A Tossed Ship Making to Safe Harbor, Sermon 3

A Tossed Ship Making to Safe Harbor · Sermon 3

p. 92[The winde was contrary.]

HAd hhSi maturius ventus contrarius exortus fuiſſet mox ſe ad portum recipere pomiſſent, &c. Chem.the winde been contrary before, either they would not have ſet out to ſea, or if they had, yet they might have returned back: but it is not contrary till they come into the midſt of the Sea. And indeed there ſeemes to be a mercy in it.

iiHic lacus juxta Plin. l. 5. latitude. 6. mil. longitud. 16. mill. juxta Joſeph. l. 3. 100 ſtadia in longitud. 40. ſtad. in latitud. ſtadium eſt …ctava pars miliarii, &c.Theſe ſeas were narrow and ſtrait, being but a few miles over, and the night was darke, and had they had a wind for them, it might have hazarded them, and daſhed them againſt the rocks: and therefore it was leſſe for their danger, that the windes were contrary, though it was more for their exerciſe.

It is better to be in a tempeſt upon the midſt of the ſea, then to have too ſtrong a gale for us to drive us on the ſhoare. A mans harbour may ſometimes be more p. 93dangerous then the ſea. A man may as well come too ſoone into his harbour, as be kept too long upon the ſea; many have been loſt at harbour, who have been ſafe at ſea. A tempeſtuous ſea is not ſo dangerous, as an unſafe harbour. It ſpeaks thus much.

Doct. God may be working our preſervation, when we think he is working our deſtruction: or that which we ſometimes think to be in judgement, may yet be in greateſt mercy. It was ſo here —

The Whale that ſwallowed up Jonah, was a meanes to bring him to ſhore; and that trouble which we think oftentimes will ſwallow us up, may be a meanes to bring us to our harbour.

There is no judging of Gods heart and purpoſes, by his outward proceeding of providences in the world. By thus judging, wicked men undoe themſelves, and Gods people afflict themſelves.

Gods outward proceedings may be good, when the purpoſes of his heart are evill to a man; againe, they may be ſad, when his purpoſe is good, **Jer. 29.11.Jer 29:11Ier. 29.11. I know the thoughts I think to thee, they are thoughts of peace and not of trouble, to give thee at the laſt an expected end, p. 94but yet at this time they were in captivity, his preſent proceedings were ſad to them.

It is our wiſdome to ſhut our eyes to works, and look to the word, to look upon promiſes and not upon providences, this is to live by faith, and not by ſenſe. But of this more afterwards—

We are now come to the fourth particular, wherein their danger is expreſſed, and their trouble heightned.

Chriſt was abſent.

We reade in Matth. 8.24. Mat. 8.24, 25.Matt 8:24Matt 8:25that the Diſciples were on the ſea, a tempeſt aroſe, and they were in great danger; but then Chriſt was in the ſhip, who preſently rebuked the ſtorme: but here Chriſt was abſent: well might they think had Chriſt been here, he would not have ſuffered this ſtorme to have riſen; if he had ſuffered it, yet he would quickly have laid it. But what ſhall we do now Chriſt is abſent? Give me leave to commend two or three inſtructions from this. One is Zuinglius.

Doct. There is nothing but ſtormes to be expected, where Chriſt is not in the ſhip.kkAbſente Chriſto, nil niſi turbatio, Chriſto preſente omnis motus ſedatur. Zuing. in loc.

If Chriſt be not in a Family, in a City, p. 95in a Kingdome, Chriſt in his grace, Chriſt in his truth, in his worſhip, in his ordinances, you muſt looke for ſtormes.

It is ſaid in Iudges 5.8. They choſe new godi, and then was war in the gates. Where there is ſin you may looke for a ſtorme. Sin like vapours, ſent up into the middle Region of the Aire, which though you heare nething of it for a time, all is quiet; llVbi non eſt gratia, ibi non eſt pax.yet at laſt it comes downe in a ſtorm.

Where on the contrary, The fruit of righteouſneſſe ſhall be peace, and the effect of righteouſneſſe ſhall be quietneſſe and aſſurance for ever, Iſay 32.17. Iſay 32.17.Isa 32:17As many as walke according to this rule, Peace be upon them, and upon all the Iſrael of God, Gal. 6.16.

Chriſt is a Prince of peace, but he is a Conquerour firſt: mmPax non habitat ubi Chriſtus non regnat. Ber.where Chriſt doth not conquer and reigne, there looke for no peace; no peace with God, no peace with man, no peace with conſcience; nnConſcientia quadruplex. 1 Conſcientia bona, non quieta. 2 Conſcientia bona & quieta. 3 Conſcientia neque bona, neque quieta. 4 Conſcientia quieta, non bona, &c.unleſſe ſuch a peace as wicked men injoy, which is the peace of the devill, not the peace of God; the ſtrong man keeps the houſe, and all is at peace, but it is the peace of the devill; not the peace of God.

Vſe. Let it teach us then as ever we p. 96deſire peace, peace in conſcience, peace in the Church, &c. to get Chriſt into the ſhip, and he will allay all ſtormes. Aſſure your ſelves theſe ſtormes will never be laid, till Chriſt be admitted into the ſhip, till Chriſt reigne; till Chriſt in his truth, worſhip, grace, doe reigne among us.ooFluctibus agitantur conſcientiarum, & ventis contrariis tentationum vexari neceſſe eſt, qui Chriſtum innavi ſecum non vehant. Pareus.

A ſecond thing which is obſervable.

Doct. That the abſence of Chriſt from the ſoule in trouble, makes ſufferings unſufferable, and troubles intollerable.

As the preſence of Chriſt in his grace, in his comforts, doth inable the ſoule to undergoe the greateſt calamities, ppMalim preſente Chriſte eſſe in inferno, quam abſente Chriſto in caelo. Luther. in Gen. cap. 30.Gen 30even to ſmile upon the face of dangers, and check the terrors of death: qqBeati foli ſunt cum illo, qui beati eſſe non poſſunt niſi in illo. Sern.It gives inlargement to the ſoule in ſtraits, comfort in trouble, liberty in priſon, eaſe in bonds, life in death. You ſee in Daniel, the three Children. Paul and Silas, Stephen. So the abſence of Chriſt will be intolerable in any ſad-condition. Oh what a miſery is it for a poore ſoule to be in ſickneſſe, danger, death, and for Chriſt to be abſent from the ſoule!

Vſe. Let us then in all our ſad conditions get Chriſt preſent with us; get him but preſent with you in his grace, and he p. 97wil never be abſent from you in his comforts in the time of need. Who is able to comfort us in the midſt of all diſcomforts; rrQuid ſi ſine domo, & non ſine domino, ſinc veſte, ſi non ſine fide, ſine cibo, & non ſine Chriſto. Fulgent.Chriſt is more able to give comforts without creatures, nay, in the oppoſition of all created comforts, then the Sun to give light without Stars. Can the Sun give light without Stars? and cannot Chriſt give us comfort without creatures, nay in oppoſition of all created comforts.

Againe, Chriſt was abſent; yea, but Chriſt was with them in Spirit, though he was abſent from them according to the fleſh: had they had faith enough, they had ſeen Chriſt preſent, even in his abſence.

Doct. When Chriſt is abſent to the eye of ſenſe, yet a beleever may conclude him preſent, and ſee him by the eye of faith.

He hath promiſed never to leave us nor forſake us, **foreign13 Heb. 5. There are five negatives to make it firme to us; I will not, I will not leave thee, neither not, not, forſake thee; or, neither will I by any meanes forſake thee. He hath ſaid, when we paſſe through the waters, he will be with us, that the flouds ſhall not drowne p. 98us; when we paſſe through the fire he will be with us, that the fire ſhall not burne us.

He will be with us, 1 To counſell us in our ſtraits; 2 To ſupport us in our ſorrowes; 3 To comfort us under croſſes; 4 To ſanctifie all our troubles to us; 5 And at the laſt to deliver us out of all. ttVidimus Chriſium in promiſſo lumine ſpirituali, quando non in preſentia lumine ſenſibili.and thus we may conclude him by faith, when we are not able to diſcerne him by ſence.

If the Sun were here below, we ſhould be deprived of the benefit of it; every mountaine, every hill, every houſe, would deprive us of the light and comfort of it. But being now above all theſe, we enjoy the comfort of it.

While Chriſt was here in the fleſh, he was as the Sun here below, every thing did hinder us of his preſence and comfort, if he were preſent in one place, he was abſent from another; but now being in heaven, he can diſplay the rayes and beames of his gracious preſence into all places.

Vſe. Chriſtians learne to ſee Chriſt by the eye of faith, when you cannot behold him with the eye of ſence; labour to ſee him in a promiſe, when you cannot p. 99behold him in his preſence; when the eye of ſence is put out, go to a promiſe and behold him there.

Thou art in temptations, in deſertions, and thou canſt not ſee Chriſt by the eye of ſence, but thou maiſt conclude him preſent by faith, preſent I ſay in his grace, though thou want the preſence of his comforts.

The cloud may hinder the light of the Sun from our eyes, but it cannot take the Sun from the sky, it is there though it do not appeare. Chriſt may ſeemingly be gone, when yet he is really there; and it muſt be your wiſdome to live by faith, when you cannot live by ſence, to ſee him with you by his grace, when you cannot behold him in his comforts.

