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

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

p. 2293. They are ſet forth by their methods of deceiving, by the artifices they uſe:

Firſt, they perſwade thoſe that they draw in, that they will drive on ſuch cloſe deſignes, carry things with ſuch privacy, that the guilt of blood ſhall never be charged upon their ſcore; implyed in theſe phraſes, let us lurk privily—let us ſwallow them alive as the grace, &c. as if they had ſaid, we will manage our affairs with that ſecrecy, that ſtrangers may as eaſily know the dead by their faces; and what deaths they died of whom the grave hath ſwallowed up, and the pit hath covered, as men ſhall know, who did this murther, and how it was done: doubtleſſe this hope of ſecrecy hath undone many.

Secondly, they give great aſſurances of much gain and advantage? we ſhall find all precious ſubſtance, we ſhall fill our houſes with ſpoil; Alas! thou art a poor fellow, haſt not a penny ſcarce to help thy ſelf withall, but come, come with us, we'l help thee to money enough, thou ſhalt be a rich man preſently; yonder is a booty will make us all men.

Thirdly, they promiſe to be very honeſt, to give him his full ſhare, caſt in thy lot among us; we will all have one purſe: Wee'll divide the ſpoil, thou ſhalt have thy lot: nay more, thou ſhalt never want while we have it, we'll p. 228have a community of goods, a common ſtock; theſe are winning wayes, prevailing arguments, gilded pills and tempting poiſons, where the heart is not in ſome meaſure antidoted by grace againſt them, and doubtleſſe the devil gains much ground in the world by ſuch artifices, catcheth many a fowl in his nets, by means of theſe decoyes: his ſervants are true to his intereſt, they ſpare neither pains nor purſes to advance it; nor are his headſervants, I mean, Hereticks and Impoſtours (thoſe that are the chief factours and head men among their brethren) leſſe induſtrious: into how many ſhapes, Proteus like, will the Jeſuite caſt himſelf? how many hazzards of his neck will he run? and how many hard journeys will he take to reconcile a poor Proteſtant to the Church of Rome? neither do ſome others fall ſhort of the Jeſuites, either pains or zeal, to proſelyte men to their opinions; we have ſeen that made good in our dayes, which our Saviour ſpake of the Scribes and Phariſees, Matth. 23. ver. 15. Ye compaſſe ſea and land to make one proſelyte: What wanderers among the Nations have ſome of our Sect-Maſters been? what labours and hardſhips have ſome undergone? what journeys, tedious, and dangerous, by land and ſea, have ſome undertook? what errand have they gone on? what merchandizes have they exported, but ſome old drugs and antiquated errours, which the Saints in former ages and forreign parts have exploded, but now being in-land commodities, of the growth of our own Nation, and being now put into a new dreſſe by men of Engliſh birth, pretending hatred to the Romiſh Hierarchy, are become vendible in moſt parts? O what marts and markets have been kept by them, in many of our towns, to put off their ſtale and ſtollen wares! and what ſale have they had in ſome places! whole towns almoſt in ſome places have come in to truck and barter with them! the more is the pity that the ſpirit of deluſion ſhould gain ſo farre upon Engliſh ground? O how ſhould this provoke all that fear the Lord in truth to purſue ſalvation-work with utmoſt diligence! to endeavour p. 229with much ſeriouſneſſe of ſpirit, the winning over ſouls to God! How ſhall we anſwer the charge of our own conſciences at a dying hour? how ſhall we look our dear Redeemer in the face at the laſt day? nay how ſhall we ſtand againſt the great accuſer before the great tribunal, when he ſhall charge this ſpirituall ſloth and negligence upon us? when he ſhall ſpeak to the Judge of all the world, and cry for juſtice againſt us, urging that his ſervants have been more faithfull and ſerviceable to him, then we have been to the Lord Jeſus, though he never bled to redeem them, never underwent the wrath of a ſin-revenging God for them, never laid down his life to ſave them out of hell, never gave them inward and heart conſolations here, neither prepared for, nor ever promiſed unto them, a ſtate of everlaſting bleſſedneſſe, and fulneſſe of joy in his preſence forevermore hereafter: and therefore ſhall call for ſentence to be given out againſt us, as being unworthy of that crown of glory: O this is a conſideration of great weight, the Lord help us to take the right poiſe of it; let us take ſhame unto our ſelves for our former negligence, and be quickened up to more induſtriouſneſſe for the future! Let not any of the devils drudges out-work us, nor any of his merchants out-bid us, much leſſe any of his pedlers out-ſell us for the time to come; let not others do more to undo, then we to ſave ſouls, nor be more unwearied in their labours and travells to pervert, then we are to convert men; if there be a perſon that deſerves, as a badge of honour, the name of that old Diſciple, trudge o're the world, let not Jeſuite and Heretick get it from us.

To ſhut up this, I beſeech you dear Chriſtians, into whoſe hands providence ſhall caſt this treatiſe, weigh theſe conſiderations laid down; and let them with what others the ſpirit of the Lord ſhall ſuggeſt unto you, or any of my learned brethren ſhall offer, have an holy force upon your ſpirits, to put you upon, ſerious endeavours of doing good to your carnall neighbours, if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging p. 232of the truth, and that they may recover themſelves out of the ſnares of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will, 2 Tim. 2. ver. 25, 26. and that you may be uſed by the Lord as inſtruments of their ſalvation: liſten not to fleſh and blood, which will be tampering with you to diſſwade you from it, and will throw in an hundred objections, and carnall cavils againſt it; onelyonly obſerve your ſtations, invade not the miniſtery, nor deſpiſe it; be humble in all your applications to your ignorant neighbours, and under any ſucceſſe which the Lord ſhall anſwer your endeavours with, and under all diſcouragements and deadneſſe of heart to this duty, improve grace received and temporall preſervations, as arguments to quicken you up to this duty, and to other duties which are mentioned in this treatiſe, that you may live beſt to God, beſt to your ſelves, and beſt to all others; and alwayes wear this text, as a ſign upon your hands, and as frontlets between your eyes to enmind you of the Lord's mercies; unleſſe the Lord had been my help, my ſoul had almoſt dwelt in ſilence.

Ʋſe 4. Are the appearances of God eminent an immediate to the help of his people in the day of their diſtreſſe? have you experienced this truth? have you ſeen the outgoings of the Lord in your perſonall ſafety and preſervations? why then fetch comfort and encouragement from hence, and lift up your hearts and hands unto God in expectancy of help and ſuccour, in theſe following caſes.

1. When Church affairs do meet with dark and gloomy day: when the Goſpel is under ſome reſtraint as to liberty, or under ſome corruption as to purity in word and worſhips; reflect upon the outgoings of God unto you, and conſider that mercy, that goodneſſe, that wiſdome, that power, &c. which were engaged for your reſcue in an evil day; then play the good Logicians, and in a way of divine induction argue à minore ad majus, from the leſſe to the greater; if the Lord extended help to me in ſuch an eminent manner, how much more ſhall p. 233the arm of the Lord be made bare, in the reſcue of many Saints? if a ſingle believer found the Lord ſo preſent in a day of trouble, how ſhall a ſociety of believers find him in ſuch a day? if a little ſculler was brought ſafe to ſhore from off a ſtormy ſea, how will the Lord calm the raging waves, when the ſhip of his Church is tempeſttoſt? if his care was ſo great over one member, ſure the whole family ſhall not be neglected by him: O there's much ſweetneſſe and much truth in this way of arguing. Thus did David, Pſal. 30. ver. 1, 2. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee and thou haſt healed me; O Lord thou haſt brought up my life from the grave, thou haſt kept me alive that I ſhould not go down into the pit; here was a perſonal deliverance, and what doth he inferre from hence? namely, that the Church and people of God ſhall receive the ſame meaſure of mercy from him in the day of their diſtreſſe; therefore he ſaith, ver. 4. Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his; I, but may the Saints ſay, we have little cauſe of mirth, we may now hang our harps upon the willows; the waters of Babylon by which we are ſet down, do call for weeping rather then rejoycing; no, ſayes he, I read your ſafety in mine own; for ver. 5. His anger endure…h but for a moment; iſta nubecula cito evaneſcat, as he ſaid of Julians perſecution, weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning: the Churches afflictions though they be ſharp, yet they ſhall be but ſhort, though they be violent, they ſhall be tranſient; this I aſſert, ſayes he, as having been mine own caſe, I have had many clear mornings after cloudy nights; for the Lord hath brought my life from the grave, he hath kept me alive, that I ſhould not go down to the pit. Again, Pſal. 31. ver. 22. I ſaid in mine haſt, ſo great were my fears and ſo ſmall was my faith, I am cut off from before thine eyes; I am a loſt, a dead, an undone man, nevertheleſſe thou heardeſt the voice of my ſupplications when I cryed unto thee, what doth he conclude from hence? why, ver. 23, 24. O love the Lord all ye his Saints, for the Lord preſerveth the faithfull and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer, repayeth abundantly, or with ſurpluſſage; p. 234in ſeipſo aut ſemine ſuo, either in himſelf or in his poſterity; God will be ſure to be meet with him, and therefore he bids them be of good courage, bear up bravely, be ſtout and ſtedfaſt in the faith under trialls; did the Lord hear my prayers, and will he not hear his praying Church? did he appear to my help, and will he refuſe help to his beloved ſpouſe? was my trouble but as a racking cloud, ſoon blown over by the wind of Gods favour, and ſhall the Churches calamity be as a dark heaven ſet round with raine? ſurely no; though the nations do ruſh like the ruſhings of many waters, yet God ſhall rebuke them: the word ſignifies, ſhall ſharply and ſeverely chide them, or deſtroy them, which implyed in the following words, and they ſhall flee farre off, and ſhall be chaſed as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a thing rouling before the whirlwind: and behold at even tide trouble, and before the morning he is not: this is the portion of them that ſpoil us, and the lot of them that rob us, Iſa. 17. ver. 13, 14. O then be encouraged to hope and pray, and pray in hope, when the Church is brought into greateſt ſtraits, when the Armies of Gog and Magog do go up on the breadth of the earth, the number of whom is as the ſand of the ſea, and compaſſe the camp of the Saints about and the beloved city; that fire ſhall come down from heaven and devour them, Apoc. 20.19. Let Davids practice be your pattern, argue the Churches deliverances from your own; if a man beſtirre himſelf to quench a fire that hath taken hold of a remote cottage; how much more will he lay out himſelf to preſerve his manner houſe? If a King ſend out his troops to ſecure a petty village from the Rovers; how much more will he draw up his whole Army to ſecure the Royall city? If the death of one Saint be precious; how much more precious in the ſight of the Lord is the death of many precious Saints? O! God will be ſeen upon the mount, Caelar-like, he will either finde or make a way for their eſcape; the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of every temptation, 2 Pet. 2. ver. 9. to fetch a Lot out of Sodom, and a Judah out of Babylon: The Churches extremitie is Gods opportunity: p. 235when the tale of bricks is doubled, then Moſes will come, as one ſaies.

