thankfull Christian he that pondereth most upon mercies prayeth God most for mercies Oh! when you take a serious review of that change which is upon your hearts of the drawings of your soules heaven-ward and holiness-ward and compare time with time state with state what you were with what you are how once you affected sinne but now abhor it how once you loathed Ordinances but now you love them how once the wayes and people of God were distastefull unto you but are now delightfull how little you had once to shew for heaven and how much you have now through grace to shew against Hell Oh! this will give the heart a notable vent and fill the cup of praise up to the brim Psal 103. ver 1 2 3. Bless the Lord O my soul sayes holy David but doth he stay here no and all that is within me bless his holy name every instrument must be put into tune every musical key must be touched every fret must be stopt and every string must be struck to sound forth the praises of God nay again Bless the Lord O my soul and why so what 's the reason of this thankfulness O soul thou hast great cause to be thankfull For 1. He forgiveth all thine iniquities thou hadest the the guilt of many and great sinnes upon thee which would have sunk thee down into Hell and Jehovah hath given thee pardon of them all nay farther 2. He healeth all thy diseases thou wast full of noisome and unclean distempers many running sores of filthy lusts and Jehovah hath vouchsafed healing grace unto thee Thou art now a justified and a sanctified person 3. Thou art now redeemed from Hell and destruction and wearest the loving-kindnesses and tender mercies of God as a royal Diadem upon thy head and therefore Oh my soul bless bless bless Jehovah Oh if ever we come to such a sence of pardoning healing redeeming crowning satisfying and renewing grace from the Lord as David we shall then take up David's harp and awake our glory to the praises of a good God could we but fasten this upon our spirits that distinguishing grace hath severed us from those heaps of rubbish that we were mingled with and cull'd us out from the rabble of the world that we were herded with our spirits would be turned to this evangelical duty and ditty and if so how like heaven it self would the Church look how would the militant resemble the triumphant Jerusalem and how would every nook of the Gospel-world ring with the praises of God Mr. Baxter Part 4 Saints Rest page 134. The liveliest embleme of heaven that I know upon earth is when the people of God in the deep sence of the excellency and bounty of God from hearts abounding with love and joy do joyn together both in hearts and voices in the cheerfull and melodious singing of his praises 4. You will live best unto God because You will live most to the glory of God sence of grace received will enflame you with a greater zeal for God and will put every wheel into motion We are naturally slow to action upon the best account the best drive on but heavily few drive at Jehu's rate very few there be whose soules make them as the chariots of Aminadab that make haste in Gods work like the roe or young hart upon the mountains of spices If ever Christians drove heavily the Christians of this age do if ever the elementary constitution of the Church was earth and water now it is little of fire appears unless in unhappy contentions and animosities or else in love to the world and thus most are red hot their affections all on a flame the Lord quench them But Oh! where is their zeal for God where is the courage activity and resolvedness for God where 's the minding of the things of God and holy contendings for God which the Puritans of old that were Puritans of the good old way have discovered there is too much of the Laodicean spirit too many Gallio's amongst us men are high indeed to enthrone their own opinions and perswasions whilest Religion in the main duties of it is neglected they are exact in rything mint and commin and annise whilest judgement mercy and faith the weightier matters of the Law are neglected Math. 23. vers 23. The great Zealots of the times are for the most part men of corrupt and Heterodox Judgments who are violent enough to impose their Errours and false conceptions the Lord take them off from their speed least they out run the Constable as they have done the Covenant He 's a stranger in Israel that knows not these things and he 's no true son of Zion that doth not bewail them but now would we have the water run in the right channel would we have our spirits up in a right zeal for God let our meditations be often and serious upon what God hath done for our soules Oh when a Saint fetcheth oyl from experienced loving kindnesses it makes the wheels run glib when he argues Hath God done thus and thus for me hath he left others of my kindred of my contemporaries of my acquaintance who had the same advantages of Education Ordinances and Gospel-Opportunities with me in ignorance and unbelief and hath he enlightened me called me wrought faith in me appointed me to obtain salvation by Jesus Christ and shall not I be active for Christ shall I sit still brooding over a patch of this base world or drive on the interest of mine own honour or advantage when the name of God is blasphemed the honour of Christ is empeached gospel-Gospel-truths are corrupted Gospel-Ordinances reviled and the way of God evil spoken of did Croesus his dumb son cry out for the life of his father and shall I that can speak now be dumb Do I thus requite the Lord is this my kindeness to my friend Jesus Saint Paul had another spirit like that of Calebs 1 Cor. 15. ver 8. last of all he was seen of me also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the emphasis lies in Me there 's an accent upon that word of Me vile Me wretched Me sinful me unworthy Me who was a blasphemer a persecutour and an injurious person but by the grace of God I am what I am by the Grace free grace and rich grace of God I am a chosen vessel a servant of the Lord a believer an Apostle of Jesus Christ and what followes doth he lap up this talent in a napkin doth he sing a requiem to his soul and bid her take her case no saies he his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly then they all minde here how the sense of grace received carries out his soul in activity for God to labour yea to abound in labour for from Jerusalem round about to Illyricum he fully preached the Gospel of Christ and wrote more Epistles then all the other Apostles did hence he exhorteth the Saints vers 58. alway to
all impatient risings of heart against God in a day of distress and will lead out the spirit to submit unto and trust God in the greatest streights For as it followes in the second head of Doctrine The Saints of God do sometimes meet with such distresses Doctrine 2 that cut off all hopes of deliverance from man Reason is at a stand heart and flesh fail carnal policy is at a loss all proud helpers stoop in vain yea Faith it self beginneth to flagge Thus Gen. 21. vers 14 15 16. Hagar with her sonne are cast out of Abraham's family and are now in a wilderness a place inhabited onely by wilde beasts their stock of provision spent and no supplies to be had What then what courss will Hagar take why she layeth down her beloved boy under a bush And what then she goeth a distance from him not being able to bear his dying groanes and cryes and having emptyed her bottle of water she seeketh to emptie her moaning heart by teares seeing nothing but the death of her Sonne as knowing no way to prevent it a great distress a sad streight but not her case alone Many of the Saints of God have come to the emptying of their bottles to cases of utmost extremitie a parralel case was that of the poor widow 1 Kings 17. vers 12. her whole store was spent and markets shut up as to new supplies a handfull of meal in the barrel and a little oyl in the cruse was her whole livelihood and she is now gathering a handfull of sticks to bake one cake for her self and her Sonne and what will she do when that cake is eaten did she see relief coming some other way no these were her thoughts she and her sonne would eat that cake and die It were easie to multiply presidencies of this kinde upon both accounts temporall and spirituall streights of bodie and pressures of spirit have been matter of the Saints complaint 1. Oh then thou that art a servant of the Lord who hast not been brought into these streights upon whom such a day of distress hath not been but findest the incomes of the spirit dost take in comfort from the promises walkest in the light of God's countenance and hast the candle of the Lord shining upon thy Tabernacle as 1 Kings 1.6 That hast been the Lords Adonijah Oh! charge it home by the way of thankfulness upon thy heart that the Lord should lead thee unto the land of rest and not by the way of the wilderness 2. Let thy bowels yearn toward the distressed of the Lord pity them pray for them and administer seasonable supplies of comfort to them considering thy self as being in the body especially