The Dead Saint Speaking to Saints and Sinners Living, Treatise 6 · Application 8
8 Uſe.8, Uſe.
Is it ſo, that God doth wonders for his Church? then learn,
1. To truſt in God. You ſee, Hee is a God doing wonders. And (as Chriſt ſaid,Learn 1 To truſt in God. Mark. 9.23.) If thou canſt but beleeve: All things are poſsible to him that beleeveth: Wonders are poſsible.
There is nothing too hard for God to do; if there bee nothing too hard for you to beleeve. There is nothing difficult, but to beleeve: Hee that hath conquered and overcome his own unbeleef, hath done all. All things are poſsible to the Beleever. Do not you ſtick at beleeving, and God will not ſtick at doing wonders for you, Heb. 11.33, 34. By Faith they ſubdued Kingdomes, ſtopped the mouthes of Lions, quenched the violence of fire, &c.
As Unbeleef doth impriſon Gods power, mercy, and goodneſſe; It is ſaid — Hee could not do much, becauſe of their unbeleef. — And they limited the holy One of Iſrael.
So Faith ſets God at liberty; ſets the power of God at liberty. Nay, it puts on the power and mercy of God. Therefore exerciſe Faith. The time of our trouble, ſhould bee the time of our truſt.
As Mordecai ſaid to Eſther: God ſet her up for ſuch a time as that: So I may ſay of Faith. God ſet up Faith for ſuch a time as this.
When means fail, when there is nothing but weakneſſe below, when ſenſe and reaſon are put to it; then is it Faiths work to come in. And therefore exerciſe Faith.
Let not any difficulty undermine Faith: Let not any ſeeming diſcouragement come between your ſouls and the promiſe.
Zach. ….6.Things marvelous to you, are familiar with God, things wonderful to you, are eaſy to God. You have Bibles. Oh! that you had Faith to make uſe of them: you would there finde, all things are poſsible with God; and therefore nothing impoſſible to Faith▪
2. Bee incouraged to Prayer. This is the great work of our times.2 To pray to God. Faith and Prayer will do wonders. Faith and Prayer have had an hand in moſt of the wonders that ever were done in the Earth. Theſe will ſet the great God on doing wonders for us. A Prayer made up of promiſes, and put up by Faith, will ſhew wonders in Heaven and in Earth.
You read what wonders Gods people have wrought by Prayer. They have — dryed up the Sea, Exod. 14.21. — brought fire from Heaven, 2 King. 1.10. — Cauſed the Sun to ſtand ſtill, Joſh. 10.13. — Vanquiſht the enemy, Exod. 17.12. Praying-Moſes did more than fighting-Joſhua.
The day would fail to tell you of all.
See what wonders followed upon Davids Prayer, Pſal. 18.6. — In my diſtreſs I called upon the Lord, I cryed to my God; hee heard my voice out of his Temple, my cry came unto his ears. — See what followes, verſ. 7, 8, 13.14▪ — Then the Earth ſhook and trembled: The Lord thundred in the Heavens, and the highest gave his voice. Hailſtones, and coals of fire. Hee ſent out his arrows, and ſcattered them, hee ſhot out his lightenings, and diſcomfitted them.
And an excellent place you have, Iſa. 54.15. — When the enemy ſhall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord ſhall lift up a ſtandard againſt him. — That is, ſhall both defend from his violence, and put him to flight. And it is an obſervable phraſe: The Spirit of the Lord ſhall lift up a ſtandard. That is, ſaith one, The Spirit of Prayer is lift up.
When trouble and evil are threatned, the enemie comes like a flood irreſiſtably; then the Spirit of the Lord ſtirring up Prayer in his peoples hearts, ſhall lift up a ſtandard againſt them; bee your defence, and chaſe them away.
