Ps v. 10. Then said I so this is my infirmity but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High I will remember those days those years when God did by his Mighty Hand save and deliver me This is an encouragement for the future to trust in God he saved me at such a time at such a low condition Oh he was there the right hand of the Lord was stretched out to What God requires when he works such mercies for his people and how the Servants of the Lord should express their thankfulness for such Mercies received deliver and why should we ever distrust the Lord again surely that power of the Lord can never be nonplust that hath wrought such great things for me Thus you see the Grounds Here is no time for Application I shall adde a fourth Particular and that is this which will yet make the Point more useful before I leave it What doth God require of his people when he works such Deliverances for them And how should the Servants of the Lord express their thankfulness for such Mercies when God doth so and so rescue the lives of his people First of all Take heed that we neither forget the Mercy nor the God of the Mercy I say forget not the Mercy nor the God of the Mercy we are very apt to look upon our mercies with a slight eye we remember our wormwood and our gall but we forget our mercies and the goodness of the Lord that did shine in the Mercy Now know that there is a great provocation to the Lord It was the sin of Israel that they forgot so soon what God had done for them we read of this how they provoked the Lord and they turned back saith the Psalmist and you shall see â—ow God did take it as a great provocation and God threatens them for it See how they forgot what God had done for them Psal 106. 13. They soon forgat his works they waited not for his Counsel and verse 21. They forgot God their Saviour which â—ad done great things in Egypt and therefore the Lord was wroth with them Brethren so should we take heed that we do not forget our Mercies and forget the God of the Mercie forget not what God is and forget not what God hath done for us forget not what God requires of us Did God remember us in low conditions and shall we forget him shall we forget him when he hath raised us up will not this be horrible ingratitude does the Lord remember us continually and shall we forget him Oh! we should get a remembrance of God and a sense of God and the goodness of the Lord written in our hearts Where doth God write the name of his people Why he writes their names there where he will not forget them why see what the Lord says in Isa 49. vers 15 16. Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her wombe they may forget yet will I not forget thee Vers 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the Palmes of my hands See what care God takes that he might not forget his people and so he would have us not to forget his Mercies Behold I have engraven thee upon the palmes â—f my hands When a man would not forget his friend he will ingrave his name upon a Ring but you will say he will not forget that doth not only write it upon a Ring but upon his own flesh And thus the Lord deals with you Behold I have engravâ—n you upon the plames of my hands and doth the Lord thus take care to remember us Let not us forget him Secondly we should not look with a slight eye upon great Mercies Oh view the Mercy compass the Mercy go round about it tell the Towers and see the Bulwarks see what Mountains of goodness and mercie shine in them Oh see how the Attributes of God do shine in them God cannot indure that people should despise affliction his Chastisements My son despise not the chastening of the Lord he cannot abide when men are careless when they are sleighty under affliction and surely he will not endure that men should look sleightly upon mercies My son despise not the goodness of the Lord the mercies of the Lord the deliverances of the Lord Let not them be lookt upon with a sleighty eye look into the height of the Mercy and the depth of the Mercy and all the evil that would have befallen us if we had not enjoyed the Mercy And Thirdly Take heed that we give nothing to creatures but all to the free grace of God this God he requires in thankfulness when he gives such Deliverances ascribe nothing to man nothing to our selves nothing to our prayers nothing to our faith No give all to God give all to free grace look upon Ieb take him for an instance in the 9. of Iob v. 16. If I had call'd and the Lord had Answered if he had given me my Petition given me what I desired yet I would not say he hath harkened to my voice I would not say 't is for my prayers or for my faith No I am poor dust and ashes what 's my voice in Heaven No sure I will give all to him I will say surely the Lord hath heard his own voice the voice of his free grace pleading for me he hath heard the voice of his Spirit pleading in me and the voice of his Son making Intercession for me I will not say the Lord hath heard me but that the Lord may teach his people this he gives Mercies before they have thoughts to seek them as in Ps 21. 3. Yea sometime God he hath exceeded the faith of his people to let them see that it was not for the worthiness of their faith though when God would give Mercies Many times he sets his people a praying and beleeving but he doth not give mercies for these And therefore God he doth prevent their faith as you may see in Psal 126. vers 1. When the Lord turned again the Captivity of Sion then were we like to them that dreamed like to them that dream as much as to say When the Lord brought us back we had not faith enough to believe it we could not think that the Mercy was real when as we came out of Babylon we doubted whether we should believe it or no whether it was real or a dream It was real but it was not for their faith and therefore ascribe nothing to faith nothing to means nothing to prayer but all to the free grace of God Again Fourthly we should give back again to God what God lends us That is the Fourth way to express Thankfulness Hath God given us life let us give it back again to him Hath God given us strength we should give it back again to God we should lay out all our strength for
