is made gracious that beleeves that is patient Phil. 1.29 it is given to him he hath it this way and no way else a soule that is rewarded t is by way of gift Revel 22.12 Behold my reward is with me saith Christ to give to every man according as his worke shall bee when mercy rewards and saves it is a gift and when Justice rewards and damnes t is a gift of justice or of debt that is due to evill workers and that God dos freely of his owne minde For the fourth thing they are thoughts to give an end and expectation satisfying thoughts you shall have saies God what mercy you do will or can expect God meanes this 1 That they should have an end put to all their miseries the dark cloud should be blown over their sufferings should have a blessed end God himselfe would put a full period to them 2 Such an end an end so gracious that it should answer their living and large expectations Iam. 5.11 that it should satisfy all their longings such an end as blessed JOB had in his afflictions the end of the Lord was gracious to him the Lord did shew even in him and by him that he was very pitifull and of tender mercy so as the Lord might well instance in JOB for to prove what tender bowels he had he might well say to his children go to JOB and see whether I am not gracious and of tender mercy JOBS example may learne us both the graciousnesse that God shewes the patience that Saints should shew JOB had an end and expectation too so gracious was God to him and so good will God be to his people now I can shew the like againe saies God I can do as much for you and so I purpose my thought are for to walke in the same way of mercy towards you you shall have as much as an ende and expectation will come too that is as good an end as you can wish desire or long for novv to make the mercy thus compleat there must be in it these in gredients First there must be a powerfull bringing them backe from their Captivity and an happie deliverance of them from all afflictions Ier. 30.10 God must save his Israel from afar and his seed from the land of their captivity Iacob must returne be in rest and be quiet and none make him afraid 2 A full performance of all the promises of the Lord to them God must give them according to his promises or else he could not give occording to their expectations 3 A blessed giving in of spirituall graces with spirituall enlargements for grace received for the abounding of thanks giving to wards God 4 The shining of Gods face upon them againe which brings with it sweet and spirituall peace This the faithfull expected 5 All this must be done seasonably in the best in the fittest time when they were ready when the full worke of God was done upon their hearts when their expectations and wantings were at highest Zech. 9.1 when they look most when their eyes were most intentively pitcht upon God When comes the burden upon Hadrach and the rests upon Damascus that is upon the cruell enemies of Israel and the inflicters of all their miseries but then when the eyes of all Israel are as one man towards the Lord and then comes all other mercies too that they needed even a full supply from the Lord their God For the second thing the Arguments to proove the truth now in hand wee may reason thus 1 Because God is Love and this is much more then to say God loves 1 Iohn 4.8 16. it notes thus much that it is the very Essence and nature of God Man may properly be said to love but cannot be said to be love God is so t is affirmed from his own mouth when this was said t was a piece of Gods own minde and t is recorded twice in one chapter t was a sweet argument it seems the Apostle was now upon he is incouraging Saints to love and love so as to dwell in it and therefore he mentions this that God is love Ioh. 3.16 Rom. 5.8 if they would looke so high as t is most fit they should they might easily see a most glorious pattere of love that they could never reach and that was love it selfe wee read of Gods so loving the world c. And of Gods commending his love to us but we read not as I remember of this phrase that God is love but in this place Now the servants of Christ having not only heard him and seen him and tasted him but enjoyed abundance of glorious fellowship with him wherein by most certaine and sweet experience they had been so oft so much satisfyed with this River of his good pleasure they come up to the highest expression that can bee to set out the love of God when they say God is love surely those glorious Saints in heaven that are at the Wel-head of happinesse as it were and enjoy the fulnesse of love in the highest degree could not have spoken more gloriously of this love then to say God is love now if hee be so God will First be pitying his Secondly hee will bee contriving for his and Thirdly he will be overlooking