2. Improve your providential preſervations, by way of comfort in all your ſufferings, for the name, and in the cauſe of Chriſt: the Lord tells you, tribulation in this world muſt be your portion, and it is a characteriſtical mark of a true believer, to be hated by the world; they that have the crown in their eye, muſt bear the croſs upon their backs: Now in the greateſt tryal of affliction for the Goſpel, ye may draw forth, and drink the wine of conſolation; ye may comfort your ſpirits by a ſerious reflection upon your experiences, when ye remember what incomes ye had, what ſtrength, what ſupport, what revivings of ſoul, whileſt ye lay upon ſuch a bed of ſickneſs, were expoſed to ſuch hazzards, environed with ſuch dangers, hedged in with ſuch calamities; when ye conſider, how the Lord fetch'd you off, how ſeaſonably Providence ſtepp'd in to your relief, and how wonderfully God appeared for your deliverance: Thus the Apoſtle argues in his own caſe, 2 Cor. 1. ver. 8. He tells the Church, a great trouble which befell him in Aſia, it may be, that at Epheſus, Acts 19. ver. 23. or that mentioned, 1 Cor. 15. ver. 32. but probably ſome other, which Saint Luke mentions not, which trouble he aggravates by three notable circumſtances; 1. We mere preſſed out of meaſure, above ſtrength, foreign, as if the burthen of a ſtrong man ſhould be laid upon the ſhoulders of a weak childe, their being no proportion betwixt weight and ſtrength. 2. We deſpaired even of life; had doubtfull thoughts ariſing in our hearts, that we ſhould not come off with life; Note.The moſt holy men have in this life their fits of unbelief. 3. We had the ſentence of death within our ſelves, foreign, the anſwer of death; or, we paſſed the ſentence of death upon our ſelves: I, but God, that raiſeth up the dead, delivered us from ſo great a death: and what Inference doth faith make from hence? why, it begat an holy affiance in him, that God would yet deliver him: as if he had ſaid, I am yet to live in the world, p. 236I have not yet finiſhed my courſe, nor fulfilled my Miniſtery, and I know, that bands and impriſonments for the Goſpel, yea trouble, and perſecution wait for me; I, but here's the benefit of experience; that God who ſupported me, when I was preſſed out of meaſure, and above ſtrength, revok'd that ſentence of death which I had paſſed upon my ſelf, and delivered me from ſo great a death, he will yet deliver me: he will graciouſly come in with ſupplies, and ſupport unto me, that the gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt me: and why ſo confident, Paul? what bottomes this aſſurance? why, the name and nature of that God in whom he truſts, his name is Jehovah, I am, I was, and I am to come, or I will be: Now, if you ſay, there was danger: I reply, there was a God: If you ſay, there is danger; I anſwer, there is a God: and if you fear, there will be danger; I believe there will be a God: Jehovah anſwers to all theſe, and he that was Jehovah to me in my former, is Jehovah to me in my preſent, and will be Jehovah to me in all my future ſufferings for the Goſpel: He is I am in his nature, as being, yeſterday, to day, and the ſame for ever: and he is, I am, in his attributes, and appearances for his people: He is, I am, in his love to them, he loves with an everlaſting love, even unto the end: I am in his Covenant, which is everlaſting, that he will be the God of his people unto death: And he is, I am in mine own experience, I have found him to be ſo to me; and therefore, I do comfortably argue my heart into an expectancy of help, from this God, and may eaſily ſay, He hath delivered, he doth deliver, and he will deliver me: The ſame argument may the Saints take up, by way of comfort, and hope to themſelves, in times of perſecution, when they conſider their former deliverances, and Gods unchangeableneſs. And now give me leave to make ſome digreſſion, in commending my thoughts, by way of comfort, to you, and to my ſelf, in caſe we ſhould be called forth, to a ſuffering condition: much hath been ſpoken, and much to purpoſe on this ſubject, yet all is little enough, and many of the Saints have found it ſo in an hour of temptation.

p. 2371. Lay this upon your ſpirits, that your ſufferings are upon you for God; for his names ſake, it is, ye are killed all the day long, and led forth as ſheep unto the ſlaughter: ye ſuffer not as evil doers, or buſiebodies in other mens matters, but for Religion ſake, the Goſpel ſake, and for the hope of the promiſe made of God unto our fathers, as the Apoſtle affirmes of himſelf, Acts 26. ver. 6. and therefore ye have good cauſe to gather up your ſpirits, and humbly expect, that God will ſtand by you, and ſtrengthen you in the day of your tryal: This made good Mordecai ſpeak at that rate of aſſurance, Heſt. 4. ver. 14. Enlargement and deliverance ſhall ariſe to the Jews, though Heſter (the moſt viſible and likely perſon to advocate their cauſe, lying in the boſome of Ahaſuerus, as his beloved Queen (ſhould hold her peace: and this made the three worthies gird up the loyns of their mind, and quit themſelves like men, yea, like brave men, in that great day of their tryal, when, in the cauſe of God, they were threatened with a fiery fornace, Dan. 3. ver. 17. Our God, whom we ſerve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery fornace: Able? who queſtions the omnipotency of God? But, how know you, that he will deliver? why, as the eye of their faith was upon that promiſe, Iſa. 45. ver. 2. ſo it was alſo upon t heir former preſervations; they convider'd how eminently God had delivered them from the Chaldeans ſword, bathed, yea, made drunk with the bloud of many thouſands, in that ſad day of Jeruſalem: how they had been kept alive in Babylon; what power, even to a Miracle, God had put forth in preſerving health, and ſtrength, and beauty to them, with pulſe and water; and had given them an honourable ſtanding in that ſtrange Land; and therefore now they were brought forth, to bear witneſs againſt the Idolatry of that Nation, and to maintain the worſhip of the true and living God; they concluded their preſervation, that God would own them, and the cauſe they ſuffered in, which made them ſpeak with that gallantry of ſpirit, He will deliver us out of thy hands, O King: This ac… …artyr alſo Daniel gave of his preſervation, Dan. 6. v. 22. p. 238My God hath ſent his Angel, and hath ſhut the mouth of the Lions, that they have done me no hurt, foraſmuch as before him, innocency was found in me: That is, he ſuffered as a righteous man, in a righteous cauſe. O ſure it ought to be the care and wiſdome of the Saints, not to provoke and exaſperate wicked men, nor pull trouble on themſelves, by a contempt of, or by any ſeditious practiſes againſt the perſons of worldly Governours; that when they come to a day of ſuffering, they may ſpeak Daniels words, That innocency is found in them before the Lord; and that before the Magiſtrate they have done no hurt, by tranſgreſſing any Law of man, which is conſiſtent with the Lawes and honour of God: This will quiet the ſpirit, and bring in reſerves of comforting hope, and ſupport in the ſaddeſt day: How ſweetly doth the Apoſtle argue, 1 Pet. 4. ver. 12, 13. unto the end, to the comforting and ſtaying up believers in the fiery trial! Oh! would you but ſip often of this cordial wine, and ſpice it with your own experiences of God unto you, in former deliverances, how would it antidote againſt Apoſtacy in an evil day, and excellently prevent thoſe ſinkings of ſpirit, which the fear of ſuffering times produceth in you!

2. As there is hope of deliverance, when ye ſuffer upon the ſingle Intereſt of Religion, and that with ſingle hearts; ſo alſo there wants not ground of hope, becauſe the ſpirits of all the faithfull will be up in prayer: All the Saints will then haſten to the mount, and put in for your ſafetie, as being of a common concernment: They conſider, that their lives are bound up in the lives of their brethren: The Apoſtle argues thus, Heb. 13. ver. 3. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them, and them that ſuffer adverſity (eſpecially for the Goſpel) as being your ſelves alſo in the bodie: This Chapter is called by a Divine, The Chapter of Remembrances: This is a good Memento, a ſeaſonable Item to particular believers, Societies, and Churches, to remember, before the Lord, their Brethren that are in bonds, as being bound wit… …, p. 239in regard of ſympathy and fellow-feeling, being members together of the ſame bodie, as alſo, in regard that the chain which is upon their brethren, may ſuddenlie be faſtened to their bodies; when a ſcare-fire is begun in a Town, every man will be readie with his bucket to quench it, becauſe he fears the fireing of his own houſe; It was well ſaid, Tunc tua res agitur, paries cum proximus ardet: and will be well applyed by Believers, when they foreſee their own ſufferings, in their ſuffering brethren; and labour to put a ſtop to that ſcare-fire, as hearing theſe words falling from the lips of their dying brethren, hodie mihi, cras tibi; that which is my portion to day, will be thine to morrow, if the Lord do not ſtay the rage of bloudie men; a ſcare-fire ſeldome ends in the firſt houſe; the Peſtilence doth not often ſtay at the firſt family: nor perſecution end in the death of one Saint; if the Lord chain not up thoſe mad dogs, they will break into the fold, and make havock of the flock; therefore the Saints that are in the bodie, and ſo are lyable to the ſame perſecutions, will up and tugg hard with God for a ſuffering Believer, and that upon the account of their own ſafetie: Thus Acts 12.5. When Peter was kept in priſon, prayer was made without ceaſing, of the Church, unto God for him; the whole Church prayed, and that without any intervals, until they had gotten Peter looſe: And why ſo hard at work? Oh, it was of common concernment; It ſtood them in hand to do it; for Herod ſtretched forth his hand to vex-certain of the Church, had killed James the brother of John with the ſword: and becauſe he ſaw it pleaſed the Jews, he proceeded to take Peter alſo; and the Church knew not how ſoon the cup might be put into their hands; and therefore they beſtirr'd themſelves to obtain Peters freedome: There is alwaies a baſe ſpirit in Perſecutours, to gratifie the people. Affliction, as it ſeldome comes ſingle, ſo ſeldome to a ſingle perſon: Dorotheus relates, that on the ſame day, Mr. Trap. in loc.on which Stephen the Protomartyr ſuffered by ſtoning, two thouſand other believers were p. 240put to death: This then will quicken up to prayer, and may comfort the Saints in their ſuffering eſtates; that prayer is made of the whole Church unto God for them, and that without ceaſing? which, how prevalent it is, many notable returns do witneſs, Melanction was much comforted, when he found certain women and children, in a corner, tugging hard by prayer for the reformation in Germany; and ſure, were there more of this tugging in England, reformation would ſpeed better amongſt us, then it doth: if men would cry more unto God, and leſs againſt their Governours, we might ſooner hope to ſee an eſtabliſhment, and Religion in a better poſture: which the Lord in mercy grant, and as the Jews cry for the temple, aedifica, aedifica, aedifica, cito, citius, citiſſime; ſo do I, that our eyes may ſee Jeruſalem a quiet habitation, and that the Tabernacle of David may be built up amongſt us, in our daies.