But we will paſſe this.— There is one thing more that I would preſent to you from the whole tryall, which you ſee is heightned by ſeverall gradations; they were in the midſt of the ſea, and in the darke of the night, nay and toſſed with waves, the winde was contrary, & Chriſt himſelfe was abſent: here is wave upon wave, trouble upon trouble. It tels us thus much.

Doct. That God doth not only ſuffer p. 100his people to be brought into ſtraights, but he doth heighten their ſtraights, and raiſe up their difficulties higher and higher, before he do deliver them.

It is plaine here, and alſo in the ſtories of Iſraels troubles in Egypt: their troubles were great before, uuQuo proprior eſt ſalui, eo magis pericula creſcere ſinaet. Chem.but they were heightned before God delivered them. Inſomuch, as they looked upon the beginnings of their deliverance as bad as the worſt of their ſufferings; and were rather content to be in their former ſlavery, then to indure the paines of a deliverance. But yet though they were higher, they were not at the height, till they came to the Red Sea, when a ſea before them not to be paſſed, an inraged enemy behinde them, not to be reſiſted & mountaines on each ſide them that they could not tell what to doe, whither to betake themſelves, which was the riſe of their deliverance. aaQuando ad foreign perventum eſt, tum Chriſtus ſalvator adeſt. Chem.God uſeth to take a riſe of deliverance from the loweſt ſtep of his peoples ſufferings.

Read but the ſtories of David, of the Jewes in re-building the Temple, and you ſhall ſee the truth of this; that God doth heighten the troubles of his people before he do deliver them. And this God doth,

p. 101Reaſ. 1. To heighten our graces: your faith, not your feare, your hope, not your diſcouragements. bbIn veris Chriſtianis creſcit amor fidei, quantum ipſa pericula creſcunt. Chem.As difficulties do ariſe, ſo ſhould the faith of Gods people riſe too. As it was with Noahs ark, the waters roſe higher and higher, and ſtill as the waters aroſe, the Ark aroſe; the waters never aroſe above the Arke. yyNon cogitan lum quantum ſit periculum in quo agim que aut quid virēs noſtrae poſsint ſed quid is cui fidemus poteſt. Cartw.So ſhould it be with a Chriſtians faith, as troubles ariſe, ſo our truſt ſhould ariſe, no difficulties ſhould ariſe above our faith: if God have weakned the arme of fleſh, we ſhould ſtrengthen the arme of faith; if he have ſhortned us in the reliefe of creatures, we ſhould ſtrengthen our ſelves in our relyance and reſt upon God.

It is our ſin, we are too high in ſucceſſes, and too low in loſſes; we are too big when things go well, and too little when things goe ill; and it muſt needs be ſo; men that are proud in ſucceſſes, will be as baſe in loſſes.

This is the nature of faith; it makes us nothing in our ſelves when things go well, and it makes us all in God when things go ill. Nothing ſhould poſe our faith, but what poſeth God; if there be any thing too great for God to doe, then p. 102there might be ſomething too big for us to beleeve: but ſo long as there is nothing above his power and love to doe for his people, why ſhould there be any thing above our faith, to beleeve God will doe for them? It is better to dye over-hoping, then over-fearing; though we had no incouragements from below, yet we have enough from above.

We have incouragements, 1 From Gods name, aaforeign nomen magnum, glorioſum appropriatum, exiſtentiam o…nibus promiſsis ſuis adhibens foreign ex foreign fortis & pronom foreign qui, & foreign ſufficiens hinc foreign Deus omnipotens, ſufficiens ad omnia praeſtanda, in ſe, & a ſe, ſufficientiam, & abundantiam omni modum habens, Sufficiens abſque alicujus ope, Ad opem conferendum, ad ſuos protegendum▪ ad promiſſa ſervanda & explendos defectus omuium.every name of GOD ſpeaks incouragement. 2 We have incouragements from Gods Attributes, his Power, Wiſdome, Mercy, Juſtice, &c. Every thing in God ſpeakes incouragement to faith, becauſe every thing in God is for the good of his people. 3 We have incouragements from his covenant, his promiſes to us: where can you look and not finde ſomething to ſpeak incouragement to you. 4 You have incouragement from the experience of Gods dealings with others of his people, nay from the experience of his dealing towards our ſelves. Enough, enough, to hold up our hearts. Though there be weakneſſe below, yet there is ſtrength above, though a famine on Earth, yet there is no dearth in Heaven, as the Nobleman thought. p. 103Infinite power and infinite love cannot be poſed. It is a kinde of limiting Gods power, and taking away the Almighty, not to reſt upon God in the greateſt of difficulties.

He is not only the God of the Vallies, but of the Hils alſo. He is not only able to helpe in the leſſer, but in the greateſt difficulties. You can never ſwell a difficulty above the power of God; you can never be ſo low, **Deut. 33.2…Deut 33:2but everlaſting armes are able to relieve you.

You read in Zach. 8.6. God had promiſed them deliverance, but it was almoſt above their faith to beleeve it; they thought it almoſt impoſſible, that ever thoſe dead bones ſhould live. But ſaith God, Becauſe this is marvellous in your eyes, is it marvellous to me, oh houſe of Iſrael: things wonderfull to you, are familiar to me; things marvellous to you, are yet eaſie to me: My thoughts are not as your thoughts.

God would not that any difficulty ſhould riſe above our faith; this were to raiſe a difficulty above God himſelfe: he would have our faith riſe as the trouble riſeth. And therefore he doth heighten our troubles, that he might highten our p. 104faith; which indeed if it once worke and bottome on God, there is no difficulty can riſe above it, &c.

Reaſ. 2. God doth heighten our difficulties before hee doth deliver us, to heighten our duties; hee heightens our troubles to heighten our prayers.

aaQuo profundiores anguſtiae, eo profundiora ſuſpiria. Mol. in 130. Pſal.The greater our ſtraights, the greater ſhould be our inlargements; the greater our difficulties, the more earneſt and fervent ſhould be our prayers.

Difficulties doe mightily quicken the ſoule to duties; God ſaith ſo, Hoſea 5.1. In the time of their affliction, then they will ſeek me early, me diligently. Then will the ſoule wreſtle with God, by the ſtrength of faith, of Chriſt, of promiſes, &c. Jacobs prayer in his great ſtraight, is called a wreſtling with God.

See the ſtories of David, of Hezekiah, of the Church in Heſters time, Jehoſophat, &c. they were in great ſtraits, and their prayers were wreſtling prayers.

Difficulties are to grace as the bellowes to the fire, to intend it, and make it burn more vehemently; then will the foule pray more fervently, with more extenſion and intention of ſpirit; and will joyn teares with prayers, humiliation with p. 105ſupplication, as you ſee in Heſters time, Nehemiah, Ezra. And now doth the ſoule gather up arguments from God, from his pr…niſes, attributes, from the miſeries of the Church, &c. and the ſtrength, inſolency, and pride of the enemy to wreſtle with God, &c. Therefore doth God heighten our difficulties, that he might heighten out duties.

Reaſ. 3. God doth heighten our difficulties, that he might heighten our deliverances. So much as comes into a trouble to heighten that, ſo much ſhall again come into a deliverance to increaſe that. bbAqua …in quantum deſcendit, in tantum aſcendit.The water ariſeth as high as it doth fall low: we ſay, The lower the ebbe, the higher is the tyde. God will make the riſes of his people proportionable to their caſtings downe. The lower the foundation, the more high and eminent will be the ſtructure; a ſhallow foundation will ſerve the turne for an ordinary ſtructure; but he that goes about to raiſe an eminent ſtructure, layes his foundation low. The ſame proportion God obſerves in difficulties before, the ſame will he obſerve in deliverances afterward. The darker the morning, the cleerer will be the day; the ſadder the Week, the more p. 106joyfull the Sabbath. When the Children of Iſrael came out of Egypt, you ſee how their difficulties were inlarged; but if you read the ſtory, you ſhall find, what ever came in for an addition to their trouble, came in alſo as an addition to their deliverance. The power, greatneſſe, rage and malice of the Adverſary in purſuing them unto the Red Sea, was a great heightning of their difficulty, and you ſee it was a great inlargement of their deliverance, by this meanes they were rid of all their enemies at once. If their ſtraits had not bin ſo great, their inlargements had not been ſo glorious. God delights to make the inlargements of his people as viſible as their ſtraits have bin. The like you have in the ſtory of the five Kings, Joſh. 9.1.2. Joſh. 10.3, 4, 5, 6, &c.Josh 9:1Josh 9:2Josh 10:3Josh 10:4Josh 10:5Josh 10:6whoſe hearts God hardned, ſayes the Text, to come out againſt Joſhuah: it muſt needs be a great heightning of their difficulty, when five potent Kings of Canaan united all their power and forces together againſt them; but you know, it was as great a heightning of their deliverance, for by that meanes they had all their enemies ſlaine at once, ſtrook off at one blow.… 4.11.12, ….

You may reade the like in Micha 6.12, p. 10713. And now many Nations are gathered together againſt thee, O Sion, that ſay, Let her be defiled, let our eye ſee her glory, but they know not the thoughts of the Lord, for he ſhall gather them together as ſheaves unto the floore: Ariſe and thraſh oh Daughter of Sion, &c. Where you ſee Nations, and many Nations, and all theſe gathered together againſt one Sion. Here was a difficulty heightned: but you ſee, though their thoughts were the ruine of Sion, Gods thoughts were the ruine of themſelves. And God inlarged the difficulty, for the inlargement of their deliverance.

