extort confession from the mouths of his greatest enemies Nevar man spake like this man And of a truâ—h this was the Son of God And then for this thing did Christ pray in the 17. of John that his Father would manifest so much of himself unto us his people and pour out so much of his Spirit upon them that the very world might know that he hath sent the Son and that he hath loved his people with the same love that the Son is loved and this did Christ promise unto his people to the Church of Philadelphia in the 2. of the Revelations and the 9. verse Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews and are not but do lye behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee Therefore hath Christ put so much power into his word that at least it might lay chains upon wicked men and convince men many times that God is in his word and that God is in his people When you Prophesie saith the Apostle and there comes in one that is unlearned the secrets of his heart is made manifest and so falling down on his face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth Therefore it is also that when God works great deliverances he doth so order it in his providence that his peoples enemies should be eye-witnesses and ear-witnesses of what God hath done for them yea sometimes Agents against their wills in doing good to the Saints So Haman was an Instrument in the promotion of Mordecai Yea Therefore it is that God works in such a glorious manner as must needs convince he works freely He works suddenly he works unexpectedly and he works solitarily Now Gods very manner of working deliverance for his people doth carry a great deal of conviction along with it As First of all wicked men they look upon the afflictions of the Saints they say Let our eye look upon Sion and let her be defiled Therefore doth the Lord make them to look with astonishment upon their mercies and deliverances God hath gracious ends even towards wicked men he would convince them by this he would lay blocks in their way thâ—t they might not take the running leap into Hell that they might not go on in their violence and persecution of the Saints I proceed to what remains Loe I see four men and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God There were three cast in and now there are four Now before we come to consider who this fourth man was By way take notice of the wonderful providence of God that a fourth man should be added to them that while they were in the midst of the siery Furnace while they were bearing witness against the Idolatry of Nebuchadnezzar and his peopâ—e while they were suffering Martyrdome for the Truth and for the Name or God here is a fourth added to them Certainly their enemies supposed that fire would soon have devoured them all that there should not be one of the three left to bear witness any longer against their wickedness and idolatry but how contrary doth God work to the expectation of them their number is not diminished but Loe there were three cast in and now thâ—re is four four men loose walking in the midst of the fire Therefore we shall consider this Proposition by the way before we come to the Main Observat 4. That all persecutions that the Devil or his Instruments do raise against the Saints shall not diminish their number but shall rather increase them I say all the opposition and persecution that the people of God meet with for the name and cause of Christ shall not diminish their number but shall rather increase them I shall make it evident to you Look upon Israels oppression by the Aegypâ—ianâ— which you read of in the 1 of Exodus 10. 11 12 13. Come say they let us deal wiseâ—y with them let us increase their task let us lay heavy burdens vpon thâ—m c. Thus they thought to have weakened their strength and to have brought them low but did this stratagem prevail no you shall read in the 12. verse That the more they afflicted them the more thâ—y encreased And therefore God did appear to that Church unto Moses in the 3. of Exodus God shews Moses there the vision of a Bush that was not consumed this did hold forth the state of Israel then a Bush all on fire and was not consumed such Bushes are all the Churches of Christ that men of the world may set them on fire many times but though they burn they shall not be consumeâ— yea the hotter any fire of persecution be against the Saints the more green shall this Bush be the more shall it flourish take root and grow and spread abroad her branches till it fill the whole earth This was represented unto Daniel in a vision in the third of Daniel The Kingdom of Christ is set forth there by a little stone cut out of the Mountains without hâ—nds the stone was a growing stone and although there were many hammers at work to break this stone in pieces yet they have not nor shall not prevail but the stone grew more and more and became a Mountain and filled the whole earth Under the Gospel I shall give you some instances of of it To begin First with Jesus Christ It was a main design that the Pharisees had to keep men from beleeving in Christ therefore they resolved that they would take some course to lessen the number of Believers to lessen the number of his followers See in John 11. what they feared and what course they resolved to set upon 11. 