faith will make them present as things new to come Fiftly Mercies become helpful for the future When the soul is careful to keep up his Communion with God when a man is careful to walk with God continually to fix his eye upon God and to follow God fully in every thing to follow God wheresoever he leads him so long as God and the mercy is kept together there will be abundance of lustre and beauty in every mercy but when the soul is careless in maintaining his Communion with God it looseth then the sense of all his goodness that formerly he tasted in every mercy and they become useless even grace it self cannot comfort a man if God be not nigh if God by his spirit do not shine upon it and therefore mercies much less though they be never so great and precious mercies that a man hath received yet they can afford no present comfort nor be a support to him nor incouragement to wait upon God for the future but if so be God and the mercy be kept together then mercies become useful and an help to the soul to trust in God for the future Sixtly Mercies are helps for the future when as the soul is inabled by the Spirit of prayer to urge God with former mercies and to lay them before the Lord as ingagements to help for the future there is such an improvement to be made of former mercies When God doth pour a Spirit of prayer upon his people and then and then only do mercies that are past become a help to the soul or the future you shall see so the Saints have urged this with God they have pleaded with God and put him in mind of his former kindness so you may see in the 51. of Isaiah about v. 9. Awake awake put on strength Oh Aâ—m of the Lord awake as in the ancient days c. And so in the 22. Psal The Psalmist there doth use the right Argument witâ— God he turns former mercies into Arguments to iâ—gage God for the future in the 9 10. verses But thou art he that took me out of the womb thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mothers breasts I was cast upon thee from the womb thou art my God from my mothers belly Thou art he that took care of me when I could not take care of my self and when the care of creatures could do me no good without the care of the Lord and seeing thou hast done this for me I am still incouraged to wait upon thee to trust in thee for future mercies Thus you see when mercies and deliverances may be incouragements for the future and how the soul may make experiences of them Quest But you will say further how should we look upon our mercies so as to make the best improvement of them to strengthen our faith in the Lord for the future I Answer briefly First Look upon them all as the first fruits which God hath promised to you this will mightily help to strengthen the faith of the soul for the How to make the best improvement of mercies to strengthen our faith in the Lord for the future future look upon all as beginnings of that which God doth intend to do for his people as a spark of that flame of love that is in the bosome of God towards his people as drops of the Ocean of love drops of those Rivers that run at Gods right Hand which he hath reserved for his people I say look upon all mercies that you have received as fruits of that which God hath reserved in glory for his people and this will mightily help to strengthen faith for the future Secondly Look upon them all as staies that God hath given staffs to hold in your hands for the present all mercies all deliverances all sights of â—od all manifestations of his love all experiences of his goodness I say look upon them as staies and crutches that God hath given into your hand for the present to lean upon while you are in this your Pilgrimage do not build upon them you cannot build upon the best of your experiences do not lay them as the foundation but only look upon them as helps in your way and so use them as helps for the present that God gives you that you may Two things premised and a Caution how to rest upon former experiences more cheerfully go on to his self and to his son to the rest in him where there is everlasting peace And therefore here will I premise two things and give you a Caution how to rest upon former experiences and so I shall end the Point 1. Know this that it is possible that the soul may loose the sight of all his experiences they may be all out of sight 't is possible that a man may call them all in question the soul may be brought into such a sad condition into such a dark condition that it may call in question all that ever it hath seen of God and those very things that he did take as some special Tokens of love all manifestations given forth of himself all communications of his presence of his grace I say all these they may be darkened out of sight Or Secondly Though they may be in sight yet God doth many times bring his people into such conditions as their former experiences cannot reach them God may come still with further and further tryals and such tryals I say that all a mans former experiences cannot reach them his tryal and temptations may be above them all And therefore here take these two Cautions when as you are thus to follow experiences and to make use of experiences First of all Take heed that you do not make your own experience the first ground of your trust Make not I say any experience that you have had the first ground of your trust or confidence I said before experiences are good helps good Crutches but they will make no foundation for the soul to build upon They are not the first foundation that is to be laid No you must learn to trust God when you see him not you must trust God before your tryals for that is the most blessed thing See what our Saviour Christ says concerning Thomas in that 20. of Joh. 29. Jesus said to him Thomas because thou hast seen thou hast believed but blessed are they that have not seen and yet have beleeved The heart is so backward to faith that it is well if it be by any means at last brought off to beleeve and therefore the Lord hath condescended to reveal himself to his people by experiences but yet our Saviour he saith it is more blessed to beleeve and not to see Blessed are they that belâ—eve and have not seen This kind of faith is that which brings most glory to God to beleeve a man before he try him 't is a great trusting of him and so 't is an honour put upon him now to beleeve in
to bear witness of that good he did his people We shall observe then this Proposition God many times makes his peoples Enemies to acknowledge and confess that the Lord is with them Observat 3. and that he hath dealt graciously with them God makes very enemies to confess oftentimes that he deals wonderfully and graciously with his people The Church was confident of this in her affliction therefore she was supported See that 7 of Mich. 9. 10. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned againsâ— him until he plead my cause and execute judgment for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousness verse 10. Then she that is my Enemy shall see it and shame shall cover her which said unto me where is the Lord thy God mine eyes shall behold her now shall she be troden down as the mire in the streets Then she that is my enemy shall see it and shame shall cover her which saith where is the Lord thy God The Church was confident that she should not only see the footsteps of mercy but that God would make the very enemies to see it She that sayd where is the Lord your God! she that sometimes insulted over me and blasphemed the name of my God that said where is your God time is coming when she shall see it and I shall say Loe here is my God I waited for him and he will save me and she shall see the deliverance so as shame shall cover her she shall be ashamed that ever she opened her mouth against God And the Church did not loose her expectation this was fulfilled to the Church in the 126. Psalm you shall see the fulfilling there of this promise that she took hold of the 126. 1. