The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, Sermon 2
THE SAINTS DVTY IN TIMES OF EXTREMITY.
WHAT the certainty of the cauſe of thoſe fears that are upon the hearts of people is not yet apparant, but that there are many diſtracted fears in their hearts, that is apparant to the full; and therefore though I prepared for that ordinary courſe as formerly, yet for this time I deſire that you would turn to that Scripture (that I might ſpeak a word in ſeaſon) in
EXODUS, 14. part of the 13. verſ.
Stand ſtill, and ſee the Salvation of the Lord.
THE begining of the verſe is thus, And Moſes ſaid unto the people, Fear ye not, ſtand ſtill, and ſee the ſalvation of the Lord. In the former Chapter we have Pharaoh diſmiſſing Iſrael out of Egypt: In this Chapter we have him purſuing Iſrael with a newheated fury, againſt all common ſenſe and reaſon, his malice and rage beſotted him, becauſe God intented to deſtroy him: though Gods hand appeared gloriouſly for his People before, yet Pharaoh will not ſee the Majeſtie of the Lord, but he ſhall ſee it; he gathers all the ſtrength that poſſibly he can, and ſeems too raſh in his way, he overtakes, and overtakes them in a place of the greateſt advantage that poſſibly could be; for the Text ſaith, that they were before Pi-hahiroth, in the firſt verſe, between Migdol and the Sea, over againſt Baal-zephon, and that by Gods appointment too; they were there when Pharaoh comes to find them, there the Sea is before them, all the ſtrength of Egypt is behind them, and they were at Pi-hahiroth: Carverna rupibus incluſ…, ſo turn'd by ſome, not the proper ſignification, for Pi is the mouth, and hahiroth that ſignifies f…ramen; they were got into a hole, (as it were) into the mouth of a hole, that was compaſſed about with rocks one each ſide, that had high rocks about it, ſo the word imports: and not only ſo, but between Migdol over againſt Baal zephon, Migdol ſignifies a tower; ſo that in that place the Egyptians had a tower built likewiſe: beſides the advantage of the rocks and of the hills, there was a tower built for their further ſtrengthening, and there the people of Iſrael were, an unarmed people; yea, not only by the tower, but they were over againſt Baal-zephon. I remember in the laſt Exerciſe, I ſhewed you what Baal was, and what ſeveral Baals there were that the Heathens worſhiped for their gods, a general name it is, ſometimes for any other Idol: This Baal-zephon it was a god that they worſhiped upon this ground, they had an Idol ſet in that place, at the going out of Egypt, that was to watch thoſe that were to go out, for ſo zephon comes of zuri ſpeculatus eſt, the god was to watch, was to ſtand and watch any run-away-ſervant, or any people that did go out of Egypt without any leave, they truſting in this Baal, that he would ſtop them, and ſtay them, and he was ſet in that place for that very purpoſe; and thereupon his name was Baal-zephon: As Conjurers by their magick arts will have their ſpels, ſpirits that ſhall ſtop men in ſuch a place, they ſhall not go out of ſuch an orchyard, or ſuch a yard where they come in: So the Egyptians had there by their magical arts, they got (as it were) a Spel, a Baal-zephon, a god to ſtop people in that place where they would have them ſtopped: that is the meaning of this name of the Idol Baal-zephon. So that you ſee what a ſtrait Iſrael was in upon their going out of Egypt, they were got before the Sea, the Egyptians had all their ſtrength behind, in a hole of rocks, and a tower, and their god to ſtop them altogether, ſo that they themſelves made ſure of them, and ſaid that they were intangled in the land of the wilderneſſe; Being in thoſe great ſtraits their hearts began to fail them, they began to be extreamly troubled, and in a moſt greivous diſtemper of ſpirit they were coming, and chiding with Moſes, and ſaid to Moſes in the 11. verſ. Becauſe there were no graves in Egypt, haſt thou taken us to die in the wilderneſs, wherefore haſt thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? We had rather we had continued in Egypt ſtill, What! Brought to theſe ſtraits! theſe extremities! ſuch a perplexity as we are now in? would to God we had bin in Egypt: this was the baſeneſs of their ſpirits, they would rather be under vile bondage, than endure any hazard, then be put to any ſtraits and difficulties: It is the baſeneſs of the ſpirits of many at this day amongſt us, becauſe they ſee that thoſe waies that have bin taken by the Parliament brings ſome troubleſom difficulties, ſome ſtraits, they cry out of the times, I would to God we were, as we were before, we were well enough before, we were quiet enough before, we never knew what ſuch ſtirs as theſe meant before, now we are brought into theſe perplexities, I, this they have brought us into; & thus they are ready to murmur & repine. Oh unthankful unworthy generation! men, women of vile ſpirits that ſhall do ſo. It was a ſpeech of Cyrus, ſpeaking unto his ſouldiers, The Hiſtorian hath this expreſſion of him. It is the part of a true valiant man, either to live honourably, or die honourably, one of them; but that is the part of a baſe coward, rather to live baſely than to die honourably, rather to be under any baſe ſervitude, than to be in any hazard of their lives, though perhaps their lives may be ſaved too. I remember Philo tels us, even of women, (for in theſe times, the publik cauſe of the Kingdom, ſuffers exceedingly much by the timorouſneſs of the ſpirits of women) that being in danger of their enemies, of being brought into bondage by them, they took their children and threw them into the rivers, with theſe words, You ſhall not ſerve, we had rather ſee you die than be ſlaves. I commend not that fact that it was wel done, but to ſhew what a ſpirit the heathen women had to ſee their children die rather than have them bondſlaves: Indeed, what were our lives worth? were they worth having if we return to our bondage again? The utmoſt of the danger is, our lives, the killing of our bodies, yet we hope God will preſerve them too, but ſuppoſe the worſt, it is but death; but if our lives ſhould not be hazarded now, and if through baſe cowardice, we ſhould decline the Cauſe of God, ſurely our lives would not be worth taking up, the living after that manner we are like to live, in that bondage unto theſe Cavalliers, notorious wretches, blaſphemers of God himſelf, that would make our lives worth very little, nay your children perhaps to be brought up in Popery, and to hold a candle to a maſſe-Prieſt at the Altar; that may be the imployment of your children, if ſo be that they ſhould live: But theſe people being now in this extremity, and manifeſting ſo much paſſion, being in a diſtemper; Moſes as the Captain of the Lord comes to the people, and ſpeaks bravely to them, incouraging of them, ſaith Moſes, Fear not, but ſtand ſtil, and ſee the ſalvation of the Lord: ſtand ſtill, the word is foreign ſtate, it ſignifies to ſettle and compoſe, to be in a ſetled condition; it is a reflect word upon our ſelves, ſo the Learned know, that it is to work upon our ſelves, to form, ſignifies ſo, it is as much as if he ſhould ſay, Do you work upon your own hearts, to get your hearts to ſtand ſtill, work upon your hearts to do that, work arguments upon your ſpirits, and never leave working until you have wrought your hearts into ſuch a frame, as that you may ſtand ſtil, & be quiet: At firſt even the deareſt ſervants of God wil find their hearts to ſhake in time of hazards and extremities, but when they come to work upon their ſpirits, to bring arguments to lay to their hearts, there they get ſome advantage, that their hearts grow quiet quickly: For that we have a notable text in the example of David, in the 62. Pſalme, (ſaith David there, in the 1, and 2. verſes) Truly my Soul waiteth upon God, from him cometh my ſalvation, hee onelyonly is my Rock and my Salvation, he is my defence, I ſhall not greatly be moved; Mark, he begins to exerciſe Faith, and he ſaies, he ſhall not greatly be moved, as if he ſhould have ſaid, I confeſſe, I cannot ſay, but that my heart is ſomewhat ſtirred, I am ſomewhat afraid, and I feel ſome working in my ſpirit, but I hope I ſhall not greatly be moved; he fals a working upon his heart more, and conſiders of his innocencie; and of the miſchievous device of the ungodly; how long will ye imagine miſchiefe againſt a man, ye ſhall be ſlain all of you; then again in the 5. verſe; My ſoul waite thou onelyonly upon God, for my expectation is from him, he only is my Rock: And then he repeats the words again, after he had been rubbing upon his heart the ſame meditation, then he fetches in the words again, that he had in the 2. verſe; He only is my Rock and my ſalvation; but mark now, what advantage he gets of himſelf, in the 6. verſe, He only is my Rock and my ſalvation, and my