A Memorial of Gods Judgment, Sermons · Sermon 6

A Memorial of Gods Judgment · Sermons · Sermon 6

GOD'S Troops Invading MAN.

Being A SERMON ON Pſal. 42.7, 8.

7. Deep calleth upon deep, at the noiſe of thy Water ſpouts: all thy Waves and thy Billows are gone over me.

8. Yet the Lord will command his loving kindneſs in the Day time, and in the Night his Song ſhall be with me, and my Prayer to the God of my Life.

p. 175Pſal. 42.7, 8.

Deep calleth upon deep, at the noiſe of thy Water ſpouts: all thy Waves and thy Billowes are gone over me. Yet the Lord will command his loving kindneſs in the Day time, and in the Night his Song ſhall be with me, and my Prayer to the God of my Life.

I Have been already on theſe words, and have given their ſenſe, and have made one Obſervation upon them, and purſued it to an end. Another Obſervation I purpoſe to make at this time, which is that I eſpecially aim at, which is this, That Faith looketh thorough the darkeſt, and moſt diſmal, p. 176and difficult things; All troubles (ſaith this Prophet) do as the Sea ſwallow me up, and yet the Lord maketh an eſcape for me, I ſhall have opportunity to praiſe him, and pray to him, as the God of my life; That is, he who hath ſaved my life, the life of my Soul and Body: David was as much diſappointed from Men of all help, as exerciſed by God with ſtraits and difficulties; Surely Men of lowe degree are Vanity and Men of high degree are a lie, Pſal. 62 9. And yet obſerve how he ſpeaks, viz. How long will you imagine miſchief againſt a Man, You ſhall be ſlain all of you, as a tottering fence, and as a bowing wall ſhall ye be. When he was left in the lurch by every one, high and low, yet he ſaw by faith the downfall of all his enemies, yea, he ſaw that it was neer, and that as a ſwell'd rotten wall, they would ſoon throw down themſelves, though none ſhould touch them nor thruſt them. Before your Pots can feel the thorns, he ſhall take them away as with a Whirl-wind, both living and in his wrath, the righteous ſhall joy when he ſeeth the vengeance, he ſhall waſh his feet in the blood of the wicked, ſo that a man ſhall ſay verily there is a reward for the righteous, verily there is a God that judgeth in the Earth, Pſal. 58.10. What a great fear the whole Hoſt was in, when Goliah came forth daily and inſulted, and blaſphemed, and yet then David by faith ſaw over him, yea ſaw his p. 177ſpeedy down-fall. Then ſaid David, thou comeſt to me with a Sword and with a Shield, but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of Hoſts, the God of the Armies of Iſrael, whom thou haſt defied, this day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand and I will ſmite thee, and take thine Head from thee▪ and will give the Carcaſes of the Hoſts of the Philiſtins this day to the Fowls of the Air, and to the wild Beaſts of the Earth, that ye may know that there is a God in Iſrael, 1 Sam. 17.45 Moſes ſaw all the fin and miſery that Iſrael would plunge themſelves into after his death, how they would wax fat, and kick, and run to new gods, and that all manner of miſeries would come in upon them at this Door, and that they would bring themſelves into an utter loſt condition, as to all outward appearance, and yet then ſaith he, the Lord will do like himſelf, The Lord will judg his People, and repent himſelf for his Servant, when he ſeeth that their power is gone, and none ſhut up nor left, Deut. 32.36. This great and free goodneſs of the Lord ſhall ſhame them, for truſting in Idols, and abuſing ſuch a gracious and mighty God, which is the ſenſe of the following words. Holy Mr. Ainſworth, upon Pſal. 1…0.4. obſerves, that Coles of Fire may be kept under Juniper aſhes a whole Year together; and ſurely there be things, if we could skill them, by which ſoul-heat and life, and ſo all the p. 178ſenſes which belong to it, might be preferred long and very ſtrong, not only for a Year, but always, and able to encounter all caſes and conditions, though never ſo dark and difficult.

I will open this Point particularly to you, and ſhew you the truth Per Partes by Parts. Faith can look through matters temporal, though of the darkeſt and moſt difficult nature. 'Twas a great Flood which drowned all the VVorld, all Gods waves then paſſed over Man-kind indeed: And yet Noah by faith ſtem'd that Tide, and ſaw another VVorld, and his ſafe landing in it. 'Twas a great ſtrait and temptation to Abraham, when called to leave his Country and Kindred, and to go to a Country ſo remote, and ſo wicked as Canaan was, and to live alone in the midſt of ſuch a People, and yet by faith he ſaw his way, and God before him, and that he ſhould live then more ſafe than in h…s own Country. Likewiſe a great Temptation it was when God called him to offer up his only Son, and yet by faith he ſaw through that thick Cloud, and that God was able to raiſe him from the dead. It was a dark Day with David when Abſalom was up againſt him, an: Ahitophel his VVives Grand-father, Bathſhebas Grand-father, and yet turned againſt David to the Conſpirators, by which the conſpiracy grew ſtrong; yet by faith he ſaw thorough this, and was p. 179quiet in the midſt of this great tempeſt, as you may ſee, Pſal. 3 5, 6. which was Penn'd upon that occaſion. I laid me down and ſlept, I awakened for thou Lord ſustainedſt me, I will not be afraid of ten thouſands of People, that have ſet themſelves againſt me round about. Ariſe O God and ſave me, for thou haſt ſmitten all mine enemies upon the Cheek bone, thou haſt broken the teeth of the ungodly. By which it is evident that he ſaw the ruine of that great Army, and his own ſafety in the midſt of all that danger, and this by faith. The Waters of the Flood abated but one Cubit in Four Days when they began to abate, and yet Noah by faith knew he ſhould ſee them quite down at length, though long firſt. And ſurely through his faith theſe waters haſted away to their proper places, for in the laſt day they abated eleven Cubits, which abated but one in four Days before; By this which hath been ſaid, we ſee, that Faith looketh through matters temporal, though never ſo dark and difficult.

Secondly, Faith looketh through matters ſpiritual, though never ſo dark and difficult. As the power of natural corruption, the ſenſe of God's wrath, &c. Faith can look through the power of natural corruption, than which what is a greater Mountain, in the eye of an enlighten'd Soul? O wretched Man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jeſus p. 180Chriſt our Lord, Rom. 7.24, 25. Faith hath a ſtrong and clear eye that can look through ſuch a big and black Mountain, as the body of death is. Satan and corrupt nature are called the ſtrong man and his goods, Mat. 12.29. and Chriſt ſpoils them both, and this faith ſeeth, when both natural corruption and Satan are at ſtrongeſt. But I ſee another Law in my members, willing againſt the Law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the Law of ſin, which is in my members. O wretched man, what a wretched ſtate am I in. And who can, or who will deliver me out of this ſlavery? and faith anſwers this hard queſtion. I thank God, Chriſt can and will, he that is mighty to ſave, on whom help for me is laid. To this may properly be added, Rom. 6.11. Likewiſe reckon ye your ſelves alſo to be dead indeed to ſin, but alive unto God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. Faith doth reckon the body of fin dead, and all the Powers of it, becauſe that is done by Chriſt's death to procure it, a Cure that never failed. What ſhall we then ſay? if God be for us, who can be againſt us, or what can be againſt us. But God be thanked ye were the ſervants of fin, but now ye have obeyed from the heart the forme of Doctrin, into which ye were delivered. Behold I was ſhapen in iniquity, and in ſin did my Mother warm me; behold, thou deſireſt truth in the inward parts, and in that inward p. 181hidden part thou ſhalt make me to underſtand wiſdome, that is, experience the power of grace, for by wiſdom is meant grace, Pſal. 51 5.6. By wiſdom is meant grace, and by knowing of wiſdom, means, experiencing of grace. Which ſheweth to us, that he by faith ſaw thorow the power of natural corruption, and all the grieving operations and prevalencies of it; and that the ſtate of his inward man which was ſo ungracious and which had ſo deceived him, and betrayed him in that matter of Ʋriah, ſhould notwithſtanding be brought to a better and a more ſincere frame for time to come. Hence it is likewiſe that the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks of the work of Mortification as done, which yet is ſtill but a doing as long as we are on this ſide Heaven, as ſeeing by faith, every accurſed thing in his heart ſlain. They that are Chriſt's have crucified the fleſh with the affections and luſts. That is certainly they ſhall. The Beaſts of the Field ſhall honor me, the Dragons and Owles, becauſe I give this and that in the Wilde…neſs, Iſa. 43.20. That is, Creatures by Nature as blind as Owles, and yet as confident and fiery as Dragons, theſe ſhall ſee and become as tame that a little Child may lead them. Jacob bleſſed Ruben that went up to his Fathers Bed, and Simeon and Levy which had been ſuch Brethren in evil, and this he did by faith, ſaith the Author to the Hebrews; which ſheweth p. 182that he ſaw thorow thoſe corruptions, wherwith they were over-taken, the one with lightneſs, the other with paſſion and fury, and that God would change all their hearts, both of the one and of the other and make them gracious; and doubtleſs in his light the Children come at length to ſee light, and by his faith were helped to believe.