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing then said they among the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them When God turned again Sions Captivity when he brought them out of the grave Babylon the work was so wonderful that enemies could not but see that the hand of the Lord was in it to give poor Captives so much favour in the eye of Princes that they should release them send them home countenance them help them in all they could help them to build the Temple of the Lord this could not be if the Lord had not wrought wonderfully for them The Heathen were convinced They said amongst the Heathen the Lord hath dous great things for them God makes the very enemies to acknowledge his power and glory and that he was with his people in the 8. Chapter of Exodus verse 19. God wrought a Miracle by Moses and the Aegyptians stood out long but they say in the 19. verse Sure this is the finger of God Lo they had hardened their hearts and would not be converted at last God works a Miracle and makes them to cry out sure this is the finger of God look into the new Testament and you shall finde that the Lord Jesus Christ did extort confession from the mouths of his enemies he made them to acknowledge that he was the Son of God and that God was with him in those mighty works that he wrought See the 6. of John and the 14. verse There the multitude followed Christ when as they had seen the Miracles Christ wrought then they said This is of a truth that Prophet that should com into the world and so in the 7 of John verse 47. When the Officers were to bring Christ to the chief Priests they returned with their conviction and they answered never man spake like this man yea when he was upon the Cross in his greatest Eclipse seemed to be forsaken of all men even his very friends forsook him they all forsook him and fled and he was lookt upon as a scorn to all the people yet even then did the Lord Jesus extort confession from their mouths See the 27. of Matth. and the 54. For the further cleering of the Point by Demonstration The Point â—leared by Demâ—nstrations God makes sometimes the very enemies to confess that he is with his people and that he hath dealt wonderously graciously with them First of all you shall finde for this that Jesus Christ hath put up a Petition to his Father he hath Demonst 1 made it his request to his Father that his Father would manifest so much of himself to his people that the very men of the world might be convinced that hiâ— Father did love him that the world might be convinced that they were one with God and one with the Father and one with the Son for this Christ prays in the 17. of John and the 21 v. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that thâ— world may bâ—leeve that thou hast sent me vers 22. And the glory which thâ—u gavest me I have given thâ—m that they may be one even as we are one vers 23. I in them and thou in me that they may bâ— made pâ—rfâ—ct in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thoâ— hast loved me that the world may know that tâ—ou hast sent me and hâ—st loved them as thou haâ—t lovâ—d me Christ he would manifest so much of himself and of his goodness unto his people that not only they may see it but that the very world may be convinced when they see what God hath done for his people and what excellent Spirit God hath put upon them that they may be convinced that God loves them as he loves the Son that they are one with the Father as the Son is made one with the Father Secondly The Lord Jesus Christ hath promised this to his people hâ— was confident that because Demonst 2 he prayed for it it should be given out he was never denyed any of his requests and therefore he hath made a promise to hâ—â— Churcheâ— â—hat he wiâ— do such great things for theâ— that the world shall be convinced that God is with them See the 3. of the Revâ—lations and the 9. verse Behold I will make them of the Synâ—gogu of Satan which say they are Jews and are not but do lye behold I will make them to come and worship before tâ—y feet and to â—now that I have loved thee He makes this promise to them as a recompence to them for their faithfulness because they had kept close to the word in time of persecution now as a recompence of their faithfulness and love Christ makes this promise to them Well because thou hast ventured all for me because thou hast ventured thy name for me thou hast suffered reproach for me I will give thee a name thou shalt have a name in all places where thou hast been put to shame those enemies that hated thee that made a scorn of
you say her destruction is come already but you know not the thought of the thoughts of the Lord I will work unexpectâ—dly Thirdly God he works sometimes suddenly that he might give convâ—ction to men when God gives mercies he doeâ— it sudâ—â—nly when God brings judgements upon the wicked oâ— the world he doth it suddenly their destâ—uction is liâ—e wâ—arlewâ—nde it shall not come like oâ—her windes that â—o rise by degrees but as a whirlewind it shall come suddainly and carry them away before they think of it aâ—d so sometime he compares the judgments that he brings upon wicked men as the bâ—â—ach or a wall that cometh suddainly See the 30 of â—aiâ—h and the 13. verse Therâ—fore this iâ—iquity shall be to you as a breach â—eâ—dy â—o fâ—ll sweâ—ling oâ—t in a high wali whose breaking comâ—th sâ—â—daâ—nly at an instant And so when God works deâ—iverance for his people many times God works it in a sudden way look into the 1 6. Psâ—lm you shall see how suddainlâ— God wrought for his people how suddainly he brought them forth from Bâ—bâ—lon Verse 1. Wâ—â—n the Lâ—rd turâ—ed again our Captivity we were like to them tâ—aâ— dreamed Verse 2. Thâ—n was our mouth filled with lâ—ughter and our â—â—ngue with singing then said they among the Heathen the Lorâ— hath done great thâ—ngs for them Verse 4. Turn again our Captivity O Lord as the streams in the south He prays and beâ—eeves that God would turn again their Captivity as the streams in the souâ—h the streams of the South they come suddenly the streams there they do not arise as other Rivers they come from several Heads and so they increase aâ—d come broader and broader that when the rain falls mightily then the land floods come down suddainly Why in such a way doth God work for his people their deliverances shall be as the Rivers in the South as streams in the south that shall come suddainly in a moment before enemies are aware And thus doth God many times work conviction Fourthly God he works soliâ—arily he doth it by his own Arme when eâ—emies can see none to roule away the stone none to open a door of deliverance why then God himself he stretches out his Aâ—me when there is none to bring salvation his own Aâ—m shall bring salvâ—tion he will role away the stone he will open a door of deliverance and when God doth thus work this tends mightily to the conviction of those that are by-standers Quest If you ask but wherefore doth God thus work Wherefore doth God make very enemies to confess that he deals graciously with his people Why should they be eye-witnesses oâ— it Answ First of all because their eye looks upon the afflictions of the Servants of God and therefore