A Tossed Ship Making to Safe Harbor, Sermon 6
Matth. 14.27.
But straightway Jeſus ſpake unto them, ſaying: be of good cheere, It is I, be not afraid.
HItherto, you have had a black, a ſtormy and tempeſtuous night; and now the morning begins to appeare. Hitherto you have had nothing but troubles, fears, outcries; but now comfort begins to dawne. The beginnings of Gods people may be very ſad and troubleſome, but the end is ever comfortable and joyfull. Hence David, Mark the upright man, obſerve the juſt, for the end of that man is peace, Pſal. 37. The end, he ſaith, not the beginnings. The beginnings may be ſtormy: but the end is calmy.
Noahs Ark was a long time toſſed with waves; but at laſt it came to Mount Ararat, a place of reſt. So the Church of God may be Toſt upon the ſtormy ſea of this world for a time: but at laſt God wil allay all ſtormes, quiet all troubles, and bring his poore toſſed ſhip of the Church unto ſafe harbour.—There is a reſt for the people of God, Heb. 4.9, 2 Theſſ. 1.7.
You have an Embleme of all this in this ſtory of the ſhip on the ſea; which Auguſtine makes to reſemble the ſtate of the Church from Chriſts Aſcenſion, till his comming againe. As I have ſhewed you before.
You have ſeen their Commiſſion and ſetting forth to ſea: you have ſeene their danger, and the feares they were in. You have heard of Chriſts addreſſes to relieve them: and (upon a miſtake) the increaſe of their feares, though not of danger.
And thus farre hath Chriſt exerciſed their graces, diſcovered their corruptions: now begins the riſe of their comfort and deliverance.
Chriſt can neither deferre their deliverance, nor conceale himſelfe any longer. And therefore it followes, [But ſtraitway Jeſus ſpake unto them, ſaying; Be of good comfort, it is I, be not afraid.]
aQuomodo ſolemus trepidos compellara, qui nos ex voce agnoſcere poſſunt, ego ſum, Janſen.As the mother ſometimes ſpeakes to her childe in the darke of the night, when it is afraid; Peace child, do not cry, … it is I, thy mother. be not afraid. So doth Chriſt here ſpeak to his Diſciples, when they were in their childiſh feare of a ghoſt; bAlloeutus ſtatim cos, & voce illis non ignota fignificat quis ſit. Chem.Peace, be of good comfort, It is I, your Saviour; be not afraid. They deſerved reproofe, but he pitties their weakneſſe.
In this Text, Chriſt doth apply himſelfe to the cure of three ſeverall diſtempers, under which they laboured.
1 They were in feare of a Ghoſt.
2 They were in feare of their danger; of being ſwallowed up of the waves.
3 They were even out of hopes of preſervation and deliverance.
See here how Chriſt doth apply himſelf to the cure of theſe three diſtempers.
1 To ſettle them aright in their miſapprehenſion, that he was a ghoſt, he tels them,—It is I.
2 To quiet their hearts in the feare of the danger of the waves: He ſaith, It is I, be not afraid.
3 To comfort and ſtrengthen their hearts, in aſſurance of deliverance; he ſaith, cforeign Idem eſt conſolamiui & fiduciam habere.—Be of good cheere, or beleeve, be of good confidence, It is I.
This in a more generall way is obſervable in the Text. In particular; caſt your eye upon theſe foure things.
1 Look upon the way, which Chriſt takes to ſettle, comfort, & incourage his Diſciples, in their fears, dangers, & miſapprehenſions. [He ſpake unto them.]
2 Looke upon the incouragement it ſelfe, which is double.
1 Be of good cheere.
2 Be not afraid.
3 Looke upon the ground of this incouragement, [It is I:] Be of good comfort, It is I, be not afraid.
4 Obſerve the time when: and that is in the firſt words: ſtraightway.—But ſtraightway Jeſus ſpake unto them, &c.
We will begin with the firſt: The way Chriſt takes to ſettle, comfort, and incourages them. [Ieſus ſpake to them.]
But to what Them? doth he meane to all in the ſhip? or only to his Diſciples? If to all, that might have been as bad as a ghoſt to ſome, to tell them it was Chriſt. Guilty conſciences, wicked men are ready to ſay with their father, Art thou come to torment us before the time? At the beſt, it could be little comfort to thoſe who had not an intereſt in Chriſt, who had not Chriſt their friend. Well might they thinke as Ahab ſometimes ſaid to Eliah,—Haſt thou found me, oh my enemy.