Secondly, Faith looketh thorow the ſenſe of God's wrath, which is he darkeſt and moſt dreadful thing or all. Chriſt did ſo, and he did it by faith, when he cryed, My God, my God. &c. David's ſin in the matter of Bathſheba, as much clouded his Soul as any thing and filled his ſoul with the ſenſe of Gods diſpleaſure, and yet he ſaw thorow that dark Cloud by faith, as you may ſee, 2 Sam. 12.23. But now he is dead, wherefore ſhould I faſt? Can I bring him back again? I ſhall go to him but he ſhall not return to me. By faith he ſaw God reconciled as to this foul buſineſs yea reconciled to the Childe that was ſmitten dead, or elſe he would not have wiped his eyes, and have ſaid, I ſhall go to him, but would have continued weeping and after, the death of the Child moſt of all, as he did for Abſalom, whom he gave up for a caſtaway. They made the figure or the Sun upon Joſhua's Tomb, to preſerve the Memorial of that great Miracle of cauſing the Sun to ſtand ſtill. Therfore alſo the place of his dwelling was called p. 183Timnath Serath, or Heres, which wit… ſome Letters tranſpos'd, is as you ſhould ſay, the ſign of the Sun: upon the Tomb of a believer you may make the figure of Gods face and favour, for when he is in the belly of Hell, as Jona, yet from thence he eſpies a reconciled God, and his own everlaſting mercies ſure, though theſe here be all uncertain. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever, wilt thou draw out thy wrath to all generations? wilt thou not revive us again, that thy People may rejoyce in thee; I will hear what the Lord God will ſay, for he will ſpeak peace to his People, and to his Saints, but let them not return again to folly, Pſal. 85.8. The People of God were very low at this time, even as in their Graves and Tombes, and yet there is the figure of Gods countenance even on their Graves, they ſaw peace, when there was nothing but War. Who will bring me into the ſtrong City, Who will bring me into Edom? Wilt not thou O God which hadst caſt us off? and thou O Lord which didſt not go forth with our Armies, Pſal. 60.10.

Thirdly, Faith looks thorow matters National, as well as Perſonal, though never ſo dark and difficult. Thou will ſave the aff… cted People, but wilt bring down high looks, for thou wilt light my Candle, the Lord my God will enlighten my darkneſs, for by thee I have ran thorow a Troop, Pſal. 18.27. This Eſalu… was made (ſaith the Title) when David was p. 184deliver'd out of the hands of all his Enemies, and out of the hands of Saul; ſo that it hath a National reference and reſpect. David ſaw thorow all National conflicts, as to the godly, that how much diſtreſſed ſoever they were, yet that God would own them and ſave them. For thou wilt ſave the afflicted People, but wilt bring down high looks. They that ſeek my Soul to deſtroy it, ſhall go into the lowest parts of the Earth, they ſhall fall by the Sword, they ſhall be a portion for Foxes; but the King ſhall rejoyce in God, every one that ſweareth by him ſhall glory, but the mouth of them that speak lies ſhall be ſtopped, Pſal. 63.10, 11. Noah came out of the Ark about November, the very beginning of Winter, when nothing was to be had, but what he had in the Ark for ſupport, and to begin the World withall; and yet he lookt thorow this great ſtrait, which reſpected not a Nation, but the whole world, and ſacrificed at the beginning of the new world, as Adam did at the beginning of the old, and ſo did caſt all his care on Chriſt, who well cared for him, and for all the matters in his hand, which reſpected the conſtituting of this World.

If you ask me how a believer doth make ſuch proſpect and perſpect? I anſwer, by theſe four things. First, By the Promiſe. The beſt Mens eyes fail in dark days, and it is well they do ſo, for then he betakes himſelf p. 185to the promiſe, and by this Trunk beholds afar off. A fooliſh or weak action failing,Actione inepta ſuccumbens; recurrit ad aptam. maketh way to an action that is valid. A believers own ſight failing, maketh him to have recourſe to the promiſe, and by this he maketh proſpect through all. The Title of the Fifth Pſalm tells us, that it was made when the Philiſtines took David in Gath, mine Enemies would daily ſwallow me up, for they be many that fight againſt me; but how did he look through this Cloud? I anſwer, by the promiſe, as you may ſee, Verſe the 6. In God I will praiſe his word, in God I will put my truſt, I will not fear what Man can do, thou telleſt my wanderings, put thou my tears in thy Bottel. In God I will praiſe his word, verſ. 10. This word which he ſo much ſpeaks of, was that which we read, 2 Sam. 23.5. By which he lookt through ſin and death. Theſe be the laſt words of David, although my Houſe be not ſo with God, …et he hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant ordered in all things and ſure, for this is all my ſalvation, &c. that is, inward and outward, temporal and ſpiritual. The promiſe is ſo ordered and made in all things, that in all matters whatſoever faith may ſee by it thorow and thorow; be it ſin of what kind ſoever. Such ſins as David committed, before or after converſion; or be it puniſhment ſpiritual or corporal, deſertion of Soul, ſickneſs of body, diſtraction and troubles p. 186in the affairs of this World; bad Family, bad Kingdom, as never any Man could have greater plunges of all ſorts than he, and yet by this promiſe ſo ordered in all things, he ſaw ſtill thorow all. To the promiſe is added the Seal and Oath, to make a ſtrong and clear ſight in the darkeſt caſe; And this alſo David made uſe of, when he fought with Aram Naharaim, and Aram Zoba, Pſal. 60.6. God hath ſpoken in his holineſs, I will rejoyce, I will divide Sechem, and mete out the valley of Succeth, Who ſhall bring me into Edom, wilt not thou which haſt caſt us off? God hath ſpoken in his holineſs or by his holineſs, that is, hath engaged himſelf by oath, and ſurely he will not break his word, and his oath. The Church likewiſe makech uſe of this Medium, to ſee clearly and ſtrongly through trials, Pſal. 89.35. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth, once have I ſworn by my holineſs, that I will not lie unto David. And in what a dark caſe the People of God were then, we may ſee by the following words, — But thou haſt caſt us off, and abhorred, thou haſt made void the Covenant of thy Servant, (this is the Prayer of the Church, urging the Covenant and Oath to David) Thou haſt broken down all his hedges, all that paſs by ſpoil him; thou haſt made his glory to ceaſe, and caſt his Throne down to the ground, Pſal. p. 18789.44: Thus did the Church look thorow their dark condition, by the Promiſe and Oath.

