Christians rightly imparted and improoved will exceeding buttress up their faith alas when God first opens their eyes they see men walking afar off as trees they have but imperfect apprehensions of Gospel depths Godliness is so great a Mystery the work of Redemption in all its causalities concurrences and qualifications is so mysterious wrapt up so much in the glory of divine wisdome held forth under such seeming impossibilities to carnal reason and contradictions to corrupt nature that they are ready to cry out Nunquam natura mutabit sic sua â—ura ut virgo pâ—reret nec vâ—rginâ—tate careret as that Iew said How can these things be John 3. vers 4. And if these things be so who then can be saved Luke 18. vers 26. and are afraid to give assent unto those deep Mysteries as the truths of God but when the Lord hath helped them over these doubts and difficulties that they set their seal to the Gospel as spoken by the Lord and confirmed by them that heard him God also bearing them witness with signes and wonders and divers miracles and gifss of the Holy Ghost according to his own will Heb. 2.3 4. so that they do willingly embrace this so great salvation yet alas the greatest work of faith is behind and that is to live upon the promises to appropriate Jesus Christ to put on Christ to believe that he is made unto us of God wisdom righteousness holiness and redemptiâ—n 1 Cor. 1.30 Christus vivit Christ liveth was Luthers motto and Christ liveth in me loveth me and gave himself for me is the language of true faith Mr. Trap. in Gal. 2. v. 20. Gal. 2.20 true faith individuateth Christ and appropriateth him to a mans self this is the pith and power of particular faith But ah how long doth many a poor soul lye upon the bankes of Jordan before he can waft over to the land of Canaan Some of the Saints have many a hard pull for faith they are fain to tug hard with fears and doubtings sometimes faith is up and fear down sometimes fear is up and faith is down Why now if strong believers who have the work of faith fulfilled in their hearts with some power 2 Thess 1.11 who have passed through the several stages of fear and faith and have found those very fears and troubles in their own souls if such would receive the weak in faith affeciu charitatis into the bosome and embracement of Christian love not making them question-sick by doubtful disputations Rom. 14.1 but deal tenderly and gently with them and give them a free and full account of their former fears and present faith recounting their experiences how and in what methods the Lord hath given them an establishment in the faith sure it would much conduce through the grace and blessing of God to the quieting strengthening and confirming of weak believers suppose I should labor under a distemper which in its nature and to some is mortal and a friend tells me he hath had the same disease in the same height and accompanied with the same pains and that in the use of such and such means he had cure and now is a healthful man though I cannot be recovered by such a narrative yet I am perswaded to use those medicines and am raised up to an expectancy of cure in the right use of them So when a believer who hath been upon the rack of fears and diffidences comes to a doubting Christian that is torn in peices as it were with them and whose spirit even sinks within him and tells him that it was so with him that he wrestled long with discouragements and in a pet of unbelief was ready to throw up all crying out all men are lyars that notwithstanding what this Prophet and that Apostle this Preacher and that Preacher hath said I shall perish in my sins and be a cast-away to all Eternity and that then the Lord came in led him by the hand of his spirit to this and that Promise shewed him the sealed fountain open Zech. 13. vers 1. the bloud of Christ as a fountain therefore full and as open therefore free both to pardon sin and purge uncleanness and that now he is justified by faith and hath peace with God through Jesus Chrisâ— Rom. 5. vers 1. yea joy in God through Jesus Christ by whom he hath now received the attonement vers 10. Thou I say a believer cannot spare any oyl out of his own vessel to supply the want of another with nor work faith in his heart that being the peculiar work of the Lord Jesus Heb. 12. ver 2. yet such discoveries as these will mightily raise up the heart of a sinking Christian and beget in him a hopefull expectancy of faith in this evidence of it however he brings him up to the Conclusion To sear the Lord and obey the voice of his sâ—rvant yea though he walk in darkness and sees no light yet to trust in the Lord and stay upon his God Isa 50. vers 10. And thus is his soul quieted in this recumbent act of Faith untill the day dawn and the day star arise in his heart You will live best to others when in the sense and evidence of Grace received you communicate your experiences by way of comfort unto others in these 4 particular cases 1. In the black day of Persecution 2. In the sad hour of Temptation 3. In the dark night of spirituall desertion 4. In the bewailed want of the Spirits witness to Son-ship and salvation which cases the Saints of God do usually meet withal whilest they are at home in the body and in the Apostles sense absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5. ver 6. 1. You that are experienced Christians may much underprop a timorous and faint-hearted Professour in dayes of Persecution when his fears are great his dangers many and his courage low Have you not heard a servant of the Lord sadly speaking this Language I expect every hour an Apparitour or Pursevaunt to fetch me to the Court or Counsel But I fear I shall wrong the cause and Gospel of Jesus Christ in that I shall not be able to give an answer to them that ask me a reason of the hope that is in me 1 Pet. 3. ver 15. nor repel the subtil arguments which will be drawn up against the Truth and thereby shall bring shame upon my self reproach upon Religion and dishonour to the Lord Jesus Now if an experienced Christian shall reply Is this thy fear do such thoughts as these sadden thy spirit come cheer up man this is a path that I have troden I have been called out to bear witness to the truth before as learned subtil Inquisitours as these be and was under much trouble what to say and how to answer being then low in knowledg and weak in judgment but I found that promise made good unto me Luke 21. ver 15. I will give you a mouth and wisdome which all your
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OLD JACOBS ALTAR newly repaired OR THE SAINTS TRIANGLE of Dangers Deliverances and Duties personal and National practically improved in many Particulars seasonable and experimental BEING The Answer of his own Heart to GOD for eminent Preservations humbly recommended by way of Teaching unto all and as a special Remembrancer to the Ransomed of the Lord to awaken in them a sense of rich mercy that they may sing the Song of Moses for temporal and the song of the Lamb for spiritual Deliverances and to provoke them to Love and good Works By NATANEEL WHITING Mr. of Arts and Minister of the Gospel at Aldwinckle Gen. 35.3 Let us arise and go up to Bethel and I will make there an Altar unto God who answered me in the day of my distress and was with me in the way which I went And Verse 7. He built there an altar and called the place El-Bethel LONDON Printed by R.T. for Nathaneel Ekins and are to be sold at his Shop at the Signe of the Gunne in S. Paul's Church-yard 1659. To the Right Worshipfull Sr. WILLIAM FLEETWOOD Knight the Right Honourable Sr. GFORGE FLEETWOOD Baron of Swonholme in SWEADLAND and Lieutenant General of the King of SWEADLAND's Army there and to his Excellency CHARLES Lord FLEETWOOD Lieutenant General of the whole Army in ENGLAND and Scotland and one of his HIGHNESS Privy-Council Noble and Honoured I Am taught by the best Teacher the Holy Ghost not to forsake mine own friend and my fathers friend the Authority of which advice hath a great influence upon me being under the direct Aspect of it therefore do I own your antient and obliging favours in this publick Address under this hope That good wine will taste never the worse because presented in a wooden cup nor Truth lose any of its rellish because served up in an earthen dish If any charge blame upon me because I have not observed the Rules of Honour in the ordering of your names according to your Titles of Honour and standings in the world my Reply is this I pretend not to skill in Herauldry nor is it my business to dispute Titles I have therefore set Eliab in the Front because I may not give away the Honour of Primogeniture from Manasseh seing he hath not with Esau sold nor with Reuben lost the excellency of dignity He still weares with Zarah the scarlet thread upon his hand though his younger Brethren have broken forth and gotten the Precedency Besides though I owe much to your Honours I am much yours yet I am more your Brothers and my Obligations more to him which I must owne and I am sure such is your Justice that you will not entrench upon the right of other men much less upon your Elder Brothers And if your Honours be not offended why should others Again If any take offence that I preface this Treatise with Three Hnourable Names one of which would have been an honour to a more polite and elaborate Discourse my Answer is this When I had designed this Piece unto the Press I knew none whose Experiences could more fully comment upon the Subject treated on then your selves Your Preservations have been many and signal at home abroad by land by water few persons have had such remarkable Deliverances as you have had and few Families can instance in three Brethren who can give forth narratives of such notable and numerous Escapes as you can give And therefore seing you have equally shared in the marvellous Protections of a good God I am bold to make this Application to you All in which I do humbly Remember you of engaging mercies that the sence thereof may be awakened in you that like that Persian Monarch you may often read over your Diaries gather up your memorable preservations own the Lord in them and by suitable actings improve them to his glory The improvement of Mercies makes them to be Mercies indeed Then are the appearances of God glorious when they are visible and may be known and read of all men in our noble and vigorous actings for God What life for God was in old Jacob how did he purge his family set up Religion erect an Altar at Bethel and all this by way of thankfull return to the Lord who answered him in the day of his distress and was with him in the way which he went And how bravely did King David draw up after the Presidency of that noble Patriarch when he sate in his house seriously reviewing his former frights and flights his Dangers and Distresses his Banishments and Battels comparing them with his present peace safetie and honour and considered from what hand he had received all that good he took up a resolution to build an house for the Lord that the Arke of his presence might no longer dwell within curtains He often looked down upon the cave of Adullam and Engedi the wilderness of Ziph and Maon his straits at Gath his dangers at Keilah his fears at Ziglag c. even then when God had set him on high upon the Throne of Israel and Judah these reviews kept his heart in a warm and and lively frame for God Ah! How little of Dâ—â—id's spirit is to