Gods Great Care of His Good People in Bad Times, Sermon 2
SERMON II.
Jeremiah Chap. 24. Verſe 5.
Thus ſaith the Lord, the God of Iſrael, Like theſe good Figs, ſo will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have ſent out of this place into the Land of the Caldeans for their good.
YOu know what entrance I made into this Text; two parts I ſhewed are conſiderable in it, The Author of a comfortable Meſſage, and the Meſſage
ſelf: The Author of the comfortable Meſſage is the Lord, deſcribed here by his relation to his people, the God of Iſrael, and this firſt branch I have diſpatched.
I come now to the ſecond branch of the Text, and that is the Meſſage it ſelf: Wherein we have firſt the explication of a Type, and then the application of it.
The explication of a Type in theſe words, Like theſe good Figs: where the Lord informs the Prophet Jeremiah, what is the meaning of the Viſion of the two baskets of Figs, the one of good Figs, the other of bad Figs; Like theſe good Figs (ſaith God) ſo are all thoſe good or godly perſons whom I have ſent away captive into Babylon; ſo that God here compares the ſmall number of godly ones that were yet carried captive to Babylon, to Figs; and he compares them to good Figs.
But here it may be demanded firſt, Why are theſe godly perſons compared to Figs?
I anſwer, For theſe three Reaſons briefly:
Firſt, Becauſe all the goodneſs they had in them was of Gods own planning, Iſa. 60.21. The branch of my planting, the work of my hands that I may be glorified.
Secondly, They are compared to Figs, becauſe as Figs you know ever grow more and more till they come to a ripeneſs and maturity, that they may be fit for the Gardiner that planted them, ſo did theſe godly perſons grow more and more in grace, till they came to ſome ripeneſs and maturity, that they might be fit for the ſervice of that God who had beſtowed this grace upon them, fit to glorifie him here, and fit to be glorified of him hereafter.
And then thirdly, As Figs when they are ripe they are very pleaſant and delightfull, they were much eſteemed and deſired among the Jews, as appears by Hoſea 9.10. I ſaw your fathers (ſaith God) as the firſt ripe in the Fig tree: ſo likewiſe theſe godly perſons that had the Image of God ſtampt upon them, and were now trees of rightēouſneſs, that brought forth fruit unto God, they were very delightfull unto God, God was well pleaſed with them; Pſal. 147.11. The Lord taketh pleaſure in them that fear him, in thoſe that hope in his mercy. (And by the way you may obſerve there, a very ſweet conjunction between fearing God and putting our truſt in his mercy; we muſt ſo fear the Lord, that we ſtill put our truſt in his mercy, leſt we ſhould deſpair; and ſo put our truſt in his mercy, that we fear him, leſt we ſhould preſume:) but that I quote the Scripture for is this the Lord delights in them tha… fear him, and it is very much that God ſhould take delight in ſuch poor deſpicable creatures as we are … and we have a very ſtrange expreſſion, 1 Chron. 29.17. I know alſo my God that thou takest pleaſure in uprightneſs: a wonderfull condeſcenſion, that the great God of Heaven and earth ſhould take pleaſure in any ſervice that ſuch poor worthleſs worms as we are can perform… that the Lord ſhould take pleaſur… in us, or in any thing that is in us but we muſt know, that uprightneſ… is the work of Gods own Spirit i… our hearts, and therefore God fi… beſtowes the graces of his Spirit up on his ſervants, which are call'… the fruits of his Spirit, and then h… delights in his own fruits, according to that of the Pſalmiſt,Pſal. 104.31. The Lord rejoyceth in his own works; that is, in the works of his own Spirit that he hath wrought. And St Auſtin hath a ſweet Meditation upon it; Lord (ſaith he) do not thou look upon my own works, but look upon thy own works in my heart; for if thou lookeſt upon my works I ſhall be curſed, but if thou lookeſt upon thy own works I ſhall be crowned. God takes delight in his own works; he crowns his own gifts not our merits in us. Thus you ſee why they are called Figs.
But then ſecondly, it may be demanded, How theſe could be called good Figs, when our bleſſed Saviour ſaith expreſly, Matth. 19.17. There is none good but One, that is God?