1 It was ſpoken to the hearing of all.
2 But to the comfort chiefly of his owne.
Doct. The ſame word of God may be ſpoken to the hearing of all; but to the comfort of a few. Chriſt ſpake to the hearing of all in the ſhip, but yet to the comfort of his Diſciples.
And yet we cannot but think, the reſt of the Paſſengers and Mariners might receive ſome comfort by it: ſo far as they underſtood who it was that ſpake. The newes of a Saviour to a man in miſery is ſome comfort; though as yet the man is not able to cleere his intereſt in him. And it might be the more to them now, becauſe they were in the ſame ſhip with the Diſciples, and therefore like to be ſhaters with them in their deliverance.
Doct. It is good to be in the ſhip with the people of God, though it be on a ſtormy and troubleſome ſea.
The Mariners found this to be true. They were in the ſhip with them, and therefore did partake of the common ſalvation. It is good to be in good company in a good cauſe, though you meet with many difficulties in it. If any ſalvation come, you ſhall be ſure to heare of it there.
It is better to be on a ſtormy ſea with the people of God, then to be without them upon the ſhore: you ſee that here; They had not only their bodies, but their ſoules ſaved too, as you may conjecture charitably by the ſequell of the ſtory, Verſe 33.
Againe, in that the whole ſhip was ſaved for a few Diſciples in it, we learne,
Doct. That God may have mercy upon many for the ſake of a few.
God would have ſpared Sodome for ten righteous perſons; Ieruſalem for one, Ier. 5.1.— dCredit mihi. Pii homines ſunt civitatum ſacre fulcra, & columna, quibus ſe motis & ſubrutis, nihil niſi perditio. Aug.Beleeve me, (ſaith Auguſtine) holy men are the pillars of a Common wealth, which being taken away, we can look for nothing but ruine. Eliah was called eQuia praecibus ſuis populum non aliter ac curru ab inimicis liberavit. Aug.The Chariots of Iſrael, and the horſemen thereof. fLuther dum in vivis eſſet, multas precibus ſuis calamitates a patria ſua advert…bat, & ſemovit.Luther is ſaid to be the pillar of Germany, who by his prayers did keepe back and helpe off many miſeries upon them. It is ſaid, Numb. 14.9. Feare not the people of the land, for they are bread for you: their defence is departed from them. The Lord is with us; feare them not; [their defence is departed from them] It is in the Margin, [Their Shadow.] The Rabbins ſay, That this was Job; and as long as he lived, he was a ſhadow and defence to Canaan, that they could not enter: but now being dead, they might goe in, and enter, they were all bread for them, for their defence is departed from them.
Wicked men look upon Gods People as the Troublers of a Kingdome, of a City, of a Pariſh: when yet God ſaith, they are the Defence the Shelter of them.
The whole Ship was ſaved for a few Diſciples in it; nay, a whole Ship for one Paul. Acts 27. God hath oftentimes Mercy upon many, for the ſake of a few, But wee proceed.
[JESUS ſpake unto them.]
This is the way that Chriſt took here, to incourage and comfort the hearts of his people. [He ſpake unto them.] They were in a ſad condition, before Chriſt ſpake: but now their ſouls revive.
Doct. A word from Chriſt is able to raiſe up and encourage the drooping ſpirits of Gods people in trouble. I ſay, Though the hearts of Gods People lie low in trouble and ſorrow: yet one word of Chriſt is able to raiſe them, and revive them.
You ſee here, The Diſciples were in a ſad condition before; even at their wits end, for feare, gQuantaris vocis Chriſti & verbi divini. Muſc. Plus uni cum verbum animos. coroborat, quam eximium miraculum. Muſc.but one VVord from Chriſt ſettles, them.
Are we in troubles of Conſcience; labouring under the apprehenſions of Gods wrath for ſin! It's but One Word ſpeaking, and thy ſoul ſhall be comforted. It's but one word from Chriſt, — Thy ſins be forgiven thee.] And Conſcience is at peace: all troubles are gone.
