 8 c. Rewarde her even as she rewarded you and double unto her double according to her worksin the cup which she hath filled fill to her double How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciousâ—… so much torment and sorrow give her for she saith in her heart I sit a queen and am no widow and shall see no Sorrow Therefore shall her plagues come in one day and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Let us live in hope that the day shall come when what followeth there shall be fulfilled and it shall be said as vers 20. Rejoice over her thou Heaven and ye Holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her And it shall be found true that is
Iob said the Lord hath given and taken blessed be His name 3. We finde them following their duty notwithstanding of all the trouble and calamity which they did meet with Paul notwithstanding of all that befel him went on and minded his work when he was persecuted in one place he went to another and there preached the Gospel And in this we should follow them for for this end are these things left on record 4. We finde them so far from fretting and repineing at the Lord's Dispensations with them in suffering wicked instruments to afflict them and persecute them for righteousness that they therein rejoice as the Apostles did Act. 5. vers 41. And Paul glorified in these his infirmities 2 Cor. 12. And it is commendable to follow them here 5. We finde them likewise notwithstanding of all their Sufferings standing fast in the faith adhereing to their principles refusing deliverance upon any sinful or base termes Heb. 11. vers 35. Others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtean a better resurrection And it were good if we were considering them to this end that in this we might follow their footsteps 6. We finde them acting faith on God in the mean time Heman Psal. 88. was in a very sad case yet for all that was come upon him he would not quite his interest in God but beginneth that sad Psalm thus O Lord God of my salvation So did Iob likewise act faith on God Chap. 19. 7. We finde them exercising Hop for as desperat-like as their case would seem to be as David Psal. 38. the beginning whereof sheweth that his case was then very sad yet V. 15 he crieth out In the Lord do I hope 8. We finde them taking with their iniquity whereby they provoked God to deal so with them or desireous to understand what is the ground of God's controversie so the Church Mica 7. vers 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him See likewise Lam. 3. vers 39 42. And Iob said Chap. 10. ver 2. I will say unto God do not condemne me shew me wherefore thou contendest with me If we were thus taking notice of the commendable deportment of other worthies when they were in Afflictions to the provoking of our selves unto the like carriage we would finde it a more profitable exercise than to be in our mindes aggravating our lot beyond the lot of those before us and imagining that God dealeth worse with us than He hath done with others before us CONSIDERATION XV. Suffering Christianly is a special gift of God MAny look upon Suffering for the Name of Christ with an evil eye and with prejudice and because of the misapprehensions they have of it they cannot complye with it whereas a right view of it would make it less terrible yea more lovely and desireable The Apostle writting to the Philippians Chap. 1. vers 29. giveth them ground to think well of the cross of Christ when he said for unto you it is given in the behalfe of Christ not only to beleeve on Him but also to suffer for His sake He had been exhorting them in the foregoing Verses that they would stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel and in nothing be terrified by their adversaries and after he had told them that the opposition of the adversaries was an evident token to them of Perdition that their own standing withstanding was an evident token to themselves of Salvation and that of God He subjoineth this ground of encouragment that it was granted unto them as a special favour and that in the behalfe of Christ not only to beleeve on Him but also to suffer for His sake In which words these Three Particulars are chiefly considerable in order to our present designe 1. That suffering for the sake of Christ is a special gift of God and not a thing that meer natural Strength and Courage can reach 2. That it is a gift purchased by Christ and given on His behalfe or for His sake and not for any thing in us 3. That it is a gift in some respect beyond that excellent gift of faith But before I speak particularly to these points I shall premit these three things considerable 1. Though to bear any crosse or crossing dispensation outward or inward in a christian acceptable manner be beyond the power of nature and natures strength and is the pure gift of God yet here we are mainely to speak of that Trouble Afflictions and Crosses which the followers of Christ are put to suffer by wicked Men and for avowing of His truth and Interest of what measure or degree so ever it be for this is that which is here understood and whereof the Apostle is speaking as the forgoing and following Verses cleare 2. Nor do we hereby understand every Trouble that wicked persons create unto the Godly though unto a Christian deportment in such a case the special grace and gift of God be required but of that which is properly for the Name of Christ for adhereing to His truth and cause for of this doth the Apostle speak when he mentioneth suffering for Christs sake 3. Nor do we speak of Suffering here simply considered but of suffering accompained with its Christian Concomitants or of Suffering in a Christian humble self denied handsome and cleanly manner this being the Suffering which is to be called the gift of God and not that which may be undergone upon a carnal account and may flow from a carnal Principle and be intended foâ—… some carnal end Having premised these things we come to speak to the first point and shew That suffering in a Christian manner for the Name of Christ is the meer gift of God and beyond the reach of all natural Strength and Courage Which will be sufficiently clear if we but take a view of such particulars as are requisite unto a Christian way of suffering for Christs sake some only of which we shall content ourselves here to name as 1. To the end that one suffer as a Christian for the sake of Christ it is requisite that he be a Christian indeed a beleever in Christ indeed for a man in nature can act nothing as a Christian as wanting the divine principle of all Christian Actions This is imported in the Text now before us where the gift of faith in Christ is supposed as existent before the gift of suffering Now it is beyond all debate with the orthodox that to beleeve in Christ and to become a Christian indeed is beyond the reach of nature and the same Text here evinceth faith to be given of God so also is it expresly said to be the gift of God and not of ourselves Ephes. 2. 8. And therefore this Christian suffering for the sake of Christ must be the special gift of God 2. Unto suffering Christianly it is requisite not only that the sufferer be aBeleever but also that
short in regaird of the great and manifold effects which God is to bring about by the same a through Consideration of which would make us say if we judged according to our usual manner that the Afflictions must of necessity continue a long time to the end those great and noble effects may be produced thereby Would we consider how much Dross and Corruption in His own people remaineth to be purged away as Pride Carnality Inordinat Self-love and Love of Pleasures Riches Honours Ease c. Carnal-Security Passion Self-conceite Formality Hypocrisie c. we would see a necessity for the Crosses lying-on for a long time in order to the purging of these away As also would we consider how much Hypocrisie Hollow-heartedness there is to discover how many false Friends to Christ and His Interest there are to be made known we could not but think that of necessity in order to the effectuating of this discovery a long time of trouble and trials were requisite As likewise if we called to minde how many things His people are to learne thereby Considering I say those and such like noble Effects which the great Master of Work is to effectuate and produce by the Affliction And how they would seem to call for the continuance of the same for a considerable time And withall how notwithstanding the Lord prevents the thoughts of many and maketh a short work and doth that in a few Moneths or Dayes which we could have thought should have called for many Yeers When then the Lord maketh such a quick dispatch of such a great Business we may well say that the time is short and that many Years are but a very short time 2 The time of Afflictions may be accounted short considering what our Sins and Provocations call for at His hand When in righteousness the Lord might keep us under the rod all our dayes and multiply Afflictions upon us to our very dying day Ten or Twenty Years Captivity should seem a very short time a few Years Imprisonment would seem nothing to a man who had been condemned to perpetual Imprisonment To another possibly who got no such Sentence a few Moneths Imprisonment would seem longer than many Years to him because he expected no less than perpetual Imprisonment So were we considering that in regaird of our deservings the time of Afflictions might justly be continued to the end of our dayes a few Years or Moneths would appear to be no considerable time Wherefore in respect of our deservings a long time of Affliction is but a short time because the longest is nothing to what we have deserved 3. They may be accounted short in respect of the dayes of Prosperity which they have had sometimes in the world The Lord doth not alwayes chide He will not cast off for ever but though he cause griefe yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of His tender Mercies Lam. 3 vers 32. and so He sendeth Prosperity which lasteth longer than their Adversitie did as we see Iudg. 3 vers 11. after Eight Years bondage they had rest Fourtie Years And vers 30. after Eighteen Years trouble they had rest Fourscore Years So Chap. 5 vers last after twenty Years bondage they had rest Fourty Years Thus the Lord sometimes sendeth such a length of Prosperity that the dayes of Adversity are forgotten as if they had been few and inconsiderable 4. The time of Affliction may be accounted short considering how that oftentimes for as long as the delivery seemeth to be a coming yet when it cometh His People are surprized therewith their expectation is prevented they imagined in their own apprehensions a longer duration of the trouble so that mercy preventeth them when it cometh and this maketh the by-past time of their Affliction seem short Though the People of God had been a conderable time in bondage and under the feet of Adversaries yet it appeared unto them but as it were as the time betwixt seed time and harvest Psal. 126 vers 5 6. after God had wonderfully delivered them out of Captivity and Bondage they draw this Conclusion from this rare Act of Gods Providence about them They that sow in tears shall reap in Ioy and he that goeth forth and weepeth having precious seed shall doubtless come againe with rejoiceing bringing His sheaves with him Whereby is imported that Gods People abiding by the Lord though they should meet with Affliction in their Duty and be made to weep sore be reason thereof yet the time of delivery should come like an Harvest with fruit recompensing all their toile and tears and so they summed up all their Seventy Years into less than Seven Moneths And how came it to passe that the time seemed so short That Psalm pointeth this forth as one Reason hereof Vers. 1 When the Lord turned againe the Captivity of Zion we were like men that dream They were surprized with the mercy for they did not look for it but thought their exiled Condition should have continued longer because they saw no appearance or probability of a returne So that in regaird of what the People of God themselves may imagine the time of the Affliction may be short 5. It may likewise be accounted short and inconsiderable in regaird of the wonderful and extraordinary goodness of God that appeareth in the delivery when it cometh it may be attended with such signal and notable Mercies which so fill their souls with amazement and satisfaction that the length of the time of their Affliction disappeareth and evanisheth and as if it had been nothing it is presently forgotten So in that forecited Psal. 126 vers 2. The delivery is accounted signal and wonderfully remarkable such as filled their mouth with laughter and their tongue with singing It was such a notable delivery accompanied with so many rare Passages and carrying in the bosome of it so many rare demonstrations of Gods Power Tenderness Faithfulness Constancy and loving Kindness that they could not but be filled with admiration thereat and have their tongues loosed to sing his praises Yea they took notice of this circumstance which increased the admirablness of the delivery that even Strangers and Heathens were made to say that God had done great things or the poor Jewes and they themselves being no less convinced hereof could not but subscribe to the truth thereof and as it were take the word out of their mouth and say v. 3. The Lord had done great things for us whereof we are glade Now this being so remarkable a delivery the first sight and apprehension of it did so fill their soul with Joy and Admiration that the long Seventy Years Bondage seemed to them but as the paines and labour of a few Moneths in expectation of a good harvest after the seed was sowen as the long paines of a women travelling in Child-birth are forgotten when she hath brought forth a Man-Child In respect therefore of the delivery so signal as to its Ingredients Attendants and
submitting to the way howbeit dark unusual and compassed with dark clouds that infinite wisdom thinketh good to take and follow in carrying on His Purposes and Designes of love and mercy to His people Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self c. I see that now would he say that I did not observe before and I am satisfied I have nothing to say against it I close with it and am fully content it be so Such a frame would suite us well let the Lord take what way He will follow what method He thinketh good How uncouth and dark so ever it seemeth to us yet so far should we be from complaining or from a quarrelling discontentedness of minde that we should heartily cheerfully and with full satisfaction of soul comply therewith in heart mind and affection 7. It is observable also in the holy Prophets frame that notwithstanding of all these interveening clouds of Improbabilities Unlikelihoods and dark Dispensations that would seem to cover and hide the comfortable relation that God standeth in unto his Church and People as their Covenanted God and Saviour yet against hope as to humane appearances and carnal reasoning he beleeveth in hope and holdeth this fast that be His dispensations what they will and be the outward and visible appearances of His owning of and appearing for His people never so small and inconsiderable yet He was would be the God of Israel and the Saviour Howbeit the reasonings of flesh and bloud would say God hath forgotten to be gracious and his Promises fail and he will be favourable no more as Psal. 77 v. 7 8 9. Yet he saw that His way was in the Sanctuary and in the sea and His path in the great waters and that though His footsteps could not be seen yet He was leading his people like a flock v. 13 19 20. Such actings of faith in a dark day would be of great use would contribute much to our Establishment keep us from staggering in the day of temptation 8. We may take notice here in this manner of expression of the burning of the holy mans Affections towards God These thoughts of the Lord's Dispensations whereby He appeared a God like himself did not alienate his heart from God nor drive him further from Him but on the contrary they did warm his Affections more and draw him nigher unto God for he is uttering these his Apprehensions of God and of His way even unto God himself saying Verily thou art a God c. It is good when our Meditations of God of His wayes how uncouth strange unusual so ever they be indeed or seem to be work thus upon us are accompanied with a powerful attractive vertue drawing powerfully inclineing the heart soul to approach nigher unto God And when the Lord is rightly seen in any of his wayes how dark soever this will follow upon it the heart will be more engadged unto God the soul will improve these meditations to a noble advantage and have thereby many sweet occasions of heavenly Ejaculations and of Postings of soul toward God 9. It is considerable also in the Prophets carriage while he thus uttereth the whole matter of his thoughts even in the Presence of God and poureth forth his soul into the very bosome of God that he was real and single hearted in all this Exercise it was not a meer rational discursive Contemplation but a real exercise of soul his heart was really in very deed affected with the mater Verily saith he thou art a God that hidest thy self His declaring of the thoughts of his heart unto God saith that he was not formal superficial or for a fashion exercised in this case but was really exercised therewith at the heart his soul was in the meditation and he looked upon it as momentous and weighty and as a matter of high concernment A Formal Superficial Indifferent and Cursory Contemplation of the works and wayes of the Lord should be hateful to us and Uprightness Sincerity and Reality should appear in all our wayes and especially while musing meditating upon the rare Passages of God's Providence Our heart and soul should be in every thought for the subject is grave and weighty and of great concernment 10. Lastly It is obvious enough that the Prophet here is in a transport of Admiration he getteth so broad a sight of this Majestick and God-like way of carrying on His work that he is astonished thereat and ravished with wondering and therefore breaketh out in this holy Apostrophe and Ejaculation verily thou art a God that hidest thy self c. Never do we get a right look of God and of his wayes but when the sight thereof raiseth in us an high admiration and wondering for it is no common and ordinary thing that is to be seen in them when they are seen in the right colours Our not wondering declareth our sight here to be but common and superficial It was no ordinary thing in the eyes of the Jewes when they saw the man leaping and standing walking who had been lame from his Mothers womb Act. 3 8 9. and therefore they were filled with wonder amazement v. 10. When David was musing upon the Lords alseeing knowledge he cryeth out Psal. 139 v. 6. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me it is high I cannot attain unto it Next Let us consider the matter and occasion of this Transport of the holy Prophet what is the thing which he seeth and what are his thoughts busied about causing this Ejaculation First He seeth God hideing Himself Next He seeth Him hiding Himself even while He is the God of Israel and the Saviour or he seeth Him abiding the God Israel and Saviour even while His way is hid and He will not be seen As to the first of these to wit the Lord 's hiding himself that is bringing about the promised deliverance and salvation to his people in a way not discernable obvious to the eyes and observation of every one in a way removed from the sight of ordinary beholders and as to them hid dark under ground and out of the reach of their perception in which is a Soveraigne Majestick Kingly and Stately procedour to be seen by Spiritual eyes and only by such as can see God while covered with clouds and thick darkness And this saith That howbeit in all the wayes and works of the Lord there is a singular rare and divine piece of State Majesty and Glory to be seen by Spiritual observers yet there is sometimes in the Lords bringing about the deliverance and outgate of his People so much hid Mysteriousness and Majestick Imperceptibility that saith to a gracious observer that the Lord is hiding Himself and carrying on his Purposes and perfecting his Work according to such grounds and rules of Divine Policy that every one cannot penetrate thereinto nor discover his Footstpes nor see distinctly the hand of God at work As
sometimes wise and great Politicians Statsmen and Leaders of Armies carry on their designes in such a way as ordinary onlookers shall not understand what the matter meaneth nor what is intended by what they see done with their eyes And the more they carry on their work with success in the dark and hid from the observation of ordinary spectators the more do they discover their great wit and give proof of their dexterity in the managment of affairs of greatest consequence and such under-ground workings and stratagems carry on them a special piece of Beauty and Glory Thus our Lord thinketh good sometimes to work and while working not let every one see what he is doing but carry on his business much out of sight and under ground and by Holy and Majestick Stratagems so as not only enemies shall be ignorant of what He is doing or about to do but many even of his owne followers and friends shall be in the dark So that the observation of Iob. Chap. 23 8 9. is oft times found to be true Behold I go forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him on the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot perceive him As also of the Psalmist Psal. 77 vers 19. Thy way is in the Sea and thy path in the great waters and thy footsteps are not known As all the wayes and footsteps of the Lord are full of Majesty and of hid and unseen Glory and therefore must be sought out of all that take pleasure therein Psal. III vers 2. so that in all of them the Lord is like Himself acteth like Himself and every piece of them discover to a spiritual observer the Finger of God So there are some special pieces of work which are more signal and remarkable and wherein the Lords gloriously-working hand is less obvious and even these works upon that very account are in a special manner Glorious and Majestick and of such is the truth in hand to be understood wherein the Lords footsteps are not seen nor known nor observable by every one for further clearing of which point of truth concerning the Lord's thinking good to work and yet to hide Himself so as it shall not be observed by every one that He is indeed working we shall mentione some few of these special Works of God that are thus covered with a cloud of Majesty that every one cannot understand the Reasons of State why such and such things are done or suffered to be done nor see the connexion betwixt these Actings and the intended Designe As 1. When there is not only a seen and palpable disproportion betwixt the meanes taken and followed and the end projected or intended and an obvious unsutableness of the meanes used unto the designe to be carried on by them But the Work of the Lord seemeth to Onlookers to Crosse and Counter-work the intended end How oft is it seen that the Works of Gods Providence seem not to run in a subserviency to the bringing effectually about of the Promises but rather to turn head upon them and to threaten the utter annulling of them and rendering of them void and of no credite When the present Dispensations of providence are considered and compared with the great things concerning the Kingdom of Christ promised who can see what rational correspondence they keep can observe them smiling one upon another as fit meanes and the end would do Nay who would not say that these Dispensations do rather drive on a direct designe to defeate the Promises who would consult with humane Reason Is not this then a special piece of the Lord's Work wherein He hideth himself and thinketh good to cloath himself with State and Majesty that every one may not be able to prye into the Depths of his Insinite Wisdom nor see how all things are laid and joynted together with firme bands and ligaments that cannot be broken or dissolved and so have a certaine connexion with the intended and promised good When Moses was sent to deliver the People of Israel out of Aegypt and to tell them good newes that the Lord had visited them and looked upon their Affliction and would now rescue and deliver them from their bondage and slavery Exod. 4 v. 30 31. the Dispensation that immediatly followed upon the neck of that seemed to keep no good correspondence therewith when their yoke was made heavier and their bondage more grievous and their slavery and hard work doubled by the People of Israel their being constrained to seek straw for themselves without diminishing the tale of their bricks and they hereupon who formerly believed the Word of God by Moses and bowed down and worshiped when they heard the same now made to say unto Moses and Aaron Exod. 5 v. 21. The Lord look upon you and judge because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his Servants to put a Sword in their hand to slay us Yet herein was a piece of that Stately Working of God which is full of Majesty which the People could not see and which Moses himself could not well take up as his words to God Vers. 22 23. evidence where he saith Lord Wherefore hast thou so evil intreated this People Why is it that thou hast sent me For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy Name he hath done evil to this People neither hast thou delivered thy people at all 2. When the Dispensations of God are such as even those whom they most concerne who have greatest interest in them and are most called therefore to understand them do not know what to say of them nor what construction to put upon them nor what to gather out of them not only in particular but even as to a more general matter that is they shall not know whether they speak-out Mercy or Anger in God towards them This must be a singular piece of God's hiding himself and covering himself with a cloud that no distinct judgment can be made of what He is doing Such was that Dispensation which Sampsons Father met with He and his Wife could not agree in their judgment as to what they saw Iudg. 13. Manaoh said Vers. 22. We shall surly die because we have seen God But his Wife on the contrary said Vers. 23. If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received a Burnt offering and a Meat-offering at our hands neither would he have shewed us all these things nor would he at this time have told ut such things as these So as to that strange and unusual Dispensation which holy Iob did meet with he did not know what the mind of the Lord was nor what he was intending and driving-at thereby therefore he resolveth Chap. 10 Vers. 2. to say unto God Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me which sheweth that he was utterly ignorant
37 v. 11. Our bones are dried and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts Then even then when People can see no hope He who hideth himself can say Prophesie upon these Bones and cause breath enter into them and bring flesh upon them and cover them with skin and put breath in them that they may live Vers. 3 4 5 6 7 c. and make them a strong Army This is among his hid Acts whereof he hath a rich treasure 5. When the meanes which He putteth His peoples upon in order to their deliverance and outgate are such as promise little â—…or nothing being considered abstractly and in themselves being very unlikely in humane probability to effectuate the end designed then and therein the Lord is a God that hideth himself as when he commanded Iosua and the People to compasse Iericho and to blow with Rams Horns who could have thought that that should have proven an adapted mean for bringing to the ground the strong Wals of the City And when Esther was imployed to effectuate the ranversing of the decree given out to destroy all the Iewes who could think that thereby Haman should have been destroyed and all the Enemies of the Iewes Who would have thought that the stirpling David should have killed the great Goliah thereby brought about the defeate of the mighty Army of the Philistines Thus oftentimes the Lord maketh use of most unlikely and improbable meanes that the excellency of the Power and the Glory may be His And He cometh thus in a dark cloud with Salvation without observation that His hand may more eminently appear and be observed and His Salvation be more conspicuous 6. When some very hopful beginning of a good Work of Reformation meeteth with an unexpected stop and impediment to retard it this is one of the wayes wherein the Lord chooseth to hide Himself and His work then is His way covered with a cloud and His footsteps cannot be seen Thus it was when contrary Orders came to stop the building of the Temple after the peoples return from captivity as we read in the Book of Ezra whereby that necessary work so much desired prayed for hoped for and with such earnestness begun was for a considerable time retarded Thus was it also when David was about the bringing up of the Ark out of Kirjath Iearim to set it in its place in the midst of the Tabernacle that was pitched for it and had for this end assembled the Body of the People of Israel and all the chosen Men of Israel Thirtie Thousand and was now rejoiceing before the Lord playing before Him on all manner of Instruments then even then is there an unexpected stop put to the work for when they were advanced to Nachons threshing floor Vzzah one of the Sones of Abinadab put forth in his simplicity his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it for the Oxen shook it and upon this the Anger of the Lord was kindled against Vzzah and God smote him there for his errour and there he died by the Ark of God 2 Sam. 6 vers 5 6. And upon this the work is stayed for David was afrayed of the Lord that day and would not remove the Ark unto him unto the City of David but carried it aside unto the House of Obed Edom the Gittite where it stayed full three Moneths Vers. 8 9 10 11. See 1 Chron. 13. 7. When even the Godly are left of God to take such courses as do provoke God to anger prove stumbling blocks to the Godly and a strengthening of the wicked in their evil wayes and to bring wrath upon the Land then doth the Lord hide Himself and hath His way in the Sea for who can consider this Dispensation and not be astonied Are the Reasons hereof obvious to all Is there not something singular uncouth and rare in this Dispensation Thus was it when the Lord left Gideon to make that Ephod which proved a snare to him and to his House and an occasion of sin to the Land for it is said All Israel went thither a whoreing after it Iudg. 8 vers 27. And this was when the Lord had wrought a great deliverance by him and had subdued Midian so that they lifted up their heads no more Thus also was it when the Lord left Aaron to make that Calfe in the Wilderness that brought so much Sin and Wrath upon the People as we see Exod. 32 and 33. Deut. 9 vers 8 21. Thus was it also when the Lord suffered David to number the People moved him as it is said 2 Sam. 24 vers 1. or suffered Satan to stand up to provoke him thereunto as it is said 1 Chron. 21 vers 1. A deed that cost Israel dear for therefore the Lord sent a Pestilence that destroyed in three dayes Seventy Thousand Men 1 Chron. 21 v. 14. 2 Sam. 24. 15. 8. So we may conceive the Lord to be a God that hideth himself when we see wicked enemies imployed and actively bestirring themselves in carrying forward the Lords Work It is true when these Enemies are most active in carrying on their wicked Designes and malicious Purposes the Lord who overruleth all as the great Master of Work turneth their desperat wickedness to good and in his Holy Wisdom and by his Irresistible Power maketh that contribute to His ends and to the carrying-on of his Holy Designes for He hath a wheel in the midst of all their wheels and in this the Lords way is indeed in the deep waters so that Enemies cannot perceive this and his own People are oft in the mist and through unbeleefe and faithless fear have oftentimes unsutable thoughts of God and of His Way But the thing that we are now speaking of is a passage of the Lords Providence that is more rare and observable when to wit the Lord will force and necessitate Enemies to do that which is a manifest and plaine setting forward of His work contrare to their owne wills and inclinations as when the Philistines were constrained to send home the Ark to Israel againe 1 Sam. 6 This was a Majestick piece of Providence And that which made the way of the Lord more hid here was this that the Lord would rather bring home the Ark thus than employ the Israelites themselves and send them forth to recover the Ark by a glorious Victory over the Philistines We would readily think that He should rather have done this but He is a God that hideth himself and chooseth what way He thinketh meet 9. The Lord manifesteth himself to be a God that hideth himself in His workings when in His holy Providence He delayeth procrastinateth and suffereth His intended and promised work to meet with retarding hinderances and impediments we would think that when the Lord did so wonderfully and with such an outstretched arme bring the People of Israel out of the furnace of Aegypt to the end he might make good His promise to Abraham
