Sermons, Sermon 11
SERMON, XI.
PREFACE.
GReat and various are the Evils that lodg within the Heart of Man: Hence proceed Evil thoughts, Adulteries, Murders, and many other mischiefs, as our Saviour specifies there; they come forth apace, and yet the heart is not emptied of them. But was this heart thus at first, when it came newly forth of the hands of its Maker? Surely, no: Man was made upright, but he found out many Inventions. Soon did the heart find the way to corrupt it self, but to renew it self, is as impossible as to have been the Author of its own Creation; easily could it deface the precious Characters of Gods Image, but it passes the Art of Men and Angels to restore them: Only the Son of God, who for that purpose took on him our Nature, can make us, according to the Apostles Phrase, partakers of the Divine Nature. It is he alone that can banish these Unclean Spirits, and keep possession that they return no more. Have not they made a happy change of Guests, that have those Infernal Troops turn'd out of Doors, and the King of Glory fixing his abode within them? This is the voice of the Gospel, Lift up your Psal. 24. 7.heads, ye gates, and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors, that the King of glory may enter in. But small is the number of those that open where this voice is daily sounded; yea, some there are that grow worse under the frequent Preaching of the Word, as if Sin were emulous, and as is said of Vertue, would grow by opposition. The truth is, too many of us turn these serious Exercises of Religion into an idle Divertisement. Take heed that Formality, and Custom, and Novelty, do not often help to fill up many Rooms in our Church. It were indeed a breach of Charity, to entertain the fullness of your Assemblies with ill Construction. No, it is to be commended, But would to God we were more careful to shew our Religion in our Lives, to study to know better the Deceits and Impostures of our own hearts, and to gain daily more Victory over our secret and best beloved Sins. Let our intentions then be to meet with Christ here, and to admit him gladly to dwell and rule within us; if he conquer our inward Enemies, those without shall not be able to hurt us: if he deliver us from our sinful Lusts, he will still our own distrustful fears. And that such may be the fruits of our meeting, let us turn our selves towards the Throne of Grace, with humble Prayer, in the Name of Jesus Christ the Righteous.
Psalm LXXVI. 10.
Surely the wrath of a man shall praise thee: The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.
WHat Man is this (said the Passengers in the Ship) that even the Winds and the Sea obey him? Christ suddenly turns a great tempest into a greater Calm, Matth. 8. 27. Surely those are no ordinary words of Command, that swelling Waves and boisterous Winds, in the midst of their rage, are forc'd to hear, and taught to understand and obey them. Therefore the holding of the Seas in the hollow of his Hand, the bridling of the Wind, and riding upon the Wings of it, we find peculiarly attributed to the Almighty. But no less, if not more wonderful is another of his Prerogatives, to wit, His Soveraignty over all Mankind, the divers and strange motions of the Heart of Man; admirable is it to govern those, both in respect of their Multitude and Irregularity. Consider we what Millions of men dwell at once upon the face of the Earth; and again, what Troops of several Imaginations will pass through the fancy of any one man, within the compass of one day; 'Tis much to keep eye upon them, and to behold them all at once, but far more to Command and Controul them all; yet if they were all Loyal and willingly Obedient, were they Tractable and easily Curbed, it were more easie for us to conceive how they might be Governed, but to bound and over-rule the unruly hearts of men, the most of them continually are either plotting or acting Rebellion against their Lord, to make them all concur and meet at last in one end, cannot be done but by a Power and a Wisdom that are both Infinite. That God (whose Name we often mention, but seldom think on his Excellency) is alone the Absolute Monarch of mens Hearts, and the Ruler of all their Motions; he hath them Limited while they seem most free, and works his own Glory out of their attempts, while they strive most to dishonour him. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee, &c.
The Psalm is made up of these two different sorts of Thoughts, the one arising out of Particular Experience, and the other out of a General Doctrine. These drawn from Experience, are set down in the verses precedeing the Text, and in it, with those that follow, is the Doctrine, with a Duty annexed to it; which two are Faiths main Supporters: by past particulars verifie the Doctrine, and the generality of the Doctrine serves to explain the particular Experiences to all wise observers. There is not a Treasure of the Merits of Saints in the Church (as some Dream) but there is a Treasure of the precious Experiences of the Saints, which every Believer hath right to make use of; and these we should be verst in, that we may have them in readiness at hand, in time of need, and know how to use them, both to draw comfort from them to our selves, and arguments to use with God.
The words contain clearly Two Propositions, both of them concerning the wrath of Man; the former hath the event of it, Surely the wrath of Man shall praise thee. The latter, the limitation of it, The remainder of wrath thou wilt restrain.
