Forty Sermons, Sermon 34
SERMON. XXXIV.
GEN. 49. 18.
I. Sermon Preached at St. Maries (in Stur-bridg fair time) Sept. 8. 1650.I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord.
THe dying Swan's Song, though now found to be a Fable, Brown's vulg. Errours.yet if moralized of a dying Chriſtian, may oftentimes prove a real Truth: for, whereas the dying Man's Breath uſeth to ſavour of the Earth, whither he is going, the believing Soul, then eſpecially, breaths Heaven, to which it is then aſcending. Some Books, which contain Apophthegmata morientium, tell us how, when their Tongues Mylius.faulter in their Mouthes, they are wont to ſpeak Apophthegmes; but in God's Book, we find them uttering Oracles. What a ſweet Breath, and Divine Air was that in old Simeon's Nunc Dimittis? Paul's farewell-Sermon, Acts 20. had ſuch a raviſhing Luke 2. 29.foreign in it, that they could not then hear it without weeping, nor can ſome yet read it heedfully with dry Eyes. Above all in that ultimum vale of our Saviour's to his Diſciples before his Paſſion, John 14. 15, 16, 17. The Sun of Righteouſneſs a little before its ſetting, ſhone out moſt Gloriouſly. This in the New Teſtament.
And for the Old, what heavenly ſtrain's do you meet with in Hezekiah's ultimus ſingultus? Iſa. 38. in David's verba noviſſima? 2 Sam. 23. in Moſes his Songs a little before his death? Deut. 32, and 33. and in Jacob's before his, as in this whole Chapter, ſo eſpecially in this Text? in which the Divine Soul, as the Bird before fainting in the ſnare breaks through it, in an abrupt expreſſion, and having got it ſelf a little upon the wing, as it were on the ſudden bolts up Heaven-ward in this Divine Ejaculation, I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord.
Here in Jacob's bleſſing of Dan we find it, but how it ſhould come there, & what coherence it hath with the foregoing words, that's the queſtion; and ſome think a difficult one. So Pererius, Quae occaſio hujus abrupti ſermonis, &c. Calvin.Perobſcura eſt haec ſententia, & multiplex interpretandi ejus ratio.
Some ſatisfy themſelves with this, that the Spirit of God will not be tied to our Artificial Methods, as too low and pedantick for him to be confined to, who both acts and ſpeaks like himſelf; like a God, i. e. with greateſt freedome. And therefore as his Illapſes are ſudden, and his impulſes ſtrong, Act. 2. 2. ſo the ventings of them anſwerable, as the Spirit gives utterance. v. 4. and it may be never more abruptly, than when thoſe foreign v. 11. are utterred, and ſo the Soul now full of God, and breaking for the longing it hath to him (as Pſal. 119. 20.) cannot always keep rank and file, but breaks out to him, and is glad to get to him, though not in a methodical way. And ſo it is in all ſtrong workings of Paſſion, Love, Fear, Joy, and Deſire, &c. Expreſſions ſudden, abrupt; for ſo Paſſions are, and their Expreſſions accordingly. So Judg. 5. 10. on thoſe words [Then ſhall the People of the Lord go down to the Gates] Mais thus, Videtur hoc hiare, &c. ut pote ex affectu dictum: affectus enim non ſervat ordinem, ſed plerumque evagatur. In ſuch a rapture Jacob's Soul might here be caught & ſnatcht to God, without being led to him by coherence, or the thred of the foregoing diſcourſe.
Zuinglius thinks that this Text might be verſus intercalaris, and only added to make up the verſe in this Divine Poem.
Others rather think, that after the manner of weak fainting vide Pareum Oleaſtrum.old Men, or ſick Men, who are wont, whileſt they are ſpeaking, ſometimes out of faintneſs, and ſometimes out of devotion, to pauſe, and to interpoſe ſighs and prayers; ſo old Jacob here ſpent with ſpeaking, relieves his ſpent Spirits, or rather pours out his fainting Soul into God's Boſom, in this parenthetical ejaculation, I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord.
But the firſt verſe of this Chapter tells us, that the whole is Prophetical, of what was to befal them in the latter days.
