The Art of Divine Improvement, Treatise (1 of 6)

The Art of Divine Improvement · Treatise (1 of 6)

p. 1foreign OLD JACOB's ALTAR newly Repaired: OR THE SAINTS TRIANGLE of Dangers, Deliverances and Duties.

Text: PSALM 94. verſ. 17.

Ʋnleſs the Lord had been my help, my ſoul had almoſt [or quickly] dwelt in ſilence.

THis Book of the Pſalmes hath been honoured, (and that deſervedly) with high Commendations by the Antients, being termed, The Soul's Anatomy, The Law's Epitomie, The Goſpel's Index, a little Bible, The Summary of both the Teſtaments, being alledged, or aliuded to, eighty four times or thereabouts, in the New Teſtament, as one obſerveth; A ſweet Field and Roſary of Promiſes, Precepts, Predictions, Praiſes, Soliloquies, &c. A Phyſick Garden, richly furniſhed with all ſorts of healing plants and Medicinal p. 2herbs, ſuited to all the Spiritual diſtempers frail man is incident unto. The holy Pen-man (being a perſon of choice ſpirit, and of large experiences) meeteth with all the conditions of all the Saints in their ſtate of militancy; ſo that, out of them, as out of a Storehouſe, every Saint may meet with rich ſupply, ſuting his reſpective condition, and his addreſſes to God; ſtill finding much of his own eſtate in ſome Pſalme or other, as though the ſpirit of God ſpake de ſe, & in re ſua, of him, and in his particular caſe, (As Athanaſius obſerveth) containing the Characters and Repreſentations of his thoughts, meditations, affections, and workings of ſpirit towards God, towards man, towards himſelf, throughout all the changes of his Pilgrimage, An Epitomy of the Bible; or, a little Bible, as Luther calls it.in this preſent world: The Apoſtle James, Chap. 5. ver. 13. gives this general advice, Is any afflicted, let him pray, Is any merry, let him ſing Pſalmes: Lo, here is the bread of mourners, for ſad ſpirits, and here is the oyl of gladneſs for merry hearts; here are healing potions for all heart diſtempers, and cordial waters for all ſinking ſpirits, yea choice experiences to ſtrengthen fainting ſoules in the day of their diſtreſs, more pleaſant then the pooles of Heſhbon, more glorious then the Tower of Lebanon, more redolent then the oyl of Aaron, and more fructifying then the dew of Hermon, as one expreſſeth it; and amongſt many Pſalmes, though this hath not the Title Michtam of David affixed to it, to wit, A golden Pſalme, or David's precious jewel, yet it is as the firſt borne among many brethren; from a very ſmall Parcel whereof, viz. verſ. 17. we may conſider a double acknowledgment,

1. 1Of imminent danger, ſet forth

1. By the nearneſs of it.

2. By the greatneſs of it.

2. 2Of eminent Deliverance, in two conſiderable Circumſtances,

1. The reaſonableneſs of Help.

2. The ſufficiencie of Help.

Which Conſiderations will appear to be very genuine, and to be the plain meaning of the Prophet, if we take the Text in pieces, and examine each word apart.

p. 31. Except the Lord, 1or if the Lord had not ſtood by me, and appeared in the very nick of time, this implieth the ſeaſonableneſs of help, the Lord uſually reſerving his hand for a dead lift, as that paſſage, Pſal. 124. verſ. 1, 2, 3. If it had not been the Lord, who was on our ſide, now may Iſrael ſay, if it had not been the Lord who was on our ſide, when men roſe up againſt us, then they had ſwallowed us up quick: the word is uſed, Pſal. 119. verſ. 92. Ʋnleſs thy Law had been my delight, I ſhould then have periſhed in my affliction; which was the Lantgrave of Heſſen's ſupport; Melancthon reporteth, that he told him at Dreſda, That it had been impoſſible for him to have borne up under the manifold miſeries of his ſo long impriſonment, niſi habuiſſet conſolationem ex verbo divino in corde ſuo, If the Word of God had not brought in conſolation, into his heart. Joh. Manl. loc. comm. pag. 139. alledged by Mr. Trap. in Pſal. 119.92.

2. Had been my help: the word ſignifieth, not onelyonly, 2Help, but ſummum & plenum auxilium, an helpfulneſs, or full help; the Hebrew hath a letter more then ordinarie, to encreaſe the ſignification, as learned Mr. Leigh obſerveth: There is the ſufficiency of help.

3. My ſoul, i. e. my life, the word in the Heb. 3being often tranſlated life, of which the ſoul is the ſpring and fountain, as Job 2. verſ. 6. The Lord ſaith unto Sathan, Behold he is in thine hand, but ſave his life. I give thee full commiſſion againſt the body of my righteous ſervant Job, to fill it with diſeaſes and diſtempers, (as he did it to purpoſe) but not to take away his life: This argueth, the greatneſs of David's danger, his Life had dwelt in ſilence, that is, his life had been gone, and his dead corps had been laid in the grave; as Pſal. 115. verſ. 17. The dead praiſe not thee, neither any that go down into ſilence; Hence the Latines call dead men, Silentes, ſilent ones.

4. Welnigh, or almoſt: The word ſignifieth, A little ſpace of time or place, as if he had ſaid, ſo near was I unto death, that there was but a minute, or hair's breadth betwixt me and it; a parralel place, (though upon a p. 4ſpiritual account,) you have, Prov. 5. verſ. 14. I was almoſt in all evil, quaſi parum, or parum abfuit quin— or with in a little of all evil: This ſheweth the nearneſs of the danger; ſo that the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh after this ſort, If the Lord had not ſeaſonably and fully appeared to my help, ſo great and unavoidable was the danger, I was juſt dropping into, I had been a dead man, and my dwelling had been in the quiet and tenebrous cloyſters of death.

The Text thus opened preſenteth you with theſe three Obſervations:

I. Obſer∣vation. 1 That the ſaints Exodus to heaven is through a red ſea, and a wilderneſs.

II. Obſ. 2 That the people of God are ſometimes caſt upon ſuch ſtreights, that ſeem to cut off all means of relief from them.

III. Obſ. 3 That the appearances of God are eminent, and immediate, to the reſcue of his people in their greateſt ſtreights.

I ſhall ſpeak to the two firſt but ſparingly, and be more copious and enlarged on the laſt, the proſecution whereof is mainly intended: And take up the former in the Applicatory part of this Doctrine,

That the Saints of God do meet with many dangers, Doctrine. 3 and much adverſity in this life.

Their Exodus to heaven is through a red Sea, and a wilderneſs. Pſal. 34. ver. 19. Many are the troubles of the righteous; The Account of their ſufferings riſeth very high, the groſs ſumm of their affliction is very great: Iſa. 43. verſ. 2. they muſt paſs to their Land of reſt through fire and through water. Acts 14. v. 22. We muſt through much tribulation enter into the kingdome of God: Malcolm.Plana via ad patriam coeleſtem eſt crux. The readie way to heaven is the Croſs-way. If there be any way to heaven on horſe-back, Mr. Bradford.ſurely this is the way, ſaith that bleſſed Martyr, The ſtones were not ſet into Solomon's Temple untill hewen, neither is the corne laid up in the garner, untill the flail hath paſſed upon it. Fleſh-pleaſing formaliſts take up a delicate Profeſſion, thinking to divide betwixt Chriſt and his Croſs, coaſting about in their wilde and roaving thoughts to finde out a way that will bring them to the Crown, and yet baulk p. 5the Croſs; but alas, their miſtake will one day ſadden their hearts when they ſhall read their preſent folly, in their future diſappointment: Thoſe whom John ſaw in the viſion of the Spirit, Apoc. 7. ver. 14. cloathed with long white robes, ſtanding before the throne of God, and of the Lamb, are ſaid to come forth of great tribulation; implying, they had been in great affliction, they had all their ſhare of breaking Oppreſſions: This is a truth confirmed by the joint Teſtinonies of all ages, and handed down to us, writ in the bloud of many precious Saints.

1. Then they that argue the certaintie of future bleſſedneſs, from their preſent worldly happineſs, and conclude that God loveth them, becauſe they abound in thoſe things which are beloved by them, do reckon without their Hoſt, and muſt one day (ſore againſt their wills) be conſtrained to reckon again: The Rich man Luke 16. found it otherwiſe, He was clothed with purple and fine linnen, (then which the beſt wore no better,) and fared ſumptuouſly every day, (every day was a gaudie day to him) ſecond and third courſes ſerved to his table; yet verſe 22, 23. This Rich man dieth, was buried, and turned into hell, where he had miſery without mercy, ſorrow without ſuccour, pain without pleaſure, he drank of the wine of Gods wrath without mixture, Apoc. 14. ver. 10. had judgement without mercy: Oh that all cruel Oppreſſours, and hard hearted Miſers could conſider this in time, that ſuffer many a poor Lazarus to ſtarve at their gates! Oh! the time is drawing nigh, when they ſhall be ſnatch'd from their full bowles, and full barnes, from their heaps, and their hoards, and ſhall be tumbled into hell, from whence they may ſee deſpiſed Lazaras above in the boſome of Abraham. Think of that unmerciful Courrier, Chriſtopher Landſale, who ſuffered a poor Lazer to die in a ditch by him; And he himſelf (by the juſt hand of God) dyed in a ditch alſo. God ſometimes payeth unmercifull men in their own coyn, amongſt whom the depopulating encloſer leads the Van, Iſa. 5.8, 9, 10. Hence, they are aſleep, who dream of an earthly Paradiſe, or an eaſie Religion, Mic 2.2.Mic 2:2as a p. 6meanes to arrive at that heavenly one, and fancy a Profeſſion without perſecution; a roſe without prickles, and a lilly without thornes; Saint Paul ſayeth otherwiſe, Rom. 8. verſ. 18. I reckon, that the ſufferings of this preſent time, concluding the preſent time to be a time of ſuffering, and that all the day long, ver. 36. the whole courſe of a Chriſtian's life is but a ſlaughter time; or the whole day of the Goſpel may be termed a ſlaughter day: In Diocleſian's time, 17000 Chriſtians were ſlain in the ſpace of one monethmonth: In the Pariſian Maſſacre 30000, in as little ſpace; and within the year 300000, as hath been computed: And how fitly doth that ſad ſtory of the Chriſtians of Calabria agree with this paſſage of the Apoſtle; for being thruſt up into one houſe together, as into a ſheepfold, the executioner cometh in, and taketh one after another, leading them to a larger place, Acts and Monuments, fol. 859.where he cutteth their throats, with his butchers knife, untill he had ſlaughtered them all, to the number of Eightie eight perſons, even as the butcher prepareth meat for the ſhambles.