all the unworthinesse of his 1 He will be full of pity as a father pities so the Lord will saies David Gods bowels could not but be troubled for his repenting Ephraim Ier. 31.20 and so troubled too that God takes up this resolution that he will surely have mercy upon him God could quickly finde bowels when Ephraim found his sins and his mercy sayes now Ephraim is a deere son Ephraim is a pleasant childe all is forgot already that Ephraim hath done his former Idolatrie his former prophanenes his former stubbornnes it is all covered all drowned already in the sea of his mercy here behold bowels of compassion indeed here is pity that is infinitly tender shining in the very carriage and language of God towards poore creatures full of sinns and full of troubles both at once this is the very way of Gods bowels let his children be in danger in troubles under sorrowes and sufferings the heart of God cannot rest it will bubble it will be hot it will boyle up t will run over to his afflicted children 2 This love that is God it selfe Gods owne nature t will be a contriving thoughts of love will flow from it God is all act purus actus and so is this love it is busie hard at worke plotting for and pitching upon some great good for those whom he delights to choose to love to honour I will surely have mercy sayes God I will surely do such a poore sovle good his sould shall blesse me his conscience shall enjoy me his spirit shall rejoyce in me his heart shal be fild with my peac with my comforts with my blessings 3 This love of God can tell
for our God let us not be ashamed to claim him let us not be backward to exalt him he is in the heavens he is worthiest of all he purposes good speaks good acts good contrives and does hears and delivers his he is best of all he lives for ever and so shall his Saints in his glorious love whilest Idols and they that make them and they that put their trust in them are and shall be dasht one against another and shall perish for ever like their own dung this will be the end of these Gods and these slaves whilest the children of light enjoy for ever that God who dwels in light and in that light that none can approach unto or ever enjoy in any degree without the salvation of Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 6.16 that God that hath immortality hath all and he onely hath this Idols have none they must perish themselves they can give none their followers must to ruine too Vse 2 In the second place this truth is very perswasive it bespeaks us many wayes it hath many voices 1 To the bad and cals us to do many duties First it speaks to meâ— that are out with God out of Christ and in the rude sinfull and dead lump of the world and first it cals after them with Davids voice Psal 4.2 O ye sons of men how â—â—ng will ye love vanity and follow after lies How long will ye both resist and brand the glorious wayes of God and the gracious wayes of his people with your pride and with your hellish â—rands of malice How long will ye seek after your own lies your own wils your own lusts What do you mean to forsake a God so gracious and to cleave â—o your own Idols so dunghie â—nd so vain who deserves your â—earts if God do not Weigh â—hings in a right balance and â—ew your selves men bring â—â—rth your reasons produce â—our cause your case your way â—et us see what can the Idolaâ—er say for his wayes what â—â—eas can Atheists and drunâ—ards or worldlings have must â—â—ey not needs confesse surely they are fools what wisdom is in them If they could see light or speak truth if sin would suffer them to open their mouthes for God surely they would soon joyn with the Prophet and say Jer. 8.9 Lo we have rejected God lo we have rejected his Word what wisdome is in us How can we say we are wise our counsels our purposes our practises they all speak out our extreme folly there is nothing makes the sinfull souls forsaking of God so unanswerable as this infinite grace of God towards his as Gods love where it is bestowed opens the heart and unlooses the tongue towards God so this love where it is refused is such a stop mouth that a soul cannot but be silenc't it is forc't to say I have nothing to plead for my self there is not a wicked man in the world who hears and refuses this rich grace of God iâ— his purposes and gifts but thiâ— will cast and sink him one day and would for the present silence him had he but a right or true apprehension of what he does let unbeleevers therefore see that though they depart from God yet they have no cause they transgresse without cause as David speaks and although they follow sin pursue it cry it up and live it up yet they have no cause but unbeleevers be unreasonable and no marvell when pride and blindnesse sit at the stern to guide the soul see then this