Heads of Sermons 17 August 1662, Part

Heads of Sermons 17 August 1662 · Part

The HEADS of ſome SERMONS PREACHED at FINNICK, The 17 of Auguſt. 1662. BY M^R WILLIAM GUTHRY. upon Matth. 14: 24, 25, 26.

Matth. 14:

verse 24, But the ſhip was now in the midſt of the Sea, toſſed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

verse 25, And in the fourth watch of the night, Jeſus went unto them walking on the Sea.

verse 26 And when the Diſciples ſaw him walking on the ſea, they were troubled, ſaying it is a ſpirit: and they cried-out for fear.

Printed in the Year. 1680.

p. 3The HEADS of ſome SERMONS PREACHED at FINNICK, The 17 of Auguſt. 1662. BY M^R WILLIAM GUTHRY.

Matth. 14: 24, 25.

THE Fourth Doctrin is, That, although Chriſt ſeems ſometimes to be far diſtant from his People under their Trials, yet he doth notice them in a ſingular way. He ſaw them toiling and rowing (as Mark has it) and yet he was at Prayer all the time. For clearing you, we ſhall (1.) ſhew what way Chriſt noticeth the Trials of his people. (2.) Why he doth ſo. (3.) What his noticeing doth to his People in their Trials p. 4(4.) What are the Trials, wherein he doth concern himſelf.

In order to the Firſt, He noticeth the Trials of his People, as he hath fore-ordained them in his eternal Counſel. Nothing ever befell his People but what was decreed from Everlaſting. 2. He ſo noticeth the Trials of his People, in making them fall out for ſeveral caſes, and keeping his eye upon them therein. 3. He hath not only a permiſſive but an active hand in ſeting all the inſtruments of their Trials on foot, whether they be Devils, or Men, or wind, or ſtorm: he ſiſteth the houſe of Iſrael with a ſieve, yet not one grain ſhall be loſt. By his Providence he triſtes a convenient ſeaſon for the trial, and ſometimes (as he did to Peter) gives them warning of it, before the Trial come, —thus night before the cock crow, thou ſhalt deny me thrice. 4. He ſo noticeth the trials of his People, as to ſet bounds to them, that they come ſuch and ſuch a length, and no further; as here in the Text, he lets the Diſciples toil-on till the fourth watch of the night. 5. He noticeth their Trials ſo as he maketh interceſſion to God for them anent their trials: as here he was at prayer when they were toiling and rowing in the night-time in the midſt of the Sea. 6. He ſo noticeth their trials, that thereby he drives-on his own purpoſes, and makes their trials ſubſervient thereunto.

The Second thing is, Why he noticeth the Trials of his People. Anſw. 1. Becauſe he is highly concerned in them: they ſtand in a near relation to him: they are all the fruit of the travel of his Soul: he is engaged to the Father for them, and them therein; and all that befalleth them is committed unto him, and He is to be anſwerable for the leaſt of them. 2. There are few, or none, but he is to take notice of their Trials; for they can do little themſelves, and others deſpiſe them. 3. His noticeing of his Peoples trial ſayes they were not caſt under them by hap-hazard, but with deliberation, and that they are not alone in their trials, although they often-times perceive him not, yea even when they are as beaſts, Pſalm. 73.—Nevertheleſs I am continually with thee.

p. 5The Third thing in the Doctrin is, What his People have by his notice. It ſayes, his Peoples trials cannot runn a full carrier, as otherwiſe they might: he ſets bounds to them, and has allowed the expences wherewith to debate with them.

As to the Fourth thing What are the Trials wherein he doth moſt concern himſelf. 1. He noticeth indeed his Peoples trials, but eſpecially thoſe which their duty has led them to, as here he had commanded them to go to Sea. 2. He noticeth all ſuch trials as are above their reach, as to outgate; as here in the text. 3. He noticeth all the trials wherein his People are labouring as much as they are able, though all their labour ſignifie not much. 4. He noticeth all the trials that are hard, and far above the trials they have formerly met with, as here in the text.