God he will make them to look upon their mercies they look upon the mâ—sery of the Saints and they look upon them with delight and therefore God he will 〈◊〉 them to look upon their mercies and see theâ—â—â—eliverances They say â—et â—ur eye look upon Sion and let her he defâ—led Let our eye look upon her that is let us behold her ruin-in let us glut our sense and say thus we would have it Let our eye look upon Sion so in the 22. Psalm you shall finde how the wicked do look upon the affliction of Jesus Christ for 't is spoken of Christ Psalm 22. vers 17. I may tâ—ll all my bones they stare upon me they look and stare upon me When Christ was upon the Cross they stood looking upon him and did stare upon him the word signifies they looked with delight to stand gazeing insatiably When a man looks upon an object that pleaseth him he thinks he never looks enough he doth enlarge his sense to take in the speciousness of the thing and he thinks he never sees enough the same word is used by the Propet Isaiah 53. verse 11. He shall see the travel of â—is soul and be satisfied He shall see the travel of his soul he shall look upon it with delight he shall gaze greedily upon it it shews his wonderful affection that Chriâ—t looks upon his Spouse with wonderful desire that he looks upon the travel of his soul to see the fruit of his righteousness to see the benefit of his death he shall look upon the travel of his soul he shall gaze upon it with delight and so do enemies they look upon the affliction of his people and gaze upon it with delight and therefore God makes them to look upon the mercies of his people the deliverances of his people they shall see their glory God will make them eye-witnesses God will make them to confess that he hath dealt graciously with his people Secondly God doth 〈◊〉 mercy to the sons of men God would do even wicked men good and doth them good even by this while he works such conviction upon their heart by eyeing the mercies and deliverances that he doth give out to his people God by this he would allure them he would make them to stand and wonder while God not only in word but in his providence doth proclaim before them Thus shall bâ— done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour At least God doth this out of pitty to men that they might not go on to contemn the Gospel God he will give a check for this and therefore he works glorious deliverances that he might restrain them in the ways of persecution and thus doth the Lord pitty his very enemies he is better to them then they are to themselves God he would lay rubs in their way that they might not go leaping and jumping to Hell God he will not let wicked men dâ—â—â—ne themselves as they would if God should leave them to themselves And thus doth the Lord pitty his enemies A word for Application And so I conclude First of all Here is ground of patience and incouragement to the Saints in all tribulations in all adversities in the midst of your greatest afflictions in the midst of all the persecution you meet with for Christs sake for his Gospel sake for his truths sake though the world cast shame upon you timâ— is a coming that the Lord will roul away reproach and he will make your very enemies to see it and they that have stood looking upon your misery with delight they shall be forced to look upon your mercy and therefore here is a ground of patience to you in al daversity what ever you suffer from the world for Christs sake time is coming that God will make them to condemn themselves and to acquit you they shall see your mercy and they shall say of a truth God is with his people 'T is a ground of great comfort to the Churches of Christ in the midst of all the opposition that they meet with for the keeping of the word of his patience Oh see the promise that is made to the Churches in tâ—â— 12. of Zachariah verse 5. And the Gouernours of Judah
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
THE SON OF GOD Walking in the Fire with the Servants of God IN NINE SERMONS Upon DAN III. XXV BY That Precious and Holy Man Mr TIMOTHY ARMITAGE Late Pastor of a Congregation gathered in the City of Norwich Unto which is added another SERMON Preached by him upon Eccles 9. 10. At the Entrance of one of the Mayors there into his Office LONDON Printed by J. Macock for Henry Cripps and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes-Head-Alley near Lumbard-Street 1656. To the Reader THe Prophets do they live for ever as the holy Prophet Zechariah asks the Question wherein he also implies the Answer Surely they do not live for ever which dayly experience doth bear witness unto For we see that wise and good men dye as well as the foolish and bruitish person And 't is no small Mercy unto them what ever it be to those who remain that they may rest from their Labours yet were it not great pity that all their precious Labors should dye and be buried in the dust together with themselves Now although that gracious and sweet-Spirited Man Mr. Timothy Armitage the late Pastor to a Congregation gathered in the City of Norwich is now gone to his blessed Rest of whose Death it cannot be said as 't was of that King Jehoram That he departed without being desired for his absence is still very much lamented and not without cause unto this day Yet through the Lords good Providence some of his holy Labors that fell from him being taken up by the careful Hand of a Christian Brother of that Congregation who had the Pen of a ready Writer are here presented to the world as some others also may if the Lord please in time be brought to light whereby such as have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil may easily perceive what a good Treasure there was in the heart of that good man whence such good things both new and old have been brought forth I doubt not but such a sweet savour of a gracious Spirit will so evidently appear all along through the Veins of these Sermons to such as are spiritual and can savour spiritual things as that should I go about to write Letters of Commendation of Him or Them I suppose it might be said to me as the Samaritans sometime spake unto the Woman that perswaded them to come and see the Christ Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this was a most choice and precious Man indeed And seeing it hath been the Lot and Portion of the Saints even in all Ages more or less to meet with manifold exercises and sharp sufferings in one kind or other yea sometimes even with Fiery Tryals and what afflictions may also abide us in these latter Times the Lord only knoweth Therefore I cannot but think that the Subject of these ensuing Sermons viz The walking of the Son of God with his Servants in the midst of the Fire may be very seasonable and comfortable to all the Servants of Christ even in these and the after times What this our Dear and Reverend Brother spake herein was as it seems that which he had the experience of not long before having as I am told but newly come out of the Furnace I mean a most violent hot burning Fever so that there is the more cause to hope that what came from his own heart may through