Trials and Triumphs that Accompany the Work of God, Sermon 3

Trials and Triumphs that Accompany the Work of God · Sermon 3

p. 113John 11.23.

—Thy brother Lazarus shall rise again.

HAving, in my former Discourse, spoken to the several deaths that may befall Christ's work and Interests, and that after he hath undertaken to heal the Disease, and is sound on his way to that effect, yet it may grow worse on his hand.

I come now from this place, to shew you, that what-ever befall a work in Christ's hand, he will finish and perfect it, Thy Brother Lazarus shall arise: that is, the poor afflicted People of God shall be delivered from the pres…nt sad condition they are in, and restored to their former happiness, whose poor and low condition is here represented to us by Lazarus.

p. 114Before I come to that which I principally intend, I shall premise these Five Things from the Con-text; The First, is t…is, That our Lord hath a different way of entertaining the friends of his work, according to their different exercises about it, and the nature of their concerns in it. The Disciples they are only exercised about a sleeping and dead Lazarus, and our Lord entertains them with no other thing, but with the news that Lazarus was dead; and they speak of nothing but death, so that first and last, death is the subject of their discourse, but you see, when Martha comes, they fall on a more comfortable discourse, and they only speak of the rising and reviving of Lazarus. Thou may be one that can keep up conference with Christ, about a dead work, and in thy dispondency, preach thy own death next, Let us die with him; when others are profitably conversant about the reviving of it, before the Lord. The cause why most of us finde little of him, or of his mind concerning our low and hopeless-like condition, it is the lowness of our Spirits, and the lowness of our exercise about it.

The Second thing I would premise is this, That Faith in its noble actings, always findes p. 115suitable entertainment at Christ's hand, v. 22. She acts faith, Whatsoever thou asks of God, God will do it, What may our Lord say? Does thou thus believe? Then sayes he, v. 23. Thy Brother Lazarus shall arise. It's a great favour to meet with a speaking God, in order to the particular case, we lay before him; and this is the favour, that here her faith meets with: yea, so great is our Lord's respect to faith, that he bestows favours upon it, above the desire and expectation of the believer; Thy Brother shall rise. Our unbelief is the cause of our bad acceptance, when we come to him about his work: Sense says, it's dead, and there we leave it stinking, in the Grave, but don't at all exercise one act of faith about it; and, this makes us come, and go away wearied, in fear, and with great jealousie, because there is no Answer from the Lord.

The Third thing I would premise, is this, That how-ever all the Saints be excellent, yet their excellencies are various: One may be excellent in mourning over a dead Lazarus, as Mary; the others excellency may lie in wrestling with Christ, for the Resurrection of a dead work, as Martha One may run faster than the other, while going to the Sepulchre, p. 116where their Lord was laid; The other may have more courage, to go down to the Sepulchre, to see what hath come of Him, and to know really that he is risen. This makes a sweet harmony in the body, every Member having its proper excellency, and should revive that charity, and respect, that we owe to others, that want not their own excellency, though they have not such an excellent eye, as thou hast.

The Fourth thing I would premise, is this, That one Christian may very far out-go another, in their zeal and activity, about a dead work, when things are very low. Here Martha out-strips Mary, and anon Mary out-strips Martha; Martha rests not till she get Lazarus up, and when this is done, she troubles her self with much service. It may fall out, that one much concerned about the reviving of others, may fall careless of themselves, or of that better part, which is most of their concernment. Mary, upon the other hand, is so concerned about her Brother, that she does not neglect her own case, nor her principal duty to Christ, that is The Resurrection and the Life.

Lastly, I would premise th…s, That such as are most concerned about his work and People, p. 117they meet with the earliest discoveries of its reviving. Therefore here you see Christ intimates this to her, viz. The reviving and resurrection of her Brother, Zach. 2 4. There is a young Man, much concerned about Jerusalem; well, what is the favour that this young Man shall receive for his encouragement, v. 4. Run speak to this young Man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited, as Towns without Walls:— v. 5. For, I will be to her a Wall of Fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. Till we be more concerned about Jerusalem, it's not very like, that we shall either hear or see great things about it. Thus much from the connection of this purpose in hand, with what goes before, and follows after.

From the words themselves, I shall give you this one Proposition.

That what-ever work Christ undertakes, and howsoever attended with invincible difficulties, yet he will finish and perfect it, notwithstanding of all. For proof of this, see Deut. 32.5. As for God, this work is perfect. Psal. 138. last. My God will perfect that which concerneth me. And, it's that which the Apostle incourages his hearers with, Phil. 1.6. He that hath begun a good work in you, will p. 118also perfect it unto the end: And, it's in confidence of this, that the Apostle Peter prays, 1 Pet. 5.10. The God of all grace, perfect, settle, strengthen, and establish you. If he undertake the redemption of his People out of Egypt, he carries it on till he hath finished it, notwithstanding of all the difficulties that were in the way. Intends he to build his House, and does he undertake it, and puts Nehemiah to work about it; he carries it on, notwithstanding of the difficulties that were in the way; Does he undertake the delivery of his People in Esther's days? He finishes it: And does our Lord undertake the Work of Man's Redemption from sin and Sathan? Why, he finishes it, and that over all opposition from Men or Devils.