let thy heart go out in tender compassions towards the afflicted in spirit to those who are brought into soul streights whose case runneth parallel with that of Heman Psal 88. ver 3. My soul is full of troubles Heb. is satiated with evills hath its fill is brimm'd up yea running over and these so pressing that my life draweth nigh to the grave and then vers 8. I am shut up I am a prisoner under restraint I but it is libera custodia he may go forth with his keeper no I cannot go forth Oh! t is a sad thing to be a close Prisoner to be so shut up that he cannot steppe one foot beyond the grate to take any contentment in the creature any delight in outward enjoyments or any comforts in relations Ah but Heman's case is far sadder he is so shut up that his spirit cannot go forth in prayer to fetch in comfort from the Promises nor healing from the Spirit nor life from Jesus Christ nor pardoning mercy from the God and Father of mercies nor evidence of Electing love nor assurance of Redeeming grace nor demonstrations of Adopting grace nay nor satisfying and soul-quieting conclusions of truth of grace but free amongst the dead like the slain in the grave whom God remembreth no more Dead to duty dead in duty dead from duty spirit dead and heart dead affections dead desires dead comforts dead hope dead faith dead yea all dead Oh! this is sad above what words can express onely the heart knoweth its own bitterness yet this day of distress hath been upon many precious Saints Oh! then draw forth the breasts of consolation to such sad souls Stay them with flaggons comfort them with apples And let this give you incouraging hopes of success in all your applications that the appearances of God are eminent and immediate in the day of his peoples greatest distress which is the main point I pitch upon as being the chief scope of the Text. Doct. 3. The Lord comes in often with seasonable and suitable mercies in times of greatest miseries He loveth to be seen on the Mount to be a present help in the needful time of trouble to help when none else can help when refuge faileth and hope is now at the giving up the ghost See that Gen. 21. vers 17 18. When Hagars fears were highest and her faith lowest as too oft is seen that when fear is up then faith is down when death was coming and life going when the water was spent her patience spent and all spent when she had received the sentence of death within her self for her self at least for her son whom she had given up for a dead childe Then then God heard the voyce of the lad and calleth unto her and biddeth her lift up the lad yea her own faith and hope and spirit for there was an universal sinking in her and telleth her he will make him a great Nation as if he had said Fear not the life of the lad for there are many lives bound up in his life if I should let him perish I should lose a Nation yea a great Nation and that distrustful thoughts might not arise in her heart God openeth her eyes and she saw a Well of water and gave the lad drink Let us pitch down a little upon this Quotation for it is a place of pleasant springs and draw these Observations 1. That the goodness of God is a springing fountain unto the Saints even in a wilderness Psal 107.35 There is alwayes water in this fountain Psal 36. vers 9. With thee is the fountain of life There are springs of providence and springs of promises both which do send forth refreshing streams unto the Saints There are alwayes supplies in the Lords store-house fresh cordials in the Lords closet yea he can and will create deliverances for his Jacobs though Hagar was at a loss yet God was not though the ground was dry to her yet God can bring up springs of water through the secret veynes of the parched earth Oh! there is much support in this duely to improve the Omnipotency and All-sufficiency of God 2. That the Saints themselves sometimes have their eyes so shut up that they cannot see these springs of goodness Sometimes the heads of these springs lye
shall charge this spirituall sloth and negligence upon us when he shall speak to the Judge of all the world and cry for justice against us urging that his servants have been more faithfull and serviceable to him then we have been to the Lord Jesus though he never bled to redeem them never underwent the wrath of a sin-revenging God for them never laid down his life to save them out of hell never gave them inward and heart consolations here neither prepared for nor ever promised unto them a state of everlasting blessednesse and fulnesse of joy in his presence forevermore hereafter and therefore shall call for sentence to be given out against us as being unworthy of that crown of glory O this is a consideration of great weight the Lord help us to take the right poise of it let us take shame unto our selves for our former negligence and be quickened up to more industriousnesse for the future Let not any of the devils drudges out-work us nor any of his merchants out-bid us much lesse any of his pedlers out-sell us for the time to come let not others do more to undo then we to save souls nor be more unwearied in their labours and travells to pervert then we are to convert men if there be a person that deserves as a badge of honour the name of that old Disciple trudge o're the world let not Jesuite and Heretick get it from us To shut up this I beseech you dear Christians into whose hands providence shall cast this treatise weigh these considerations laid down and let them with what others the spirit of the Lord shall suggest unto you or any of my learned brethren shall offer have an holy force upon your spirits to put you upon serious endeavours of doing good to your carnall neighbours if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snares of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2. ver 25 26. and that you may be used by the Lord as instruments of their salvation listen not to flesh and blood which will be tampering with you to disswade you from it and will throw in an hundred objections and carnall cavils against it onely observe your stations invade not the ministery nor despise it be humble in all your applications to your ignorant neighbours and under any successe which the Lord shall answer your endeavours with and under all discouragements and deadnesse of heart to this duty improve grace received and temporall preservations as arguments to quicken you up to this duty and to other duties which are mentioned in this treatise that you may live best to God best to your selves and best to all others and alwayes wear this text as a sign upon your hands and as frontlets between your eyes to enmind you of the Lord's mercies unlesse the Lord had been my help my soul had almost dwelt in silence Vse 4. Are the appearances of God eminent an immediate to the help of his people in the day of their distresse have you experienced this truth have you seen the outgoings of the Lord in your personall safety and preservations why then fetch comfort and encouragement from hence and lift up your hearts and hands unto God in expectancy of help and succour in these following cases 1. When Church affairs do meet with dark and gloomy day when the Gospel is under some restraint as to liberty or under some corruption as to purity in word and worships reflect upon the outgoings of God unto you and consider that mercy that goodnesse that wisdome that power c. which were engaged for your rescue in an evil day then play the good Logicians and in a way of divine induction argue à minore ad majus from the lesse to the greater if the Lord extended help to me in such an eminent manner how much more shall the arm of the Lord be made bare in the rescue of many Saints if a single believer found the Lord so present in a day of trouble how shall a society of believers find him in such a day if a little sculler was brought safe to shore from off a stormy sea how will the Lord calm the raging waves when the ship of his Church is tempest-tost if his care was so great over one member sure the whole family shall not be neglected by him O there 's much sweetnesse and much truth in this way of arguing Thus did David Psal 30. ver 1 2. O Lord my God I cried unto thee and thou hast healed me O Lord thou hast brought up my life from the grave thou hast kept me alive that I should not go down into the pit here was a personal deliverance and what doth he inferre from hence namely that the Church and people of God shall receive the same measure of mercy from him in the day of their distresse therefore he saith ver 4. Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his I but may the Saints say we have little cause of mirth we may now hang our harps upon the willows the waters of Babylon by which we are set down do call for weeping rather then rejoycing no sayes he I read your safety in mine own for ver 5. His anger endureth but for a moment ista nubecula cito evanescat as he said of Julians persecution weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning the Churches afflictions though they be sharp yet they shall be but short though they be violent they shall be transient this I assert sayes he as having been mine own case I have had many clear mornings after cloudy nights for the Lord hath brought my life from the grave he hath kept me alive that I should not go down to the pit Again Psal 31. ver 22. I said in mine hast so great were my fears and so small was my faith I am cut off from before thine eyes I am a lost a dead an undone man neverthelesse thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cryed unto thee what doth he conclude from hence why ver 23 24. O love the Lord all ye his Saints for the Lord preserveth the faithfull and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer repayeth abundantly or with surplussage in seipso aut semine suo either in himself or in his posterity God will be sure to be meet with him and therefore he bids them be of good courage bear up bravely be stout and stedfast in the faith under trialls did the Lord hear my prayers and will he not hear his praying Church did he appear to my help and will he refuse help to his beloved spouse was my trouble but as a racking cloud soon blown over by the wind of Gods favour and shall the Churches calamity be as a dark heaven set round with raine surely no though the nations do rush like the rushings of many waters yet God
