same Mercy and Power can do it now which did it before Numb 14.17 19. so David Thou hast spoken of thy servants house for thy words sake hast thou done these great things and now O Lord establish thy Word do as thou hast said 2 Sam. 7.19 21 25 27 29. So Solomon Let thy word be verified which thou spakest unto thy servant David 1 Reg. 8.26 So Asa O Lord we rest in thee thou art our God 2 Chron. 14.11 so Ieshaphat Thou art God our eyes are upon thee 2 Chr. 20 6-12 no such plea in Prayer as the free grace the Word the Truth the Fidelity the Righteousness of God 4. This may comfort us against all the mutability of our own wills whereby we are apt to start aside like a deceitfull Bow In as much as our safety dependeth not upon our own performances but upon the Covenant of God who is righteous and faithfull and will not suffer our weakness to annul his promise Rom. 9.16 5. This Caution notwithstanding we must take in That we beware of playing the wantons with the grace of Gods Covenant because thereby we remain escaped for the Lord will not pass by the petulancy and lasciviency of any of his Children though he doth not totally cast them off yet he hath sharp rods wherewith he can chastise them If they fly from his service he can send a Whale to swallow them and can bring all his Waves and Billows upon them if they keep not to his Commission he can send a Lion to tear them he can make them feel the weight of his Frown though they do not of his Fury and it may be cause them to walk in darkness drooping and disconsolate all their days complaining of broken Bones and of a wounded Spirit with strong cryes imploring the comforts of that Spirit which they had so unkindly greived and resisted As it is this day escaped escaped this day in which we lie under so sore and heavy a guilt This is a marvellous heightning of Gods Mercy That we may remain escaped in this day a day of so great sin and also a marvellous aggravation of the sin that it hath been committed in this day a day of so great Mercy wherein we remain yet escaped Sinne committed in a day of mercy is the more exceeding hainous mercy extended in a day of sin is the more exceeding glorious That we should so greatly provoke the Lord this day wherein we remain escaped O how prodigious and presumptuous the wickedness That we should remain escaped this day wherein we have so greatly provoked the Lord O how admirable and unsearchable the goodness 1. Sinne in a day of great Mercy is exceedingly the more hainous It is a great aggravation of sinne when it withstandeth Iudgements when the Lord changeth the corrections and men still hold fast their sins Amos 4 6-12 and turn not unto him that smiteth them Isai. 9.13 It is a brand upon Ahaz that in the day of his distresse he sinned more 2 Chron. 28.22 How much more hainous is it to abuse Mercy and Loving kindness It is the character of a wicked man that though favour be shewed him yet he will not learn righteousness Isai. 26.10 The Angell spared Balaam and yet he ran greedily after the wages of iniquity Numb 22.35 This is an unkindness the Lord often upbraideth his people with Deut. 32 13-15· Ier. 22.21 Hos. 13.5 Amos 2 9-13 This made Solomons sin the greater that he turned from the God of Israel who had appeared to him twice 1 King 11.9 This adds disingenuity unthankfulness unkindness unto disobedience when men neither fear nor love the Lord for his goodness No surfets more dangerous then those which are upon sweet things no diseases more desperate then those which reject Cordials no Fruits ripen faster then those on which the Sun continually shineth as the Apostle saith of grace where sin abounded grace did much more abound so we may by an inversion say of sin where grace aboundeth there the guilt of sin is the more abundant 2. Mercy extended in a day of sinne is the more exceeding glorious when the Lord is pleased to proclaim mercy to a divorced people Ier. 3 12-15 in the midst of provoked wrath to remember mercy Hab. 3.2 and when men go on frowardly in their own ways then to heal them to restore comfort to them to create peace Isai. 57 17-19 to heal a backsliding people and to love them freely Hos. 14.14 To look back upon a denying Peter Luke 22.61 To send a pardon to an adulterous David 2 Sam. 12.13 To call from Heaven to a persecuting Saul Acts 9.4 This is that which maketh Mercy the more radiant which magnifieth the freeness fulness and superabundance of it that it rejoyceth against judgment Iam. 2.13 These considerations tend much to humble a people which remain