defence, I ſhall not be moved; before, he is my Rock, my ſalvation, my defence, I ſhall not greatly be moved, but after he had been working further upon his own heart, then he gains and ſaies, now he is my Rock, and my ſalvation, and my defence, I ſhall not be moved; I have overcome theſe diſtracting fears, I have got the advantage and the victory, bleſſed be God I have overcome them, God is my ſalvation, and my glory; now he begins to glory and triumph after he had wrought upon himſelf; So that he in this did indeed ſtand ſtill in this phraſe, by working upon his own heart, though he was ſtirred a little at firſt, yet he got the victory: So indeed not to be moved, the 70. turn this word, ſtand ſtill ſtete only, but yet the notes upon it, they ſay it is read likewiſe ſtetite, that is, a ſtanding faſt, ſtand faſt, it is a word, taken from ſouldiers in their ranks; ſouldiers that are in their ranks when they apprehend a danger, they muſt not go out of their way, becauſe of the danger, it is as much as their lives are worth, to go out of the way, but they muſt ſtand, they muſt ſtand ſtille, though there be never ſuch danger, yet they muſt ſtand ſtill in their ranks: that is the meaning of the word: I ſhall open more what the meaning of the holy Ghoſt is by and by, what kind of ſtand ſtill, this ſhould be; but thus for the word, it is ſuch a ſtand ſtill, as the ſouldiers have in their ranks, not to go out of their ranks for fear. The word is uſed in Scripture divers times for, ſtanding faſt, as in the 1 of Philiphians, 27. That you ſtand faſt in one ſpirit; now the word faſt, is not in the Greek Text, but only the other word in the Greek Text; and ſo you have the ſame word in the other Scriptures; in the 1. of the Corinthians, 16.13. Watch ye, ſtand faſt in the faith, Stetite, it is only two words in the Greek, as it is in the Engliſh, ſtand faſt; ſo that this ſtand, it is not only a ſtanding, but a ſtanding faſt, ſtand ſtill in your ranks, faſt, be not in a hurry up and down, and be not in a confuſion: If upon danger ſouldiers ſhould preſently be in a confuſion in the Army, what would become of them? and ſo the truth is, in a City, in any place, where there is any danger, if people grow to a confuſion, they are gone, they are loſt, you muſt ſtand ſtill in your ranks, ſtand ſtill; There are ſeveral ſtand-ſtils, ſome very vile and naught, and others very good: there is firſt,
1 A ſtand-ſtill out of amazement, When a man through fear is at a ſtand, and dears not ſtir any further; now this cannot be meant in the text; for Moſes ſaith, Fear not, but ſtand ſtill, therefore it is not a ſtanding ſtill out of fear, becauſe I am aſtoniſhed.
2 There is a ſtand-ſtill, out of ignorance; Becauſe I do not know which way to take; and this is not in the text neither: Thus many in our time, they ſtand ſtill, they plead ignorance; they ſtand ſtill, they will be of no ſide, and they plead ignorance, they know not what to do; they ſay, they know not what to do, one ſaith one thing, and another ſaith another thing, the King commands one thing, and the Parliament another, they know not what to do; to go againſt the King, is it not Rebellion? and ſo they ſtand ſtill becauſe they plead ignorance, & their conſciences are not informed. It hath bin the work of divers Miniſters, that have hazarded themſelves in this, to open to you the Counſel of God, and to ſet your conſciences at liberty; divers things I have ſpoken in this place, but certainly men do blinde their own eyes, and are willing to ſtand ſtill, to plead ignorance, after ſo much light revealed: It is ſtrange that any rational man ſhould ſpeak of rebellion now, when as we know, that the King himſelfe ſent aid to the Rochellers, and that (we know) in the caſe of their liberties, and Religion; they took up armes to defend themſelves againſt their own King, & he ſent help to them, ſurely he did not himſelf take them to be rebels, & King James in his anſwer to Byron that enveighs againſt the Proteſtants in France; he doth ſtand to juſtifie what the Proteſtants in France did, even King James himſelfe in that book of his, in his anſwer to Byron; and beſides we muſt acknowledge all the Proteſtant Churches in the world to be Rebels, if it be Rebellion, meerly to take up armes. Know we not that our own King hath matched his Daughter to the young Prince of Orange, now we know the Prince of Orange is the General of the States in their fields, as the Earl of Eſſex is the General of our forces here; and their buſineſſe againſt the King of Spain (it was their praiſe) to defend their Liberties, and Religion, and ſtill they maintain the ſame quarel, and the Prince of Orange he is their General, and undertakes it: We deſire nothing but the maintainance of our Liberty and of our Religion, though things be not gone ſo far yet, as to take our eſtates, yet the Cauſe that they began withal, it is our Cauſe, and what the General was there, the ſame in a kind (there is no great difference) here; and certainly if it were Rebellion, our King would never have match'd his Daughter unto the Son of ſuch a Rebel; if it ſhould be Rebellion meerly to take up Arms to defend Religion, and to defend the Liberties of the Countrey that are according unto Laws; yea, we know further, that the King himſelf hath acknowledged our Brethren the Scots, to be loving ſubjects, to be his loyal ſubjects, do we more than they? do we more in our cauſe? nay, have we done ſo much in our cauſe, as they have done? how generally was it there in their Kingdom, and ſhall it be acknowledged they are loving ſubjects doing ſo much, and we be accounted Rebels? ſurely no man can plead, to ſtand ſtill through ignorance upon that ground.
3. There is a third ſtand-ſtill, and the truth is, though it be not through Ignorance, it is though a worſe principle, and that is of Neuteralizing; that is, when men though they are informed well enough, yet they ſtand ſtill to ſee which will be the ſtrongeſt ſide, and are loth to appear yet, they know not which ſide will moſt prevail, but they have ſuch a principle in their ſpirits, to go to the ſtrongeſt ſide, which way ſoever it be, only they will ſtand ſtill till it appear: My brethren, certainly we can admit of no Neuters in theſe times; the times are grown to a greater height, than that any ſhould be admitted as a Neuter, either for us or againſt us; whatſoever is not for us at this time, now coming to this ſtraight, may well be concluded to be againſt us.
4. There is a fourth wicked ſtand-ſtill, and that is out of ſullenneſſe of ſpirit; and that is more particular, and that is of many men and women, eſpecially that are in ſome troubles of conſcience, and when they are ſeeking of God, and performing duties that God requires of them, and do not find that encouragement that their hearts deſire, they leave off all, and have no mind to do any thing, but even ſtand ſtill and die, and will even ſink in a ſullen diſcouragement, and go no further, leave off their work, leave off duty, what ſhould I go on in doing duty, for I get no good by it, I am never a whit the better? and ſo they ſtand ſtill out of a ſullen diſcouragement: The Devil himſelfe is the moſt diſcouraged Spirit in the world, and yet he is the proudeſt Spirit in the world; and this ſtanding ſtill out of diſcouragement, may come out of pride, and ſtoutneſſe of heart, though you think it is out of Humility.
5. There is a ſluggiſh ſtanding ſtill, and that is ſinful and wicked, when people ſtand ſtill becauſe they are idle, and are loth to venture themſelves, or to put themſelves to trouble, to go forward in any work, this work is tedious; and thus the ſluggard he ſtands ſtill, and is ready to catch at any Argument, that may plead for his ſtanding ſtill: My brethren this is not that ſtand ſtill here, that we ſhould ſtand ſtill and do nothing, and be ſluggards; no, but the ſtand ſtill here is, after we have gone on, and done to the utmoſt that we are able, that then we ſhould ſtand ſtill, and commit the work to God, as if we had done nothing at all; there is the ſtand ſtill: I ſhall ſpeak of more preſently; As that worthy Divine ſaid, he would labour to preach, as if he expected no aſſiſtance, and then he would expect aſſiſtance, as if he had not labour'd at all; So Warriors and people in danger, they ſhould prepare in the uſe of all means, as if they expected no further help, and then they ſhould expect help from God, as if they had uſed no means at all; ſo we muſt uſe means: As that brave ſpeech of Joab, Come let us play the men, let us fight for our Cities, and the people of our God, and then let God do what ſeemeth him good; then he would ſtand ſtill, and look for his ſalvation of God; a ſpeech even of Joab himſelfe, not then a ſluggiſh ſtand ſtill, it is no hindrance at all to any preparations that may be uſed: therefore all theſe are naught.