That the Vertues and Graces of men do praise the Lord, all men easily understand, for they flow from him, his Image and Superscription is upon them, and therefore no wonder, if of them, he has from them a Tribute of Glory: Who knows not that Faith praises him? Abraham believed and gave glory to God; good Works, the fruits of Faith, praise him too, Herein is your heavenly Father glorified (says our Saviour) that you bring forth much fruit. But that the Inordinate wrath of man should praise him, may seem somewhat strange; were it Gods own wrath (as wrath is attributed to him in Scripture) that might praise him, for it is always most Just. Or were it a due and moderate anger of Man, upon Just cause, that were fit for praising him too, in despite of the Stoicks; but that wicked and disordered wrath (which is undoubtedly here meant) that the wrath of men, that is both uncomely and dishonourable for themselves (though they think otherwise) that even such a wrath should honour God, and praise him, argues well that he hath good right to Praises, when every thing, even things that seem contrary to his Nature, as well as to his Law, do pay them to him. And that he hath great power and wisdom who obtains what is due to him, even from those persons and things, that of themselves are most unwilling and unfit to pay it. This is the excellent skill of his wisdom, to draw that which shall go into the making up of the precious Composition of his Praise out of this Poison, for so the word here used for wrathful heat, doth sometimes signifie; and this wrath often proves so, a deadly Poison both to those it is incens'd against, and to the very Breast that breeds it, and wherein it is kindled.
But for the clearer understanding of this, I conceive it will be requisite to consider more distinctly: (1) What this wrath of man is: (2) How it can praise God. And lastly, the Infallibility of this event: Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee.
In the 148 Psalm, where David Summons the Creatures to meet in that Song of Praise, to keep that full Consort, he calls not only the Heavens, and the Inhabitants of it, Angels and Lights, but these of the lower World to bear their part in it; and not only Men, Beasts, Cattel, creeping things▪ and the flying of Fowl, but these Creatures that do most resemble this wrath here spoken of, Fire, Stormy 'Tempest, and Dragons, &c. The tenor of the Psalm doth shew, that by the wrath of man is to be understood the undue rage of Evil and Ungodly men against those whom God owns for his People. The word here used, signifies a hot or inflaming wrath; and indeed, such is the feverish distempered Anger of the Churches Enemies. And as too much heat is an Enemy to solid Reason, this hot wrath of theirs makes them incapable of wise deliberation in themselves, and inflexible to the good advice of others. 'Tis true, they take Counsel how to execute their wrath, as we shall hear anon, but they take no Counsel that may cool it. Anger described by its Material Cause, is called a boiling of Blood the about the Heart; but this ariseth from the apprehension of something offensive, kindling a desire of revenge. Now it is a wonder what the Powers of the World find in Christ, and his harmless Flock, that can incense them; St. James says of the Tongue, that it is set on fire of Hell. The same is the Original of this wrath, Why doth the Heathen rage, saith the Psalmist? That is only, to what purpose? Intimating that it is a fruitless rage, and void of success, in regard of Gods power. But why? That's upon what occasion? Checking the rage as groundless, and without cause, in regard of Christ and his Churches Innocency. The cause is only within themselves, to wit. That unhappy Antipathy of the Serpents Seed against the Seed of the Woman. Thus this wrath of man is the causeless malicious Enmity of the Wicked against the Church of God, and under the name of this Passion, I take to be here comprised likewise all the Attendants of it, all their crafty Complo…ments and Devices for the acting of their wrath. As there is mention of the Nations rage against Christ, in the second Psalm, so likewise of the Consultations of those that are of Quality fit for it, The Rulers take counsel together. Further, this wrath is not barely their inward fire, but the vent of it flames into cruel and outragious Practices, including likewise all the Instruments they make use of. And of all these its true, that God shall gain Glory by them, Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee.
The wrath of man (says the Apostle) accomplisheth not the righteousness of God, how then can it accomplish his praises? And this is the Second thing propounded.
Are Grapes gathered of Thorns, or Figs of Thistles? Surely no; therefore I called this praise not the fruit or proper effect of mans wrath, but the event or consequent of it, by the efficacy of Divine Providence. The wrath of man shall praise thee.
The use which thou wilt make of it shall tend to thy praise. Thou wilt produce such affects from it, both in the Church and upon thine Enemies, when thou sufferest thy wrath to break forth, as shall furnish more matter of thy praises than if thou hadst altogether restrained it. To instance this in some few particulars.