3. This ſtayes up the ſpirits of Believers, in ſuffering times; when they ſee, the reſiſtance is not unto bloud; that God ſo moderates and allayes the fury of men, that it extends not to the taking away life, as indeed, the Lord very often laies ſuch a hand of reſtraint upon them, that they cannot exceed that Commiſſion, which he gave unto Sathan againſt Job, all that he hath is in thine hand, but ſave his life: late times have been witneſs to this, in the penalties, fines, confiſcations, impriſonments, and exile of many precious Saints, but their lives were hid with Chriſt in God; the perſecutours could not reach them: and no doubt the reaſon was this, God had ſet them their bounds (in his goodneſs to the Saints) which they could not paſs: The ſenſe of this made the believing Hebrews ſo couragious and reſolved, Heb. 10. ver. 32, 33. ye endured a great fight of afflictions, partly whilest ye were made a gazing ſtock, both by reproaches and afflictions, ye were reviled, and hooted at, and yet ye waded through all that mire, with cheerfulneſs; and partly whileſt ye became companions of thoſe that were ſo uſed: ſurely there was then farre more good fellowſhip among Chriſtians, p. 241upon a ſpiritual account, then now there is: How did the old Puritans of England cling together? what ſincere heartedneſs of affection was there among them? how would they owne one another in Courts, and Conventicles, and hug a brother, notwithſtanding all the dirt which was caſt upon him? but we are grown ſo fine-fingered now, that we will not touch a ſoiled garment; and ſo neat in our dreſs, that we will nor ſuffer a ſpot upon our coat for Chriſt: It were well if we were ſo curious in Saint James his ſenſe, to keep our ſelves unſpotted from the world Jam. 1. ver.ult. or in Jude's ſence, next to hate the garments ſpotted with the fleſh, Jude, ver. 23. nay farther, Heb. 10. ver. 34. ye had compaſſion of me in my bonds, relieved an impriſoned and a ſilenced Miniſter: How did good Chriſtians think it their honour, to be Gaiusſes, and entertainers of good Miniſters? Nay further, ye took joyfully the ſpoiling of your goods; this hath been made good alſo among us: and how chearfully did Chriſtians carry on their Profeſſion under theſe ſufferings: as when the hand of the Lord is upon a family, or town, if the ſound and healthfull ſee that the deceaſed recover, and that the ſickneſs is not mortall, this takes off much of that fear which began to ſeize upon them; they keep their dwellings, and adminiſter not unto the ſick, in like manner, when perſecution ſtriketh at particular Chriſtians, and the Lord ſtayeth the rough winde of fire and faggot; in that day of his eaſt winde, and that it is in meaſure, not exceeding liberty, or ſome leſs penalties; others do keep their ground, and ſhrink not from their colours: Oh lay up this Confideration, as a cordial by you, when the fear of perſecutions begets a fainting in you: and as Jeſus Chriſt ſaid concerning Lazarus his diſtemper, John 11. ver. 4. This ſickneſs is not unto death, but for the glory of God, and that the ſon of God may be glorifyed thereby: So when troubles, and perſecutions ariſe, believe, and comfort your ſelves in this, that they ſhall not be unto death, but for the glory of God, and that the ſon of God might be glorifyed by them. Thus, when the p. 242Lord had given in Peter, as an anſwer of the Churches prayers, in ſo ſignal a manner, and had ſmote the Perſecutour, with ſuch a remarkable hand of Divine vengeance Acts 12. ver. 24. The word of God grew and multiplied: the ſeed lay a while buried under earth, and the blade that began to put out, was a little nip'd, and hung the head: Hered's perſecution was a blaſting wind and froſt; it did a little ſtock the wheat, and made it change the colour: but when Peter was delivered, and Herod deſtroyed; whoſe death was rather, precationis opus quam morbi, the fruit of the Churches ſeeking, then his own ſickneſs, as was ſaid of Arius the Heretick, who was prayed to death by Alexander, that good Biſhop of Conſtantinople: then the word grew, not onelyonly the blade, but to the ear, yea, to the ripe wheat in the ear; Knowledg grew, Faith grew, Hope grew, Profeſſion grew, Godlineſs grew, and Comfort grew: nay, the Word did not onelyonly magnifie in the hearts of thoſe, where it was rooted already, but even multiplied in the Converſion of many others, theſe gracious actings of cuſtodient mercy, being as the warm ſun, and growing ſhowers unto the earth: Thus, Phil. 1. ver. 12. Paul tells the Philippian brethren, that the things which happened unto him [viz.] the troubles and perſecutions, have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Goſpel, they helped forward the Goſpel in the fruitfull Profeſſion of it, and he gives this as an evidence of it, ver. 14. becauſe many of the brethren of the Lord walked more confident by his bonds, and became much more bold to ſpeak the word without fear: at his firſt anſwer before Nero, no man ſtood with him, but all forſook him; the brethren were cow'd and creaſt-fallen, ſtood alooff off, as fearing the rage of that cruel Tyrant, who orientem fidem Romae cruentavit, embrued the riſing Goſpel with the bloud of its Profeſſours, enacting a bloudy decree, that whoſoever confeſſed himſelf, to be a Chriſtian, ſhould be put to death, as a convicted enemy of mankind: Hence he is called by one, the dedicatour of the condemnation of Chriſtians: But when they ſay, that the Lord ſtood by him, and delivered him out p. 243of the mouth of the Lion, 2 Tim. 4. ver. 17. and that he had obtained, liberam cuſtodiam, freedome to go abroad with his keeper; nay, that he had hired an houſe in Rome, and received all that came unto him; preaching the kingdome of God, and teaching thoſe things which concerned the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, with all confidence, no man forbidding him; that he was neither ſlain, or ſhut up, nor yet ſilenced: then they took courage, and not onelyonly profeſſed, but preached the Goſpel without fear, and ſcattered that precious ſeed within the walls of Caeſar's pallace. Thus the Lord governs the ſufferings of his people, when not unto bloud, to the ſtrengthening of weak hands, which hand down, and the feeble knees, and to the making of ſtreight paths for their feet, that the lame are not turned out of the way, but rather healed, Heb. 12. ver. 12, 13. There's much healing mercy to weak believers, who like Mephiboſheth, are lame of their feet, as to profeſſion, and are apt to get a wrench in rough wayes, when the Lord ſtayes the rage of men, and brings off his ſuffering Saints, with ſafety both of cask and conſcience. Lay up this Conſideration againſt a day of tryal: And let me add further,

4. That if the Lord ſhould leave you in the hands of bloody perſecutours, and ſhould give them a full commiſſion, not onelyonly againſt your liberties, but your lives alſo, yet even your death would be life unto the dead, in a ſaving ſence unto others: this hath been often witneſſed, that ſanguis Martyrum eſt ſemen Eccleſiae, the blood of Martyrs is the ſeed of the Church. Many Believers have aroſe out of the aſhes of one dying Phoenix: Indeed the Goſpel is the white ſeed, wherewith the Lord ſoweth the great field of the world, having ploughed and prepared it by the law; and here and there a Church groweth up, in this and that Nation: and here and there a Believer ſpringeth up in this or that family and town. Dedicator damnationis Chriſtiancrum, Tertu….This is the moſt uſuall ſeed, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word preached, Rom. 10. ver. 17. Yet the Lord hath a red ſeed, which ſometimes he ſprinkles the field withall, p. 244and that's the blood of the martyred Saints: which alſo through a ſecret bleſſing-power, is fruitfull both to the gain and growth of many ſouls: Eccleſia totum mundum ſanguine & oratione convertit, the Church converts the whole world with her praying and bleeding: as the lilly is increaſed with her own juice that flow's from it, ſo is the Church with her own blood: Julian ſaw this, which made him ſpare the lives of ſome Chriſtians, not out of mercy to them, but out of malice to the Lord Jeſus, leſt by cutting them off he ſhould caſt ſeed into the ground, to bring forth a fuller harveſt: O did ye but work this conſideration home upon your hearts, how would it comfort you in an evil day! How would it render you ſtrangely willing, not only to ſuffer joyfully the ſpoiling of your goods; but alſo the ſpilling of your blood, that ſo ye may miniſter ſeed unto the Lord and encreaſe his harveſt? what is it, beſides the glory of God, and the diſcharge of duty with comfort and conſcience, which quickens up faithful Miniſters to ſpend themſelves and ſtrength in the work of the Goſpel? is it not that they may gain over ſouls unto the Lord? that they may bring ſinners home to God? and what encourageth to this? doth not the hope and expectancy, that they ſhall ſhine as the ſtarres for ever and ever? Dan. 12. ver. 3. and not onelyonly as ſtarres of the leſſer magnitude, but even as the Sun in the kingdome of their father, Matth. 13. ver. 43. O! to what an height of glory ſhall a poor clod of clay be advanced! How ſhall he be the object of divine love, the wonder of Angels, and the envy of devils to all eternity! and that the ſaving of ſouls contributes much, through grace, to this glory, that quotation in Daniel doth fully ſpeak, not to the attainment of it by way of merit, but to the enlargement of it by way of mercy: Now how much of argument is there in this conſideration to perſwade Miniſters to breath, and Chriſtians to bleed out their lives to winne ſouls unto God? give me leave to apply that paſſage, Pſal. 126. ver. 5, 6. To this purpoſe, though it hear another ſence, they that ſow in tears ſhall reap in joy. I know if ye p. 245die Martyrs in the preſence of your relations, ye will ſow your bloud and lives in the tears of wives and children (tears are a tribute that living friends do ow to the dead upon the account of nature and grace) and if your death be a Martyrium cruentum, a bleeding Martyrdome, it will be a wet ſeeds-time with you; I but ye ſhall reap in joy; it will be matter of joy unſpeakable and full of glory to you, if the ſeed ye ſow takes root to bring in ſouls to God: There's joy in heaven at the converſion of one ſinner: O if a bleſſed Martyr (when in heaven and freed from that body of ſin, which hinders the ſoul in its pureſt acts of joy) ſhould know what a precious ſeed of grace, through grace, his bloud was to ſome poor ſinners; how they received life from his death, what rejoycing would this bring forth in him, if that fulneſſe of joy in the preſence of God will admit of any encreaſe: however, he that goeth away weeping, bearing precious ſeed, (or his ſeed-basket) with him, ſhall doubtleſſe come again with joy, bringing his ſheaves with him: O the great day will be a day of ſolemn triumph untoyou, when ye ſhall bring thoſe Saints, yea ſheaves of Saints, which were gathered in, and rooted to life and fruitfulneſſe in your bloud. Come on brave ſouls, let the ſenſe of forme… deliverance fortifie your ſpirit againſt a day of perſecution, and adde to them this conſideration we now propoſe, and draw up gallantly after the pattern of your great Lord and maſter, Heb. 12. ver. 2. Looking unto Jeſus the authour and finiſher of your faith, who for the joy that was ſet before him, endured the croſſe deſpiſed the ſhame, and is ſet down at the right hand of God in glory, or of the throne of God; it is clear, that the manhood of Chriſt, or the man Chriſt Jeſus, conſidered in an abſtracted notior from the Godhead, feared death, Heb. 5. ver. 7. at lea… the ignominy, ſhame, and ſorrow of the croſſe; therefore we hear him once and again praying, that if it was poſſible that cup might paſſe from him, Matth. 26. ver. 39. and y… for the joy which was ſet before him he endured this croſſe, and deſpiſed the ſhame it brought along with it; for malefactours p. 246of the higheſt rank were by the Roman Law nailed to the Croſſe; hence Iſa. 53. ver. 9. the Prophet tells us, he made his grave with the wicked; that is, ſuffered the death of the wicked, the word imports ungodly, lewd and turbulent, irreligious towards God, debauch't in manners, and turbulent in the Common-wealth; which ſort of men, David by the word of the Lord doomes to deſtruction, Pſal. 9. ver. 17. The wicked ſhall be turned into hell. And now, though the man Chriſt Jeſus (who is God bleſſed for evermore, the Lord of glory) feared death, and was put to that ſhamefull and tormenting death, the death of Hell-birds; yet he endured it, and deſpiſed the ſhame of it, having his eye upon the joy ſet before him; and what was that joy? Sure, much of that joy conſiſted in his compleating the work of his Redemption, in bringing home the Elect unto God, as Iſa. 53. ver. 11. He ſhall ſee of the travail of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied, Hebr. ſhall ſit down with acquieſcence of ſpirit, ſhall dwell there; he ſhall receive joy and ſatisfaction from the ſaving of ſinners; as a man doth, that dwelleth in his own houſe, ſcituated with the beſt advantage of profit and delightfulneſs: It was the ſaturity and ſatisfaction of his ſoul; and the reaſon thereof may be gathered from John 12. ver. 32. where he ſayes, and I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men after me: he knew there would be ſuch a magnetick vertue in his death, which would attract all men, to wit, multitudes of men and women to believe in him: The Spirit being to be ſent forth, and the Goſpel being to be univerſally preached, after his death: O then, ye believing ones, look unto this Jeſus, and look unto this joy, which in ſome meaſure will be given in unto you, by the attractiveneſs of your deaths to draw ſoules to Chriſt; and ſettle this upon your hearts, that, though your bloud may be ſpilt as water upon the ground, yet by the wiſe appointment of a gracious God, it may be as ſeed, inſtrumentally not meri-toriouſly (for in this ſenſe onelyonly the bloud of Jeſus is) of life and grace to poor ſinners; and be not ſo ſtreiten-ed in your bowels p. 247to the Lord Jeſus, or to your poor brethren, as to deny an handfull of ſeed (if called unto it) to encreaſe the greatharveſt. I ſhall ſubjoin but one Conſideration more; namely,