be found in England even amongst many who have largely experienced David's mercies how seldome do many review their hazzards and heart-terrours their tears and fears dangers and deliverances how have the tides of worldly pomp peace and pleasures washed off the Sculpture of personal and national mercies in most mens hearts Oh 't is sad and sadly to be lamented The Lord give you with Caleb another spirit that seing he hath given you not onely a safe but an Honourable standing after such amazing dangers with liberal advantages of doing and receiving good your Honours may follow the Lord fully you may act up more and more to the Presidencies proposed that you may not move in too narrow Orbes but shew forth largeness of heart according to the largeness of Gods mercies towards you that like starres of the greater magnitude you may cast abroad your warming and prolifick Influences that all neighbouring persons and places may be the better for you and your selves much the better in your spirits for God I am not ashamed Right Worshipfull to tell the world how ancient and how affectionate a Moecenas you have been to me that I received many encouragements from you when I was student in the Universitie how ready I have alwayes found you to lay forth your power and Interest for me how freely and speedily you placed me at Aldwinckle and how much I have found the favour of a Patron and the affections of a friend I might go higher for the space of many yeares which is much considering what hard measure some good Ministers have found from their Patrons though good men in these times of difference both upon a civil and Religious account and indeed I think it to be ingenious whatever others think and well comporting with the
necks Oh! let us not lay the staff of oppression upon one another nor put yoaks on one anothers necks least our bands be made stronger Jerusalem is in deed a glorious City when the buildings thereof are compacted together and contiguous and the Inhabitants thereof are at unity among themselves Psal 123. Wring not men consciences you may hap to break the wards of them if you do Dr. Sibs but we must not so pursue unity as to neglect purity nor press uniformity so as to degenerate into Tyranny Order in disciplinary points is beautiful and agreement defirable but to force it begetteth confusion and breedeth animosities How can we bear witness against the Prelates Lordship if we should Lord it over one another 〈◊〉 or against the Popes infallibility if we should impose upon one another if we should prescribe laws to one anothers consciences or make our own intetpretations in doubtful Scriptures and relating to order onely canonical and binding to all Mr. Clarke in vâ—ta patrum it would be indeed a crown of beauty and Diadem of glory upon our heads if there was that peace among us as was betwixt Miconius and his Colseagues concerning whom he useth these words Currimus certavimus laboraviwus pugnauimus vicimus viximus semper conjunctissime when the watchmen of Israel do lift up their voice and with their voice together they do sing when they see eye to eye Isa 52.8 When they all do speak the same things when there are no divisions among them but are perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgemen 1 Cor. 1.10 But if we cannot attain this unity in circumstantials let us bless God that we do it infundamentals and let our union in the head untie us in the heart carrying it with all tenderness one toward another in differences of smaller moment under this assurance that Ibi tandem câ—nveniemus ubi Luthero cum Zuinglio optime jam convenit there 's no clashing in heaven betwixt Luther and Zuinglius about the Sacrament we shall all be of one minde in heaven and why should we clash upon earth Though some of us dispense the Supper to a select company judging it most agreeable to Gospel order and pattern yet why should we urge this upon our brethren who judge otherwise or why should our Brethren urge a general admission upon us Why should the disputes be so hot and contests so high among brethren about modelling the Congregations whether by casting out or leaving out the scandalous and profane when as we all own the Lords Supper to be a standing ordinance and do not antiquate it with the Quakers nor withhold the cup from our people with the Papists nor maintain a Consumbstantiation with the Lutherans nor dispense it promiscuously to all of age in our parishes mad men and fools onely excepted with some Episcopal men but endeavor a pure administration agreeing in that as our great end that it may be dispensed onely to visible Saints Why should such wormwood and gall appear in our pens and Pulpets one against another upon this subject have we not other work to do may we not imploy our stock better would it not add more to Gods honour and our own also if we did lay out that zeal which we spend one against another against Papists and Impostors Is it a time for Shepherds to quarrel about folding of their Sheep when Wolves are broke into the flock Is it a time for Officers of an Army to dispnte titles and trifles when the enemy appears in the field with a formed Army against them Is it a time for us to spend our strength in anger and animosities one against another when the Nation swarms with Hereticks when they make such havock of the flock in many places and when they all combine against us for however they differ among themselves they agree in their hatred and opposition of us like a Brigado of horse that Scout up and down in several parties yet meet together at the head quarters Surely the undermining of a Gospel-Ministery is the general Rendevouz of all our Sectaries at least most of them Oh then let the sence of danger perswade us to body in love and the sence of duty provoke us to improve our personal safety preaching opportunity Gospel-liberty freedome of communion maintenance and Ministery most to the glory of a good God and this we shall best do and best reach the great end of God in our great deliverances if we set up the Apostles counsel as our great way-mark Act. 20.28 Take heed unto your selves and to all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood and we shall better understand this text and our duty by perusing Master Baxter upon it in his Gildas Salutanus 3. This Doctrine hath a word of friendly advice to military men which I hope shall meet with a friendly resentment because it comes from a friend with a friendly intent I am no Cynick nor apt to quarrel if I was I would be more prudent then to enrage them by tart language who have so often fought an enraged enemy in the open field and more ingenuous then to spend my choler against them who have spilt their blood for my safety And therefore O ye valiant ones of Israel consider how far this doctrine is applicable to you in that capacity are the appearances of God eminent and immediate in the day of his peoples distress 1. Consider how rare and skilful you were in all martial affairs at your first entrance upon the war how little of a Soldier as to the slights and stratagems of war Never hardly did an army go forth with lessconfidence on their own side or more contempt of their enemys did more bravely deceive both for in these following successes they proved such as would too much pose antiquity among all the Campes of the famed Heroes Heroes to finde a parallel of this Army T. M. in the hystory of the Civil war p. 114. were found in you at least most of you when you first took the field and yet what a teaching spirit from the Lord came upon you how suddainly even to admiration did the Lord of Hosts teach your hands to war and your fingers to fight Psal 144.1 So that a short time did make you expect in all the councels and carriages of a well-ordered Battail that ye were able to countermine all your enemies and prevent and pursue advantages with much warlike prudence Oh let this be owned in peace as a signal mercy from the Lord and as that which tended much to yours and our preservation and to the gaining of all those freedoms which we now enjoy T is a special owning providence when the Lord qualifieth persons for imployments 2. Consider how low your spirits were at your first taking up of Armes what fears and troubles and terrors were upon
the world into nothing and blow down a great bubble with an easie breath that by drawing one nail can throw down the stateliest building and undress your soules by unpinning one pin c. I have read of a Persian Noble-man who lost his life by the loss of an hair plucked out of his bosome Mr. Vines Essex's Hearse in sport by his Minion 5. Get your hearts into an awfull frame get your spirits tinctured with an holy fear of God Rev. 15. vers 4. Surely they that have felt must needs fear him they that have found the power of his anger let out in soul terrours yea in breaking afflictions upon the body Read M. Jackson's Notes upon this place must needs fear him though indeed none but the damned in Hell experience the power of his anger Moses in Psalme 90. ver 11. put 's the question Who knoweth the power of thine anger implying that none knoweth it as none can take the dimensions of his love which passeth all knowledge so neither of his anger the reason is added because even according to thy fear so is thy wrath that is let a man fear thee never so much he is sure to feel thee much more if he fall into thy hands Paul knew this when he laid down this Position as a fence wall about Profession to keep men from starting out by Apostacy Heb. 10. vers 31. It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God surely if the burnt childe dread's the fire much more men of age and discretion who have been cast into the furnace of affliction have had their moisture dried up their skin writhled their flesh rosted and their very bones burnt with the scorching flames thereof have cause to fear that fire which so farre resembles everlasting burning that though it be not unquenchable yet it is not quenchable but by the bloud of Christ and the melting bowels of God's tender mercie Oh then Dear friends take forth this lesson from your late afflictions to fear that glorious and fearfull name THE LORD THY GOD Deut. 28. vers 58. Fear to offend God fear to do any thing which may displease him in this sence Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes Prov. 28. ver 14. The Hebrew Midwives lost nothing by it Exod. 1. vers 17.21 1. From the consideration of Gods power he is able not onely to call you to an account 1 Cor. 10. vers 22. Do we provoke the Lord to anger Are we stronger then he As Caligula that dared his Jove to a duel Are we the Lord's match can we outstrengthen an Almighty God Who hath hardened himself against him and prospered Job 9. ver 4. Jer. 5. ver 22. 