And accordingly ſome apply it to Judas, whom they make Ambroſ. de benedict. Iſidore. Gregor. Moral. 34.that Serpent in the way, in the foregoing verſe: Others to Antichriſt, whom ſo many of the Ancients thought ſhould be of the Tribe of Dan: and that Jacob, foreſeeing what havock he ſhould make of the Iſrael of God, (as they expound the former verſes) cries out (in this) for Chriſt and his Salvation. But this conceit of this Dan-Antichriſt (with due Reverence to thoſe Ancient Authors) by ſome, of even the Papiſts themſelves, is held *Toſtatus.uncertain, by others of them †Oleaſter. Bellarmine acknowledgeth this Text doth not evince it. de Pontif. Rom. lib. 3. c. 12.fabulous, and therefore, ſeeing they are ſick of it, we have no cauſe to be fond of it. To omit other particulars, I inſiſt on theſe two, that Jacob,
1. Foreſeeing both the ſins and miſeries, which his other poſterity, and eſpecially this Tribe of Dan ſhould fall into, by Faith looks up to God for Salvation and Deliverance; which was eſpecially effected by Sampſon, a Judg of that Tribe; and he very fitly compared to that Serpent in the way, and Adder in the path, &c.
2. And yet foreſeeing, notwithſtanding this, that Sampſon ſhould dye, and Iſrael ſhould lye under captivity and affliction, and ſo Sampſon's but an half-Salvation: (he did but begin to ſave Iſrael, Judg. 13. 5) After the manner of the Prophets, (who See Junii. Annot. in loc. Chriſt (as Sampſon) conquered dying, and by Death. Judg. 16. 31. Coloſ. 2. 15. See Light foot Harmony of O. T. p. 40.when they ſpeak of any great Deliverance, or Deliverer, which did either typify or any way reſemble the greater Salvation of the true Meſſiah, they were wont to look through one to the other, and ſo Jacob here looks above that Nazarite to the true Nazaren, from Sampſon to Chriſt; not reſting in that partial and temporal deliverance, but in, and through, and beyond it, looking at, and waiting for Meſſiah's Salvation. In a word,
In their foreſeen dangers and miſeries he waits for deliverance by Sampſon, and there he reſts not; but in and above that foreſeen deliverance by Sampſon he looks and waits for Salvation by Chriſt. And ſo underſtand we theſe words, I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord.
For the handling of them let me but premiſe this: That Salvation preſuppoſeth danger and miſery, and ſpeaks deliverance; and and then the Text will afford us theſe particulars.
1. That it's the lot of the Seed of Jacob to be in ſuch ſtraits, that they ſhall ſtand in need of Salvation, and ſo long, that they are put to wait for it.
2. That it's their happineſs, that notwithſtanding thoſe ſtraits, yet they ſhall be ſaved.
3. That it's by the Lord. It's Jehovah's Salvation.
4. That it's their duty in all their dangers and ſtraits to wait for Deliverance and Salvation.
5. And in all outward and temporal deliverances by man to look and wait for ſpiritual and eternal Salvation by Chriſt, ſo we ſhall fully come up to Jacob's foreign, I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord. The three former are more Doctrinal and often ſpoken to, which I ſhall therefore only briefly touch upon, that I may the rather inſiſt on the two latter, which are more practical, and yet I fear but little practiſed, at leaſt in a right way.
For the firſt, that the condition of the Iſrael of God is ſuch, Doct. 1 and ſo expoſed to dangers and miſeries, that they have need of Salvation preſuppoſeth danger, and when he ſaith, I wait for Salvation, he tells us, he needeth it: for we do not wait for what we do not want.Salvation, is ſo genuine to this Text, that it occaſioned this expreſſion. It was becauſe Jacob foreſaw the trouble and miſeries that ſhould betide this Tribe of Dan in particular, being with the laſt ſetled in its inheritance, and there ſometimes grievouſly oppreſſed by the Amorites, Judg. 1. 3…4 and at all times galled and infeſted by their faſt-by-neighbours the *See Joſh. 19. 47. Judg. 18. 1. vide Junium in loc.Philiſtines. Nor did he only relate to the miſeries of this Tribe, but alſo to the troubles and dangers of all the reſt; who while in Egypt, were in a Furnace, after that in a Wilderneſs; and though after ſetled in Canaan, flowing with Milk and Hony, the very Edon of God, and the Glory of all Lands, yet it bounded on both ends with Wilderneſſes, and on both ſides with Seas, and round about (from all quarters) compaſſed with malicious and enraged Enemies; a perfect emblem of the ſite and poſture of the Church of God in this World, though ſupplied with ſpiritual and heavenly proviſions, which Canaan's Milk and Hony ſignified, yet ſo as ſurrounded with all ſorts of Enemies, Wilderneſſes of wants, and whole Seas of dangers and miſeries, that it oft comes to the Diſciples, Save Lord, we periſh. And how near we now are to Matth. 8. 25.it, God knoweth, I do not. It would be mercy, if we could ſay with Jacob, we wait. I am ſure, our caſe is ſuch, that we may all ſay, we have great need of thy Salvation, O Lord.