THE SAINTS Dangers Deliverances and DUTIES Personall and Nationall Practically improved in severall Sermons on Psalm 94. ver 17. Useful and seasonable for these times of Triall By Nathanael Whiting Mr of Arts and Minister of the Gospel at Aldwinckle in Northamptonshire Gen. 35.3 Let us rise and go up to Bethel and I will make there an Altar unto God who answered me in the day of my distress and was with me in the way which I went And Verse 7. He built there an Altar and called the place El-Bethel London Printed for Nathanael Ekins and are to be sold at his Shop at the Gun in Paul's Church-yard 1659. To the Right Worshipfull Sr. WILLIAM FLEETWOOD Knight the Right Honourable Sr. GFORGE FLEETWOOD Baron of Swonholme in SWEADLAND and Lieutenant General of the King of SWEADLAND's Army there and to his Excellency CHARLES Lord FLEETWOOD Lieutenant General of the whole Army in ENGLAND and Scotland and one of his HIGHNESS Privy-Council Noble and Honoured I Am taught by the best Teacher the Holy Ghost not to forsake mine own friend and my fathers friend the Authority of which advice hath a great influence upon me being under the direct Aspect of it therefore do I own your antient and obliging favours in this publick Address under this hope That good wine will taste never the worse because presented in a wooden cup nor Truth lose any of its rellish because served up in an earthen dish If any charge blame upon me because I have not observed the Rules of Honour in the ordering of your names according to your Titles of Honour and standings in the world my Reply is this I pretend not to skill in Herauldry nor is it my business to dispute Titles I have therefore set Eliab in the Front because I may not give away the Honour of Primogeniture from Manasseh seing he hath not with Esau sold nor with Reuben lost the excellency of dignity He still weares with Zarah the scarlet thread upon his hand though his younger Brethren have broken forth and gotten the Precedency Besides though I owe much to your Honours I am much yours yet I am more your Brothers and my Obligations more to him which I must owne and I am sure such is your Justice that you will not entrench upon the right of other men much less upon your Elder Brothers And if your Honours be not offended why should others Again If any take offence that I preface this Treatise with Three Hnourable Names one of which would have been an honour to a more polite and elaborate Discourse my Answer is this When I had designed this Piece unto the Press I knew none whose Experiences could more fully comment upon the Subject treated on then your selves Your Preservations have been many and signal at home abroad by land by water few persons have had such remarkable Deliverances as you have had and few Families can instance in three Brethren who can give forth narratives of such notable and numerous Escapes as you can give And therefore seing you have equally shared in the marvellous Protections of a good God I am bold to make this Application to you All in which I do humbly Remember you of engaging mercies that the sence thereof may be awakened in you that like that Persian Monarch you may often read over your Diaries gather up your memorable preservations own the Lord in them and by suitable actings improve them to his glory The improvement of Mercies makes them to be Mercies indeed Then are the appearances of God glorious when they are visible and may be known and read of all men in our noble and vigorous actings for God What life for God was in old Jacob how did he purge his family set up Religion erect an Altar at Bethel and all this by way of thankfull return to the Lord who answered him in the day of his distress and was with him in the way which he went And how bravely did King David draw up after the Presidency of that noble Patriarch when he sate in his house seriously reviewing his former frights and flights his Dangers and Distresses his Banishments and Battels comparing them with his present peace safetie and honour and considered from what hand he had received all that good he took up a resolution to build an house for the Lord that the Arke of his presence might no longer dwell within curtains He often looked down upon the cave of Adullam and Engedi the wilderness of Ziph and Maon his straits at Gath his dangers at Keilah his fears at Ziglag c. even then when God had set him on high upon the Throne of Israel and Judah these reviews kept his heart in a warm and and lively frame for God Ah! How little of David's spirit is to be found in England even amongst many who have largely experienced David's mercies how seldome do many review their hazzards and heart-terrours their tears and fears dangers and deliverances how have the tides of worldly pomp peace and pleasures washed off the Sculpture of personal and national mercies in most mens hearts Oh 't is sad and sadly to be lamented The Lord give you with Caleb another spirit that seing he hath given you not onely a safe but an Honourable standing after such amazing dangers with liberal advantages of doing and receiving good your Honours may follow the Lord fully you may act up more and more to the Presidencies proposed that you may not move in too narrow Orbes but shew forth largeness of heart according to the largeness of Gods mercies towards you that like starres of the greater magnitude you may cast abroad your warming and prolifick Influences that all neighbouring persons and places may be the better for you and your selves much the better in your spirits for God I am not ashamed Right Worshipfull to tell the world how ancient and how affectionate a Moecenas you have been to me that I received many encouragements from you when I was student in the Universitie how ready I have alwayes found you to lay forth your power and Interest for me how freely and speedily you placed me at Aldwinckle and how much I have found the favour of a Patron and the affections of a friend I might go higher for the space of many yeares which is much considering what hard measure some good Ministers have found from their Patrons though good men in these times of difference both upon a civil and Religious account and indeed I think it to be ingenious whatever others think and well comporting with the standing of a Minister whilest the jus praesentandi by a Law is vested in Honourable hands as to own God in his providential disposure so to acknowledge the favour of man in that Liberty he obtaines to do his Master's work Sure I am this was a mercy which some godly and gifted Ministers did long want whilest the Episcopal Monopoly lasted and long waited for yea after all their waiting could hardly
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 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 fiest 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 slocks when Pulpits began to be filled with zealous spiritual and conscientrous 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 and the better man yet I sought first unto thee thou art indeed said Aeschines a far better man than I for I began the quarrel and thou the reconciliation O stand not upon punctilios but goe thou and do likewise you know the sad fruits of contention where a scar-fire is the bels ring backward So where this fire breaks forth in fellowship and fraternity Religion is Retrograde all things go backward
