Gods Rising His Enemies Scattering, Sermon
Gods Riſing, HIS Enemies Scattering.
PSAL. 68.1, 2.
Let God ariſe, and let his enemies be ſcattered, let them that hate him, flee before him.
THis Pſalm is a Song of triumph, compoſed by David; that is cleer from the Title, To the chief Muſitian, or the Maſter of Muſick, a Pſalm, or Song of David, compoſed and ſung upon their day of Thanksgiving, for the bringing home of the Ark, (that Sacrament of Gods preſence) from the houſe of Obcd-Edom, and the ſetling, and fixing of it in its own place, in the midſt of the Tabernacle which David had pitched for it; of which you may read; 2 Sam. 6.17, this is the moſt probable conjecture of the beſt Interpreters.
In this Pſalm, as he doth Hiſtorically celebrate the many famous victories and ſpoils, wherewith God had gratiouſly and even miraculouſly crowned his Government (and ſo the Argument of this Pſalm is the ſame with the 60. Pſalm) So alſo Prophetically he doth celebrate the happineſſe and glory of the Evangelicall Church, under the government of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, riſing from the dead, ſpoyling the Kingdom of ſin and Satan, and leading captivity captive; for upon that triumph doth the Apoſtle expound ſome paſſages of this Pſalm, in Epheſ. 4.8.
The Pſalmiſt begins his Song with the words which Moſes uſed, Verſ. 35.when the Ark ſet forward, Numb, 10.35, 36. And it came to paſſe when the Ark ſet forward, that Moſes ſaid; Riſe up, Lord, and let thine enemies be ſcatter'd, and let them that hate thee, Verſ. 36,flee before thee. And when it reſted, he ſaid, Return, O Lord, unto the many thouſands of Iſrael: Which words Moſes leaving as a modell of prayer, and a prop of faith to all ſucceeding generations, were moſt proper for Davids purpoſe, in bringing home the ſame Ark into its reſting place.
And he uſeth theſe words by way of prayer and triumph, petition and thanksgiving;
Wherein is contained ſuch choiſe proviſion, had I skill to diſh it out unto you, as though it be a faſting day, would preſent you with a ſpirituall feaſt for ſoul repaſt.
I muſt not ſtand to Analyſe the Pſalm, that which entertains us at the very threſhold, being of ſuch fulneſſe, and variety, as the ſtraits into which the diſtractions of this day doth caſt us, will hardly ſuffer to take a taſte of every particular.
There offer themſelves to our view, Doctrins. theſe ſix Obſervations from the words.
Firſt, The Church of God ever had, and will have enemies and haters: For againſt theſe, doth the Pſalmiſt arm himſelf and the Church, with this Prayer.
Secondly, The Churches enemies are Gods enemies; they that hate the Church, hate God. Thine enemies, them that hate thee.
Thirdly, God ſometime ſeems to ſleep, or lie ſtill, and let theſe enemies and haters do what they will for a ſeaſon: this alſo is implied; He to whom we ſay, Ariſe, is either aſleep, or lies ſtill.
Fourthly, There is a time when God will ariſe.
Fifthly, Gods riſing time, is the enemies ſcattering time, his haters flying time.
Sixthly, It is the duty of Gods people, to pray him up, when he ſeems to bee down, and to exalt him in their praiſes when hee doth ariſe to their reſcue and redemption; For theſe words are both a prayer and a triumph, as they are uſed both by Moſes and David.
You ſee, I have prepared more work, then I ſhall bee able to finiſh, in the time allotted me for this ſervice.
Give me leave therefore to preface but a little upon the three former; And I will ſit down upon the three latter in the main body of my diſcourſe.
The Church of God hath Enemies, Haters.
When ſhe was in her Infancy, and in ſo narrow a compaſſe, Doctrin. 1 that the two firſt Parents of the world, had yet but two ſonnes, (of whom the Scripture takes notice) one was the Church, the other an enemy; the one a Saint, the other a malignant; 1 Joh. 3.13:an hater, that hated him even to fratricide.
As the Church multiplied, her enemies multiplied alſo; yea ſo over-multiplied her, that in the 74. Pſalm, ver. 19. it is but one poor Turtle-dove, againſt a multitude of wicked; enemies, haters.
Lo, yonder you may ſee heapes of them gathered together, Pſal. 83.6, 7, 8. The Tabernacles of Edom, and Iſhmaelites, of Moab, and the Hagarens, Gebal, and Ammon, and Amaleck, the Philiſtines, with the Inhabitants of Tyre, Aſſur, and the children of Lot. Evill Beaſts enough, one would think, to have devoured one poor Turtle-dove.
In our Saviours time they were grown into a world-full of enemies, Joh. 15.19. The world hateth you.
If any ſhould demand with Pilate, Why, Ground. what evill hath the Church done? She may anſwer with David; Pſal. 69.4,They hate me without a cauſe, It is a cauſeleſſe enmity and hatred, the Lord knows.
But if you will have a cauſe, Reaſon. Hee ſhall give it you that beſt knew what it was, Chriſt himſelf: Joh. 15.19.Becauſe you are not of the world, but I have choſen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. There is a ſecret malignancie in the men of the world (as there was in Cain) to ſee others choſen, and beloved of Chriſt, and themſelves rejected. Reaſon. 2
If you would dig to the root of this venemous hatefull weed, Gal. 3.16.you ſhall finde it to bee the ſame ſeed, which the old Serpent hath ſpawned into the children of diſobedience: The true Church and the Malignant, are begotten and born of a contrary ſeed, the ſeed of the Serpent who is the Devill; and the Seed of the Woman, which is Chriſt; and theſe hate one another with the pureſt hatred, becauſe their principles be moſt contrary and moſt active: The one of God, who is ſumme activus as the Schooles ſpeak, a pure ſimple act, moſt vigorous and operative; and the other of Satan who in the higheſt ſphere of created beings, is a moſt ſubtile and active Spirit.
The principles of hatred in all other creatures, are of a far lower and duller mould and motion; and their Antipathy and hatred is nothing ſo immortally mortall; theſe hating, and hated of one another, not onelyonly to death, but in death, and beyond death to all Eternity.
Ʋſe.
I would commend from this obeſervation, Ʋſe. this one Cavtion. There is no time then for Gods people to be ſecure, ſince they live among Enemies and Haters: and the neerer they meet in their Relations, the more is the enmity and hatred intended.
So you ſhall obſerve there is no ſuch enmity between man and the Bruit Creatures, as there is betweene man and man; Among men, there is no ſuch enmity and hatred between Heathens and Chriſtians, as there is betweene Chriſtians and Chriſtians; among Chriſtians, no ſuch antipathy between Papiſts and Proteſtants: as there is between Proteſtants and Proteſtants: At this day no hatred ſo mortall, no Enemies, ſo Irreconcileable as the Malignant Proteſtants, and thoſe whom they ſcorne by that New-name, Rowndhead, that poor deſpiſed partie that ſtand up for Reformation; The Proteſtant indeed.
The reaſon is becauſe the neerer men meet in aliquo tertio, in their relations, or Profeſſion, and yet differ, as in the Principles of their Natures (as before) ſo in the Nature of their Principles or opinions, the more reproach and odium they conceive, that difrence reflects one upon another: and ſo the more impatient and implacable are they rendered: Contraries the neerer they come together, the more eminent is their difference, and the greater their conflict and contention.
This puts the people of God into a dangerous poſture, the malignant partie alwaies having made the major part in the World, in the Chriſtian World, and yet it is wonderfull to conſider, how hardly Gods people are brought to entertain reall and ſeaſonable thoughts of the worlds deſperate and devilliſh intentions towards them. Is it not with them as it was once with Gedaliah, when Intelligenct by Jonathan the ſon of Kareah of a bloody Maſſacre contrived againſt him, and the poor Jewes under his command; he would not beleeve it, but for his paines gives him the lye.
Thou ſpeakeſt falſly of Iſhmael.Ier. 40.13.16.
Were it not a ſtrange folly in a people, to let Lions, and Bears, and Wolves, and Leopards, run up and down in the ſtreets, and high-waies, unchain'd, and unmuzled, and ſay, Ier. 5.6.they will do no harm? And hath not God branded Malignant Spirits with theſe names in Scripture? What a ſtrange ſecurity hath ſeized upon us? Surely the children of the world are wiſer in their generations then the children of light; would they have dealt ſo beleevingly with us, had they had us at that advantage that we have had them? Did they when they had it? Innocence you know is credulous, but credulity is not alwaies innocent; It is a noxious weed though it grow upon a good ſoil: I wiſh it may not be ſuffered to grow too ranke.
We do ſomewhat, but it is not till our Enemies force us to it, when we muſt either kill, or be killed.
We do ſomewhat, but it is by halfes and peece-meals, what they do they do in earneſt; we do as if we were in jeſt; Do we beſtir our ſelves to ſave, as the Enemies do to deſtroy? It is well we have a God, or elſe our ſecurity and ſlenderneſſe of ſpirit would certainly undoe us; and had undone us long before this time. Be inſtructed Oh England leſt Gods Soul depart from thee; Ier. 6.8.for if while we truſt and ſpare them, we be found to tempt and weary God, we way expect to hear that ſad Newes from heaven that Ahab did:
Becauſe you have let go out of your hands a people whom I have appointed to destruction; 1 Kings 20.24.Your Kingdome ſhall go for their Kingdome, and your lives for their lives: Now the Lord awaken our Spirits to a timely prevention of ſuch a doom, and divert it from us.
I come to the ſecond Doctrine. Doct. 2
The Churches Enemies are Gods Enemies, they that hate Gods people, hate God himſelf.
There is hardly any language more frequent in Scripture, Pſal. Pſal. 21.8.21.8. thine hand ſhall finde out all thine Enemies, thy right hand ſhall finde out thoſe that hate thee.
Pſal. 83.2. Loe thine Enemies make a tumult, and thoſe that hate thee have lift up the head; Why, wherein did they ſhew themſelves the Enemies and haters of God? It followes, ver. the third: They have taken crafty counſell againſt thy people, & conſulted againſt thy Hidden ones, and ſaid, Come let us cut them off from being a Nation, &c. Their Malignant Counſels againſt Gods people, was nothing elſe but a paraphraſe of their malice againſt God himſelf, for ſo yet it followes more expreſſely, verſ. the fifth: They conſult together with one conſent, they are confederate againſt thee: thee and thine, them and thee go hand in hand.
The Grounds of this may be, Grounds.
Firſt, the mutuall intereſt that God and his people have one in another, Maſter, and Scrvant, Father and Children, Husband and Wife, Head and Members, theſe are the uſuall titles by which this mutual relation is expreſt in Scripture, (and among all the members of the body the tendereſt is choſen to expreſſe the intereſt that Gods people have in his compaſſion and love, The Eye, Zech. 2.8. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye: The leaſt violence will offend that member; what is done to the Eye, preſently is at the Heart: wicked men cannot hate gods people, but God muſt needs be very ſenſible of it; they canot be Enemies to them, but they muſt be Enemies to God himſelf: Eſpecially ſince they are found by our Saviour not onelyonly to hate them in theſe relations, but for theſe relations, not onelyonly being the Servants and Children and Spouſe, and Members of Jeſus Chriſt, but becauſe they are ſo; becauſe ye are not of this world, but I have choſen you out of the world, Iohn 15.19.therefore the world hateth you: Becauſe, that is crime enough, that they belong to Jeſus Chriſt.
Secondly, The Quarrell: wherein God is as deeply intereſted as his people: Thou haſt given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be diſplayed becauſe of the Truth, Pſal. 60.4.
A Banner is the Embleme of Victory, Victorie implies Battell, but what was the Quarrell? The truth; The truth of Doctrine; The truth of Religion; The truth of Diſcipline, The truth of Government, in all theſe God is as much or more concerned then his people; Truth is, the Truth of God, and God is the God of Truth; and thefore they that are Enemies to Gods people for the truthes ſake, are Enemies to God himſelf; they that hate them for the truths ſake hate God alſo whoſe truth it is, look into all the Battells of the Church ſince Chriſts time to this day, and you ſhall finde the Quarrell to have been ſome-what about Chriſt himſelf: While Chriſt was yet upon the Earth, the Quarrell was about the Birth of Chriſt: in the next ages the Quarrell was about the Perſon of Chriſt, in the ſucceeding Age, concerning the Natures of Chriſt, then about the Offices of Chriſt, And now in our dayes about the life and Government of Chriſt.
In a word, the firſt battell that ever was fought, was in heaven, Between Michael and his Angels, and the Dragon and his Angels. And look what the Quarrell was there, the ſame you ſhall finde it ever ſince; though fought in a lower ground, and that is, Who ſhall be God?
I will be God ſaid the proud Angel, my throne ſhall be above the Throne of God; And ſo ſaith Antichriſt unto this day, I will be God, tis his very Character, in 2 Theſ. 2.4. He oppoſeth and exalteth himſelf above all that is called God, or that is worſhipped, ſo that he as God ſitteth in the Temple of God, ſhewing himſelf that he is God. And this is the language of every wicked man; he that ſaith I will not, when God ſaith do, he that ſaith I will, when God ſaith do not; (Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate) he ſaith by interpretation I will be God: Oh did you but underſtand the blaſphemous language of ſin, you would not ſuffer it to harbour one hour longer in your boſoms: the truth is, the Enemies of Gods truth and people would not onelyonly have the Sword off from Chriſt his thigh, the Scepter out of his Hand, the Crown off from his Head, but his very life out of his heart; not un-ſcepter him only, but un-eſſence him, If ſin and ſinners could helpe it, God ſhould be God no longer.