'Tis the fury of the Churches Enemies, that has made known to the World the Invincible Courage and Patience of the Saints: Those Ages that have been most monstruous in Persecution, have most of all grac'd Christianity. Had there been no Persecuting Emperours, who should have heard of those Primitive Martyrs, that triumph'd over the Cruelty of their Torments? Were there no Persecution, nor Peril, nor Sword, against Believers, we should not have heard the Apostle say immediately after the mention of those, In all these we are more than Conquerours; they could not have been so much as Conquerours, had there been no Conflict.
Again, as the wrath of man praises God in the Invincible Patience of the Saints, so likewise in the unmoveable stability of the Church. Is it not wonderful how so small and weak a Company as the Church hath often been reduced to, yea, hath always been, in respect of the World, could escape the mouths of so many Lions, so many en…aged Enemies that were ready to devour it? And that we may see that this tends solely to the praise of her great Protecto…, look the Churches Song penned by the Royal Prophet, it is the 124 Psalm: If it had not been the Lord that was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they had swallowed us up quick. The great Monarchies and Kingdoms of the World, that have risen with so much splendour, have had their periods, and been buried in the Dust. That Golden▪headed and Silver-bodied Image, degenerated into worse Metal as it went lower, and the brittle feet was the cause of the fall and breaking of all the rest; but the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, though despicable in the World, and exposed to the wrath of the World in all Ages, stands firm and cannot be removed. There is a common Emblem of the Winds blowing from all Quarters, and upon the Globe of the Earth, being in the middle of them, is written Immobilis. This fitly resembles the Church. Why? It seems to be the sport of all the Winds, but is indeed so Established, that all of them, yea, the very Gates of Hell cannot prevail against it. Now the more the Churches Enemies labour and moil themselves to undo her, the more doth their weakness, and the power of her Lord appear; so that thus the wrath of man doth praise him.
When was the Church free from the Worlds wrath? (To say nothing of the Church of the Jews) Did not those Wicked Emperours of Rome think to have made the Christian Church short lived, to have drowned her, newly Born, in Floods of her own Blood? And in latter Ages, who knows not the Cruelties that have been practised by the Turk in the East, And the Proud Prelate of Rome in the West? By which she hath sometimes been brought to so obscure and low a point, that if you can follow her in History, 'tis by the tract of her Blood; and if you would see her, 'tis by the light of those fires in which her Martyrs have been burnt. Yet hath she still come through, and survived all that wrath, and still shall, till she be made perfectly Triumphant.
Further: Mans wrath tends to Gods praise in this, That God, giving way to it, does so manage it by his sublime Providence, that it often directly crosses their own ends, that conduces manifestly to his. Pharaoh thought that his dealing more cruelly with the Jews in their tasks and burdens was wisdom: Let us work wisely (says he.) But whereas their ordinary servility was become familiar to them, and they were tamed to it, that same accession of new Tyranny did prepare and dispose the Israelites for a desire of departure, and their departure made way for Pharaoh's destruction. Undigestable Insolency and Rage, hastening to be great, makes Kingdoms cast them off, which would have been far longer troubled with their wickedness, had it been more moderate; surely then the wrath of man commends the wisdom of God, when he makes him by that contrive and afford the means of his own downfal. Job 18. 7. The steps of his strength shall be straightened, and his own counsel should cast him down, says Bildad. And that is a sad fall; as that Eagle that was shot with an Arrow trimmed with her own Feathers.
But to close this point. It is out of all question, that the deserved punishment of mans unjust wrath, doth always glorifie the Justice of God, and the more he gives way to their wrath, the more notable shall be both their Punishment and the Justice of it; and though God seems neglective of his people and of his praise, while mans wrath prevails, yet the truth is, he never comes too late to vindicate his care of both: And when he defers longest, the Enemy pays dear Interest for the time of forbearance. In his Eternal Decree, he resolved to permit the course of mans wrath for his own Glory, and when the period which he hath fixed is come, he stops mans wrath, and gives course unto the Justice of his own. Nor is there then any possibility of escaping; he will right himself, and be known by executing Judgment. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee. And that is the Third thing propounded, The Infallibility of the Event.