More particularly it's to be obſerved, that Jacob breaths out Prima ad Idololatriam, delapſa. Piſcator. foreign ▪ Iſraelitica anteſign…i & primipili. Mede in Apoc. 7.this ſigh, whileſt treating of Dan, the Tribe that is firſt in particular noted for Apoſtaſy to Idolatry, that had firſt a Teraphim in the time of the Judges, Chap 18. v. 30, 31. and after had a Golden Calf in the time of the Kings, 1 King. …. 29. and therefore left out in the numbring of the ſealed ones, Revel. 7. Of all Churches, ſuch as prove Apoſtatical and Idolatrous, though they leaſt deſerve, yet they will moſt need God's Salvation, as being moſt in danger of his fiery Indignation; it being a ſin that divorceth a perſon and people from God, and is wont to bring heavieſt judgments upon Men, makes the Earth quake, as well as Heaven thunder. Their ſorrows are multiplied, that haſten after another God, Pſal. 16. 4. When they choſe new Gods, then was War in the Gates, Judg. 5. 8. So that God will rather lay Cities waſte, than not make Idols deſolate, Ezek. 6. 6. like the Devil (in the Goſpel) that would not be caſt out without rearing: that fretting Leproſie in the Law, hardly cured without pulling down the houſe that it is in. This deſperate infection our Land hath been extremely ſick of; the diſeaſe of it ſelf deadly, and the cure ſo hard, that the Lord grant it prove not mortal. If the Ancients expound the Text of Antichriſt, we may at leaſt apply it to him as the Serpent by the way, and the Adder in the path; which by his Idolatries and witchcrafts hath ſo bitten the Horſe-heels, that the Rider is fallen backward. And now between the Stirrup and the ground we all have need to ſigh and cry out with fainting Jacob in the Text, I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord. Thoſe words ſpeak him ſo oppreſſed, ut non niſi divinitus ſervari poſſit, as one paraphraſeth Junius.it. For us, our ſins have brought us ſo to the brow of the Hill, and ſuch a precipice, that man's arm is too ſhort to hold us; it muſt be an hand reached from Heaven only, that will be able to uphold us. And yet this but the lot of God's people, which was the firſt point: Their dangers and miſeries ſo great, that they have need of Salvation. But is Salvation in that caſe to be had? To which,
The ſecond point anſwers, Yes: for this word Salvation, as it implies danger, ſo it ſpeaks deliverance, and he ſaith he waits for it; and God ſuffereth not Faith to wait in vain, and we will not wait for what we cannot expect. The point is,
As it is the Lot of God's people to need, ſo it's their happineſs Doct. 2 to obtain Salvation. So Faith call's God the hope of Iſrael, and Jer. 14. 8.the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble; ſo that, be the caſe otherwiſe never ſo deſperate, there is yet hope in Iſrael as long as God is both hope and Saviour, what ever comes, they are never either hopeleſs or helpleſs. Thus their ſtile is the Redeemed of the Pſal. 107. 2. Ezra 10. 2. Deut. 33. 29.Lord. Though thraldom, yet Redemption, and ſaved by the Lord. Though danger, yet Salvation. As God (in nature) layeth his beams in the waters, Pſal. 104. 3. you would think but a ſinking foundation, and founds the Earth by the Seas, and eſtabliſheth it upon the Flouds, Pſal. 24. 2. …nd that's as dangerous a ſcituation: So in his Church, though ſeated neareſt greateſt dangers, yet fartheſt from being ſwallowed up by them, becauſe ever at laſt either defended or delivered from them; a moſt firm bank near a moſt raging Sea: a ſure Shield amidſt ſhowers of invenomed darts. So God is Davids Shield-bearer, foreign Pſal. 7. 10. my Shield is upon God. Nay God is my ſhield, Pſal. 3. 3. nay more than Shield. It covers the Man but on one ſide; but God is a Shield round about, Thou compaſſeſt him with favour as with a ſhield, Pſal. 5. 