And now Chriſtians, they that are Enemies to Gods people upon theſe termes, are they not Enemies to God himſelf? They that thus hate the Saints, do they not hate alſo the God of the Saints?
Ʋſe. Ʋſe. 1
If this be an invincible truth, then
Firſt, The more have they to anſwer for, that ſhew mercy to theſe Enemies of the Church and people of God, ſince God is concerned in the Quarrell more then they; If the ſons of Belial, that are riſen up againſt the peace and ſafety of the Kingdome, were our Enemies onelyonly, we might uſe our diſcretion, and make what accommodation we pleaſe; 1 Kings 20.41.but if theſe be Sheba's the ſons of Bichri who are riſen up againſt David, yea againſt him who is the Son and Lord of David, in that obſtinate and implacable rebellion; crying, Nolumus hunc regnare, come what will on't, This man ſhall not raign over us, then ſurely we cannot compound the matter as we pleaſe, without wrong to Christs Crown and danger to our own Heads.
Secondly, Ʋſe. 2 Are the Churches Enemies Gods Enemies? Then the more hopes we have, Job. 9.4.they ſhall not ſtand long: who hath hardned himſelf againſt God and proſpered? As Jezebel ſaid, when Jehu came in at the gates: 2 Kings 9.31.Had Zimri peace who ſlew his maſter? So may I ſay, Had Cain peace who ſlew his Brother? Did Pharaoh proſper who hardned himſelf againſt God? Had Saul peace who perſecuted righteous David? Did Judas proſper who betrayed his Maſter? Did Julian proſper who blaſphemed Jeſus Chriſt? Have the Enemies of the Church proſpered? No ſurely, Why? becauſe they be Gods Enemies as well as the Churches. Enemies to Chriſt his Kingdome, as well as the Churches peace; whoſe doom is long ſince paſt and ſhall be in due time executed.
And thoſe mine Enemies that would not have me reign over them, Luke 19.….bring them hither and ſlay them before me.
Surely this day of vengeance is in Chriſts heart, and their judgement ſlumbreth not, is not the ſound of its feet at the very dores?
They think they are wiſe and truſt in their help. Iſa. 31.2.But he alſo is wiſe and will bring evill, and will not call back his word, but will ariſe againſt the houſe of the evill doers and against the help of them that work iniquity.
Thirdly, Ʋſe. 3 The more warrant and encouragement have we to ſet upon God for their deſtruction; a mighty advantage in prayer. There is a queſtion, Whether we may pray for the deſtruction of our Enemies or no? This Doctrine will reſolve it. When they are our Enemies onelyonly, and ſin Ignorantly, ſeducedly, then, Father forgive them they know not what they do:Luk. 23.34. Act. 7.60. 2 Kings. 6.17.
And, Lord lay not this ſin to their charge.
Then, Lord open the eyes of theſe men, with the prophet, that is, Lord convince them, Lord convert them, is becomming langvage for Chriſtians:
But when they diſcover their ſins as Sodom, when they make it apparent to all the world, that if there be a God, in heaven, they hate him, if a Chriſt and a Goſpel, they are ſworne irreconcileable Enemies to both, and that they ſin Seducingly, and out of malicious wickedneſſe; Then,
O Lord God of hoſts the God Iſrael awake to viſit all the Heathen, be not mercifull to them, Pſal. 59.5.to them that ſin of malicious wickedneſſe, make their Nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, Pſal. 83.11, 12.yea all their Princes as Zeba and Zalmunna, who ſaid, let us take to our ſelves the houſes of God in poſſeſſion.
O my God make them like a wheel, 13.and as the ſtubble before the winde;
As the fire burneth the wood, 14.and as the flame ſetteth the mountaines on fire.
So perſecute them with thy tempest, 15.and make them afraid with thy ſtorm.
Fill their face with ſhame, 16.that they may ſeek thy Name O Lord.
Let them be confounded and troubled for ever, 17.yea let them be put to ſhame and periſh.
Pul them out like ſheep for the ſlaughter, Ier. 12.4.and prepare them for the day of ſlaughter.
Set thou a wicked man over him, Pſal. 109.6,and let Satan ſtand at his right hand.
Where he ſhall be be Judged, let him be condemned, and let his praier be turned into ſin, (though truly our Enemies will ſave us this labour; for they pray not at all, they deride and geere at prayer, blaſpheme the Spirit of prayer, yea they themſelves have turned their praiers into ſin, prayers into curſes, and forgive us our treſpaſſes into fearfull and deſperate invocations of Damnation: in which caſe the Prophet feares not to follow them home with Curſes: 17.As he loved curſing, ſo let it come unto him; as he delighted not in bleſſing, ſo let it be far from him. 18.As he clothed himſelf with curſing like as with his Garment, ſo let it come into his bowels like water, and like oyle into his bones, &c.)
I ſay, when they be Gods Enemies, and profeſſe themſelves ſo to all the world, then, ſuch expreſſions as theſe will be no breaches to the law of charity, nor blemiſhes in the prayers of Gods people.
Provided that we look to our hearts, that we be upright in this matter, and that the enmity that theſe men bear, and the blaſpemy they belch out againſt God, affect us more then the ſlaughter and perſecution they breath out againſt our ſelves. Peradventure (ſaid Jacob) my father will feel me, and if I ſeem to him as one that mocke, I ſhall bring a Curſe upon me inſtead of a bleſſing.
If God ſee us pretending his wrongs, but intending our own, curſing them as his Enemis, but hating them onelyonly as our own, we ſhall tranſlate their curſe upon our own heads.
Otherwiſe, if God ſee our hearts deeply affected with, and bitterly afflicted for the Inſolencies and Violences done to his Name and Glory; as we need not be afraid to pour out ſuch vials of wrath upon them (for the vials of wrath are nothing elſe but the praiers of the Saints, ſhowred down in ſtormes of vengeance upon the head of the wicked) ſo, there cannot, Revel. 8.4, 5.be an argument of greater advantage to prevail with God for their deſtruction, then when a people, or perſon can demonſtrate this to God in their prayers, that whom they pray againſt are Gods Eenemies, as well as their own, that their hatred is not ſo much againſt them as againſt God, Pſal. 44 22.and that for his Names ſake they are killed all the day long. Truely, make this appear, and we may be ſilent in our own Cauſe; God is concernd in it more then our ſelves.
And truly our Enemies themſelves will teach us this wiſedome; It is, and hath been from Ancient times, the curſed policy of deſperate Malignant Courtiers, and Counſellours, when they would Arme Princes and Potentates againſt the poor people of God, to poſſeſſe their ears and hearts with this prejudice, That they are Enemies to Monarchy, Traytors and Rebels to the Crown and Dignity of Kings and Princes.
So did of old, Rehum the Chancellour, and Shimſhie the Scribe, (a couple of Arch Malignants) labour to bring the Jews into disfavour and odium with Attaxerxes, as you may read in that Scandalous Libell, or letter, Ezra. 4.8.they writ to Babylon.
Be it known unto the King (ſaid they) that the Jews which came up from thee to us, are come to Jeruſalem, 12.building the rebellious and bad City, &c.
Be it known now to the King that if this City be builded, 13.and the wall ſet up again, then will they not pay toll tribute and Cuſtome, and ſo thou ſhalt endamage the Revenue of the King. And ſo again.
Let ſearch be made in the book of the Records of thy fathers, Verſ. 15."ſo ſhalt thou finde in the book of the Records, and know that this is a rebellious city, and hurtfull to Kings and Provinces, and that they have moved Sedition within the ſame of old time, for which cauſe was this city deſtroyed.
We certifie the King that if this city be built again, &c. 16.by this means, thou ſhalt have no portion on this ſide the River.
With ſuch jealouſies did the Enemies of God, and his people in the neighbour nation of Scotland labourd to poſſeſſe his Majeſty towards thoſe his loyall Subjects there. They were repreſented to his Majeſty as Traitors, and Rebels, that intended nothing elſe but to un-crown, and un-King him, when power ſhould be in their own hand.
And is not the ſame Deſigne practiſed upon his faithfull Parliament, and Subjects here in England? Do not theſe Rehums, and Shimſhies fill his Royall ears with this odium, That the Parliament, and the Puritans are enemies to Monarchy, and intend nothing but to bring all into a Parity, and after they have pulled down Biſhops, then down with King too; with a world of ſuch calumnies, invented by the father of lies. Truely the land is not able to bear their words.
This is their policie; for theſe mediums they know are moſt proper to render themſelves gracious to Soveraignty, and the people whom they would trample under feet, odious and unſufferable, Kings being jealous enough, of what ever may endanger their Crowns, limit their Power, or eclypſe their Glory.
But as it is the policy of malignants, ſo it is their wickedneſſe too; they lie when they uſe theſe Arguments to Kings and Princes. The God of truth knows they lie: And the Father of lights open the eyes of the Kings and Princes of the Earth, in his good time, to ſee how much they are abuſed, as well as their ſubjects, that that propheſie and promiſe may once be made good: The Governours of Judah ſhall ſay in their heart, Zach. 12.5.the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem ſhall bee my ſtrength, in the Lord of Hoaſts their God.
Thoſe that I had once thought, had been my worſt enemies, and traitors, I ſee now are my beſt friends and ſubjects. The Lord haſten this in his time.
But Brethren, in the mean time, though the enemies of Gods people, lie when they uſe this argument to Kings and Princes; Gods people ſhall not need to fear the lie, when they uſe this argument againſt their enemies to God; for they be Gods encmies as well as the Churches, and they hate God as much, and more then they hate his people, Enemies to the Crown and dignity of the Lord Jeſus, King of the Church; (himſelf being witneſſe) they ſtrike at God through his peoples ſides; And therefore if you ſhall plead this Argument, with ſutable affections, you may with an humble conſidence, expect that God will take it well at your hands, and take ſuch order with your enemies, as ſhall make for your ſecurity, and the advancement of his own Soveraignty; God being more jealous, and more righteouſly, of his crown and dignity, then any of the Monarchs of the Earth can be of theirs, who are but his Deputies; hear him elſe; I am the Lord, that is my Name, Iſa. 42.8.and my glory will I not give to another. God cannot endure a Rival in his Kingdome. But I have ſtaid too long upon this, I muſt haſten forward, to the third Doctrine.
God for a ſeaſon, ſeems ſometimes to liE ſtill, and ſleep. Doct. 3
This is the occaſion of all thoſe awakening cries, which Gods people make in his ears.
Awake, why ſteepeſt thou? ariſe caſt us not off for over. Pſal. 44.23.
Ariſe, O Lord, let not man prevail. Pſal. 9.19.
Ariſe, O Lord, ſave me, O my God: Pſal. 3.7.
And ariſe, O Lord, plead thine own cauſe. Pſal. 74.22.
So here, Let God ariſe, &c.
Theſe expreſſions bee ſo frequent in the Pſalms, and elſe where, that they need no Quotation.
The Church comes to God, as the Diſciples once came to Chriſt, when he was aſleep in the ſhip.
Awake Maſter, why ſleepeſt thou, Mark 4.38.careſt thou not that wee poriſh?
God hath his Ends in it, and theſe may bee ſome of them, briefly. Reaſons. 1
Firſt, That hee may ſee what his enemies will do. (we ſpeak after the manner of men) The Maſter ſometimes makes as if he ſlept, to ſee what the ſervant will do, when ſuch and ſuch advantages lie before him. If God were alwayes up, and diſcovering himſelf in the world, the thouſandth part of that rage, and enmity, that is in the ſeed of the Serpent, againſt the ſeed of the Woman, Chriſt and his members, would not ſhew it ſelf; they would certainly bite it in.
But let God hold his peace, and make as if he did not ſee; let him ſuſpend the execution of his righteous and dreadfull judgements for a time in the world, then the curſed malignity, and venom that is in the ſpirits of wicked men, will diſcover it ſelf to purpoſe: They will rage and ſtorm, plunder and impriſon, deflowre virgins, raviſh women, murder, burn, deſtroy, and exerciſe all the cruelty, and villany that the wit of malice can invent; lie, ſwear, and forſwear, curſe, blaſpheme, and even dare the God of heaven to do his worſt. In a word, then the Atheiſme and villany that is in their ſpirits will break out like a ſtream of wild-fire, devouring all that ſtands before it. Like a Wolf, when the Shepherd is out of the way, or laid down to ſleep, then falls a worrying, and tearing the poor ſheep, and tender lambs.
The encouragement to all this villany is, Gods lying ſtill;
They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage. They ſlay the widow and the ſtranger, and murder the fatherleſſe.
What is it that emboldens them to all this villany? It follows: They ſay, The Lord ſhall not ſee, neither ſhall the God of Iacob regard it.