3. 3Hence then, they are below the name, at leaſt, have not the magnanimous, the great mindes and gallantry of Chriſtians, who caſt of Chriſt when the Croſs appeareth; that not onelyonly throw off their cloaks, but their coats alſo, when the ſun of perſecution beginneth to ſcorch them: and they alſo are blameworthy, who diſcover a whining and pettiſh ſpirit under afflictions, crying out with Baruch. Jer. 43. ver. 3. Wo is me now, for the Lord hath added grief to my ſorrow, I fainted in my ſighing, and finde no reſt; as though all was loſt when the yoke preſſeth heavie upon them; whereas, that one Conſideration, Lam. 3. ver. 39. may ſtop the mouth for ever, Wherefore doth living man complain? a poor clod of clay? alive, on this ſide the grave, and Hell, and complain? and quarrel with God? what equity is there in his complaints? what reaſon hath man to murmur? when as man is puniſhed for his ſinnes? Man that complaineth is guilty of many ſinnes, the wages whereof is death; nay, afflicted man who eighteneth his ſufferings, was ever grief like mine? did p. 7ever any meet with ſuch Croſſes, diſappointments, hard ſpeeches and hard dealings, as I meet withall? Oh! this man that complaineth now on earth, might ere now have cryed out in Hell: He that weepeth on earth, might long ſince have wailed in hell; and he that gnaſheth his teeth againſt God for his preſent ſufferings, might have had gnaſhing of teeth in endleſs and eaſleſs torments; Oh then! Wherefore doth living man complain? Oh! this is a quieting Conſideration, to keep down all impatient riſings of heart againſt God, in a day of diſtreſs, and will lead out the ſpirit to ſubmit unto, and truſt God, in the greateſt ſtreights: For, as it followes, in the ſecond head of Doctrine,

The Saints of God do ſometimes meet with ſuch diſtreſſes, Doctrine 2 that cut off all hopes of deliverance from man: Reaſon is at a ſtand, heart and fleſh fail; carnal policy is at a loſs; all proud helpers ſtoop in vain: yea, Faith it ſelf beginneth to flagge, Thus Gen. 21. verſ. 14, 15, 16. Hagar with her ſonne, are caſt out of Abraham's family, and are now in a wilderneſs, a place inhabited onelyonly by wilde beaſts; their ſtock of proviſion ſpent, and no ſupplies to be had; What then? what courſs will Hagar take? why ſhe layeth down her beloved boy under a buſh; And what then? ſhe goeth a diſtance from him, not being able to bear his dying groanes, and cryes; and having emptyed her bottle of water, ſhe ſeeketh to emptie her moaning heart by teares; ſeeing nothing but the death of her Sonne, as knowing no way to prevent it! a great diſtreſs! a ſad ſtreight! but not her caſe alone: Many of the Saints of God have come to the emptying of their bottles, to caſes of utmoſt extremitie; a parralel caſe was that of the poor widow, 1 Kings 17. verſ. 12. her whole ſtore was ſpent, and markets ſhut up, as to new ſupplies, a handfull of meal in the barrel, and a little oyl in the cruſe, was her whole livelihood, and ſhe is now gathering a handfull of ſticks, to bake one cake for her ſelf and her Sonne; and what will ſhe do when that cake is eaten? did ſhe ſee relief coming ſome other way? no, theſe were p. 8her thoughts, ſhe and her ſonne would eat that cake and die: It were eaſie to multiply preſidencies of this kinde upon both accounts, temporall and ſpirituall; ſtreights of bodie and preſſures of ſpirit have been matter of the Saints complaint.

1. 1Oh then! thou that art a ſervant of the Lord, who haſt not been brought into theſe ſtreights; upon whom ſuch a day of diſtreſs hath not been, but findeſt the incomes of the ſpirit, doſt take in comfort from the promiſes, walkeſt in the light of God's countenance, and haſt the candle of the Lord ſhining upon thy Tabernacle, as 1 Kings 1.6. That haſt been the Lords Adonijah? Oh! charge it home by the way of thankfulneſs upon thy heart, that the Lord ſhould lead thee unto the land of reſt, and not by the way of the wilderneſs.

2. 2Let thy bowels yearn toward the diſtreſſed of the Lord: pity them, pray for them, and adminiſter ſeaſonable ſupplies of comfort to them; conſidering thy ſelf as being in the body; eſpecially let thy heart go out in tender compaſſions towards the afflicted in ſpirit, to thoſe who are brought into ſoul ſtreights, whoſe caſe runneth parallel with that of Heman, Pſal. 88. ver. 3. My ſoul is full of troubles, Heb.is ſatiated with evills, hath its fill, is brimm'd up, yea, running over, and theſe ſo preſſing, that my life draweth nigh to the grave, and then, verſ. 8. I am ſhut up, I am a priſoner, under reſtraint; I, but it is libera cuſtodia, he may go forth with his keeper; no, I cannot go forth, Oh! tis a ſad thing to be a cloſe Priſoner, to be ſo ſhut up that he cannot ſteppe one foot beyond the grate, to take any contentment in the creature, any delight in outward enjoyments, or any comforts in relations; Ah, but Heman's caſe is far ſadder, he is ſo ſhut up that his ſpirit cannot go forth in prayer, to fetch in comfort from the Promiſes, nor healing from the Spirit, nor life from Jeſus Chriſt, nor pardoning mercy from the God and Father of mercies: nor evidence of Electing love, nor aſſurance of Redeeming grace, nor demonſtrations of Adopting grace; nay, nor ſatisfying p. 9and ſoul-quieting concluſions of truth of grace, but free amongst the dead, like the ſlain in the grave, whom God remembreth no more; Dead to duty, dead in duty, dead from duty; ſpirit dead, and heart dead, affections dead, deſires dead, comforts dead, hope dead, faith dead, yea all dead: Oh! this is ſad above what words can expreſs, onelyonly the heart knoweth its own bitterneſs: yet this day of diſtreſs hath been upon many precious Saints: Oh! then draw forth the breaſts of conſolation to ſuch ſad ſouls, Stay them with flaggons, comfort them with apples: And let this give you incouraging hopes of ſucceſs in all your applications, that the appearances of God are eminent, and immediate in the day of his peoples greateſt diſtreſs, which is the main point I pitch upon, as being the chief ſcope of the Text.

Doct. 3. The Lord comes in often with ſeaſonable and ſuitable mercies in times of greateſt miſeries.

He loveth to be ſeen on the Mount; to be a preſent help in the needful time of trouble, to help when none elſe can help; when refuge faileth, and hope is now at the giving up the ghoſt. See that Gen. 21. verſ. 17, 18. When Hagars fears were higheſt, and her faith loweſt (as too oft is ſeen, that when fear is up then faith is down) when death was coming, and life going, when the water was ſpent, her patience ſpent, and all ſpent; when ſhe had received the ſentence of death within her ſelf, for her ſelf, at leaſt for her ſon, whom ſhe had given up for a dead childe: Then, then God heard the voyce of the lad, and calleth unto her, and biddeth her lift up the lad, yea her own faith and hope, and ſpirit, (for there was an univerſal ſinking in her) and telleth her he will make him a great Nation; as if he had ſaid, Fear not the life of the lad, for there are many lives bound up in his life; if I ſhould let him periſh, I ſhould loſe a Nation, yea a great Nation; and that diſtruſtful thoughts might not ariſe in her heart, God openeth her eyes, and ſhe ſaw a Well of water, and gave the lad drink: Let us pitch down a little upon this Quotation, for it is a p. 10place of pleaſant ſprings, and draw theſe Obſervations.

1. That the goodneſs of God is a ſpringing fountain unto the Saints, even in a wilderneſs, Pſal. 107.35. There is alwayes water in this fountain, Pſal. 36. verſ. 9. With thee is the fountain of life; There are ſprings of providence, and ſprings of promiſes, both which do ſend forth refreſhing ſtreams unto the Saints: There are alwayes ſupplies in the Lords ſtore-houſe, freſh cordials in the Lords cloſet; yea, he can and will create deliverances for his Jacobs, though Hagar was at a loſs, yet God was not, though the ground was dry to her, yet God can bring up ſprings of water through the ſecret veynes of the parched earth: Oh! there is much ſupport in this, duely to improve the Omnipotency and All-ſufficiency of God.

2. That the Saints themſelves ſometimes have their eyes ſo ſhut up, that they cannot ſee theſe ſprings of goodneſs; Sometimes the heads of theſe ſprings lye ſo deep and low, that they are not viſible, either in promiſes or in providences: Nay, when they are open and run, yet in ſome caſes, the Saints eyes are cloſed, that they cannot ſee them; all ſeemeth to be dry ground to them: Indeed theſe fountains are ſhut up to the unbeleeving world, alwayes ſealed to the wicked; ſo great a ſtone is rolled by an Almighty arm upon the mouth of this Well, that all the ſtrength of nature cannot remove it, to dip a bucket in it; but to the faithful it is alwayes open, they need no Jacob to roll it away. See that Zach. 13. verſ. 1. A fountain opened to the houſe of David for ſin, and for uncleanneſs. This great Goſpel fountain, the blood of Jeſus, is open to beleevers, to them that dwell at Jeruſalem in the Spirit, not in the letter of profeſſion. Now if this great Fountain be open, which feedeth all the leſſer ſprings, referring to the blood of the Lord Jeſus, then ſure no leſſer ſprings ſhall be ſhut up to them: He is the fountain of Gardens, the Well of living waters, Cant. 4. verſ. 15. What a precious priviledge is this, to have all Goſpel-ſprings open unto us? yet here is our miſery, p. 11and it is very great, though the ſprings be open, our eyes are ſometimes ſhut; now what is a ſpring of water to a thirſty traveller, if he ſee it not? But you will ſay, How ſhall the Saints get their eyes opened?

3 God alone openeth the eyes of his people, that they may ſee theſe open Fountains, that they may behold theſe ſtreams from Lebanon: Hagar ſaw not the fountain, neither could ſhe, untill God opened her eyes; He that opened the heart of Lydia, Act. 16. verſ. 14. opened Hagars eyes: Jeſus Chriſt who hath the Key of David, can onelyonly open and ſhut eyes by his anointing Spirit, Apoc. 3. verſ. 18. This is true in the firſt work of converſion, Act. 26. verſ. 18. So alſo in the paſſage of after comforts, 2 King. 6.17. The Lord opened the eyes of the young man that he ſaw, and behold, the mountain was full of horſes and chariots of fire round about Eliſha: The providences and protections of God, do circumvallate and encompaſs the faithful; His Angels encamp round about them; yet the Lord muſt open their eyes, elſe they cannot behold them: A truth falling in with our own experience; how many amongſt us, ſaw not that wall of fire which hath been round about us? nor thoſe Chariots of fire which have been ſo eminent a protection unto us, in times of greateſt danger? But,

4. God will open the eyes of his people, to behold theſe ſprings of mercy, when they ſtand in moſt need of them: What had it been to Hagar if her eyes had been opened to have ſeen many Wells of water when ſhe was in Abrahams family? or if ſhe had been in a land of fountains? but to be in a wilderneſs in a land of drought; to have the water in the bottle ſpent, and knew not where to fill it, nor how to keep her lad alive without ſupplies of water; and then in this ſtreight, to have her eyes opened to ſee, not a little water in a pitcher to fill her bottle once with, and no more; but to ſee a Well, a ſpring of water, where ſhe might have conſtant ſupplies: Oh! this was a ſeaſonable, and therefore a welcome mercy to her; this was life to her ſelf, her ſon, and to her hopes of after p. 10duplicate page p. 11duplicate page p. 12ſafety; Oh this is marvellous ſweet, and an excellent means to get up the heart in ſinking times and conditions.