6. There is an obediential ſtand-ſtill; that is, for the hearts of men and women to ſtand ſtill, to wait, to know further of Gods mind, what God revealeth, our hearts are willing to yeeld unto, and we will liſten to hear what the mind of God further is, what God would have us to do; to ſtand ſtill, to hearken to what the Lord would have us to do, with hearts reſign'd up to him, and reſolved to walk accordingly to it; this is good, and that is ſomewhat of it, but that is not all.
7. There is a ſtand-ſtill out of faith; a beleeving ſtandſtill; and that is when (though in the greateſt extremity) I having uſed what means I can for helping me, yet I ſee my ſelf wrapped up in extremity, I will now exerciſe Faith. Firſt,
1. To quiet my heart; to get out of my ſpirit thoſe diſtracting thoughts of that hurry and tumult that there is in the heart, and to get all ſilenced, all murmurings, all diſtractions, all giddineſſe of ſpirit; and upproar that many times is in the hearts of men and women in time of danger; ſo by faith I come to quiet theſe, and to get my heart to be ſtill, to be ſtill within me; Be ſtill O my ſoul; and therefore the Scripture expreſſes the waiting upon God out of Faith by a word of ſilence, in the 62. Pſalme, at the beginning, and verſe 5. My ſoul waits upon God, it is ſilenced, ſo the Hebrew word ſignifies, it ſignifies a ſilence in God: there is many times in the hearts of men and women (when they apprehend any danger) a great deal of hurrying and noiſe in their hearts, all is in a combuſtion in their hearts; it is a grievous thing to ſee a Citie all in a combuſtion, and in a tumult; there are many men and womens hearts, in as great a tumult upon apprehenſion of danger, as many times a whole City is, there is a riſing in their hearts, and a mighty noiſe there: Sometimes they keep (it may be in private and publick exigencies) their tongues ſilent, but their hearts boyle within them: but your hearts muſt be ſilent, you muſt cry to your heart, be ſilent there; my heart is now in a mutinie, and a great deal of ſtir, cry ſilence to your hearts, that your hearts and thoughts may be compoſed; that is the meaning of the word, that there ſhould be a ſetled compoſed frame of ſpirit in the hearts of men and women, in the times of extremity: that is the firſt. Secondly,
2. When it is out of Faith, there ſhould be a keeping our ſtations till God cals us out; not to run up and down this way and that way, and to think of nothing but of ſhifting courſes, to ſhift for our ſelves: As in time of danger (I verily beleeve) if we could look into the thoughts of many men and women, they ſcarce have any thought but meerly of ſhifting their place or houſe; they think to ſhift for themſelves: Now we ſhould not buſie our thoughts ſo much about ſhifting, as about quieting our hearts in beleeving: For (my brethren) in times of extremity of danger, God calleth for Courage more than diſcretion; though it's true, Diſcretion is not excluded, yet that is not that explicite and ſpecial work that is called for in times of danger; I mean diſcretion to ſhift for your ſelves; but diſcretion ſo far as may improve courage: the main work that God now cals for at this time, it is Courage and Diſcretion, and Prudence only ſo far as to mannage Courage, and to drive it on further, and to improve it, not to abate it, that is not the Diſcretion certainly that now is called for, but to keep our ſtation.
Queſt. But you will ſay, In time of danger may we not fly? muſt men keep their ſtations? is it not lawful to avoid danger and to fly? Then we ſhall accuſe many of our brethren, that heretofore have fled in time of danger.
Reſp. (My Brethren) you are to know, that the caſe now is far different from the caſe that was heretofore; the caſe heretofore was eſpecially (for the preſent) directed againſt particulars, not againſt the generall, though there were plots againſt the general, but the hazard and the danger was againſt ſuch, and ſuch particular men, as eſpecially your Miniſters that were moſt faithful and conſcionable, they were the fore-front, they did bear the brunt, and it was aimed eſpecially againſt them; now the caſe is far different when the aime of the Adverſary is againſt particulars, and not againſt the godly in general; when it is againſt particulars there may be all lawful means, by an avoyding and flying: when it is againſt the godly in general then every one ſhould ſtand ſtill, and keep in their waies and ſtations, to come in, and adde what ſtrength they can to the publick cauſe; and certainly thoſe that ſhall ſhift then, and think to fly then, God may juſtly meet with them; as we reade of Jeremiah, and Ʋrijah, Ʋrijah the Prieſt he flies in publick time of danger, and he was ſent for, and catched, and put to death; Jeremiah ſtaies, and is ſaved: But when the caſe is the danger of particular perſons, then it is nothing againſt this text, to fly in any lawful way; many people will cry out againſt flying by a lawful way in times of danger, becauſe they think they may ſhift from flying themſelves; and if others that are in danger ſhould not do ſo, they would be far enough from helping and aſſiſting them in extremities, and yet they will be crying out againſt it; Peter Martyr I remember hath this anſwer to it; It is juſt for all the world in this caſe, as a man that hath a dangerous ſickneſſe upon him, and the Phyſicians tell him, there is no way but by taking ſuch ſtrong Phyſick, or by cutting off a leg, or a limb, now he comes and pleads, I will not ſo diſtruſt God, and be ſo impatient of my preſent pain, as to take ſuch a courſe to help me, I'le rather continue patient and quiet, and endure my preſent pain, and truſt in God, rather than put my ſelf to any ſuch hazard; now is this man more patient, than another man that will take ſuch ſtrong Phyſick or have a member cut off? is it through the ſtrength of his patience? no, it is rather through the weakneſſe of his ſpirit, becauſe the other is a certain great pain and hazard, and while he goes on in the uſe of ordinary means, he hath a leſſer pain, with hope that he may be delivered from a greater, and preſerved himſelf. So this is the Objection againſt flying in particular danger, becauſe the flying is a certain great ſuffering, they that have fled, have found it ſo: now others will rather ſatisfie themſelves to endure a little uncertain ſuffering, than to go upon a certain great ſuffering; and that is the very ground. But that this is not againſt Faith at all, to fly in danger, when it is particularly aimed at particulars, I'le give you but a Scripture or two for that to cleer it, that it is not againſt Faith, It is remarkable (we might ſpend a great deal of our time in this caſe here, but I have done with it) in the 10. of Matthew, When they perſecute you (ſaith Chriſt) in this Citie, fly into another: he ſpeaks of particular perſecution of this or that body, and not of a whole Kingdom: now flee (ſay they!) we will be more beleeving, and truſt in God, and not be afraid, have we not a good cauſe, and is not God with us? this would argue too much fear; Mark, in the next words Chriſt ſpeaks after he had given them liberty, and commanded them to flie; (ſaith he) fear them not therefore (though it is the next thing he ſpeaks of in the 28. verſe) and fear not them that can kill the body: you ſee theſe two can well ſtand together, that there is not fear of them that can kill the body, and yet there is a flying; and ſo Chriſt himſelf flies in the 12. of Matthew, when he did but hear what Herod did to John, when Jeſus knew it (that was when the Phariſees ſought him, when he knew it) he did withdraw himſelfe, in the 12, and 13. verſes, And when Jeſus heard of it, be departed thence, &c. When he heard but what was done to John, Chriſt withdrew himſelf and went away: Therefore it may ſtand with faith, ſo to avoid danger in particular Caſes: But now when perſecution is general, we are to ſtand ſtill and not avoid our ſtation.
