Counsel for the Living Occasioned from the Dead, Text – To the reader
COUNSEL For the Living, Occaſioned from the DEAD: OR, A Diſcourſe on Job III. 17, 18.
Ariſing from the Deaths of Mr. Fran. Bampfield AND Mr, Zach, Ralphſon,
By Hercules Collins, their Fellow Priſoner in Newgate.
The Lord looſeth the Priſoners, Pſal. 146.7.
Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints, Pſal. 116.15.
And hath brought Life and Immo…ality to light through the Goſpel, whereunto I am appointed a Preacher and an Apoſtle, and a Teacher of the Gentiles, for the which Cauſe I alſo S…ffer theſe things, nevertheleſs I am not aſhamed for I know whom I have believed, 2 Tim. 1 10, 11.
LONDON: Printed by George Larkin for the Author, 1684.
Job III. 17, 19.
There the Wicked ceaſe from Troubling: and there the Weary be at Reſt.
There the Priſoners Reſt together, they hear not the Voice of the Oppreſſour.
HOly Job, who according to Chronology liv'd Two Thouſand Four Hundred Years from the Creation, was the Non-ſuch for Affliction, and Patience; none exceeding him in the former or latter, under the Old or New Teſtament, except our Saviour. Under his Agonie and Anguiſh the product of his depreſſing Trials from God, from Satan his Grand Accuſer, Dear Relations, Friends and Enemies, (for he was the Song and By-word of the Children of fools and baſe men) he interrogates verſe 11, 12. Why he did not die from the Womb, and why the Knees did not prevent him, and the Breaſts which he did ſuck, which implieth his deſire it had been ſo; For then I ſhould have lain still, and been quiet with Kings and Counſellers of the Earth, who build deſolate places for themſelves: There the Wicked Ceaſe from troubling, there the Weary be at Reſt; there the Priſoners Rest together, they hear not the Voice of the Oppreſſour.
In theſe words we conſider, firſt the Subjects; which are Oppreſſors and Oppreſſed: Secondly, The Predicate, They ſhall Reſt: Thirdly, the Receptacle, or place of Reſt, that's the Grave; I ſhall note a few things by way of Obſervation.
The firſt is, Wicked men are troubleſome men. The Original Raſhagnim, foreigntranſlated Wicked, imports as much, and ſignifieth a great degree of Sin; there are other words which ſignifie a lower degree as Chata, foreignthe loweſt Expreſſion, which imports a miſſing the Mark; foreignGods Glory is that we ſhould aim at in all our Undertakings.foreign Now Sin is a miſdoing, and erring from the Rule: There's another word, Paſhang, ſignifying Tranſgreſſion,Leigh Critica Sacra. Ainſworth. on Deut. 4.8. prevarication, Prov. 18.19. there taken for an Offence; by Tranſgreſſion in Iſa. 1.2. Tranſlated Rebellion, much like Marah, which is generally rendered Rebellion, provoking, irritating, imbittering,and Deut 1.26.43. Pſal. 5.10. Neh. 9.17. It hath properly the ſignification of changing and bitterneſs, but is applyed to Apoſtacy and Diſobedience, Deut. 1.26. and 43. The word Raſhagnim, Wicked Ones, ſignifyeth Wickedneſs in the higheſt; it's uſed to ſet forth an Ungodly Man, Pſal. 1.1. For one which departs wickedly from God, Pſal. 18.21. and alſo ſignifyeth Reſtleſs Turbulent; and is oppos'd to quietneſs, Job. 34.29. ſuch are without true peace themſelves, and ſeek to break the peace of others: the Prophet Iſaiah 57. ult. compares them to the Reſtleſs Troubled Sea, which cannot Reſt; and becauſe ſuch men for their evil deeds are often brought to Judgment and Condemn'd, therefore is this name given unto Condemned Perſons, Pſal. 109.7.foreign And when he is Judged, let him be Condemned; or as the Original is, go out; Raſhang, Wicked or guilty.
Let us inquire who they are Wicked Men trouble. 1. Themſelves; their Conſciences gripe them, galls them, and pincheth them for their oppreſſive acts, as Davids did, when he Numbred the People;2 Sam. 24.10. and albeit they labour to muzle its mouth, and deafen their own ear, and ſeek to ſtifle its Checks, and ſtop its motions, yet God will have a witneſs for himſelf in all men; and if our hearts condemn us, 1 John 3.20.God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things: We know more by our ſelves, then all the world knows by us,Prov. 18.14. but God knows more by us, then we know by our ſelves;Mat. 27.3, 4. now if a Wounded Spirit be intollerable, what will the ſcalding hot wrath of a Sin-revenging God be? If a Perſecuting Betraying Judas cannot ſtand before the Judgment Seat of his own Conſcience, but runs to hang himſelf under the horrour of it, who then can dwell with Everlaſting Burnings.
2. Wicked men are Troublers of Nations: There would be little work for Magiſtrates, were it not for them: King Ahab was much out, when by his interrogation he ſuppoſed Elijah the Prophet to be the troubler of Iſrael; no ſaith he, I am not the man,1 King 18.17, 18. but it is thou and thy Fathers Houſe, 1 Kings 21.20, 21. Chap. 22.8.in that you have forſaken the Commandments of the Lord, and followed Balaam; becauſe Elijah denounced the Judgments of God on him and his houſe for his Sin, he calls him his Enemy, and declares he hates him; he would have had him Propheſied Peace, when Elijah's Commiſſion was War; he was all for tidings of Peace,2 Kings 9.22. but the Prophet might ſay to Ahab, as Jehu to Joram, What Peace ſo long as the Whoredoms of thy Mother Jezabel, and her Witchchrafts are ſo many?
3. Wicked Men are Troublers of the Church of God; and of thoſe we have two ſorts; Firſt, ſuch as are under little or no Profeſſion; of this ſort was Sanballat, Nehemiah 6.1, 2.Tobiah, Jeſhem the Arabian, in Nehemiahs time, who perplexed the Saints while the Temple was a building; Secondly, there are others under a Profeſſion of Reliligion, of thoſe are two ſorts, Firſt ſuch as are among the Saints in the true Church of God;Joſhua 7.25. 1 Cor. 5. Mat. 26. Wicked Ones are a great trouble to them; Achan was ſo to the Church of the Jews; the inceſtuous perſon alſo to Paul and the Church of Corinth; and Chriſt and his Apoſtles could not be without their trouble, when they knew they had a Traytor among them. Corah, Dathan and Abiram greatly diſturbed, the Church of old by their Pride,Numb. 16. ſuppoſing the people were all holy, and in their undervaluing Gods Miniſters, Moſes and Aaron; but God troubled them as he did Achan, for his Wickedneſs; one diſorderly Church Member cauſeth more trouble in a Church then one hundred pious Souls, for ſuch are a Comfort and Bleſſing where they are.
