A Memorial of Gods Judgment, Sermons · Sermon 5

A Memorial of Gods Judgment · Sermons · Sermon 5

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. 143Pſal. 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.

GReat afflictions, and great Faith to ſee through them, are the two great Things conſiderable in theſe two Verſes. Afflictions are ſet forth by a Metaphor, taken from the Sea, when**The Winds raiſe the Seas, and take them at their backs, ſaith Seneca. Winds and Rains are tempeſtuous, which are God's Water-ſpouts above; theſe make the Seas roar, and beat, and break to, and again, which are his Water p. 144ſpouts below; which Metaphor is to ſhew, the great and vaſt nature of affl…ctions; they are as the Abyſs, or bottomleſs Sea, that cannot be fathomed; ſuch are the miſeries which God inflicts ſometimes, upon the Sons of Men; yea upon his own Children.

2Secondly, This Metaphor is to ſet forth, the numbers and troops of trials, wherewith God puniſheth his ſometimes; and the number can as well be numbered, as the nature be fathomed: you can as well fathom the bottomleſs Ocean, as number the Waves and Billowes, which beat up and down in it.

3Thirdly, This Metaphor fetcht forth the continuedneſs of affl…ction. Deep calleth upon deep, or calleth for deep. That is, one Wave beateth up and beateth on another,**Undam undaque pellit, or unda ſequax, as Virgil ſaith. through the Tempeſts which God raiſeth. Afflictions unfathomable, innumerable, and very durable, fall ſometimes upon the People of God.

2The next thing this Text ſheweth to us, is, the greatneſs and invincibleneſs of faith, which is ſet forth unto us by the Perſon, faith taketh hold on in diſtreſs, and that is God. Faith leans on no Creature, high nor low, (for in great diſtreſs, What can the greateſt Man do?) but God.— Yet the Lord ſhall, &c.

Secondly, The potency and invincibleneſs p. 145of faith is ſhewed unto us, by that attribute in God, on which faith faſtens, and that is his Soveraignty, which commands all other wheels to go. — The Lord will command his loving kindneſs, &c.

Thirdly, Faith in the potency and invincibleneſs of it is▪ ſhewed us by its excellent iſſues and effect which it doth produce, which are two, Prayer, and Praiſe, and in every dark ſtate. — And in the Night his Song ſhall be with me, and my Prayer to the God of my life: in which is involved peace, and joy, and all good.

Doct. The Doctrin which I obſerve from theſe words is this, That God ſometimes maketh all his Waves and Billowes to go over Men, yea good Men. The Pſalmiſt thus complaineth, not once in my Text, but in Pſal. 69.1, 2. Save me, O God, for the Waters are come into my Soul; I ſink in deep Mire, where there is no ſtanding, I am come into deep Waters, where the Floods overflow me; I am weary of my crying, my throat is dried, mine eyes fail whilſt I wait for my God. David was a Man after God's own heart, and yet ſaith he, The waters are come into my Soul, and I am come into deep Waters, which overflow me, and I cry to God, and he lets me cry till my throat be dryed, and can obtain no anſwer. Elſewhere he ſpeaks of himſelf, and others. Th…u ſelleſt thy People for naught, and doſt not increaſe thy wealth by their price, (alluding to Slaves) thou makest us a reproach to our p. 146Neighbours, a ſcorn and deriſion to them that are round about us; my confuſion is ſtill before me, and the ſhame of my face hath covered me, Pſal. 44 12, 13, 14. There is a great diſtance between the Planets, they cannot dart one to another, ſaith Seneca. But it is not ſo with afflictions, theſe will dart, and reach one to another, when pain is on the body, it will reach unto the Soul.

1All afflictions for kind and qualities, and all for degree and quantity, doth God ſometimes bring upon Man. Firſt, All afflictions for kind and quality, that is, ſpiritual and temporal; Spiritual afflictions GOD brings upon Men, yea upon the beſt Men. The loſs of Ordinances. When I remember theſe things, I pour out my Soul, for I had gone with the Multitude to the Houſe of God Pſal. 42.4. As the loſs of Ordinances: So, 2. The loſs of God in Ordinances. Why are thou caſt down O my Soul, &c. O my God, my Soul is caſt down within me, therefore will I remember thee, from the Land of Jordan. So Job complaineth of the loſs of God. The Arrows of the Lord are within me, and the poiſon of them drink up my Spirit, Job 6. And what a Man was he for integrity? I acknowledge my ſin, and yet mine iniquity is ever before me, Pſal. 51.3. Mine iniquities are gone over my head, they are a heavy bu…den, too heavy for me to bear; my wounds stink and are corrupt through my own fooliſhneſs, p. 147Pſal. 38.4, 5. A ſtorm cannot raiſe it ſelf above the Moon, much leſs as far as the Stars, ſaith the Philoſopher: and yet ſpiritual ſtorms raiſe themſelves in the Soul above all, Sun, Moon, and Stars, above all the graces, gifts, and endowments the Soul hath, and eclipſe and darken all. My heart is ſore pained within me, and the terrors of death are fallen upon me, fearfulneſs and trembling are come upon me, and horrour hath overwhelmed me, Pſal. 55.4. So Haman, whilſt I ſuffer thy terrors, I am diſtracted. And then God is gone indeed, and Sun, Moon, and Stars overwhelmed.