Secondly, By Chriſt doth a believer look through all difficulties of what kind ſoever, inward or outward. The Lord ſaid to my Lord, ſit thou at my right hand, till I make thine Enemies thy Foot ſtool. What enemies? Anſ. All Enemies, inward and outward. The Pſalmiſt by vertue of Chriſt ſaw natural corruption, guilt of ſin, and all Men and Devils oppoſing, deſtroyed. By the death of Chriſt, he ſaw guilt in all the Elect deſtroyed; he ſhall drink of the brook in the way, that is, the black Book Kedron, meaning that he ſhould undergo a curſed death, and ſo ſatisfie the juſtice of God, and therefore in the Perſon of all the Elect, lift up his head. Likewiſe by the life, interceſſion, and miniſtry of Chriſt he ſaw all corruptions of nature deſtroyed in the Elect. Thy People ſhall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holineſs, that is, by the adminiſtration of thy holy Ordinances, Thou haſt the dew of thy youth, to ſupply them and to moiſten them. Likewiſe by the death of Chriſt he ſaw all outward enemies vain and Devils deſtroyed. The Lord at thy right hand ſhall ſmite through Kings in the day of his wrath, he ſhall judg among the Heathen, he ſhall fill the places with the dead Bodies, he ſhall wound the heads over many Countrys, p. 188Pſal. 110. Many things have their greatneſs, not according to their nature, but according to their skill and humility, ſaith Seneca; ſo a believer hath his greatneſs and honour, not according to his nature and birth from Men, but according to ſuch a skill which God hath given to him, to make uſe of Chriſt▪ and to renounce ſtill all in himſelf, and by vertue of this he is very great and mighty, and able to do all things. I can do all things through Chriſt, ſaith Paul, and ſo can ſee through all things by him. 'Twas through Chriſt that the Church ſaw through that dark ſtate before mentioned, Pſal. 87. When all that paſſed by ſpoiled, and all hedges down, Then thou ſpakeſt in a Viſion, to thine holy one, and ſaidſt I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one choſen out of the People, with whom mine Hand ſhall be eſtabliſhed, mine Arme ſhall ſtrengthen him, the enemy ſhall not exact upon him, nor the Sons of wickedneſs afflict him, and I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him: which though true of David, yet ſpecially and principally of Chriſt, and him did the Church then ſee in David, as he by whom all their enemies inward and outward ſhould be deſtroyed.

3Thirdly, By experiences doth a believer look through all difficulties and miſeries, Faith can help it ſelf by reaſon. What Father, if his Child want bread, Experiences.will give him a p. 189ſtone? This is reaſon. But much more can faith help it ſelf by experience. I am a man in authority, and I ſay to one man go and he goeth, and I ſay to another come and he cometh, &c. This is experience, and faith is wonderful weak indeed, when it cannot thus help up it ſelf, experiences are ſuch ſenſible and ſuch impreſſive things upon all powers within and without. O ye of little faith, do ye not remember the five loaves, and how many Baskets ye took up, Mat. 16. Chriſt takes it for granted that faith is very little and very weak indeed, when it cannot help it ſelf by experiences, things which the Man hath had done for him in his wants. He delivered me from the Lyon and the Bear, and he will deliver me from this uncircumciſed Philiſtim. The Lord, even Jeſus who appeared to thee in the way, he hath ſent that thou mighteſt receive thy ſight, and be filled with the Holy Ghoſt, Act. 9.17. Doubtleſs that experience which he had of ſuch an eſcape going to Damaſcus, advantaged his faith all his days, to look thorow, and to run thorow all the ſtorms and perils which afterward he met withall. Some great ſickneſs the Apoſtle Paul had, by the ill uſage of Men who oppreſſed him, and yet God preſerved, and how he raiſed faith by experience to look thorow all evils preſent, and to come, ſee 2 Cor. 1.9, 10. We would not have you ignorant of the troubles which happen'd unto us p. 190in Aſia, how that we were preſſed out of meaſure, above ſtrength, inſomuch that we deſpaired ever of life, but we had the ſentence of death in our ſelves, that we ſhould not truſt in our ſelves, but in God that raiſeth the dead, who deliver'd us from ſo great a death, and doth deliver, in whom we truſt that he will yet deliver us. Mordecai is called Pethakia, becauſe ſaith the Jews, he opened and expounded all matters; and underſtood 70 Languages. Experience may be called Pethakiah, it doth ſo interpret all Ridles, and dark matters both of the word and works of God, it explains and interprets 70 and 70 Languages, if there be ſo many worth the interpreting; it makes a Man with eaſe and triumph to look thorow and over all before it, though never ſo dark and difficult, as David over Goliah, and Zerubabel over that great Mountain which was before him, and Joſhuah the High Prieſt over ſin and Satans occaſions,—Is not this a brand pluckt out of the Fire.

Fourthly, By Prayer doth a believer come to this good eye-ſight, to look thorow all dark and difficult matters. When I cry to thee then ſhall mine enemies turn back, this I know, for God is for me, Pſal. 56.9. David had cryed to God, as one once did a little before an engagement, and he knew he ſhould have the day, and that his enemies would turn their backs; great clearing of fight is made by prayer and tears in dark days, to ſee thorow p. 191matters. A little wind overthrows not only Houſes, but States and Kingdoms, ſaith Seneca. A little of this wind, I mean the pantings and prayings of God's People to Heaven, overthrows Perſons and Nations indeed, and is a ſure prognoſtick of good, to whom a praying ſpirit is given, and makes in the heart an aſſurance of good coming. My ſoul followeth hard after thee, thy right hand upholdeth me, (then obſerve what he ſaw) Thoſe that ſeek my ſoul to deſtroy it, ſhall go into the lower parts of the Earth, Pſal. 63.8, 9. Whether that were Hell, or the Grave, or both, 'twas well the Church and David were rid of them. Prayer is an Ordinance, by which the Soul goeth to Heaven, and then gets a new life and ſtrength before it comes down again. Chriſt found the bleſſing of this Ordinance oft, and hath ſurely ſanctified it to all his for the ſame end, to lift up their heads and hearts above all troubles. He ſhall cry unto me thou art my Father, my God, the Rock of my Salvation, and I will make him my firſt born, higher than the Kings of the Earth, Pſal. 89.26. The whole courſe of Nature began with the motion of the Heavens, and continues ſtill vigorous, according to the continued motion of them. Now as the motion of the Heavens is to the whole courſe of Nature, ſo is Prayer to all the graces of the Soul, and to the whole courſe and ſtate of the p. 192new World; it is this that ſets all graces a going, and going true and ſtrong, let weather be what it will. Hence are thoſe pertinent words of David. Truſt in the Lord at all times; ye People pour out your hearts before him, God is a refuge for us, Selah, Pſal. 62.8. He maketh theſe ſubſervient one to another, faith to prayer, and prayer to faith, as indeed they are. Would you truſt in the Lord at all times, then pour out your ſouls to God: Would you pour out your ſouls to God, and pray alway, then truſt in the Lord at all times. Hence it is that the Apoſtle Paul, when he had ſpoken at a great height of faith. Who hath delivered and doth deliver, in whom we truſt that he will yet deliver, &c. You alſo helping together for us by Prayer, 2 Cor. 1.11. Prayer mounts faith upon its high places, and faith mounts prayer, and makes one pray in his praying. Unbelief is ſoul-fainting, and prayer is a fetching freſh life from the Fountain of Life. Have mercy upon me, O Lord conſider my troubles, which I ſuffer of them that hate me, thou that lifteſt me up from the gates of death. Pſal. 13. that is, Soul and Body.

Ʋſe 1 Learn from hence, that if faith looketh through the moſt dark and difficult things, then where faith is not, troubled People and diſtreſſed People, muſt needs be at a great loſs, eſpecially in great diſtreſſes, yea the truth is in every little diſtreſs, every p. 193little tryal will ſinck them, in whom is no faith, I cannot well give the reaſon of it, ſome things contemptible are very vertual to cure great diſeaſes, of which none are able to give a reaſon. Unleſs this, that faith twines it ſelf with God to do for Man, and all other natural abilities bear up little, becauſe they lead not the ſinner out of himſelf, but to truſt in ſome thing of the Creature, and very little burdens will break the back of a meer Man, though his reaſon and parts, and outward helps may be many. Saul was bid to ſtay till Samuel came to him, and Samuel ſtayed but a little beyond his time, (conſequently his tryal was but little) and he falls upon things and ways unlawful to his ruine. He that believes not will make haſt, becauſe he cannot ſee through any ſtrait. The Philiſtines were neer, and thou didſt not come, and therefore 'twas in vain for me to wait, ſo Saul reaſoned within himſelf, and ſo will every Man that is deſtitute of faith. Achan having no faith could not forbear, but would be providing for himſelf, when as God was before them, and providing for them and protecting of them, and therefore his tryal was nothing, only his luſt. 'Tis true, the iſſues of War are doubtful, and Caſus fortuitus non eſt ſperandus, a doubtful caſe is not to be hoped; this may be good talk in humane matters, as we have to do in common bargening, but p. 194in divine matters as are to be confidered in order to God, it is not good ſo to reaſon; yet thus and no otherwiſe in all fortuitous and hazardous matters, will Men which have but meer reaſon; they will ſay there is no hope, and ſo fall to the uſe of their wits, and make haſt to ſome evil or other, if God do not mightily prevent. Though the promiſe be exceeding great and precious, and though there be many of them, as the Apoſtle Peter ſaith, yet a Man in whom is no faith, can ſee by theſe no relief at hand, but ſtill a dreadful ſound is in his ear, he believeth not that he ſhall return out of darkneſs, Job 15.21, 22. This ſtop of trade will beggar me; theſe croſſes and loſſes will certainly undo me; theſe and theſe Bags will be quite emptied by and by, and then what ſhall I do for more? And ſo inſtead of hoping to the end, the diſtreſſed Man never hopes at all, but univerſally down, and thus at every ſtraw and ſtrait. There was a univerſal darkneſs over the World for twelve hours, then was light created in this upper horizon, ſaith a great Scholar: but where faith is not, there is a univerſal darkneſs for more than twelve hours, even all the days of the Man's life, and nothing can create light, neither the word nor works of God, but always and in all caſes the Man cries out, like that Rockwood (which was a great ſtirrer up of Perſecution againſt the Martyrs, and being p. 195ſmitten in conſcience, was exhorted to ſeek mercy from God, and to hope therein, and all that it could do was)— All is too late, all is too late; meaning that all their good Exhortations were too late as to his caſe. So when faith is not, talk of what one will to ſupport and bear up, the diſtreſſed will cry out ſtill, all is too late, and to no purpoſe as to him.

