Old Jacobs Altar Newly Repaired, Treatise (3 of 6)

Old Jacobs Altar Newly Repaired · Treatise (3 of 6)

p. 923. That the great God commands us not onelyonly to work, but to do the work of our own Generation, David ſerved out his own Generation, he did the work which was allotted by the Lord to him, in that particular age he lived in, which was to fight the Lords battels, to ſubdue the enemies of his Church, ſettle the Nation in peace, eſtabliſh the worſhip of God, provide for the ſervice of his Sanctuary, and prepare for the building of the temple; theſe were the p. 93works of his Generation, in thoſe 2 capacities of Prophet and King; and therefore the holy Ghoſt engraves this Epitaph upon his ſepulchre (which ſhall not be defaced ſo long as the world endures) that David ſerved his own generation by the will of God: Inſtances of like nature the Scripture affords many.

Queſt. But the great Query is, How ſhall we know what are the proper works of our Generation.

Anſw. I anſwer much of this nature hath been offered by learned and judicious Divines in ſeverall Treatiſes: and though they have not been ſo harmonious as was defired in their judgement, as to the manner, yet they have agreed in one as to the matter. Indeed repentance toward God, and faith towards our Lord Jeſus with thoſe generall duties of Religion, which are comprehenhended under theſe two heads, none deny or diſpute, except ſome of prophane or perverted ſpirits and judgements; and that things of order and Government in the Church, ſhould be reduced to the Primitive Pattern and Practice, few of ſober and Orthodox principles do oppoſe; yea, moſt deſire, and ſurely that this is the generation, which God hath called forth to act in theſe tranſactions, may be ſpell'd, if not legibly read in the diſpenſations of his providence towards us: I do not ſet up providence, as a ſtanding rule to work and walk by, when it is either, croſſe unto or receives not approbation from the written word; for that was to perſwade the Traveller, to ſleep all day when the ſun ſhines bright and clear, and to take his Journey in the night, when the ſtarres do onelyonly twinckle, and the wayes are dangerous and difficult to find; miſtakes have been ſad and many of this kind, Numb. 14. ver. 40, 41. the miſtake of Gods minde in that dreadfull meſſage, ver. 39. occaſioned the ſlaughter of many men; for the people apprehending that God was offended with them, for not going up to take poſſeſſion of Canaan, roſe up early in the morning, and gat them up unto the top of the mountain, ſaying, Lo, we be here, and will go up into the place which the Lord p. 94hath promiſed, for we have ſinned; and what followed? why, their attempting to invade their enemies, under this miſtake, coſt them many of their lives: Thus did Saul miſtake the mind of the Lord, 1 Sam. 23. ver. 7. when it was told him that David was come to Keilah, preſently he infers that God had delivered him into his hand, for ſayes he, he is ſhut in, by entring into a town that hath gates and bars, but it proved otherwiſe: Yea, Davids men would have put him upon the ſame miſtake, chap. 24. ver. 4. when Saul came into the cave (to cover his feet) where David and his men lay hid, they preſently conclude, behold the day, of which the Lord hath ſaid unto thee, behold I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou maiſt do to him, as it ſhall ſeem good unto thee. A like paſſage ye have chap. 26. ver. 8. when David and Abiſhai came into Sauls army by night, and found them all faſt aſleep, not a Sentinell waking, and Saul aſleep alſo, Abiſhai ſaid to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day, now therefore let me ſmite him, I pray thee, with the ſpear unto the earth at once, and I will not ſmite him a ſecond time; but David durſt not ſlay the Lords Anointed, under the protection and warrant of this providence, as the following verſes declare, becauſe it would have been an expreſſe violation of Gods will: Inſtances of this nature might be multiplied. But now when the ſpeakings of God in his works, run in a paralell line with the ſpeakings of God in his word, when they fall in with his revealed will, they do then ſafely interpret the mind of God, and are a good gloſſe upon the text, both as to the quod and quando of a duty, ſhewing that it ought to be done, and that then is the time for the doing of it: thus Abraham when he had received a prohibition from heaven, not to ſacrifice Iſaac, and beheld a ramme caught in a thicket by the horns, interprets the mind of God by that providence, and offers up the ramme in the ſtead of Iſaac, Gen. 22. ver. 12, 13. by a divine Prolepſis, anticipating that law of redemption, which afterwards was enacted and publiſhed by God himſelf, Exod. 13. ver. 13. all the firſt p. 95born of man amongſt thy children ſhalt thou redeem: thus when the Lord met Moſes by the way (as he was going down to Egypt) and would have ſlain him, Exod. 4. ver. 14, 15 then Zipporah his wife (probably by her husbands appointment) circumciſed her ſon, concluding the neglect of that duty to be the ſpeakings of God in that providence, as appeared; Read Babbingtons notes upon the place.for when the child was circumciſed, the Lord let Moſes go. When Gideon heard the Medianites dream, and the interpretation of it, Judge 7. ver. 15. he worſhipped and returned into the hoſt of Iſrael, and ſaid, Ariſe, for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the hoſt; He concludes this providence as a clear expoſition of the mind of God: and a full confirmation of former promiſes. How did the Elders of the Jews, now being in Babylon, interpret the Lord's mind, in ſetting Cyrus the Perſian upon the throne of Babylon, and ſtirring up his heart to publiſh that gracious edict, concerning their return to Jeruſalem, and rebuilding of the temple? Ez. 1. ver. 2, 3. why, they concluded, that God had now put an opportunity into their hands, both to quit the waters of Babylon, by which they had ſate down and wept, and to enjoy the freedome of Gods worſhips in their own land, ver. 5. Then roſe up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the Prieſts and Levites, with all them whoſe ſpirit God had raiſed to go up, to build the houſe of the Lord, which is in Jeruſalem; they owned this providence as a true paraphraſe upon that paſſage, Pſal. 102. ver. 13. Thou ſhalt ariſe and have mercy upon Zion, for the time to favour her; yea, the ſet time is come; being penned, as is thought by Daniel, or ſome other holy man, about this time of Cyrus's proclamation. Now to bring this home to our ſelves, that the reformation of State-abuſes, and maleadminiſtrations, is the mind of God appears, Iſa. 1. ver. 17. Ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well, ſeek judgement, relieve the oppreſſed, judge the fatherleſſe, plead for the widow; that the worſhips of God ſhould be eſtabliſhed in liberty and purity, that Goſpel-truth ſhould be winnowed from the chaffe of errours and hereſies, that the people of God p. 96ſhould walk in the fellowſhip of the Goſpel, and advance Religion, and the power of Godlineſs, the Scriptures plainly declare to be the will of God: that ſuch things are ſeizable, that there is hope of a good iſſue in ſuch undertakings we have the word of Gods faithfulneſs for, Iſa. 1. ver. 25: 26, 27. Iſa. 60. ver. 11.19, 20, 21, 22. Chap. 54. ver. 11, 12, 13. Zech. 13. verſ. 2, 3, 4, 5. Ezek. 11. verſ. 19, 20. Zeph. 3. verſ. 9.11, 12, 13. If theſe and other Scriptures be conſulted with, they will afford matter of great encouragement to the Saints of God, which breathe after Zion's beauty and glory.

And that it is a duty incumbent upon the Lords people to endeavour theſe things, beſides the inward witneſs of the Spirit in their own hearts, we have the teſtimony of the Spirit in the Scripture of truth. And that this is the period of time, in the ſecret appointments of the onelyonly wiſe God, and the Saints of this generation, the people aſſigned by him for the carrying on of theſe works, may be read in the diſpenſations of God amongſt and toward us; what have the people of God had more in former Ages, by way of call from God, or encouragement from men, then we have? Did God give them reſt and peace from their enemies, forraign and domeſtick? So hath he given us in ſome meaſure: Did the Lord pull down thoſe perſons and powers amongſt them, who authoriſed or abetted Idolatry and profaneneſs? hath he not done the ſame amongſt us? Did the Lord give them the protection, and encouragement of prudent and pious governours? is it not ſo with us? had they the Prophets of the Lord to quicken them up, and ſtrengthen their hands? have not we alſo faithful and learned Miniſters, who from preſs and pulpit call upon us, and excite us to do great things for the Lord? Oh what glorious work, would thoſe bleſſed Spirits, who are now at reſt, have made in England, if they had enjoyed our opportunities! Let me commend the practiſe of the Saints unto you, Acts 9. v. 31. Then had the Churches reſt throughout all Judea and Galilee, and Samariah; And how did they improve their Halcyon p. 97dayes? why, they were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the holy Ghoſt were multiplied; the ſuperſtructures were carried on, and new foundations laid; old converts arrived at greater growth, and new converts were dayly added: Oh what a bleſſed peace would ours be, if theſe two fruits were the products of it! Oh ye ſervants of the Lord, whom he hath ranſomed from the grave, and from the ſword. Magiſtrates, Miniſters, and Chriſtians, lay aſide your private intereſts, and animoſities, and fall upon theſe great works, as your reſpective ſtations give you advantage, and opportunity, that ye may have this Motto engraven on your tombes, Here lie ſuch and ſuch, who David-like, ſerved their own generations by the will of God.

And let me adde theſe two Corrolaries,

1. That God hath aſſigned you your particular times for working, Stat ſua cuique dies.

2. That when ye have lived up that time, your working tooles muſt then be laid aſide: When David had ſerved out his generation, he fell aſleep: And therefore I ſhall ſhut up with the Preachers advice, Eccl. 9. ver. 10. Whatſoever thine hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wiſdome in the grave, whether thou goest; and though thou beeſt lately come from thence, be not ſecure, the winde may ſuddenly turn, and waft thee back again; Alas! What is your life? it is even a vapour, which appeareth for a little time, and then vaniſheth away, Jam. 4. ver. 14. How eaſily can the great God diſperſe that vapour, and melt that cloud into dew? there is a great Arbitrer of all things, that can thunder the proud Emperour under his bed, and write the great King in three or four words into trembling; that can ſend a fly to fetch the triple crown before his Tribunal, make an hair, or the kernil of a raiſon, as mortal as Goliah's ſpear, that can unſpeak the world into nothing, and blow down a great bubble with an eaſie breath: that by drawing one nail, can throw down the ſtatelieſt building, and undreſs your p. 98ſoules by unpinning one pin, &c. I have read of a Perſian Noble-man who loſt his life by the loſs of an hair plucked out of his boſome, Mr. Vines, Eſſex's Hearſe.in ſport, by his Minion.