12. I ſhould be too large, if I ſhould run out in ſuch-like Scripture-proofs. Mark but out of one Pſalm, thoſe many and ſtrong expreſſions, it's Pſalm 68. They had lyen among the Pots; but fly out of the collow as a Dove with ſilver wings, v. 13. See how God beautifieth them with Salvation, as white as Snow in Salmon, v. 14. Snow is white; but Salmon ſignifieth a ſhady gloomineſs. Behold, how there ariſeth to them Light in Darkneſs! He is to them (v. 20.) a God of Salvations, multiplied deliverances in multitudes of dangers, to whom belongs iſſues from Death; when round about beſieged and begirt with extremities, v. 21. he will wound both head and hairy ſcalp of Enemies. The wound in the Head is deadly, and daſheth out the Brains of all their Counſels, and the hairy-ſcalp ſignifieth ſtrength of Age, and conſtitution; and not weakned and made bald either with Age or Sickneſs. And (to add no more) v. 22. He will bring back from Baſhan (out of Og's, the moſt Gigantean Enemie's Clutches) from the depths of the Sea. Even the depths of Hell ſhall not drown the Iſrael of God, whoſe Hope is anchor'd upward in Heaven. It's a Chriſtian's comfort, that whatever his dangers and troubles in this World may be, yet the laſt Articles of his Creed are a Reſurrection and Life everlaſting; and when come to the laſt caſt, he can with fainting old Jacob lean on this Staff of comfort, and look up to God▪ and ſay, Lord I have waited for thy Salvation.
Salvation! But Lord it's thine, and that's the third particular before obſerved. It's the Salvation of a God, that the Iſrael of Doct. 3 God is ſaved by. Jacob here put by all other Saviours, when he Deut. 33. 29. Pſal. 124. 1, to 6. Jer. 3. 23. Pſal. 121. 1, 2.looks up to God, and waits for his Salvation. If it had not been the Lord, who was on our ſide, both then and now may Iſrael ſay, then the proud waters had gone over our Soul; as a Man in a Storm, that ſeeth nothing but Sea and Heaven, may cry out, if yonder Heaven do not ſave me, this Sea will drown me. And this partly from the extremities of the Church, and partly from the good pleaſure of God.
1. The extremities of the Church oft de facto are ſuch that of neceſſity it muſt be ſo. His Salvation or none, ſo Jonah 2. 9. Pſal. 3. 8. Evils ſometimes are ſo many and great, either ſo ſuddenly ſurprize them, or in continuance ſo tire them, or by their weight ſo overpower them, that unleſs it be foreign, they are quite at a loſs; no power or wiſdome either of their own or others can reſcue them.
Not their own, that they ſhould prove Self-faviours. Indeed it's wont to be ſaid, that Self-defence is held the firſt Maxime in Dodonas Grove. See Deut. 33. 7.Policy: But it's not ſo in Divinity. Enemies are ſo crafty and ſtrong, and the Flock of Chriſt ſo ſimple and weak, that if the Sheep's ſtrength be not in its Head, and it's ſecurity in the Shepherd's care, it would be ſoon either loſt or worried. So Jehoſhaphat cries out, we know not what to do, 2 Chron. 20. 12. and Aſa (Chap. 14.) ſpeaks as though he had no power, when he had Ver. 8. with 11.almoſt Six hundred thouſand fighting Men. It was not their own Sword or Arm, but thy Right-hand and thy Arm, and the Light of thy Countenance, Pſal. 44. 3. Jeruſalem may have Palaces, but God is known to be the foreign, the Refuge in them, Pſal. 48. 3. In Jer. 36. 19. they bid Jeremiah and Baruch hide themſelves; but it's added, ver. 26. that the Lord hid them. It's not our own hiding, but God's, that muſt ſecure us. When we are in ſuch deep Waters, it's the ſtretching out of our Hands to Heaven that muſt ſave us. Claſping our Arms about our ſelves, is the certain way to ſink us. If ſaved, it's not by their own might.