Uſe 1. Then let the People of God comfort themſelves with this, that he taketh notice of al their trials in all the fore-mentioned reſpects, and is much concerned to do ſo. Then ſince it is ſo, men ſhall not get all the intents of their heart againſt his People, but they ſhall have ſupport under all their trials, and relief from them.

Uſe 2. The trials of his People in Brittain and Ireland are certainly concerned by him: For Firſt, He did engage them in the buſineſs, and it is above remedy as to men. 2. It is above all other trials that ever we were under before, and all his People are toiling as they can under them. We may add this as a third, That they are triſted with many notorious indignitys don to the King of Heaven. 4. His Name is ſingularly concerned in the thing. All Nations are looking whether or not our matters will ſtand; for they have heard that we were a Covenanted People with the God of heaven. 5. He conſiders he has a goodly Remnant and Flock in the Veſſel that is now toſſed with the ſtorm. If his People would reſolve to drown together rather than to ſin by compliance, it would ſpeak much good of the buſineſs. But Chriſt's advocation is on foot for his People who are engaged for him: he was at prayer when his Diſciples were at Sea: he prayed that Peters faith might not fail. Now his Advocation is in order to theſe p. 6things: Firſt, That his Peoples faith fail not, as has been ſaid. 2. That the ſin, which hath brought-on the trial, may be forgiven them, and all the circumſtances of their trial. 3. That they may not take any unlawfull way for their outgate. 4. That their trial may be ſanctified ſo as to produce its proper fruit with them that are under it. 3. That their want of a right and ſuteable frame of ſpirit may not increaſe their trials, or ſtop their out-gate and iſſue, and that it may according to the promiſe be haſtened, as it is in Zech. The Man whom he ſaw among the mirtleTrees, that were in the bottom, was CHRIST interpoſing for the poor Jeruſalem. O for the faith of this, that he is interpoſing himſelf for all our trials!

Then I ſay 1. Study all of you to be of one mind. 2. Let his People comply with him in all the points or his Advocation we have ſpoken of, and keep up the Cauſe of his concernments, acknowledging always your ſin and ſhort-coming, and chooſe evermore affliction rather than ſin, and ſtudy to have the right uſe of the trial as much as the out-gate. 3. Let this comfort and eſtabliſh your hearts, that Chriſt is pleading and advocating your cauſe before God and his Throne in all the fore-ſaid reſpects, and remember that God heareth him alwayes, and that he will not lye unto David, but will keep Covenant with him, even when his Children tranſgreſs, and that is a good thing, Sirs, Pſal. 80.

Now from their toiling and rowing obſerve, That his People muſt be in the uſe of any mean God has left them, although the uſe thereof ſignifie very little for their outgate. They wrought here againſt wind and weather, although to little purpoſe. The Diſciples brought the four or five loaves to Chriſt, although it ſeemed to them a vain thing to feed ſo many. For amplification, we would remember theſe things: 1. That in the worſt of times God has left ſome means for his People to uſe. 2. Remember that the Lord by theſe ſilly means ſometimes works great things, ſo that his People ſhould not be altogether hopeleſs in the uſe of them. 3. We would remember p. 7that the Lord one way or other bleſſeth the diligent uſe of ordinary means, how ſmall ſo-ever they be. 4. When God hath left no ordinary means proper for producing ſuch and ſuch effects, he has appointed his People to pray, and ſtand ſtill and look for his ſalvation. When Iſrael is brought to the red Sea, and the AEgyptians purſuing them, and no mean left, Moſes cries unto the Lord, and bids the People ſtand ſtill, and ſee the ſalvation of the Lord. 5. Remember that it is ordinary for God to reduce his People to very ſmall means in their ſtraits, and yet they are commanded to uſe them; and by this he tries their loyalty and obedience, and this alſo teacheth them not to idolize the beſt of means. Then let his People in all their ſtraits look what means God hath allowed them to make uſe of, and be diligent in the uſe of them. 2. They would not deſpond, when the means appear very deſpiſeable, for God uſes to bleſs the lawfull uſe of ſmall means. 3. When no proper mean is left, then be in the uſe of Prayer, for that is your duty, and that may breed peace. Let God do what is good in his ſight.