To this I anſwer, It is true there is none good but onelyonly God, that is, there is none good ſo as God is good, none good in that manner of goodneſs, none good in that meaſure of goodneſs that God is.
Firſt, God alone is originally good, men are good only by participation, as they partake of the goodneſs of God, but God hath his goodneſs from none, he is the fountain of his own goodneſs, all the goodneſs that is in us, is a derivative goodneſs, it is but a drop of that ocean of goodneſs that is in God: look as the beams of the Sun they proceed from the Sun, but the Sun is the fountain of its own light; ſo all the goodneſs that is in the creature, it proceeds from God, but God (I ſay) is the fountain of his own goodneſs, therefore none is originally good but God, that is the meaning of our Saviour when he faith, There is none good but One, namely God.
And ſecondly, None is eſſentially good but God, the goodneſs of God it is his very nature, it is his very eſſence; for that is a true rule amongſt Divines,Quicquid in Deo, Deus eſt. Whatſoever is in God i… God himſelf: the goodneſs of God is God himſelf, and ſo the mercy of God is God himſelf, and the love of God is God himſelf; if there be any goodneſs in the ſons of men, it is but a quality a property that is ſeparable from the eſſence; for a man may be a man and yet not a good man, but God cannot be God unleſs he be good; God can as ſoon ceaſe to be God, as ceaſe to be good, goodneſs being eſſentially in him.
And then thirdly, There is none abſolutely and perfectly good but onelyonly God, God is every way good, and he is ſo perfectly good that nothing can be added to him, and nothing can be detracted from him: now it cannot be ſaid of any man living upon the earth, that he is perfectly good, for alas our goodneſs is mixt with a great deal of ſinfullneſs and infirmity, our gold is mingled with a great deal of droſs, but God is abſolutely good.
And fourthly, God is unchangeably good, there is in him no variableneſs nor ſhadow of turning, Jam. 1.17. but now it is not ſo with us, our goodneſs for the moſt part is very fickle and unconſtant.
And then laſtly, God cals theſe godly perſons that were ſent into captivity good Figs, not ſo much in reference to their inherent ſanctification, as in reſpect of his own gracious acceptation, he accepted them in Jeſus Chriſt the Saviour of the world, whoſe blood was ſhed from the foundation of the world, and ſo beholding them in Chriſt, he lookt upon them as good, as righteous, as godly perſons. Now obſerve (and it is worth our obſervation) that at this time when the land of Judah was filled with abominations from one end thereof unto the other, at this time when the iniquity of the land of Judah was boyled up to that height that it ſpued out the inhabitants of the land, at this time when the multitude of ſinners provoked the Lord ſo to anger, that he ſtretched upon them the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the houſe of Ahab, that is, gave the ſame Cup into their bands to drink that he did to the ten Tribes; at this time when God threatned to wipe Jeruſalem as a man wipes a diſh when he turns it upſide down, as we have it 2 King, 21.13. yet obſerve there were ſome good even at this time, here was a basket of good Figs, that yet notwithſtanding were carried captive into Babylon. The Doctrine then that I would commend to you from hence is this,
That in the worst of times and amongſt the worſt of men, Doct. God will ſtill have a remnant of thoſe that are good, and that ſhall retain their goodneſs.