truth puts down all carnall pleas plucks up those hellish shifts whereby sinners usually wave off all that â—s good can a sinner now say I shall have no mercy if I do come in to God to Christ can â—e now say I shall loose all and â—e undone if I hearken if I â—urn can he now say I shall suffer so much t' will not be worth while to be one of Gods â—an he now say my own choice is best my own wayes are best let me alone I am well enough can he now go away sad from the blessed offers of Jesus Christ and the gracious armes of thâ— love of God stretcht out readiâ— to embrace him can he now say God will leave me if 〈◊〉 should follow him God will give me up if I should trust him God will fail he will forsake No no what ever souls may speak under sin or under temptations there will be no such language as this if this blessed truth once take place all quarrellings against God all wranglings all carnall pleas are now taken away and the soul lookâ— now upon God and his wayes as without all exception anâ— upon sinfull nature and iâ— wayes as without all excuse and when once a soul comes 〈◊〉 be convinc't and perswaded 〈◊〉 this oh how it blames it seâ—â— cries out upon condemnes 〈◊〉 self and not God at all it 〈◊〉 now a find-fault in its owne wayes not in Gods hence it is we never read of a Saint as a Saint picking quarrels against Gods wayes what ever they might do through infirmity when grace works when faith acts and sends forth its blessed Scouts these bring in such a good report of the Land of Promise of the way to it and the giver of it that a beleevers heart works another way so that his spirit is enlarged and his mouth is opened in speaking good of God of Christ and ill of himself and of sin however he spake before this grace was given to him and now may we not take up Davids words to the wicked O ye fools when will ye be wise when will you learn to know where to pitch which way to go what to choose to bring in good to your selves do not halt be not froward if Baal be God follow him if fin or the world be that God that purposes love shews love saves by his love then follow him but if God be God if he be onely a rock if he onely do thus then look after him 't is not for you to sleep the Lord awake you 't is not for you to sit still the Lord rouze you up out of your base security t' is not for you to love your own and your old wayes you have done that too too long already t is time to be honest t is no season to say with Solomons sluggard yet a little while Prov. 6.10 I would yet be as I have been Heb. 10.37 and do as I have done God saies yet a little while and he will come thy judgement lingers not and wilt thou loyter thy damnation sleeps not and wilt thou sleep 2 Pet. 2.3 nay wilt thou be fast asleep dead asleep when Divine Justice slumbers not takes no nap at all tell me unbeleevers is it not for you to know judgement to know God in all his wayes Micah 3. is it not for you I do not say t is in you to seeke after God after Christ and grace do not thinke to put off
erre and so leaâ— them into captivitie yet they have not done Israel harm enough they will spoyl them farther in their afflictions Satans instruments are ever working till they have fully and utterly cast away a people they will not leave their work aâ— halves and should Gods instruments do so then 4 These false prophets could noâ— but see one would think thaâ— they had spoken lyes in speaking of peace before the warre thâ— judgement the captivitie camâ— to this people the Lord had by his divine hand of justice giveâ— them the lye yet these will oâ— in their lying trade and put oâ— a bold and impudent face on iâ— too the Divell himself may 〈◊〉 soon put off himself his lying nature and lye not as corrupt man can of himself cease from â—hat sin even in this regard they may be well stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diâ—els they are 2 Tim. 3.3 not onely in their falsenesse of accusing but of deceiving and lying 5 These false Prophets no queâ—tion were in some danger of â—osing their lives when the Enemy came so terribly against Jeâ—usalem yet they are preserved â—hilst better then themselves are â—aken off God hath his own â—imes for the judging of Wicked â—en they shall escape and live â—â—ill he sees them fully ripe for â—udgement and then wo unto â—hem these shall dye in Babylon â—hough they fall not in Judaea â—hese are not so much preserved â—s reserved 6 Israel had suffered much by â—earkening to these false Prophets Gods judgements were â—ut they were now in captivitie yet these false Prophets are still loved and the people are eager to follow them Ungodly men once bewitched by falâ—â— Prophets they will after them though they drink nothing but dammage by them they will stick to them though they dyâ— with them and by them