the Blessing of Christ go to the Hearts of others also If any seeming Pleonasms or Redundances or deficiency in any Phrases or words may appear to any herein let them please but to consider that these Sermons are put forth not by the Authors own Notes which as it seems are very hardly to be read but as they were taken from his Mouth in Preaching I shall only crave leave to mention one passage lest possibly any might seem to stumble or be offended at it viz. That about the suppressing of Errors in pag. 118 119. as if he did absolutely deny the exercise of the Magistrates Power in any such matters or in any case whatsoever Whereas if his Expressions be candidly taken as they may viz. That the Sword or Power of the Magistrate is not to be exercised against any Person meerly for the very holding of an Error if no more without any manner of Civil disturbance or circumstances of that Nature for he speaks not at all of any such holding spreading of Errors I know not any that wil or can affirm or maintain the contrary and so take any just offence at the Expression I shall add no more but desire that the Blessing of Christ may accompany these holy Labors 13d. 7m. 56y. THO. ALLEN The Table Shewing several things observable in every particular Sermon in this Book The first Sermon SEven Wonders or seven Miracles discovered in the Text. First That the light of the fire continued and not the heat Page 3 Secondly That their number was not diminished but encreased 4 Thirdly That the fire did burn their bands asunder but did not hurt them ibid. Fourthly These men were seen walking in the midst of the fire ibid. Fiftly That the fire did remain fire and yet not burn them ib. Sixtly That they should be in the midst of the fire and have no hurt 5 Seventhly There was one among them like the Son of God ib. The Observation That the Lord doth oftentimes in a wonderful manner rescue the lives of his Servants from death 7 What restraints God lays upon the Creatures that he might rescue the lives of his Servants p. 7 8 9 10 The first Ground of the Point 10 How Gods Name is glorified by delivering his Servants 11 12 13 The second Ground of the Point 15 The third Ground of the Point 16 Quest What God requires when he works Mercies for his people 17 1. Take heed that we neither forget the Mercy nor the God of the Mercy ibid. 2. Not look with a slight eye upon great Mercies 19 3. Give nothing to the Creature but all to free grace ibid. 4. Give back again to God what God lends us 20 5. Be willing that we lay down our lives when God calls for them ibid. 6. We should do something extraordinary for God 21 7. Look upon all outward mercies in reference to some spiritual mercy 22 The second Sermon Use 1. To teach that the lives of the Saints are very precious to God p. 28. This is made out in four particulars 30. Use 2. To teach that the souls of the Saints are much more precious to God and therefore our souls should be very precious to us 34 Use 3. To teach us to set an high price upon our lives 37 4. Rules how to prize our lives 39 Use 4. To exhort the Saints to trust God for ever 45 The third Sermon The former Use further pressed and directions given what to trust God for 1. For all the comforts of their lives 52 2. For overcomming 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
God Improve it for God and be willing to suffer for God Again Fiftly in the fift place We should be willing to lay down our lives when God calls for them again Thus should we express our thankfulness for life given us I say be willing to lay down life freely and voluntarily the next time when God calls When God hath rescued any of our lives from the grave why all those days that are added are freely given and 't is an addition of free grace more then we thought of more then was expected And therefore we should freely be willing to lay it down when God calls for it we should be willing to lay down our own lives and let them depart and so friends should be freely willing to let that life go that was so freely redeemed Thus we should be Volunteers to death we should freely and willingly submit to God as well as dye in obedience as in faith and let it be our wisdom often to look to what Christ hath done for his people in matter of death and the grave and set faith on work every day to see how the sting is taken out by Christ and the grave is made a sweet resting place 't is sanctified 't is perfumed 't is sanctified that it may be a sweet resting place to the Saints Again in the Sixt place When God hath wonderfully saved our lives we should seek to do something extraordinary for God we should not content our selves with ordinary service saith Christ What do you more then others in the 5. of Mat. and the latter end if you onely love those that love you what do you more then others or what singular thing do you he would have his people do some singular thing for him and especially when God hath done some singular thing for them and what says Hezekiah when God had restored his life from the grave in Isa 31. v. 19. The living the living he shall praise thee as I do this day The living the living he shall praise thee he that hath life once given and he that hath life restored to him again he that hath life given from the grave The living the living he shall praise thee he shall speak of thy glory and testifie oâ— thy wonders something more then ordinary is implyed there That the living he should live to God Seventhly In the last place to conclude Look upon all outward Mercies in reference to some spiritual Mercy and never take up in the outward Mercy but let it lead you to the spiritual mercy Alas what is life if it be not in reference to spiritual Mercies if it be not in reference to get more of God to get more glory to God Life what is it a poor empty thing 't is true life it self is a mercy a great Mercy but yet though life be a blessing a man may dye betimes and be blessed Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord And on the contrary though life be a blessing a man may live long and be a cursed creature â—or all this See what is said in the Prophesie of Isaiah the 65 ch 20. v. 't is spoken of the days of the Gospel There shall be no more thence an Infant of days nor an old man that hath not filled his days For the child shall dye a hundred years old but the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed T is a prophecy of Gospel blessings shewing how it should be in the latter days a child dye a hundred years old That is the young men shall have abundance of the glory of God those that are children in years shall be old in grace they shall have as much grace as those that were a hundred years old and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed a curse though he live a hundred years See then life is not desireable but in reference to spiritual Mercies Oh then rest not in outward Mercies if God at any time hath give any of your lives for a prey resâ— not in outwâ—rd Mercies but labour to see further Mercie in it that mercy is given in reference to further Mercy and waite for the Communication of it It was well when Heâ—ekiah could say that God had done it in love to hiâ— soul in Isa 38. 