2Secondly, Temporal afflictions doth God bring upon Men, yea upon the beſt of Men. How our Saviour was afflicted in Spirit, we read, his Soul was heavy to death; how he cried out and roared, becauſe of God hideing himſelf: and as to all outward miſeries and injuries, what was not inflicted on him, that Man or Devil, yea or the Juſtice of God could inflict? His viſage was marred more than any Man's. He had no Houſe nor home; He was in the Wilderneſs worried by Devils, and wild Beaſts: He had no Bread, no Bed, no Friends, forſaken of all, even of all his Diſciples. So Haman, how he complaineth of Bodily afflictions.— I am afflicted, and ready to die from my Youth, Pſal. 88.14. He had not a well day in all his life, as we ſay; and yet lived in an ill p. 148time to be ſick, namely when our Fathers were in their conflicts in Egypt, under Pharaoh. And yet mark what he ſaith then, — Thou haſt laid me in the loweſt Pit, in darkneſs in the deep! thy wrath lieth hard upon me, Pſ. 88.7.Ps 88:7and thou haſt afflicted me with all thy Waves, Sela. As if he had ſaid, that it ſhould be done thus, to and poor Creatures, ſuch a ſeaſon as this, when under the tiranny of a Foreign Enemy, let it be wonder'd at by all the Creation, Angels and Men. So Hezekiah, how afflicted outwardly with a great Army of mercileſs Men, inſulting and beſieging him, and no ſooner that over, but ſick unto death of the Plague and other infirmities, as you may read by his complaints. —Mine Age is departed like a Shepheards Tent, it is removed, I have cut off like a Weaver, my life, he will cut me off with pining ſickneſs, which is many thouſand deaths, from Day even to Night he will make an end of me: I reckoned that as a Lion, ſo he will break all my bones, Iſa. 38.12. Comets appear in the calmeſt Ayr, and yet are very prodigious things: So corporal calamities break out upon Men, when in the greateſt calm of eaſe and content. When David ſaid, his Mountain was ſtrong, and that he ſhould never be removed, by and by you hear him cry out, I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the Day long, for my loins are fil…d with a loathſome diſeaſe, p. 149and there is no ſoundneſs in my fleſh, I am feeble and ſore broken, I have roared by reaſon of the diſquietneſs of my heart, Pſal. 38.8.

2Secondly, As God brings all afflictions, for kind and quality, on Men, yea on good Men, that is, afflictions ſpiritual and temporal, inward and outward, on ſoul and body: So he brings all afflictions for quantity and degree; that is, afflictions very great, and of long continuance, Were they not great and ſore things done againſt Job? Whilst he was yet ſpeaking there came another, and ſaith, the Fire of God is fallen from Heaven, i. e. A great Fire, and hath burnt up the Sheep, and the Servants, and I only am eſcaped to tell thee. Poor Job now indeed, that Fire and Brimſtone, from the Lord out of Heaven, ſhould be rained upon him, as upon Sidom, that ſo he might judg himſelf to deſerve, no better than the wicked Sodomites did; What a degree of high Trial, and what a great Twig in the Rod was this? Yea, God ſaith of the Devil, that he moved him againſt Job, without cauſe, to ſwallow him up, Job 2.3. that is, ſaith the Margent, when the Devil had nought againſt him, nor able to bring his own malicious deſigns to paſs againſt him; yet read Satans Second Commiſſion; So went Satan forth from the preſence of the Lord, and ſmote Job with ſore boils from the ſole of his Foot, to the crown of his Head, and he took him a potſherd to ſcrape himſelf withall, p. 150and ſate down amongſt the aſhes; and then his friends poured Gall and Vinegar into his Cup: which altogether made his afflictions of the greateſt magnitude indeed, the greateſt. I think, that ever meer Man had. David tells us of the Lyon, and the young Lyon upon him, Pſal. 17.12. and of ſuch as did ſet their mouths againſt the Heavens, and bark and bite all good Perſons and things, and therefore the Lord's People returned hither, that is, when they could get no ſhelter from the wicked, and Waters of a full Cup were wrung out to them, Pſal 73.10. And full Cups of miſery, ſpeak the greateſt puniſhments for degree and quantity.