Now we come to the Third thing, and that is the out-gate of the Diſciples, and all the circumſtances of it: when they began to drown, they were but four miles from land, and not till then, And in the fourth watch of the night, and that is near the morning. Then Love ſets forward, and Chriſt comes without their entreaty, and worketh by his Omnipotency upon the waters, which he made like a beaten floor under his feet: then, when he comes, they miſtake him, and are afraid; and ſo their trial groweth to a greater height: he ſpeaks to them, and inhibits their fear, and allayes it, by telling them that it was he. And ſo in this their new trial they got a new diſcovery of him, and then he comes to the ſhip. And next ye have Peters ſeeking a ſingular evidence of this, if it was Chriſt that ſpake, to them.

Then obſerve this Doctrin: Sometimes when we think our trial great enough, Chriſt is pleaſed to ſcrue it up a great deal higher. They ſurely judged their trial at a great p. 8height before, with wind and ſtorm: we may think it was at a great height before the fourth watch of the night, and yet he is pleaſed to drive it that length.

For clearing of the Doctrin, Conſider that his People ſoon thinks their trial at a great height: Firſt, Becauſe they meaſur it by former ſufferings they have met with, or by former trials, not remembring that the Lord intends to have his People further tried, and that the latter triall wil be ſharper, and poſſibly darker, as to the out-gate, than the firſt was. 2. They compare their trials and meaſur them with the trials of his People, that have not been with the higheſt, but with the loweſt; and that makes them think their trial high enough. 3. They often meaſur their trials with their preſent felt ſtrength, not remembring that he gives out expence according as the trial groweth. 4. They often compare their trials with the means that are left them for out-gate, not remembring that God uſeth ſometimes to lay-aſide all means that People have their eyes on, and create new means for their out-gate and deliverance. 5. They often meaſur their trials by their own fore-caſting one reſolution for it, whereas the trials ſometimes ſwell to a greater height than his People apprehended it to go: and becauſe the trial ſoon goes to ſuch a height, we think it will go no further, and ſo we err, not knowing the Power and Counſel of the Lord.

Next … Ye would conſider that the Lord has different ends in the trials of his People, which they know not, and different thoughts. 2. He is Maſter of their trials, when it is above their reach, for he intends to magnifie his Power in their weakneſe, and to give them ſingular proofs of his Love towards them, which his People were not expecting; and to drive them to ſuch things as are not ſoon ſet on foot with them. 3. As this makes him wind-up their trials to an higher pitch, ſo we would beware of ſome miſtakes that are about his way in this: Firſt, We muſt not think that this is for want of love to the Party tried. Or 2. that he forgets them, as they are apt to fancy: for here he ſaw them toiling and rowing, and yet he was praying for p. 9them, as has been ſaid. 3. We would not think it undutifulneſs in the Party tried, for here the Diſciples were toiling and rowing as they could. 4. We would not think but leſs trials would be ſufficient to lay us on our back, if we were left to our ſelves, and had no ſupply from him. Then learn 1. to judge of your trials aright, and to meaſure rightly: for that will prevent many unſuteable complaints and deſpondency of ſpirit. 2. When ye think your trials at a great height, and at the higheſt pitch you can bear or be recovered from, to your apprehenſion, leave room to him to wind them up a pin higher, and miſtake him not, though he do ſo.

The next Doctrin is, That though the deliverance of his People may be delayed, yet it ſets foreward in due time, Chriſt at length comes; and there is great reaſon for his delays many times, as was ſhewed before: and here we ſhall ſpeak 1. How it may be ſaid he comes in due time, though he delay. 2. What way he comes, ſo as it may be ſaid he comes in due time. And firſt, He comes in due time, when he comes ſeaſonably to prevent the ruine of his People, as Pſ. 94: 10.18. When I ſaid, my foot ſlippeth: thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. 2. He cometh ſeaſonably, when he doth triſt with their fit condition: for as ſoon as they are deſperat of help any other way, and begin to look to God alone, Pſal. 142:4. I looked on my right hund, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me; refuge failed me: no man cared for my ſoul. I cried unto thee, O Lord, I ſaid, Thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living. Then 3. It cometh ſeaſonably, as it's meaſured out, to prevent any ſinfull courſe for out-gate, which his People are ready to ſplit upon in the time of trial, Pſal. 125. 3. For the rod of the wicked ſhall not reſt upon the lot of the righteous: leſt the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. 4. It cometh ſeaſonably, as the deliverance cometh forth, when it is ſweeteſt to the Party tried. O! how cheerfull were they, when he came unto them? and how affectionatly did they receive him into the ſhip?