The third thing in this ſtand ſtill of faith is, The looking up for the Salvation of God, the expecting a good iſſue one way or other; I know not how Salvation wil come, but that there will be Salvation one way or other, that my ſoul reſts upon; I ſtand not ſtill out of ſtoutneſs of ſpirit, or becauſe I think I have means enough to reſiſt, whether I have means or no, when I am put into the greateſt extremitie, yet I can ſtand ſtill, and look for Salvation. What▪ ſtand ſtill, and look for the Salvation of the Lord? what talk you of Salvation (might they ſay to Moſes) when there is nothing but diſtruction before us? True, if you look before you, behind you, and without you, and within your ſelves there is nothing but diſtruction, yet look up to Heaven and there is ſalvation, ſtand ſtill and ſee the Salvation of the Lord. I have done no more than the meer openning of the text, and what is contayned in it: There are theſe 4. Doctrinal Concluſions in the Text.
1. Doct. That when God is in a way of mercy and ſalvation to his people, he doth many times bring them into great ſtraights, even then when he is in a way of Salvation.
2. Doct. That in time of theſe great ſtraights, even the people of God are ſubject to have their hearts to be overwhelmed with trouble, diſtracting fears, and to be diſquieted.
3. Doct. That it is our duty to ſtand ſtill, keep quiet, and look for Gods Salvation in the time of the greateſt ſtraights.
4. Doct. That the ſight of Gods Salvation coming after ſtraights, is a glorious ſight to behold: Stand ſtill, ſee the ſavation of God. Theſe are the 4. For the firſt then.
Firſt, When God is in a way of ſalvation, yet he may and doth divers times bring his people into very great ſtaits. Truly, this ſtraight in the text is exceeding remarkable: but I'le ſhew you further, how when God was about to ſave this people of Iſrael out of the Egyption bondage, (which is the work God hath now to do with us to ſave us out of the Egyptian bondage that we were in, and that we were going further into,) after they were delivered from this ſtraight, from Pharaoh and all his hoſt; yet in the 15. Chap. you ſhall find, (the very next Chapter;) after they were come out of the Sea, they preſently wanted water to drink, yea, the waters were bitter that they could not drink them (ſaith the text 15. verſ.) The waters were bitter, they could not drink them, they were ready to periſh for want of water: As ſoon as ever they were delivered out of that ſtrait, mark the 16. Chap. they were in another as bad as that, there you ſhall find they want bread, and were ready to ſtarve for hunger; in Chap. 16.2, 3. And all the Aſſembly were ready to be killed for hunger (the text ſaith:) well, Moſes cries to God, and God delivered them out of that ſtraight too: In the next Chap. they were in as great a ſtraight too: They pitched at Rephidim, and there they had no water to drink again: I might go through the ſtory, and ſhew you in the wilderneſſe, what great ſtraights God put them in, and yet God was working ſalvation for them. When they come to poſſeſſe the land, (becauſe I wil not go thorow the ſtory the time wil not permit) they have Jordan to paſſe over without any bridge, whether the bridges were cut down, or whether there were none, I cannot tell; but it was more danger to paſſe over the bridges (if there were any) becauſe at that time (the text ſaith) it was that Jordan flowed over all his banks: ſo then it was at the worſt time that could be, when the banks of Jordan were all overflowed, yet God delivered them out of that ſtraight; When they were got over, there I might ſhew you many other ſtraights, but I ſhall mention only one, that was this: The firſt enemy the people of God fought with all in Canaan, they were diſcomfited, they were beaten back at the firſt battel that ever they fought, when they came to ſet upon the land of Canaan, and to fight with the adverſary, there the adverſary comes out, and gets the day and makes them fly before them, that was at the fight at Ai, They fled before the men of Ai, upon this Joſhua fell down upon the ground; Why Lord! What are we come to this? After all theſe ſtraights that we come now to fight with the people of Canaan, and they at the very firſt blow have the day, and make us fly before them? now all the people will come out againſt us. If ſo be people have ſuch diſtracting fears now, ſuppoſe there ſhould be a meeting of both Armies, and you ſhould hear that one Army flies before another, that our men fly before thoſe that come out againſt them, before the Cavelliers, what a fear and diſtraction would there be then? yet ſo it was with the people of Iſrael, though God was coming in with ſuch a mighty hand to deliver them, and to poſſeſſe them of Canaan, yet at the very firſt blow, they had the worſt, and the people overcame them: It would take a mighty deal of time to ſhew you the ſtraights that David, and Joſ…ah, and Jehoſhaphat, and Hezekiah werein, I'le only give you a word or two about David, becauſe it may be a very great help to poor troubled ſpirits in time of ſtraights; David he was in ſuch ſtraights ſometimes, that he profeſſes himſelf even overwhelmed, Pſal. 61. and the beginning: You ſhall find Pſal. 77.4. He could not ſpeak. Many poor ſouls are in greivous afflictions, and when we put them to go and open their hearts to God and men, Oh I cannot ſpeak (ſay they) David was in ſuch ſtraights that he could not ſpeak, yea he could not ſo much as look up, Pſal. 40.12. not ſo much as look up to God, grievous ſtraights that he was in. And the people of Iſrael in their other Captivity, there were mountains before them; what ſtraights did God put them into? When they were come forth of Babilon, In Zech. 4. What art thou O great mountain, that art before them? But examples will be needleſs to illuſtrate the thing, it is ſo cleer, that thus was Gods dealing with his people. As with wicked men, when God is in a way of wrath againſt the ungodly, he many times ſuffers them to proſper in the higheſt way, with the moſt flouriſhing proſperity that ever they had in their lives: So when he is in a way of ſalvation of his Saints, he lets them be in the loweſt ebb that ever they were in in al their lives: As in Job, 20. ſaith the text there at the 5. verſe, In the fulneſs of his ſufficiency be ſhall be in ſtraights. In the fulneſs of his ſufficiency; what a phraſe is here! A wicked man ſhall be in ſtraits when he is full, when he hath ſufficient (as he thinks,) in the fulneſs of his ſufficiency he ſhall be in ſtraights: and on the other ſide, a godly man in his greateſt ſtraights, he hath a fulneſs of ſufficiency; I will ſhew you that cleer, in 2 Cor. 1.5. As the ſufferings of Chriſt abound in us, ſo our conſolation alſo aboundeth by Chriſt: We have a fulneſs of Conſolation, when we have a fulneſs of Suffering; yea, not only abound, but do ſuper abound, for ſo the word is; in 2 Cor. 7.4. I am (ſaith he) filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulations: We are brought into tribulation, into great ſtraights, and I have a fulneſs fil'd with comfort, and exceeding joyful, more than abundantly-joyful; ſo the word ſignifies: there is abounding in the other text, but here is a ſuper added to it, a ſuper-abounding, more than joyfull, not in times of proſperity only: Carnall hearts never know how to rejoyce but in times of proſperity, when they can eat, and drink, and play, then they can be merry; but the Saints know how to joy, how to be fil'd with joy, how to abound in joy, and how to be exceedingly abounding in joy when they are in tribulation: Thus, as wicked men are in ſtraights in their ſufficiencies; ſo godly men when God is in a way of comfort, they may be in a way of great affliction, and the reaſon of it may be,
1. Reaſon. Becauſe God will humble his people, when he is in a way of ſalvation: when God intends the greateſt good to his people, and to raiſe them the higheſt, he is very careful to keep them very low; that hath alwaies bin the manner of Gods adminiſtrations: You ſee the reaſon of the peoples having ſtraights in the wilderneſs, it was from hence, in the 8. of Deuteronomie, there God gives the reaſon, in the ſecond verſe, Thou ſhalt remember all the way, which the Lord thy God led thee theſe fourty years in the wilderneſs, to what end? why were they ſo long in the wilderneſſe? it was (ſaith the text) to humble them; I brought thee into the wilderneſs, and it was to humble thee: Doth God (my brethren) bring us into ſtraights, now in theſe times? Certainly he is in a way of ſalvation for England, he is in a way of ſalvation to do us good in the latter end, but yet he is bringing us into ſtraights, Oh! we may thank the pride of our ſpirits, we have not been brought low enough to this very day: There hath been (indeed) ſome humiliation of ſome of the people of God, in faſting and praying, they have humbled their ſouls; but yet though there hath been humble expreſſions, yet not humble hearts; for after thoſe times they have had (many of them) exceeding froward ſpirits, and that argues apparantly, their hearts are not humbled and broken, when their ſpirits after daies of humiliation, ſtill ſhould be froward and pettiſh as before: But eſpecially for the generallity of the Kingdom, how far are we from being an humbled people! we are not yet capable of what mercy God intendeth for us, in this regard, becauſe we are not humbled; Oh the exceding pettiſhneſs, envie, and pride (and worſe a great deal) not only in many people of the Land, but even in thoſe that are godly and gracious! how are the ſpirits of men, of one brother oppoſite to another! that becauſe there is ſome difference in judgment in ſuch and ſuch a thing; O they could be content (many of them) to have them rid out of the Land, and if God did not prevent (whereas the perſecution by Biſhops is now at an end) who knows (except God humble their hearts more) whether many of Gods dear ſervants, that do but differ in ſome point of judgement, might not meet with a great deale of ſufferings, even from thoſe that are godly, and that is the worſt ſuffering, better a thouſand times ſuffer from wicked men, it is not ſo hard to the ſpirits of godly men to ſuffer from never ſo many Biſhops, and wicked men, as to ſuffer from one godly man: Oh! there wants that charity and tenderneſs of ſpirit one towards another that ſhould be; we are not yet humbled and brought upon our knees, and therefore it is juſt with God to lay us upon our backs a while, or that we ſhould even be with our faces upon the ground, & confounded in our own thoughts before that great Salvation comes that God intendeth for us. That's the firſt reaſon.