In speaking to this, I shall shew you, First, When may Christ be said to undertake any Work, in the behalf of His People?

Secondly, What be the discouragements or difficulties that do usually attend Christ's undertaking his Work, and for his People.

Thirdly, Why will our Lord undertake a Work attended with so many difficulties, and will not (until then) appear for it.

p. 119Fourthly, What are these great things he will do, before a work undertaken by him be not accomplished and perfected.

Fifthly, What is the manner and way of Christ's acting, when he comes to finish his work, and to raise up a dead Lazarus.

Lastly, I shall Apply it.

For the First, which is this, When may Christ be said to undertake a business for his People?

A. 1. When he leads in his People to a formal Bargain and Covenant with Him, wherein he promises to them, and they ingage to him, Jer. 30.21, 22, 23 Who is this that ingageth himself to approach to me? Thy ingaging is as a Chariot that Christ presently goes up unto, and therein manifests himself an Undertaker of thy Work, when you are made a willing People, then says he, I will be your God, and you shall be my People, Psal. 50. Call on me, and I will deliver you, Psal. 91.11, 12. Because thou hath set thy love on me, therefore will I deliver you. Their ingaged affection, does ingage his Power to appear in their deliverance: If Christ say, go to the Vineyard, and you shall have what is convenient; It's a good evidence, he hath undertaken the work.

p. 120Secondly, Then may He be said to undertake a work, when he ingages under Work-men about it. Christ here ingages all the Disciples about this affair, you know whensoever a Man, not only Covenants with one about such a House, but he bespeaks his Work-men, that must be imployed about the Work, that is a good evidence he hath undertaken the Work, and so it is in the case in hand.

Thirdly, Then may he be said to undertake the Work, When he gives his tender eye of inspection to the Work: When his watchfull eye is over it, in the storm, and in the clear day, in the Furnace, and out of it: Isa. 27. I the Lord do watch it, I do water every Morning, yea every Moment.

Fourthly, Then may our Lord be said to undertake his work, when his People and Servants have a mind to work, Neh. 4.6. The People have a mind to work: This joyns the Wall together, and makes it go up, Phil 2.20. I have none so minded, says Paul, speaking to the commendation of Timothy, that will naturally care for the things of your souls, then the Saints and Servants of Christ, they are of a noble mind, they mind the work, and they have a mind to all that work that it calls for.

p. 121Fifthly, When Christ Jesus the Lord, is affectionatly concerned about the work, and the low condition of the friends of it. Jesus wept. You may see him ingaged in his sympathy, Exod. 2. I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my People, I will come down and save them: When he saw their faith, he was presently ingaged, and to work he went, and said to the poor Man, Rise, take up thy Bed, and walk. It's a very sad thing; when his sympathy is denyed us, or when the Church grows jealous of it, Isa. 63.15. Where is now thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and thy mercies. Ordinarily then we fear casting off, and that he will not do our work for us; but, when his repentings kindle within him, and his bowels are not restrain'd, the People of God then do judg that he hath undertaken, and that if he can do any thing, that he will do it.

Sixthly, Then may he be said to undertake a work, when he receives an earnest from his poor People, when he receives and accepts of a Sacrifice; There is no doubt but he hath undertaken it. If a Physician or Council receive your money, then you think, that he hath undertaken to cure, or consult and plead to the best advantage for your cause, p. 122So here, Judg. 13.23. If he had a mind to destroy us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering at our hands: And truly, if God hath accepted Prayers, Fasts and Sufferings, in the behalf of his dying work, it seemeth he hath undertaken, and will finish it in a blessed Resurrection.

Seventhly, Therein doth ones undertaking a work appear: In his removing all things that hinder the advancement or carying on of this work, as our Lord does here: he silences the great Masters of Reason that disputed against his Undertaking, he removes the unbelief of Martha and Mary, and commands them to rowl away the Stone: And, if you despise this day of small things; Then, Lastly, shall you be convinced, when he shall effectually do his work on Mount Zion and Jerusalem; and cause Lazarus to rise up out of the Grave, Zech. 4.10. For, who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoyce, and shall see the Plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel, &c. Thus much for the First Particular propounded.

I come now to the Second, What are the disadvantages or difficulties that this undertaking of Christ's is attended with?

p. 123A. 1. This undertaking of Christ is attended with this disadvantage, He is now at a distance from his work: Here is distance in the case, And this is very sad in it self to be at a distance from Christ at any time, but far more sad is it, when Christ is at a distance, when there is so much work to be done, and when none can do it, but Himself.