The next thing we ſhall obſerve, ſhall be the things p. 10which appeared in their deliverance, 1. When he comes, they were toiling in the uſe of the means they had, though it did ſignifie little for the time. 2. He comes without much entreaty on their part: all this time we hear not much of their Prayers. 3. The delivery comes as a fruit of Chriſt's interceſſion: He had been praying, and now as the fruit of his interceſſion he is ſent himſelf as the Deliverer of the party that could do little for themſelves, but were all dead men in their own eſtimation. 4. The deliverance cometh paving-out the way to its ſelf through difficulties, which nothing but free love and Omnipotency, and almighty power could or would have done. No difficulty ſtands before him, when his Peopls caſe ſo requires: he puts forth omnipotency for a refuge to his People that he has engaged with hazards. 5. The deliverance appeareth in Chriſt's dominion over that which did trouble his People: now he cometh trampling upon the Sea which was ready to ſwallow them up: he proveth himſelf to be Lord over that which did affright them, although they were not as yet delivered from it. 6. Their deliverance cometh with new proofs and diſcoveries of Chriſt's love to the party, and of his ſoveraignty over that which was their fear, and ſets them free from all that which made them afraid. Then for

Uſe, Let his People take courage to them, and ſet their face to the ſtorm, for their deliverance will come in good opportunity and ſeaſon, in all the foreſaid reſpects.

Uſe 2. Let his People make uſe of any means that he has left them, and all of them pray and wreſtle with him alittle while yet.

Uſe 3. We muſt look for more out of his compaſſion and pity, and as the fruit of Chriſt's interceſſion, than from all our own devotion and diligence.

Uſe 4. Although difficulties be unſupportable, as to us, yet we are to wait for ſingular caſts of his Power, if the caſe ſo require.

Uſe 5. Let his People wait for diſcoveries of him, for … worthy of all their toil and ſufferings; and this ſhall p. 11not be the leaſt diſcovery of him: yet he ſhall appear trampling upon thoſe that keep us captive, by his omnipotent Power, when he thus appears, then lift up the head for deliverance cometh near. And whether I be dead, or alive, I charge all the godly to act faith in him, when he is ſeting his foot on our Sea, when he ſhall begin to out-will his Enemies, and divide them among themſelves, and break their purpoſes among their hands, and to intricat them with their own work, and confound their purpoſes, and to execute vengeance here and there upon them. There ye may conclude he is beginning to ſet his foot upon our Sea, and ye are to look for deliverance to his Church!

Matth. 14: 26.

WE were ſpeaking of the out-gate of the Diſciples from a ſad trial, and that their deliverance did not appear, untill the fourth watch of the night. He is pleaſed to wind-up the trials of his People higher than they thought they would ever have born-out, but though he delayed a long time, yet now he ſets foreward, and comes to them. I told you that the deliverance of his People doth come in due time: Now when Chriſt ſets foreward, they apprehend him to be ſome Spirit or Devil. So it holds-out this Doctrin

1. That many times when the Lord ſets foreward to the deliverance of his People, they do exceedingly miſtake him, as is eminently clear in the text, and as it was in the caſe of his People, when Moſes brought them out of Aegypt. And here I ſhall ſhew you, in what caſes his People miſtake him, when he ſets foreward to deliver them. 2. What cauſeth them miſtake. Firſt, They miſtake him, when they are under great affliction of ſpirit, and ſorely p. 12beaten with trials, then they are ready to miſtake him; and in that caſe they are unfit judges of God's appearance, or what he doth or ſaith for their help and good: they are under ſuch a frame of ſpirit, as to expound all he doth or ſaith, to be wrath. When Iſrael was in Aegypt, they were ſo ſorely beaten with affliction, that they would not give an anſwer or an ear to what Moſes ſaid unto them, becauſe of the anguiſh of ſpirit they were under, they had been ſo injured with affliction for a long time. And when a ſoul hath been ſorely beaten with the evidences of his anger a long time, and the terrors of hell hath compaſſed them about, ye will not readily perſwade them of any thing that is for their good; they are not fit judges. 2. They miſtake him, when they are under deep apprehenſions of their own guilt, for then they meaſure every thing by their own deſerving, and ſpeak as Peter did, Depart from me, for I am a ſinfull man: ye will ſay it's a good word, but it doth not belong to me.

