Divine Drops Distilled from the Fountain of Holy Scripture, Part 2
Expoſitions and Obſervations on Iſaiah 26. 1, 2, 3.
In that day ſhall this ſong be ſung in the Land of Judah, We have a ſtrong City, Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks, &c.
IN the Chapter before, you ſhall read, The coherence of the words.That the Prophet did pronounce ſore judgments againſt the enemies of God and his people; to wit, againſt Moab. And the judgment ſhould be ſo ſore; that the Lord ſaith, He will come forth againſt them, juſt as a man ſpreds his arms abroad to ſwim: So God would open his arms (as it were) to ſmite them; and he would tread them down like ſtraw for the Dung-hill.
And in this Chapter, the Prophet comforts the Saints, the believers: he gives them ſome comfort to ſupport their Spirits, when the Lord ſhould come in judgment againſt the wicked.
In that day ſhall this ſong be ſung in the Land of Judah; we have a ſtrong City, &c.
God will do two things for his people in the day of his wrath, againſt his enemies.
Firſt, he will make them to ſing: In that day ſhall this ſong be ſung in the Land of Judah. The world oft ſing, when the Saints mourn; and therefore the world ſhall mourn, when the Saints ſhall ſing.
And another thing is, In that day, when the Lord ſhall open his arms as a ſwimmer for judgment: The Saints ſhall have a ſtrong City, or Gariſon, or Refuge to go to, where they ſhall be ſafe. We have a ſtrong City (that ſhall be their ſong) Salvation will God appoint for Walls, and for Bulwarks.
Now, it ſhall not be an outward City, or an outward Gariſon; but the Lord will give them a ſpiritual Gariſon: The ſalvation of the Lord ſhall be to them as Walls, and Bulwarks. So that beloved, in few words, this is the leſſon that I would learn thorowly, and would have you to learn from this Verſe, that
In all the troubles, and calamities that are in this world, Obſervation. God a ſweet refuge.the people of God have a ſweet Refuge, or a ſafe Gariſon to go into.
Let the judgments of God be out upon the earth, upon the wicked and unbelievers never ſo much; and let the Kingdoms be never ſo miſerable, yet the Saints have a Gariſon; they have a ſweet place of ſhelter, of retreat, and refuge, and ſafety, in the worſt of times that can be in this world. You ſhall ſee a bleſſed place to this purpoſe, Heb. 12. 25, 26, &c. See that you do not turn away from him that ſpeaketh from Heaven (ſaith the Apoſtle) whoſe voice then ſhock the earth, but now he hath promiſed, ſaying, Yet once more will I ſhake, not the earth onelyonly, but alſo heaven. And this word, yet once more, ſignifieth the removing of thoſe things that are ſhaken, as of things that are made, that thoſe things which cannot be ſhaken, may remain: Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom, that cannot be ſhaken, or moved; let us have grace, whereby we may ſerve God acceptably. Beloved, not to open the whole place, this is that onelyonly I would obſerve from it, That there are times in the latter end of the world, wherein the very heaven and earth ſhall once more be ſhaken: That is, there ſhall be ſuch troubles, and calamities now in the latter end of the world, that men ſhall think that God is ſhaking, not onelyonly Kingdoms and Nations, but Heaven and Earth, the whole Ʋniverſe, and is ready to pull it down. There will be ſuch times ſaith the Apoſtle, yet ſaith he, We receive a Kingdom which cannot be ſhaken. It is a bleſſed place, when all the Kingdoms in the world ſhall be ſhaken, all the Earth, and all the Heavens (as it were) ſhall be ſhaken too; yet we have received a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken. The Saints are in a Gariſon, or Kingdom, that though all the world about them were ſhaken, and totter, they are ſafe, and ſtand ſtill.
Truly, I have oft thought in my own apprehenſions, that the Saints differ as much from other men, as if you could ſuppoſe a man to live in the middle Region, where there is no wind, nor ſtorms, nor tempeſt: And you know here in all the ſublunary world, there is nothing but clouds, and rain, and ſtorms, and all weathers. If one were above in the middle Region, lot it rain, or thunder, or hail, or be what it will here, he is ſafe, and quiet. Juſt ſo it is with the Saints, they are in the middle Region, in a Kingdom; that though all the Kingdoms of the world ſhake, yet they receive a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken.
But, you will ſay, Where is this Gariſon, that we may go into it? Where is this Kingdom?
Salvation (ſaith the Prophet) the Lord ſhall appoint us for walls and bulwarks.
That is, this Kingdom is not outwardly to be found, it is not an earthly gariſon; but it is a figurative ſpeech, that they do finde in the Lord by the holy Spirit, ſuch ſecurity, and ſuch ſafety, as if they were in a gariſon that cannot be aſſaulted or taken.
