The Saints Sufferings and Sinners Sorrows, Part 3 – Part 12
Ʋſes in reſpect of the family.
1. It muſt perſwade us to unity, the very ſight of two things in the houſe of God made Paul exceeding joyfull, Col. 2.5. faith and order: Faith makes faſt God and his houſe ſo firme in ſocietie, that nothing can devide them. Steadfaſtneſſe of faith makes Gods houſe ſtand and reſt immovable, yet would it be as a confuſed heape, if order ſhould not beautifie it: Order ſets God in the family as Maiſter, all other as ſervants, and teacheth us hee muſt command, and wee obey, and happy is the family when it is ſo ordered. True faith and right order are the two grounded pillars for this houſe to reſt upon, which reeleth and is ready to fall upon their firſt and leaſt removall. Wee muſt therefore take heed to the firſt and leaſt diſjoyning of theſe two; admit error or evill in eyther, and it will indanger the whole. A houſe devided in it ſelfe cannot ſtand, our deviſions eyther in doctrine or diſcipline make a rent in the houſe of God. By the one we weaken faith, and by the other the beautie of order. Peace which all men call for, muſt bee grounded on theſe two pillars; no truth, no true peace; no order, no ſure peace; neyther is it enough to have them in the Lawes of the family, but they muſt bee within, even in the heart and ſoules of all thoſe that will accord in one houſe.
Alas, when we plead for peace, wee obſerve not the rule. Mar. 9.50. Have ſalt in your ſelves, and peace one with another. Vnſeaſoned and unſanctified men want the true ciment, that ſhould knit them into one building with the Saints of God. As long as we are rotten within wee will rage without, and cry out of the moſt innocent for the breach of peace. Peace is lovely; but where there wants the true love of God and his truth: (that ſanctifieth the heart) there is no roome for true concord. The houſe of a wicked man ſaluted with peace repels it backe to him that offred it. Math. 10.13. He muſt be a ſonne of peace that will admit the ſalutations of Gods meſſengers, Luk. 10.6. Filius Eccleſiae, muſt be filius Dei. He that is a ſtranger to the Lords tabernacle is moſt forward to diſjoynt the frame of it; and will prove in his maiſters family that unruly ſervant, that ſmites his fellow ſervants, and firſt complaines of breach of peace. Oh let truth and peace kiſſe each other, and happy ſhall be the houſe of God. Let every man ſay with David Pſal. 120.7. I am for peace in Gods family, and curſed be they that are for warre.
Secondly, we muſt learne from hence compaſſion and mutuall pitty, as being all of the ſame houſehold. In a body if one member ſuffer, all ſuffer with it; and the tongue will complaine of the little fingers ake. Let us commiſerate our brethren overſeas, and not ſuffer the ſeas more to devide us, than the wals of a houſe can devide a family. Thoſe cold winds that blow betweene us muſt no whit coole the fervor of our love; which wee muſt labour to keepe in heart, by our affections to them and prayers for them; every one labouring to expreſſe the forwardneſſe of his heart according as God offers ability and meanes; for in this houſe Kings may doe that, which ſubjects cannot: the rich may doe that poore men are not able: men may doe what women are too weake to effect; But all may ſend prayers to heaven, like fire to fall upon the earth, and conſume their enemies.
Apoc. 8.5. The Lord Ieſus takes fire from the Altar, whereon our prayers are offred, and caſts it upon the earth: which preſently cauſeth voyces, thundrings, lightenings and an earthquake: that is, worketh our revenge, and our adverſaries ruine.
Revelat. 11. verſe 5. Out of their mouthes proceedeth fire; the prayers and prophecies of the witneſſes devoureth their enemies. Act. 12. verſe 5. upon the Churches prayers Peter is delivered and bailed from priſon. Herods ſouldiers and chaines, the firſt and ſecond ward of keepers, doores and yron gates, are unable to deteine, when the forcible and fervent prayers of the Church pull to heave him out. Oh pray, pray, pray for the peace of Zion; they ſhall proſper that thus love her. Never did the Church of God enjoy any great deliverance, but prayer procured it. If wee cannot pray, wee may not hope for any good to Gods people. Let us with Peter and Iohn at the howre of prayer, goe up to the temple, Act. 3.1. and likewiſe to the tops of our houſes, Act. 10.9. and both publikely and privately importune our Father, who ſeeth in ſecret as well as in the ſynagogue, to have mercy upon Zion. Hypocrites that pray onelyonly in publike, have their rewardes (that they are not heard of God, but ſeene of men) and do rather hinder than helpe in prayer; being an abomination unto the Lord. Yee that feare the Lord, both privately and publikely, make your requeſts knowne to him, that is ready to heare you: Take unto you words, and ſay, Spare thy people O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen ſhould rule over them &c.