In Noahs time when there was ſuch a deluge of ſin that it brought a deluge of water to drown the world, when all fleſh had corrupted their wayes upon earth, and God repentted that he had made man, and it grieved him at his very heart, yet it is ſaid, that Noah was upright in that generation;Gen. 6.10. and it was a greater honour to him to be upright in that generation, than to have been upright in a godly generation: Elijah lived in as corrupt an age I think as ever any man lived in, for he complains he had no man to ſtand by him; O ſaies he, the children of Iſrael have forſaken thy Covenant, 1 King 19.10.thrown down thine Altars, and ſlain thy Prophets with the ſword, and I even I only am left. There was not ſo much as a face of Religion appearing, and he thought there had not been one godly man left in all the land of Iſrael beſides himſelf, and yet at that very time God had ſome that were good,v. 18. I have ſeven thouſand (ſaies God) that have not bowed their knees to Baal. In the declining times of Iſrael, God yet Judah that was faithfull to him. Hoſea 11.12. Ephrain compaſſeth me about with lies, and the houſe of Iſrael with deceit, but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithfull with the Saints. In the declining times of Judah, when there was a very great defection and apoſtacy; as you may read Iſa. 6.9, 10. In hearing you ſhall hear and not underſtand, and in ſeeing you ſhall ſee but not perceive: when their hearts were hardened to their deſtruction, yet notwithſtanding God had Jeremiah and Baruch, and a basket of good Figs, that is, thoſe that were very good, even in the worſt times of Judah, in the times of their captivity. In the Prophet Iſaiahs time there was a very ſinfull and ſhamefull apoſtacy, Iſa. 1.21, 22, 23. ſaies the Lord (complaining of them) How is the faithfull City (ſpeaking of Jeruſalem) become an harlot? it was full of judgment, righteouſneſs lodged in it, but now murtherers: thy ſilver is become droſs, thy wine mixt with water, thy Princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves, every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards; they judge not the fatherleſs, neither doth the cauſe of the widow come unto them. But yet even in Iſaiahs time there was a remnant like a Teyl tree, and as an Oak whoſe ſubſtance is in them when they have caſt their leaves;Iſa. 6.13. there ſhall be a little remnant like an Oak that hath the ſap in it; ſo ſaies God, the holy ſeed ſhall be the ſtability of it. The Church of Sardis was for the moſt part hypocriticall and corrupt,Rev. 1.3, 4. they had a name to live when they were dead: (a juſt Picture of our Times:) yet ſaies God, thou haſt a few Names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments, and they ſhall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. In the times of Arius that deſparate heretick that denied the Divinity of Jeſus Chriſt, ſo that the whole world groaned as St Jerom obſerves,Ingemuit orbis ſe factum Arrianum. that it was turned Arian, yet notwithſtanding there was an Athanaſius that did help to bear up the truth with courage and confidence againſt all oppoſition: and you know in Queen Maries dayes, when Popery was here ſet up by a Law, yet there were then many faithfull ſervants of Jeſus Chriſt that ſealed the truth with their blood, and were more willing to lay down their lives for Chriſt, than many now adayes are to part with a little of their eſtates for Chriſt and for the Goſpell; ſo that you ſee, in the worſt of times, and amongſt the worſt of men, the Lord will have ſome that are good, and that retain their goodneſs.
And if you would know the Reaſons of it, they are theſe;
Firſt, Reaſ. 1 Becauſe the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt is an everlaſting Kingdom, of his Kingdome there ſhall be no end, Luk. 1.33. Jeſus Chriſt will have a Church here upon earth maugre the might and malice, the rage and fury, the plots and projects, the craft and ſubtiltie of Sathan and all his inſtruments: All the enemies of the Church, may as well think to turn the earth off its hinges, or pluck the Stars out of the Firmament, or blow out the Sun with a pair of Bellows, or ſhake the pillars of Heaven, as to root out the number of the godly from off the face of the earth, The gates of Hell, Mat. 16.18.ſhall not prevail againſt the Church. It is true indeed the Church of Chriſt is not tied to any particular place, nor to a ſtinted number, but yet like the ſea, though it loſe in one place, it gains ſtill in another place, and the Church of Chriſt being his ſpouſe, he will never loſe his ſpouſe, he will alwayes have ſome even in the worſt of times, and in the worſt of places, that ſhall own him and his truth; therefore (you know) he had a Church in Neroes Houſe, though Nero was one of the bloodieſt Monſters that ever lived amongſt men, Phil. 4.22. All the Saints ſalute you, chiefly they that are of Caeſars houſhold: And he had ſome that did bear up his Name when Antipas his faithfull Martyr was ſlain, and where the Devil had his Synagogue, Rev. 2.13. That's one Reaſon.