2Secondly, God brings afflictions upon Men, yea upon the beſt Men, as great and ſharp, ſo of long continuance. It hath been a ſharp Winter this, and of long continuance; ſo doth God make in other matters, ſome times. Some Rivers**As Nilus that ancient River. had their beginning with the World, and ſo it may be will have their end, not till the World ends. And ſome afflictions have their beginning as ſoon as we, and will have no end till we have; yea, ſome Rods extraordinary begin with ſome good People, as ſoon almoſt as they begin to be, and end not till they end their lives. It is God's threat, that if all his Laws be not obſerved, and his glorious and fearful Name.—The Lord thy God, be feared p. 151and reverenced, (And, who can call God his God, but God's Children?) that then he will inflict upon his People great Plagues and of long continuance, and ſuch he did inflict, and ſuch he hath ſaid in the new Teſtament alſo, will fall out, great troubles, and of long continuance, ſo long, as if he heard no Prayers, that every ones faith and patience ſhall faint and fail. When the Son of Man ſhall come, ſhall he finde ſaith upon the Earth? Like a Crane or a Swallow, ſo did I chatter, I did mourn as a Dove, that is, always, ſo the next words expound it, — Mine eyes fail with looking upward, GOD gave no anſwer, that his faith was quite ſpent; O Lord I am oppreſſed, and bear all the burden alone, Ʋndertake for me, lend me a hand. What ſhall I ſay, he hath ſpoken unto me, and himſelf hath done it, and therefore it will never be undone, I ſhall go ſoftly all my Years in the bitterneſs of my ſoul, Iſa. 38.14, 15. That God inflicts puniſhments, great puniſhments, and of long continuance upon good People, read 1 Kings 22.27. And the King of Iſrael ſaid, put this fellow in the Priſon, and feed him with the bread of affliction, and the water of affliction, until I come in peace. His warrant (you ſee) had a long date. Thus God ſometime let looſe wicked Men upon the beſt of his, to faſten their teeth, and ſcarce ever let go their hold, till they have pluckt out their p. 152throats; to lay them faſt in all extremities, like Joſeph, and there let them lie long till even their skin and bones rot. And as God lets Men deal thus with their body; ſo he lets the Devil ſometimes deal thus with their Soul, worry them, and worrry them long, even all their days. 'Tis but GOD's Commiſſion given to the Devil, and he will do it; as 'tis God's Commiſſion given to wicked Men to torment, and then they do it, and without his Commiſſion, a Dog could not bark or ſhew his teeth againſt any child of God. The Plowers plowed upon my back, and they made long their Furrows, Pſal. 129.3. And woe is me that I remain in Meſhech, and dwell in the Tents of Kedar, my ſoul hath too long dwelt with him that hateth peace, Pſal. 120.5, 6. God excommunicated Nebuchadnezar Seven Years, and made him a Companion for Beaſts; and ſo ſometimes he excommunicates his own People, and makes them companions (as David in Arabia with Black mores) with Devils, thoſe black Fiends of the loweſt Hell, and ſo long.

The Reaſons of this Point are theſe: Firſt, That God may ſhew his Soveraignty, I will not ſay h…s Juſtice. We have all ſin'd, even the beſt Men, and therefore God may bring all afflictions and miſeries upon the beſt. But I rather chooſe to ſay, that God may ſhew what an abſolute Lord of all He p. 153is, and can ſet up what Man he will to be his mark to ſhoot at, and then take him down, and ſet up another. Mine iniquities are more than the hairs of my head, ſaith David, Pſal. 40.12. Uſually leſs than this number are our afflictions when moſt, and therfore where God ſhews ſoveraignty, he alſo ſheweth juſtice. Iſrael would none of me, Pſal. 81.11. Therefore where God pronounced to Ammi, I will have none of this People, he was juſt as well as abſolute, and peremptory in his will. Sometimes God ſmites a ſinner, as Joab ſmote Amaſia under the fiſt Rib, ſo as that he ſmites him not again, maketh an utter end at a blow, and no cauſe viſible no more than in other of the Sons and Daughters of Men, and of his People: This properly we call ſoveraignty: Thus may be ſmite any one: for we have not (any one of us all) the priviledge of Antwarp▪ who have two marts laſting ſix weeks apiece, during which time no Man in his Perſon or Goods can be arreſted. No man hath ſuch priviledge for a day, in order to God: he can arreſt Perſon, Goods, and Life when he pleaſeth, and yet in all ſo, that none can charge him with injuſtice.

Secondly, Doth thus, bring all afflictions upon Men, yea upon the beſt Men, to try integrity. The Sea pulleth up from its bottom all excrements, as well in fair weather as in fowl, ſaith Seneca; but ſo doth not the p. 154Soul. Thou haſt made a Hedge about Job, Doth he ſerve thee for naught? No, thou doſt give him much, and ſo hire him to ſerve thee, do but take away as thou haſt given to him, and he will curſe thee to thy face, ſo ſaith God, all he hath is in thine hands, and then again ſaith, touch his Bone and his Fleſh, and he will curſe thee, &c. Take away Eſtate, and take away health, health and wealth, and then queſtionleſs he will forſake ſuch a hard Maſter: and yet Satan was deceived, Job held his integrity, and now Job goes for current Coin in the Lords account. Haſt thou conſidered my Servant Job, that he is a juſt Man and upright, &c. Though thou haſt moved me againſt him without cauſe, ſuch an inſtance is David. — Thou didſt thruſt ſore at me (that is) Satan, becauſe he ſaith, that he thruſt ſore at him, that he might fall, but the Lord helped me, Pſal. 118.13. God afflicts ſore ſometimes, and then the Devil thruſts ſore, to ſhipwrack Conſcience ſome way or other, and thus doth God try Men ſometimes, to know all that is in their heart. There is a Nurſery at a great Dukes ſeat abroad, which is called Schola illuſtris. Great afflictions are the great God's Schola illuſtris, that in and by which, he makes the integrity of Men appear, that is, all the graces of Men in their true glory. — According to that, 1 Pet. 1.7. That the trial of your faith being p. 155much more precious, than that of Gold that periſheth may be found unto praiſe and honour at the appearing of Jeſus Chriſt. Barbils taken among Rocks are brave Fiſh, and have their right colour.