by their poyson dreams deceits The occasion of the words iâ— cleer and being so it gives lighâ— enough to the drift of the spiriâ—â— it shews what is aimed at in thâ— Text and in 4. verses more 〈◊〉 namely from the 10. to the 15. First the Spirit of God by Ieremiah goes about to proâ—â— their Prophets Lyars of whom they said the Lord had raised them up Prophets in Babyloâ—â— and that in a glorying way too vers 15. However an ungodly seduced people will highly advance and foolishly exâ—oll their seducers yet God hee give them their own and will disown those of whom they blindly brag that God had sent them God loves not that false Prophets should get them a name by false titles or win authority from the hearts of others by â—are pretence of Gods sending them 2 For the Comforting of â—hose that were willing to hearâ—en to God who when they â—ad heard all these false Prophets with one consent even â—fter two yeares the yoke of â—he King of Babilon should be â—roken and the Captivity over were ready to enquire with the â—ood King as being altogether unsatisfied and not perwaded that what they spake was truth is their not a Proâ—het more Ieremiah he comes 〈◊〉 and tels these that this is the Word of the Lord after 70 years 〈◊〉 not after two or a few that â—as false be accomplisht at Baâ—â—lon he would visit them and â—erforme his good word toward â—â—em and cause them to returne 〈◊〉 Jerusalem and was not this a sweet word too the Lord himselfe tels them their captivâ—â— shall end though he is determined for a longer time then tâ—â— false Prophets talkt off These five verses point 〈◊〉 these four speciall things wheâ—â— in we may see the very sâ—â—stance and marrow of them 1 That God would not ceâ—tainly put an end to their Câ—â—tivity after seventie yeares 〈◊〉 would visit them to purpoâ—â— he would so come that thâ—â— captivity should not stay 〈◊〉 would draw out his good wâ—â— of deliverance into act and 〈◊〉 promise should fall into a bleâ—â—â— Performance 2 The proof of this endiâ—â— of their captivity in this 〈◊〉 verse and it is drawn frâ—â— Gods thoughts and determiâ—â—tions to doe such a thing for 〈◊〉 people he hath pitcht upon 〈◊〉 and who can alter him 3 The meanes which 〈◊〉 will have his people vse to 〈◊〉 delivered by the instances in one and that is prayer earnest praier continued prayer prayer that should hold out till the thing prayed for be obtained then sayes God in the 12.13 vers shall ye call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto mee and ye shall seek me and search for me with all your heart then that is when this 70 yeares be even out and the time of the fulfilling of the promise drawes â—igh this shall be a praying time with them now their hearts shall be hot for deliverance â—ow their spirit shall hunger to be out of captivity more then ordinary now they shall call upon God nay they shall take paines to do it they shall go and â—ray they shall flocke together to pray they shall go to heaven by faith and pray as they that are both restlesse without this mercy and also confident that God would give â—t them nay they shall seeke and search after God with 〈◊〉 their hearts none but God wâ—â— serve their turne now they wiâ—â— have none of Idols they wiâ—â— not seeke themselves most iâ— their prayers but God moâ—â— they will now search after Prâ—mises and Gods time as Danâ—â— did in this case Cap. 9. begâ— their hearts now begin to eâ—quire after God and to ask where is he How may we fiâ—â— him what is it the parts bâ—twixt us and him now thâ—â— search after him for communiâ—â— with him and blessed enjoâ—ment of him here is prayer aâ—â— diligence and self deniall aâ—â— love and confidence and coâ—stancy of Spirit towards Gâ—â— all meeting in one all togethâ—â— in these poor souls now tâ—â— time of their delivery drew â—neer the most wise God thâ—â— fits his meanes his ends mâ—â— sweetly together he makes thâ—â— to be when he stirres in thâ—â— hearts at his season and roâ—â— â—â—owses up a dull people to looke â—fter him for their promised deâ—iverance when the spirituall â—nd blessed meanes of the Saints â—eliverances are once set on foot â—y the Spirit of God in the â—eart of his people insomuch â—hat faith goes out much and prayer is held up without ceasâ—ng and there is great search aâ—â—er God know ye that their diâ—iverance is very neer it is even â—t the dores the Jews Captivity â—asts not it is soon off when once they do thus bestir themselves at Gods throne misery â—anot stand up long against prayers it will vanish like a mist â—efore the Sun Then and not â—ill then will deliverance appeare then and no longer will God stay but Salvation shall â—ome unto them 4. The prevailing of this meanes it shall do the deed God will answer them his loving â—eart will pittie them his Graâ—ious hand will worke for them this the spirit delivers in thâ— 12.13 and 14. verses and hâ— speakes it thrice for failing hâ—