The Author of Nature governs all his Creatures, each in a suitable way to the Nature he hath given them: He maintains in some things a natural Necessity of working, Contingency in others; and in others, Liberty. But all of them are subject to this Necessity of effecting inevitably his Eternal purposes; and this Necessity is no way repugnant to the due Liberty of mans Will. Some entertain and maintain the Truth; some Plot; others act and execute against it; some please themselves in a wise Neutrality, and will appear so indifferent, that it would seem they might be accepted of all sides for Judges of Controversies: And all these find no less Liberty to wind and turn themselves whither they please, than if no higher hand had the winding of them. Shall not only the Zeal of the Godly, but even the Wrath of the Enemy, and the cold Discretion of the Neutral, all tend to his praise whose Supream Will hath a secret, but a sure and infallible sway in all their Actions; whilst some Passengers sit, some walk one way, some another; some have their faces towards their Journeys end, some theirs back turned upon it; this wise Pilot does most skilfully guide the Ship to arrive with them all, at his own Glory. Happy they that propound and intend his Glory as he himself does, for in them shall the riches of his mercy be glorified; they that oppose him lose this happ…ness, but he is sure not to lose his Glory for all that, to wit, the Glory of his Justice. His right hand shall find out all his Enemies; surely the wrath of man shall praise thee.
The consideration of this truth, thus in some measure unfolded, may serve to justifie the truly wise Dispensation of God against our Imaginary Wisdom; were the matter referr'd to our modelling, we would assign the Church constant Peace and Prosperity for her Portion, and not consent that the least air of trouble should come near her; we would have no Enemies to molest her, nor stir against her, or if they did stir, we would have them to be presently represt, and these in our Judgment, would be the fairest and most glorious tokens of his love and power, whose Spouse she is▪ But this carnal wisdom is enmity against God, and to the Glory of God, which rises so often out of the wrath of his Enemies. Had God caused Pharaoh to yield at the very first, to the release of his people, where had been the fame of those Miraculous Judgments in Egypt, and Mercies on the Israelites, the one setting out and illustrating the other? Where had been that Name and Honour that God says he would gain to himself, and that he did gain out of Pharaoh's final Destruction, making that Stony-hearted King, and his Troops, sink like a stone in the waters, as Moses Sings? Observe his proud boastings immediately foregoing his Ruin, I will pursue, says he, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my lust shall be satisfied on them; I will draw my sword, and my hand shall destroy them: Soon after, the Sea quenches all this heat. Commonly big threatnings are unhappy presages of very ill success. That Historian says well of God *Deus neminem alium, quam seipsum sinit de se magnifice Sentire. Herodot.; and indeed, as he abhors these boastings, so he delights in the abasing of the lofty heart whence they flow, and it is his Prerogative to gain praise to himself out of their wrath, Hast thou an arm like God (says the Lord to Job) then look upon the proud and bring them low, Job 40. 9. When Sennacherib came up against Jerusalem, his blasphemies and boastings were no less vast and monstrous than the number of his Men and Chariots; good Hezekiah turned over the matter unto God, spreading the Letter of Blasphemies before him; God undertook the War, and assured Hezekiah that the Assyrian should not so much as shoot an Arrow against the City, but return the same way he came, 2 Kings 19. And the Deliverance there promised and effected, is conceived to have been the occasion of penning this very Psalm, Surely when an Angel did in one night slay 185000 in their Camps, that wrath and those threats, tended exceedingly to the praise of the God of Israel. The hook that he put in Sennacheribs Nostrils, (as the History speaks) to pull him back again, was more remarkable than the fetters would have been if he had tied him at home, or hindred his march with his Army.
Who is he then that will be impatient because of Gods patience, and Judge him slack in Judgment, while the rage of the Wicked prevails a while? Know that he is more careful of his own Glory than we can be, and the greater heighth mans wrath arises to, the more Honour shall arise to him out of it. Did not his Omnipotency shine brighter in the flames of that Eurnace into which the Children were cast, than if the Kings wrath had been at first cooled? Certainly, the more both it and the Furnace had their heat augmented, the more was God glorified. Who is that God (said he blasphemo…sly and proudly,) that can deliver you out of my hands? A question indeed highly dishonouring the Almighty, but stay till the real answer come, and not only shall that wrath praise him, but that very same Tongue, though inured to Blasphemy, shall be taught to bear a main part in the confession of these praises. Let that Apostate Emperour go taun…ing the HeadJulian. and Tormenting the Members of that mystical Body, his closing with foreign, Thou hast overcome, O Galilean, (meaning Christ) shall help to verifie that: whether its course be shorter or longer, Mans wrath ends always in Gods praise. In like manner, the closing of the Lions mouth spake louder to his praise that stopt them, than if he had stopt Daniels enemies in the beginning of their wicked design; so hot was their rage, that the Kings favourable inclination to Daniel (of which in other cases Courtiers …se to be so devout observers) yea his contesting and pleading for him, did profit him nothing, but they hurried their King to be execution of their unjust Malice, though themselves were convinced, that nothing could be found against him, but only concerning the Law of his God. Dan. 6. verse 14. It is said, he set his heart upon him to deliver him, and laboured to do it till the going down of the Sun, and then those Counsellers, and Counsels of darkness overcame him, but upon this black night of their prevailing wrath, followed immediately a bright morning of praises to Daniel's God. When the Lions that were so quiet company all night to Daniel, made so quick a Breakfast of those accursed Courtiers that had maliciously accused him. Even so let thine Enemies perish, O Lord, and let those that love thee, be as the Sun when he goes forth in his might.