6. Her eyes are opened, ſhee ſeeth the Well: What doth ſhe now do? why ſhe obeyeth the voyce of the Lord in filling her bottle with water, and giving the lad drink; this teacheth us, That it is the duty of Gods people to lay hold …n offers of mercy from the Lord; to cloſe in with, to own, and improve, the providential diſpenſations of God for good unto themſelves: What, is ſhe in a wilderneſs? her bottle-ſtore ſpent, a fountain opened, and her eyes opened, and doth ſhe ſit ſtill? is ſhe ſullen, or is ſhe pettiſh, becauſe ſupplies came not her own way, or at her own time? will ſhe not dip her bottle in the fountain, becauſe it ariſeth in this, and not in that plat of ground? doth ſhe ſtand upon ſuch niceties? no, no, but preſently ſhe ſnatcheth up her bottle, and goeth to fill it: A commendable practice! Oh! what we ſee her do, do we likewiſe; in all our ſtreights, let us haſte to the Throne of grace, and when mercy is offered, help ſeaſonably tendered, let us imbrace it, and improve it; when Chriſt opened that fountain of grace, ſhewing the wounds in his hands, and in his ſide to Thomas, preſently he runneth to the fountain, and dippeth his bucket in the Well, acting faith by a perſonal application, My Lord, and my God, Joh. 20. verſ. 28. So when the Lord openeth his Mercy-fountains to us, and our eyes to ſee them, let us not onelyonly ſip a little, but fill our buckets, yea brim our bottles, drawing with joy and thankfulneſs of heart water out of thoſe Wells of ſalvation, Iſa. 12. verſ. 3. not quarrelling with men or means, but owning the goodneſs of the Lord, in the ſeaſonableneſs and fulneſs of our diſtreſs. What, ſhould I mention the Angels ſtaying Abrahams hand, when it was lifted up to ſlay his beloved Iſaac? What, ſhould I name Jacoh's Mahanaim, the Hoſt of God which appeared to him, when he feared his brother Eſau, leſt he ſhould ſlay the mother with her children? or Joſeph in the pit, or in the priſon? or Iſrael at p. 13the red Sea? what ſhould I ſay more? the time would fail me, if I ſhould reckon up, what the Holy Ghoſt hath recorded of this kinde: How often may the ſaints, and how many of them may truly ſpeak the words of my Text? Ʋnleſs the Lord had been my help, my ſoul had almoſt dwelt in ſilence: but God appeared, relief came, and deliverance was ſent from the Lord, in the very nick of time: Oh! if God had deferred his help for one hour, nay one minute, nay leſs then one minute, (if time could be parcel'd out into a leſſer moment) I had been undone, life and all had been loſt. But you will ſay, what moveth the Lord to this full and ſeaſonable appearance, for his people in their greateſt ſtreights? I anſwer,

Reaſon 1. Becauſe God ſometimes leadeth his people into ſtreights, therefore it is for his honour to fetch them out again: Some Commanders have been very bold and forward to lead an Army on, but have had little care and skill to bring them off, by means whereof many thouſands have been ſlain in ſome deſperate aſſaults: but the Lord of hoſts will not do thus, he will not fall back with his reſerves and ſuffer his Ʋriahs to periſh by the ſword of the children of Ammon; he will bring off with ſafety, when he putteth his own people upon danger: Exod. 15.3.Exod 15:3The Lord is a man of war, the Lord is his name: He knoweth the ſtratagems and poſtures of warre, and like a brave Commander ſtandeth upon his honour, and therefore will bring off where he leadeth on: Abraham had expreſs order from Jehovah, to offer up his ſon Iſaac, and we ſee how the Lord ſtepped in betwixt the cup and the lip, as it were, and biddeth him hold his hand, when it was now lifted up to ſlay his Son, Gen. chap. 22. Therefore Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-iireh, The Lord will ſee, or the Lord will provide, ver. 14. Moſes and the children of Iſrael received orders from the Lord of Hoſts for their march out of Egypt, and had their way and quarters aſſigned by him, Exod. 14. verſ. 1.2. The Lord ſpake unto Moſes ſaying, ſpeak unto the children of Iſrael, p. 14that they turn and encamp before Pe-hahireth, between Migdol and the ſea, over againſt the Sea, over againſt Baal-zephon, before it ſhall ye encamp by the Sea; What could be more expreſs then this? well, what followeth? why, Pharaoh with all his hoſt purſues them, and having got them up into this cramp, maketh no doubt but the day is his own: and well he might, for if we view the ground, we ſhall finde them thruſt up into a narrow room, and in very ſad ſtreights: if they look before them, and think to ſave themſelves by flight, the ſea is there, and they have neither bridg nor boats to paſs over it; if they think to wheel on the right hand, high mountains are a baracado againſt them; if they think to ſteal away on the left hand, that cannot be done, for they muſt climbe up high and plain hills, which will give the enemy a full proſpect of them: if they think to retreat, and to ſlip back into Egypt by ſome ſecret way, Mr. Burroughs notes upon Hoſ. 2. p. 30.Hos 2that they cannot do, becauſe Pharaoh's Army, is betwixt them and Egypt, ſo that they muſt march through the head-quarters of the enemy, if they attempt that: nay, to add weight to all, they were before Baal-zephon, the God of watching, an Idol which the Egyptians had high exſpectations from, being ſet at the mouth of thoſe mountains before Pe-hahiroth, to watch the paſſage, that none might eſcape without a paſsport out of Egypt: Here Pharaoh overtook them, verſ. 9. Theſe were their ſtreights; and 'tis plain God brought them into thoſe ſtreights; but what? doth God leave them in the lurch? no, God will ſave them by a miracle, he will make a way in the deep for them: As they marched between mountains of earth before, ſo they ſhall march between mountains of water now; and they who feared that their enemies would dig graves for them in the wilderneſs, do now ſtand upon drie ground, and behold the whole hoſte of Egypt buried under two huge mountaines of water; ver. 28. and all this the Lord of hoſts did, to maintain his honour in point of faithfulneſs to his people, and to evidence his power in point of omnipotency upon their enemies, as p. 15Moſes upon another occaſion argueth it out with the Lord. Numb. 14. verſ. 15.16. If thou ſhalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard of the fame of thee, will ſpeak, ſaying, becauſe the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land, which he ſware unto them, therefore hath he ſlain them in the wilderneſs: An high impeachment againſt God, in reſpect both of power and faithfulneſs; a charge very diſhonourable to the Lord: and therefore the Lord bringeth them off, at leaſt the loyal and obedient ones, with honour and ſafety, from all thoſe hazzards he had led them into. Hence the Prophet David ſpeaketh in the perſon of the Church, Pſal. 66. verſ. 9, 10, 11, 12.

Rea. 2. Becauſe ſometimes the ſervants of the Lord meet with troubles in the world, for their love to God, and management of the Lords work; They ſpeed ill with men for their good will to God; and are ſufferers from men, becauſe they will not ſinne againſt God; therefore it is that the Lord eſpouſeth their quarrel and taketh part with them: This was the caſe of the three Jewiſh worthies, Dan. 3. verſ. 12.13. they would not diſhonour the true and living God, by owning any thing of God in a dumb and dead Idol, and therefore are bound and caſt into a fiery fornace; but how ſped they? did God ſuffer them to be caſt into that fiery priſon, and periſh there for his debt? no, God was with them in the fire, and fetch'd them out without one peny damage to them; their hair was not ſinged, neither were their coats changed, nor the ſmell of fire had paſſed on them, verſ 27. In like ſort did wicked men deal with Daniel Chap. 6. verſ. 10. and the Lord brought him off without the leaſt hurt: upon this baſis the Lord Jeſus bottometh that precious promiſe Luke 21. verſ. 15. I will give you a mouth and wiſdome, which all your adverſaries ſhall not be able to gainſay or reſiſt; and wherefore are the vouchſafements of God ſo eminent unto them? verſ. 12. becauſe they ſuffered for his name, and his cauſe: which truth hath been more then once atteſted by ſuffering ſaints; ſo much of the ſpirit and wiſdome p. 16of God hath been diſcovered in their anſwers, that their adverſaries and accuſers have been non-pluſs'd by illiterate men; nay, filled with aſtoniſhment: Thus the Apoſtle Rom. 8. verſ. 36. For thy names ſake we are led as ſheep to the ſlaughter; and what followeth? why Verſ. 37. in all theſe things wee are more then Conquerours, through him that loved us, foreign.we do over-overcome, ſuper-ſuperamus; if the cauſe be Gods, we may truſt our ſelves and it in Gods hand, and poſſeſs our ſouls in patience, when we have this aſſurance, that not an hair of our head ſhall periſh Luke 21. verſ. 18, 19.

Reaſ. 3. Therefore God ſteppeth in to the help of his, people in their greateſt ſtreights, that he may give real teſtimony of his hearty good will unto them: that they may know, and their enemies alſo, that they have a friend who will ſtick to them in the day of their diſtreſs: affliction is the trial of affection, Prov. 17. verſ. 17. A friend loveth at all times, [ **Hebrew.in all times] that is, in every opportune time; in the fitteſt ſeaſon; now the timings of love; the timings of acts of friendſhip addeth both worth and weight unto it Prov. 15. verſ. 23. A word ſpoken in ſeaſon (in his time, ſaith the Hebrew) how good is it? how good is a word of comfort ſpoken to a drooping ſoul in a day of mourning? How good is a word of peace ſpoken by the Lord to a wounded ſpirit? and then when its wounds are freſh and bleeding? can any heart, but the heart of Experiences, conceive, what healings thoſe words of Chriſt brought to the poor woman, Luke 7. v. 48. thy ſinnes are forgiven thee? being ſpake at that ſeaſon, when her heart was poured out, under a deep ſence of ſinne? Who can calculate what revivings of ſpirit, the ſaint-thief felt from that ſeaſonable Promiſe? To day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe? Luke 23. ver. 43. being ſo rightly timed, even in ipſo articulo mortis, in the very moment before his death, and when his conſcience was both awakened and wounded with ſinne? Oh! ſurely the timeing of love doth marvellouſly add to the beauty of it, and when is it ſo ſeaſonable as in a day of diſtreſs? A cup of p. 17cold water with one morſel of bread given to a weary and thirſty Traveller, is more then a full meal at another time: How pleaſantly did Iael's milk reliſh upon Siſerah's pallate, when he was thirſty? Judg. 4 verſ. 19. A ſmall piece of ſilver given to a poor man when he wanteth to buy bread for his family, is more then a great ſum given at a time when his cupboard is full of bread; Abrother is born for adverſity, and ſure kindneſs ſhewed to a brother in a day of adverſity, ſpeaketh up love with the loudeſt accents: Now, God reſerveth his paternal love to ſuch a time, and then he unboſometh himſelf unto his people, and at ſuch a time his people read the love of God in the moſt legible Characters; ſome drops of love taſte ſweeter then, and are owned more then full draughts of love at another time: Good Aſaph experienced and acknowledged this, Pſal. 73. verſ. 25, 26. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee, None in heaven, none on earth? No, God is above all in this good mans eſteem. How cometh it to paſs that God hath ſuch a glorious high throne in Aſaphs heart? Oh, ſaith he, there is good reaſon for it, and you will ſay ſo too, when you know what love and good will God hath ſhewed unto me. Oh! I was in ſuch a ſinking and diſpairing condition, That my fleſh and my heart failed me; heart, and hope, and help, and all were gone, I, but then, The Lord was the ſtrength of my heart; my heart ſtayed upon God, as upon a firm rock; the Lord was unto me as the ſhadow of a great rock in a weary land, and he is my portion for ever, he hath put in ſecurity for my everlaſting ſafety. Oh, behold what manner of love is this? and therefore he draweth up this concluſion, It is good for me to draw nigh to God, to rowle upon God in all my ſtreights. Theſe appearances of God do make his love ſo viſible and glorious, that Angels and men may read it, and ſay, Behold how he loveth them!