and put his posterity according to His faithful word in possession of that promised land he should incontinent after He had brought them thorow the red sea and brought them to the very border of Canaan have entered them into Canaan Yet we see He caused them to wander in a waste houling Wilderness Fourtie Years Againe when He brought them over Jordan we would think He should in all haste with great expedition have destroyed the Canaanites that in a short time Israel might have had peacable possession of the whole Land Yet we see the Lord thought good to do other wayes And how many a time doth He think good to exercise the Patience and Faith of His People and for this end delay the carrying on and perfecting of the work He intendeth And this He doth not for want of strength to go over all Opposition nor for want of Wisdom as if he were put to new Resolutions and to a stand in carrying-on his old Purposes But that he may give proof of His Majestick Soveraignity and shew how Stately and Glorious He is in His Operations performing all according to the Counsel of His own will cutting short His Work when we might think it could not be finished in haste and againe drawing it forth to a longer period of time when we would think that all things cry for His hastning of it 10. The Lord hideth Himself in His workings when He suffereth Enemies at once to destroy and overthrow a work that hath been long in building and hath been carried-on with much trouble toile work and care by prayers fastings and blood We understand not what that meaneth which the Lord saith by Ieremiah unto Baruch Ier. 45 4. Behold that which I have built will I break down and that which I have planted I will pluck up even this whole land But this is a piece of His working who loveth sometimes to be a God that hideth himself It is a sad complaint which the Church hath Psal. 74 vers 4 5 6 7 8. Thine Enemies roar in the midst of thy Congregations they set up their ensignes for signes A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers They have cast fire into thy sanctuary They said in their hearts let us destroy them together They have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the Land Thus was there more destroyed in one Year than was built-up in many Is not our Lord in such a case a God that hideth Himself Who can see thorow such a Dispensation as this 11. There is a time also in which we may say the Lord is a God that hideth himself and that is when his Dispensations are so mixed and composed to speak so of mercy and judgment that People shall not know which to regaird most or what to judge of the complex Business As it was when the Ark came to the Bethshemites there was great joy and offering of brunt Offerings and Sacrificeing of Sacrifices 1 Sam. 6 vers 13 15. But behold ere the day was ended their mourning was as great as their joy for the Lord slew Fifty Thousand and Threescore and Ten Men because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord v. 19 Whereupon the people lamented because the Lord had smitten them with a great slaughter and they said vers 20. Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God and to whom shall he go up from us A wonderful dispensation wherein the Lord shewed himself to be a God that hideth Himself 12. We may adde to these another case in which the Lord may be looked upon as one that hideth himself and that is when He is unwilling to make use of holy and useful Instruments of whom much might be expected and who would willingly spend themselves and be spent in the service of the Lord. As the Lord thinketh good to make use of Instruments in his work so it is an hopeful business when the Lord raiseth up fitteth and animateth Instruments for carrying on of his work and the Lord is then appearing in His power on the head of His work But when He saith by His dispensations that He will not make use of hopful and steadable Instruments for beginning or carrying on of His work then He is as it were hid and his footsteps cannot be seen Whether 1. He expresly declareth that he will not make use of such or such a worthy Instrument that would gladly be Imployed in the work as when David did so earnestly desire to be imployed in building of Gods House yet the Lord said he should not build Him an House He would not have that service from him 2 Sam. 7. but would employ one out of his loines for that end and David must be content to prepare money and materials for the work Or 2. When the Lord taketh away Instruments before their work be ended as He did Moses who would faine have passed over Iordan to have seen that good Land and have perfected his work of leading the people thereinto Or 3. When He suffereth worthy and eminent Instruments to be snatcht away basely and unworthily as we see in Iohn Baptist a man that had not a marrow that day upon the face of the earth the only forerunner of Christ greater then any Prophet that was before him and a man that had done much good yet see how unworthily he is taken away he is cast in prison and at the desire of a light dancing damesel prompted thereto by a base and unworthy harlot and taken away in a most unworthy manner murthered in his prison and his head given as a propine and satisfying gift to that girle What a wonderful dispensation was this that the Lord should suffer them to do to this non-such and eminent man even what they would and listed But in these and the like workings of the Lord He is a God that hideth himself We have thus declared how the Lord is a God that hideth himself even when He is about to do good to and to deliver his People and have for further clearing and explaining of the mater given some instances of cases wherein the Lord may be said to be a God hiding himself If we should now enquire Why and for what Reasons doth the Lord choose to work so and bring about deliverance to His people in such an hid and unobservable manner It should satisfie us for an answere That thus it pleaseth Him to do for his own glorious ends which we may not too curiously prye into Yet seing all that God doth is done in great wisdom both for matter and method and for holy ends which His word mentioneth we may so far with soberness and humility enquire into these to the end we may be able to observe something of the wise holy workings of God and so be in better case with knowledge understanding to carry
ourselves as Christians with a sutable frame and disposition To the Question then Why the Lord thinketh good to follow this way We answer He doth it for great and weighty reasons partly 1. concerning Himself partly 2. concerning Enemies and partly 3. concerning His own People As to the first the reasons concerning Himself we may take notice of these 1. The Lord thinketh good to bring about His purposes of delivering His people in an hid unseen and unobservable way that He may shew forth the glory of his Soveraignity who chooseth Wayes and Methods as He pleaseth and doth as whatever he will so after what manner he will in heaven and in earth and is not obliged to follow ordinary methods or to walk in beaten and troden paths but to do what beseemeth a great King and a Royal Soveraigne who giveth not an account of any of his matters whose will is a law to us and a rule to speak so to himself Hence in this same Chapter Esai 45. is this so oft repeated I am the Lord and none else vers 5 6 18 21. Hereby laying down the ground of His so acting and quieting his peoples mindes and stilling their thoughts concerning this matter 2. The Lord thinketh good to trade in such an unseen way that spiritual eâ—…es may the more see that it is He even He who is God and there is none else that it is He who formeth the light and creaâ—…eth darkness who maketh peace and createth evil and is the Lord who doth all these things vers 7. Wherein should it appear that He were Jehovah if in all things he should work according to the thoughts and imaginations of men Is not this a manifest proof of His being God when his wayes and Actings transcend our Comprehensions Though in all his wayes and workings He is God and worketh and doth like himself even in such as are most ordinary and obvious and a Spiritual eye can discerne and espve something truely divine the marks of a divine hand there yet when His way is in the deep waters and his foot-steps cannot be seen He acteth in a manner more like Himself like one who is indeed God and whose wayes are beyond and above the reach of Men the wisest and holiest of Men and then may all have ground to say This is the finger of God as the Magicians of Egypt said when the Lord did somethings which they with all their inchantments could not imitate Exod. 8 18 19. 3. The Lord chooseth this way to give some signal proof of His Wisdom if Statsmen should mannage and carry-on their affairs of State alwayes in such an open and plaine manner that every plaine and simple man that knoweth nothing of the intrigues of state should be able to discerne their motions designes and all their contrivances they would not give great proof of their State wisdom and Policy And if a Commander and Leader of an army should so manage all his affairs in that conduct that the meanest souldier should be able to discover and understand all his designes and stratagems he should give but a sory proof of his singular dexterity in conduct But when the Statsman and the Commander in chiefe so carry on their projects that few or none can well understand what their Designe and Intention is then a demonstration is given of their Ability Wisdom and Accomplishment for such places of power and trust So when the Lord hideth His holy Purposes and Projects and acteth so as ordinary on-lookers will suppose imagine that he is going East when He mindeth to march west ward and even many of his own will think that He is about to destroy his work and people when He is upon His way to raise them up and set them on high and to destroy the Adversarieship and thigh then His deep and unsearchable Wisdom appeareth Then it appeareth that He also is wise Esai 31 2. Iob gote a sight of this in the Lords rare works of providence Iob. 12 12 13. to the end and therefore saith with the ancient is wisdom and in length of dayes understanding with Him is wisdom and strength he hath counsel and un derstanding So Paul gote such a sight of this that made him cry out Rom. 11 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out 4. Hereby also the Lord giveth a clear demonstration of his Faithfulness and Truth If He were carrying-on the accomplishment of his Promises and Purposes of good towards his people in a visible discernable and obvious manner folks would have but an ordinary and cursory observation of His Faithfulness and their hearts accordingly would be but in an ordinary manner affected and they moved but to praise and blesse Him therefore of course for remarking nothing singular their hearts would not be raised-up above what is usual and ordinarie to admire extol Him upon that account But when he followeth another method taketh an unusual course to bring about his grand designes and such a course as whereby Enemies might think He did not see nor regard He would never come to helpe His people the day was theirs they should prosper and never be moved for there is no appearance or probability might they think that ever the case shall alter our affairs be overturned upon the other hand whereby his owne People might sâ—…e no visible or probable ground of hope that the promises should be accomplished the word of the Lord should take effect then His appearance with salvation after he had wrought so long under ground out of sight all hop was gone from them fear from the enemie is much more remarkable his Faithfulness shineth forth with a more then ordinary Glance and Lustre It cometh forth then with a witness Then they see and say that his faithfulness is unto the clouds Psal. 36 5. that his righteousness is like the great mountains and his judgments are a great depth vers 6. and that his faithfulness is unto all generations Psal. 119 90. So that no vicissitudes or changes here below can alter Him no delay of time or procrastination or the like can make any alteration in Him for his faithfulness is unto all generations Then will they praise his Truth Psal. â—…1 22. But next as to such grounds and reasons hereof as concerne Enemies we may take notice of these 1. He cometh with deliverance unto His people in a way not obvious nor observable that enemies may appear in their own colours and give a plaine and open discovery of the latent malice and wickedness of their heart against the People of God If the Lord did alwayes appear openly and manifestly in the behalfe of His owne let all the world see that He owned them for His people and would suffer none to do them harme the malice and wickedness of many latent enemies who can speak
with their mouth smooth words smoother than butter and softer than oile when war is in their heart drawn swords Psal. 55 21. would not appear But when the Lord hideth himself and goeth out of sight then they say as it is Psal. 71 11. God hath forsaken him persecute and take him for there is none to deliver Because they say in their heart God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see therefore their mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud under their tongue is mischiefe and vanity they sit in the lurking places of the villages in the secret places do they murder the innocent their eyes are privily set against the poor c. Psalm 10 vers 8 9 10 11. 2. The Lord maketh choise of this manner of way of appearing and working for His people that Enemies may be judicially hardened in their wicked course of opposition to His Interest and People so fitted for the fatal blow of God's Justice As it was with Pharaoh when the plagues were taken off and God's terrour removed out of sight he became alwayes thereupon more hardened in his wickedness against God and His people and thereafter when he saw that the people of Israel were ensnared betwixt mountains and the sea and so judged that God had left them or could not helpe them then his heart was hardened unto a peremptory resolution to pursue and take them even through the red sea and there the wrath of God fell upon him and all his army 3. The Lord carrieth on His work thus that the ruine of the enemies may be the more signal and remarkable and the hand of God manifestly seen therein when they are puft up with pride and think no hand can reach them they are beyond all hazard no appearance is there of any thing that can put the least demurre unto their wicked proceedings The blow becometh the more remarkable them ore surprizing and unexpected that it is Such was that fatal blow that came on Pharaoh and his hoste and on Belshazzar when ravelling with his Nobles Wives and Concubines and profaning the holy vessels of the house of the Lord Dan. 5. 4. The Lord thinketh good to follow this way That He may the more observably fill the faces of his Enemies with shame and confusion therefore he he will suffer them to carry on their designes to lay their mines close to prepare all so that nothing may seem to remaine but putting fire to the traine that they may blow up the Interest and People of God in a moment and when they think all is ready give them a fearful disappointment and withal let them see that He who is the watchman of Israel hath seen what they have been doing all that time in secret and hath been counter-working their devices and undermineing their mines when he shall cause their mine spring back upon themselves and thus cover their faces with shame and confusion when they shall see that it is the hand of God that hath done it defeating their plots and devices which were laid and carried-on with such secrecy and with such providential foresight and rational security that nothing but the immediat hand of God could frustrat and defeate them Was it not so with Hamans device and bloody plot to cut off all the Iewes And how shamfully came he off Thus the Lord destroyeth the wisdom of the wise Esai 29 14. 