Are we in Deſertions? Doth Chriſt withdraw himſelf from us? It is but one word from Chriſt, — It is I, and the ſoul is again hTranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia, & eum quietum aſpicere quieſcere eſt. Bern.revived. As it was with Mary in the loſſe of his Bodily preſence, She wept, and would not be comforted: Nay, though Angels did labour to comfort her, yet they could not. It is not all the Angels of heaven, that are able to confort a drooping ſoul, Chriſt but ſpeakes a word to her, — Mary. And her heart leaps. — Rabboni. My Lord: So is it with a ſoul that hath loſt the ſpirituall preſence of Chriſt. It is not all the comforts in heaven and earth, can comfort the ſoul in the abſence of Chriſt; what is Gold in the abſence of God! What is the creature in the abſence of the Creator! All the world is but like a Feaſt without an Appetite, a Paradice without a Tree of Life. Nothing can fill up Chriſts room in the ſoul; The Preſence of no comfort can make up the abſence of Chriſt; yet one word from Chriſt, one ſmile from heaven, And the ſoul is revived. Speak but the word, and thy ſervant ſhall be whole, ſaith the man in the Goſpel: So, Speak but the word, and this dead heart ſhall be raiſed: this dejected heart ſhall be comforted, this broken heart ſhall be bound up, this ſad heart ſhall be cheered, &c.
Are we in outward troubles and Calamities? why, it is the Word of Chriſt, that doth ſtay us, that doth cheare us, that doth ſupport us, that doth comfort us. Pſal. 94.19. In the multitude of my perplexed thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my ſoul. Certainly the comforts from his Word. Yea ſaith he:— I had periſhed in mine affliction, but that thy Word did ſupport mee. Pſal. 119.50.92.
The Word is full of Counſell, full of Comfort, full of Support, full of Help to a ſoul, in all his Troubles. Therefore hath God left us a Word, that, it might be as a School to inſtruct us; a Star, or Sun, to guide us; a Rock to ſupport us; a Cordiall to comfort us; a Tower to ſecure us; and Armory to defend us in the evill day. The Word is as full of comfort, as the times are full of terror; the dayes are full of trouble: but the Promiſe is full of comfort. And it never ſpeakes more comfort to the Saints, then when the times ſpeak moſt trouble.
Vſe. Let this then direct us, whither to flie for comfort now, in theſe times of Trouble: Even to the Word of Chriſt. Enquire what VVord of comfort, Chriſt ſpeaks now to his Church, in this day of Trouble; and liſten to it, live upon it.
It is our fault, that the Noyſe of our Troubles and feares doe hinder us from hearing what Chriſt ſaith in his VVord to comfort us.
It is ſaid of the children of Iſrael, Exod. 6.9. that when Moſes came to ſpeak Deliverance and Comfort to them, and told them, that God ſent him to that purpoſe, to deliver them: yet ſaith the Text, The children of Iſrael hearkened not to Moſes for Anguiſh of Spirit, and for cruell Bondage: So it is with us, Our Feares, and our Troubles, and Vnbeleevings, carnall reaſonings cry ſo loud in our eares, that wee cannot hear the Comfort that God doth now ſpeak to us, out of his Word.
Object. But you will ſay, Did Chriſt ſpeak to us, as hee did to his Diſciples heere, then we might be comforted in our troubles.
Anſ. Chriſt doth ſpeak to us, as he did to them: VVhat did he ſay to them, but he ſaith to us alſo now, All we read was but this, — Be of good cheere; It is I? Be not afraid. He did not ſay, He would ſave them, Hee would helpe them, nor that hee would preſerve their ſhip, ceaſe the ſtorme, deliver them out of Trouble and Danger; onelyonly hee ſaith, Bee of good cheere (It is I) I, that am your Saviour, your Lord, your Maſter. I, that ſent you out. All the reſt was the work of their Faith. Their Faith made out the reſt: even their Confidence in him. Now I ſay. This, and more then this doth Chriſt ſay to us now in our Trouble.
How many words of Chriſt have wee, for this [Bee of good cheer? Joh 14.1. Luk. 12.32. Iſay. 41.13. Iſay. 43.5.Let not your hearts be troubled.] Fear not little flock. [Fear not thou worme Jacob,] I. I, that am your God, your Saviour, your Deliverer, in times of Trouble; your Rock, Refuge, Shield. It is I, whoſe cauſe you undertake; whoſe glory is concern'd. And therefore we may reaſon out the reſt, as well as they: and where is now our Faith! That man is deafe, that heares not Chriſt ſay thus much now. And doth Chriſt ſay this? where then is our Faith, to reſt upon him, oh that this word might beget faith, and this Faith might again ſtrengthen it ſelf in this Word!