2Learn from hence how excellent a grace faith is, it over-ruleth all things: Invincible we may be, but un-aſſaulted we cannot be, ſaith Seneca. Aſſaults, how many do we meet withall in ſuch days as thoſe are, and what a ſhield is that above all ſhields which maketh us invincible, not to be hurt by any aſſault from Man, or Devil; and ſuch a ſhield is faith. All Nations compaſs me about, but in the Name of the Lord will I deſtroy them; they compaſs me about, yea they compaſs me about, but in the Name of the Lord will I deſtroy them, Pſal. 18.10, 11. And the Devil ſtruck in with all theſe, ſo he ſaith, v. 13.— Thou haſt thruſt ſore at me that I might fall, but the Lord helped me. Surely it is the Devil which thruſteth us, to make us fall. And yet againſt all Nations of Men, and againſt all Nations of Devils, Did David by faith ſtand? How excellent an Engin then is faith, and how invincible! when Joab fought with Edom in the Vally of Salt, he had a hard bout, as appears by p. 196the Pſalm which David made upon that occaſion. —Thou haſt made the Earth to tremble, thou haſt broken it, heal the breaches of it: thou haſt ſhewed thy People hard things, thou haſt made us drink the Wine of aſtoniſhment; yet obſerve what faith ſaith, in the very next words, Thou haſt given a Banner to them that fear thee, that it may be diſplayed becauſe of the truth, Selah; that thy beloved may be delivered, ſave with thy right hand. Thou haſt given a Banner, (1.) Thou certainly wilt give a Banner, becauſe of the truth, the certain truth; ſo ſaith the Original, and means the Promiſes, ſaith Ainſworth upon this place. And theſe being certain, faith is ſtill at a certainty, and ſeeth beyond all evil. 'Tis thought that our Parents in Paradiſe knew of the good Angel, but knew not of the fall of the bad, and ſo took that voice in the Serpent, to be the voice of a good Angel, and ſo were led by him, and fell about Noon, that being the eating time, and lay comfortleſs till Three of the Clock in the After-noon, which is called the cool of the day, and then were viſited by God, and Chriſt revealed to them. We may have cheats put upon us in theſe days by Devils inſtead of Angels, and I fear we have too many of us; but faith heeds nothing but the certain truth, namely, the promiſes of God which are infallible, and ſo putteth no cheat upon any, nor maketh any aſhamed. p. 197It may be diſtreſſed Perſons may lie longer diſconſolate than three Hours, and yet it may be no longer, for aſſoon as they believe they enter into reſt: this gives a viſion of Chriſt, and ſo of pardon, and of releaſe from diſtreſs certainly to follow, which is reſt, and ſo is indeed, an excellent Balſom for ſuch an unwholſome Climate as we here live in.

3Learn likewiſe from hence the neceſſity of faith, without this we cannot pleaſe God, nor can we be pleaſed with God nor in God, but he will loath us, and we ſhall loath him and all his ways. He that cometh to God muſt believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of all thoſe that diligently ſeek him. And he that muſt believe this, muſt have faith. Suppoſe that the Lord call to contend by Fire, burning and deſtroying, or by famine and drought, ſo great that is ſhould even ſeem to dry up the great deep, as the Prophet uſeth the ſpeech, Amos 7.4. Meaning, exceedingly ſcorch and wither, and kill all. Or ſuppoſe that not only Famine ſhould be, but the Sword alſo, yea as prevailing and as devouring a Sword as the Famin, and that God ſhould make that good againſt us, which Job ſaith of his condition, Job 16.11. God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hand of the wicked; I was at eaſe, but he hath broken me aſunder, he hath alſo taken me by the Neck, p. 198and ſhaken me to pieces, and ſet me up for his mark. Verſ. 12. How neer ſuch things may be, God knoweth; and what then, when all is gone? What ſhall we, or what can we live by, but by faith? Then faith is as neceſſary to our Souls, as life to our Bodies, or as our Souls to our Bodies. Elihu was ſenſible that Job was full of complaints of his hard condition, but alas, faith he, Brutes and Beaſts when hard uſed, will cry and roar, but what is this of a godly Man? or what will the great God regard ſuch carriages? By reaſon of the multitude of oppreſſions, they make the oppreſſed to cry, they cry out by reaſon of the Arm of the Mighty, but none ſaith where is God my Maker, which giveth Songs in the Night, who teacheth us more than the Beaſts, that is, only to roar and cry out, when we are beaten and over-burden'd; he teacheth us to believe, and to expect Songs to be given in the darkeſt Night. Job 35.9. The true ſtate and life of man, is not to be ſhaken with tumults and diſtreſſes, nor be lifted up with proſperity and eaſe, ſaid the Heathen, and what can poiſe, and even the Soul thus in all conditions but faith? by which we know how to abound, and how to want, how to be high when low, and how to be low when high; if faith have its perfect work, ſo will patience, and then the Soul is entire, and wanteth nothing, no though all the things of this World he wanting.

p. 199Likewiſe we may learn from hence, 4that we are never gone and quite undone, till faith be gone. For loe they lie in wait for my Soul, the mighty are gathered againſt me; they return at Evening, they make a noiſe like a Dog, and go round about the City, behold they belch out with their mouth, Swords are in their Lips, for who ſaith he doth hear? But thou O Lord ſhalt laugh at them, thou ſhalt have all the Heathen in deriſion, becauſe of his ſtrength will I wait upon thee, for God is my defence, Pſal. 59.9. The God of my mercy ſhall prevent me he ſhall let me ſee my deſire upon mine enemies. Things were very bad indeed, when the wicked were at this height, that they could belch out any thing, and run every where as Dogs, and tear God and Man, and yet David was not quite ruined. — Becauſe of thy ſtrength I will wait upon thee. A believer is ſtrong enough, as long as God is ſtrong, and wiſe enough, as long as God is wiſe, and rich enough as long as God is rich, and lively enough as long as God lives. Hanibal offered himſelf, to make War with the Romans without an Army, ſaith Seneca. And truly a believer will himſelf make War with all enemies in the World, and without any Army, only by the ſtrength of God, and is never at a loſs for an Army, nor Counſel, nor Proviſions, but ſaith as that Father of believers, God will provide, God will fight for you, and ye ſhall p. 200hold your peace, ſaid Moſes in a great ſtrait. Cain was not utterly loſt, when he had committed murder, for ſo had David done. But when he rejected the offer of grace, and deſired death as a deſpairing Creature. He had a moſt glorious offer of grace, Gen. 4.7. And if thou d…ſt well ſhalt thou not be accepted? or certainly accepted, and though thou doſt not well, yet a ſin-offering lieth at the door, ſo it ſhould be read ſaith a great Scholar, in the Languages of the Scripture.Dr. Lightfoot. And this great offer of grace he deſpiſed, and ſo forſook his own Mercy, and deſired Death through a proud dogged ſpirit, having loſt the honour, which was given to Abel. Now therefore let it be, that any one that fudeth me may kill me. So ſhould theſe words be read, ſaith the ſame Author. And now and not till now, was Cain quite undone.