Laſt-uſe in reſpect of ill neighbours.
The laſt uſe is to ſhew us that the houſe of God hath alwaies beene peſtered with peeviſh, perverſe and perſecuting neighbours: little love hath beene lent to this houſe by ſinners, which are liberall enough in the hurt and hatred of it. Saints in a manner live by themſelves, and are ſeldome kindly viſited by this unkind world. If heaven were not more propitious and bountifull, they of the houſehold of God were moſt miſerable. Warres on all ſides are waged againſt this houſe, and all cry downe with it, downe with it even to the ground. Rome ſeekes the ruine of it and runnes haſtily to ſuch a prey; but wee are to know that all the warres of our adverſaries are ſacrilegious warres; as aſſaulting the very houſe of God. If any man deſtroy the temple of God, him will God deſtroy. What is more abominable to God and man than to pull downe Churches? The holy warre of Rome is to ruinate Gods houſes, and reare up the houſes of Baal. Such holineſſe is helliſh; and though it proſper for a time; yet it returnes at laſt upon the hairy ſcalpe of ſuch as goe on to ſupplant his houſe, and cruſheth them under the ruines of their owne mine. Zech. 12.2.3, 6. the Church proveth at laſt a cup of poyſon, to eate out the enterals of theſe that devovre it: a burdenſome ſtone, to quaſh in peeces ſuch as lift at it: a hearth of fire to conſume the droſſe and ſtubble that would choake and oppreſſe it.
God judgeth his houſe.
The people of God drink of the cup, Ie. 49.12. but not in judgement, that is, the judgement of perdition, 2. Pet. 3.7. Iudgement (ſaith the text) doth but begin with them: but where it endeth, it is a judgement indeed: God may bathe his ſword in the heaven of his Church, but it will come downe upon the People of his curſe to judgement, Iſa. 34.5.
How the Lord judgeth his houſe.
Iudgements fall upon this houſe either ſecretly or openly, Hoſ. 12.14. Secret judgements are compared to the moth and rottenneſſe: I will be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the houſe of Iudah as rottenneſſe, Tinea damum facit, non ſonitum. Thus God is ſooner found in the iſſue, than felt in the blow. A moth frets a garment ſecretly; and rottenneſſe eates into a tree unſenſibly. As a moth to a garment, and rottenneſſe to a tree: ſo is God to the proceedings of Ephraim and deſignes of Iudah: that is, hee fruſtrateth their indeavours and makes their enterpriſes fruitleſſe. The pureſt garment is ſubject to the moth, and the ſtrongeſt tree to rottenneſſe: ſo the beſt and moſt worthy attempts may in their event and ſucceſſe, for the ſinnes of a nation, prove abortive and unprofitable: As may appeare in theſe five particulars: Firſt in wealth. Secondly, in ſtrength: Thirdly, in Counſels. Fourthly, in courage. Fiftly, in religion: for in theſe eſpecially may wee obſerve the ſecret and moſt hidden judgements of God.
1. God is often a moth in our wealth and outward eſtate.
Wealth is the bleſſing of God: yet Deut. 28, 16, 17, 18. a curſe is threatned againſt it, and for diſobedience often executed: our obteyning, poſſeſſing, expending of wealth, are often blaſted of God with ſecret judgements. When wee have ſecret waies to gather, God hath as ſecret wayes to ſcatter. Pro. 11.24. Wee learne of an ill maiſter, Matth. 4.3, rather to deſire to make ſtones bread, or raiſe a living out of lying & other hard and unwarrantable courſes, than to make bread of Gods Word: wee thinke it neceſſary, that wee live, but how we care not: following the heathens rule, that wealth muſt bee gotten to ſupply neceſſity, no matter for right. Hor.Vnde habeat nemo quaerit, ſed oportet habere. Theeves, Vſurers, oppreſſors, deceitfull Merchants and tradeſmen are reſolved they muſt live, but how, in what manner, and by what meanes, they weigh not. O that wee would never force any ſtone to releive us: that every word of God might be our warrant, to take up whatſoever we owne or uſe; and we no more willing to ſin againſt God than not to live.
2. God is often a moth in our ſtrength.
Strength of body is another bleſſing of God, and … fitts a man to be ſerviceable to God and his countrey. The Church hath now need of able and hardy men, tha… may indure to ſtand in the open field, and fight for his truth. It is not our goods and lives that our enemies ſeeke for: it is our God and Religion that they thruſt at ſo to make roome for their owne. Oh how ſhould me… fit themſelves for this ſervice, and give over their drunken quarrels, veneries, and other effeminate courſes, which have almoſt enfeebled our Engliſh nation, and diſabled our bodies to fight or brooke the open ayre. Iuſt it is with God to make us dye before our enemies that will not dye to theſe ſins, nor ſeeke to live according to the ancient diſcipline and example of our worthy progenitors, who have beene ranked with the beſt and ableſt ſoldiers in the world, when now being ſoaked in eaſe, and diſuſed to labour, wee are thruſt downe to the loweſt forme, and reputed of ſmall eſteeme amongſt our Neighbours.