48. verse Oh say they if we let him alonâ— all men will beleeve in him and the Romans will come take away our place Therefore you shall read in the 52. verse that they gave counsel to put him to death to smite the Shepheard and the Sheep shall be scaâ—tered they would put him to death that they might not beleeve on him Behold how contrary doth God work to the imaginations of these foolish men for by that very thing by the death of Jesus Christ is so many thousand thousand brought in to believe in him they would put the Lord of life to death that they might not believe in him and it was the Fathers way to make men beleeve in him if I be lifted up Ioh. 12. 32. And I if I be lifted up will draw all men to me And they say if he be lifted up there shall be none drawn to him ay but If I be lifted up I will draw all men if I be lifted up upon the Cross if I be Crucified by this means will I draw all men to me For First Christ became a suitable object for a poor sinner a poor guilty sinner could never have looked upon a glorious Saviour but Jesus Christ he is clothed
formed me in the womb and he took me out of the womb he guarded me all my life loâ—g Thirty years and upward when I was in the midst of the world with Bears and Tygers I remember how he sent his Angels to comfort me when I was wearied out by Satans temptations Nay I remember when he stood by me when all left me and fled when all left me that I had none in the world to stand by me the Fatheâ— stood by me and therefore I will lay all this kindness upon you his seed The last kindnesâ— that the Father shewed to the Son it took mighty impression upon him that his Father did not leâ—ve him alone but was always with him And therefore Christ he often makes mention of it iâ— that 16 of John vers 32. The Father hath not lefâ— me alone but he is with me all my life long he never left him alone yea when he was in his affliction and low conditions the Father did not leave him alone See that 16. of John vers 32. Bâ—hold the hour comes yea is now come that ye shaâ—â— be scattered every man to his own and shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me This made deep impression upon the heart of Christ that the Father did not leave him alone when he was in his affliction when he was persecuted when all his freinds upon earth fled from him then the Father did not leave him And therefore the Lord Jesus Christ he did often retain this Kindnesse and he will not leâ—â—â— thâ— Sons and Daughters of God alone in low conditions but he will be present with them though they be in the fire and water he will be sure to comfort them with the same consolation wherewith his Father comforted hâ—m when he was in the same distress That 's the second Ground of the Point Thirdly Christ will shew most of his presence iâ— afflicted conditions because he remembers his Ingagement he is ingaged then to manifest most of himself First of all He is ingaged by his Promise and Câ—venant He hath promised to be with them always he hath promised never to leave them nor forsake them as the Father promised to be with him in trouble so he hath promised to be with them You may see his Fathers promise to him in Psalm 91. 15. He shall call upon me and I will answer him I will be with him in trouble I will deliver him and honour him Now as the Father made a promise to be with the Son in trouble so hath he made a promise to be with his people in trouble See that promise in the 43. of Isaiah vers 1. 2. how he hath promised to be with his people in all Tribulations in the midst of the fire and water and fiery try al 's nothing shall separate betwixt him and them he is always making good his Promise and therefore he will fulfill it to them Secondly He is ingaged by a Law of Love There is a Law of Love written in the heart of Christ he takes delight in his people they are â—â—e joy of his soul in the 16. Psalm at the bâ—ginning of it it is spoken there of Christ All my delight is in the Saints saith Jesus Christ and these that are excellent upon Earth All my delight is in them next to the delight that Christ hath in his Father to that Infinite Incomprehensible Light his delight is in his Saints in his people and therefore because he loves them because he delights in them he will be present with them he loves their presence whereever they are he loves to be with them though their condition be never so sad though they be in prison it shall be a Heaven to Christ because he bears dear love to them he loves to see their face he loves to hear their voice he loves to injoy Communion with them he loves to be giving out of himself to them and therefore be made it his great request before he went to Heaven that his Father would make room for his people as you may see in John 14. beginning of the third verse And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there you may be also he tells them he would have them with him in the same place they shall enjoy the same glory and they shal have no worse room then he And he besought his Father John 17. 