deliverance are cut off from them 7 1. This calls for much thankfulness from those Saints who have met with smiles and not frowns from an indulgent God 8 2. This stirrs up the bowels of rejoycing Christians to pitty their mourning brothren ibid. Observ 3. That the appearances of the Lord are eminent and immediate to the help of his people in the day of their distress 9 Gen. 21. vers 17 18. insisted upon in 5 particulars 10 11 12. The truth evinced in 5 Considerations Consideration 1. God sometimes leads his people into straits therefore he is engaged in point of honour to fetch them off 13 14 Consider 2. Sometimes the Saints meet with hard measure from men because they are faithfull in that business which is commanded them by God therefore there is much Equity in it that God should stand by them 15 Consid 3. It is the great designe of God to give real testimony of his hearty good-will unto his people therefore he engageth high for them in their greatest straits 16 17 Consid 4. God will lay great Obligations upon his people to love and trust him therefore he commands deliverance for them 18 Consid 5. The Lord will frustrate all the hopes of the wicked who look for the destruction of the righteous therefore he comes in fully and seasonably to their help when their enemies say God hath forsaken them 19 20. From these Considerations we may draw these Inferences by way of Information 1. That the Saints are a people of Gods special care 21 22. 2. That the Saints are a people of Gods special love 23 24 25 Eccl. 9.1 answered in 5 particulars 26 27 28 29 3. That the sinnes of Saints are circumstantiated with highest aggravations 30 31 32 4. That Infidelity and dispondency of spirit in an evil day is il-becoming the Lords people 33 34 35 36. 2. Some things are propounded by way of Caution 1. Take heed of rashly casting your selves into danger under the protection of this Doctrine 37 38 2. Beware of abusing this Doctrine by slighting lawfull means of preservation when offered 39 40 3. Take heed of laying too great a burden upon a creature-bottome 42 43 4. Beware of abusing providenciall preservations by a neglect of those duties we owe to God as our returnes for signall mercies ib. 44 45 46 47 The third use of Exhortation 48 1. To some particular persons in distinct capacity 49 1. To the Magistrates who are entreated 1. To consider the out-stretchings of Gods arm for them Ibid. 2. To consider what an honour God hath put upon them 50 3. How God hath been a shelter unto them when both their persons and their power were struck at and from hence excited 52 53 1. To bring forth Covenant-duties as a return for Covenant-mercies ibid. 2. To lay out themselves in the suppression of sin and wickedness 54 3. To countenance and protect the good people of the Land 55 2. To the Ministery who are desired to consider 1. Our share in National preservations 56 2. The present freedome we now enjoy 57 3. What yoaks hath been upon us ibid. 4. What oppositions we have met withall ibid. 5. What short Allowances some good Ministers have had for their great pains 58 6. How not onely Ministers but Ministery hath been shot at by men of bold and daring spirits 59 60 Which Considerations do bespeak us from the Lord 1. to pitty our poor Congregations especially the un-converted in them 62 2. To be painfull in all our callings ibid. 3. To carry it with tenderness one towards another in cases of smaller difference 63 4. To press after purity in Doctrine and worshipps 64 5. To breathe after unity in judgments and affections 65 3. To Military men 1. To consider their inexperience and unskilfulness in warlike matters when the Warr first broke out 66 2. To consider how low their spirits were at their first taking up armes ibid. 3. What Midianitish Armies for multitude they have encountred with 67 4. What personal preservations they have had in the heat of war ibid. 5. The great things which the Lord hath wrought for them and by them 68 Hence these duties are commended 1. Not to sacrifice to their own nets 69 2. To own the Lords people who have owned them 70 3. To be humbled for acts of violence and injustice permitted or practiced by them 71 4. To quicken up their first zeal for God his truth waies ministry and people 72 73 4. To Mariners and Sea-trading men 74 Psal 107.23 24. opened and enlarged upon 75 76 5. To the recovered ones of the Nation whom the Lord hath brought off from beds of sickness 77 78 1. That they would own with thankfulness the mercies of the Lord. 79 Considerations to quicken up to thankfulness 1. The disease was Epidemical ibid. 2. It seized upon men suddenly 80 3. It was violent ibid. 4. It was weakening ibid. 5. It was languishing 81 6. It was inevitable ibid. 7. It was mortall to many in many places 82 2. That they would make good their sick-bed thoughts and purposes ibid. Hezekiahs case stated and his example propounded 2 Chron. 32.25 83 84 85. 3. That they would commune with their own hearts to finde out those particular sinnes for which the Lord hath afflicted them 87 Severall sinnes pointed at as introducent of sickness ibid. 4. That they would consecrate their lives unto the Lord which they have received 1 Pet. 4.2 opened in some Particulars 88 1. That the time of mans abode in the flesh is fixed and determined by the Lord ibid. 2. That Whilest man lives to the lusts of men he lives not according to the lawes of his Creator 89 3. That he onely lives to the Lawes of his Creation who lives up to the will of God 90 Three Conclusions drawn from Acts 13.36 1. That the best and choicest Saints are not exempted from service 91. 2. That the great God commands his servants not onely to work but to do the work of their Generation ibid. Quaest How shall we know the proper works of our generation 93 Answ In some particulars 94 95 96 5. That they would get their hearts tinctured with an awfull fear of God 97 1. From the Consideration of his Power 98 2. From the Consideration of his Goodness 99 3. From the Consideration of his wrath uppon others ibid. Question Why should the Saints fear the wrath of God Answ 1. They see the provoking nature of sin ibid. 2. They see the dreadfulness of Gods wrath ibid. 3. They know that they are not exempted from common calamities 100 6. Labour to make sure of heaven 101 The second part of the exhortation 1. in a mix'd sence referring both to temporal and spiritual Preservations in some Particulars 102 1. To perswade the Lords people to keep up memorialls of the Lords mercies ibid. 2. To communicate and impart them unto others 103 104 105 106 Psalme 66. enlarged upon From whence is observed
he laid hold on God with all his strength as men when they are in danger of drowning will lay such fast hold that their fingers will sooner be broken then loosened thus David being almost under water stretched forth his hand of faith strengthened with promises and experiences and layeth sure hold on the rock of ages whereby his head and hopes are kept above water in this dreadfull storme what a noble gallantry of spirit did good Nehemiah shew Et Turnum fuglentem haec terra videbit Omnia de pâ—aesumas prater fugam Palinodiam was a brave Speech of Luther to Staupicius when Shemaiah advised him to take sanctuary in the Temple because the enemy had designed to fall upon him by night and slay him a word of advice which a carnal heart consulting more his own safety then Gods honour would readily have listened unto but what is the answer of this heroick saint Neb. 6. vers 11. Should such a man as I flee and who is there being as I am would go into the temple to save his life I will not go in why not go in what safety could he pretend unto you may suppose him arguing thus I am under an eminent call from the Lord to build the city of the sepulchres of my fathers I have seen the face of God in bowing the heart of King Artaxerxes to contribute his royal aid and commission me to the work I have found the Elders of the Jews willing to owne my authority and to rise up as one man to build strengthening their hands for that good work Chap. 2. vers 18. as it was 2 Chron. 