Secondly, Here is great danger in this undertaking; Ask the Disciples, and they will tell you, this undertaking will prove Christ's ruine, and theirs too, as I have shewed you from their resolution, to go down and die with him. And truly to sense, there was no small hazard, seeing not long before they spake of stoning of Christ there, where now his work lies, and to which place he resolves to go.

Thirdly, Here is death in the case: The Work that Christ undertakes, is both hopeless and helpless in it self, and to all friends concerned in it, Lazarus is dead; What hope can there be of his reviving? or what help can be made to him now, when dead? Yet notwithstanding of this disadvantage, the Prince of Life, that hath the Keys of Life and Death, undertakes the work, Ezek. 37.2, 3, 4. He was at a non-plus, and silenced p. 124with one question about such a case, Can these drie bones live? Lord, thou knowest. He neither had hope, nor knew he of help, but turns over the case to be solved, and the work to be done by him that only was able: and it were our wisdom to do so, without farther disputing.

Fourthly, Here is rottenness in the case: By this time he stinketh, saith Martha, and I pray thee, Master, don't dishonour your self, by undertaking a work that will but bring a bad savour on all that medles with it. We can only bring a bad savour on the great concerns of Christ; and when he is ready to remove that, we ordinarily do what we can, thorow our weakness, to hinder Him.

Fifthly, Here is continuation in a sad condition: It was not of a day or two, but he hath now been four days in the Grave: To lye long in a sad condition, is a great disadvantage to the Undertaker of the Cure; Then Physicians dare promise nothing, their hopes are small, and with Martha, they can say, if we had come a little sooner, we could have cured him; but, now the disease hath layn so long on, that there is little can be done, Death only is to be made easie; yet p. 125notwithstanding of this, our blessed Lord undertakes the Work, and finisheth it.

Sixthly, There is Division in the case: When Christ undertakes this Work, all the best of the Church are of a contrary mind, & divide in their Opinion from Christ, they do not like his undertaking, judging it both rash and irrational, to undertake a work of so great hazard, where there is so little hope, to do any good to the parties principally concerned, yet he undertakes it, knowing how to unite those in the issue, who stumble so much at his first undertaking; And truly, it's usual that those that break amongst themselves about the means, do agree, when the end desired by both is attain'd, which falls out ordinarily about the reviving of a dead work.

Seventhly, There is hard censuring in the case: If Christ say, I will destroy this Tem…le, and in three days raise it up again, he must expect to be censured by the Sc… and Pharisees: and, if he say, Let us go … and see Lazarus, he must expect the … me…sure … misbelieving Discip… …, for repro… … only this … p. 126Undertaker cannot fail, nor be discouraged, till he hath done his work: Isa. 42.4.

Eighthly, There is singularity in the case: And, this is no small discouragement, there is none for the work, but Christ alone. At my first Answer, (says Paul) none stood with me: This was a great tentation, yet his Master stood by him, and strengthned him, but here not one of the Disciples is found to stand by Christ as this undertaking.

Lastly, There is opposition in the case: he not only had none with him, but such as were not for the work, though they would die with him, yet he meets with much opposition from them. For, First, the Disciples, they oppose him by their disputing, thereby labouring to disswade Him from undertaking the work. And, Secondly, Martha and Mary, by their unbelief, they hinder him, till he hath removed this out of the way; And, as I have told you: It's very sad, when Ministers unbelief is the death of Lazarus; and provokes Christ to permit him to die, that you may believe; and when Professors unbelief keeps Lazarus in the Grave: Now, when Christ is come to raise him; but he will do nothing in this; Till, p. 127First, He hath cured thei… …belief. Thus much for the Second Thing propounded, which is the discouragement that does attend Christ's undertaking.

The Third Thing propounded, to be spoken to, is to give you the Reasons, why our Lord undertakes a work, attended with so many disadvantages and discouragements.

The First Reason I give you of Christ's undertaking of this Work, is, His call to it: Mary and Martha call'd him, and therefore came he into the World, to do such work as no other Man can do. Nay, the Work it self did call for him, every beating of the Pulse, every groan, and sigh of a deadly wounded Work call'd him, the bad savour that was now on Lazarus, call'd him to work. Now to teach us to follow God's call over all difficulties, he obeys the call, and considers not the difficulties, knowing that in following his calling, these should either vanish or else be overcome.

A Second Reason is this, Because the work now was taken out of the hands of all the Disciples, and was beyond the reach of ordinary means, he is dead and stinking: they can do p. 128nothing but … And oh that there were more of this …or a dead Lazarus: Therefore he undertakes it, Isa. 43.13. I will work, and who shall let it? neither Disciples disputing, nor Martha's unbelief can let him, he will cure all in his own way.