if there is ground â—â—ough of a therefore trust in him because judgement is before him what ground is this â—â—en and how much faith doth â—his call for at our hands in that mercy is before him his thoughts of love are ever comming into his minde and he is ever mindfull of his Covenant that his Love and Grace hath made He sayes to a poore beleever O what shall I doe unto thee What shall I do for thee What is thy desire what is thy request it shall be granted what is thy need it shall be suplied Solomon tells us that the heart of an husband doth safely trust in â— vertuous wife Pro. 31.11.12 26. for shee will dâ—â— him good and not evill and in her tongue is the law of kindnesse and is this enough for such a trust O then may we noâ— much more say the heart of a beleever may must and doth trust safely in God thorow Christ 〈◊〉 The heart of God is an heart oâ— kindnesse as well as in his tongue is the law of kindnesse 〈◊〉 What hath not God What iâ— there not in God to allure the soule to repose it selfe in him to be his disciple to lye in his bosome to leane upon his shoulders to lye downe full of joy in his love a poore soule that hath such an husband as Christ is may well shee hath ground enough may without danger there is safety enough trust in him for all good for all blessed dispensations of his Grace and power to enhappy it if the Husband may well trust a vertuous wife with family affaieres how much more may the beleeving soule trust Christ with all spirituall affaires let that God that Saviour will the beleeving soule say be my trust who purposes such love such mercy to my soule in evill times who is a Winters sun to my frozen heart and a blessed springing shower to my chapt earth I will trust him with my conscience trust him with my family trust him with my name trust him with my estate trust him with a Kingdome trust him with glory yea both mine and his own too he will not faile me that never failed any he will not deceive me that cannot deceive one hee hath thoughts of peace towards me in all my sufferings he hath a gracious end for me out of all my sufferings the Lord my God hath a fullnesse of good for mee as well as I absolute need of his good and he knowes his owne thoughts of love better infinitely better then I the great want of his love whither should my soule betake her selfe but to this shelter upon this ground I shall have firme footing upon this Rocke I shall have good building in this bosome I shall have glorious refreshings under this shade I shall be received by this hand I shall be delivered O how excellent is that of David who speakes experimentally too for how did hee stand vnremoved against all Sauls Psal 125.1 and Sataâ—â— batteries they that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever a beleever iâ— not removed nay cannot and it is more for Mount Zion cannot and such a one is like this mount those that beleeve they be like not the world alas that changes every moneth with the moone it hath many new faces strange changes 1 Iohn 2.17 alas that passes away but like mount Zion and what enemy so much as ever shooke this much lesse removed it beleevers they are like this â—â—ount they abide as long as the â—â—ove of God himselfe abides and â—â—ey are as firme as the strength 〈◊〉 this love can make them â—â—erefore t is that David puts a â—etternesse upon this trusting in â—â—e Lord and tells us t is better â—â—en trusting in men yea then â—o put confidence in Princes Psal 118.8 a â—â—ing so excellent so precious 〈◊〉 practised in and by the word â—nd yet that is as high as our â—ust can go if it be placed in the world what power is above â—â—inces power yea the conjoyned power of all the Princes of â—he world together and yet all â—his makes no rock at all it is â—ut as an heape of sand there is â—â—o building upon it in any case trusting in God is better it is a wise and a sure way whatever the cause bee a man would thinke if it were unsafe in any case it were so in this when a poore Soule walks in darknesse and hath no light is full of terrors and hath no Comforterâ— is in great straits of of spirit and hath no ease is full of troubleâ— within and hath no peace thiâ— poore creature thinkes his case iâ— desperate Isa 50.10 and that he is a loâ—â— man this is a strait this is anâ— headlong condition indeed yeâ— sayes the Prophet let that maâ—â— trust in the name of the Lord let that poore soule stay upon hiâ— God as desperate as his case seemes to be though in his own eye he is a damned man though in the worlds eye he is irrecoverable yet sayes he trusting iâ— the Lord Staying upon his God will perfectly cure that man he shall not miscarry