4. Again, God doth hereby more engage his people unto him, Reaſon 4 he maketh them more his own, getteth into their very hearts, and ſetteth up his royal ſtandard there: There is nothing layeth p. 18ſtronger engagements upon an ingenious perſon, then friendſhip in a day of adverſity. Jonathans interpoſures for David, when Saul hunted for his life, were ſo powerful upon Davids ſpirit, that he wanted ways and words to expreſs his ſenſe of them; his heart, like a veſſel of new wine ſought for vent, even when Jonathan was dead, 2 Sam. 9.1. He putteth the queſtion, or rather maketh general proclamation, Is their yet any left of the houſe of Saul? What? Is David afraid of a Corrival in the Kingdom? Would he cut of the whole family of Saul to ſecure the crown upon his own head? No, this is not the ground of his enquiring; but, That I may ſhew him kindneſs, not a word of revenge, notwithſtanding the hatred and hoſtility of Saul their father: But why kindneſs? Why? he explaineth himſelf, For Jonathan ſake; and again he reneweth his enquiry, verſ. 3. To which Ziba replieth, Jonathan hath yet a ſon who is lame of his feet: A ſon of Jonathan? thats well, but he is lame, yea lame of his feet, and ſo ſerviceable neither in Court nor Campe, fit neither to ſtand before a Prince, nor to march in the head of an Army. No matter, I will ſhew the kindneſs of God unto him, and verſ. 7. when the lame ſon of Jonathan is brought, David ſaid unto him, Fear not; it ſeemeth the remembrance of Sauls cruelty, cauſed a trembling upon his Grand-ſons ſpirit; therefore David meets him with a cordial at the very door, Fear not, for I will ſurely ſhew thee kindneſs, for Jonathan thy fathers ſake. Oh! Jonathan was my friend, a dear friend, he hazarded his own life to ſave mine, and therefore I am obliged to ſhew kindneſs to him, even in his poſterity; in like manner the hearts of Gods people are drawn out unto him, under the ſence of great deliverances: See how Moſes and Iſrael were up in their ſpirits unto the Lord, when they were now brought off from Egypt, and beheld their cruel Taskmaſters quackened in the red Sea, Exod. 15. ver. 2. Then ſang Moſes, and the children of Iſrael this ſong, &c. The Lord is my ſtrength and my ſong, and he is become my ſalvation: What then? Oh! He is my God and I will prepare him an habitation, God p. 19ſhall keep houſe in my heart, there ſhall be the dwelling place of the Lord, even of that God who is become my ſalvation, and thus Pſal. 116. verſ. 1. I love the Lord, my heart flameth out with hot affection to the Lord, and why? for verſ. 8. Thou haſt delivered my ſoul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling: There's nothing hears and heightens, like unto a lively ſenſe of the mercies of God in a day of diſtreſs: The Saints are much wanting to themſelves, and more unto God in the neglect of this, did we do this more God would have more of our hearts, and hands too then he hath; the love of Chriſt would conſtrain, if we did often read over the ſtory of it, writ in his own blood.

Laſtly, Reaſon 5 The Lord cometh in ſeaſonably and fully to his peoples relief in the day of their diſtreſs, That he might blaſt the hope of their enemies, and give their expectation the lye, when they look for the down fall of Zion; when adverſity knocketh at the Saints door, yea, breaketh in forceably upon them, then is the time come that the wicked looked for; the day that they have longed after (for ſurely the Serpents ſeed are true to their own principles, they do really deſire that the name of Iſrael was blotted out, Cooperite, cooperite diruite, eximis ſabvertite fundamentis, Buchan.and that their remembrance might periſh from off the earth) This was the language of Edom, in the day of Jeruſalem, raſe it, raſe it, even to the foundation thereof, Pſal. 137. verſ. 7. Thus did the Egyptians gape and gaſpe after prey, Exod. 15. verſ. 9. I but God cometh in and daſheth their expectations in pieces, yea, beateth out the brains of that Leviathan; and this maketh the hearts of their enemies melt, and run like wax before the fire; and thus God reacheth his great end, which is to make void the hopes of the wicked, Job 36.24, 25. that all the world may ſee and ſay, There is none like unto the God of Jeſhurum, who rideth upon the heavens for the help of Iſrael, and in his excellency upon the skies; The eternal God is their refuge, and underneath are everlaſting arms, and he ſhall thruſt out the enemy before-them, and ſhall ſay deſtroy them, Deut. 33. ver. 26, 27. When the wicked thinks to fall upon them, and p. 20cut them off in the open field, then the Lord will be a retreating place unto them; the eternal God is their Refuge; when they lay load upon them, and think to ſinke them down with preſſing calamities; then underneath are everlaſting arms to bear them up; when they ſtrengthen their leagure, and think to cut off all ſupplies; then the God of Jeſhurum, rideth upon the heavens for their help; when they think to ſtarve them out, and bring in famine among them; then, The fountain of Jacob is upon a land of corn and wine: when they think to ſtop up their wells of water, and to ſlay them with thirſt; Then his heaven drops down dew upon them, the Lord filleth their veſſels with rain from the clouds, ſo that their water ſhall not fail; thus in all their contrivements, The enemies are found lyars, and their bloſſoming hopes are blaſted by the Lord, ſo that the Angels in their heavenly Chore may ſing this ſong of triumph in behalf of the Saints, Happy art thou, O Iſrael, who is like unto thee O people? ſaved by the Lord, the ſhield of thy help, and who is the ſword of thy excellency.

Thus have we ſeen the truth cleared, that the appearances of the Lord, are eminent and immediate in the time of his peoples greateſt diſtreſs, and the reaſons of the point aſſerted; we ſhall now gather the Vintage, and preſs the full cluſters of it, to make a cordial wine for fainting Saints in an evill day.

The Doctrine thus cleared and aſſerted, doth offer us many truths, writ with a beam of the Sun, known and read of all men: As,

1. Doct. That the Saints are a people of Gods ſpecial care; They are much in the thoughts of God, and lye near his heart: It is a truth, God eareth for man and beaſt, he exerciſeth a general, and a providential care towards all his creatures; The care of a Creator (like the light of the Sun) goeth through the whole world, his going forth is from the end of heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof, Pſal. 19. verſ. 6. All men, yea the worſt of men on this ſide hell, are debtors to God, and owe all their ſafety to his care, whoſe p. 21is their breath, and in whoſe hands are all their wayes: But he hath a peculiar and paternal care over the Saints; That Diſtich of Muſculus cometh in fitly.

Eſt Deus in coelis, qui providus omnia curat

Credentes nunquam, deſerviſſe poteſt:

A God there is, whoſe providence doth take

Care for his Saints, whom he will not forſake.

Saint Paul that he might commend Timothy fully to the Philippians uſeth theſe expreſſions, Phil. 2. verſ. 20. I have no man like-minded, he could not finde ſo choice a ſpirit, not a man of his minde, he was a None-ſuch; and wherein did this ſingularity ſhew it ſelf? Why, in this, who will naturally care for your ſtate; as principles of nature carry out the Father carefully to provide for the ſafety of his children: Childleſs perſons drive on a ſingle, and ſelfiſh intereſt, but parents do wrap up their childrens good in all their actings, ſpending many a careful thought on them, how to render their lives ſafe and comfortable. So verſ. 20. When all ſeek their own, and not the things of Jeſus Chriſt; good Timothy naturally tendered the Churches welfare, laying out his thoughts and care how to promote her ſpiritual advantage: A ſingular patern; to which the carriages of few men run parallel in theſe ſelfiſh dayes of ours, when the publick is too much drowned, and ſwallowed up in private intereſts: A ſad deportment, and that which ought to be lamented with tears of blood; Oh! ſhould the Lord write after this copy; what a woe caſe were we all in, but here is our comfort, God careth for the righteous, and this ſpeaks his care with the ſhrilleſt Eccho, that he naturally careth for them, even with the tendereſt bowels of an indulgent father: See that 2 Chron. chap. 16. verſ. 9. The eyes of the Lord run too and fro through the whole earth, to ſhew himſelf ſtrong on the behalf of them, whoſe heart is perfect towards him; his eyes run, implying the celerity and ſwiftneſs p. 22of God, in haſtening relief to his people, Iſa. 31. verſ. 5. As birds flying, ſo will the Lord defend Jeruſalem his eyes run through the whole earth, implying the univerſality of help, not a Saint in a dark corner of the world under any ſtreights, but the Lord ſeeth him; nay, run to and fro, the providence of God moveth in circuitu, if it be low water now, it will be high water anon, there are tydes of mercy; So Iſa. 49. v. 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the palm of my hands, thy walls are continually before me.

We read, that the names of the twelve Tribes were engraven upon twelve ſtones on the breaſtplate of Aaron when he appeared before the Lord, Exod. 28. verſ. 11. And the ſhew-bread was kneaded into twelve Loaves, being therefore called panis propoſitionis, becauſe it repreſented the twelve Tribes, and ſet upon the table before the Lord, Lev. 24. verſ. 5. to enminde the Lord of his people; We ſay (and it too often proveth true) out of ſight, out of minde; but now, the Saints cannot be out of Gods minde, becauſe ever in his ſight; Oh! the care of God toward his people, how great? And oh the comfort of his people from this care of God, how ſweet and precious is it? and wherein appeareth this care of God? Why, in his eminent and immediate appearances for them in the day of their diſtreſs, hear at what a rate God ſpeaketh, Iſa. 40. verſ. 27, 28. Why ſayeſt thou, O Jacob, and ſpeakeſt, O Iſrael? my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgement is paſſed over from my God? God cannot indure ſuch a diſtruſtful whining ſpirit in his people; It hath an unhandſome reflection upon God, as though he had remitted, if not caſt off the care of his people; therefore the Lord comes on with his high intergatories, Haſt thou not known? what an ignorant people? Haſt thou not heard? what a deaf people? What? keep no intelligence with heaven? That the everlaſting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary; his ſtrength is Almighty, therefore he cannot faile; his care is everlaſting, therefore hee cannot be weary of helping afflicted ones; how eminent and various p. 23was the Lords care in Jonah's preſervation? There is a ſtorm at Sea; Jonah is caſt over-board, but God prepareth a fiſh ready to receive him; but how ſhall he do for light in that dark priſon? How ſhall life be preſerved in thoſe Chambers of death? What food muſt he eat in his three days impriſonment? How ſhall he be kept alive ſo long in the belly of a living fiſh, and not become meat to the fiſh? Who ſhall open the bars of the gates, and let loſe the priſoner? And who ſhall waft him to the ſhore when ſet at liberty? Why, God is not weary, he will carry him through all; what a bundle of miracles are wrapt up together in the preſervation of this one Saint? well might the Apoſtle perſwade the faithful to be careful for nothing, Phil. 4. verſ. 6. which (as the Seraphims in Iſa. 6.) is anſwered by Saint Peter 1 Epiſt. chap. 5 verſ. 9. Caſt all your care upon God, under this aſſurance, that God careth for you: were we not ignorant of Gods care over us; or low in faith, that we dare not believe his word of promiſe to us, we might free our ſelves from much vexing ſolicitude, and anxiety of minde wherewith we are tormented. It was a noble ſpeech of John Careleſs in a letter to Mr. Philpot, I will now ſing care away, for now my ſoul is turned to his old reſt again, and hath taken a ſweet nap in the lap of Chriſt, I have caſt my care upon the Lord who careth for me, and will be careleſs according to my name: It is our work to caſt care, it is Gods work to take care; let us not then by ſoul-dividing thoughts take the Lords work out of his hand; If the care of all the Churches came upon Paul, 2 Cor. 11. verſ. 28. that it was his every days work with an holy ſolicitude, to care for them. Oh, much more may we affirm that the Lord careth for all his people, and ſuiteth his care to all their conditions, to which his eminent appearances for them in a day of diſtreſs, give ſignal teſtimony.