A Third Reason is this, Because this was a work he reserved for his own hand, and for the advancing of the great design of the Gospel; which is, That all Men should honour the Son, Joh. 5.23. By believing in him, as they believe in God, Joh. 14.1. Now, our Lord will never slight a work, how hard soever that lies at his Door; and, therefore Mat. 17.16. I brought him to thy Disciples, (says the poor Man) but they could not heal him; well, says Christ, Vers. 17. Bring him hither unto me; this is a work I have reserved for my own hand; I will do it: The work is safe, when at Christ's Door, and when Disciples have done all they can, though they cannot revive it.

A Fourth Reason, why he undertakes a work attended with so many difficulties, is, because it's for his Friends, who ordinarily fall all dead with a dead work; What will he not do for his friends? especially when p. 129their necessity calls for it, he that gives himself, will he not work, and do all things for them. And, this is comfortable, to think that Christ will undertake a work attended with so many difficulties, and especially, when his friends (for whose cause he undertakes it) are so unworthy of any such favour.

A Fifth Reason is this, Because thereby He gets himself a great Name, and a great praise, and thereby does much strengthen the staggering faith of the friends of the work: Neh. 9.10. So didst thou get thee a great Name, as it is this day: And as he promised to David, 2 Sam. 7.9. That he would make Him a great Name: so by his undertaking, he that was the Anti-type, gets a great name to himself. It were good, if we were pleading his name more, to perswade him to undertake and finish the reviving of our Lazarus.

A Sixth Reason is, That he may attest the liberality of his heart to the Sons of Men; we have narrow limiting, and unworthy thoughts of him, that he will not, or cannot do any thing about dry bones, or dead Souls; Now he does this, to convince us p. 130of the contrary, Isa. 41.17, 18. The poor and needy want water, and their tongue fails for thirst. Now they must the for lack of water; No, says the Lord, Vers. 18. I will open up Rivers in the Wilderness, and streams in the Desert; I will hear them; I, the God of Jacob will net for sake th…m.

Seventhly, and Lastly, Because, as he daily works, so he hath some one or other work that is call'd a Generation work, that he does for reviving of that Generation, and for the following, that when they fall under a deaths, they may remember his works of old, and set their hope on Him, Psal. 78.7. That they might set their hope on him: This sort of work, I conceive, that word especially holds forth, which you have, Psal. 145.4 One Generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy Mighty Acts; wherefore this in may Text is a signal one, being the Resurrection of one that now stinks in his Grave, and of many in him. Thus much for the Third thing propounded, viz. The Reasons of Christ's undertaking at this time.

The Fourth Thing to be spoken to, is, What great things Christ will do, before a work undertaken by him, be not accomplished and perfected.

p. 131For Answer unto this, I shall propound these Seven Things.

The First whereof is this, He will venture his Lazarus, and let him the and stink in the Grave, before he have not his intended work perfected: which is, that they may believe: And truly, it's a great matter for so kind a Master, to suffer one of his best beloved Servants to be brought so low; But, that is no matter, if thus it must be, before he can finish his work, thus it shall be, Psal. 78. He gave his strength unto captivity, and his glory to the Enemies hand. Why? this he does, that he may accomplish his design of punishing the hypocritical Professors in the Church of Israel, and get himself the more glory, in bringing back of both again. And be sure, it's not a small thing for him, to give up his strength unto captivity, and his glory to the Enemies hands.

Secondly, Very weak means, and endeavours, shall not want his countenance and encouragement, if they he used about the reviving of his dead work: Weak Martha wants not encouragement in this case, and this is great condescendence, that so great a one; should thus humble himself, to regard so p. 132weak an Instrument: but our Lord will not despise the weakest Woman among you, when in the exercise or faith, about that work that he hath undertaken.

Thirdly, Our Lord will not spare his pains, when his dead hearted People calls for it; in order to they reviving: He will go on foot to Judea, to perfect his cure, and finish his work on a Lazarus, he can stop over distance, and be as a Hind and a Roe on the Mountains of Separation.

Fourthly, He will not stand on the probable hazard, or danger, that Men may suppose, that undertaking will bring him to; Let them be all Devils in Judea, he will go down, seeing his work calls for him; And truly, it's a great matter, when one is not skared by seen and feared danger, to finish the work that God calls them to go about.

Fifthly, Our Lord Jesus will think nothing to step over all the sinful miscarriages of his friends about the work, rather than the work should lie unperfect: He steps over the peevish humour of the Disciples, and the unbelief of Martha, before his work be not done p. 133that he had undertaken. Our weaknesses should humble us, but they cannot hinder him, notwithstanding of their failings, he does his work.

Sixthly, Our Lord, Before his work be not done, he thinks nothing to cross, and contradict the whole Church: and so he does here, he contradicts them, and ingages them to go down with him, very cross to theirs own inclinations, and to that light they had about their duty.

