sigh and groan secretly This is the time when God promiseth to rise up and to give salvation to them And to shew that this is Gods constant way in performing his promise the Psalmist addeth his probatum est to it in the next verse the sayings of Jehovah that is his promises and in particular those that are of this import and concernment are pure sayings as silver tried in a subliming furnace of earth fined seven times that is the Saints have by constant experience found the truth and faithfulnesse of God in performing them 4. That thus God may raise and heighten the esteem of his favours in the hearts of his people when they are beyond and above their expectation This effect followed the return of the people of God from their Captivity in Babylon Psal 126. 1 2 3. When Jehovah returned the Captivity of Sion we were like them that dream that is it was so far above our thoughts that we questioned whether it was true or no as Peter did in Acts 12. 9. Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful-shouting This did so raise their joy and thanksgiving to God that it brake forth into shooting The very heathens admired and said God hath done great things for them Much more were themselves affected and therefore they added Jehovah hath done very great things for us we are joyful 5. That by such dispensations their faith and obedience may be more fully tryed and perfected It is said of Christ that though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered Heb. 5. 8. that is by his sufferings he had the experimental knowledge of that mediatourly obedience which he as our surety was to perform which is noted in Phil. 2. 8. So the Churches of Christ are brought low that they may learn experimentally suffering obedience which is the highest obedience of faith They are brought into a widdow-like condition that as she that is a widdow indeed and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day 1 Tim. 5. 5. so they may be disposed suitably to Gods end in afflicting them who saith I will leave in the middest of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord Zeph. 3. 12. 6. That they may be more fervent in prayer this operation hope had in David when he was brought so low that he said I looked on the right hand and beheld and no man acknowledged me refuge is perished from me no man seeketh for my soul This quickned and intended his fervency in prayer I cryed unto thee Jehovah and said Thou art my refuge my portion in the land of the living Psal 142. 4 5. Despaire in the creatures help is oftentimes the ground of hope in God for help For infinite goodnesse accompanied with infinite wisdom and power can never be at a losse nor can faith and hope which look at them ever be at a stand As God knows our souls in adversity Psal 31. 7. so we know God best in adversity God is best seen in the Mount To the second objection and where be all his Miracles which our Fathers told us of I shall speak briefly It hath been sometimes that which hath troubled the Saints That they see not such great things done for the Church in our dayes as we read of in former times But there is no cause for it For the hand of the Lord is not shortened nor is his Church lower in his esteem than formerly When the Lord had said by his Prophet The People which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness Jerem. 31. 2. the people answered Jehovah hath appeared of old as if they should say Truth he did so in time past those were good dayes indeed but now those dayes are gone we must look for no more of them The Lord replyed Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawn thee Vers 3. teaching us thereby to improve former Experiences to the strengthening of our Faith for the present and our hope for the future Experience is a multiplyed remembrance of former favours and Blessings which will help to multiply our Hope For Experience worketh Hope Rom. 5. 4. Hope encouraged by Experience will encourage unto Prayer Psal 22. 4. Hence arose that pleading of Believers with God in Prayer in Isa 51. 9. Awake Awake put on strength O arm of the Lord awake as in the ancient dayes in the Generations of old Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon of the Sea Art thou not it which hath dryed the Sea V. 10. And fervent Prayer encreaseth and strengtheneth this Hope Thus Christ teacheth us in the Parable of the Widdow importuning the Unjust Judg Luke 18. 6 7 8. Joab never put up a more acceptable Request unto David than when he interceded for his banished Absalon God is much more pleased to be petitioned for his afflicted Church Psal 122. 6. He is very ready to answer such Prayers with good Returns For he saith Ask me of things to come concerning my Sons and concerning the work of my hands command ye me Isa 45. 11. 