Reaſ. 4. God doth heighten the difficulty of his psople, to heighten his owne glory, the glory of his wiſdome, power, mercy, faithfulneſſe.

As Chriſt anſwered concerning the blinde man in Iohn 9.9. When they aſked, whether it was for his ſins or his parents, that he was borne blinde, Chriſt anſwers, For neither, but that the workes of God might bee made manifeſt in him, that is, that the power, mercy, & glory of God might be made conſpicuous in the healing of him. And for the ſame reaſon doth he raiſe the difficulties of his Church.

p. 108You reade an excellent paſſage to this purpoſe in the Iohn 11.4, &c. Lazarus ſiſters ſent to Chriſt, to tell him, that their brother was ſicke, and intreat him to come downe and heale him: Chriſt anſwers, This ſickneſſe is not unto death, but that the glory of God might be revealed, and manifested. And mark now the way that Chriſt takes to advance his glory, Verſe 6. When hee had heard, ſaith the Text, that he was ſick, he abode two dayes still in the ſame place where he was. One would thinke this a ſtrange paſſage; hee ſhould rather have gone preſently, and have recovered him. But this was now the way Chriſt took to advance his glory; he doth not only ſuffer him to be ſick, but to dye of his ſickneſſe, nay, to be buried, and to lye in the grave foure dayes: and thus lets the difficulty go beyond the power of man, that the power and glory of God might be more viſible and manifeſt: as he tels us in the 15. and 40. Verſes.

You have the like alſo in Luke 8. from the 41. to the 49. Verſe.

Speciall cures wins more glory to the Phyſitian, then many ordinary cures: ſo ſpeciall deliverances brings God more glory,— &c.

p. 109God is loſt in ſmaller Deliverances, when yet he is viſible and conſpicuous in greater. In ſuch men wil be forced to ſay, none but a God could have done theſe things for us.

Thus doth God heighten our difficulties, to heighten his own glory.

5. Reaſ. God doth heighten our difficulties before deliverance, that hee might heighten our prayſes, our thankfulneſſe for a deliverance.

God is very deſirous of the prayſes of his Saints: as he doth bathe himſelfe in their teares, ſo he doth delight himſelfe in their joyes: hee loves to heare their praiſes as well as their prayers.

And therefore doth God bring us into ſtraits, and heighten our ſtraights, that being delivered, we might be more inlarged with thankfulneſſe.

Moſes difficulty at the Red Sea, did furniſh him with matter of prayſes, when hee was come to the ſhore, 15 Exodus Who is a God like to thee? glorious in holineſſe, fearefull in prayſes, doing wonders, 11 verſe.

Nothing doth ſo much ſwell a mercy, as our neceſſity of it: God is forced to make us the more miſertble in preſſures, p. 110that wee might be more thankfull in deliverances.

Theſe with many other might be nanamed. To conclude this: Let us not bee caſt downe, nor diſcouraged, Quando urgentia mala expulſurus ſit, tum graviora inducat. Chriſ.though God doe bring us into ſtraits, yea and heighten our difficulties too: It is the uſuall way which God goes in the deliverance of his people.

All theſe are but the buddings and preſages of future deliverances.Graviſſima certamina & pericula, ſunt certiſſima nuncia liberationis, ſunt veluti indices vicinae liberationis.

Let but the heightning of our difficulties, heighten our faith, our graces, our duties, and you ſhall ſee they ſhall be all the heightning, and inlargement of our deliverance. But we will reſerve our ſelves for the further application of this till afterwards, &c.

We will now come to the next verſe, which is the dawnings of the morning of comfort after a darke and ſtormy night.

25. Ver. 25 Verſe. And in the fourth Watch of the night, Jeſus went unto them, walking on the Sea.

In the former verſe you had the danger and diſtreſſes the Diſciples were in. In this we have Chriſts addreſſes to relieve and help them.

p. 111And this is ſet downe in foure particulars.

1. He takes a veiw of their danger and trouble.

2. He goes out to help them: He went unto them.

3. We have the manner: Walking on the Sea.

4. The time, and that is, In the fourth Watch.

We will begin with the firſt, though not expreſſed in the Text, yet you ſhall finde it in the 6 Mark. 48. He ſaw them on the ſea toyling and rowing, he takes a view of their danger before he went out to deliver them.

Doct. Chriſt doth ſee and take notice of us in our greateſt afflictions.

Chriſt here ſaw the Diſciples in their great danger: had they known that Chriſt ſaw them, that hee tooke notice of them, it would have comforted their heart under their great affliction, this wee know, though it was hid from their eyes, that Chriſt takes notice of us in our great afflictions. 5. Exod. 7. And the Lord ſaid eePenitas perſpexi.I have ſeene, I have ſeene: that is I have ffDeus bonos non negligit cum negligit.throughly ſeen the affliction of my people in Egipt, and have heard their cry.

p. 112David had many afflictions on him, 56. Pſal. 9. ggFugas numeras. Illuſtre argumentum ſinguleris curae & provedentiae Dei erga ſuos. Muſc. Singulos paſſus exilii ſui numerat deus. Mol.Thou telleſt my wanderings, and putteſt my teares into thy bottle. God takes notice of every ſtep which David trod in the wilderneſſe. 31. Gen. 42. God hath ſeen my affliction, and the labour of my hands,, ſaid Jacob. 34. Pſalme 15. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his eares are open unto their cry, &c.

Vſe This may comfort us in all our troubles, that Chriſt takes notice of them, and therefore will not ſuffer them to be too big for our ſtrength, nor hhQuenquam ad tempus dominus viderur ſuos relinquere nequaquam tamen avertir oculos. ſed eorum labores conſiderat. etiamſi illis non apparet.too long for our patience; he doth not defer, becauſe he knowes not our Troubles, but becauſe he will take the fitteſt time and ſeaſon to relieve us.

Uſe If ſo? then let us behave our ſelves Chriſtianly under all Gods corrections: God ſees you, therefore doe not you murmure, quarrell, bee not impatient, nor turne aſide to unjuſt wayes, to get out of your troubles: God ſees you, and he will come to you in his due time: and that is the next thing.

2. Chrſts addreſſes to help them.

[Ieſus went unto them.]

Doct. That when Chriſt ſees the afflictions of his people upon the ſhore, he p. 113will not long be off the Sea: when hee once takes a view of his peoples troubles, he ſtayes not long, but goes forth to help them.

You ſee this in the 3. Exod. 7, 8. I have ſurely ſeen the affliction of my people in Egypt, by reaſon of their Taske-Maſters, for I know their ſorrowes. And thereupon it followes: And I am come downe to deliver them out of the hand of the Egiptians. When God once ſees, he preſently helps. As he is ſaid to come downe to ſee ſinne, before he puniſh it; as of Sodome: and when he comes downe to ſee, hee doth aſſuredly come out to puniſh. So he is ſaid to come downe, to ſee the troubles of his people, before he doe deliver them; and if once he come to ſee, he wil aſſuredly come to helpe.

Uſe Let us then beſpeak God to looke downe upon our afflictions: ſay with the Church. Look down, O Lord, from heaven, 80 Pſal. 14, 15, 16,Ps 14:15Ps 14:16and viſite thy vine; it is burnt with fire, it is cut downe, &c.—

God hath bowells of mercy, if once he look downe he will viſit: our eye affects our heart, and moves our hand. Gods heart moves his eye, and when his eye is once moved to ſee, his hand and heart p. 114will be upward to help.

[Jeſus went unto them.]

Why but how did Chriſt goe to them, he had no ſhip, they were now upon the Sea.iiVeri ſimile eſt peraeramo mento temporis, permeaſſe donec prope adeſſet eis. Brugenſ. in loc.

Doct. There cannot be want of means, if Chriſt have a purpoſe to relieve his people. I ſay the want of meanes can be no obſtacle if Chriſt have a purpoſe to deliver: hee that can help with meanes can help without, if it pleaſeth him. What though men and means be wanting, what though no boats nor ſhips, yet hee can walke upon the Seas.

Infinite wiſedome, and infinite power can never be at a ſtand.

Uſe And therefore this ſpeaks incouragement to truſt in God in our loweſt conditions: 2 Chron. 14.11.2 Chr 14:11It is all one with thee to helpe with many or with few, &c. &c. ſayes Aſa. God hath made no promiſe to ſtrength, but he hath to weakneſſe, not to policy, but to ſimplicity.

You never knew ſelf-confident ſtrength to proſper, nor never read, that truſting weakneſſe doth miſcrrry.

God loves to joyne with weakneſſe, … Judg. 2.Judg 2when not with ſtrength; with few, when not with many; Gideon. And where God p. 115joynes, there will neither bee want of power, nor of policy, of number, nor of skill: he can ſupply all defects himſelfe. Yet further:

[Jeſus went unto them.]

It was not a ſtormy Sea that ſhould bee able to ſeperate between Chriſt and his Diſciples in trouble: though there was a Sea, and a ſtormy tempeſtuous Sea betweene Chriſt and them, yet this ſhall not part him and his Diſciples.

Doct. Nothing ſhall bee able to ſeparate Chriſt and his people in trouble. 8. Rom. 35. 8. Rom. 35.Who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt? not perſons, not things: Shall tribulation, or diſtreſſe, or perſecution, or famine, or nakedneſſe?— No, all theſe ſhall not be able to ſeparate. You read in the 8 Cant. 7. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the flouds drown it. It is true heare: Here was many waters; a Sea which is the gathering togethar of many waters; yet all this could not quench the love of Chriſt to his Diſciples, nor hinder him from going to them in their trouble.