Phil. 3.5, 6.2. As thoſe before mentioned were Profeſſors, and Church-diſturbers, yet none of them, except Judas, did it in the way of Perſecution; but there are another ſort of ſtrict Profeſſors in ſome things, who do, and have much moleſted the Church by Perſecution. Who was a greater Profeſſor then Paul, when he was a Phariſee? And who a greater Perſecutor? So the Devout and Honourable Women of Old, were ſtirr'd up by the Jews, together with the chief men of the City of Antioch, Acts 13.15.to raiſe Perſecution againſt Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their Coaſts: The Devout muſt do this, that their wickedneſs might be the more latent and hidden. VVho was it that John Bap…iſt and Chriſt called a Generation of Vipers, but ſuch a ſort of people the Devout Phariſees? As a Serpent begets a Serpent,Mat. 3. ſo you are the ſucceſſors of wicked Parents, ye are the Seed of the Old Serpent, Crafty, Deceivers, full of poyſon, and infect others; Ye fullfil the Meaſure of your Fathers Wickedn ſs; Mat. 23.as the Viper killeth its Mother, ſo have you the Prophets, by whom ye ought to have laboured to be begotten to God; as the Viper ſwells with poyſon, ſo do you with Pride and Envy againſt God and his Children; as this Creature will ſtick on a man to his hurt, and kill with his tongue, Job. 20.16. ſo do you; as it loveth none but his own kind, ſo you, none but ſuch as will agree with you in killing the Lords Prophets; and as ſome write, this Creatures Teeth is buryed in its Gums, that one might think them harmleſs, ſo ſeem you Phariſees, but full of Cruelty; you will make many and long Prayers, and yet devour VVidows Houſes; you Cleanſe the outſide of the Cup and Platter, but within full of Extortion and Exceſs; as the Viper is beautiful without, as it were painted, yet full of venom within, ſo you Phariſees; for all your long Robes, your Phylactaries, your many Prayers, and compaſſing Sea and Land to make one Proſelyte, all this makes you but as whited Sepulchres, which appear beautiful outwardly, but within full of dead mens bones and all uncleaneſs; you are a company of Hypocrites, For you build the Tombs of the Prophets, and garniſh the Sepulchres of the Righteous, and ye ſay, If we had been in the days of our Fathers, we would not have been Partakers with them in the Blood of the Prophets; yet when I ſend Prophets and wiſe-men, and Scribes, ſome of them you kill and crucifie, ſome you Scourge, and Perſecute from City to City, that upon you may come all the Righteous Blood ſhed upon the Earth, from the Blood of Righteous Abel, to the Blood of Zacharias Son of Barachias, whom ye ſlew between the Temple and the Altar.
That wicked men are troublers of the Church, appears from the ſad complaint the Church makes in many places;Pſal. 129.2, 3. The Plowers have Plowed on our back; as they out up and open the bowels of the Earth, ſo wicked men afflict Gods People, ſometimes to the opening their very Bowels; ſo Aſaph, Thou feedest us with the Bread of Tears, Pſal. 80.5.and givest them Tears to drink in great meaſure; foreignthe Hebrew word is, Shaliſh, a threefold meaſure, ſo that they were fed with Tears in the Plural, and that in a treble or large meaſure: As the Church was in Aegypt among the Pots in the midſt of the Fire and Smoak,Pſal 69.13. in extream heat and burning affliction, as the very brick pots of old was burnt; yet ſhall not the Church be ſcorched, but ſhall come out of Trouble, as thoſe did out of Aegypt with much beauty and glory; As the Wings of a Dove covered with Silver, and her Feathers with yellow gold; when God gives but the word for deliverance, in the conqueſt of the adverſary,Pſal. 68.30. then many ſhall publiſh the praiſes of God: when he Rebukes the Multitude of Spear-men, or as the Original,foreign Chajah Kaneh, the Beaſt of Reeds; Spearmen, or men of Armes, they are no more to God, the moſt valiant company of Spear-men, which the Reeds in the water do reſemble, then thoſe weak Reeds; for God can as eaſily bow them as a company of weak Reeds; according to the words of Solomon, All K…ngs ſhall bow down before him, Pſal. 72.11.and his Enemies ſhall lick the Duſt; ſo low ſhall they bow, they ſhall ſeem to lick the duſt.
4. Wicked men are troublers of God, God-provoking Sinners; Ezek. 16.43.not that there are paſſions in God, as that he is capable of joy or grief,Iſaiah 63.10. as man; but God is ſaid to be Provoked and to Repent,Ezek. 6.9. when he doth ſuch things as men do when they are Provoked or Repent;Eph. 4.30. The wicked are ſaid to fret God, elſewhere it's ſaid, they Rebelled, and vexed his Holy Spirit; and God is ſaid to be broken with an whoriſh heart; Acts 9.5.hence the Apoſtle exhorts, not to grieve the Holy Spirit: It is the hardeſt and painfulleſt work men can go about, to grieve God and his Church;Job. 15.26. it's worſe then to kick our naked Heel againſt the Pricks, it's to run againſt the thick boſſes of his Buckler,Job. 9.4.5, 6. none ever hardened himſelf againſt God and proſpered, for he ſhaketh the Earth out of its place, and the Pillars thereof tremble; our hearts cannot indure, nor our hands be ſtrong,Ezek. 22.14. if God contend with us; Shall we now provoke the Lord to Jealouſie? Are we ſtronger then he? 1 Cor. 10.22.That will put fear into the Nations, that they may know they are but men, Enoſh, weak ſickly mortal men;Gen. 35.5. God can put his Enemies in fear as he did the Shechemites, that they purſued not Jacob: God made a noiſe in the Ears of the Hoſt of the Syrians, 2 Kings 7 7.6.like the noiſe of a great Hoſt of Chariots and Horſes, which filled them with fear, ſo as they left their Tents, their Horſes, their Silver and Gold. Who will adventure to ſet the Briars and Thorns againſt God? he will go through them all, and burn them together. Wicked Men are compared to thorns,Iſaiah 27.4. He will take them away as with a Whirlwind, as living as wrath, ſo the Original.Pſal. 58.9.10, 11.
By way of Ʋſe. If Wicked men are troubleſom men, then we may be informed ſuch are Strangers to Goſpel Principles, to a Goſpel Spirit, and Goſpel Teachings;Rom. 12.14. for that teacheth to follow peace with all men, and holineſs, Mat. 7.12.to do by all men as we would they ſhould do to us; the Goſpel Spirit is full of meekneſs, quietneſs,Mat 18.3, 4. humility, like our Lord, who taught us that except we are Converted, and become as little Children, Luke 9.54, 55, 56.in peaceableneſs, humility, and without Revenge, we cannot enter into the Kingdom of God: Our Lord as readily reproved James and John, when he ſaw a hot ſpirit of Revenge in them againſt the Samaritans, in deſiring fire might come from Heaven to deſtroy them; but he turned and rebuked them, and ſaid, You know not what manner of ſpirits ye are of, for the Son of Man did not come to deſtroy mens lives, but to ſave them; our Lord doth exhort us to love our Enemies, bleſs them which Curſe us, do good to them which hate us, pray for them that deſpitefully uſe us and Perſecute us. Mat. 5.44.Now if this be the Doctrine of the Goſpel to Enemies, how much unlike a Goſpel Spirit are they which are ſo far from doing this for Enemies, they will not do it to their Friends, and quiet peaceable Neighbours; but on the contrary Perſecute them who make Conſcience to pray for them, becauſe our Lord Commands it. A Goſpel Spirit is a Cool Spirit, a perſecuting ſpirit is a hot ſpirit, which predominates in wicked men, and makes them troubleſom; as when fire is put into water, or water thrown on fire, it makes a hiſſing noiſe, becauſe of the Contrariety of their Nature; hence the word for a Perſecutor,foreign Dalak, ſignifieth he was hot, he purſued, he burned; the Goſpel teacheth us to be harmleſs as Doves, 2 Tim. 2.24.25. Mat. 10, 16.and ſuch a ſpirit there really is in all goſpellized ſouls: The Servant of the Lord muſt not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to Teach, patient, or forbearing, in meekneſs inſtructing thoſe which oppoſe themſelves.
Thus you ſee a perſecuting ſpirit is not of a Goſpel-complexion.
To Conclude, let the Reſhagnim, or wicked Ones, take theſe following Scriptures, as a glaſs to behold themſelves in.