2. Fear to offend him from the consideration of his goodness not onely that goodness which the Lord extends unto you in common with other men nor that speciall goodness which is the peculiar portion of his Elect in Christ but also that particular goodness which the Lord hath vouchsafed you in restoring health unto you when ye lay at the brinks of the grave and many other tumbled in Hos 3. vers 5. Oh Fear the Lord for his goodness 3. Fear an offended God though not provoked by you A tender spirited childe feares and trembles when his father is angry with others though himself hath done no fault God likes this tenderness of spirit in his children Psal 119. vers 120. David saith my flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Judgments Samar horrâ—pilatio my hair stands upright as it doth sometimes in suddain and great frights Job 3. vers 15. The hair of my flesh stood up Amos 3. vers 8. The Lion hath roared Who will not fear Oh observe this Hab. 3. ver 16. When I heard my belly trembled c. Objection But why should the Saints fear the wrath of God who is in Covenant with them and hath promised to be a covering Cheâ—â— unto them Solution 1. They see 〈◊〉 provoking nature of sinne they consider that sinne is a thing of greatest abhorrency with God and therefore when they observe the growth of sinne in a place or nation they are afraid that God will ere long break out in wrath against them Hence that Numb 17.12 13. read Ezek. 7. from vers 1. to the 16. and apply it upon a national account 2. They see the dreadfulness of Gods wrath they know the English of that Isa 27. vers 4. Who would set the briars and thornes in battail against me I would go thorow them I would burn them together They know what briars and thornes are and what their end shall be They see that themselves are not exempted persons they are not sure to have their door-posts sprinkled with the blood of the Pascal lamb Exod. 12. that the marking Angel Exod. 9. shall give them a signature of safety in their foreheads How was the Church affected Acts 5. ver 11 Ezek. 14. ver 14. Oh then labour to preserve an holy fear of God upon your spirits think often of what Christ speaks Luke 12. ver 4 5. Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have nothing they can do But fear him who after he hath killed hath power to throw into Hell yea I say unto you fear him Lastly Labour to make sure of heaven lay out for an Interest in the Lord Jesus let this be the teaching ye have received from the late sickness Call to minde your sick-bed fears and tears what pangs of conscience and woundings of spirit ye then were under what faintings of heart ye had when you found your evidences for heaven writ with so pale a hand that ye could not read them at least by that weak and wan light which then shined in your soules what a loss ye were at for the Lord Jesus weeping with Mary because they had taken away your Lord and ye knew not where they had laid him nor how to lay hold on him for peace and pardon nay perhaps your cases weremore desperate your sins were writ in so deep a crimson your Atheisme igâ—â—â—â—nce Gospel enmity your former scoffings at Religion your flouts and flings at godliness your contempt of Gospel-Ordinances and your rejection of Gospel-grace did so fly in your faces grate and gnaw so upon your spirits and filled you with such a sence of divine vengeance that conscience that bird in the bosome like the night-raven croaked many a sad and dismal note unto you and so presented you with the black side of the cloud that ye verily thought if ye should die at that lare ye should drop into Hell Remember what then your thoughts were how then ye resolved that if ye recovered health again ye would not leave heaven under such uncertainties hereafter ye would give diligence to make your calling and Election sure ye would not for all the world be harassed again with those dreadfull fears and terrours like unto an unwary Traveller
Jesus speaketh Mark 4.26 27. So is the Kingdom of God as if a man should cast seed into the ground and should sleep and the seed grows up he knows not how God sows the seed by the hand of a godly Parent or Pastor and in due season when and how they know not neither Parent Pastor nor the Person himself it bringeth forth fruit the word works sometimes many years after as they say of the Elephant that she brings not forth till the thirteenth year after she hath conceived The first springs in the womb of grace are precious and carefully preserved by the spirit and when they put forth it may be without any noise For the Kingdom of heaven doth not always come with observation Thus Timothy knew the holy Scriptures from a child 2 Tim. 3.15 not onely the bare letter and form of words that 's but little but knew them so as to love them to read them with delight and look for salvation wisdom in them through faith which is in Christ Jesus and probably by the care of his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice sure gracious parents and godly education do contribute much though not infallibly to the seasoning of tender years and it was well if parents would make it much their care as blessed be God some do to furnish their children whilest children with Gospel-knowledge Mr. Trap. in 2 Tim. 3.15 It is reported That the Lady Wheatenhall so plyed her young Neece Mistris Elizabeth Wheatenhall that before she was nine years old she could say the New Testament by heart and was able to name the book and chapter where any word or passage was A singular president worthy of admiration Oh that Christian parents would take this hint The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Psal 19.7 That 's the genuine and native fruit of it at least through the blessing power of the spirit conversion is in it and from it and who knows whether the word being engraffed by godly parents may not bring forth early conversion in their children Sure we are there have been and are young Saints in the world who have rellished the ways of God and walked in them before they have travailed many years journey from their mothers wombs now to these I do not direct this particular advice but to those whose conversion hath been visible their change so signal that the whole Town ye Country hath rang of it some such there are who are able to say that at such a time under such means by such a word in such a way the Lord was pleased first to work upon them they can circumstantiate their conversion in all the occurrences of it Paul could tell the errand he went upon which was bad enough the company with whom the time of the day the manner how and the plat of ground as it were upon which he fell when the Lord fell in with him by converting grace as he discourseth at large Act. 22.6 7 8. compared with Chap. 26.12 13 c. Now then to such in a more peculiar manner I speak as thou dost observe and discourse over the passages of Gods providence toward thee in helping thee out of great straights and tellest thy friends what they were and how nigh unto death thou wast and how the Lord came in at such a time in such a manner and by such means and brought thee off with safety so be much in observing and shewing forth what God hath done for thy soul what providential passages were antecedent to thy conversion what awakening teaching and leading providences were in order to thy conversion whether God did not first awaken thee by such an affliction give a check to thy spirit in the high careers of sin by such an humbling providence or made way for the entertainment of Christ and Gospel by disappointing thee in such a worldly design or won upon thee by some notable deliverance as was the Jailors case Act. 16.28 or how the Lord was pleased to bring thee into such a family or into acquaintance with such godly Christians or under such a powerful and soul-searching Ministery these all through grace have had a sub-serviency to the great end of God in bringing sinners home unto him Then again consider those ways of God which were concomitant and as means were instrumental to thy conversion in what method the Lord was pleased first to work upon thee what measure of the spirit of bondage to fear thou wast under what sin thou wast first convinced of how long thou wast under conviction before conversion was brought forth in the fruits and evidences of it what lust the spirit first struck down in thy flesh what repentance and godly sorrow for sin was wrought in thee what attempts the divel made upon thee how forceable they were and with what success and how long thou didst ly under the sence of sin and wrath before thou hadst any quieting apprehensions of pardoning and accepting grace through the blood of Jesus let these and things of like nature be observed by thee and reports thereof seasonably made to others Nay Lastly take notice of the after-visits of the spirit of God and grace to thy soul what sweet and suitable returns the Lord gave thee in to thy prayers what seasonable succours thou receivedst in an hour of temptation what power from the spirit of holiness came in in thy contesting with some Lady-lust what measure of consolation was cast in after thy days of mourning how far thou hast been sealed with the holy spirit of promise and hast taken earnest of thine inheritance since thou didst believe Oh be much and with much seriousness in all these particulars make a due collection of all and as thou carefully observest the great deliverances which God hath wrought for thee upon a temporal score so much more read over and ruminate upon that great redemption from wrath and condemnation and say with the Psalmist when envited to it by a seasonable opportunity Psal 66.16 Come and hear all yea that fear the Lord and I will tell you what God hath done for my soul of which this treatise will give the a further account with directions for the managing of it and the benefits which redound from it 2. Quicken up your selves unto duty in all your hard-heartednesse and damps of soul the best trees are subject unto mosse which stunts them in their growth and that stints them in their fruitfulnesse so the best Saints are liable to deadnesse of heart and damps of zeal the love of the world like mosse over-grows them or else there is some worm of pride security self-confidence c. at the root which drinks up the sap of life and blasteth the fruits of of faith and holinesse O how have I seen some fruitfull Christian grow as the lily cast forth their roots as Lebanon spread their branches and beauty as the Olive-tree and their sent as Lebanon Hos 14. ver 5 6. which afterwards