Object. But you will ſay, Had wee a perticular Word of Chriſt, that God would now deliver England: wee could then finde a Bottom of Comfort, though our conditions lay farre lower then they are. But wee want that. Therefore are we oppreſſed with feares.
Anſ. You have as much Word for the deliverance of the Church now, as the Diſciples had for the Preſervation of the Ship. Yet they beleeved the one, reſting only upon the Nature of a Saviour, without a word: and why ſhould we doubt of the other, though we had no word.
There may be a Reſting upon Gods Name for a mercy, Though you have never a Promiſe for it. Iſa. 50.10. Hee that walketh in darkneſſe, and ſees no light: no light of any Promiſe, to tell him how things ſhall be: Yet let him truſt upon the Name of the LORD, and ſtay himſelf upon his GOD. There is Truſt without Promiſe. He that Reſts upon the Name of the Lord; that is, his Mercy, Goodneſſe, Truth, Love, Reſts upon that which is the ſpring of all the Promiſes: the ground, and foundation, whereon the Promiſe ſtands, and that into which all the Promiſes are reſolved, viz. The Name of God. Pſal. 62.8. The Prophet exhorts to truſt in God. And upon what Ground? He alleageth no Particular Promiſe; but tells you of Gods Generall Nature, Ver. 11. God hath ſpoken, that Power belongs unto God. And Ver. 12.— And unto thee belongeth Mercy. And thereupon hee truſteth. God was Powerfull, and able to Deliver. And God was Mercifull, and ready to help, and thereupon he truſted.
And have not we as much for a Ground of our Faith, as This? You read, Pſal. 33.18.19.—The Eye of the Lord is on them that feare him. and upon them that Hope in his Mercy: to Deliver their ſoul from death. Here is Hope; and that not exerciſed upon any Promiſe in Particular, but upon Gods Nature in the Generall. (Hope in his Mercy.) And yet ſaith the Pſalmiſt, The eye of the Lord is upon ſuch; to Deliver them from death. Pſal. 147.11. — The Lord delighteth in them, that feare him; in them that Hope in his Mercy. Mark you: There is the ſame again, though a Promiſe be wanting; yet God delights in thoſe, that hope in his Mercy, in the Generall.
So; Though we had not a Promiſe, yet we have a Word to diſcover God to us: we have the Name of God; his Nature; his Properties, to reſt upon for Deliverance. And this is as good a Foundation, as the Diſciples had now for their Faith upon the Sea.
What Promiſes had the woman of Canaan? What particular Word had ſhe for her? Indeed ſhe ſeemed to have one againſt her; I am not ſent, but unto the loſt ſheep of the Houſe of Iſrael, Verrſe 26. Nay, Matth. 15.22.23, 24.It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and caſt it unto doggs. Verſe 26. iTriplex tentatio, 1. Taciturnitatis. 2. Particularitatis. 3. Indignitatis.here was a great tryall, here was not onelyonly ſilence, Verſe 2.3. no word, but here was a word againſt her, yet her faith reſted upon his Nature, he had Power, and he had mercy, & therfore ſhe reſted on him.
2. But wee have yet more incouragement. Indeed, if wee had nothing but Gods nature, his Goodneſſe, Mercy, compaſſion to his people, to draw out our faith and Dependance upon him now, yet this would goe far with us. God is mercifull and gracious, wee are his people, Firſt, we are his by choice, he hath choſen us out of the world, nay we are his, 2. By purchaſe, he hath kforeign Chriſtus nos redemit, proprie emercacatus eſt, ſeu emendo exemit paſſor.bought us. So Gal. 4.5. Nay, wee are his, 3. By donation. God the Father hath beſtowed us on Chriſt, he hath given us to him. Joh. 17.6.7. And wee are his 4. by Covenant, we have given our ſelves to him. And being his in bonds, nay his in ſuch neere bonds, choice relations, As wee have incouragement to depend upon him; Chriſtus non tam manu potenti, quam praetio dato nos redemit.So alſo in our dependance, to expect deliverance and Mercy from him. —
1. Beſides all this, we have a Book of Promiſes, wherein in the Generall, God hath made many gracious ingagements to us.
2. Nay, and we have a book of experiences that may be annexed to the Book of Promiſes, both of Gods dealings:
1. To other of his people.
2. To our ſelves.
which might Speak ſome incouragement, and afford ſome bottome for faith to reſt upon.
3. And we have incouragement from the Cauſe which is undertaken, which as it ſpeakes incouragement to us to undertake it; So it doth no leſſe to us in our undertaking of it.