2. Reaſ. God brings to ſtraights, becauſe he takes much delight in the Exerciſe of faith. (My beloved) Faith, it is a moſt glorious grace, it is one of the moſt glorious things that ever God enabled any creature to do, and eſpecially now, when there is ſo much guilt upon them; it is a more glorious work than Adam perform'd in Innocency, For a poor creature to beleeve upon God, for his good here; and in the midſt of all extremities to rely upon him, it is a moſt glorious work, and God is exceedingly delighted in it, and therfore the Scripture calleth Faith, Precious Faith, in the beginning of the 2 Epiſtle of Peter: now God loves the acting of precious things; God loves to ſee the actings of all his creatures, every creature active in his way; but when God hath put ſuch a precious grace as faith into the heart; Oh! how God doth delight to ſee the acting of that precious Faith: and therfore it hath been the way of God to go quite croſſe, after the Lord hath made a promiſe of mercy and ſalvation, he goes ſeemingly croſſe, only to exerciſe Faith; I think I have told you ſometimes of that to Abraham, that there were but two promiſes made to him, firſt, That the Country that God would give him, ſhould flow with milk and honey: and ſecondly, His ſeed ſhould be as the ſtars of Heaven: and mark what way God goes to bring this about, aſſoon as ever he gets into Canaan, he was ready to ſtarve there; is this the country that flows with milk and honey? and then for the other, His ſeed ſhould be as the ſtars of Heaven; he ſtayed twenty yeers before he had a child, & Iſaac ſtayed forty yeers before he had a child; and yet his ſeed ſhould be great; and Iſaac muſt be killed too: and then there was another thing exerciſed his faith, he would give him the Land, and yet notwithſtanding, during his life, he muſt not poſſeſſe one foot of the Land, but only a burying-place, and what was the reaſon of all this? It was to exerciſe his faith; and the promiſe God makes to his Son Chriſt, I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermoſt parts of the earth for thy poſſeſſion; yet Chriſt muſt not have a hole to hide his head in, he hath not ſo much as the foxes and the birds have to hide his head in. Thus the way of God is, to ſeem to go quite contrary, that he might draw forth that glorious work of faith he ſo much delights in, and becauſe this is the only time of exerciſing this precious grace, and there ſhall be no ſuch faith in Heaven exerciſed as this is, and therefore God (becauſe he will have as much as may be of the excellency of this faith) though he be in a way of ſalvation, he brings his people into ſtraights.
3. Reaſ. Becauſe the Lord delights ſo much in the prayers of his people, that he might draw out their prayers: Oh! the voice is ſweet, the voice of prayer it is very melodious in the ears of God: It's true, God delights in a praiſing voice too, but here in this world, rather in prayer, why? becauſe God ſhall have a praiſing voice to all eternity, Gods Saints ſhall be praiſing him to all eternity, but they ſhall not be praying to him to all eternity; now God delighting ſo much in the praying voice of his Saints, and he knowing he ſhall have a great deal of praiſe from his people when they are delivered from great troubles, no marvel he doth exerciſe his people: that which pleaſes God more than Heaven and Earth is, the exerciſe of the faith and the prayers of his people, they are the moſt pleaſing things to God in all the world, and therefore he brings into ſtraights.
4. Reaſ. Becauſe God would diſcover wicked men: Before he brings his great ſalvation, he would diſcover thoſe that are vile and wicked, that they ſhould not partake of that great ſalvation: As in our times, we know how God in every ſtraight we have been in hath made ſome uſeful diſcovery to us, it hath been a diſcovering time, of many that we have known to be vile and naught, that we did not know before: Luke, 2.35. (you know the place) A ſword ſhall pierce thorow thy ſoul, why? that the thoughts of many may be diſcovered: there ſhall be great afflictions and troubles, and the end I aim at is, to diſcover the thoughts of many: How have mens thoughts been diſcovered by plots? when God was bringing his people into Canaan he would not have a rebellious generation come in among them; and all the trouble they had in the wilderneſſe, it was by a mixture of a baſe and vile generation, that you have plain in Num. 11. when they were in ſuch a diſtreſſed condition, and in a murmuring and a vexing way, mark the 4. verſe, The mixt multitude that was among them fell a luſting: They diſturbed all the hoſt of God: And certainly if men ſhould not be diſcovered, more than they are, if God ſhould come to ſet up a full reformation amongſt us herein England, to bring us to that Canaan we deſire, we ſhould be ſo troubled with a mixt multitude, the mixt multitude would ſo vex and trouble the Church of God, that they ſhould ſcarce ever have peace among themſelves; and therefore God in mercy will diſcover them beforehand, before Canaan comes he will diſcover this mixt multitude.
5. Rea. God will bring them into ſtraits, becauſe he might give occaſion to the Adverſary to vent his malice to the utmoſt, and to ripen his ſin that it may be ripe to the full, before God comes to deliver us; that they may be gathered together to be a great ſacrifice to the Lord, therefore Gods people are brought to ſuch ſtraights; that if they will blaſpheme, they ſhal blaſpheme to the full. In our times now, the more ſtraights we are brought into, the greater are the blaſphemies of the wicked, and if God ſhould bring us into more ſtraights, and give them the better over us, I beleeve there will be that horrible blaſphemy in England, that never was in any place in the world, the heavens never did hear, nor the earth never did bear ſuch blaſphemies, and blaſphemers, as there would be, if God ſhould but deliver up his people in any degree to the hands of their enemies; we know not, but for the ripenning of their ſins, and that ſo they may come to be remarkable for Gods vengance on them here in this world, God may give them power over his people, and bring his people yet into greater ſtraights. And then the laſt reaſon is,
(6. Reaſ) Becauſe the work of Jeſus Chriſt will more appear at the laſt, the greater the ſtraight is; And therefore in Dan. 9.25. He will build up the City even in troubleſome times. Every one can build in quiet times, but in troubled times Chriſt will build up the City: And he rules in the midſt of his enemies: Chriſt loves to rule in the midſt of his enemies, that ſo his rule may be the more conſpicuous.
1. Ʋſe, Is it ſo with us? Take heed then that we have not our hearts ſinck, becauſe of ſtraights: Let us not ſay, why is it thus with us? If God be in a way of mercy, why deals he thus with us? and preſently be ready to conclude againſt the waies of God; certainly all is gone, God is gone, ſurely whatſoever the hopes and confidences of ſuch and ſuch were, we ſee all is undone, all their hopes are undone. God forbid there ſhould be ſuch an unbeleeving heart in any of you, or ſuch murmuring and repining ſpeeches among any of you, whatſoever ſtraight you are brought into!