Secondly, Reaſ. 2 2 Tim. 2.19.The Foundation of God ſtands ſure, and therefore it is not poſſible that the Elect ſhould be totally ſeduced: our Saviour ſaies indeed there ſhall be ſuch cunning ſeducers and impoſtors,Mat. 24.24. that if it were poſſible they ſhould deceive the very Elect; I but that is impoſſible, Gods Elect it is true may ſometimes be hurried into ways of errour and ſin by a Croud, but then their hearts will ſtill be God-ward, juſt as the Needle of the Seamans Compaſs may jog this way, and that way, but the bent of the Needle will ſtill be North-ward; ſo their hearts will be God-ward, and they will recover themſelves, the Spirit is in them like a ſpringing water,Joh. 4.14. that ſprings up to eternal life, it is an immortal ſeed ſo that they cannot ſin unto death,1 Joh. 3.9. and the fear of God is the aw-back of the ſoul, it is ſuch an awe upon their ſpirits, that they ſhall never totally and finally depart from God. Jer. 32.40. I will put my fear in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me.
And thirdly, Reaſ. 3 The interceſſion of Jeſus Chriſt is very prevalent for all his Elect,Luke 22.32. I have prayed for thee (faies Chriſt to Peter) that thy faith fail not, and this prayer he made not for Peter onelyonly, but for all that ſhall believe in his Name to the end of the world, as appears by John 17.20. Neither pray I for theſe alone, but for them alſo which ſhall believe on me through their word.
And then fourthly and laſtly, Reaſ. 4 God will alwaies have a remnant of good ones of Godly Perſons, that ſhall retain their goodneſs even for this very end, to convince gainſayers, to ſtop the mouthes of wicked & ungodly men that are ever blattering againſt the truth; he will have ſome that ſhall bear witneſs againſt them, that they ſhall not plead ignorance, of that truth they ſo much ſcorn and contemn, and of the ways of holineſs, which they ſo much abhor: as God would have the Goſpel preached, if not for converſion, yet for conviction, to be a teſtimony againſt them that received it not. Mat. 24.14, ſaies Chriſt, this Goſpel of the Kingdom, ſhall be preached in all the world for a witneſs unto all Nations; ſo likewiſe God will have ſome faithfull ones to be his Martyrs, to lift up his name, and to bear witneſs ſtill unto his truth, againſt them that oppoſe it, and to riſe up in judgement againſt thoſe that are the deſperate and implacable enemies of it,Heb. 11.7. as it is ſaid of Noah, by building the Ark he condemned the world, that is his righteouſneſs condemned their unrighteouſneſs, his faithfulneſs condemned their infidelity, his ſincerity condemned their hypocriſie, and his ſteadfaſtneſs condemned their apoſtacy, ſo God (I ſay) will ſtill have ſome to bear witneſs, and to judge the wicked of the world, when he ſhall have a little number that will own him, when others do diſown him, and deſpiſe him.
Now for the uſe of this Point, If it be ſo that God will ſtill have ſome in bad times that are good and retain their goodneſs, Ʋſe 1 then I beſeech you tell me, are you good in bad times, are you the better, the the worſs the times are? my brethren I need not tell you that we live in ſad and ſinfull times, for certainly iniquity, atheiſme and hereſie are boyled up to a greater heighth in theſe three or four years laſt paſt, than they were in forty years before: now doubtleſs in ſuch diſtinguiſhing and trying times as theſe are, you will either be very good or elſe very bad; you will be like one of theſe two baskets of Figs, the good Figs were very good, and the bad were very bad; tell me then whether you be good Figs, or whether you be bad Figs?Jer. 24.2.
Now to help you in this ſcrutiny, there are but theſe three queſtions I would propound to you, and I wiſh you would propound them to your own ſouls: Firſt, Are you impartially good? Secondly, Are you ſincerely good? Thirdly, Are you conſtantly good? Let me ſpeak to every one of theſe heads a little.