Lastly, Upon the easiest intreaty he will be prevail'd upon to do great things, Jer. 33.3. Call upon me, and I will shew you great and mighty things: So Joel 2.21. Be glad and rejoyce, for the Lord will do great things: There are three greats that the Spirit of God in the Scripture seems to glory in, and Christ will make us experience them all, before his work be undone, upon a very small intreaty.

The First great, is great faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness, great is thy mercy, thy greatness is unsearchable, therefore he undertakes great works upon the smallest intreaty.

p. 134The Second great, is great sins, Psal. 25.11. Pardon my iniquity, for it is great: and this he does on easie tearms, Psal. 32. I said, I would acknowledge my sin, and thou for gavest me the iniquity thereof.

A Third great, is great deliverances: So David declared, that he gave great deliverances to his King, a part whereof was this He prevented him with the blessings o… goodness, and this is before we call; And can a thing be done at an easier rate? Thi… our Lord will do, before his work under taken by Him, be not perfected, Thu… much for the Fourth thing propounded, t… be spoken to.

The Fifth thing to be considered, is th… manner and way, that he takes in finishing his work thus undertaken hy him.

The First way that I observe he hath on Earth, in doing great works, and in reviving Zion's dead, after he hath undertaken this work, is this, by weak and contemptibl… means. Then rose up Dehorah, Judg. 4. an… Jael the Wife of Heber must do executio… on. Sisera. Sometimes by extraordinar… means; Then rose up Phineahs, and made execution, and it was counted to him for righteousness: p. 135And sometimes by contrary means, he opens the eyes of the blind, by dust and spittle, that was a means contrary to the Cure, that he wrought by the same; but, What shall we say? Things are in their effect, as he will have them, though they be never so cross thereunto in their own natures: The turning of Jerusalem into Chalk-stones, by his appointment, will serve to purge away Jerusalem's Sin.

Secondly, In his doing of his work, that he undertakes, He does it most compleatly: He leaves it not half done, when he begins, he makes an end, whether in his works of mercy or justice; the wicked, they scorn him, and say, Will he make an end in one Day? but what-ever days he take to do his work, he is sure to compleat it, e're he leave it, Deut. 32.5. As for God, his work is perfect.

Thirdly, By all the deaths upon his work and People, he advances his great design, and if he kill, he quickens by killing, Hos. 6.1, 2. He hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up: If blood be sowen about Jerusalem, like Water, it proves the Seed of the Church; and hence p. 136it is, that the Man that is acquainted with God, when he sees all this, he says, There is a building up, and that he saves the Island of the Innocent, Job 22. last.

Fourthly, He does it in his own time, Isai. 60. last. It's in his time: In an acccptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: And this is here, when Lazarus is dead and stinking; he will not come before his time, for then it should prove a snare to us; nor after it, for then it should prove dishonourable to him; his Saints, by all their crying, shall not make Him come a day sooner, and yet they must call and cry; nor shall his Enemies keep him one day longer, away from his People, with all their threatnings.

Fifthly, Our Lord's manner is this, He uses to speak to his People about it, before he do it: Moses is sent to speak to the People, before he revive them with that temporal deliverance. And, Christ here speaks to his Disciples, and to Martha, about this Resurrection, before he works it: O for a Prophet that knew, or that could tell Us how long.

p. 137Sixthly, He does it ordinarily, over a-multitude of difficulties: O what difficulties are there in this case in hand, as I have shewed you: There is never a great work he hath done, but it hath been over a multitude of discouragements, as you may see in all his workings of old, in Egypt, and at the Red-Sea.

Seventhly, He does his work, but so, as to affect his People first with it. Jehosaphat must be concerned about his work, and the case that all was in, and say, We know not what to do, before ever the Lord do it; 2 Chron. 20. Ezekiel must be set in the midst of the Valley of dry Bones, before they be revived: We keep too long about the borders of them, but we must get in to the heart of his affairs, and see things in their blackest colours; Here you see, Lazarus is not only known to be sick, but dead, and stincking in the Grave, friends weep, and Jesus wept, before ever Lazarus is revived.

Eighthly, Consider that God's glorious appearance for the help of his People, is, when things come to the Mount: that is, when things are out of hope, if God himself p. 138do not appear; Hence, Gen. 22. In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen; which makes a returning from the Mount with Sheaves; how-ever it be very melancolious to go up the Mount, yet it is very joyful to come down again, with your dead Isaac restored to life again.

Ninthly, He works in such a manner, that he disappoints his Peoples fears, and his Enemies hope, Isa. 35.3. His People are in great fear, his Enemies they have great hopes, but what says our Lord to his People, v. 4. Be strong, fear not: I will come with recompence to your Enemies, but I will save you.

