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
tinctured with a deep sense of that darkness which was upon you when day first broke upon your souls what desperate courses you were engaged in and out of what company the Lord pluckt you with whom ye were folded as thornes before conversion own the conduct of that providence whereby you have been led from Beth-haven to Beth-El from profane places and societies into such families such fellowships and Congregations where Religion has been owned family-duties carefully observed Sabbath-strictnes advanced the Word spiritually dispensed and holiness has been contended for whereby a saveving change has been brought forth in you or you have been more built up in faith and holiness Let the consideration of what you are compared with what you have been be much upon your spirits that you may with thankfulness adore the riches of that mercy by which you have been differenced as to present grace and hope of future glory from the profane world 3. Keep up your first love to Christ and your first hatred to sin Yonge converts have usually strong affections Those sinnes which have been Peccata in deliciis which have had most of the heart are most upon the conscience most in the confession most in the holy mournings and are most the abhorency of new Converts Again such is their sense of differencing mercy that they are all Love to God and all Zeal for his glory Apoc. 2.2 3. Mihi sane Auxentius nunquam aliud quam diabolus erit quia Arrianus Hilar. you may read this in the gallantrie of the Ephesians spirit I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil either passions in thy soul or persons in thy society c. a high strain of Love the stream must needs be strong that turns all these wheeles it argues a great force of affection to draw out the soul into all these noble actings for Christ but as a well-kindled fire abates in heat and light as the fuel wastes or as a passionate lover remits of that violent affection when the person beloved has been some time enjoyed So it fareth with these Ephesian Christians they left their first love the love of their Espousals and so became Aphesis â— Mr. Trap. n loc remiss and careless possest with a spirit of sloth and indevotion O let not this charg be drawn up against us that the candlestick may not be remooved from us What attempts have been made to un-church un-sabboth and un-gospel us and how signally the Lord has appeared for us you know O remember that strength of zeal that warmth of spirit that height of love to God his truth waies and people those sighings prayings fastings fightings c. that were amongst us when the yoak was loosned from our necks and when a doore was first opened unto us for Religion and Reformation in the long Parliament Labour therefore to keep up your first abhorency of sin and your first affection to Jesus Christ 4. Cherish an high esteem of Gospel-ordinances Remember how pretious the word was then unto you when visions were scarce how you blessed God for it and rejoyced in it when you ran to and fro to find it how your feet stood in the house of the Lord and you flew as Doves to their windows swiftly and in flocks when Pulpits began to be filled with zealous spiritual and conscientious Preachers O let not this Manna lose any of it's sweetness upon your tastes now that you have it in so much peace and plenty Bread if wanting is called for though the table be heaped with dishes The word is bread to all creature-comforts 't is that which makes them noble and nourishing O then be often in the galleries with the King Cant. 7.5 drink deep of his spiced wine feed freely of those dainties which are prepared and served out by the Eternal Spirit When you here a Sermon-bell think you hear a voice from heaven calling you in the words of Divine Herbert Come hither all whose taste Is your waste Save your cost and mend your fare God is here prepar'd and drest And the feast God in whom all dainties are You know and lament the negligence of some and the wantonness of others thin Congregations and empty seats is not the complaint of a simple Minister 1 Pet. 2.2 Still desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby Do not wean your selves from the breast whilst you are in a growing estate and never think you are past growth Ephes 4 13. until you be come to a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ which state of perfection Scripture and your own experience duly consulted with will tell you is not attainable on this side Heaven 5. Maintain an evangelical brotherly love amongst your selves Love is the greate Gospel Soder and Cement a characteristical note of Christ's Disciples without which the highest pretence to piety and profession is under censure by the Holy Ghost Iac. 3.14 15 16. O how did Christians cling together in times of trouble What friendly entertainment did Saints find in the hearts and houses each of other when they were forced from their dwellings by an enraged enemy how did the old Primitive and puritane love begin to spring up and flourish in England And now that we have no enemy to quarrel with will you needs quarrel one with another What an unsuitable return is this unto the God of Peace for his astonishing mercies and preservations Ah friends well may the Lord take this ill from his people after such notable deliverances as ours have been it was a good wish of an Heathen Vtinam inimicitiae mortales Livye amicitiae immortales essent and I wish the same that your friendships were immortal your enmites mortal that your dissentions like to Jonas his Gourd might die at the root in one night and that Brotherly love might continue as a Teyle-tree and as an Oake whose substance is in them 1 Ioh. 3.14 vers 18. O then preserve this evidence for heaven un-blurred in your souls that you may know you are passed from death unto life because you love the Brethren let love be without dissimulation love not in word and in tongue onely but in deed and in truth it is easy to make them two who were never truly one to make them foes who were never truly friends to keep them oft from being one bread who were never one body And in case of difference leave your gift at the Altar not leave the Altar that 's not the mind of Christ and goe and reconcile your selves There is a memorable story of Aristippus an Heathen who went of his own accord to Aeschines his enemy saying shall we not be reconciled until we become a Table-talk to all the Country To whom Aeschines replied that he would gladly be at peace with him remember therefore said Aristippus that although I am the elder
it how good is a word of comfort spoken to a drooping soul in a day of mourning How good is a word of peace spoken by the Lord to a wounded spirit and then when its wounds are fresh and bleeding can any heart but the heart of Experiences conceive what healings those words of Christ brought to the poor woman Luke 7. v. 48. thy sinnes are forgiven thee being spake at that season when her heart was poured out under a deep sence of sinne Who can calculate what revivings of spirit the saint-thief felt from that seasonable Promise To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luke 23. ver 43. being so rightly timed even in ipso articulo mortis in the very moment before his death and when his conscience was both awakened and wounded with sinne Oh! surely the timeing of love doth marvellously add to the beauty of it and when is it so seasonable as in a day of distress A cup of cold water with one morsel of bread given to a weary and thirsty Traveller is more then a full meal at another time How pleasantly did Iael's milk relish upon Siserah's pallate when he was thirsty Judg. 4 vers 19. A small piece of silver given to a poor man when he wanteth to buy bread for his family is more then a great sum given at a time when his cupboard is full of bread Abrother is born for adversity and sure kindness shewed to a brother in a day of adversity speaketh up love with the loudest accents Now God reserveth his paternal love to such a time and then he unbosometh himself unto his people and at such a time his people read the love of God in the most legible Characters some drops of love taste sweeter then and are owned more then full draughts of love at another time Good Asaph experienced and acknowledged this Psal 73. vers 25 26. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee None in heaven none on earth No God is above all in this good mans esteem How cometh it to pass that God hath such a glorious high throne in Asaphs heart Oh saith he there is good reason for it and you will say so too when you know what love and good will God hath shewed unto me Oh! I was in such a sinking and dispairing condition That my flesh and my heart failed me heart and hope and help and all were gone I but then The Lord was the strength of my heart my heart stayed upon God as upon a firm rock the Lord was unto me as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land and he is my portion for ever he hath put in security for my everlasting safety Oh behold what manner of love is this and therefore he draweth up this conclusion It is good for me to draw nigh to God to rowle upon God in all my streights These appearances of God do make his love so visible and glorious that Angels and men may read it and say Behold how he loveth them Reason 4 4. Again God doth hereby more engage his people unto him he maketh them more his own getteth into their very hearts and setteth up his royal standard there There is nothing layeth stronger engagements upon an ingenious person then friendship in a day of adversity Jonathans interposures for David when Saul hunted for his life were so powerful upon Davids spirit that he wanted ways and words to express his sense of them his heart like a vessel of new wine sought for vent even when Jonathan was dead 2 Sam. 9.1 He putteth the question or rather maketh general proclamation Is their yet any left of the house of Saul What Is David afraid of a Corrival in the Kingdom Would he cut of the whole family of Saul to secure the crown upon his own head No this is not the ground of his enquiring but That I may shew him kindness not a word of revenge notwithstanding the haâ—red and hostility of Saul their father But why kindness Why he explaineth himself For Jonathan sake and again he reneweth his â—nquiry vers 3. To which Ziba replieth Jonathan hath yeâ—â—â— son who is lame of his feet A son of Jonathan that 's well but he is lame yea lame of his feet and so serviceable neither in Court nor Campe fit neither to stand before a Prince nor to march in the head of an Army No matter I will shew the kindness of God unto him and vers 7. when the lame son of Jâ—nathan is brought David said unto him Fear not it seemeth the remembrance of Sauls cruelty caused a trembling upon his Grand-sons spirit therefore David meets him with a cordial at the very door Fear not for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy fathers sake Oh! Jonathan was my friend a dear friend he hazarded his own life to save mine and therefore I am obliged to shew kindness to him even in his posterity in like manner the hearts of Gods people are drawn out unto him under the sence of great deliverances See how Moses and Israel were up in their spirits unto the Lord when they were now brought off from Egypt and beheld their cruel Taskmasters quackened in the red Sea Exod. 15. ver 2. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song c. The Lord is my strength and my song and he is become my salvation What then Oh! He is my God and I will prepare him an habitation God shall keep house in my heart there shall be the dwelling place of the Lord even of that God who is become my salvation and thus Psal 116. vers 1. I love the Lord my heart flameth out with hot affection to the Lord and why for vers 8. Thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling There 's nothing hears and heightens like unto a lively sense of the mercies of God in a day of distress The Saints are much wanting to themselves and more unto God in the neglect of this did we do this more God would have more of our hearts and hands too then he hath the love of Christ would constrain if we did often read over the stoâ—ry of it writ in his own blood Reason 5 Lastly The Lord cometh in seasonably and fully to his peoples relief in the day of their distress That he might blast the hope of their enemies and give their expectation the lye when they look for the down fall of Zion when adversity knocketh at the Saints door yea breaketh in forceably upon them then is the time come that the wicked looked for the day that they have longed after for surely the Serpents seed are true to their own principles they do really desire that the name of Israel was blotted out Cooperite cooperite diruite eximis sabvertite fundamentis Buchan and that their remembrance might perish from off the earth This was the language of Edom in the
of our own coat and many of our own charge would have helped forward our calamity But now through the appearances of a good God those storms of blood and war are scattered peace is restored and we enjoy as large a share as any in the safety and tranquility of the Nation 2. Consider what restraints were upon us as to the exercise of our gifts and callings few though persons eminent in grace and learning that would not pronounce the Shiboleth of the times had any opportunity to preach with any encouraging maintenance in preaching and those that had how were they confined as to doctrines and matter of preaching bound up as to days and limited as to times to wit a Sermon hour which they must not under penalty exceed But now that Monopoly is taken off those boundaries broken down and a great door and effectual is open to us we have Pulpets of our own and the liberty not onely of our own but of others also we have the freedom of Sabbaths and also may without the check of authority do the work of a Sabbath on every week day every day may be a Lords day a day of the son of man to us who amongst us have received a check from the Rulers for preaching too often and too much if the matter delivered was not offensive upon a Civil account which doubtless would have been owned as a singular mercy by those worthies of the Lord who have gone before us 3. Consider what yoaks have been put upon our necks what impositions upon our conscierces what innovations and offensive ceremonies have been obtruded upâ—n us How many godly Ministers have been courted silenced suspended ejected exiled not because their principles were vitious their lives scandalous or their doctrines erroneous not because they could not preach as being ignorant or because they would not preach as being negligent but because they would not kiss the Calves and submit to that which was then called Uniformity and that in every punctilio and ceremony How many choice Divines have had great reasonings within their own spirits and much arguing one with another whether they should yield to all imposed ceremonies to gain an opportunity to honour God in the course of their Ministery or else quit their places and people yea the nation also rather then dishonour God My reverend Grandfather Mr. Whiting late Minister of Etton in Northamptow shire being one and burden their own consciences with them How many did choose rather to be put out of their livings then to put on their Surpliss and how did some choose rather a voluntary exile even into America rather then conform to innovated superstitions but now the Church is swept and all that trash is carried out of the doors and nothing now in sacris imposed which is not agreeable to Scripture truth and pattern So that if our spirits be wounded they are from the sence of our own sins or from differences among our equals not from the smart of imposed Ceremonies from Superiors 4. Consider what opposition we met withal in the years that are past by men of carnal spirits and principles even in our own places when we have reproved their wickedness and contested against their adored vanities How have many godly Ministers beenslighted by the prophane Rabble rebuking their Sabbath-breaking