Firſt tell me, Are you impartially good? have you reſpect to all the Commandments of God? Pſal. 119.6. Then ſhall I not be aſhamed when I have reſpect to all thy Commandments. Do you reſpect every command without partiality and without hypocriſie? as the Apoſtle hath it 1 Tim. 5.25. Do you provide things honeſt in the ſight of God, and in the ſight of men? in the fight of God in the duties of the firſt Table, and in the ſight of men in the duties of the ſecond Table? do you ſtudy to be righteous in reference to the ſecond Table, as well as to be religious in reference to the firſt Table? This is to be truly good, if you be thus impartially good without halfing it in the waies of Gods Commandements. I beſeech you conſider and remember this, he that makes no conſcience of the Duties of the ſecond Table, God abhors all the Duties that he performs in reference to the firſt Table; as now if you be unjuſt in your trading, if you be injurious in your dealing, if you rob the poor, becauſe he is poor, and oppreſs the needy in the gate; if you ſell the needy for a piece of ſilver, and the poor for a pair of ſhooes, if you take advantage of the poors neceſſities, if you withhold from him that which is his right, if you detain the hire of the labourer, and of him that takes pains for you, as the Apoſtle St James ſaies, Behold the hire of the labourers which have reaped down your Corn, which is detained of you by frand cryeth, and the cries of them which have reaped, are entred into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath, James 5.4. (whereby the way you may obſerve, that if the detaining the labourers wages, that did reap down their Corn, was ſuch a crying ſin, what is it think you then to detain their right that take pains in the Lords vineyard, and labour in the Lords harveſt? I pray God it be not laid to the charge of many in this City) if you be unrighteous I ſay in detaining that which is due to the labourer, if you be unmercifull, if you be uncharitable, in your cenſures of others, know thus much, that there is no goodneſs at all in you; though you make never ſo much ſhew of Religion: if you do not make conſcience of duties in the ſhop, God regards not all the duties you perform in the Church and on the Lords dayes; if you do not make conſcience of the ninth commandment, Thou ſhalt bear no falſe witneſs againſt thy neighbour, thou ſhalt not flander thy neighbour, thou ſhalt not reproach thy neighbour, God regards not your obſeraation of the fourth Commandment, for keeping of the Lords day: and this appears by what St James ſaies, If any man among you ſeem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, that mans religion is vain, James 1.26. And indeed it is a thing very obſervable, that the Spirit of God makes the duties of the ſecond Table to be a touch-ſtone to try the truth of our duties to the firſt Table: pray remember it, I will give you but two inſtances for it. Firſt, that in James 1.27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to viſit the Fatherleſs, and Widows in their affliction, and to keep himſelf unſpotted from the world: as if he ſhould ſay, Would you know whether you be truly religious or no, then ſee whether you be truly righteous, yea or no. And the other Scripture is 1 John 4.20. If a man ſay he loves God, and hateth his brother, he is a lyar, for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath ſeen, how can he love God, whom he hath not ſeen? As if he ſhould ſay, Would you know whether you love God yea or no, (which is the duty of the firſt Table) then ſee whether you love your brother yea or no, which is the duty of the ſecond Table. Some men are all for holineſs but nothing for righteouſneſs; ſome on the contrary are all for righteouſneſs but nothing for holineſs: But I beſeech you my brethren remember this, God hates an unrighteous holy man as much as he hates an unholy righteous man: Righteouſneſs and holineſs the duties of the two Tables muſt go both together. He hath delivered us out of the hands of our enemies, Luke 1.74, 75.that we might ſerve him without fear in holineſs and righteouſneſs before him all the dayes of our life. And therefore know thus much, that although thou beeſt a man of never ſo excellent parts, and canſt talk never ſo much of Religion and Scripture, and haſt excellent and admirable gifts in prayer, ſo that thou canſt pray like an Angel; yet if thou doſt not make conſcience of the duties of the ſecond Table, God abhors all thy parts and gifts, and holy language, and profeſſion whatſoever. This is the firſt queſtion, Are you righteous as well as religious, and religious as well as righteous? Do you walk with an even foot towards the duties of both Tables?