3. Exercise this Hope in its strengthening work In every Degree of the Exercise of this Hope there is an answerable Degree of Joy We rejoyce in tribulation under the hope of glory Rom. 5. 2 3. and answerable to our joy in God will be our strength in God Neh. 8. 10. Therefore let this Hope strengthen you 1. To cleave unto God with purpose of heart Acts 11. 23. It is good cleaving to him who will never leave nor forsake his People in their distress Heb. 13. 5 6. They that forsake God to cleave to other helpers will finde their Hopes disappointed when they have most need of help Then God will say Where are their Gods their rock in whom they trusted Deut. 32. 37. And they shall not know what to answer but be ashamed of that which cannot profit nor deliver for they are vain When the People of God are in distress wicked men will insult against them and say Where is now their God Psal 115. 2. But their answer is ready Our God is in the Heavens he hath done whatsoever he pleased Vers 3. They will be ready to say Where are your Fastings your Prayers your confidence in God The Answer is easie they are with God in his Book of Remembrance they are as seed sown in Heaven whence we shall reap a plentifull crop of mercy in due time But how easily may that be retorted upon them in reference to God and his People which Zebul replyed unto Gaal in reference to Abimelech in Judg. 9. 38. Where is now thy mouth which said who is the Lord that we should serve him Is not this the People whom thou hast despised Only be sure if you would cleave to God that you cleave to his Word and every truth in it when it is opposed by a sinfull and unbelieving Generation Contend for the Faith which was once given to the Saints Jude 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not simply to contend but with all our might and more if it were possible The thing to be contended for is the Faith not a Fancy but the Truths received with Faith upon Gods Authority in his Word the least jot and tittle whereof God values at a higher rate than Heaven and Earth Matth. 5. 18. and the Martyrs of Jesus esteemed it above all worldly things and above their Lives And so should we 3. This Faith was once delivered once for all If it be lost or exchanged for errour there is danger that it will be lost for ever as we might prove by many examples of Apostates who have become Infidels and Atheists 4. This Faith was delivered deposited committed to our trust of which a strict Account must be given how we have kept and used it There are three things which above all others God expects we should keep most carefully and faithfully from being wronged 1. His own Name which is put upon us 2. His Church 3. His Truths contained in Scripture 2 Tim. 1. 14. 5. This Depositum is committed to the Saints in common not only to Ministers or Magistrates but also to all Believers It is the common Faith wherein every Believer hath his interest in common with the rest as all Planters or Inhabitants have in the Commons that belong to a Town for which they will contend with any man that shall wrong them in that their Interest 6. Salvation and this Faith are joyned to teach us to provide for our Salvation by keeping the Faith Faith and Salvation are kept or lost together 2. To wait patiently and constantly upon God in doing and suffering his will For God sometimes puts a long Date to the performance of his Promises But Gods deferring is no empty space but a time of fitting his Church and People for the good things promised Whiles Physick is working the time is not lost though health be not yet recovered For when the sick humor is purged out then comes health see Isaiah 30. 18. only be carefull that whilest you wait you do not cross your Hope by sinning against him upon whom you wait True waiting is not a meer staying Gods leasure but a continuing in a gracious inoffensive course till the good waited for be attained FINIS Valdè sunt cognatae Sorores Fides Spes Dr. Par. in Heb. 6. * Mr. Broughton See the story at large in Jer. 36. Quosdam deserit quosdam deserere videtur Amb. in Psal 118. Mr. Duries Representation of the state of the Protestant Churches in Europe Bern. de cons ad Eugen. lib. 4. August de Verb. Dom.