30. vers 12. In Judah The band of the Lord was to give them one heart Oh that the Lord would give that oneness of heart unto us in the work of our God Hence Nehemiah gathereth up his spirits and speaks like a brave man Should such a man as I flee a choice spirit a gallant pattern to be ey'd by all who are called forth by the Lord to serve out their generation in doing his work and if it hath a direct aspect to any age or nation surely to none more then to ours both in an eminent call to work and in eminent preservation of the workmen We may experimentally apply that promise as very much fulfilled upon us Isa 4. vers 5 6. The Lord hath created upon every dwelling place of mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a cloud and smoak by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory there hath been a defence Chuphah The word implyeth a covering Cherube or nuptial vail under which the bride the Lamb's wife hath been hid from the rage of men Oh! how should this fortifie the Saints against future dangers and argue them to a dependent resting upon God! for them to cry out with the prophets servant Alas Master what shall wee do or with the disciples when tempest-tost wee perish as though there had been no hope of escaping as an high dishonour to them as Saints but more to the Lord Jesus as King of Saints especially to sink so low in their Faith as to say The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me this argueth them to be low in the sence of the care and love of God expressed to them in former mercies Oh then ye distressed of the Lord take sanctuary in this point and bewray not your infidelity by a sinking spirit in an evil day Is it so that the appearance of God are eminent and immediate in the day of his peoples distress Vse 2 Of Caution hath he given in security unto them by experienced preservations that he will be the Lord their Redeemer Oh this is a choice dish upon the Saints table they need not faint nor famish that have such a mess to feed upon yet as wholesome food may send up unwholesome vapors if unseasonably eaten or to excess and good Physick may produce bad effects if due order be not observed so this soveraign potion may nourish ill distempers if not rightly ordered And therefore I shall entreat you to take this Cordial with these cautions 1. Take heed you do not precipitate your selves into needless hazards and rashly cast your selves into dangers under the protection of this truth It is sinful to argue and would be unsafe to attempt it that because Elijah forded Jordan and made it passable with his mantle therefore thou wilt attempt the same rather then step out of thy way to go over the bridge or because the three Jewish worthies were preserved in the fiery Furnace therefore thou wilt throw thy self into the flames and presumptuously expect the same preservation no God will have his people learn the difference between tempting and trusting him It is folly not faith for a man to drink down a draught of deadly poison and say I believe the promise of Christ Mar. 16. vers 18. and expect to be antidoted against the venome of it the Israelites Numb 14. vers 44. are a said witness to the danger of presumption read the passage The Lord liketh not this language We will do and we will go when he bids not that men should bottome their safety upon the sandy washes of their own phantasies and fool-hardiness the same God who bids his people Isa 26. vers 4. Trust in the Lord for ever forbiddeth their tempting of him Deut. 6. vers 16. which text the Lord Jesus the best interpreter that ever commenced upon the Bible expoundeth to this sence Mat. 4. vers 7. The Devil had set Christ on a pinacle of the temple By the way Note that height of place giveth opportunity to the tempter temple Pinnacles are no safe standings when once Satan gets a man into his Rood-loft of spiritual pride his dangers great and near no marvail that mens heads should swim and their hearts swerve when they stand upon a Pinnacle of the temple when Satan had got the Lord Jesus so high he tempteth him to give a proof of his Divinity by casting himself down urging the charge of Angels to protect him but did the Lord Christ take the cue No he answereth It is written thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Christ had no call from God at that time to cast himself into the hands of custodient Angels here is a full promise but we must also look to a clear call Psal 91. vers 11. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways that is in all those courses which are appointed thee by God in all lawful and Christian undertakings for no further doth God or his holy Angels take charge of thee if thou keepest not within these precincts thou art out of his protection wefts and strays fall to the Lord of the Soyl the State secureth none who travail at undue hours Pro. 27.8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest so is a man that wandereth from his place God hath made a
proud Senacherib and upon what occasion to wit the vaunting of his success in wars and what follows why vers 16. Therefore the Lord the Lord of Hosts shall send among his fat ones principal Officers leanness and under his glory he shall kindle a fire May not that contempt which the Lord hath poured upon some ones of you spring much from this root of pride I onely interrogate and such are the respects I bear to the Restorers of our peace and liberty that I wish the Dream may be to those that hate you and the interpretation unto your enemies Dan. 4.19 2. Own the people of the Lord who have owned you and the cause ye have ventured in They have had a large share in the fraughtage of that ship which by the blessing of God hath been steered by you through stormy Seas into safe harbour Read often Prov. 27. vers 10. Thine own friend and thy fathers friend forsake not You cannot own God fully if you dis-own his people who under him have assisted in the work ye have had many Auxiliaries who have helped the Lord and you against the mighty Some have jeoparded their lives unto death with you in the high places of the field Judg. 5.18 It would be very disingenuous to lay such aside as depontani and over-look them as men unworthy of your knowledge now ye sit in the high places of the Nation An heathen mans conscience smote him for this crime The Popish Souldiers that went against the Angrognians said that the Minities with their prayers conjured and bewitched them that they could not fight And did not ye at Edge-hill say with others now for the fruits of prayer and did not ye receive the fruit of it Gen. 11. vers 9. and shall the guilt thereof rest upon you And some again have been upon the Mount when you have been fighting with your enemies in the valley and they have not been your worst friends neither have ye received the least aid from them When Moses held up his hands Israel prevailed and when he let down his hands Amalek prevailed Exod. 17. vers 11. Ye owe much of your success and safety in the late wars to a praying people It was observed and it was very observable that immediately after monthly Fasts ye got ground of the enemy in some places did not the Lord proclaime in your Camp that this and that victory was as well the procurement of a praying Assembly as of a fighting Army And that it was as well fetched from heaven by the tears of his Sanctuary as finished upon earth by the blood of his Souldiery Indeed ye deserve blame if ye sleight them who have wept and mourned fasted and prayed yea wrastled hard for you and by whom the war hath been much carried on in heaven and we are equally blame-worthy if we slight you who have laboured and marched and run the hazzard of limbs and lives yea fought and bled and by whom the war hath been carried on upon earth The Lord heal all hard-thoughtedness betwixt you and us and make us one as ever in the truth and cause of Jesus 3. Be humbled before the Lord A great Queen said she feared more the prayers of Ioha Knox and his Complices than an Army of thirty thousand men Trap in Mat. 18.19 for all the acts of violence and injustice either acted or permitted by you in the heat of war for all the breaches of Oaths or Covenants with God or man for all your failing in or falsifying of the Vows which ye made to God in the day of your didistress And that there hath been any root bearing wormwood or gall springing up among you that of your selves men have arose speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Act. 20. vers 19. It is too evident and hath been that the File-leaders and heads of many errours that I say not of all have been either of or found shelter in the Army both have many witnesses at this day living It took no great impression upon us that some stragling persons blurted off their pot-guns at us but when we were drawn upon by the Souldiery or by a sort of men abetted by them and marching under their protection this was great grief of heart unto us this was a sword in our bones and drew tears from our eyes in our secret mournings before the Lord This made our prophane neighbours scoffe at us when they heard those truths opposed those doctrines contradicted those wayes of the Lord evil-spoken of and those Ordinances sleighted for which ye and we had contested so long with tears and blood This made the Cavalier-Minister laugh in their sleeves and deride when they beheld the faithful Ministers faithful to the Lord to you and to the cause contended for vilified disdained and traduced and that by a party of our own Army when they themselves met with no such trouble from them This we looked upon as very disingenuous to us and as unsuitable returns to the Lord. The Lord clear up his great Gospel truths above all possibility of mistake by his own people and fill the earth with the knowledge of the Lord as the water covers the Sea Isa 11.9 that ye and we may go forth by the footsteps of the flocke that ye may feed your kids by the shepherds tents and all of us may know where the Lord Jesus feedeth and where be maketh his flock to rest at noon Cant. 1. vers 7 8. For why should any of you be as they that turn aside by the flocks of strangers 4. Quicken up that ancient zeal those burning affections and that fixedness of spirit in you for the Lord his truth his cause his Ministery and his people which once ye had O if ye find your present peace and pleasure honor and full estates dignity and dominion to begin raise unwholesome damps in your souls the sense of grace received and mercies received so eminent as yours have been and the Nation in you will excellently scatter them if well improved Oh then the Champions of Israel who have vanquished Christ and his Churches enemies in the field draw up gallantly against corruptions in your own hearts As ye have subdued Kingdomes so work righteousness As ye have bled for Christ in time of war so bow down to Christ in time of peace As ye have sealed the walls of the mighty so pull down the strong holds of sin within your own bosomes As ye have cast down the high ones of the earth from their seats so cast down imaginations and every high thought which exalteth it self against the knowledge of God As ye have captivated Nations and people to the obedience of your commands so bring all the thoughts the Nations and people of those little worlds your hearts into captivity to the obedience of Jesus Christ and his Gospel-commands 2 Cor. 10. vers 5. Your war is an In-land war now the weapons of your warfare are not now