Such ſhall be made to confeſs their wickedneſs in not ſetting Gods People at liberty to Worſhip him;Exod. 9.27. Chap. 5.1, 2, 3. Prov. 24.16. 1 Sam. 2.9. Pſal. 9.17. Pro. 3.33. Pſal. 9.16. Prov. 10.7.20. they ſhall fall into miſchief, and be ſilent in darkneſs, and turned into Hell, with the Nations which forget God. Gods Curſe is always in that mans houſe, and he is ſnared in the works of his own hands; his Name ſhall rot, and his Heart is little worth; God will ſearch out their wickedneſs till there be none;Pſal. 10.15. Malachi 4.1. Prov. 29.2. all of them ſhall be made as ſtuble; this is the portion of a wicked Man, and the heritage of Oppreſſors, which they ſhall receive from the Almighty;Job 27.13, 14, 15, 16, 17. if his Children be multiplyed, it is for the Sword, and his Off-Spring ſhall not be ſatisfied with Bread; thoſe that remain of him, ſhall be Buryed in Death, and his Widows ſhall not weep; though he heap up Silver as the duſt, and prepare Rayment as the Clay; he may prepare it, but the Juſt ſhall put it on, and the Innocent ſhall divide the Silver, &c.
Obſervation. 2. Some will never ceaſe troubling, until they Ceaſe Living. There the wicked ceaſe from troubling; as if the Spirit ſhould have ſaid, Then, and not till then, foreignwill many ceaſe from troubling; the Original Chadal, Rendered ceaſe, is ſometimes Tranſlated Leave, as Judges 9.9. Gen. 41.49. So wicked ones muſt leave, and give over their troubling the Lords Intereſt; the ſame word is rendered Fraile, Pſal. 39.4 Holy David he Prayes to know how Fraile, how ceaſing he was: Let me know, O Lord! how ſubject I am to Ceaſe and Dye, and come to nothing; ſo the ſame Man Prayes that Gods Enemies might know themſelves, to be what they are: Pſal. 9.20. Let them know themſelves to be but Men; foreignor Enoſh, the proper Name of Adams Nephew, Gen. 4. 26. which ſignifieth Sorrowful, and is Commonly given to Men, to ſignifie their Doleful State and Mortality: Hence Holy David admireth in Pſal. 8 5. God ſhould Confer ſuch Honour and Dignity upon Man; the word in the Original is Enoſh, which ſignifieth Poor, Sorry, Fraile, weakly, Mortal, Corrupt Man.
foreignThe word for Troubling, Ragas, is ſometimes Tranſlated Rage, 2 Kings 19.28. So that ungodly ones are Raging ones, eſpecially ſome of them againſt the Church of God; as once Paul, who himſelf Confeſſeth, being exceeding mad againſt them he; Perſecuted them even unto strange Cities; ſometimes Tranſlated to Vex, Pſal. 2, 5. There applied unto God, who will vex his and his Peoples Enemies, who do rage and ſet themſelves againſt the Lord and againſt his Anointed; the ſame word is rendered Trembling in Deut. 28.65. Pſal. 18.7. So that thoſe wicked Men Endeavour by their hard ſpeeches and cruel Actions, to make the Saints to tremble, as no doubt, but Paul did, when called Saul, in his unconverted State, Acts 26.11. When he Compelled them to Blaſpheme; but this is more then they can do to all, for ſome of the Lords Intereſt are as bold as a Lyon, and though a Converted Paul be informed of his being bound at Jeruſalem; he is not ſo much as moved at it. Its a Glorious Promiſe made to the Church. Pſal. 46. That when the waters roar and are troubled, and the Mountains ſhake with the ſwelling thereof, yet the Church ſhall not be moved, for God is her refuge: this is more then many wicked can ſay: How many trembling Hearts and Hands? How many Pale-Faces have the wicked had, when they have come to diſturb the Meetings of the Saints? How have ſome of our Ears heard ſome of them Complain of their work, and how full of horror they were in heart for it. There is a twofold ceaſing; Firſt, A Partial Ceaſing. Secondly, A Total. A Partial, as when God lay the Wicked Men upon Beds of Sickneſs, 1 Kings 13.4.that though they have a heart, affection, and Principle for Perſecution; yet they want ſtrength of Body: God he may ſtrike one lame in his Limbs,Acts 13.11. as he did Jeroboam, whoſe Arm was withered in being wickedly uſed againſt the Lords Prophet; another, God may ſtrike and ſmite with Blindneſs, as he did Elimas the Sorcerer for a ſeaſon,Gen. 19.10 11. who ſought to turn the Deputy from the Faith, and as he did the Sodomites, who preſs'd ſore upon Lot, but were ſmitten ſo blind that they wearied themſelves to find the Door; others God may ſtrike with fear and Terror in their Conſciences,Gen. 35.5. as he did the Shechemites, ſo as they purſued not after Jacob; he reſtraines the hot Rage of Men, he girds it, and binds it, as he did Eſau's againſt his Brother Jacob, and Labans alſo, who had a charge not to ſpeak Good or Bad unto him; moreover rather then fail, God can find other work for his Enemies, as he did for Saul and his Army,Pſal. 67.10. when they had incompaſs'd David; a Meſſenger comes and calls off Saul, for the Philiſtines had invaded the Land; 1 Sam. 23.25, 26, 27.upon which they made a retreat: He can ſet the Egyptians againſt the Egyptians, and one Enemy ſhall ſet on fire another, He can make the Hearts of the ſtrong to fail, and be as weak as Women, they ſhall be afraid becauſe of the ſhaking of the hand of the Lord;Iſaiah. 21. they ſhall Fight every one againſt his Brother, and City againſt City, and Kingdom againſt Kingdom;Chap. 26. He can make the Princes of Zoan Fools, the Counſel of the wiſe Counſellors made Bruitiſh, and this may be onelyonly for a time.
But Secondly, there is a Total Ceaſing of the wicked, and this is in a twofold way. First, by Converſion. Secondly, Diſſolution. Firſt, Converſion, when that is once wrought, the Spirit of Perſecution Expires; when Paul was unconverted, he was a great Perſecuter, but when he was Converted, he Preached the Faith which he once deſtroyed; Gal. 1.23, 24.and gave the Church Ground to Glorifie God on that account; from whence we may learn, no Perſecuter is a Converted Man,Gal. 1. nor no Converted Man is a Perſecuter: this was one of the Charges Paul brought againſt himſelf, and made him admire free Grace in calling him, and putting him into the Miniſtry; Who was before a Blaſphemer, 1 Tim. 1.12, 13.a Perſecuter, and Injurious, &c.
Secondly, The diſſolution of the Body brings in a Total Ceaſing of the wickeds troubling, then a Cains Enmity muſt ceaſe towards an Innocent Abel; and Joſephs Brethren then cannot Contrive againſt him any more, when a Pharaohs Chariot-wheels begins to fall off, and the Seas meet on him, he can no longer hinder the Lords People from his Worſhip, nor Impoſe hard tasks upon them:Dan. 5.5. when once the hand-Writing comes on the Wall, then a Belſhazzar muſt ceaſe from his Drinking, and quaffing in the Veſſ ls of the Temple; his Countenance will then change, his Thoughts trouble him, the Joynts of his Loines will be looſed, and his Knees ſmite one against another: When this War comenceth againſt a Nero and an Herod, then no more Pauls, nor John Baptists Heads can they take off, the latter to gratifie the Luſts of two ſorry Women, an Herodias and her Daughter. Though God be very long Suffering and Patient, yet ſometimes he is very ſpeedy and ſwift in his Judgments upon the Wicked; in Pſal. 58. Judgment is threatned and imprecated upon the violent ones: Let them melt away as Water which continually runneth; Let them melt as a Snail; and be as the untimely Birth of a Woman; before the Pots can feel the Thorns, he will take them away, both Living, and in his Wrath, and as a Whirld-Wind; how ſoon do Waters paſs away, a Snail melt, or an untimely Birth paſs away? How ſoon is a few dry Thorns under a Pot burnt, or a Whirl-wind paſs? All which ſheweth the ſpeedineſs and ſwitfneſs of Gods Judgments on the wicked; how ſoon was an Herod Eaten with Worms for his Pride and Cruelty? Belſhazzar was ſoon diſpacht after the Hand-Writing on the Wall: Julian the Apoſtate was quickly ſmote, and made to Confeſs, The Gallilean was too hard for him. Gods Judgments ſometimes are ſo Apparent and ſwift on the Ungodly, that a Man ſhall be forc'd to Confeſs, There is a God which Judgeth in the Earth, as well as a Reward, for the Righteous. God threatned Amalek of Old for the Malice againſt his People,Deſendo foreign Delebo foreignthat he would utterly put out their Remembrance from under Heaven; the Original is, in wiping away, I will wipe away; the ſame VVord is Applied to Gods ſweeping away the Old World, Gen. 7.23. And to Gods wiping away of Sin, Tranſlated Blotted, Iſai. 43.25. Thoſe which have the Spirit of Amalek, to trouble the Church of God, have worſe things threatened, for the Wicked and them which love Violence, God hateth; on ſuch he will Rain Snares, Fire, Pſal. 11.….and Brimſtone, and a Burning Tempeſt; this ſhall be the Portion of their Cup.
