The Faith of Dying Jacob, Part 7
But God shall be with you.
3 Obs. Whatever storms and distresses come upon the Church, it still lives and overlives: The storm blows over. Nubecula transitura.
Israel, besides his own death, like the Crane and Swallow, smelt a Winter coming on: He saw clouds and storms gathering; had some secret notice of that Pharaoh, who knew not Joseph, some Prophetical feeling of the house of bondage, and the heat of the scorching Iron Furnace, and leaves a soveraign Cordial for a fainting fitt. Abraham hath his sacrificing Knife ready for his dear Isaac's throat, yet prophesieth, God will provide. Moses amidst environing Rocks, a Red Sea afore him, mighty Armies behind him, yet prophesieth, Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. David is low, yet cries, I shall not die but live, Psal. 118. Israel is here sitting on his own grave, and in view of the graves of Egypt, felt a mighty Pillar falling, and an Euroclydon arising, and yet prophesies Halcyon days. Afflictions are the portion of God's People, Christi sponsa mundi vidua; Christus vir dolorum, Ecclesia Sponsa lachrymarum; the Church is a Spouse to Christ, but a Widdow to the world; He an Husband of griefs, she a Spouse bleeding and bedewed with tears, that are the sweat of a wounded heart. The Father had one Son without sin, none without sorrow. They that have the Image of Christ in their hearts, shall have the marks of Christ in their bodies. Afflictions are the Air God's Children breath in. Christ, the Cross and Crown hold together. The sweet Rose grows on a prickly bush. The Saints Wine is made of Water; they find their Honey in the Lion's Carcass. The first Covenant was, Doe and live; the second is, Suffer and live. The Saints have corruption to be purged out; Graces to be drawn forth; Heaven and Earth must be distinguished, Phil. 1. 29. 'Tis given, to believe and to suffer, foreign, 'tis a Love-Legacy. Saints have a double Inheritance, Crucis & Coronae, of the Cross, and of the Crown. As men, calamities are common Appendages of humane nature: As Religious men they are Consignations, Cognizances and Liveries: But in all, God is with them in Fire, in Water, in all stormy Winds, and the Ark rides above all, Vivit Isaac, Aries mactatur, Isaac lives, and the Ram dies. Moses Church was a bush burning, but not consumed: 'Tis a Ship tossed and beaten upon, but not drowned: A Tree shaken, but not pull'd up by the roots: A Sun eclipsed, not extinguished, a Candle blown on, not blown out: an House rocked with Tempests, but not overthrown, like Plinys Golden Vine, that feels not the injury of Wind or Weather: Like Venice, quae nec statu nec fluctu movetur, not moved by Wind or Waves: Hercules sailed over the Sea in an Earthen Pot, to note fragilitatem naturae, & securitatem Dei, mans frailty and Gods security, Prov. 12. 3. The Root of the Righteous shall not be moved: Branches may be broken off, but the root is safe. The Righteous is an Everlasting Foundation: The Church is domus inversa, whose Foundation is in Heaven, men must climb and stub there to destroy it: Men and Devils have been picking at its living stones, yet never destroyed one; have striven to disjoynt the Members of Christ's Body, but not a Bone of him was broken: The Ship still sails on, though it Lands its Passengers here and there: The Grecians fretted, saying, we shoot, but they do not fall, we wound, but kill not: Affliction is a fire that purifies and perfects, but consumes no Saint, it works to perfection, not to destruction. Attempts against the Church have been in vain, meiresolem: Daring Waves dash against a rock; Feeble Children besiege a Wall of Brass: Bees flying at the Rock lose their sting, hurt not that. The Church hath got safe through Seas of Blood, furious Flames, Torturing Inquisitions, Cruel Massacres, invincible Armadoes: Power, Policy, Treachery, Cruelty combined together have not prevailed: Its Eben Ezers stand firm, and renewed: God hath delivered, doth deliver and will deliver: Julian ended his expedition, crying, O Galilean thou art too hard for me; and when he was dead the Christians in their Publick Solemnities made these loud Acclamations, God and his Christ have gotten the Victory: Marcus Antonius, relieved by Christians Prayers, cryed out, Great is the God of Christians: Baals Worshippers destroyed the People cryed, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.