A Door of Hope, Treatise 1 · Part 1 – Part 3
To explaine it a little.
1. By [astoniſhing] I meane, ſuch as were beſides, yea above and beyond hope, nay, contrary to it, when men looked for nothing more then the quite contrary, and therefore they ſtand amazed when the mercy comes upon them. Act 12.Such a one was Peters freedome out of priſon upon the prayer of the Saints. ver. 4.He had bin apprehended by King Herod, put in priſon, delivered to foure quaternions of Souldiers to be kept, ver. 6.yea, he was now ſleeping betweene two ſouldiers, bound with two chaines, and the keepers before the doore kept the priſon: ver. 7. ver. 10.But ſee the wonder, when the Angell comes, his chains fell off from his hands, he paſſeth ſecurely the firſt and the ſecond watch, and at laſt the iron gate which leadeth to the city, opened to him of his owne accord: A ſtrange Deliverance indeed, ver. 9.ſo ſtrange that neither Peter himſelfe could beleeve it when he felt it. For he wiſt not it was true, but thought he ſaw a viſion. Neither could the Church beleeve it when he was caſt in upon them, ver. 13, 14, 15.as the fruit of their prayers, but told the Damoſell which reported his freedome, that ſhe was no better then mad. This was an aſtoniſhing Deliverance. And ſuch an other was the preſent turning of the Iewes Captivity.
2. By Deliverances] underſtand chiefly, Nationall, becauſe that is in the Text; though Perſonall alſo may be taken in.
3. Doe crave] that is, eſpecially the Lord for them doth expect and require.
4. Accurate] that is, exact, compleat, artificiall.
5. Obſervations and remembrances] by remembrances conceive both expoſitions and repetitions, as alſo Records and Memorials.
For the compleat handling of this Point we will ſhew, 1. How Naturall. 2. How Firme. 3. How Ʋſefull a truth it is.
1. How Naturall.
Here is an aſtoniſhing Deliverance accurately obſerved and remembred.
1. That it was aſtoniſhing, ſee in the laſt words, it made the receivers of it like men in a dreame, it was ſo ſudden, ſo free, ſo great.
2. It was accurately obſerved and remembred.
1. Obſerved, ſee in the expreſſions, for here are ſet downe, 1. The giver, the Lord. 2. The receiver, Zion. 3. The miſery, Captivity. 4. The mercy, the turning thereof, and making them like to thoſe that dreame. I do not force marrow out of theſe bones, ye ſee that it drops of its own accord.
2. That it was accurately remembred, ſee this record; for all this is regiſtred (for us) by the Lords own finger to all poſterity. Thus the note is moſt Naturall.
2. And 'tis Firme too.
That is, we have a whole Cloud of other witneſſes to teſtifie the ſtrength of this Maxime, yea ſufficient pillars to ſupport it are growne upon this ſame Field, even in the booke of the Pſalms. Pſ. 111. v. 2.The works of the Lord are great, ſought out of all them that have pleaſure therein. [ſought out] explorata, ſtudied, aggravated, anatomized, ſo that all the inner works of them are diſcovered and read upon. It is one thing to view the bulke of a Watch, that is, the bigneſſe, colour and caſe; another to obſerve the Art of Wheeles, ballance and spring, and this obſervation is accurate. But Pſ. 106. (being one of the largeſt in the book) beginneth at Aegypt, travelleth home to Canaan with Iſrael, and there (it ſeems) doth come home to its own time, Pſal. 107.giving in a ſpeciall Catalogue of the great Deliverances through thoſe places and times: but leaſt any memorable particular ſhould there be omitted, lo the next Pſalme goes it over again, and brings after the gleanings. In briefe, finde me out any Pſalme of praiſe through this whole book (as moſt of theſe ſongs are ſuch) and I will ſhew you in the ſame Pſalme a confirmation of this truth, That astoniſhing Deliverances doe crave accurate obſervation and remembrance.
Ob. But yet all thoſe are but the practiſes of particular perſons or people (you will ſay) they are no precepts?
An. But thoſe practiſes are grounded both upon former precepts and preſidents, As 1. The Inſtitution of the Paſſeover, and the continuall celebration therof, This day ſhall be unto you for a memoriall. Ex. 13.3.And Moſes ſaid unto the people, Remember this day in which ye came out from Aegypt, out of the houſe of bondage. So their other chiefe Feſtivals were commemorative. 2.2. So that Altar and Booke in memoriall of Amaleks malice and their Deliverance. Ex. 17.14, 15.And the Lord ſaid unto Moſes write this for a memoriall in a booke and rehearſe it in the eares of Ioſhua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven. And Moſes built an Altar and called the name of it Jehovah-Niſſi. 3. Joſh 4.1, 2, 3.3. Alſo thoſe twelve ſtones in Iordan. And it came to paſſe when all the people were clean paſſed over Jordan, that the Lord ſpake unto Joſhuah, ſaying, take you twelve men out of the people, out of every Tribe a man: and command you them, ſaying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, &c. twelve ſtones, and ye ſhall carry them over with you, &c. The application of it was. Theſe ſtones ſhall be for a memoriall unto the children of Iſrael for ever. ver 7.Therefore Aſtoniſhing Deliverances doe crave, &c.
And 'tis as reaſonable as true. For,
1. Reaſon. This is one of the Lords chiefe ends in beſtowing ſuch great Deliverances. Pro. 16…4.The Lord hath made all things for himſelfe, yea even the wicked for the day of evill. If all things, even the wicked, then much more all mercies, and to his own people; for himſelf, that is, for his own glory and honour.
Queſt. But then, how may he have glory for a Deliverance?
Anſw. Pſ. 50.23.Why, praiſe is glory in his account. Who ſo offereth praiſe glorifieth me, &c. and what greater praiſe for a favour then to remember and obſerve it accurately. But moſt clearly in theſe words, Call upon me in the day of trouble; ver. 15.I will deliver thee and thou ſhalt glorifie me. That is, the end that I expect from thee in a Deliverance (ſaith God) is mine owne glory, and therefore the greater the Deliverance, the more glory muſt I have.
2. Reaſon. Accurate remembrance and Obſervation doth keep the Deliverance ſtill freſh and alive, it gives it a continuall being Recordatio est re-creatio, The remembring is the renewing of a mercy.
3. And there is much equity in it too. Reaſon. 3 'Tis but proportionable and the manner of men. Luk. 12.48.To whom men have committed much, of him they will aske the more. Coſtly improvements doe expect a rich harveſt. 'Tis true then, 'tis reaſonable, that Aſtoniſhing Deliverances doe and ought to crave accurate obſervation and Remembrance. And thus the point is both Naturall, and Firme. And 'tis as uſefull as either.