When God doth intend to beſtow great things on his People; firſt hee gives them the Spirit of Prayer, the Harbinger and Forerunner of mercy, Jer. 3.19. — But I ſaid, How ſhall I put thee among the Children, and give thee a pleaſant land? As if hee had ſaid. I have purpoſes of mercy to thee: I have thoughts of deliverance. I think to bring thee into thy own land again, and do wonders for thee. But what way ſhall I go to effect, and bring about this? — And I ſaid, thou ſhalt call mee, my Father. As if hee had ſaid. I have now bethought mee of a way. I will poure a ſpirit of Prayer upon thee, and thou ſhalt call mee Father, and ſo I will put thee among my Children.
3. Bee incouraged to hope, as well as to pray. Hope,3 Incouragement to hope in God. Heb. 6.19. it is called the anchor of the ſoul, ſure and ſtedfaſt▪ that takes ſure hold, and then breaks not, in the greateſt tempeſt; at ſuch an anchor wee may ride in the moſt overgrown ſtorm. They ſay, Clement was caſt into the Sea with an anchor faſtened to him, and could not drown; wee ſhall not in the deepeſt Waters, if wee bee faſtened to this anchor, for God delights in them, who hope in his Mercy, Pſal. 147.11. and whom God delights in, enemies ſhall not delight over, his mercy ſhall prevent their utterly undoing-miſery. Hope is the Daughter of Faith, therefore when Faith hath brought forth the birth of Prayer, let it bring forth the other Twin alſo of Hope: And then alſo
4. To wait on God.4. Bee incouraged to wait. For as long as we hope we will wait, and no longer; as long as you expect, and hope your friend will come to you, ſo long you will ſtay and wait for him, but give over hoping once, and then you will together give over waiting: Hope hath two acts; it expects that a Mercy will come, and then it waits till it do come; as it is confident of Gods goodneſs and truth, that in his due time hee will ſhew mercy; ſo it is conſcious to its own duty, and therefore humbly and patiently waits Gods leiſure, till that time come; and this although many croſs Providences, and greateſt dangers ſhould come between, yea in the way of thy Judgements. O Lord, have wee waited for thee, ſaith the Church, Iſa. 26.8. and well they may, ſeeing by experience they ever finde that the Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the ſoul that ſeeketh him; Lam. 3.25.
And then, when you have learned theſe leſſons of trusting in God, praying, hoping, and waiting on him: Then you ſhall ſay with the Church, Iſa. 25.9. — Loe, this is our God; wee have waited for him, and hee will ſave us. This is the Lord; wee have waited for him; wee will rejoyce and bee joyful in his ſalvation.
There are many glorious wonders which God is now to do, at the latter end of the World for his Church. This time is reſerved for a time of Wonders. And who knows but this may bee one of the Wonders which God now doth for his Church at this time?
Could wee but remove
1. Our Unbeleef.
2. Our Unthankfulneſs.
3. Our Neglect of Duty.
4. Our Unworthy Walking.
Could wee but
1. Beleeve more Strongly.
2. Pray more Fervently.
3. Live more Holily.
And God would do Wonders for us.
I tell you, the way to ingage God to do Wonders for England, is,
1. To Beleeve more.
2. To Pray more.
3. To Reform more.
1 Would you ingage God to do Wonders for England? Beleeve. Set Faith on work, and you will work in the bowels of a Promiſe: nay, in the bowels of God, pitch Faith upon God. Let Faith have her full and perfect work. And there is
No Temptation ſo strong, but Faith will conquer.
No Affliction ſo great, but Faith will maſter.
No Priſon ſo ſtrait, but Faith will open.
No Danger ſo great, but Faith relieves us in.
No Miſery ſo unſufferable, but Faith will deliver us out.
Do but beleeve, (ſaith Chriſt) and thou ſhalt ſee the wondrous works of God. As if hee had ſaid: God will do no wonders,John. 6.4. if you will not beleeve: Indeed God can do wonders, as Chriſt ſaid▪ Hee could not do much becauſe of their unbeleef.