Hee that would goe through a Sea of wrath to ſuccour his people, that would p. 116drinke up the Sea of Gods wrath, Pſalm. 110. ult. Hee ſhall drink of the brook in the way; which is taken for to be meant of his paſſion, where hee drunk up that Sea of wrath was between God and us. Hee that would goe through a Sea of wrath to his people, will not ſuffer any Sea of trouble to ſeparate between him and his people.

Nothing ſhall hinder Chriſt from going to his people in trouble; no Sea, no ſickneſſe, no priſon, nor any thing ſhall ſeparate between him and us.

Uſe This might be a mighty conſolationu to the people of God, you can never be in ſuch a condition, as that Chriſt cannot come to you.

If our reliefes lay in men, many things might interrupt and hinder our ſuccour. In many afflictions, or friends can but ſtand on the ſhore, ſee us, and pitty us at the moſt, but they cannot come to us, they cannot helpe us.

A Sea, a ſtorme, a ſickneſſe, a priſon, may part us and our friends, us and the beſt of our friends and ſuccours: but nothing can part us and our God. It is ſaid when Ioſeph was in priſon God was with him. 39. Gen. 20, 21. He that was with p. 107Ioſeph in priſon, with David in the wilderneſſe, with Ieremiah in the Dungeon, with Ionah in the belly of the Whale, with Daniel in the Den of Lyons, with the three Children in the fiery furnace, with Paul and Silas in the ſtocks; that God wil be with his people in their greateſt ſtraits and difficulties; kkEtiam hic meum eris bone Jeſu, Chriſte tibi patiendum erit mihi.which made Dionyſius ſay when he was going to the fire, Even here alſo thou wilt be with me oh ſweet Chriſt. This is the promiſe 43. Iſ. 2. When you paſſe through the Waters I will be with you, ſo that the flouds ſhall not drowne you; and when you paſſe through f…re I will be with you, that the fire ſhall not devoure you, &c. And what a comfort is this to the godly.

Many things parts us and friends here. It is ſaid, afflictions parts friends: they part the affections of friends, where there are any who with Ruth will hold cloſe to a Sun burnd Naomi: many with Orpah will fall off. Nay and many things parts the aſſiſtance of friends, though not the affections of friends, 5. Jud. 15. For the deviſions of Ruben there were great thoughts of heart: There was a Jordan betweene Ruben and their brethren, that though they had the affections of brethren, p. 118yet they were not able to afford the aſſiſtance of brethren.

But now nothing can part Chriſt and the ſoule in trouble.

Though there be mountaines between Chriſt and us, yet theſe ſhall not part.

1. He can melt the mountaines, even mountaines ſhall fall downe at his preſence; mountaines of Iron ſhall diſſolve like mountaines of Snow. Iſaiah 94.3.

2. Or he can levell the mountaines, and lay unpaſſible difficulties into plains. Zach. 4.7.

3. Or he can skip over the mountains; as he is deſcribed when hee comes to redeem his Church from ſinne, Cant. 2.8. So when he comes to deliver his Church from trouble, he can skip over the heads of all riſing oppoſition. Nay, though not only mountains, but a Sea be between Chriſt and his people, yet this ſhall not part them.

1. He can dry up the Sea, as the River Euphrates. 16. Rev. 12.

2. Or he can devide the ſea, as he did the red ſea for his people.

3. Or he can walk on the ſea, and make the oppoſitions of his enemies to bee p. 119the path to the deliverance of his people.

Nothing ſhall part Chriſt and his Church in trouble; much water cannot quench love. Yet further.

[Jeſus weut unto them.]

It is not ſaid that hee went towards them, but hee went to them: men may onelyonly goe towards us in trouble, but cannot goe to us; but Chriſt, if hee goe towards, he goes to them. Chriſt reliefes are full and perfect. Againe it is ſaid he went to them, when yet he wes but going towards them: Indeed hee is as good as there already, as ſoone as hee ſets out to goe.

Doct. What Chriſt doth purpoſe to doe, it is as good as done already; though not in effectu operis, in regard of execution it be yet to doe, yet reſpectu decreti, in reſpect of his purpoſe it is as good as done already.

Hence you read in the 8. Rom. 30. Whom he hath juſtified he hath glorified. Though glorification be to come in reſpect of the full poſſeſſion of it; yet it is as ſure as come already in reſpect of the ſtability of the decree.

So thoſe places: Bleſſed are you when p. 120men perſecute you, for great is your reward in the Kingdome of heaven: He doth not ſay, great ſhall be your reward: but great is: Here Chriſt takes a future medium to prove a preſent bleſſedneſſe, 6. Luke 22.32. foreign yee are bleſſed, for great is your reward in the Kingdome of heaven: which inference could not be ſound; if that future medium were not certaine, in reſpect of the firmneſſe of the decree, to faith, which gives to the promiſes of God a kind of preſubſiſting, and preſent being, though future in accompliſhment.

Uſe. And this is a comfort to us, what ever God purpoſeth to doe for us, or to doe againſt our enemies its as ſure as done already.

1. What ever God hath purpoſed to doe for us, it is as ſure as done: bleſſed are they who are perſecuted for righteouſneſſe ſake, for great is their reward in the Kingdsme of heaven.

He hath made many glorious promiſes to his Church: and though in reſpect of execution of them, they are yet to come, yet in reſpect of the ſtability of the purpoſe, they are as good as performed. Jehoſaphat when he had a promiſe, ſets the ſingers to praiſe the Lord in the beauty p. 121of holineſſe, hee was as ſure of it, as if already done: It was his worke rather to believe than fight, and to ſhout a victory rather than to ſtrike a ſtroke, 2 Chro. 20.21.22. He appoynted Singers to prayſe the Lord in the beauty of his holineſſe.

2. What ever God hath purpoſed againſt the enemies of the Church it is as good as done already.

He hath ſaid that Anti-Chriſt ſhall down: and though all the world ſhould contribute their power, and put to their ſhoulders to hold him up, yet they ſhall never be able.

Nay, God hath ſaid, ſhe is fallen already, 14. Rev. 8. Babilon is fallen, is fallen: The word is doubled, to ſhew the certainty of her ruine. Let all the world cry it up, if God cry it downe, it ſhal fall. The Peece hath ſtruck dead, before the noyſe be heard: So Anti-Chriſt is dead ſtruck in the threatning, although the report of his fall be not yet come unto us.

Againe it is ſaid that [Chriſt went to them:] hee doth not ſay delivered them, rebuked the ſtorme, but Chriſt went to them.

It is a happy thing when Chriſt doth not only helpe us, but come to us, Chriſt p. 122helps many whom yet he comes not to: God out of his royall bounty doth many things for thoſe, whom yet he will not owne.

Chriſt gives bread to many, and maintaines many a family, that yet he will not live in: many that partake of his mercy, that doe not partake of himſelfe: many that he gives other things to, but he doth not give himſelfe. llMea non proſuns ſine me nec tua proſunt ſine te. Bern.But happy and bleſſed are the people who enjoy mercy, and the God of mercy with it, that partake of deliverrnce, and the comfort of it too, who have not only the help of Chriſt, but the preſence of Chriſt; Chriſt comes to them as well as delivers them. Better to be in trouble than to bee delivered, and Chriſt not come to thee: better to have the preſence of Chriſt in trouble, than deliverance, and want Chriſt. That man hath ſmall comfort in a deliverance, who enjoyes not Chriſt with it. It is but a reprievall, not a diſchrrge. It is a deliverance in judgement, rather than mercy.

There are preſervaſions, that may bee called reſervations to worſer evills. Such are theſe.

Thus much for Chriſts addreſſes to helpe them: we now come to the manner.

p. 1233. Of his comming to them.

[Walking on the Sea.]

To let paſſe the ſeverall diſputes about this, mmHieronimus ſentit a quas ſolidatas fuiſſe corpus leve factum contra manichaeos.whether Chriſt did conſolidate the water, or attenuate his body; whether he made the water more earthy, and his body more ayry; wee will paſſe theſe niceties. Chriſt here walketh on the ſea, the Text ſaith, and this as upon nnTanquam inſolido pavimento, Amb.ſolid ground: ooforeign. Juſt. Mart. Sine ulla mutatione corporis Chriſtus ambulavit Super mareAnd this hee did without any change of his body; By his owne Almighty and divine power, by which he made Peter doe the like, without any alteration either in his body, or the ſea. Chriſt ever in his loweſt abaſements ſhewed ſomething of his deity. When he ſuffered upon the Croſſe, which was his loweſt abaſement, then like the Sun he lets out the greateſt luſtre and brighteſt beames of the deity, when ſetting, even then he rent the rocks, opened the gravs, ſealed up the beams of the Sun, &c. Which were all viſible demonſtrations of his deity. You read in the beginning of this Chapter; that Chriſt upon the hearing of John Baptiſts beheading, did withdraw himſelf and the Diſciples, 13. verſe. Now this might have occaſioned a temptation, that Chriſt being God, p. 124ſhould flye from the wrath of man.

And therefore it is obſerveable, that Chriſt doth here doe foure great miracles, to ſtabliſh their hearts againſt ſuch a temptation.