24. That those who were given him of his Father might be with him Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou â—o â—eâ—st me before the foundations of the world Father I desire that they may be with me I desire thou shouldst bid them as welcome to Heaven as thou bidst me and that they may pâ—â—take of the same glory as I do that they may â—e in the same place that they may always see â—y 〈◊〉 and I may see their faces for my delight is in them Heaven could not content Christ withâ—â—â— the presence of his Saints and it is a second Heaven unto Christ to be present with them here upon earth wherever they are or whatever their condition though be never so low though they be in prison in chains in the stocks the Lord Jesus loves to be with them he carries them about in his heart and therefore he cannot be absent from them Again Thirdly He is ingaged by a Law of Friendship to be most of all present with them in their low conditions the Law of friendship binds him to it Affliction is a Touch-stone it discovers fained friends and real friends it shews whether a friend be Cordial or no By the Law of Friendship a man is bound to stick to a friend in the midst of all his adversity and then there is most need of a friend It was a reproof unto Hushai that Absalom gave him in that second of Samuel 16. 17. Is this thy kindness to thy friend why went you not along with your friend David was a friend to Hushai and saith Absolom to Hushai Is this thy kindness to thy friend why wentest thou not along with thy friend This shall never be said of the Lord Jesus Christ that he broke the Law of friendship It shall never be said of Christ is this thy kindness to thy friend Why wentest thou not along with thy friend Thov wentest not along with thy friend but thou forsookest thy friend when thy friend had most need of thee no the Law of Friendship is iâ— Christs heart and he will keep it and therefore he will stick close and most close to his people when they are in low conditions Again Fourthly There is a fourth ingagement He is present with his people most of all in low conditions in afflicted conditions because he is ingaged to lâ—ok after hâ—s work 't is the
evils of their lives 53 3. For the prolonging of their lives amplified in three particulars 54 55 4. For spiritual Mercies 57 Quest When mercies received may be helps to trust God for the future shewed in six particulars 58 Quest How to improve mercies so as to strengthen faith for the future in two particulars 62 Two things premised and two Cautions how to rest on former experiences 63 The fourth Sermon Wherein is shewed who it was that bare witness to this Miracle viz. Nebuchadnezar And a Question propounded whether he was hereby truly converted Arguments for the Affirmative given by some p. 73. And determined in the Negative 74 Doct. 2. That it is not in the power of greatest Miracles to convert a soul to God unless the spirit of Christ step in 75 This is cleered by Scripture-examples ibid. By Scripture testimony 76 And by experiences in our own times 78 First Ground of the Point To put the greater glory on the word 80 2. From the desperate hardness of mans heart 81 Use 1. Take notice what a Miracle of iniquity there is in mans nature 82 Use 2. What a Miracle it is that any soul is converted 83 A three-fold Miracle is shewed in the conversion of every sinner Of Wisedom Of Power Of Mercy 84 Use 3. Bless God for his word and look to it more then to Miracles 87 The fift Sermon Doct. 3. God many times makes his peoples enemies to acknowledg and confess that the Lord is with them and that he hath dealt graciously with them 92 The Point cleared by five Demonstrations 1. Christ put up a petition to his father for it 94 2. Christ hath promised it to his people 95 3. God hath put a power into his Word to convince enemies though it convert them not 96 4. God makes enemies oft to be the eye and ear witnesses of his peoples mercies and Agents therein 97 5. God works for his people in such away that enemies are forced to acknowledg the same so freely unexpectedly suddenly solitarily 98 Two Reasons why God will make enemies to acknowledg this truth 101 Use 1. A ground of Patience and encouragement