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 in its going backward and coming forward which things with safety may be supposed seeing the miracle was so notable and amazing that the King of Babilon put on 't is likely by his Astrologers sent Ambassadors on purpose as to congratulate Hezakiahs recovery so to know the certainty and manner of that great wonder a brute or flying report whereof he had heard 2 Chron. 32.31 Now though
them If Scipro an heathen rejected the offer of an harlot with vellem si non essem Imperator I would if I were not a General A Saint may much better with à nolo Christianus sum I will not I am a Christian this is the first benefit you will receive from your keeping up a lively sense of grace received and surely you do then live best to your selves when you live freest from sin For 1. You will then be freest from the rod a towardly child is not often laid over the knee nor a close-walking Christian often under the rod sin usually bringeth forth sufferings Psal 89.30 If his children forsake my law then vers 32. I will visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquities with stripes 2. You will have quicker and safer returns of your prayers the dutiful child soonest speeds in his requests Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my prayers and the Apostle teacheth us that the way to draw nigh unto God with assurance and acceptance must be this To get our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with clean water Heb. 10.22 3. You will keep up closest and sweetest communion with God the obedient child lyes most in his fathers bosom 1 Joh. 1.6 If we say we have fellowship with God and walk in darkness we lye but verse 7. If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another God and we our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 4. You will have clearest and fullest evidences of your heavenly inheritance when the eldest son pleaded Luk. 15.29 That he never transgressed at any time the commandment of his father presently the reply of the father is All that I have is thine and when David feasted the wayfaring man with Vriahs Ew-lambe the joy of his salvation was lost as to the sense and comfort of it Psal 51.12 5. You will live in the nearest resemblance of heaven which consisteth in a perfection of holiness glorified souls are termed Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 Hence he expressed himself thus Ansclme That if sin stood on the one hand and hell on the other he would choose hell rather if it might be without sin then heaven with sin 2. This serious reflection upon what the Lord hath done for you will be of excellent use to keep your souls close with God it will work your hearts into a steady frame and sure you will live best to your selves when your hearts are most fixed upon god and most fixed for God it is a singular mercy to be standing Christians in falling times this stability of spirit is much valued by God and receives much in way of spiritual incomes from God Apoc. 3.7 to the 13. the contrary is much disliked by the Lord Psal 78.8 the people of Israel are charged with this crime that they set not their heart aright and that their spirit was not stedfast with God and vers 9. The children of Ephraim being armed and carrying bows turned back in the day of battail bewraying their false-heartednoss to and faint-heartedness in the Lords quarrel Ah how is the Scripture sadly made good in our days We have hearts bent to back-sliding revolting spirits from the truths ways and cause of the Lord Jesus though the Lord hath opened his Gospel-Magazine amongst us given forth his spiritual armor in all the pieces of it furnished us with a gallant train of Artillery formed us into compleat bodies put us under the conducts of skilful leaders given us the advantage of winde and hill and the ark of his presence hath marched in the middest of us yet what dishonorable retreat have many of us made how have we flung down our Arms and forsooke our standard in the day of battel nay The swarm is up and setled in so many parts that it will be very hard to bring them again into one Hive Mr. Vines how have we been like a routed Army scattered here and there into small parties and all endeavors as yet prevail not to rally us again what a full comment is England upon and how parallel unto that Eze. 34.5 6. They were scattered and became meat to all the beasts of the field when they were scattered my sheep wandered upon every mountain and upon every high hill let us make a little stay and gather up some observations As 1. That the word of God is the walk of Christs sheep the Scriptures of truth set boundaries to their Pastures 2. Every departure from the word in judgement or practice is an aberration the sheep that seek pasture beyond the bound of Scripture are straglers 3. That the sheep of Christ especially the fat and lusty of them are apt to wander to go beyond their bounds and in somethings to depart from their flock and fold but I would not be mistaken as though I interpret the departure of conscientious Christians from the common road of carnal Gospeling or from the foot track of formal profession nor yet their declining communion with the whole rout of professors at large in that peculiar Ordinance of the Supper to be a departure from the flock and fold of Christ for in this their breathing after Gospel-purity they walk agreably to a Gospel-rule 1 Cor. 5.11 Cha. 10.16 17. but when a people run into destructive errors and take up opinions or practices inconsistent with the truth and holiness of the Gospel this I call a wandering from the flock and fold of Christ 4. When sheep begin to wander and are got out of their usual walk so inobservant are they that they straggle over all mountains and hills and know not where to stay nor how to return home again how sadly and how often hath this been evidenced in our days what errors new or old have not been taken up and entertained by some of the Nation how have some wandered from mountain to hill and knew not where to fit down and how far have they straggled out of their knowledge that they knew not how to get back again 5. That wandering sheep become meat to every beast of prey single sheep and silly sheep when they are from under the care and oversights of their keepers can hardly save themselves by flight or fight from the evening wolves how suddainly have many been caught in our days Joh. 15.6 6. That there are many beasts of prey which lay wait for wandering sheep to devour them Foxes and Wolves have been always stirring and are not many now a days Wolves in sheeps cloathing 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