when they could plead the book of liberty and the Royal Sanction Nay how many have been secretly traduced and openly reproached by men of our own profession how have they poisoned the mindes of our hearers and have laboured to pull down what we have built up or build their own hay and stubble as superstructures on that foundation which we have laid How have they branded us with names of infamy that so they might losen the affections of our people from our persons and their regards from our Ministry How sad have the complaints of some been for want of a good neighbor-hood Good Ministers were thin in most places for one faithful honest painful and conscientions Minister ten yea twenty bad enough might be found in every County But now though some of our people are the same in spirits and principles yet are they far more tame and quiet under reproof though they run away like wild horses with the Bit in their mouthes yet they do not cast their Riders and where the stream is stopt in its wonted course yet it silently recurs without swelling over or breaking down the banks Bryars and thorns may now be touched without an iron Gauntlet and we dwell safely though among Scorpions Ezek. 2.6 Wickedness hath no establishment now by a law but meets with the check and frowns of Authority in all the kinds of it And now for one bad one we have five yea ten good neighbors yea many Counties being now planted yea filled with godly Ministers so that was it not for our private differences and those unhappy Animosities which they kindle amongst us what sweet communion might we maintain How might we improve our Lecture-meetings to peace and union And how free might we be in asking and advising one another The Lord heal those Paroxismes of pride and passion which cause Paul and Barnabas to break company even for a John Mark Act. 15.39 5. Consider what small allowance some of us have had when we served as stipoudiaries under Prelatical Ministers out of two or three hundred pound per annum searce twenty would be allowed us by some as wages for all the work haud ignota refero The Hebrews have a Proverb Bos debet edere ex tritura sua the Ox should eat of the corn he treadeth out But now adays by slight or might they so muzzle the labouring Ox that they make an Ass of him says one in many places they allow him nothing but straw for treading out the corn and so much straw as themselves please saith another did not men deal with those faithful Ministers as those Greâ—ians did with their servants that put an Engine about their necks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which reached down to their hands that they might not so much as lick of the meal when they were sifting it It was long since complained of Dr. Stoughton That many dealt with their Ministers as Carriers do by their Horses they lay heavy burthen upon them and then hang bells about their necks So they require hard work and onely give them good words But now the Lord hath prepared a table before us in the midst of our enemies and caused our cup to overflow Psal 23.5 The whole land is before us and the Lord hath made us to dwell in the best of the land many of us Gen. 47.6 which is envied by many and is much the ball of contention But though I own the goodness of the Lord in that plentiful provision which his bounty hath now made for us and conclude the Apostles assertion to be Gospel and Authentick 1 Cor. 9.7 Who goeth a warfare onely at his own charge
Eliphaz Job 5. ver 18. He maketh sore and bindeth up he wonndeth and his hands make whole and go sing good Hezekiahs song to the stringed instruments all the dayes of your life in the house of the Lord Isa 38. ver 20. II. Make good your sick-bed thoughts and purposes what you intended when sick be intent upon now well what you then purposed now practise sick people usually have the best minds but the worst memories when they are under an arrest from the Lord and brought within sight of the Prison then conscience is awakened then their debts to God lie heavy upon their spirits then their thoughts are how to make even with God and fly to their surety then if mercy will but put in Bail for them if God will but spare them a little before they go hence and be no more if he will but have patience they will pay him all No Saint under heaven can promise fairer and further then they what they will do and what they will be if the Lord restore them to health Luke 11. ver 24. The unclean spirit often goeth out upon a sick-bed there is a cessation from sin that work goes not on then but alas sad experience hath let us see too often that words are but winde and all the sick-bed resolutions vanish into air the unclean spirit returns when restored to health and finds the heart swept and garnished then goeth he and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked then himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last estate of that man is worse then the first As health comes on Religion goes off and they forget the vows of the Lord that were upon them Indeed it fares thus very often with the Saints themselves what a vow did Jacob bring his soul under when in distresse Gen. 28. ver 20 21 22. Mr. Calamy Con. in Psal 119.92 I knew a man who in the time of his sickness was so terrified in his conscience for sin that he made the very bed to shake upon which he lay and cried out all night long I am damned I am damned and made many and great protestations of amendment of life but became as wicked as ever yet this good man made slow haste to perform it until God was fain to jog him and be as a faithful remembrancer unto him Gen. 35. ver 1 2 3. then and not till then did Jacob purge his family and go up to Bethel to perform his vow which computing the time was about seven and twenty years after he made it good Hezekiah fell into this distemper also you shall hear how his spirit was up in thankfulness to God Isa 38. ver 19. The living the living they shall praise thee as I do this day the father to the children shall make known thy truth that is I will perpetuate the memoriall of this mercy by handing down the knowledge thereof to my children yea my command shall be upon them as a speciall charge in my last will that they shall give God the glory of my recovery good words spoken and probably from a reall intention at that time But alas the sence of this great mercy was but an Ephimera it soon wore off 2 Chron. 32. ver 25. Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him for the recovery was signal attended with many remarkable circumstances as 1. The sentence of death was reversed which was passed in foro externo for God had sent him a speciall message by the hand of Isaiah to set his house in order for saith he thou shalt die and not live chap. 38. Object But did not the Prophet speak his own apprehensions onely considering the mortality of that disease which had seized upon him Sol. No he prefaceth his message with Thus saith the Lord and 't is certain he knew the Lords mind concerning him at least so much as was then revealed there being not any person then alive who was Consiliarius è secretioribus to the most high God more then Isaiah was and who knew more of the councels of Heaven witnesse his glorious and Evangelicall promises and Predictions 2. The reversall of the sentence of death was the single return and procurement of his own prayers and tears for ver 5. The Lord gives a second command to the Prophet to go to Hezekiah and deliver this message from him Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy father I have heard thy prayers I have seen thy tears so that as Hannah said of Samuel her son 1 Sam. 1. ver 27. For this child I prayed and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him The same might Hezekiah for my life I prayed and wept and the Lord hath given me my petition Nay the Lord makes a large addition to his life Psal 21.4 he asked life and the Lord gave him length of days the life of man twice told in our ordinary law compute even fifteen years which did very much accent the Lords mercy seeing Hezekiah was so exceeding earnest