Though unbelief take no Power, no Wiſdome, from God: For as the Apoſtle ſaith — God is faithfull, whether men beleeve or no, So I may ſay — God is Powerfull, God is mercifull, God … Wiſe, &c. though wee beleeve not: But, though our unbelief do not weaken the Power of God, yet it ſtraitens and limits it. Though it rob God of no mercy, yet it robs us of all. Though he hath mercy, yet hath he none for us.
Well then, that is the firſt, Beleeve; You have to deal with a God, and this God is a God of Power, and this God, and this power is yours in Covenant: And, by vertue of that, all for your good. Let Faith now ſtirre, Mark. 9.23. If you can but beleeve; all things are poſſible: wonders are poſſible.
To Beleeve is difficult; but to him, that Beleeveth, nothing is impoſſible — If you had but faith, as a grain of muſtard-ſeed, ſay to this mountain bee thou removed hence, and bee caſt into the ſea, and it ſhall bee done. Though Faith bee but weak, though but ſmall, A grain, yet if it bee but lively, if a grain of Muſtard-ſeed, Acris, & Fervida: if it have Acrimonie and Vivacity in it, as Muſtard-ſeed hath; one grain ſhall bee able to remove a mountain. That is, whatever may bee to the glory of God, and the good of his Church, be it never ſo difficult: the leaſt Faith, if true Faith, will effect it, and bring it about.
You ſhall read in Heb. 11.33. what wonders Faith hath wrought. It hath the ſame Power, and the ſame God of power to deal with ſtill.
Incouragements to Faith, I have given you diverſe, in the former diſcourſes, from the Power, from the love of God, from all thoſe former experiences, that both ourſelves, and generations before have had of Gods goodneſſe. As I have ſhewed at large.
2 Would you ingage God? pray to him; wee have had many praying days. They began for Ireland, but may bee continued for England. And oh! That this day might be more ſucceſsful than former days!
You that carry Irelands miſeries, Englands breaches and diſtractions in your boſomes, ſend out armies of Prayers, let your cloſets, and the Churches bear witneſſe of your ſenſe of, and ſighs for the miſeries.
And reſolve to give God no reſt, till hee hath eſtabliſhed Zion, the joy and praiſe of the whole earth. Ask and deſire largely of God for his Church. God hath a larger heart to give, than you to begge. Hee will ſuffer no creature to equall him, in his love to his Church. You ſhall not ask more, than hee is willing to beſtow, Eph. 3.20. Hee is able to do exceeding-abundantly, above all that we are able to ask or think, and Jer. 33.3. Call unto mee, and I will anſwer thee, and ſhew thee mighty things, which thou knoweſt not.
Well then, let no Difficulty undermine your Faith: no, nor Diſcouragement put you off from ſeeking.
Jacob held up to pray; notwithſtanding all his diſcouragements: Though hee wreſtled in the night, though hee was all alone, though God told him, hee would leave him, though hee ſtaid to his loſſe, and God ſmote him in his thigh; yet he held out to wreſtle with God.
Hee that would prevail with God, muſt not onelyonly Pray, but continue in Praying. Jacob prayed all night, David day and night, Jonah three dayes and three nights, Daniel 21 days, and 21 nights, Moſes forty days, and forty nights. Though God delay, though God defer, though God deny, yet hold out. Break in upon Gods retireings; urge God with his own Promiſes, with his glory, with his name, with his truth, with his worſhip, &c. All which are more pretious to him than a world.
I have told you, that there ſhall be nothing Too hard for that People to do, whoſe hearts and ſpirits God doth mightily hold up to ſeek him.
You know what wonders Prayer hath done. It dryed up the Sea, &c. And wee have had experience of the fruit of Prayer more than any. God did never honor Prayer more in any age, than in our Generation. It hath been the great Engine, that hath carried all Gods purpoſes about. Nothing hath been done without, and nothing hath been done againſt prayer.