2 Doct. In theſe ſtraights, Gods people are mightily troubled. It was ſo here, in every ſtraight they repin'd, and were in a diſtraction, and eſpecially at this time; ſtand ſtill (ſaith Moſes,) what mean you to do? They were all in a confuſion; and as it was there, ſo it is many times in many of Gods Saints. As the bleſſed man Heman, that made that 88. Pſalm, you ſhall find in that Pſalm, he was diſtracted; and yet though Heman was one of the wiſeſt men upon the earth, for ſo you ſhall find it in the 1. of Kings, (where the holy Ghoſt ſpeaks of wiſe men) in 4.31. Solomon did exceed the wiſedom of all in Egypt, for (ſaith the text) he was wiſer than all men, than Heman, and yet Heman was in woful perplexity, when he was brought into ſtraights. And in the 8. of Isaiah, It was the ſame caſe there, that ſeems to be ours now; Oh there was a Confederacy, a Confederacy, and many people did joyn together againſt Gods ſervants, and upon that (the text ſaith) in the 11. verſe, The Lord ſpake to me with a ſtrong hand, and inſtructed me that I ſhould not walk in the way of this people ſaying, ſay ye not, A Confederacy to all them to whom this people ſhall ſay, A Confederacy, neither fear ye their fear. Mark, God was fain to ſpeak to the Prophet with a ſtrong hand, that he ſhould not be ſo troubled, as other people were in the time of their fears. Yea we ſhall find, that many of Gods Saints, that he hath delivered in a moſt glorious way, yet at ſome other times they have been too ſecure, their hearts have bin all in a confuſion, and were not able to ſtand before the difficulties that they met withal: And for that you have a famous example, 1 Kings, 19. of Elijah; if you reade the 18. Chap. you may ſee what a Spirit Elijah had, he would appear before Ahab, As the Lord of hoſts lives, before whom I ſtand, I will ſurely ſhew my ſelf to him, to day, (to Ahab:) and he did ſhew himſelf to Ahab, and tels him, it was he and his people, that troubled Iſrael, when Ahab ſaid to him, Art thou he that troubleth Iſrael, No (ſaith he) It is thou, and thy fathers houſe that troubleth Iſrael: And then he comes and gets the Prieſts of Baal together, and gets fire from heaven, to conſume the Sacrifice, and deſtroies all the Prieſts of Baal: and gets rain from heaven to rain upon the earth: What an excellent Spirit had Elijah in the 18 Chapter? Yet in the 19. Chapter, Jezabel did but threaten Elijah, and he takes himſelf to his heels, and runs away at the threatning of wicked Jezabel; though he had ſuch a brave Spirit in the former Chapter: So it is truly with many men, at ſome time their courage makes their adverſaries afraid, and at other times, their cowardice makes their friends aſhamed; many have been ſo, they have been a terror to their adverſaries one day, and a ſhame to their friends another day.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe we have much fleſh ſtill in the beſt of us all, and we are much led by ſence; and becauſe we are not throughly skilful in the waies of God, becauſe the fear of God is ſo weak in us, therefore it is that the fear of man is ſo ſtrong, and therefore we know ſo little of Gods ſecrets; the ſecrets of God are with them that fear him, did we fear God more we ſhould know his ſecret waies, and not be ſo much troubled.
Reaſ. 2. Becauſe there is a great deal of guilt reſts in the beſt, and that will make any one afraid; where there is much guiltineſs in their hearts, it is exceeding troubleſome to the ſoul.
Reaſ. 3. Becauſe they are too to confident in the fleſh, they are too to confident in themſelves, Thence it is that God withdraws himſelf from them; and at what time they are afraid, they cannot truſt in God, as David (it is an admirable ſweet text) profeſſes of himſelf, That at what time he was afraid, he would truſt in God: There is many a man that for the preſent thinks he can truſt in God, but he cannot do it at that time when he is afraid: Pſal. 56.3. What time I am afraid, I will truſt in the Lord. When your paſſion comes, then you make no uſe of your faith, to truſt in God: As now, many a man or woman can be meek & quiet, till they have a temptation, but when your paſſion is up, can you be meek then? and riſe then, and beat it down with the contrary grace? So when the paſſion of your fears and troubles come up, can you then truſt in God? I, that is ſomewhatlike; but becauſe we truſt ſo much in our ſelves, therefore when the time cometh we ſhould truſt in God, God withdraws himſelf from us, and we are moſt afraid.
Ʋſe. This is that we ſhould lay our hands upon our hearts, and charge our ſouls for, and be aſhamed for before the Lord: Never a one here but hath cauſe to lay his hand upon his heart and ſay, Oh that I, that have had ſo much experience of God, of his waies of helping and delivering me, out of ſix troubles and ſeven, and yet the Lord knows upon any new trouble I am to ſeek as much as ever, and in any hurly-burly in as great diſtemper of fear as ever; be aſhamed of this before the Lord. It is true, Gods people may be ſo, and you are ſo, therefore be aſhamed of it, and labour to prepare for ſuch times; thoſe that are troubled with fainting fits, uſe to carry their bottle of Aqua-vitae about with them; ſo you that have been diſquieted in times of trouble, lay up ſomewhat that may help in thoſe times. Though a candle light will ſerve to carry in a yard in calme weather, yet it muſt be a torch, a great light that muſt ſerve when the wind blows; ſo a little may ſerve now, but a great deal muſt be laid up for times of extremity.
Firſt, Lay up encouraging Promiſes.
Secondly, Lay up encouraging experiences, that may help you againſt ſuch times of fainting and trouble.
Ʋſe 2. But then, if it be ſo with the Saints and Gods own people, that when they are in ſtraights, they are ſo ready to be troubled with diſtracting fears & cares, what ſhal become of the wicked and ungodly then? when they come in ſtraights, how muſt their hearts ſink in horror, becauſe all their ſtraights are no other, but the beginning of eternal ſtraights? preſent ſorrows making away to eternal ſorrows, the way of their deliverance from preſent ſtraights is, by being brought into greater ſtraights: many women with child have ſtrong pains in their child birth, yet when they think they ſhall be delivered, they have joy in ſtead of ſorrow; but a woman that is with child, and is only reprieved becauſe ſhe is with child, till ſhe be delivered, though ſhe have a great deal of trouble and pain before ſhe be delivered, ſhe deſires not to be rid of it, becauſe then ſhe knows ſhe ſhall come to greater, to be hang'd, and if ſhe could live ſeven yeers together and never be delivered, ſhe could be content with the trouble, becauſe when that is gone, greater comes: So wicked and ungodly men that are in great ſtraights for the preſent, may well be content with them, becauſe when they are gone, greater will come.
3. Doct. In the time of theſe ſtraights, it is our duty, to ſtand ſtil and look for Gods ſalvation, to quiet our ſpirits, and look up to God.
Firſt, For the quieting of our ſpirits.