yet escaped as we do this day The sad conjunctions of our sins with the Lords goodness when the Lord saith I will remember my Covenant and thou shalt remember thy wayes Then he saith thou shalt be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee Ezek. 16 60-63 When we compare his Mercy with our corrupt doings then is a time to loath our selves in our own sigâ—t Ezek. 20 42-44 36 25-32 Sin punished doth many times harden a sinner in pride as we see in Pharaoh But sin pardoned and subdued with Mercy should melt the soul into a godly sorrow holy revenge and self displicency for it They shall shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes O let us learn to bewail our wickedness in that we have ventured on it in a day of Mercy as if we had been delivered to commit abominations Ier. 7.10 as if priviledges were a protection to profaneness Certainly if mercies be aggravations of sin no Nation in the world is less excusable then we What Nation in the Earth hath God so honoured with a long possession of his Oracles and glorious light of his Word In so much that other Nations study the English Tongue to read our Books What Nation hath ever had such manifold such miraculous deliverances What Nation hath the Lord Crowned with a greater abundance of all good things What means could be used to work upon a people which the Lord hath not made use of amongst us If teaching would work upon us we have had his Word If Chastisements would amend us we have had his Sword If bounty would perswade us we have been fed and cloathed and healed and crowned and compassed with mercies more then we can recount If strange and unparalleld Providences would awaken us this Nation hath never had for many hundred years such a prospects of Gods works such interwoven mixtures of Mercies of Judgements of Wonders of Terrors Great Instruments raised up and taken away again Wars raging and again ceasing Seas roaring and again calmed And certainly the Works of the Lord should
hath the Lord holpen us Many Considerations may set on the sense of this Mercy upon our hearts 1. The many sinnes which remain amongst us even in the Israel of God sad divisions sharp animosities perverse Opinions vanity luxury severe censurings loose walking worldly mindedness c. 2. The many shakings and universal sufferings whereby the Lord hath made it appear that his quarrel was against all orders of men that the disease was all over Isai. 1.6 Ier. 5 1-5 so that none can blame others but every one acknowledge the plague of his own heart and say as David did I confess my sinne and the sin of my people Dan. 9.20 Now various shakings and concussions in a Nation use to be sore presages of greater Judgements as we may see in Gods dealing with the ten Tribes before their dissolution What shakings have been amongst us we need not recount by changes at home by differences abroad shakings on the Land and shakings on the Sea shakings at hand and shaking afar off shakings by War and shakings by sicknesses shakings in our mindes by divided Opinions shakings in our hearts by divided affections shaking in our estates by divided interests And whether these shakings have a tendency to dissolution we know not we are not ignorant of the rage which hath been upon many of our Protestant Brethren in other parts of Christendom But surely this consideration may lead us both to glorifie God that we Remain yet escaped and to humble our selves under the feare of his further wrath 3. The powerful Preaching which hath been in the Land which where it doth not kindly work where it is not honourably entertained doth exceedingly ripen Judgements and make white for the sickle It is compared to the shining of the Sun 2 Cor. 4.6 2 Pet. 1.19 and to showers of rain Deut. 32. which are intended for the bringing forth of Salvation and springing up of Righteousness Isai. 45.8 But if they fall upon sins doe hasten their maturity and make them nigh unto cursing Heb. 6.7 8. the sins of the Church are Summer Fruits they ripen faster then the sinnes of the World the sins of the Amorites were four hundred years a ripening Gen. 15.16 the sins of Israel in the Wilderness fourty years Psal. 95.10 Gods patience towards the ten Tribes after their revolt was but two hundred and sixty years from the sins of Manasseh to the Captivity brought upon Judah for those sins little more then one hundred years As at Jerico the sounding of the Trumpet seven times did lead in the falling of the wall so the long sounding of the Word in the ears of disobedient people