Thirdly, God brings all afflictions on Men, yea on good Men, to humble and to mortify. Our Fathers were worried with all afflictions in the Wilderneſs forty Years together, as to prove them, ſo to humble them, to pull down pride and ſtubborneſs, and to make them long much for Canaan, the Land of Reſt. And Job was kept at ſuch a diſtance in all his conflicts as to try him, ſo to humble him and abaſe him, for his heart was too high, What good Man's heart is not? The Sacrifices of God are a broken and a contrite ſpirit, ſuch ſacrifices in Religion God likes well, Pſal. 51.17. He doth not deſpiſe low, humble, bleeding ſinners, that is, he doth not worry and ſleight to ſee them, becauſe they are as Wheat ground ſmall enough to be Bread fit for their Maſters Table. David, when his bones were all broken, that is, ſoul and body much afflicted, then he begins to talk of a broken ſpirit; when our conditions are high, our ſpirits are ſo too: and to bring the one low, the Lord is forſt to bring the other low too. Paul that was a high confident Man, God was fain from Heaven to fell him to the Earth, and afterward to keep him low and p. 156humble, was fain to let looſe corruptions of nature, and buffitings of Satan, that by theſe thornes in his ſides he might prick out and let out all the ſwelling windy conceits of himſelf, and of his own holineſs, and goodneſs, and uſefulneſs, which fluttered in his heart.—Mephiboſheth being a Criple, how humbly he ſpeaks! — And he bowed himſelf and ſaid, What is thy Servant that thou ſhouldſt look upon ſuch a dead Dog as I am, 2 Sam. 9.8. So when God Criples us in all things, wherein we may be of uſe to him, eſtate, health inward and outward, and yet keeps on a ſecret ſupport and kindneſs though not ſenſible, Oh how humble it makes the Man! What a dead Dog am I, that the Lord ſhould regard me to do the leaſt favour for me! the ground is too good to bear me. Naturali praevalet accidentale. Sometimes accidental things prevail againſt natural; accidental rods and puniſhments, prevail againſt Natural Corruptions and Sins.

Secondly, As God doth bring all afflictions to mortify pride, ſo to mortify other ſins, to which our natures are too too prone, to pluck up all ſin by the roots well, eſpecially hypocriſie, with which we do beſt play with, in the matter of humiliation and mortification, and renewing faith and repentance, till the Lord ſwinge us indeed with all his Rods, and long. David, though p. 157a good Man, was beaten till he roared, and made to roar all the Day long, and Night and Day was God's hand heavy on him, and his moiſture turned into the drought of Summer, to make him acknowledg and confeſs ſome ſpecial ſin, which lay hid and was kept cloſe, till a Fire was kindled in his bones, then he confeſſed, and ſpit out the ſweet morſel which he tumbled in his mouth ſo long, Pſal. 32.5. In ſome bad matters, we are very bad and naught, and ready to make excuſes and defences, and to hide our ſin this way, as Adam, 'tis but a little one, and I do not uſe it, it is but now and then, when I meet with ſuch bad company. All afflictions and ſmart Rods are but few enough in theſe caſes to make us ſpeak out, and do out as we ſhould, and to make ſuch clearing our ſelves in theſe bad matters as becometh Penitents. Sometimes of the year in Ethiopia when moſt hot, their Silver waxeth Lead, and no cover of any rich matter can endure ſaith the Hiſtorian; And truly I may more fitly ſpiritualiſe it; ſometimes when the entiſements of ſome ſins moſt ſutable to our nature are ſtrong and hot through Satan's Fire-Darts, all our ſilver becomes lead, (1) All our graces. Faith and love, and courage fails, and become corrupted and bribed by the ſin which ſo eaſily beſets; and then is God enraged, and layeth about him as a jealous God, and taken p. 158up all his Rods, and layeth them on, as with all his might, and all little enough, to kill pleaſing ſin and beloved ſin at the Root, to diſ-heart it well. He makes a great Fire, to purify well, and make the ſcum come all out as it ſhould. When the Children of Ammon ſaw, that they ſtank before David, then they ſent to him the Syrians, 2 Sam. 10.6. So, till a Sinner by the many puniſhments of God, ſeeth that he ſtinks in the Noſtrils of God, he doth not raiſe forces againſt his ſin as he ſhould, (1) He doth not ſet hmſelf to repent of it, and clear and cleanſe his afflictions throughly of it, as he ſhould, by faith in the death of Chriſt. They ſay of the Spaw Waters broad, that they are not ſo pleaſant as wholeſome; ſo I may ſay of afflictions, that they are not ſo pleaſant as wholeſome. Inutile per inutile perimitur.