Obſervation 3. Many Wicked ones in troubling themſelves and others, are wearied in strength; The Original Coach, which is not in the Tranſlation,foreign only Noted in ſome Margents, ſignifieth Strength, Vertue, Power, Might, not only of Body, but alſo mind, in Wiſdom, Learning, Policy, ſo Honour and Eſtates; but properly the lively vigour and Native moiſture of the Body, whereby Men are made ſtrong, Joſhua 14.11. Pſal. 22 15. then there is another word joyned to it,foreign Iagang ſignifying Labour, ſo Tranſlated, Job. 9.29. Eccleſ. 10.15. It ſignifieth Toil, Turmoile, ſore Labour, of Body or mind, and conſequently fainting and wearineſs, as in the Text its oppoſs'd unto Reſt: Lam. 5.5. So that wicked Men are wearied in their greateſt ſtrength, through ſore Labouring and Tormoiling in it. Of ſuch People the Prophet Iſaiah ſpeaketh,Iſaiah 57.10. which were wearied in the greatneſs of their way, being great in Sin, or great in Strength, or Power; albeit they were weary, Yet they ſaid not, There is no Hope: Eccle. 4.1.We Read of ſome great in Power which Solomon mentioneth; I returned and Conſidered all the Oppreſſions which were under the Sun, and behold the Tears of ſuch as were Oppreſs'd, and they had no Comforter; and on the ſide of the Oppreſſors there was Power. In the Exerciſe of their Power they might, yea ſome many times do weary themſelves in Oppreſſing the Heritage of God: Job. 15.20.The Wicked, ſaith Job, Travelleth with pain all his Days; not only puting others to pain, but themſelves alſo,Jer. 9.5. as the Prophet Jeremiah ſaith of a People, They have wearied themſelves to commit Iniquity; Painful Iniquity! ſome weary themſelves with Lyes, truſting in a falſe God which cannot help, as Baals Worſhipers in Elijah's time,Iſai. 44.20. they Cryed, and waited, and cut themſelves with Knives and Lances, and no help came;1 Kings 18.28. Yet ſay they not, there is no Hope, nor, is there not a Lye in our Right Hand? Though they feed on Aſhes, and a deceitful Heart turneth them aſide:Iſai. 47.13. Some have been wearied in the multitudes of their Counſels, as Babilon of Old in contriving againſt Gods Intereſt, and to prevent Gods Judgments, but all was in vain: its ſaid in the ſame Chapter, God gave the People into their Enemies Hand, but they ſhewed them no Mercy: Ʋpon the Ancients haſt thou heavily laid the Yoke: (as now Men of threeſcore, fourſcore Years of Age, hurried to Priſon for nothing elſe but for Worſhiping their God; and how do many in the Exerciſe of their Power weary themſelves in contriving againſt the Innocent, in ſitting in Judgment againſt them,Acts 9.1, 2. from morning until nine or ten a Clok at night, and then hurry them to Priſon, Old and Young, Male and Female, Bond and Free, Poor and Rich; no doubt but Paul would have wearyed himſelf in his Journey from Jeruſalem to Damaſcus, and in bringing them again back bound unto Jeruſalem, from Damaſcus, had not God prevented him, by Converſion: How many have wearied themſelves to find out the places where Gods People Worſhip, and have been like the Men of Sodom, Gen. 19.11.who wearied themſelves to find Lots Door in their blindneſs? Others that have been wearyed in ſtrength, in breaking open the Doors of Gods People, and plundered their Houſes afterwards, ſome have been ſo weary in this work, that they have been ready to ſink in the place. And though the Head hath broken ſhort off from the helve of their ſledge; yet have not ſaid, There is no Hope, God we ſee is againſt us; but rather with Pharaoh, will ſeek to patch on his Charioth-wheels, when God takes them off; and as it was in literal Babylon, they laid their Idols upon their Beaſts, till they were weary; ſo the impoſing of Spiritual Babylon's Inventions on the People of God, makes them, or is deſign'd to make them weary, either in the Penalties inflicted upon them for Non-Obſerving them, or elſe to make them weary of the way and VVorſhip of God, Dan. 7.25.as Daniel hath it of a certain King that ſhall ſpeak great Words againſt the moſt High, and ſhall wear out the Saints of the moſt High, and ſhall think to change times and Laws. He ſhall Endeavour to wear them out, either to wear out their Bodies, or make them weary of their Country, or if poſſible their Religion; wicked Men weary themſelves ſometimes in one Sinful way, ſometimes in another, ſome in gaming, ſome in uncleaneſs, ſome in Drunkeneſs, ſome in Perſecuting, as its obſerved concerning Antiochus Epiphanus, that infamous troubler of the Church, that he undertook more Troubleſome Journeys, and went more hazardous deſigns, to trouble, Oppoſe and vex the Church of the Jews, then ever any of his predeceſſors about any other Conqueſt or Noble Enterprize, he went further to do miſchief, then ſome Saints to do good; and the ſtory is concluded with this general Truth, All ſuch Wicked ones go with more Trouble to Eternal Death, then the Saints to Eternal Life. Now this ariſeth from inconſiderateneſs,Prov. 7.22. Chap. 5.11, 12.13. they go on like an Ox to the Slaughter, and as a Fool to the Correction of th… ſtocks, till a Dart ſtrike through his Liver; as a Bird haſteth to the Snare, and knoweth it not that it is for Life: Then he Mourneth at the laſt, when his Fleſh and his Body is conſum'd, and ſays, How have I hated Inſtruction, and my Heart deſpiſed Reproof, and have not Obeyed the Voice of my Teachers, nor inclin'd mine Ear to them which inſtructed me? Then they will ſay as in the Apocripha, We Fools accounted his Life madneſs, Wiſd. 5.4.and his End to be without Honour; but how is he Numbred among the Children of God, and his Lot is among the Saints: then will they ſee that word fulfill'd in Habakkuk That they Habak. 2.13, 14.Labour'd in the Fire, and wearyed themſelves for very Vanity; for notwithſtanding all we have done, the Earth is filled with the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord, as the Waters cover the Sea; the Apoſtle Paul tells us that he was Injurious, and Perſecuted the Church of God, out of Ignorance, Agnoon, Ignorantly, this with the Seventy is the ſame with Aſham in the Hebrew which ſignifieth guilt, wickedneſs;foreign for Ignorance is an inlet to wickedneſs; but let all ſuch remember that Chriſt will take Vengeance by Flaming Fire, as well on them which are Ignorant, 2 Theſſa. 1.8.as on them which are Diſobedient; Pſal. 9.17.The Wicked ſhall be turned into Hell and all the Nations which forget God.