is a shrewd presage of ensuing ruine These considerations laid together as should they justly awaken us to Humiliation so are they Evidences of Gods goodness towards us in that such a people Remain yet escaped Escaped from the bondage of Popery from the flames of persecution from the Spanish Armado from the vault of Powder from rigour in the Church from troubles in the State from the terrour of a bloudy War from renewed attempts of trouble and danger escaped from a Vote extinguishing and abolishing the whole maintenance of the Ministery the consequences whereof could not but have been unutterably miserable Any one of these evils God might have sharpned into a destruction And yet after all this Righteous art thou O Lord for we remain yet escaped 2. It reproueth our unbelief in consulting with flesh and blood betaking our selves to carnall shifts in time of danger having a faithfull Covenant and a righteous God to lay hold upon whose alone fidelity is the ground of his peoples safety who knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation 2 Pet. 2.9 this was the sin of Ahaz in sending to the Assyrian to help him when God offered him a sign to confirm his trust in him Isai. 7.11 12. 2 Chron. 28.19 The Christians in the Church of Corinth being afraid to displease their Heathen friends and endanger themselves would sit with them at the Idols Table and eat at their Tables meat offered to Idols The Apostle diswadeth them from using this Carnal shift to decline danger bids them flee from Idolatry lest that which they in carnal wisdom might judge the means of their standing should prove the occasion of their fall and directeth them to trust for safety in a faithfull God who would not suffer them to be tempted above that they were able but would with the temptation make a way to escape that they might be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 14. 3. In fears therefore and dangers we should be incouraged by these two Arguments 1. The Righteousness of God 2. Our own present remaining escaped Faith in and experience of the fidelity of God to help us to trust in him at all times not to fear the wrath of man but to secure the love of God he sometimes purposely bringeth his servants to difficulties that they may make tryal of such a friend who in six and seven troubles is at hand to deliver them Faith is a venturous grace it honours God and laies hold on his strength Rom. 4.20 Isai. 27.5 It is a victorious grace and rises up above difficulties 1 Ioh. 5.4 all things are possible to it Therefore in times of danger let us plead Gods Covenant and our own experience Lord wilt thou now destroy us seeing we remain yet escaped and are Monuments of thy Mercy hast thou wrought so great deliverances and done so many wonders and snatcht us as brands out of the fire to destroy us at the last thou hast delivered and dost deliver wilt thou not give us leave to trust in thee for deliverance still Though the Lord had broken us in the place of Dragons and had cast us off and put us to shame yet even so we may lean upon his Name and plead his Covenant Psal. 44.17 19. Psal. 74 1-20 Isai. 64 8-12 Hab. 3.17 18. How much more comfortably may we plead it when by the alone mercy thereof we remain escaped When we may say as the people of Ioseph did Iosh. 17.14 we are a great people and the Lord hath hitherto blessed us and may set up a Monument as Samuel did 1 Sam. 7.12 and say thus far hath the Lord holpen us This is one chief Argument which Gods servants use in Prayer to mind him of his Word and Covenant wherein he had caused them to hope so Iacob I am not worthy of the least mercy but thou saidst I will doe thee good Gen. 32 9-12 so Moses we remain yet escaped out of the Land of Egypt thou hast brought us out thence turn from thy fierce wrath Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy servants to whom thou swareest c. Exod. 32 11-13 and again let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken pardon the iniquity of thy people as thou hast forgiven them from Egypt untill now As they remain yet escaped so save them still the
