Sermon Upon the Wonderful Deliverance by His Majesty from Assassination, Title page
GOD in the MOUNT: A SERMON UPON THE Wonderful Deliverance OF His Majesty from Assassination. The Nation from Invasion. By VIN. ALSOP, Minister of the Gospel.
Hitherto hath the Lord Helped us.
1 Sam. 7.12.
LONDON, Printed for J. Barnes, at the Crown in the Pall-mall, 1696.
PSAL. CXXI. 4. Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
UPon the strength and warrant of this word, has the Church of God subsisted in all Ages; and upon the same security may she still depend, and hope to the end. The Psalmist therefore introduces this great truth with a solemn note of attention, that he might recommend it to our serious consideration. Behold.
All the promises of God, and those providences which subserve their accomplishments do challenge our highest faith, and most critical observation: The Works of God are but a Commentary upon his Word, and whatever he speaks with his mouth, he fulfils with his arm.
And yet (which is our great reproach) we are often in a deep sleep in the midst of our greatest Dangers, and are hardly well awake when God has wrought out our Deliverance: we sleep when our Enemies are awake to contrive our destruction; and are but in a Dream, when watchful Providence has brought Salvation; so was the Church Ps. 126.1. When the Lord turned again the Captivity of Zion, then were we like them that dream; and that because we are slow to believe there should be so much malice in men to plot the ruine of them that are innocent; or so much mercy in God to save them that are so guilty: And therefore our God awakens our dull and drowsie souls, to consider how faithfully he that keeps Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep.
In the words these particulars offer themselves to our special observation.
1. Let us observe the special object of watchful Providence. Israel. A Name given at first to Jacob, upon the account of his wrestling and prevailling with God in Prayer, Gen. 32.28. Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel, for as a Prince hast thou power with God and men, and hast prevailed: And it will deserve our special Remark, that he who can prevail with God, will easily prevail with or against men; thus Jacob having wrestled and prevailed with the Angel, easily prevailed with his incensed Brother Esau. … his reflects severely upon us, that we rather imitate Jacob in his halting before God, than in his prevailing with God.
This Name Israel was in process of time given to Jacob's posterity, and by that Title were they distinguisht from all other people; who as they constituted the whole visible Church of God at that time in the world, so were they fenced about with many special and peculiar Priviledges, Promises, and Providences, such were those among others, Psal. 130.7, 8. Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy and plenteous Redemption, and he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. Psal. 131.3. Let Israel hope in the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.
But yet it must be noted that this appellation of Israel had a more large and a more restrained acceptation.
1. In the more large and general sense it denoted the whole body of the people, which under that dispensation composed the whole visible Church of God, and was commensurate to and with the body politick; the Church, and the State making up one Community, Rom. 10.1. My hearts desire and prayer for Israel is that they may be saved. Nor were the priviledges and promises small that were made to Israel, under that more general notion, Rom. 9.4. Who are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises.
2. But yet in a more narrow and restrained sense, there was an Israel in the midst of this Israel; the invisible Church which denoted only such of them, and among them, as were effectually called home to God, sanctified by the spirit; and the Apostle gives us ground for this distinction, Rom. 9.6. They are not, all Israel that are of Israel. v. 7. Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children, but in Isaac shall thy seed be called. v. 8. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
As therefore we shall take this Israel in a more enlarged or restrained sense, so will the promises, providences, and all the privileges carry a more general or special meaning.
2. Observe we next the matter of this promise, The Lord keepeth Israel; which denotes the continuance, the unwearied protection of divine Providence; God has undertaken her protection, has engaged himself, has obliged all his attributes especially his wisdom and power to defend his Church against all her enemies, so we have it in this Psalm, v. 5. The Lord is thy keeper, he is thy shade upon the right hand. v. 7. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil, he shall preserve thy seed. v. 8. The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, from this time forth and for ever. A complication of promises adequate to all Israels necessities, against all Israels enemies, serving Israel in all cases, preserving her against all evils, and enduring firm and strong for ever.