5. That tis an honorable advancement to be called out by Chriſt to ſuffer for him; a vouchſafement of grace, Magna eſt hu…us verbi Emphaſis ex quo intellimus omnia deberi gratuitae Dei Electioni.and that in a way of ſpeciall favour to die a Martyr, a right Martyr: The Apoſtles Acts 5. ver. 41. rejoyced that they were counted worthy to ſuffer ſhame for the name of Chriſt, foreign that in a way of grace they had this honour put upon them, that they were reputed as perſons worthy to wear an honourable ſcar in their fleſh for Chriſt, though they were onelyonly ſcourged: this made Paul and Silas ſo meray at midnight, that they ſung Pſalmes, probably of praiſe to God, that they were counted worthy to be ſhut up in the inner priſon, and to have their feet made faſt in the ſtocks, for the teſtimony of Jeſus, Acts 16. v. 25. Hence he tells the Philippians Phil. 1. ver. 29. to you it is given, foreign: as it is a grant of grace, of rich grace, in the behalf of Chriſt, not only to believe on him, though that be an high honour; but alſo to ſuffer for his ſake: as if he had ſaid, the Lord hath granted you this honour, that ye ſhall believe on him, when as he leaves thouſands of your acquaintance, country-men, yea Betters, upon a worldly ſcore, in unbelief: This is worth your acceptation, our admiration: this calls for full returnes of praiſe and thankfulneſs, but this is not all, that this grant of grace conferres, by way of honour, upon you: for ye, ye that are believers, ſhall alſo be ſufferers, be Martyrs for Chriſt: and ſure the crown of Martyrdome, is a glorius crown, and every ſoul won over to God by a dying Martyr, will be as an Orient pearl, and precious Diamond in his crown, of far more value then that Adamant, found about Charles Duke of Burgundy, ſlain by the Switzers, at the battel of Nantz, ſold for twenty thouſand Duckets, and placed, as it is ſaid, in the Popes tripple crown. Oh, what foretaſtes of glory, what raviſhments of ſoul, have many of the bleſſed Martyrs had, in their ſuffering for Chriſt! Hold Lord, ſtay thine hand, I can bear no more: p. 248like weak eyes that cannot bear too great a light: and oh what thankfulneſs and joy of heart have many expreſs'd! Act. and Mon. Fol. 1553.It is the greateſt promotion God gives in this world, to ſuffer: ſaies Father Latimer, I thank God moſt heartily for this hour: Mr. Glover wept for joy of his impriſonment: God forgive me my unthankfulneſs for this great exceedingmercy; that among ſo many thouſands, he chuſeth me to be one, in whom he will ſuffer, Martyr …tiam in caten… gaudet. Auguſt. Act. & Mon. Fol. 136….1744.ſaies Mr. Bradford, Martyr: I am the unmeeteſt man for this high office, that ever was appointed to it, ſaies Mr. Sanders: Such an honour is it, ſaies John Carliſle, Martyr, as the greateſt Angel in heaven is not permitted to have; God forgive me my unthankfulneſs: Oh then, what the Apoſtle ſaies, Heb. 12. ver. 1. as the cloſe, and Epilogue of that Martyrology, ſo ſay I, Wherefore ſeing you are compaſſed about with ſo great a cloud of witneſſes, lay aſide every weight, and the ſin that ſo eaſily beſets you, and run with patience the race which is ſet before you: Ye know not what times ye may be called unto: what quaimes of fears may be upon your ſpirits, and what temptations to ſelf pitty from Sathan, and the fleſh may then ſeize upon you: Therefore ſtore up Proviſion afore hand, lay up Promiſes, lay up Preſidences, lay up Arguments, and lay up theſe conſiderations, by an unworthy hand offered unto you; keep a freſh ſenſe of former deliverances, and improve them by way of comfort, and ſupport in perſecuting times: Argue with David, Pſal. 9. ver. 13. Have mercy on me O Lord, conſider my troubles, which I ſuffer of them that hate me, and probably, in the cauſe of Religion, thou that lifteſt me up from the gates of death, ex praeſentiſſimo, en certiſſimo interitu, from preſent, and certain dangers, which ſhewed me, the grave gaping for me; and therefore, raiſe up your ſpirits, and believingly ſay, as verſ. 6, 7, 8, 9. O thou enemy, deſtructions are come to a perpetual end, the date of thy commiſſion againſt us is expired, and ſhall never be renewed, and thy deſtruction from the Lord is irrevocable, and eternal; but the Lord ſhall endure for ever, vivit, regnatque Chriſtus — Chriſt lives, and raigns, and ſhall judg the world in righteouſneſs; and p. 249will be a refuge for the oppreſſed, a refuge in times of trouble.— Read and enlarge theſe, and the following Verſes in your own thoughts.