Obſervation 4.Job. 14.1. The most Rest that ever a Wicked man hath, will be in the Grave. All Mankind are born to Trouble as the Sparks flyeth upward, naturally; man is naturally born to trouble, but as he is a wicked man, is obnoxious to more, for not only while he is alive is he troubled and tormented in Conſcience, but after the Reſurrection will be tormented Soul and Body for ever. In the Grave his Body doth reſt,Pſal. 16.9. but it is not in hope as the Bodies of the Saints do, who have hope in their Death. By Reſt here, ſome underſtand it of the Saints, whom the wicked have troubled; but foraſmuch as the next verſe ſpeaketh of the reſt or ſleep of the Oppreſſed, we may well conclude its ſpoken of the Wicked; for their Bodies do reſt in the Grave alſo: as if the Spirit ſhould ſay, The wicked as long as they live, will never reſt, but be always troubling the Godly, they will never be quiet until I bring them to the Grave, but then they ſhall leave, and trouble mine no more, the Root Nuach, here rendred Reſt, foreignis ſometimes tranſlated for any thing accepted, as Gen. 8.21.Gen. 8.21. God ſmelled a ſweet ſmell in Noahs Sacrifice, or a ſavour of Reſt, as it was tipical of the Great Sacrifice, Chriſt our Paſsover, was ſacrificed for us, this God cannot ſmell in a wicked mans Death; But Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints: 1 Cor. 5.7.Its alſo taken for the Churches reſting from their Enemies, Eſther. 9.22. and for the Souls reſting in God, Pſal. 116.7. Return to thy R…ſt, Pſal. 116.15.O my Soul; its oppos'd to travel and labour, Exod. 23.12. Gen. 8.9. the Bodies of the Reſhagnim, The wicked one, ſhall rest in the grave, and be quiet; but how? as an inſenſible hardened Malefactor, which is bound in Chains, and ſecur'd for Judgment and condemnation: and foraſmuch as mans Soul is immortal, it muſt have a being, and a place after it is parted from the Body; and to imagine a wicked mans Soul to be then without any ſenſe of torment, is to be in a better caſe then it was in the World, for now and then he had as it were an Hell within him; and every where the Scriptures of truth Repreſents a wicked man after the Death of the Body in a far worſe condition then when alive,Luke. 16. and a good mans far better; and that the Souls of Juſt men are in glory, is undeniable, from the firſt of Col…ſſians, verſe 20th. And having made peace through the Blood of his Croſs, by him to Reconcile all things unto himſelf, by him I ſay, whether th…y be things in Earth, or things in Heaven; Mark, it ſeems there are ſome things in Heaven Reconciled by the Blood of Chriſt;Luke 23.43. now what can or may thoſe things be; it cannot be the good Angels there, for they never fell, ſo needed not to be Redeemed, however they may be Eſtabliſhed; What then can it be in Heaven Redeemed by Chriſts Blood?Acts 7.59. Truly nothing elſe but the Souls of Believers: If then their Souls be in Heaven, while their Bodies are in the Grave, it cannot be rationally ſuppoſed,Mat. 10.28. being Immortal Subſtances, that they can be without ſome feeling; if ſome feeling, it cannot be of Miſery, none ſuppoſe that in Heaven; then it muſt be capable of ſome Joy and Bleſſedneſs: from the ſame Purity of Reaſon the Souls of the wicked muſt be in ſome Miſery, and far Separated from that place of Joy, and under ſome Impreſſions of Gods wrath, though not to the full, as it ſhall when Soul and Body is Re-united; as a Malefactor, when Apprehended, Impriſoned, Fettered, and put in ſome dark Dungeon; this is a part of his Puniſhment, though not as yet tryed, judged, Condemned, nor Executed,Eccle. 12.7. only he may have been carryed before ſome Judge or Juſtice, as the Souls of all men return to God at Death,Mat. 25.46. and the wicked receive a Sentence of Commitment to Priſon, to be bound in Fetters and Chains, and put in ſome dark Dungeon, untill his great and Final Tryal and Judgment for Life or Death Eternal.
Obſervation 5. Death and the Grave puts an End to all Oppreſſions They hear not the Voice of the Oppreſſ…r: Mat. 5.27.There is Oppreſſion in Voice and Oppreſſion in Intention, and Oppreſſion in Act; Oppreſſion in Intention and Purpoſe, is accounted ſo by God; as well as Adultery, though never Acted; as a good Mans Intentions, though many times never come into Act, is accepted: It was well, God told Dav…d, 1 Kings 19.2.it was in his Heart to Build h…m a Temple; ſo Jezabels Intention to deſtroy Elijah, ſhall be accounted one day as if it had been done Actually.
The word for Oppreſſion, Nagas, foreignis ſometimes rendred Taſkmasters, as in Exod. 2.7. Arias Montanus ſaith, Exactors, it ſignifieth in a ſpecial uſe one which Exacteth or Extorteth Money or Tribute, to the grievance of a Perſon, 2 Kings 23.35. in the 10. Zachariah 4. Its rendered an Oppreſſor, ſo Chap. 9.8. No Oppreſſor ſhall paſs through the Land any more; Its ſo uſed becauſe thoſe Exactors many times impoſe againſt Right and Equity Mulcts and Fines upon the Subjects; as to be ſin'd for Worſhiping God according to the light of our Conſcience, which is Conſiſtent to a Peaceable and quiet Living in the Land, this is Oppreſſion and Sinful Exaction, and againſt the very light of Nature; for no man that owns a God,Exod. 33.9. and that he ought to be Worſhipped, would be done ſo by: God prohibited Iſrael from Oppreſſing a ſtranger, then to Oppreſs a Native, a Contry-man, a Subject, yea quiet and Peaceable Subjects,Iſai. 5.7. is far worſe. May not God Expect, in a Land of Goſpel-Light, Judgment and Juſtice? But if inſtead thereof, there ſhould be a Cry, yea, a great Cry of Oppreſſion, how ſad is this? For thoſe Cries to Enter into the Ears of the Lord of Sabbaoths; James 5.7.or Lord of Hoſts. Let the Oppreſſor look into theſe Scriptures, as into a Glaſs, to prevent the Sin of Oppreſſion for the time to come.
Iſa. 30.12.Wherefore thus ſaith the Lord, becauſe ye deſpiſe this Word, and trust in Oppreſſion, and perverſneſs, and ſtay there, therefore this Iniquity ſhall be to you as a breach ready to fall, ſwelling out in a high Wall, whoſe breaking cometh ſuddenly, on an Inſtant: O how many do truſt to nothing elſe but Oppreſſion,Pſal. 62.10. and the ruining of honeſt Families, contrary to that Prohibition, Truſt not in Oppreſſion.
Iſai. 49.26.Such ſhall be fed with their own Fleſh, and made drunk with their own Blood, as with ſweet wine: Zeph. 3.1.Moreover a Woe is denounced againſt the Oppreſſing City;Pſal. 72.1. yea, Chriſt ſhall break in pieces the Oppreſſor,Iſa. 14.2. in pleading the poors cauſe; They ſhall take them Captiv…s whoſe Captives they were, and they ſhall Rule over their Oppreſſors Let theſe following Scriptures be as a Comfortable Cordial to all the Oppreſſed in this day of Jacob's Trouble.Pſal. 9.9.
God will be a Refuge for the Oppreſſed; yea, 103.6.the Lord will exerciſe Righteouſneſs and Judgment for all ſuch: 12.5.For the oppreſſion of the Poor, and ſighing of the Needy, Job. 3.18.now will I ariſe ſaith the Lord, Iſa. 14.4.and ſet him in ſafety from him which puffeth at him. Iſa. 14.4.The time is coming God hath promiſed we ſhall no more hear the voice of the Oppreſſor:51.13.16.4. Then ſhalt thou take up this Parable againſt the King of Babylon, Pſal. 146.7.How hath the Oppreſſor (or Exactor of Gold) Ceaſed? And where is the fury of the Oppreſſor? They are Conſumed out of the Land. God Executeth Judgment for the Oppreſſed, and giveth food to the hungry; the Lord looſeth the Priſoners.