The enemies of God, that are up in arms againſt him, and his people in this Kingdom, have put ſuch blaſphemous Gloſſee upon this Text, that if David were alive, he would bee afraid to read his own Text in Paraphraſe. Surely, becauſe ſentence againſt evill doers, Eccleſ. 8.11.is not ſpcedily executed, therefore the heart of theſe ſonnes of men (or rather theſe ſonnes of Belial) is fully ſet in them to do evil.
They take Gods ſilence, for Gods conſent; becauſe hee holds his peace, Pſal. 50.21.they think he is altogether like themſelves. But hee will reprove them, and ſet their ſinnes in order before their eyes: And ſurely in that order, there will bee nothing elſe but confuſion: And this may be the meaning of thoſe words of Simeon to Mary; Luke 2.35.A ſword ſhall paſſe through thine own ſoul, that the thoughts of many bearts may he revealed; that is, God would leave his own dear Son, in the power of men, and make as if hee were aſleep, and did not ſee, that ſo the ſecret hypocriſie, and atheiſme, and villany that was in mens ſpirits, might fully diſcover it ſelf; That's the firſt Reaſon.
Secondly, Hoſ. 5.15.God doth this, that he may ſee what his people will do.
I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offences, &c.
I will ſee whether they will confeſſe, and mourn, and repent, and humble themſelves, and pray, and wait, and keep cloſe to God, and ſtand for him, and venture their Liberties, Eſtates, and Lives for Jeſus Chriſt and his Goſpel; Whether they love father and mother, ſonne or daughter, or any thing in the world more then me:
Yea Brethren, God ſeems to ſleep, that they may not ſleep; he ſeems to ſleep, that hee may awaken them out of the ſleep of ſecurity; hee ſeems to lie ſtill, that he may raiſe them up; hee lets the cradle of his Providence ſtand ſtill a while, till the children crie, and then he beſtirs himſelf with the tender hearted mother.
Thirdly, hee doth this, that ſo wee may ſee what hee will do. Stand ſtill and ſee the ſalvation of God. God ſeems to ſleep, that ſo his enemies may go on, and gather themſelves together, and ſo he may bring them all into an Ambuſh, and deſtroy them together. Gods ſleeping time, is nothing elſe but his enemies Ambuſhing-time.
There are two famous places for this, Joſh. 11.19, 20. ſpeaking there of the Nations, the Text ſaith; Ioſh. 11 19, 20.There was not a Nation that made peace with the children of Iſrael, ſave the Gibeonites, why? For it was of the Lord, to harden their hearts, that they might go againſt Iſracl in Battell, that they might bee deſtroyed, and finde no mercy. God ſuffered them to gather together, that ſo they might be deſtroyed together, and ſave Iſrael a labour in purſuing and ſlaughtering them in too many places. There is a propheſie of the like Providence in the fourth of Micha 11, 12, 13. verſes where you ſhall finde God uſing the ſame Stratagem; It ſhall come to paſſe, that many Nations ſhall gather together againſt Sion, (one poor little Sion) that in all naturall probability, was not able to have raiſed ſtrength enough to have waged war with one Nation; behold many Nations aſſociate againſt her, armed with fury; as well as with power; For ſo you hear them inſulting and threatning: foreign Inſultabimus, or per metatheſin, foreign adultera eſt, punietur.Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Sion. Let her be defiled, or lapidetur, let her be ſtoned; which was the proper puniſhment of Adultereſſes, and ſo ſome read it; She is an adultereſſe, or unclean, defiled, and therefore let her bee ſtoned, put to death; ſo they palliat their cruelty with the garment of Juſtice, as if they came but to execute Gods Commiſſion, ſo Rabſheka, Iſa. 36.10. Am I now come up without the Lord, againſt this land to deſtroy it? The Lord ſaid to me, go up againſt this land and deſtroy it. They pretend Juſtice I ſay, but they betray malice and hatred in the very next words; Let our eye look upon Sion; (i. e.) let us delight and ſport our ſelves in the deſolation of Sion; they promiſe to ſatisfie both their luſt and cruelty at once upon Sion: and what ſhould hinder them? God ſeems to be aſleep all this while, and there is but one Sion to many Nations; one would ſurely give Sion for loſt, that ſhould ſee her beſet with ſuch multitudes of Armies, and her God ſtand by and ſay nothing all this while. Oh but ſaith the Prophet, let them alone, fear them not, let them come when they will; They know not the thoughts of the Lord, they know what they mean, they know not what God meanes. They little know what a deſigne God hath upon them: ſtand ſtill and ſee the Salvation of God, for ſaith he, God all this while is but laying an ambuſh for them, and when he hath them at the advantage you ſhall ſee what work the Lord will make with them: Verſ. 13.for he ſhall gather them as the ſheaves into the floor: Ariſc and threſh, O daughter of Zion: For I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs braſſe, and thou ſhalt beat in pieces many people: They had thought to have thraſht Sion, but Sion ſhall thraſh them. They had thought to have deſtroyed Sion, but Sion muſt deſtroy them; God ariſeth and bids Sion thraſh them: Lay on Sion; ſpare them not; till thou haſt beat them to duſt; I will ſtand by thee, and ſtrengthen thee to do execution to purpoſe upon theſe Enemies, and haters of God and Sion: I will make thine horne iron, and thy hoofs braſſe, thou ſhalt hold out till thou haſt utterly conſumed them. The ſum of all you have, Iſa. 1.28. The deſtruction of tranſgreſſours, and of ſinners ſhall be together. God lets them go, and gather themſelves together, and then when they think they are ripe for their Deſignes, God findes them ripe for his; and deſtroys them at once.
All the vſe I ſhall make of this, Ʋſe. ſhall be onelyonly to turn you to that place (and the Lord turn your hearts to it) Iſa. 26.6, 7. O you that are the Lords remembrancers, Iſa. 62.6, 7.give him no reſt till he ariſe, &c. For that very purpoſe hath God ſet you upon the wall, that when he ſeems to ſleep, you ſhould come and awaken him, and give him notice of the approach of the Enemie, and cry him up to the reſcue of his Church and people; Ariſe, O Lord, leaſt man prevail, &c. This is your very calling, you that are the Miniſters of the Goſpel, and people of the Lord; Give him therefore no reſt untill you have raiſed him out of his holy habitation, and till he hath made Sion the praiſe of the whole earth, It is our ſin and folly that if God ſeem to be a ſleep, we go to ſleep too, if God be down, we are down alſo, either in ſecurity, or deſpaire; What mean you oh ſleepers? ariſe and call upon your God, &c. and awaken him with your importunate cries, Let God ariſe, &c. But ſo much for that point, I come now to the fourth Doctrine, which is this;
God hath a time wherein he will awake and ariſe, Doct. 4 though he hath ſeemed before to be aſleep, you need not doubt of the truth hereof, you have the promiſe from Gods own mouth; Iſa. 33.10.Now will I ariſe, and oft in Scripture elſewhere, &c. And the ſervants of the Lord dare beleeve him upon his word, Pſal. 102.12. Thou wilt ariſe and have mercy upon Zion, God promiſeth it, and they beleeve it, and dare not do otherwiſe.
Now that which I ſhall endeavour to do, in the managing of this precious truth ſhall be theſe four things, viz.
Firſt, to open to you the meaning of the phraſe, what it doth import, and ſhew you, what it is for God to ariſe.
Secondly, I ſhall ſhew you what theſe Nows or times are when God will ariſe, and when his people may expect that he will exalt himſelf in their behalf.
Thirdly, The Grounds of it, why God will ariſe.
Fourthly, I ſhall improve it according to the ſeaſonableneſſe thereof.
Firſt, What it is for God to ariſe, I will ariſe, &c. God doth like himſelf, but he ſpeaks like man, for the infirmity of our fleſh; this I ſhall deſire you to carry along with you, while I open this expreſſion to you, for which purpoſe take this in Generall; look whatſoever this phraſe doth import amongſt men, you ſhall finde in Scripture the ſame things are attributed vntounto God, and God doth aſſume them to himſef when he doth ariſe for the deliverance of his people; Now this expreſſion amongſt men (namely) to ariſe, That is, to ariſe to the undertaking of ſome work, as the Encountring with, and the Conquering of an Enemy, as here it doth imply ſix or ſeven gradations, and you ſhall finde them all in Scripture to bee attributed unto God.
Firſt, to ariſe amongſt men, in the firſt degree of it doth implie an opening of the eyes, a man cannot ariſe till he be awaked: and this very thing you ſhall finde attributed to God, God himſelf uſeth the expreſſion, Exod. 3.7, 8.I have ſurely ſeen the affliction of my people, &c. God hath ſeemed for ſome hundreds of yeers together, to have been aſleep, and all that while to have taken no care what became of his people, in Egypt, therefore the firſt newes of Deliverance comes to them in this language, God is awaked and hath ſeen your affliction, &c.
Secondly, It doth imply a taking of counſell: Counſell is nothing elſe, but the awaking and raiſing of the Intellectualls to any undertaking, and this alſo God doth aſſume to himſelf: You may hear him calling all his Enemies to take notice of the counſell which he took againſt them. Ier. 49.20. Therefore heare the Counſell of the Lord, that he hath taken against Edom, Ier. 49.20.and his purpoſe that he hath purpoſed againſt the Inhabitants of Teman; Surely the leaſt of the flock ſhall draw them out: Surely he ſhall make their habitation deſolate with them, and ſo Chap. 51.11. there God ſpeaks thus; My deviſe is againſt Babylon, to deſtroy it: this is the ſecond ſtep of Gods vengeance, God had opened his eyes to ſee the opreſſions of his people in Babylon, (as formerly in Egypt) and now God calls (as it were) a Councell of War, how he may execute his vengeance upon Babylon; The vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his Temple.
Thirdly, it implieth reſolution, a man is up when his ſpirit and reſolutions are up; Iſa. 14.24, 25, 26.and this is attributed unto God alſo; as I have thought, (ſaith God) ſo it ſhall ſtand: God had a long time lyen ſtill, and then they began to trample God and his people under foot, and God is reſolved to bear it no longer, therefore faith he, This is my purpoſe, I am determined what to do, I will caſt the Aſſyrians out of the Land.
Fourthly, Riſing amongſt men, implieth preparing and making ready for warre; preparing men, monies, Ammunition, and all other manner of warlike Artilleries, 2 Sam. 3.21.ſaith Abner to David; I will ariſe, and go and gather all Iſrael together, that is, I will prepare them for warre, and thus God is expreſt; Pſalm. 7.12, 13.If a man will not turn, hee will whet his ſword, hee hath bent his bow, and made it ready, hee hath alſo prepared his inſtruments of death, &c. Hear, and tremble, and deſire the people of God to pray for you, (if there be any of the enemies of God, and his people here this day) you are all dead men, God hath whet his ſword, and bent his bow, and made it ready againſt all that are up in Arms againſt him and his people, how can you eſcape?
Fifthly, Another ſtep or gradation, in mans, and ſo in Gods riſing, in the ſence mentioned is, The putting on of the Armour, the harneſſing of himſelf for the Battell: Then is a man up, when he hath put on his clothes; and then is a Souldier up, when hee hath put on his Armour: and this alſo is ſpoken of God by the Prophet, in Elegant language (as hee was taught by the holy Ghoſt) And hee looked, and there was no man, Iſaiah 59.17.and hee wondred there was no Interceſſour, therefore his own Arm brought ſalvation, &c. He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal, as with a cloak. Thus you ſee God armed, from head to foot, then wo bee to his enemies, for it follows; Verſe 18.According to their deeds, accordingly will hee repay fury to his adverſaries, recompence to his enemies, to the Ilands he will repay recompence.
Sixtly, It doth imply a Marching toward the enemie: It was the word which David ſpake unto the Generall, Ariſe and purſue him, leſt he get him walled Cities; and eſcape us, &c. 2 Sam. 20.6.And this is the word that is proclaimed before the Lord of Hoaſts: Be ſilent, O all ye Nations, for God is raiſed up, Zach. 2. ult.out of his holy habitation, &c. It is not ſaid, God is riſen up in his holy habitation (he had done this before) but the Lord is raiſed up, out, &c. Hee is gone forth, hee is upon the March, going towards the Enemy; Thou didſt march through the Land in indignation, and then is he riſen indeed. Hab. 3.12.There is but one gradation more to perfect it:
Seventhly, And that is, a Joyning with, and encountring of the Enemie in Battell; and this is attributed unto God alſo. He will ariſe againſt the houſe of the wicked: Iſaiah 31.2.And if God and the enemie be once at it, you may eaſily know who will have the beſt. What David ſung of Jonathans Bow, and Sauls ſword, may much more be celebrated of God, 2 Sam. 1.22. From the bloud of the ſlain, and the fat of the mighty, the Bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the ſword of Saul returned not empty. When once God hath drawn his ſword, hee will not put it up, before he hath drawn the bloud of his Enemies. Iſaiah 27.1.In that day the Lord with his ſore, and great, and ſtrong ſword, ſhall puniſh Leviathan, &c. When God hath drawn this Sword, and cloſeth, and fighteth with his enemies, then there is nothing to bee expected but the execution of that vengeance threatned. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord, Ezek. 25.13.I will ſtretch out my hand againſt Edom, and will cut off man and beaſt from it, and make it deſolate, &c. Thou didſt march through the Land in indignation, Hab. 3.12.thou didſt threſh the heathen in anger.