3. Improve the conſideration of temporal mercies by way of ſupport, under all your ſaddeſt and ſoreſt temptations from the wicked one: If the manchilde (Chriſt Jeſus in the ſpirit) be formed in you, and any actings of grace be brought forth by you, the great red Dragon will wait to devour you; He is your adverſary, an inveterate enemy; he owes you an old grudg, and will be revenged on the heel, for the bruiſing of his head, and that by your head: It is his Intereſt to beſtirre himſelf; If Chriſt gaineth, he looſeth: There's a wedge looſe with him, when the word findes a welcome in a ſinners heart: There's not a ſoul brought home to Chriſt, but is fetch'd out of the Devils quarters, not a convert gained, but is wonne by Chriſt in a ſet battel: Sathan ſadly ſpeaks thoſe words of John the Baptiſt, John 3. ver. 30. he muſt increaſe, but I muſt decreaſe; The ſea is in continual revolution, when it is high water in one place, its low water in ſome other;: ſo when it is high tide in ſuch a nation, country or town, its low water with Sathan: Chriſts gain is Sathans loſs; He knows how Chriſts, and his own affairs go on in the world, who gains and who looſes, and that his loſs is Chriſts gain: and therefore he tries all his tricks, improves every method, and turns every ſtone, to keep his own ground, to man his own forts, maintain his own principality, and withall to gain ſoules to himſelf, to fetch them off from the embraces of Chriſt: nay, he is ſo bold and daring, that though he ſees the actings of godlineſs from the Saints, and findes a work of grace in them, (which he doth find by thoſe ſtrong repulſes the heart gives to his ſecret temptations (which are his ſpies, ſent forth to ſearch the land, by whom he learns what frame the heart is in): Though he ſees his ſtrong holds beat down, and defaced by a conquering ſpirit, though he obſerves the ſtream running in another channell, and that the ſoul is now in armes againſt him, p. 250believing, repenting, mourning, praying, watching, hearing, and all againſt him; yet he will play an after game, and not be wanting in skill or will to reduce the ſoul: And he ploughs in hope, and ſowes in hope, for he cannot read the Lambs book of life, he knowes not the decrees of God, they are Secret to him untill death brings forth a diſcovery, and the ſoul is taken up to God, and therefore, though he fears ſuch or ſuch a Saint, that is gone off from his quarters, is under electing grace, yet he hopes the contrary: Yee ſee how buſie he was with Joſhua the High Prieſt, Zech. 3. ver. 1. and how hard he preſſed upon him, probably, not without ſome hopes to have got him, or the day againſt him, until Christ rebuked him, and told him, he was a brand plucked out of the fire, ſingled out by the purpoſe of the eternal Father, to be a veſſel of grace, then he ſleared away, and left him: Yet, as our Saviour, probably, but for a time, Luke 4.13. nay, though he ſhould read their names writ in heaven, though he knowes the immutability of Chriſts love, that whom he loves once, he loves to the end, John 13. ver. 1. and of Gods counſel, that his gifts and calling are foreign without repentance, irreverſible, Rom. 11. ver. 29. yet ſuch is his malice, and ſo great is his rage againſt the Saints, that, if he cannot keep them out of Canaan, hee'l ſting them, and ſcratch them in the wilderneſs, before they get thither: though he cannot put out their light, hee'l be a thief in their candle, to ſwail away much of their comfort: though he cannot reach them in heaven, he will reckon with them on earth: if they muſt to heaven, he will ſend them cripples thither; he will have a leg or an arm out of joint or broken, or he will want of his will: ſome way or other he will vex them, buffet, and diſquiet them: many long ſtories, and ſad ones too, may be told of his exploits againſt the Saints; my own experience can witneſs, ſomething of his trains and treacheries, of his malice and the Lords mercy, of his black deſigns, and of the Lords gracious ſupport and diſappointments, bleſſed be his holy name, and adored for ever be his goodneſs: p. 251O then, in the name of the Lord lift up your banners, buckle on your armour, ſtand with your weapons in your hands, ready to receive and charge your adverſary; and that ye may be able to withſtand in the evil day, gather up your experiences, of God, and meditate upon the great things God hath done for you, in the day of your outward troubles: what that power, that wiſdome, that goodneſs of the Lord hath been, which hath appeared unto you, and engaged for you in the time of your greateſt ſtreights; and what thoſe ſtreights and diſtreſſes, how ſharp, and how preſſing, from which the Lord hath wrought your deliverance. And then go to your ſpiritual Logick, frame ſuch an argument as this, The Lord gives help to his diſtreſſed Saints in their outward troubles, therefore alſo will he help them in their inward temptations; now if Sathan ſhall argue, that, God doth not give in ſuccours to the Saints in their outward troubles; it's true, they, and it may be, ye had help and deliverance, but it came not from God; when ye were caſt upon ſuch and ſuch ſick-beds, that ye deſpaired of life, and your friends gave you up for dead, then the Phyſician came, and by his great skill adminiſtred ſuch phyſick, which wrought your recovery; or when ye were in ſuch ſtreights, the liberality of your friends relieved you, or in ſuch exigencies, the wiſdome and potency of your allies brought you off, God was not ſeen in all your deliverances: what will you do now? why, your buſineſs is to ſecure this fort by ſummoning your experiences, and placing them upon the works: ſaying that ye beheld the face of God in ſuch deliverances, that your help was onelyonly from on high, that men and means ſtood off, and came not in, no, not for a reſerve; or though men and means were ſeen upon the wall, yet God acted by the inſtrumentality of them, though Chriſtians were conſulted with, yet the bleſſing of God upon the means brought forth the cure: be ſure ye own God, in every preſervation, how viſible and potent ſoever creature-helps are or have been; entrench your faith in p. 252this perſwaſion, that whatſoever ſecondary cauſes contributed, the chief agency was from God. If Sathan beat you out of this trench, he will ſoon take your ſtandard, and rout your whole army: but if ye make good this ground, if ye have the advantage of the hill, ye are out of gunſhot, all his murthering pieces will not reach you: ye may then quiet your ſpirits in any aſſault, when ye can ſay in your greateſt diſtreſſes, as Paul, 2 Tim. 4. ver. 16, 17. No man ſtood with me, but all men forſook me, notwithſtanding, the Lord ſtood with me, and ſtrengthened me: Here's a clear appearance of God: Or with Daniel, My God hath ſent his Angel, and ſtopped the mouthes of the Lions, that they have not hurt me: or with David, in my diſtreſs, I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me: Pſal. 120. ver. 1. And ſurely, ſome of the Saints deliverances have been ſuch, (I can inſtance in mine own) which were ſingly and ſignally wrought by God: But now, in other caſes, where inſtruments have been uſed (as many ſuch caſes there have been) be ſure you give them, even all created helps, the name of inſtruments, and own God as the principal Agent, that his arm moved everey wheel, and his hand guided and wrought with every tool: do this, and ye are well enough: Pſal. 77. ver. 20. Thou leddeſi thy people like a flock by the hand of Moſes and Aaron, to wit, through the the red ſea. — Moſes ſtruck the waters with his rod, I, but God divided the ſea. — thou leddeſt, is onelyonly applicable to God, and by Moſes, onelyonly intimates an inſtrument; ſo Pſal. 88. ver. 65, 66. Then the Lord awaked as one out of ſleep, or like as a mighty man that ſhouteth by reaſon of wine; and he ſmote the enemies in the hinder parts, he putteth them to a perpetuall ſhame: However the army is marſhalled, the ſtroak is from God; the horſe is prepared againſt the day of battel, but ſafetie is of the Lord, Prov. 21. ver. 31. But ſuppoſe Sathan ſhould deny the conſequence of the Major (for he is foreign, a ſubtle opponent) and argue though God did deliver in temporals, yet he will not in ſpiritualls: Who is he that ſhall deliver out of my hands? Ile make you know, that ye are wraſtling p. 253not with fleſh and bloud, (men that are your matches) but with principalities, and powers, who are much above your match, there is impar congreſſus, a great diſparity in ſtrength and wiſdome, and all things between me and you: What are all the powers of the world, to the God of this world? what are all the dark plots of men, to the projects of the Prince of darkneſs? What are all the whiffling waters to the great Apollion, who is the deſtroyer? why, anſwer, greater is he that is in us, then he that is in the world, 1 John 4.4. thy power, Sathan, is but a limitted power; Chriſt our Redeemer hath thy chain in his hand, thou canſt not break one link of it, nor paſs one hairs breadth beyond thy boundaries: beſides, Thou canſt have no power againſt me, except it be given the from above: If thy Commiſſion hath not paſs'd the Signet-Office in heaven, it is but a blank piece of parchment: Nay farther, thy head, and thy heart, and thy hand too, have been all at work in thoſe miſchiefs, that were plotted and acted againſt us, and yet thou ſeeſt, we have a ſure footing in peace, and ſafety: when we were under water, we had never come up again, but had been quackned in the deep, if the ſtrength of thine arm could have kept our heads down: when we were ſhut up in priſon, we had never came forth, if thy bolts and locks could have made faſt the doors: when we were under the power of our enemies, we had never come of with life, if thy malice could have turned the points of their weapons againſt us; But God made us to be pitied of all thoſe that carried us away captive, Pſal. 106. ver, 46. Our ſickneſſes had been mortal, if thou couldeſt have ſpilt the potion, or ſtirred up the humours, to have encreaſed the malignancy of the diſtempers: but in all things wherein thou didſt deal proudly, God was above thee; and he that rebuked thee in thine inſtruments, will rebuke thee alſo in thine agency: He that defeated thee as worldly Governors, will defeat thee as ſpirituall wickedneſs alſo: That wiſdome, goodneſs, and power, which ſecured our temporalls againſt thee, will much more ſecure their ſpiritualls? If thou couldeſt not ſpill p. 254our blood, much leſs ſhalt thou be able to ſplit our ſouls: If thou couldeſt not take away our credit, we are ſure thou ſhalt not take away our crown: If our goods were out of thy reach, much more ſhall our graces and our glory be: He that delivered us out of the mouth of the Lion, will deliver us from every evil work, and preſerve us to his heavenly kingdome. But further, if Sathan ſhall argue, Who doubts the power of God? or who diſputes againſt his omnipotency? but wherefore ſhould God put forth his Almightineſs, to ſecure you againſt me? what claim can ye make to that mercy and goodneſs ye ſpeak of? let your reply be, Gal. 1. ver. 4. That Chriſt gave himſelf for your ſinnes, that he might deliver you from this preſent evil world, according to the will of God, even your father: And that ſin and Sathan are they that make this preſent world evill; all evills flow from them. If therefore, God our father willed the death of his Son, to deliver us from this preſent evil world; he willed his death, to deliver us from thee, and that baſtard brat of thine, ſin alſo: And more, John 14. ver. 30. The Lord Jeſus ſaid of thee, the Prince of this world hath nothing in me, nor any power over me; and if not in Chriſt, then neither in us, at leaſt, not over us, ſo that thou ſhalt be able to undoe us, and deſtroy us: We are one with Chriſt, he is the head, and we the members; and we can lay a Goſpel claim (which is a good title) to all Chriſt, and to all of Chriſt, which is communicable to the creature: The Apoſtle gives us good warrant, 1 Cor. 3. ver. 21. All things are yours, and why? ye are Chriſts, yea, ſo Chriſts, as that Chriſt is yours: a relative propertie, as is between husband and wife: — Hence, 1 Cor. 1. ver. 30. He is made unto us of God, wiſdome, righteouſneſs, ſanctification and redemption, as if the Apoſtle had ſaid, the wiſdome, righteouſneſs, ſanctification, and redemption, which are in, and wrought by Jeſus Chriſt, are by deed of gift, through grace, made over unto us: So then, againſt thy wiles, and ſtratagems, and cunning methods, O Sathan, We have the wiſdome of Chriſt, (which is ours for direction) to ſecure us: Againſt thy accuſations, p. 255enditements, and charges for ſin, we have the righteouſneſs of Chriſt (which is ours for juſtification) to acquit us, againſt thoſe heart-defilements, corruptions, and concupiſcences, wherewith thou wouldſt ſoil us, and foil us, we have the holineſs of Chriſt (which is ours for Sanctification) in ſome meaſure to defend us: and againſt thy might and malice, treachery and tyranny, we have the kingly office of Chriſt, his authority, his omnipotency (which are ours as to Redemption) to protect us: Oh this, this name of the Lord, thus diſplayed and believed upon, is a ſtrong tower in the hour of temptation: All the batteries of Hell cannot make a breach in it: Now then, get into this hold, ſhut the doors upon you, and let your temporal preſervations be as locks and barrs to forbid Sathans entrance: Lift up your ſhield of Faith, emboſſed with your own experiences; and wherever that Lion ſhall roar upon you, give him battel, fight him upon his own ground, be ſteadfaſt in the faith, keep true to your own experiences, and believe without wavering the unchangeableneſs of Gods nature, and Attributes, and the Yea and Amen of all his Promiſes.

Improve the ſenſe of eminent mercies and deliverances by way of comfortable aſſurance to your ſelves in all your caſtings down, and fears of your eternal welfare: But I ſhall ſpeak little and warily on this head, having touched upon it already, in a foregoing uſe; and leaſt preſumption ſhould get up, and carnal Profeſſours ſhould kindle a fire (fetching fuel from this paſſage) and compaſs themſelves about with ſparks, walking in the light of this fire, and in the ſparks which they have kindled, which, notwithſtanding all theſe confidencies, their doom is pronounced by the Lord himſelf, that they ſhallly down in ſorrow, Iſa. 50. ver. 11. Indeed this humour is very ranck; Miniſters cannot with all their pains, preach, and pray, and print it down: And therefore I direct this diſcourſe to the children of the new birth, who have the witneſs within themſelves of the work and truth of grace; ſuch p. 256may fetch much comfort from the appearances of God unto them, in a day of diſtreſs: they may argue, Is not the life more worth them meat, and the body then raiment? Is not the ſoul more precious then name, credit, limbs, and life? Have the mercies of God been ſo ſignally remarkeable upon a temporal, and ſhall they not be much more upon a ſaving account? was the red ſea dried up? a pathway made through the wilderneſs, Jordan made fordable, and the Cananites ſlain even with hailſtones from heaven, and all this to give Iſrael poſſeſſion of an earthly Canaan; and ſhall not the outgoings of grace, and outſtretching of power be much more glorious, to bring us to heavenly Canaan? to that City which hath foundations, and walls, whoſe builder and maker is God? Oh! reaſon up faith and hope to an exſpectancy of after bleſſedneſs, by conſidering the bleſſed preſence and good will of him, that dwelt in the buſh, in preſent comforts, preſent ſuccours, and preſent deliverances. I ſhall onelyonly propoſe the preſidency of Saint Paul, under a remarkeable preſervation, even from the Tyrant Nero, 2 Tim. 4. ver. 17, 18. I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon — and the Lord will deliver me out of every evil work, and will preſerve me to his heavenly kingdome: You may find much of this in David, arguing from temporalls to eternals; obſerve that Pſal. 23. ver. 6. I will dwell in the houſe of the Lord for ever; which ſometimes is taken for heaven, Domus majeſtatis.that upper houſe, that houſe of State, in which Chriſt ſayes, John 14. ver. 2. There are many manſions; Saint Paul calls it, 2 Cor. 5. ver. 1. an houſe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens: — ſo Pſal. 17. ver. ult.

Oh, in all your ſinkings of ſpirit, let the ſenſe of mercy received be as a cordial unto you, and aſſure your ſelves, that, if in famine, ſword, peril, nakedneſs, &c. ye have been more then conquerours, through Chriſt that loved you, get up your hearts to this perſwaſion, that neither death nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor p. 257any other creature ſhall be able to ſeparate you from the love of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus your Lord, Rom. 8. ver. 37.38, 39. or hinder you of heavens happineſs, which is the fruit of Gods Electing love, and the purchaſe of the Redeeming love of Jeſus Chriſt your Lord: O then, comfort one another with theſe words. —

I am come now to the fifth and laſt Uſe: Is it ſo, that the beſt of Saints are often brought into ſuffering conditions? that their afflictions are ſharp, and violent? that the appearances of God are eminent, and immediate to their help in the day of their diſtreſs? Is this a truth atteſted by the experience of Saints in all ages? and cannot their enemies deny this? why then here is a rod for the backs of fools, a ſharp reproof for the profane and carnal world, in 3 Particulars.