3. Lastly, we may observe the vigilancy of Providence in keeping his Israel, he neither slumbers nor sleeps. The watchful eye of God will not w…k, his eye-lids are not heavy, his head is not drowsy, his heart is not weary; all which expressions, tho they are spoken after the manner of men, yet must we reverently interpret them in a manner after the spiritual incorporeal nature of God, whence I raise this one
Observation, Watchful Providence has undertaken to preserve and keep safe his beloved Israel.
This important truth is notably set forth in 2 Chron. 16. 9. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro thro the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him; wherein we cannot but note, 1. Divine Providence is represented as having eyes, when almighty power is most conspicuous in the deliverances of Israel, then all is ascribed to the hand, to the arm of God; but when discovering of infernal practices, when defeating of accursed machinations are most visible, then Providence is said to have eyes; altho omniscience is always attended with omnipotence, and infinit power guided by infinit wisdom. Now Providence, is said to have eyes, 1. Because there's nothing so deep, so secret, but he sees it. 2. Nothing so confused and disordered, but he directs and guides it. Thus we read Ezek. 10.12. The wheels were full of eyes round about; strange intricate turnings, motions there are of Providence, which we judge irregular, but still they are all guided by an unerring wisdom, which conducts them all to his own gracious ends. The affairs of this lower world, and especially of his Church, and all her concerns are superintended by infinite wisdom, and nothing left to the blind Idol Fortune, or Chance, the Deities of Heathens, and Paganizing Christians. 2. These eyes of Providence run to and fro: for Providence is most nimble and active, runs swiftly hither and thither, as the exigencies of his Church and People invite, and call for them. And this is the sole priviledge of Omnipresence, that it runs to all places without being in, or removing from any place; wherever God sees, there he is, his presence is equal to his Omniscience. 3. These eyes of Providence have the whole earth for their Province; not a Saint in the remotest parts of Gods earth, that is out of the reach of his care; nor a sinner in any place above the reach of his power. Nothing is below his cognizance, nothing above his control. Prov. 15.3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding both the evil and the good. Persons and things, whether good or evil are all within the circle of Providence, even those which are neither Subjects nor Ministers of his Grace, shall be brought under the kingdom of his power. 4. That Providence has not only an eye to see, but a hand, an arm, to execute his purposes, whither in promises or threatnings: he is strong, and shews himself strong; makes it appear that when he will save; none shall be able to destroy; when he will destroy none shall be able to save.
Psal. 89. 13. Thou hast a mighty arm, strong is thy hand, and high is thy right …d. And this has been impressed upon the consciences of the worst of men, whether from the remains of natural light, or the immediate impulses of the spirit. Numb.23. 19, 20. Hath he said it, and shall he not do it? Behold I have received commandment to bless, and he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
But more freely and ingenuously has this truth been acknowledged by holy ones. Josh. 23.14. Ye know in all your hearts, and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things, which the Lord spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. The same truth is owned by Solomon, I Kings 8. 24. Who hast kept with thy servant David my father, that thou promisedst him; thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thy hand: Gods promise never outbids his power.
5. Lastly, Let's observe the special object of his watchful and powerful Providence; they whose hearts are perfect towards God. In this David gloried, Psal. 7.10. My defence is of God who saveth the upright in heart.
And thus we have a fair prospect into that watchful Providence which neither slumbers nor sleeps: A truth which as God has verified in all generations towards his Israel, so has it been often, and eminently exemplified in our days, before our eyes, and on our behalf: for the more useful management of this Observation.
1. I will endeavour to shew the way of the divine Providence in keeping Israel from all the machinations of her enemies.
2. By what means Providence has discovered, and defeated the secret contrivances of Israels enemies formed against her.
3. I will open what a glorious priviledge it is to have the watchful Providence of God superintending Israel and all her concerns.
4. To improve and apply it in our recent deliverance from that accursed Conspiracy of Miscreants against our Israel.