4. Yea, and wee have incouragement from the Conſideration of our enemies. I ſay no more, but that it will be an unparralell'd caſe, an untracted piece of Providence, if God doe not deliver us.
Object. But you will ſay all theſe may ſeem but to afford us probable conjectures: They may be, and may not be. How ſhall we know whether God will doe to us, as to others? ſuccour his owne Cauſe, and not give us up to our enemies? except we had a particular word for it.
Anſ. For the anſwer of this, therefore let us look, and we ſhall ſee that we have ſomething that comes neer to a particulat word, that God will deliver us. Let our Enemies but ſhew as much for their confidence, as we may doe for ours; and wee will give up the Bucklers.
Wee will firſt lay downe two grand Rules, which Divines lay down, in the interpretation of Scripture.
1. Rule. What God hath done to others of his people in diſtreſſe, is equivalent to a Promiſe to us, in the ſame condition.
Now God hath ſupported, Delivered others of his people in former times.
And this is Equivalent to a Promiſe to us, that God will ſupport and deliver us.
Hee hath helped his Church in their ſtraits, in Egypt, in Babylon, in Eſthers time. And that, which God did to others of his People in diſtreſſe, is equivalent to a Promiſe to us; as our Divines ſay in their interpretation of Scriptures.
And this ſeems to have a foundation in Scripture too. Jobs Deliverance out of Trouble is made the Ground of our waiting upon God for Deliverance out of Trouble alſo. You ſhall ſee it. Jam. 5.7. to 11. In the ſeventh Verſe, the Apoſtle exhorts them unto patience, under all their afflictions, and Croſſes, upon this Ground, becauſe God will deliver them, if they wait on him. Why, But how ſhall we know that? Why ſaith the Apoſtle: He hath delivered others of his people, in the ſame Caſes: And ſo will he you. You have heard (ſaith he) of the patience of Job, and what end God made with him. (i. e.) How God delivered him out Trouble: And therefore be you patient, and wait for the ſame Deliverance.
And hereupon the Pſalmiſt reaſons. Pſal. 22.4, 5. Our Father j truſted in thee, and thou deliveredſt them: they cryed unto thee, and were not confounded. And what is the meaning of that; but that the Church doth take up an Argument from Gods dealing with his Church in former times, To truſt God for the like Mercy for themſelves, being in the like condition.
Rom. 15.4. What ever things are written, (ſaith the Apoſtle) they are written for our learning; that wee, through Patience, and comfort in the Scripture, might have hope. Marke there (what things are written) not only Promiſes, but Hiſtories of Gods dealings to his Church, were therefore written, that we might have hope. (i. e.) That we might depend on God, in the like condition.
He relieved Iacob, David, Iehoſhaphat, Iob, the Churches of God, &c. That all theſe might be in ſtead of promiſes to us, to inable us to depend on God, in the like diſtreſſes.
So Pſal. 9.10.—They that know thy name will trust in thee. And why? He doth not ſay, becauſe thou haſt made them ptomiſes; though this be true. But he ſaith, Becauſe thou Lord lforeign Adverbum non derelinquis. Graec. foreign ſperabant, i.e. pollicebantur fibide te quod non ſis ipſos deſerturus, quoniam alios non dereliquiſti. Muſc.haſt not forſaken them that ſeek thee. Where he urgeth the experience of Gods dealings with others, to be in ſtead of a promiſe to them, to truſt in God. Otherwiſe the argument were not of force. He never yet forſooke any that ſought him: (m) And therefore we may truſt in him, he will not forſake us.
And this is the firſt rule: what ever God hath done to others of his people in diſtreſſe, is equivalent to a promiſe to us, in the ſame condition.
2. Rule. What God promiſeth to any of his people, he promiſeth to all his people in an equall eſtate. What God promiſeth to his Church in other ages, he promiſeth to his Church in all ages, in equall eſtate. This is another rule that Divines lay downe. And this ſeemes to have a foundation in the word of God alſo. I will give you two places.
God, you know, had made a promiſe to Solomon at the building of the Temple; that if the enemy beſieged their Cities, if he brought a famine, peſtilence, or ſword upon the land: if his people did humble themſelves, and pray, and ſeeke his face, he would heare from heaven and forgive their ſinnes, and heale their land. As you ſee at large, 2 Chron. 7.14. 1 Kings 8.37. to 40.