The other Proposition concerns the limiting of this wrath. The remainder of wrath thou wilt restrain.
To take no notice for the present, of divers other readings of these words, the sense of them, as they are here very well rendred, may be briefly this, that whereas the wrath of Man to which God gives way, shall praise him, the rest shall be curb'd, and bound up, as the word is, no more of it shall break forth than shall contribute to his glory. Here should be considered divers ways and means, by which God useth to stop the heady course of Mans wrath, and hinder its proceeding any further. But only,
Let us take out of it this lesson, That the most compendious way to be safe from the violence of Men, is to be in terms of friendship with God. Is it not an incomparable priviledge to be in the favour, and under the protection of one whose power is so transcendent, that no enemy can so much as stir without his leave? Be perswaded then, Christians, in these dangers that are now so near us, every one to draw near to him; remove what may provoke him; let no reigning sin be found either in your Cities, or in your Villages, for he is a holy God. Is it a time to multiply provocations now, or is it not rather high time to be humbled for the former? What shameless Impiety is it, to be now Licentious or Intemperate? To be Proud, to Oppress or Extort? To prophane Gods Day, and Blaspheme his Name? All these sins, and many others, abound amongst us, and that avowedly: Without abundant of Repentance for these we shall smart, and the wrath of our Enemies, though unjust in them, shall praise God in our Just punishment; though doubtless, he will own his Church, and be praised likewise in the final punishment of their wrath, that rise against it. There is a remarkable expression in the 99 Psalm, of Gods dealing with his people, he was favourable to them though he took vengeance on their Inventions. A good Cause and a Covenant with God, will not shelter an Impenitent people from sharper Correction. 'Tis a sad Word God speaks by his Prophet to his own people, I my self (says he) will fight against you. A dreadful Enemy; and none indeed truly dreadful but he. O prevent his anger and you are safe enough. If perverse Sinners will not hear, yet let those that are indeed Christians mourn in secret, not only for their own Sins, but let them bestow some tears likewise upon the sins of others. Labour to appease the wrath of God, and he will either appease mans wrath, or howsoever, will turn it jointly to our Benefit and his own Glory. Let the fear of the most high God, who hath no less power over the strongest of his Enemies than over the meanest of his Servants; let his fear (I say) possess all our hearts, and it will certainly expel that ignoble and base fear of the wrath of man. See how the Prophet opposes them in that 8th. of Isaiah, Fear not their fear (says he) nor be afraid, but sanctifie the Lord, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread; fear not but fear. This holy fear begets the best courage; the breast that is most fill'd with it, abounds most in true Magnanimity. Fear thus, that you may be confident, not in your selves, though your policy and strength were great: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm; but confident in that God, who is too wise and vigilant to be surprized, too mighty to be foiled, and too rich to be out-spent in provision; who can suffer his Enemy to come to the highest point of apparent advantage, without any inconvenience, yea, with more renown in his Conquest. And so a Christian who is made once sure of this (as easily he may) is little careful about the rest, his Love to God prevailing over all his affections, makes him very indifferent what becomes of himself or his dearest friends, so God may be glorified. What though many fall in the quarrel (which God avert) yet it is sufficient that Truth in the end shall be Victorious. Have not the Saints in all Ages been content to convey pure Religion to Posterity, in streams of their own Blood not of others? Well, hold fast by this conclusion, that God can limit and bind up the most violent wrath of man, that though it swell it will not break forth. The stiffest Heart, as the current of the most impetuous Rivers, is in his hand, to appoint its Channels, and turn it as he pleaseth; yea, it is he that hath shut up the very Sea with Bars and Doors, and said, Hitherto shalt thou come and no further, here shall thy proud waves be stayed, Job 38. 10, 11, verses. To see the Surges of a rough Sea come in towards the Shoar, a man would think that they were hastening to swallow up the Land, but they know their limits, and are beaten back into foam. Though the Waves thereof toss themselves as angry at their restraint, yet the small Sand is a check to the great Sea, yet can they not prevail, though they roar, yet can they not pass over it, says Jer 5. verse 22.
The sum is this: What God permits his Churches Enemies to do, is for his own further Glory; and reserving this, there is not any wrath of man so great, but he will either sweetly calm it, or strongly restrain it. To him be praise, &c.