Thirdly, As God brings afflictions upon Men, yea upon good Men, to mortify ſin well! ſo to mortify them well to all the natural good things of this World, and ſo to make them indeed dead with Chriſt to all here. As the Nurſe puts bitter things on her breaſts, to take off the Child from the ſweet milk, and put his mouth out of reliſh, and no other way to do it: ſo doth God imbitter our conditions in this World, that ſo all the ſweets which we have here, we may uſe them as if we did not, and poſſeſs them, and they not poſſeſs us and our hearts. David p. 159had many bitten upon his condition before he could ſay, I have behaved my ſelf as a weaned Child. When the World was firſt crucified to Paul, then at length he became crucified to the World; when God whips us in this, and whips us in that; takes away this, and takes away that, then by degrees he takes away our hearts too, and ſets them upon better things, but uſually good things firſt die from us, before we become ſo good as to die from them. There is no labourer in Egypt that lifts up his eyes to Heaven; they are almoſt angry with the Sun, it doth ſo ſcorch them: Few labourers in and after this World, do lift up their eyes to Heaven much, whilſt the Sun-ſhine of proſperity is hot upon them, but rather angry and vexed, and cumbred with one thing or other, that the World doth not tumble in faſt enough. Few in health and wealth are heavenly.— In thoſe days was Hezekia ſick unto death, Iſa. 38.1. In thoſe days; When was that? ſee the Chapter foregoing. Aſſoon as he had obtain'd that great deliverance from the Aſſyrian by Prayer, and all quiet, now leaſt he ſhould grow as David, when his War was ended, ſenſual and wanton, God ſmites him with the Plague, and bids him ſet his houſe in order, for he muſt die. David being hunted up and down as a Partridge, and poured from Veſſel to Veſſel, what a Heavenly Man is he; and when this is over, p. 160what a carnal Man is he! I am toſſed to and fro, as the Locuſt; mark what follows, My Knees are weak through faſting, Pſal. 109.23. When we are toſſed much, then we faſt and pray, and go to Heaven much upon our Knees. We read in Hiſtory of an Emperor ſtrangled putting on his Royal Robes; nothing more choak the ſeeds of Grace and Heavenly life, than the proſperity of this World; and therefore uſually, one way or other, God kills all things here, to kill us throughly to all here. The Apoſtle bids us endure hardneſs as good Souldiers. In hard ſtates and conditions grace beſt thrives, and the moſt noble things and ſouls to be found.

Ʋſe. 1 Learn from hence what a great God we have to do with, who can flat our conditions with all miſeries in a moment, as the Sea ſometimes makes breaches upon the Land, and ſwallows up Towns and Cities, no more to be recovered. I will have mercy upon the Houſe of Juda, and ſave them by the Lord their God, and will not ſave them by bow nor by ſword, nor by battel, by Horſe nor by Horſe man, Hoſ. 5.7. As God ſaves without bow or ſword, ſo he can deſtroy without bow or ſword, even with his own hand from Heaven many ways. Of which I will ſay, as one doth of Mary's being with child by the Holy Ghoſt. Mirari licet, rimari non licet. Such dealings of God may be wondred p. 161at, but curiouſly ſearch'd into they may not. It may be ſaid of God and the Engins he uſeth againſt Men, as Huſhai ſaith of David and his followers. Thou knoweſt that David and thy Father be mighty Men, and they be chaffed in their minds as a Beat robbed of her Whelps in the Field, 2 Sam. 17.8. God ſometimes, when he ſets upon the Sons of Men, is as fierce Creatures chaſed and chafed, and robbed of their young, very fierce, and ſo are all the Engins which he uſeth. How fierce was Shimei againſt David, and threw Stones and curſed him. God hath ſet him on, ſaith David. We are made a ſpectacle or Theater, ſaith the Margent, to Angels and to Men; and I think God hath ſent us forth laſt for this ſad ſervice, as appointed to death and ſlaughter in all that is dear, 1 Cor. 4.9. It may be God hath appointed the beſt of Men in theſe laſt Days, to the worſt of deaths and calamities, to cloſe up a long and evil Day, and that the Pit ſhould as it were ſhut its mouth upon the Chriſtians of theſe laſt times, as the Whale upon Jonah. Which ſhould make us tremble, and ſtand in awe daily, to conſider what a great and holy God we have to do with.