Here was a promiſe made to Solomon. Now if you look into 2 Chron. 20.8, 10. You ſhall ſee how Iehoſaphat makes uſe of this promiſe, and ſues it out.—
Art not thou our God, who haſt ſaid: If the ſword, judgement, or pestilence come upon thy people, and thy people cry unto thee in their affliction, then thou wilt heare from heaven, and helpe, and deliver them. Why ſaith he, Behold now the enemies which are come againſt us, & judge them, Lord our God: for we have no might againſt this great company; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are up to thee.
Where you ſee the rule confirmed; that what ever God promiſeth to any of his people in any age of the world; he promiſeth to all his people in all ages in an equall ſtate, i. e. in the like condition. VponUpon this ground Iehoſhaphat made uſe of this promiſe which was made to Solomon; being in the like diſtreſſe he goes to ſue out the promiſe, and lookes for the performance of it.
I will give you another place, Ioſhua 5.6. I will be with thee, I will not faile thee nor forſake thee. This you know was a particular promiſe made to Ioſhua. Yet the Apoſtle, (who beſt knew the minde of the giver,) he brings this promiſe into the common ſtock, that ſeemed to be impropriated; and ſhewes that this is part of the Saints riches, Hebr. 13.5. Let your converſation be without covetouſneſſe, for he hath ſaid, He will never leave thee nor forſake thee. Yea, you may ſay: he hath ſaid ſo to Ioſhuah: but where to me? And indeed this could not be anſwered, unleſſe you grant this rule to be true; that whatever God hath promiſed to his Church, or any of his people, in other ages of the world; he hath promiſed to his Church, and all his people to the end of the world, provided they be in like ſtate, in equall condition, whence we ſay, That generall promiſes may bee particularly applyed: and particular, generally. That is, what ever promiſe you find to one godly man, as godly: or to his Church, as to his Church. It is applyable to all. God carrying himſelfe to all alike, all of you being under the ſame covenant, and to deale with the ſame God, who is impartiall in the diſpenſations of his love and mercy.
And now then bring downe this Rule, and ſee if it be not ſomething to us. He hath promiſed to ſave the oppreſſed people, Pſal. 12.5. He hath promiſed to deliver his people out of trouble. The Scripture is full. He promiſed, that no Weapon formed againſt the Church ſhould proſper: a promiſe to the Church of the Gentiles: He ſaid, He would make Ieruſalem a burthenſome ſtone, that who ever lifteth at it ſhall be cruſhed to pieces, though all the Nations of the earth ſhould be gathered together againſt it, Zach. 12.3. Reade Iſay 43. v. 3, 4. I will give men for thee.— And Micah 4.11, 12.—
What ſhall we ſay of theſe places? are they uſefull to us? Or of no uſe. Of no uſe we cannot ſay, for the Apoſtle tels us, that All Scripture is written for our inſtruction; that we through patience and conſolation thereof might have hope. And if uſefull, then they are to incourage us, to truſt upon the ſame God, that God will be the ſame to us, that he hath beene to others. Pſal. 78.7. The children of Iſrael were commanded to tell the wonders, which God had done to his people in Egypt, at the Red-ſea, in the Wilderneſſe; to their children, and they to their children, &c. And for what reaſon?— That they might ſet their hope in God, V. 7. Why what is that to them? Why, they were to learne to truſt in God and hope in God for the like, if they were brought to the ſame ſtraights. And certainly God would not have us hope, if he had not a purpoſe to do the like.
Two things there be that God will never diſappoint.
1 Prayer.
2 Faith.
Firſt Prayer. For ſo he ſaith,—When ſaid I to the ſeed of Jacob at any time: ſeek my face in vaine? Iſay 45.19. And therefore, when he hath no purpoſe to give, he will not have his people to beg. You ſee he gives Jeremy a diſcharge, Pray not thou for this people, neither lift cry or prayer for them, for I will not heare thee., Jer. 7.16. And Samuel for Saul, Pray no more, mourne no more for Saul. Pſal. 66. ult. Bleſſed be God, that hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from m. If God turne not away prayer, he will never turn away his mercy from us.
Secondly, Faith or Hope, Pſal. 69.6. They ſhall not be aſhamed that hope in thee: which they muſt if they faile of the thing hoped for, Prov. 10.28. The hope of the righteous ſhall be gladneſſe. So the Apoſtle, Rom. 5.5. Hope maketh not aſhamed.