1. It reproves them for their uncharitable cenſuring of the ſuffering Saints; what more uſual, then for wicked men to entertain hard thoughts, and let fly in harſh ſpeeches againſt the people of God in diſtreſs; meaſuring their ſinnes by their ſufferings, and if their calamities exceed others, their iniquities exceed them alſo; laying down this falſe poſition: that the greateſt ſufferers are ſinners; and that, when the rod is moſt, the wrath of God is moſt alſo; not conſidering that of the Apoſtle, Heb. 12.6. Whom the Lord loveth, he chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth every ſon whom he receiveth, laying down an exemption from the rod, as a note of Baſtardie; or that, Apoc. 3.19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chaſten: This was practiſed by Shimei in that great day of Davids diſtreſs, when he fled from his rebellious ſon, 2 Sam. 16.7, 8. Come out, come out thou bloudy man, and thou man of Belial, the Lord hath returned upon thee all the bloud of the houſe of Saul, in whoſe ſtead thou haſt reigned, and the Lord hath delivered the kingdome into the hand of Abſalom thy ſon, and behold, thou art taken to thy miſchief, or, taken into thy wickedneſs, becauſe thou art a murtherer, as ſome Tranſlations read it, and as agrees with the Hebrew: This was the Interpretation that Eliphaz put upon Job's ſufferings, Job 4.7, 8. p. 258Rememember, I pray thee, who ever periſhed, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? even as I have ſeen; they that plow iniquity, and ſow wickedneſs, reap the ſame; thereby wounding him in his holineſs, and heart-ſincerity, yea, upon the matter, charging him to be a ſon of Belial, and that becauſe God was now writing ſuch bitter things in the bloud of his cattel, ſervants, and children, yea, in black characters of ſore diſpleaſure upon his own body. It was not much to be heeded, that the Barbarians faſtened the guilt of murther upon Paul, becauſe the viper faſtened upon his hand, A…s 28. ver. 4. But that the viper ſhould faſten upon the hearts of men and women under the ſame common Profeſſion with us, that the venom of the old Serpent ſhould ſwell to ſuch a degree of cenſuring, and uncharitableneſs, is much to be lamented, and doubtleſs, ſome will ſmart for theſe hard ſpeeches, when Jeſus Chriſt ſhall come with ten thouſands of his ſaints, Jude, ver. 14, 15. Then ſhall they know the Engliſh of that Text, 1 Pet. 1.6. and the ends of God in afflicting his precious ones.

2. For their unjuſt charge of Hypocriſie upon them: who ſo envious as evil men? who are ſo much the objects of their envy as the godly are — and why is their malice ſo much againſt them? ſurely, it is upon the account of Religion, of differencing Grace and holineſs: This was the ſeed of the firſt quarrel betwixt man and man; this was that which made Cain a fratricide, and wherefore ſlew he his brother? becauſe his own works were evil, and his Brothers righteous, 1 John 3.12. and now, though the laws of men, and the power of God reſtrain wicked men from murdering the godly, yet they ſhed the bloud of their ſoules, and ſlay their ſincerity, by charging Hypocriſie upon them, which is the higheſt degree of murther, and that which the ſeed of Cain ſhall one day pay dearly for. But what makes them ſo bold to call the Saints Hypocrites? what colour have they for ſuch a charge? or what ground have they, thus to traduce the ſincere ſervants of the Lord? why, the falſe gloſs they put upon p. 259the humbling Providences of God, they expound unſoundneſs of body in them, to an infallible Evidence of an unſound ſpirit, rottenneſs in their bones to be the proper fruit of a rotten heart, and that the voyce of the Lord, in their preſent ſufferings, doth fully ſpeak all their profeſſing, praying, watching, waiting, humility and holineſs, to be but mere diſſembling: what do the arguings and deportments of Job's three friends import? and in ſpecial, that paſſage of Bildad Job 8.6, 7. to the end of the Chapter, If thou wert pure and upright, ſurely now, he would awake for thee, and make thy righteouſneſs proſperous; What doth this Hypotheſis, this uncharitable Suppoſition import, but a ſecret charge of Hypocriſie? may it not be ſenſed thus? ah Job, thou wanteſt that heart-purity, and heart-uprightneſs, which renders the Perſons and ſervices of Gods ſincere ones acceptable in his ſight; thou haſt had indeed, a great deal of the name and form of godlineſs; thou haſt carried it fairly and plauſibly before men, and haſt purchaſed to thy ſelf the reputation of a godly perſon in the world, but alas! the heart-ſearching God, whoſe eyes are as a flame of fire, ten thouſand times brighter then the light of the Sun, hath ſcarched thy reins and weighed thy ſpirit, and having followed the ſtreams of thy devotion to the fountain, hath found, that Hypocriſie hath been the head, and Self the ſpring of all thy ſervices; thou haſt but ſerv'd thy ſelf upon God, thy Religion hath been but mercenary, and thou haſt been his ſervant onelyonly becauſe he gave thee good wages; therefore hath this calamitous condition overtaken thee, and the Lord doth not awake to thy help, which he would certainly do, if he found thy heart upright in his wayes; This he confirmes by the obſervation of the fathers, who were men of great age, great wiſdome, and great experience in the world, ver. 8, 9, 10. and that by three elegant ſimilitudes, ver. 11. from the ruſh which cannot grow up without mire: 2. from the flag, which cannot grow without water; both which ver. 12. being removed to a drie unwatered ſoil, do die and wither at p. 260the root, ſo ver. 13. are the wayes of all that forget God, and the hypporites hope ſhall periſh; being at a diſtance from the fountain of living water, and having the root of his confidence in himſelf: A third Similitude is laid down ver. 16, 17. He is green before the ſun, and his branch ſhooteth forth in his garden, his roots are wrapped about the heap, and ſeeth the place of ſtones; Succ…ſus ex Tremel. There being in many gardens fountains of ſtone. Other ſenſes of this paſſage are given by Expoſitours: however, all conclude, that Bildad chargeth Iob with hypocriſie; which is the chief thing I aim at in this quotation.— comparing an Hypocrite to a green and ſappy tree, which growes up under the warm influences of the Sun, and ſpreadeth his roots, receiving ſecret moiſture from the garden-ſprings; yet the ax ſhall be brought, and cut it up, — being like the Cyparit, which bears ſmall berries, and bitter leaves, that yeild an ill ſmell before God, and therefore he cuts him up, and caſts him out of his garden; this further appears to be that, which Bildad drives at, and wherewith he chargeth Job, upon the account of his preſent ſufferings, becauſe, Ver. 20. he affirmes that God will not caſt away a perfect man; neither will he help the evil doers: That the perfect man in Scripture language (however otherwaies gloſſed upon by ſome in our dayes) denotes a ſincere ſervant of the Lord, one whoſe heart is upright with the Lord, is clear in many paſſages; now, what meaſure Job had from Bildad and his companions, the ſame have many of the ſuffering Saints had from the cenſorious and carnal world, and that upon the ſame grounds: but, be wiſe, O ye ſnarling doggs, be inſtructed, ye blind Barbarians, call not a ſuffering Saint, becauſe in diſtreſs, an hypocrite, for they are branches bearing fruit in Chriſt, and the great vine-dreſſer doth but purge them by affliction (cutting off their luxuriant branches) that they may bring forth more fruit, Joh. 15.2. Take heed, ye ſin not by ſuch uncharitable cenſures againſt the generation of Gods children, leſt his wrath be kindled againſt you, and ye periſh in the way; even in this your way of traducing and ſlandering the footſteps of Gods anointed ones, and leſt the Lord ſpeak ſuddenly againſt you, as he did againſt Aaron and Miriam, in the quarrel of Moſes, Numb. 12.8. and ſay, How were you not afraid to ſpeak againſt my ſuffering ſervants.

p. 2613. For that definitive ſentence which they paſs upon the Saints, when under ſuffering, as though they were caſt off by God, and delivered over by Juſtice unto deſtruction: indeed, wicked men are very peremptory in their concluſions againſt the Lords people, and when they ſee load laid upon them by the Lord, in ſome calamitous eſtate, they preſently determine upon the queſtion, that they are forſaken of God: Thus David in Pſal. 71.7. brings in his enemies encouraging themſelves in their furious attempts againſt him, under this aſſurance, that God had caſt him off. Hear at what a rate they ſpeak, God hath forſaken him, perſecute and take him, for there is none to deliver him; But, why ſo confident, that David is now one of the forlorne hope? that his condition is deſperate and irreparable? have you not ſeen what ſtormes he hath borne up under, and ſailed againſt? have you forgot the formidable armies he hath broak through, and broak? why ſhould you think, that Abſalom's Rebellion, or Sheba's Mutiny (for it is conceived, the Pſalm was penned upon one of thoſe occaſions) ſhould caſt ſuch an old, and experienced Souldier into a loſt condition? O! God was wont to go out with him, and his good preſence was, as a munition of Rocks unto him, whereby he became not onelyonly ſafe, but ſucceſsfull in all his enterpriſes; but now, the caſe is altered, David ſtands alone, he fights with his own arme, God hath now forſaken him: but, how know you, that he is in a deſerted eſtate? O, 'tis clear, and legible in thoſe ſore diſtreſſes that are upon him, hee's a man mark'd out to ruine, God will not deliver him, and thus deridingly did the wicked ſcoff at David, Pſal. 22.7, 8. Contemptus p…puli ludibri…s & oppr…briis declaratur.applied by the Evangeliſt to the Lord Jeſus, Matth. 27.39. when he was nailed to the croſs, all they that ſee me in this afflicted and calamitous condition, laugh me to ſcorn, they ſhoot out the lip, they ſhake the head, ſaying, He truſted on the Lord, that he would deliver him; let him deliver him, ſeing he delighted in him: a gauling Sarcaſm: reproachfull language; Good God! how great is thy patience to pardon, at leaſt to paſs over, for the preſent, ſuch blaſphemous p. 262ſcoffs againſt thy ſelf, and againſt thy ſon! and if it was done thus to the green tree, what ſhall be done to the drie? Poſt Carthaginem, vinci neminem puduit. Let not the Saints be overmuch troubled at the taunts of the wicked, when the Son of God himſelf ſuffered the ſame meaſure from them: but ſtay: ſpeak no more ſo proudly, O ye ungodly ones! do you think the tender Mother has caſt off all care, all bowels, all love, becauſe ſhe lets her helpleſs Infant lie crying in the cradle a while? no, no, ſhe'l come, and take it up, kiſs it, lay it in her boſome, and draw forth her breaſt unto it: Thus doth the Father of mercies do; though he may ſuffer his children to be brought into great and preſſing calamities, and to lie crying for ſome time upon the ground; yet do not conclude, that God hath caſt away his people; and caſt off all care over them; no, hear at what a rate of love he ſpeaks; how he uſeth affection with a tender Mother, and outvieth her, Iſa. 49.14. Zion ſaid, the Lord hath forſaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me; but what is the reply? can a woman forget her ſucking childe, that ſhe could not have compaſſion on the ſon of her womb? Mothers uſually have more tenderneſs, and their affections put forth greater ſtrength to their Babes, then Fathers do; Therefore the queſtion is not, can a man forget, but can a woman? again, it is not, can this or that woman? — but indefinitely, can any woman; yea, the tendereſt of that ſex: again, it is not, can a woman forget her Childe? that ſhe may, a little, when nurſed at anothers womans breaſt, but her Childe that drawes life and love from her own breaſts? and then too, when it lies at her breaſts, and ſhe feeds it with her own bloud? again, it is not, can a woman forget a ſucking childe, another womans childe, to whom ſhe is onelyonly nurſe? though this engageth much, and much love runs through the milky veins, even to the childe of a ſtranger, yet ſhee may forget it; but it is, a ſucking childe, which is the ſon of her own womb? nay further, it is not can a woman forbear to kiſs, or can ſhe at any time refuſe to dandle her childe in her p. 263armes? no, but can ſhe forget, or, can ſhe withhold maternal compaſſion from it? can ſhe expoſe it? can ſhe ſhut up her bowels ſo, that ſhe ceaſeth all expreſſions of care and compaſſion towards it? which, in women, in Mothers, in wives, in chaſte and loyal wives, is very rare, if poſſible: yet, be it ſo ſhould a mother, one of a thouſand be found, ſo hard hearted, and unnatural, to forget her ſucking childe, the ſon of her womb; yet, will not I forget thee, no, Jer. 31.20. Ephraim is my dear ſon (all Gods ſons are dear to him) he is a pleaſant child. All Gods children are children of his delights, ſo the Heb. reads it, ſince I ſpeak againſt him, or chide him, for all afflictions are the rebukings and chidings of God; I do earneſtly remember him ſtill; I have not forgot him, nor the affections of a father unto him, though I have dealt a little roughly with him, and left him a little in a diſtreſſed condition: My bowels are troubled for him, like a tender Mother, that bears her Childe company with her own tears, whileſt ſhe is correcting of him; ſhe whipps him, and weeps over him, and drawes more tears with the rod from her own eyes, then, ſhe does bloud from the fleſh of her crying childe: ſo 'tis with God, his bowels ſound louder then his blows; and whileſt he puniſheth as a Judge, he pittieth as a father: and, as it is with a mother, when ſhe hath whipp'd her childe, ſhe ſpeaks it fair, ſets it upon her knees, and dries its cheeks and eyes again with her own lips; ſo the Lord, when he hath laſh'd his Ephraim, takes him into his armes, and ſayes, peace my dear ſon, be quiet my pleaſant Childe, for I will ſurely have mercy upon thee, miſerendo miſerebor, an Elegant Hebraiſme, implying the certainty of mercy from the Lord to his Ephraims: but when will the Lord have mercy upon them? will he haſten his help? will he ſpeed his ſupplies? yes, have you never ſeen a tender mother, what haſt ſhe makes, when the ſhrill outcries of her fallen childe ſound ſadly in her ears, ſo Iſa. 31.5. As birds flying, ſo will the Lord of hoſts defend Jeruſalem; the Lords mercies are a as bird upon the wing, they mount high, p. 264farre above all oppoſition, and they fly ſwiftly, not to be overtaken by the malice of man, nor ſuccours, prevented by the pollicie and power of Hell: O! how doth this ſweeten that bitter cup, which is in the hand of an afflicted Saint! how doth this ſupport and ſtay up a ſinking ſpirit! how doth this charge folly and falſshood upon wicked men, who cry out againſt the Saints, in the day of their diſtreſs; God hath forſaken them, the Lord hath caſt them off; and how doth this comport with that great truth, ſpoke unto in this Treatiſe? viz. That the appearances of God are eminent and immediate, certain & ſudden, to the help of his people in their diſtreſſed eſtate: For ever then, let all black mouthes be ſtopped from belching forth reproaches againſt the Saints, charging them to be the greateſt ſinners, hypocrites, and forſaken of God, becauſe they meet with many and ſore afflictions in this valley of tears.