2Secondly, Learn what need we have of grace, who are lyable to ſuch floods of Evils; yea of much grace. Noah moved with fear, being warned of God, prepared an Ark, p. 162and went into it; and where elſe could he have lived, in thoſe great ſtorms and floods which came upon the World? Surely Gods ſtorms and waves will beat much in theſe laſt Days; If all of them may come over any Man, then all of us need an Ark, and to haſt unto it; that we be in a ſtate of favour with God by Jeſus Chriſt. All our eſtates may fail us; a Fire of God from Heaven may conſume them. All our Friends may fail us, yea all our hearts may fail us, Mens hearts failing them for fear. What then will be a Cordial to keep us, but the favour of God, and a ſtate of grace, that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt be with our Spirits? Nine ſeveral times in the Ten firſt Verſes of Pauls firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians, is Jeſus Chriſt named ſaith one, that hath well obſerved, to note who it is that is all in all in ſtorms for a Saviour, yea indeed in all conditions. It is Jeſus (as the ſame Obſervator ſaith) that is made Mel in ore, Bernard.melos in aure, Jubilum in Corde. Jeſus Chriſt in all conflicts is hony in the mouth,Something like that terrible Monarchy of the Greeks … b…fore Chriſt's coming in the Fleſh will be before his coming again. harmony in our ear, a Jubile or great joy in our hearts, when all the waves and billows of afflictions beat upon us, yea when theſe Waters come into our Souls, when Propheſie, and proſperity failed the ſtate of the Jews, they had nothing to live upon but that promiſe; that the deſire of all Nations ſhould come: — The Echo, and the Pool of Betheſda, under p. 163the great Tirannies of Antiochus, and the Greek Monarchy; theſe were the ſtays of their hearts, that Chriſt would come, and ſo by faith did bear up, and he did come. Floods may, yea red Seas may break out, and we may flote in our own blood, therefore an Ark is very needful, and that we be in it, well in it by faith; nothing but Chriſt can be a Jeſus, a Saviour to us all, other things will but rather haſten and heighten the Floods upon us, as the more riches and honour, and the things of this World we have, the more ſhall we be a fit prey for evil times and Perſons. What got the Caeſars by their high advances, Niſi ut citius interficerentur. Grace therefore is neceſſary, and ſpeedily neceſſary. The Flood which ſwallowed up the firſt World, is called a Dart. Methuſalah the Dart cometh; ſo I believe will the Flood of theſe laſt times ſurpriſe and come as a Dart, as a Wall ſwelling out, to uſe the Scripture expreſſion. Actus morientium non poſſunt eſſe in ſuſpenſo. 'Tis the ſpeech of them that ſtudy Nature. Death when once it begins to knock, beats down all apace, and cannot be ſtayed.

Learn what need we have to beg, 3that. God would not lead us into temptation. Extremities are terrible charges. When Jona was beat upon with all God's billows, and likewiſe Job, how they both broke out and curſed the day wherein they were born! p. 164and how David in like plunge fained himſelf mad, and drivel'd at Gath. A tempted Soul, with all temptations, will have much adoe to bite in blaſphemy. I ſaid in my haſt all Men are lyars, yea even Samuel, which from the Lord had told him that he ſhould be King. Some dead Mens bodies putrified turn into Serpents. See holy Ainſw. in Gen. 3.19. Truly the better we are, when overborn with temptations, we become much the worſe; what Serpents and Scorpions ſome have become by theſe things, in theſe times, more fiery and worſe than others, who yet knows what may be in their hearts as to the main, we know not. How earneſtly Chriſt deſired that the Cup might paſs, and yet was not in danger of ſin as we are, how much more ſhould we ſo deſire, who have not a body to bear, being ſo crackt by ſin, but much leſs, not ſuch a Soul to bear trials, as Chriſt, being ſo wholly defiled and immerſed, with ſin. This on which I am now makes me think of David's ſpeech to Jonathan, who as you know he loved dearly. If there be iniquity in me, ſlay me thy ſelf, 1 Sam. 20.8. as if he had ſaid, let me dye by the hand of one that loveth me, and then I ſhall dye but one death; but if I dye by the hand of ſuch as hate me, I know not how many deaths I ſhall die. (There is a kindneſs in the Hang-man) nor how many ſins I may commit under ſuch cruelties and p. 165inhumanities. If the Cup may not paſs, ye… beg that you may be deliver'd from the evil. I pray not that thou ſhouldſt take them out of the World ſaith Chriſt, but that thou ſhouldſt deliver them from the evil. Upon this inſiſt, that you may have the benefit of Chriſt's interceſſion, that no Wave may over-whelm any Grace, or hide the face and favour of God a moment from you. Peccatum tametſi non bonum, tamen in bonum, &c. ſaith Auguſtin. Sin, though it be not good, yet it may be ordered to good: So afflictions, though in themſelves not good, nor joyous, yet God can order them to work about the peaceable fruit of holineſs, and ſo to make them very good, and very joyous.

