The Dead Saint Speaking to Saints and Sinners Living, Treatise 6 · Query 3
3. Quere.
What are thoſe wonders which God doth for his Church and People?
1 God doth wonders for the ſouls of his People.
2 God doth wonders for the body, and outward man.1 Gods Wonder… to the ſoul.
1 For the ſoul. And wee will give you a glance of theſe. The firſt Wonder, and indeed the Wonder of Wonders, which God hath done for his Church and People is,1 Wonder for the ſoul.
1 The giving of Chriſt for us, and to us.
All wonders are ſwallowed up in this wonder. Nothing is wonderful, if compared to this. God manifeſted in the fleſh. Hence the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 3.16. Great is the myſtery of Godlineſs. God manifeſted in the fleſh. That ſuch greatneſs, and ſuch meanneſs; ſuch finiteneſs, and ſuch infiniteneſs; ſuch riches, and ſuch poverty; ſuch ſtrength, and ſuch weakneſs; Tantus Deus, tantillus Homo; So great a God, and ſo mean a Man, all in one: Here is a Wonder.
There is four great Wonders conſpicuous in this.
1 Here is a Wonder of Humility; which will appear, if you conſider,1 Of Humility.
1 Who hee was.
2 What hee became.
1 Who hee was. Hee was the Son of God; The expreſs Image of his Fathers perſon; One equal with God; and thought it no robbery to bee equal with God; hee was God bleſſed for ever, As the Apoſtle ſtiles him.
2 VVhat hee became. Hee took not upon him the Nature of Angels; which yet had been a greater diſcent, than if all the Angels in Heaven had been turned into Worms. But hee took not the Nature of Angels; but hee took upon him the Nature of Man, and that not at the beſt; but of Man fallen, ſubject to infirmities, Penal, not Culpable: General, not particular.
And what a wonder of Humility was this? There is not the meaneſt Angel in heaven, but would have thought it a wrong above amends, to have been ſo low abaſed. Here was a wonder of Humility, Factor terrae, factus in terrâ. The maker of the earth, to bee made of earth.
2 Here was a wonder of wiſdome.
That God ſhould find out ſuch a way to recover us, when we were loſt: If all the united Conſultations of men and Angells had been laid together, they could never have found out a way to Reconcile Gods mercy in the ſalvation of man, and yet his Juſtice in the damnation of ſin.
If God ſhould have helped us thus farre. You are miſerable Creatures: But I am a merciful God. The demands of my juſtice I muſt not deny: neither will I deny the intreaties of my mercy. Find mee then but one, that can ſatisfy my juſtice, and I will ſhew my mercy to you. Ah! where ſhould wee have found one, who was ſtrong enough to bear ſinne, and to ſatisfy the wrath of God for us! No, it was his own wiſdome, that found out the way. Here was a wonder of wiſdome, which wee adore and admire.
3. Here was a wonder of Love.
An Heighth, a depth; a length, a bredth, a Love beyond all dimenſions. Hence ſaid to bee a Love paſſing knowledge, a Love that may bee apprehended by faith, not comprehended by reaſon, it was an infinite love. And this is more than if wee could gather all the bowels of the Creation together. Hence ſaith Chriſt, who knew the greatneſſe of it, John 3.16. i. e. So God loved the world ſo infinitely, ſo incomprehenſibly, that hee gave his only begotten Son, that, whoſoever beleeveth in him, ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life.
4. Here was a wonder of mercy; which will bee more conſpicuous if we conſider,
1. The Perſon.
2. The Time.
1. The Perſon, who undertook this; It was the ſecond Perſon in the glorious Trinity: the Perſon againſt whom the firſt Sinne was in ſome ſpecial reſpect committed. Hee is the wiſdome of the father, and called wiſdome, Prov. 8. And this ſinne was an affectation of wiſdome, to bee like to God. As the falling-ſin is now the ſinne againſt the Third Perſon, Sinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt: ſo the ſin which did occaſion the fall, was in ſome ſpecial reſpects againſt the ſecond Perſon. And therefore the greater is the wonder of mercy, That he, againſt whom the firſt ſinne was ſo committed, ſhould undertake the expiation of it.