to the Saints in tribulation 103 Use 2. Let not wicked men look with delight on the miseries of the Saints 104 Use 3. Let the people of God acknowledg this as a very great mercy ib. Use 4. Let the people of God much more acknowledg the gracious dealing of God toward them 105 The sixt Sermon Doct. 4. That all the persecutions which the Devil or his Instruments raise against the Saints shall not diminish their number but rather increase them 111 The point evidenced by manifold examples out of the history of the Church in all ages 112 The first Reason God delights to walk contrary unto men 115 2. Reason The Lord Jesus is a mighty King and will improve his power for the Saints ibid. 3. Reason From the impotency of enemies to hinder Christs Kingdom 116 Use 1. To let us see the vanity of all attempts of men against the truth and people of Christ with an item to the Powers of the world concerning it ibid Use 2. To give a ground of patience and comfort to the Saints against opposition of men 119 Doct. 5. That the Lord Jesus Christ is never nigher to his people then when they are in great afflictions in fiery tryals 121 Some instances given to prove it ibid Quest What presence of Christ the Saints may expect in their tryals 121 1. His supporting presence 2. His enlightening and teaching presence 3. His sanctifying presence 4. His quickning presence 5. His comforting presence A warning to the Saints to improve this Doctrine they not knowing what tryals the Lord may ere long bring them into 126 The further handling of this Point is in the eighth Sermon The seventh Sermon Wherein is considered the restraint the Lord layd upon the fire it could not hurt them only loosed their bonds whence note Doct. 6. At the command of the Lord the fiercest of Creatures shall not only not hurt his people but shall take part with them and do them good 130 Two Branches of the Point 1. They shall not hurt them 2. They must do them good both illustrated from Scripture instances 131 132 1. Reason The Creatures are Gods Host they go along with him where he is a friend they are friends 134 2. Reas From the Covenant and League made with the Creatures which hath two Branches 1. To do no hurt 2. To take part and do good 137 3. Reas God hath a special providence over his people 139 4. Reas The Creatures are all reconciled in Jesus Christ 140 Use 1. Take notice of the mighty power of the Lord what a great King he is that hath all Creatures at his command ibid. Use 2. What a shame to man that he should not be at the command of God 141 Vse 3. A strong Motive to those that be strangers to God to come in and submit to him till then they are lyable to be harmed by the Creatures 142 Use 4. It is not in tho Creatures power to do good without God 143 Use 5. Comfort to the people of God and encouragement to their faith 145 The eighth Sermon Wherein the fifth Doctrine is further handled Concerning the presence of the Lord Jesus with his people in afflictions 150 1 Reason The Lord Jesus knows they have most need of his presence then 1. Because of the weakness of the flesh 152 2. Because of the strength of Temptations 154 2. Reason The Lord Jesus remembers his Fathers kindness to him in being near to him in his afflictions 155 3. Reas Christ remembers his engagement to his people 158 1. By promise 2. By a Law of Love written within him 3. By the Law of friendship 4. That he may see to his work he is doing upon his people by afflictions Quest By what way doth Christ communicate so much of himself to his people in affliction 161 c. Answ 1. He raises up his peoples faith to an high pitch 2. He pours upon them the Spirit of Supplication 3. He draws the hearts of his people nigher to him 4. He manifests much of himself by his word which he sends with affliction Objections Answered of such as complain they have found little of Christ in their Afflictions 164. The ninth Sermon Use 1. To shew the unparrallell'd love of Jesus Christ who will never forsake his in afflictions no friend on earth like him 173 Use 2. To draw in those that be strangers to Christ to submit to him and get interest in him that they may have a friend in an evil day 174 Use 3. There is not so much evil in affliction then as men apprehend 176 Two things may make the people of God not to fear afflictions 176 1. Because they shall certainly injoy the presence of Christ in affliction 177 2. The presence of Christ will countervail the bitterness of affliction 180 Use 4. Let