This is the higheſt, and laſt ſtep in Gods riſing; when he hath made all preparations, and marcheth towards them, and not onelyonly faceth them, but joynes battell with them. Now all theſe things, God doth two wayes.
Firſt, when he doth it by ſecond cauſes, as in the place laſt quoted; I will execute all my vengeance by the hand of Iſrael, &c. and when God doth a waken his people, and furniſh them with weapons of war, for their own defence, and for the executing of his vengeance upon their enemies; what they do, God himſelf is ſaid to do, becauſe it is, both by his Commiſſion, and in his ſtrength.
Secondly, God doth all this, immediatly himſelf, by his own Arm. Iſaiah 59.17.I looked, and behold there was no man, ſo mine own Arm brought ſalvation, and my righteouſneſſe that ſuſtained me, &c. So did God ariſe, and go forth for the deliverance of his people; when by one Angel he ſlew a hundred fourſcore and four thouſand, Iſaiah 37.36.in one night, of his enemies.
Thus you ſee (in part) what it is for God to ariſe, and what it doth import, namely:
The opening of the eyes.
The taking of counſell.
The putting on of reſolution.
The preparing of Artillery, and weapons of death.
The putting on of Armour.
The marching towards the Enemie, and
The cloſing with them in Battell.
All which God doth, either by his people, when hee fills them with reſolution, and ſtrength; or when he doth it by his own more immediate Arm.
Now for the ſecond Quaere, ſc. what thoſe nows be, Quaere. 2 or what be thoſe times, when God will thus ariſe, and exalt himſelf, in the ſcattering of his enemies.
I finde in Scripture, ten ſpeciall nows, or ſeaſons, when God will thus ariſe.
Firſt, When God hears his people ſigh and groan, under the tyranny of their oppreſſours; As at ſuch times they do call and cry: Awake, why ſleepeſt thou? ariſe O Lord, Pſal. 44.23.caſt us not off for ever: Wherefore hideſt thou thy face, &c. ut ſup. So, God hath engaged himſelf by promiſe to ariſe for their reſcue, Pſal. 12.5.For the oppreſſion of the poor, and ſighing of the needy, Now will I ariſe, ſaith the Lord, and ſet him in ſafety, from him that puffeth at him. The people of God ſigh, and cry under their inſupportable burdens; in the mean time their oppreſſours puffe at them, and laugh them to ſcorn, and think to ſwallow them up with open mouth, ſaith God. Now will I ariſe, and ſet them in ſafety, &c. Iſa. 52.5, 6.And again, Now therefore what have I here, ſaith the Lord, that my people is taken away for nought, and they that rule over them make them to howl, ſaith the Lord, &c. Therefore my people ſhall know my Name. Ile bear it no longer.
Secondly, Another now, when God will ariſe is, When the enemy doth ariſe in his pride, and begins in his own conceit to bee more then man: When Pharaoh asked, Who is the Lord, that I ſhould let Iſrael go, then God aroſe and made him know to his coſt, who he was. Pharaoh knew no God but himſelf; but ſaith God, I will make him know another God above him, before he and I have done. For this very purpoſe, God is ſaid to bee terrible to the Kings of the earth, and cuts off the ſpirits of Princes. The Kings of the earth and Princes of the world, if God let them go on and proſper in their deſperate deſignes for a time, they will not acknowledge him to be God, but think to carry out with an arme of omnipotence, till God comes upon them, Dan. 4.31.in a terrible manner, and cuts off their ſpirits, and layes them for dead at his feet; that they may know that the moſt high God ruleth in the Kingdom of men. The Church was glad of ſuch an opportunity to awaken God up to her aid *Pſal. 9. vlt.Ariſe O Lord, that the Heathen may know themſelves to be but men, as if he ſhould have ſaid, Lord, theſe proud Heatheniſh Tyrants think they are ſo many gods; they know no God, but their own ſtrength, and their own wiſdome, &c, But Lord do thou ariſe, and make them know that they are but dying men, and that thou onelyonly art the living God. And ſo elſewere, God in this caſe (ſenſible of this affront) how emphatically and angerly he ſpeakes to that proud Prince of Tyrus; Eze. 28.6.9.When his heart began to ſwell above the thoughts of a man, thus ſaith the Lord God, becauſe thou haſt ſet thy heart as the heart of God, behold therefore, I will bring ſtrangers upon thee, and they ſhall draw the ſword againſt thee, v. 9.thy beauty and thy wiſdome ſhall depart, &c. And in verſ. 9. God jeers the Tyrant thus, wilt thou yet ſay before him that ſlayeth thee, v. 10.I am God? but thou ſhalt be a man, and no God in the hand of him that ſlayeth thee; When the ſword of the Executioners of my vengeance is in thy bowels, wilt thou ſay I am God? I will make thee change thy voice before I have done; I will make thee know I am God, and thou but man, when thou ſhalt die a baſe and ignominious, death, the death of the uncircumciſed.
A third Now is, when the people of God are perſecuted for Gods ſake, when God and truth and Religion is the onelyonly quarrell; Pſal. 44.22.and this Argument doth the Church plead for her ſelfe, For thy ſake are we killed all the day long, we are counted as ſheep for the ſlaughter, as if they ſhould have ſaid, it is true Lord, we are not ſo good as we ſhould be, but truly the Enemies do not perſecute us becauſe we are ſo bad, but becauſe we are no worſe: The quarrell is, That we are thine, and deſire to ſtand for thy Cauſe, v. 23. v. 26.and for thy truth; And therefore upon this conſideration ſhe bottoms her petition, and doubles it, verſes 23, 26. Awake, why ſleepeſt thou, O Lord? ariſe, caſt us not off for ever, ver. 26. Ariſe for our help and redeem us for thy mercies ſake: And as upon this ground the Church beggs, Iſaiah 66.5.ſo upon the ſame God promiſeth her Deliverane; Hear the Word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his Word: your brethren that hated you, that caſt you out for my Names ſake, ſaid, let the Lord be glorified, but he ſhall appear to your joy, and they ſhall be aſhamed, becauſe they were excommunicated and exiled; and reproachfully uſed, for no other reaſon but becauſe Gods Name was called upon them, God promiſeth to ſtir up himſelf and appear for their Redemption; Pſal. 60.4.And this promiſe you finde made good, Thou haſt given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be diſplayed, becauſe of thy truth: Becauſe the people of God ſtood up for the Truth of Doctrine, and Diſcipline, for the truth of Worſhip and pure Ordinances, therefore God gave them a banner, that is, for deliverances and victories, over their Enemies, freſh and frequent occaſions of triumph and joy: Becauſe the truth of God was precious in their eyes, therefore their lives were precious in Gods eyes.
A fourth Now of Gods riſing is, when the Enemies grow outragious and unſatisfiable in cruelty, See that place, Iſa. 33.8. Iſa. 33.8.The high waies lye waſte; the wayfaring man ceaſeth: hee hath broken the covenant, he hath deſpiſed the Cities, he regardeth no man. See there how the enemie in his pride and cruelty had laid all waſte, the land before him was a Garden of Eden, Behinde him a deſolate wilderneſſe there was no pity nor humanity left in him; ſaith God it is time for me to ariſe, If I ſit ſtill, they will not leave me one that fears my Name alive to praiſe me; I will hold no longer. I will ariſe: and that you may know God is in good earneſt, he trebles it. Now will I ariſe, Now will I be exalted, Now will I lift up my ſelf. Eſther 7.8.God ſeems to ask that angry queſtion, that Ahaſhuerus did concerning Haman. What will he force the Queen before my face? So ſaith God, What will they plunder and burne and tear up women with childe, and daſh the childrens brains againſt the ſtones and devour all before my face, and ſhall I let them alone? Nay, I will ariſe, and cut them off in the midſt of their rage and madneſſe againſt my people.
Fifthly, God doth riſe when his Enemies daringly begin to open their mouthes in curſed plaſphemies againſt him. Pſal. 74.22.God uſually ſuffers it not long at their hands, therefore the Church takes that hint of calling out God to her ſuccour, Pſal. 74.22.ariſe Lord, remember how the wicked men blaſpheme thee daily, three times this Argument is uſed in that Pſalm. q. d. Lord if our peace, and lives, and comforts were onelyonly concerned in this matter, we would have held our peace; but lord thy Glory lies at ſtake, wicked men take occaſion from thy Patience and long-ſufferance to blaſpheme thee to thy face; v. 18.doſt thou not hear how the fooliſh men rail upon thy name, and reproach thee daily? And what wilt thou do for thy great Name? Oh forget it not Lord, Forget not the voice of thine Enemies: v. 23.the tumult of thoſe that riſe up againſt thee, increaſeth continually.
Sixthly, When he ſeeth his people in a helpleſſe condition, and if he do not riſe, they muſt of neceſſity fall, and if he do not appear they muſt periſh: Deut. 36.32.when he ſeeth their power is gone; and there is none left, and when he ſeeth they are like to be ſwallowed up by the devouring Enemie, then he will ariſe: Then the Lord ſhall Judge his people, and repent himſelf concerning his ſervants.
Seventhly, When God ſeeth his people deeply affected with, and afflicted for, the ſufferings of the Saints, when they lay to heart the ſorrowes and ſufferings of Zion, This is an hour when God will ariſe: Pſal. 102.17.Thou wilt ariſe and have mercy upon Zion, Why? Oh ſaith ſhe the ſet time is come, I but how knew ſhe that? She will tell you, For thy Servants take pleaſure in her ſtones, and favour the duſt thereof: The prophet obſerv'd how the people of God behaved themſelves, when the Churches were in miſery, he could ſee them every where wringing their hands, and mourning for Zion, crying out; alas for Zion, this is Gods bebeloved Zion, whoſe ſtones ly in the duſt, and ſhe in her blood, &c. ſaith God, I can forbear no longer. If I hold my peace and do not ariſe and deliver them, theſe poore children will cry their eyes out of their head, and themſelves to death.
Now I will ariſe, &c. But,
Eightly, When gods people accept of their puniſhments: that is, Levit. 26.41.when under the afflictions that lie upon them, they are ſenſible of divine diſpleaſure; *1 King. 8.47.turn in upon themſelves, labour to finde out the *Joſh. 17.17.accurſed thing, the Achan that troubles Iſrael; acknowledge the equity of Gods dealings; *Nehe. 9.33.juſtifying God and judging themſelves. Yea not the Equity onelyonly, but the *Ezra. 9.13.moderation and indulgence of Gods proceedings, in laying the affliction farre beneath the provocation: and in conſcience of offended juſtice, labour to *Mich. 7.9.ſubmit and ly down at Gods feet; ſtudy Gods meaning, and labour to anſwer his expectation; to *Mich. 6.9.hear the rod and him that ſmites: when I ſay God ſees his people in ſuch a poſture, God hath them where he would, and then ſaith God; I will remember my Covenant with Jacob, Levit. 26.42.and alſo my Covenant with Iſrael, and alſo my Covenant with Abraham will I remember: and I will remember the land. Gods remembrance is a part, a degree of Gods Riſing, when God ſaies he remembers and ſees the affliction of his people, it will not be long before hee march forth for their Salvation; as you ſaw before.
Ninthly, When God ſeeth his people cordially and conficentiouſly engaging themſelves unto him in a ſure covenant to reforme their waies, and walk cloſely and humbly with their God; When they are like the Doves in the valleyes, weeping and mourning over their back-ſlidings and apoſtacies from God, and then come to joyn themſelves with God in a perpetuall Covenant, Iſa. 63.8.that ſhall not be forgotten, Now will I ariſe ſaith God, &c.
Surely theſe be my people, children that will not lye. &c.
I ſee theſe people comming to joyne themſelves in Covenant unto me in good earneſt; they are my people, and now I will be their God: They are my people that will not lye to me, and I will be their Saviour that will not fail them; I will deliver them. I will be their Saviour.
Tenthly, A tenth time of Gods riſing is; When his people are preparing a place for him to reſt in: Ariſe, O Lord, cries David, Pſal. 132.8.into thy reſting place both thou and the Ark of thy ſtrength.
When the houſe and worſhip of God is fill'd with pollutions and abominations, ſuch as his ſoul hates; God withdrawes himſelf; You may ſee a ſad Emblem of it in Ezekiels viſion, Eze. 20.4.where God firſt removes himſelf from between the Cherubims, to the threſhold of the houſe; and from thence unto the Mountaines, &c. Chap. 11.24.(by ſuch ſteps and degrees doth God depart from a people;) and the reaſon of this departure is given, Chap. 8. where you ſhall finde with what hidden Idolatries they had fil'd the Temple. Thus when there is no place for the ſoles of Gods feet to tread upon by reaſon of defilements, and pollutions in every place, Ier. 12.7.ſaith God, I have forſaken my hovſe, I have left mine Heritage.
But now when the people of God ariſe, and beſtirre themſelves to cleanſe the Houſe of God with Hezekiah; 2 Chro. 29.16.and to carry out all the uncleanneſſe, and to ſanctifie it according to the Lawes and Ordinances thereof; when they have made it a fit reſting place, for ſo holy a Majesty, Yea while they are doing of it with their whole heart; while they are yet upon the reſolution, as verſ. 3.4, 5.
Verſ. 3. Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my houſe: nor go up into my bed.