shews the vanity of this hope in that rich man in Hell Luke 16. 25. and by telling us that it is that they shall be destroyed for ever Psal 92. 7. Gods end in prospering such in the world is like Hesters end in feasting Haman Another grounds his hope that he shall have heaven hereafter because he hath had his Hell through afflictions in this life But such consider not what the Word saith concerning Sodom and Gomorrah Jude 7. Suffering the vengeance of eternal fire What misery wicked impenitent sinners suffer here is but a beginning and pledge to them of Hell hereafter Another grounds his hope upon his Christian priviledges and performances But this is plentifully refuted in Scripture by Johns speech to the Pharisees Mat. 3. 9. and Pauls to the Romans Rom. 2. 28. and concerning himself Phil. 3. 7. Others ground their hope upon Gods mercy though they continue in their sins This indeed is a good reason for hope in those that confesse and forsake their sin Prov. 28. 13. But for those that abuse this mercy to the hardning of themselves in sin by it see how the Lord thunders against such in Deut. 29. 19 20. Others ground their hope upon their own self-flattering and self-deceiving thoughts of themselves Such may see their own folly and madnesse by what the Scripture saith in Prov. 28. 26. and Gal. 6. 3. Let all such and the like renounce their ungrounded hope which like that broken reed of Aegypt Isa 36. 6. will at once both fail them and ruin them Till you have an interest in God and Christ as your portion you are without hope Eph. 2. 12. Therefore the first work of the Spirit in the soul by the Gospel and one great end of the ministry thereof is to make way for true faith and hope by casting down those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasonings and bringing into Captivity every thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every sophistical reasoning to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. Vse 2. For Exhortation to believers being under temptations and afflictions whether outward or inward to improve the reasons which faith supplieth for the quickening and strengthening of their hope in God For in such times faith is put to it to use reasons Indeed the soul needeth not that help so much when it is in a clear and quiet state for upon its close and sweet communion with God in Christ and from some likenesse between the renewed soul and God it presently and without praevious discourse runneth to God as by a supernatural instinct as by natural instinct the child runneth to his natural parents in danger and distresse with confidence But in dark times of great afflictions and temptations faith is put to use Arguments and reasons to quicken and strengthen hope Accordingly study the grounds of hope and improve them for your help 1. Such as may be supplied from the inward store laid up in the soul as the Church did in my Text. 2. Such as are or may be suggested by others Harken and yield to them and close with them For thus you will shew that you have a frame of spirit suitable to any holy and comfortable truth that shall be presented and applied to it There is a principle in every renewed spirit that closeth with whatever commeth from Gods spirit that readily claimes acquaintance and kindred with it as comming from the same blessed spring the holy Spirit When Asaph found the contrary in himself that his soul refused comfort and he remembred God and was troubled Psal 77. 23. he saw and said this is mine infirmity ver 10. He saw that it arose from a sicknesse a spiritual disease and distemper in his soul While passion and temptation disturbe the soul they hinder the exercise of spiritual reason As we see in David who said in his haste all men are liars Psal 116. 10 11. This he saw afterward when his spiritual reason had recovered it self which before by his distemper was hindred in its working then he admired God for his benefits toward him notwithstanding his provocation of him to have taken a contrary course with him ver 12. Labour therefore 1. That your mind which is the seat of principles be well furnished with divine and spiritual truths For false principles can never produce true comforts As onely truth sanctifieth Joh. 17. 17. So truth onely truly comforteth There is the same reason of both For it is the peculiar office of the Holy Spirit both to sanctifie and to comfort And the Holy spirit is the Spirit of Truth Ioh. 16. 13. Therefore he will not work by a falshood but onely by Truth either sanctification or consolation 2. See that your understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dianoetical discoursing faculty which is the seat of conclusions be used to deduce from spiritual principles such spiritual conclusions as they are apt to beget For by false reasonings in times of affliction and temptation 1. Believers hinder their faith and hope when they reason too much from sense and present feeling Isa 40. 27. and 49. 14. Ezek. 33. 10. 2. Others have false comforts from the light of a fire kindled by themselves Isa 50. 11. But if renouncing such reasonings you flie to Christ and his righteousnesse alone for your acceptance with God through faith in his blood with true repentance then you may reason with God Isa 1. 18. though not in your own strength or worth Iob 9. 14 15. yet you may reason with him in faithful fervent prayer in Gen. 2. 10 11. 