3. They readily miſtake him, when he moves in their deliverance in ſome ſtrange and unbeaten path; and ſo is it here, for Chriſt came to them walking on the Sea, which was an uncouth way. Think ye but Jonah doubted his delivery, when he was ſwallowed-up by the whale? It is natural for all men to miſtake the God of heaven, for his wayes are not like our wayes; for men ſavour of the things of the earth, they take up every thing in a natural way: ſo that, except they be helped by God, they cannot take up any thing aright that he doth, there is ſuch a natural inclination in them to expound all things wrong. So it is no ſtrange thing that people do not take him up. The truth is, it is a more ſtrange thing that they take him up in any thing right, becauſe of the benſil of their natural ſpirits. 2. We have a miſerable way of ſhaping God by the creatur, and all his wayes like the creaturs wayes: the Diſciples think it can not be a man who walks upon the water, it is ſome phantaſma or Devil. He was a wiſe man, who ſaid Is this the manner of men? Indeed not, David, there is not a man in all the world that would have taken you from the ſheep-keeping, and p. 13made you a King. And if that principle were out of the hearts of the People of God, they might come to much ſweetneſs; no doubt that is the thing that alwayes ſpeaks within them there is no man that would do this with me. Indeed that is true, but yet it is the way of God for all that: and ye muſt conceive his wayes are far above mens wayes, as the heavens are above the earth. The Third thing wherein we miſtake, is, We are ready to lay down a way for him to come, and if he come not that way, then we miſtake him. This was the great part of the miſtake in Chriſt's Diſciples at the reſurrection, they thought he ſhould have riſen ſo glorious, that all the world ſhould have fallen-down before him preſently: And now, ſay they, he is three dayes dead, and they had not ſeen him. Yes they ſaw him, but they thought they would have ſeen him another way, and ſo they miſtook him, they look ſometimes for him in ſuch a mercy, and he comes in another way than they look for him; they look ſometimes for him in a temporal mercy, and he comes in a ſpiritual mercy, in looſing the bonds of the ſpirits of his People, they think he will come in ſuch a mean, and he comes in another that is as good. For Uſe

Then leave latitude for him to deliver his People from their bondage ſpiritual or temporal, any way he will, and do not confine him to this or that mean: for ordinarily he comes not that way that his People would have him to come, as has often been made out in the experience of his People; ſo that they have been ſometimes afraid to ſpeak of the way they would fain have had him to come, leſt he ſhould have come another.

2. Put a favourable conſtruction on every thing he doth, and that will prevent your miſtakes of him and his way of coming for the deliverance, whatever it be. His People would enure themſelves to this way, which indeed is much our duty, for charity thinks not evil, and it is want of love to God that makes us think evil of his Diſpenſations. God loves a cheerfull giver, and not a churle: he loves alwayes the man that bodes wel.

Uſe 3. When your trials are at a great height, and the p. 14Lord is taking ſtrange wayes and caſts of Providence, be ſparing to ſpeak your judgement and apprehenſion, till you ſee what the reſult will be: for the diſpenſation may look ragged-like at firſt, yet will produce a great mercy to the Church.

The next Doctrin is: Sometimes when God is ſeting the deliverance of his People on foot, he uſeth then to ſcrue up the trials a degree higher than they were before. The Diſciples were afraid of the Sea before, but now for an evil ſpirit: it's ſaid they cried-out for fear, which they did not before, and yet he is coming for their deliverance: there is nothing more true in the many deliverances God wrought for his People in Scriptur than this. Ye may remember Moſes is ſent to Aegypt to deliver the People, but indeed their trials grew never great, till Moſes came; and when they got out of Egypt, they are not far off, till the Enemy and the Sea, and the mountains were on every ſide of them, and yet their deliverance was on foot really.