Verſ. 4. I will not give ſleep to mine eyes: or ſlumber to mine eye-lids. V. 5. Vntill I finde out a place for the Lord: an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob; I ſay while they are thus reſolving for God, they may comfortably invite, and expect Gods preſence; ariſe, O Lord, into thy reſting place, and God will make his way through the midſt of his Enemies, Verſ. 18.to come and take poſſeſſion, and ſay; This is my reſt for ever, here will I dwell, for have deſired it.
And thus you have the ſecond thing undertaken in this Doctrine. ſc: the Nowes, or Times, when God will Ariſe.
The third thing propounded are the Reaſons.
Which I will but touch upon and proceed. Reaſons.
I could give you divers in reference to
1. The Enemy.
2. The Church and people of God.
3. God himſelf.
But that I may not be burdenſome; becauſe I have hinted ſomething already to this purpoſe on the third Doctrine; I will but point at two that reſpects God himſelf, and given by God himſelf, in that, Iſa. 33.10. Now will I riſe ſaith the Lord, Now will I be exalted, Now will I lift vp my ſelf. There you have a two-fold reaſon, given in a two-fold cauſe. The moving cauſe and the finall cauſe; The moving cauſe, I will; and the finall cauſe, I will be exalted; I will lift up my ſelf. Gods will, there is the ground; Gods glory, there is the end; God will do it becauſe he will do it: The ſame good will and pleaſure of God that moved God to *Epheſ. 1.5.Elect them; the ſame good will & pleaſure of his, moves him to do all his works in them & for them. God will not let his people lie under the Tyranny and Crueltie of his Enemies for ever; *Pſal. 125.3.The rod of the wicked ſhall not rest vponupon the Lot of the righteous: It may be upon them, & it may lie upon them; but it ſhall not reſt upon them. God will not ſuffer wicked men to reproach his people and blaſpheme his Name for ever: Ezek. 20.I will riſe, ſaith God, I will work for my Names ſake; There I ſay is the moving Cauſe. And then,
I will be exalted; I will lift up my ſelf; All the while that God ſeemes to be ſtill, he is not known in the world, the wicked they begin to inſult and trample upon him, and dare him to his face, as it were, to do his worſt: Where is their God? 2 Pet. 3.4.And where is the promiſe of his coming? And let him make ſpeed and haſten his work that we may ſee it; and let the Counſell of the Holy One of Iſrael draw nigh and come, that we may know it. Iſa. 5.19.Thus the Enemies do tempt and provoke God to their own deſtruction.
And truely his own people do notknow him nor magnifie him, nor ſet him up, as they ought, by ſanctifying him in their hearts, by truſting in him, and waiting for him; Iſa. 8. Hoſea. 8.2.ſo much is implyed in that promiſe: Iſrael ſhall crie unto me, My God I know thee. Iſrael had thought ſhee had known God before, but ſhe did not; Iſrael ſhall cry, My God I know thee.
Thus that God may be known in the world, both by friends and foes; that the Enemies may know him, to their Confuſion, and Iſrael may know him, to their Conſolation; That God may be Somebody in the world; God hath times to Ariſe for the reſcue and deliverance of his people:
Now will I Ariſe, Now will I be Exalted, Now will I lift up my ſelf.
God will bee known to be himſelf, and all the world ſhall acknowledge it. Num. 14, 21.All the earth ſhall be filled with the glory of God.
This ſhall ſuffice to have pointed at for the Reaſons.
I ſhould come now in the fourth place, to make ſome Ʋſe of this; But to expedite my work, I ſhall ſtep on to the fifth Doctrine, and then we will improve them both together.
The fifth Doctrine therefore is;
Gods riſing time, Doct. 5 is the enemies flying time.
Let God ariſe, and let his enemies be ſcattered, let them that hate him, flie before him.
Let us flie from the face of Iſrael, Exod. 14.25.cried the Egyptians, for the Lord fighteth for them, againſt the Egyptians.
It muſt needs be ſo;
For God and wicked men cannot endure one another, Reaſons. they hate God, as you ſee in the Text, and God *Pſal. 11.5.hates them; As God once ſaid of the three wicked ſhepherds.
My. Zach. 11.8.ſoul loathed them, and their ſoul loathed me. As the proud Angel turn'd Devill, got as far from God as he could go, ſo do wicked men: There is that Antipathy between them, that cannot bear one anothers preſence; Therefore ſay they to the Almighty, Job 21.15.depart from us, for wee deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes: And if they cannot endure Gods preſence, as a Teacher, how will they endure his preſence as a Judge? If they cannot abide his preſence, as a ſin-reproving God, how will they abide it as a ſin-revenging God? Surely that preſence of God is ſo unſupportable, that you may hear them willing to exchange it for the burden of rocks and mountains, Revel. 6.16. They ſaid to the Mountains and Rocks, Revel. 6.16.fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that ſitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. And as they cry to God, Depart from us, ſo God, when he ariſeth, he anſwers them in their own language, and ſpeaks to them in his wrath; Depart from mee: and this is their miſery, they have the firſt word, but God will have the laſt: Matth. 7.23.Depart from me yee workers of iniquity. Unhappy caitive that ever he was born, unto whom that ſhall bee the laſt word God will ſay, Object. Depart from me.
You will ſay perhaps, that is in the day of Judgement, when Chriſt comes to reveal himſelf in flaming fire, 2 Theſſ. 1.7, 8.rendring vengeance on them that do not know him, &c.
Truely, theſe Riſing times of God, are Gods Petty-Seſſions; Anſw. they bee little dayes of Judgement, Pſal. 9.7.wherein the Thrones being prepared for Judgement, hee will make inquiſition for bloud; for the bloud of his people, cauſeleſly, Verſ. 12.and cruelly ſpilt by the enemies; and ſurely even of theſe leſſer dayes of Judgement, the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks as well as of that laſt and great day:
The ungodly ſhall not ſtand in judgement, Pſal. 1.7.nor ſinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Gods riſing time, is their ſcattering, their flying time.
But how do the enemies of God know when God ariſeth, Queſt. that they make ſuch haſt to flie from his preſence, Hee being the inviſible God?
God makes them to perceive his riſing and approach towards them, ſometimes in a ſecret, Anſw. but alwayes in a very ſenſible and terrible manner.
And that partly by ſome
Inward impreſſions upon their ſpirits and conſciences.
Outward demonſtrations, apparent to their ſenſes.
Firſt, Sometime by ſome inward and ſecret impreſſions, Anſw. 1 upon their ſpirits and conſciences, by ſome ſecret convictions, and ſelf-condemnations ſeizing upon their conſciences.
This being the unhappineſſe of all wicked men, and haters of God, that though they have murthered their conſciences, in reſpect of the inſtigative, and directive Office of conſcience, they cannot kill it in reſpect of the accuſing, condemning, and executing office of conſcience. Though they have kil'd conſcience as a Preacher, they cannot kill conſcience as a Judge and executioner; or if they have wounded, and ſeared conſcience ſo, that it ſeems to lie dead for a time, yet this is their miſery, when God awakes, conſcience will awake too, when God ariſeth, conſcience revives, to take Gods part againſt them, and that in a double reference.
Firſt, In reference to their perſons; conſcience will ariſe, when God ariſeth to tell them that they are none of Gods, as you ſee in Cain; conſcience began to miſgive, ſad and ominous forebodings there lay upon his ſpirit, that God had choſen his brother, and rejected him; conſcience began to tell him, that God hated him, and that was the ground of his malice againſt his brother, and againſt God too: And ſo it is with wicked men, the haters of God, when God ariſeth againſt them: As God gives his children ſome praelibations, and praeguſtations of his love, and of that glory to which he hath ordained them, ſealing them up to the day of redemption; ſo God gives his enemies ſome prae-apprehenſions, and fore-taſtings, ſome ſecret earneſts, and impreſſions of his wrath, and finall rejection, ſealing them as it were up to eternall perdition. Oh ſaith their conſciences, God hates me; Oh that I were above God, &c.
Secondly, In reference to their cauſe; they that have ſhut their eyes againſt the light, and would not be convinced by the Miniſters of God, of the wickedneſſe, and helliſhneſſe of the cauſe they undertook, when God awakes, and conſcience awakes, then they begin to confeſſe it: Oh ſaith Judas, I have ſinned in betraying innocent bloud; and ſo will wicked men; yea, ſo have ſome of the enemies of God been heard to confeſſe, when they have lien gaſping of the wounds they have received in the Battell; Oh we have a damn'd cauſe; Oh ſaid a poor dying wretch in the Weſt to our Souldiers, As ſoon as we ſaw you, our hearts failed us, for wee know our cauſe is damn'd. There is an hand of divine truth, and juſtice in it, making good that threatning, Iſaiah 26.11.Lord, when thine hand is lifted up, they will not ſee, but they ſhall ſee, and be aſhamed. They that will not ſee to timely repentance, ſhall ſee to finall ſhame and confuſion. In a word, this is the thing I ſay, The enemies and haters of God, may, and do, ſin away a ſin-preventing conſcience, but they cannot ſin away a ſin-condemning, a ſelf-executing conſcience; when the command cannot finde a conſcience, wrath will finde a conſcience, the curſe will finde a conſcience, and this will bee the worm that never dies. I have heard of a poor wretch, that lived an Atheiſt all his life, and when he came to die, conſcience began to revive, and he to cry out, Oh what will become of mee, if there be a God? Unhappy man is he, that ever he was born, who concludes himſelf undon, if there be a God.
And thus God makes his enemies, perceive his approach, by ſome inward impreſſions upon their ſpirits.
Secondly, he makes them perceive it, Anſw. 2 by ſome outward demonſtrations, lyable to their very ſenſes:
As 1. By the ſtupendious acts of his power and providence, which God puts forth for his people, before their eyes; as the dividing of the Red-ſea, and cutting off the waters of Jordan, &c. See what tremblings and ſhaking terrors, this cauſed in the hearts of the Canaanites, Joſh. 2.9, 10.
2. By ſome ominous forerunners of wrath upon the enemies, ſometimes making them to hear the noiſe of multitudes of horſes and chariots, as hee did the Syrians, 2 Kings 7.6. Sometimes taking off their wheels, and troubling their hoaſt, as he dealt with the Egyptians in the Red-ſea; At other times, ſmiting the enemies with blindneſſe and madneſſe, as the Sodomites, and threatned, Zach. 12.4.
3. Sometimes, by putting a majeſty and dreadfulneſſe on his people, Cant. 6.10. Who is ſhe that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the Moon, clear as the Sunne, and terrible as an army with banners. If ſhee bee ſo, Pſal. 14.5.when ſhe is in her nuptiall habite, her brides attire; what, when in her Martiall accoutrements. There were they in great fear, becauſe God is in the generation of the righteous. God let out ſome beam of glory upon his people, and preſently the enemy fell a trembling.
4. By arming the very inanimate creatures againſt them; Sun, Moon, and Stars, fire, hail, ſtorms, tempeſt, earth, water, the whole Creation, all preſt to fight the battells of the Lord of Hoaſts.
5. By raiſing the ſpirits and courage of people above themſelves, to Lion-like, Angel-like proweſſe, and unconquerableneſſe of ſpirit; ſo that he that is weak among them, is as David, who ſlew the Lion, and the Bear; and he that is as David, becomes like the Angel of God, who went out and ſlew an hundred fourſcore and five thouſand in one night. Surely, when the Spirit of God comes upon his people, Armies, and legions of Armies are not able to ſtand before them, as you may ſee in Jephtah, Gideon, Samſon, David, and other the Worthies of the Lord of Hoaſts they cry; Let us flee, for the Lord fights for Iſrael againſt Egypt. They perceive God filling the ſpirits of his people with invincible courage, and taking their part, and betook themſelves to their heels.
Objection. But is this all the effect of Gods Riſing, that the Enemies ſhall be ſcattered onelyonly, and his haters put to flight? ſhall they eſcape by flying?
Anſwer. No ſure; This expreſſion implies more then a bare flight; For you know in war the Routing of the Enemie is the firſt degree of their ruine; when they begin to fly they begin to fall; Pſal. 18.37, 42.when once they turne the back, and break their ranks, they can make no reſiſtance, and then the Armies of God, and the God of Armies purſues them, ſlaying and beating them down with a great deſtruction, as David deſcribes it. I have purſued mine Enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were conſumed.
Verſ. 42. Then did I beat them as ſmall as duſt before the wind: I did caſt them out, as the dirt in the ſtreets. And therefore David deſires, no more but to ſee his enemies retreat and looſe ground, and begin to flie; he is then confident of the victory, Pſal. Pſal. 9.3.9.3. When mine enemies are turned back, they ſhall fall and periſh at thy preſence. Do they fly? Nay then I am confident, they ſhall fall and never riſe again.
So that in a word, Hab. 3.8.flying is but put Synechdochically, for their totall and finall periſhing and deſtruction, it muſt needs be ſo; for ſure they muſt fly faſt, whom God, when he rides upon his Horſes and Chariots of Salvation, cannot overtake.