5. Get your hearts into an awfull frame, get your ſpirits tinctured with an holy fear of God, Rev. 15. verſ. 4. Surely they that have felt muſt needs fear him; they that have found the power of his anger, let out in ſoul terrours, yea in breaking afflictions upon the body, Read M. Jackson's Notes upon this place.muſt needs fear him, though indeed none but the damned in Hell experience the power of his anger; Moſes in Pſalme 90. ver. 11. put's the queſtion, Who knoweth the power of thine anger? implying, that none knoweth it; as none can take the dimenſions of his love which paſſeth all knowledge, ſo neither of his anger: the reaſon is added, becauſe even according to thy fear, ſo is thy wrath; that is, let a man fear thee never ſo much, he is ſure to feel thee much more, if he fall into thy hands; Paul knew this, when he laid down this Poſition (as a fence wall about Profeſſion, to keep men from ſtarting out by Apoſtacy) Heb. 10. verſ. 31. It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God; ſurely if the burnt childe dread's the fire, much more men of age and diſcretion, who have been caſt into the furnace of affliction, have had their moiſture dried up, their skin writhled, their fleſh roſted, and their very bones burnt with the ſcorching flames thereof, have cauſe to fear that fire, which ſo farre reſembles everlaſting burning, that though it be not unquenchable, yet it is not quenchable, but by the bloud of Chriſt, and the melting bowels of God's tender merciemercy: Oh then! Dear friends, take forth this leſſon from your late afflictions, to fear that glorious and fearfull name, THE LORD THY GOD, Deut. 28. verſ. 58. Fear to offend God, fear to do any thing which may diſpleaſe him; in this ſence, Bleſſed is the man that feareth alwayes, Prov. 28. ver. 14. The Hebrew Midwives loſt nothing by it, Exod. 1. verſ. 17.21.

1. From the conſideration of Gods power: he is able not onelyonly to call you to an account, 1 Cor. 10. verſ. 22. p. 99Do we provoke the Lord to anger? Are we ſtronger then he? As Caligula, that dared his Jove to a duel; Are we the Lord's match? can we outſtrengthen an Almighty God? Who hath hardened himſelf againſt him and proſpered? Job 9. ver. 4. Jer. 5. ver. 22.

2. Fear to offend him, from the conſideration of his goodneſs; not onelyonly that goodneſs which the Lord extends unto you in common with other men, nor that ſpeciall goodneſs, which is the peculiar portion of his Elect in Chriſt, but alſo that particular goodneſs, which the Lord hath vouchſafed you, in reſtoring health unto you, when ye lay at the brinks of the grave, and many other tumbled in, Hoſ. 3. verſ. 5. Oh, Fear the Lord for his goodneſs.

3. Fear an offended God, though not provoked by you: A tender ſpirited childe feares and trembles, when his father is angry with others, though himſelf hath done no fault; God likes this tenderneſs of ſpirit in his children, Pſal. 119. verſ. 120. David ſaith, my fleſh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy Judgments; Samar. horr…pilatio.my hair ſtands upright, as it doth ſometimes in ſuddain and great frights, Job 3. verſ. 15. The hair of my fleſh ſtood up, Amos 3. verſ. 8. The Lion hath roared, Who will not fear? Oh obſerve this, Hab. 3. ver. 16. When I heard, my belly trembled, &c.

Objection; But why ſhould the Saints fear the wrath of God, who is in Covenant with them? and hath promiſed to be a covering Che… unto them?

Solution 1. They ſee … provoking nature of ſinne; they conſider, that ſinne is a thing of greateſt abhorrency with God, and therefore when they obſerve the growth of ſinne, in a place or nation, they are afraid, that God will ere long break out in wrath againſt them. Hence that Numb. 17.12, 13. read Ezek. 7. from verſ. 1. to the 16. and apply it upon a national account.

2. They ſee the dreadfulneſs of Gods wrath; they know the Engliſh of that, Iſa. 27. verſ. 4. Who would ſet the briars and thornes in battail againſt me? I would go thorow p. 200them, I would burn them together: They know what briars and thornes are, and what their end ſhall be.

They ſee that themſelves are not exempted perſons, they are not ſure to have their door-poſts ſprinkled with the blood of the Paſcal lamb, Exod. 12. that the marking Angel Exod. 9. ſhall give them a ſignature of ſafety in their foreheads: How was the Church affected? Acts 5. ver. 11 Ezek. 14. ver. 14. Oh then labour to preſerve an holy fear of God upon your ſpirits, think often of what Chriſt ſpeaks, Luke 12. ver. 4, 5. Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have nothing they can do. But fear him who after he hath killed, hath power to throw into Hell; yea, I ſay unto you fear him.

Laſtly, Labour to make ſure of heaven, lay out for an Intereſt in the Lord Jeſus, let this be the teaching ye have received from the late ſickneſs; Call to minde your ſick-bed fears and tears; what pangs of conſcience, and woundings of ſpirit ye then were under: what faintings of heart ye had, when you found your evidences for heaven writ with ſo pale a hand, that ye could not read them, at leaſt by that weak and wan light, which then ſhined in your ſoules; what a loſs ye were at for the Lord Jeſus, weeping with Mary, becauſe they had taken away your Lord, and ye knew not where they had laid him, nor how to lay hold on him for peace and pardon! nay, perhaps your caſes weremore deſperate, your ſins were writ in ſo deep a crimſon, your Atheiſme, ig…nce, Goſpel enmity, your former ſcoffings at Religion, your flouts and flings at godlineſs, your contempt of Goſpel-Ordinances, and your rejection of Goſpel-grace, did ſo fly in your faces, grate, and gnaw ſo upon your ſpirits, and filled you with ſuch a ſence of divine vengeance, that conſcience (that bird in the boſome) like the night-raven croaked many a ſad and diſmal note unto you, and ſo preſented you with the black ſide of the cloud, that ye verily thought, if ye ſhould die at that lare, ye ſhould drop into Hell: Remember what then your thoughts were, how then ye reſolved, p. 201that if ye recovered health again, ye would not leave heaven under ſuch uncertainties hereafter, ye would give diligence to make your calling and Election ſure; ye would not for all the world be haraſſed again, with thoſe dreadfull fears and terrours: like unto an unwary Traveller, who, to ſave a little mony, ventures upon the waſhes without a guide, and ſuddainly lights upon a quick ſand, which threatens to ſwallow up him and his horſe, and whileſt he is tugging and ſtriving to get out, he lifts up his eyes, and ſees the water appearing upon the levell, and hears the tide roaring toward him; Oh what are his thoughts now! what his fears! ſure that he ſhall die Pharaoh's death, and be overwhelmed with the ſea, if timely help come not; and having by Providence had an eſcape, how doth he reſolve never to travail that way without a guide, whatever it coſt him, nor plunge himſelf again into the ſame fears, for his whole eſtate: Was not this your caſe? ye thought your ſickneſs to have been but waſhes, ye could eaſily have paſſed through it, but ſuddenly you ſlipped into a quickſand, ſuch a deadly heart-ſinking fit, that ye ſaw the grave opened, and the wrath of God rolling upon you; what were your thoughts then? what your fears? did ye not think your paſſing bell was ready to ring, and the priſon-doors were opening to receive you? did ye not then reſolve if your life was ſpared, ye would tugge hard for Heaven? ye would never be at the ſame ſtay again? did ye not finde ſickneſs an ill time, and a ſick bed an ill place to take your firſt riſe for heaven from? did ye not ſee your folly, to lay the greateſt burthen upon your horſe, when he was weak, and tired? to ſet out for heaven, when your ſunne was now ſetting, when as it is an whole dayes journey thither, and he that begins late, uſually fall's ſhort of it? to carry the ſeed basket into the field, when your neighbours are crying harveſt home? Oh then ſince the Lord hath reſtored health unto you, and brought you off from thoſe heart-melting fears, act up to the Apoſties advice, Phil. 2. verſ. 12. Work out your ſalvation with fear p. 102and trembling, foreign, ad finem aſque opus perducite, bring ſalvation-buſineſs to a good iſſue, that ye may never be ſurpriſed, with thoſe fears, and tremblings, when ſurpriſed with diſeaſes.

I come now to the ſecond part of the exhortation, Second part of Exhortation.applying this Doctrine of Gods appearances in mercy, and the Saints deliverances from danger, to the generality of men and women, who fear and know the Lord, and to believers, as they meet in Chriſt the common-head, and in the Church the common body, and I ſhall improve the truth propoſed,

1. In a mixt ſence, referring both to temporall and ſpirituall preſervations.

2. In a pure ſpirituall ſence, referring to recovering and Redeeming grace.

As to the firſt ſence, I ſhall interweave ſomething of a ſpiritual nature, it being uſual with the Holy Ghoſt, to mingle Goſpel treaſures with the lading of the world in the ſame bottome, and this I ſhall do in two particulars.

Firſt, I do humbly entreat the ſervants of the Lord, to keep up the memorial of the Lords mercies, to keep Diaries of their great deliverances, to preſerve Records of their ſignall preſervations, And ſecondly, as occaſion ſerves, to communicate and impart them to others, for I ſhall twiſt theſe two together: Oh let not God loſe the glory of any mercy, let not time wear off the remembrance of eminent preſervations: God expects that his works ſhould be regiſtred by us, as well as our words are regiſtred by him, Mal. 3. verſ. 16. This was commanded by the Lord, Deut. 7. verſ. 18, 19. David was much in the practice of this duty, read Pſal. 66. ver. 12, &c. He gives a royal ſummons, as by the ſound of a trumpet, to all the Lords people to give their attendance, whileſt he diſcovereth over, the gracious Adminiſtrations of the Lord; he is no niggard, no cloſe-fifted Miſer, that hoards up all, and keeps all cloſe to himſelf, but keeps open houſe, and invites all the Lords people to his banquet of wine: He p. 103would fain lift up the great name of God in the world, and diſplay his bounty, that they which have hard thoughts of God, may be convinced of their errour, and make a recantation; and that all dejected Saints may by his example and experience, be encouraged to roul themſelves, upon God, under aſſurance of comfort and ſupport in an evil day; which will appear to be his deſigne, for, ver. 5. he gives a generall invitation to all people, to ſee, and admire the wonders which were wrought by God (tis like) in Egypt, he is terrible in his doings towards the children of men; implying probably the dreadfull execution of his vengeance upon the Egyptians in thoſe ten Plagues he ſent amongſt them, and in bringing in the waters of the red Sea upon their whole Hoſt, as appears Verſ. 6. He turned the ſea into dry land, they went through the flood on foot, to wit the children of Iſrael; there did we rejoice, as Exod. 15. doth fully ſhew, when Moſes and the people celebrated the praiſes of God, and by that ſong not onelyonly kept up a lively ſence of that glorious preſervation in their own hearts, but tranſmitted the memorial of it unto poſteritie, that the children then unborn, might read in that, the glorious appearances of God for his people: Oh how few ſuch ſongs are penned in our dayes? what little care is taken to commemorate deliverances? though they have been ſo great and many: Is it not the ſhame of this Nation, that the next age ſhall finde no Records (and if any ſuch Compendiums) of thoſe wonderful deliverances, which we have had, that ſuch miracles of mercy and mirrours of loving-kindeneſs ſhould be lap'd up in the duſt, and printed onelyonly on the ſand? Oh that ſome faithfull and able perſon might be encouraged to this work, to write a Chronicle of late tranſactions, that poſterity may ſee, what a God their Predeceſſours have had! and through how many ſtraights of warre, and ſeas of blouds peace and the Goſpel, light and liberty, have travailed down unto them! This was done by King Ahaſuerus; his perſonal preſervation from the Treaſon of his two Chamberlains, was recorded in p. 204the book of the Chronicles, Heſt. 6.2. What proviſion did Mordecai and the Jews make, to keep up the memorial of that great mercy, in their deliverance from Hamans wicked and bloody conſpiracy, Heſt. 9.27, 28. The inhabitants of Geneva, ſtamped new mony with this inſcription, poſt tenebras lux, after darkneſs light, in memory of the reformation begun among them. The Helvetians cauſed the day and year (when the Goſpel begun to take place amongſt them) to be engraven in a pillar, in letters of Gold, for a perpetual memory to all poſterity. Have not our Anceſtors taken care to perpetuate the memorial of eighty eight, and the fifth of November? and ſhall we raiſe no monument, neither commit any thing to the preſs which may preſerve the memory of our late mercies? will it not be Englands ſin before God, and Englands ſhame before men?