There are theſe Reaſons of the Doctrin: Firſt, that he may decry all means, and bring them down in the Peoples conceit, that he has called them to ſet on foot, and that their eyes may be only ſet on God. Moſes would have been a great man, and likely idolized by the People, if his enterprize had not firſt broke in his hand: if Iſrael had not been firſt broken before Benjamin, they would have idolized their number of men; but God gave them on their finger-ends once or twice, that they might not lean to their multitude. 2. He doth ſo, that he may prepare his People for the deliverance, though ſuch be his pity and compaſſion, that he waits not for his Peoples frame to deliver them. Ye will ſay, the People is not fit to be delivered. Yes, it is true: but God will do as much in the delivery ſome one way or other, as will fit them more than ſeven years trouble would have don. A little trial in the deliverance it ſelf will do much good, it haſtens the delivery before it come: it may be there will be ſomething in the delivery that will break your heart and humble you more than all the trouble of conſcience or eſtate ye have met with before.

p. 153. He doth ſo many times, to make the adverſaries cruel and inſolent, and quickly to fill up their cup. When the trial is betwixt his People and their Enemies, he makes the delivery to take an halt, of purpoſe to make the enemy inſolent and proud, and then to turn up their heels in the midſt of their pride. Wherefore did Iſraels delivery halt in Aegypt, but that the Enemy might grow more terrible and inſolent? 4. He doth ſo, to make the delivery more ſweet to his People than ever it could have been, if they had not met with that trial. O! but Chriſt was welcome to the Diſciples now! and this new trial made him a great deal more welcome than he would have been? that they apprehended him to be a Spirit. 5. He doth ſo, that there may be fit wither-weights upon his People in their deliverance, that they may carry ſoberly, and evenly under their recept; for if his People want ſome wither-weight, they are ſo light-headed, that the delivery would make them ſtark mad: therefore he will let ſome worthy inſtrument fall in the delivery of his People, that the loſs of them will almoſt counter-ballance the deliverance. Then 6. He doth ſo, to perfect ſome buſineſs, to debate with ſome perſons, who are exceedingly concerned in the difficulty, that falls on his People; and he avengeth the Particular that he purſues in that caſe: and many ſuch things are with him, although I grant the compariſon holds not in all, in that deliverance that David met with from his ſon Abſalom and his men, he overturned Abſalom's heels, which in David's account did countervail the deliverance it ſelf. Wel then, Sirs, ſeing this is God's way to make the deliverance halt, and to ſcrue up the trial a pinn higher ſometimes.

Then for Uſe, If it pleaſe the Lord to let you ſee your deliverance dawning like day upon the mountains, then think that your difficultys are not all over. I will not ſay what way God may take to deliver us, but I am very apprehenſive that whenever the deliverance ſhall come, there ſhall be multituds of difficultys interwoven, that it ſhall be hard to diſcern it, whether it be a deliverance or not, it will look ſo like the contrary. And this I have thought p. 16many times, What if there ſhould a Party appear for the work of God in the fields, and be broken all to pieces, and yet that ſame Partys breaking contribute for the deliverance of the Church? So I ſay, when the deliverance firſt begins to dawn, do not think that your difficultys are over, ye may meet with ſome thing in the delivery that may be worſe than all the trouble ye have ſeen, that ye will wiſh rather to be as ye were before than to abide it.

Uſe 2. I would not have the People of God to think that their deliverance waits upon their frame of ſpirit for it: I ſay, there may be ſomething in the deliverance that will give you a frame of ſpirit; if the Lord give you a frame of ſpirit before the deliverance come, it is wel; but I am very apprehenſive there ſhall be ſomething that will humble his People in Brittain and Ireland more than ever ye have yet met with theſe years by-gon. God may do that in a night that will put them more to their prayers than all they have met with before.