I come now to the Ʋſe, Ʋſe 1 which ſhall be two-fold
1. Conſolation, or, Encouragement.
2. Exhortation, or, Engagement.
The firſt uſe ſhall be for Comfort or Encouragement, for are theſe Gods Riſing times? and is Gods Riſing time the Enemies flying time? Then hence for our Encouragement, we may take notice what time of day it is, though as yet we cannot ſee the Sun of Righteouſneſſe fully riſen in our horizon with healing in his wings, yet we may make ſome hopefull conjecture and gveſſe, that it is about Sun-Riſing: Our God is Riſing, yea already upon his March.
Look over elſe all thoſe ten Nowes, or Times wherein God hath engaged himſelf to riſe for his peoples Deliverance, and tell me which of them do you finde wanting upon our Times?
1. Doe not the people of God in divers places of the Kingdom (as in other parts of the Chriſtian world) ſigh and groan under their unſupportable burdens and oppreſſions?
Surely the cry of the poor and needy, that are plundered and ſtript naked of their ſubſiſtence, the crie of the poor captives, that are made to ſerve the luſts and cruelty of the Enemies of God in their own houſes; the crie of the fatherleſſe children and widdowes, Lam. 5.9.who are wandring up and down in perill of their lives to ſeek, bread to relieve their ſoules, becauſe of the ſword of the wilderneſſe; the cry of violence and oppreſſion, but above all, the crie of Blood is gone up to heaven, James 5.4. Gen. 4.10.and cries in the eares of the Lord of Sabbath: For if of one righteous Abels blood God ſaid unto Cain, The voice of thy brothers blood (bloods in the Hebrew) cryeth unto me from the ground; If every drop of Abels blood had a tongue to cry to God for vengeance, then how much lowder doth the blood of more innocent perſons then Abel had drops of blood in his body, powred out in England and Ireland, like water upon the ground, crie in the eares of a righteous God againſt the Fratricidious, yea and Parricidious Caines of our times; Vengeance, vengeance?
From heaven hath the Lord beheld the earth, Pſa. 102.19.20. Our priſoners at Oxford.even to hear the groaning of the priſoners, &c. his poor hunger-ſtarved priſoners; many of whom have given up the ghoſt for want of bread; and others that ſurviue, forced for hunger to rake the gutters and ſinkes of their mercileſſe enemies for a little ſtinking food to relieve their dying ſoules.
Surely all theſe ſighs and groans have forced their way into Gods preſence long before this time, Though men do not hear, friends cannot, and Enemies will not; yet God doth and will hear from the height of his Sanctuary.
Secondly, In the mean time doth not the Enemy carry himſelf, as if he were more then man? Surely, They are corrupt and ſpeak wickedly concerning oppreſſion; they ſpeak loftily, they ſet their mouth againſt the heaven, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Pſal. 73.9, 10.They will do this, and they will do that; and they will make the proudeſt of them ſtoop; Yea, have not ſome of them lately, as if they had been God, taken upon them to threaten the poor beſieged people of God with Eternall fire? Who yet within few houres after, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, died like a man; ſlain, as it is conjectured by the hand of a childe.
Thirdly, But thirdly, are not theſe enemie and haters of God grown to a ſtrange and unheard of height of cruelty! Surly, the very merceis of theſe wicked men ar cruell. Plunderings and firings, and down-right murders, are mercies with this Generation (of men ſhall I ſay? or incarnate Divels?) Oh when the ſtories of theſe Warres in Ireland and England ſhall be reported to the world, poſterity ſhall read and look pale, and be aſtoniſhed and ready to give up the Ghoſt for anguiſh of ſpirit; Yea Turkes and Infidels ſhall hear and be aſhamed to ſee themſelves ſo out-bid in cruelty, by them that call themſelves Chriſtians, and that one upon another. The land before them is as the Garden of God, and behinde them like a deſolate Wilderneſſe.
Fourthly, And weat is the Quarrell all this while, is it not Religion and the Truth of God? The truth of Doctrine, the truth of Diſcipline, the truth of Worſhip? May not the Parliament, and the Parliaments friends crie to God; For thy names ſake, O Lord, are we killed all the day long? Surely had not the Goſpel, and the Government of Jeſus Chriſt been precious in their eyes, they might have compounded for their civill Liberties upon infinitely cheaper termes then it hath coſt them already, and yet the Lord knows what it may coſt them more! but whatever it is, or may be, Happy England and happy they in England; that can ſay, For thy ſake, O Lord are we killed all the day long. Woe to them to whom God will ſay, when they ly gaſping of their wounds, Ier. 2.17.Haſt thou not procured theſe things unto thy ſelf? and ſtand and laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear comes.Prov. 1.26.
Fifthly, But in the next place, are not theſe Enemies, and haters of God as Blaſphemous againſt God, as they are outragious againſt his people? You have heard of their blaſpemies, I dare not repeat them, I tremble to think of them: Their blaſphemous imprecations of Damnation upon themſelves, are grown now to be their hope, their oath now with many of them is, as they hope to be damned; and it is nothing now with them to drink healths, to the confuſion of the Round-heads Parliament: unleſſe they may now alſo (I know not how to utter it) drink healths to the confuſion of the Round-heads God, many other blaſphemies I could tell you of, which the Divell may happily invent, but I dare ſay, he dares not vent, for he beleeves and trembles, neither of which theſe Belials do. Rabſhecah was a punie, and might have gone to chool to Oxford, to have learned to blaſpheme, of theſe monſters who have there taken many degrees in this black helliſh art: but I could wiſh they might be caſt into the pit from whence they came, that the ears of poſterity might never be defiled nor offended with the report of ſuch unheardof curſedneſſes.
Sixthly, In the midſt of all theſe blaſphemies againſt God and violences againſt Gods people, are not, or at leſt, were not the true Proteſtant partie that cleaves to God and the Parliament brought very low? Oh how low before the beginning of this Parliament? When the proud imperious Enemy had all the power both of Common and Martiall Law in their own hands, and not a man found that durſt open his mouth againſt them, but were preſently clapt up cloſe priſoners, or ſent into baniſhment, &c. How low have we been brought, and that more then once, ſince the Parliament ſate, and ſince providence hath put defenſive Armes into our hands? How oft have I ſeen men with their hands vponupon their Loyns, and pains take hold of them, as upon a woman in travell? How oft have many even of our moſt diſcerning Chriſtians, given all for loſt, meditating, and preparing for flight! How oft have we concluded of our ſelves, (in fits of unbelief) as thoſe captives in Babylon, Ezek. 37.11.Our bones are dryed, and our hope is loſt, we are cut off for our parts? The Lord pardon and helpe our vnbelief for Chriſts ſake.
Seventhly, However yet Sion and her ſtones, Jeruſalem and her afflictions, (wherewith the Lord hath afflicted her in the day of his fierce anger) findes compaſſion in the eyes and hearts of gods people; while they are ready to bring forth, not only their ſilver and gold, but have been contented to ſpend and to be ſpent, to engage ſtate, blood, lives, and whatever is dear unto them for the recovery of Zion out of the duſt; witneſſe the Well-affected of this City, who have bled themſelves almoſt into a conſumption, to fill Sions veines; and witneſſe our Dear Brethren of Scotland, who have put their lives in their hands to come forth to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord againſt the mighty. What meanes all thoſe frequent dayes of humiliation, both in publike and private, that are kept in this Citie, and other parts of the Kingdome, where the Wilde bore rageth not? Doubtleſſe either they are beſtowed upon the breaches and wounds of Sion, and Gods diſhonours, or elſe we are guilty of the deepeſt hypocriſie that ever people were; in which caſe woe, woe unto us.
Eightly, In theſe alſo, do they not profeſs to accept of the puniſhment of their Iniquities: Juſtifying God, judging themſelves; enquiring into the cauſe of that fierce wrath, that ſmoakes againſt us; and labouring to quench it with their tears, wreſtling with God for grace to anſwer his expectation.
Ninthly, And have not both Nations joyned themſelves to the Lord in an everlaſting covenant, never to be forgotten?
Tenthly, And is not one main deſigne in that Covenant Davids vow and Oath to the Lord, Pſal. 132.2.that they will not go into the tabernacle of their houſe, nor go up into their bed, that they will not give ſleep to their eyes, nor ſlumber to their eye-lids till they have found out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.
Surely beloved Chriſtians, if the people of God be but as cordiall in what they do, as the Enemies of God and his Chriſt are in their deſignes; if the people of God be but as ſincere as they are buſie and active, there is not one of all theſe Nowes mark't out in Scripture for Gods Riſing to the help and ſalvation of his Church, but it is to be found upon us and our times, in a fair and Legible character.
And now Noble Senators, and beloved friends, if one of theſe poſtures and conditions of the Church, or her Enemies, have been enough in former times to Raiſe God out of his holy habitation, to come forth for the reſcue of his bleeding languiſhing people, how much more (I pray obſerve it) how much more I ſay, when all theſe Ten ſeeme as it were by an happy conſpiracy, to meet together, and kiſſe each other in this hour of Englands Temptation? may we with an awfull and humble confidence, conjecture, if not conclude, that;
God is Riſen, God is Riſen: at leaſt
God is Riſing, God is Riſing, for the help of his poor oppreſſed people in England.
And if ſo then, as here is a word of Terror to Enemies, Ʋſe. 2 for Gods Riſing is their ſcattering, their flying time, Terror to the Enemies.ſo alſo here is a word of Exhortation to all you that are his friends, and I beſeech you ſuffer it.
It is the third and laſt vſe, an vſe of Exhortation.
In generall it is but this one word.
If God be Riſen, or Riſing;
Then all you that are his friends
Do you Riſe too.
It was the ſalutation of the Antient Chriſtians upon the Lords dayes in the morning; The Lord is Riſen, and they ananſwered one another; The Lord is Riſen indeed, So may we ſalute and anſwer one another, The Lord is Riſen, The Lord is riſen indeed; and let us withall ſtir up and awaken one another; Let us Riſe too: by our prayers we ſay, Let God Ariſe. Now in this word of Exhortation, let me call upon you, and do you call one upon another, Let all Gods people ariſe, &c.
This is the Uſe in generall: But that I may not ſpeak confuſedly, nor give an uncertain ſound, (for then who ſhall prepare himſelf to battell) it craves leave to divide it ſelf into theſe Ten diſtinct Branches; whereof the two laſt, ſhall bee the two Branches of the Doctrine that yet remains untoucht, and we ſhall briefly winde up all in ten words.
Firſt then, If God be Riſen, then let us Riſe in our Obſervations, take notice what God is doing in the World, and take notice what God is doing here in England: For ſhame Sirs, let not God ariſe, and we lie ſleeping in the bed of ſecurity, and ſupine inadvertency. Awake Barak, awake thou ſonne of Abinoam; Awake Chriſtians, and obſerve diligently what God is doing, either with us, or for us.
It is that word which God himſelf cauſes to bee proclaimed before him, when hee ſtirres up himſelf for the help of his Church. Zach. 2.13.Bee ſilent all fleſh before the Lord, for the Lord is raiſed up, out of his holy habitation. Silence is the note, or poſture, of exact & diligent attention; And this God expects from all the World, Be ſilent, oh all fleſh; much more from his own people, when hee is riſen out of his Sanctuary, and gone forth for their Redemption; as if he ſhould ſay, Peace, be quiet, ſtand ſtill, and behold the ſalvation of the Lord; Obſerve diligently what God is doing.
How elſe ſhall wee bee able to pray? As one ſayes of Preachers, they ſhould take their Text from Gods works, obſerve what God is doing, and Preach upon that; So I may ſay to Chriſtians, You ſhould make Gods works abroad in the World, the ſubject of your Prayers, and Prayſes at home; obſerve what God is doing, and pray upon it.
An Inadvertent Chriſtian, is an unpraying Chriſtian.
How elſe ſhall you be able to know the Lord, if you obſerve him not? Iſal. 9.16.The Lord is known by the judgements which he executeth: An unobſervant Chriſtian, is an ignorant Chriſtian. Who ſo is wiſe, Pſal. 107.1.and will obſerve theſe things, they ſhall underſtand the loving kindneſſe of the Lord. The Prophet had been diſcourſing of the works of Providence all the Pſalm through, and builds two Concluſions upon the Premiſſes.
Firſt, That it is a point of ſpeciall wiſdome, to obſerve what God doth in the various and wonderfull dispenſations of his providence: Who ſo is wiſe, will obſerve, &c. An unobſerving man, or woman is a fool.
Secondly, That this obſervation. is the next way to grow into the acquaintance with God, and the knowledge of his loving kindneſſe: For,
By this means, you may come to ſee all the Attributes of God; his Wiſdome, Power, Goodneſſe, Juſtice, Unchangeableneſſe ſhining forth in the wonderfull, and miraculous deliverances of his Church, and the ſtupendious deſtructions of the Enemies thereof.
By this means, you may come to bee acquainted with the faithfulneſſe of God, in making good the promiſes.
And by this means, you may come to bee acquainted with Gods love to you, in the anſwers and returns of your prayers. Wherefore, ſince ſo much of Gods glory, and your comfort, is bound up in this duty, let it be a mighty awakening call to your ſpirits, to ariſe in your obſervations.