Nor by others help. They either do not help us, or it's only by and from God, if they do. They do not, becauſe they will not or cannot. Some may have glorious Titles; as he is called Hadadezer, 2 Sam. 8. 3. which in its ſignification promiſeth a magnificent help. But in the Apothecaries Shop very promiſing Titles are oft writ upon Boxes that have either nothing, or (it may be) Poyſon in them. The Horſe (in which is the ſtrength of the Battel, and therefore promiſeth much) Pſal. 33. 17.the Pſalmiſt ſaith, is a vain thing, and that ſignifieth nothing. But the Reed of Egypt not only breaks, but alſo wounds the hand that leaneth on it, and that's as ill as Poyſon: like him (in Auſtin) that in a Tempeſt ſailing towards a Mountain, light and ſplit upon a Rock, Ʋbi non invenit portum, ſed planctum. Tract. 1. in Joannem.They that promiſe moſt, oft perform leaſt, unleſs it be Miſchief. The one of which is Vanity: And the other Vexation. In a word, every Man is a liar, the Apoſtle ſaith; and of all others, Rom. 3. Pſal. 62. 9.Men of high degree, which promiſe moſt, the Pſalmiſt, are a very Lye in the abſtract. And if any at any time make good their Name, that in Scripture are ſometimes called Saviours, it's Neh. 9. 27. Obad. v. 21.only as they are Weapons in God's Hand, and in the alone Strength of this our Great Saviour. And ſo indeed, as he ſaid to Gideon, Go in this thy Might, and thou ſhalt ſave Iſrael. Otherwiſe, Judg. 9. 6, 14.Truly in vain is Salvation hoped for from the Hills, and from the multitudes of Mountains; truly in the Lord our God is the Jer. 3. 23.Salvation of Iſrael. Though Hills, Mountains, multitudes of Mountains, though Pelion Oſſa, though never ſo many Mountains be heaped one upon another, yet if they be but Mountains of Earth, they may not be high enough to ſet us above danger. A Deluge (as Noah's) may over-top them all. They are but See Wolphii, Lect. Memorab. Cent. 1. p. 24.Lying Fables, and contrary to Scripture, that tell of ſome ſaved then on the tops of Paris, or Ocila. Firſt the Extremities of the Church may be ſo great, that nothing under Heaven, or leſs than God, can reſcue it. Experience proves it is ſo.
2. The good pleaſure of God is ſuch, that on purpoſe he will have it ſo. As for Inſtance,
For Time, though Chriſt's Diſciples be in a Tempeſt, yet he Mat. 14. 25.ſtayeth till the fourth and laſt Watch, that they are toiled out with Rowing, and faint with Waiting, that ſo he may ſay, It Mark 6. 48.is I.
For Preſſure and Danger, not till the Caſe be in a manner deſperate, the Ship now covered with Waves, and now Conclamatum eſt, when they cry out, Lord ſave us, we periſh; or as the Church, Lam. 3. 54. Waters flowed over mine Head; then I ſaid, I am cut off.
For Perſons, moſt weak and helpleſs. He is the Orphan's Father, and the Widow's Judg, Pſal. 68. 5. That is ſaid with an Emphaſis, Judg. 5. 11. The Righteous Acts of the Lord towards the Inhabitants of his Villages in Iſrael. They moſt ſubject to be made a Prey, Ezek. 38. 11. If he be a Safeguard, it's eſpecially to his poor open unfenced Villages: And there, if his Spouſe be a Flower, it's not one that's planted and preſerved in the Garden by Man's care; but Ego ſum flos campi, & Lilium convallium, Cant. 2. 1. the Flower of the Field, and the Lilly of the Valleys, expoſed to every Hand to pluck, and every Foot to tread on; all to make out the truth in hand, Quod non humanâ induſtriâ, ſed ſolâ Divinà benignitate, & caeli influentiâ floreat, as Pineda obſerves. They ſay, It's a Royalty at Sea to joyn with In Job. 12. 4.the weakeſt. I am ſure it's the Royal Bounty of Heaven, that God chuſeth to help the weakeſt.