and remembers that they are but dust and therefore he pities them He knows how unable they are to bear and how little time they are able to hold out and therefore somtimes the Lord Jesus hath spoken comfortable words to his people when they have expressed a great deal of weakness in them See in Mat. 26. when the Disciples could not watch with him at the 41 verse they could not watch with him one houre though he was in great extremity and they might have expected a sharp reproof from him the Lord Jesus he looks upon them and he pities them he rather excuses them and comforts them Oh The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak He knows what the weakness of flesh is for he was partaker of our flesh and blood he remembers it since he was in the days of his flesh how weak the flesh is he is partaker of our flesh and blâ—od saith the Apostle he knows what it is for a poor creature to grapple with fears with inward fears ever since he poured out his strong cries unto his Father with tears none in the world are so sensible of afflâ—ction as they that have gone under the same affliction themselves the Lord Jesus he is sensible of all the weakness of all the sorrow of his people he knows by experience what they mean he knows what it is to be weak and he knows what it is to be in fear he knows what it is to grapple with the wrath of his Father he knows what it is to want his Fathers Countenance he knows what it is to be acquainted with sorrow with grief there was none so acquainted with them as he See what the Prophet Isaiah says of him in Isaiah 53. vers 3. He was despised and rejected of men a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our face from him A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief grief and sorrow were his greatest acquaintance when he was upon earth they were his acquaintance from the beginning of his life and they were his companions from first to last from the wombe to the Cross they were the acquaintance that Christ could never shake off his old acquaintance when all his friends lest him when his Disciples leâ—t him in affliction did they leave him but his grief did not leave him he was always acquainted with it and he was acquainted with all sorrows with all grief grief of all sorts he knows what spiritual sorrows are and therfore he wil pity people his under them a natural man cannot pity a poor creature that groans under spiritual sorrow he knows not what they mean what it is for a poor creature to groan under corruption and cry out of the want of a believing heart and of the want of Gods presence but now the Lord Jesus is acquainted with these sorrows also he had experience of them in his own person The woman that hath been in Travel pities another that is in the same case the Lord Jesus he newly come out of Travel he remembers his pangs still and therefore he pities door creatures when they groan under grief and sorrows for he was acquainted with them himself 2. Again secondly He knows they have most need of his presence in afflicted conditions because they are most nigh to temptations and he knows what temptations are he knows the strength of Tempâ—â—tions he knows that it is the Divils policy to drive home temptation to the spirit of a poor creature at that time when it groans under affliction and therefore he knows that then a poor creature if ever stands in need of the presence of the Lord Jesus when Satâ—â— stands at the left hand to resist Christ had need to stand at the right hand to comfort and support and strengthen and therefore the Apostle saith that he was tempted in the days of his flesh in that 2 of Hebrews vers 18. Being tempted he â—â— able to succour those that are tempted he knows by experience what it is for a poor creature to bâ— tempted he knows that temptations are most grievous to a gracious heart Temptations are worse then afflictions and therefore though a poor creature stands in need of succour in affliction yet much more in temptation When temptation goes along with affliction Oh then the Lord Jesus knows that there is need of his prâ—sence When a City is besieged and the Inhabitants within it be disquieted and the enemie hath raised their Batteries and makes breat â—s upon the Walls and their Provision grows low Then if ever they have need of relief Truly so it is with a pour tempted soul when it is afflicted Batteries are made against the Spirit provision strength is little knows not how to hold out then the Lord Jesus he is their friend and therefore in such conditions he usually makes hast to afford his presence That the first Groâ—nd of the Point The Lord Jesus knows if ever then they have need of his presence when they are in low conditions for then the flesh is weak and then temptations are strong Again secondly The Lord Jesus manifests most of himself to his people in low conditions because he remembers the kindness of his Father when he was in the same condition I say he remembers the kindness of his Father unto him when he was in low conditions now he will requite this kindness upon them that kindness that God the Father did shew to Jesus Christ when he was in affliction and in low conditions I say be will requite it upon his people