12. whereby he prevailed and got both a new blessing and a new name ver 28. Fervent prayers are strong reasonings with God in Christs strength and for his sake This will be well pleasing to God For as when God cals for our obedience he adds perswasives to his precepts and reasoneth with us as well as commandeth us so he allowed us in prayer to add perswasions to our petitions and to reason with him as well as intreat him Onely it must be our care that we reason from right Topicks and heads of Arguments Such as these 1. From the infinitenesse and freenesse of Gods merccy and grace 2. From the immutable firmnesse of his Covenant and promises in Christ 3. From our indigence and dependance upon him 4. From the concernments of his glory and our necessary good In such reasonings of faith and hope the spirit strength and life of prayer consisteth Such pleadings in the name of Christ God approveth and requireth Isa 43. 26. 3. See that the heart which is the seat of practical knowledge be fitted to order the conversation and practice by sound principles in the mind and right conclusions in the understanding that mental discourse may not vanish in meer empty speculation As in my Text The Lord is my portion is the principle laid up in their mind saith my soul is the proof it the conclusion to be from thence inferred is Therefore it is my duty to hope
in him This knowledge becomes practical when the heart so receiveth it that the will comes to a resolution therefore I will hope in him Which is the next particular to be spoken to Lam. 3. 24. Therefore I will hope in him The reason alledged by the Church is not so much an Argument to convince the judgment though it contains that also as we have before proved as a motive to induce and incline the will to hope in God For trusting and hoping in God being a relying and waiting upon God for future good do especially carry the will to him As the understanding is led with truth so the will is led with the goodnesse of things As the judgment must be convinced of Gods ability so the heart must be sweetned with his love and readinesse to do us good for the future that we may hope in him For meer knowledge and discourse cannot draw the heart to trust and hope in God except it hath a rellish of his goodnesse Therefore David saith O taste and see that the Lord is good Psal 34. 8. Those reasons are most prevailing to incline the will towards God which are drawn from the goodnesse of God whereby the heart is opened and enlarged to expect all good and nothing but good from him who is goodnesse it self and our God and portion in Jesus Christ This rellish is wrought in the renewed soul by the spirit of faith together with a light to discern our interest in God Doct. The reasons whereby believers are quickned and strengthened to hope in God do strongly incline their will to resolve to hope in him This is obvious frequently in Scripture that when the will is inclined to any spiritual good it is upon spiritual reasons the Spirit of God joyning his efficacy therewith and leaving a powerful rellish of that good in the soul This you may see in Psal 40. 8. Cant. 1. 3 4. Ier. 3. 22. and in sundry Texts R. 1. From the different manner of the souls guiding the will and the bodily members The soul swayeth the will and affections as counsellors doe a well ordered state by propounding reasons to them But the soul governeth the bodily members as a Master doth his slaves by meer command The will moves the hands and feet c. by command without giving them Reasons But the will and affections move not without reason or at least a shew of reason God made man an understanding creature indued with rational faculties the understanding to be the leading faculty and the will to be the appetite of the soul according to reason Therefore it moves toward such a good as is presented to it by the illightned mind or understanding as the most 〈◊〉 and unquestionable object of it For the freedom and willing consent of the heart is not without rules to order it but it is therefore said be free because whether out of a true judgment it moves one way or out of a false another way yet in both it moves in a manner suitable to its own condition For this reason it is that God condiscends so far to us in his word as to give us so many reasons to hope in 〈◊〉 that our wils might be drawn thereunto by suitable reasons R 2. From the manner of the spirits putting forth his efficacy to incline the wils of believers to hope in God The heart of man naturally is not apt but averse hereunto even when the understanding sees good reasons for it Therefore the will must necessarily be renewed and changed This change consists in altering the bent and inclination of the will which the spirit of God doth by bringing into the soul a new light and powerful influence 1. A new light whereby we are inabled to see other things or the same truths in a more spiritual and effectual manner those impedimens being removed which might hinder the evidence of spiritual truths and the judgment being fully convinced that we might know things not onely notionally but practically as we ought to know them 1 Cor. 8. 