Uſe 3. I would have you to think that the deliverance will not come, till all the means be laid aſide. Now ye may be miſtaken in that: But for the inſtrument ye are afraid to idolize, fear not that, for in the deliverance God ſhall make you quite of theſe, which ſhall accreſe to your trial. Or, Sirs, is there any of you that have the faith of an out-gate of the People of God in theſe Lands, then I ſay, make your account and prepare your hearts to meet with greater trials than ye have met with formerly, and that even in the dawning of your deliverance. The Diſciples were affrighted even almoſt out of their wits, when they ſaw Chriſt come walking upon the water: now he comes to them, and he had ſome little thing to do with Peter, Before they were fully delivered, he behoved to have a proof of the ſtrength of his own faith and Chriſt's ſufficiency to help.

The next Doctrin is this: That the People of God are very ſubject to ſlaviſh fear, when new difficultys appear to them. It's ſaid, when Iſrael fled before the men of Ai, their hearts melted, and became like water. O! but they were p. 17afraid! I grant the People of God take ſooner with their ſin than any other People. I ſhall ſpeak Firſt what this ſlaviſh fear is. 2. Why his People are ſo ſubject to it. 3. What is the prejudice they have by it. 4. What may be the cure of it.

As to the Firſt then, What this ſlaviſh fear is that his People are troubled with. It ariſes from the misbelief of what God hath ſaid, and forgeting what he has ſaid concerning them. 2. It flowes from their fixing on his Providence, and puts the worſt conſtruction on it. 3. It flowes from deſpondency of ſpirit and heartleſneſs, and that weakens their hands in the uſe of lawfull means for bearing their own trial and working for their own out-gate; they think they will do no more good than dip their ſinger in water, and their faith and hope and all goes to wrack: and upon this there followes an inclination to follow ſome unlawfull mean for their out-gate, and if they follow not that, then the heart is kindly laid out for ſuch a temptation; for ordinarily complaints are the fruits of ſlaviſh fear. Slaviſh fear then ſtands in this, viz. in an atheiſtical puting of the creatur in a channel of independency on God, as if the creatur could come and go of its own accord without commiſſion from him, Iſa. 5. It's God who comforteth: who art thou that art afraid of a man that ſhall dye, &c.? The truth is, they had forgotten the Omnipotent Power and Soveraignty of God, and thought men could do with them what they pleaſed without God. When ye are ſo, it is an hundred to one if ye make not haſt to get from under the trial ſome unlawfull way.

For Reaſons of this: Firſt, There is the great ignorance of God's intereſt in his People, that is the cauſe of all their ſlaviſh fear, & that which he challenges his People for, Thou haſt feared every day, and haſt forgotten me: who art thou that art afraid of a man that ſhall dye? We take up our ſelves as ſtanding alone without God. There feared they, where no fear was: for God is in the congregation of the righteous: ſome take it that it's the Enemy, becauſe of God's being among his People. Yea but ſome take it alſo, that his People feared p. 18although God was among them. 2. There is unbelief. 3. Atheiſme, a growing ſin; his people apprehending God to be like the creatur, and the creatur to be like God, that he can work what he will without the creatur, and the creatur what it will without him: he puts God above the creatur in ſomethings, and the creatur above him in ſome other things.

The Fourth Reaſon is, becauſe his People too ſoon yeeld to this fear: ye think in no caſe ye do it without reaſon. Yea but ye are bound to ſhut-out thoſe things, when they come-in upon you. When ſlaviſh fear begins to mutter in our boſom for harbouring, it makes it prevail.