2▪ Conſider the time, when hee took our nature. And that was when wee were brought to a deſperate loſſe: when it was made evident that nothing elſe could help us, Heb. 10.6, 7. Sacrifice and burnt-offerings, thou wouldſt not have. Then ſaid I, Loe, I come. When Legal waſhings were declared unable to pacify God, or to work our peace; Then Chriſt comes into the world. Chriſt came not into the world till it was made Evident, That without him, God could not be ſatisfied, nor man bee ſaved. And this is the firſt Wonder, The ſending of Chriſt, in whom all is wonderfull. His Incarnation, the Hypoſtatical union of two natures in one Perſon: His Paſſion, Reſurrection, Aſcention, Seſſion, Interceſſion: They are a chain of holy wonders. Hence, Iſa. 9.6. Chriſt is called wonderful: becauſe all in Chriſt is wonderfull.
1 He is wonderful in his perſon and natures: God-man; and mortall-immortall, finite and infinite, ſo great, and yet ſo mean: ſo rich and yet ſo poor. Here is a wonder.
2 Hee is wonderfull in his Offices. A King, Priest, and Prophet.
3 Hee is wonderfull in his government.
That hee ſhould bring us to life, by death, to glory by miſery; to honor by ſhame; All wonders. This is the firſt wonder, and the root of all the reſt.
2 Another wonder God doth for the ſouls of his People, is,The ſecond wonder to the ſoul. 1 In Converſion
1 The work of Converſion and regeneration, that a man ſhould partake of another begetting, of another birth, of another nature, than others have in the world: Nay, than hee himſelf had. This is a wonder. That a man ſhould bee the ſame, and not the ſame: The ſame man for body, yet as different in qualities, as if another ſoul did dwell in the ſame body. That hee ſhould live by another life; bee fed by other food, refreſhed by other comforts, than others are. Here is a wonder, that of a Lyon ſhould become a Lamb; of a Wolf, a ſheep; of a Saul, a Paul; a Perſecutor, become a Preacher. Here is a wonder.
And the greater is the wonder, if you look upon the weakneſſe and contemptibleneſſe of the means, God works this by. The miniſtery of a weak man.
It had been no great wonder, if the Walls of Jericho had fallen down by the battery of a Canon. But this made it the wonder, that the blaſt of Rams-horns ſhould bring down the walls of Jericho. And this is that, which makes this work more wonderful, that by ſuch weak and Contemptible means and men, in the eyes of carnal men, this great work ſhould be effected.
When a man ſhall come to the Church, with full tide and ſtream of luſt, lifting up his head, puffing at God, glorying in his ſin and ſhame, Nay perhaps, Come with purpoſe to contemn, to ſcorn the Diſpenſer. And to ſee this man return home, by the Miniſtery of a weak man, wounded, ſlain, laid upon his back, crying out with the Publican, God bee merciful to mee a ſinner: or with Paul, Lord, what wilt thou have mee to do? I am willing to do any thing, to ſuffer any thing, &c. Here is a wonder; well may wee ſay in the voice of the Prophet, What ails thee, thou Jordan, that thou art driven back! Thou ſea, that thou fleddeſt!
And as the birth of a Chriſtian, ſo
2 In the life.2. The life of a Chriſtian in grace, is wonderful. It is a myſterious life: A life hid from the world: for
1. The ſeat of this life is hid and ſecret.
2. The principle and ſpring of this life is ſecret and myſterious
3. The Nouriſhment myſterious.
4. The conveyance of nouriſhment.
5. The comforts of this life. All wonders. Nothing in Grace, but wonders.
3 In Perſeverance.3 When God ſhall hold up a mans heart to fear him, to ſeek him, to beleeve in him, in times of darkneſſe, and temptations. Here is a wonder.
All the workings of Faith are wonders: but eſpecially in temptations, and Deſertions.
1 That a man by Faith ſhould conquer a troop of fears, ſilence an Army of doubts; anſwer a throng of diſputes; and carnal-reaſonings; overcome all the powers of darkneſſe, to chaſe ten thouſands Devils before him, which all the power of earth cannot do. Here is a wonder.