But you will ſay, How can that be? This is a meer Idea, or Notion, which no body can underſtand.
I ſhall ſhew preſently, how it can be, by the help of God. The troubles of a man, the real troubles of a man, are in his minde, and ſoul, and affections. Now if you could finde a way to keep a mans minde, and ſoul, and heart, it were eaſie to keep the whole man: For our trouble is not a little impriſonment, or poverty: Paul, or Sylas, were in priſon, and were to be hanged the next day, for ought they knew; yet they could ſing. The man is as his minde is; if we can finde a way to fortifie, and gariſon the ſoul and minde, and affections, it will be eaſie to gariſon the whole man.
But now, how ſhall we gariſon the minde, or ſoul, How a man may be ſaid to be ſecure and impregnable.or heart and affections? to uſe no critical diſtinctions, how ſhall we gariſon the heart of man?
You ſhall ſee that in Phil. 4. 7. The peace of God which paſſeth all underſtanding, ſhall keep your hearts and mindes, through Chriſt Jeſus. There is (ſaith the Apoſtle) a peace of God that ſhall keep you, or as the word in the Greek is, gariſon you, ſhall ſet up a gariſon in your hearts, and mindes through Jeſus Chriſt.
What peace is that?
You ſhall ſee, if you compare it with the Goſpel of John: When our Lord Chriſt was going to Heaven, he told his Diſciples, I will ſend the Comforter John 14. 7.among you, and, My peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, give I unto you. My peace I give unto you, not as the peace of the world. It is a legacy that we have in the New Teſtament from our Lord Jeſus Chriſt that is now in heaven; by the Holy Ghoſt there is a kinde of peace that comes into the hearts of the Saints, that paſſeth underſtanding, not onelyonly the underſtanding of wicked men, that they know it not, and apprehend it not, but it paſſeth the underſtanding of a godly man that hath it. As we ſee in Iſaiah, there is a peace that comes, and quiets, and ſecures his ſoul; ſuch a peace as he never underſtood, or did ſuppoſe could come into his ſoul, according to that, Neither eye hath ſeen, nor ear heard, nor hath entred Iſai 64. 4.into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that wait for him. That is, God ſends this peace, (and many other bleſſings.) Such a peace as a man never conceived in his heart; and this peace comes in, and keeps the heart like a Caſtle, or ſets up a gariſon in the heart, it keeps the heart and minde through Jeſus Chriſt.
Therefore from that briefly you may learn a leſſon or two, that ſo I may proceed to that which remains.
Ʋſe. Firſt, Learn, I deſire, and beſeech you, that profeſs your ſelves to be Saints; that you would make To repair to this refuge.towards this refuge, or this gariſon here in all your troubles.
I am aſhamed, and troubled, and have been truly, many yeers, to ſee Saints, and godly people, when troubles come on them, to ſpend their wits, and beat their brains, in finding refuge in outward things. O, if I were here, or there, in ſuch a Town, in ſuch an Iland, in ſuch a Country, in ſuch a place, I ſhould have it. Beloved, our ſong ſhould be, Salvation God will appoint us for walls and bulwarks. Our way is, when all the Kingdoms of the world are ſhaken, to ſeek to get into that Kingdom that ſhakes not: That is, let England, and all the world ſhake, I care not, ſo I have the Spirit of Chriſt, the comforter, to bring peace to my ſoul, that may ſet up a gariſon there, that nothing may aſſault and trouble me. Then let all the world, let heaven and earth ſhake, I am ſure, I am ſafe; this is the way.
It is a common ſaying of many particular perſons, Let a man not ſeek himſelf any where without, in the opinion of men: So let not Saints ſeek refuge, and ſhelter, and ſalvation, in outward helps; but if they ſhould ſee the Kingdom of England (which God forbid) involved in more miſeries and troubles, and deſolations, &c. Lay this down alway by thee; there is a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken. England, and Scotland, and Ireland are ſhaken; but there is a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken. Such a gariſon is beſieged, ſuch a Town is in danger, ſuch a place is ſtormed; but there is a gariſon, that the Lord hath put into the hearts of his Saints, that cannot be ſtormed or aſſaulted. Therefore ply the Lord Jeſus Chriſt by the Spirit of the New Teſtament, by his holy comforter, that he would gariſon thy ſoul, and put peace there. And then what ſhall be the iſſue? I will tell thee, that thou with a holy joy, and complacency, and delight of Spirit, when thou ſeeſt the very pillars of heaven ſhaken (as it were) ſhalt ſollace thy ſelf in thy own gariſon, and walk in the ſtreets of it, and be ſafe; thou ſhalt triumph over all ſtorms and troubles, and all that is here.