But ſecondly, Let me ask you this queſtion, Are you ſincerely good? Are you inwardly good? There are many that are ſeemingly good, but few that are really good; many that are outwardly good, but few that are inwardly good. You know what the Scripture ſaith, Rom. 2.28, 29. He is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that Circumciſion which is outward in the fleſh, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and Circumciſion is that of the heart, whoſe praiſe is not of men but of God. 1 Sam. 16.7.God ſees not as man ſees; man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks to the heart:Pſal. 51.6. Thou loveſt truth in the inward parts. Give me an inward Chriſtian; give me a Chriſtian that is ever communing with his own heart, that is ever turning his eyes inwards and his heart outwards to God, this is a good Chriſtian indeed. Hypocrites can perform outward holy duties, and many times outſtrip thoſe that are ſincere, and yet in the mean time they are but painted ſepulchres, fair without, but within full of corruption; they are but as a dunghill covered over with ſnow, that appears very white without, but within there is nothing but filthineſs; they are but as apples of Sodom, fair without and rotten within. There are many that are ſeemingly Saints, outwardly Saints, but inwardly they are no better than Devils. But now tell me, Are you the ſame within that you are without? Are your ſpirits not only free from guilt, but free from guile:Pſal. 32.2 O bleſſed is the man in whoſe ſpirit there is no guile. Are you good towards the Lord God of Iſrael, which was the commendation of Abijah the ſon of Jeroboam, 1 King. 14.13. There was found ſome good thing in him toward the Lord God of Iſrael. Indeed unſound and rotten-hearted Chriſtians may be good towards men, I but they are not good towards the Lord God of Iſrael: But if you be inwardly good, if you be ſincerely good, then are you good indeed. Luther relates a Story of a man that had led a very righteous, innocent, and unblameable life; but when he came upon his ſick bed, he felt his heart full of doubts, and fears, and diſquietments, and was much troubled about his ſpiritual eſtate; ſome of his friends came to him, and ſaid to him, O Sir why are you troubled about your ſpiritual eſtate, you have lived a moſt righteous, a moſt innocent, and unblameable life. I (ſaies he) it is true, I have led ſuch a life in your eyes, but the eye of man, and the eye of God, doe exceedingly differ. The judgement of man is one thing, (ſaies he) but the judgment of God is another thing. And therefore notwithſtanding all my innocent life, which you ſo much applaud, I am afraid to die. I would apply it thus: If the godly, the righteous, thoſe that are ſincere, are ſo much troubled at the dregs of Guile, and Hppocriſie, that are in their own hearts, O! what cauſe then have they to tremble, that have no ſincerity at all in them. And when that great day comes, wherein the ſecrets of all hearts ſhall be made manifeſt; wherein God will diſcloſe the counſels of the heart, and all thoſe ſecret rottenneſſes, and uncleaneſſes, that are in mens ſpirits, when that day ſhall come,1 Cor. 4.5. which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, that will be a day of diſcovery, of all that inward filthineſs, that is now diſguiſed, and cloakt, under a fair pretence of holineſs, and the like, O! where then will ſuch ungodly ones, where will ſuch rotten hearted ſinners be able to appear? Let this therefore be the ſecond queſtion, Are you ſincerely good, or are you rotten at heart yea or no?
And then thirdly, Anſwer to this queſtion (and then I will tell you whether you are good, or no.) Are you conſtantly good? are you ſtedfaſtly good? God complains of Ephraim, Hoſea 6.4. O Ephraim, what ſhall I doe unto thee? O Judah, what ſhall I doe unto thee? (as if he ſhould ſay, I know not what courſe to take with you) for your goodneſs is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away, that is, their goodneſs was of no continuance at all; many ſuch there are in theſe dayes, they are not conſtant in that which is good, they begin in the ſpirit, but end in the fleſh, they are good for a while, but afterwards they ſhamefully fall away, either from the truth, or from the love, or from the Obedience of the Goſpell; Juſt like your young Scholars, that begin newly to write, it may be they write two or three letters very handſomely, but by and by they blur all their copy. O! take heed you be not ſuch; but if you be ſtedfaſt, unmoveable, abounding in the work of the Lord; if you hold out to the end; if you retain your integrity in the worſt of times; if you be faithfull to God, his cauſe and truth; if you be eſtabliſhed in the truth; and doe not ſtart aſide, and are not led away with the error of the wicked, to fall from your own ſtedfaſtneſs; if you be ſtedfaſt Chriſtians, than are you good Chriſtians. Anſwer but theſe three queſtions, and then I can tell whether you are good or no. This is the firſt Uſe, I ſhould have call'd it a Uſe of examination; you ſhould call your ſelves to an account, whether you be good Figs, or bad Figs: Alas this is a time wherein many grow worſe and worſe;foreign. 2 Tim. 3.13. Evill men and ſeducers wax worſe and worſe, (ſaies the Apoſtle) every day: juſt like a round ſtone upon the top of a hill, when once it begins to tumble, it tumbles, and tumbles, and tumbles till it comes to the bottome. O! this is the caſe of many at this day, they run from errour to errour, from ſin to ſin, and from one wickedneſs to another, till they plunge themſelves irrecoverably into the pit of deſtruction; but ſee whether you grow better and better, and retain your own goodneſs, whether you be impartially good, ſincerely good, and conſtantly good, yea or no?