2. A ſecond truth which this Doctrine commendeth unto us, is this, That the Saints are a people of Gods ſpecial love, they lye in the very boſome of God, his Banner over them is love, and as holineſs to the Lord was engraven upon the bells p. 24of the horſes, and upon every pot in Jeruſalem, Zech. 14. verſ. 20. So love to the Saints, is engraven upon every-diſpenſation of God to his people, even when he rebuketh them he loveth them, becauſe his affection is much toward them, therefore he afflicteth them; Hear ye the rod ſaith the Lord, Mich. 6. verſe 9. Oh, it ſpeaketh love, many of the Saints have read much of the Lords love, writ in letters of their own blood. How doth the love of God ſhine forth in its fulleſt luſtre, when he appeareth as an healing God in a bleeding hour? Who can expreſs the ſweetneſs of this ſpiced wine? What a reliſh of love do the Saints taſte in that comfort and hearts-eaſe, which the Lord giveth them at the ſhutting up of a ſtorm? The outgoings of God were remarkable, even to aſtoniſhment in fetching Iſrael from the Iron Furnace; there were miracles of mercy, heaps upon heaps, the wiſdom and power of God were writ in ſuch capital letters, that they that runned, might read not digitum onelyonly, but dexteram Dei, not the finger but the right hand of God; and what were the motives to all theſe mercies? the Lord draweth up all theſe lines into the center of love, Deut. 6. verſ. 3. Becauſe the Lord loved thy fathers, therefore he brought thee out in his ſight, with his mighty power out of Egypt. So chap. 7. verſ. 8. Becauſe the Lord loved you, hath he brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the houſe of bondmen, from the hand of Pharach King of Egypt; Love was the bottome which bore all theſe great burthens; the ſpring which ſet all the wheels in going; becauſe the Lord loved you: indeed, ſometimes the dark ſide of the cloud is toward the Saints; his love is like the Sun muffled up in a thick miſt, or rather as a candle ſhut up in a dark Lanthorn; that they ſee no out-ſhining of Gods favour, as in caſes of deſertion or great affliction, Iſa. 8.17. ſometimes light and love break forth in ſome ſmall beams, through the thick cloud of apprehended diſpleaſure; that it is with the Saints, as with a traveller, in the duskiſh evening or ſtar-light night, when the moon ſitteth, That the light is neither clear nor dark, Zech. 14. verſ. 6. the ſhip neither p. 25rideth upon high waters, nor yet ſticketh upon the ſhallows: they neither feed high at a feaſt of fat things full of marrow, nor yet are kept to the bread of mourners, nor wine of aſtoniſhment; their condition is a mixt and middle eſtate; hope and fear, ſorrow and ſolace are interwoven; as chaſtened, yet not killed; as ſorrowful, yet in ſome meaſure rejoycing, as dying, and yet alive; though the air be duskiſh, yet they can diſcover ſome lines of love drawn here and there, in ſuch a merciemercy, ſuch a favour, ſuch an act of goodneſs, ſuch a gracious providence: Oh! ſaith a ſervant of the Lord, if the Lord did not love me, he would not have called me off from ſuch vain and vicious courſes, he would not have made known the counſels of his grace by his ſpirit unto me, he would not have accepted my poor ſervices, nor given ſuch returns to my broken prayers, nor haſted relief unto me, in ſuch or ſuch an afflicted eſtate.

Oh! this is much the caſe of weak believers, they are often at the turning of the ſcales; one while, hope up and fear down, another while fear up and hope down; and ſometime the ballance hangeth in an even poiſe: It is oftentimes thus in a ſpiritual ſence, and truly 'tis many times ſuch upon temporal accounts, they are much at a loſs in their own ſpirits: But now when the Lord turneth again the captivity of his people; when he cometh in ſignally, and ſeaſonably to their help, in the time of their greateſt ſtreights, when they could not tell what to do, and thought all loſt, Oh then the bright ſide of the cloud is toward them, the vail is taken away, and they behold with open face, the glorious love of God unto them: It is ſaid, Gen. 45. verſ. 27. When Jacob ſaw the wagons which Joſeph ſent to carry him into Egypt, his ſpirit revived, it put a new life into his dead heart, and dead hopes; the old man gathered up his ſpirits, which were ſunk with grief for the death of Joſeph, and fear of Benjamin's miſcariage; Oh! ſaith he, Joſeph is yet alive: So when the ſaints of God ſee the hand of God viſibly appearing, yea mightily out-ſtretched, to fetch them off p. 26from a calamitous condition, their dead hopes and dead hearts revive; now their ſpirits which hang the head, and were down under the ſence of Gods diſpleaſure, get up gain, are freſh and flouriſhing; Joſeph my ſon is yet alive: The Lord hath given real teſtimony of love and good will unto us; The arrows of the Lords deliverance like Jonathans warning arrows, are arrows of love, feathered and headed with choiceſt affections.

Object. 1. But this Fort-royal of the Saints ſeemeth to be aſſaulted by the Preacher, Eccleſ. 9. verſ. 1. No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him: therefore the reliefs God giveth in to his people (when diſtreſſed) though ſignal and eminent, are no demonſtrative Arguments of Gods love; he may help and yet hate a people.

Anſw. I ſhall receive the charge, and endeavour to ſecure the truth within ſome ſconces, and therefore do anſwer,

1. It is confeſſed, that the onelyonly wiſe God doth diſpence outward mercies with an equal hand to the good and to the bad, to him that ſweareth, and to him that feareth an oath, and this according to the ordinary courſe of providence: proſperity doth not alwayes ſpring up upon the root of piety; God doth not difference the precious and the vile by ſun and rain; yea, many times the worſt men live under the warmeſt Sunſhine; David ſaith, Pſal. 17. verſ. 14. God filleth their bellies with hid treaſures; they have full meals of the worlds delicates; riches and honour by the belly, (as our phraſe is); and who are theſe, who like Pharaoh's kine are ſo fat and well-favoured? why? they are the wicked, who like dogs, when their bellies are full, are turned out of doors, they have their portion in this life, their Chelech, their part and ſhare; the word is uſed 1. in a military ſenſe for the ſouldiers pay, or his part in the ſpoyles of a conquered enemy, thus Abraham calleth it, the portion of the men that went with him, Gen. 14. verſ. 24.2. 'Tis uſed in a civil ſenſe, for the ſhare or portion which children p. 27have in their parents Eſtate, Rachel and Leah ſaid, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our fathers houſe? Gen. 31. verſ. 14. So that, the wiſe man in this Verſe, confuteth the vain, yet general opinion of worldlings, who fondly, and as falſly, meaſure Gods love and their lot in the ſame Omer; And in this he ballaſteth the Saints, who are apt to topple over, in their own ſtormes and the wicked's calmes, as Pſal. 73.2.

2. The diſpenſations of God, according to his ordinary rate of providence, do not deciſively conclude love or hatred, a juſt man may have all his moiſture drunk up, with the arrows of the Almighty, when the unjuſt may have his bones full of marrow: the Saint may be poor with Job, even to a Proverb, and the ſinner may abound with wealth even to the parable: Good Joſiah may dy the ſame death, with wicked Ahab, both ſlain by the hands of their enemies: God will not write his love in ſuch legible characters that every pur-blind worldling may read this ſecret, indeed Jeruſalem had the honour to be baptiſed Jehovah-ſhammah, the Lord is there, Ezek. 48.35. but this engraving was not found upon Dives his palace; It is the heart not the houſe which beareth this Inſcription, and that not in letters of Gold, but of grace.

3. No man can give a certain and infallible judgement of love or hatred towards another perſon, by all that is before him; indeed men may ſpeak hopefully, in the judgment of charity, and draw up a hopeful concluſion of another man's ſtanding in grace, from what is viſibly good; when the exerciſe of faith is vigorous and the actings of the ſpirit of holineſs are viſible and uniform, as, 1 Theſ. 1. verſ. 3, 4. The Apoſtle mentioneth their labour of love, their work of faith, and patience of hope in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, from which he deduceth this concluſion, knowing Brethren, beloved of God your election; though the white ſtone, with the new name written in it, is known to no man certainly, but to him that hath received it, yet holy men, D. Preſton.in ſome degree, are known one to another, to make the communion of ſaints the ſweeter; yet cannot ſuch a concluſion be p. 28drawn from external acts of providence, infallibly to determine love or hatred by his outward adminiſtrations; how ſadly would the men of that generation have miſcaried, if they had aſſerted Eſau to have been a perſon dear to God, and peculiarly in his favour; becauſe he proſpered ſo farre, and faſt in worldly greatneſs and glory, who had four hundred men at his heels, and the father of ſo many Dukes: and if they had concluded Jacob to have been a perſon of Gods hatred, becauſe he was a poor ſhepherd, and met with ſuch hard meaſure, from his uncle Laban, ſeing the Lord determined otherwiſe, Rom. 9. verſ. 13. Jacob have I loved, and Eſau have I hated: It was much the ſinne of Job's three friends in aſſerting Job's afflictions to be the fruits and evidences of Gods diſpleaſure, againſt a perſon hated by him, when God himſelf giveth teſtimony to Job ſo fully at the beginning and end of this book.

4. I do not aſſert, that God's outward diſpenſations although in an extraordinary manifeſtation of his power and goodneſs, do fully and alwayes ſpeak forth his peculiar love to a perſon or people, when their teſtimony is ſingle, and ſomething elſe be not ſuperadded to render it more authentick: for wicked Cham had the ſame preſervation in the ark, from the deluge of waters, as godly Sem had; and Samariah's ſiege was raiſed in a way of miracle under wicked Jehoram, as well as Jeruſalem's was under good Hezekiah. Compare 2 Kings 7. verſe 6. with Chap. 19. verſ. 35. It was falſe Divinity that thoſe Barbarians preached, when the Viper faſtened on Paul's hand, No doubt this man is a murtherer, whom, though he hath eſcaped the Sea, yet vengeance ſuffereth not to live, Acts 28. verſ. 4. which our Saviour fully conſulteth in the caſe of the Galileans, and the eighteen perſons on whom the tower fell in Siloe, Luke 13. verſ. 1, 2, 3, 4.

5. But the glorious and remarkable outgoings of God when falling in with the witneſs of grace, and the ſpirit; when they are the returns of the Saints prayers, the fruits of their holy wraſtlings, and the iſſue of their hope, conceived p. 29in the womb of Gods gracious promiſes, are comfortable concluſions of divine favour, and do very much ſeal to the peculiarity of God's love; thus the Saints in their own caſes, can diſtinguiſh love from hatred by the things which are before them: they know the voice of Chriſt, and read the love of their father in the ſtreight lines of his providencial favours toward them, Pſalm 87. verſ. 2. God loveth the gates of Zion, how doth this appear? Trap. in loc. All my thoughts are upon thee with greateſt delight: All my bowels are in thee. making them to be the words of God promiſing plenty of grace and comfort to them as from overflowing overſlowing fountain though other expoſitours think them to be the Pſalmiſts word, ſee Mr. Jackson, in loc.why, verſ. 7. God ſaith, All my ſprings are in thee: his wiſdome, goodneſs, mercy, power, &c. are not in Zion, as water in the ciſterne, pump'd in and ſoon run out, but like water in the fountain; ſtreams of mercy, flouds of favour, and flowings forth of loving kindneſs; Oh! it is clear, God loveth Zion, if all his ſprings be in her; eſpecially when drought is upon the earth, and other parts of Judah are like Gideon's fleece: Iſa. 38. ver. 17. Thou haſt in love to my ſoul delivered it from the pit of corruption: good Hezekiah read love in the diſpenſations of God toward him, and putteth that Interpretation upon his miraculous reſtitution to health: Surely he doth much offend againſt the generation of God's people, and wrongeth the mercies of God alſo, who concludeth, that God loveth us not, becauſe he hath proſpered our warfare, and underwriteth hatred to all thoſe glorious victories, which the Lord of hoſts hath given to his people in theſe Nations, and then, when a day of diſtreſs was ſadly upon the godly, and the conteſt was very much betwixt the ſeed of the woman, and the ſeed of the ſerpent; Yet I deſire, we may all look after other evidences of divine love amongſt us; theſe are good ſuperſtructures where the foundation is well laid, and are Zion's ſecurity againſt the gates of hell, provided, everlaſting doors be ſet open, that the King of glory may come in, and keep court amongſt us.