And that (in the laſt place) for preſent Condition, when they are at the weakeſt: When he ſeeth their power gone, and there is none ſhut up or left, Deut. 32. 36. When the Phyſicians had drained the Woman's Purſe, and not ſtopped her bloody Iſſue, Mark 5. 26.and now given her over as a deſperate Patient and a Beggar together, then is ſhe fitteſt to be our Saviour's Cure. And when the Diſciples themſelves could not caſt out the Devil, then bring him to me, ſaith Chriſt, Mat. 17. 17. Who meeteth with the Man, when the Jews had caſt him out, John 9. 35. Takes up David, when Father and Mother had caſt him off, Pſal. 27. 10. is a Strength to the Poor and Needy; but it's added, and that in his diſtreſs: A Refuge from the Storm, but then eſpecially, when the Blaſt of the terrible ones is as a Storm againſt the Wall, Iſa. 25. 4. That heals Simon Peter's Wive's Mother in the Paroxiſm of a Fever, and height of a Fit. Cum duplicantur lateres, &c. Makes Day break a little after it hath been darkeſt, and brings to an happy Birth by the ſharpeſt Throw: In a word, that takes Extremities for fitteſt Opportunities for him to come in with moſt ſeaſonable Mercies and Deliverances, that it may be ſaid, What hath God wrought? Numb. 23. 23. That it may be proclaimed to all, that Salvation is of the Lord, when his bleſſing is upon his People; that, when none elſe can, the Lord Jehovah, Pſal. 3. ult,in the Text, both can and will ſave his People, command, and rather than fail, as it becomes a Jehovah, create deliverance. And all this,
1. To ſtamp an Impreſs of ſpiritual and eternal Salvation, even Ʋſe. on our Temporal deliverances: that as it's the ſame Saviour and ſaving Love that effects both; ſo in the one we may have a Glimps, Repreſentation and Specimen of the other. And hence thou ſhalt be put into ſuch Circumſtances and Exigences, that thou ſhalt ſee plainly that it was God only that ſaved thy Body or outward Eſtate, the more to mind thee, that it was he only that ſaved thy Soul. And if my caſe ſometimes were ſuch, that, when all others gave me over, he himſelf ſaved me from Sickneſs and Death, then it was none but He alone that ſaved me from Sin and Hell; that Chriſt only trod the Winepreſs alone, and there was none with him, and that when he looked, and there was none to help, and wondered that there was none to uphold, then his own Arm brought Salvation to us: And when Levite and Prieſt left us, then our good Samaritan relieved us.Iſa. 63. 3, 5.
2. And therefore ſecondly, To let us know how for both Salvations we are more beholden to one God, than all the World beſides, when in our greateſt ſtraits it's He always eſpecially, and at ſometimes only, ſaves us. Others never can without him: But he often-times doth without them.
Be we never ſo much beholden to other Friends and Creatures for greateſt Deliverances, yet then even in and for them we are infinitely more beholden to God. If the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem be my ſtrength, it's in the Lord of Hoſts their God, Zech. 12. 5. Though others may be Inſtruments, yet he only is foreign, Heb. 5. 9. the Author of Salvation. And therefore the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon, Judg. 7. 20. is but like Caeſare & Bibulo Conſulibus: God is the Figure, and Gideon is but the Cypher. The one but the Sword, the other the Arm that ſmites with it. My Phyſician may Curare valetudinem; but it's my God that works the Cure. Counſellers may adviſe for us, and Souldiers may fight for us; but it's God that ſaves us: As they confeſs, We have wrought no Deliverance in the Earth; but thy dead Men ſhall live, Iſa. 26. 18, 19. We may Sow and Plant, but Heaven's Shine and Showers give the increaſe: For elſe if the Heaven be Braſs, the Earth will be Iron. When others are and do moſt, Chriſt even then is All in all, Col. 3. 11. and if he be All, then all without him are juſt nothing: When others do moſt, it's all in and from God, and He then doth more.
But ſometimes it muſt needs be God's Salvation only, and he do all, becauſe all elſe are and can do nothing. When I am in cloſe Priſon, the beſt Friend cannot come; when in a Peſt-Houſe, he dare not; when on a Death-Bed, and I am bidding good night and adieu to all, my Phyſician gives me over, and ſome Friends take leave of me, others it may be, ſtand by me and weep over me, but cannot help me; Oh now none but Chriſt, none but Chriſt. It's none elſe but the Living God alone, who in that dying Hour can relieve me. In a word, think what is poſſible, and withal what is certain.
It is poſſible that in a more violent way, the Man may be ſtript as naked as ever Job was of all his outward Eſtate.
That the Town or City may be ſo ſtraitly round about begirt, that none may come in or go out, and only Reſtat iter caelo.