Tenthly, He works it after that rate, that in his way he makes many Heart-discoveries. And, First, He discovers the Disciples pride, that would dispute with the Master. Secondly, Their ignorance, that knew not that there was no hazard, so long as Day lasted. Thirdly, Their rashness, that offer themselves to suffer without a Call. Fourthly, Their disrespect and unhandsome carriage to their Master: Nay, say they, he will run himself, and us also upon hazard. Fifthly, Their unbelief, both in them, and in Martha.

p. 139Eleventhly, He does it after his own Order; That is to say, He first heals the distempers that were in their Souls, and then he raises up Lazarus. Lazarus could not be the worse by his delaying to raise him, but Martha; if she had not been cured of her unbelief, she might have sustained a great prejudice. Then Christ is neer to act, when he cures the unbelief of his People, and strengthens their faith to lay hold on the promise.

Lastly, He does his work, not only easily, speedily, and irresistably, but he does it so, as to leave room for your part of the work, you must roll away the stone, what-ever it be, thou must remove impediments that lie in the way; we must imploy Christ, and depend on him, but it must be in doing what he commands, though it were no more, but to roll away the stone.

I come now in the last Place to the Application of the Point.

And, First, By what I have said, you may be helped to try how things stands betwixt our Master, and us, and whether he hath undertaken our work in us, and for us: But how shall know this?

p. 140A. 1. Hath Christ sent and bespoke thee for Himself, and the message he sent, is gone to thy very heart, so that instantly thou became willing, with Rebecca, to come to Him: Can you say, that when his Law came, then you were made to run, under the sense of your own deadness, and the reviving of a body of death in thee, Rom. 7.9. Then be sure the work it undertaken by Him: And thus you know was his way of old with his Church, when they cried to Him in their distress, then as an evidence that he had heard their Prayers, and undertaken to deliver them, be sent his Prophet unto them, Judg. 6.8, 9. That declares unto them the mind and purpose of God, in order to his delivering of them; Thus he sent Moses, unto his poor People, when in Egypt, to tell them that he had undertaken the work of their Redemption: And, that he would do it with an outstretched Arm, Exod. 2.7, 8. And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my People, and have heard their cry, by reasons of their Taskmasters, and I am come down to deliver them: But ah, where is there such a one this Day? O! for a Moses! With such a comfortable message! then might we harden our selves against p. 141our present sorrows, because of our expected deliverance.

Secondly, Hath he Contracted and Covenanted with you about the Work of your Eternal Salvation; Is there a mutual paction betwixt Him and Us? If there be, then he hath undertaken the Work; have we ingaged our selves to him, then he hath ingaged himself to us; and will remember his Covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and will remember the Land, Lev. 26.42. And albeit we do not keep the conditions of the Contract betwixt Him and Us; as, Ezek. 16.59. Nevertheless says the Lord, Vers. 60. I will remember my Covenant with thee in the Days of thy Youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting Covenant; then shalt thou remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy Sisters, thine Elder, and thy Younger, and I will give them to thee for Daughters, but not according to thy Covenant: And so he goes on to Answer this Objection in the 62 Verse. Where Note, That as his contracting with his People, evidences his undertaking of the Work, and that he will (upon this account) carry it on; so, his finishing of p. 142his Work, puts his People in the dust, and makes their mend that by Repentance, that they have ruined with their Pride; and all this our Lord does of Grace, not of Merit, which makes them the more ashamed of their former wayes.

Thirdly, You may know he hath undertaken a good Work in you, If he hath at any time accepted of a Sacrifice from you, and given the earnest of his Spirit unto you. This is not only a great ground of confidence, as to his undertaking, but a great blessing to thee, and to the Work, Psal. 66.20. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my Prayer, nor his Mercy from me: When God accepts of his People's Prayers about his Work, it's a token for good; and, when he continues the Spirit of Prayer with them, for this end, that they may be his Remembrancers, then be sure he will arise, and make Jerusalem the praise of the whole Earth; but, if this be restrain'd, or, if God be angry with his People's Prayers, it is a Lamentation; And, For these things I weep, my eye, my eye runs down with tears, because relief is p. 143gone, Lam. 1.16. Again, when God turns not away his Mercy from us, but gives unto us the earnest of his Spirit, whereby we are helped to imploy him about his Work: It's a good token he hath undertaken it, Ezek. 39. last. I will hide my Face no more from you; for, I have poured out my Spirit upon you: Truly, when GOD calls home his Spirit, it seems then, there is little work for him or others to do.

Fourthly, You may know that he hath undertaken the Work, By the cost and pains that every Day our Lord is at, to hold up thy goings, Psal. 17. To hold thy Soul in life, and to keep thy Feet from being moved, when Men ride over your Head, Psal. 66.9, 10, &c. To prove thee, and try thee as Gold is tryed, to bring thee into the Net, and bring thee out again: He is at all this cost, because he hath undertaken that great Work, Vers. 12. which is to bring thee out unto a wealthy Places; and, Deut. 8.3. He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger: All this was, that he might do them good in the latter end, which was his great undertaking for them. Therefore I say, if you p. 144see him at great cost expences every Day about his Work; one Minister spends his strength about it, another is eaten up with the Zeal of his House; Take this as a sure evidence, that he hath a Work; and hath undertaken it, and will finish his Tower in due time.