it shame and confession of guilt ver 15. O Lord God of Israel who art in Covenant with them and ownest them for thy people Deut. 26.18 and art afflicted in their afflictions in whose sufferings thy great name is concerned in whose prosperity thy sole grace is magnified Thou art righteous Just in thy Iudgements in all that is come upon us Nehem 9.33 faithfull in thy Covenant in all that thou hast said unto us And hereof thou hast given us assurance for we remain yet escaped According to thy promise that after seventy years should be accomplished in Babylon thou wouldst visit thy people and perform thy good word towards them in causing them to return to their own Land again Ier. 29.10 2 Chron. 36.21 we have deserved by our Provocations to be cut off from being a People but for thy Promise sake we yet remain for thou hast said that the Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet untill Shilo come Gen. 49.10 that Immanuel was to come of the house of David before the Jews should cease to be a Nation or should have their politie utterly dissolved Isa. 7.14 Isa. 8.9 10. Isai. 10 24-27 We have deserved to have been kept Captives in Babylon still but for thy Promise sake we remain yet escaped because thou hast said that thou wouldest cause us to come up out of our graves and bring us into the Land of Israel Ezek. 37.12 13 14. It is by the blood of the Covenant alone that thou hast sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit Zach. 9.11 The words are the close of a Penitential Prayer wherein there is observable 1. A Comfortable address to God as the God of Israel 2. A Penitent acknowledgement of his righteousnesse in the evils which they suffered 3. A grateful acknowledgement of his fidelity in the Mercies which they enjoyed 4. A demonstration of this great Mercy 1. We remain we are not consumed 2. We remain an escape we are not detained in captiuity 3. As it is this day not only escaped but favoured encouraged assisted to build Gods House to restore his Worship though to this day we have had so great provocations O Lord God of Israel Thou art righteous we have sinned as a perfidious people against a God in covenant thou hast afflicted us in measure as a God in covenant Afflictions are sweetned Mercies are magnified sinnes are aggravated sinners are humbled and melted by no consideration more then by the grace of the Covenant that we have to doe with a God who is pleased to be called ours when he smites us this is our Comfort the rod is in the hand of a Father he may visit with stripes but he will not break his Covenant Psal. 89 32-34 when he loadeth us with mercies this is our joy that they are all appendices to Christ and rayes and Emanations of the Covenant Rom. 8.32 Ier. 32.41 If he hear us if he answer us if he be gracious unto us we shall weep no more though he give us bread of adversity and water of affliction Isai. 30 18-20 when we review our sinnes and set our selves seriously to turn to God this makes us loath our selves this fills our faces with shame and our hearts with sorrow that we have done it against a God in Covenant who is pacified towards us Ezek. 16.62 63. It is great presumption for aliens and strangers to despise Gods authority or abuse his bounty but for an adopted people whom he hath selected in a peculiar manner to be his own and set apart for himself for whom he reserveth the choisest of his mercies to whom he revealeth the secrets of his love for these to sinne not only against Precepts and Benefits but against the Bowels of a Father the blood of a Saviour the grace of a Comforter the Covenant of life the Charter of Salvation this is that which should greatly abase us in our own eyes that we should thus requite a Father Deut. 32.6 The Lord calls Heaven and Earth to be amazed at it Hear O Heaven and give ear O Earth for the Lord hath spoken for I have nourished and brought up children adopted them into my family brought them into my Land advanced them unto my favour vouchsafed my presence with them set up my Name and glory among them and yet they have rebelled against me Isa. 1.2 Be astonished O ye heavens and be ye horribly afraid be very desolate for my people who have heard my voice out of Heaven whom I have taken from the midst of another Nation by temptations by signs by wonders by war by a mighty hand by a stretched-out arm and by great terrors who have been the Fountain of all their blessings and the glory in the midst of them have changed their glory for vanity and their Fountain for broken cisterns Ier. 2.11 12 13. This is matter of great pressure unto him Amos 2.9 13. and should much more be so unto us Many aggravations there are in the sins of Gods people which may greatly tend to their humbling and abasement They are committed 1. Against more glorious light and more spiritual convictions after they have known God and are known of God Gal. 4.9 after he hath taught them his ways shewed his covenant imparted unto them the