it makes deep impressions upon the heart of Christ the love that his Father shewed him when he was here in the days of his flesh when he was in weakness and was in perplexity and was in distress he can not forget it You know what impression Jonanathans kindnesse made upon David because Jonathan shewed him kindnesse when he was in distress his kindness made impression upon his heart thaâ— he could not forget it he inquired for some of his children that he might requite the love of their Father which he shewed to him when he was in low conditions Jonathan shewed him kindness when Saul persecuted David Jonathan stept between David and him and was as a faithful friend to David and therefore saith David I will requite his kindnesse if I can finde but one poor Mephibosheth that calls himself a dead Dog yet David shews a great deal of kindnesse to him to requite the kindnesse of Jonathan And so doth Jesus Christ he goes up and down to inquire in the world where is the Seed of God the Sons and Daughters of the most High that I might shew them kindness for my Fathers sake Oh he shew'd me kindnesse when I was in distress and therefore I will do the like to them when they ere in affliction and low conditions Oh saith the Lord Jesus I remember since your Father and my Father took care of me when I was helpless he
Jonathans son took him and set him at his Table so doth Jesus Christ deal he remembers the kindness of his Father the kindness the Father shewed him in his low condition says he is there none of the seed of God are there none of the children of the most high that I may shew kindness to for the fathers sake Because he shewed kindness to me in my low condition and though he can hear of none but poor lame Mephibosheth yet he shews kindness to them takes them into communion with himself sets them at Table with him and in the midst of their low conditions will afford his presence because his Father their Father did not leave him alone when he was in low conditions Again The Lord Jesus he is bound unto this by many ingagements I say he is bound to be present with his people in low conditions He is bound by his Word by his Promise by the Law of love that is in his heart All my delight is in the Saints and those that be excellent it is a second Heaven to him next to the presence of the Father he delights to be in the presence of his Saints and therefore because he delights in them he will be present with them though they be in the prison in chains and fetters though they be in the fiery Furnace yet it is a Heaven unto Christ to be with them for all his delight is in his Saints He is bound also by the Law of friendship to be with them in low conditions a friend is tryed in adversity it was a reproof to Hushai when he left David in straits and therefore says Absolom is this thy kindness to thy friend that thou wouldst not go along with thy friend It shall never be said so of the Lord Jesus it shall never be said of him Why didst thou not go along with thy friend for he will go along with his friend in the greatest adversity he will not leave them but afford them his presence Again He is bound because his work is in hand A Physician is bound to look after his Patient because he hath given him a Purge And so the The Lord Jesus is bound to look after his Patient when he hath given him a Purge Gold-Smith is bound to look after his Gold when he hath put it into the Furnace And so the Lord Jesus is bound to look after his Gold when 't is in the Furnace of affliction But I come to the Application First of all for Instruction This lets us see the wonderful unparalel love of Jâ—sus Christ I beseech Vse you take notice of it and get your hearts affected with it here is such love as creatures cannot shew a friend that will never leave one a friend that will always afford his presence in the greatest straits afford his presence that 's a friend indeed a man may be brought into such conditions as all his friends may forsake him all men upon earth may leave him David was left of his best friends Father and Mother forsook him and Jesus Christ was left of his best frsends they all forsook him and fled and truly this may be the condition of any man upon earth cast out and forsaken of friends of most friends of best friends will a friend venture his own life for a friend will a man keep his friend when some deadly infectious disease is upon him when he hath a plagâ—e sore upon him will he â—hen lye down in the bosome of his friend when a man is condemned to the flames of fire when a man is cast into the fire will a friend follow him into that condition Truly such friends you will hardly finde upon earth but this is the friendship of Jesus Christ to his people when he first lookt upon them he saw how many plague sores infectious diseases were upon them and yet that could not hinder