being an use of Reproofe are handled Fol. 171 CAP. VIII Wherein the third and last branch of the Use of Reproofe is handled Fol. 215 CAP. IX Wherein the Doctrine is applyed to the enemies of the Church by way of Exhortation Fol. 257 June 23. 1640. IMPRIMATUR THO WYKES THE SAINTS Interest in GOD. PSAL. 68.20 He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues of death CAP. I. Wherein the Coherence together with the sense and meaning of the words are cleared and Doctrines raised WE are met in the presence of this God of ours as the Text speaketh to our hearts very gratiously who is the God of saluation to pay the yearely tribute of praise and thanksgiving which a mercy so transcendently glorious as that Deliverance was which this day calls to remembrance hath imposed upon us with the rest of our Brethren of this Nation That which our Prophet spake of the great workes of God in generall Psal 111.4 though some restraine the words to the deliverance from Aegypt may in speciall manner be applyed to that great Deliverance wrought for this Land which wee now celebrate Some of our English translations reade the words thus The marcifull and gracious Lord hath So done his marvellous workes that they ought to be had in remembrance Our late Translation without any variation of the sense thus He hath made his marvellous workes to beremembred that is upon such workes of his by which hee intends in any more especiall manner to magnifie himselfe on earth he sets as it were such faire and large Characters of his glorious Greatness Power Wisdom and Mercy that all the world cannot but see and know the superscription whose it is He hath so done his marvollous workes that is in such a manner hath put so much as it were of himselfe into them that they ought to bee had or must needs or cannot but bee had in remembrance which is the same with the other Translation he hath made his marvellous works to be remembred that is he hath as it were compelled the world against the naturall inclination and disposition of it which stands to neglect to passe by to forget any thing that God doth to preserve the remembrance of them Men cannot but doe what they doe therein That great Deliverance which that great God of ours wrought for this Nation now 29. years since is of this sort or kinde of his workes among many excellent and goodly workes of his which shine like the Stars in the Firmament it is one of the first magnitude it doth not require it rather comes with power and authority upon us and commands this solemne remembrance of it selfe by this Nation As our Saviour answered the Jewes speaking against the people who so much magnified him If these should hold their peace Luk. 19.4 the Stones would cry So if wee the people of this Land the Men and Women to whom the duty of praising God for such a mercy doth belong if wee I say should have that Miracle or rather indeed Monster of sin found amōgst us not to exalt the name of God under such a provocation we might have cause to expect that God would provoke us and confound us by them that are neither Men nor Women The very beasts of the field or trees or stones of the earth would rise up and take this glory from us They would cry out if we should hold our peace that great is that God that could and would deliver after such a manner David tooke notice by way of thankfulnesse of that speciall love God bare to Sion above all other places in that Land in that he would have his praises heard there Psal 87.2 The Lord loveth the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Iacob So have wee just cause to conceive and judge by that great mercy of his to this Land that the same Lord loveth more to be praised by us then any other Nation under heaven that the English Incense is in heaven as the Gold of Ophir sometimes was upon earth preferred before that of other Lands it makes the sweetest perfume and savour in the Nostrils of God And therefore because he would have it plentifully offered and sent up unto him he hath unbared his holy arme to doe those great things for us which our soules know right well When he made this compact with David I will deliver thee and thou shalt praise me Psal 50.15 it was a signe that he had a minde to Davids praises more then other mens so having delivered this our Nation once and again and the third time also with so high a hand What other construction can all the world make of such his dealings with us but that he delights to have his praises sung and his name magnified by the English Nation more then all Lands besides Since therefore wee have so great a testimony of the Lords good pleasule in this kinde that he esteemes our praises lovely and desires to heare our voice let us addresse our selves to this great and honourable service let us fill the golden Vialls of our hearts with these sweet odors and make a perfume before the Lord. To furnish both you and my selfe herewith I have made choice of this rich Veine in one of the Psalmes of David as you have heard wherein wee shall finde the praise and glory of God bearing very strongly The Psalme it selfe is in genere laudativo that is of that kinde of Psalme which is in purpose framed for the exaltation of the name and praise of God For the scope of the words no more but this The scope The Prophet a few verses before having set forth severall deliverances and victories which God had given him and his people Israel his heart being full with a Commemoration and mention of so many mercies of the love of the Lord and admiration of his goodnesse in these two verses this and the former not able to hold any longer hee easeth himselfe and breakes forth into the praises of his God in this manner Blessed be the God that daily ladeth us with his benefits c. For the meaning of the words and meaning of the words a little will suffice because here is nothing scarce either word or phrase but is every mans language He that is our God that is that God with whom we are in Covenant whom wee serve and worship That God whether true or false which any Nation or People or any private person chuseth for a god and bestowes that feare and love other points of worship which belongs to God indeed is usually termed and well may be their or his God because such a People or such a person may seem to have a right and interest in the power of that God whatsoever he is for helpe and succour in times of need Out of some such principle as this he spake that said Iure venit cultos ad sibi