You may revolve in your thoughts, the wonders God hath wrought, within theſe three, or four years, for this Church, and our neighbouring Nations.
Wee have prayed dead, and prayed alive, breathed life and death by prayer, we have prayed into bonds, and prayed out of bonds, as Peter was.
When ſin had drawn the ſword, prayer ſheathed it again, when ſin had overſpread us, and covered us with a cloud of bloud, Prayer diſpelled and ſcattered this. To God give the glory.
And you, who have had experience of this before, bee you quickned and incouraged to it again. Be mighty with God, Faith and Prayer will work wonders.
3 Would you ingage God to do wonders for you? adde a third ingagement, and that is
Reformation. Supplication is nothing without Reformation.
The Arm of the Lord is not ſhortned, that hee cannot ſave: 3 Reformation.nor is his ear heavy, that hee cannot hear: but your iniquities have ſeparated between you and your God, and your ſins have hid his face from you, that hee will not hear. As if the Prophet had ſaid, God is as powerful, and as merciful as ever hee was: hee is as able to do wonders, and as willing as ever he was.
And the reaſon, why hee doth them not, is, Becauſe your ſinnes do ſeparate betwixt you and your God, your ſins rob you of all the good.
You look upward, to ſee whether God will help.
You look downward, to ſee whether man can help.
But what is all this, if you do not look inward to find out your ſins, and caſt them away, which hinder help, you have that the reaſ…, Judg. 10.10, 11, 12. God had oftentimes delivered them, as hee tells them there, and they were now again in new diſtreſſes, and therefore cry to God, But God tells them, they had walked unworthy of former deliverances, and therefore he would deliver them no more: whereupon they go and confeſs their ſinnes before God, they humble themſelves, and reform their evil wayes: and then, ſaith the Text, — His ſoul was grieved for the miſery they were in; God did then deliver them.
Well this is our caſe, wee have been a people, who have injoyed many great mercies and deliverances, but now we are in new ſtraits.
Let us go and humble our ſelves, but reform too; elſe Gods ſoul may not be grieved for our miſeries, if wee ſtill grieve him with our ſins, but
When God ſees us to be cruel to our ſins, hee will then bee merciful to our ſouls, when he ſees us to be grieved for our ſins, he will then be grieved for our miſeries▪
Reform your Families, your Pariſhes; your perſons, good and bad: ſet ye upon the work of Reformation, and God will not ſtick to do a wonder for us.
God is driving on the great deſign of his own glory. It is our wiſdome to take notice of it, and in this way to further it, and not to hinder it.
Oh then! Reform. Twere a fearful thing, that the Nation ſhould periſh, becauſe thou wilt not reform.
God will never bee merciful to that man, who is merciful to his ſins. You read what the Prophet ſaid to Ahab, Becauſe thou haſt ſpared the man, that was reſerved to deſtruction, therefore thy life ſhall go for his life.
Well then. Hear the Nation, Hear Religion, hear all calling out upon you, reform.
1 Let the wicked reform.
2 Let the Saints reform.
1 You wicked ones, do you reform, Your profainneſs, Oathes, blaſphemies, uncleanneſs, your contempt and hatred of Gods Truth, Ordinances, ways, ſervants, &c. for elſe one ſinner, as Achan may make an halt in Iſraels march into Canaan, and how much rather, if the whole Camp be full of ſuch.
2 You Saints, Bee reformed
1 Of your Pride.
2 Of your Lukewarmneſſe.
3 Of your Formality.
4 Of your Covetouſneſſe.
5 Of your Vanity in your Speeches.
6 Of your Unthankfulneſſe for Gods mercies.
7 Of your Unfruitfulneſs under means of Grace.
8 Of your Cenſoriouſneſſe of your Brethren.
And this Land-Reformation, would prevent a Land-Deſolation; when God ſees us a repenting-People, hee will be a …enting-God; when hee ſees us in a Poſture of Reformation: he will be in the way of Preſervation.
FINIS.