46 5. It is promised Mic. 4 7. That the Lord shall reigne over them in mount Zion and what followeth And thou ô Toure of the Flock vers 8. the strong hold of the Daughter of Zion unto thee shall it come even the first Dominion the Kingdome shall come to the Daughter of Ierusalem 5. Though it frequently come to passe that God's people are brought low and Enemies get the upper hand yet Zion's King liveth and therefore He will Assemble her that halteth and will gather her that is driven out and her that have been afflicted and make her that halteth a remnant her that was cast off a strong Nation Mica 4 6 7. Because He liveth His members must live also Seing the Churches Head is above the water she cannot drown Wherefore upon this very ground that Zions King liveth and reigneth His Church and People even while low and under the feet of Enemies may lift up their head in hop and be sure that their day of redemption draweth neer and they may conclude with the Church Esai 33 22. The Lord is our judge the Lord is our King He will save us Seing He is King He can command deliverance Psal. 44. 4. and work Salvation Psal. 74 12. Upon this ground David inferreth a Delivery and a Victory Psal. 10 v. 16. The Lord is King for ever and ever the heathen are perished out of his land Enemies will not be able to stand long in Immanuel's Land It is His work as King to deliver and defend His Subjects and they may be sure He will not deny Himself He will answere â—…is Title and Relation 6. When His people see that all their Strength is gone and that there is none shut up or left they are ready to conclude that all is gone But what cannot this King in Zion soon leavy an Army How easie is it for Him to speak to dry bones and make them armed men Ezek. 37. When mention was made of this Ruler in Israel whose goings forth were from of old and who should stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord His God Micah 5 4. It is added This man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our Land and when he shall trade in our Palaces then shall we raise against him Seven shepherds and eight Principal men and they shall waste the Land of Assyria with the sword and the Land of Nimrod in the entrance thereof Thus shall He deliver us from the Assyrian when he cometh into our Land and treadeth within our borders And the remnant of Iacob shall be among the Gentils in the midst of many people as a Lion among the beasts of the forest as the young Lion among the Flocks of sheep Thine hand shall be lift up upon thine Adversaries and all thine enemies shall be cut off vers 5 6 7 8 9. When His people are brought very low so that in all probability they shall not be able to raise up themselves then this King can help the business He can raise up an invincible army out of lame sick souldiers He can make Ierusalem a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone for all people Zech. 12 2 3. He can make the Governours of Iudah like on hearth of fire among the wood and like a toarch of fire in a sheaf and they shall devoure all the people round about on the right hand on the left ver 5. He can make Him that is feeble among them like David and the house of David as God as an Angel of the Lord before them v. 8. Out of Him cometh the corner out of Him cometh the nail out of him the battel bow and He can make them to be as mighty men which tread down as the mire of the street in the battel and He can strengthen the house of Iudah Zech 10 4 5 6. He can bend Iudah for himself and fill the bow with Ephraim raise up Zions sones against their Enemies Zech. 9 13 He can make poor worm Iacob a new sharp threshing Instrument having teeth and say to them thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small and shall make the hils as chaff c. Esai 41 14 15. 7. This Consideration speaketh dread and terrour unto Enemies for He is a King that is terrible to the Kings of the earth He maketh the Earth and the heavens to tremble the hils melt and quake before him what then can weak man do What will they be in the hands of the Almighty who shaketh Nations The Lord reigneth Let the earth tremble He sitteth between the Cherubims Let the earth be moved Psal. 99 1. At the wrath of this everlasting King the earth shall tremble and the Nations shall not be able to abide his Indignation Ier. 10 10. Where then shall His Enemies stand in the day of His Indignation We are oft afraid of the terrour of Enemies but saw we Him who is our King we would see that our Enemies had more cause to be afraid of Him who is clothed with Majestie there goeth a smoak out of his nostrils and fire out of His mouth devoureth and coals are kindled by it Psal. 18 vers 8. Read what followeth 8. When we are thinking on the Wit Skil and Activity of the Adversaries let us call to mind that our King is infinitly beyond them He searcheth the heart and tryeth the reines He knoweth the thoughts afar off He is privie to all the motions of Adversaries He knoweth when they march and when and where they halt Esai 10 28 29. See what is said of our King Esai 11 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of Wisdom Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and Might the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. Though the Adversaries should soon out-wit us yet they will not be able to out-wit Him who is our King for the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are in Him So that it is an easie business for Him to countermine all their Plots and Machinations He hath formed all their hearts and so He knoweth what is in their hearts Nothing can be hid from Him His very eye-lids try the Children of Men Psal. 11 4. Wherefore when we are at a non-plus and know not what to do this may comfort us and compose our Spirits our King knoweth very well how to carry on his own Contrivances glorious Projects So that when we are blinde we are to look to Him who knoweth what to do when we know not what to do and let Him alone with His own work 9. It is sad when the Children of God are wronged and cannot get faire Justice wickedness is to be seen in the place of judgment and iniquity in the place of righteousness Eccles. 3 v. 16. judgment is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off for truth