him from drawing nigh and affording his presence and from working mightily by his spirit upon their hearts Nay when they are brought to fiery tryals to great afflictions yet even then he will not leave them and he will not forsake them and this makes the love of Christ the more remarkable that he should thus condescend when he was at the highest for he is now advanced above the Heavens he sits down at the right hand of the Father he is at the highest condition and yet he is pleased to condescend to the lowest condition he is pleased to come down when they are in the depths in the greatest straits that possibly can be what love was that the Spouse speaks of in the 5. of Canticles and the last verse she speaks a great deal of the beauty of Christ and in the last words she makes her boast of her Beloved This is my Beloved and this is my Friend Oh Daughters of Jerusalem I will compare with you all I will compare my friend to all the friends in the world This is my Belovâ—d and this is my friend she compares him for for his beauty and so you may compare him for his love you may make your boast of the Lord Jesus you may say This is my Beloved and this is my friend Secondly What a strong Motive may this Doctrine be unto such as are strangers unto Jesus Vse Christ to come in and submit unto him What glorious Benefits may you be partakers of What a desireable thing is it to have such a friend as Christ is which will be present with his friends in their lowest conditions Oh that every man would set down and consider that which Solomon speaks of to remember the days of darknesse which will be many many days of darknesse may come upon the earth what a favour will it be to have a friend in the darknesse a friend that will stick by thee when thou art in the dark a friend that thou mayst take hold of his skirts when thou art in the dark Entry a friend that will hold thee fast when thou art in the dark such a friend is Jesus Christ to all that do embrace him Oh what a favour what a mercy will it be to have a friend stand by thee that is both able and willing to help thee when all Creature-comforts shall fail when the very strength of body shall fail to have a friend stand by to help and succour and truly such a friend is the Lord Jesus what saith the Psalmist in the 73. Psalm vers 26. My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever heart and flesh fail and then there is a strength above nature the Lord then is the strength of my heart and of my flesh and blood What a mercy will it be to have one stand by you when you go through the valley of the shadow of death a friend then to comfort a friend then to uphold such a friend is the Lord to his people David was confident of this therefore you see how his
such as fear the Lord and desire to walk conscientiously It is your work to be a wall to them and to protect them so they walk regularly and in the fear of the Lord The people of God they are the strength of the Land who ever they be they are the strength of the Land they are the strength of a City They protect you and therefore it is your work to protect them The godly in a City they protect the City they are the safety of the City God said he could not destroy Sodom so long as Lot was there and could do nothing so long as righteous Lot was among them they are the strength of a City I beseech you see what is said in the second of Zechariah verse 5. And the Governours of Judah shall say in their hearts the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of Hosts their God Such as fear the Lord of all ranks they are the strength of the City and the time is a coming when the Governours of Judah shall say so The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the Lord of Hosts their God they have great interest in God and therefore they are my strength they are the strength of the Governours and they are the strength of the City And now let me say to you as Paul said to Agrippa Beleeve you this Oh you Fathers of the City do you beleeve this that the Inhabitants of Jerusalem they are your strength and the strength of the City in the Lord of Hosts their God do 〈◊〉 beleeve this I know you beleeve it 〈…〉 the Lord will cause you all to beleeve 〈…〉 people of God what ever they be they are 〈◊〉 strength of the City you shall say it one day all the Governors of Judah shal say That the Inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the Lord of Hosts their God And now I have humbly presented this Counsel as from the Lord I have laid before you what is your work 1. There is a Work of Justice 2. A Work of Equity 3. A Work of Mercy 4. A Work of Piety 5. A Work of Love to Christ in the protection of his people And a work of Wisedom to your selves which will be your strength And now let me say to all Christians and Christian Magistrates Let me say to you all what