5. The Lord taketh this way to the end He may shame if it can be those enemies from their wicked atheistical thoughts concerning Him that they may know that there is a God that ruleth in the earth a God that careth for His people watcheth over his Inheritance or else they may be rendered the more inexcusable in the day of their appearance before God Thus the Lord will consume such as belch out with their mouth have swords in their lips and say who doth hear That they may know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of Earth Psal. 59 7 13. An eminent place for this we have Esai 49. The Lord hid Himself so that his people became a prey and were captives yet saith the Lord vers 24 25 26. Shall the prey be taken from the mighty or the lawful captive delivered But thus saith the Lord even the Captives of the mighty shall be taken away and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered c. And what then And all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer the mighty one of Iacoh 6. The Lord thinketh fit to follow this way that hypocrites and such as are not heart friends to Him His cause may be discovered may fall off and so appear to be what indeed they are If the Lord were alwayes appearing for His people when ever they began to be in a straite and visibly making bare His arme in their behalfe many hollow hearted false friends would take part with them and stay among them and seem to love and favoure them Therefore that they may be made manifest the Lord hideth himself and appeareth not so openly for his friends but suffereth them to fall under the feet of enemies who oppress them and all that take their part which occasioneth their stepping aside turning away from the Truth as not being reconciled with the crosse nor loving Christ and his People so as to take a share with them in the Affliction and Bondage How many who appeared zealous in a faire day will turn about and side with wicked and evil doers to be free of the crosse and when they see no foot-steps more of the Lords appearing for his Work and Interest On the other hand in the third place the Lord thinks good to follow this way for some good ends in reference to His own people As 1. The Lord doth thus that he may discover the hid Corruption that lurketh in His own people which in a fair day when He is upon their head marching through the host of the Enemie and tradeing them under foot who oppressed His people and keept them at under will lye at the bottome and not appear As 1. Vnbeleefe when the arme of the Lord is revealed they cannot then but beleeve That He is the Lord and the God of his people they cannot then have the least doubt about this But many Doubts Questions Scruples and Hesitations will arise in their soul when the Lord's face is hid and He appeareth not in behalfe of His Afflicted People and Interest The Disciples did openly enough professe their faith in Christ as the Messiah the Son of the living God while was with them He working miracles before their eyes but when once he was crucified dead and buried Thomas would not beleeve no not though the other Disciples had told him that they had seen the Lord nor would he beleeve as he said expresly himself unless he should see in his hand the print of the nails and put his finger in the
like a Prince that will not walk in the view of every common Subject nor suffer every mean person to be privie to his Secrets of State These rare and unusual works of the Lord call for more then ordinary observation It is a mark of graceless persons and a sin bringing-on sad and ruineing strokes to consider none of Gods wayes Iob. 34 vers 26 27. That is a divine precept Prov. 23 26. My Son give me thy heart and let thine eyes observe my wayes shewing that this is the Duty of all the Children of God as to observe the Precepts of God so also his Wayes and Workings and that it can be performed a right only by such whose hearts are given away to God and that it argueth an heart fixed upon and united to God as being a native and kindly consequent thereof At the end of a large Historical narration of many remarkeable passages of the Lord's Providence the holy Psalmist thus concludeth Psal. 107. vers last Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. Showing what the spiritually wise will do and what advantage they will have by thus considering the singular wayes of the Lord. This Considering of the wayes and workings of the Lord comprehendeth these things 1. A beleeving that God howbeit unseen yet is working though clouds hide Him out of their sight yet they do not hinder Him from working He is working though we perceive Him not 2. A musing and pondering and dwelling on the thoughts of God and His wayes As when the Lord saith Psal 50. Consider this ye that forget God He presseth them to a serious meditation and pondering of what was said 3 A seeing and observing of a stately Majesty in the Lords carrying on his work after such an hid manner 4. A passing of a sutable and wise judgment on what He is doing construeing all to the best This is to consider wisely of his doing as Psal. 64 vers 9. 5. A serious observing of every discovery or appearance or speaking effect of the Lord 's working to the end they may speak thereof to others and declare the Work of the Lord and be confirmed in their faith and hope and encouraged to waite 2. In such an hiding time when the Lord is pleased to hold Secret Councel and to act and carry on his Stratagems accordingly it becometh all His People to act Faith and Fear Faith to beleeve in hope against hope and Fear to stoup and stand in awe knowing that He is God and will act like himself How happy is it to get a sight of an Absolute Invisible Soveraigne when He is hiding himself as a stately Prince 3. As in a time of darkness when his people sit in darkness and have no light they are called to stay themselves upon God Esai 50. So in a time wherein the Lord is walking out of sight and no man seeth what He is doing His people are called to live by faith Now the just shall live by Faith Heb. 10. When was this When he who should come was not yet come and there was little appearance of his coming When the Vision was not yet speaking Hab. 2 vers 2 3. 4. Waiting Is especially called for at His peoples hand in such a day which includeth the exercise of Faith Hop and Patience Faith to realize the thing promised and give an objective being as it were to that which is not visible in it self nor apparent Hope to embrace and to stretch forth the armes to lay hold on what is promised and Patience to keep the Beleever in the Possession of his soul in the meane time This was the Resolution of the holy Prophet Esaias Chap. 8 vers 17. And I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the House of Iacob And I will look for him 5. It is the Duty of His People in such a day wherein the Lord is hiding Himself and is walking and working under clouds to be stooping and adoreing which comprehendeth these duties following 1. Not to quarrel with nor to grudge fret nor repine at the Lords taking of this course for the glory of his own name 2. To look upon and consider Him as one whose wayes are unsearchable and past finding-out As perceiving Depths that are unsearchable in all His wayes 3. Upon this account to look and consider upon His Wayes with Fear Dread and Reverence 4. To beware to set limites to the holy One of Israel or to conclude that He will not come to save His People and Inheritance because he cometh not in the way which we imagine He must come as if infinite Wisdom could not finde out wayes beyond what ever we can imagine 5. To have high and sublime thoughts of Him and to speak of Him as such an high and exalted Prince whose wayes are out of our reach and beyond all our Apprehensions 6. His Children would in such a day labour to liâ—…e nigh God by faith that hereby 1. They may be keeped from fainting while compassed with darkness assaulted with Satans Temptations who then will be busie tempting Gods People to say there is no hope now God hath forsaken the Earth He will returne no more 2. They may be keeped from siding with the Workers of Iniquity and from turning aside to evil courses because there is no manifest appearance of the Lord 's returning to rid His People out of thraldom and to break the Power of the Adversary 3. They may get some discoveries now and then as the Lord seeth good to grant them of God even while hideing himself which may endear Him unto their soul and warm their heart towards Him Such as live thus by faith nigh to God in such a day are faire to see that which others living at a distance shall not partake of 4 They may be led of God by an unseen hand in such a dark day for the meek will he guide in judgment and the meek will he teach his way Psal. 25 v. 9. And the Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him vers 14. We come next to speak to the Second Particular which the Prophet discovered through this thick cloud He saw this hid God to be the God of Israel the Saviour and he owned him as such and spoke and prayed to him as such from whence we may observe these Three Things First That all the darks and hidden passages of the Dispensations of the Lord about His People do not alter or change his Relation to and Covenant-Interest in His People A forsaking God can and will be a Beleevers God notwithstanding thereof Psal. 22 v. 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me This holdeth true of a Church ay and while He give her a bill of divorce and excommunicate her after she hath proven obstinate and incurable in her wickedness Hence we finde the Lord so often owning a wicked and sinful People as His as Psal. 50
reproved is their construeing of Gods Minde Affection and Covenant-Relation towards them according to these outward dispensations and the hideings of himself like a foolish childe that would think the Mother had forsaken him and cast him off each time that she were out of sight or set him out of her armes So that the thing here reprovable is their drawing wrong Conclusions from these outward changes such as these 1. God hideth Himself therefore His heart is changed and He is no more their Father His love is altered His Grace Favour and Promises fail 2. God hideth Himself and they see Him not therefore all are undone there is no more hope we are cut off for our parts as Ezekiel 37. 3. God hideth Himself therefore we are cast out of the Covenant our state is changed we have no more any place in his favour or room in his love we are in the state of the dead 4 The Lord hideth Himself is out of sight therefore all that He hath done formerly and we looked upon as His work of grace love have been but delusions and not his work in very deed 5. The Lord hideth Himself therefore His cause shall be destroyed His work shall never be perfected His enemies shall never be overthrown 6. The Lord hideth His face and appeareth not Therefore our Salvation is desperat and hopeless These wrong Conclusions the like are justly reprovable argue a wrong perverse consideration of the Dispensations of the Lord quite contradictory to the Truth here asserted therefore should be seriously guarded against such thoughts when they enter the soul occupy the mind should be rejected dismissed with abhorrence as temptations and irrational and antievangelick suggestions of Satan Next We may hence learne how to answer and with grounded reason repel the forementioned sinful Suggestions false Insinuations when the Devil assaulteth us therewith to trouble our Peace marre our Joy brangle our Hope and weaken our Confidence thereby bring us into a Fainting Misbeleeving Desponding and Heartless Disposition of Spirit For whatever the outward dispensations of the Lord be His Covenant stands fast and His Covenant-relation abideth the same and His heart and love abideth fixed and unchangable His purposes alter not His thoughts take place in all generations how great so ever the difference be betwixt the one and the other as to His dispensations in them And the fixed faith of this would prove a notable preservative against fainting and faithless fears and would Strengthen Support and Uphold the heart in the midst of all these contrary waves this would be good fast ground whereon the soul may ride at anchor saifly in the midst of all these stormes and horrible tempests Thirdly Hence we see the great advantage of the people of God who have cut a covenant with the Lord as the Scripture phrase is and are become His and have an interest in Him as theirs Let the Lord's dispensations outwardly be never so dark and sad and such as those who are utter strangers to the Scriptures and to the Lord's way of dealing with His people would interprete to be manifest evidences and demonstrations of God's off casting yet they may fing with the sweet Psalmist of Israel and say Although mine house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow 2 Sam. 23. 5. O how great is this advantage that they may by faith read love in His heart when anger seemeth to flow out of His hands And that his Interest in and relation to His people theirs to Him againe abideth firme and unshaken notwithstanding of all the outward sore and sharpe passages of his providence What Joy Peace and Comfort may the thoughts of this yeeld unto His sad hearted people when troubled at the consideration of His sharpe dispensations Fourthly Here is likewise great encouragment and a strong motive to enduce and perswade unto a closeing of a Covenant with God And Oh that all who are as yet strangers hereunto would at length be moved to lay hold on Him while his armes are stretched out to welcome embrace all who will come Secondly We may hence observe That there is a discovery to be had of the standing relation betwixt God and His people even when the Lord hideth Himself For the Lord was now hiding Himself or appearing as such unto the Prophet and yet the Prophet saw him withall to be the God of Israel and the Saviour In the former point we saw That the relation betwixt God and His people doth stand notwithstanding of the Lords hideing of His face and not appearing openly by acts sutable to such a relation But though this be so yet His people may want the heart-confirming sight thereof And now in this point we hear That His people may be helped unto this sight and discovery even in such a day wherein the Lord hideth Himself And that 1. When the Lord leadeth them in by Faith to see His unchangeable Nature Purposes and Decrees as also his Truth and unchangable Word together with the other Particular grounds of this unchangablness in Gods Relations towards His people formerly mentioned the hand of God must lead them in to this secret chamber where discovering the Lord and His way with His people they see his heart abiding the same however His face may frown rodes may be in His hands Now when faith getteth right apprehensions of God and winneth to a right discovery of Him they see this connexion that otherwise would be dark and questionable and they see a reality and subsistence in the promises 2. The Lord helpeth them to see thorow the dark cloud and the black dispensation and to read what is written on the backside thereof or what standeth behinde the courtine of the present sad dispensation And then they discover Faithfulness and Unchangablness in God Love Truth Mercy in all his dispensations 3. The Lord blunteth the edge of the temptations of Satan and lets His Child see the unreasonablness of what is objected the absurdity of the Inference that Satan and corrupt Reason would make draw from the Lords way of procedoure Yea he helpeth them to draw the contrary Conclusions and that upon certaine approven grounds confirmed by manifold experience 4. The Lord discovereth unto them the firm connexion betwixt these saddest and blakest Dispensations and the faire Promises and the noble Outgate that is coming to His people And then they cannot but see him to be Israel's God even when He hideth Himself 5. The Lord thinketh good sometime to give in the darkest day and in the darkest houre of the night some glimpses of His glory in behalfe of His People to shew that He is not altogether unmindful of them that He is not far away and that He is about His work