3. God is often a moth in our Counſels.
Counſell and wiſedome direct men to the fayreſt and moſt hopefull meanes of their ſecurity. Therefore to be ſmitten in the braine (Deut. 28.28. Zach. 12.4.) viz. either not to ſee the way, or in the event and iſſue of good Counſell not to proſper, is one of Gods ſoreſt judgements, and the trueſt forerunner of ruine. Our ſinnes (ſaith the Prophet) with-hold good things. Ier. 5.25. Even our beſt conſultations are blaſted with the noyſome and peſtilent breath of our ſins. Oh that wee were ſenſible of this judgment, & could mourne for it. Who ſeeth not in this, this, Gods hand againſt us: & yet (alas) how few lament it. We laugh at our Sorrowes, and lay nothing to heart. This is the way to make him that was a moth unto Ephraim, a moth unto us, to ſmite us even in our Counſells, and make them fruitleſſe in their hopefulleſt and beſt proceedings: and thus may God make the beſt of our Counſells & conſultations rotten and moatheaten.
4. God is often a moth in our courage.
It was the high dignity of Ephraim to ſpeake with majeſtie in the midſt of all the tribes, and to cauſe trembling round about him. Hoſ. 13.1. But when he offered in Baal, he died. Sinne is the dampe of courage, and the death of the heart, and decay of all excellency. And here wee finde God againe ſmiting, Deu. 28.28. Zach. 12.4. who as he takes away Counſell by blindneſſe and madneſſe, ſo doth hee take away courage by aſtoniſhment and amazement of heart.
5. God is often a moth in our Religion.
Religion of all bleſſings is the greateſt, and yet in this we are often ſecretly ſmitten of God. This whole land hath great cauſe to prayſe God that the truth of the Goſpell is ſo publikly mainteined. This bleſſing we would learne to eſteeme, if wee were in the skins of our forefathers, or neighbour brethren abroad. The time was when wee would gladly have ſerved God in Woods and Caves, and ſecret Cells: and how glad would our brethren abroad be, to ſee but one of our dayes: yet we enjoying full liberty of profeſſion & practiſe under good and wholeſome lawes, wee nothing anſwer Gods goodneſſe unto us, but live as if we wanted theſe ineſtimable priviledges, and ſhew plainely the ſecret curſe of God upon us. Errors and evills, ſuch as Poperie and Idolatrie, may ſteale and creepe in at a poſterne gate: but (bleſſed be God) at an open and wide gate they finde no entrance. The ſword of authority like the Cherubims, ſtands at the gates of our Eden to keepe out the rebellious. Would God to our lawes, there were the like execution, and happie ſucceſſe in the meanes. The neglect in theſe, may cauſe God to bee a moth in the reſt, & ſecretly to withhold from us the bleſſed influence of a Bleſſed Religion, and of our bliſſefull lawes. Thus much of Gods ſecret judgements upon his houſe.
The more open and apparant judgements.
Gods ſecret judgements conſiſt rather in the privation of good things, than in the ſenſible ſmart of poſitive plagues. But when we are not apprehenſive of the moth, then he roares as a Lyon, teares and rends in peeces, takes away his prey, and ſuffers none to reſcue. When the good gifts of God want their bleſſing, when in our eſtates wee become poore, in our bodies weake, and in our ſoules blind, fearefull and unholy; theſe wants ſhould ſtirre us up to ſeeke God: but if we like ſenſeleſſe people move not, God to make us more ſenſible, inflicts upon us ſorer judgements, and makes us feele our loſſes in our lives, and our blowes in our bloud, and ſmites us as hee once ſmote the Philiſtims, firſt a farre of, in laying ſome Dagon which we adore, flat on the ground: then ſtriking off hands and head, (wherein wee truſt for helpe) he leaves it an uſeles ſtumpe. When blockiſh men regard not this, The Lord drawes nearer, and ſmites their bodies with ſharpe paynes, and yet proceeding farther, he take away their lives with the ſword. Eaſy warnings neglected, end in greater woes, & God that at firſt would faine be heard, at laſt will worke his pleaſure, and will not heare. Ezoc. 14.21. tells us of foure ſore judgements, the Sword, Famine, Peſtilence, and noyſome Beaſts. Some of theſe have raged in this Land, and wee may feare the reſt will follow, unleſſe we prevent them by our repentance. The Lyon hath rored: who will not feare? The Lord God hath ſpoken, who can but prophecie?