My ſecond Uſe, is for exhortation, Let me beſeech, and exhort you this day in the Name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, (whoſepoor Meſſenger I am) That every one of you would ſtrive to be good in bad Times; that you would endeavour to be like Lot in Sodom, and to be like Lights in the world, in the mideſt of a Crooked,Phil. 2.16. and Preverſe Generation; holding forth the word of life, and holding faſt the word of truth: There is a holding forth the word of truth, that is by an undaunted profeſſion, and a holding faſt the word of truth, that is by an undaunted reſolution, that you would be like to Fiſhes, that retain their freſhneſs in the ſalt-water. O! that I could perſwade you to doe as Peter ſaid, (not onelyonly to ſay ſo but do ſo) Mat. 26.33. Though all men ſhall be offended becauſe of thee yet will I never be offended. How many motives might I uſe to preſs you to this?
Firſt, Conſider by doing this, you ſhall be like unto your God, for it is ſaid of God, Pſal. 119.68. Thou art good, and doeſt good. You all hope to be like unto God in glory, labour then to be like unto God in grace; It is ſaid of our bleſſed Saviour,Act. 10.38. That he went about doing good, and healing thoſe that were oppreſſed of the devil. O! that we could labour to be good, and to be doing good continually. But ſome may ſay, how hard a matter is it to be good in bad Times? Alas it is an extream hard matter for a man to retain his integrity then, and to ſwim againſt the ſtream, when there are ſo many ſnares, and ſo many temptations. I anſwer (and I beſeech you remember it) the beſt Chriſtians are ſtill bred up in the worſt times; like as the ſoundeſt ſheep are bred up in the ſhorteſt commons. It is very obſervable, that the Church and Religion, have ever loſt ground in times of Proſperity, and have ever gained ground in times of perſecution, and therefore when Conſtantine had endowed the Church with large revenews,Religio peperit divitias & filia devoravit matr…n. it was ſaid, Religion like a kind mother hath brought forth plenty, but plenty like an unkind daughter hath devoured her mother. And it is obſerved, that in Diacleſians time; which was the Tenth, and laſt perſecution; the more Religion was oppoſed, the more a thouſand times it proſpered, inſomuch that that bloody Emperour, when he ſaw that the more he ſtrove againſt Chriſt, the leſſe he prevailed, and the more he thought to ſuppreſs Religion, the more it thrived, he went in a pet, and ſaid down his Empire, and betook himſelf to a ſolitary life, he ſaw there was no good to be done that way: And St Hilary that lived in the times of that perſecutor, did profeſſe, that he was more afraid of Toleration, than of perſecution; and he gives this reaſon, For (ſaies he) the Toleration of Religion will make men Appoſtates, but the perſecution of Religion uſually makes men Martyrs. So that the Church gains by Perſecutions, and by troubles, and God looks you ſhould be the beſt Chriſtians in the worſt times; and it will be a great token of your ſincerity, if you can hold your own at that time, when others are warping and declining.
But then ſecondly, take another motive, and 'tis this, conſider if you be good amongſt thoſe that are bad, good in bad, Times, this is that which will bring moſt honour to God, whoſe honour ſhould be dearer to us than our own lives: It is obſervable that Chriſt teacheth us to pray for Gods glory before our own ſalvation; Hollowed be thy name, before thy Kingdome come, The honour of God was ſo wonderfully dear to him: Now this brings moſt honour to God, when you as his faithfull ſervants can own his truth, when moſt diſown it. As that Souldier doth moſt honour his Captain, who ſtands his ground, when all his fellow Souldiers turn their backs; ſo this is that which will honour God indeed, if you ſtick to him when others fall off, and fall away.