4Learn from hence what great cauſe we have to be full of pitty and tender-heartedneſs one to another; and what Monſters of Man-kind they are,foreign. which are hard-hearted, cloſe fiſted, without Man-friendſhip, ſuch as you read of, Pſal. 69.26. They perſecute him which thou haſt ſmitten, and talk to the grief of him whom thou haſt wounded, they gave me gall for my meat, and in my thirſt they gave me vinegar to drink Job's friends ſate down by him Seven Days, and ſaid nothing to him, for they ſaw that his grief was great; and when they did ſpeak, it had been better much they had held their peace, they did ſo talk to the grief of him whom God had wounded. A ſore evil we are apt unto, p. 166when all God's billows paſs over any, to have many hard things to ſay againſt them, but very few merciful deeds to do for them; May not their caſe become yours? May not you whole, become ſick? and you rich, become poor? and you Londoners, may not you be driven here and there, as well as they in the Country? See therefore and take notice of all the lurking places of David, and ſee where he hideth himſelf, and come tell me, ſaith Saul to the Ziphits. 1 Sam. 23.23. You Londoners have been ſome lurking places for the Lord's hunted ones long; May not ſome Ziphits diſcover theſe lurking places, and make you run and lurk for it too, where you may? And would not you then be glad when ſuch billows beat over you, to be pittied and ſhelter'd? then think how much it becomes you, to ſhew pitty to wounded ſouls, and diſtreſſed bodies, and to pour out your ſpirits and Purſes to them whilſt ye can. A ſtorm fulfils its courſe in a round, and then burſts with its own violence, ſaith Seneca; and indeed the ſtorm which hath been in divers parts of the Country, will I believe, fulfill its courſe in a round, in which Circle this City will have its ſhare; and therefore take heed that that be not true of you, which David complains of ſome when in his Cave, Pſal. 142.4. I look on my right hand, and behold, but there was no man that would know me, refuge p. 167fail'd me, and none cared for my Soul. Several bleed in ſoul, and I doubt but few of you care for theſe bleeding ſinking Souls to ſupport them, with your experiences and with your prayers. Many flee to Caves and Dens to hide here and there, and have not to put bread in the heads of them nor theirs, and few I doubt viſit David in his Cave.

Learn from hence, that we ſhould not ſentence our Eternal condition, by our temporal. All God's Waves may paſs over the beſt Man in this World. Chriſt was exerciſed with all trials and miſeries in this World; was poor, was hated, was murthered; was inwardly tormented, his Soul was heavy to death, and in a great Agony; and ſo was Job; and therefore were judged hypocrites, and deceivers, and accurſed of God. Paul, when the Vipers was on his hand, they judged him a Murtherer, and when he threw it off and had no hurt, then they would have worſhipped him for a God. There is no judgment of God's love or hatred by the things of proſperity or adverſity, but rather by our carriage in them. Many will ſay, who will ſhew us any good, but Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance, and thou ſhalt put more joy into my heart, &c. Many can make no other eſtimate of Mans eternal felicity, but as he is ſo and ſo proſperous in this World. Crowns which begirt the Sun or the Moon laſt not long, p. 168ſaith the Philoſopher. All the Crowns and adventitious Raies of riches and honours which begirt the Saints in this World, to give light and conduct to it, by Day and by Night, they laſt not long, ſome tempeſt or other blows them away; and then when thoſe painted Crowns are vaniſhed away, to judg and cenſure that therefore their Eternal Crown and Glory, is gone too, is to judg amiſs of the Generation of the righteous. Diſcord in the matter of exhalations, maketh ſtorms and tempeſts; ſo diſcords in the matters of God's diſpenſations, make ſtorms; not diſcover'd in his affections to his People. Now God diſpenſeth riches, anon poverty, but both with the ſame ſpirit of love. Now he diſpenſeth peace by his ſpirit to the ſoul; and anon terror and upbrading, and both by the ſame ſpirit of Fatherly affection: So that ſtorms ariſe from a diſcord in the matter of God's diſpenſations, and not from a change in Gods love: for God is immutable and changeth not, and whom he loveth he loveth to the end.

6Learn from hence, that the way to Heaven is narrow, ſuch throngs of Miſeries are on one ſide afflicting, and ſuch throngs of Devils on the other ſide tormenting; and then within ſuch throngs of luſts and corruptions on one ſide, and ſuch throngs of Gods frowns and rebukes on the other hand, ſo that the way for the poor ſoul to go to p. 169Heaven, between all theſe is very narrow. The Sea is broad enough, and yet the winds and ſtorms may be ſuch, as to make the paſſage to ſuch a Port narrow enough, and hard to hit and make. The wayes to Heaven are very ſpacious, and in themſelves very pleaſant, but there ariſe ſo many ſtorms, within and without, theſe, theſe make them narrow and hard to hit, and make, and walk in as we ſhould. I am counted with them that go down into the Pit, I am as a Man that hath no ſtrength free among the dead, like the ſ…ne that lie in the Grave, whom thou remembereſt no more, as they that are cut off from thine hand, Pſal. 88.4, 5. They had almoſt conſumed me upon Earth, but I forgat not thy Precepts. Pſal. 119.87. The wayes of God are broad, and large, and good, but there are ſo many ſlaying conſuming evils on both ſides, theſe, theſe make them narrow, and hard to hit, and to walk well in. One miſchief almoſt conſumes us, and then get of… that a little, and preſently another evil worſe takes hold of us, and this quite breaks us. Before we can ſwallow our ſpitle, waves beat ſo thick, that we know not which way to ſteer. The ſuperior bodies which are fixed are pure and clear, and never change their complexion not courſe; If it were thus with our graces, then though ſtorms and troubles did ariſe, we ſhould ſee and make our way well enough, we ſhould make p. 170the favour of God, Chriſt, and Heaven at Mid-night. But our graces change, when our conditions change; and when our bodies are weak, our faith is weak; when our outward condition is low, our graces are all low too, and this maketh the way of Religion hard, and difficult, and narrow.