and carrying it on to His glory to their good And this confirmeth their faith in His abiding the same whatever His dispensations be This should let us see as upon the one hand the great goodness and condescendency of God who will lout down and help his weak people who are desirous to fear him and to walk honestly before him in a dark day and will set a prospect to their eye whereby they may see as Moses did from the top of Pisgah the promised land and that great ground of Joy and rejoiceing that the Lord hath not forsaken His people so upon the other hand it should point-out our duty to wit to be living nigh God even while He is hiding Himself and pursuing after an hid God to the end He may lead us while we are in the dark and hold us by our right hand that we stagger not through unbeleef and fall but may be helped through his grace to a sight of Him as the God of His people even when He hideth himself whereby we should have many advantages As 1. This sight of God in such a day as it would set us with earnestness to pray so it would encourage us to continue instant in prayer knowing that the return would come in due time seing the Lords mind were not altered His affections remained the same His relation to Interest in His people was not changed therefore He would hear and helpe in due time 2. This sight would strengthen the child of God unto all Patience in waiting when he saw that the Lord would come and that the coming of the Lord drew nigh he would waite and stablish his heart in waiting as the husband man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth Iam. 5 7 8. And by this patience as he would establish his heart as this place of Iames sheweth so he would possesse his soul Luk. 21 vers 19. 3. It would also strengthen fortifie confirme their hope for faith discovering this sight would make the soul stretch its hands thorow the dark cloud to grip the glorious promises lying hid in the other side and embrace them Those worthies mentioned Heb. 11. though they did not receive the promises yet having seen them a far off being perswaded of them they are said to have embraced them vers 13. 4. This would keep up their head and cause them sing in hope they would rejoice in the midst of their Affliction and notwithstanding of all the present and apparent impossibilities in the way of the Lords return of recovering his work they yet would rejoice with joy unspeakable full of Glory because they would see the Lord would come and subdue Nations and loose the loins of Kings and open the two leaved gates and break in pieces the gates of brasse and cut asunder the bars of yron Esai 45 1 2. But if it be said When the Lord is not pleased to lead poor beleevers into these secrets in a dark night nor grant them the use of such a lanterne whereby they may see their way nor such a discovery of the grounds of the immutability of this Relation what can poor beleevers do in that case The answere lyeth in that which we may Thirdly Observe from these words of the Prophet as pointing forth the duty of the people of God in such a case after the Prophets example seing for this end this is here set down to wit That in a day wherein the Lord is hiding Himself as to the way of bringing about the promised salvation and out-gate of His Church and People it is the duty of all beleevers to be asserting this Relation of the Lord 's to and interest in His Church and People as their God and Redeemer and to be closeing with Him and griping to Him as such let dispensations seem never so manifestly to speak out the contrary be never so discouraging to them in that adventure For we see the Prophet and doubtless this was left on record for our instruction in the like case and while under the same circumstances even while he is beholding and considering God as hiding Himself laying hold upon Him as Israels God and as the Saviour and asserting this as a Truth to which he would stand which he would owne let matters go as they would This doth include these things 1. That in such a day as this which was mentioned the People of the Lord should look upon it as their duty to Professe Declare and Avow that the Lord is Israels God keeping fast His Relation and Close with Him Grip to to Him Accept of Him and Adhere to Him as such 2. Thatin such a day specified they should certainly expect that he will answere that Relation and be indeed a Saviour And Salvation should be looked for from Him alone none else from no other airth Thou art the Saviour The first of these is manifest from these Particulars 1. That no dispensation we meet with will warrand His people to have mistaking thoughts of Him or to stand aback from laying hold on Him For they are not sent for that end but rather to drive them nigher to him and to urge them to a more firme and fixed adhering to Him Windy blasts will not cause us hold a more careless grip of our cloaks but rather cause us hold them faster 2. The darker the dispensation be our need of holding Him fast is the greater and so our call the more loud 3. This is the way to get the sanctified use of such Dispensations and to win to the right improvement of them And without this we cannot carry aright under these and the like dispensations 4. This is the proper season for Faith to bud and appear in and to bring forth Fruit And this is the native and kindly exercise of Faith in such a day 5. This is the only way to get a right frame of Spirit under such a dispensation and to carry as beleevers ought to do 6. This is the only way to be keeped stedfast faithful and unmovable in that day of darkness and without this the soul is exposed to all the tempestuous on sets blasts of the Enemie Hereby noly is the beleever keeped fast anchored on the rock that will not fail The second Note is likewise clear upon these grounds 1. Because in such a dark day Faith should be exercised and that is the proper season wherein faith should appear and should grow that is as it were the soil wherein faith should bring forth fruit When the knife was at the throat of Isaak the Son of the promise and the first and only sprout and appearance of that seed in whom all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed yet Abraham the father of the faithful beleeved that God was Faithful and True and would be his Salvation 2. Thus the Lord is glorified when blow stormes as they will and temptations to a despareing desponding of heart be never
For the Wise man telleth us here that no man can help any thing that they suppose God hath made amisse or make any thing straight which God hath made crooked who can saith he make that straight which He hath made crooked Among several other wholsome Instructions which Salomon giveth us in this penetential discourse of his this is one That we would Consider the Work of God that is Take notice of what He is doing and working ponder upon His works Meditate upon them and dwell on the thoughts thereof and lay to heart His Providential disposal of all Things Actions and Events and His ordering and mannaging of them all to His own Glory and according to His own mind and absolute will and pleasure And that so as to acquiesce in what He doth to rest satisfied with it and to comply heartily and cheerfully therewith in all points without Murmureing Fretting Repineing or Quarrelling And He addeth a Reason which is that we are here mainely to speak to for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked This question is an emphatick negation of the thing and is as much as if he had said it is absolutly Impossible that any Creature Man or Angel can make straight what God hath made crooked They cannot Counter work the Lord they cannot undo what He hath done they cannot amend what they suppose is made or done amisse This He had said before Chap 1 vers 15. that which is crooked cannot be made straight And here He maketh this Improvement of it and as it were draweth this use from it That we should consider the Works of the Lord as if He had said The Consideration of this that no man can make any thing straight that they suppose God hath made crooked should move us to complye with and contentedly acquiesce in whatsoever God doth under the Sun by His mighty Power and according to His unchangable Purpose and Counsel and to the everlasting determinations of His holy will These words give ground to enquire 1. What are those crooked things which God hath made 2. How and why it is that these crooked things cannot be made straight by one or other of the Creatures 3. What way we should upon this account Consider the Works of God or what Improvement we should make of this Impossibility of helping what we suppose is amisse in the Lord's Works of Providence As to the first VVe may not suppose that to speak properly any thing that God doth is crooked but our corrupt unsatisfied mindes look upon many passages of God's All-ruling and All-disposing Providence as crooked and as such as we would faine have altered if we had our wills Some of which we can onely mention and these we may reduce to two Heads 1. Touching some things that are more controverted 2. Touching some things that are less controverted As to the more controverted we shall mention only these following 1. Not only do our hearts rise up against the Holy and Soveraigne Acts of Gods will in choosing whom He would unto eternal Life and in passing by oâ—…hers as we see Rom. 9. Corrupt Reason that will not submit unto the Lord and His wayes spurneth against that saying that God hath mercy on whom He will and Iacob have I loved c. Vers. 13 15. and responsateth against God objecting upon this account unrighteousness unto the just and holy One of Israel V. 14. But also against His holy Executions of these His Holy and Soveraigne Decrees Paul had concluded that God had mercy on whom He would and hardened whom He would Vers. 18. And corrupt Reason will againe carp and say If so why doth He yet finde fault For who hath resisted His will Vers. 19. Unto which the Apostle must returne a sharp and silenceing answere Vers. 20 21 22 23. Nay but O Man who art thou that repliest or disputest against God Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it why hast thou maâ—… me thus Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour c. 2. So in the matter of the Lord's dispensing the meanes of grace and the Gospel we wonder at the Lords Way and cannot understand how it is that He should hide this Mysterie from Ages and Generations Col. 1. vers 26. Ephes 3 v. 9. should send the Gospel to one place and not unto another and why He should forbid the Apostles to goe preach the good newes of Salvation in Asia and in Bithinia Act. 16 vers 6 7 Why He should continue the Gospel long with one people and remove it quickly from another and Non-church them And why one Nation and People should enjoy the meanes of grace for many ages and others for many ages never once have a report of Salvation through Christ but be left from one generation to another in blackness of darkness in woful Idolatry and Ignorance This piece of the Lord's work seemeth so crooked and so unlike to and incorrespondent with or repugnant to the attributes of God as to His Mercy Loving Kindness and Goodness unto some that they to make up this supposed gap and set right this crook in the Lords way feigne and imagine an Universal Objective Grace or an Universal Gospel that is that God hath given to all Nations how barbarous so ever those meanes of Grace and Salvation which if they would improve aright would prove saving and so must imagine that the Sun Moon and Stars Raines and fruitful Seasons and other works of Creation and Providence do preach out that Mysterie of Salvation through a crucified Christ contrare to Scripture and to all Sense and Reason or that there is another way to Salvation than by saith in a crucified Christ which is also contrare to the Scripture Act. 4 vers 12. Thus the Arminians and Semi Arminians and Quakers think to make this crooked work of God straight but in vaine We should rather minde that which Paul hath Rom. 11 33. after he had spoken of the rejection of the Jewes and the Lords taking-in the Gentiles O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out Vers. 34. For who hath known the minde of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellour Vers. 35. Or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed to him againe Vers. 36. For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen And minde the purpose of God here Ephes. 1 v. 8 9 10. and 3 9 10 11. 3 The way of the Lord in this matter seemeth so crooked to Pelagians and their followers Arminians Socinians and Quakers ' with Papists and Iesuites that all this contrivance of an Vniversal Objective Grace or an Universal Gospel will not satisfie them nor be enough in their apprehensions to set this crook even but they must further
assert an Vniversal Subjective Grace that is Grace and Power granted to every One to hearken to the voice of God calling in Nature and in the Gospel to convert and turne themselves to believe and repent if and whensoever they will because they see not how it is consistent with Gods Wisdom and Goodness to require any duty of man but what he giveth him full ability to performe not regairding the stock of strength that was once given to man and was dilapidat by Adam But as to this how crooked so ever we suppose it to be we must rest here that the Carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8 vers 7. And that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2 v. 14. and that Faith is the gift of God Ephes. 2 v. 8. And that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do according to his own good pleasure Phil. 2. vers 13. And that Christ is a Prince exalted to give Repentance Act. 5 v. 30 And that God is a free Dispenser of His grace as being obliged to none and shewing mercy to whom he will 4. That work of the Lord 's covenanting with Adam as the Head in the name of all mankinde and his imputing his sin unto his posterity who were in his loines so that all become borne and conceived in sin and obnoxious to the wrath of God because of that transgression of Adam according as the Apostle speaketh Rom 5 vers 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entrâ—…d into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned And againe Vers. 14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression And Vers. 18. Therefore as by one mans offence or by one offence judgment came upon all men to condemnation This Dispensation I say seemeth so crooked to some such as Pelagians Socinians Arminians and Quakers that they must absolutely deny it and say there is no such thing as original sin though Paul saâ—…eth Ephes. 2 vers 3. that we were by nature including himself the Children of wrath And David telleth us in his humble Confession of sinnes to God Psal. 51 ver 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me And Iob sayeth Chap. 14 v. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one And to the same purpose Bildad Iob. 25 v. 4. How can he be clean that is borne of a Women 5. For further setting even what otherwayes men think crooked in the way of the Lord they imagine assert and defend an Universal Redemption saying that Christ hath died for all equally say some with some difference say others because it seemeth a crooked thing with them and inconsistent with the Nature and Goodness of God not to seek the Salvation of all and not to prepare meanes of life for all so not to send Christ to die for all and every mothers son though we be plainly enough and expresly told in Scripture that the Father gave not all to the Son to redeem but some and that Christ laid down His life a ransome for those alone who were given to him to save and of whom he must give an account to the Father as having undertaken to redeem them from Hell Wrath Satan and all their Enemies and by His Power and Grace to bring them saife home at length as being their Head their Husband their Shepherd their Cautioner their Lord Ransomer their Intercessour and Advocat with the Father and that these are an all and called the â—…orld to point out their natural Original that Grace may the more appear to be grace and to pointe out their being scattered through thâ—… world and taken out of all Kindreds Tongues Nations People Languages especially now under the Gospel in distinction from the dayes of the Old Testament when the Iawes were only the peculiar people of the Lord and in Iudah only was God known and his name great in Israel 6 Further to make God's supposed crooked wayes straight the Enemies of the free Gâ—…ace of God imagine that the will of Man must be left Free to be Lord of all and absolute disposer of the decrees and purposes of God of Redemption and of Salvation so that the Lord must not by an Irresistible Power draw any home to Christ contrary to Ioh. 6 44. Nor create in any a new heart and take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh contrare to Ezech. 11. 19. and 36 26 27. Because they cannot see how it can consist with Gods Love to mankinde to preferre one to another they imagine that God layeth the matter alike to all mens door standing equally and knocking at every mans door and so leaving it to them alike to choose or refuse to become happy or miserable as they please and so they say that when God hath done all He can or will do to save people their will is at perfect freedome to accept or reject the Grace of God and that there is no special saving work of grace upon the heart of one more then of another O what real crooked work do foolish men make here How do they darken deforme and make crooked the glorious straight work of the free grace of God wherein absolute Soveraignity glorious Grace and the free Mercy of God shineth forth with such a Soveraigne Lustre Beauty and Glory Paul had other thoughts of the matter when he said Ephes. 1 vers 3 4 5 6 7. Blessed be the God and Father of ouâ—… Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Celestials in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Iesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of His will To the praise of the Glory of his grace wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved c. 7. To salve this same Diana of Free will the same Persons do deny the Free and Absolute Decrees of God touching any thing to be done by Man whether good or evil because they cannot see how God's Absolute Decrees concerning this or that can consist with the free Actings of mans will not impose an absolute necessity on man to do or not to do according to what is decrâ—…ed as the stone must absolutely and naturally move down-ward and the Sun shine and all Natural causes act and work therefore to make this supposed crook straight they see no other way but to deny all such Decrees and Purposes in God not knowing that as God's decrees determine the event