Tripartite thereby resembling the heart which is Triangular and 't is my single designe to endeavour that upon the points or corners of your hearts may be engraven your Dangers Deliverances and Duties that so the mercies of God which are Records of greatest Import may be preserved with greatest care and you may be provoked to act with greatest Conscience for God We cannot look back upon Adam in his lapsed Estate but we may see a deluge of wrath breaking in upon whole mankinde at the breach of the first Covenant we cannot read over our own Diaries but we may read our own Dangers drawn up in black Characters of our sins as provoking God unto displeasure against us nay the times that lately passed over us presented us with danger from the sword of men in the heat of warr and now are we in dayly hazards from the arrows of the Almighty in various and violent distempers Again we cannot seriously study the Gospel but our great Deliverance from wrath to come by the precious bloud of our Crucified Jesus presents it self unto our view nor can we considerately survey our own Soules but we may read the counterpane thereof transcribed by the Eternal Spirit nor own Experiences but we may meet with large Volumes of eminent Deliverances personall and Nationall wrought for us by the outstretched arme of an Almighty God Again if we turn over those holy leaves of the Scriptures of Truth if we consult the Experiences of Gods people in the Ages that are past or seriously advise with our own spirits when in a right frame we shall finde many Duties charged upon us as our returnes to God for our great Deliverances The great God will not be a loser by his mercies he exspecteth some incomes into the bank of his glory if he have it not from us he will have it out upon us If we do not give it he will take it Deliverances are a great Talent put into the hands of men to trade withal for God They that lap up this Talent in a napkin by forgetfulness or squander it away by unsuitable actings heap guilt upon their own soules and shall be sure at the reckoning day to finde this sin as the Israelites did an ounce of their golden calf in all the rebukes of God upon them The sad Consideration whereof hath been and is much upon my heart and hath been a principall inducement to thrust this Treatise into the world which is not Polemical in the main intention of it my Standard bearing this Motto Zech. 8.19 LOVE THE TRVTH AND PEACE nor is it provoking I hope to any Iames 3.17 being the product of that wisdome which is first pure then peaceable c. I have avoided all bitterness that I might not stirr up any prejudice my business is to be a Remembrancer from the Lord unto you and to provoke unto love and good works as the genuine improvement of grace and mercy received I have not exactly methodised this Treatise nor cast it into the mould of the Title Page but laid down all Sermon-wise handling the Saints Dangers and Deliverances in the Doctrinall and their Duties in the Applicatory part of it in which I have respect as well to Spiritual as to Temporal Dangers and Deliverances and with respect to all as they stand in a personall or Relative capacity I will not Cramben bis coctam dare by Epitomizing in the Epistle what is largely pressed in the body of the Discourse I shall therefore onely entreat you to bewail before the Lord that root which bringeth forth wormwood and gall amongst us that discontent and sullenness of spirit by means whereof God is not owned in nor honoured for those glorious vouchsafements of mercy which have been matter of envie and astonishment in all the Nations about us that land-flood of corrupt Principles and practises which like a swift and spreading Torrent hath laid a great part of the Nation under water that spirit of bitterness and enmity against Godliness in the power and Religion in the purity of it and those sad divisions about which sadly hinder the work of a thorough Gospel-Reformation c. all which are sowre grapes yea clusters of Gomorrah and not such a Vintage which the Lord might reasonably exspect from a people of such rich mercies such signal preservations and under the enjoyment of such encouraging advantages as ours have been O that your souls would mourn in secret places for these things O that you were so affected with them that you would refuse your pleasant bread O that you would so reprove a carnal and careless Generation of men by your lively acttings for God that many yea all who have experienced the goodness of the Lord in eminent preservations may glorifie the name of the Lord by an Evangelical conversation that so the presence of God may still give us rest that our English Zion may be made an Eternal Excellency a joy of many generations Isay 60.15 18. that our walls through the divine Custodiency may still be called Salvation and our gates praise But though this spiritual Lethargy be incurable in many yet be ye O ye Ransomed ones of the Lord awakened unto duty and let the sense of mercy in the eminent appearances of God to your help in the daies of your distress carry you like wind and tide full sail in your zeal for his Glory in order to which I shall humbly offer these hints unto you and I entreat the people of my own charge to take special notice of them as being mainly intended for them 1. Be frequent in your reveiws of those feared dangers and fretting distempers those painful sicknesses and perplexing sorrows from which the good Hand of God has fetcht you gather up your dangers and deliverances your pressures and preservations how the Lord has granted you life and favour life with the comforts of it to make it sweet and desireable Iob 10.12 and his visitation has preserved your spirit has secured your lives in the midst of many dangers which surely have been many from infancy to gray hairs that so you may visite him in duty who hath so often visited you in mercy there are frequent visites past betwixt friends God is your best friend account that day lost wherein you do not visit him and keep up sweet communion with him It was a gallant speech of a brave man Marquess of Vico. accursed be that man who values the wealth of the world worth one daies communion with God Psal 34.2 4. and act up unto David's pattern I will bless the Lord at all times c. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me out of all my feares which were many and lay hard upon him when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech and acted the part of a mad man which so sober a person as David would not have done had not his fears been strong and his faith weak 2. Get your Spirits
but have had little care and skill to bring them off by means whereof many thousands have been slain in some desperate assaults but the Lord of hosts will not do thus he will not fall back with his reserves and suffer his Vriahs to perish by the sword of the children of Ammon he will bring off with safety when he putteth his own people upon danger Exod. 15.3 The Lord is a man of war the Lord is his name He knoweth the stratagems and postures of warre and like a brave Commander standeth upon his honour and therefore will bring off where he leadeth on Abraham had express order from Jehovah to offer up his son Isaac and we see how the Lord stepped in betwixt the cup and the lip as it were and biddeth him hold his hand when it was now lifted up to slay his Son Gen. chap. 22. Therefore Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-iireh The Lord will see or the Lord will provide ver 14. Moses and the children of Israel received orders from the Lord of Hosts for their march out of Egypt and had their way and quarters assigned by him Exod. 14. vers 1.2 The Lord spake unto Moses saying speak unto the children of Israel that they turn and encamp before Pe-hahireth between Migdol and the sea over against the Sea over against Baal-zephon before it shall ye encamp by the Sea What could be more express then this well what followeth why Pharaoh with all his host pursues them and having got them up into this cramp maketh no doubt but the day is his own and well he might for if we view the ground we shall finde them thrust up into a narrow room and in very sad streights if they look before them and think to save themselves by flight the sea is there and they have neither bridg nor boats to pass over it if they think to wheel on the right hand high mountains are a baracado against them if they think to steal away on the left hand that cannot be done for they must climbe up high and plain hills which will give the enemy a full prospect of them if they think to retreat and to slip back into Egypt by some secret way Mr. Burroughs notes upon Hos 2. p. 30. that they cannot do because Pharaoh's Army is betwixt them and Egypt so that they must march through the head-quarters of the enemy if they attempt that nay to add weight to all they were before Baal-zephon the God of watching an Idol which the Egyptians had high exspectations from being set at the mouth of those mountains before Pe-hahiroth to watch the passage that none might escape without a passport out of Egypt Here Pharaoh overtook them vers 9. These were their streights and 't is plain God brought them into those streights but what doth God leave them in the lurch no God will save them by a miracle he will make a way in the deep for them As they marched between mountains of earth before so they shall march between mountains of water now and they who feared that their enemies would dig graves for them in the wilderness do now stand upon drie ground and behold the whole hoste of Egypt buried under two huge mountaines of water ver 28. and all this the Lord of hosts did to maintain his honour in point of faithfulness to his people and to evidence his power in point of omnipotency upon their enemies as Moses upon another occasion argueth it out with the Lord. Numb 14. vers 15.16 If thou shalt kill all this people as one man then the nations which have heard of the fame of thee will speak saying because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them therefore hath he slain them in the wilderness An high impeachment against God in respect both of power and faithfulness a charge very dishonourable to the Lord and therefore the Lord bringeth them off at least the loyal and obedient ones with honour and safety from all those hazzards he had led them into Hence the Prophet David speaketh in the person of the Church Psal 66. vers 9 10 11 12. Rea. 2. Because sometimes the servants of the Lord meet with troubles in the world for their love to God and management of the Lords work They speed ill with men for their good will to God and are sufferers from men because they will not sinne against God therefore it is that the Lord espouseth their quarrel and taketh part with them This was the case of the three Jewish worthies Dan. 3. vers 12.13 they would not dishonour the true and living God by owning any thing of God in a dumb and dead Idol and therefore are bound and cast into a fiery fornace but how sped they did God suffer them to be cast into that fiery prison and perish there for his debt no God was with them in the fire and fetch'd them out without one peny damage to them their hair was not singed neither were their coats changed nor the smell of fire had passed on them vers 27. In like sort did wicked men deal with Daniel Chap. 6. vers 10. and the Lord brought him off without the least hurt upon this basis the Lord Jesus bottometh that precious promise Luke 21. vers 15. I will give you a mouth and wisdome which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay or resist and wherefore are the vouchsafements of God so eminent unto them vers 12. because they suffered for his name and his cause which truth hath been more then once attested by suffering saints so much of the spirit and wisdome of God hath been discovered in their answers that their adversaries and accusers have been non-pluss'd by illiterate men nay filled with astonishment Thus the Apostle Rom. 8. vers 36. For thy names sake we are led as sheep to the slaughter and what followeth why Vers 37. in all these things wee are more then Conquerours through him that loved us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we do over-overcome super-superamus if the cause be Gods we may trust our selves and it in Gods hand and possess our souls in patience when we have this assurance that not an hair of our head shall perish Luke 21. vers 18 19. Reas 3. Therefore God steppeth in to the help of his people in their greatest streights that he may give real testimony of his hearty good will unto them that they may know and their enemies also that they have a friend who will stick to them in the day of their distress affliction is the trial of affection Prov. 17. vers 17. A friend loveth at all times * Hebrew in all times that is in every opportune time in the fittest season now the timings of love the timings of acts of friendship addeth both worth and weight unto it Prov. 15. vers 23. A word spoken in season in his time saith the Hebrew how good is