2. In the eighth verſe, he gives a general exhortation to the Redeemed of the Lord, to mention with thankſgiving, the great things wrought by a great God for them: Oh! bleſs our God, ye people (concerned in theſe mercies) let your hearts ſilently breath forth his praiſes; let your meditations be much, and often taken up with thoughts of Gods goodneſs (which is more I fear then moſt of us do) but ſtay not here, do not make this as the land-mark, and boundary of your duty, but make the voyce of his praiſe to be heard, let it have an Eccho in the world, by communicating, and ſpeaking over, what, and how deliverance came from the Lord unto you.

3. He layes down the reaſon of this call to praiſe, verſ. 9. becauſe he holdeth our ſoul in life, or puts our ſouls into life, alas! when a day of diſtreſs was upon us, our hearts did even ſinke within us, life was gone, joy was gone, hope was gone, and heart was gone too in ſome perſons. There is a ſtrange receſs and retirement of the ſoul, under great and ſudden calamities, it lyes cloſe, like a poor debtor within doors, the blood and ſpirits retire; little of activity appears: nay, ſome in ſudden ſurprizals, have even dyed away into ſwooning, through fear: It was thus with Saul, though a valiant p. 105Prince, when he heard what evill was coming upon him, 1 Sam. 28. verſ. 20. He fell ſtreightway all along upon the earth, and there was no ſtrength in him: And whence was this ſwouning fit? why, from fear, he was fore afraid; and why was he afraid? becauſe of the words of the Witches, 2 Sam. 28.20. This was old Elies caſe, when tidings were brought unto him, that the Army of Iſrael was routed, Hophni and Phinehas ſlain, and the Ark of God taken, 1 Sam. 4. verſ. 17, 18. He fell from off the ſeat backward by the ſide of the gate; and his neck brake and he dyed; I, but here the Prophet ſaith, God holdeth our ſouls in life, or lives Be-chaiim, and ſuffereth not our feet to be moved, gives us a ſure foot-hold and ſafe ſtanding in our preſent peace and well-fare.

4. He mentions the diſtreſs that were upon them, in the nature and in the kind of them, verſ. 10.11. Thou, O God haſt tryed us as ſilver is tryed: How is that? why, in the fornace of affliction; thou broughteſt us into the net, Thou layedſt affliction upon our loins, thou haſt cauſed men to ride over our heads—we went through fire and through water; How fully doth the carriages of former times paraphraſe upon theſe verſes? How have the ſufferings of many Saints ran parallel with theſe expreſſions? but thou broughteſt us out into a wealthy place—well-watered, as the word implies, a place of ſprings and rivers; by which he means a proſperous eſtate, in that full plenty and ſecurity, which he, with the Church then enjoyed: And therefore, verſ. 13, 14. He ſpeaks his ſence of theſe mercies, and the reſolvedneſs of his ſpirit, to act in thankfulneſs ſuitable to theſe engagements.

5. I will go into thy houſe with burnt-offerings, and will pay thee my vows, which I promiſed with my lips, and ſpake with my m…uth, when I was in trouble: A good reſolution of a gallant man? Oh! that ſuch a ſpirit in the power of it, was upon us. Did not I? Did not others? Did not Magiſtrates? Did not Miniſters? protect, promiſe, covenant, in the day of our diſtreſs? Have we paid our vows? Have we performed our promiſes? The Lord help us to ſee, p. 106and to humble our ſelves much before the Lord, for our violations of promiſes, and proteſtations, both to God and man.

6. He ſtands upon the mount of God, and by way of proclamation calls in all the people of God, that they may hear the ſtories of Gods mercies unto himſelf; when he had mentioned the great things God had done for his Church, he comes down to a particular narrative of what God had done for himſelf, verſ. 16. Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what God hath done for my ſoul—Le-myrheſhi, which word being of a doubtful ſignification, and uſed for both ſoul and life, in reference to things of a temporal and ſpiritual concernment, we need not confine it to either.

1. Ye have the holy ſummons, Come, a word of much uſe both in a good and in a bad ſence, there is in Scripture mentioned a religious come, and a rebellious come: the Saints have their come, and the wicked have their come there's too much of the laſt come in our days, and too little of the firſt, if there was more communion, this come would be more uſed.

2. The perſons to whom the ſummon is directed, expreſt.

1. By a particular Character, they are ſuch as fear God.

2. By a note of univerſality, they are all that fear God; onelyonly they that fear God, and all they that fear God are ſummoned.

3. Ye have the matter of the ſummons; or the end wherefore the ſummons is ſent forth, and that is that he might in the audience of them all, make a full and true report of what the great God hath done for his ſoul.

So that the words hold forth a double duty.

1. To conſider the mercies of God.

2. To communicate the mercies of God.

You may ſee from hence, That it is a duty by way of ſpecial incumbency upon the Lords people, to commemmorate themſelves and to communicate to others, the vouchſafements of grace and p. 107mercy, which they have had from the Lord; as to fix the ſenſe and remembrance of mercies received upon their own hearts, ſo to give their hearts vent, like full veſſels, in frequent mentioning their preſervations unto others; it is a commendable practice, there is much of God in it; It hath the ſeal of the beſt men; it hath much in it, that ſpeaks men to be good, and that makes good men much the better: See the practice of the Lords people, Pſa. 78.3, 4. Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us, we will not hide them from their children, ſhewing to the generation to come, or as ſome tranſlation reads it, But to the generation to come, we will ſhew the pra…ſes of the Lord, his power alſo, and the wonderful works that he hath done: parallel to this is that, Iſa. 63.7. I will mention the loving kindneſſes of the Lord, and the promiſes of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath beſtowed on us, and the great goodneſs to the houſe of Iſrael: Memorare faciam, Azkir.I will improve my care and intereſt, that the mercies of the Lord may be kept up in the minds and memories of his people; ſo the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 1.8, 9, 10. We would not brethren have you ignorant of our trouble, which came to us in Aſia, that we were preſſed out of meaſure above our ſtrength, inſomuch that we diſpaired even of life: But we had the ſentence of death in our ſelves, that we ſhould not truſt in our ſelves; but in God, which raiſed the dead: who delivered us from ſo great a death, and doth deliver, in whom we truſt that he will yet deliver us. What a hyſtory of his perſonal dangers and deliverances doth he make, 2 Cor. 11.23. to the end: That to commemorate and communicate the mercies of God, is our duty appears, becauſe it is of divine eſtabliſhment; it is the appointment of God himſelf; he hath not left it Arbitrary, nor is it a meer humane conſtitution, but it is the inſtitution of the great Law-giver, ſo that to fail in the duty is a tranſgreſſion of his law, and faſtens guilt upon the ſoul: And ſure 'tis the Saints wiſdom to take heed of ſin, and to comply with the whole minde of God, Deut. 32.7, 8, 9. obſerve alſo, Pſal. 78.5, 6. He eſtabliſhed a teſtimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Iſrael, which he commanded p. 108our fathers: Here is a law eſtabliſhed, and a commandment given to inforce the obſervance of it: here's the people pointed out, upon whom the obligation of this law taketh hold, and here's the explanation of this law, what it imports, to wit, That they ſhould not hide, but ſhew forth the wonderful works which the Lord hath done; and that not onelyonly to their brethren, whoſe lives might probably be finiſhed as ſoon as theirs, and ſo the remembrance of thoſe great things might dy alſo, but to their children, who according to the courſe of nature, might live to celebrate the memorial of them, when their carcaſſes were mouldred unto duſt: As the great works of God, are not uſually the work of one generation onelyonly, but begun in one and compleated in another; ſo God would not have them be the wonder of one generation onelyonly, he would not have one age wear out the remembrance of thoſe great deliverances, upon which he hath laid out ſo much of his wiſdom, power, mercy, goodneſs, juſtice, &c. Therefore their children muſt know them, nay the children which were yet unborn muſt hear of them, nay it muſt not ſtay here, but even they muſt ſtand up and declare them to their children, and ſo a careful remembrance muſt be kept up of mercies, by a ſucceſſion of ages, until time be ſwallowed up into eternity: much of the Paſſeovers inſtitution, had an eye to perpetuate the memoriall of Iſraels Exodus out of Egypt; ſo the golden pot of Manna, the twelves ſtones ſet up at the brink of Jordan, and many other things were the appointment of God, as ſtanding records of ſome glorious mercy; which fully ſpeak forth the mind of God, that he would have his people, report his acts of kindneſs and good will unto them.

O then be exhorted to the practice of this duty! the fruits it bringeth forth are very precious.

1. Fruit. It will bring a Saint into more acquainta…ce with God; the ſoul hereby comes to a more experimental knowledge of God, when he beholds the banner of love diſplayed over him, and conſiders thoſe precious attributes p. 109of mercy, goodneſs, wiſdom, and power, which were engaged for him, in the day of his diſtreſs: Oh! this begets more heart-familiarity; and makes a ſervant of the Lord more earneſt in his enquiries after God: as it is among men, when a man is brought into great ſtraights, either for eſtate or life, and a ſtranger takes pity on him, and through many difficulties, procures ſafety and diliverance for him. Oh how great a ſence of this kindneſs will be upon the ſpirit of an ingenuous perſon: how will he be often ſpeaking of it! and the more he thinks and ſpeaks of it, the more earneſtly will he deſire to know the man, that hath done ſuch great things for him: Juſt ſo it will be with a good man when he hath been in a neceſſitous condition, knew not what to do nor which way to turn him, Refuge failed him, no man cared for his ſoul, he looked on his right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know him, as was Davids caſe, Pſal. 142.4. Nay farther, his brethren were far from him, his acquaintance utterly eſtranged, his kinsfolks failed him, his familiar friends forgot him, his own ſervants counted him for a ſtranger, Nay his breath was ſtrange to his own wife, as was Jobs caſe, Job 19.13, 14, 15, 16, 17. when a Saint hath been brought to theſe exigents, and then the Lord hath come in, brought him off with his own arm, hath brought ſalvation to him: Oh what a ſence of mercy will this beget: How will a Saint awak his glory to ſpeak of this? How will he bewail his ignorance of God and follow on to know the Lord? How will he preſs after a moſt inward acquaintance with the Lord, who hath done ſuch great things for him; when Moſes was fled into Midian, and beheld the flaming buſh on mount Horeb, Exod. 3.3. He ſaid, I will turn aſide and ſee this great ſight, why the buſh is not burnt: he contemplated the power and omnipotency of God in it, and what farther meaning the Lord had in that great miracle, and when the Lord had ſpake with and commiſſioned him to bring the children of Iſrael out of Egypt, he enquires into the name of that God, who proffers ſo far on the behalf of an afflicted people p. 110verſ. 13. and would not ſit down, untill God had told him that his name was, I AM THAT I AM, or I will be what I will be, Eheieh, being the ſame with Jah and Jehovah, which imply,

Firſt, Gods perfect, abſolute and ſimple being in, and of himſelf.