so they determine the manner of the events â—…alling out that Natural Causes shall produce such an event naturally and necessarily and Free and Contingent Causes shall inâ—…vitably produce such an effect but freely and contingently according to their Nature as that the Iewes should kill Christ and do what they did against him but yet through no necessity of nature but freely and of their owne accord out of malice and enmity as also that the souldiers should pierce Christ's side and not break a bone of Him and all that most freely without any compulsion or constraint upon their wils Whereby we might â—…ee if we were compliant with the holy Will Workings of God that the decrees of God are so far from everting destroying the Liberty of the will of man that on the contrary they establish confirme the same But let men imagine it to be never so crooked we must hold by this That God did from all eternity freely unchangably ordaine whatsoever comes to passe even the most contingent things Act. 2 23. 4 27 28. Prov 16 23. 8. So to make the wayes of God straight and even which otherwise men imagine would be crooked Some as our Quakers with others imagine that People may be saved that never heard of Christ by yeelding Obedience to the law and light of Nature or by following the guide of the works of Creation and Providence or a Light within them as they speak But what their condition is who are without Christ the Scripture sufficiently sheweth Ephes. 2 12. they are strangers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world And that the light of Nature can only helpe to make Persons without excuse Rom. 1 20. But passing these and the like which are mater of controversie let us mentione some others of God's works which men suppose to be crooked As 1. When it is as Eccles. 8 14. There be just men to wâ—…om it happeneth according to the work of the wicked and againe there be wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the righteous that is when as to the outward things in the world It is just otherwise as we would think should be the wicked prosper and their eyes stand out with fatness they increase in riches and have more then they could wish they are not in trouble nor plagued as other men and there are no bands in their death as it is Psal. 37 3 4 5 12. And upon the other hand the Godly man he is oppressed with Poverty and Affliction plagued all the day chastened every morning This was such a rugged and uneven path that the honest Man of God Asaph could not hold his feet in it but was like to fall and break his neck concluding that it was in vaine to minde piety veriâ—…y said he vers 13 I have cleansed my heart in vaine and washed my hands in Innocency And such a crook was this that he could not get it set straight till he went into the sanctuary of God vers 17 This mistake made Iobs friends go so wilde in their reasonings against him and to conclude him an hypocrite because he met with such hard outward dispensations at the hands of the Lord for they could not see how God should deal with a Godly man as He dealt with Iob that was so crooked a piece of work that they thought God would never have made it But Iob understood the matter otherwise and told them Chap. 9 22. This is one thing therefore I said it He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked So Ch. 12 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. he enlaâ—…geth upon this theame 2. When it is as Eccles. 4 1. So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the Sun anâ—…â—…ehold the tears of such as were oppressed and they had no comforter and on the side of their oppressours there was power but they had no comforter That is when the innocent are oppressed in their Name Goods Rights and Person and made to cry out bitterly because of their oppression and yet have none to take their part or helpe them or speak comfortably unto them noâ—… power to helpe and relieve themselves but on the contrary their oppressing enemies have power and might enough to bear them more downe oppress them This seemeth a crooked piece of work and yet the Lord hath so ordered matters that it is oft so with the innocent We see what Iob was made to say Chap. 6 14. To him that is Afflicted pity should â—…e sheâ—…ed from his friend but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty 1â—… my Brethren have deaâ—… decâ—…itfully as a brook as the streams of brooks they passe away And How Habbakuk looked upon this Chap. 1 13 14 15 16 17. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he And makest men as the fishes of the sea as the creeping things that have no ruler over them c. This seemeth to many to be a very crooked passage of Providence and they think the judge of the whole earth should order matters otherwise and not a few are stumbled hereat and tempted to think that God hath forsaken the earth 3. When it is as Eccles. 7 15. there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness and there is a wicked mâ—…n that prolongeth his life in his wickedness This seemeth also a crooked passage in the Lord's way Work to many who look upon the Lord and his way and working with eyes of flesh How oft hath it thus fallen out Honest Naboth experienced this 1 King 21. So did Ioh Baptist when he was so basely and unworthily cut off and that in his righteousness So also the Martyres of the Lord in all ages Honest Ier miah thought this a secret that he could not be satisfied in and a ground whereupon he would go plead with God Chap. 12. 4. Yea when it is but as Eccles. 9 v 2 3. it seemeth crooked to many who would have a visible difference in external things alwayes put betwixt the Righteous and the Wicked And yet we see the Wise Mans Observation was that no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them All things saith he come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not As the good so the sinner he that sweareth as he that feareth an Oath This is an evil among all things that are done under the Sun that there is one event unto all Our carnal Reason would think that God should so rule and governe the world as that all might be in case to observe a palpable difference betwixt the Godly and the Wicked even in external
the body of this death 7. We think it also strange that they should have so little rest from Satan and from his inward hellish Injections tending to Atheisme Infidelity Blasphemy and all Profanity Seemeth not that dispensation somewhat crooked that Paul met with after he was taken up to the third heaven 2 Cor. 12 7 8. It seemeth many times uncouth to us that His people have so many sad and bitter houres that they are so far from enjoying Comfort Joy and Delight from that life of rejoyceing in the Lord continually which is allowed to them and they are called to that their life is nothing almost but a continual complaint sometimes compleaining of the Hardness of their heart Blindness Weakness Impotency Treachery c. sometimes of the weight of Duties and of their Failings and Shortcomings sometimes of the prevailing of Corruption and of the power of Temptation c. These and the like dispensations of the Lord in and about his Saints seem to themselves to others sometimes crooked and very unstraight and as they wish it were otherwayes so they suppose it would be more glorious and honourable to the Lord if it were otherwise Thus it appeareth how many things God hath made crooked to our apprehensions But now who shall who can make these crooked things straight This is the Second Particular in the words That what God hath made crooked no man can make straight with all his Wisdome or Power or by all the meanes he can use or devise for that which is crooked cannot be made straight Eccles. 1 15. I know said the wise man Eccles. 3 14. that whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever nothing can be put to it nor any thing taken from it When He giveth quietness said Elihu Iob 34 29. who then can make trouble when He hideth his face who then can behold him Whether against a Nation or a Man only And the reason is manifest because 1. He is Unchangeable and hath fixed all upon Eternal and Immutable Purposes He is the Lord he changeth not Mal. 3â—… v. 6. With him is no variablness nor shadow of turning Iam. 1 17. He doth all things after the Counsel of His owne will Ephes. 1. 11. taking Counsel of none Rom. 11 v. 34. Esai 40 13 14. His Counsel hath an immutability Heb. 6 17. 2. He is Almighty and who can justle with Him and put Him to take new Resolutions He is in one minde said Iob Ch. 23. 13. and who can turn Him And what His Soul desireth that doth He. So Psal 115 v. 6. He hath done whatsoever he pleased I know said the Psalmist Psal. 135 5 6. that Iehovah is great and that our Iehovah is above all Gods whatsoever the Lord pleaseth that did He in heaven and in earth in the seas and all deep places So Iob tels us Chap 9. 4. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength who hath hardened himself against him hath prospered So vers 12. Behold he taketh away who can hinder him Who will say unto him what dost thou 3. He is Absolute and Soveraigne to do what he will as the Potter is absolute over the clay Ier. 18 6. Rom. 9 10. Esai 45 9. And he is uncontrollable Who can call him to an account Who can say unto him what dost thou Iob. 9 12. He giveth not account of any of his matters Iob. 33 vers 13. For he is greater then man vers 12. 4. All his wayes are done in Wisdom and all his works Psal. 104 24. 136 5. And there is no wisdome against the Lord Prov. 21 30. He hath established the world by His wisdom Ier. 10 12. 51 v. 15. He is mighty in strength and wisdom Iob 36 5. And what then can foolish man that is like a wilde asses colt do With the Ancient is wisdom said Iob Chap. 12 12 13 14. c. and in length of dayes understanding With him is wisdom and strength he hath Counsel understanding and thence inferreth Behold he breaketh down and it cannot be built againe he shuteth up a man there can be no opening c. See further to the end of that Chap. 5. All his works are perfect Psal. 18 vers 30. And then what can be added to them or taken from them to amende them What is perfect cannot be made better or amended one way or other What we then think and account to be crooked is Perfect Straight and Even and contributeth to make up this compleat perfection of the whole 6. There are Depths and unseen Mysteries in the work and wayes of the Lord that we cannot search and ignorance of which causeth the sinstruous Apprehensions that we have of them And how shall we think to amende that which we do not understand His works are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein His works are honourable glorious wonderful Psal. 111 2 3 4. Then I beheld said the wise man Eccles. 8 ver 17. all the work of God that a man cannot finde out the work that is done under the sun Because though a man labour to seek it out yea further though a wise man seek to know it yet shall he not be able to finde it And againe Chap. 11 v. 5. As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with childe even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all The consideration of which should first cause us sorrow and mourne before the Lord for our seeking to amend God's work as if we could make straight what God hath made crooked and set all things in a righter posture than God hath done Concerning which we would 1. Take notice of some of these wayes whereby we are attempting this vaine work And 2. Take notice of the evil of this sin As to the First We are seeking to make straight what God hath made crooked when 1. We are in a quarrelling humore Disputing with God and Condemning him in our minds for what he is doing and Justifying ourselves in our Anger and Displeasure against the Dispensations and Wayes of the Lord as did Ionah who was displeased exceedingly very angry that the Lord spared Ninive Chap. 3 v. 10. with 4 v. 1. And when the Lord said unto him Chap. 4 vers 4. Doest thou well to be angry was not for all that satisfied and againe vers 9. when the gourd was withered and the East winde blew and the sun beat upon his head he fell againe in this distemper and when the Lord said unto him the second time doest thou well to be angry he answered I do well to be angry even unto death 2. When our vaine Ratiocinations are engaged against the wayes of the Lord in one particular or other and we have this or that to object against that course which the Lord taketh as if we would impute iniquity unto our Maker and
accuse Him of unrighteous dealing As those whom Paul bringeth-in reasoning against the truth of God and saying Rom 9 19. Why doth he yet finde fault For who hath resisted his will To whom he answereth Vers. 20 21. Nay but o man who art thouâ—… that answerest againe or disputest against God or repliest against God c. As if he had said Hath not the Lord Power and Soveraignity in that matter to do what he will as well as a Potter hath over a bit clay May not God dispose of His Clay which he made Himself as well as the Potter may do of the Clay which he made not and is not the Creator of but was created to his hand by the same God that created himself Why then dost thou quarrel with Him or disputest against Him Canst thou help the matter Canst thou make that straighter than it is 3. When we corrupt the truthes of God and abuse them perverting them to our corrupt and licentious Ends like that saying Rom. 6 vers 1. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound And againe Vers. 15. Shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under grace And Chap. 7 v. 7. Is the Law sin So Chap. 3 v. 31. Do we then make void the Law through faith These and the like Objections which Paul in his Epistles preoccupieth shew what the corrupt heart and reasonings of men are set upon and how prone they are to turne the Grace of God into lasciviousness and to pervert the right Wayes of the Lord. Whereby they clearly demonstrate how displeased they are at the holy Truths and Wayes of God and how ready to thraw and pervert them that they may become more straight then they seem to them at present to be 4. When we Fret Repine Grumble and Grudge in our minde against any of the Lords Dispensations in and about us or our concernments This was the great sin of Israel they murmured against the Lord and against Moses Exod. 15 and 16 and 17. Numb 14 and 16 and 17. 1 Cor. 10 10. They were dissatisfied in their mindes and repined and murmured against the Lord and hereby they said they would have the wayes and dispensations of the Lord altered towards them they were crooked and they would have them made more straight 5. When our hearts do not sweetly comply with the Wayes and Dispensations of the Lord or we learne not nor study Christian Submission We should submit ourselves unto the Lord I am 4 vers 7. and humble ourselves under his mighty hand 1 Pet. 5 v. 6. We should be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits Heb. 12. vers 9. even when he Crosseth Chastneth and Afflicteth us But when we forget this Christian Duty we declare our displeasure at Gods wayes and dealings with us and say that we would have his work amended and that made straight which He hath made crooked 6. When we are Impatient and cannot waite God's leasure but take sinful courses to deliver ourselves or sit down discontented and sinfully longe for an outgate then we declare our dissatisfaction with God's way and would have his dispensations altered and matters running in another channel As when the labouring man would have the day of harvest the next week after the seed is cast into the ground he is displeased with Gods Order and Appointment of some Moneths interveening Whileas we should have Patience and waite Gods time with Patience I am 5 7 8. Luk. 8 15. 