in this case as deadly as it shewes to be if hâ— can cast himselfe upon his Godâ— his God hath thought of peaceâ— promises of peace a covenant 〈◊〉 peace blood of peace for him God will raise up that soul shinâ— into that soule be a light to that soule a Prince of peace a father of mercy and God of all comforts to him and whensoever God does this hee does more â—â—en if hee should remove our word our miseries our troubles â—nd make all at peace in the Kingdome O that God would â—ay the hearts of Christiâ—ns here Sol. Song 2.14 O that they were how in the clefts of this Rocke like Christs Dove was there â—ver a better time to rest in God â—hen now O let the name of â—he Lord be precious to you do not only try now or taste what â—one how good God is but be â—onfident what hee will bee to you can your case be worse then to be killed yea that God himself should doe it an that in anger too as one would thinke yet Iob will trust in him Iob. 13.15 hee cannot trust in a living God that cannot trust in a killing God Iob had so learned a God in Christ and great cause he had for where he loves nothing can remove his Love he will have thoughts of peace and hee will have a desire to the worke of hiâ— hands Iob 14.15 and who shall let him 〈◊〉 the Enemie would he shall not 〈◊〉 What shall be able to separatâ— from this love or so much as give a stop or check to the working of it Vse 3 Thirdly Saints use your skill here are the wels of salvation draw out waters here are the blessed breasts of Consolationâ— suck at them draw hard milkeâ— out and be delighted with the abundance of Christs glorious mercyes
Isa 12.3 God even our God he hath mercifull purposes he hath thoughts of peace towards youâ— beleevers behold your Father clothed with his owne bowels putting on his whole nature of love conceiving for you decreeing for you and reaching out mercy with both hands as it were to you what must you do lo here is for you t is no time to sit still you must be doing your worke is before your eyes draw out now these water-pots be full to the bri and full of excellent wine too say what should hinder us that we should not have the fruit of these mercifull thoughts of our God in these dayes shall we starve when there is bread to be had shall we have this rock before us and not suck any honey out of it when Ioab perceived that the heart of David was toward rebellious and banished Absalom marke how he layes his trayne how he plots and projects to fetch out Davids heart to bring it above ground 2. Sam. 14 to make Davids soul that longed to go forth to Absalom to go forth indeed he fetches a wise woman from Tekoa and she must insinuate her selfe and mask over the matter with darke sayings to get within David and persawade him to fetch home his banished and for this end she hath her lesson from him he puts words into her mouth and all to fetch about the thing by such a forme of speech as was like to be most prevailing beleevers see a pattern for your selves in this case God he longs and his Soule goes forth by longing to his people in their miseries in their troubles in their banishments in this rageing time of the sword his Soule is grieved for their affliction Davids Ioabs the Lords annointed are to take speciall notice of this they are to send their Tekoas to their David to use Gods owne instituted meanes to draw out these bowels of God to make these thoughts visible and to come abroad did not once David long to fetch home his banished and we not long to have these longings forth let not God let not Christ have cause to say as he somtimes spake in the case of his sufferings he looked Isa 62.5 and 64.7 and there was none to help he wondred that there was none to uphold what none to stir in such a case what none to stir up himselfe to take hold of Christ what none to draw out the love of God in Christ towards his people what none to powre out their hearts none to utter words before God none to fetch this thing about by the wisdome of the Spirit where are our bowels of mercies which he that hath put on such bowels himself towards us cals us to put on what shall we see a blessed treasury of divine love and never go to the doore or use the key to open it oh draw out Gods Soule Christs heart unto thee get out these purposes of love that they may come abroad that they may dwell in thy heart and in the Saints more plentifully O yet enough to make thy Soule an habitation for thee to dwell in t is the surest the gloriousest habitation in the whole world o if divine love be a roof ouer thee and a dwelling place for thee who can enter in at these doores to harme thee who can curse thee into wo or thee from weale from blessednesse who can cast thee out of thy house when thou dwellest in God who can keepe thee from thy treasure of riches Isa 