Uſe 2 This Doctrine in the next place may be for reproof; and it may be for reproof of unbelief upon any account whatſoever, ſeeing faith looks through all matters whatever. As for the Jebuſite the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem, the Children of Iſrael could not drive them out, but they dwell there to this day. Judg. 15.63. David along while after drove them out. And why could not theſe lame and blind be driven out? It was their unbelief. The enemy had gotten a ſtrong Fort, and the advantage of that City Jeruſalem, and yet had they had faith they might p. 201have lookt thorow theſe Forts and Rocks of Jeruſalem, and have conquer'd it, as they did Jerico and other places as ſtrong, by faith. Their ſin was the ſame with Rubens, Dan and Aſher. Siſa… 's Hoſt was great, and therefore they could not ſee through them, and over them. For the diviſions of Ruben there were great thoughts of heart. Gilead abode beyond Jordan, and why did Dan abide in Ships, Aſhar continued on the Sea ſhore, and abode in his breaches. Judg. 5.16▪17. Diſtreſſes are of ſeveral magnitudes but yet how great ſoever they be, faith ſhould be ſuch as to maſter them and look thorow them, but when it is not ſo, then men betake them to their ſelfiſh ſhifts, and every one is but for one. Why did Aſhar abide in [his breacher?] 'Tis a grand evil of this time, every Man ſeeks his own, and ſtands with all he hath to make up his own breaches but as to the publick and the common calamity of others, Who hath a Heart or a Purſe or a Hand? which ſpeaks plainly our unbelief, and that we do not ſee through the dark Clouds which are come upon us▪ but ſay in our hearts, as David, I ſhall one time or other ſurely periſh by this and that great tryal, and theſe Sons of Anack are walled up to Heaven, and no dealing with them. Neceſſity (ſaith one of the Heathen) maketh us more violent than valorous. There are amongſt us, through many neceſſities, many p. 202violencies both inward and outward, ſpiritual and corporal, unto great hurt every way, but little true valour, that which flows from faith, which is that that doth buſineſs, as we have ſeen.

2Secondly, This Scripture reproveth giving way to unbelief. We flatter our ſelves in our unbelief, as Jona in his paſſion, and in many caſes very deſperately, we think we do well to be unbelievers; whereas the greater the difficulties be, the more our duty is to believe. Curſe ye Meros, curſe ye bitterly, that they came not out in a plunge to help the Lord againſt the mighty Judg. 5.23. If thou think ſome great tryal ſhall encounter thee, (…aith Seneca) do not flinch, but comfort thy ſelf with this, that ſurely thy death and ſuffering is of ſome great importance Great diſtreſs is no warrant for us to make great conſult with fleſh and blood, but great conſults with the promiſes, and with our own experi…nces, and to call much upon a cowardly and deceitful heart. Why art thou caſt down O my Soul? hope in God: for, I ſhall yet ſee better things than theſe. If unbelief were as profitable, as it is ſelf-pleaſing, and that it would further eſcapes out of diſtreſſes, one might through ſelf-love give way to it, as Men do to many gainful ſins; but it doth not this, but rather obſtruc…e ca…s as our Fathers unbelief in the Wilderneſs upon every occaſion, p. 203it cauſed God to ſwear againſt them, that they ſhould dye in the Wilderneſs. It is not the giving way to unbelief, but the exciting faith, what ever the difficulty be, that is the likely way to make eſcape. As Caleb and Joſhua ſaid, We be well able to deal with them, for God is departed from them and they are bread for us, and this is called following of God fully, which God took well, and honoured them with eſcapes from all dangers, and they enjoyed the good Land. To this agrees that, Pſal. 37.40. And the Lord ſhall help them and deliver them, he ſhall deliver them from the wicked, and ſave them, becauſe they truſt in him, If giving way to unbelief in the leaſt, had been pleaſing to God, he would not have made the promiſe firſt to our Parents, before he came to pronounce the curſe upon them.

Now giving way to unbelief, conſiſts in two things conſtruing all things in the worſt and hardeſt ſenſe; our own matters towards God, and God's matters towards us. I have been a ſtubborn rebellious …retch, and ſurely God will never have mercy upon me; Obſerve Moſes upon th…s theme. Deſtroy not this People remember Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob look not on the ſtubbornneſs of this People, nor to thei… wickedneſs, nor to their ſin, Deut 9.27. Ne reſpicias ad dutitiem; the hardneſs, that is, the …m…e…tency of this People, but thy Covenant with Abraham. p. 204And this is the great thing only to be eyed by poor guilty wretches. O ſirs, ſuch and ſuch ſins were nothing, if I could be humbled for them, but I am of a very hard heart. Be it ſo, yet ſhould you believe in the word of promiſe, that is in that God which hath ſaid he will give a heart of fleſh. This People hath finn'd, and they cannot repent, (ſaith Moſes) do not therefore look upon them, for there is no lovelineſs in them but look upon thy promiſe to Abraham to be a God to him and to his Seed, and what cannot a God do to mend the heart of man? Lamech having made himſelf guilty of Polygamie, reflected upon the ſin of Cain, as is thought, of which Loin he was, and conſters himſelf a far more guilty wretch than Cain, for that Cain had only ſlain one, and that only his body, but Lamech had deſtroyed many, ſoul and body, both by his evil example which now ſo generally was followed in the World, and a haſtner of the worlds deſtruction, ſo that if Cain was to be avenged ſeven-fold for his fin. Lamech ſurely for his fin was to be avenged ſeventy times ſeven fold; this is the ſenſe of this Scripture, as an able Expoſitor judgeth. Sure I am, that thus do poor guilty wretches pleaſe themſelves, to look upon all their ſins, in a very multiplying glaſs, and to ſee them greater than any others, and ſo conclude, that if ſuch and ſuch deſpaired, I have much p. 205more reaſon, and this is no other but giving way to unbelief. The Jews obſerve much, how the providence of God, complyed with the fire upon the Altar, that it never went out, they ſay that the Rain of Heaven, though never ſo great, never did put it out; ſo we ſhould much obſerve how the Lord by his Providence in his Word and Works, complies with the weakneſs of our faith, to ſtrengthen and to preſerve it, that it go not out, quite out; and not be ſeverely catching at every thing, to weaken and to deſtroy our faith, as if God's thoughts were as narrow as ours.

Secondly, Way is given to unbelief, when all wit and parts are uſed, to argue down faith And the Angel of the Lord did wonderouſly, and Manoah and his Wife looked on. But the Angel of the Lord did no more appear to Manoah, nor to his Wife, then he knew it was an Angel of the Lord And Manoah ſaid to his Wife we ſhall ſurely die, becauſe we have ſeen God, Judg. 13.19, 20. God ſometimes doth wonderouſly own us in all our ways, and holdeth up our hearts ev…n by ſenſe, he is ſo for us in every thing. Another while he ſeems to be as much againſt us, and Manoah that did look on and ſee God do wonderouſly, ſeeth him no more; and now the improſperous Man concludes that he ſhall die. And juſt thus do many, when God upholds them not by ſenſe, but with draws, p. 206and ſeems to be as much againſt them as for them, then conclude ſurely, God is our Enemy and will deſtroy us, and all is naught. Sineca ſaith that there is no univerſal thunder: I may ſay ſo in morals. When God doth moſt againſt wicked Men, yet ſome things of kindneſs he doth, as we ſee in the example of Pharaoh; And ſo on the other hand, there is no univerſal Sun ſhine: when God doth moſt for any Child of his, yet he ſhall have exerciſe and tryal enough one way or other; and therefore to argue when things do not run ſo ſtilly and calmly as they did, that therefore God doth not reſpect us, is to give way to unbelief. The people of Iſrael as they were eſpying out their way, met with many difficulties, And they turn'd, and went up the way of Baſhan, and Og the King of Baſhan went out againſt them, and all his People. And the Lord ſaid to Moſes fear not, for I will deliver him into thine hand, and all his People, and thou ſhalt do to him as thou didſt to Sihon King of the Amorites, Num. 21.33. 'Tis juſt thus ſpiritually; as a tempted Chriſtian is ſpying out his way to Heaven out ſtarts ſome Og, ſome ſtrong luſt or Devil, and then is he ready to fear and deſpair, and miſtruſt all, and conclude all is naught, and will be worſe and worſe; which is arguing down faith from ſenſe, and giving way to unbelief. The High Prieſt was train'd up againſt the day of expiation, p. 207to learn how to take up his handful of Incenſe, and lay it one the Altar, and ſo how to order himſelf in every thing, and was kept in a Room of purpoſe ſeparated with abſtinence; ſo ſhould you rather conſter, that you are training up to your Prieſtly work by your tryals, how to take up your handful of Incenſe, I mean the Promiſes, and lay them on the Altar, Chriſt, and ſo make a ſweet Saviour of reſt to God, and to your Souls.