Secondly, O ye people of God, riſe in your faith; Is God up, and ſhall our faith be down? Is God riſen out of his holy habitation, and ſhall our faith lie in bed? What a ſhame is it for Chriſtians, not to beleeve God further then we ſee him! What a ſad thing, that after ſo many cleer diſcoveries of God, in his word, and works, we ſhould not to this day, have faith enough to carry us from one miracle to another; to bee toſſed up and down in our hopes, as if God were one day upon his Throne, and the other day upon the threſhold. Chriſtians, let not the ſhield of faith hang by the walls any longer. Behold, the plots and conſpiracies of your Enemies ſhall be given up to the hands of your faith, there ſhall all your enemies be impriſoned, more then in ſtrong-holds, and fenced Cities. Let your faith bee fetters, and priſons to your adverſaries. Do but ſtudy and obſerve what faith hath done, and what Victories it hath been crowned withall in all Ages; and your hands ſhall be ſtrong: God crowns faith, becauſe faith crowns God. God loves faith above all other Graces, becauſe if God put a crown upon it, Pſal. 115.1.the modeſty of faith will come and lay it down at Gods feet; Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy Name give the praiſe. Why ſhould your hearts fail you: It is an awakening word, and remember it, I beſeech you: As for God his way is perfect, Pſal. 18.30.hee is a buckler to all that truſt in him: q. d. Follow God in the way of his promiſes, and providence, and you ſhall finde no crooked turning in it from one end to another; you ſhal not finde God ſtepping one foot awry; The word of the Lord is tried; there be millions of Saints that have tried it in all ages, and will be ready to bring in their letters-teſtimoniall for the truth of it; Hee is a buckler to all thoſe that put their truſt in him; Hee hath been Armour of proof to all thoſe that have truſted in his protection, which hath rendred them invulnerable, invincible, againſt all the Gun-ſhot and Artillery of men and devills. There is not a man to be found that can ſay, I have truſted in God and hee deceived me; no ſaith David, Thou never faileſt them that ſeek thee. Pſal. 9.10.The ſumme is thus much; You may trug God if you will and be ſafe; if not, ſecure your ſelves better where you can.
Sirs, I beſeech you, after ſo much experience of God, both others, and our own, let not God have cauſe to complain of us, as once of that people in the Wilderneſſe; Numb. 14.11.How long will this people provoke mee, and how long will it be ere they beleeve mee, for all the ſignes which I have ſhewed among them? If after all this, England ſhould periſh, which God forbid, this ſhall bee our Epitaph.
Matth. 13. ult.Hee could not do many mighty works there, becauſe of their vnbelief.
Riſe therefore in your faith.
Thirdly, Riſe in your courage, and reſolution, for behold, God is riſen, and ſeems to encourage us, as once his Iſrael; Fear not thou worm Jacob, Iſaiah 41.14.&c. What can bee more inconſiderable then a worm? and yet fear not thou worm Jacob; fear not thou worm England: A Worm, and a God ſhall be hard enough for all the World. Thou ſhalt threſh the mountains, and beat them ſmall, and ſhalt make the hils as chaffe. It is ſtrange work that a Worm ſhall make with the Mountains, when God ſtands by it.
It is the charge that God gives to all his Worthies, and Commanders, when they go out to Battell; this is the Word (FEAR NOT) And indeed Brethren, what is there in the Enemy, that we ſhould fear? Why ſhould we fear them, that fear not God? Their cauſe is damn'd, there conſciences are damn'd; Do you not hear how they rave for their own damnation; their power, and policie, their combinations, and all their preparations cannot ſtand before you: See them all ſufficiently jeered, by the people of God: Iſaiah 8.9.Aſſociate your ſelves, O ye people, and ye ſhall be broken in pieces, and give ear all ye of farre Countreys, gird your ſelves, and yee ſhall be broken in pieces; gird your ſelves, and yee ſhall bee broken in pieces, why? how comes it to paſſe that they are ſo contemptible? the reaſon is given verſe 10. Immanuel, for God is with us, God is Riſen, fear them not: Truely all the counſels, and conſpiracies, and tumult, and rage, of the enemies, are no more, then if you ſhould ſee a mad man ſtand upon his head, and ſhake his heels againſt the Sun.
Courage, courage, Noble Senators, Worthy Commanders, courage Chriſtians, God is riſen, and Gods riſing time, ſhall bee their ſcattering, Pſal. 2.their flying time; Then ſhall hee ſpeak to them in his wrath, and vex them in his ſore diſpleaſure, and make the proudeſt of them know that he hath ſet his Chriſt King upon his Holy Hill:
Alas what is the Chaſſe and the ſmoake when the winde riſeth, what the clouds when the Sun riſeth? What wax and ſtubble, When the fire riſeth? Behold, as ſmoake is driven away, Pſal. 68.2.ſo the haters of God ſhall be driven away; as the wax melteth before the fire, ſo the wicked ſhall periſh at the preſence of God. Ariſe in your courage, and the Lord ſhall make good that propheſie, Behold, the people ſhall riſe up as a great Lion, Numb. 23.24.and lift up himſelf as a young Lion; he ſhall not lie down till he eat of the prey, and drink of the blood of the ſlain.
Fourthly, If God be Riſen, Riſe in your zeal, riſe in your zeal. A patcht pie'ct reformation will not anſwer Gods expectation; Moſes reſolution was worthy your Imitation, we will not leave an Hoof behinde us. Exod. 10.25.In the building of the Temple there was not a board or a pin or a nail of the old Tabernacle vſed.
The Churches Reformation is called the New-heaven, and the New-earth, as for difficultie, ſo for beauty and perfection: Worthy Senators, remember that caution of the Apoſtle; Gal. 4.18.It is good to be zealouſly affected alwaies in a good thing: if ever any work was worth your zeal, the work you have in hand is; Riſe in your zeal; zeal is good in a good cauſe.
Fifthly, Riſe in your bounty, you have done much, do more; you have gone high, goe higher ſtill; Say as David, I will be more vile, &c. So you, I will be yet more liberall, I will be yet more for God, Away with thoſe ſhifts and carnall pretences (what ſhall I leave for my wife and children) I have ſo much owing me, and cannot get in my debts: trading is not as it hath been; I am out thus much already; They are (for the moſt part) but the Churles Inſtruments of which the Holy Ghoſt ſpeaketh. Iſa. 32.2.The Inſtruments of the Churle are cruell, he deviſeth wicked deviſes to deſtroy the poor with lying words. Hear this Oh ye covetous Mammoniſts, who withold your money and eſtates, when it is in the power of your hands to help, to help the Lord and the Kingdom, againſt the mighty; The holy Ghoſt puts you amongſt Theeves and Murderers; you are liſted among the Anti-chriſtian Enemies of Jeſus Chriſt who deſtroy his poore people: he that doth not ſave life when he may, deſtroics it: While in the mean time, of the willing people hear what God ſpeaks: But the liberall man deviſeth liberall things: he deviſeth how he may ſerve the Cavſe, he ſtudies which way he may do moſt good: You would think that were the next way to be undone, but mark what followes, by liberall things he ſhall ſtand, &c. Chriſtians be of good cheere, you that have been liberall to the Cauſe, even not onelyonly to your power, 2. Cor. 8.3.but beyond your power; This is not the way to undoe your families, but to preſerve them, by liberall things ſhall England ſtand, by liberall things ſhall London stand, be of good cheere, who ever thou art that haſt ſpent thy ſelf for God and his Cauſe, you have not onelyonly the publike faith of the Kingdome but the publike faith of Heaven alſo, for repaiment with advantage (by liberall things he ſhall ſtand) time may come, when what thou haſt lent to Chriſt and his Cauſe, may be all the livelyhood for thee and thy family to ſubſiſt on: when the reſt may bee plundered or burnt or taken away by violence, this may be thy ſtocke; and behold then it ſhall not repent thee of thy Liberality. If the Parliament ſhould never pay us a farthing, yet if all that God is worth in heaven or earth, be able to make thee ſatisfaction, thou ſhalt not be a looſer by thy bounty, And truly if God by this Parliament will give us but a Reformation, a through and ſetled Reformation, theſe Worthies will not die in our debts; yea though we ſhould not live to ſee it, yet if our little ones, may be brought into that good land, we ſhall have no cauſe to repent of our bargain: I pray God, while the poore well-affected inherit the Praiſe with the poore Widow, ſome rich covetous Mammoniſts do not carry away the curſe with Meroz; If you would not, Riſe in your bounty.
Sixthly, Let us Riſe in our Patience; we think perhaps we have waited long, and yet our deliverance comes not; but if God will have us wait longer, and longer yet, let us remember, we wait not ſo long on God, as God hath waited on us: and if we have put God to his How-longs? It is but a juſt and eaſie cenſure if God put us to our How-longs? And yet beleeve it Criſtians, Ier. 30.18.this preſent time we do not ſo much waite for God, as God waites for us. The Lord waits to be gracious. The Lord doth but waite for our faith, and our humiliation, and our reall Reformation; were we fit for it, Deliverance ſhould not tarry an hour longer. Let us not make more haſte out of our troubles, then good ſpeed; but remember who hath ſaid, Lam. 3.26.It is good that a man ſhould both hope, and quietly wait for the ſalvation of the Lord, It is good for a man, and it is good for a Nation, it is for a people to wait quietly for the ſalvation of the Lord; ſo did Jacob till his very dying day, on his death-bed he could ſay, Gene. 49.18.I have waited for thy ſalvation, O Lord, we ſay it is good to be delivered, it is good to have peace; it were good to have our trading again, I but what ſaith God? It is good to waite, it is good to bear the yoke, it is good to put ones mouth in the duſt, if ſo be there may be hope:
It is ſo indeed, and a good reaſon is given of it, Verſ. 25.
The Lord is good to them that wait for him, to the ſoul that ſeeketh him, That is, The Lord is better to ſuch a people then victory; The Lord is better then peace; The Lord is better then trading, &c. The Lord is better to ſuch a ſoul then a cure, if they be ſick; Then enlargement, if in priſon; then a Ranſome, if in the Enemies hand; better then a Deliverance, be they under what affliction ſoever. Oh friends, that you would ſtudy this Text! that you knew experimentally this truth! Yea, Oh if you would but ſtudie to know it! truly well may the Lord himſelf be better, for even a waiting frame of heart it ſelf is better then any of theſe; for all theſe are but gifts, a waiting frame of ſpirit is a grace; a people or perſon may have all theſe deliverances and periſh, never ſee Gods face; but there is none that poſſeſſeth ſuch a frame of Spirit, but he hath God to be his portion: it ſprang from the fountain of Gods ſpeciall love in Chriſt, and it will carry the ſoul back thither again.
And therefore remember that counſell of the Apoſtle, Iam. 1.4.Let patience have her perfect work. There is a work of patience; and there is a perfect work: for to ſtay and waite a yeer or two for a deliverance, is a work of patience, to bear ſmall trialls, and great trials is a work of patience, but to bear the greateſt trials, and to bear them as long as God will have them lie; Chap. 5.7, 8.to waite patiently till the coming of the Lord, (i. e.) till he come, and bring with him the merciemercy and Salvation, prayed for, and waited for, this is a work and a perfect work of patience. The Lord give us this, and it will be the greateſt kindneſſe that God can do for us.
Well, ſtudy it, pray for it; that as the trialls ſhall ariſe, ſo our patience may ariſe alſo: Pſal. 27. vlt.Let us be often renewing Davids charge upon our ſoules. Wait thou on the Lord, be of good courage and he ſhall ſtrengthen thy heart, wait I ſay on the Lord.
Riſe in your patience.
Seventhly, Riſe in your mutuall love one towards another; God is Riſen up against our Enemies, ſhall we riſe up one againſt another? God forbid: Hear the Apoſtle;
If ye bite and devour one another, Gal. 5.15.take beed ye not conſumed one of another. Truly friends, it were better the Cavaleeres ſhould deſtroy us, then ever it ſhould be reported abroad in the world, that praying Chriſtians did deſtroy and devour one another: it would be leſſe ſcandall and reproach to Chriſt and his Goſpell.
For the diviſions of Reuben there are great thoughts of heart; for the diviſions of London, and the Miniſters and profeſſors in London, and elſewhere, are great ſearchings of heart; I profeſſe to you Sirs, I fear them more, then I do all the power and policie of the blaſphemous Enemie; Yea, I know they promiſe themſelves more from our diviſions; then they do from all their own combinations. Let us ſtudy I beſeech you to diſappoint and baffle their expectations. To that end hear the Apoſtle moſt pathetically wooing of you, Phil. 2.1, 2.If there be any conſolation in Chriſt, if any comfort of love; if any fellowſhip of the ſpirit, if any bowels, and mercies; Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the ſame love, being of one accord, of one mind. If you cannot hit it to be of one minde, yet I beſeech you labour to be of one heart: why ſhould we not?