providence of God since reformation first began in the long Parliament be much admired and the Lord be thankfully adored for it and may we not own a remnant in the Land as a blessing from the Lord who stood in the gap Nay farther it is upon the account of the Saints that the world continues that the fire of God doth not kindle upon the whole Creation which is combustible to melt the heavens and burn up the earth with the works that are therein the floud of waters was onely respited until Noah and his family were secured in the Ark which being done the fountains of the great deep were broken up and the windowes of heaven were opened Gen. 7. ver 11. When Lot was entred into Zoar then the Lord rained fire and brimstone upon Sodom Gen. 19. ver 23 24. 2 Pet. 3. v. 9. The Lord is long-suffering to us ward not willing that any of his should perish but when the whole election is brought in then cometh the end when the sealing Angel Apoc. 7. ver 1 2 3. had sealed the servants of God in their foreheads then had the four Angels that stood on the four corners of the earth full commission to fall pel mel upon the earth It will be a dooms day with the world when the cloudes shall catch up the elect to meet their Lord in the air 1 Thess 4. vers 17. 5. And Lastly The Saints of God may mostly advantage their carnal neighbours in promoting their conversion herein they would shew themselves friends indeed if they would use all humble and earnest endeavours to bring them home to God The Judicial Law commanded every Israelite to bring a straying ox or ass home to his master How much more doth the Law of God and Christian love oblige every true Israelite indeed to bring a straggling Prodigal home to his Fathers house All the Saints own it as their duty to glorifie God in their generation and wherein can they bring more glory to God then in helping soules to heaven and how can they find out a readier way to effect this great business then by telling Vnless the Lord had been their help their soules had well nigh dwelt in silence by making a faithfull narrative of their own conditions by nature and by grace when and how the goodness of the Lord was made known unto them upon a saving account Some of the Saints I may boldly affirm have taken this course and prospered Oh that this might be a word from the Lord to awaken up all to this great duty my soul even bleedeth within me to observe the general neglect and great aversness of most to this great business some think their gifts too low and their parts too inconsiderable to carry on a design of this importance others have such honorable thoughts of a Gospel Ministery rightly called and qualified that they judg the anointing of the Lord to be upon them onely for that work and therefore will not take their work out of their hand least they should sin in such an attempt Others cry out let them do the work who receive the wages as though they worked onely for wages which is a very unjust and uncharitable censure Some there be that go higher yet who bid the Ministers sit still for they can do the work better then they and load them with many foul aspersions that they may the better get their work out of their hands I mean their people from under their Ministerial care and oversight indeed the distemper is very sad at this day in the Nation and not a few fall under this last classis I think in no Nation more the Lord rebuke that bold and blaspemous spirit which is gone abroad humble us for our sinnes and shew us the pattern of his house in all the in-goings out-goings and ordinances of it that men of daring spirits may be bounded I like not an invasion upon the Ministry so as to destroy the office of it nor yet an intrusion unto it by men not duly called unto it neither that any who are not in some measure of Gospel-fitness qualified for it should be thrust or thrust themselves upon a people though called by man unto it much less that any should improve their gifts to set up themselves and throw down the faithfull Ministry in the hearts and affections of people least of all that any should be suffered much more encouraged who corrupt the truths and people of God who bring in damnable heresies to draw away disciples after them by reason of whome the way of truth is evil spoken of 2 Pet. 2. vers 1 2. formerly made good in those reproaches which were cast upon Religion by the Pagans in the Primitive times and are now cast upon it amongst us by Papists and carnal Professours and both upon the account of Heresies and therefore as I owne the office of a Pastor as distinct from the people being the great bequeathment of the Lord Jesus to his Church and for the spiritual edification of his Church Eph. 4. ver 8 11 12. Bless God for those able pens who have with much learning gravitie weightiness of Arguments and evidence of divine truth propugned and asserted it in these times of great opposition and also thankfully acknowledg the integrity and faithfulness of the Civil and Supream power which hath been as a covering Cherub to the godly Ministery notwithstanding the many temptations which have been upon them to the contrary so as a suitable return both to God and good men I make it my humble proposal to my reverend brethren of the Ministery that they would strengthen the hands of the Lords people and by encouraging Arguments quicken them up to lay out themselves in their several capacities and in a wise improvement in their several advantages to win over sinners unto God If Eldad and Medad prophesie in the camp why should Joshua dislike it my Lord Moses forbid them Numb 11. ver 25 26. If the Christians of our respective Congregations should keep up private communion amongst themselves at due times and in due order or if sober and experienced Christians should minister words of advice and exhortation to their carnal neighbours provided they do it out of right principles to right ends and in a a due manner would it not hear ill if we should cry to my Lord Moses to forbid them rather let us say Would God that all the Lords people were Prophets Ver. 29. and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them that they may receive abilities from God to minister unto others That God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 4. ver 12. O then my dear Christian brethren rise up in the name and might of our Lord Jesus Christ seek the eternal welfare of your carnall neighbours I will not enlarge upon directions for the right management of this great duty onely entreat you that with modesty and Christian sobriety you
but the liberall soul answering to that Prov. 10. ver 11. The lips of the righteous feed many by wholesome counsell seasonable exhortations and spirituall instructions now this is a fatning discourse the soul thrives bravely that observes this method your own graces will be more exercised your own consciences will be awakened your own knowledge will be more enlarged and your own spirits will be more quickened unto and established in the good wayes and truths of God you cannot be serious in reproving others but it will give corruption a wound in your own hearts you cannot perswade others to repent of their fins but it will stirre you up to renew repentance for your own sins you cannot exhort others to duty but you will be admonisht of your own and you cannot deal seriously with others about salvation but it will quicken up an holy diligence in you to mind your own salvation Surely these improvements are well worth your labour 2. It makes much for your personall safety the more there be to stand in the gap the better the breach will be made up ten would have preserved Sodom when as nine could not do it the Saints do much with God when numerous and unanimous when the whole Church prays for Peter an Angel procures his Goal-delivery you helping together with your prayers is Paul's expression owning the joint addresses of the Corinthians 2 Cor. 1. ver 11. striving together for the faith of the Gospel Phil. 1. ver 27. Paul layes much stress upon number and unity when many strive and strive together like valiant Champions and a well ordered army it is like to go well with the Gospel in the Doctrines and liberty of it Therefore cast your bread upon the waters for you know not what evil shall be upon the earth Eccl. 11. ver 1.2 Take this in a spiritual sense and you will find an inforcement in it to the duty proposed for in a time of straight Zech. 12. ver 5. The Governours of Judah shall say in their heart even from the heart acknowledg it Legio fulminea the Inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord their God By vertue of their Interest in the Lord their God evils have been diverted Judgments have been removed and blessings in their right seasons have been procured 3. It makes much for your spiritual comfort The soul of righteous Lot was vexed from day to day with the unlawfull deeds of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2. ver 8. Is not this your case Do not your eyes run down with tears because men keep not Gods Law yea in that abundance that they swell into rivers Holy David's did Psal 119.136 Is not every profane wretch an Hazael to your eyes and a Hadadrimmon to your hearts and can you step out of your door in many places it is so and not see some piece of wickedness which cuts you to the heart or hear every man speak vanity to his neighbour Psal 12. ver 2. now how would it revive your spirits how would it rejoyce and comfort your hearts if you could see the face of things changed amongst you that you might go to this neighbours house and finde them praying to anothers and find them praising God to a third and find them reading and discoursing of the word and things of God nay that you could not walk in the streets but you should hear the Inhabitants of one city saying unto another let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts Zech. 8. ver 21. This sets forth the zeal and charity of those converts who would not come alone but draw others along in company with them to the worship of God which is lively expressed in a Mimesis Mr. Pemble in loc or imitation of the encouragements and invitations they should use one to another I will go also every one was as forward for himself as zealous for another