Secondly, Mr. Leigh. 2. book of his body of Diu…nity, page 133.Such a being which giveth being unto other things, and upon whom they depend.

Thirdly, Such a God as is true and conſtant in his promiſes: ready to make good whatſoever he hath ſpoken; nay, when Moſes had been upon the mount with God forty days ank forty nights, And the Lord had ſpoke unto him face to face, as a man ſpeaketh to his friend, Exod. 33.11. yet having experienced ſo much the power and wiſdom of God, and having brought forth the children of Iſrael, by ſo many ſigns and wonders out of Egypt, and all by the immediate commands, and communications of God himſelf; he could not reſt in that knowledge of God he had already attained, but goes higher verſ. 18. And beſeecheth God to ſhew him his glory, he would not ſtay a little until he came to heaven, which could not be long, his glaſs being now almoſt run out, but he would have a full viſion of God in all his glory here, he would know all, and a great deal more then frail man was capable to know, of that God from whom he and his people had received ſuch glorious, ſuch eminent deliverances: Oh ſure if people did more obſerve, and count over the mercies of God, Perſonal and National, there would not be ſuch a dedolent ignorance of God as there is; God would not be ſuch a ſtranger in our hearts, houſes, towns and countries: Ah, how many houſes may a man come into, nay how many towns may he rid through, and meet with very few, that know any thing of God to purpoſe, or that can give any conſiderable account of him, though his appearances of late have been ſo glorious amongſt us: Oh that of Iſrael is ſadly true of England, Iſa. 1.3. The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Aſs his maſters crib: but Iſrael hath not known, my people hath not underſtood; The Lord p. 111heal this great ignorance, and pardon it, and quicken up all to keep up a ſenſe of thoſe great things God hath done for us.

2. Fruit. This frequent diſcourſing of mercies, healing, redeeming, quickning, and ſoul-converting mercies, &c. will more endear God unto the Saints, it will unite the heart into a more holy affection unto God, Cant. 8. verſ. 5. When the Church came out of the Wilderneſs leaning upon her Beloved; when Chriſt was with her in the Deſart, and brought her forth from a wilderneſs, where ſhe was at loſs in her ſelf, which way to go, and what to do how to get her wants ſupplied, how to have her life ſecured, how to get her feet directed, and how to free her ſelf from thoſe briars and thorns wherewith ſhe was intangled, and Chriſt had then come in, had born her up upon everlaſting Arms, and had brought her forth into the plain field; Oh, how is ſhe affected with this! at what a pitch of love doth her ſpirit ſoar! how doth ſhe preſs upon Chriſt! how would ſhe get into the heart of Chriſt, and bring Chriſt into hers! verſ. 6. ſhe puts up this requeſt unto him, Set me as a ſeal upon thy heart, for love is ſtrong as death, which conquers all men, jealouſie is cruel as the grave, which ſpares none, and is never ſatisfied, the coals whereof are coals of fire, which have a moſt vehement flame, many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it, if a man would give all the ſubstance of his houſe for love, it would be utterly contemned; What a Pyramid of love is here? What an unquenchable flame? What a pearl of great price is here? and what is the fuel of this great fire? What oyle doth kindle it? and what preſerves it? Surely a ſtrong and lively ſenſe of Chriſts great affection to her, when in the wilderneſs: So, were our thoughts and diſcourſings more upon wilderneſs-grace, wilderneſs-convictions, wilderneſs-illightenings, wilderneſs-preſervations and wilderneſs-deliverances, our hearts would be more heated with holy affections towards God, then they are: Oh ſure! If there be any water at the bottome of the Well, this Bucket will draw it up, if any love in the p. 112heart, ſenſe of mercies will bring it forth, and the more we diſcourſe of mercies, the greater will be our ſenſe of them.

Nay farther, a ſerious pondering of, and a ſavoury diſcourſing over mercies received, will bring forth a ſtrong affiance in the people of God, it will marve…louſly ſcatter thoſe fears, and deſponding thoughts, which too often ſeize upon the beſt in a day of diſtreſs, and will excellently prevail with the heart, to bring it off from creature-ſhiftings and ſeekings to ſtay upon God: Tribulation work…th pati…nce, and patience experience; we ſhould never ſo fully experience the power, providence, goodneſs and faithfulneſs of God, if we ſhould alwayes ſail upon a quiet ſea, if our eſtate was ever proſperous, if the ſcale of adverſity were not ſometimes the heavier; but when we are caſt upon rough and rocky ſeas, when we are brought into ſtreights and know not what to do; why then we ſee what a God can do; what bowels, mercies, and tender-heartedneſs there is in a good God toward us: Alas men as men (and the beſt men are but men ſometimes, and in ſome caſes) are apt to fancy God to be like themſelves, as ſtreight-hearced and incompaſſionate as themſelves to perſons in diſtreſs: but now, when an adverſe condition hath put it to the trial, then they have found it otherwiſe, That as high as the heaven is above the earth, ſo great is his mercy toward them that fear him, Pſal. 103. ver. 11. Nay as the heavens are higher than the earth, ſo are Gods wayes wayes of mercy to his afflicted ones, higher than mans wayes: And his thoughts, thoughts of goodneſs and good will to his oppreſſed ones, above mans thoughts, Iſa. 55. verſ. 9. Now this experience workketh hope, hope of ſuccour and relief from the Lord in an evill day; this works an holy boldneſs in the Saints, makes them lift up their heads and hearts with comfort, and ſay, Supplies will come; Deliverance will come, we will ſtand ſtill, and wait for the ſalvation of our God. They rowl themſelves upon God, when new troubles do ariſe, quiet their ſpirits with an expectancy of help from the p. 113Lord, their ſure friend, their tried friend, their good friend, and in an high way of beleeving ſpeaks Davids language, Why art thou caſt down, O my ſonl, why art thou ſo diſquieted within me, hope thou in God, for mercy will come, ſupplies will come, I have found the Lord to be a good God, a faithful friend that never failed me, a preſent help in the needful time of trouble. Indeed men may fail, as not being able to help, but God is Omnipotent, he can do abundantly above what we can ask or think; or men may fail, as being wearied out with often helping; I, but the everlaſting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary: Again, man may fail, as not knowing the ſtraits we are in, or how to bring us out; I but our heavenly Father know…th the things we ſtand in need of, and how to deliver his out of every temptation: Laſtly, man may fail, being changed in his affection unto us; I but there is no variableneſs, nor ſhadow of turning with God, he loves with an everlaſting love: Theſe Conſiderations do caray on the Saints with an holy triumph in their ſaddeſt preſſures, and they ſay with David, I ſhall yet praiſe him, who is the health of my countenance, and my G…d, Pſal. 43. verſ. 5. I might multiply Scripture preſidences abundantly upon this head but that it is done already in another place: Oh friends, gather up your experiences, and lay them by you among your choiſeſt treaſures, you will finde them to be ſingularly uſeful to you in an evill time, and to others alſo, your experiences being faithfully reported to them, will comfort, quiet, and beget holy affiances in them, when they are brought into greateſt ſtreights, Pſal. 34. verſ. 2. My ſoul ſhall make her boast of God, the h…mble ſhall hear thereof and be glad: Rejoyce in tribulation: This was the end propoſed by the onelyonly wiſe God, Pſal. 78. verſ. 7. why his people ſhould ſhew forth his marvellous works, namely, that their poſterity might be taught that excellent leſſon of living by faith, that they might ſet their hopes on God, that they might beleevingly expect help from a faithful, from an Almighty God.

Fruit 4. A lively ſenſe of mercy received, leads the ſoul on in Gods wayes, it is a notable friend to Religion, and p. 114provokes unto love and good works: That ſoul thrives beſt heaven-ward, which is moſt in the ſenſe and ſerious meditation of the goodneſs of the Lord, this will carry on the ſoul amain for God: What a gracious frame was Jacobs ſpirit in, when he had the lively apprehenſions of rich mercies, and great deliverances upon it, Gen. 35. verſ. 2, 3. Jacob ſaid unto his houſhold, and all that were with him, put away the ſtrange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments, and let us ariſe, and go to Bethel, and I will make there an Altar unto God; and why to Bethel? or why make an Altar unto God? Oh, there is good reaſon for it; He anſwered me in the day of my diſtreſs, and was with me in the way which I went: There is very much in this paſſage, and much to the preſent purpoſe, and therefore I ſhall intreat your ſtay a while to obſerve the carriage of this good man, there being much teaching in it, and that in many particulars.

1. Obſerve from hence, That Family-reformation, lyes by way of ſpecial care and duty upon the Governour of it: The Maſter of a Family is veſted with authority from the Lord, to command the exerciſe of Religion in his own houſe: he may authoritatively act within his own precincts, and that for God: It will not anſwer the demands of God, nor ſatisfie conſcience, when awakened, that he hath walked in the wayes of God himſelf, and kept up cloſe, and cloſeſt communion with the Lord, if he voluntarily connive at the wickedneſs of his family, and leave them to their own carnal liberty in the things of God, he ought to put to his own hand, and move the wheels of Religion in his family, and command his houſhold to fear the Lord: God himſelf gave this teſtimony of Abraham (whoſe children we are, if beleevers, and ought to walk in the footſteps of his faith) I know him, that he will command his children, and his houſhold after him, that they ſhall keep the way of the Lord, Gen. 18. verſ. 19. ut faciant, that they ſhall do it, that they ſhall; keep cloſe to the way, and act up to the commands of p. 115God. It is too much the fault of Family-governours, though good, to ſlacken their family care, in matters of Religion; the beſt are too remiſs in this point, and if dealt withall, what is the anſwer of many? I hope my family walks orderly, I ſee no ill carriages among them I do not obſerve a ſpirit of oppoſition in any of them to the wayes of God, I allow them not in any vicious courſe, they have no command nor countenance from me in any wayes that are evill: This is ſomething, and more than a great many can ſay, and ſpeak in truth, but this comes ſhort of the pattern here propoſed; beſides in matters that relate to your own intereſt, you will ſee them do your own buſineſs, you will often ſtand by them when they dreſs your horſes (it may be when they feed your hawks and your hounds) ye will obſerve whether your worldly affairs proſper in their hands, ye will follow them into the fields and meadows, and ſee that your own work be done, and that ſeaſonably and throughly; now why do you not ſee to the work of the Lord alſo? if a groom be wanting out of your ſtable, ye will miſſe him and ask for him, nay if he give you not a good account, ye will chide him or turn him away; but when do ye miſſe him at the worſhips of God? he may come late or not at all, to the publick ordinances or family duties, and hardly be miſt, or if miſt, get off upon eaſie terms; a ſoft reproof will ſerve the turn, like that of Ely's to his ſons, 1 Sam. 2.23, 24. Why do you ſuch things? and do no more ſo: Oh this is a Nationall fault; and I fear, there is much wrath bound up in it: ye ſee another manner of ſpirit in Abraham, he commands both children and ſervants to keep the way of the Lord; I queſtion not, but ye uſe the imperative mood in your own, and why not in the Lords work? Ye are good Gramarians for your own, and why not for the Lord's intereſt? Maſters may in civility entreat ànd gently treat their ſervants, but if they refuſe, and be ſtublorn, both the authority of a Maſter, and the duty of a Christian, obligeth them to command in the caſe of religion; and if commands p. 116prevail …ot; David's practice is a worthy pattern, Pſal. 101. ver. 7. He that worketh deceit ſhall not tarry in my houſe, he that telleth lies ſhall not tarry in my ſight: now to defraud God and their own ſouls is the greateſt Mirmah, the higheſt peice of couſenage; if they pack for any fraud, let them pack for that; Surely, if they do not couzen you in temporalls, they make you go much to back-harrow in ſpirituals: they ſteal away much of your comfort, hinder much of that ſweet communion, which ye and your family might keep up with God: if they do not ſet fire on your houſes, they make the wrath of God impendent over them, for the curſe of God (which is the moſt dreadfull ſcarefire) hangeth over the houſe where the ſwearer dwelleth; and how few families can be found out wherein a ſwearer dwells not? Oh that ſuch a ſpirit of reformation, in the power of it, was upon all Governours of families, as was here upon Jacob! Oh that they were men of reſolution like unto Joſhua, who reſolvedly concluded, though he ſtood alone, I and my houſe will ſerve the Lord, Joſhua 24. verſ. 15. Oh that they were men of religion, like unto Cornelius, who feared God, and all his houſe, Act. 10. ver. 2. I never hope to ſee religion flouriſh in the life and power of it, and ſpread it ſelf over Towns, and Provinces, untill great men be good, and their families grow better: Oh how ſadly can ſome villages witneſs, that popery and profaneneſſe have come down the hill from Lordſhip-houſes, and ſpread like a contagious diſeaſe, almoſt over all the families! the Lord reform this.