ever is your work what ever is in your hand to do Oh that the Lord would help you to do it with all your might What is in your hand to do as Christians as Magistrates Oh that the Lord would help you to do it with all your might I shall not need to press it further upon you both as Christians The Devil worketh with all his might and shall not Christians work with their might and Magistrates work with their might He goes about night and day seeking whom he may devour and shall not you go about night and day seeking whom you may save And seeking whom you may punish for contemning the Law of the Lord your God The Divel compasses the earth Whence comest thou I come from â—â—â—â—â—assing the earth And Oh shall not Christians 〈◊〉 â—ith all their might when Satan doth with all his might sinners do with all their might and shall not Christians do with their might It is said of sinners That they draw iniquity as with Cart-ropes It is the expression of the Prophet and in the seventh of Micah it is said they sin with both hands they do evil with both hands aye earnestly and they do it with both hands and if they sin with both hands shall not Christians do good with both hands Shall they sin with all their might and shall not you do the work of God with all your might Let me say further to you Christ did the work of the Father with all his might and your work with all his might the work of your salvation he wrought three and thirty years together he sweat hard And Oh! shall not you in a way of love in a way of obedience labour to do for God with all your might seeing Christ hath done for you with all his might Let me say to you you are not put upon it to work for life and righteousness or for Heaven but only to express your thankfulnesse your love and obedience and therefore well may you work for God you have a great deal of work and you have but a little time to do it Sinners you are hastning to the grave Oh work for God with all your might Christians you are hastning to the grave Magistrates you are hastning to the grave Oh then do what ever you find to do for God with all your might There is no work as a Magistrate nor as a Minister nor as a Christian in the graâ—e whither thou art going here is all the working time that you shall have for eternity you have six days to work in And you that are Beleevers shall have a long rest you may well work a while though you sweat hard for it there is no more time to work in but a long time to rest in an everlasting Rest eternity of Rest that shall never have an end your rest is long And Oh make hast there is no possibility of working more for God hereafter If you do not finish your work now you cannot finish it in the grave You had need work the Candle is set up and you have but little of the Candle left Oh if you do not finish this work of God before this Candles end be out there is nothing but darknesse in the grave There is no wisedom no device c. If there were work you could not see But there is no beleeving no repenting no doing for God no further time to be serviceable to God but a time of receiving for the Saints and a time for the wicked to be punished And therefore What ever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nor wisedom in the grave whither thou goest And so much for this time FINIS ERRATA PAge 1. line 12. read seemeth p. 4. l. 17. r. bonds p. 5. l. 15. r. act p. 6. l. 10. r. was p. 9. l. 22. r. grave p. 11. l. 31. r. the. p. 16. l. 5. r they for now p. 17. l. 28. r. this p. 21. l. 15. blot out as r. in as dye p. 41. l. 26. r. open p. 43. last v. r. get p. 49. last v. blot out time p. 68. l. 27. r. grace p. 73. l. 6. r. whether p. 74. last v. r. superstition p. 75. l. 7. r. past and l. 9. r. not p. 77. l. 13. r. though and l. 25. r. to p. 78. l. 18. r. terrible and l. 30 r. in a. p. 81. l. 27. blot out either p. 93. l. 25. r. done p. 99. l. 6. r. off and l. 28. r. his p. 100. l. 3 and 4. blot out the thought of p. 101. l. 5. r. but for that p. 103. l. 30. r adversity p. 107 last line but one r. to us p. 115. l. 29. r. whether p. 119. l. 10. r. our p. 121. l. 22. r. condition p. 125. l. 19. r. comforting p. 130. l. 22. r. Lo for Low p. 132. l. 2. r. quiet p. 133. l. 6. blot out been and put it into the end of the next line and l. 8. r. Jonah last line but one r. improbable for impossible p. 135. l. 24. r. so it might and l. 26. r. keep p. 143. l. 18. r. without God p. 144. l. 32. r. encouragements p. 148. l. 28. r. Father p. 149. l. 14. r. they for their and l. 16. r. their for thy and l. 21. r. contrary to their p. 150. l. 27. r. deliver his poor p. 154. l. 23. r. poor p. 156. last line but one r. are p. 160. l. 4. r. be though p. 161. l. 22. r. puts p. 162. l. 2. r. Lord. p. 164. l. 26. r. Gods p. 165. l. 17. r. fed p. 166. last line r. need to p. 173. l. 5. A Goldsmith p. 181. l. 11. r. relations