their enemies even unto Hormah that as they had said among the Nations concerning English Zion the Lord hath done great things for her Psal 126. vers 2. So it may be said by the Nations concerning her The Lord bless thee O inhabitation of justice and mountain of holiness Jer. 31. vers 23. Then would England be changed from glory to glory from the glory of being a people owned by God to the glory of being a people like unto God which last is the greater yea greatest glory 4. This inference may be drawn also That infidelity and dispondency of spirit in an evil day is very unsuitable to the saints of God for them to flagge in their faith and to be crest-fallen in their courage when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storme against the walls this is unworthy the name and frame of a right Christian Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord ought to be the charge of a Saint to his own heart even when he is brought to the very banks of the red Sea It is that which the Prophets of the Lord receive in Commission Isa 35. ver 3 4. strengthen yea the weak hands and confirme the feeble knees and how must this be done why it followeth Say unto them that are of a fearfull heart be strong fear not Alas how should weak hands be strong and a timorous heart cease to fear what is the cure of these distempers why Behold your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence he will come and save yâ—u he is on the way alreadie he will be suddenly with you and when he cometh he will save you I but saith a fearfull Saint What security have I for this why thou hast a double security First the Promises of God and secondly the experiences of the saints Psaâ— 31. verse 19. Oh! how great is thy goodness which thou hast layed up for them that fear thee The new Covenant is Gods great Store-house wherein he hath stored up all help and comfort for his people Joseph in the time of great plenty built many store-houses wherein he laid up what corne could be spared and therewith gave a full supply to all the Egyptians when he brought it forth in the yeares of famine Thus the onely wise God depositeth mercy and goodness and power and comfort in his promises and when a time of dearth cometh upon his people then he openeth those store-houses and giveth them a full supply Then Secondly the other part of this security is in these words which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sonnes of men If the saints shall say we know there is enough laid up in the Promises but God keepeth the key and how shall we come by it at a time of need why here the Psalmist sendeth such querelous and distrustfull ones to the experiences which Gods people have had God hath wrought deliverances and wrought out the salvation of his beleeving ones in the times of their greatest straights yea the sonnes of men the seed of Ishmael have seen the opening of these store-houses to the people of God have seen how God hath hid them in the secret of his presence from the pride of men and kept them secretly in his pavillion from the strife of tongues and therefore be strong fear not The strength of the saints lyeth in the arm of the Lord and faith is the souls leaning upon it in a wilderness condition Cant. 8. vers 5. Now as the word of promise is the foundation upon which faith resteth So experience is the butteress that stayeth up faith which is to faith as Aaron and Hur were to Moses upon the mount Exod. 17. verse 2. They kept his hands steady to the going down of the Sun How did holy David stay up his faith even to the destance of the Philistine Champion who had defied the whole army of Israel at the sight of whom all the army of Israel fled and were sore afraid 1 Sam. 17.24 hear at what a rate of holy confidence he speaketh Vers 32. Let no mans heart fail because of him what a hurry is here in the camp what distractions are here amongst the valiant ones of Israel what a strange fear seizeth upon you do not trouble your selves I will go and fight with this Philistin bravely spoken it argueth a bold magnanimous spirit I but saith the King of Israel to him Vers 33. Thou art not able to go against this Philistin to fight with him for thou art but a youth and he a man of war from his youth and therefore it will be impar congressus a very unequal match and Israels condition is like to be very sad seing their perpetual slaverie or liberty dependeth upon the issue of this duel if thy life be lost Israels freedome is lost also A consideration enough to have cow'd a puissant and most expert souldier and that which in probability made Jonathan and the worthies of Israel decline the combat yet see how little David standeth upon his tip-toes and by faith overlooketh this towring Giant Ver. 34 35 36. David said unto Saul thy servant kept his fathers sheep and there came a lyon and a bear and took a lamb out of the flock and I went out after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth I it may be he was a tame Lyon that would not turn upon him yes he arose against me and I caught him by his beard and smote him and slew him thy servant slew both the lyon and the bear and what doth he infer from hence that This uncircumcised Philistin shall be as one of them seing he hath defied the armies of the living God I but these are the words of a proud youth and words are but winde Thrasonical bravado's what bottome hath he for his confidence why faith is up and experience keepeth it steady The Lord who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistin What is this Golliah in the hands of a mighty God more then the Lyon and the Bear And why should I doubt the good presence of God whereof I have had so late and eminent experience A like passage you have 1 Sam. 30. vers 6. David was greatly distressed his own army mutinies against him and talketh of stoning him Surely it must be an high provocation which maketh an whole army to rise up as one man against their General and sure the distress must needs be great when a multitude of armed men and enraged too set themselves against a single person this was General David's case The soul of all the people was grieved every man for his sonnes and for his daughters Oh! such losses come near the heart well might they rise high in their lamentations and high in their indignation also against David because he had led them out upon a designe and
Samaritans among you hindering you by force of Armes and weakning your hands by false reports when you were building at least repairing the house of the Lord and the walls of our Jerusalem and yet in the things wherein they dealt proudly God was above them and the same God hath by unparalleld providence kept the sword still in your hands and you still upon the seat of Justice Consid 2. Consider how the Lord hath not joyned you in Copartnership with those that were your enemies dividing the government betwixt you and them which surely not long since would have been owned as a great priviledge by you and as a great mercy by us but the Lord hath put the sole Government of the Nation and the ordering of affaires into your hands You have seen Maries Magnificat made good The Lord hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree Luke 1. vers 52. Are not some of you those of low degree whom the Lord hath exalted to the seat of the mighty Are not you I hope some of you are Eliakims the servants of the Lord whom he hath chosen in Shebna's room Hath he not cloathed you with their Robes strengthened you with their Girdles committed their Government into your hands and made you fathers to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah Isa 22. vers 20 21. Oh that this might be layed to heart and the goodness of the Lord unto you in it that the abuses of the former Government may be remedied not revived that the pride and pomp which was onely like that of King Agrippa and Bernice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meer phantasie Act. 25. vers 23. a vain shew all worldly pomp and state being no better of former Governours may be lamented not looked after by you may be mourned for not medled with by you the righteousness of Christ being your Robe his cross being your Crown his Gospel being your glory and that with Nehemiah that good Tirshatha you may not onely procure the peace but prevent the oppression of your people that your loynes may be lighter than the little singers of your Predecessors and that you may speak in your deportments the words of Nehemiah chap. 5. vers 14 15. From the time that I was appointed to be Governour in the land of Judah even twelve years I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the Governòur but the former Governours which were before me were chargeable unto the people Yea even their servants bare rule over the people but so did not I because of the fear of God yea also I continued in the work of this wall neither bought we any land Consid 3. Consider how not Magistrates only but Magistraalso hath been strucken at by men whose-whose-spirits and principles were against both Some of whom it may be have sate in Councel with you and have formerly ventured far to lay the Key of Government upon you and upon themselves but since so strangely are they metamorphosed they have hated it may be your persons and opposed your Government so that you may take up Davids complaint Psal 41. vers 9. Mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted which did eat of my bread hath lift up his heel against me compared with Psal 55. vers 11 12 13. Mine equal my guide my acquaintance we took sweet counsell together and walked to the house of God in company Oh! let these and many other considerations of like import dwell upon your spirits and often meditate that though attempts have been made against your persons and places yet the Lord hath secured you in your present standing Oh then Watch ye stand fast in the faith quit your selves like men be strong 1 Cor. 16. vers 13. Oh remember what opportunities ye once had that had ye acted up unto them and vigorously improved the advantages ye once had much of that evil which in later years hath sprung up might have been buried under ground and the smell of the Nation would have been as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed Gen. 27. vers 27. Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning these things may we not hopefully conclude that the Lord hath thoughts of peace and not of trouble towards us Doth not concurrence of the many providences hint good will from the Lord unto us Is it nothing that no weapon which is formed against us doth prosper Sâ—ndercoms Design that no designe takes place no Mine takes fire no plot how secret soever ripeneth without discovery witness the late project of blood and murther against the Protectors person like the old Powder-plot detected in the very nick of time when the fire-work was prepared and placed and the match lighted that all attempts to involve the Nation into war and trouble have been dashed in peeces that still the Nation enjoyes peace and the Gospel-in peace Stir up all your strength for God rise up in all your might for the interest of Zion and for the honour of the Lord of Hosts who hath carried you through all those great changes which your eyes have beheld and hath still kept the helme of Government in your hands notwithstanding all those storms which have been upon the Nation and hath now put a new opportunity into your hands the Lord make you magnanimous and unanimous in the work of the Lord that yet a blessed Reformation may be brought forth by your means that so the people of this land may be known among the Nations and their off-spring among the people so that all they that seem may acknowledge them that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed Isa 61. vers 9. Suffer therefore an unworthy Son of Zion and Minister of the Gospel for the good of a part of that people over which the Lord hath set you to be a Remembrancer from the Lord unto you that mercies received may be improved by you and enkindle an holy zeal for God in you 1. To make good the Covenants and Oaths of your God which are upon you and into which by your authority and ensample at least many of you we entred that the sense of Covenant-mercies may provoke unto Covenant-duties for the advancement of the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus in unity peace purity and the power of godliness that Sabbath-strictness may be asserted by you Gospel-Ordinances may be vindicated a Professing-people may be countenanced a faithful Ministry may be still incourageed and protected such bounds may be set to that act for liberty that Heterodox opinions may not like a land-flood overflow the Nation but that horrid Impostors and notorious offenders may be punished that all Israel may hear and fear Deut. 13. vers 11. And that the anointing of God may give you safe rules of tenderness that guilt may not lye upon you from God nor just blame from good men for that softness of spirit you shew towards the Lords people who in these times