2. It hath a great tendency to the promoting of religion, when maſter and family walk together to the houſe of the Lord: when publick worſhips are frequented by the heads of families, and a due regard to Goſpel-ordinances, be kept up by them, in the hearts of their whole retinue: Oh 'tis a ſight that heaven and earth rejoice at, to ſee great perſons march in good aray to Bethel, in the very front of their families: It ſadned David's ſpirit (when an exiled perſon) to remember how he had gone with his p. 117train to the houſe of God, Pſal. 42. ver. 4. as the meeter gives it: and 'tis preſſed by way of patheticall exhortation by the Apoſtle, Heb. 10. ver. 25. upon believers, not to forſake the aſſembling themſelves together, as ever they look for comfort at the coming of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the time whereof draweth nigh; and to be gathered together unto him at his appearing, and in his kingdome: Ah, how little is that prophecy made good in our dayes, Iſ…. 60. ver. 8. That people flee as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? where can ye find a town of which it may be affirmed paralell to that pattern, 2 Chro. 20. ver. 13. All Judah ſtood before the Lord with their little ones, their wives and their children? I can ſadly atteſt againſt this, and ſo can many others: Indeed, when this late reformation firſt began, Aſſemblies were numerous, Churches were thronged, Lectures much frequented; but now, how do the wayes of Zion mourn, becauſe few come to the ſolemn feaſts, Lam. 1. ver. 4. How thin are Sabbath congregations? and much thinner lecture-Aſſemblies! How hath Saul ſlain his thouſands, and David his ten thouſands! How hath Popery and profaneneſſe weeded out many, and hereſie more in our dayes: A third part almoſt in ſome places are carried off to by-meetings; well may the river be low, when ſo many by-brooks carry away ſo much of the water: no marvell that ſo few anſwer to the muſter-roul, when ſo many have liſted themſelves under other Captains: Oh that God would bring back the people of this Nation, who have ſo much departed from the gates of wiſdome: Oh that the Lord would magnifie his Goſpel, and make it honourable amongſt us in all its ordinances! And Oh that heads of families would be the Sermon bell in their own houſes, and ring all their domeſticks to Church with this peal, ariſe, and let us go up to Bethel! Heaven and God's wayes are up the hill; children and ſervants had need be handed up by their ſuperiours, or elſe they will ly ſtill at the foot of the hill, or elſe ſtraggle into the vail of Sodom; how can we think the child ſhould grow and battle, when it refuſeth to take the breaſt? How can p. 118we expect that knowledge ſhould encreaſe, at leaſt ſavingly, when ſo many run to and fro, and few to the ordinances? may not the Governours of Judah find out ſome expedient, with ſafety of their own, and without any violence done to the conſciences of other perſons, whereby the ancient repute might be reſtored to the ordinances, and our aſſemblies might be filled? God grant they may: for hinc illae lachrimae, both to me and others.

3. Obſerve, it adminiſters great hope of much good, when inferi urs obey their ſuperiours commands, in their calls to religion and family-reformation; there is a bleſſing: power goes along with the pious endeavours of prudent Governours, God very often, if not alwayes appears, and adds authority to their commands, when their endeavours are ſerious and ſincere to advance religion in their families: Ye ſee here is a vote paſſed for God in a full houſe, Nemine contradicente, a motion entertained by all Jacob's people; he did but propound a reformation, and they readily conſented to it; the Text ſayes, Gen. 35. verſ. 4. They gave unto Jacob all the ſtrange Gods which were in their hands, to wit, in their poſſeſſion, and all their earings which were in their ears.

Objection. But ye will ſay, They were Hebrews, trained up in the fear and knowledge of the true God, and poſſibly, extraordinarily principled, and moved at that time by an immediate impulſe of the ſpirit of God, it is not ſo with our Families.

Solution. I Anſwer, It is ſadly to be lamented, that any of this Nation, grown up to years of maturity, and in a rational way capable of teaching, ſhould be ſo ignorant and ill-principled, as to oppoſe their Governours call, and not ſubmit to their commands, when they command for God, and call to thoſe wayes, which being walked in, This Iſland hath the …lory to be graced with the firſt Chriſtian King, hat ever …aigned in the world, which was Lucius. Speed in his 6 Books, Chap 9. Sub Lucio Britania omnium Provinciarum prima publicitus Chriſti nomen recepit. Anton. Sab. lib. 5. Enned 7.lead to eternal bleſſedneſs; and that conſidering what advantages this Nation hath, yea of ancient times hath had, in the light and Liberty of the Goſpel; this Nation being the firſt in all the world that embraced the Goſpell, by the authority of the ſupream Magiſtrate, even by King Lucius, about 170 years after Chriſt: Indeed p. 119the Goſpel was preached to other Nations before, and many Churches were gathered out of many Pagan Cities and Nations, when the Governours were Idolaters, and onelyonly tolerated the Goſpel in their Dominions; but here the chief Authority of the Nation was for the Goſpel; eſtabliſhed the Profeſſion of it by a civil Sanction, yea, made a Law, that the Goſpel ſhould be owned and profeſſed all the Nation over: and now, that the Goſpel ſhould have been in the Nation, for almoſt 1500 yeares, (for certainly it was never quite extinct in the darkeſt times, there was ſome glimmerings of light in the moſt gloomieſt day) and yet, that ignorance and Atheiſme ſhould ſo generally prevail, is very ſad, yet ſadly true: But where lies the blame of this? much at the doors of parents, and Maſters of Families, want of Education, and of early ſeaſoning of children, both at home and at School, is much the cauſe of that groſs ignorance, and generall profaneneſs, which overſpreadeth the Nation: And truly, Miniſters remitting their care and pains in catechiſing, is not the leaſt cauſe of theſe forenamed evils: Oh that the ſence and experience of theſe things would awaken parents to a more carefull education of their children, and that the Magiſtrates care might be, to ſet up, and encourage ſchools of learning in every Town, As is with us by the bounty of his Highneſs.that is conſiderable for number of Inhabitants, at leaſt, ſuch Schooles, wherein the children of the poor might without charge to them, be inſtructed in Scripture-Learning, and the Principles of Religion: How are the Proteſtants of the Valleys farre above us in this point? The children of Merindol propounded and anſwered queſtions amongſt themſelves, in the audience of the Biſhop of Cavaillon, Mr. Fox, Act. and Monu. pag. 195. King Hen. 8.and many others, with ſuch grace and gravity, and ſo to the purpoſe, that the Papiſts admired at it, nay, one of their adverſaries profeſſed, that he had been often at the common Schools at Sorbone in Paris, where he heard the diſputations of the Divines, but yet he never learned ſo much, as he had done by hearing thoſe children: O that ſome good Nehemiahs would promote this work, of p. 120encouraging Schools throughout the Nation, and that the Miniſters would own it more as their buſineſs, to inſtruct children and younger people in Catechiſtical points; and that an Act might be brought forth, enjoyning under penalties, Parents and Maſters, to bring forth their children and ſervants to a publick catechiſing; for without this, little good will be done in many places, as ſome Miniſters can ſpeak by ſad experience, being forced to lay that neceſſary work down, becauſe no law of man enjoined, neither would Governours of Families command their young people to attend upon it; and hence it hath been, that the children of Chriſtians (as to the general Profeſſion) have, like the children of the Jews, Neh. 13. ver. 24. ſpake half in the ſpeech of Aſhdod Heathen-like, and could not ſpeak in the Jews Language; to wit, the pure Idiom of the Goſpel. But ſuppoſe your ſervants be bad enough, (as I believe too many be,) yet it will be more your honour to ſquare a knottie peice of timber, and poliſh a churliſh ſtone; when ye ſmooth a rugged ſpirit, and make that plyable to the wayes of God, it will more redound to your comfort: And conſider, ye plough in hope, and have a bottome from Jacob's ſucceſs, for hope to reſt upon, for he not onelyonly commanded his houſhold, to wit, children and moenial ſervants, but alſo all that were with him, ſome of whom probably came out of Meſopotamia with him, and many of thoſe Shechemites alſo, that were lately taken captive by his ſonnes, were in company with him, yet his command was given unto all, and all ſubmitted unto it, for as well the ſtrangers that were with him, as his own houſhold, gave unto him all the ſtrange Gods, which were in their hands; they freely yielded up all their Idols, into the hand and power of Jacob their Governour, never to ſee them more, nor worſhip them more; And the text ſayes, Jacob hid them, (tis like, without their privity) under an oak which was by Shechem; now then take pattern from hence, and act up in your families unto it: How know you but the power of the mighty p. 121God, may ſo awe the ſpirits of your ſervants, that the moſt rugged and rebellious among them, may ſtoop under your reproof? How know ye, but that they may deliver up their pride, oaths, drunkenneſs, wilfull ignorance, and Goſpel enmitie into your hands? if in the name of the eternal God, as Chriſtian Governours, ye demand them? And what a noble conqueſt would that be? What a quieting conſideration will this be to you at a dying hour?