6. Obſervation, An Arreſt by death, bringeth Reſt to Priſoners, There the Priſoners Rest together: That all muſt die, is the Statute-Law of Heaven; it was threatned on Adam, Heb. 9.27.and all his Poſterity,Gen. 2.17. That in the day he did eat of the forbidden fruit, he ſhould ſurely dye; or as the Original, in dying thou ſhalt dye, certainly, and all thy Off-ſpring, for thou art a publick head; I ſpoke in Truth, if thou eateſt, thou dyeſt; and as thou ſhalt certainly die, ſo thou ſhalt die perfectly, Soul and Body, as Austin ſaith, as the Separation of the Soul from the Body is a natural death,Eph. 2.1, 2. ſo the Separation of the Soul from God is a Spiritual; hence all men by Nature are ſaid to be dead in Treſpaſſes and Sins, Chap. 2.17, 19.and to be without God in the World; yea, Strangers and Forreigners, in reſpect of any ſaving Spiritual Acquaintance. Moreover thou ſhalt die, or be in a dying condition, as ſoon as thou doſt eat of the fruit, ſubject to ſickneſs, weakneſs, Corruption, Pain, and Death; yea, thou and all thy Poſterity muſt die Eternally, except Grace prevent; for as man hath an Immortal Soul, if he by Sin brings a ſpiritual death on the Soul, and ſeparate it from God, it muſt for ever remain under Wrath,1 Theſ. 1.10. and at a diſtance from him unleſs he bring it near by the Blood of his Son,Gen. 3.15. and this God did promiſe after the Fall; the Meſſias, that is, the ſeed of the woman, ſhould break the Serpents head; take away his power which he had by the Fall over Adam, and his Poſterity; ſo that now through Chriſt, death is no loſs but a gain to Believers. Ye Believing Priſoners,foreign the word which we tranſlate Priſoner, Aſar, ſignifieth one bound and faſtened, confin'd, Numb. 30.3. there it refers to a being bound by a Vow, Job. 12.18. He looſeth the Bonds of Kings, &c. it's taken for that binding which is an act of coercive Authority, Gen. 40.3.42.17, 19, 24. Numb. 15.34. Levit. 24.12. Death and the Grave will put an end to all Oppreſſions, and uſher the Body into Reſt; the Bodies of all, bad Priſoners, as well as good, ſhall hear the Voice of the Oppreſſor no more, we ſhall know no more Apprehendings, under the power of no more Witneſſes, nor hear no more of, Take him Jaylor, keep him until he be cleared by due courſe of Law; we ſhall have no more Bolts nor Bars then on us, no more looking for the Keeper then, nor ſpeaking to Friends through Iron-grates; death is a debt we owe, and when that is paid, we ſhall receive an acquittance, a Quietus eſt; many Captives and Priſoners will have little Reſt until they go to their Grave; ſome of Chriſts Priſoners have ſpent the ſeventh part of their time, ſome the ſixth in Priſon; the word Iaſhan, foreigntranſlated Reſt here in the Text, properly ſignifieth Sleep; in many places the word is ſo uſed, as Pſal. 3.5. In Ezek. 34.25. we find it metaphorically taken, and uſed to ſet forth the Reſt the Church ſhould have from their Oppreſſors; it's tranſlated Reſt in the Text, ſignifying that as we have Reſt in Sleep, being then out of all ſence of care, trouble, pain, and all manner of diſtraction, ſo in like manner ſhall we be in the Grave.
There are ſeveral ſorts of Priſoners; there are ſome juſtly ſo, 1 Tim. 1 9, 10. Knowing this, that the Law is not made for a Righteous man, but for the Lawleſs and diſobedient, for the ungodly and ſinners, for unholy and prophane, for Murderers of Fathers, and Murtherers of Mothers, for Man-Slayers, for Whoremongers, for them which defile themſelves with Mankind, for Men-ſtealers, for Lyars, for perjured perſons, and if there be any other thing contrary to Sound D…ctrine. Secondly, there are Spiritual Priſoners, ſuch as are in the Bonds, Fetters, Iron-Chains, and Priſon of Sin, which Chriſt hath promiſed to ſet free by the Preaching of the Goſpel. Thirdly, there are Priſoners for Chriſts ſake;Iſa. 61.1. hence ſaith the Apoſtle, Eph. 3.1. For this cauſe I Paul, the Priſoner of the Lord, for you Gentiles, chap. 4.1. I therefore the Priſoner of the Lord, (or in the Lord) beſeech you that ye walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith you are called; Therefore we are not to think ſtrange of a Priſon, we are not the firſt depriv'd of Liberty, air, mercies purchaſed by the Blood of Chriſt, and no doubt but an account muſt be given for depriving the Lords Intereſt of theſe mercies without juſt cauſe; ſhould we be hindred of what is our Right by purchaſe, we ſhould think it hard, unjuſt, yea, unmerciful, but we are not alone; Joſeph was in Priſon for as little cauſe, and his feet was hurt with Fetters, and his Soul,Pſal. 105.18. as the Hebrew is, came into Irons; Sampſon was made to grind in a Priſon;Judg. 16.21. and ſaith Ahab, of the good Prophet Micaiah, Put this Fellow in Priſon, 1 Kings 22.27.and feed him with the Bread of Affliction, and water of affliction, until I come in Peace; which indeed never was, for a certain man drew a bow at a venture the Original is,Jer. 37.16. in his Simplicity, and God directed the Arrow, for it ſmote Ahab between the Joynts and Harneſs or Breſt-plate,chap. 38.6. which was what the Prophet Propheſied of: Good Jeremiah is not without his ſhare, for he was put into the Cells or Cabines, and let down with Cords into a dark dungeon, where was no water, but mire, wherein the Prophet ſunk. So John Baptiſt, becauſe he Reproved Herod for Inceſt,Mark 6.22. in Marrying his Brother Philiphs Wife, was Beheaded in Priſon, without any cauſe aſſign'd, any Witneſs Judge or Juries,Acts 16.23, 24. and all for to ſatisfie the Luſt of a vain woman or two. So Paul and Silas was put into the Inner Priſon, and their feet made faſt in the ſtocks, Peter was bound in Priſon, bound with two Chains, but Prayer was made by the Church for him;chap. 12.6.5, 18. which proved his deliverance; and the Apoſtles were put in the Common Priſon among the Abjects; yea many of the Saints were ſhut up in Priſon, probably very cloſe Priſoners they were,chap. 26.10. and could not ſee their neareſt Relations; ſhall we think a Priſon much, when our Lord and Saviour was taken from Priſon, and from Judgment, in whom was no guile found.
'Tis neceſſary that we treat a little of Priſon-Comforts, as well as Priſon Confinement;Iſa. 53. how much of the Preſence of Chriſt have they had to inable them to bear the Croſs quietly, patiently, contentedly,Jer. 31.18. not like a Bullock unaccuſtomed to the Yoke, and though ſome cannot boaſt of Raptures and Extaſies, yet they have cauſe to bleſs God for making good that promiſe to them, John 16. ult. That as in the world they have Tribulation, ſo in Christ Peace; as that good man the laſt that died in Priſon, upon a queſtion I asked him on his Death-bed, what experience he had of Goſpel Peace, made this anſwer, My way is plain, and Evidences clear; but the former, on his Death-bed, had a ſentence which ſavoured ſomething of a Rapture or Extaſie: ſaith he,Habak. 3.16 The Prophet Habakkuks belly trembled, and his lips quivered in the thoughts and hearing of the Approaching Judgments which were coming on the Church of the Jews: but ſaith he, my belly trembles, and my lips quiver in the thoughts of the Approaching Glory that will be upon the Church of God. Though others dare not pretend ſo much to a being in the Mount of Raptures; yet they may bleſs God for Contentedneſs in their Condition, though limited to one Room, which was our Kitchin, our Cellar, our Lodging-Room, our Parlour, yet through Grace had as much peace and ſatisfaction, as when we could walk in our houſes, from one Room to another, from thence into the Garden,Deut. 33.25. from thence into more open air, and go from houſe to houſe to viſit friends. Bleſſed be God we have bread for the day; as the day ſo our ſtrength hath been; God is as good in Priſon as out: we are content to be where our Father will have us be, for that place is beſt. If God will by his Providence open a door for Liberty, that is beſt,Phil. 4.11. if God will ſhut the door, that's beſt; I have learned ſaith the Apoſtle Paul, in every State to be Contented: Beloved, it is one thing to Read the Promiſes, another thing to truſt upon God by them, and experience the truth of them; ſome can ſay, As we have heard, ſo have we ſeen in the City of our God. The Promiſes God hath made to Priſoners,Pſal. 69.13. the conſideration of them are Comfortable; God will not deſpiſe his Priſoners; though men may, and do, yet God will honour them which honour him; the Sighs of the Priſoners ſhall be heard,John 12.26. and God will ariſe to ſet him at liberty, from him which puffeth at him; let men and Devils do their worſt,Pſal. 12.5. God will in his own time looſe the Priſoners. Gods Church of old was in Egypt four hundred and thirty years, 'tis ſaid they came out the very ſame day,Exod. 12.12. yea, the very night, according to Gods Determination, a night to be obſerved unto the Lord, ſaith the word. We ſhall none of us ſtay a night beyond Gods Determination; rather than we ſhall ſtay longer, God will work a Miracle for his,Acts 12.5. chap. 16. as of old for Paul and Silas, and Peter, who made all the Priſon doors fly open, and every mans Bands were looſed, yea, God can make our very Priſon-Keepers, to come to us trembling, and fall down, and cry out, Sirs, what muſt I do to be ſaved? our God whom we ſerve is able to do this, and much more; and he can, as of old, make his people grow ſo much the more as their afflictions abound, thinking people will conclude they muſt needs be the Lords, that ſuffer patiently under ſuch apparent wrong.
Again, let us bleſs God, though we are in the Priſon of man, yet that we are delivered from the Spiritual Priſon of Sin and Satan, into the glorious liberty of the Children of God, and out of the Kingdom of darkneſs into the glorious light of the Goſpel;Coloſ. 1.13. there is no ſuch Priſon as for a man to be bound and fettered by his Luſts and Corruptions, that ſtirs not a foot further then his Corrupt Affections ſuffer him; a man in liberty, in honour,Zach. 9.11. may be in worſe Bonds then a Bodily Confinement; lets bleſs God for bringing us out of this Pit by the Blood of the Covenant, this was the great end of Chriſts coming into the world, and of his Divine Unction to Preach good tidings unto the meek, to bind up the broken-hearted,Iſa. 61.1. to proclaim Liberty to the Captives,chap. 49.24, 25. and the opening of the Priſon to them which are bound; the Prey ſhall be taken from the mighty, and the lawful Captive delivered; or as the Original, the Captivity of the Juſt; the Captives of the Mighty ſhall be taken away, and the Prey of the Terrible ſhall be delivered: thoſe that were under the power of Satan, that Roaring Lyon, that great Red Dragon, ſhall be Reſcued;Eph. 4.8. for Chriſt hath led Captivity Captive,Col. 2.15. Satan and all Evil Angels, Principalities and Powers, the Rulers of the darkneſs of this world, and made a ſhew of it openly in his his glorious Reſurrection and Aſcenſion, ſo that now he having obtained the Conqueſt over Satan, Sin, the Grave, he will ſay to the Priſoners,Iſa. 49.9. Go forth, and to them which are in darkneſs, Pſal. 1.7.Shew your ſelves: he hath broken the Gates of braſs, and cut the Bars of Iron in ſunder; the darkneſs of a Material Priſon is nothing to the darkneſs of a Spiritual one; Material Chains to Spiritual Chains; deprivation of the Bodies Liberty is not to be compared to the Souls being ſhut up from God,Pſal. 16.11. this is far worſe then to be ſhut up from friends, being delivered from Spiritual Bonds: We may have Liberty in Bonds, light in Darkneſs, Peace in Trouble; Communion with God by the Spirit is a good Cordial to keep up the heart from fainting in this valley of tears, until we come to our Mount of Joy, where there is no limits of Joy and Bleſſedneſs; as the greateſt Comforts and Eſtates of the greateſt Monarchs here are; there's no mixture as in this world: Gods Providential Dealings with his people in this world, is like Chequer-work, there is the dark, as well as the light ſide of Providence, the moſt Refin'd and beſt State and Condition of the beſt Saints are mixed here, if we have ſome peace, we have ſome trouble; if we have large Comforts one day, we may expect a great degree of trouble another; leaſt we ſhould be exalted above meaſure, we muſt have a thorn in the fleſh now and then; but in Heaven there is no mixture,2 Cor. 12.7. for there is all light without darkneſs, all life without death, all Riches without Poverty, all Content without the leaſt Diſſatisfaction; becauſe we ſhall then praiſe and love God in ſo perfect a manner,Pſal. 17.15. as God will not demand more perfect Obedience then they will give, nor themſelves deſire to bleſs God better then they ſhall, for that were to ſuppoſe a kind of diſſatisfaction in Heaven; which is contrary to Holy Davids word, Then ſhall I be ſatisfied when I awake with thy likeneſs; are we ſenſible of Gods free grace to our Souls here, in delivering us from Spiritual Bonds? that is an infallible ſign we ſhall admire free grace hereafter in the glorious Liberty of the Children of God, and ſhall be among that Multitude in Revelations 7.9, 10. which none could number of all Kindreds, Nations, People and Tongues, that ſtood before the Throne and before the Lamb, cloathed with white Robes, and Palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, Salvation to our God, which ſitteth on the Throne, and to the Lamb.
Again, This may be a Ground of Lamentation for the Church of God, that his Ambaſſadors which did uſe to bring us glad tidings of Salvation,2 Cor. 5.20. are not only ſhut up in Material Priſons for a time, the Priſons of men, but ſome of them are lodged in the Grave, and their mouths totally ſtopt, ſo as we ſhall not hear them ſound the Goſpel Trumpet any more. It's ſometimes a ſign of anger when the King calls home his Ambaſſadors; the Apoſtle ſaith in 1 Cor. 4.1. Let a man ſo account of us as the Miniſters of Chriſt; foreignƲperetes, Miniſters, the word imports labour, painful labour, and ſignifieth an Under-Rower, Gods Miniſters are thus called,1 Cor. 4.15. becauſe under Chriſt the chief Maſter, they do help forward the Ship of the Church toward the Haven of Heaven, through the many Rocks and Sands, Storms and Tempeſts, Temptations and Perſecutions which they meet withal: they are called Fathers, which ſignifieth inſtrumentally their begetting Souls to God, they are called Biſhops or Overſeers, this charge hath its name, Pakad in the Hebrew,foreign Phil. 1.1. foreign Heb. 13.17. from viſiting; and in the Greek EPISKOPƲS, from Over-ſeeing, Applied to any which hath a charge Civil or Eccleſiaſtical, and they are ſo called of their watchfulneſs, care and labour for the good of his people; for they watch for their Souls, as they that muſt give an account, that they may do it with Joy and not with grief. Again, they are called Paſtors POIMƲN, this is taken from Shepherds,foreign and applied to Teachers, Mat. 9.36. to Chriſt the good Shepherd, John 10.11, 14, the great Shepherd,foreign ARCHIPOIMƲN, 1 Pet. 5.4. theſe are ſome of his honourable Titles, this ſame word is applied to Kings, as in Mat. 2.6. Rev. 27.7, 19.15 but a word of a double ſignification is to be underſtood according to the ſubject matter ſpoken of, taken in Mat. 2.6. for Ruling as a King, but in Acts 20.28. for feeding as a Shepherd, Feed the Flock of God, over which the Holy Ghoſt hath made you Over-ſeers. Is not there cauſe of mourning when God taketh away our Fathers which begat us, our Ambaſſadors, which brings glad tidings and good news of Reconciliation and Salvation by the death of the Son of God, yea, our Miniſters, which conducts, guides, and Rowes the Ship of the Church as it were under Chriſt to Heaven? Yea, to loſe our Paſtors and Shepherds which did uſe to feed our Souls, this muſt needs be ground of mourning: the Jews had their ſigns of ſorrow upon the death of friends, they Rent their Cloaths,Deut. 14.…. they cut and prickt and made themſelves bald, by plucking, ſhaving; they went bare-footed and bare-headed, and caſt duſt upon their heads, alſo covered their Lip by caſting the Lap of their Cloke over it,Micah 3.7. they uſed Miniſtrils, who with ſad tunes inclin'd the people to mourn, they had alſo mourning women, who were skilful for Lamentation; now it's no matter for thoſe outward ſigns,Mat. 9.23. if we are but truly affected with the hand of God; our loſs is a Spiritual Soul-loſs, our mourning ſhould be ſuitable to our loſs. God complains that his diſpenſation of this nature was not conſidered, Iſa. 57.1. The Righteous periſheth, and no man layeth it to heart, it ſeems God would have ſuch things laid to heart by thoſe which are alive, and there is reaſon for it, if we conſider the latter part of the words, none conſidering the Righteous are taken from the Evil to come, or, from that which is Evil; the death of good men ſeems to be a forerunner of ſome Judgment, therefore God would have us to lay ſuch things to heart: Shall a Moſes and a Joſeph die, and ſhall we not mourn, but give God cauſe to ſay of us, as of old, The Righteous periſheth, and no man layeth it to heart? God forbid.
A Word of Conſolation. The time is a coming when the Priſoners of Chriſt ſhall have true Reſt, and no more hear the Voice of the Oppreſſor; though now it may be ſaid of the Lords Intereſt, as the Prophet Iſaiah once ſaid of Gods Heritage,Iſaiah 42.22. This is a People Robbed and Spoiled, they are all of them ſnared in Holes, and they are hid in Priſon-Houſes; they are for a Prey, and none delivereth; for a ſpoil, and none ſaith, Restore. But this ſhall ceaſe and be over,1 Sam. 28.14. the Priſoners ſhall in Gods time reſt together, and then Men or Devils cannot diſturb them, when once in the Grave. From hence we may learn that could not be the Real body of Samuel which the Witch of Endor brought up before Saul; for firſt its very Improbable that God who had denyed to Anſwer Saul by Ordinary meanes, ſhould now Anſwer by Extraordinary: Secondly,Rev. 14.13. no Witch or Devil can diſturb their Bodies or Souls which Dye in the Lord: Becauſe they Reſt from their Labours, as ſaith the Spirit: Thirdly, had this been Samuel which had been Raiſed, no doubt but he would have Reproved Saul for Conſulting with a Witch. This Reſt in the grave, is a Fore-runner of Eternal Reſt in the Saints union of Soul and Body with God.
Its with a godly Man in this Troubleſome and uneaſie VVorld, as it was with the Dove, who could find no Reſt for the Soul of her foot, becauſe of the ſwelling Waters of affliction; what from Sin and hot burning Perſecuters, in dwelling Luſts and Corruptions,Rom. 7.24. which made Holy Paul Cry out, O Wretched Man that I am! and elſewhere ſaith, We that are in this Tabernacle, do Groan, b…ing Burdened: Add unto all thoſe the accuſations of an accuſing tempting Devil;2 Cor. 5.2. and its no wonder a believer hath little Reſt in this VVorld; if Satan will accuſe God to Man, as he did God to Adam, Gen. 3.in telling him God forbids him Eating of the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil for his hurt, to keep him in Ignorance, for if he would but Eat, he would be as a God, knowing Good and Evil; ſo alſo he accuſeth Man to God; ſo he did Job in repreſenting him as an Hypocrite: Hence he is called Satan, foreignwhich ſignifieth an Adverſary, an accuſing Adverſary, as Pſal. 109.20. when this Name is Applied as an Adverſary to Gods People, it uſually meaneth the Devil, as Job. 1.6. Mat. 4. but being ſpoken of an Adverſary to the Wicked, and defender of the Church, its Applyed to a g…od Angel, as Numb. 22.22. The LXX uſually Render it Diabolos, foreignwhich ſignifieth an accuſer; ſo Job. 1.6. the Septuagint there, Render it ſo; Satan is the great Accuſer and Callumniator of the People of God, and all that uſe this Diabolical work are called by this Diabolical Name, 1 Tim. 3.11. Women, ſaith the Apoſtle, muſt not be Slanderous, Diabolos, not falſe Accuſers; this great Adverſary doth not a little break the Peace of Gods People, but the time is haſtening they ſhall all reſt in their Beds,Iſaiah 57.2. each man which hath walked in his uprightneſs, and after the Reſurrection comes the day of Jubile: in the Jubile of old, upon the ſound of the Trumpet, they were every man to return to their Poſſeſſions; ſo when the great Trumpet ſhall ſound, and the Dead in Chriſt Riſe firſt, we ſhall take Poſſeſſion of our Eternal Inheritance, which Chriſt is gone to prepare and ſecure for us: this Jubile was to return of old, but once in fifty years, but in Heaven in glory, it's all Jubile; in this year of Jubile, the Jews were not to Sow nor Reap, but it was to be a year of Reſt unto them: O! when we enter upon our ſpiritual one, all our labouring under Sin, Suffering, Satanical Temptations, will have an end, and we ſhall Reſt from our Labours. This Temporary Jubile continued but a year, and then to their Toyl and labour again; Oh but the Spiritual Jubile will be an Everlaſting Eternal one,Heb. 4.9. that Reſt which remains for the people of God will know no end: God promiſed Iſrael of old, when they were got over Jordan, he would give them Reſt from all their Enemies; ſo when we are got well through the Wilderneſs, and ſafely carried through Jordans Swellings, we ſhall come to the good Land and be at Reſt, where the Inhabitants ſhall no more ſay, Iſai. 33.24.I am Sick, for all Tears ſhall be wiped away from our Ey…s, and we ſhall ſorrow no more, becauſe Sin no more, Iſrael of Old thought it a great Mercy to be quiet and at Reſt from their Enemies forty Years,Rev. 7.17. but what is that to Eternity? To Conclude, let us all take the Counſel of the Apoſtle Paul to the Theſſalonians, after he had been telling them of the Reſurrection of the Saints, and that they ſhould Riſe firſt,1 Theſſ. 4.16, 17.18. alſo informing them of the coming of our Lord Chriſt, and that when he comes we ſhall all be caught up in the Clouds, to meet the Lord in the Air, and ſo be ever with the Lord, now what is his Exhortation and Concluſion? Comfort one another with theſe Words. While Sin, Satan, and an Unkind World is Diſcomforting you, do you in a lively Hope of the Reſurrection of the Body, the coming of Chriſt, your Meeting of him, and continuing with him, cheer up and Comfort one another with theſe things.
Reader,
I will here adjoyn an Elegy on the Deaths of Mr. Bampfield and Mr. Ralphſon, which (for the Subſt…ce of it) was first compos'd by a Friend of Mr. Ralphſons, deſign'd on him alone; but foraſmuch as the preceding Diſcourſe was occaſion'd from both their Deaths, I have put it into that Order as the whole Elegy may be applicable to both, in all Reſpects; Firſt, As they were Ministers of Chriſt. Secondly, As they were Sufferers for Chriſt. Thirdly, As to their Zeal againſt Anti-Chriſt. Fourthly, In Reſpect of their longing for Sions Welfare, and their mourning under Sions Calamities. Fifthly, In Reſpect of Soul-ſeedings, and Soul-ſupportings, by all the ways and means they were capable of in their Confin'd Eſtate.