nigh and to be gathered together unto him at his appearing and in his kingdome Ah how little is that prophecy made good in our dayes Isâ— 60. ver 8. That people flee as a cloud and as the doves to their windows where can ye find a town of which it may be affirmed paralell to that pattern 2 Chro. 20. ver 13. All Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones their wives and their children I can sadly attest against this and so can many others Indeed when this late reformation first began Assemblies were numerous Churches were thronged Lectures much frequented but now how do the wayes of Zion mourn because few come to the solemn feasts Lam. 1. ver 4. How thin are Sabbath congregations and much thinner lecture-Assemblies How hath Saul slain his thousands and David his ten thousands How hath Popery and profanenesse weeded out many and heresie more in our dayes A third part almost in some places are carried off to by-meetings well may the river be low when so many by-brooks carry away so much of the water no marvell that so few answer to the muster-roul when so many have listed themselves under other Captains Oh that God would bring back the people of this Nation who have so much departed from the gates of wisdome Oh that the Lord would magnifie his Gospel and make it honourable amongst us in all its ordinances And Oh that heads of families would be the Sermon bell in their own houses and ring all their domesticks to Church with this peal arise and let us go up to Bethel Heaven and God's wayes are up the hill children and servants had need be handed up by their superiours or else they will ly still at the foot of the hill or else straggle into the vail of Sodom how can we think the child should grow and battle when it refuseth to take the breast How can we expect that knowledge should encrease at least savingly when so many run to and fro and few to the ordinances may not the Governours of Judah find out some expedient with safety of their own and without any violence done to the consciences of other persons whereby the ancient repute might be restored to the ordinances and our assemblies might be filled God grant they may for hinc illae lachrimae both to me and others 3. Observe it administers great hope of much good when inferi urs obey their superiours commands in their calls to religion and family-reformation there is a blessing power goes along with the pious endeavours of prudent Governours God very often if not alwayes appears and adds authority to their commands when their endeavours are serious and sincere to advance religion in their families Ye see here is a vote passed for God in a full house Nemine contradicente a motion entertained by all Jacob's people he did but propound a reformation and they readily consented to it the Text sayes Gen. 35. vers 4. They gave unto Jacob all the strange Gods which were in their hands to wit in their possession and all their earings which were in their ears Objection But ye will say They were Hebrews trained up in the fear and knowledge of the true God and possibly extraordinarily principled and moved at that time by an immediate impulse of the spirit of God it is not so with our Families Solution I Answer It is sadly to be lamented that any of this Nation grown up to years of maturity and in a rational way capable of teaching should be so ignorant and ill-principled as to oppose their Governours call and not submit to their commands when they command for God and call to those wayes which being walked in This Island hath the â—lory to be graced with the first Christian King hat ever â—aigned in the world which was Lucius Speed in his 6 Books Chap 9. Sub Lucio Britania omnium Provinciarum prima publicitus Christi nomen recepit Anton. Sab. lib. 5. Enned 7. lead to eternal blessedness and that considering what advantages this Nation hath yea of ancient times hath had in the light and Liberty of the Gospel this Nation being the first in all the world that embraced the Gospell by the authority of the supream Magistrate even by King Lucius about 170 years after Christ Indeed the Gospel was preached to other Nations before and many Churches were gathered out of many Pagan Cities and Nations when the Governours were Idolaters and onely tolerated the Gospel in their Dominions but here the chief Authority of the Nation was for the Gospel established the Profession of it by a civil Sanction yea made a Law that the Gospel should be owned and professed all the Nation over and now that the Gospel should have been in the Nation for almost 1500 yeares for certainly it was never quite extinct in the darkest times there was some glimmerings of light in the most gloomiest day and yet that ignorance and Atheisme should so generally prevail is very sad yet sadly true But where lies the blame of this much at the doors of parents and Masters of Families want of Education and of early seasoning of children both at home and at School is much the cause of that gross ignorance and generall profaneness which overspreadeth the Nation And truly Ministers remitting their care and pains in catechising is not the least cause of these forenamed evils Oh that the sence and experience of these things would awaken parents to a more carefull education of their children and that the Magistrates care might be to set up and encourage schools of learning in every Town As is with us by the bounty of his Highness that is considerable for number of Inhabitants at least such Schooles wherein the children of the poor might without charge to them be instructed in Scripture-Learning and the Principles of Religion How are the Protestants of the Valleys farre above us in this point The children of Merindol propounded and answered questions amongst themselves in the audience of the Bishop of Cavaillon Mr. Fox Act. and Monu pag. 195. King Hen. 8. and many others with such grace and gravity and so to the purpose that the Papists admired at it nay one of their adversaries professed that he had been often at the common Schools at Sorbone in Paris where he heard the disputations of the Divines but yet he never learned so much as he had done by hearing those children O that some good Nehemiahs would promote this work of encouraging Schools throughout the Nation and that the Ministers would own it more as their business to instruct children and younger people in Catechistical points and that an Act might be brought forth enjoyning under penalties Parents and Masters to bring forth their children and servants to a publick catechising for without this little good will be done in many places as some Ministers can speak by sad experience being forced to lay that necessary work down because no law of man
death doth strip a Saint of his wealâ—h not of his works there shall be a resurrection of your prayers and piety yea honorable mention will be made of your charity to the poor Saints at the great day Mat. 25.35 I was an hungry and ye fed me c. Oh comfort your hearts with these considerations duly weighing what ye have read and you will find when you sive most in a lively sense of grace received and in the improvement of it you live best to your selves as to a greater freedom from sin a closer walking with God and living a life of greatest comfort 3. A sober and savourly collection of grace received will make you live best to others No man is born to himself says the heathen and no man liveth to himself says the holy Ghost Rom. 14.5 he is a monster in nature that centers onely upon himself and is fitter to dwell like an Anchâ—ret in a Cell or like a leper apart then in a community with men and Christians as there is a circulation of the blood in natural bodies that every part may receive warmth and spirits to supply its want and to render it serviceable to the whole So ought there to be a circulation of gifts and graces in the body mistical upon spiritual accounts therefore says the Apostle We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the wâ—ak either bear with them or bear up the infirm and weak Christians as pillars do the poise of the whole house or parents bear their babes in their armes and not to please our selves that is not to live onely in a way of self-pleasing as men acted by principles of self-love but vers 2. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification for even Christ pleased not himself The end of Christs coming into the world was not to seek great things for himself upon a carnal and self-pleasing score nay though the cup and cross were displeasing unto him as man and he prayed against them yet when he considered that the will of his father was to bring many sons unto glory and that by making the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings he presently submitted and said not my will but thine be done Here 's our pattern in the pursuance of others good our lives should be as so many Sermons on the life of Christ as one saith this is to walk as Christ walked and this will give boldness in the day of Judgment Now we shall best seek our neighbours good to edification when we keep up a sence of our own wants and weaknesses supplies and succours we shall thereby be like the good Scribe Matth. 