4. Obſerve further, That great deliverances, lay great obligations upon Governours, to act high in perſonal and family Reformation: If ye ſay, here's a great deal more urged then needs, why did Jacob do this? and why muſt we do this? the enforcement is laid down by Jacob, who anſwered me in the day of my diſtreſs, and was with me in the way that I went; as if he had ſaid, I cannot diſcharge my ſelf of that debt I owe unto God, nor render my ſelf a perſon in any meaſure, worthy of his mercies, if I ſhould tolerate ſuch principles and practiſes in my houſe, which are diſhonourable unto him, and deſtructive to the very intereſt of Religion: Oh! I will remember the day of diſtreſs, which was upon me, when my brother Eſau threatned my life, for the birth right and bleſſing which I obtained from him: I well remember mine afflicted eſtate, when I was in the day time conſumed with drought, and in the night by froſt, and my ſleep departed from mine eyes, whileſt I ſerved a churliſh Laban, and had my wages changed ten times by him: Being an Hebrew Proverb, taken from killing the bird upon the neſt with her young ones. Hoſ. 10.14.Hos 10:14I remember thoſe fears, yea great fears which ſeized upon me, when Eſau came againſt me with four hundred men at his heels, at which time I wraſtled with the Angel, and ſpake before the Lord that I feared greatly, leaſt Eſau would come and ſmite me, and the mother with her children, or ghnal-Bunim—upon her children, heaps upon heaps: And now, ſeing God was with me, and anſwered me in all theſe dayes of my diſtreſs, and hath brought me off in a wonderfull p. 122way of mercy, with ſafetie to my life, and ſecurity to my eſtate, I dare not fail in this great duty of family-Reformation, I cannot bear any longer the diſhonours which are done to God in my Family, nor quit my ſpirit any longer with my perſonall Religion, and therefore I lay it upon you all by way of command, as a Magiſtrace in my own family, that ye put away the ſtrange Gods which are among you, and be clean, and change your garments, and let us ariſe, and go up to Beth-el: Thus David 2 Sam. verſ. 1, 2. When the Lord had given him reſt round about, from all his enemies: The ſence thereof was ſo lively upon his ſpirit, that he ſuddenly and ſeriouſly reſolved, to build an houſe to the Lord, and eſtabliſh the worſhip of God in the Land, to which he was encouraged by Nathan the Prophet at firſt, but afterward received a flat prohibition, that he ſhould not build it; yet ſee how the ſence of mercies carried him out, to prepare abundantly for that magnificent building, charging, and encouraging Solomon to the work, and quickening up his Princes unto free-will offerings, 1 Chron. 28. ver. 20. and Chap. 29. verſ. 1, 2. and ſo forward: Oh then! I make it my humble requeſt, to all that read this paſſage, that ye would improve mercies received, and deliverances received, according to Jacob's pattern, that it may quicken you up to family care, to ſet up Religion in your Families, and promote it in the Nation, that the Lord may feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, Iſa. 58. ver. ult. Think often and ſeriouſly, what your Dangers and what your Deliverances have been: and ſurely, if there be any heat and life in the ſoul for God, this will bring it forth, there would not be that heart-deadneſs, neglect of Family-diſcipline, and that Formality, even amongſt Profeſſours and Chriſtians of long ſtanding; they would not ſit down in ſuch a lazie Profeſſion, and tolerate that Ignorance, that profaneneſs, and thoſe abuſes, in their Families, and Towns, if they were throughly awakened by a due collection, and ſerious communication of experienced mercies, how often and how ſignal their deliverances p. 123have been from the jaws of death: Oh receive in love this word of exhortation from an unworthy hand, and the Lord ſet it home upon your hearts.

2. I come now to the pure ſpiritual part of the exhortation: Are the appearances of the Lord eminent and immediate for the help of his people in their greateſt ſtraights? have you experienced this? can you ſet your ſeal to this truth? hath the Lord engaged for your help, and brought you off with ſafety and comfort, when you were under the greateſt hazards? then make a good uſe of ſuch mercies, and take my advice in theſe following particulars.

1. Make a ſerious and ſpeedy enquiry, whether you are brought of from ſin and wrath by Jeſus Chriſt, and what have been the methods of God toward you in your ſpiritual deliverance.

2. Quicken up your ſelves to duty, in all your deadneſs and damps of ſpirit.

3. Be much in the ſence and meditation of grace received, keep up the conſideration thereof. To the firſt,

Improve your temporal preſervatious, by way of inquiry after your ſpiritual ſafety: whether the Lord who hath made bare his Arm in ſignal deliverances for the life of your bodies, hath alſo ſtretched forth the right arm of grace for the life of your ſouls, and how the Lord hath methodized the ways of his grace unto you; make theſe two particulars the matter of your great enqueſt.

1. Put this queſtion unto your ſouls, and be ſerious in it, as a matter of moſt concerning and everlaſting import: I ſhall ſpeak now to ſingle perſons, and therefore ſhall direct the enquiry to the Reader, as though he was that very perſon I wrote this unto, and for: Say to thy ſoul, Man, The Lord hath often fercht me off from temporal dangers, But O hath the Lord wrought that great deliverance for my ſoul? Am I brought off from a ſtate of nature by renewing grace? Am I delivered from the bondage of fin and corruption by redeeming grace? Am I brought back from ſpiritual Babylon by reſtoring grace? Am p. 124I ranſomed from under the power of Satan by victorious grace? God hath given me life from the dead for my body, but have I life from the dead for my ſoul alſo? Oh! what will all theſe temporal deliverances avail me, If I have not deliverance from wrath to come by Jeſus Chriſt? What advantage will it be unto me, that I have often been kept out of the grave, if when I dye I drop into hell? What comfort will it be to me at a dying hour, that God hath ſaved me out of ſix troubles, yea out of ſeven, if I ſhall then have no aſſurance of eternal ſalvation, but rather perplexing fears of periſhing everlaſtingly? what was it for Cham to be preſerved in the Ark, when an overflowing deluge ſwallowed up the whole world of the ungodly, ſeeing afterward he lived and dyed and lay under the curſe of God to eternity? or for rebellious Iſrael to be brought by ſo many miracles out of Egypt, and yet entered not, through unbelief into the land of reſt? Do not therefore haſtily conclude from thy temporal ſalvations, that thou ſhalt be eternally ſaved, for that is unſafe, but rather take occaſion from thy temporal, to enquire into thy everlaſting ſafety: let this put thee upon a ſtrict and narrow ſcrutiny: The Apoſtle urgeth this, 2 Cor. 13.5. Examine your own ſelves, whether you be in the faith, prove your ſelves, know ye not your own ſelves, that Jeſus Chriſt is in you except you be reprobates. The firſt word in the proper ſignification implies a piercing through timber, foreign.that tryal may be made, what it is within, whether ſound or rotten; or the piercing of a veſſel, that the Vintner may taſte the wine and try the goodneſs of it; thus Chrians muſt pierce through and through their hearts that they may know the ſoundneſs of them: Men have a plauſible profeſſion yet but rotten hearts; men may think their eſtate to be very good, when it is ſtarke naught, and conclude they are brought over to God, when they are ſtill in the divels quarters; therefore the Apoſtles advice is to try and to do it exactly: foreign.The divel is called the tempter, becauſe he goes through ſtitch with his work, and tryes to purpoſe, he perforates and pierceth through the heart, p. 125and if there be any unmortified corruption or unſoundneſs there, he will be ſure to finde it out: nay, as though one word was not enough in a buſineſs of ſo great import, the Apoſtle adds, prove, foreign.which refers to that trial which Goldſmiths make of their mettal, that they may not put a cheat upon themſelves: And here the exhortation is doubled, that the duty might be more enforced, as being a moſt needful, but a much neglected duty: Hence as Zeph. 2.1. The Prophets ſays, Excutite vos, iterumque excutite vos, Fan your ſelves, yea fan your ſelves: ſo the Apoſtle doubles his charge, Examine your ſelves, yea prove your ſelves, as if he had ſaid, make it much the matter of your enquiry whether ye be in the faith, whether Jeſus Chriſt be in you, otherwiſe notwithſtanding all your gilded profeſſion, foreign.and form of godlineſs, ye will be laid aſide as counterfeit coin, yea caſt of as reprobate ſilver at the great day of tryal; when the Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darkneſs, and make manifeſt the councels of all hearts, 1 Cor. 4.5. and though your deliverances have been never ſo remarkable, your preſervations never ſo admirable as to thy temporal ſafety, yet thou wilt be a caſt-away and periſh everlaſtingly, if thou be not in the faith, & Chriſt be not in thee: Oh then enquire into thy ſpiritual eſtate, and labor to evidence the truth and life of grace in thy ſoul, that as thou knoweſt and owneſt deliverances from ſuch and ſuch dangers, ſo thou mayeſt with ſafety conclude thy deliverance from wrath to come by Jeſus Chriſt: this wil ſweeten all the providences of God unto thee, this will make the remembrance of forepaſt deliverances, pleaſant unto thee, Num. 13.23. and will be as the grapes of Eſhcol, upon which thy ſoul will feed with delight, as Mat. 26.29. having ſome relliſh of that wine, which thou ſhalt drink new to eternity with Jeſus Chriſt in the Kingdom of his Father: But when thou ſpeakeſt or meditateſt how, and how often, and in what caſes of imminent danger, the Lord hath preſerved thee, and then for want of a through tryal of thy ſpiritual eſtate, thou beeſt in doubt, what will become of thee to eternity, then to ſay, p. 126dubius morior, & quo vadam, neſcio, I dye doubtfully not knowing in which of the two places, Heaven or Hell, I ſhall ſpend eternity: Oh, this will be ſad, this ſting of death will wound very ſorely: but more ſad and dreadful will it be unto thee, if thy fears be great (and nothing from within to check them) that thou art reſerved to the day of judgement to be puniſhed, or kept in ſtore unto the day of perdition of ungodly men: Oh this will like a bunch of wormwood in wine, embitter all thy preſervations: Be much and ſerious in this great buſineſs, and if upon due tryal, thou findeſt the witneſs within, and heareſt the bird in thy boſome ſing ſweetly: Be much in admiring the riches of free-grace, not onelyonly that thy name is not blotted out upon earth, but that it is writ in heaven; not onelyonly that thou haſt been preſerved from the uppermoſt hell, but that thou art preſerved to the heavenly Kingdome: if the ſcales hang even, or thy fear outweighs thy faith, give diligence to make thy calling & election ſure, and the rather, becauſe thou haſt taſted ſo much of the mercy and goodneſs of God, in bringing the to ſafe harbor from many ſtormes; This will make thy entrance more abundantly glorious, into the everlaſting Kingdom of thy dear redeemer; when thou canſt ſing the ſong of Moſes and the ſong of the Lamb together; this will make melody in thy heart indeed: But if thou beeſt in a ſtate of Atheiſm and open prophaneneſs, or notwithſtanding thy carnal Goſpelling or formal profeſſion thy heart ſmites thee, thy conſcience condemns thee, and thy daily practice bears witneſs againſt thee, and all together tell thee to thy face, that thou art not in a ſtate of grace, thou art not intereſted in the blood of Jeſus, and that Chriſt is not, in thee the hope of glory: Oh let theſe thoughts be often upon thy heart: I have been ſometimes, in a way of mercy ſaved from drowning in the water! Ah, but what will this avail me, If my fooliſh and hurtful luſts do after drown me in deſtruction and perdition? 1 Tim. 6.9.1 Tim 6:9I have been by a hand of mercy pluckt out of Sodoms burnings; but ah! what comfort will this adminiſter, if I be caſt into everlaſting burnings? p. 127I have been fetcht by a ſignal mercy from a deep and dark dungeon: but ah! what will this advantage me, If I be thrown into the bottomleſs pit? I have been antidoted from the raging peſtilence; but ah! How can I rejoyce in that, If the plagve of my heart be not cured, and ſo the ſecond death have power over me? what contentment can I take in all my former deliverances, If I be delivered up to eternal wrath? Let ſuch thoughts prevail with thee, and improve thy preſent deliverances, as warnings and awakenings from the Lord, to provide for thy eternal ſafety: The Lord Jeſus preached very often upon this ſubject, to thoſe that he cured, Behold thou art made whole, ſin no more, leaſt a worſe thing happen unto thee; Oh the worm that never dyeth, and the fire that never goeth out, will be far worſe, then all the miſeries that thou haſt ſuffered here: this is much the fin of many, they do not heed the outgoings of God; nor conſider the hand of the Lord that hath been upon them, or for them in a day of diſtreſs; the ſence of great deliverances ſoon wear off, and ſo the fruit of all is loſt: but if men would often ſay, had not the Lord helped us, the ſea had ſwallowed us up, and if we go on in theſe courſes, it will not be long before hell ſwallow us up; had not the Lord procured my enlargement, I had rotted in a noiſom priſon, and if I walk on in theſe ways of ſin, I ſhall be certainly thrown into that priſon, out of which I ſhall not come, untill I have paid the utmoſt farthing: certainly if ſuch conſiderations were more upon our ſpirits, there would not be that Atheiſm, diſſolutneſs, and profaneneſs amongſt the worſt, nor that luke-warmneſs, formality, and deadneſs of ſpirit amongſt the beſt, as there is: Sabbaths would be more duly obſerved, ordinances more carefully attended on; the ſeaſon of grace more prized, the meſſengers of grace more honoured, the ways of grace more walked in, and men would minde the great buſineſs of ſalvation in more good earneſt, then the moſt men do; Oh then try this courſe, and improve this councel, leaſt after all thy temporal deliverances, eternal wrath may be thy portion.