secrets of his salvation Ps. 25.9 14. after he had opened their ears and sealed their instruction to withdraw them from sinful purposes Iob 33.16 17. after he had caused them to hear a word behind them saying this is the way Isai. 30.21 and had shewed them the salvation of God Psal. 50.23 and had been as it were transfigured in their presence The more the beauties of holiness are discovered to the soul the greater is the unkindness and disingenuity of that soul in giving entertainment to any sinful lust again 2. Against speciall and more tender love which love of Christ passeth knowledge and therefore should constrain us to love him that loved us died for us 2 Cor. 5.14 David had been highly honoured by God Solomon was the beloved of God and this made their sins both more strange and more atrocious 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9. Nehem. 13.26 you only have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore I will punish you for your iniquities Amos 3.2 Ier. 2.21 22. 3. Against the breathings of the Spirit of Grace whose motions being quenched whose operations being resisted whose sweet and gracious pulsations at the door of the soul being neglected he is exceedingly grieved in the hearts of his people and provoked to withdraw himself and his Comforts from them Ephe. 4.30 Cant. 5 6. and they put to cry hard for recovery of him again whom they had by their unkind usage grieved away and caused to hide his presence from them Psa 51.10 11 12. 4. Against the peace of God which should keep our hearts and mindes in Christ from yeilding to temptations Phil. 4.7 when the Lord speaks peace to
be sought out of his people Psal 111.2 and improved to their own accompt Felt Judgements should mak them out of love with sin Renewed mercies should make them in love with God That which humbleth should heal them that which comforts should cure them that which amazeth should amend them 2. This is a strong Argument in Prayer for penitent sinners to use that God hath mercy in store even in a day of sin for his people that though we have trespassed against God yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing Ezra 10.2 That though sin do ever forfeit mercy yet it doth not ever remove it though it do always provoke wrath yet it doth not always procure it how will mercy triumph in a day of repentance when so great provocations have not hitherto extinguished it how will fire break forth in dry wood when it hath prevailed against the green needs must that Jewel be glorious in the Sun which glisters in the Night This should exceedingly encourage us unto Repentance Doth the Lorld invite backsliding Israel doth he wait to be gracious to a secure people doth he pitty us in our blood and are his bowels kindled towards us when we compass him about with lies and deceit doth he look back with pitty upon a a denying Peter doth he speak pardon from Heaven unto a persecuting Paul doth he shew mercy on a Manasseh filling Ierusalem with blood and Idols doth he appear first unto Mary Magdalen out of whom he he had cast seven Devils O who would not be encouraged by such examples to fly for sanctuary from the wrath to come unto that mercy which hath snatched these as brands out of the fire The Lord keeps as open house for us as for them Isa. 55.1 Rev. 22.17 his mercy as abundant for any other penitents as for them Isa. 55.6 7 8. his call and invitation the same to us as to them Ioh. 7.37 38. The blood of Christ as effectuall for us as for them 1 Ioh. 2.2 They were set forth as examples to all that should after believe in him unto eternal life 1 Tim. 1.16 Only let us beware of profaning this comfort by persisting in our sins But follow the example of these penitents here though their sin had not removed Gods mercy yet Gods mercy did remove their sin They entred into a Covenant sware to the Lord gave their hands that they would put away their strange wives and separate themselves from the people of the Land Ezra 10.3 11 12 19. This is a Genuine work of true hope in mercy when it makes us purifie our selves 1 Ioh. 3.3 no man can hope for glory who is an enemy to Grace for glory is grace perfected and we can hope for nothing which we hate he that hates Grace doth not love Glory 3. We note that in solemn Humiliations there is a great Emphasis in these words As it is this day It is a circumstance greatly considerable The time wherein we have sinned and escaped Time greatly aggravates sin Exod. 8.32 Luke 19.42 Time greatly commends Mercy that God kept touch with his people to a very day Exod. 12.41 42. Therefore we should learn wisdome to improve time unto duty as it is said of the Children of Issachar that they had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do 1 Chron. 