Not becauſe that a Saint is able to encounter thoſe things that are here: For a Saint is not able to anſwer, if you ask what he conceives will be the end of theſe things? he cannot anſwer theſe things; but onelyonly he retreats to the middle Region, as a bird, he flies above ſublunary things; he can ſay, I cannot tell what ſhall become of England, or Scotland, or Ireland, but I am ſure I know a back door that leads into a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken, to go into the middle Region, where no ſtorms of the Air ſhall trouble me; and there I can reſt my ſpirit.
I alway, for my part (with ſubmiſſion to the wiſe) apprehend it as a thing too carnal, and too low for Saints to think to finde a reſting place in this world; any place is heaven; in ſuch an Iland, in ſuch a Plantation, and ſuch a place, let it be what it will. But a Saint that hath this gariſon in his heart and minde, he is at peace. This gariſon David had, when his enemies compaſſed him, and he had no walls, when there were 10000 about him, he lay and ſlept: For thou Lord ſuſtainedſt me, ſaith he; The ſalvation of God was walls and bulwarks about him.
If this peace of God be above underſtanding, how can it be otherwiſe, then be above expreſſion? We can therefore give but a hint of it; but ſuch a thing there is. The Saints walk in a green meadow by the rivers of waters, Pſal. 23. in the ſpring all the day, and all the night long, in beholding the love of God, and the Covenant of God made in Ieſus Chriſt; the full forgiveneſſe of all their ſins, the everlaſting union between them and Chriſt, and through Chriſt between them and God; and beholding the Spirit in its working within them, and beholding the glory that ſhall be revealed at the laſt day, the Crown that Chriſt ſhall bring with him: they walk ſafely and ſweetly, and ſecurely, though all the Kingdoms of the world, and the pillars of heaven be ſhaken. As the heathen ſaid, If the world break about his ears, he would undergo it without trouble. Not becauſe he can anſwer theſe things, but withdrawing himſelf to his place from them; I cannot tell whether the Kingdom ſhall ſtand, but I can go to the middle Region, to Ieſus Chriſt, where there is no ſtorme. Learn that, and lay aſide your great projects, like the men of the world, of building Caſtles in the air, for Gariſons: but labour to get into this Gariſon. Salvation will God appoint for walls and Bulwarks; Open ye the gates that the righteous Nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
This is a ſpeech juſt alluding to a Gariſon; they uſe there to open the gates, and to ſhut them; and when any body comes they bid them ſtand, and ask them who they are for? What are they? One ſaith he is a friend, and then they bid open the gates, and let him come in; if not, to ſhut the gates againſt him.
Open ye the gates, ſaith the Lord:
But none muſt come in but a friend; but who is this friend? It is,
The righteous Nation which keep the truth, they ſhall enter in.
The word in the Originall, it is Truth, not Truth, not one, or two, or three, or four truths, but the righteous Who have a right to Gods protection.Nation that keepeth the truths, let them enter in. That is the word, if you will paſſe this Court of Guard, he that ſhall come into this Gariſon, is he that keepeth truth with a good conſcience, notwithſtanding all the troubles that befall him in this world, he ſhall enter into this Gariſon.
Therefore I beſeech you look to your ſelves. Truly it is unconceiveable, and unutterable, what the joy, the comfort, the worth of that Gariſon is, where it is ſet up in the ſoul; yet there are no hypocrites, no partiall obeyers of Ieſus Chriſt, and his laws, that ſhall enter into it. Therefore if I ſpeak Hebrew, or Greek (as it were) to you, that you underſtand not what I mean by this Gariſon, look to your ſelves, it may be you have not the word, and therefore you cannot get in. It may be you walk not uprightly, you are not of the upright Nation, and people, you keep not the truths. It may be you pick one truth here, and another there that pleaſeth you, that ſuits with your reaſon, or your luſts, and corruptions, or with the ſtream of the world; you honor and reſpect that, and for the reſt of the truth, let you neighbours take it if they will, you will none of it, if it bring ſhame, and perſecution, and reproch. That is the reaſon, when troubles come, you are at your wits end, you know not where to go, becauſe you have not the word, you keep not the truth of God. The righteous Nation that keep the truth, let them come in, ſhut the reſt out of doors, 2 Pet. 2. there are a people that are cleanſed from their ſins by the knowledge of Ieſus Chriſt, and yet after turn from the holy commandment. Beloved, there are common, generall commandments (as I may ſpeak) and holy, preciſe commandmens: Religion in every age hath ſomething in it that is feaſable to carnall men: and in every age it hath ſome nicities, and preciſeneſs in it; there is ſomewhat ſuperfluous in the eye of the world in every age from the beginning. Now it may be it is ordinary with thee to look to truths that the world acknowledgeth; to deal honeſtly in thy ſhop for the moſt part; to come to Church, and repeat a little of the word, or the like: theſe things the world commends; thou obſerveſt faſt dayes, or thankſgiving dayes, or the like. But there are other truths that are more preciſe and ſpirituall, that worldly men do not apprehend, and theſe thou leaveſt as nicities. And that is the reaſon many times when thou apprehendeſt miſeries coming upon thy family, or thy ſelf, or the Kingdom, thou art at thy wits end, and knoweſt not where to go; God ſhuts the gate againſt thee, thou haſt not the word, thou art not a man or woman that hath kept all the truths of God.