p. 1282. If upon due tryal thou findeſt a work of grace wrought in thy ſoul, Chriſt formed in thy heart; put it to the queſtion, how, and when was this good work begun in my ſoul? in temporal dangers and deliverances men are apt to ſpeak, what hazards of life they have been in, what days of diſtreſs have been upon them, and aggravate all by relating the circumſtances of time, place, company, &c. and then, how and by what means the Lord brought them off, above and beyond expectation, when they leaſt looked for it, and had leaſt ground to hope after it: Oh what ſtories will ſome men tell of this nature? how will they delight in it, and account it their honor to do it? O follow then this pattern in a ſpiritual way; diſcourſe over and often the paſſages of Gods mercy and thine own miſery; what thou waſt, how vain, how ignorant? what, an enemy to God? what a hater of good men? what a deſpiſer of the means of grace, and how regardleſs of thine own eternal peace and welfare? ſo that if the twine thread of thy life had been cut, when thou waſt in that eſtate, thou hadſt certainly dropt into hell, and periſhed without all hope of recovery; and that then, when no eye pittied thee, nor thou thy ſelf, when thou didſt not look after Chriſt, but braved it out againſt God, and all Goſpel tenders; then, even then the Lord came in graciouſly and ſeaſonably unto thee, And according to his mercy ſaved thee, by the waſhing of regeneration, and renewings of the holy Ghost, which he ſhed on thee abundantly by Jeſus Chriſt thy Saviour: Saint Paul was much in the review of what he had been and done; and in owning and admiring free grace: He is not aſhamed to tell the world, what he was before converſion; when and how the Lord came upon him, and wrought that bleſſed change in him: And indeed ſome ancient Chriſtians tread in the Apoſtles ſteps and ſtill retain this practice, ſure 'twas well, if it was more done, provided it was well done, not out of pride and vain glory, but in humility and lowlineſs of minde, that God alone may be acknowledged and adored for his rich grace; and others p. 129may reap fruit by it to their comfort, eſtabliſhment and ſupport; but I do not lay this down as the general duty of all under profeſſion; I know there be ſome who play the hypocrites in Religion, and theſe (out of meer pride and oſtenration, that they might get a name and repute among believers, and be counted ſomebody) would be forward enough in this work ſpeaking lies in hypocriſie, and pretending to great things, which they never expe rienced; like that Amalekite, 2 Sam. 1.6, 7, 8, 9. who told David a fair tale, how he ſtood upon Saul and ſlew him, and took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was upon his arm, &c. and all this that he might win credit with David, and gain his favour by ſlaying his enemy, who ſtood betwixt him and the crown: when as the whole ſtory was falſe; this would be the caſe of ſome falſe-hearted hypocrites. Again, ſome of the ſervants of the Lord who are real converts, would be at a loſs within themſelves, not being able to give an account, when and how the Lord firſt wrought upon them; who can onelyonly ſay with the blind man, Joh. 9.25. This one thing I know, that whereas I was born blinde, I now do ſee: the work of grace upon the hearts of ſome, as to the quando and quomodo time and manner, is undiſcernable by them: The Lord ſpiritualizeth their morals, ſanctifies their principles of education, and drops down his ſpirit upon the ſeed, and his bleſſing upon the off-ſpring; ſo that they ſpring up as among the graſs (as Spring Flowers, which lye buried under ground the Winter ſeaſon, and ſprout forth as the year ariſeth) Iſa. 44.3, 4. To this the Lord Jeſus ſpeaketh, Mark. 4.26, 27. So is the Kingdom of God, as if a man ſhould caſt ſeed into the ground and ſhould ſleep, and the ſeed grows up he knows not how: God ſows the ſeed by the hand of a godly Parent or Paſtor, and in due ſeaſon, when and how they know not (neither Parent, Paſtor, nor the Perſon himſelf) it bringeth forth fruit! the word works ſometimes many years after, as they ſay of the Elephant, that ſhe brings not forth till the thirteenth year after ſhe hath conceived: The firſt ſprings in the womb of grace p. 130are precious, and carefully preſerved by the ſpirit, and when they put forth, it may be without any noiſe: For the Kingdom of heaven doth not always come with obſervation: Thus Timothy knew the holy Scriptures from a child, 2 Tim. 3.15. not onelyonly the bare letter and form of words, thats but little; but knew them ſo as to love them, to read them with delight, and look for ſalvation: wiſdom in them, through faith which is in Chriſt Jeſus; and probably by the care of his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice: ſure, gracious parents, and godly education do contribute much (though not infallibly) to the ſeaſoning of tender years, and it was well if parents would make it much their care (as bleſſed be God ſome do) to furniſh their children, whileſt children, with Goſpelknowledge. Mr. Trap. in 2 Tim. 3.15.2 Tim 3:15It is reported, That the Lady Wheatenhall ſo plyed her young Neece Miſtris Elizabeth Wheatenhall, that before ſhe was nine years old, ſhe could ſay the New Testament by heart, and was able to name the book and chapter where any word or paſſage was: A ſingular preſident, worthy of admiration: Oh that Chriſtian parents would take this hint: The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the ſoul, Pſal. 19.7. Thats the genuine and native fruit of it; at leaſt through the bleſſing power of the ſpirit, converſion is in it, and from it; and who knows, whether the word, being engraffed by godly parents, may not bring forth early converſion in their children? Sure we are, there have been and are young Saints in the world, who have relliſhed the ways of God and walked in them, before they have travailed many years journey from their mothers wombs; now to theſe I do not direct this particular advice, but to thoſe whoſe converſion hath been viſible, their change ſo ſignal, that the whole Town, ye Country hath rang of it; ſome ſuch there are, who are able to ſay, that at ſuch a time, under ſuch means, by ſuch a word, in ſuch a way, the Lord was pleaſed firſt to work upon them; they can circumſtantiate their converſion in all the occurrences of it: Paul could tell the errand he went upon (which was bad enough) the company with p. 131whom, the time of the day, the manner how, and the plat of ground (as it were) upon which he fell, when the Lord fell in with him by converting grace, as he diſcourſeth at large, Act. 22.6, 7, 8. compared with Chap. 26.12, 13, &c. Now then, to ſuch in a more peculiar manner, I ſpeak, as thou doſt obſerve and diſcourſe over the paſſages of Gods providence toward thee, in helping thee out of great ſtraights, and telleſt thy friends what they were and how nigh unto death thou waſt, and how the Lord came in at ſuch a time, in ſuch a manner, and by ſuch means, and brought thee off with ſafety: ſo be much in obſerving and ſhewing forth, what God hath done for thy ſoul; what providential paſſages were antecedent to thy converſion; what awakening, teaching, and leading providences were in order to thy converſion; whether God did not firſt awaken thee by ſuch an affliction; give a check to thy ſpirit in the high careers of ſin, by ſuch an humbling providence; or made way for the entertainment of Chriſt and Goſpel, by diſappointing thee in ſuch a worldly deſign; or won upon thee by ſome notable deliverance, as was the Jailors caſe, Act. 16.28. or how the Lord was pleaſed to bring thee into ſuch a family, or into acquaintance with ſuch godly Chriſtians, or under ſuch a powerful and ſoul-ſearching Miniſtery; theſe all through grace, have had a ſub-ſerviency to the great end of God, in bringing ſinners home unto him. Then again, conſider thoſe ways of God, which were concomitant, and as means, were inſtrumental to thy converſion; in what method the Lord was pleaſed firſt to work upon thee; what meaſure of the ſpirit of bondage to fear, thou waſt under; what ſin thou waſt firſt convinced of; how long thou waſt under conviction, before converſion was brought forth in the fruits and evidences of it; what luſt the ſpirit firſt ſtruck down in thy fleſh; what repentance and godly ſorrow for ſin was wrought in thee; what attempts the divel made upon thee; how forceable they were, and with what ſucceſs; and how long thou didſt ly under the ſence of ſin and wrath, before thou hadſt p. 132any quieting apprehenſions of pardoning and accepting grace through the blood of Jeſus; let theſe and things of like nature be obſerved by thee, and reports thereof ſeaſonably made to others. Nay, Laſtly take notice of the after-viſits of the ſpirit of God and grace to thy ſoul; what ſweet and ſuitable returns the Lord gave thee in to thy prayers: what ſeaſonable ſuccours thou receivedſt in an hour of temptation; what power from the ſpirit of holineſs came in, in thy conteſting with ſome Lady-luſt; what meaſure of conſolation was caſt in after thy days of mourning; how far thou haſt been ſealed with the holy ſpirit of promiſe, and haſt taken earneſt of thine inheritance, ſince thou didſt believe: Oh be much and with much ſeriouſneſs in all theſe particulars; make a due collection of all, and as thou carefully obſerveſt the great deliverances, which God hath wrought for thee, upon a temporal ſcore; ſo much more read over and ruminate upon that great redemption from wrath and condemnation: and ſay with the Pſalmiſt, when envited to it by a ſeaſonable opportunity, Pſal. 66.16. Come and hear all yea that fear the Lord and I will tell you, what God hath done for my ſoul, of which this treatiſe will give the a further account, with directions for the managing of it, and the benefits which redound from it.