2. This reproves thoſe who ſtrengthen themſelves with the arm of fleſh, and lean upon the creature, when afflictions overtakes them; that forſake the fountain of living waters, and hew out unto themſelves ciſterns, even broken ciſterns, that will hold no water; the choiceſt creature-enjoyment is leaking; ſin hath perforated the creature, and fill'd it full of chinks, ſo that, all that comforting, healing, helping, ſatisfying, and relieving good, wherewith God fill'd the creature at its firſt creation, leak's out, untill ſin be pardoned, and the leaks be ſtopped by Gods own hand. This then ſpeakes the great folly of men to lay any expectancy of help from the creature; yet, what more uſuall? Many men, as they charge their ſufferings upon the creature, ſo they exſpect help, in their ſufferings, from the creature. This was Aſa's ſin, that, in his diſeaſe, he ſought not to the Lord, but to the Phyſicians, 2 Chron. 16.12.

It is not ſimply evil to ſeek to Phyſicians, but commanded, and commendable: but Aſa's ſin was this, that he ſought not the Lord, quia in medicis, ſo the Hebr. is rendered, becauſe he truſted in the Phyſicians, and p. 265concluded, he ſhould have health and help from them: it is worthy obſervation, that Rapha, which ſignifies a Phyſician, is uſed alſo for a Gyant, Deut. 2.20. that alſo was accounted a land of Gyants, Rephaim; Gyants were very proud, and truſted much in their own ſtrength; David tells the Philiſtine Gyant, that he came out againſt him, with a ſword, and with a ſpear, and with a ſhield, 1 Sam. 17.45. implying his truſt in his arms, and arme of fleſh, as the Antitheſis or oppoſite termes do ſhew, but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hoſts; and is not this very much the fault of Phyſicians? do not men bear themſelves very high upon their learning, skill and experiences? do they not boaſt, what cures they have wrought? in what deſperate caſes they have been ſucceſfull? how they have raiſed up Patients from the very gates of the grave? and to one that comes to a ſick Perſon in the name of the Lord, that attempts a cure in the ſtrength of God; ten may be found, I fear, who come with a ſword, with a ſpear, and with a ſhield, who attempt great things in their own ſtrength, reſt more upon their own experience, then Gods Providences, and give more to their own preſcripts, then to divine preſence; which may be one reaſon, why the Lord puts ſuch new and various diſtempers into old diſeaſes, as Agues and Feavers, that he may befool that generation of men, Iob 9.13.Job 9:13who are ſo wiſe in their own eyes; and this may be one cauſe, why, in ordinary caſes, they ſo often miſcarry, being therefore called Rephaim, becauſe, through their raſhneſs, and in-advertency, they ſend ſo many of their patients, El-Rephaim, unto the dead, ſo 'tis, uſed Pſal. 88.10. Shall the dead ariſe, and praiſe thee, Prov. 2.18. It has been very common for men to place much truſt in the power and proweſs of Gyants, and to expect great things from them. How did the Philiſtines repoſe upon their great Goliah? 1 Sam. 17.8, 9. offering themſelves to be Iſraels ſervants, if any Iſraelite was able to conquer their Champion in a ſingle duel: O, how do too many hang their hopes of health and recovery upon the Phyſicians skill! p. 266if they can get but ſuch and ſuch a Doctour to their bed-ſides, they preſently conceit themſelves well, at leaſt, in a ſafe way for Recovery: This is a fault in both, whereby an encroachment is made upon God, and he robbed of his glory: may not that queſtion be put in this caſe, 2 Kings 1.3. Is it not, becauſe there is no God in Iſrael, that ye go to enquire of Baal-zebub the God of Ekron? alas! Galen himſelf is but a Baal-zebub, as to the perfecting of any cure, without the bleſſed preſence of the God of Iſrael; Aſa ſinned, in truſting to the skill of an Iſraelitiſh Phyſician, as well as Ahaziah in ſending to enquire of his recovery of the God of Ekron: 'tis dangerous to rely upon means, though the beſt of means; we are commanded, in trouble, to call upon God; but if we truſt in our prayers, or expect help and health from them, we ſin, and have little ground to expect ſafety: The ark was a ſigne of Gods preſence; and even Jordan it ſelf was fordable; when the feet of the Prieſts, who bare the Ark of the Covenant, came to the brink of the river; yet, when the Iſraelites in a defeature by the Philiſtines Army, imputed their overthrow to the abſence of the Ark, and therefore, ſent for the Ark into the camp; making the earth ring, with their loud acclamations of joy, at the approach of it, putting themſelves into the hazzard of a new battel, under the protection of that ſacred ſtandard; they made but a bad bargain, for they were again ſmitten with a very great ſlaughter, and the Ark of God taken, 1 Sam. 4.3. unto the 12 verſe. Much more might be added, to ſhew the danger of reſting upon man and means; but this hath been fully ſpoke to already, in a former Uſe.

3. If this be true; that God appears to the help of his people, in the day of their diſtreſs; then blame may be juſtly charged upon thoſe, who will not wait for help from God; who diſcover impaciency of ſpirit in an evil day, if help do not ſuddenly come, many men have paid dearly for it: Saul had much to ſay for p. 267himſelf, The Philiſtines were gathered againſt him in great numbers, Iſrael was ſcattered from him, and Samuel outſtayed his time appointed, 1 Sam. 30.8. compared with 1 Chron. 10.8. and yet becauſe he waited not for help in Gods way, and at Gods time, Samuel tells him, verſ. 13. that he had done fooliſhly; — and ver. 14. that his kingdome ſhould not continue; It is obſervable, verſe 10. that aſſoon as Saul had made an end of offering, behold, Samuel came; Such is Mans Imprudent raſhneſs, that he will not travail Gods pace, in the way of his own ſafety, but will whip and ſpur, and run full ſpeed in wayes of his own invention, though to his coſt; when as it ſometime, falls out, that, ſo ſoon as he hath made all things ready to have deliverance in his own way, Samuel comes; God appears, opens a door of ſafety to him, and in a certain way of Providence would have ſecured him againſt all his fears; but now, becauſe he waited not Gods time, the Lord refuſeth help, and his own devices periſh, and he with them: The Iſraelites have left this truth writ in the bloud of many of them, when they would not ſtay Gods leaſure, but would to Canaan upon their own legs. Numb. 14.44. whereas, had they waited Gods time, he would have carried them thither in his own armes: Jehoram ſinned this way, when he broke out into ſuch high language, 2 Kings 6. ult. Behold, this evil is of the Lord; what ſhould I wait for the Lord any longer? Oh, this is a very great evil; a teeming womb that brings forth many ill-favoured bratts:

1. Unbelief is the iſſue of impaciency; he that believeth, doth not make haſte, Iſa. 28.16. Faith will not make more haſte then good ſpeed, it will not out run the Conſtable, but ſtay till the Promiſe ſpeaks, Iſa. 8.17. I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the houſe of Jacob, and I will wait for him, I'le not ſtirre a foot from the Promiſe, nor ſtep aſide from the rule to any carnal ſhiftings, but wait for help till God brings it; but, where there is an evil heart of unbelief, it departs from God; leaves p. 268him and his wayes, if he be put to overmuch waiting.

2. Diſcontented murmurings are the products of impatience, if help comes not at the nick of time, when 'tis looked for, then men are apt to let fly in the very face of God: What petulancy and peeviſhneſs of ſpirit did Iſrael once and again diſcover in their murmurings in Egypt, and in the wilderneſs? and what was the ground of their quarrel? why, becauſe they were kept longer in Egypt, and longer out of Canaan, then they had a minde to ſtay: Hence the Apoſtle cautions the Corinthian Chriſtians to beware of this ſin, 1 Cor. 10.10. Neither murmur ye as ſome of them alſo murmured, and were destroyed of the deſtroyer; and then antidote's them againſt this diſtemper, ver. 13. Firſt, By aſſerting that affliction is the common lot and portion of all the Saints. Secondly, that no affliction of theirs was ſo ſignall and ſingular, but, that others have had the ſame. Thirdly, That God will ſupport his ſufferingones under all their afflictions, he will bear up the weight of the building, with his own buttereſſes. Fourthly, That ſuccours and ſalvation will come from the Lord unto them, and therefore dehorts them from repining, and exhorts to a patient waiting for the Lord, in his own way, and at his own time.