for life having then no Son to succed in the throne and the affairs of Church and state being very unsetled 4. This also gave a great Emphasis to the mercy in that he had such a suddain return to his prayer The Lord did not make him wait long for answer thereby tormenting his spirit with perplexing fears but before the Prophet was gone out into the middle Court 2 Kin. 20.4 the word of the Lord came unto him the Lord met him and sent him back with a message of life to Hezekiah Oh t is matter of great comfort to have a quick dispatch of business especially in things relating to life and death 5. Yet further the immediate appearance of power from the Lord in effecting the cure doth marvailously greaten the mercy that Hezekiah should be visited with so sharpe a distemper Leigh Crit. Sac. probably the plague of pestilence for Shechen signifies an hot ulcer boil or push and may refer to a Plague sore also however the disease in it self was mortal and that so slight an application as a plaister of figs should perfect his recovery and that suddainly within three dayes 2 King 20.5 whereas we finde lighter distempers are long in carrying off where able Physitians are consulted with and all means attempted 6. And then that the great God should work a miracle in heaven to confirm his faith in the certainty of the cure that he should command the Sun to a retrograde motion to go back ten degrees not onely the shadow upon the dyal of Ahaz for that had not been so visible and universal but the body of the Sun in the heaven for so t is Isa 38.8 So the Sun turned ten degrees by which degrees it was gone down Dr. Richardson in loc whereby that day became ten hours longer then otherwise it should have been allowing half an hour for a degree and the motion of the Sun regular
exhortation to the Redeemed of the Lord to mention with thanksgiving the great things wrought by a great God for them Oh! bless our God ye people concerned in these mercies let your hearts silently breath forth his praises let your meditations be much and often taken up with thoughts of Gods goodness which is more I fear then most of us do but stay not here do not make this as the land-mark and boundary of your duty but make the voyce of his praise to be heard let it have an Eccho in the world by communicating and speaking over what and how deliverance came from the Lord unto you 3. He layes down the reason of this call to praise vers 9. because he holdeth our soul in life or puts our souls into life alas when a day of distress was upon us our hearts did even sinke within us life was gone joy was gone hope was gone and heart was gone too in some persons There is a strange recess and retirement of the soul under great and sudden calamities it lyes close like a poor debtor within doors the blood and spirits retire little of activity appears nay some in sudden surprizals have even dyed away into swooning through fear It was thus with Saul though a valiant Prince when he heard what evill was coming upon him 1 Sam. 28. vers 20. He fell streightway all along upon the earth and there was no strength in him And whence was this swouning fit why from fear he was fore afraid and why was he afraid because of the words of the Witches 2 Sam. 28.20 This was old Elies case when tidings were brought unto him that the Army of Israel was routed Hophni and Phinehas slain and the Ark of God taken 1 Sam. 4. vers 17 18. He fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate and his neck brake and he dyed I but here the Prophet saith God holdeth our souls in life or lives Be-chaiim and suffereth not our feet to be moved gives us a sure foot-hold and safe standing in our present peace and well-fare 4. He mentions the distress that were upon them in the nature and in the kind of them vers 10.11 Thou O God hast tryed us as silver is tryed How is that why in the fornace of affliction thou broughtest us into the net Thou layedst affliction upon our loins thou hast caused men to ride over our heads we went through fire and through water How fully doth the carriages of former times paraphrase upon these verses How have the sufferings of many Saints ran parallel with these expressions but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place well-watered as the word implies a place of springs and rivers by which he means a prosperous estate in that full plenty and security which he with the Church then enjoyed And therefore vers 13 14. He speaks his sence of these mercies and the resolvedness of his spirit to act in thankfulness suitable to these engagements 5. I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings and will pay thee my vows which I promised with my lips and spake with my mâ—uth when I was in trouble A good resolution of a gallant man Oh! that such a spirit in the power of it was upon us Did not I Did not others Did not Magistrates Did not Ministers protect promise covenant in the day of our distress Have we paid our vows Have we performed our promises The Lord help us to see and to humble our selves much before the Lord for our violations of promises and protestations both to God and man 6. He stands upon the mount of God and by way of proclamation calls in all the people of God that they may hear the stories of Gods mercies unto himself when he had mentioned the great things God had done for his Church he comes down to a particular narrative of what God had done for himself vers 16. Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will tell you what God hath done for my soul Le-myrheshi which word being of a doubtful signification and used for both soul and life in reference to things of a temporal and spiritual concernment we need not confine it to either 1. Ye have the holy summons Come a word of much use both in a good and in a bad sence there is in Scripture mentioned a religious come and a rebellious come the Saints have their come and the wicked have their come there 's too much of the last come in our days and too little of the first if there was more communion this come would be more used 2. The persons to whom the summon is directed exprest 1. By a particular Character they are such as fear God 2. By a note of universality they are all that fear God onely they that fear God and all they that fear God are summoned 3. Ye have the matter of the summons or the end wherefore the summons is sent forth and that is that he might in the audience of them all make a full and true report of what the great God hath done for his soul So that the words hold forth a double duty 1. To consider the mercies of God 2. To communicate the mercies of God You may see from hence That it is a duty by way of special incumbency upon the Lords people to commemmorate themselves and to communicate to others the vouchsafements of grace and mercy which they have had from the Lord as to fix the sense and remembrance of mercies received upon their own hearts so to give their hearts vent like full vessels in frequent mentioning their preservations unto others it is a commendable practice there is much of God in it It hath the seal of the best men it hath much in it that speaks men to be good and that makes good men much the better See the practice of the Lords people Psa 78.3 4. Which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us we will not hide them from their children shewing to the generation to come or as some translation reads it But to the generation to come we will shew the praâ—ses of the Lord his power also and the wonderful works that he hath done parallel to this is that Isa 63.7 I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord and the promises of the Lord according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us and the great goodness to the house of Israel Memorare faciam Azkir I will improve my care and interest that the mercies of the Lord may be kept up in the minds and memories of his people so the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.8 9 10. We would not brethren have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia that we were pressed out of measure above our strength insomuch that we dispaired even of life But we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raised the dead who delivered us
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
indeed But if thou beest in a state of Atheism and open prophaneness or notwithstanding thy carnal Gospelling or formal profession thy heart smites thee thy conscience condemns thee and thy daily practice bears witness against thee and all together tell thee to thy face that thou art not in a state of grace thou art not interested in the blood of Jesus and that Christ is not in thee the hope of glory Oh let these thoughts be often upon thy heart I have been sometimes in a way of mercy saved from drowning in the water Ah but what will this avail me If my foolish and hurtful lusts do after drown me in destruction and perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 I have been by a hand of mercy pluckt out of Sodoms burnings but ah what comfort will this administer if I be cast into everlasting burnings I have been fetcht by a signal mercy from a deep and dark dungeon but ah what will this advantage me If I be thrown into the bottomless pit I have been antidoted from the raging pestilence but ah How can I rejoyce in that If the plagve of my heart be not cured and so the second death have power over me what contentment can I take in all my former deliverances If I be delivered up to eternal wrath Let such thoughts prevail with thee and improve thy present deliverances as warnings and awakenings from the Lord to provide for thy eternal safety The Lord Jesus preached very often upon this subject to those that he cured Behold thou art made whole sin no more least a worse thing happen unto thee Oh the worm that never dyeth and the fire that never goeth out will be far worse then all the miseries that thou hast suffered here this is much the fin of many they do not heed the outgoings of God nor consider the hand of the Lord that hath been upon them or for them in a day of distress the sence of great deliverances soon wear off and so the fruit of all is lost but if men would often say had not the Lord helped us the sea had swallowed us up and if we go on in these courses it will not be long before hell swallow us up had not the Lord procured my enlargement I had rotted in a noisom prison and if I walk on in these ways of sin I shall be certainly thrown into that prison out of which I shall not come untill I have paid the utmost farthing certainly if such considerations were more upon our spirits there would not be that Atheism dissolutness and profaneness amongst the worst nor that luke-warmness formality and deadness of spirit amongst the best as there is Sabbaths would be more duly observed ordinances more carefully attended on the season of grace more prized the messengers of grace more honoured the ways of grace more walked in and men would minde the great business of salvation in more good earnest then the most men do Oh then try this course and improve this councel least after all thy temporal deliverances eternal wrath may be thy portion 2. If upon due tryal thou findest a work of grace wrought in thy soul Christ formed in thy heart put it to the question how and when was this good work begun in my soul in temporal dangers and deliverances men are apt to speak what hazards of life they have been in what days of distress have been upon them and aggravate all by relating the circumstances of time place company c. and then how and by what means the Lord brought them off above and beyond expectation when they least looked for it and had least ground to hope after it Oh what stories will some men tell of this nature how will they delight in it and account it their honor to do it O follow then this pattern in a spiritual way discourse over and often the passages of Gods mercy and thine own misery what thou wast how vain how ignorant what an enemy to God what a hater of good men what a despiser of the means of grace and how regardless of thine own eternal peace and welfare so that if the twine thread of thy life had been cut when thou wast in that estate thou hadst certainly dropt into hell and perished without all hope of recovery and that then when no eye pittied thee nor thou thy self when thou didst not look after Christ but braved it out against God and all Gospel tenders then even then the Lord came in graciously and seasonably unto thee And according to his mercy saved thee by the washing of regeneration and renewings of the holy Ghost which he shed on thee abundantly by Jesus Christ thy Saviour Saint Paul was much in the review of what he had been and done and in owning and admiring free grace He is not ashamed to tell the world what he was before conversion when and how the Lord came upon him and wrought that blessed change in him And indeed some ancient Christians tread in the Apostles steps and still retain this practice sure 't was well if it was more done provided it was well done not out of pride and vain glory but in humility and lowliness of minde that God alone may be acknowledged and adored for his rich grace and others may reap fruit by it to their comfort establishment and support but I do not lay this down as the general duty of all under profession I know there be some who play the hypocrites in Religion and these out of meer pride and ostenration that they might get a name and repute among believers and be counted somebody would be forward enough in this work speaking lies in hypocrisie and pretending to great things which they never expe rienced like that Amalekite 2 Sam. 1.6 7 8 9. who told David a fair tale how he stood upon Saul and slew him and took the crown that was upon his head and the bracelet that was upon his arm c. and all this that he might win credit with David and gain his favour by slaying his enemy who stood betwixt him and the crown when as the whole story was false this would be the case of some false-hearted hypocrites Again some of the servants of the Lord who are real converts would be at a loss within themselves not being able to give an account when and how the Lord first wrought upon them who can onely say with the blind man Joh. 9.25 This one thing I know that whereas I was born blinde I now do see the work of grace upon the hearts of some as to the quando and quomodo time and manner is undiscernable by them The Lord spiritualizeth their morals sanctifies their principles of education and drops down his spirit upon the seed and his blessing upon the off-spring so that they spring up as among the grass as Spring Flowers which lye buried under ground the Winter season and sprout forth as the year ariseth Isa 44.3 4. To this the Lord
have been dwarfed in their growth dwindled in their fruit and decayed in their sent How was it with the Church Can. 2. ver 3 4.5 Like the apple tree among the trees of the foreest so is my well beloved among thâ—sons of men Isate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet unto my taste At what a rate in this verse and some following verses doth she speak forth the praises and preciousnesse of the Lord Jesus expressing her delight complacency and acquiescence in him and the ardency and strength of her holy affections towards him again chap. 3. ver 1 2 3 4. How earnestly and instantly did she seek the Lord Jesus in his withdrawings from her How hastily did she get out of her bed and trudge to Jerusalem where the Temple Priests and ordinances were to find her beloved Jesus and how did she lay hold upon him and cling unto him clasp him with the embraces of faith and love and would not part with him untill she had her desires fulfilled like Jacob Gen. 32. ver 26. nay Chap. 4. ver 16. How fervently doth she pray for the graces and in-breathings of the spirit and invite her beloved to come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruit and yet what an unhandsome return and how inevitable to all those affectionate pangs did the Lord Jesus receive from her Chap. 5. ver 3. Christ gives her a visit and calls to her to open the door and entertain him and she from