The Third thing is the prejudice of a ſlaviſh fear. 1. It weakens the hands of his People in all duties; for when they begin to fear out of meaſur, they loſe all, and grow indifferent whether they do duty or not. No man will bide by his duty, when his faith faileth him; & if he go about any duty, it will be but as a rat-rime, like the Papiſts, when they tell their beeds. The ſecond prejudice is diſcouragement of ſoul: nothing can comfort the People of God, where this prevailes. The third is the diſcompoſur of their countenance, to the prejudice of Religion: whenever it gets upper-hand, it makes them look as if they ſerved an hard Maſter, who puts his People to undergo ſuch things as he will not allow expence for. The Fourth is, it diſobliges God to work for their out-gate and deliverance from it, as it's ſaid, he could do no mighty works, becauſe of their unbelief. 5. It puts them in an uncapacity to underſtand their own mercy, when it begins to appear. This ſlaviſh fear mude them in Aegypt that they could not underſtand what Moſes ſaid touching their deliverance from it. And when they are in ſuch a caſe of ſlaviſh fear, all duty is a burden to them: it is better for them to bear the ſton-barrow than for them to go-about duty that may tend to their out-gate. And ſixthly, Whatever God may do to his People in his Soveraignty and Mercy, the man, that is under ſlaviſh fear, has not a promiſe in the Bible to look to that God will help him in ſuch a caſe, Jac. 1: I— let not p. 19that man think that he ſhall receive any thing of the Lord, becauſe he asketh not in faith.

The laſt thing in the Doctrine, is the cure of this diſeaſe: the thing that cures the Diſciples fear is Chriſt's approaching to them in favour. Behold he cometh, but they miſtake him. There is none of the People of God, but bring Chriſt and them together, he will heal them of all their diſputs and diſeaſes, Chriſt approaches to them, and ſpeaks friendly to them, and ſtill they heard that word, it is I, be not afraid, together with his approaching. Will that do it? No: Chriſt adds his authority, rebuking their ſlaviſh fear, although they themſelves have ground to be quieted? yet they can not, untill he ſay be not afraid, it is I, I command your Devil to ſit within your ſelf, will that do it? No: there are ſome of them that are peremptor, they will have a ſpecial confirmation, and Peter ſteps out before the reſt, —if it be thou, bid mo come to thee on the water, otherwiſe I will never believe. Wel Peter, muſt ye have a confirmation? Ye ſhall have it, but ye ſhall not crack much of it, ere all be don; it may be ye be at a greater doubt, before the end of the day. Then that which compleatly allayeth all their fear, is Chriſt's in-coming to them, and nothing elſe doth it.

For Uſe then, Let all the People of the Lord know there is ſuch an infirmity attending them: when difficultys are renewed upon you, and ſlaviſh fear labours to take poſſeſſion of you who are fled to Chriſt, guard againſt it, and know the evils thereof, encourage your ſelves againſt it. When your fear grows in a cloud, and dark day, to prevent it Conſider 1. what intereſt God hath in his People, they are ſet as a ſeal upon his heart, and written upon the palms of his hands; he hath ſaid, he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye. Would we be afraid, if we believed that any that troubleth the People of God, do as ill as if they took God on the looking face? Indeed and in truth if we believed that, we would think them won gear. 2. Believe this alſo, that whatever the Lord doth or ſuffers men to do, ſhall work together for the good of his People. it is a common p. 20truth in every bodys mouth, yea but I may ſay the leaſt believed truth in all the Bible. Ye will not queſtion the truth of the promiſe, but yet ye ſtand at the application. I offer you that inſtance, and put your ſelves to it, if ye can ſolidly acquieſce with it in your heart, that all the diſtreſſes and afflictions his People are under in Brittain and Ireland ſhall work together for their good: then if it be ſo, as I do not doubt of it, why then do ye not believe it, and are quiet?

3. Believe this alſo, that there is nothing that befalls his People; but what is by his Providence: ye ſay, it's true, but there are many things, that we meet with, that God doth not allow. I ſay there is nothing ye meet with, but that which is either by his active or permiſſive Providence. There is no evil don in the city but what the Lord knoweth. That the Miniſters in Brittain and Ireland are put from their houſes, Kirks, and Lands, and baniſhed out of the countrey, is all his Providence, and ſhall work together for their good, and if it be, then ye are to be ſilent. 4. Know this and believe that there is nothing to be feared, but God and an evil conſcience. As a man in Ireland ſaid to a Biſhop, when he threatned to impriſon him, he anſwered, I know no ſuch priſon as an evil conſcience, and ſo if ye reſolve to fear nothing but the God of Heaven and an evil conſcience, ye need not fear men, for the fear of theſe will quiet all your other fears.