So much for the ſecond Rule. So that you ſee we have ſomething comes neere a particular word for our deliverance. Give me leave to adde two more inſtances to theſe Rules.
3 Incouragement. We have a particular word for the deſtruction of Antichriſt: and I am ſure that ſpeakes no terror to us now. This doth no way weaken our faith for Englands deliverance at this time. He who believes and prayes for the deſtruction of Antichriſt, ſhall not any way hurt or hinder Englands deliverance now.
Well, we have a particular word that Antichriſt ſhall downe, 2 Theſſ. 2.8. Rev. 18.2. Babylon the great, is fallen, is fallen. Indeed he is not yet down, but he is deadſtrook in the threatning, and he hath begun to fall: he is weakned in the pillars whereupon he ſtood, Germany, Spaine, which is a great earneſt to us, his end is comming. And now, he that reſts upon a word for the deſtruction of Antichriſt, ſhall not finde it any hinderance to his faith, in the believing the deliverance of England.—
4 Incouragement. We have a particular word, that God will, before the end of all things make his Churches glorious, Iſay 5.4. throughout: read 11, 12, 13, 14. Oh thou afflicted and toſſed with tempeſts, and not comforted! I will lay thy ſtones with faire colours, and thy foundations of Saphir.—And all thy children ſhall be taught of the Lord, and great ſhall be the peace of thy children. Iſay 62.1, 2. &c. For Sions ſake I will not hold my peace, and for Jeruſalems ſake I will not reſt, untill the righteouſneſſe thereof goe forth as brightneſſe, and the ſalvation thereof as a Lampe that burneth; and the Gentiles ſhall ſee thy righteouſneſſe, and all Kings thy glory. And thou ſhalt be called by a new name,—Thou ſhalt alſo be a crowne of glory in the hand of the Lord—Of which places I may ſay as the Eunuch to Philip,—Speaketh the Prophet this of himſelfe, or of ſome other? So ſpeaketh the Prophet, theſe glorious things of the Church paſt, or the Church to come. Of the Church paſt it cannot be; for hitherto it hath been (like Noahs Ark on the waters, like the ſhip on a ſtormy ſea) conflicting with inſupportable troubles and difficulties.
Though ſhe hath had her reſpites and breathings, yet ſhe hath ſtill beene held down and humbled, toſſed, and afflicted, under bondage and perſecution. And therefore it cannot bee meant of the Church paſt, and if not muſt be meant of the Church to come.
And is it to come, that God will make his Church thus glorious, That her enemies ſhall fall before her.—Will God do this yet before the end.—
And is the end of all things at hand? Are we now fallen into the laſt ſands? why this is ſomething to ſpeak incouragement to us. And this is from a word.
And thus you ſee, Chriſt ſpeaks incouragement to us, as well as he did to his Diſciples here. He ſpeakes incouragement by his word, by his workes, by his promiſes, his proceedings: Every way he ſpeaks incouragement: and if you die, die with this confidence; That God hath laid the foundation of the Churches deliverance, though the oppoſitions ſwell never ſo high. God takes it well at our hands, when we do entertaine and maintaine good thoughts of him towards his people.—He delights in them, that hope in his mercy.—Though you have never a promiſe, yet to hope upon Gods nature, his love to his Church. And there is ground enough of hope from that, even his love to his Church.
If you looke but upon what hee hath done to compaſſe a Church, nay, what hath ſuffered, how he hath ſhed his blood for her; All this would afford us ſomething for our hope. Will he do ſo much to purchaſe her, and will he now loſe her.
It is moſt ſutable to the Goſpell, and moſt ſutable to our relations to God, yea, and expectations from God; nay, and moſt ſutable to a Chriſtian ſpirit, rather to dye over-hoping then over-fearing.
We can never over-hope Gods thoughts of love and mercy to his Church & people, nor his purpoſes and promiſes to them. And therefore let it be ſaid of us, as twas of them, Heb. 11.13.—All theſe died in faith, not having received the promiſes: but having ſeen them afarre off, were perſwaded of them, and imbraced them. Let us doe our worke in our generation, and leave our hopes, and the remainder of the work (if any remaine) them that follow.
And thus much for the firſt thing. viz. The way that Chriſt took to comfort and Incourage his Diſciples, againſt fears and dangers. — [He ſpake to them.] A word from Chriſt is able to raiſe up up the drooping ſpirits of his people in trouble.
The end of the ſixth Sermon.