17. Thâ—u hast in love to my soul delivered it from the Pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy bâ—ck He looked more to the spiritual Mercy then to the outward Mercy Alas it had been a poor small thing for life to be given and my sins not pardoned if God had given me life and not given it out of love Oh it had been a curse to my soul and tâ—is doth David blesse the Lord for in Psal 23. 3. He restoreth my soul he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name sake It was after God delivered him from sickness he blesse God he restored my soul and my life he doth not take up there but he leads me in the patheâ— of righteousnes for his name sake I have further mercy my life is given for further Mercy God he will not restore that mercy of life only but he will convey me to further Mercy seeing he hath given me life he will lead me in the paths of righteousness that I may life to the praise of his name And this should all our desires be when God doth such great things for us THE Second Sermon On DAN III. XXV He answered and said Lo I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God I Made entrance into the words the last Lords day There is witness and testimony given of a glorious Miracle and Wonderful Deliverance that was wrought for three servants of God God had brought them forth to exercise their faith And to suffer To suffer the wrath of the King but yet the Lord delivered them he delivered them from the wrath of the King he wa a violent King from the flames of the Furnace and the Furnace was heated seven times hotter then ordinary they were bound hand and foot and cast into the midst of the fire and yet they became Conquerors The very enemies do witness as much The King Answered and said lo I see fouâ— men loose walking in the midst of the fire Here are many Miracles in one here is heat and light separated one from the other sight remains and yet the heat is taken away and it burned not here is the wonder of mercy it shall be a miracle of judgment in Hell there is fire that hath heat but no light the hotter the flames are it shall be the darker it shall be dark that day but here when God will shew a Miracle of mercy he takes away the heat and the light remains Lo says the King I sâ—e four men c. Imagine their number is increased as another Miracle Whereas they thought that
so much of God as should draw forth your hearts for ever in all conditions to put your trust in God Now know that the outward mercies were given for this end It is one end I say wherefore God gives mercie that so he might ingage his people for the future to trust in him it would be a great discredit to God if his people after all experiences he hath given them shall not trust in him for the future and there is nothing that doth provoke God more then this If Israel after all the experiences that God hath given them after all the wonders they had seen in the Land of Aegypt and in the red Sea and after all this shall distrust God through unbelief God does look upon it as a great provocation See what God says in Ps 78. about the 19 20 verses 't is said in v. 18 That they tempted God yea they spake against God in the 19. vers They said can God furnish a Table in the wilderness behold he smote the Rock and the water gushed out and the streams overflowed can he give bread also can he provide flesh for his people Now 't is said in the next verse therefore was the anger of the Lord kindled against them therefore was the anger of the Lord kindled because they had seen his wonders at the red Sea and his wonders at the Rock yet they distrusted him can God prepare a Table in the wilderness this was a limiting of God and this their unbelief it cost them dear Therefore the Lord sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest Object But you will say Whether can any mercies or deâ—iverances that a man hath received be any help unto him for the future Answ I answer they may and I will shew you when When mercies received or deliverances How mercies may be helps to the soul for the future are helps unto the soul concerning his confidence and trusting in the Lord for the future First of all when the soul is careful to lay up the experiences of mercy when a man is careful to remember the goodness of God a man may receive a thousand mercies a thousand deliverances such as he might make experience of for his own benefit and for the help of others and yet be never the beter I say if they be not carefully laid up if they be not carefully treasured up a man looseth all the sweetness of them for there are two things that God doth intend in every mercy First of all There is present comfort and refreshment that he presently gives out and then there is something in the mercy to be laid up for the future there is something in every mercy that God would have his people lay up something that will stand them in stead another day now when a man does not remember the mercy that the Lord dispenceth to him though he may take some comfort in them yet he looseth the greater comfort of them that which he should lay hold on is the fruit of experience or else all the mercy is lost Secondly Mercies become helpful when as the soul can see the love of God in the present â—â—rcy when the soul sees the love of God in every present mercy this puts life into the mercy when the soul receives mercy and doth not eye love in it that mercy it proves a dead mercy or if there be any sence it will not last long because there was not special love seen in it Now when the soul can eye the love of God in the mercy then is the heart affected with the mercy and then is the sence of the mercy most like to be continued When a man can look at every mercy as the off spring of love he will be careful to nourish the sence the remembrance of that mercy one mercy that the soul can see love in is more dear more precious then many mercies See it in Hezekiah he saw special love of God to him in that mercy Is 38. part v. 17. But thou hast in love to my soul delivâ—red it from the pit of corrupâ—ion for thou hast cast all my siâ—s behind thy back Hezekiah was taken with the mercy why because he saw the love of God in the mercy Thou in love to my soul hast doâ— it and therefore he set a high price upon the mercy Those fifteen yeers that God added to his life was more then all his life before because he saw a special hand of God here and he saw the love of God here and therefore this was a long-lived mercy it was remembred it continued it remained in Hezekiahs heart so long as Hâ—zekâ—ah lived Thirdly Again Thirdly present mercies bâ—come helpful to the soul for the future when as the heart is fully convinced of the unchangeableness of the love of God to his people When he is fully perswaded of this truth That where God loves he loves to the end and where he begins in a way of mercy he goes on in a way of mercy he goes all aâ—â—ng in free grace saith the Psalmist All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth unto his people When a soul is once convinced this will help much to turn mercies