2. Quicken up your ſelves unto duty in all your hard-heartedneſſe and damps of ſoul; the beſt trees are ſubject unto moſſe, which ſtunts them in their growth, and that ſtints them in their fruitfulneſſe; ſo the beſt Saints are liable to deadneſſe of heart, and damps of zeal, the love of the world, like moſſe over-grows them; or elſe there is ſome worm of pride, ſecurity, ſelf-confidence, &c. at the root, which drinks up the ſap of life, and blaſteth the fruits of of faith and holineſſe: O how have I ſeen ſome fruitfull Chriſtian; grow as the lily, caſt forth their roots as Lebanon, ſpread their branches and beauty as the Olive-tree, and their ſent as Lebanon, Hoſ. 14. ver. 5, 6. which afterwards have been dwarfed in their growth, dwindled in their fruit, and decayed in their ſent? How was it with the Church, p. 133Can. 2. ver. 3, 4.5. Like the apple tree among the trees of the foreeſt, ſo is my well beloved among th…ſons of men; Iſate down under his ſhadow with great delight, and his fruit was ſweet unto my taſte: At what a rate, in this verſe, and ſome following verſes, doth ſhe ſpeak forth the praiſes, and preciouſneſſe of the Lord Jeſus, expreſſing her delight, complacency and acquieſcence in him, and the ardency and ſtrength of her holy affections towards him; again, chap. 3. ver. 1, 2, 3, 4. How earneſtly and inſtantly did ſhe ſeek the Lord Jeſus in his withdrawings from her? How haſtily did ſhe get out of her bed, and trudge to Jeruſalem, where the Temple, Prieſts and ordinances were to find her beloved Jeſus? and how did ſhe lay hold upon him, and cling unto him, claſp him with the embraces of faith and love, and would not part with him, untill ſhe had her deſires fulfilled? like Jacob, Gen. 32. ver. 26. nay Chap. 4. ver. 16. How fervently doth ſhe pray for the graces and in-breathings of the ſpirit, and invite her beloved to come into his garden, and eat his pleaſant fruit, and yet what an unhandſome return and how inevitable to all thoſe affectionate pangs, did the Lord Jeſus receive from her? Chap. 5. ver. 3. Chriſt gives her a viſit, and calls to her, to open the door and entertain him; and ſhe from within replies, I have put off my coat, how ſhall I put it on? I have waſhed my feet, how ſhall I defile them? what a pictifull anſwer is here? and what poor reaſons are here produced? I have put off my coat, like that, Luke 11. ver. 7. Tr uble me not, the door is now ſhut, and my children are with me in bed, I cann't riſe: A great buſineſſe ſure to have riſen a little from his children and opened the door to relieve the want of a neighbour: the fleſh is wayward as well as weak. I cannot, ſayes he, how can I? ſaith ſhe, well enough: ſhe was paſt a child; and not yet grown ſo decrepid with old age, but ſhe could make her ſelf ready, at leaſt ſhe might have ſlipt on her morning coat; and ſtept to the door without any danger of taking cold, but ſin and ſhifting came into the world together, as one obſerveth; and the brats of our own begetting, p. 134are alwayes with us in the bed of carnall ſecurity and fleſh-pleaſing: yet let us a little plead the Churches cauſe and advocate for her to take off the rigour of the charge: It may be ſhe was aſleep, and had then let fall the watch of the Lord; no, ſhe ſayes, ver. 2. I ſleep, but my heart waketh, there was wakfulneſſe in the hidden man of the heart, though her eyes might be a little drowſie. It may be Chriſt made no noiſe without, nor gave any notice he was there; yes, he knocked: it may be, he did but onelyonly knock, and in the night we are not willing to open the door, unleſſe we hear the voice of him that knocketh; I but Chriſt both knocked and called: It may be ſhe did not know his voice, and therefore did not open; a chaſte wife will not at unſeaſonable hours, ariſe and open her doors unto a ſtranger in her husbands abſence: I, but ſhe knew his voice, verſ. 2. It is the voice of my well beloved that knocketh: It may be Chriſt onelyonly knocked and called, like a friend in his journey, onelyonly to enquire how it fared with her, or to ſpeak unto her at the window; nay, he ſpake his plain meaning, He had her open unto him, which implies his deſire to have entered her houſe: It may be Chriſt had given her ſome diſtaſt, had let fall ſome unkind words, which made her a little pettiſh (a common fault among women) or elſe the match was broke off; no, Chriſt owns her as his Beloved, and courts her with the moſt winning and amicable tearms of love, My Siſter, my Love, my Dove, my undefiled: I but it may be Chriſt was too quick for her, gave but a knock and a call, and was gone, before ſhe could riſe and open the door; No, Chriſt ſtayed till his head was filled with dew, and his locks with the drops of the night: Chriſt ſtands bare headed, and that in foul weather, yea, in the night time, wooing, intreating, and beſeeching admittance, yet could obtain none, but muſt go ſeek lodging in ſome other place, Dr. Richardſon in loc.as one ſays: All theſe circumſtances being put into the ballance, do ſadly ſpeak out both the fault and folly of the Church, and give full teſtimony to thoſe diſtempers, which ſeize upon the beſt Saints; But how p. 135did the Lord Jeſus, the beſt and great Phyſitian, bring off the Church from this diſtemper? Why verſ. 4. He put in his hand by the hole of the door, the key hole: Why his hand? the reaſon of the phraſe may be this; we know the hand is the chief inſtrument of action, with that we work, we write, we fight, &c. So the ſpirit is as the hand of Chriſt, by him he convinceth, quickeneth, teacheth, comforteth, illighteneth, and ſtrengtheneth his people, as Act. 11.20, 21. thoſe that were ſcattered—ſpake unto the Grecians, and preached the Lord Jeſus, And the hand of the Lord was with them, ſo that a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord; ſo powerful and preſent was the ſpirit of the Lord, in ſucceeding their Goſpel-Miniſtery, that faith was wrought in many of the Gentile-Grecians—here the hand of the Lord implyed the bleſſing power and concurrence of the ſpirit of Chriſt; ſo Chriſt put in his hand by the key-hole, that is ſent in his ſpirit to awaken, reprove, and convince the ſpouſe of her great unkindneſs toward him: by the way take this note, Note.That the ſpirit can finde a paſſage into the heart, though the doors be barred and bolted never ſo faſt: The key of David will open any lock: Satan with all his skill and artifice cannot frame a lock of ſuch croſs and curious wards and work, that this key cannot open: the ſpirit acts with irreſiſtibility in the ſaving communications of grace to the ſtouteſt ſinner: Lord, what wilt thou have me to do, was Sauls queſtion; the lock was ſoon opened, the ſpirit had quickly got into his heart: So here, the ſpirit was quickly within doors, and what then? her bowels were moved for Chriſt, ſhe had no reſt in her ſpirit; her bowels yearned after him; There was a ſtrange tumult raiſed within her, Heb.the word carries that ſignification, her heart aked and quaked, being by the ſpirit convinced of her unkind and inconjugal carriage toward her dear Lord: This brought her off from her bed; now ſhe could put on her coat, and feared not the fouling of her feet; ſhe ſtarts and ſtirs, and haſtens to open the door, and as ſoon as ſhe had taken the key in her hand, Her hands dropt with myrrhe, and p. 136her fingers with ſweet ſmelling mirrhe, that is, ſhe had new tokens of Chriſts good-will, refreſhing conſolations from a comforting ſpirit, which being added to her former experiences of love, had ſuch a force upon her heart, that ſhe breaks off all delay, runs to the door and opens, and not finding her beloved there, ſhe fails; poor heart! ſhe ſinks down and ſwouns; the ſence of Chriſts dear affection to her, and her diſloyal carriage to him, did ſo ſeize upon her, that ſhe ſinks under it: And being come to her ſelf, ſhe ſeeks and enquires after him, ſuffers for him, breaths out her ſoul in ſtrongeſt affection towards him, breaks forth into higheſt Eulogies and commendations of him, and through the whole Song you never finde her under any of this heart-deadneſs any more, but full of love and full of life: Thus it was with the Church of Iſrael, Hoſ. 2. The Lord brings her in verſ. 5. ſpeaking forth ſuch reſolutions as theſe, I will go after my lovers that give me my bread and my water, my wooll and my flax, mine oyle and my drink, as if ſhe had ſaid, I am reſolved to ſtick cloſe to mine Idols, who have recompenced my ſervice with ſuch plenty and abundance; The alluſion is to a man and his wife, betwixt whom (before there is a final divorce and departure) there is uſually ſome decay of conjugal affection, ſome neglect of conjugal duties, ſome eminent failing in conjugal offices, and thereupon follows a ſtrangeneſs, and at length a parting aſunder: So heart-deadneſs, damps of zeal, flatneſs of ſpirit, freezings of affection, neglect of communion in the Goſpel-duties and appointments, formality in profeſſion, earthly-mindedneſs and ſome kind of liberty and boldneſs to ſin are uſually precedaneous to an Apoſtacy and departure from God, Thus it was with Ephraim: But how doth ſhe recover her ſelf? Why verſe 7. ſhe argues her ſpirit into a returning frame, Mr. Ier. Burroughs in loc.I will go and return unto my firſt husband, for then was it better with me then now; Hence it is the note of a late godly Divine, That the ſight and ſence of this, how much better it was when the heart did cleave to Chriſt, then it is now ſince its departure from Chriſt, is an effectual means to p. 137cauſe the heart to return unto him: He brings in a repenting backſlider under theſe reaſonings of heart: Heretofore I was able, through Gods mercy, to look upon the face of God with joy; when my heart did cleave to him, when I did walk cloſe with him, then the glory of God did ſhine upon me, and cauſed my heart to ſpring within me, every time I thought of him: But now, now, God knows (though the world takes little notice of it) the very thoughts of God are a terrour unto me, the moſt terrible object in all the world, is to behold the face of God: Oh it was better with me, then it is now.

Before this my Apoſtacy, I had free acceſs unto the throne of grace, I could come with humble and holy boldneſs unto God, and pour out my ſoul before him: ſuch a chamber, ſuch a cloſet can witneſs it; but now I have no heart to pray, ye I muſt be haled to it: merely conſcience pulleth me to it: yea, every time I go by that very cloſet, where I was wont to have that acceſs to the throne of Grace, it ſtrikes a terrour to my heart; I can never come into Gods preſence, but it is out of ſlaviſh fear; Oh it was better with me then, then it is now.—

Before, Oh the ſweet communion my ſoul enjoyed with Jeſus Chriſt! one dayes communion with him, how much better was it, then the enjoyment of all the world! but now Jeſus Chriſt is a ſtranger to me, and I a ſtranger unto him: Before, Oh thoſe ſweet enlargements that my ſoul had in the Ordinances of God! when I came to the word, my ſoul was refreſhed, was warmed, my heart was enlightened: when I came to the Sacrament, oh the ſweetneſs that was there! and to prayer with the people of God, it was even an heaven upon earth unto me, but it is otherwiſe now, the Ordinances of God are dead and emptie things to me: Oh it was better with me then, then it is now.—