within replies I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them what a pictifull answer is here and what poor reasons are here produced I have put off my coat like that Luke 11. ver 7. Tr uble me not the door is now shut and my children are with me in bed I cann't rise A great businesse sure to have risen a little from his children and opened the door to relieve the want of a neighbour the flesh is wayward as well as weak I cannot sayes he how can I saith she well enough she was past a child and not yet grown so decrepid with old age but she could make her self ready at least she might have slipt on her morning coat and stept to the door without any danger of taking cold but sin and shifting came into the world together as one observeth and the brats of our own begetting are alwayes with us in the bed of carnall security and flesh-pleasing yet let us a little plead the Churches cause and advocate for her to take off the rigour of the charge It may be she was asleep and had then let fall the watch of the Lord no she sayes ver 2. I sleep but my heart waketh there was wakfulnesse in the hidden man of the heart though her eyes might be a little drowsie It may be Christ made no noise without nor gave any notice he was there yes he knocked it may be he did but onely knock and in the night we are not willing to open the door unlesse we hear the voice of him that knocketh I but Christ both knocked and called It may be she did not know his voice and therefore did not open a chaste wife will not at unseasonable hours arise and open her doors unto a stranger in her husbands absence I but she knew his voice vers 2. It is the voice of my well beloved that knocketh It may be Christ onely knocked and called like a friend in his journey onely to enquire how it fared with her or to speak unto her at the window nay he spake his plain meaning He had her open unto him which implies his desire to have entered her house It may be Christ had given her some distast had let fall some unkind words which made her a little pettish a common fault among women or else the match was broke off no Christ owns her as his Beloved and courts her with the most winning and amicable tearms of love My Sister my Love my Dove my undefiled I but it may be Christ was too quick for her gave but a knock and a call and was gone before she could rise and open the door No Christ stayed till his head was filled with dew and his locks with the drops of the night Christ stands bare headed and that in foul weather yea in the night time wooing intreating and beseeching admittance yet could obtain none but must go seek lodging in some other place Dr. Richardson in loc as one says All these circumstances being put into the ballance do sadly speak out both the fault and folly of the Church and give full testimony to those distempers which seize upon the best Saints But how did the Lord Jesus the best and great Physitian bring off the Church from this distemper Why vers 4. He put in his hand by the hole of the door the key hole Why his hand the reason of the phrase may be this we know the hand is the chief instrument of action with that we work we write we fight c. So the spirit is as the hand of Christ by him he convinceth quickeneth teacheth comforteth illighteneth and strengtheneth his people as Act. 11.20 21. those that were scattered spake unto the Grecians and preached the Lord Jesus And the hand of the Lord was with them so that a great number believed and turned unto the Lord so powerful and present was the spirit of the Lord in succeeding their Gospel-Ministery that faith was wrought in many of the Gentile-Grecians here the hand of the Lord implyed the blessing power and concurrence of the spirit of Christ so Christ put in his hand by the key-hole that is sent in his spirit to awaken reprove and convince the spouse of her great unkindness toward him by the way take this note Note That the spirit can finde a passage into the heart though the doors be barred and bolted never so fast The key of David will open any lock Satan with all his skill and artifice cannot frame a lock of such cross and curious wards and work that this key cannot open the spirit acts with irresistibility in the saving communications of grace to the stoutest sinner Lord what wilt thou have me to do was Sauls question the lock was soon opened the spirit had quickly got into his heart So here the spirit was quickly within doors and what then her bowels were moved for Christ she had no rest in her spirit her bowels yearned after him There was a strange tumult raised within her Heb. the word carries that signification her heart aked and quaked being by the spirit convinced of her unkind and inconjugal carriage toward her dear Lord This brought her off from her bed now she could put on her coat and feared not the fouling of her feet she starts and stirs and hastens to open the door and as soon as she had taken the key in her hand Her hands
do to be saved Oh! what will become of us what will a righteous God do with us how shall we escape wrath to come What shall we do what course shall we take Oh! we shall be in hell in hell before help from the Lord will come unto us It was well replied by a reverend Divine to one that was under trouble of soul about his salvation I tell thee it is able to trouble the whole world how many can speak much to this the extremities that many awakened sinners have been brought unto have been very sad they have been struck down with Paul yea laid for dead brought into a despairing condition they have said and sigh'd yea sob'd it out also can such a wretch as I am hope for mercy did the Lord Jesus shed his precious bloud for such a vile sinner as I am Is it possible that my abominations should be pardoned that there should be any accepting grace for me for me who have been so great a sinner yea the chief of sinners a sile-leader in the black regiment of sin Oh much of this nature farre beyond what I felt or can expresse hath fallen from the lips and lain upon the Spirits of some of the Saints at their first awakening being in their own apprehensions irrecoverably undone hath this been any of your cases as sure it hath been Oh then how should your hearts be drawn out into thankfulnesse to the Lord when ye call to remembrance your fears and tears and terrours at your first conversion and then consider Consid 3 how welcome and unexpected grace mercy comfort and the good news of a Saviour were unto you in these bitter agonies O how welcome was Moses and his message of freedome from the Lord to the children of Israel when they were weary of their lives by reason of their hard bondage how welcome is a calme after a violent storm to the affrighted Mariner how pleasant is a bright morning after a black night to the wearied traveller and how doth the heart leap up to meet a message of mercy when 't is broken and even spent with misery when David said my foot slips then it follows thy mercy O Lord held me up and who can estimate the worth of succouring and supporting mercy at such a pinch the mothers eye is upon her child and her hand also to stay it from falling or to snatch it up so soon as down the child shall not cry long upon the ground in the mothers hearing and yet a mother may forget the son of her womb but God will not forget his children Isa 49. ver 15. So soon as ever Israel had cried our our bones are dried up and our hope is lost we are cut off for our parts Ezek. 37. ver 12. The Lord replies Behold O my people I will open your graves and cause you tâ— come forth of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel When the pangs of new birth are strong and violent even ad deliquium animae to the fainting of the soul then doth the comforter come in with his cordial spirits and stay 's up the sinking soul when the Jews laboured for life being stab'd to the very heart Peter presently applies the promise and brings forth the new birth in them Act. 2.38 when the Goaler was even sinking into hell Paul claps to him and stay 's him with this Gospel-assurance believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Act. 