3. This Inference may be drawn from the point, That the ſiunes of ſaints are circumſtanciated with higheſt aggravations: the care of God over them, and his love unto them in their diſtreſſed eſtate, againſt both which p. 30they offend in ſinning, do give a ſad tincture to their ſinnes: Sin is ſin in any perſon, but circumſtances do render it much more ſinfull: It was high water as to the guilt of ſinne, for Zimri a Prince of a chief houſe of the Simeonites, to bring a Midianitiſh woman into his tent, and commit whoredome with her, when the Lord had ſo eminently appeared for Iſrael in turning Balaam's curſes into bleſſings and ſaving them from the ſword of Midian, Numb. 25. verſ. 6. Yea, when the whole congregation was weeping before the Lord for the buſineſs of Baal-Peor, where the wrath of God brake forth upon them, ſo that there fell in one day three and twenty thouſand, 1 Cor. 10. verſ. 8. The Apoſtle inſtead of the cloak of the heat of youth, Trap. in loc.putteth upon fornication a bloody cloak, bathed in the blood of 23000 as one obſerveth: How doth the Lord by his Prophet aggravate David's ſin, 2 Sam. 12. v. 7, 8, 9. I anointed thee king over Iſrael, and I delivered thee out of the hands of Saul, and I gave thee thy Masters houſe, and thy Maſters wives into thy boſome, and gave thee the houſe of Iſrael and Judah, &c. What an enumeration of mercies is here? How doth the Lord expoſtulate with him? And what doth the Lord inferre from hence? why ſurely, that David was acted by a ſpirit of great diſ-ingenuity to ſin againſt ſuch goodneſs, ſuch bounty, to break ſuch cords of love, which the Lord had caſt upon him: Wherefore haſt thou deſpiſed the commandement of the Lord to do evil in his ſight? what, David commit Adultery? what, David put the bottle to his neighbour to make him drunk? thinking to cover ſin with ſin? what, David ſlay Ʋriah with the ſword of the children of Ammon? what, David ſlay an innocent perſon in cold blood? what, David murther an husband that he might have his wife? what, David take the Adultereſs into his bed and boſome? what David do all this? Does David give occaſion to the enemy to blaſpheme? Had another perſon committed adultery, or murther, nay all this, who had been under leſs obligations unto me, who had onelyonly ſhared in common providences, and for whom I had done nothing p. 31extraordinary, I ſhould have taken it better at his hands, and ſhould not have reckoned it ſuch an high diſhonour: but for David? David to do this? whom I honoured in the ſight of all Iſrael, when he was but a ſtripling, in the ſlaughter of great Goliah of Gath, the Philiſtines Champion? David, whom I ſingled out from amongſt his brethren, to pour the anointing oyl upon his head? David whom I eminently preſerved in ſix troubles, yea, in ſeaven, when he was hunted as a Partridge upon the mountains? David, whom I carried as upon eagles wings to the throne, through ſuch amazing dangers, that himſelf cried out, I ſhall one day periſh by the hand of Saul? yea, David, whom I owned, and gave this glorious teſtimony of, I have found David, a man after mine own heart who ſhall fulfill all my wills? Oh! for David, for this David to do all theſe abominable things which I hate? Oh! Alluding to his groſs hypocriſie in ſeeking to palliate and cover his ſin, and ſhame from man.what aggravations are wrapped up together, to render the ſinne of David exceeding ſinfull? hence himſelf phraſeth it the iniquity of his ſinne, Pſal. 32. ver. 5. Obſerve that, 1 Kings 11. verſ. 9. The Lord was angry with Solomon, becauſe his heart was turned from the Lord God of Iſrael; And why ſo angry with Solomon? why, the reaſon is added, which had appeared unto him twice. The Scripture affordeth many paralel places: Oh! the ſinnes of Saints are dyed in a deeper crimſon, Who had his name Jedidiah, becauſe he was beloved of the Lord, Neh. 13.26.Neh 13:26and carry a greater guilt, and this layeth them in oyl, and maketh them laſting, when they are committed under and after diſcriminating mercies and preſervations: Oh that the ſaints would gather up all the ſignal providences of God, toward them, and improve them as arguments againſt ſinne! It was Luther's advice to anſwer all temptations, with this, Chriſtianus ſum, I am a Chriſtian; So let us argue, after the Lord hath given us ſuch a deliverance as this, ſhould we again break his Commandements? Ezra 9. verſ. 13, 14. Oh if any nation under heaven, may be leſſoned holineſs by aſtoniſhing mercies, and a conſtant ſucceſſion of admired preſervations, England may, our Rulers may, our Miniſters may, yea, all the Saints may: for how often p. 32hath the Lord defeated army after army, broken confederacy after confederacy, diſcovered plot after plot; ſo that wherein ſoever the enemy hath dealt proudly, God hath been above them; Oh! that the heads of England would lay this to heart, and that they and all the Saints would riſe up with all their might againſt their luſts, to destroy them unto Hormah, viz. utter destruction, Numb. 21. verſ. 3. as the Lord hath purſued their enemies even unto Hormah: that as they had ſaid among the Nations concerning Engliſh Zion, the Lord hath done great things for her, Pſal. 126. verſ. 2. So it may be ſaid by the Nations concerning her, The Lord bleſs thee, O inhabitation of juſtice, and mountain of holineſs, Jer. 31. verſ. 23. Then would England be changed from glory to glory, from the glory of being a people owned by God, to the glory of being a people like unto God, which laſt is the greater, yea greateſt glory.

4. This inference may be drawn alſo, That infidelity and diſpondency of ſpirit in an evil day is very unſuitable to the ſaints of God; for them to flagge in their faith, and to be creſt-fallen in their courage, when the blaſt of the terrible ones is as a ſtorme againſt the walls, this is unworthy the name and frame of a right Chriſtian: Stand still, and ſee the ſalvation of the Lord, ought to be the charge of a Saint to his own heart, even when he is brought to the very banks of the red Sea: It is that which the Prophets of the Lord receive in Commiſſion: Iſa. 35. ver. 3, 4. ſtrengthen yea the weak hands, and confirme the feeble knees, and how muſt this be done? why it followeth, Say unto them that are of a fearfull heart be ſtrong, fear not; Alas! how ſhould weak hands be ſtrong, and a timorous heart ceaſe to fear? what is the cure of theſe diſtempers? why, Behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence, he will come and ſave y u: he is on the way alreadie, he will be ſuddenly with you, and when he cometh, he will ſave you; I but ſaith a fearfull Saint, What ſecurity have I for this? why, thou haſt a double ſecurity; Firſt, the Promiſes p. 33of God; and ſecondly, the experiences of the ſaints, Pſal. 31. verſe 19. Oh! how great is thy goodneſs, which thou haſt layed up for them that fear thee! The new Covenant is Gods great Store-houſe, wherein he hath ſtored up all help and comfort for his people: Joſeph in the time of great plenty built many ſtore-houſes, wherein he laid up what corne could be ſpared, and therewith gave a full ſupply to all the Egyptians, when he brought it forth in the yeares of famine: Thus the onelyonly wiſe God depoſiteth mercy, and goodneſs, and power, and comfort in his promiſes, and when a time of dearth cometh upon his people, then he openeth thoſe ſtorehouſes, and giveth them a full ſupply: Then Secondly, the other part of this ſecurity, is in theſe words, which thou haſt wrought for them that trust in thee, before the ſonnes of men: If the ſaints ſhall ſay, we know, there is enough laid up in the Promiſes, but God keepeth the key, and how ſhall we come by it at a time of need? why, here the Pſalmiſt ſendeth ſuch querelous and diſtruſtfull ones to the experiences which Gods people have had: God hath wrought deliverances, and wrought out the ſalvation of his beleeving ones in the times of their greateſt ſtraights: yea, the ſonnes of men, the ſeed of Iſhmael, have ſeen the opening of theſe ſtore-houſes to the people of God; have ſeen, how God hath hid them in the ſecret of his preſence from the pride of men, and kept them ſecretly in his pavillion from the ſtrife of tongues, and therefore be ſtrong, fear not; The ſtrength of the ſaints lyeth in the arm of the Lord, and faith is the ſouls leaning upon it, in a wilderneſs condition, Cant. 8. verſ. 5. Now as the word of promiſe is the foundation upon which faith reſteth; So, experience is the buttereſs that ſtayeth up faith, which is to faith, as Aaron and Hur were to Moſes upon the mount, Exod. 17. verſe 2. They kept his hands ſteady to the going down of the Sun, How did holy David ſtay up his faith, even to the deſtance of the Philiſtine Champion, who had defied the whole army of Iſrael, at the ſight of whom, all the army of Iſrael p. 34fled, and were ſore afraid? 1 Sam. 17.24. hear at what a rate of holy confidence he ſpeaketh, Verſ. 32. Let no mans heart fail becauſe of him; what a hurry is here in the camp? what diſtractions are here amongſt the valiant ones of Iſrael? what a ſtrange fear ſeizeth upon you? do not trouble your ſelves; I will go and fight with this Philiſtin: bravely ſpoken; it argueth a bold, magnanimous ſpirit: I but ſaith the King of Iſrael to him, Verſ. 33. Thou art not able to go againſt this Philiſtin, to fight with him, for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth, and therefore it will be impar congreſſus, a very unequal match, and Iſraels condition is like to be very ſad, ſeing their perpetual ſlaverie or liberty dependeth upon the iſſue of this duel; if thy life be loſt, Iſraels freedome is loſt alſo: A conſideration enough to have cow'd a puiſſant and moſt expert ſouldier, and that, which in probability, made Jonathan and the worthies of Iſrael decline the combat: yet ſee how little David ſtandeth upon his tip-toes, and by faith overlooketh this towring Giant, Ver. 34, 35, 36. David ſaid unto Saul, thy ſervant kept his fathers ſheep, and there came a lyon and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, and I went out after him, and ſmote him, and delivered it out of his mouth; I: it may be he was a tame Lyon, that would not turn upon him, yes, he aroſe againſt me, and I caught him by his beard, and ſmote him, and ſlew him; thy ſervant ſlew both the lyon and the bear; and what doth he infer from hence? that, This uncircumciſed Philistin ſhall be as one of them, ſeing he hath defied the armies of the living God: I, but theſe are the words of a proud youth, and words are but winde, Thraſonical bravado's, what bottome hath he for his confidence? why, faith is up and experience keepeth it ſteady: The Lord who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistin: What is this Golliah in the hands of a mighty God, more then the Lyon and the Bear? And why ſhould I doubt the good preſence of God, whereof I have had ſo late and eminent experience? A like paſſage you have p. 351 Sam. 30. verſ. 6. David was greatly distreſſed, his own army mutinies againſt him, and talketh of ſtoning him; Surely, it muſt be an high provocation, which maketh an whole army to riſe up as one man againſt their General; and ſure, the diſtreſs muſt needs be great, when a multitude of armed men, and enraged too, ſet themſelves againſt a ſingle perſon; this was General David's caſe; The ſoul of all the people was grieved, every man for his ſonnes, and for his daughters; Oh! ſuch loſſes come near the heart; well might they riſe high in their lamentations, and high in their indignation alſo againſt David, becauſe he had led them out upon a deſigne, and in their abſence the Analekites had ſinitten Ziglag (the city which Achiſh had given to David Chap. 27 verſ. 6.) and burnt it with fire, and had taken their wives, and their ſonnes and their daughters captive, and were gone away with them; But what doth David do in this ſtraight? he encouraged himſelf in the Lord his God; the word is derived from Chazak, and importeth, he laid hold on God with all his ſtrength; as men when they are in danger of drowning, will lay ſuch faſt hold, that their fingers will ſooner be broken then looſened; thus David being almoſt under water, ſtretched forth his hand of faith, ſtrengthened with promiſes and experiences, and layeth ſure hold on the rock of ages, whereby his head and hopes are kept above water in this dreadfull ſtorme: what a noble gallantry of ſpirit did good Nehemiah ſhew, Et Turnum fuglentem haec terra videbit— Omnia de p…aeſumas prater fugam & Palinodiam, was a brave Speech of Luther to Staupicius.when Shemaiah adviſed him to take ſanctuary in the Temple, becauſe the enemy had deſigned to fall upon him by night and ſlay him; a word of advice (which a carnal heart conſulting more his own ſafety, then Gods honour) would readily have liſtened unto; but what is the anſwer of this heroick ſaint? Neb. 6. verſ. 11. Should ſuch a man as I flee? and who is there, being as I am, would go into the temple, to ſave his life? I will not go in: why, not go in? what ſafety could he pretend unto? you may ſuppoſe him arguing thus, I am under an eminent call from the Lord, to build the city of the ſepulchres of my fathers, I have ſeen the p. 36face of God in bowing the heart of King Artaxerxes, to contribute his royal aid, and commiſſion me to the work; I have found the Elders of the Jews willing to owne my authority, and to riſe up as one man to build, ſtrengthening their hands for that good work, Chap. 2. verſ. 18. (as it was 2 Chron. 30. verſ. 12. In Judah, The band of the Lord was to give them one heart: Oh that the Lord would give that oneneſs of heart unto us in the work of our God.) Hence Nehemiah gathereth up his ſpirits, and ſpeaks like a brave man, Should ſuch a man as I flee? a choice ſpirit, a gallant pattern to be ey'd by all, who are called forth by the Lord, to ſerve out their generation in doing his work; and if it hath a direct aſpect to any age or nation, ſurely to none more then to ours, both in an eminent call to work, and in eminent preſervation of the workmen: We may experimentally apply that promiſe as very much fulfilled upon us. Iſa. 4. verſ. 5, 6. The Lord hath created upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her Aſſemblies, a cloud and ſmoak by day, and the ſhining of a flaming fire by night, for upon all the glory there hath been a defence, [Chuphah.] The word implyeth a covering Cherube, or nuptial vail, under which the bride, the Lamb's wife hath been hid from the rage of men: Oh! how ſhould this fortifie the Saints againſt future dangers, and argue them to a dependent reſting upon God! for them to cry out with the prophets ſervant, Alas! Maſter, what ſhall wee do? or with the diſciples when tempeſt-toſt, wee periſh; as though there had been no hope of eſcaping; as an high diſhonour to them as Saints; but more to the Lord Jeſus as King of Saints; eſpecially to ſink ſo low in their Faith, as to ſay, The Lord hath forſaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me; this argueth them to be low in the ſence of the care, and love of God expreſſed to them in former mercies; Oh then ye diſtreſſed of the Lord take ſanctuary in this point, and bewray not your infidelity by a ſinking ſpirit in an evil day!