2. This is that illumination and revelation whereof the scripture speaks in Eph. 1. 18 19. 1 Cor. 2. 12. 1 Joh. 5. 20. 2. A powerful influence Jesus Christ both opened the understanding of his Disciples Luke 24. 45. And caused their hearts to burn within them when he spake unto them ver 32. By this powerful influence the spirit makes every faculty and affection of the renewed soul to work unto supernatural ends and objects according to its proper manner As the soul in the bodily eye causeth it to see and in the ear causeth it to hear and in the tongue causeth it to speak c. So the spirit in the mind causeth it to understand aright and in every affection causeth it freely to choose and cleave unto Christ and to God in him and in every affection causeth it to move towards Christ and God in such a manner and way of working as is suitable to its nature This the Holy Spirit doth by creating and implanting in-dwelling lively spiritual gifts of grace in the soul which he thereby sanctifieth and lifteth up unto God in Christ the faculties and affections which were by nature set upon the world and sin and self being now by grace set upon things above and so are said to be quickned and made alive unto God Hence every spiritual gift of grace whereby any faculty and affection of the soul is sanctified is called the spirit of that faculty and affection The sanctified disposition of the mind is called the spirit of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1. 7 The gift of faith is called the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. So the gift of love and of fear of the Lord is called the spirit of love 2 Tim. 1. 7. and the spirit of the fear of the Lord Isa 11. 2. Because the Holy Spirit dwelling in the soul infuseth those gifts into it and so reneweth the faculties and affections of it Psal 51. 10. And 2. Quickeneth and exciteth these spiritual gifts and by them the faculties and affections unto spiritual acts Without this quickening influence those spiritual gifts would be in the soul un-acted as the bodily senses are in sleep or as a ship in a calme at Sea Act◠agimus We act but instrumentally subordinately under the spirit who is the principal efficient and agent in all spiritual good We act but not in our strength nor in the strength of grace received but from the quickening strengthening influence of the Spirit As trees though they have in them a seminal vertue yet except they be helped by influence from heaven cannot bring forth their fruits so it is with these spiritual trees of righteousnesse as believers are called in Isa 61. 3. It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Vse For Instruction threefold 1. Hence we may learn the true Reason why the sudden resolutions of many to reforme this and that
do serve the Austrian design against the Protestant interest Nor is there any considerable Prince in Germany except the Landsgrave of Hessen that is able to do any thing of moment to maintain that interest 4. In the Low Couutreys their present actings tend rather to serve the enemies design against the Protestant Interest then for it 5. In France the Protestant Churches are deprived of their former priviledges So that their standing is a meer toleration at pleasure 6. In Geneva we are informed from other hands that the Duke of Savoy would impose a Governour and a Bishop upon them or in case of their refusal threatens to besiege them and that the King of France refuseth to protect them unlesse they will receive a Bishop 7. In the vallies of Piemont the Duke of Savoy doth still most cruelly though not openly oppresse and vex the Protestants notwithstanding the peace made with them by giving them up to the power of the Popish Inquisition which threatens their utter ruin if God doth not prevent it 8. In Switzerland the Pope and the Austrians have stirred up and hired the Popish Cantons to break their fundamental League with the Protestants by persecuting to death or banishment all such as leave their superstitions to become Proselytes to us 9. How it is with our native Countrey England and those conjoyned with it in Scotland and Ireland you have formerly heard in part and may have more hereafter 2. If we add hereunto the great advantages which the Popish party hath against the Protestants and what posture the Protestant Churches are in in respect of their mutual relation each to other to oppose this combination of their enemies so strongly and universally laid it will be manifest that the Antichristian party had never so great advantage against the Churches of Christ since the Reformation began as now they have For 1. Whereas formerly the Popish parties were divided now their differences