into experiences and therefore that Doctrine which doth teach falling away from grace that a man may be beloved to day and cast off to morrow 'T is a most uncomfortable Doctrine and 't is impossible then that a man should make any experience at all of the mercies that he hath received If God be changable in his love if he cast off his people that he hath received in his free grace why then though a man hath never so much of God to day and know never so much and have never so much of the presence of God in the mercy he can have no experience and therefore that which concerns the soul it is to be grounded in the unchangeableness of Gods love to his people Fourthly Again Fourthly A man may make use of present mercies to be helpful for the future if he be careful to keep faith in action if he be careful to keep faith upon the wings To act faith in every condition upon the free grace of God and the mighty Righteousness of Jesus Christ it is faith that puts a lustre upon all mercies and if faith be down a man cannot see the goodness of God in any mercy that he hath received if saith be dead then the sense of the mercy is lost precious mercies they become useless they are as a treasure locked up that a man cannot come by to make use of a treasure buried in the earth that will do a man little good and therefore it concerns the people of God to keep faith upon the wings act faith and keep that fresh and lively and then all mercies and all deliverances that you have received they will be fresh in your eye for faith puts a varnish upon the mercy and though they be old yet
thee I will make them to come and fall down and worship thee I will make them to acknowledge that God is with thee this is a promise that Christ hath given out and he will fulfil it to his Churches those that have kept the word of Christ those that are faithful to the truth of Christ to the ways of Christ in the worst times though they may suffer reproach for a time yet at last he wil make the very enemies to confess that he was with them That 's the second Demonstration Thirdly Therfore it is that God hath put so much power into his word to convince the men of the Demonst 3. world and to force them to make them acknowledge that the Lord is with his people and that he hath loved them and that he deals graciously with them I say for this end the Lord hath made his word powerful he hath made it sharper then a two edged sword that it shall serve not only for the conversion of some but for the conviction of many that are not really brought home to God The Gospel where it comes it shall lay chains upon men it shall lay a restraint upon men See what is spoken of the power of the word of God in the first Epistle of the Corinthians and the 14. 24. 25. verses But if all Prophecie and there come in one that beleeveth not or one unlearned he is convinced of all he is judged of all Verse 25. And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling down on his face he will he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth See the power that God hath put into his word for the convincing of the hearts of wicked men that God is in his word and that God is with his people the secrets of his heart shall be made manifest when he comes in he shall fall down on his face and say God is in you of a truth It may be before he came he had hard thoughts of the people of God it may be he was ready to say that folly was in them and madness was in them nay they were ready to say that the Devil was in them Ay but when his conscience lay before the word when he comes and sees your way when he hears that God speak in you such a power shall go along with the word that it shall lay chains upon him and it shall make him to fall down and say I was deceived I was wrong in that I did judge amiss of the people of God Now I see that God is in you of a truth Fourthly Therefore it is that when God hath dealt graciously with his people when he hath given out great mercies or great deliverances he hath ordered it so that their greatest enemies should be eye witnesses and sometimes Agents against their will in doing good to his servants you shall finde it so that when God hath so ordered to do great things for his people he hath made his peoples enemies to be great eye witnesses and ear witnesses You see here in the Text how God doth order the King Nebuchadnezzar that he should be present to see this Miracle that so a work of conviction should pass upon his conscience it is a wonder that the King should be present and would have thought it should not have stood with the State of the King to be with three poor Captives he might â—ave left them to his Officers but God did â—o order it that he should see that he should be present and therefore in the 6. of Dan. There you may see the Lord made him to be an eye-witness After Daniâ—l was câ—st into the Lions Den he could not sleep nor râ—st that night and he rose betimes in the morning to see the Miracle to see the wondrous deliverance that God wroâ—ght for his Servants Yea God makes his peoples enemies to be Agents sometimes in doing good to his Servants though agaiâ—st their wills that so he might convince them and exâ—ort confession from them that he is with his people In the promotion of Mordecai which you read in the 6 oâ— â—stâ—er God did order it so that the King did command that Haman Mordecais great enemy should be an Agent in his promotion He was Arrayed by Haman with Royal Apparrel Hâ—man was one that sought Mordicais life and God orders it that this man Haman should be an Agent in his promotion that hâ— should Array him that he should lead his Horse and he should cry Thus shaâ—l it bâ— done to the man whom the Kâ—ng will dâ—light to honour Fiftly Therefore it is that God many times Demonst 5 works deliverance for his peoâ—le because he God works for his people in such away that Enemies mustt needs confes that Goâ— is with his people works it in such a manner and in such a way as must needs leave convâ—ction upon the hearts of the men of the world if they be not given up to that fearful judgment of hardness of heart I say if they be not given up to hardness of heart God works in such a way that they must needs confess â—hat God is with his people First The Lord he works freely for his people he works freely for his name sake when there is nothing at all in them that might deserve the least mercy God many times gives out great mercies when they can apprehend nothing in themselves Nay when the men of the world of look upon them and see nothing in them they themselves through their grace and humility see nothing in themselves and the men of the world see nothing in them why God should do them good yet the Lord then many times he gives out great mercies and works great deliverances for his people Secondly As God works freely so he works unrxâ—ectedly and this helps to work conviction in mens hearts when God works unexpectedly for his servants when he gives out mercies contrary to expectation when enemies conclude Oh they are brought down into such a condition that it is impossible that ever they should be brought up yet the Lord he works unexpectedly that so he might work conviction in mens hearts See that fourth of Micah you shall see how God works contrary to mens thoughts Verse 11. Now also many Nations are gathered against thee that say let her be defiled and let our eye look upon Sion Vers 12. But they know not the thoughts of the Lord neither understand they ais Counsel for he shall gather them as the sheaves into his floor And v. 13. Arise c. When they say let her be defiled and let our eyes look upon Sion Why she is utterly undone she is brought down she is destroyed she lay in her blood she lay in her heaps she lay in her ruins why you are deceived say's God I will work unexpectedly above your thoughts you know not the thoughts of the Lord you say let your eye look upon Sion