Fifthly, You may know he hath undertaken by this; If his Friends and Servants have a mind to work: When Zion's Dust is sweeter to all the Saints▪ than all the Powders of the Merchant, and when on this consideration they have a heart to do, what-ever their hands findes to do; Christ suffers none of his Workmen to Work▪ but his own Work, if they do meddle with the Work of Error, he breaks their works, and if with the work of them that turn aside, there remains nothing but Repentance: But when he intends to work, then he Spirits, his Friends, for his work; whereupon, The Wall goes up, and is joyned together, Neh. 4.6. O for more of this mind, and that, out of Love to our Work; For truly, our Work is our greatest and best wages in time.

p. 145Sixthly, and Lastly, Then you may know that he hath undertaken the work, When you sinde him affectionately concerned in what befalls the work: And, Jesus wept; oft times he weepeth alone over a dead work; And, When Jesus came toward the City he wept. They were all singing, he only weeping; And must, blessed Jesus weep, and weep alone, and weep with the weeping Friends of a dying work, and yet can you not believe, that this work is on his heart. It may be a great question, whether the hardness of our hearts, or the deadness of his Friend Lazarus, is the greatest cause of our dear Lord's sorrow. Let us go down to the Grave, and weep with him. And so this leads me to the next word of Use.

Which is to call you to weep over your dead Hearts, your dead Work, your dead Friends, and over all the Deaths that hath past on the Interests of our Lord.

I have spoken a little to this before; that which now I call you to weep over shall be these.

p. 146First, I call you to weep over the distance, that you have caused by your sins. Is he not far from us? Is he not gone to his place? Hos. 5.15. Hath he not hid his Face from his Ministers and People? Is he not so far, and at such a distance, that you cannot see him? And there are none of us that can tell how long it shall be so; Is not the Comforter removed far away from us? Is not our sun gone down? What means this chilness and coldness, this darkness and drowsiness? What is the language of these long-evening shadowes of an empty profession? while the practise of Godliness is dead? Why hear I the sound of the groans of dying Graces, Gifts, and Ordinances? All this, as it is, because of our distance from him; so, it is an evidence that we are at a distance from him: And what? my Beloved, Shall Mourners go about the Streets? And, will you make glad, when all this crying is for you, because you are at a distance from your Head and Husband? Bring forth that Son of the Murderer, viz. Sin; and let it be Sacrificed before the Sun, that distance betwixt our Love and us may be removed.

p. 147The Second Thing I call you to mourn over, is, The present danger that his particular work within you, and his publick work in the World are in, and only through our means. How so? By our sins we have provoked God to destroy the covert of it, to take down the Wall that was about it: to let in wilde Boars, and to permit them to rage at their pleasures; Why, what is the cause? Israel only hath sinned, and for these sins is Zion plowed, from day to day, and is in danger of her life: What, is it so? And, shall not this make you weep in secret places, because you have indangered the Ark of God, the glory of God, the strength of the most High, the Graces of the Spirit of God, and all that is excellent and precious, and yet will you not mourn. O for mourning Women! What, must we take you to Mizpah, and there draw water, because all the Springs and Wells in Saints are run dry.

Thirdly, I call you to mourn over the deaths that you have a hand in, by your unbelief, barrenness, and Atheisme. Your faith was but in danger the other day: Now, Man; thou hast kill'd it; Have you not been Christ's death? Act. 3. You have kill'd p. 148the Prince of Life, and that afresh, and put Him to open shame: I am sure thy Sin is worse than the sin of the Jews, that crucified him; and therefore, Heb. 10. It's call'd a trampling under foot of the blood of the Covenant, and a putting him to open shame. If you had done thus to your Father and Mother, the Law would have judged you, but seeing you have done what you can to cause the work to cease; It's of your concernment to mourn bitterly, as one does for his first born. And that because you have been Christ's death, the death of the Martyrs, the death of the work of God, and you will be your own death, if you do not repent.

Fourthly, I call to mourn over the rottenness and bad savour that hath befallen the work and People of God. Ministers they have contracted a bad savour, as if we were Rebels, and taught Rebellion, the Ordinances they have contracted a bad savour, so that nothing can commend them to many, except they perfumed with the Spices of humane Inventions, …he whole practise of Godliness is evil spoken of; why, what is the matter? And is there not a cause? Yea; You have made the Enemies of God to p. 149blaspheme, and because of you is the Name of God, the Ordinances of God, and the w…ys of God evil spoken of daily; and truly our spot is not the least amongst them that have turned aside, that should go betwixt the living and the dead.

Fifthly, I call you to mourn, upon the account of the length of time, that things have been thus with us; Hath not the Lord hid his Face from us for a long time? Hath not his Work been in danger these many years? Have not Ordinances and Providences been dead, no ways quickning and reviving to us? And hath not a bad savour been on his Work this long time? Shall it be thus, notwithstanding of our Tears and Prayers? And shall we not shut up all with this? But thou O Lord, how long?