That you may not upon any account give way to unbelief, know that you cannot do ſo and be innocent, that is, free from ſin in ſo doing. There are two things that are indiſpenſable duties as long as we live, and that is to wait on the Lord, and to keep his way, to which the bleſſing is certainly fixed, and no difficulty ſhall make it void. The wicked watcheth the righteous, and ſeeketh to ſlay him, the Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. What is the uſe to be made of this? read the next words. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he ſhall exalt thee to inherit the Land, when the wicked are cut off thou ſhalt ſee it, Pſal. 37.32, 33, 34. There are two parts in Religion, faith and obedience; that we walk in all Gods ways, and yet not reſt in this, but in Chriſt by faith; and this we ought in all weathers to do, and the good event of theſe, is certain. — God will exalt p. 208us to inherit the Land flowing with Milk and Hony. (i.e.) All good, God will give us a lift to the poſſeſſion of all that he hath promiſed. And therefore it is to deſtroy all Religion, and the recompence of reward too, to give way to unbelief. They that do not wait on the Lord, will ſurely not keep his way, and they that do not keep his way will not be exalted to inherit the good Land. Heatheniſme began at Babel; when the Hebrew Tongue was loſt, at the confuſion of Tongues only to one Family was God and Salvation preached. And when this was loſt, Religion was loſt with it, and all the Earth became ſtrangers to God, and ſo lay 2203 Years, till the gift of Tongues at Zion began to be given, to preach the Goſpel in every Language we may in this Glaſs ſee our black face at this day.) So I may ſay, that all tranſgreſſion even unto Heatheniſme, begins at unbelief; What will not an unbeliever be drawn unto? and conſequently all miſery begins here too; and neither the one nor the other begin to be removed, till God begin to work faith in the Soul. And therefore I ſay again, and ſay ſome thing more than I did, you cannot give way to unbelief, and be innocent, you cannot give way to unbelief, but you give way to all ſin, and unto all miſery, See Rom. 11.23. And they ſhall be graffed in again, if they abide not ſtill in unbelief.

p. 209Try your ſelves therefore by this Point. Do you believe? Do you look tho… the dark matters o… your condit…o…? And behold a Woman which was diſeaſed with an iſſue of blood Twelve Years came behind Chriſt, and touched the Hem of his Garment, for ſhe ſaid within her ſelf, if I may but touch his Garment I ſhall be wh…le. Mat. 7.21. What talk within your ſelves have you, touching your d…ſt…ſſes inward and outward where…n you are? If I could lean in the …aſt on this wo…d of prom…ſe, ſurely I ſhould enter into reſt, ſurely I ſhou'd be ma…e whole of this wickedneſs, and that Running iſſue which hath run in my nature above Twelve Years without Cure. I will name only one Promiſe for inſtance. Rom. 11.26. And ſo all Iſrael ſhall be ſaved, as it is written, I here ſhall come out of Zion the Deliverer and ſhall turn away ungodlineſs from Jacob for this is my Covenant with them when I ſhall take away their ſins. What a deal of ſcarlet guilt is upon the Jew! And as for natural corruption, how wilfully blind, how ſtubborn in and their ſins! and yet the Apoſtle Paul by vertue of the Promiſe, looks … wall, and ſeeth the condition of theſe forlorne ſinners a condition remed able that 'tis …t Immedicabile Vul…us. Do you in your reading the Scriptures, make a ſtand at any promiſe, or …u…able word to your condition, and ſay within your ſelves, O that I could p. 210but touch this Hem of Chriſt's Garment. If I could but believe in this word I ſhould be whole, I ſhould overcome ſuch a ſin which hath ſo oft overcome me, all my ungodlineſs both of guilt and filth would be turned away Whi…ſt Simeon he juſt lived, the Fire on the Altar ever burnt pleaſantly, but when he dyed its force abated, ſaith the Jewiſh Hiſtory. Simon the juſt was a great believer, and did Miracles, ſaith Euſchius, and very Holy and Heavenly. Where faith indeed is that Heavenly Fire of love and zeal to God, will burn in the heart very bright and clear, according to that excellent ſpeech of David, I have hoped for thy Salvation, and do thy Commandement, Pſal. 119.166. And as faith fails, ſo this Heavenly Fire on the Altar goes out, ſo a Mans skill and his conſcience to pleaſe God dye both together.

2Secondly, Are you able to look thorow outward troubles and difficulties, and dark matters, as they lye now in theſe and other Nations? Can you ſtand on your high places, and ſee now beyond this thick Cloud of the Peſtilence and other evils that are upon us? Can you ſay, O thou Enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end, or ſaith the margent, The destructions of the Enemy are come to a perpetual end, —The…r Cities haſt tho… deſtroyed.Pſal. 9 6. The wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, and all that forget God, (there they will be quite out of the way) p. 211For the needy ſhall not alway be forgotten, the expectation of the poor ſhall not periſh for ever, v. 17.18. The Ticle of this Pſalm, is Muth Labben, the Death of ſome great Enemy, which Ainſworth ſaith to be Anti Chriſt. Anti-Chriſt is now more alive than ever in all the parts of Chriſtendom, he is a man of good eyes that now can ſee his death and downfall and all his Cities, even Rome it ſelf, that great City which Ruleth the Nations. The firſt thing that dyed in the World was Chriſt in the offering of our firſt Parents, whoſe skins cloathed them. And the laſt that dyeth in the World will be Anti-Chriſt, who cloatheth himſelf in ſcarlet with the skins of the Saints. Hence was Chriſt called a Lamb, ſlain from the beginning; and therefore may Anti-Chriſt be calle… a Bear or Beaſt ſlain in the end of the World: But who ſeeth now in this dark and diſmal Hour, the death of this Monſter? I remember not long ſince, in the days of the great Armies, then we all talkt of the downfall of Anti-Chriſt; But, who ſeeth his downfall now? There is no Rain ſo great that watereth the Earth above ſo far, Ten Foot deep, ſaith the Naturaliſt. I think the ſtorms which have fallen of late in theſe parts, have ſoakt our Souls, and Bodies, and Eſtates, and all that is dear clear thorow, yea, our faith, and all our graces, for we can ſcarce look through any thing well, p. 212But when exhorted to truſt in the Lord at all times as David ſaith we are ready to ſay as the Princes of Succoth to Gideon, are Zeba and Z…lmunna now in our hands, that we ſhou…d do ſo and ſo, Judg. 8.6. Who ſaith Although the Fig Tree ſhall not bloſſom, neither f…uit be in the Vines th…ugh the labour of the Olive ſhall fail, and the Fields ſhall yield no meat, the Flocks ſhall be cut off from the Folds, and no Herd in the Stalls, yet will I rejoyce in the God of my Salvation Hab 3.17, 8 Yet this is no more but the proper acts o… faith.

If you ſay you do not thus believe, ſo as to look thorow dark cond…t…ons and things, neither ſpiritual nor temporal. Let me ask you do you not thu… ſometimes? No not at any time can I thus believe. Elian compares Tyrants to Swine, which if a Man but touch, they cry▪ think…ng they ſhall be ki…led▪ Is it thus with you, when God doth but touch you in this and that? Do ye cry as if he m…ant to kill you in al…? What do you do then in your trials? throw off al…? David was not wont to do ſo, but when all things failed, to call upon his Soul to truſt only in God I will…g in the ſt…ength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy righteouſneſs, even of thine only and will hope continually and will yet praiſe thee more and more, Pſal. 71.14, 15, 16. Whether the p. 213Gods be pleaſed or diſpleaſed. We muſt dye, ſaid one of the Heathen: ſo ſay I, whether God be pleaſed or diſpleaſed with us, (to ſpeak with reverence) we muſt believe, as the Cananitiſh Woman did, when Chriſt called her Dog, or elſe we ſinck and periſh.