p. 37Is it ſo that the appearance of God are eminent and immediate in the day of his peoples diſtreſs; Ʋſe 2 Of Caution.hath he given in ſecurity unto them by experienced preſervations that he will be the Lord their Redeemer? Oh this is a choice diſh upon the Saints table; they need not faint nor famiſh that have ſuch a meſs to feed upon; yet as wholeſome food may ſend up unwholeſome vapors, if unſeaſonably eaten, or to exceſs; and good Phyſick may produce bad effects, if due order be not obſerved; ſo this ſoveraign potion may nouriſh ill diſtempers, if not rightly ordered: And therefore I ſhall entreat you to take this Cordial with theſe cautions.

1. Take heed you do not precipitate your ſelves into needleſs hazards, and raſhly caſt your ſelves into dangers, under the protection of this truth; It is ſinful to argue, and would be unſafe to attempt it, that becauſe Elijah forded Jordan, and made it paſſable with his mantle, therefore thou wilt attempt the ſame, rather then ſtep out of thy way to go over the bridge; or becauſe the three Jewiſh worthies were preſerved in the fiery Furnace, therefore thou wilt throw thy ſelf into the flames, and preſumptuouſly expect the ſame preſervation; no, God will have his people learn the difference between tempting and truſting him: It is folly, not faith for a man to drink down a draught of deadly poiſon, and ſay, I believe the promiſe of Chriſt, Mar. 16. verſ. 18. and expect to be antidoted againſt the venome of it: the Iſraelites, Numb. 14. verſ. 44. are a ſaid witneſs to the danger of preſumption: read the paſſage. The Lord liketh not this language, We will do, and we will go, when he bids not; that men ſhould bottome their ſafety upon the ſandy waſhes of their own phantaſies and fool-hardineſs; the ſame God who bids his people, Iſa. 26. verſ. 4. Truſt in the Lord for ever; forbiddeth their tempting of him, Deut. 6. verſ. 16. which text the Lord Jeſus, the beſt interpreter that ever commenced upon the Bible, expoundeth to this ſence, Mat. 4. verſ. 7. The Devil had ſet Chriſt on a pinacle of the temple (By the way Note, that height of place giveth opportunity p. 38to the tempter; temple Pinnacles are no ſafe ſtandings: when once Satan gets a man into his Rood-loft of ſpiritual pride, his dangers great and near; no marvail that mens heads ſhould ſwim, and their hearts ſwerve (when they ſtand upon a Pinnacle of the temple) when Satan had got the Lord Jeſus ſo high, he tempteth him to give a proof of his Divinity, by caſting himſelf down, urging the charge of Angels to protect him; but did the Lord Chriſt take the cue? No, he anſwereth, It is written thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God; Chriſt had no call from God, at that time, to caſt himſelf into the hands of cuſtodient Angels; here is a full promiſe, but we muſt alſo look to a clear call, Pſal. 91. verſ. 11. He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways, that is in all thoſe courſes, which are appointed thee by God, in all lawful and Chriſtian undertakings; for no further doth God or his holy Angels take charge of thee: if thou keepeſt not within theſe precincts, thou art out of his protection; wefts and ſtrays fall to the Lord of the Soyl, the State ſecureth none who travail at undue hours, Pro. 27.8. As a bird that wandereth from her neſt, ſo is a man that wandereth from his place; God hath made a law to ſecure a bird upon her neſt, Deut. 22.6. but if ſhe ſtragled away, ſhe loſt the protection of that law; ſo 'tis with a Saint, the promiſe is his ſecurity whilſt he keepeth within Gods pale; but if he breaketh his bounds, he tempteth God and forfeiteth his protection: Solomon gave Shimei his life if he paſſed not the brook Kidron, but when he tried the Kings patience and ventured to Gath, the condition was broke, and Shemaiah was commanded to ſlay him, 1 King. 2.36. Oh, take heed of paſſing over the brook Kidron leaſt ye dye; ſteer your courſe by Solomons compaſs, Prov. 22.3. A prudent man foreſeeth the evil and hideth himſelf, See M. Iackſons Notes on this text.ſeeth a tempeſt in the clouds, and ſeeketh ſeaſonable ſhelter under the ſhadow of Gods wings; but the ſimple paſſeth on and is puniſhed, puſheth on without fear or wit, and payeth dearly for his folly; the ſame you have, Pro. 27.12. Who acted at a higher rate of believing then David? p. 39yet when Gibeon was infected, 1 Cron. 21.30. The text ſays, He could not go before the Ark (which was then at Gibeon) for he was afraid, becauſe of the ſword of the Angel of the Lord; he could not with ſafety to his perſon adventure himſelf into that infected place; for 'tis probable that Gibeon had faln within the circuit of the deſtroying Angel: Conſider Peter in the high Prieſts hall, and infer, That raſh attempts ſeldom proſper, preſumption rarely goeth unpuniſhed, often unprotected.

2. Beware you abuſe not this doctrine to a ſlighting of means, as 'tis unſuitable to the principles of a right faith to tempt God, by precipitating your ſelves into danger, ſo it is inconſiſtent with true piety, to expect miracles when means are preſent; Means and miracles are both the products of Gods mercy to his people, and have both their place aſſigned: miracles come inwhen means are wanting, or inſufficient, as in dividing the read Sea, feeding many thouſands with Manna and Quails in a wilderneſs, &c. And then is the time and place for means, when there is no need of miracles, as receiving nouriſhment by food, warmth by cloaths, health in the uſe of Phyſick, &c. Though God be able to do abundantly above all, that we ask or think, Eph. 3.20. yet God will not do it, at leaſt always, when vain man would have him, The holy one of Iſrael muſt not be limited, neither as to time, nor manner, nor meaſure of acting, becauſe the Lord Jeſus bids his diſciples, Mat. 6.26. Conſider the fowls they ſowe not, neither do they reap, nor gather into their Barns, and yet they are fed by God. Shall men therefore throw their ploughs into the ditch, and expect harveſts in an extraordinary way, or to be fed by miracle without them? ſure, he that gave his word of covenant, That ſeed time and harveſt ſhould not ceaſe, Gen. 8.22. And be that inſtructeth the husbandmen in ploughing and ſowing, Iſa. 28.24, 25, 26. will not countermand him, or in a way of miracle ſupply him, if he ceaſe his labor, or refuſe to act up unto his teaching; how hardly will a tender mother be perſwaded to expoſe her helpleſs infant, newly divided from her bowels, becauſe God feedeth the young p. 40Ravens which cry unto him; when forſaken by the old ones? Job 38.41. Though a. Raven brought Elijah bread and fleſh in the morning, and bread and fleſh in the evening to the brook Cherith, by the ſpecial appointment of God in a time of famine, 1 King. 17.3, 4, 5. Yet this is not a patern for him to follow, who hath money in his hand, and Markets open; I doubt he muſt take up with ſhort commons, and make many hungry meals, that expecteth a Raven to be his Cook and Caterer, David would not caſt of the means of ſafety offered unto him by a timely eſcape, when God had reſolved him thoſe two great queſtions, That Saul would come down, and that the men of Keilah would deliver him and his men into the hand of Saul, 1 Sam. 23.11, 12. neither did Saint Paul refuſe to be let down in a Basket through a window by the wall, when the governor of Damaſcus ſought to apprehend him, and the gates were ſhut up againſt him, 2 Cor. 11.32, 33. He did not argue the example of Elijah, who brought down fire from heaven, to conſume the Captains and their fifties, 2 King. 18.9, 10, 11. nor that of Eliſha, who prayed the Aramites blind, that were ſent to ſurpriſe him: 2 King. 6.18. but improved that name of ſafety, which by a good providence was afforded to him; Thus did Brentius, ſo ſoon as he had received this advertiſement from a Senator of Hala, Fuge, ſuge Brenti, cito, cirius citiſſime, Fleerſpeedily, away for thy life, ſtay not: they that interpret, ye ſhall all be taught of God to a ſlighting of teaching ordinances, which are the inſtituted means of grace and knowledge, and expound, The juſt ſhall live by Faith, to a neglect of ſerving providence in the uſe of ordinary ways of help and comfort, do both miſtake the minde of God, and the meaning of thoſe texts.