blaspheme their Graces or once suspect or imagine that any thing that is found upon them in that kinde that carrieth the appearance of glory and excellency in it but that it hath the reality truth weight and substance also The holinesse of the Saints hath no enemy but either he that is ignorant of their interest in God or else of that God in whom their interest is Fourthly you may see in the Doctrine delivered that faire Fountaine opened that hath sent forth and still sendeth all those sweet and pleasant streames wherewith the City of God hath been refreshed and made glad in all ages I meane all those mercies blessings those great and strange deliverāces which have been brought about for them wherein they have been blessed above other men That interest they had in God hath stood them in this stead this hath been as a Fountaine of living waters unto them springing up continually to relieve them The Lord saith David Psal 126. hath done great things for us whereof we rejoyce What is the reason of that great difference between the Church of God and all other societies of men and Kingdomes and Monarchies and Nations of the world which David expresseth Psal 20.8 They are brought downe and fallen but we are risen and stand upright that so many great and mighty Nations that had Chariots and Horses and walled Cities and the thickest shields every wayes that could be made of flesh for their safety and yet these destroyed we that are but a few weake and unarmed in comparison and yet we stand The reason of this difference may well be gathered out of the former verse They trusted in Chariots and Horses these were their owne they had propriety in these and so had the help they could afford But the Church having the name of the God of Iacob for them this was more for their security and defence then all the Chariots and Horses of war then all Castles and Fortresses whatsoever The one had interest in the Lord God was theirs his Power his Might his Wisdome was theirs and he hath let them have their owne in all times of their necessity and so they have been supported whereas all the world besides having no other strength then themselves no better hope then what an arme of flesh could doe for them have not been able to stand If the Lord had not been Ps 124.1 on our side saith David that is had not God been ours may Israel now say if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quicke when their wrath was kindled against us then had the Waters over-whelmed us c. So may we say in this our solemne rejoycing and thanksgiving for that great deliverance now remembred and for many others formerly If the Lord had not been on our side when men rose up against us and went downe against us too we also had been swallowed up quick and if not the waters the flames of fire had over-whelmed us but whether they be aloft or below God meets with them as David speakes Psal 139. If I climbe up into heaven thou art there if I goe downe into hell whither these wretches were in going thou art there also God hath set his seale upon this great deliverance with a faire and glorious impression because he would have it knowne for his and make of it for himselfe an everlasting name that should not be cut off Therefore woe be to him that shall deface this Monument which the Lord himselfe hath erected in the midst of this Nation and hath engraven and written praise and glory to his owne name upon it Woe be to him I say that shall let the remembrance of it perish or fall to the ground When mens owne tongues fall upon them and cause them to fall All men saith David shall see and know it is the Lords worke Psal 64.8 9. Let me say one thing further to you I would not have you only to consider how great the deliverance is what a glorious train of mercies and blessings it hath to follow it and attend upon it but if I could I would teach you an art how to fulfill your owne joy how to make a double and treble improvement of this and other mercies given you Then must I wish you not to lay out the strength of your joy too freely upon your deliverance it selfe or all that comes by it for indeed it was a Mother-mercy having a thousand more conceived in the bowels of it and brings forth fruitfully to this day but reserve your selves rather to consider who it was that wrought it for you it was the Lord it was your God The woman of Samaria Iohn 4.12 thought their Wel of Sychar had a kinde of blessing upon it above others because so great a man as their Father Iacob dranke of it but on the contrary we that are the Church and People of God may truly and with sobernesse of judgement thinke our selves blessed indeed that we draw all the waters we drinke all the mercies and preservations we enjoy from such a Fountaine as the goodnesse of the great God of heaven and earth The same mercies and good things did we receive from another from an inferiour hand were not the same the best and pleasantest taste and relish that is in them what ever they be is the taste of the hand out of which they come And therefore prophane and ignorant men lose the best part of all the temporall good things they enjoy because they doe not savour the hand that gives them forth unto them The Lord saith David Ps 126.3 hath done great things for us whereof we rejoyce If David were now alive and the question put to him where the Emphasis and life of these words lay I verily beleeve his answer would be not in the great things that were done for them but rather in the great doer of them the Lord. The Lord hath done c. It is a rule and principle in common reason and experience and weak apprehensions will reach it which Xenophon well expresseth in his language thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things that are alike or of equall worth contentment in themselves comming from persons unequall in place and dignity doe not equally affect men that receive them but still a great difference there is if the inequality of persons from whom they come be great To kisse the hand of a man inferiour to us is as nothing rather indeed a disparagement and a thing ridiculous but to kisse the hand of a Prince is a matter of favour and countenance So Solomon saith of the light of the countenance or favour of the King that it is like a Cloud of the latter raine which often is more worth then a Kings ransome Prov. 16.15 whereas a good looke from a meane man is scarcely valued at two drops of water God cannot give any light or slender mercies because