as a learned Expositour hath it O blessed frame of spirit O religion would then flourish indeed when Ministers have their comes and calls each to other to the service of God nay that such an awakening should be upon your neighbours that here one should take hold of the skirts of your garments and here another as children catch hold on their Mothers gowns hang upon them and run after them saying we will go with you to such an Ordinance to such a Christian meeting for we have heard that God is with you we heard it formerly but believed it not yea derided it but now we have heard from the secret teachings of the Spirit of God within us and are convinced of it that God is with you with you in prayer with you in the word preached with you in all the duties of Religion with you in your private waitings upon him with you in the way of holiness Of a truth God is in you 1 Cor. 14. ver 25. and therefore we will go with you your God shall be our God your wayes shall be our wayes and your company shall be our company what a rejoycing of heart would this be to the truly godly and if the Lord give his blessing to the painfull endeavours of his faithfull Ministery and if you that are Christians act up with zeal to the course propounded how might the communion of Saints be maintained the Common-wealth of believers be enlarged and the places of our habitations be as the suburbs of heaven It layes a good foundation for posterity you are now sowing that seed the harvest whereof may be reaped by your children you are digging that well of which your Infants may fill their buckets Personall piety is profitable to posterity 2 Kings 10. ver 30. It was very much that was promised to Jehu for cutting off Ahab's wicked Family and destroying the temple and worshippers of Baal And the Lord said unto Jehu because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel And what a blessing doth the Lord entail upon the seed of the righteous Psal 112. ver 1 2. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandements his seed shall be mighty upon the earth the generation of the upright shall be blessed But that Religion which you now advance may be of spiritual advantage to them when you are dead Psal 102. ver 18. This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord even for your faithfull endeavours in raising Zion out of her dust and Religion out of the rubbish in the places where you live How would you have blessed God if you had found Religion in such a posture how would you have honoured the memory of your Predecessours if they had travailed to have brought that to pass which you are
as Agues and Feavers that he may befool that generation of men Iob 9.13 who are so wise in their own eyes and this may be one cause why in ordinary cases they so often miscarry being therefore called Rephaim because through their rashness and in-advertency they send so many of their patients El-Rephaim unto the dead so 't is used Psal 88.10 Shall the dead arise and praise thee Prov. 2.18 It has been very common for men to place much trust in the power and prowess of Gyants and to expect great things from them How did the Philistines repose upon their great Goliah 1 Sam. 17.8 9. offering themselves to be Israels servants if any Israelite was able to conquer their Champion in a single duel O how do too many hang their hopes of health and recovery upon the Physicians skill if they can get but such and such a Doctour to their bed-sides they presently conceit themselves well at least in a safe way for Recovery This is a fault in both whereby an encroachment is made upon God and he robbed of his glory may not that question be put in this case 2 Kings 1.3 Is it not because there is no God in Israel that ye go to enquire of Baal-zebub the God of Ekron alas Galen himself is but a Baal-zebub as to the perfecting of any cure without the blessed presence of the God of Israel Asa sinned in trusting to the skill of an Israelitish Physician as well as Ahaziah in sending to enquire of his recovery of the God of Ekron 't is dangerous to rely upon means though the best of means we are commanded in trouble to call upon God but if we trust in our prayers or expect help and health from them we sin and have little ground to expect safety The ark was a signe of Gods presence and even Jordan it self was fordable when the feet of the Priests who bare the Ark of the Covenant came to the brink of the river yet when the Israelites in a defeature by the Philistines Army imputed their overthrow to the absence of the Ark and therefore sent for the Ark into the camp making the earth ring with their loud acclamations of joy at the approach of it putting themselves into the hazzard of a new battel under the protection of that sacred standard they made but a bad bargain for they were again smitten with a very great slaughter and the Ark of God taken 1 Sam. 4.3 unto the 12 verse Much more might be added to shew the danger of resting upon man and means but this hath been fully spoke to already in a former Use 3. If this be true that God appears to the help of his people in the day of their distress then blame may be justly charged upon those who will not wait for help from God who discover impaciency of spirit in an evil day if help do not suddenly come many men have paid dearly for it Saul had much to say for himself The Philistines were gathered against him in great numbers Israel was scattered from him and Samuel out-stayed his time appointed 1 Sam. 30.8 compared with 1 Chron. 10.8 and yet because he waited not for help in Gods way and at Gods time Samuel tells him vers 13. that he had done foolishly and ver 14. that his kingdome should not continue It is observable verse 10. that assoon as Saul had made an end of offering behold Samuel came Such is Mans Imprudent rashness that he will not travail Gods pace in the way of his own safety but will whip and spur and run full speed in wayes of his own invention though to his cost when as it sometime falls out that so soon as he hath made all things ready to have deliverance in his own way Samuel comes God appears opens a door of safety to him and in a certain way of Providence would have secured him against all his fears but now because he waited not Gods time the Lord refuseth help and his own devices perish and he with them The Israelites have left this truth writ in the bloud of many of them when they would not stay Gods leasure but would to Canaan upon their own legs Numb 14.44 whereas had they waited Gods time he would have carried them thither in his own armes Jehoram sinned this way when he broke out into such high language 2 Kings 6. ult Behold this evil is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer Oh this is a very great evil a teeming womb that brings forth many ill-favoured bratts 1. Unbelief is the issue of impaciency he that believeth doth not make haste Isa 28.16 Faith will not make more haste then good speed it will not out run the Constable but stay till the Promise speaks Isa 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob and I will wait for him I 'le not stirre a foot from the Promise nor step aside from the rule to any carnal shiftings but wait for help till God brings it but where there is an evil heart of unbelief it departs from God leaves him and his wayes if he be put to overmuch waiting 2. Discontented murmurings are the products of impatience if help comes not at the nick of time when 't is looked for then men are apt to let fly in the very face of God What petulancy and peevishness of spirit did Israel once and again discover in their murmurings in Egypt and in the wilderness and what was the ground of their quarrel why because they were kept longer in Egypt and longer out of Canaan then they had a minde to stay Hence the Apostle cautions the Corinthian Christians to beware of this sin 1 Cor. 10.10 Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer and then antidote's them against this distemper ver 13. First By asserting that affliction is the common lot and portion of all the Saints Secondly that no affliction of theirs was so signall and singular but that others have had the same Thirdly That God will support his suffering-ones under all their afflictions he will bear up the weight of the building with his own butteresses Fourthly That succours and salvation will come from the Lord unto them and therefore dehorts them from repining and exhorts to a patient waiting for the Lord in his own way and at his own time 3. When men are impatient under afflictions they usually step aside into unlawfull wayes and rush upon unwarranted courses 't is hard to retain an impatient Person from tasting the forbidden fruit 't is hard to keep his unruly spirit within the bounds of duty and obedience Saul broke the bonds when Samuel out-stayed his time and therefore 1 Sam. 13.9 he will needs wear a linnen Ephod at least invade the Priests Office in offering burnt-offerings and hath his excuse ready to shift off the blame and palliate his offence ver 11 12. Because that