3. When men are impatient under afflictions, they uſually ſtep aſide into unlawfull wayes, and ruſh upon unwarranted courſes: 'tis hard to retain an impatient Perſon from taſting the forbidden fruit; 'tis hard to keep his unruly ſpirit within the bounds of duty and obedience: Saul broke the bonds when Samuel outſtayed his time; and therefore, 1 Sam. 13.9. he will needs wear a linnen Ephod, at leaſt, invade the Prieſts Office, in offering burnt-offerings, and hath his excuſe ready to ſhift off the blame, and palliate his offence, ver. 11, 12. … Becauſe that I ſaw, that the people were ſcattered from me, and that thou cameſt not within the dayes appointed, and that, the Philiſtines gathered themſelves together to Michmaſh; therefore ſaid I, the Philiſtines will p. 269come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made ſupplication unto the Lord: I forced my ſelf therefore, and offered a burnt offering. O then, take heed of impatiency, wait upon the Lord in your diſtreſſes, wait his time, and wait for help in his wayes: Do not limit the Holy One of Iſrael: Do not preoccupate the Lord, leſt you forſtall your own markets, and forſake your own mercies: This is recorded, as a provoking ſin in Iſrael, Pſal. 78.41. That they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Iſrael; deſignarunt, they preſcribed to him, and ſet him bounds, which he muſt not paſs, and this was done. Firſt, By queſtioning his power, verſ. 20. Can God help in ſuch a ſtraight? can God deliver from ſuch a diſtreſs? will the Lord make windows in Heaven, and rain down bread, to ſupply in ſo great a famine? as the unbelieving Noble-man ſuggeſted, 2 Kings 7.1.— 2. God is limited, when his will is circumſcribed; as if he was bound to ſerve mens luſts: If Manna come to be loathed as light meat, Quailes muſt be ſent, though they die with the meat, in their mouthes, ver. 30, 31. — 3. When men appoint God, what means he ſhall uſe to accompliſh and perfect their deliverance by: thus Iſrael will acquaint God, and herein limit him, that the onelyonly means of their ſafety lay, in having a King to fight their battels for them, 1 Sam. 8.20. — 4. In limiting God his time; he muſt come in with ſuccours, as, in their wayes, ſo, in their time; and, if Jehovah miſs but a minute, if he out-ſtay the time deſigned by them, then they ſwell, look big, and grow impatient, and, with Jehoram, They will wait for the Lord no longer, 2 Kings 6.33. I, but ſee how Iſrael ſped for their limiting, and ſetting down bounds to the Lord, why, Pſalm 78.59, 60. When God heard this, their carnal arguings, ſinfull murmurings, and froward reſolutions, becauſe God would not ſerve their turns in every point, he was wroth, and p. 270greatly abhorred Iſrael: Oh! 'tis a ſad thing to be a Perſon or People of Gods abhorrencie: therefore wait, and be ſilent: 'tis the Prophets counſel, and very ſeaſonable in the caſe propounded, Zech. 2.13. Be ſilent, O all fleſh before the Lord: for he is raiſed up out of his holy habitation.

4. This grand Conſideration, That God doth ſeaſonably and fully appear to the help of his people, in the day of their diſtreſs, drawes up a high charge againſt thoſe, who have experienced this truth, and do not keep up Records of their deliverances, and preſervations; who retain not a ſenſe and remembrance of the great mercies of God towards them, neither give him the glory of them: It is a common ſaying, and grown proverbial; that Injuries are ingraven in braſs, but curteſies are written upon the ſands; wiſh, there was not a truth in this: It ſeems, it was true amongſt the Iſraelites, God had done them many a good turne, the Prophet gives a large Catalogue of them, in Pſal. 106.13. They ſoon forgat his works, they made haſt to forget them; they were waſh'd off with the next tide; they had the Lientery, which is a kind of Flux in the ſtomach, not retaining, nor concocting the meat which is received, but for want of due heat, and a retentive quality in the ſtomack, the meat paſſeth ſuddenly away raw and undigeſted, and the parts, of the body receive little or no nouriſhment from the choiſeſt food: Truely, moſt men have this ſpiritual Lientery; their memories are ſo fluid and ſlippery, that the choiceſt mercies and deliverances make but a little ſtay upon them, neither is there a due proportion of that noble and ſacred heat, whereby they may be concocted and turned into ſpiritual Chyle, and nouriſhment: How wan and weak, how crazy and conſumptive are many mens ſoules, notwithſtanding all thoſe-choice dainties of Providences, and Ordinances God hath ſpread their tables with! and whence is p. 271this leanneſs and liſtleſneſs? whence comes it, that the mercies of God bred no more noble and generous ſpirits in many perſons? ſure it proceeds from that unhappy flux that moſt are ſubject unto: If we could retain a right ſence of eminent mercies upon our hearts, there would be a better concoction, we ſhould be more lively, and more ſpirituall in our returnes unto God, and in our actings for God: The Lord layes this much to heart, and it kindles great diſpleaſure in him, Hoſ. 13.5, 6. The Lord rub's up Ephraim's memory, and tells him, I did know thee in the wilderneſs, in the land of great drought, God knew them; Firſt, In reſpect of their ſinnes, to viſit for them: Secondly, In regard of their wants; to provide for them: The Hiſtory of Gods Juſtice, and his Providence, whileſt Iſrael was in the wilderneſs ſpeaks fully to both theſe: A very large account may be given of the eminent and glorious acts of the Lords bounty and goodneſs to them, when they were in a low condition; Read Mr. Burroughs Notes upon the place; where he enumerates many; But now, when God had brought them through Jordan, and poſſeſſed them of Canaan, that they were filled, and filled (it is repeated,) in that freſh and fat paſture, their heart was exalted, and they forgot God; But how doth the Lord take this? why ſee, Th…refore will I be unto them as a Lion, as a Leopard in the way, will I obſerve them, I will meet them as a Bear robbed of her whelps (ſure there muſt needs be great diſpleaſure, when the Father of mercies puts on the nature of ſuch fell and fierce beaſts) and I will rent the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a Lion; Note.the wilde beaſt ſhall tear them: Put all the dreadfulneſs of all the creatures in the world together, and all that is in the wrath of God: O dreadfull conſideration! who knoweth the power of thy wrath? Some think theſe wilde beaſts do point to the 4 Monarchies, Mr. Burroughs, in locum.by which God determined in after times to puniſh this people, as Dan. 7.3. The Babiloniſh Empire was ſet forth by a Lion, the Perſian by a Bear, the Grecian by a Leopard, and the p. 272Roman by the Wilde beaſt: — ſo that Iſraels caſe muſt needs be ſad, when they are given as a prey to theſe beaſts, and this is engraven as an Epitaph upon their Grave-ſtones. O Iſrael, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf — O, lay this to heart, and forget not the mercies of the Lord unto you.

5. Thoſe are reprooved, who, though they remember the mercies of God, tell large ſtories of their eminent preſervations, and ſeem to be much affected in reporting of them, which ſignifies little in Gods account, yet they do not live up unto them, they do not receive any teaching from them more to engage their hearts to God, but live as looſly, and as much off from God, as to any real actings for God, as though they were under no extraordinary Obligation unto God, which is a brand upon them, and notes out a very diſ-ingenious and unworthy ſpirit. Vocal thankfulneſs is the leaſt part of gratitude; the whole man ſhould be wholly taken up in the duty, it is not the water which paſſeth through a ſingle ſpout, that will turn this great wheel, but the full ſtream, which through many pipes flowes from the fountain; All that is within me praiſe his holy name; David thought, the all of his ſoul in every faculty, little enough for that great work, Pſal. 103.4. nay, too little; and ſo Pſal. 116.9. he ſaies, I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living, indeſinenter ambulabo: I will not onelyonly take a turn or two with God, but will walk conſtantly, to the end of the race, thorough the exerciſe of every grace, the faithfull diſcharge of every duty, the conſcionable performance of every ſervice, yea, though all the Acts, and parts, and methods of Religion, and all this he engageth, as a Teſtimony of his thankfulneſs to God for eminent mercy, in that full and memorable deliverance, which he obtained happily, in the deſert of Maon. 2 Sam. 23.25, 26. When God fetched off Saul who had begirt David and his men, with his Army, where he was in eminent danger, to have been ſurpriſed, had not the Lord in way of ſeaſonable Providence alarum'd Saul by the Philiſtines, p. 273who then invaded the land: This was a right improvement of ſuch a mercy: But alas! How few be there, who tread in David's ſteps? who act up with ſuch reſolution and fixedneſs of ſpirit for God, under the ſence of admirable and obliging Providences? How little are Providences taken notice of? how little are they improved by moſt, ſo as to quicken them up to more activity for God? are there not many, who ſteal, murder, commit adultery, and ſwear faſly, as though they were delivered to do all theſe abominations? Jer. 7.9, 10. do they not act as high in waies of ſin as ever? It is with many in this point, as it is with ſome vapouring tradeſmen, who live and ſpend all in riot and luxury, till they are clap'd up by their Creditours; but when their friends have compounded for them, procured their enlargement, and given them a trading ſtock again, they promiſe fair, and fair, what good husbands they will be, and tuckle hard to their trades for a while; but within a ſhort ſpace, they forget their poverty, and impriſonment, and laſh out again as much as ever: ſo 'tis with many men, who, being brought off by the Lord from ſome preſſing calamity, they ſpeak good words, and carry it very well for a little time; but then they break out into the ſame exceſs of ſin and vanity, as ever; what a ſudden and ſtrange work was upon Iſrael, when God had ſet them upon drie land, Exod. 15.31. yet Moſes and Miriam had ſcarcely finiſhed their Pſalme of praiſe, when Chap. 15.24. The people murmured, and ſpake high againſt God: O take heed of this ſpirit, leſt the Lord ſwear unto you in his wrath, as he did to Rebellious Iſrael, that you ſhall not enter his reſt; I ſhall ſhut up this Uſe with that Memento of the Apoſtle, Jude verſe 5. I will therefore put you in remembrance, how the Lord, having ſaved the people out of Egypt, afterward deſtroied them that believed not, that acted not up by faith, to thoſe mercies received; that improved not thoſe advantages of mercy and providential Adminiſtrations, which the Lord had put into their hands, in ſubſerviency to his glory, and p. 274their own eſtabliſhment, in that inheritance, the Grant whereof God had given to their forefathers: Ah friends! we have much of Iſraels blood in our veins, of Iſraels impatiency, murmuring, rebellion, and diſ-ingenuity upon our ſpirits: Our feet have often ſtood upon the brink of Jordan, and yet we have not paſſed over into our land of Reſt; at leaſt, the Canaanites are ſtill in the Land: O take heed of Infidelity, and unſuitable returns after ſuch ſignal and aſtoniſhing Deliverances, both perſonal, and National; leſt the deſtroyer come amongſt us, and diſinherit us; but let us all learn the minde of God in theſe glorious Tranſactions, live up unto them, and acknowledg, before Angels and men, that, Ʋnleſs the Lord had been our Help, our ſoules had dwelt in Silence.

FINIS.