Take heed of over-truſting means; of laying too great a burden upon a creature bottome, Iſa. 31.3. The Egyptians are men, not God, and their borſes fleſh and not ſpirit; This Antitheſts ſpeaketh fully to the creatures feebleneſs; there is nothing of Omnipotency in the creature; A man may be brought to that ſtreight, wherein creature-helpers do ſtoop in vain, and wherein all created power may ſpeak p. 41to the expectancy of man, as the King of Iſrael to the women, I the Lord do not help, how ſhould I help? and the reaſon is clear in the text, they are not God, not ſpirit, that is, their power is limited, beyond which they cannot work, When the Lord ſhall ſtretch forth his hand, both he that helpeth ſhall fall, and he that is holpen ſhall fall down, and they all ſhall fall together: As if a man ſhould underprop a ruinous houſe, and the props being too weak to bear the burden, do break, and ſo the houſe and they fall down together: How free is the Church in the acknowledgement of this truth, when ſhe had bought it by dear experience? Jer. 3.23. Truely in vain is ſalvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of the movntains; there is a great deal of ſignificancy in the two firſt words: (Acken) Truely of a truth, as if they had ſaid, There is truth and faithfulneſs in the word of Gods promiſe, we may venture ſafely upon this bottom; he cannot deny himſelf, for he is a faithful God, nor doth he promiſe beyond the reach of his power, for he is an Almighty God, and therefore the Church affirmeth, Truely in the Lord our God is the ſalvation of Iſrael: Iſrael never failed of ſalvation, when they waited for it from the Lord their God who is a God of truth: But on the other ſide, if Iſrael the beſt of people, do lay their expectancy of help from the hills, the creatures in its higheſt advancements and advantages, yea from the multitude of mountains, which (Harim) Metaphorically relate to the greateſt perſons and to thing of greateſt height and excellency, upon worldly accounts, Mich. 6.2. Yea combined and aſſociated, they ſhall certainly fail in their hopes, and meet with diſappointments, becauſe (Sheker) it is in vain, they lye or deal deceiptfully; there's falſhood in their promiſes, and feebleneſs in their power, which is confidently aſſerted by that holy man, Pſal. 62.9. Surely men of low degree are vanity, (Bem-Adam) ſons of Adam; this being a common name to all mankind, is uſed here for men low in the world, in reſpect of eſtate or power, which are as the valleys or hillocks of earth; theſe are vanity, little can be expected by p. 42way of help from them, becauſe of their emptineſs; who can expect water out of an empty veſſel? or ſafety from a mole-hill when a Cannon bullet flyeth at him? But what ſhall we ſay to the great ones of the world? Why, men of high degree are a lye, (Beni-Iſhi) The ſons of Iſh, men of higheſt advancements in the world are but a lye, they will ſpeak you fair (no doubt David had many complements from Sauls Courtiers) lift you up into great expectations by their plauſible promiſes and pretenſions, but in a day of diſtreſs, their words vaniſh into ſmoak, and they appear to a needy petitioner, as a dry lake to the thirſty traveller: Oh! how ſadly can thouſands (now alive) with ſad hearts bear witneſs to this truth! And Oh that it were not a ſpot in Gods people! What volumes may be writ upon this ſubject with the tears, yea the blood of the oppreſſed? The Lord humble us for this ſin, and ſo manage the ſpirit of our Rulers, That they may looſe the bands of wickedneſs, under the heavy burdens, let the oppreſſed go free, and break every yoak, then ſhall their light break forth as the morning, and their health ſhall ſpring forth ſpeedily, their righteonſneſs ſhall go before them, and the glory of the Lord ſhall be their Rere-ward, Iſa. 58.6, 8. Then ſhall the poor and oppreſſed ſay, the Lord bleſs thee, O habitation of Juſtice, O England where Juſtice dwelleth: See that, Iſa. 9.10. The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewen ſtones, the Sicamores are cut down, but we will change them into Cedars: They run from creature to creature, and change creature for creature, the weak for the ſtrongeſt, yea, do, what Art and Nature, improved to the beſt advantage, can do for ſafety; but with what ſucceſs? truely very little: For verſ. 12. The Syrians before, and the Philiſtins behind ſhall devour Iſrael with open mouth; So true is that Hoſ. 5.13. applied to an expectancy of help from any creature, disjunctively from God, When Ephraim ſaw his ſickneſs and Judah ſaw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Aſſyrian, and ſent to King Jareb, or to the King that ſhould plead their cauſe, or their defender: But how ſped they? Yet could he not heal you nor cure your wounds; it is p. 43the way of carnal hearts to ſhift out to the creature for help in times of ſtraights, Mr. Burrogh in loc.and a ſad evidence of a carnal heart ſo to do: But it is a truth handed down from father to ſon, that creature-recumbency avileth not; no healing, no curing: nay 'tis not onelyonly not encouraged with a bleſſing but thundered againſt with a curſe, Jer. 17.5, 6. Curſed be the man that truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his Arm, and whoſe heart departeth from the Lord; wherein doth this curſe ſhew it ſelf? It followeth, For he ſhall be like the Heath in the deſart: Heath-ground is uſually barren, but Heathground in a deſart, upon which nothing of coſt or culture is ſpent, addeth to the barrenneſs of it: nay further, And ſhall not ſee when good cometh: the ſhowers of mercy fall upon this place, and the dews of good-will from the Lord diſtil upon this perſon, in ſuch or ſuch comforts or enlargements; I, but creature-relyers, ſhall not taſte the leaſt of all; the noble mans puniſhment, 2 King. 7.2. ſhall be their portion, They ſhall ſee it with their eyes, but they ſhall not taſte thereof; no, they ſhall inhabit the parched places of the wilderneſs, in a ſalt land and not inhabited. Oh apply this; and let the conſideration of this, caution you from a creature-dependency; uſe the means but do not truſt in them; there is nothing provoketh more to wrath, nor rendereth the choiſeſt means unſerviceable more then this. Oh! let us be humbled for this fault; for ſure, it hath been much our fault and our folly (which doubtleſs hath cauſed the Lord in diſpleaſure to us, to daſh many excellent inſtruments in pieces like earthen pitchers) and in all our creature-improvements, let us wiſely ſail betwixt theſe two extreams, in tempting of God, and an overt ruſting to means, both which are very dangerous.

4. Laſtly, Take heed of abuſing providential appearances and preſervations to wantonneſs, by a neglect of thoſe duties you owe to God for them; beſides the general, there is a particular command, and call to duty, to holineſs, to repentance, to faith, to thankfulneſs, &c. in every mercy; as in afflictions, ſo in preſervations, the Lords voyce cryeth, and the men of wiſdome ſee his name; they ſee and own God in this and that diſpenſation; and hear the p. 44rod, yea and hear the ſtaffe too, and take notice both who, and wherefore he hath appointed it; what the intendments of God are in ſuch or ſuch a providence, otherwiſe the fruit, yea and comforts of both are loſt: We muſt not behave our ſelves like children, who when they perceive the hearts of their parents run out in a great deal of tenderneſs towards them, take liberry from thence to play the wantons; or Abſolom like to act rebellion againſt them; ſuch a frame is very unſuitable to ſuch diſpenſations, and no wayes anſwering the intendments of the Father of mercies: how ill the Lord reſents this carriage is evident in many Scriptures. See that Deut. 32. verſ. 10. He found him, i.e. Iſrael in the wilderneſs, he kept him as the apple of his eye: I, but verſ. 15. Jeſhurum waxed fat, and kicked, as a wanton colt that is high fed and luſty turneth his heels upon his own damn; ſo played Iſrael with the Lord his Maker; God calleth him Jeſhurum from Jaſhur rectitude or uprightneſs, as expecting this from every true Iſraelite, eſpecially under ſuch engaging providences; but in what a croſs way doth Iſrael walk? how doth he turn the heels upon God, both by murmuring, Idolatry, and manifold diſobediences? what then? doth God take it well? no verſ. 19. When the Lord ſaw it, he abhorred them, becauſe of the provoking of his ſons and daughters; Oh! to be ſons and daughters, near and dear to the moſt high God under eminent diſcoveries of divine favour, and yet kick! this provokes unto great wrath: read and inlarge this Scripture in your own thoughts: God cannot indure to be ſlighted in his mercies, and to be evil-intreated for his good will: Oh! ſuch returns are grapes of gall and bitter cluſters, they are laid up in ſtore with him, and ſealed up amongſt his treaſures; God bears them in minde, they ſtick with him. So Jer. 2. verſ. 6. They ſaid not, Where is the Lord, that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderneſs, through a land of deſarts, and of pits, through a land of drought and of the ſhadow of death, through a land that no man paſſed through, an where no man dwelt? They did not own God in theſe p. 45various and choice providences; when their own turnes were ſerved, and they were quietly poſſeſſed of a land flowing with milk and honey, they did not at all ask after God, nor make mention of him, he was grown a meer ſtranger in Iſrael, all theſe acts of kindneſs had no work upon their hearts to fix them in the good wayes of God, but they went far from God, they ran after this and that Idol, and changed their glory into that which did not profit.

Oh England, ſee thine own face in this glaſs! How do we run from errour to errour! how do we ſet up our opinions as ſo many Idols to worſhip: yea how have we turned our glory, truth and holineſs, and the good old Puritan-zeal and ſincerity, which was our glory, into diſputes and wranglings, anger and animoſities which do not profit. But to go on, how doth the Lord take this? why verſ. 9. he tells them he will plead with them, commence a ſuit, and lay his action in his high Court of Juſtice againſt them, yea with their childrens children will he plead; Oh it is very ſad! let us apply it, the children yet unborn may rue their fathers wantonneſs of ſpirit, it may make our preſervations but reſervations: beleeve it friends, God will not take this at our hands, no more than at Iſraels; he is not ſo prodigal of his mercies, as to ſpend them alwayes on ſuch unworthy perſons: Minde that; Joſh. 24. verſ. 20. If yee forſake the Lord, and ſerve ſtrange gods, then will be turn and do you hurt, after he hath done you good; he will turn the very mouthes of his Cannons againſt you.

Oh that England would lay this to heatt, and all the faithful of the land had that text as a conſtant Remembrancer before their eyes, both upon a perſonal and national account, Jude verſ. 5. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord having ſaved the people out of Egypt, afterward deſtroyed them that beleeved not: The reaſon why the Apoſtle layeth down the example of Gods Juſtice upon the Iſraelites, after he had fetched them out of Egypt by a deliverance ſo full of wonders, you finde mentioned, verſ. 4. becauſeſome p. 46men under profeſſion, Gods ancient judgements were ordained to be our warnings and examples for anſwerable practiſes make us partakers of their guilt, and therefore involve us in their puniſhment See Mr. Manton, in Iude p. 241.242.had turned the grace of God into wantonneſs, tranſlating it from its proper end, by arguing from mercy to liberty, which is the Devils Logick; when as the right method is to argue from mercy to duty: Oh let this be a ſeaſonable word to all the Lords people! what greater deliverance than that of Iſrael out of Egypt? yet being abuſed by them, their carkaſſes fell in the wilderneſs, Joſhua and Caleb onelyonly excepted; and what greater deliverances have many ages brought forth then theſe of ours, yet how have we abuſed them? & how ſadly may we fear, that as England hath paralleld Iſrael in murmuring, unthankfulneſs, impenitency, luſtings, and wantonneſs of ſpirit, which are ſtrange abuſes of ſuch glorious mercies, ſo it may fare with us, the men of this generation, as it did with Iſrael, ſome few Joſhua's and Calebs onelyonly excepted, who follow the Lord fully: I know this is much and ſadly upon the ſpirits of ſome gracious ones, who being mourners for theſe things, are the marked ones of the Lord.

I ſhall ſhut up this Uſe with two Scriptures, the one of a national, and the other of a perſonal reference, Ez. 9. verſ. 13.14. it is that holy mans acknowledgement before the Lord in prayer, After thou, O God, haſt given us ſuch a deliverance as this, ſhould we again break thy Commondements, and joyn in affinity with the people of theſe abominations? Mark that, and apply it to the times that are lately paſt; wouldeſt thou not be angry with us, until thou hadst conſumed us, ſo that there ſhould be no remnant, nor eſcaping? In all the judgements wherewith God threatens his own people, he ever promiſeth a remnant ſhall be reſerved; but here, ſuch a ſenſe of the greatneſs and provoking nature of ſin, wa upon this good mans ſpirit, committed and continued in, and after ſuch a ſignal deliverance, that God would go beyond all preſidences and comminations, even in the utter extirpation of them; ſo that there ſhould be no eſcaping. No not for a remnant: A ſad ſtorm after ſo ſereno a calm; a dreadful doomeſday after ſo elear a morning. The Lord awaken the Nation, p. 47and give us wiſdome to improve our deliverances, leſt we alſo fall after the ſame example of unbeleef, Heb. 4. verſ. 11.