7Learn from hence that little trials ſhould not be made much of. At every ſmall thing that befalls us, we do ſo take on, when others have all the waves of God gone over them, and we have skarce one. We have a few trials and a many of mercies to ſupport us, and yet what out-cries! and others have all miſeries, and skarce one mercy to ſupport them and yet theſe it may be make leſs noiſe. That which Phyſicians call inveterate head-ach is made by every light occaſion, and then continueth long, and hardly ſtayed, and the Perſon loves to fit in the dark, is here applicable. Some their miſeries are inveterate, and yet made and woven with every trivial thing, and then there is no quieting, as if they had more afflictions on them than all the Town beſides, and then ſit in the dark, mope here and there, and unfit themſelves, and undreſs themſelves to all buſineſs, to go in a hole; when twenty and twenty undergo more affliction in one MonethMonth, than they in many Years, yet quiet, and complain little to Men. My ſoul p. 171is continually in my hand yet do I not forget thy Law, Pſal. 119.109. Some, there is continually but a ſtep between them and ſome mortal malady, and yet how patient, how believing, how heavenly, able to comfort others; and others are more afraid than hurt, as we ſay, and fancy their caſe for miſery more than really it is, and yet how diſconſolate, how unbelieving, how froward, how troubling wife, husband, all the houſe! Some their caſes are as ſad as ſad can be, like thoſe which have a ſentence of Death at the Bar, that ſit like ſentenced Men on the Lader, waiting when the Execut oner will do his office, and this I doubt is the caſe of many, and ſome not only as to all their welfare in this World, but as to all their welfare in the World to come. And that we ſhould make ado about this and that, when the life and ſoul and eternal welfare of ſuch and ſuch, hangs thus in doubt before them.

Learn that they have much cauſe to bleſs God, who find any calmes, and lueida intervalla, conſidering what continual ſtormes and calamities attend our condition here. 'Tis incredible that a ſtorm ſhould mount as high as Mid-Heaven, and whirl it ſelf among the Spheres, which move ſo peaceably and regularly; and yet it is moſt incredible, if every one of us do not find p. 172ſtorms aſſault us, in our higheſt graces and enjoyments. What Clouds gather ſtill after the Rain in this Climate! What fenny, boggy places our ſpirits are, yielding matter of ſtorms continually, and therefore what cauſe have we to b…eſs God if we have any tranquility, or health, or liberty, or ſoul-peace in this World. We value the favours of God as we do a Companion in the way, no longer than he rideth our way; we value the favours of God as …e do the paring of our na…ls, they have ſerved our uſe, and ſo we throw them away. Linnen doth not receive a skarlet die, there is not a deep and fit foundation for ſuch a noble colour; So it is with many Souls, they are as thin Linnen, not deep and ſubſtantial enough to receive a right impreſſion of Gods favours. For pains in the Head, you muſt uſe great frictions and rubbings of the inferior parts of the Body to draw down. And truly diſcontent and unthankfulneſs is an evil in the head and heart too a ſlightneſs and miſunderſtanding of the great mercies of God, and to cure it, things muſt be rubbed much upon the conſcience, that lower Court of judging and condemning things amiſs, for we are leſs than the leaſt of all Gods favours.

9Learn that we have much cauſe to be very Heavenly, Floods ſo much overflow all p. 173here, and all things are ſo oft ſloted in this World, that it is neceſſary our Souls be much upon the Wing, and much aloft in that upper World, Procul negotiis ſhould be the Saints Motto. Far from ſin, nay far from the troubleſome buſineſs and matters of this World, and much elſe where, to wit, in Heaven, where we ſay our Treaſure is. How precious are thy thoughts unto me, how great is the ſum of them when I awake I am ſtill with thee Pſal …9.18 When all Gods waves over flowed the old wicked World, the Dove flees to the Ark; ſo ſhould the great and continued troubles of this world make us retreat much to Chriſt, and to that good and quiet place above, where he is at the right hand of his Father and we are great gainers by all our loſſes and troubles, if they produce a Heavenly ſpirit. Servus per…ſe, non eſt perſona, ſed res, & poſſeſſio Domini ſui, ſaith the Civilian. A Servant that is under all conſiderations ſervant, ceaſeth to be a Perſon in a ſort, and is a Mans goods, and the poſſeſſion of his Maſter. We are under all conſiderations the ſervants of God and therefore we ſhould be as his Houſe, and as his good and poſſeſſion, our Souls ſhould be ſwallo…d up in Him and in Heaven; we ſhould not be our own in any thing, but his altogether, and attending ſtill upon Him with all our p. 174thoughts, words and actions, as Servants which are not their own. Let us make a vertue of neceſſity; Where can we be quiet in this world, or how long? and therefore let us be much in Heaven with Chriſt, which is beſt of all.

FINIS.