58.10 of honour of Comfort and peace when the purposes of thy God run for thy enjoyment of them all some truths and some necessities bespeaks us to draw out our souls towards others this truth bespeaks our graces our care labour endeavour to draw out Gods heart to us when we do the first we see and heare the needs of others when we do the latter then God will see and heare and his thoughts will act forth to the greatest advantage for us let beleevers therefore put forth themselves and their graces for this purpose to draw out more of God of Christ they shall be satisfied the purposes of Gods loue will come and shine and shine forth too see then beleevers your worke in a storme what excellent handed creatures how usefull in trying times you shoul be how you should put on to worke to doe that the thoughts of God towards you may not only come to the birth but may be borne appeare and come abroad and the better to guide you hearken to a few rules in this case which are the very high roade the straite way to from out these thoughts of love draw our God First longing soules after this mercifull appearing of God unto his these will never miscarry Psal 107.9 Psal 141.19 the Lord will satisfie the desire of every longing soule God intends not that his Saints spirituall longings shall kill them he intends satifaction not confusion to them he that gives these desires will fulfill them when the waies of a soule is the way of Gods feare that way cannot do lesse then prosper where God is Alpha he will be Omega where he begins he will end where he workes to desire there hee will satisfie to delight 1 Chron. 11.17 18. When David longed for water from the wel of Bethlehem and said Oh that one would give me to drinke of it His friends would rather venture their owne lives then hee should not have his desire they put their lives in jeopardie they breake thorow the host of the Philistins and fetch him water not regarding their owne lives to supply him Oh what will our God do may we well think to give in the desires of his longing servants surely he will break thorow all to give them of the waters of the well of life He will breake thorow the Host of their unworthinesse through their enemies through their lusts through their unthankfulnesse to fill them with good to give them his refreshings it is not a Philistine shall stand in his way of mercy to his people nor yet whole hosts of them Who art thou O great Mountaine saies God in this case when he intends to reforme his people and to satifie them in this case Zech. 4.7 when any thing comes in the way to withstand him who art sayes God thou great Moun-great Mountain of unbeliefe thou great Mountaine of pride thou great Mountaine of impatiencie before my people you shall become a plaine you shall downe you shall be subdued I will fulfill the desires of my people I will replenish every hungry soul I will satiate every weary soule this is my will Ier. 31.25 and this shall be done Beleevers long not so for peace Psa 101.2 as for the God of peace say with holy David Oh when will hee come unto us Oh when will his thoughts of mercy bee brought forth you may have peace with a Plague plenty with a Plague you may have outward mercies sauced as the
Israelites quailes were with vengeance but you cannot have your God with a plague you cannot have his face shining with such darknesse clouding one misery may sad and another it may be a farre worse may begin which may include in it a seven-times more in respect of sorrow and burden but if wee long for the appearing of these mercifull thoughts of God and they come there will be no such after claps no such degrees or successions of evill but this will be a sight worth seeing this will be good worth enjoying this will be rich mercy where ever it comes Oh let it never be said if we had longed for the gracious commings of our God they had been ours our God would have come and would not have kept silence the Gospell would have come and would not have been stopt a Reformation would have come and that a pure one too Peace would have come and a sweet one too let not our God long to have us thus to long and yet have cause to complain and say oh that mine had hearkened oh that mine had longed What shall wee not thus love when we may satisfie Gods desire by our longing and enjoy all the good we can desire too The hungry after Christ shall bee satisfied he fils the hungry with good things sayes Mary they shall have enough Luk. 1.53 for they shall be filled and that not with winde neither but but with good things she speaks this by blessed experience too God had filled her hungry soul with infinite good insomuch that she proclaimes for joy the usuall and most gracious dealing of God with all that be his and tels us God fils them with good that be hungry