One body, one Spirit, one Hope, one Faith, one Lord, one Baptiſme, Epheſ 4.4, 5, 6.one God, one Father of all, who is above all, through all, in all; yea (at this preſent) One common Anti-chriſtian Enemie; One Cauſe, one ende, are not here Ones enough to make us one too? I remember a ſad complaint of Auguſtine, of the Chriſtians of his time; and we are ſo unhappy as to revive it: The Heathen (ſaith he) have many gods, and falſe Gods, and yet they can agree, but Chriſtians have but one God, and the trve. God, and they fall together by the eares. This was his Lamentation, and this may be our Lamentation. Chriſtians, you that love the peace and welfare of Sion, labour to be healers of theſe breaches; while too too many make it their deſigne to caſt on ayle, (and I know from whence they are ſet on work, even from Hell and Oxford) make it your buſineſſe to caſt water on theſe coales, leaſt at length they break out into devouring-flames and there be none to quench them. At leaſt, if the multitude ſhould be ſo mad as to foment their own ruine, yet let the leaders of the people ſtudie to preſerve the unity of the ſpirit, in the bond of peace: Oh that thoſe Caeleſtiall Luminaries, that ſhine upon inferiour bodies, with ſo ſweet and enlivening influence, ſhould look upon one another ſometime with a Malignant aſpect. I could be contented with all my ſoul, to give the beſt blood that runs next my heart, for the reconciling of theſe uncomely, unnaturall, (I had almoſt ſaid unneceſſary differences among Brethren, were it not to widen that diſtance, I would compoſe) But there is better blood paid for this purchaſe already, infinitely better blood, and my prayer and hope ſhall be that that blood which hath been effectuall to the Reconciling of us, to God the Father, may be efficacious alſo to reconcile us one to another, till we come into the unity of Faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto the perfect man, unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſſe of Chriſt.
Well. Ariſe in Love.
Eightly, Ariſe in Holineſſe: Our Holy God is Riſen let us ariſe in Holineſſe; let us labour to be holy as he is holy; 1 Pet. 1.15.that an Holy God may finde us an holy people and take delight to walk in the midſt of us: and may not be aſhamed to be called our God; Heb. 11.16.we have contented our ſelves long enough with Formes, Formes of prayer, and formes of duties, and *Rom. 2.20.formes of knowledge, and a *2 Tim. 1.5.forme of Godlineſſe: Let us now labour for the power of Godlineſſe; To be Chriſtians in good earneſt, not in word only but in the purity and the power of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt.
Add to your faith, vertue, and to your vertue knowledge, and to your knowledge, temperance; 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7.and to your temperance patience, and to patience, godlineſſe; and to godlineſſe, brotherly kindneſſe, and to brotherly kindneſſe, charity. Chriſtians, ſtudy your additions, be ſtill adding duty, to duty; one grace to another; one degree of grace to another, and the exerciſe of one grace to another.
Content not your ſelves with your former ſtints in profeſſion, and with your wonted formes of godlineſſe; get Pauls ambition; Pſal. 3.13.I forget the things that are behinde, and I preſſe forward toward the mark of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus. Verſe 11.If by any meanes I might attain to the reſurrection of the dead. He knew there would bee perfection in the Reſurrection, and if it were poſſible hee would fain have attained to it on this ſide the grave; hee knew there was ſtill more to be attained unto then he had attained, and therefore hee preſt forward ſtill, ſtriving to bee as holy as the condition of mortality was capable of. O let the ſame minde be in you, as was in Paul: I tell you, our grace is not ſufficient for the the times wee live in already; wee are not godly enough, for the deliverances wee have had already; nor for the Ordinances which we now enjoy. You call for purer Ordinances, and more refined Congregations, when as alas, your holineſſe is not high enough for the preſent; and how then will you hold out with a pure and perfect reformation: I tell you, if you have purer Ordinances; and more powerfull Preaching, and if you do not labour for holineſſe proportionable, your condition will be far worſe then ever it was; if God give you new heavens, and a new earth, and you get not new hearts, you are undone.
Ninthly, Let us Riſe in prayer; Our God is riſen, and hath done great things for us, whereof wee are glad. Let us follow him with Jacob-like importunity, and reſolve not to let him go, till he bleſſe us; till he bleſſe us with the perfecting of the work he hath begun in us, and for us: We have prayed, let us pray yet oftner, longer, lowder; let us beſiege heaven with our prayers, and take it by violence. Let us carry our ſelves ſo (with holy reverence be it ſpoken) that God may never look to have an houres reſt, till hee give reſt to Sion: *Vis iſta non ingrata eſt Deo, ſed vehementer accepta. Berh.With ſuch violence, God is well pleaſed.
I have certainly obſerved a fault among Chriſtians; and that is, when they obſerve a mercy comming, they begin to withdraw prayer, and cool in their fervencie and importunity. I wiſh from my ſoul, this may not be the fruit of the Victories which God hath lately given us in Cheſhire, in the North, in the Weſt, &c. whereas Chriſtians ſhould then double their importunity, and with their Saviour, pray yet more fervently. The behaviour of the Saints in this Kinde is very obſerveable, towards the end of the 70. yeeres Captivity in Babylon, when one would have thought that the ſtrength of the Spirit of propheſie that began then to ſtir in thoſe times would have delivered the Jewes alone out of thoſe throwes and panges, without the help of prayer, yet even then doth Daniel give himſelf up to faſting and prayer: And about that time, Interpreters do conceive, Dan. 9.1, 2.either Daniel himſelf, or ſome other of the Prophets, did in the behalf of the Church pen the 102. Pſalme, as a modell upon which the people of God in captivity ſhould forme their prayers, that God would ariſe and have mercy upon Sion; The whole Pſalme is nothing elſe but a Bedroll of Arguments wherewith thoſe children of Jacob ſhould wreſtle with God for the accompliſhment of that great expiring promiſe; and ſo the Spouſe in the Revelations, the neerer her Bridegroome was, Revel. 22.20.the more pathetically ſhe importunes his coming, I come quickly ſayes the Bridegroome; yea and to put it out of doubt, he ſets his ſeal to it, ſurely I come quickly: Yet not content with this, the Spouſe ecchoe's this promiſe back again with the voice of an holy reſtleſſe impatience of any delay, Verſ. 21.Even ſo come Lord Jeſus. And it is no more then is commanded all beleevers; Looking for, and haſtening to the coming of the day of God, 2 Pet. 3.12. foreign, &c. properantes adventum. Iſa 62.8, 9.the Greeke reads it, haſtening the coming, &c. Let us learn this holy impatience & importunity, in haſtning the coming of this day of God, for Englands full, and perfect Deliverance and Reformation; You that are the Lords remembrances, ariſe and give the Lord no reſt till he eſtabliſh and make this our Jeruſalem a praiſe in the midſt of the earth.
This ſhould have been the firſt branch of the Sixth Doctrine. Let God Ariſe.
Let us make it our daily vſe. The Text gives you; Motives. ſc:
Firſt, That Generation againſt which we pray, are not onelyonly our Enemies, but Gods too, His Enemies, Them that hate him.
Secondly, They are alreadie Doom'd and Damned to deſtruction; They ſhall be ſcattered; They ſhall flie, They ſhall be driven away; They ſhall melt, They ſhall periſh.
Thirdly, All this may be eaſily done; it is but God Riſing, there needs no more but Gods, appearance, let God but ſhew himſelf in the field, and they are all but dead men.
With theſe arguments ſtrengthen your weak hands and feeble knees, to wreſtle with God, as Marriners, the neerer the Ancor comes into the ſhip the harder they pull, the lowder they cry; So do ye with the Anchor of Hope, now drawing neer, &c.
There is certainly a ſpirit of Propheſic, ſtirring in theſe times, and labouring to the birth; Oh now if the Spirit of prayer come in to the Travell and beſtir it ſelf mightily, I am humbly confident it will not be long ere the Church of God in theſe Kingdomes, be delivered of a Man-childe, the birth whereof, will make us forget all our labour and ſorrow.
Tenthly, Interim let us Riſe in our Praiſe and thanks-givings.
God is Riſen, and hath done great things for us already, whereof were glad; and for which we have great cauſe to Riſe in our Thankfulneſſe.
This alſo is a duty in the Text, the words being ſpoken by way of praiſe as well as of prayer. The whole pſalme is nothing elſe but a Triumph for the bringing home of the Arke and the ſetting of it up in his place, as alſo for the celebration of thoſe many victories and Salvations which God had vouchſafed the Church under Davids Government: And ſo this ſhould have been a ſecond branch, in the Seventh Doctrine, in the Text, but let us make it up into an Ʋſe; and the Lord make us yet more cordiall and skilfull in this heavenly Angelicall dutie. He hath exalted us, let us exalt him, it was Davids reſolution, I will extoll thee O God for thou haſt lifted me up, &c.
Let us cloath our ſelves with the ſame reſolution; And, Let us exalt God. And that,
Firſt, In our thoughts; Get great, and good, and high thoughts of God, let us be taken up in the admiration of his Wiſedome, Power, Faithfulneſſe, and All-ſufficiency, &c. God is awak't out of ſleep, like a mighty man refreſh't with wine; Pſa. 103.1. vlt.Let us awaken and call up all within us to praiſe the Lord; our memoris to recount the worthy acts of the Lord; our underſta-dings to conſider them; Let us do with Deliverances as you do with your Watches, take them in pieces, and view the ſeverall materials and contrivances of them: Let us call up our wills to praiſe God; I will praiſe thee, O my God; our affections to ſolace them in the contemplation of the wonders of mercy done for us: Oh that we could Work our hearts ſo into the thoughts of God and his Workes, that we could ſay with David. How precious are thy thoughts to me, O God? Pſal 139.17, 19How great is the ſumme of them, they are more in number then the ſand, when I awake I am ſtill with thee.
Secondly, Let us exalt him in our mouthes; Pſal. 66.17.I cryed to him with my mouth and hee was extolled with my tongue; If we have cried to him with our mouthes, and he hath heard, and anſwered, it is but our duty we ſhould extoll him with our tongve: and we may ſay ſo; Wee have called, and hee hath anſwered; We have cried, and he hath ſaid, here I am. Yea behold, while this day wee have been preſenting our ſupplications unto him he hath ſent in a ſpeedy and a rich return of prayer, in vouchſafing a wonderfull and ſtupendious Deliverance and Victorie, to our Noble Gencrall, and the Forces with him yonder at Edge-Hill, the certainty and ſome prticulars whereof at this inſtant God hath ſent me hither, by an *At this moment the Lord Wharton, ſent up to me in the pulpit the firſt relation of the victory at Edge Hill which then I read, to the great ſatiſfaction and admiration of the whole Congregation; abundance of teares being ſhed for joy. Pſal. 65.5.Honourable hand: God herein having done himſelf, and us that honour that he did to Danicl, Dan. 9.23. At the beginning of thy ſupplication the command came forth. Yea before we were preparing our prayers, God hath been preparing an anſwer, full of wonder and mercy. By terrible things in Righteouſneſſe haſt thou anſwered us, O God of our ſalvation.
Chriſtians, God you ſee is Riſen he hath ſtirr'd up his glory, let us awake our Glory, our tongus to trumpet forth his praiſes. Awake my glory, awake Pſalterie and Harp, I my ſelf will awake right early; Behold God hath turnd our day of Hmiliation, into a day of Thanksgiving, and ſo hath fulfilled that promiſe, Pſal. 125.6.They that ſow in tears, ſhall reap in joy, &c. We that ſowed in tears, in the morning, do reap in joy in this our evening; A quick return: Shall not wee for this, go on with the Pſalmiſts reſolution; Pſal. 57.9, 10, 11.I will praiſe thee, O Lord, among the people, I will ſing to thee among the nations: For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the cloudes: Bee thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory above all the earth.
O that the fathers would be telling their children, and one Chriſtian be making over the report unto another, of the righteous Acts of the Lord; Oh that to the perpetuating of the memory of Gods loving kindeneſſe, wee would all put our ſelves under the Prophet Iſaiahs Engagement; Iſa. 63.7.I will mention the loving kindneſſe of the Lord, and the prayſes of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath beſtowed on us, and the great goodneſſe towards the houſe of Iſrael, which hee hath beſtowed on them, according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving kindneſſes.
And again, Pſal. 71.15.that of the Pſalmiſt; My mouth ſhall ſhew forth thy righteouſneſſe, and holy ſalvation all the day, for I know not the numbers thereof.
Rejoyce in the Lord, Pſal. 33.1.O ye righteous, for praiſe is comely for the upright, &c.
Thirdly, and laſtly, Let us exalt God in our lives. Take heed, I beſeech you, of honouring God in our duties, and diſhonouring of him in our converſations, of exalting of him with our tongues, and caſting him down in our lives: This were to imitate thoſe wretched Iews, who carried up our Saviour to the top of the Mountain, that they might throw him down the pracipice, and break his neck: Let not our lives give the lie to our duties. Walk becommingly to your mercies, and becommingly to your duties. Let an holy, ſweet, gracious, converſation be the Paraphraſe of our duties, and a Comment upon our dayes of Humiliation, and Thankſgiving: I will conclude with that earneſt obſecration, and obteſtation of the Apoſtle.
I beſeech you therefore brethren, Rom. 12.1.by the mercies of God, that you preſent your bodies a living ſacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reaſonable ſervice.
It is unreaſonable, as well as irreligious, to give God our mouthes, and ſinne our lives; to give the dead ſacrifice to God, and the living ſacrifice to the devill.
God hath done all, let him have all; Our
Hearts,
Mouthes,
Lives.
When God doth great things for us, hee expects great things from us, and if wee labour not to anſwer his expectations wee are undone. Conſider what I ſay, 2 Tim 2.7.and the Lord give you a right underſtanding in all things. Amen.
FINIS.