13. ver 52. which is instrutied to the kingdome of heaven who hath things new and old in his treasury to bring forth upon every occasion The Rabbins Proverb is Lilmed le-lammed Learn that ye may teach and the Scribe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extrudit copiose alacriter freely and fully gives forth his store to the needy hearer Christians as well as Ministers must be like full paps Mr. Trap. in Mat. 13.52 which pain the nurse with their fulness and therefore draw them out to their babes that they may be drawn or like Aromatical trees which sweat out their soveraign gummes and oyls But alas how few such sweating trees grow upon English ground how many dry breasts have we every where and those that are full have sore nibbles that will not give suck because of the painfulness in drawing Truely when I observed this great evil amongst the Christians of our age and Nation I was pressed in spirit to provoke unto love and good works and to publish my thoughts by way of brotherly advice unto them that a wise and faithful improvement of our own cases and graces would excellently advantage the good of our neighbours I shall instance in some Particulars 1. Your own experiences faithfully communicated will maâ—veilously encourage young Converts they will be as a staff in the hand of the weak whereon to stay New beginners have many fears and pull-backs at their first setting forth for heaven many adversaries that do way-lay them and many enemies that do pursue them Egypt at the red sea and Amaleck in the wilderness Satan levies all his temptation to render the seed of grace abortive in their soules so that it would bring forth fruit to perfection at a slow rate if the Lord Jesus who planted it did not also water and preserve it and that every moment Isa 27. vers 3. Bendes when the Lord gives a converted sinner a vision of himself lets him see his own vileness the heaps of sin and lust the springs and falls of corruption in his nature how he lies under the guilt of black and horrid sins open to the wrath of an Almighty and sin-revenging God and ready to drop into the grave and hell out of which there is no recovery Oh the fears that are upon his spirit the dismal thoughts that roul up and down his mind the dreadfull sound that is in his ears but now if you that are Christians of some standing in the grace of God would impart your experiences and tell him what your fears and terrours and troubles were and how the Lord gave you in comfort and establishment sure this would mightily encourage a young convert and have a special influx to his peace quietness and consolation This was the Apostle Paul's way 1 Tim. 1. ver 15. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners That is the Doctrinal part which indeed flowes with much comfort into the heart of an humble believing sinner as Mr. Bilney Martyr found in a great conflict But now the Applicatory part gusheth out with streams of comfort and what 's that of whom I am chief howbeit I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-sâ—ffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting as if he had said One great reason next to the secret purpose of his own free grace why this grace of our Lord Jesus Christ was so exceeding abundant towards me even to a pleonasme of mercy was that I might be held forth as a pattern of free grace as a monument of pardoning and sparing mercy to all sin-laden and sin-loathing persons who are the true Penitents Oh how would a wounded spirit yet healing a broken heart binding and a drooping soul reviving from such discoveries of misery and mercy of guilt and grace sin and salvation there would no be such sinking of spirit neither would the wounds of many be so long raw and bleeding if experienced Christians would be free in communicating their conditions and comforts unto them and would like the good Samaritan pour in the wine and oyl of their experienced mercy 2. This would be a mighty support to weak believers the experiences of stronger
have good cause to gather up your spirits and humbly expect that God will stand by you and strengthen you in the day of your tryal This made good Mordecai speak at that rate of assurance Hest 4. ver 14. Enlargement and deliverance shall arise to the Jews though Hester the most visible and likely person to advocate their cause lying in the bosome of Ahasuerus as his beloved Queen should hold her peace and this made the three worthies gird up the loyns of their mind and quit themselves like men yea like brave men in that great day of their tryal when in the cause of God they were threatened with a fiery fornace Dan. 3. ver 17. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery fornace Able who question 's the omnipotency of God But how know you that he will deliver why as the eye of their faith was upon that promise Isa 45. ver 2. so it was also upon t heir former preservations they convider'd how eminently God had delivered them from the Chaldeans sword bathed yea made drunk with the bloud of many thousands in that sad day of Jerusalem how they had been kept alive in Babylon what power even to a Miracle God had put forth in preserving health and strength and beauty to them with pulse and water and had given them an honourable standing in that strange Land and therefore now they were brought forth to bear witness against the Idolatry of that Nation and to maintain the worship of the true and living God they concluded their preservation that God would own them and the cause they suffered in which made them speak with that gallantry of spirit He will deliver us out of thy hands O King This acâ— â—artyr also Daniel gave of his preservation Dan. 6. v. 22. My God hath sent his Angel and hath shut the mouth of the Lions that they have done me no hurt forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me That is he suffered as a righteous man in a righteous cause O sure it ought to be the care and wisdome of the Saints not to provoke and exasperate wicked men nor pull trouble on themselves by a contempt of or by any seditious practises against the persons of worldly Governours that when they come to a day of suffering they may speak Daniels words That innocency is found in them before the Lord and that before the Magistrate they have done no hurt by transgressing any Law of man which is consistent with the Lawes and honour of God This will quiet the spirit and bring in reserves of comforting hope and support in the saddest day How sweetly doth the Apostle argue 1 Pet. 4. ver 12 13. unto the end to the comforting and staying up believers in the fiery trial Oh! would you but sip often of this cordial wine and spice it with your own experiences of God unto you in former deliverances how would it antidote against Apostacy in an evil day and excellently prevent those sinkings of spirit which the fear of suffering times produceth in you 2. As there is hope of deliverance when ye suffer upon the single Interest of Religion and that with single hearts so also there wants not ground of hope because the spirits of all the faithfull will be up in prayer All the Saints will then hasten to the mount and put in for your safetie as being of a common concernment They consider that their lives are bound up in the lives of their brethren The Apostle argues thus Heb. 13. ver 3. Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them that suffer adversity especially for the Gospel as being your selves also in the bodie This Chapter is called by a Divine The Chapter of Remembrances This is a good Memento a seasonable Item to particular believers Societies and Churches to remember before the Lord their Brethren that are in bonds as being bound wit◠〈◊〉 in regard of sympathy and fellow-feeling being members together of the same bodie as also in regard that the chain which is upon their brethren may suddenlie be fastened to their bodies when a scare-fire is begun in a Town every man will be readie with his bucket to quench it because he fears the fireing of his own house It was well said Tunc tua res agitur paries cum proximus ardet and will be well applyed by Believers when they foresee their own sufferings in their suffering brethren and labour to put a stop to that scare-fire as hearing these words falling from the lips of their dying brethren hodie mihi cras tibi that which is my portion to day will be thine to morrow if the Lord do not stay the rage of bloudie men a scare-fire seldome ends in the first house the Pestilence doth not often stay at the first family nor persecution end in the death of one Saint if the Lord chain not up those mad dogs they will break into the fold and make havock of the flock therefore the Saints that are in the bodie and so are lyable to the same persecutions will up and tugg hard with God for a suffering Believer and that upon the account of their own safetie Thus Acts 12.5 When Peter was kept in prison prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him the whole Church prayed and that without any intervals until they had gotten Peter loose And why so hard at work Oh it was of common concernment It stood them in hand to do it for Herod stretched forth his hand to vex-certain of the Church had killed James the brother of John with the sword and because he saw it pleased the Jews he proceeded to take Peter also and the Church knew not how soon the cup might be put into their hands and therefore they bestirr'd themselves to obtain Peters freedome There is alwaies a base spirit in Persecutours to gratifie the people Affliction as it seldome comes single so seldome to a single person Dorotheus relates that on the same day Mr. Trap. in loc on which Stephen the Protomartyr suffered by stoning two thousand other believers were put to death This then will quicken up to prayer and may comfort the Saints in their suffering estates that prayer is made of the whole Church unto God for them and that without ceasing which how prevalent it is many notable returns do witness Melanction was much comforted when he found certain women and children in a corner tugging hard by prayer for the reformation in Germany and sure were there more of this tugging in England reformation would speed better amongst us then it doth if men would cry more unto God and less against their Governours we might sooner hope to see an establishment and Religion in a better posture which the Lord in mercy grant and as the Jews cry for the temple aedifica aedifica aedifica cito citius citissime so do I that our eyes may see Jerusalem a quiet habitation