2 That a man by Faith ſhould hold up his head, under the burden and guilt of many thouſand ſins, the leſt of which would ſink the ſoul, if Faith did not caſt all this upon the Lord.
3 That a man by faith, ſhould bee a rock in the midſt of a ſtorm, and ſtand immoveable when the winds blow, and the billows rage; when heaven and earth ſeem to come together, as you ſee David did, Pſal. 27.1, 2, 3. and Pſal. 46.1, 2, 3. I will not fear, though the earth be removed, though the mountains bee hurled into the midſt of the Sea.
4 When God ſhall keep alive a little ſpark of grace in the midſt of a ſea of corruptions, hold up his own work in the mids of all Counter-workings, and oppoſitions of ſinne and Satan. Here is a wonder.
5. When God ſhall make a man willing to ſacrifice his goods, liberty, life, rather than to wound his Conſcience, and offend his God. This is a wonder, which, without the power of God; could not bee wrought.
6. VVhen God ſhall bear up the ſpirits of the Saints with joy and comfort, in the abſence of all created comforts, as you ſee, Hab. 3.17. Although the fig-tree ſhall not bloſſome, nor ſhall fruit bee in the vine, &c: yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my ſalvation.
Nay, in the preſence of all created diſcomforts, to ſtand up, and rejoyce under the frowns, menaces, ſcorns, ſcourges, priſons, perſecutions of men; imbrace the ſtake, kiſs the chains, ſmile on the terrors of death, rejoyce with Stephen under a ſhower of ſtones. Here are Wonders.
7 When God doth turn all the afflictions, nay, all the ſins of his Church and People, to the good of his People, to humble them more, caſt them out of themſelves, caſt them upon the hold of Faith, the exerciſe of Prayer; make them more watchful, more careful, more exact. Here's a wonder.
Secondly, God works wonders for the body; for the outward condition of the Church; for the good of his people,2 Gods Wonders for the Body. in regard of the outward man.
1 God doth often reſtrain the wickedneſs and malice of men againſt his Church; that though they bee never ſo full of Hell and fury; yet they ſhall not bee able to vent it, againſt the Church and People of God. Thus you ſee it was with Rabſhakeh, when hee came with purpoſe to deſtroy Jeruſalem; yet God put his hook into his noſe, and his bridle into his lips. Hee reſtrained him, as you ſee in 2 King. 19.28, 32, 33. And this made David to ſay, when the Princes took counſel together, to take away his life, My times are in thy hands, Pſal. 31.15. Though they bee never ſo full of malice, their deſigns bee never ſo bloody, yet my times are in thy hands; they ſhall not bee able to hurt mee: though they conſulted, yet hee knew they could not act: God could reſtrain them.
God hath the Devil, much more wicked men, in a chain; and they cannot go a jot further than hee gives them chain; and that ſhall bee no further than for his own Glory, and the good of his Church, as hee tells us, Pſal. 76.10. Surely the wrath of man ſhall turn to thy Praiſe, and the remainder of wrath ſhalt thou reſtrain.
Though wicked men bee never ſo full of wrath and fury againſt the Church, yet they ſhall vent no more than what ſhall turn to the Glory of God, nay, the Praiſe of God; ſo much as his People ſhall have cauſe to praiſe him for. The remainder of wrath, (though never ſo full) hee ſhall reſtrain. They ſhall burst before they ſhall vent any of it, to the hurt of his People. And this is a great wonder. His ſetting bounds to the fury of men, as hee doth to the raging of the Sea. Hitherto ſhalt thou go, and no further: reſtraining the malice of men againſt the Church, is as great a wonder, as to ſee a Milſtone hang in the Air, and not fall down.
2 God doth often calm, and ſtill the raging fury of wicked men againſt his Church and People. Hee doth not only bound them, but ſtill them.
And thus you ſee it was with Eſau. Hee came forth with rage, and bloody-purpoſes againſt Jacob, to bee revenged on him for all. But you ſee how God calmed him. In ſtead of killing him, hee falls upon his neck, and kiſſes him. It was God that did it. And therefore it is ſaid, Gen. 33.10. That Jacob ſaw the face of Eſau, as the face of God. It was not Eſau, but God that hee ſaw in Eſaus face. Hee ſaw God appearing in the wonderful changing, and calming of his ſpirit, who came with ſuch fury againſt him. And this was the fruit of his wreſtling and praying the night before.