His end The King of Assyria had it in his heart to destroy and cut off Nations not a few But God had another end in raising him up to be a scourge and therefore suffered him not to do all he would Esai 10 6 7 12. Upon this ground it is that he debateth with his people in measure when he sendeth forth his rod and stayeth his rough winde in the day of his east winde Esai 27. 8. 5. The Season and time of the affliction and trial is likewise determined of the Lord which is another Circumstance sometime very considerable and weighty He hath determined the minute of time when it shall beginne and with what occasion it shall be trysted He determined the precise time when the Messiah should be cut off after threescore and two weeks Dan. 9 vers 26. 6. The Duration of the Trial is also determined by the unchangable decree of God to a day yea to an houre and a minute He decreed the length and duration of the affliction that was to come upon the posterity of Abraham four hundereth and thirtie Years Gen. 15 13. Exod. 12. vers 13. And at the end of these Years even the self same day it came to passe that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the Land of Egypt where these Years of servitude were to end So he determined seventy Years for the captivity of Iudah in Babylon Ier. 25 12. and 29 10. Dan. 9. vers 2. 7. He hath also determined who shall be the Instruments of the trouble He said he would hisse for the flie that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt and for the bee that is in the Land of Assyria Esai 7 18. He appointed the ruine of Iudah to be by the Babylonians or Caldeans He determined to raise evil against David out of his own house 2 Sam. 12 11. These particulars might have been further enlairged and confirmed but because I suppose the truth herein will not be denied or questioned by the Lords people it will be much more useful to speak a few things concerning the right use making of this Truth That there is a Decree past in heaven from all Eternity touching our Sufferings and all the Ingredients and Circumstances thereof concerning the manner and way of our troubles the time when and how long the Instruments by whom and all the other particulars considerable in the same all are fixed by a peremptour and unalterable Determination Now the faith and beleeving Consideration of this would still and calme the risings of our proud spirits and the insolent stirrings of our corruptions when the Affliction that is bitter and unpleasant to the flesh is lying on and make us patiently endure all and sweetly submit to all saying the will of the Lord be done Let him do what seemeth him good as good old Eli said when he heard the determination of the Lord concerning him and his family wherein were many sad and bitter ingredients as may beseen 1 Sam. 2. and 3. Chapters and goâ—…d is the â—…rd of the Lord as good Hezekiah said when he heard by Esaias that the Lord had determined that all that was in his house and all which his fathers had laid up in store untill that day should be carried to Babilon nothing should be left and of his sones that should issue from him which he should beget should they take away and should be Eunuchs in the palace of the King of Babylon Esai 39. vers 6 7 8. Whether 1. Our thoughts be troubled at the kind of the Cross or Affliction which is upon us so as we are ready to say had the Lord sent any other rod or affliction upon us than this wherewith we are exercised we could better have born it Had he visited me will one say with Poverty and not with Disgrace I could have born it and another had my affliction been any other than just what it is I could have comported with it but the consideration of this that God hath decreed that that even that same crosse should be thy cross and no other will make the Soul sit down and say seing the Lord hath from all eternity appointed and shapen-out this even this and none else for me I must bear it and submit to his will who is wiser than I am and seeth further than I do and knoweth what is good and best for me better than I my self do His holy will be done This is a grief and I must bear it saith Ieremiah Ch. 10 19. 2. If our heart be troubled and vexed at the Consideration and thoughts of the particular Ingredients in and Parts of our mixed and compounded cup of affliction whereof every one seemeth more bitter than another and we be saying we are compassed with evils on all hands trouble of Body is upon us and trouble of Mind also we are wrestling with paines inward and outward with poverty with disgrace with perils and hardships and all at once This will compose our spirits if we call to mind that God hath willed and decreed all this He thought good to have it so He hath ordered as a wise Physician all the Ingredients of our bitter cup and what have we to say against him Iob we know had many a bitter ingredient in his cup and this compesceth the tumultuatings of his spirit Iob 23 13 14. But he is in one mind who can turn him And what his soul desireth even that he doth For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me and many such things are with him As if he had said what He will do He will do none can turne him or make him change his mind He performeth what He hath appointed and decreed for me and He can do much more yet and what know I but he shall do much more against me than he hath done This did so far put him from quarrelling at what was done that he was troubled and afraid at the thoughts of the Majesty and Soveraignity of this great King who doth what he will and so might adde yet moe ingredients in his cup as long as he was left breathing and thereby make his case worse 3. If the thoughts of the exceeding great weight and measure of the Trouble vex us this may counter-work that and calme us if we should suppose that God doth not measure-out our calamitie by drachmes and unces but by pounds and ston weights and thereupon cry out that our Trouble is greater than we can bear and give way to sinful murmurings and complainings we should do well in that case to call this to mind That all the doses are weighed and appointed for us from eternity He hath measured every scruple or graine weight thereof and what he hath appointed for us we must have He knoweth best what dose or measure of such or such a simple and what weight or quantity of all together will worke best on our humors and this will helpe to calme our spirits knowing