being composed they are all united in one common design against the Protestant Religion and Churches and their head the Pope doth manage their common interest with much subtlety and vigour and that openly by innumerable Agents and Emissaries who are subordinate to the Congregation de propaganda fide who creep into all Protestant States and professions to observe any distance or divisions among them to widen and foment the same in the minds of the common sort and to cast stumbling blocks cunningly before all the rest and thereupon to insinuate the more plausibly their own superstitions Hence in France where the popish Inquisition was not formerly admitted it is now of late introduced under a new name of the Congregation de propaganda fide which is an Inquisition in effect and hath begun to act there with publick Authority prohibiting all commerce from abroad for the vent of Divinity books in so much that they do not suffer Bibles brought from Geneva to be sold any where but do confiscate them And in every City in France where a Church of Protestants is there is also a certain number of Emissaries belonging to the Congregation de propaganda fide setled to oppose and vex them And it is intended that this designe shall be prosecuted universally against all protestant Churches in other places so soon as the Protestant States shall be sufficiently weakned by divisions among themselves 2. It is greatly to be lamented that whilest Satans Instruments are so active and united to advance his Kingdom we who are sujects of Christs Kingdom and so many wayes bound to advance it are so carelesse of Christ his interest that on the one hand licentiousnesse prophanenesse heresies blasphemies and wickednesses break forth to the reproach of Christian Religion and on the other hand the divided professoâ—s thereof seek follow eagerly their own advantages of power and places to undermine the settlement of each other and while the enemies have Agents every where and an universal correspondency to weaken us by division then to ruin us no such way of Agency or correspondency is set on foot by publick Authority among us to ingage the godly-wise peaceable to joyn with us to lay the coÌ„mon-Gospel-interest to heart and to communicate counsel and assistance each to other at least to pray for one another suitably to the exigencies of things that when help faileth on earth it may be procured from the mighty God immediately For which the Lord may justly dash us into pieces one against another as vessels unfit for his honour and service 2. This being the present state of all the Churches of Christ in Europe I proceed to instruct you to excercise this hope aright in reference thereunto Which that I may do I must clear two things 1. What disposition of spirit is necessary to qualifie the person to make him a fit subject of this hope 2. How they who are thus qualified must excercise it 1. For the first whosoever would have and excercise this hope in reference to the publick state of the afflicted Churches of Christ they must have and excercise publick spirits in the communion of Saints that is they must be sanctified by faith in Christ and joyned unto Christ visibly as the head of his Church in communion with the Church which is his body and take to heart the publick state of the Churches and Christ his interest in them whatever their own private condition is and to prefer the publick concernments before and above their own private in their judgments affections and indeavours We must esteem that spiritual Society and the concernments of it as more considerable then our own Hereof God himself gives us example who preferres his Church before and above all the World besides as his chief treasure Exod. 19. 5. his jewels Mal. 3. 17. tels them that they are so precious in his sight and honourable and loved of him that he will give men for them and people for their life Isa 43. 4. as he did call off Senacherib from Jerusalem by sending Tirrhaka the King of Aethiopia to invade his land and so gave both Aethiopians and Aegyptians into his hand to free his Church from him Now Gods judgment of persons and things should be the rule of our judgment For we know that the judgment of God is according to truth So did Moses whose love acted so highly from his high esteem of the Church and Gods interest of honour in it that though God offered to make him a great Nation if he would let him alone that he might consume Israel in the Wildernesse Exod. 33. 10. yet he was so far from accepting it that he prayed the Lord to forgive their sin and if not to blot him out of the Book which he had written ver 32. David was so strongly ingaged in his affections to the Church of God that if all his petitions were to be put into one it should be this that he might dwell in the house of the Lord to behold his beauty there Psal 27. 4.