2 Pet. 1 v. 6. I am 1 4. Rom. 12 12. 7. When we are discontented with our own lot and grudge at others as having a better lot than we have an evil which Iames condemneth Iam. 5 vers 9. and which plainly sayeth we would amend Gods work and set straight what He hath made crooked As that wicked King was displeased when he heard the message of the Lord 1 Kings 20 42 43. 8. When we are excessively Anxious and Disquieted in our minde as to any passage of Providence that we meet with or as to any crosse that befalleth us David checketh his own soul as to this Ps. 42 vers 5 11. and 43 5. saying Why art thou disquieted within me We are discharged to be careful thus with a sinful anxiety for any thing Phil. 4 v. 6. 1 Cor. 7 32. But When we are thoughtful we clearly say that we would faine make straight what God hath made crooked though Christ hath told us Matth. 6 27. that by taking thought we cannot adde one cubite to our stature 9. When though we dar not speak against God in sending a crosse upon us yet we are not satisfied with the Manner or Measure or Season or Duration and Continuance or the Instrument of our crosse but say we would choose any other crosse but this we would be satisfied if it were not so Bitter and so Heavy and so Insupportable we would have taken it well had it come upon us at any other time than now we would most chearfully have borne it if it had been of shorter Continuance and had any other person been the Instrument thereof we would have laid our hand upon our mouth all which and the like though they seem to insinuate some sort of Submission yet are plaine Declarations that we think the way of the Lord crooked and that we would have matters better ordered and all things made more straight and even than they are 10. When in our prayers there is not that submission unto the holy and soveraigne Will of the Lord that ought to be but rather a limiteing of the holy One of Israel and a sinful unwarrantable Importunity as to things not necessary in themselves nor for us without submission of soul unto the holy Will of the Lord as to the Manner Time and Measure of the Lords granting of our suites When our Prayers are not commensurate unto the Promises as to their Substance nor put up with Submission to God's Will and Soveraignity as to the Manner Measure Season Way and the like circumstances which the great God hath keeped in His own hand By these and the like wayes we declare our dissatisfaction with the wayes and works of God and account them crooked and think and endeavoure though in vaine to make straight what God hath made crooked An evil at which God is highly displeased Wo unto him saith the Prophet Esai 45 vers 9 10. that striveth with his maker Let the Potsheards strive with the Potsheards of the Earth shall the Clay say to him that fashioneth it what makest thou Or thy work he hath no hands Wo unto him that saith to his Father what begettest thou Or to the woman what hast thou brought forth And the great sinfulness of this sin appeareth in these Particulars 1. It is a striveing against the Lord in the place now cited the word in the Original signifieth a Contending in judgment as Lam. 3 vers 58. Leading a processe against one Judging or Sentenceing in judgment so
of the ends and designes of God that causeth us to complean and quarrel and wish that His works were otherwise ordered and marshalled for saw we these and conâ—…idered how pertinent and sâ—…teable all the passages of His way and all the circumstances of His work were unto the end designed we would be forced to say Behold He doth all things well When Elihu had been considering Iob 37. the Lords thunder and the great small raine the whirle wind the frost and observed how the Lord did weary the thick cloud and turne it about hither and thither he did not satisfie himself with that till he also gote a look of the special ends wherefore the Lord did so that so he might see the beauty and splendour that was therein therefore he addeth ver 12 13. And it is turned round about by his Counsels that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth He causeth it to come whether for correction orforhis land or for mercy And thereupon vers 14. exhorteth Iob to hearken unto this to stand still and consider the wondrous works of God And of Him who vers 16. is perfect in knowledg And such a sight as this of the works of the Lord would put us far from intertaining such thoughts of God and of his wayes as we too ordinarily have If we saw Him in these His works acting as a wise Governour carrying on His noble and excellent Designes and Purposes we would see a necessity for all that He doth and that no Circumstance might be wanting otherwise His work should not be perfect as it must be And the faith of His being a God of wisdom doing all for wise and holy ends should quiet us even though we should not see the Particular end which the Lord Intendeth in this or that Particular work 8. We would consider also the work of the Lord and see how thereby He executeth many a time His judgments on the wicked and how He is pouring out His red wine that is full of mixture and causing the wicked of the earth drinkout the very dregs as it is Psal. 75 8. And thereby making it appear that verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth Ps. 85. 11. Yea even when He seemeth most to be favouring the wicked and His dispensations smile most upon them He is but heaping wrath the more upon them and fitting them for the day of slaughter Asaph that could not see this when he was under the Water saw it clearly when he went into the Sanctuary then he understood their end and saw that the Lord had set them in slippery places and they were brought into desolation as in a moment Psal. 73 17 18 19. It was an heart-establishing sight which the Psalmist had of the great works of the Lord Psal. 92 4 5. when he saw vers 6 7. that a brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this when the wicked spring as the grasse and when all the workers of iniquity flourish it is that they shall be destroyed for ever CONSIDERATION XXII Judgement upon a Land because of sin sometime will not be held off by the prayer of God's people JEREM. 15 1. Then said the Lord unto me though Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my minde could not be toward this people Cast them out of my sight and let them go forth IN a time when because of publick and abounding sins the Lord bringeth on Publick and General Calamities especially such as sweep away the Righteous with the Wicked and that could not be prevented or held off by all the Prayers and Supplications of His people how earnest so ever they have been therein it may seem no small piece of difficulty how a beleever shall win to any life or to know what a life may be had in a such a dismal day It may therefore be of use to speak a little hereunto especially seing this is very like to be the case of this Generation These words and the like Passages show us that indeed there is a time when God is so provoked by the sinnes of a people that after much abused patience and long-suffering He will not be intreated to hold off the stroke that He is about to send or hath threatned because of Provocations Nor shall the eminentest of His favourites wrestlers who sometime have prevailed as Princes with Him be in case to stand in His way and avert the blow by all their Intreaties earnest Supplications God was about to bring on this people of Judah the long threatned desolation and did denounce the same by His Servant Ieremiah saying Chap. 7 14 15. That He would do unto His house at Ierusalem which was called by His name and wherein they did trust as He had done unto Shilo and that He would cast them out of His sight as He had cast out their Brethren the whole seed of Ephraim And that Ieremiah might understand the perempâ—…oriness of this denounciation He addeth vers 16. Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up cry nor prayer for them neither make intercession to me for I will not hear thee The Lord hereby signifying not so much His will that Ieremiah should surcease and pray no more in their behalf as the peremptoriness of His purpose and resolution to bring on the judgment so that all his Interceeding and Interposeing should not avail And this is againe renewed Chap 11 14. Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up a cry or prayer for them for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for thâ—…ir trouble As if He had said The decree is now gone forth neither shall they prevail for themselves nor thou for them Yet Compassionat Ieremiah could not get them forgotten in his prayers but interceedeth earnestly with the Lord in their behalf Ier. 14 1. From the beginning to the 10. ver Whereupon the Lord said unto him the third time vers 11. pray not for this people â—…or their good Ieremie againe vers 19. to the end notwithstanding of this fell to the work of prayer and did earnestly supplicat and interceed for them But now the Lord tels him Chap. 15 1. That Moses and Samuel should not prevail in their behalf and therefore he may be the better satisfied to hear that God would not grant his Petitions put up for them The like we have said foure times over Ezek. 14 14 16 18 20. Though these three men Noah Daniel and Iob were in it they should deliver but their own souls and againe Though those three men were in it as I live saith the Lord God they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters they only shall be delivered but the land shall be desolate The matter then which we are to notice is manifest to wit That there is a time when the sins of a people come to that height that God will not spare upon
any humane Intercession He will hear no Intreaty That was an unalterable and inevitable sentence against the house of honest Eli. 1 Sam. 3 14. And therefore I have sworne unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Elies house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever When the Lord would beginne He would also make an end as it is said v. 12. So Esai 22 v. 14. And it was revealed in mine eares by the Lord of hostes surely this iniquitie shall not be purged from you till ye die There is a time when the end is come and the Lord will judge a people according to their wayes and recompense upon them all their abominations and His eye shall not spare neither will He have pity As Ezek. 7 2. to 10. And the Lord will not againe passe by them any more Amos 7 vers 8. and 8. vers 2. Such a time and dispensation as this cannot but be afflicting and grievous to all that are concerned in such matters And the Consideration of these particulars may manifest how sad it is when the Lord is so provoked against a People as no Intercessions of His most highly honoured Favourites upon whose Intreaties sometime He hath manifested wonderful condescensions of grace will prevail to keep off the stroke no not Moses and Samuel both together 1. That the Lord hath done much at the Prayer and Intercession of these two in particular here mentioned Moses and Samuel For Moses see Exod. 32. where the Lord was so wroth and displeased at the Peoples turning aside so quickly out of the way and making the golden Calf that He said unto Moses vers 9 10. I have seen this people and behold it is a stiff-necked People Now therefore let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them And yet upon the Intercession of Moses saying Vers 11 12 13. Lord why doth thy wrath wax hote against thy People which thou hast brought forth out of the Land of Aegypt with great power and with mighty hand c. It is said Vers 14. That the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his People So againe Numb 14 v. 19 20. See Psal. 99 vers 5. and 106 v. 23. In like manner as to Samuel we see 1 Sam. 7. that when the Children of Israel were in great fear of the Philistines they said to Samuel Vers 8. Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us that He will save us out of the hand of the Philistines And upon this Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel and the Lord heard him See also Psalm 99 v. 6. Is it not sad that the Lord who sometime did so much upon the Intreaty of these Persons is now so offended that He would not regard their Intercessions nor spare upon their request 2. That the Lord hath frequently spared and keeped a stroke off His People upon the interposing of others as of Amos. Chap. 7 v. 2 3 5 6. When he had prayed for the People and had said O Lord God forgive I beseech thee by whom shall Iacob arise for he is small The Lord repented and said It should not be And againe the second time he prayed and had the same return So Nehemiah 9. and Daniel Ch. 9. and Asa 2 Chron. 14 v. 11. and Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 20. and others 3. That the Lord hath sometimes forborne to strick when even graceless Persons and such as had no interest in the special favour of God have prayed and humbled themselves as when He spared Ninivee after that natural People had humbled themselves And when that wicked man Ahab that did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him 1 Kings 16 vers 30 33. rent his cloths and put sack-cloth upon his flesh and fasted and lay in sack-cloth and went softly the Lord delayed the stroke and would not bring the evil upon his house in his dayes 1 Kings 21 v. 27 29. How sad must it then be that He who sometime hath turned from the fierceness of His anger and held off the evil threatned upon the crying of graceless Persons will not hear the earnest Intreaties of His greateâ—…st Favourites 4. This dispensation will also appear more sad and afflicting if we confider what an high esteem the Lord hath for the Prayers and Intercessions of His worthies Such an account hath He of them that the expressions thereof are indeed rare and very remarkable Let me alone saith He unto Moses Exod. 32 v. 11. as if Moses had been stronger than He and had bound up His hands or as if God could do nothing without Moses's consent or permission So said He to Iacob Gen. 32 v. 26. when He was wrestling with Him by prayer and supplication Hos. 12 v. 4. Let me go as if He could not have gone without Iacobs good leave and permission And Iacob is said to have prevailed with God as a Prince and hath therefore his name changed into Israel 5. Adde to this end the frequent promises made of the Lords hearing of such in the behalf of others Gen. 20 7. the Lord said to Abimelech Restore the man his wife for he is a Prophet and be shall pray for thee and thou shalt live So Iob. 42 v. 8. The Lord directed Iobs Friends to set him a work to pray for them with a promise of success Go to my servant Iob and offer up for yourselves a Burnt-offering and my servant Iob shall pray for you for him will I accept How sad then must it be when the Lord will not hear such See also Iam. 5 v. 14 15 16. 6. Yea sometimes we read that the Lord hath delivered when there was no Intercessour Esai 59 vers 16 17. And He saw that there was no Intercessour Therefore his arme brought salvation unto Him and His righteousness it sustained Him Must not His anger then be great when He will not pity nor spare even though His worthies whom He highly honoureth were standing before Him and putting up Supplications in the behalfe of a sinful People 7. He hath said Psal. 50 vers 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee Is it not then sad when iniquity is come to such an height that the Lord will not onely not hear the People themselves when they cry but also He will not hear the beseechings and intreaties of such as have most prevailed with Him at other times 8. As also if we consider how unanswerable this appeareth to be unto the Title and Stile which He hath gote and the Consideration of which hath encouraged His servants to call upon Him As Psal. 65 vers 2. O thou that hearest Prayer unto thee shall all Flesh come such a Dispensation as this cannot but be sad and grievous If it be enquired when we may apprehend the time to be such as wherein the Lord will hear no Intercessions no Prayers nor Intreaties of