3. VVhen God doth carry on great purpoſes with weak and contemptible Power: makes weak means ſucceſsful to do great purpoſes and effects. This is a wonder, and a wonder God often doth; as you ſee in Aſa, 2 Chron. 14.11. It is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no Power. As the Mariner can turn about the greateſt ſhip with the ſmalleſt Rudder: So God, who ever ſits at the Helm, and ſteeres and governs all, can bring about his own purpoſes by weakeſt means.
As hee brought Jeremy out of the dungeon with old rotten rags, good for nothing: So hee makes uſe of ſuch means in ſtraits, for the deliverance of his Church, as the enemies thereof do look upon with ſcorn, as upon cast and deſpicable Creatures.
As God doth weaken and infatuate them, hee intends not to proſper; ſo hee ſtrengthens and guides with a ſpirit of wiſdome, thoſe hee intends for the deliverance of his Church. You ſee this in Deborah, in Cyrus, who though hee were a weak Prince, yet God made him an inſtrument for the overthrow of the moſt ſtrong and puiſſant people in the World.
4 When hee makes the Afflictions and perſecutions of his Church, a means of growth and increaſe of his Church.
As it was ſaid of the Iſraelites, Exod. 1.12. The more they were afflicted, the more they grew: ſo hath God ſtill done for his Church. The primitive times tell us of thouſands, who were brought in, not by Sermons, but by the ſufferings of the Saints. The blood of thoſe Martyrs being the ſeed of the Church.
And Julian knew this ſo well, that hee left off to perſecute the Church, as his Predeceſſors had done. Non ex miſericordiâ, ſed ex invidiâ; not out of mercy, but envy, ſaith the Hiſtorian; becauſe hee ſaw, The more they were afflicted, the more they grew: The more they were oppreſſed, the more they increaſed: And therefore hee left off that courſe. But the Church loſt more by Sun-ſhine, than by Storms; more by Peace, than by Troubles; by Smiles, than by Frowns.
5 VVhen God ſhall bring about the Peace of his People, by the trouble of his People; their healing, by their woundings; their comforts by their fears. When God ſhall work his work by contraries; bring joy out of ſorrow, life out of death, create comfort out of diſcomforts: This is a wonder; and a wonder which God hath frequently ſhewed for the good of his Church.
How often hath God made the luſts of men, even the malice and rage of his enemies, to bee a means for the good of his Church and People? making thoſe things which in their own nature were for the ruine, a means for the raiſing of his Church and People.
The ſtories of Pharaoh, of Haman, and others, afford you plentiful proof of it. Thus, out of the Eater comes ſweetneſs: out of thoſe things deſtructive in themſelves, comfort and deliverance. This is to turn poiſon into food, evil into good. As God doth turn the evil of ſin, ſo much more the evil of trouble, to the good of his Church. Hee makes all troubles ſubſervient to deliverance, as pangs and throws are to the birth.
As it was in the waters of Betheſda: the waters were troubled before the diſeaſed were healed; God made the trouble of the water ſubſervient to the cure in the water: So hee often makes the troubles of his People, ſubſervient to the growth and increaſe of his People.
As the VVhale which ſwallowed up Jonah, hee made a means to bring him to the ſhoar: So that trouble which wee think will ſwallow us up, God makes to advance their peace here, till hee ſet them on the ſhoar of eternity.
Wee our ſelves have had the experience of it. But this is the Lords doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes.
6 VVhen then are nothing but thoughts and preparations for war and deſtruction: And God ſhall pleaſe to compoſe our differences, heal our breaches, change the ſad face of things; beat our ſwords into Plow-ſhares, and our ſpears into Pruning-hooks. This is a wonder.
And this is a wonder which God can do; a wonder which hee hath done; a wonder which wee have had experience of; and ſuch an one as wee are now in expectations of, which God of his mercy grant.
It will bee more deſtructive to our enemies than our wars. In the mean time, there muſt bee our prayers and indeavours for it.