As they were to be delivered out of this bondage in that way; ſo they were to be delivered out of the Babiloniſh bondage in the ſame way: So you ſhall find it Iſa. 30. ſee what God ſaith for that deliverence, he tels them plainly at the 15. verſ. In quietneſs and in confidence ſhall be your ſtrength, and you would not: In quietneſs and confidence, it's true, they were in a paſſionat way, and God tels them, that in quietneſs and in confidence is their ſtrength, and they would not: So, come to many people that are in great extremities, to ſome women and others, (when they are wringing their hands, and hanging about their husbands necks) and tel them, your confidence muſt be in quietneſs, they wil be ready to row you off. But they would not (ſaith God) So in Iſa. 30.7. I cried concerning this, Their ſtrength is, to ſit ſtill: My Brethren, this day in the Name of God, do I cry concerning al our ſtraights, after we have uſed all the means we can, we are to ſit ſtill, and ſee the ſalvation of our God, to quiet our hearts with this beleeving ſtand ſtil, and look up to God for our ſalvation. It was their great fault, they did not ſo in their deliverance out of their captivity, there is one remarkable place for that Jer. 31.22. How long wilt thou go about? Oh thou backsliding daughter! for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth: How long wilt thou go about, Oh thou backſliding daughter? What's the meaning of this text? It is thus, In the time of their deliverance from Captivity, they met with a great deal of difficulty, many ſtraights, and they went about to this and that ſharking courſe, and did backſlide, when they were in a good way, they went back again, and the Prophet could not get the… … ſtand ſtil … …ny way; as if he ſhould have ſaid, go on right in the way, be not diſcouraged; by difficulties, by extremities, ſeck not any ſhifting way, be not backſliding, but ſtand to your tackling and work God hath ſet you about, for the Lord hath created a new thing; Perhaps you will ſay, there was never the like ſtraight we are in; well, God hath ſuch mercy as he never ſhewed the like before; God hath created a new thing; many cry out in their ſtraights, O my affliction, and my ſtraitght is ſuch as never was in the world! well, gratifie them ſo; (as many times, we muſt needs gratifie diſtemper'd ſpirits, when they cry out of the greatneſs of their ſtraights) yet is there no comfort for them to ſtay them? yes, Iſa. 64.4. It was never known ſince the beginning of the world, what God hath laid up for them that wait for him: Do but wait for him, and there was never ſuch mercy ſhown in the world, as God hath laid up for thee; ſo that come let us grant it, that there was never the like of that affliction that thou art under, yet there is reaſon enough for thee to wait, and look for the ſalvation of God, in ſuch a way, in ſuch a condition.
I ſhall give ſome reaſons of that part of the doctrine, that we are to ſtand ſtill, and be quiet: for by our ſtanding ſtill, and our quieting our hearts in our ſtraights,
1. Reaſ, We are fit to look to the Wiſdom, Faithfulneſs, and Power of God; we are not able to ſee Gods Wiſdom, Faithfulneſs, and Power, nor to make uſe of it, except we get our ſpirits to be quiet: firſt get them quiet, and then we can look up to God, Pſalm, 46.10. Be ſtill (ſaith the text) and know that I am God, there is a God in Heaven that can help and ſuccour, in time of great ſtraights and extremities, but for all this, people are in a hurly-burly, and their ſpirits are diſtemper'd, and they are wringing their hands, and crying, they cannot know that God is God, they can have no uſe of all the power and goodneſſe, and faithfulneſſe, and mercy of God. Firſt get your hearts ſtill and quiet in your Families, and in your own ſpirits, and then you ſhall know that God is God: God will not appear till firſt you be ſtill.
2. Reaſ. We are not able to make uſe of our own Graces, till we be quiet and ſtill; If God have beſtowed Graces when we are in a hurly-burly, we have no uſe of them at all; therefore ſaith the text, Pſalm, 4. Stand in awe, ſin not, commune with your own hearts upon your beds, and be ſtill: Commune with your own hearts: you have ſomewhat (perhaps) in your own hearts that may quiet you; commune with your own hearts, and be ſtill; you are not fit to commune with your own hearts till you get them quiet; firſt be quiet, and then commune: (Oh! my brethren) A man or woman of a ſtaid, ſound, quiet, and ſtill ſpirit, hath a mighty advantage of all paſſionate ſpirits; there are many of you, that are paſſionate at all other times, and that is the reaſon that in ſuch great extremities, you are ſo overrul'd with paſſion; you are ſo over-rul'd with your paſſion of anger at other times, and out of Gods juſt judgment, you are over-rul'd with the paſſion of Fear now: But if at other times you would labour to keep in your ſpirits, God would help you now.
3. Reaſ. Becauſe without this ſtilneſs, and quietneſs, we cannot manifeſt that ſubjection to God we owe him; for then there is a great deal of ſin, and pride, and ſtoutneſs committed againſt God; and therefore in that fourth Pſalm, the old Latine hath it My ſoul be silent; my ſoul is ſubject to God; the ſubjection of our ſouls to God, depends much upon this Quieting of our hearts.
4. Reaſ. Our reverence of God depends much upon it: and therfore in this 4. Pſalm, Stand in aw and ſin not, commune with your own heart, and be ſtill: for us to behave our ſelves in ſuch a manner as many people do, throwing out their hands, and wringing, and keeping ſuch a ſtir as they do; this ſhows there is not in their hearts that reverence they owe to God; ſtand in awe; If your hearts were poſſeſſ'd with Gods fear, you would not keep ſuch a ſtir as you do in times of great danger.
5. Reaſ. This makes people unfit to liſten to any thing that is ſpoken to them; let any thing be ſpoken to them, that is of any uſe, they eannor hear it, nor make uſe of it; as we reade of the people of Iſrael, Exod. 6.9. when Moses came to tell them of their deliverance, the text ſaith, He ſpake to the Children of Iſrael, but they hearkned not to him: why? for anguiſh of ſpirit: How many in trouble of conſcience, and in other times of extremity, have their ſpirits in ſuch anguiſh, that they never hearken to any thing that is delivered to them; and therefore they come with the ſame objection over and over again, a hundred times in caſes of conſcience.
6. Without this Quietneſs of ſpirit, you are mighty hinderers of others, and you daunt and diſcourage the hearts of others, and many times the cauſe miſcarries meerly upon the unquietneſs of the hearts of men and women in time of danger; therefore you muſt be quiet, and look up to God for ſalvation; for Faith hath this excellency, that it is able to bring life out of death, light out of darkneſs; it hath a kind of creating vertue; as God himſelf brings one contrary out of another, ſo faith hath ſuch a kind of working, if faith be of the right ſtamp, a genuine faith, it hath a mighty power in times of extremity to behold Gods ſalvation, and make uſe of it: I'le give you one example of the uſe of faith in times of extremity; and that is of David, when he fled from Saul, and when he was in the Cave; mark, Be merciful to me O God, be merciful to me, for my ſoul truſteth in thee, yea, in the ſhadow of thy wings will I make my refuge. What was the ſhadow of Gods wings? poor David was got into the ſhadow of the Cave, and the Sun did not ſhine upon him, but he looked upon himſelf in the Cave, as under the ſhadow of Gods wings: You poor people that live it may be in Cellers, and in poor dark holes and Lanes, the Sun ſcarce ſhines upon you in a year, yet if you be godly, you are under Gods wings by faith.
I ſhall now ſpeak to the Second part of the Doctrine that we are to expect Salvation from God.
David did fly from Abſolom, and yet what confidence had David (in that caſe) in God? reade but that third Pſalm, and you'l ſee confidence enough in David, and yet flying too: Divers grounds and reaſons I ſhall give for this, why we muſt look up to God, as well as be ſtill:
Rea. Hereby we ſanctifie Gods Name; Fear ye not their fear, but ſanctifie God in your hearts (ſaith the text.) You ſanctifie not God elſe: I ſuppoſe many of you would be loth to be guilty of ſwearing, and taking Gods Name in vain in that kind, but by your diſtracting thoughts, and unbeſeeming carriage in times of danger, you take Gods Name in vain, you break the third Commandement.
2. Rea. This ſhews the beauty and excellency of Faith, as David ſaid, Thou ſhalt ſee what thy ſervant can do: So now, there is a great deal of talk of faith in the world, let us ſee now what it can do; the truth of love is, when I can love God for himſelf without his gifts; ſo when I can beleeve in God without experience, I ſhew the excellency of my faith, when I can truſt in God meerly upon his word; as I love God meerly for himſelf, when my faith taks Gods ſingle bond without any ſecurity, that is the excellency of Faith; when I would have outward helps and aſſurances, there I call for ſureties: So Chriſtians when they muſt needs have outward helps, and former experiences, they call to God for ſureties, as if they would not truſt God upon his ſimple bond; that's the excellency of faith to truſt God upon his ſingle bond.