and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money Yet will they lean upon the Lord and say is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us But what followeth upon this Vers 12. Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field and Jerusalem shall become heaps and the mountaine of the House as the high places of the forest 13. When iniquity aboundeth particucularly amongst Church-men who should both by their doctrine example have reclamed the people from their sinful courses then the matter seemeth desperat and God must be avenged on all together Hence we see this same people charged with this Jer. 2 8 9. The Priests said not where is the Lord And they that handle the Law knew me not The Pastors also transgressed against me and the Prophets Prophesied by Baal walked after things that do not profite Wherefore I will yet plead with you saith the Lord and with your Childrens Children will I plead See also Ch. 6 14 15. and 8 11 12 13. There was falshood among the Priests and the Prophets and they healed thehurt of the daughter of Gods People slightly saying Peace Peace when there is no Peace And therefore followeth Vers 13. I will surely consume them c. So Ezek. 22 25 26. There is a conspiracy of her Prophets in the midst thereof they have devoured souls her Priests have violated my Law and have profaned my Holy things c. Therefore as it followeth Vers 31. have I poured out mine indignation upon them I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath their own way have I recompensed upon their heads saith the Lord God See also Hos. 4 v. 6 7 8 9. and 9 vers 8. 14. When a People lay not God's controversie to heart when He is pleading the same against them by lesser judgments nor are taking warning thereby but notwithstanding thereof are going on in their sins then it is to be feared that God shall once for all send a consuming stroke that they shall not evite for this was also the sin of this People as we see Jer. 5 3. Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction So Chap 2 30. and 12 v. 11. Thus was it also with Israel Amos 4 v. 6. and forward to the end several particular judgments are there mentioned but they wrought them not up unto a returning to the Lord vers 6 8 10 12. And then a nameless Judgment or a Judgment without a parallel a judgment that could not be expressed is threatned and they are bidden prepare for it vers 12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel because I willd o thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel See Amos 7. where also several Judgments are mentioned but the Lord made not yet a full end But at length vers 8. He saith I will not againe passe by them any more And so againe Chap. 8 2. See likewise Zeph. 3 7. Esai 1 v 5 6 7 8. 15. When oppression injustice rageth among a people then is there just ground to fear such an overflowing blow Violence was one of the sins that brought on the floud on the old world Gen. 6 11 14. And for this sin was Ierusalem threatned with destruction Esai 1 21 23 24. How is the faithful city become an harlot they judg not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them Therefore thus saith the Lord the Lord of hosts ah I will ease me of mine adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies So Jer. 7 6. they were oppressing the stranger the fatherless and the widow and shedding innocent blood As also Jer. 22 17 18. And therefore are sore judgments threatned against their King Iohojakim vers 18 19. that he should be buried with the burial of an asse drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Ierusalem We see what was threatned against Israel Amos 2 6 7 8. For this sin of selling the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of â—…hoes for panting after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor turning aside the way of the meek and laying themselves down upon cloths laid in pledge drinking the wine of the condemned in the house of their God See also Amos 8 4 5 6. where this sin of unrighteousnese and oppression is charged upon them and then followeth vers 7. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob surely I will never forget any of their works 8. shall not the land â—…remble for this every one mourn that dwelleth therein c. So Mic. 2 1 2. the like sin is charged upon that people and then it followeth V. 3. Therefore thus saith the Lord behold against this family do I devise an evil from which ye shall not remove your necks And utter desolation is threatned v. 4 5. And v. 10. It is said Arise ye depairt for this is not your rest c. See likewise Ch. 3 1 2 3 4. and againe v. 9 10 11 12. Habbakuk also saw this sin in Judah Chap. 1 2 3 4. Violence Iniquity Grievance Spoiling Strife and Contention no Judgment but wrong Judgment Therefore v. 5 6. c. an incredible work of Judgment was to be wrought and the Caldeans were to be sent against them So was the like threatened by Zephaniah Ch. 1 3 7 9. for the same sin and 3 v. 3. See Es. 5 23. to the end 16. When people will not follow Gods way and turne at His reproof but go on in their sin and when evil cometh upon them use carnal shifts to save themselves and run to the arme of flesh then it is to be feared that God's anger shall break-out and burn without remedie For this was also the sin of Iudah they would not turn to God but trust in Egypt and Assyria in their strait Ier. 2 8 9 36 37. So Es. 8 6 7 8. For as much as this people râ—…fuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly and rejoice in Rezin and in Remaliah's Son Now therefore behold the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river â—…rong and many even the King of Assyria and he shall passe thorow Iudah and shall overflow and go over c. So Hos. 5 13 v. 14. When Ephraim saw his sickness Iudah his wound then went Ephraim to the Assâ—…rian I will be unto Ephraim as a lion and as an young Lion to the house of Iudah I I will tear and go away I will take away and none shall rescue And againe Chap. 7 11 12. Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart they call to Egypt they go to Assyria When they shall go I will spread my net upon them I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven I will chastise them as their congregation hath heard And againe Ch. 8 8 9 10 Israel is swallowed-up
now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure for they are gone up to Assyria 17. When people settling on their lees grow secure and carnally confident as afraid of nothing as if they were without the reach of God's hand and all hazard then it is to be feared that God shall make it appear that He is stronger than they For this likewise was the sin of Iudah Ier. 21 13 14. Behold I am against thee O Inhabitant of the valley and rock of the plaine saith the Lord which say who shall come down against us or who shall enter into our habitations But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof and it shall devoure all things round about This was also charged on Israel by Amos Chap. 6 13. Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought which say have we not taken to ourselves horns by our own strength For which cause see what followeth Vers 14. But behold I will raise up against you a nation O ouse of Israel saith the Lord the God of Hosts and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the Riâ—…er of the Wilderness The like we finde Amos 9 10 All the sinners of my People shall die by the Sword which say the evil shall not overtake nor prevent us See Ezek. 9 9 10. 18. When a People have followed these courses of sin notwithstanding of many reiterated warnings and admonitions given by the Lords Servants then it is to be feared that God shall wait upon them with warnings no longer but shall once for all send a devouring stroke that they shall not with all their cries get prevented nor taken off them according to that Prov. 29 1. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddainly be destroyed and that without remedie And that Prov. 1 2â—… to 31. Because I have called and ye refuseâ—… c. I also will laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirle winde Then shall ye call upon me but I will not answere c. Thus was it with this People of Iudah Jer. 7 13. And now because ye have done all these works saith the Lord and I spoke unto you riseing up early and speaking but ye heard not I called you but ye answered not Then it followeth Vers 14 15. Therefore will I do unto this House as I have done to Shiloh And I will cast you out of my sight as I have cast out of my sight all your Brethren The whole Seed of Ephraim And then He addeth Vers 16. Therefore pray not thou for this People The same sin is againe charged upon them Vers 25 26 27 28. And then it followeth Vers 29. Cut off thine Hair ô Jerusalem and cast it away and take up a lamentation for the Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath So Jer. 25. vers 3. the Prophet tels them in the fourth Yeer of Jeâ—…ojakim that he had spoken unto them 23. Year viz. from the 13. Year of Jâ—…siah but in all vaine and Vers 4. that the Lord had sent unto them all his servants the Prophets but all was in vaine Vers 7. Therefore sad judgments are threatened Vers 8 9 10 11. even utter desolation and slavery under the King of Babylon full 70 Years Vers 12. See also Ch. 29 17 18 19. and 35 17. This was Israels sin also Hos. 5 2 and 6 5 6 7. and 9 17. My God will cast them away because they did not hearken unto Him And they shall be wanderers among the Nations 19. When People not only will not take warning but also tush at warnings then may they fear that God shall be avenged upon them for thus was it with this People of Judah Jer 5 11 12 13. For the House of Israel and the House of Jâ—…dah have dealt very trecherously against me They have belied the Lord and said It is not He neither shall evil come upon us neither shall we see sword nor famine And the Prophets shall become winde and the word is not in them Therefore is destruction by the Caldeans threatned in the following Verses 14 15 16 17. See also Ier. 6 10 11 12. So Jer. 18 v. 12 13. When the Lord threatned sad dayes to come upon them all the use they made of it was They said there is no hop but we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart We know what that wicked King did with the roll of threatenings Ierem. 36. but see what followed thereupon Vers 30 31. andanother roll is written with additions Vers 32. 20. When People turn so impudent in their wayes and so fixed in their sinful courses that there is no moving of them by all the warnings that can be used nay they become enraged at and persecute such as do admonish them or exhort them to amend then the case seemeth to be desperat and their destruction must come for thus was it with Judah 2 Chron. 36 15 16 They mocked the Messengers of God and misused His Prophets until the Lord arose against his People till there was no remedy And what sufferings Jeremiah met with at their hands for his faithfulness his book telleth us Chapters 11 and 26 and 38. So was it with Israel Amos 5 10. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate they abhore him that speaketh uprightly See also Amos 7 10. to the end Upon which followed Chapter 8 v. 2. the end is come upon my People Israel I will not againe passe by them any more How much more may a People or a generation among whom not one or two or a few onely of those sins are to be found but all of them fear that such a stroke be coming that no prayer or humane intercession shall avert The Lord tels us by Ezekiel Ch. 14. that when He breaketh the staff of bread and sendeth famine on a land because of their trespassing grievously though these three Men Noah Daniel and Job were in it they should deliver but their own souls Vers 13 14. And againe if He spoile the land by noisome beasts though these three Men were in it they should deliver neither Sons nor Daughters c. Vers 15 16. So when He bringeth a Sword upon the Land v. 17 18. or a Pestilence v. 19 20. And then addeth v. 21. How much more when I send my foure sore judgments upon Ierusalem the Sword and Famine and the noisome Beasts and the Pestilâ—…ce to cuâ—…t off from it man and beast that is how much more shall I go on and devoure And how much less shall they think to escape upon the Petitions of Noah Daniel and Iob or upon the account of their relations to them So if upon one or two or a few of the forementioned sins we finde that
suffered more than we 159 to 170. How little ground of complaint if all were known cleared in 5. particulars 170 to 173. How the example of others should be improved in 8. particulars 173 to 176. Consid. XV. Suffering is Gods Gift 177. That suffering is Gods Gift 178 179. Right suffering is Gods Gift cleared in 12. particulars 180 to 187. This Gift is purchased by Christ. 187. How this gift is beyond the gift of Faith cleared in 10. particulars 188 to 192. Five evils that this Consideration would help 194 to 198. This Consideration informes us of 3. particulars 199 200. And calleth for 4. Duties in general 200 201. And for 5. other Duties more particularly 202 to 204. How comfortable it is in 7. particulars 204 to 207. Consid. XVI The Sufferings of Christs Servants are for the good of the Church 208. Six advantages which the Church reapeth by such Afflictions 210 to 215. How this is to be improved in 3. particulars 216 to 218. Consid. XVII The Lord reigneth in Zion 219. How Christ reigneth cleared in 14. particulars 220 to 228. Twelve Conclusions drawn therefrom 229 to 240. Consid. XVIII The time of Affliction is but short 241. How the Scriptures express this shortness in 11. particul 242 to 248. An Objection answered by 8. particulars 246 to 256. How this is to be improved in 7. particulars 257 to 261. Consid. XIX Remember Peter's Fall 262. Three things good and imitable in Peter 264 265. Three things wrong and to be shunned by us 265 to 268. Twelue useful Lessons drawn from this Passage 269 to 279. Consid. XX. Gods way of delivering his People is oft hid and Mysterious 280. Various hidings of God 280. Various Effects of this hiding 281. What is the hiding mentioned Esai 45 v. 15. 282 283. Ten things considerable in the Prophet's frame 284 to 294. Singular steps of Majesty sometimes to be seen in Gods Deliveries 296. This cleared in 12. partic 299 to 316. Four Reasons of the Lords taking this way in reference to Himself 319 to 322. Six Reasons of this in reference to Enemies 324 to 328. Two maine ends of this in reference to his own People 329 to 334. Six particulars which this dispensation calleth for at the Hands of Gods People 335 to 339. Three things observable from the Prophets seeing God even then to be the God of Israel 340 c. First That Gods dark dispensations alter not His Relations 340 c. This improved in 4. partic 346 to 350. Secondly God may be seen when hiding Himself and how 350 to 353. How this should be improved in 4. particulars 353 to 355. Thirdly That when God hideth Himself his People should assert His relation to them and expect He will answer His relation both cleared in several particulars 356 to 358. Six duties then to be minded 359 to 361. Two other particulars in the Text cleared 361 to 363. Consid. XXI No man can make straight what God hath made crooked 364. Eight crooked things which are more controverted 368 to 377 Six other things in the Lords Dispensations which seem crooked 377 to 382. Eight particulars about the Church which seem crooked to us 383 to 385. Eight other particulars about privat beleevers that seem crooked 386 387. How these cannot be made streight 389. When we foolishly seek to make streight what God hath made crooked in 10. particulars 392 to 398. Eight aggravations of this evil 398 to 401. Eight wayes of considering the works of the Lord aright 403 to 412. Consid. XXII Iudgment on a Land sometime is not to be held off by Prayer 413. The matter cleared from Ierem. 15 ver 1. 413 to 416. How sad this is cleared from 8. particulars 417 to 421. When such an inevitable stroke is to be feared cleared in 20. partic 423 to 453. How this should be improved in several particulars 456 c. What should satisfie the Godly in this case when their prayers are not heard in 4. particulars 458 What the Godly should do when God is about to cut off the Righteous with the wicked cleared in 6. particulars 462 FINIS ERRATA PAg. 51. lin 14. wong r. wrong p. 54. l. 2. their r. his p. 65. l. 21. maice r. malice p. 87. l. 25. art r. are p. 97. l. antep penult ordereth p. 117. l. 20. fragrant p. 118. l. 128. put to the. p. 141. l. ult Seventy p. 197. l. 4. aer r. are p. 217. l. 17. becometh l. 18. become p. 226. l. 21. treasures p. 255. l. 11. woman p. 264. l. 10. this r. his p. 305. l. 9. Crus r. Cyrus p. 320. l. penult there r. there p. 328. l. 9. them ore r. the more p. 358. l. 10. noly r. only p. 422. l. 25. after People adde were guilty p. 429. l. ult r. served