and what do these hunger after Surely for the comming of Christ their desires cried oh when shall our Saviour come when shall he be born when shall we see the consolation of Israel And did these long in vaine did they hunger without filling were they empty without satisfaction No no he that sends the rich empty away will not send the poor in spirit empty away such as are full in themselves such as have no such hungring in them they shall not be filled with Messes from the Lords own Table they shall be turned off with a go to the Gods whom ye have served let them fill you that have had you you like none of my dainties and you shall taste none of my supper but to the hungry sayes God come ye shall finde food come ye shall finde rest you shall have your laps full your bellies full your souls full from the fulnesse of Jesus Christ Christ loves to powre his water upon dry ground to sowe his seed upon good ground to come where he is wisht for where hee is earnestly desired when the souls cry is oh when will Christ come he will quickly answer him and say so I come Isa 58.9 behold here am I poor soules you shall have what you long for what you are so earnest for at my hands O thou longing soul be it unto thee according to thy longing this thou wouldest have this thou shalt have even my salvation it is none of Gods wayes to send empty soules empty away either from his presence from his hand or from his dores their longings be his therefore his satisfying mercies shall be theirs Gods promise to such a soul is open thy mouth full wide and I will fill it let it be never so wide opened God knowes what he can do it is not out of his teach it is in his power it is his will it is his love it is his minde to fulfill such a soul Secondly ye that would draw waters out of these wels of salvation ye that would have these mercifull meanings of our God for your selves and his look to it that you strongly expect the appearance of these thoughts of his love oh let your expectations be true earnest large the Messias the Lords Christ was long expected ere he was exhibited and more mighty then ordinary were the expectations of the faithfull when the time drew nigh their hearts were much more carried out after the consolation of Israel Lu. 2.25 Simeons heart was not onely hot in devotion but in expectation too and there were so many that looked for redemption of Jerusalem in Israel that they made up an all them for Anna the Prophetesse spake of Christ when he was brought to be presented to the Lord in the Temple to all them that looked for redemption in Israel Christ he was the desire of all nations Hag. 2.7 Zach. 9.1 as well as the Saviour of all that did so desire him the eyes of all the true Israelites were waiting eys this way they their eys were toward the Lord and it was to behold their King comming unto them and it was not long after that God said to the daughter of Zion behold thy King commeth within the compasse of 8. verses God gives him in to her so successefull so prosperous doth this way prove to the Saints of God when does God in the way of his ordinary providence give unto his creatures when doth he open his hand to them for their satisfaction but even then when the eyes of all things wait upon him Psal 145.15 16. and 40.1 when had Daivd his God so inclined to him as to heare his cry but when he waited patiently for the Lord when Davids soule was so strongly set upon the gracions answer that he should have from God that he can wait in waiting dwell upon the duty double his patience and never look off from the God he cried to he shall quickly have the deliverance he cried for be brought sweetly out of the miery clay his feet shall be set upon a rock and his goings ordered as he was ever looking towards the Lord to give him the thing he wanted to deliver him from the thing he felt or feared so his God came accordingly our God not onely towards his purposes an end but an expectation too as it is in the Text an end in respect of their miseries an expectation in respect of faith and his promises it is as much as if God should say I will then put an end to all the afflictions of my people I will then give deliverances peace and all good when my peoples expectations are strong for it when they so expect then I will do when I give peace it shall be an expected peace when I give good it shall be an expected good when I give an end it shall be an expected end our God intends to have his mercy welcome when it comes and therfore he will make the hearts of Believers work after it look for it settle upon it ere it comes our God intends to have his given to be kept on foot to have some springing of that he hath already sown ere the remainder of mercy laid up in his promises shall come he will see how his children will trade