Therefore will you now labour to be a righteous Nation to be upright? It is a word that hath ran much in my minde; ſaith God to Abraham, I am alſufficient God, walk before me, and be upright. I did not think there had been ſo much crookedneſs in the world as now I ſee. The world is like the word Iſa. 7. young Saplings, as the wind goes this way, they go this way, and when the wind goeth the other way, they go the the other way. It grieveth my ſoul to ſee how unupright people are; even profeſſors: what a deal of daubing, calling darkneſs light, and good evil, that think one thing, and ſpeak another, and go againſt their conſcience; it cuts my ſoul unexpreſſibly. Therefore it is juſt with God to leave thoſe daubing people; they go with the ſtronger ſide, and ſay as the world ſaith, and do as the world doth, though it be contrary to their underſtanding, and conſcience: be ſure, they ſhall never be admitted to paſſe the Court of guard to come to this Gariſon.
And for their comfort, thoſe that come not to this Court, or Gariſon in this world, they ſhall never come to that in the world to come; if they come not into this little Court of guard, they ſhall never come to the great one. It is a miſerable thing for a man to be left without the works: a carnall man is left without the works, and ſin, and the devill, and men may come, and undo him. Therefore labour to be upright.
It is a principle in Religion that Chriſtians ſhould obſerve (and a principle, that is a generall grand rule) to call things as they are, to call a Spade a Spade: but men, they call evill good, and good evill, and frame their diſcourſes according to the world, they ſpeak according to the world though it be quite contrary to their underſtanding, and in ſpight of conſcience.
I am alſufficient God, walk before me, and be upright. What is that? Do not turn aſide to the right hand, or to the left; If thou will be my ſervant, thou muſt neither be driven with fear, or drawn with favour a hairs breadth out of my Commandments. This is uprightneſſe, lay all the preferments, and honors in the world on the one ſide, you ſhall neither draw them an ace from the truth of Chriſt; and lay all the terrors, on the other ſide, you ſhall not drive them an ace: Why ſo? Becauſe God is alſufficient, there is the reaſon; as the holy man Doctor Preſton hath at large well ſhewed. Why ſhould I be upright? Becauſe God is an alſufficient God. What is that? Men naturally bargaine for gain, it is a principle, and God expects not that it ſhould be otherwiſe; if any man offer me any thing to turn aſide the breadth of a haire out of Gods wayes, honour, or preferment or the like, more then God will give, I had reaſon to turn aſide, and God would not be angry: but I am alſufficient, keep in my wayes, I will give thee more honour, and wealth, and riches, and preferment, then all the world can. On the other ſide, could any creature do us more hurt then God, we had reaſon to fear that creature: but God is the beſt friend, and the worſt foe, he can deſtroy body and ſoul as Chriſt ſaith; therefore walk before me, and be perfect.
There is a ſweet place in Eccleſ. 3. 14. I know that whatſoever God doth, it ſhall be for ever; nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it, and God doth it, that men might fear before him. I know that what God doth, ſhall be for ever, nothing can be added to it, or taken from it: that is, if God have a deſign to make you happy, all the world ſhall not take a dram of that happineſſe from you; and if God have a deſigne to make you miſerable, all the world ſhall not take one jot of that miſery from you.
That men might feare before him,
That is, before him onelyonly: for if the creature could do me any meaſure of good or hurt, it were but reaſon that I ſhould fear the creature, and God too, but whatſoever God doth is for ever, nothing can be put to it, or taken from it, that men might feare before him. All the world cannot do me a farthing worth of good or harme; God onelyonly can, and he is alſufficient, therefore, let us be upright before him. Theſe are the two words I would have you remember, Pray the Lord to ſtabliſh your hearts in his love, in his Gariſon, that you may be able to triumph over the world, That you may be able to ſay, Though all the Kingdoms in the world be ſhaken, yet I am in a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken. And when you walk in the ſtreets, and ſee ſuch factions of men, and there is not a man of a thouſand but he temporizeth, and wil ſay this week as the world ſaith, and the next week another way; Do not do ſo: walk wiſely, and ſpeak what you ſhould, and as you ſhould, but call not good evil, and evil good: but walk uprightly before the Lord, approve of that which is good in the eyes of the Lord: Walk in the truthes of God, and then God in diſtreſſe will bid open the gates; there is a man was upright in all the changes of the world, he called not good evil, nor evil good; Open the gates that the upright Nation may come in.