1. He fed five thouſand, beſides one women and children with 5. loaves and two fiſhes.

2. Hee comes now walking to them on the Sea.

3. Hee makes Peter to walk on the Sea alſo.

4. He rebuked the ſtormes, calmed the Sea, and brought them to harbour.

By theſe declaring, that though hee went from Herod, yet it was not for fear, not that hee thought hee was not able to preſerve himſelfe and Diſciples; he that could doe all this, might have done the other.

It is Gods great mercy that hee hath been pleaſed in his loweſt abaſements to give us withall ſome demonſtrances of his deity.

When he hungred, he declared himſelfe to be a man, but when he fed thouſands with a few loaves, he demonſtrated himſelfe to be God.

When he fled from Herod, he ſhewed p. 125himſelfe to be man, but when he walked on the ſea, hee declared himſelfe to be God.

In his life he ſeemed to be man and not God, he was ſubject to our infirmities: but in his miracles, raiſing the dead, giving eyes to the blinde, healing the ſick, caſting out Devils, he declared himſelfe to be God as well as man.

When he hung upon the croſſe he ſeemed to bee man, but when hee rent the vaile of the Temple, darkned the Sunne, ſhook the Earth, rent the Rocks, converted the Thiefe, he declared himſelfe God as well as man, &c.

But we will come to the words. Jeſus went unto them,

[Walking on the Sea.]

Why, but Chriſt could as well have helped them on the ſhoare, as to have come and walked to them on the ſea. But then they had nor ſo cleerely knowne Chriſt helped them: either they might have attributed their ſafety to their own endeavours in rowing, or they might have thought the ſtorme ceaſed by accident, &c. And therefore Chriſt comes to them before he helps them, that they might ſee and acknowledge it was his doing.

p. 126Doct. It is the beſt part of a deliverance to ſee and acknowledge the deliverer.

As it is the worſt part of an affliction not to ſee the hand which inflicteth it: ſo it is the beſt part of a mercy to ſee the author of it. There are too many, who like Swine do feed under the Tree, and never look up to the Tree; that drink at the ſtreame, and never regard the Fountaine. Many whoſe bellies are filled with hid bleſſings, Pſal. 16. Not becauſe they do not ſee the mercies, but becauſe they ſee not the God of mercy.

Chriſtians deſire God in the beſtowing of his gifts, that he would not conceale the giver, that all your mercies might be as cleere glaſſes, and not as thick clouds which hinder you from beholding God in them. It is the bleſſing of mercy to ſee and taſte God in it.

Yet further, and that which is the maine.

[Walking on the Sea.]

It was a ſtrange way that Chriſt went in the deliverance of his Diſciples, to walk on the ſea, never was this heard of before, God hath delivered his people by deviding the ſea, but never before by walking on the ſea.

p. 127Doct. That God will goe unheard of untracted wayes, ſtrange wayes to deliver his people, rather then his people ſhall not be delivered.

God is not tyed to any way, his paths are in the great waters, and his footſteps are not knowne. God wals in the wayes of the deliverance of his Churches, as a man that walks in the ſnow, who becauſe he would not be tracted; he often changeth his ſhooe.

Whole Volumes might be writ of the many ſtrange wayes that God hath gone in the deliverance of his Church & people. Sometimes he hath done it immediately by himſelfe: as you ſee in the ſtories of Herod, Acts 12.23, 24. Iulian, who when he went to warre againſt the Perſians, he vowed to his Idoll Gods, that he would give them a ſacrifice of all the Chriſtians in the Empire when he turned back: but he was prevented by death, being ſmitten with an unknowne blow from Heaven. So God delivered the Church in Maximinus his time:

ſometime he hath done it mediately:

1. Either by making themſelves as inſtruments to deſtroy themſelves; as you ſee in the Aſſyrians, the Midianites, Iudg. p. 1287.22. And thus was Paul delivered, Acts 23.6, 7.

2. Or by arming ſecond cauſes, putting ſtrength into weak and contemptible inſtruments, for the deliverance of his Church. As Ieremy was drawne out of the dungeon with old rotten rags, thrown aſide and good for nothing, Ier. 38.11. So the Lord doth deliver his Church often by ſuch inſtruments as the enemies thereof would before have looked upon with ſcorne, as deſpiſed and contemptible inſtruments. You ſee this in Cyrus, in Deborah.

3 Sometimes arming naturall cauſes, the Sun, the Moone, the Stars, Haile, Winde: the Starres in their courſe are ſaid to fight againſt Siſera: the Lord ſlew Iſraels enemies with haile, the Moabites with the Sun ſhining on the water. And we read in Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory, that the Chriſtians being to fight againſt the Barbarians, & being in great diſtreſſe for water, upon their prayers, God ſent abundance of raine, but incounter'd their enemies with thunder and fire from heaven; in remembrance of which, the Romans called the Chriſtian Legion ppforeign legio fulminatrix.the thundring Legion. Theſe we may take p. 129for a taſte of thoſe innumerable examples that might be alledged, of the ſtrange wayes GOD hath gone to deliver his Church. He walkes ſtill upon the ſea, goes untracted wayes in deliverance of his Church: how ordinary is it with him, to make thoſe things which in themſelves are diſtructive, to be helpefull to the deliverance of his Church and people. He that can finde a paſſage on the ſeas, qqMille mali ſpecies, mille ſaiutis erant.wants no wayes to deliver and helpe his people.

Vſe. And therefore let us never diſtruſt in our God, whoſe arme cannot be ſhortned that he cannot ſave, who can never be brought to a non plus, never poſed in the wayes of deliverance. He is not only able to raiſe deliverance out of the duſt, but out of nothing he can create deliverances; nay, he can not only out of nothing, but out of contraries, he can make contraries ſerve his ends. Even his enemies ſerviceable to the purpoſes of his mercy and deliverance.

When God hath a purpoſe to deliver his Church, he can make thoſe things which are in themſelves diſtructive, to be ſubſerviently furthering the deliverance of his people; he can walk on the p. 130ſea, he can make a way to his people in trouble, and in that a furtherance to a deliverance, which was in its ſelfe the greateſt hindrance. As the Phyſitian can order poyſonous and diſtructive ingredients, to phyſicall and healthfull purpoſes; ſo can God make thoſe things for us which are uſed as engines againſt us, and make our enemies doe his work with their own hands.

God hath wayes enough, he cannot be brought to the utmoſt of his thoughts; and therefore when you are at an end in your thoughts: Learn to ſhut your eyes to things below, and turne your eyes upward to him that is above. Say with Iehoſhaphat. We know not what to do, but our eyes they are upon thee, who hath ever an eye to them, whoſe eyes are fixed upon him, and will in his owne due time work deliverance for them. And that is the next thing.

The time when Chriſt came to helpe them. In the fourth watch.

[And in the fourth watch of the night Ieſus went.]

Where firſt we muſt inquire,

1 What is meant by the fourth watch.

2 Why Chriſt came no ſooner to help them.

p. 1313 Why he ſtayed no longer.

1 What is meant by the fourth watch?

For the better underſtanding of this, you muſt know that the aaforeign Rab. Sol.Hebrewes divided their night, which conſiſted of twelve hours, into three watches, each of them containing foure houres a peece.

bbforeign principium vi giliarium.The firſt watch you read of in the 2 Lam. 19. and this was called the beginning of the watches.

The ſecond watch you read of in Iudg. 7.19. **foreignAnd this was called the middle watch, &c.

The third watch you read of in the **foreign Vigilia matutina.14 Exod. 24. And this was called the morning watch, &c.

Afterwards, when the Jewes came to be under the dominion of the Romans, they left their own cuſtome, and followed the cuſtome of the Romans, ccNox in quatuor partes diriſa, & vigiliae a latinis, cuſtodiae a Grae. dictae. Bruge. in loc. 1 Conticinium. 2 In tempeſtū 3 Gallicinium 4 Ante lucanum.who divided their night which conſiſted alſo of 12 houres into 4 watches, every one containing three hours a piece.**Soliti ſunt veteres noctem in quatuor vigilias partiri, & ſingulis tres horas attribuere Chem.

And they were called watches, becauſe they uſed once in three houres to change their ſeverall watches, and put in new men to watch.

So that this fourth watch was the laſt warch of the night, ddQuarta vigilia paululum antequam aurora illuſceſcit. Chem.a little before p. 132the morning, yyAd octo, — plus minuſve, horas in iſta colluctatione, laborarint. Chem.they had been full eight houres in this tempeſt, conflicting with their fears and dangers.

Doct. God doth not only exerciſe his people with troubles, but he doth lengthen and continue their troubles alſo, before he doe deliver them.

And therefore this doth preach patience and Chriſtian fortitude to undergoe preſſures and calamities, and to wait with patience Gods time of deliverance, Lament. 3.26. It is good for a man to hope and quietly to wait for the ſalvation of God. But this will fall in the other queſtions.

2 Why Chriſt came no ſooner to helpe them.

It was for divers reaſons, for the tryall and for the exerciſe of their graces, as alſo for the advancement of his own mercy in deliverance. It was the time which he choſe for their deliverance.

Doct. God hath a fulneſſe of time to accompliſh all his purpoſes, and to performe all his promiſes to his people. God hath a fourth watch.

Gods mercy moveth him to come in bond, and his wiſdome pitcheth upon the day of payment. God promiſed Abraham p. 133a childe, but there was a time appointed for the performance of it. He promiſed to deliver Iſrael out of Egypt, and to bring them into Canaan, but he had an appointed time for the doing of it: hee promiſed to ſet David on the throne, to bring his people out of Babylon, to ſend Chriſt into the world, but he took a fulneſſe of time to accompliſh all this in.