shall say in â—hâ—ir hearts the Inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of Hosts their God I will put glory upon my people saith God and I will maâ—e their Governours to acknowledge it and they shall say The Inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength they are the Pillars they are those that bear up the Land they are our Chariots they are our Bulwarks the Lord Jehozah is with them they shall be my strength Secondly Let it be an Item to the men of the world Oh take heed how you look with delight upon the miseries of the Saints upon the afflictions of the Saints I tell you God will not bear with it he will punish you for it how did God threaten Edom because he stood and looked upon his brother in the day of adversity he stood in the high-way gazeing upon his brothers misery and delighted in it I tell you you that laugh at the misery of the Saints God he will make you lament and they shall not only rejoyce but they shall shout for joy the time is a coming that he will make you to see the mercy and that he is with them and deals graciously with them Thirdly Let Gods people acknowledge this as a great mercy that God should work conviction many times in the hearts of the wicked that he should deal in such a way with them that might convince the hardest heart that God is with his people I tell you 't is a great mercy 't is no ordinary mercy admire God in it bless God for it that God should thus reprove men and convince men for your sakes The Jews did look upon it as a great mercy in the 126. Psalm When God turned again our Captivity our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with singing Then said they among the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them They looked upon it as a great mercy that the Lord should thus convince the Heathen 't is a mercy for they writ it they pen'd it as a great mercy worth the singing worth the glorifying of God for that God should work so powerfully upon the hearts of men and make the Heathen say The Lord hath done great things for them In the last place to conclude all Doth God make enemies confess that he hath done great things for his people why then the people of God should much more confess that the Lord hath done great things for them if enemies say it you may well say it you have more cause to say it that 126. Psalm verse 2. They say among the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them and what say the people of God will not they say so yes in the very next words The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad shall the Heathen say it and shall not we say it yes we are bound to say it and to acknowledge The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad Remember I beseech you remember God cannot endure his mercies should be slighted he loves that you should have great thoughts of him and of his mercies that you should say he hath done great things When God works deliverance for you he will make the very Heathen to say so he will make by standers to say so and shall not we honour him for the mercy who are the receivers of the mercy shall not we say so The Lord hath donâ— great things for us shall Nebuchadnâ—zzar say The Lord haâ—h donâ— great things for thâ—m and shall not the three children say so yes sure they will lift up the name of God in their song And therefore I beseech you all you that have received mercy from God you should aggravate the mercy as much as you can though not compulsively you should freely say The Loâ—d hath done great things for us you shall find this always hath been the frame of Gods people to aggravate the mercy to aggravate the deliverance that God hath wrought for them See the 40. Psalm and tâ—e 5. verse Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which tâ—ou hast done anâ— thy thoughts which are to us ward they cannot bâ— reckoned up in order unto the if I would declare and speak of them they are more then can be numbered See what an aggravation there is of the mercy received they are many and they are wonderâ—ul and very many more then can be numbred they cannot be reckoned up in order and so Ezra when he and the people received mercies see how they do aggâ—avate it how they do acknowledge it in the 9. Chap. verse 13. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass seeing thou â—ur God hast punished us lâ—ss thâ—n our iniquities deserve and hast given us such deliverance as this should we again break thy Commandmeâ—t He knows not how to speak it Oh 't is a great mercy he stands and wonders at such a deliverance such a mercy and so aggravate all our mercies we should say with Ezra seeing thou hast wrought such deliverance such salvation seeing thou hast wrought in such and such a way this is a great ingagement to God when mercies are thus eyed and reviewed when a man looks into the depth of them and eye the mercies seeing thou hast given such deliverance should we again sin against thee he looks upon it as an ingagement to stand close seeing it was great mercy And Oh so should we in all our mercies as Ezra saith so we should say Seeing thou hast wrought such deliverance for us should we again sin against thee Oh no let thine mercies be an ingagement us to to love thee and serve thee and for ever to cleave to thee THE Sixth Sermon on DAN III. XXV He answered and said Lo I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God I Have made some further progress in the words We considered who it was that gave testimony unto this miraculous Deliverance that God wrought for his servants It was Nebuchadnezzar a proud and an insolent man an enemy to God and his people and so he continues still in his heart for 't is probable he was not converted not really brought home to God for in the next Chapter you may sâ—e he did return to his very old ways of Idolatry he sent for the Magicians to interpret his dream and yet God makes him here bear witness what he hath done for his people So then we observed this Proposition That God sometimes works such deliverances for his people as he makes his very enemies and their very enemies to acknowledge that God hath done great things for them It was â—aid among the Heathen in the 126. Psalm Whâ—n God turned again the Captivity of Sion They saâ—d amongst the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them The Lord Jesus many times did