16. ver 31. And what follow 's did the plaister stick had the word any saving work upon this desparate wretch yea ver 34. he rejoyced believing in God with all his house here 's a strange and sudden change a blessed turn of things he that just now was upon the borders of hell is now brought within the suburbs of heaven in the joyful apprehensions of pardoning and accepting grace through Jesus Christ The out-goings of God in comforting his drooping Saints and his returns unto them after his withdrawings from them are not lesse or lesse refreshing How did the Spirit of the Church fail within her Cant. 5. ver 6. when she could not find her dear Redeemer in his wonted presence of joy and comfort yet at the end of the chapter she find's and feel's Christ in her soul and in a full sense of her interest in and her union with him breaks out into these joyful acclamations this is my beloved O ye daughters of Jerusalem and this is my friend memorable is the story of Mr. William Coopâ—r a Scotch Divine who was early brought into Christ even when he was a School-boy and approved himself before God and good men to be a pious painful and profitable Pastour of the Lords flock his usual course being to preach sive times aweek but this could not secure him from Sachans buffettings being exercised with inward temptations and great variety of spiritual combats a short account whereof with the gracious returns of God in mercy to his soul I shall give you in his own words reported by Mr. Clark in vita patrum Once sayes he Mr. Clark â—n vita Patrum in great extremity of horrour and anguish of spirit when I had utterly given over and looking for nothing but confusion suddenly there did shine in the very twinkling of an eye the bright and lightsome countenance of God proclaiming peace and confirming it with invincible reasons Oh what a change was here in a moment the silly soul that was even now at the brink of the pit was instantly raised to heaven to have fellowship with God in Jesus Christ then was I touched with such a lively sense of a Divinity and power of a Godhead in mercy reconciled with man and with me in Christ as I trust my soul shall never forget Glory glory glory be to the joyful deliverer of my soul out of all her troubles forever How fully doth this president speak to the consideration proposed He that was under such an eclipse of light and comfort that his soul did almost dwell in silence now found such sweet and seasonable out-breakings of peace and joy from the presence of the Lord that were to him as life from the dead and gave him a blessed opportunity of praising God in the land of the living How many examples of the like nature may be gathered up and how many Saints now alive can bear witnesse to these things in their own experience how have the wounded in spirit found truth and healing in that passage Hos 16. ver 1 2 3. He hath torn and he will heal us he hath broken and he will bind us up after two dayes he will revive us and in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord that his going forth in relieving and refreshing mercy to his distressed ones is prepared Note nay decreed as the morning First suddenly second certainly third comfortably past
who have cunningly drest up their opinions with such an Evangelical trimming that nothing of the Wolf appears even to them which hold him by the ears 7. That it is much blame-worthy in shepherds when they suffer their sheep to go astray and run themselves into danger the Lord chargeth high as a piece of great unfaithfulness in the over-seers of his flock when through their default his sheep do straggle and become a prey to the beast of the field you may hear him expressing himself in words of greatest distast Ezek. 34.10 Thus saith the Lord God Adonai Jehovah or Jehovah who is your Lord behold I am against the shepherds and I will require my flock at their hands and cause them to cease feeding my flock t is known to most that in Scripture-language Magistrates and Ministers are termed shepherds and have in their respective capacities a joint over-sight of the flock committed unto them by the chief shepherd but alas how have ye Magistrates shuffled off the care of the flock to the Ministers and how have the Ministers shifted back the over-sight of it to the Magistrates and betwixt them both many sheep have wandered and some have been worried Though most were desirous that the Foxes should be taken yet it came under dispute who should take them and though at all hands it was agreed that deceiving Jezebel should be dealt withal yet how and by whom hath hitherto been the question Ask the Magistrate and he will tell you Ministers must do it by the sword of the spirit and ask the Minister and he will tell you that the Magistrate must do it by the sword of his civil power And whilst we have been disputing what to do and who should do it errors have sadly spread and a considerable part of the flock hath straggled and is become a prey to the beasts of the field the blame whereof is laid by some at the Magistrates door upon account of his tenderness and gentleness of spirit and countenance to such as differed onely in disciplinary points refusing to establish by his civil sanction that way of discipline as universal and imposing upon all which they own and would enthrone as the government of the Lord Jesus as also for their remisness and too much indulgence to evil persons and opinions in not punishing the one nor suppressing the other which amounteth to a toleration And many charge the blame hereof upon the Ministry by reason of morose austere and rigid carriage toward those who differ from them in the way of discipline or onely in some lesser doctrines that are not fundamental or because they remit much of that care watchfulness and oversight which the duty of their places and the present necessity obliged them unto but the day will declare it and t is not good for either to plead not guilty the Lord help us to mourn that the folds are broken up and that the flocks are scattered The Lord teach us all our duty and by his own spirit in the word determine that great question what is to be done and by whom That the sick may be healed the broken bound up the lost may be sought up those that are driven away may be brought again and the residue secured against future scattering And the Lord give stability of spirit to his people that they may be kept from topling in these tottering times when so many backslide some in profession not in opinion some in opinion who yet retain a profession and some in opinion and profession both stepping into Religion without any precedaneous and inward change and so soon in soon out making that good 1 John 2.19 They went out from us because they were not of us And now you will finde upon due trial this an excellent means to fix your spirits when you read over those acts of grace which the Lord hath drawn out upon your hearts in the blood of his own Son How did this fix the Apostles Joh. 6.67 Many of the disciples went back and walked no more with the Lord Jesus upon which he puts the question to them will yee also forsake me there was need of such a question for Nemo errat sibi-ipsi sed dementiam spargit in proximos the heathen could say no man errs to himself but evil men and erring do spread their madness unto their neighbors as weeds endanger the good corn bad humors the good blood and an infected house the whole neighborhood Therefore the Lord Jesus tryes their pulses whether this great defection had not tainted them with some infection and behold the fixedness of their spirits in Peters reply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life and we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God we have certainly and experimentally known by those glorious works which thou hast wrought before us and by the saving communication of thy grace and light unto us when we were in a dark and dead estate that thou art Christ the Son of the living God and therefore we will not leave thee this cemented and knit their hearts unto Christ it was a brave speech of old Polycarpus when the Proconsul perswaded him to deny the Lord Jesus Eighty and six years have I served Christ and he never did me hurt but good and shall I now deny him Oh! absit God forbid Thus Saint Paul argues back the Galathians Gal. 3.1 2. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth See Mr. Baxter in loc crucified among you This onely would I learn of you received ye the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith c Oh did ye much and often read over the passages of divine love unto you and would be true to your own experiences it would antidote you against many errors of the times and keep your hearts close with God 3. This serious recognition and review of the Lords mercies brings most comfort unto the soul and sure he lives best to himself who lives most to his own comfort a life of comfort is the sweetness the desireableness and life of life What is life to the bitter in soul which long for death and dig for it more then for bid treasures which rejoyce exceedingly and are glad when they finde the grave Job 3.21 22 23. And what comfort have men in living upon a natural account when those dayes are come wherein they say we have no pleasure in them Eccl. 12. ver 1. and is it not so in a spirituall sense a wounded spirit who can bear but a good conscience is a continual feast and the Kingdome of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. vers 17. Then do we come nearest heaven and live in the suburbs of it when we are filled with peace and joy in our soules
Lord that which he wills with greatest pleasure and delight it notes the highest content that may be to wit delight which is the intention and strength of affection hence Isa 62. ver 4. the Church is called Hephzibah that is my pleasure in her the parables of the lost sheep and lost son do fully evidence this Luke 15. you cannot do a work that will find greater acceptation with God then acts of mercy Hos 6. ver 6. I desired mercy and not sacrifice the word in the Original is the same with that in Isaiah forementioned implying to will and desire a thing with a greatdelight and complacency Mr Eurroughs in Hos ver 6. pag. 599. so that a reverend Expositour upon the place brings in God speaking thus mercy is a thing so pleasing to me that I desire it at my heart nothing in the world is so pleasing to me as mercy shews that God had rather have it then all instituted ordinances and worships which by sacrifice are synechdochically meant and then instancing in cases of mercy His fourth case is the case of souls and that is in Christs case Mat. 9.13 Pag. 605. Go and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance we are ready to think that all things must give way to instituted worship but certainly immortall souls are of more worth then ordinances O surely the greatest act of mercy which we receive from God is our reconcilement to him whereby we are translated from darknesse into the kingdome of his dear son that being justified by his grace we may be made heirs according to the hope of eternall life Tit. 3. ver 7. and so the highest piece of mercy which we can shew to sinners for God is to be instrumentall in the saving of them bowels of mercy in us evidence Gods electing grace unto us Col. 3. ver 12. Put on as the elect of God bowels of mercy and sure we cannot shew more bowells in any act of mercy to man then in endeavouring his salvation Consider Consid 2. There is a great honour to the Lord Jesus Christ when sinners are savingly brought in unto him it is a jewell added to the glorious diadem of King Jesus Psal 45.3 David speaking in the spirit unto ' King Jesus bids him gird his sword upon his thigh which was the Ensign of his prowesse and regal power and adds with thy glory and thy Majesty implying that when people fall under him i. e. are converted and submit unto him it tends to advance his glorious Majesty Prov. 14. ver 28. In the multitude of people is the kings honour Zion and Babylon are the two great Empires of the world that under Christ this under Belial now one great part of Christs honour as he is King of Zion consists in the multitude of converts who being brought over from the devils quarters become his subjects it is said 1 Sam. 31. ver 12. That all the valiant men of Jabesh-Gilead went all night and took the bones of Saul and the bones of his sons from the walls of Bethshan and came and brought them to Jabesh let me allude this how is the glory of Christ advanced when all the valiant men Ministers and Christians go forth in the strength of the spirit of Christ to fetch off not the bodies onely but the souls also of men and women from Bethshan and bring them to Jabesh from sin to sanctity from Beth-aven to Bethel Converted ones are as Trophees after victory living monuments of honour to a conquering Christ Phil. 1.20 2 Thes 1.11 12. in the places where they live how then should the sence of that honour which is gained for Christ in gaining sinners from Sathan unto Christ act and spirit the Saints in this great undertaking Consid 3. Consider that the providences of God which have gone over and through these Nations in the years last past do speak the Saints duty and their hope of successe in what is now proposed how many storms of warre have been upon the land how fierce and full of rage hath the enemy been how many plots and engines of policy have been contrived how have men of popish and prophane principles and spirits struck at the very root of profession how have they designed the extirpation of the godly Being confident and insolent they bear their noses high in the air uttering loud and lofty languages as Rabshekah did 2 King 18. to which times this Psalme is referred by some Mâ— Trap. in loc They that hate thee have lift up their heads I do not say nor think that all they which lifted up their heads in the late warres under the royall banner were haters of God nor of his people as such though they were lifted up very high in their mistaken zeal for Kingly interest and in conscience of the oath of God which they judged lay'd such obligations upon them yet certainly without any breach of charity we may boldly affirm that there were a company of men not inconsiderable for number who took crafty councel against the Lord's people and consulted against his hidden ones ver 3. and spake out doubtlesse their very hearts and desires come let us cut them off from being a nation or from having any place of residency in the nation that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance was not this attempted at least against the godly party as Schismaticks and rebells so I limit their attempt for we had many pittifull Parliamentarians who might have gone in the throng of the most ungodly Cayaliers and in likelyhood would have found favour both for life and estate if the issue of the warre had gone for the King and hath not the Lord broken them and their plots in pieces hath he not fastened his people as a nail in a sure place Isa 22. ver 23. what think you then are not these mercies obligations upon you from the Lord to pursue his honour are they not opportunities put into your hands to advise exhort and perswade your families friends and neighbours and help them to heaven O what a pattern of Gospel-charity is good Cornelius Act. 10. ver 24. He had called together his kinsfolks and near friends to partake with him in that word of salvation which Peter from the Lord was to bring unto him how desirous was he to take them all into the Gospel-wherry that they might all be wafted over to the Lord Jesus therefore ver 33. he tell 's Peter We are all here present before the Lord to hear all things that are commanded thee of God O that such a gaining spirit such a winning carriage was in all the Saints Indeed when Religion was under the hatches in the nation and the old Puritans were underlins in every town they might have feared Lot's return from the wicked Sodomites and that dogs would have snarled at them if they had given
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
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