eye hath cost the world deare The touching of it hath cost the blood of the greatest Monarchs of many Kings and Princes of the earth It hath cost whole Monarchies Kingdomes and States the greatest the richest the strongest that ever the world saw their whole Estates Riches Glory and Peace True we reade often of the jealousie of God over his great name in respect of any pollutions and prophanation of it by other sins but we do not reade of his great jealousie but only for and over Jerusalem his Church but as concerning the case of Jerusalem wee reade of it twice in the same Prophet Zach. 1.14.8.2 As if God had a jealousie and a jealousie a two-fold jealousie a double and a single a greater and a lesse and the lesser jealousie he puts on and armes himselfe with when he went forth to execute vengeance for other sins but whē he sets forth against the enemies of his Church when he comes to plead Jerusalems cause with her adversaries his double jealousie now went on his great jealousie was reserved for causes of this nature as of highest and greatest importance for his glory Yea I shall say yet more that when men have put forth their hands to this worke I meane to afflict the Church of God upon the fairest termes upon greatest advantage or likelihood that can be conceived of doing any good upon it and making earnings of it I meane when they have seemed in doing it even to give the right hand of fellowship to God himselfe when he hath begun to punish them yet did never any man come off fairely from the worke God still found something or other against those that were his workmen and executioners which made a breach between him and them they never eate of their labours nor ever rejoyced in any of these works of their hand seldome any of their heads went downe in peace to their Graves An instance hereof we may see in the Aegyptians according to the Lords owne prediction long before how it would fall out Know for a surety saith the Lord to Abraham Gen. 15.13 14. that thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them foure hundred yeares notwithstanding the Nation whom they shall ferve will I judge c. And that God did not only foresee and foretell this that the Israelites should serve the Aegyptians and be in bondage but that himselfe had a speciall hand in it in bringing it to passe it is evident from Psal 105.25 where it is said that God turned their heart i. e. the heart of the Aegyptians to hate his people and to deale craftily with his servants because they began now to be corrupted in Aegypt and to displease him God tooke off the good will and the affections of the Aegyptians from them and yet we know how deare the Aegyptians paid for that worke and service the Israelites did them they had better have given double treble wages to other men to have made their Bricks then to have the people of God make them for nothing Other instances of like nature you may finde in Scripture Esa 36.20 if you reade Psal 78.61.2 with Psal 65.8 you shall finde a passage of like importance Rabsheka it is like lyed or at least spake upon a groundlesse presumption viz. because till then he had prospered when he told Hezekia's messengers that he was not come against Jerusalem without the Lord God had said to him destroy it But in Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel the case is plaine 2 Chron. 36.17 it is said expresly that God brought upon them the King of the Caldeans yet if you reade Ier. 50.17 18. besides many other places you shall finde he had his wages paid him in sorrow and desolation Israel is scattered as Sheep the Lions have driven him away First the King of Assyria hath devoured him and last this Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon hath broken his bones Therefore saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel Behold I will punish the King of Babylon and his Land as I have punished the King of Assyria c. So Iudges 3.12 you may reade the like of Eglon King of Moab it is expresly said that God strengthened his hand against Israel c. yet we know this medling with Israel was his ruine As for example of the just vengeance and fiery indignation of the Lord breaking out upon those who without any warrant or commission from him have evill intreated despitefully used oppressed and persecuted the Church of God these both in sacred Records and other Histories of the Church are without end or number There is not only a Cloud of such witnesses but the whole heaven is spread over with them and divers of them known unto all men So that it would be but time lost to produce them Therefore now I beseech you consider you that are enemies of the truth that have imbittered spirits against the holy City and Church of God consider and ponder with your selves the truth and weight of this motive There was no man ever spread a snare to take the People of God with but first or last if he continued his malice his owne foot was taken with it No man ever digged a Pit for such but fell himselfe into it no man ever attempted mischief against it and continued in it but it still returned upon him and fell on his own pate as David speaketh It was the argument the Lord Jesus Christ himselfe used to Paul when he tooke him hard at this worke busie in persecuting the Saints and meant to take him off from it Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9.5 It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against sharpe pointed Irons as Goads or Nailes have teaching that a man cannot lift up his hand or heele against the meanest of the servants of God but with as much folly and madnesse and with as little hope of doing themselves good as he that shall stand chopping and dashing his naked hands or feete against the sharpest points of weapons or instruments made of Steele or Iron Pilates wives argument that she used to take of her husband from having any thing further to doe against Christ was that she had suffered many things that day in a dreame by reason of him Mat. 27.19 But the argument wherewith the Holy Ghost now presseth upon you to have no more to doe against these men is of greater efficacy not only one womā hath suffered many things in a dreame but a thousand thousands both men and women whole Nations and Kingdomes and States as was said Kings and Princes and mighty ones of the earth have suffered really full waking in deed and in truth the soarest and most grievous destructions the most fierce fiery and horrid judgements that the world hath seen To let all other instances passe only to mention that fiery storme and tempest which was the