The whole Land, as God ſometimes Threatens in the Prophets, may come to its foreign to be utterly emptied Iſa. 24. 1, 2. Jer. 9. 10, 11. Nauclerus.and ſpoiled, emptied of Man, Woman, and Child, as Rome was ſometimes by Totilas, or as the Prophet threatens Iſrael, no Man to paſs through, no Voice of the Cattel heard: Both Fowls of the Heaven, and the Beaſts fled: Nothing of all that we had to comfort us left: But Zion left as a Cottage in a Vineyard, Iſa. 1. 8.and a Lodg in a Garden of Cucumbers all alone, forlorn and deſolate. Like a lone Lamb in a waſte Wilderneſs, Hoſ: 4. 16. as a Beacon on the top of a Mountain, and as an Enſign on a Hill, Iſa. 30. 17. This poſſibly (I do not ſay probably) may be.
And on the other ſide, in an ordinary natural Courſe it's certain theſe outward Supports and Comforts will not abide by us always. The Flower will fade, the Shadow will decline, and the Sun ſet. When we are now to leave the World, (if not before) Friends, Eſtates, Honours, Health, Life it ſelf will leave us. It's God and his Salvation only that muſt then relieve us. And is not the good Samaritan then the Neighbour that comes in to us, when Prieſt and Levite paſs away from us? And am not I more beholden to God than all the World, who then ſtands by me and ſaves me, when all the beſt Comforts and Confidences I have in the World have caſt me off and left me?
3. And as upon this account we are more beholden to God than all the World, ſo truly upon it too we owe more to Him, than to all the World beſides: More Fear, and Love, and Service, and Praiſe, even our whole ſelves to God only, who whether with or without any elſe is our alone Saviour.
It's all Reaſon; and Self-love would teach us it, to be fearful Fear.to offend, and careful to pleaſe him at all times, who ſometime or other may be able to pleaſure us, when none elſe can. That Phyſician of all others I ſhould be moſt loth to diſpleaſe, who only can cure that ſore Diſeaſe that I am ſubject to, and ſhould I not then be much more afraid to offend God, who alone can be my help in all theſe Maladies, which none elſe can Heal, or at leaſt without him are Phyſicians of no value? It's not wiſdom to provoke a Man, when we know not how ſoon we may be in his Lurch, and lie at his Mercy. Friend, how ſafe ſoever thy preſent Condition is, yet at beſt thou art always in Miſericordia Domini; eſpecially in ſome more eminent dangers, it's manifeſt that God only can or doth help thee: and how then do the Tyrians crouch to an offended Herod, when their Countrey is nouriſhed by his? And how do they cry Abrek, bow the Knee before Joſeph, when without him none might lift up Hand or Foot in all Egypt? Gen. 41. 43, 44. To be ſure there's none in all the World, that can lift up either Hand to deſend us, or Foot to make a ſtep to relieve us, without our Joſeph, our Jeſus, and help from him. And therefore how ſhould we bend the knees of our very Souls to him, without leaſt lifting up of Heel or Head againſt him? O take heed of ſinning, with the Prodigal, againſt Heaven; for ſuch Droughts may ſoon be, which may quite dry up all Springs of Comfort that lie here in the Earth, eſpecially in the Land of Iſrael, which hath few ſuch, as Hierom ſaith, and drinks of the Rain of Heaven, depends more of Heaven's Showrs, than theſe lower earthly Springs, as Moſes tells us, Deut. 11. 10, 11. If Heaven therefore being angry ſhould ſhut up its Treaſures from us, in Samnio Samnium, Canaan would not be it ſelf, a Land flowing with Milk and Hony; but, as now it is, a barren and burnt Wilderneſs. And therefore fear we God much, on whom we depend ſo much for ſafety and deliverance, always chiefly and principally, and at ſome times and in ſome caſes only.