God hath a fulneſſe of time to accompliſh all his thoughts of mercy to his people: and therefore doth he take time to quicken us to ſeeke, to prepare us for the mercy, to ripen our enemies for diſtruction.

Vſe. And therefore this ſpeaks patient waiting upon God. God hath had ever ſome great promiſes on foot, upon purpoſe to exerciſe the graces of his people, their faith, patience, &c.

The great promiſes which God kept on foot in the Old Teſtament, was the promiſe of Chriſt, which was promiſed in Adams time, renewed in Abrahams, and every age after; and this he kept on foot to exerciſe their graces, their faith, their hope, expectation, Heb. 11.13. Luke 2.25.26.

p. 134And the great promiſe he keepes on foot now, is the down-fall of Antichriſt; and this to exerciſe our graces too; our faith to beleeve it, our hope to expect, and patience to wait for it. How many Worthies of whom we may ſay, as of them in Heb. 11.13. that have dyed in faith, Saw the promiſe afarre off **foreign Oſculantes, ſalutantes complexi fuiſſent: verbi promisſi exiſtentiam notat.and imbraced it: that did ſomething in their dayes to prepare for her ruine, and left the reſt to us to accompliſh and haſten. It is our worke then to doe our duty and wait upon God for the iſſue.

1 Wait upon God in deferres, though it tarry, wait for it, Hab. 2.3. Though God do ſeeme to deferre aaNon eſt judicandum de operibus dei ante quintum actum.the accompliſhment of his promiſe, yet wait upon God for the performance of it.

2 Wait upon God in ſeeming denials; when all things ſeem to walke contrary to the performance of the promiſe, yet hold up your hearts to beleeve and wait the performance of it.

But 3 eſpecially hang upon God when he ſeemes to come in and ſpeake the performance of promiſes: ſlackneſſe in duty, doth ill befit either the incomes or expectations of mercy.

p. 135But ſo wayt as to doe your duty. There are ſome promiſes which God doth bring about by his owne immediate hand. Some which hee will accompliſh by meanes. In the former, our wayting doth extend no further than to ſupplication, and expectation, as you ſee the promiſe of Chriſt, to the performance of which, we could do nothing, it was to be wrought by God onelyonly; and there all our worke was to pray and wait, as they did, 2 Luke 25.36. Where you ſhall read of Simeon and Anna, and others who continued in the Temple night and day praying to God, and wayting for the conſolation of Iſrael, that was all they could doe, pray and wait. But now in the latter, viz. ſuch promiſes as God will effect by meanes, here we muſt not onelyonly pray, and wayt, but uſe our utmoſt indeavours to bring about the thing promiſed.

The great promiſe which God hath made to us of the downfall of Antichriſt, it is a promiſe that ſhall be effected by meanes, 2. Theſ. 2.8. and the 17. Rev. 16. It is ſaid, The Kings of the earth ſhal joyne together, and hate the whore, and make her deſolate, and eate her fleſh, and burne her with fire, &c. Here meanes is to be uſed.

p. 136And if but three things were done throughly, it would greatly ſpeed his ruine.

Firſt, Cleare preaching, Secondly, Spirituall walking, Thirdly, joynt praying.

1. Cleare preaching: He was borne in the darke, in the darkeſt times. and he lives in the darke, the darkeſt places. He is a Brat begotten between the devill and ignorance, the devill the father, and ignorance the mother, and Idolatry and ſuperſtition his eldeſt daughters. Now clear preaching would diſcover this man of ſin, the light of truth would diſcover the darkneſſe of errour. This is one way ſet downe, 2 Theſ. 2.8. The Lord ſhall conſume him with the ſpirit of his mouth, and destroy him by the brightneſſe of his comming.

2. Spirituall and holy walking. All his religion lies in fleſhy and carnall devotion, hee is ſaid ro bee the beaſt that comes out of the earth, 13. Revel. 21. Indeed the Romiſh Religion is out of the earth, it is an earthy worſhip, hath earthly grounds, earthly aymes, earthly ends. All the conſiderations that feed Popery are out of the earth, from ſuch p. 137things as pleaſe the ſences, and the outward man, &c.

Now if we were more ſpirituall in our worſhip, more holy in our lives, wee ſhould blaſt al his painted pomp, it could not ſtand up under it: for it is not the ſtrength of his cauſe, but the coldneſſe and luke-warmneſſe of our hearts which holds him up.

3. Joynt praying. When God delivered his people from Babilon, hee ſtirred up their hearts mightily to ſeek him. So when he delivers his people from miſticall Bahilon.Non tam ferro quam fide & votis. Aug.

I never read that ever God beſtowed any extraordinary mercy and deliverance upon his people, but before he beſtowed it, he mightily ſtirred up the hearts of his People to ſeek him. And I never read that ever God did mightily ſtirre up the hearts of his people to ſeek him, but ſome great mercy and deliverance was comming: prayer uſeth to bee the harbinger of mercy. He doth not ſay to the ſeed of Iacob, ſeek my face in vaine. When trouble ſends us to prayer, deliverance ſhall ſend us to prayſes: 45. Iſ. 29.Isa 29God will make his people as thankful, as prayerful, as thankfull p. 138enjoyers, as earneſt ſeekers.

And ſo much for the ſecond, why Chriſt came no ſooner: wee come now to the third, why he ſtayes no longer.

And that may bee becauſe he would not overthrow the graces of his people; God loves to everciſe grace, bbDeus per adverſitates ſuos tentat, ſed non derelinquit. Cart.but hee will not deſtroy grace.

The Muſitian hee will wind up his ſtrings to the height, it makes then the ſweeteſt muſick, but hee will not overwind them, leſt he break them: So God loves to exerciſe the graces of his people, to wind them up to the height, ccUbi plus periculi, ibi plus auxilii. Chem. Chriſtus procujuſque modulo tentationem nuget. Muſc.but hee will have a care of deſtroying their graces. As God hath a fulneſſe of time to accompliſh al the purpoſes of his mercy.

D. So ddQuamvis nuſquam ſe dominus oſtendit, tamen curam illorum habet, in tempore oportuno ſalvabit. Janſ. in loc.when that fulneſſe of time is come, he will make good what ever he hath purpoſed. You ſee this in Abraham, in the Children of Iſraels bondage in Egypt, hee had a fulneſſe of time; but when that fulneſſe of time was come, then God delivered them. You read Exo. 12.42. It came to paſs at the end of the 430 years, eveu the ſelfe ſame day, God brought Iſrael out of Egypt: the like of Iſraels deliverance from Babylon, God took a fulneſſe of time, 70 years were determined p. 139to finiſh tranſgreſſions: But when that fulneſſe of time was accompliſhed, God deliuered them.eeDerelinquit Deus fuos aliquando ad tempus, ſed non uſque valde, non omnino, opportuno tempore fert opem. Greg.

The like of the promiſe of Chriſt, God took a fulneſſe of time, and it was a long time between the firſt promiſe of Chriſt, and his comming into the world, but when fulneſſe of time was come, then God ſent his ſonne made of a woman. 4. Gal. 4.

ffCeleritatem non noſtro judicio definiendam, ſed Dei, qui novit non tantum oneris gravitatem, ſed quam diu id feramus, Cartwr.We are in trouble, and we wonder that God doth not help and deliver us, why but we muſt wait till the fulneſſe of time, ſtay till the fourth watch.

The time between the promiſe and the performance of the promiſe, is cut out for our waiting upon God.

It is our fault, we are too ſhort-breathed, we cannot wait: if deliverance come not in our time, wee are ready to give up and faint.

It was the fault of Moſes and Aaron, 5. Evod. 22, 23. they were impatient, they could not wait.

It was Davids fault too, when he ſaw Gods outward proceedings of providence to ſeeme to walke ſo oppoſite to the performance of his promiſe, he breaks out into impatience, All men are lyers.— I ſhall one day periſh by the hand of Saul.

p. 140And this doth ariſe from a ſecret root of pride and unbeliefe: either pride, that we will not ſubmit to Gods wiſedome, Gods will, Gods time, Gods meanes, but will propound God away, and limit God to time and means: or elſe it ariſeth from unbelief: as you ſee it plain in the caſe of David, his failing in wayting for the performance of the promiſe, did ariſe from a ſecret diſtruſt of the truth of the promiſe, firſt he ſayd, All men are lyars, and then he ſayes, I ſhall one day periſh by the hand of Saul.

And yet it may ariſe from ignorance too: we are unacquainted with the wayes that God takes for the performance of his Promiſes. God may walke with his promiſes, when to ſence he ſeems to walke againſt them: as you ſee in Ioſeph, God ſeemed in all to walke againſt his Promiſe; but if you doe examine the ſtory, you ſhal find in ail this, God walked with his Promiſe, and Ioſephs Priſon was the way for Ioſephs advancement, the like of David, &c. And the Promiſe is oftentimes neareſt to fulfilling, when to ſence and reaſon it ſeemes furtheſt off. Looke but on she ſtory of Scripture, and you ſhall ſee this truth, that when man hath p. 141had leaſt hopes, and probabilities that the Promiſe ſhould bee fulfilled, than hath been the time which God hath taken to accompliſh his Promiſe.

You ſee in Abraham, there was never more improbobility that the Promiſe ſhould bee fulfilled, than at that time when it was fulfilled, 4. Romans 18, 19. Sarah's wombe was dead, and Ahraham was old, his body dead too: they had outlived the ſtrength and hopes of nature, if he had but looked upon himſelf who was now dead, and upon Sarah, whoſe womb was dead alſo, every thought would have given a lye to the Promiſe, he could not but ſee an utter impoſſibility in the courſe of nature, that ever this Promiſe ſhould be effected, if hee had conſulted with fleſh and bloud. And yet you ſee that then when the Promiſe ſeemed moſt unlikely to bee fulfilled, was the time God chuſe for the fulfilling of it. The like of David, of Iſrael, Daniel, &c.

I will give you one inſtance more, 14. Zac. 6, 7. At evening time it ſhall be light: they expected it in the day, that was the moſt likely, the evening was moſt improbable, then is nothing but darknes to be expected, but at evening it ſhall be p. 142light, the moſt improbable time.

But the maine thing that this ſpeakes to us is this: you ſee here the Diſciples had beene in great danger, and they had beene long conflicting with theſe dangers, & were now ready to commit themſelves to the mercy of the Sea, much longer it was not poſſible for them to hold out. As Job ſayes, 6. Iob 12. Is my ſtrength the ſtrength of ſtones, or is my fleſh of Braſſe. Certainly they could not much longer endure, they were now ready to give up. And when it was come to the **Ad extremum foreign.laſt pinch, even to the utmoſt, Chriſt he comes in. iiTritum hoc, tum Dei auxilium incipit, quando humanum definit.Whence this old truth,

Doctr. Mans extremity, is Gods opportunity.

kkNeque preſentior eſt uſquam Chriſtus, quam cum omni huma, na ſpe ſumus deſtituti. Zuin. in 6 JohnIt is the obſervation of Zuinglius upon this place: God is never more preſent, than when all humane help ſeems to be abſent. Thou art a preſent help in trouble, ſayes the Pſalmiſt.

llQuando adverſitas ſumma fuerit, tunc ſciamus ſalutam adeſſe proximam. quando ad foreign per ventum eſt, tum Ceriſtus ſalvator adeſt Chem. 3 Exo. 7, 8.Exod 7:8When trouble is at the higheſt, then is ſalvation the neareſt. The depths of mans miſery, cals in for the depths of Gods mercy: when the burthens of Iſrael were increaſed, when they cryed under their anguiſh, then did God ſend moſes to deliver them. I have ſeen the afflictions of my p. 143people, and have heard their cry by reaſon of their task-maſters, for I know their ſorrowes: as if he had ſaid, I know they will not cry for nothing; I have heard, and I know, and then it followes, I am come downe to deliver them out of their hands. It is that which was promiſed in Deut. 32.35, 66. To me belongeth vengeance and recompence, the foot of your enemy ſhall ſlide in due time. For the day of their calamity is at hand, &c. For the Lord ſhall judge his people, and repent himſelfe for his ſervants, when he ſeeth that their power is gone, and there is none ſhut up and left.

It is obſerved in all Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtories, then was deliverance the neereſt, mmQuo citius finienda ſunt mala eo ma. gis in graveſcunt. Ba….when the perſecution of the enemy was the hotteſt: the Scribes and Phariſees blaſphemed moſt, when neareſt their ruine: the Devill rageth moſt when his time is ſhorteſt: this is that Saint Iohn ſaith, Rev. 12.12. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, for the Devill is come downe with great wrath, nnPopulus dei tunc maxime affligitur, cum propinqua eſt ſalus. Auget certamina quando liberabit. Chriſ.becauſe his time is but ſhort. The greateſt darkneſſe is ſaid to be before the morning watch, and the greateſt troubles before deliverance.

The ancient Tragaedians, when things p. 144were brought to that paſſe, that there could be no poſſibility of humane helpe imagined they uſed to bring downe ſome of their gods out of the clouds: ooforeign. Eraſ. Adag.thence was a phraſe they had like to that the Jewes alſo uſed when they were brought into great ſtraits beyond all hope of humane helpe. In the Mount of the Lord it ſhall be ſeene: which is the ſame with our Engliſh. Mans exrremity, is Gods opportunity: when the enemies are at the height of their rage and cruelty, when the people of God are brought to the loweſt, when the arme of fleſh is withered up; when the ſtreame of ſecond cauſes doth not runne, when the channell of creature reliefes is dry, qqNe dubitemus nos ſervari, etiamſi Chriſtus ab eſt aut tardius venire nobis videatur. Nam in…reſcente formidine & periculo, aderit dominus repente. Zuing.then is the time for God to ariſe and have mercy upon Sion. But here may be demanded two things.

1 Why God ſuffers us to be brought into extremities before he help us.

2 Why God doth help us in extremities.

I will be briefe on them, being things frequently preſſed, you are able to inlarge them in your own thoughts.

1 God ſuffers us to be brought into extremities before he help us, that his mercy might be more conſpicuous.

If Chriſt had helped the Diſciples before p. 145they had uſed all meanes to helpe themſelves, they might perhaps have thought that their owne induſtry would have helped; they could by their owne wiſdome & ſtrength have relieved themſelves. And therefore Chriſt ſtaies qqDeus quos in aeternum diligit, aliquando ad tempus relinquit. Greg. in cap. 30. Job.till they were brought to extremities, lets them go to the utmoſt of their owne indeavours, that the helpe of God might be more viſible to them, Iohn 2.3, 4. Chriſts hour of helpe, is, when our glaſſe is out.

2 God ſuffers it, as to make his mercy conſpicuous, ſo to make his mercy great in their eyes. The great deſigne that God doth drive, is the advancement of his own glory; and therefore hee ſuffers us to be brought into troubles, and to extremities in thoſe troubles, that his glory, the glory of his mercy, of his truth, wiſdome, might be advanced by men.

3 To quicken us to prayer, neceſſities do mightily ſtir up to duties, and makes the ſoul earneſt in it. You ſee the Church in Hesters time, &c. Hoſ. 5.50.

4 To inlarge his peoples hearts with p. 146rrQuia ex Dei beneficiis non ſatis agnoſcimus. illius bonitatem, ideo deus ſalutis cauſa immittere adverſa ſoler.thankfulneſſe; things eaſily got, are as ſoone forgot, where a mercy in neceſſity will be ſet up as a living remembrance of praiſes, &c.

Theſe, with many others might be named, why God doth ſuffer his people to be brought to extremities before he help.

2 Why God doth helpe us in extremities.

Reaſ. 1. Becauſe God is ingaged to relieve us in ſtraits.

There are foure mercifull ingagements of God, which moves him to relieve us in our ſtraits.

1 becauſe wee are his people he is our God, we are his Spouſe, he our husband; we are his children, he our father; we are his members, he our head: what will not a loving father do for his childe, &c. We are his by choice, his by purchaſe, his by covenant; and there is nothing he doth in the world with more delight, then thoſe things he doth for his people. Indeed there is nothing to ingage him to make us his people before he did make us his people, as Moſes ſaith, Deut. 7.7, 8. He loved us, becauſe he loved us, &c. but there is ſomething to ingage him to doe p. 147for us now hee hath made us his people, becauſe we are his people. This is excellently ſet downe in the 2 Samuel 12.21. The Lord will not caſt off his people for his great names ſake: and why? what is the ingagement? nothing but this; Seeing it hath pleaſed the Lord to make you his people.

2 Becauſe he hath made many precious promiſes to us. Promiſes of preſervation: take that in Iſay 33.16. A place ſpeaks fully, He ſhall dwell on high; out of the reach of all his enemies, nay higher many heights: but is it not poſſible to reach him? if you did, yet not hurt him, he is in a place of defence, but that is not ſo ſtrong but we may come to him? yea, his place of defence is the munition of Rocks: yea, but we ſhall ſtarve him out; there is no plowing and ſowing on rocks, but bread ſhall be given him. Yea, but what ſhall he doe for water? there is no getting of water out of the rock; but he ſhall have waters too: but though hee have they will faile: no, his waters ſhall be ſure, never failing waters. And look downe in the twenty one Verſe, there another; and Iſay 43.3, 4. I gave Egypt for thy p. 148ranſome, Ethiopia and Seba for thee: the Church of God was in bondage and captivity in Egypt, and he gave Egypt for her ranſome: how? That is, becauſe they could not be delivered without the loſſe of Egypt; God would rather part with the whole land of Egypt, then his people ſhould not be ranſomed, he would ſinke the whole land of Egypt if it ſtood between his people and deliverance. So in the fourth Verſe, I will give men for thee, and people for thy life. I will not ſtick to give the lives of thouſands to uphold thine, multitudes ſhall be deſtroyed, rather then that thou ſhouldeſt not be preſerved.

3 A third ingagement is, becauſe his people truſt in him.

Truſt is a kinde of ingagement upon a man although he had made never a promiſe. But what is it when it is upon a promiſe. No man will deceive another that truſts on him; we uſe to ſay, I cannot faile him, he truſts upon me: and do you think God will. Aſſure your ſelves there was never any who truſted upon God, who devolved his ſoule on him, but he found God to be that to him that he expected: faith ingageth all the power, wiſdome, mercy of God, to releeve you; p. 149and if all theſe can helpe, you ſhall not want ſuccour in your extremities.

4 A fourth ingagement, becauſe his people ſeek him. He doth not ſay to the ſeed of Iacob, Seek my face in vaine, Iſay 45.19. Faith and prayer will remove Mountaines: nothing ſhall be too hard for that people to doe; whoſe hearts and ſpirits he holds up to beleeve and pray. There is a kinde of omnipotency in faith and prayer, becauſe theſe two ſet the great God, yea, the greatneſſe of the power of the great God to work for us. Luther uſed to pray, Let our will be done, Fiat voluntas noſtra. I have read of a ſtory of him, that having been in his ſtudy earneſt with God about the buſineſſe of the Church, and having received a gracious anſwer, he comes downe and cryes, Vicimus, Vicimus, We have overcome, the day is ours: and ſo it fell out, ſaith the ſtory, the Church prevailed.

Reaſ. 2. God doth helpe his people in extremities, that both we our ſelves, and the generations to come might be incouraged to truſt in him.

1. We our ſelves. We reade this, the fruit of Gods helping Iſrael in extremity at the red ſea, Exod. 14.31. They ſaw p. 150the great work God had done, and they beleeved God. David thus reaſons, The God who delivered me from the Lion and Beare, &c. will. Pſal. 63.7. Becauſe thou haſt been my helper, therefore under the ſhadow of thy wings I will roioyce. I have had experience of thy goodneſſe, therefore will I depend on thee: where experience is the promiſe, aſſurance may be the concluſion. David was a man of many choice experiences of Gods goodneſſe, and he was choice of them, he laid them up, and made uſe of them at every need. It is a paſſage not to be neglected, when he was forced to flye from Saul; comming to Abimelech the Prieſt, he deſired him to lend him a weapon for his defence, hee told him he had none, ſave only the ſword of Goliah, whom he had ſlaine; There is none to that, ſaith David, give it mee. 1 Sam, 21.9. This was a Trophie of Gods former goodneſſe; it was both an experience and a weapon; in carrying this, he tooke an experience with him, which might comfort him in ſtraits. So 1 Cor. 1.10. &c.

2. That the generations to come might be incouraged to truſt in him, Pſal. 22.5. Iſa. 51.9. Pſal. 9.10. Thou haſt not forſaken p. 151nor thou wilt not forſake them that truſt in thee.

Reaſ. 3. God will helpe his people in extremity for the diſappointment and torture of wicked men.

When Haman had prevailed ſo far as to get a bloody decree againſt the Church of God, no doubt hee joyed exceedingly, as one that promiſed to himſelfe the utter ruine of them: and he brought it up very high: there was mans extremity. But you ſee how God croſſeth it; and who is able to expreſſe the vexation and torture of Haman for his diſappointment: He goes home, and vexeth himſelfe, he could not eat, nor drinke, nor ſleepe, for very vexation that his deſigne did not take. The like of Achitophel, he hangs himſelfe for very pride and madneſſe. God hath wayes enough to make wicked men to gnaſh their teeth before they come to hell: and this is one way to bring his people into ſtraits, and put the wicked in a kinde of hope of having their will on the godly: and then relieving his people and diſappointing them, no man knowes what vexation and torture this is to their ſpirits.

p. 152Theſe, with many other reaſons might be named, as becauſe now deliverance will be moſt welcome, his people moſt thankfull, helpe moſt glorious.

Vſe. But to conclude this. Let us not be caſt downe and too much troubled, though God do bring us into extremities before he helpe us, you ſee it is Gods time of helpe. When the extremities of a people are above the reliefes of creatures, it is not only our time to ſeek, but it is Gods time to helpe us: You ſee it, Pſal. 108.12. Give us helpe from trouble, for vaine is the helpe of man.

There are five ſpeciall times when God will helpe his people.

1 When we know not what to doe; when we are brought to the utmoſt of our thoughts and know not what to doe: Such a ſtrait was Iſrael in at the red Sea; they knew not what to do; the ſea before them, the Egyptians behinde them. But this was the time of Gods help. Deut. 32.35. It is there ſaid concerning the enemies of Gods people, Their feet ſhall ſlide in due time: but when is that? he ſhewes in the 36 Verſe, when he ſeeth that his peoples power is gone, &c. when they know not what to do. Such a ſtrait was p. 153Iehoſaphat in 2 Chronicl. 20.12. Wee have no might againſt this great multitude that comes againſt us, neither know we what to doe, but our eyes are upon thee. This was Gods time of help.

Gods time of help is uſually when mans time of help is gone. 31. Jerem. 36, 37. There is hope in thy end, when there was in a manner an end of all hope, when they had ſpent up all their ſtock of hopes, then doth God ſay, there is hope in thine end. You read in the 33. Iſai. 7, 8, 9. verſes, of a ſtrange introduction to mercy and deliverance. Behold their valiant ones ſhall cry without, the Embaſſadours of peace ſhall weep bitterly, the high wayes lye waſte, and the wayfering man ceaſeth,— the earth mourneth and languiſheth, Lebanon is aſhamed, and hewen downe, Sharon is like a wilderneſſe. — Here is a ſad Preface: what can be expected to follow, but as ſad a ſtory, **Sic conſuevit dominus vehementiones labores immittere, veluti indices vicinae liberationis. Et gravirſima certamiua ſunt certiſſime nuncia liberationis.But God makes the preſſures of his People to be Prefaces to his mercy: and therefore it followes, verſe 10. Now will I riſe, ſaith the Lord, now will I be exalted; now will I lift up my ſelfe. Indeed now God ſhould get moſt glory, and for that end he ſtayed till now. As you ſee the like 30. Iſa. 17.18.

p. 1542. When wee know not what God will doe, when God ſeems to forget his People, and in his outward Providences to walke contrary to his owne promiſes. When wee are brought to a ſtand, and know not what to think, then is there a time for God to ſtep forth.

David when hee was brought to that ſtand by preſent providences to him, that hee begins to queſtion, the truth of Gods promiſes: All men are lyars. He was now wound up to the height, it was time for God to come, leſt all break aſſunder.

A third time when God will helpe: when we are brought to ſuch ſtraits, as

1. Wee muſt either ſinne foully: Or,

2. We muſt ſuffer ſadly.

In this ſtrait was Daniel and the three Children, either they muſt ſinne foully, or ſuffer ſadly: if they bowed downe to the Image they ſinned foully; if not, they were to be caſt into the fiery Furnace, and ſo were to ſuffer ſadly. And now was the time that God took to deliver them.

4. When the enimies are carryed on with moſt rage, and promiſe to themſelves moſt ſucceſſe, againſt the Church p. 155and People of God, then is the time for God to ſtep into relieve us, when they are on the higheſt Pinacle once, then they are neareſt their ruine, 14. Iſ. 13, 14; 15, 16. When men ſhew themſelves malicious, then will God ſhew himſelf gracious. You ſee this in the 15. Exod. 9, 10. when the enemy ſaid in his heart, I will purſue, J will over-take, I will divide the ſpoyle, my luſt ſhall be ſatisfied upon them, I will draw my ſword, my hand ſhall deſtroy them: then it followes: Thou didſt blow with thy wind, the ſea covered them, they ſunk as lead in the mighty waters.

5. When God doth give and hold up a mighty ſpirit of prayer in his People to ſeek him: A cloud of Incenſe is a preſage of a ſhoure of mercy: 16. chapt. Levit. 13. ver. You ſee this in the deliverance of Iſrael from Babylon: at that time God ſtirred up a mighty ſpirit of Prayer in them, 9. Dan. 23, iiPraecibus noſtris Deus ſaepe ſe id tribuere teſtatur, quod alioqui ſponte & ex promiſſione facturus eſt. Mol. in loc.And this was Promiſed in the 102 Pſalme 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. ſſArgumentum redemptionis a piorum conjuncte votis. Molerus. Populi reſtitutionem praecibus, fidelium adſcribit Deus.Thou ſhalt returne, and have mercy upon Sion, for the time to favour her, the ſet time is come.

But how ſhall we know that? he tels us in the fourteenth verſe, for thy ſervants take pleaſure in her ſtones, and favour the p. 158duſt thereof. That is, they mourn, (t) they pray, uuTempus miſerandi ejus, &c. hinc. Muſc. Tempus ſupplicandi, eſt tempus miſerendi, quando corda contrita ſunt, tunc tempus miſerendi.and it is thy time to help and deliver. As you ſee in the ſeventeenth ver. Thou ſhalt regard the prayer of the destitute, and not deſpiſe their cry.

As when the Lord hath an intent to deſtroy a People, he doth either expreſſely charge them not to pray for them, as hee did Ieremiah, 14. Ier. 11. Or hee doth ſecretly dead, and ſtrayten their hearts, that they cannot Pray. So when he doth ſtirre up the hearts of his People to ſeek him, it is an evident demonſtration that God will doe great things for a People.

Prayer is the Harbinger of mercy; When God purpoſes to give, he ſtirres up us to begge: and this begging puts us into a frame for receiving. You read in the third Chap. of Ieremiah, 19. verſe, God had promiſed to doe great things for his People; but at laſt ſaith, 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, &c. But what way ſhal I take to bring about this? How ſhall I doe with thee that I may bring about this purpoſe? Mark what p. 159followes; and I ſaid thou ſhalt call me me Father: As if he had ſaid, I have now bethought me of a way, I will poure a ſpirit of Prayer upon thee, thou ſhalt call me Father, and ſo I will put thee among my Children, I will give thee a pleaſant Land.

Thus much for the 25. Verſe Chriſts addreſſes to help them: the manner, the time: we ſhall now come to the 26. Ver. which containes the Diſciples apprehenſion of him.

The end of the third Sermon.