that He hath determined all things according to infinite wisdom according to the Counsel of his own will and more than he hath appointed shall no man be able to inflict He leaveth not the measuring and weighing out of the ingredients of our calamitie unto men or enemies but himself doth it by an unalterable Decree that all the rage of Enemies can not change as to one ase or in the hundereth part of one drachme We hear what Christ said Ioh. 18 11. The cup which my father hath given me shall I not drink it It is true when the dregs of this cup wherein was the Curse was presented to him his holy humane Nature in a sinless manner scunnered at it Mat. 26 39. If it be possible let this cup passe from me Yet as sweetly acquiescing in the Lord's Determination he addeth Nevertheless not my will but thy will be done And againe Vers. 42. O father if this cup may not passe away from me except I drink it thy will be done Bitter and sharpe was this cup even to the highest degree yet he viewed the will of God appointing that he should drink it and calmly submitted and said not as I will but as thou wilt 4. It is true the Consideration of the season in which we are exercised and trysted with such a trouble may adde griefe to our sorrow and we may say in our vexation had this Trouble come upon us at any other time we could have better comâ—…orted therewith had it either come sooner or later we had been more able to have born it but as it is come precisely at such a nick of time it becometh a double burden unto us Yet it will help to calme us and compesce our turbulent spirits to remember that He who knoweth all seasons and all times hath chosen this and no other for the particular season wherein we shall meet with such trials and it could be no otherwise than he hath willed the trials behoved to come at that very nick and minute and no other an ancient Determination passed thereupon and no power under heaven could alter it no not for one houre or minute 5. When our thoughts are busied about the Duration of the Trouble this Consideration of a Divine determination past also thereupon will contribute to our setling We are ready to cry out when afflictions lye heavy upon our loines oh will they ever come to an end shall we never be redeemed herefrom Shall we never see a good day again And we are ready to conclude that our hopes are perished and we are cut off for our parts as Hezekiah said when trouble lay upon him Esai 38 10 11 12 13. I said in the cutting off of my daies I shall go to the gates of the grave I am deprived of the residue of mine years I said I shall not see the Lord the Lord in the Land of the living I shall behold man no more with the Inhabitants of the world mine age is departed and is removed from me as a shepherds Tent. He will cut me off with pining sickness from day even to night will thou make an end of me I reckoned till morning that as a lion so will he break all mâ—… bones from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me The affliction through the distemper of our spirits raiseth such a mist before our eyes that we can not see thorow the dark face of the dispensation How oft do we limite the holy one of Israel and say if he come not before such a moneth or such an year we may conclude that he will not come at all and so need waite for him no longer and the oftener that our foolishly set prefixed Periods go over the storme continueth or groweth our fainting despondence groweth especially when we consider the evil disposition rage and cruelty of Enemies and see how their strength groweth and providence seemeth to smile upon them But now the faith of this that He who hath set bounds to the raging of the sea saying hithertil shalt thou come and no further hath also bounded and limited the time how long such a Calamity or Triâ—…l shall endure will sedate our mindes and keep us calme and free of that discomposure of Spirit that the thoughts of the restless Malice incessant Rage and cruel Hatred of the Enemies will and do usually cause for do they what they can God will observe the Periods prefixed by himself his thoughts take place in all generations And when our hearts are disquieted at the thoughts of the long continuance of the Affliction the calling of this to remembrance That the only wise God hath determined all the houres and minutes of its continuance for his own holy ends will prompt us to say we cannot strive against the Almighty Let us therefore waite His time in patience all our strugling will but perplex our selves the more and all our endeavours to get free will but contribute to our further entanglement we shall not be able do what we can to Anticipate his day and therefore it is best for us to minde the duty of the day and lay aside all thoughts of using any unlawful meanes for our outgate and waite in patience untill his good time come 6. As also the thoughts of the Instruments of our trouble and calamity may sadly affect us as we see it did David Psal. 55 vers 12 13 14. It was not an Enemie that reproached me then I could have born it â—…either was it he that hated me that did magnifie himself against me then I could have hid my self from him But thou a man mine equal or a man according to my rank my guide and mine acquaintance We took sweet Counsel together and walked unto the house of God in company See Ps. 41 9. So many upon this account may say If my trouble were brought unto me by any other hands and instruments I could comport the better with it but when it is caused by such an one my neer Relation mine obliged friend of whom I least expected any such thing and unto whom I could have yeelded up my self and all I had how heavy must it needs be unto me But the Consideration of this That so it hath seemed good unto the only wise God and Supreame Soveraigne may and should and when rightly beleeved and improven will cause us lay our hand upon our mouth and say The good will of the Lord be done Hath he determined that such an one and not another shall occasione all my griefe and sorrow shall be instrumentall in all my Calamities good is the will of the Lord though I would think that if I were persecuted and troubled by others it would be better and I could bear it better yet seing Infinite wisdome hath determined this circumstance of my calamity why should not I acquiesce Thus we see how this Consideration rightly improven and duely beleeved will help such as are under Affliction Trouble or