3. Rea. When we look up to God for ſalvation, we engage God in our cauſe; God owns not the cauſe till then, and then he owns it: Now how happy were we, if thus we could do in al our particular and private ſtraights, ſtand ſtill and look up to God for help and for ſalvation: It's true, you cry out and complain, I have loſt a dear husband, and a dear friend, never man loſt ſuch a friend, and theſe great ſtraights I am brought into; but loſe not the quiet of thy heart too, take heed of that, that is a greater loſs than any loſs thou canſt have in this world. I remember I have read of a Phyloſopher that had this expreſſion, (ſaith he) If the gods would grant to me my deſire, and bid me ask what I would have, I would ask of them this thing, that I might have the compoſed ſpirit of Socrates, that I might have ſuch a ſpirit as Socrates had; for it is obſerved of him, that he did ſcarce change his countenance upon any thing that befell him, he was alwaies in a quiet compoſed frame, (and yet a Heathen;) How much more ſhould a Chriſtian ſay; If God would give me my asking, I would ask nothing but that; for indeed there is a great deal of glory and excellency in a compoſed ſpirit: this is worthy of the Goſpel; therefore mark what the Apoſtle ſaith, Phil. 1.27. Only let your converſation be as it becometh the Goſpel of Chriſt, that whether I come to ſee you, or be abſent from you, I may hear of your affairs and that you ſtand faſt in one ſpirit: This is to walk worthy of the Goſpel, to ſtand faſt in one ſpirit: and obſerve this, that except we do ſtand faſt, and quiet our hearts, we loſe every thing that ſhould help us: when we are in a hurly-burly in our ſpirits to get ſome help, alas, we loſe all our help: Therefore in Phil. 4. Let the peace of God keep your hearts, the word in the Original is, Guard your hearts; The peace of God in your hearts, muſt be the beſt guard of your hearts in the time of danger, now becauſe you would avoid trouble, you put away your guard, what a madneſſe is this? the caſting away the peace of God, is the caſting away of your guard, therefore keep that in your hearts, whatſoever you loſe; yea, it's our Arms, mark, Epheſ. 6. what is the Arms of a Chriſtian? firſt, The girdle of truth, fear diſſolves the heart, and makes a man he cannot gird himſelf: When he is in fear, his heart is melted, and he hath little uſe of his truth, the girdle is looſed then; In the text, there is the helmet of ſalvation, but in fear hope is gone; there is the breſtplate of righteouſneſs, but in fear, a man hath no uſe of his righteous converſation, nor no uſe of the ſword of the Spirit, he can uſe nothing in times of ſuch diſtracting fears, therefore loſe not your Arms: It is very obſervable, in the 6. of the Epheſ. how the holy Ghoſt ſtill cals upon us to ſtand, verſe 10. My brethren be ſtrong in the Lord, and not only ſtrong, But ſtrong in the Lord, and ſtrong in the might of the Lord, and in the power of his might; put on the whol armour of God, that you may be able to ſtand; then again, in the 13. verſe, Wherefore take ye all the whol armour of God, that ye may be able to withſtand the evil one, and having done all, …o ſtand: Though perhaps, you have overcome at one time, yet ſtill look to your own hearts, when you have done all, ſtand, four times we are called upon to ſtand, nothing, what a great advantage we have by ſtanding; It's true, our afflictions are great, and the ſoul ſaith, The Lord is my portion: perhaps temptations and afflictions ſay otherwiſe, but the ſoul ſaith, The Lord is my portion; and it is good for a man to ſay, what ſhall I that am ſo full of ſin, yet not be willing to have ſome trouble, but be ſo full of fears upon every trouble that befals me? why ſhould not I yeild to Gods providential will as well as to his commanding will? how know I, but that God may have glorious ends, to work out of theſe extremities and troubles I am in? why ſhould I not give up my ſelf to God, to have his will upon me? and hath not God heretofore delivered me from great ſtraights and extremities, even from the wrath of God himſelf, and from his juſtice? greater and other manner of ſtraights than thoſe I am now in; and if I beleeve not in God now, but be diſquieted, perhaps theſe ſtraights may be to bring me to greater ſtraights; what if theſe ſtraights of affliction ſhould bring me to greater ſtraights? and it's juſt with God to leave me to fall into the ſtraights of ſin, that cannot bear the ſtraights of afflictions, therefore let me ſtand ſtil and look up to Gods ſalvation; Let us be ſo affected with our ſtraights as to carry us up to God in prayer: pray as much as ye can, but ſtill keep your hearts in a quiet frame; and if your prayers be right, they will be to you, as Luther ſaith, they were the leeches of his cares; Luther had a great many corrupt cares, (as in a corrupt body, there is much corrupt blood) but now his prayers were the leeches to ſuck out his cares: when you are diſtemper'd, go to prayer, and then examine what a deal of corrupt blood hath my prayers ſuckt out of my heart? As Hannah, when ſhe had been at prayer, ſhe lookt no more ſad. There are many things I thought to have given you, to ſlay your hearts in time of extremities: Peace ſhall be to that man, that hath his heart ſtayed on God, and bleſſed is that man that ſtayeth his heart upon God: and if ever people had cauſe to ſtay their hearts upon God, certainly we have at this day, for we have God with us; Therefore it's unworthy of a Chriſtian to have a diſtempered ſpirit. I remember I have read of the Romans, that when Hannibal was juſt before them, yet they bought and ſold their ground as they did at other times; they were ſo quiet in their hearts. It was a ſpeech that Antigonor had, when ſome were afraid of the multitude that came againſt him, (ſay they) So many are coming againſt us, ſaith he, How many do you reckon me for? So may we ſay, we hear of ſo many thouſands coming againſt us; But how many do you reckon Jeſus Chriſt for? How many reckon you him for, that is the Captain of all our Hoſts: Have not prayers been ſent up to God? Why diſpiſe you the prayers of the Saints of God, as if there were nothing in their prayers? Is not Gods Name engaged in all this buſineſſe? Oh therfore ſtand ſtill and be not afraid: And eſpecially let me ſpeak a word to you, that are of timorious and fearful ſpirits, Iſa. 35.4. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Fear not: Do not excuſe your ſelves in this, that you are of a timorious nature; (ſaith God) Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Fear not: And eſpecially mark what the holy Ghoſt ſpeaks to women, In 1 Pet. 3. Women they muſt cloath themſelves with a meek and quiet ſpirit, (that is in the 4. verſe) which is in the ſight of God of great price, and in the 6. verſe, And as Sarah obeyed Abraham, and called him Lord, whoſe daughters ye are, as long as you do well, and are not afraid of any amazment: What ſhould be the meaning of that, that woman muſt be the daughters of Sarah upon theſe terms? Thus, Abraham was brought into ſtraights many times, and carried from his own Country; now Sarah if ſhe had been of ſuch a ſpirit as many women are, Oh how would Sarah have hindered her husband Abraham in every ſtraight he was brought into? and have ſaid, Husband, why go we from our own Country, and our friends, and ſo are brought into ſuch ſtraights? pray husband go back again, and venture not your ſelf thus and thus: but it ſeems ſhe was of a gracious ſpirit, and quieted her ſelf in God, and was not afraid with amazement: If you would approve your ſelv's the daughters of Sarah, do ye ſo, when God cals your husbands to any ſervice, though it be with ſome hazard, do not you hang about their necks, and wring your hands, and ſay, I beſeech you husband conſider what will become of me and my children, will you leave me now? Take heed, you are not the daughters of Sarah at ſuch a time, if you hinder your husbands at ſuch a time as this is.
4. Doct. That the ſight of ſalvation after ſtraights, will be a glorious thing. If we be brought into ſtraights, that that is comming will pay for all, there is enough to ſatisfie; let us not be troubled at greater ſtraights, than yet we have; Suppoſe blood ſhould be ſhed (beloved) God hath ſuch mercy for England, that ſhall pay for all the blood of his Saints that ſhall be ſhed; and the blood of his people, is a precious thing: Every drop of the blood of his people is very precious; and the Adverſary ſhal be accomptable for every drop; God will value it, and there ſhall be a valuable conſideration given for every drop of blood; and the more difficulties we have in obtaining that mercy God is about to give us, the mercy ſhall be the greater: Iſa. 54.11. O thou afflicted and toſt with tempeſts, thy foundations ſhal be laid with Saphires, and with precious ſtones. If we be afflicted and toſſed with tempeſts, and the blood of Gods people go for it; comfort your ſelves with this; The more precious blood that is ſhed in this buſineſs, the greater mercy is to come, for God will have a valuable conſideration for all the blood of his Saints.
FINIS.