Ʋſe 4 Wherefore my laſt Uſe is to exhort you to ſeek this grace of faith, that you may be able to believe God, becauſe of his own Word. Job. 4.41. And ſo to ſet your Seal to his Word and Works, and by this be able to eſpy light in darkneſs, which God is moſt ready to give. Righteouſneſs ſhall go before him, and he ſhall ſet us in the way of his ſteps, Pſal. 85. ult. Truth ſhall ſpring out of the Earth, and Righteouſneſs ſhall look down from Heaven: which words (ſurely) point at Chriſt and the Goſpel, by which God trains up ſinners to believe in him, to their Salvation in this World and in the World to come. God preached Chriſt to Adam, and taught him to take hold of him, to his temporal and eternal Salvation. Adam named his Wife Eva, or Life. And the promiſe is that we ſhall all (i.e.) Jew and Gentile, be taught of God to this thing, to glorifie the word of the Lord, that is, the eſſential word Chriſt, and the written word the Scriptures. God taught Noah to build the Ark, concerning which, p. 214one thing is moſt remarkable, that the Door into the Ark was in the loweſt ſtory, and ſo was under Water all the time of the Flood, which ſurely was done on purpoſe, to make and exerciſe faith purely in him which ſhut him in.

Seek faith in this height, which my Text and Doctrin ſpake of, (1) That you may be able in the greateſt darkneſs, to make light and ſight. The Jews in their daunces would ſay, Bleſſed be thou O my Youth, which haſt not ſhamed my old Age, and theſe were called Men of Performances. Others would ſay, Bleſſed be thou my old Age, which haſt gain-ſaid my Youth, and theſe were called Men of repentance. Both would ſay, Bleſſed is he that hath not ſin'd, and he that hath ſinn'd and is pardoned. Seek ſuch a faith, that thus you may ſee cauſe to bleſs God in every condition, in Youth, in Age, in ſickneſs, in health, when down, and when riſen again; when you do not ſin, and when you do ſin, as being able to apprehend Chriſt and your pardon. Bleſſed is he whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven, and whoſe ſin is pardoned, bleſſed is he to whom the Lord will not impute ſin, ſurely his Salvation is neer them that fear him, that gl…ry may dwell in our Land, mercy and truth are met together, righteouſneſs and peace have kiſſed each other, Pſal. 58.9, 10. p. 215What this kiſſing of Righteouſneſs and Peace means, you may ſee, Verſ. 2. Thou haſt forgiven the iniquity of thy People, thou haſt cover'd all their ſin, Selah. The Pſalmiſt by faith ſaw peace in Heaven towards the Lords People, and that peace. (i e.) All good ſhould be on Earth to them alſo, which keeps the heart in a ready chearful frame to ſerve God, and to bleſs him in every ſtate, and therefore ſuch a faith ſhould be ſought for.

3Watch to preſerve your faith, who have this grace of graces. How careful we are to preſerve our eyes, and much more to preſerve our lives. Faith is your beſt eyes, by which you are able to look out of every hill into Heaven; and faith is your beſt life, by this we live ſpiritually, and by this we have all the joy of our life, that is worth any thing. He that never ſaw the rejoyceing of drawing of Water, never ſaw joy in all his life, ſaith the Jewes; ſo he that never ſaw the joy of faith, which is called unſpeakable and full of glory, never ſaw joy in all his life; and therefore you that have this faith, and the great and unſpeakable benefit of it, preſerve it all you can, and make no ſhipwrack of faith and conſcience, and there you ſave all, though you loſe all beſide. Hence it is that David begs that God would draw out his loving kindneſs to them p. 216that knew him, and his righteouſneſs to the upright in heart, with thee is the Fountain of Life, and in thy light we ſhall ſee light, Pſal. 36.9, 10. By which, he means that God would more reveal Chriſt to him in his word and works, for the better eſtabliſhing of every grace; and thus let us p…nt all our days, that in his light we may ſee light, and have our faith and integrity preſerved, for they live and dye together. He that did bring the World by the Flood in o…ics firſt Chaos, covered all with VVater, he can and is ready to bring our fa…len ſtate, by Chriſt (the greateſt piece of which is unbelief) to ſome degree of reſtoration, and bear up the Pillars thereof, faith and every grace, and all by his own hand. And he that enabled Noah in Seven Days to furniſh the Ark with all Creatures for a whole Year, both for nouriſhment an… for ſacr fice, to weather it in all that dark time, he can quickly inable us to ſtore our Souls in this dark day with every grace, to weather well this evil time and to ſtand compleat in all the will of God.

(1)The Motives which may be uſed are theſe, your own matters are or may be ſuddenly very dark, moſt Mens ſun claps in, in this hour, and every one either in point of eſtate or liberty, or life, begineth to walk in the Vally of the ſhadow of Death; it would p. 217be well now in ſuch times, to have ſuch a frame of ſpirit to keep up, and to fear none ill, to be able to ſay, as David, The Lord is my light, and my Salvation, whom ſhall I fear, the Lord is the ſtrength of my life, of whom ſhall I be afraid, though an Hoſt encamp againſt me, my heart ſhall not fear, though War ſhould riſe againſt me in this will I be confident, for in time of trouble he ſhall hide me in his Pavilion, in the ſecret of his Tabernacle ſhall he hide me, and now ſhall my head be lifted up above mine enemies round about, Pſal. 27.1▪ 2, 3 Many Clouds are up, and more ſtill ariſing, and ſome are already over-ſhadowing you; Would it not be well if you were able indeed to ſay thus? Though Wa…s be, though Famine, though Peſtilence, though Impriſonment, Baniſhment, yet in all theſe will I be confident, over theſe ſhall I be a Conqueror, for in the times of theſe troubles, the Lord will hide me, and it may be now, as dark and as diſmal as things look, ſhall my head be lifted up above all mine enemies round about? God promiſed (after the Flood was over) that Day and Night ſhould no more ceaſe; Gen. 8 22. which intimateth, ſaith one upon that place, that during the Forty Days Rain which made the Flood, that the Day was as it were ceaſed and turned into Night by the great and thick Clouds, and Tempeſts which were all over the World (and p. 218Clouds and Darkneſs are uſually joyned together, in the Scripture-phraſe.) Our Day through many Clouds and Storms is very dark, eſpecially to ſome; and yet the Day may more ceaſe, and become univerſally dark, that what it is to any one at this Hour for calamity, that it may be univerſally in one ſenſe or another. And when things are thus univerſally dark, that every ones day is ceaſed, it will look like a Doomſday indeed; and if you cannot look thorow the Clouds of your condition now, How will ye do then? If ye cannot run with the Foot, how will ye run with the Horſe? The Jews hold, that ſuch as made not uſe of the Flood, but continued in their unbelief, were puniſhed with ſcalding Water in Gehinnom; And ſurely they that make not uſe of preſent Clouds and Storms upon their condition, to get faith to wreſtle well with theſe, and to fit them for worſe, will be ſcalded indeed with thoſe Waters, which yet may overflow us. The wo Trumpets are for the Idolatry of the Chriſtian Empire.