which would attract all men to wit multitudes of men and women to believe in him The Spirit being to be sent forth and the Gospel being to be universally preached after his death O then ye believing ones look unto this Jesus and look unto this joy which in some measure will be given in unto you by the attractiveness of your deaths to draw soules to Christ and settle this upon your hearts that though your bloud may be spilt as water upon the ground yet by the wise appointment of a gracious God it may be as seed instrumentally not meri-toriously for in this sense onely the bloud of Jesus is of life and grace to poor sinners and be not so streiten-ed in your bowels to the Lord Jesus or to your poor brethren as to deny an handfull of seed if called unto it to encrease the greatharvest I shall subjoin but one Consideration more namely 5. That t is an honorable advancement to be called out by Christ to suffer for him a vouchsafement of grace Magna est huâ—us verbi Emphasis ex quo intellimus omnia deberi gratuitae Dei Electioni and that in a way of speciall favour to die a Martyr a right Martyr The Apostles Acts 5. ver 41. rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in a way of grace they had this honour put upon them that they were reputed as persons worthy to wear an honourable scar in their flesh for Christ though they were onely scourged this made Paul and Silas so meray at midnight that they sung Psalmes probably of praise to God that they were counted worthy to be shut up in the inner prison and to have their feet made fast in the stocks for the testimony of Jesus Acts 16. v. 25. Hence he tells the Philippians Phil. 1. ver 29. to you it is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is a grant of grace of rich grace in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him though that be an high honour but also to suffer for his sake as if he had said the Lord hath granted you this honour that ye shall believe on him when as he leaves thousands of your acquaintance country-men yea Betters upon a worldly score in unbelief This is worth your acceptation our admiration this calls for full returnes of praise and thankfulness but this is not all that this grant of grace conferres by way of honour upon you for ye ye that are believers shall also be sufferers be Martyrs for Christ and sure the crown of Martyrdome is a glorius crown and every soul won over to God by a dying Martyr will be as an Orient pearl and precious Diamond in his crown of far more value then that Adamant found about Charles Duke of Burgundy slain by the Switzers at the battel of Nantz sold for twenty thousand Duckets and placed as it is said in the Popes tripple crown Oh what foretastes of glory what ravishments of soul have many of the blessed Martyrs had in their suffering for Christ Hold Lord stay thine hand I can bear no more like weak eyes that cannot bear too great a light and oh what thankfulness and joy of heart have many express'd Act. and Mon. Fol. 1553. It is the greatest promotion God gives in this world to suffer saies Father Latimer I thank God most heartily for this hour Mr. Glover wept for joy of his imprisonment God forgive me my unthankfulness for this great exceedingmercy that among so many thousands he chuseth me to be one in whom he will suffer Martyr â—tiam in catenâ— gaudet August Act. Mon. Fol. 136â— 1744 saies Mr. Bradford Martyr I am the unmeetest man for this high office that ever was appointed to it saies Mr. Sanders Such an honour is it saies John Carlisle Martyr as the greatest Angel in heaven is not permitted to have God forgive me my unthankfulness Oh then what the Apostle saies Heb. 12. ver 1. as the close and Epilogue of that Martyrology so say I Wherefore seing you are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets you and run with patience the race which is set before you Ye know not what times ye may be called unto what quaimes of fears may be upon your spirits and what temptations to self pitty from Sathan and the flesh may then seize upon you Therefore store up Provision afore hand lay up Promises lay up Presidences lay up Arguments and lay up these considerations by an unworthy hand offered unto you keep a fresh sense of former deliverances and improve them by way of comfort and support in persecuting times Argue with David Psal 9. ver 13. Have mercy on me O Lord consider my troubles which I suffer of them that hate me and probably in the cause of Religion thou that liftest me up from the gates of death ex praesentissimo en certissimo interitu from present and certain dangers which shewed me the grave gaping for me and therefore raise up your spirits and believingly say as vers 6 7 8 9. O thou enemy destructions are come to a perpetual end the date of thy commission against us is expired and shall never be renewed and thy destruction from the Lord is irrevocable and eternal but the Lord shall endure for ever vivit regnatque Christus Christ lives and raigns and shall judg the world in righteousness and will be a refuge for the oppressed a refuge in times of trouble Read and enlarge these and the following Verses in your own thoughts 3. Improve the consideration of temporal mercies by way of support under all your saddest and sorest temptations from the wicked one If the manchilde Christ Jesus in the spirit be formed in you and any actings of grace be brought forth by you the great red Dragon will wait to devour you He is your adversary an inveterate enemy he owes you an old grudg and will be revenged on the heel for the bruising of his head and that by your head It is his Interest to bestirre himself If Christ gaineth he looseth There 's a wedge loose with him when the word findes a welcome in a sinners heart There 's not a soul brought home to Christ but is fetch'd out of the Devils quarters not a convert gained but is wonne by Christ in a set battel Sathan sadly speaks those words of John the Baptist John 3. ver 30. he must increase but I must decrease The sea is in continual revolution when it is high water in one place its low water in some other so when it is high tide in such a nation country or town its low water with Sathan Christs gain is Sathans loss He knows how Christs and his own affairs go on in the world who gains and who looses and that his loss is Christs gain and therefore he tries all his tricks improves
your spirits when ye first heard the sound of the trumpet and the Alarum for war how terrible the sight of an Army with banners displayed was and how dreadfully the clashing of Armor sounded in your ears were not many of you like the men of Israel who followed Gideon Judg. 7.3 Who when proclamation was made in the Army Whosoever is fearful and afraid let him return early from mount Gilead there returned of the people twenty and two thousand would not such a lieence for a retreat have found acceptation with many of you did not you wish your selves in your shops again at your employments again did you not blame your selves for your rash and forward undertaking so dangerous a service and yet how did the Lord heighten your spirits how did he cloath you with valour and undaunted courage how did the spirit of the Lord come upon you as upon Savl 1 Sam. 11.6 What kindlings of anger and warlike indignation were in you as in Saul when he saw the designe of the Ammonites to thrust out the right eyes of your brethren and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel and how did the progress of the war declare both your skill and valour your enemies themselves being Judges Valiant men of the valiant of Israel expert in war marching and watching with your swords upon your things because of the fear in the night Can. 3.7 8. 3. Consider what Midiantish Armies for multitude ye have encountred with what numerous bodies have drawn up against you how the Nations round about have been called in against you How many Armies of men of different languages interests and Religions have been formed against you And yet the sword of the Lord and of Gideon hath broken them in pieces the Lord by you hath done unto them A unto the Midianites as to Sisera as to Jabin at the brook of Kison which perished at Endor and became as dung for the earth their nobles have been made like Oreb and like Zeeb and all their Princes like Zeba and as Zalmunnah who said let us take to our selves the houses of God in possession Psal 83.9 10 11 12. Nay how have ye with the sharp threshing instrument of the power and justice of the most high God thrashed the mountains and beat them small and made the hills as chaff How have ye fanned many of them how hath the winde carried them away and the whirlewinde scattered them Isa 41.15 16. How hath this been made good at home abroad by Land and by Sea that ye and we may rejoyce together and glory in the Holy one of Israel 4. Consider what personal perservations ye have had how the Lord hath covered your head in the day of Battail How many bullets have been guided by the hand of God to miss your bodies when they have flown like storms of hail about you how they have glided off your Armor and not torn your garments or rent your garments not rippled your skin or rased your skin not reach't your flesh or though your flesh hath been lashed yet your lives have been secured Oh consder the distinguishing providences that have been toward you sometimes a right hand man dropping down sometimes a left hand man sometimes a pistol hath been fired at your breasts and would not go off sometimes a sword hath been lift up to cleave your heads and the Lord hath stayed the hand as once he did Abrahams sometimes your horses have been slain under you and ye have been mounted again or made an escape on foot O let your personal deliverances be gathered up and recorded by you 5. Consider all those great things which the Lord hath wrought for you and by you in this and other Nations What fieges have been raised by you when the distresses of your brethren have been very sad as Glocester and other places What strong Towns and Cities have been carried by you as Colchester and other Forts and Cittadels What eminent battails have been fought and won by you what slangther hath been made in the Camps of your enemies with what unequal numbers have ye taken the field sometimes and at all times almost come off with far different loss How again and again Armies have been raised and those Armies have been routed forces levied and those forces have been levelled even with the ground the proudest and stoutest of them Moab-like have been trodden as straw for the dunghill How various how voluminous have the mercies of the Lord been to you that in all encounters ye have come off with the conquest at least the issue of the war proclaims you Conquerors so that the Lord hath made good that promise to you Josh 1.5 There shall not be any man able to stand before thee all the days of thy life Nay Chap. 2.10 The hearts of all your enemies have melted neither did there remain any more courage in any man because of you for the experience of many years and many wars hath proved the truth of that great promise Isa 54.15 Behold they shall surely gather together but not by me that all the gatherings together and musters of the enemy have been without the Lord for whosoever hath gathered together against you hath faln before you No weapon that hath been formed against you hath hitherto prospered this hath hitherto been your heritage and that it may be continued in mercy unto you and ye may be continued as a mercy to the land and to the Saints let me commend some few things unto you 1. Do not sacrifice to your nets nor burn incense to your own drags do not say your own sword and your own bow hath gotten you the victory and so shut out the King of Saints and his anointed ones from any share in your many victories Take heed of Elations and up liftings of spirit in ascribing too much to your own prowess and policy and so carry away the honor of the day from the Lord of Hosts it is much a fault in many who will not own God in you nor acknowledge you as a Battle-ax in the hands of the great God whereby he hath broken the enemy and dasht in pieces the powers of the world which hath stood up against the Lord and his people and it would be much your sin if ye should by a proud Monoply engross the glory of the work wholly to your selves if any thing of this nature hath been upon your spirits or faln unwarily from your lips let me bespeak you in the words of an excellent woman and think it not dishonour to be counselled by the mouth of a woman though Abimelech did to fall by the hand of a woman 1 Sam. 2.3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly let not arrogancy come forth of your mouth for the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed He that trieth the heart and weigheth the spirits will certainly weigh such carriages and finde them too light if souldiers say with Ajax I know