Nay thirdly Conſider, this is that which will bring moſt honour to your ſelves, and your profeſſion; for look, as for a man to be evill in the beſt of times; to be evill amongſt thoſe that are good; this is the height of impiety: So on the contrary, for a man to be good amongſt thoſe that are evill, this is the height of Piety: 'tis a very eaſie matter to be good amongſt thoſe that are good, to be good in good times, when it is a credit, and an honour to profeſſe Religion; hypocrites you know when they come amongſt theſe that are godly, they will appear to be godly; Judas when he was in the School of Chriſt, carryed himſelf ſo fairly and inoffencively, that all the Diſciples ſuſpected themſelves, rather than Judas, and ſaid Maſter is it I? But now when a man can own the truth, when others oppoſe it, and deſpiſeit; when a man fears God at that time when others caſt off fear, and ſticks to truth when others are aſhamed of truth: When a man likewiſe keeps his warmth amongſt frozen Chriſtians, and his Spirituall life amongſt dead and drowſie Chriſtians; and his Spirituall groweth amongſt decaying, and declining Chriſtians: This is the Honour, this is the Crown of Chriſtianity.
And then fourthly, Conſider this, If you be good in the worſt of times, certainly God will take care of you, and the leſs encouragement you have from men, the more encouragement you ſhall have from God; and the leſs you are owned by men, the more you ſhall be owned by God. God had a care of theſe poor Captives, this basket of good Figs, were carryed Captive into the Land of B…bylon, I but God was with them, he ſtood by them (as I ſhould have ſpoken to that point, if time would have given me leave,) and God did own and acknowledge them, ſo God will own, and honour you, and ſtand by you, and ſtrengthen and ſupport you, and cauſe all your afflictions to work for your good; he will but prove you, that he may doe you good in the latter end; this is the ſecond Uſe, a Uſe of exhortation.
Thirdly and laſtly, Ʋſe 3 It may ſerve greatly for the encouragement, and conſolation of the godly in the worſt of times; let the times be never ſo deſparate, you ſee God will have a Number, ſome that will be faithfull to him, that will own him. and his cauſe, that will help, to bear up his truth and Name, that will hold faſt their profeſſion without wavering; 'tis true indeed, the Church of Chriſt may be like a Ship toſſed, but it can never be overturned, it may be toſſed becauſe it is upon the Sea, but it can never be overturned becauſe Jeſus Chriſt is in it. The Church may be drenched in ſorrow, but it cannot be drowned in miſery. Therefore we ſhould bear up our hearts in the very worſt of times; and we ſhould ſtill cleave unto God, that he may cleave unto us; let us lift up thoſe hands that hang down, and thoſe feeble knees, there are more with us than againſt us; if one God be with us, it is more than if ten thouſand worlds were againſt us. And know this, we ſhall never have cauſe to repent of our cleaving to God though in the worſt of times. And ſo much ſhall ſuffice to have ſpoken of this ſecond Doctrine, which is drawn from the firſt particular of the ſecond branch of the Text, the explication of the Type.
I had thought to have ſpoken to the other particular; namely the application of it to theſe poor Captives; So will I acknowledge them, I will own them, I will take ſpeciall notice of them that are carryed away Captive of Judah. The Doctrine I ſhould have ſpoken to from hence is this:
That God doth own his people, Doct. and acknowledge them in the day of their dangers and diſtreſſes. He owns them by being preſent with them, and he owns them by ſupporting of them, and he owns them by delivering of them, and he owns them becauſe he bears a love to them, no change of condition can change his affections towards them. O! the faithfullneſs of our God; you ſee freinds ſtand aloof off many times in the day of adverſity; but God is a faithfull friend, he is ever neareſt when trouble is near; and when he brings us into the worſt condition, he is uſually the beſt God unto us. The Pſalmiſt hath a ſweet paſſage Pſal. 22.24. For he hath not abhorred nor deſpiſed the affliction of the afflicted: neither hath he bid his face from him, but when he cryed unto him he heard him. God doth not deſpiſe the affliction of his people, as the manner of ſome is; in the day of their diſtreſs, then they hide away their faces, and will not own nor know thoſe that are afflicted. It is a great comfort and encouragement that God will own his people when the world will not own them, and that God will be with them, and ſtand by them, and ſtick to them when the world rejects them, caſts them off, and ſtands at a diſtance from them: I will acknowledge them ſaith God. But I ſee the time is too far ſpent, and I will not further intrench, either upon your patience or my own ſtrength. So much ſhall ſuffice for this time.