2As our own Perſonal matters are dark: ſo are the matters of the Chriſtian World, dark in moſt parts, though not ſo generally and univerſally, as they may be. I will give you two Scriptures to expreſs my ſelf in, in this matter. The one is, Amos 5.12, 13, 14. p. 219For I know your manifold tranſgreſſions, and your mighty ſins, they afflict the juſt, they take bribes, they turn aſide the poor in the Gate from their right, therefore the prudent ſhall keep ſilence, for it is an evil time, hate the evil and love the good, eſtabliſh judgment in the Gate, it may be the Lord God of Hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joſeph. Sins are now in the Chriſtian World mighty and manifold, oppreſſions of the juſt (ſurely) were never greater, and yet muſt be ſilent, muſt not Petition nor complain; and all this is done Ex anima, heartily, yea with great malice and rage, that reacheth up to Heaven. God's wrath and rage is ſo provoked by this, as we feel at this day, that it is doubtful who of us will eſcape, when he ſhall go on in his judgments for theſe things. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord, wailing ſhall be in all Streets, and they ſhall ſay in all the High-ways, alas, alas, and they ſhall uſe the Husband-man to mourning, and all Vineyards ſhall mourn, hate the evil, &c. It may be the Lord God will be gracious to the remnant of Joſeph. Sinners are ſo mighty in the Chriſtian World, and ſo many, and repentance and faith ſo rare and ſcarce, hating the evil, and loving the good, &c. That judgments when they further come, Famin, Peſtilence, Sword, ſurely they will ſweep clean, that we ſhall have cauſe to uſe the Prophets ph…aſe, Wailing ſhall be in all Streets▪ and p. 220they ſhall ſay in all the High-ways, alas, alas, and it may be ſome of us ſhall eſcape. If ſuch as have moſt faith, be brought to their may be by reaſon of ſuch general calamity, what will they be brought to who are wholly deſtitute of faith, when ſuch Floods overflow? The other Scripture to ſet out the ſtate of the Chriſtian World at this day, is, Rev. 13.6 7. And he opened his mouth in blaſphemy againſt God, to blaſpheme his Name and his Tabernacle, and them which dwell in Heaven, and it was given unto him to make War with the Saints, and to overcome them, and power was given him over all Kindreds, and Tongues, and Nations, and all ſhall worſhip him whoſe Names are not written in the Book of Life. The Anti-Chriſtian world is at theſe heights of ſin, blaſpheming the matters and People of God, and at Warre with them, ſhedding their blood, and their ſucceſs it ſeems will be general, power will be given them over all Kindreds, Tongues and Nations; and then when there is no Nation to flee to under Heaven, when the Earth, and the Sea, and the dry Land (i e.) all places and corners of the World ſhall be ſhaken, what need will there be of faith to flee to God. In the Generations, when the Son of David cometh (ſay the Jewes) the Scholars of the wiſe ſhall be rare, and as for the reſt of the People their eyes ſhall fail for ſorrow, and grief, and great afflictions, and p. 221ſoar decrees ſhall be ſo renewed, that before the firſt is ended, the ſecond ſhall come Saith others of them. In the week of Years, in the which the Son of David ſhall come, the firſt year, that ſhall be fulfilled, to wit, I rained upon one City, and not upon another, Amos 4. In the ſecond year, The arrows of Famine ſhall be abroad: In the third year, the Famine ſhall be ſo great, that Men, Women, and Children, yea good and godly Men ſhall die, &c. I do not make this as Scripture, but as I ſee a congruity in them to the Scriptures, they are not be ſlighted. Now what of all this is approaching upon the Chriſtian World, and at the Door, I know not; ſure I am, faith, yea the fa…th of David in my Text, againſt ſuch a dark hour, would do well.

Thirdly, Get faith, this faith I am treating of, or elſe you will be of little or no uſe, one to another. VVhen Senachetib came into Judea, Hezekiah ſets Captains of VVar over the People. And gathered them together to him in the Gate of the City▪ and ſpake comfortably to them, ſaying, Be ſtrong and cou…agious, be not afraid, nor diſmay'd for the King of Aſſyria, nor for all the Multitude that is with him, for there be more with us than with him, with him is an arm of fleſh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our Battel. And the People reſted p. 222themſelves upon the words of Hezekiah King of Juda, 2 Chro. 32.6, 7. How wonderful uſeful was Hezekiah by his faith, to the whole Nation in that ſtrait! He put a freſh life and ſoul into them: had he ſunk, they had all ſunk with him, and ſo the enemy and the wrath of God had juſtly preyed upon them all. The Arabians, if their King be ſick, all fain themſelves ſick too, as Homines ad Jervitatem parati, ſaith the Hiſtorian. When Perſons in place are ſick of unbelief, of a faint weak ſpirit in difficult matters, all about them, more than fain themſelves ſick too, they are ſo in earneſt, and more down than aſhes. And truly ones uſe loſt, is more than the loſs of ones life. What a dead living Man is a uſeleſs Man! and yet ſo ſhall we be, unleſs we get the faith of this Scripture I am upon in ſome meaſure, and the faith of this evil time wherein we live. The evil ſpies made the hearts of the People to melt. The Levites which kept the Doors were to try the offerings, and God will try every Man by his offerings, that is, by his uſe.

Queſt. If you now ask me, How ſhall I obtain ſuch a faith?

A. I anſwer, It is the proper adjunct of ſuch a ſta…e, a renewed ſtate. The eyes of the Lord are on ſuch as fear him, on them that hope in his mercy, Pſal 33.18. The Pome-citron p. 223grows beſides all waters, and the taſt of the wood, is like the taſt of the fruit, ſaith the Naturaliſt. But I cannot ſay ſo of faith, of this faith that I am upon, that it growes in every ſoul, though almoſt every one will pretend to it. This Flower growes in a Garden of Flowers, in a ſtate renewed in knowledge, in repentance, in wounds healed. Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping, Pſal. 6▪ 8. One cleares his eyes, to make this excellent eye-ſight by contrite weeping.

2There is a peculiar inſtruction from the Lord, to learn this myſtery of faith, and of believing in all caſes. When Iſaiah ſaw his own ſin, and the Peoples, his heart ſank, Woe is me, for I am undone, ſaith the margent, cut off, then there flew one of the Seraphims to him, having a live Coal in his hand, which he had taken from the Altar, and he laid it on my mouth, and ſaid this hath touched thy Lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy ſin is purged, Iſa. 6.8, 9. How helpful the Angels may be to others in ſuch matters I cannot tell. Conſult Iſa. 8 18 and peruſe the Dutch Notes upon theſe words.— Behold I and the Children which thou haſt given me. The true Emanuel, Chriſt, ſpeaketh to the Prophet in theſe words, and comforts him in his ſuffering by his own example, and ſo all God's Children who are p. 224all lyable to like troubles. So that we are to app…ehend that Chriſt is ready in ſtrong tryals, to g…ve us ſtrong inſtruction, and to comfort us with the ſame comforts, wherewith he himſelf, and God's Children in every Age, have been comforted, though this may be to ſome more, and to ſome leſs, as Chriſt pleaſeth. I ſaw by Night, and behold a Man riding upon a red Horſe, and he ſtood among the Myrtles in the bottom, Zech. 1 8. This phraſe, I ſaw by night, ſignifieth (ſaith Interpreters) that they ſaw their reſtauration, but it was but darkly, and it was by the help of him that appeared among the Myrtles in the bottom, which was Chriſt.

Finally, By the wickedneſs of the wicked, the People of God get up to this height of believing, to look through all the dark Clouds of their condition. Not for thy righteouſneſs, or for the uprightneſs of thy heart, doſt thou go in to poſſeſs their Land, but for the wickedneſs of theſe Nations, doth the Lord thy God drive them out before thee, and that he may perform the word which he ſware to thy Father Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, 9.5. That which is the reaſon of God's doing a thing, may be the reaſon of our faith and hope, that it ſhall be done. Now the very notorious wickedneſs of the wicked, is the reaſon why he cuts them off, and puts others in their place, and therefore from the wickedneſs p. 226of the wicked, may faith be ſtrengthned, and helped to ſee their overthrow, and conſequently the eſcape of the godly. Hezekid ſaw his eſcape, and the downfall of the enemy Senacherib, by this very thing, namely by their wickedneſs▪ their great out rage and blaſphemy, and malice againſt God, his People, and worſhip at Jeruſalem. And they ſpake againſt the God of Jeruſalem, as againſt the Gods of the People of the Earth, which were the work of the hands of Men. For this cauſe Hezekia the King, and the Prophet Iſaiah prayed and cryed to Heaven, and the Lord ſent an Angel and cut them off 2 Chro. 32.19.20. 'Tis good Hiſtory to compare with this, 1 Maccabes 7.41. Nicanor carryed himſelf againſt the Lord and his People, as Senacherib, and abuſed the Prieſts of the Lord, and laughed at all their worſhip, and threatned, that if they did not deliver Judas Maccabeus into his hands, and all his Hoſt, he would deſtroy the Temple, and Prieſts and all the People. And by his height of wickedneſs, the poor Jewes, ſaw his fall, and went to God by prayer, and urged the ſtory of Senacherib to him, ſaying, O Lord when they that were ſent from the King of Aſſyria blaſphemed, thine Angell went out and ſmote an hundred four ſcore and five thouſand of them: even ſo deſtroy thou this Hoſt this day, that the reſt may know that he hath ſp…ken blaſphemouſly againſt thy Sanctuary, p. 226and judge thou him according to his wickedneſs. And as they prayed, ſo God did deſtroy them all, and they ſmote off Nicanor's Head and right hand, and hanged them up towards Jeruſalem. So let all thine Enemies periſh, O God, and ſo let all thy People learn to pray, and to believe.

Amen.

FINIS.