12.32 Who knoweth said Mordecai to Ester whether thou be come to the Kingdom for such a time as this Ester 4.14 Let us therefore wisely consider the condition of the times which God hath brought upon us Times of great and universal sickness and infirmity after he had not many moneths since upon Prayer removed such distempers in good part surely his anger is not turned away his hand is stretched out still because we have not unfeignedly turned unto him that smiteth us 2. Times of wonderfull changes and unsetledness many preparations and attempts to heal the breaches amongst us and many abortions and miscarriages in those attempts Honourable persons raised up by God to serve the Interests of the Nations and by his Providence laid down again And when the Lord had by his providence raised up this eminent Instrument now gone to him by whose great Wisdom accurate intelligence indefatigable vigilancy and special care we might probably have supposed that by degrees things would have wrought unto a composedness and settlement in the midst of great Actions and great Successes he likewise is suddenly taken away It is good to study the meaning of God in these things 1. That we should bewail our carnall confidence and learn to look up and to trust more in Him and less in man 2. To labour for hearts established by his grace that we may the more comfortably look for an outward establishment in order and peace for our settlement must begin in our hearts so long as our hearts are unsteadfast with God his dealings may be still in fluctuation and uncertainty towards us 3. To acknowledge notwithstanding these sad changes and concussions this great Mercy That we remain yet escaped that the Lord hath not yet said unto us that he would cast us off hath not exposed us to those flames and commotions which our sins have deserved but that yet we sit under our Vines and Fig-trees and none make us afraid Lastly to cast Anchor on the Rock of Ages and keep close to the Throne of Gace to secure his love and care of us his presence and Throne amongst us who never dies in whom there is everlasting strength to get firm holdfast of those Comforts which have nothing of Mortality nothing of Lubricity in them which will stay with us while we remain here to sweeten all the passages of our Pilgrimage and accompany us unto the presence of the Lord in whose presence is fulnesse of Joy and at whose Right Hand there are pleasures for ever more FINIS Vid. Serarium in Ios. 6. quaest 50. Pined de Rebus Solom lib. 7. cap. 4. 6 Ier. 3.5.31.19 Dan. 9.7 8. Luke 18.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Iliad 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Qâ—i sibi male vivendi licentiam iud â—gent totidem sunt Christiâ—nismi probra et maâ—ulae Calv. Opusc. de Scandalis Magna insanis est Evangeliâ— non credere cujus veritatem sanguis MartyruÌ„ Clamat prodigia probant ratio câ—â—firmâ—t mâ—ndus testatur Elementa loquuntur daemones confitentur Sed longâ— major Insâ—nia Si de Evangelii veritate non dubitas vivere tamen quosi de ejus falsitate non dubitates Io. Picus miraâ—dula Epist. Ab eterno per praedestinationem in aeternum per glorificationem Bernard Serm. 2. in Ascentionâ— Ante mundi constitutionem vidit nos fecit nos Emendavit nos misit ad nos Redemit nos Hoc ejus consilium manet in aeternum Aug. Ser. 2. in Psal. 32. Aug. de Grat. Lib. Arbit cap. 16. Dys Anchor ipse Remunerator operis ipse Remuneratio tota Bernard in Psal. 91. Ser. 9. Ille facit ut nos faciamus quâ— praecepit nos non facimus ut ilâ—e faciat quae promisit Aug. Ep. 143. Vid. Bradward de causa Dei lib. 1. cap. 23.24 25. Iuratione Dei firmata promissio Aug. de Civ dei lib. 16. cap. 32. Adeo Iustis omnis Cooperantur in Bonum ut etiam si qui corum deviant exorbitant etiam hoc ipsum eis faciat proficere in bonum quia Humiliores redeunt atque doctiores Aug. de Corrept Grat. cap. 6. vid. de nat Grat. 28. An vero ei peccata ipsa non Cooperantur in Bonum qui ex eis humilior ferventior solicitior timoratior Cautior invenitur Bern. Scr. 1. de diversiâ— Vid. Camero de Eccles. pag. 120 -126 in 4 to Use 1. Ut totum Deodetur Hominis voluntatem bonam praparat adjuvandam adjuvat praeparatam Aug Enchirid. cap 32. Si Deus misereatur etiam volumus ad eaudem quippe Gratiam pertinet ut velimus Ad Simplicium Qu. 2. Epist. 106.