And let this alſo perſwade us to love him above all, who then ſticks to us, when all elſe fail us. At my firſt Anſwer, ſaith Love. Pſal. 18. 1, 2.Paul, no Man ſtood with me, but all forſook me, notwithſtanding the Lord ſtood with me, 2 Tim. 4. 16, 17. Such failing Brooks are other beſt Friends, Job 6. who either, through weakneſs or falſeneſs then do leaſt, when we need and expect moſt. Sub cultro liquit, as the Proverb is. But ſhould not our hearts then lie cloſe to the Fountain-head of Living-Waters, which as thoſe perennes Fontes, retain an equal fulneſs in the drieſt Summer, and in the wetteſt Winter; and the only difference is, that in the greateſt heat they are cooleſt, and ſo moſt refreſhing? Let Jacob have Rachel's love and ſelf, who rolls away the Stone for her, Gen. 29. 10.that none other can. And let the loſt Prodigal think at laſt of returning home to a Father, who will allow Childrens Bread, when Luke 15.others cannot afford Husks. With Men it's equal, that they ſhould have moſt of our love, whoſe bounty and kindneſs we moſt taſte of. And therefore it's all reaſon, that we ſhould love God with all our Heart and Soul, becauſe he only in all our ſtraits is our All-ſufficient Saviour.
And upon that ground praiſe him too for whatever Salvation Praiſe.and Deliverance we are at any time bleſt with. Inſtruments may have their due, but not ſo as to rob God of his. And if Victories gained by the Souldiers valour be uſually aſcribed to the General, as matter of his praiſe, 2 Sam. 21. 22. who it may be only gave direction, and ſometimes not that; how ſhould the Captain of our Salvation, Cui nihil ex iſtâ lande Centurio, nihil praefectus, nihil cohors, &c. who either immediately, without the ſubſerviency of any Inſtruments, creates Salvation, Iſa. 4. 5. or when Inſtruments do moſt, he not only directs, but aſſiſts, and commands Deliverance, Pſal. 44. 4. & 71. 3. How ſhould he that is the God of our Life, Pſal. 42. 8. and the God of our Mercy, Pſal. 59. 17. be the God of our Praiſe! Pſal. 109. 1. It's not the line caſt out that ſaved thee from drowning; but the friendly hand that caſt it out, and by it drew thee out of the deep Waters. Iſa. 38. 17, 19, 20. Pſal. 44. 3.It's not thy Meat that feeds thee, nor thy Phyſick that cures thee, nor thine own Sword, or the greateſt Champion's on Earth, that defends thee. It's thy God that either with or without all theſe ſaveth thee. And therefore what they maliciouſly ſaid, to the blind Man recovered, againſt Chriſt; Give God the praiſe, for we know that this Man is a Sinner, John 9. 24. Say we humbly and thankfully of and to Chriſt, Lord, we give thee the praiſe of theſe Salvations and Deliverances: for theſe means which we uſed were poor, theſe Inſtruments weak, theſe Men ſinful, and therefore might rather have hurt than helped us. And therefore through them we look up to thee, and both for them, and any help we have had by them in all that's paſt, we bleſs and praiſe thee.
And for the preſent, and for what's to come in all ſtraits and Truſt.occaſions, when we have either moſt or leaſt of the Creature's help, we will truſt thee, and caſt the ſtreſs of all our Salvation upon thee. At this Anchora Sacra let us ride in greateſt Storms, when all other Anchors break or come home. In deſperate caſes, let not the Romans relie more on their Triarii, than we on a bleſſed Trinity. Eleazar ſmote the Philiſtines, and wrought a great Victory, when the Men of Iſrael were all fled and gone, 2 Sam. 23. 9, 10. and he but a weak Shadow and Type of Chriſt our true Eleazar (the help of God, as that name ſignifieth) who can recover deep Conſumptions, help at deſperate Plunges, reſcue us when all elſe have quite deſerted and left us: Other Props and Supports often fail us, ſometimes ruine us, Jer. 2. 37. Vallus vitem decipit, like the weary Man that leans his hand on the Wall, Amos 5. 19. and it either totters and fails him, or a Serpent in it bites him. But what Peace, Peace, perfect Peace is there in ſtaying the Soul upon that everlaſting Rock! Iſa. 26. 3, 4. Safe ſtanding on ſo ſure ground. Good laying hold where there is ſo good hand-hold. Good hanging on that Nail faſtned in a Eliakim.ſure place, on which we may hang both Iſſue and Off-spring, both Cups and Flaggons, Iſa. 22. 23, 24. Our ſelves, and all our not only leſſer, but even greateſt wants and burdens. Jacob here did ſo both for himſelf and his Poſterity; and though now fainting, and dying, yet he could quietly lay down his weary Head in his Father's Boſom, and there pour out his Soul in this ſweet warm breathing, I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord.