Two Treatises, Chapter
PROPOSITION VI.
That none but God's own People are taken into these Chambers of Security, or can expect his special Protection in Evil Times.
SECT. I.
THis Proposition describes and clears the qualified subject of this Priviledge. God's own People, and none but such can warrantably claim special protection in evil times, and this is consonant to the current account of Scripture, Isa. 3. 10, 11. Say ye unto the righteous, it shall be well with him. Wo to the wicked, it shall be ill with him. He speaks concerning the day of Ierusalem's ruin, and Iudah's fall, as appears, ver. 8. So great a difference will God make even in this world, betwixt the righteous, and the wicked. In Nah. 1. you have also a terrible day described, wherein Bashan, Carmel, and Lebanon, the most pleasant and fruitful places of the land shall languish. ver. 4. The mountains shall quake, the hills melt, the earth, and those that dwell therein burnt up. ver. 5. The indignation and fury of God poured out like fire. v. 6. The priviledged people in this terrible day are God's own people, they only are taken into security. ver. 7. The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him, i. e. he so knoweth them, as to care and provide for them in that evil day, and so throughout the whole Scripture, you shall find the Promises of protection still made to the people of God. When the Chaldean Army, like a devouring fire, was ready to seize upon the Land, the sinners in Sion were afraid, fearfulness surprised the hypocrites, for who among us (say they) shall dwell with devouring fire, and everlasting burning. Yes, saith God, some there are that shall abide that day, viz. He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he shall dwell on high, his place of defence shall be the munition of rocks. i. e. God will be a sanctuary to them, when others shall be as stubble before the flames, Isa. 33. 14, 15, 16.
But for the right stating of this Proposition, three things must be heedfully adverted.
1. That all good men are not always exempted from the stroke of outward Calamities; in that sense the righteous may perish, and merciful men be taken away, yea, they may perish in love, and be taken away in mercy from the evil to come, Isa. 57. 1. 2. Mica. 7. 1, 2.
2. That all wicked men are not all always exposed to external miseries, but a just man may perish in his righteousness, and a wicked man prolong his life in his wickedness, Eccles. 7. 15.
3. But in this sense, we are to understand the Proposition, That none, but the people of God, have right, by promise, to his special protections in evil days, and that all such shall either be preserved from the stroke of calamities, or from the deadly sting, namely Eternal Ruin, by them; though they should fall by the hands of enemies, yet they die, as Iosiah did, in peace, 2 King. 22. 19, 20. If they be taken away, it is but out of the way of greater mischiefs; death doth but lay the Saints in their beds of rest, when it hurries away others into everlasting miseries: if they be not excused from troubles, yet their troubles are sure to be sanctified to their eternal good, Rom. 8. 28. And the Lord will be with them in their troubles, Psal. 91. 15. Isa. 41. 10.
Two things remain to be considered, before we finish this last Proposition: viz.
1. Who the People of God are?
2. Why this Priviledge is peculiar to them?
1. Who are the People of God? The Scripture describes them two ways; Negatively, and Positively; Negatively, in opposition to those who are not the people of God, but are (1.) the servants of sin, obeying it in the lust of it, which the people of God neither are, nor dare to do, Rom. 6. 11, 12. &c. (2.) The men of this world, who have the portion in this life, savouring, and minding the things of the world only, whereas the people of God are called out of the world, Ioh. 17. 16. and principally study, and labour after the higher concernments of the world to come, Rom. 8. 5. (3.) The vassals of Satan doing his lust, and in subjection to his power, Acts 26. 18. Ephes. 2. 2. from which bondage the people of God are made free. (4.) Nor yet are they their own, living wholly to themselves, and seeking only their own ends, as others do, 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20. These, all these are not the people of God▪ God will not own them for such; they but deceive themselves in thinking, and calling themselves so: but then Positively. They are (1.) a people regenerated, and born again, Ioh. 1. 13. Their regeneration gives them both the essence and denomination of the people of God: it is as impossible to be the children of God, without regeneration, as it is to be the children of men without generation. (2.) They are a people in covenant with God, Ezek. 16. 8. I entered into a covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine. For in this Covenant they give themselves to the Lord, 2 Cor. 8. 5. They avouch the Lord to be their God, and make over themselves to him to be his people, Ier. 31. 33. devoting unto God all that they are, their souls, and bodies, with every faculty and member inclusively, Rom. 12. 1. Luk. 10. 27. All that they have, Rom. 11. 36. all is dedicated, and devoted to the Lords use and service, and these only are the people of God.
2. The last thing to be cleared is, Why the people of God, and none beside them, have this peculiar priviledge of an hiding place in the day of trouble; and the grounds of it are:
1. Because they only have special interest in God, and propriety is the ground on which they claim and expect protection, I am thine, save me, Ps. 119. 94 Upon this very ground it was, that David encouraged himself in one of his greatest plunges, and distresses of his whole life, 1 Sam. 30. 6. But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
2. The people of God only are at peace with God; and where there is no peace, there can be no protection: the Harbours and Garrisons of one Kingdom never receive into their Protection, the Subjects of another Kingdom, that are in open Hostility against them. Now there is open War betwixt God, and the wicked, Psal. 7. 11. Zech. 11. 8. Till they have peace with God, they can claim no protection from God.
3. The promises of protection are made only to Gods people, and where there is no promise, there can be no warrantably claim to protection, 2 Cor. 1. 20. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Common providence may shelter them for a time, but the Saints only have the keys of the promises which open the Chambers, or Attributes of God, to them.
4. None but the people of God walk in the ways of God, and none but those that walk in his way can groundedly expect his protection; for so runs the promise, 2 Chron. 15. 2. I am with you, whilest you are with me. i. e. I am with you, by way of Protection, Direction, Supportation, and Salvation: whilest you are with me in the duties of Obedience, and exercises of your Graces, see that you love, fear, and obey me; and then depend upon it, I will look after, and take care of you.
5. To conclude, The people of God only flee to God for sanctuary, and cast themselves upon him for protection, Psal. 56. 3. At what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee, Psal. 18. 2. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high-tower. This their confidence in God, and reliance upon him, engages him to protect them in their dangers, Isa. 26. 3. All others put themselves out of God protection, by making flesh their arm, and so giving the honour of God to the creature, Ier. 17. 5. And thus much for clearing this last Proposition also. All that remains, will be dispatched in brief and close Application of the Point thus opened and confirmed.