Sixthly, I call you to mourn over all the Divisions, that are amongst us, about this work, by which it falls out, that the friends of the VVork, gives the first wound to the VVork, and then others have the greater advantage in opposing of it; while thus wounded by Friends, May not all his concerns Answer these that enquire, What be these wounds, your Ministry, your Church-Ordinances, p. 150and Government hath gotten; May they not say, these be the wounds I have received in the House of my Friends, by their divisions and dissentions, imploying their parts and gifts, against the Giver of them: O that our Head were a Fountain, to mourn and weep for this.

Seventhly, Mourn for the hard thoughts you have had of Christ, for undertaking his Work, and carrying it on in such a way: You will be wiser than he, and holier than he, and this pleases you well; but till we have better thoughts of Christ, and learn submission to his will, and better obedience by our suffering, there is small hopes of our recovery.

Lastly, We have reason to lament over the opposition we have made against Him: Some of us are not only found out of our work, but are found actually ingaged, as one of his Enemies, disputing against the work, you need not prove that it's dead, nor need you tell us that our Lazarus stinketh, nor that Martha is weak in the faith, nor of our ignorance what to do for the work, or what will be done for it? we acknowledge these things; and, as we desire p. 151to weep with our Master, so we have confidence that he will step over all these discouragements, and do his work; But, what? Intends thou to be as one of them that oppresseth thy Brother Jacob? Does thou not hear them say? Loe, such an one is be…ome like unto us; Shall Israel be found amongst Thieves, or must Ephraim mix himself amongst the common People? Pray ye, lay by this weapon, dispute less, and believe more, that by faith you may have your dead restored to life again: I will tell you that all you can say by disputing, or misbelieving against Lazarus, will not alter Christ's affection, nor his purpose concerning the reviving of him.

Now my Third and last word of Use, I would give you, is, To call you to rejoyce upon the account of this, that Christ will finish, as he hath undertaken his work, notwithstanding of all difficulties in the way. Joel 2. Be glad and rejoyce, for God will do great things.

I shall Name Six excellent Grounds of Joy and Confidence to the People of God, about this Work.

p. 152The First, is this, That our Lord is infinitely concerned in his work of Grace on your Souls, to carry on and perfect it, as he hath begun it: and be sure Christ will never loose his interest; Loose who will, thou may meet with a storm, but shall never suffer shipwrack, because Christ hath a venter in the Ship, therefore it shall assuredly come safe to Shoar.

The Second thing I would say to you, to make you rejoyce, is this, That Christ will welcome you at Mid-night, when you come to Him about his work: You can ask nothing but he will give it, and, if ever the Angel of the Covenant does wonderfully, it's then when his Lazarus is dead, and in the Grave, God is said to arise, and have mercy on Zion, because her time is come, wherein love can no longer restrain its self; I encourage you to come, because he will welcome you with the glad tidings of this, that, His Lazarus shall rise again.

Thirdly, Comfort your selves with this, that as Christ is most willing to take imployment about his work, so in his undertaking, Nothing can discourage Him; neither distance, danger, nor deadness: Nay, p. 153though thou wer't stinking above ground, and with both hands thrusting away thy own mercy. as the Disciples did, yet he will do his work, and perfect it to his own praise.

Fourthly, Rejoyce, because all Christ's Methods are best, and tend most to the advancement of the work, that is in his hand: Let him act, and do not hinder him by your unbelief: Let him take his own way, his own time, and use those means he pleaseth, all will help and hasten Lazarus out of the Grave, and make him come forth with the greater advantage.

Fifthly, Rejoyce, for God intends to make a Feast for Churls, to shame them out of-their miserable straitning of his Spirit: It shall not be the Spirit, or his Doctrine, dropping as the Dew, Deut. 32. But it shall be a pouring out of the Spirit, Isa. 32.15. And a plentiful rain, whereby. He will confirm his Inheritance when wearied, Psal. 68.9. Lift up your heads, for the day of your plentiful Redemption draweth neer, for he will not chide continually, he will perfect what he hath begun, and will do this with a notable advantage, to a dead Lazarus, so p. 154that all that heard of him, shall see and turn to the Lord.

Sixthly, and Lastly, Rejoyce, beecause, He that removeth his People's unbelief will roll away the Stone of outward difficulties, be what they will: It is a blessed token that outward impediments shall evanish, when the inward Plagues of the Heart are removed. I shall say no more, but as it's a mercy that Christ is at work, and cannot be discouraged in it; so then is the reviving begun, when the Spirit is poured out, and these Heart-plagues cured that Professors have been tormented with, in the day of his hiding, and of his removing of the Spirit far from us. The good Lord return our Captivity, as the streams of the South.

FINIS.