Three Decades of Sermons, Decade 1 · Sermon 6
The dark Viſion. Unfolded on the Monethly Faſt-Day,
upon Hab. 2. v. 3.
For the viſion is yet for an appointed time; but at the end, it ſhall ſpeak and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it, becauſe it will ſurely come, it will not tarry.
THe Prophet Habakkuk was one of the laſt Prophets Sermon 6. At St. Mary's Oxon. Jan. 31. 1648that Propheſied before the Captivity: He lived in ſad troubleſome times, even days of darkneſs and gloomineſs, and full of darkneſs: And no wonder, becauſe they were exceeding evil, by reaſon of varieties of ſins and abominations. The Propheſie is Dialogue-wiſe, conſiſting of Expoſtulations and Anſwers.
1. You have an Expoſtulation to the Lord againſt the extream 1. An Expoſtulation.wickedneſs of the Jews, ch. 1, 2, 3. O Lord, How long ſhall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? even cry out unto th…e …f violence, and thou wilt not hear? Why doeſt thou ſhew me iniquity, and cauſe me to behold grievance? for ſpoiling and violence are before me, and there are that raiſe up ſtrife and contention.
2ly. You have the Lords anſwer, threatning great calamities to 2. The Lords Anſwer.the Jews, by the cruel oppreſſive Caldeans, ver. 5, 6, to the 11th incluſive: Behold ye among the heathen, and regard and wonder marvellouſly: for I will work a work in your days which ye ſhall not believe, though it be told you. For lo, I raiſe up the Caldeans, that bitter and haſty nation, which ſhall march through the breadth of the land, to poſſeſs the dwelling places that are not theirs. They are terrible and dreadful: their judgement and their dignity ſhall proceed of themſelves. Their horſes alſo are ſwifter than the Leopards, and are more fierce then the evening wolves, and their horſe-men ſhall ſpread themſelves, and come from far, they ſhall flie as the eagle that haſteth to eat: They ſhall come all for violence, their faces ſhall ſup up the caſt wind, and they ſhall gather the captivity as the ſand, And they ſhall ſcoff at the Kings, and the Princes ſhall be a ſcorn unto them; they ſhall divide every ſtrong hold: for they ſhall heap duſt and take it.
Then thirdly, you have another expoſtulation to the Lord againſt the Caldeans cruelty, ver. 12. to the cloſe of the Chapter. O Lord! thou haſt ordained them for judgement: O mighty God! thou haſt eſtabliſhed them for correction. Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil, wherefore lookeſt thou upon th…m that deal treacherouſly, and holdeſt thy tongu…, when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he? And makeſt men as the fiſhes of the ſea. as the creeping things that have no ruler over them? They take up all of them with the angle; they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoyce and are glad. Therefore they ſacrifice to their net, and burn incenſe unto their drag, becauſe by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous: Shall they therefore empty their net, and not ſpare continually to ſlay the nations?
Fourthly, You have Gods ſecond Anſwer, which conſiſts partly of Direction and Commination.
1. For direction, to wait and live by Faith, and patiently to expect deliverance.
2. For Commination, threatning revenge and ruine to the Churches enemies, from ver. 5. to the end of the Chapter.
Laſtly, You have an excellent Prayer, penned in the Prophets name, and in the name of the Church, intimating our duty in dark times, to be more frequently upon our knees, and more vehement in Prayer for the Churches deliverance. Thus in brief you have the ſcope of this Propheſy ſet forth unto you.
Now to make way to my Text: From the precedent words in this Chapter, you finde the Prophet upon his warch. Notwithſtanding the enemies of the Church are in the float of Proſperity, and the Church in the ebbe of Adverſity, yet he queſtions not Gods vigilant eye of Providence over his People: He therefore gets out of the croud, and ſeparates himſelf from the multitude, and retires himſelf from the hurry of earthly intanglements. As Watch-men get themſelves into ſome high Turret, or fenced Caſtle, to eſpy Paſſengers at a diſtance; ſo doth the Prophet get his thoughts highly raiſed, and gets himſelf up into a high place, remote from all intercourſe with, and interruptions from the world. If with Judicious Calvin, we weigh the reaſon of the Metaphor, we ſhall know that this Tower Speculam intellig…mus eſſe receſſum m…ntis, ubi nos ſubdu…imus a mundo. Calv. in Loc. foreign. Ver. 70.is a receſs of the minde; wherein we withdraw our ſelves from the world: I will get me upon my rock, ſo the Septuagint: There's ſafety alone to be found in God: He's the Rock of Ages, an impregnable Tower: And what…s his intention?
1. He waited to ſee what God would ſay to him: As if he ſhould ſay, It's onelyonly the word from God that can comfort me, that alone will abundantly make amends for all my watching, therefore I'le ſtill remain Sentinel: Though I be not ſuddenly relieved, yet I'le not deſert my ſtation: Though as yet there be no appearance of comfort, yet I know that 'tis my duty to tarry til it come: I am reſolved to wait Gods leaſure: I will wait for a word of comfort: It's worth waiting for it: I'le wait quietly for it, and when it comes, I will yield ready obedience thereunto.
2. He waited to ſee what he ſhould ſay unto God: What ſhall I anſwer, when I am reproved? When men and devils reprove me, and belch out calumnies againſt me, then I ſhall bear up againſt all: I have armor of proof to bear off all their reproofs: Though they rebuke me never ſo much, and inſult over me, yet now having heard what God ſays unto me, I am armed Cap-a-pee againſt them all.
Hence, 1. Learn our duty, to wait upon God with a quiet ſpirit, whatever reproofs or oppoſitions we may meet withal from men or Devils.
And ſecondly, To ſet an high eſtimate upon the word of God, and ſtick cloſe to it as the rule: No matter what men ſay againſt thee, if God be for thee.
And thirdly, Not to follow any deviſed way of man, but to make the Word of God the Umpire, guide, rule of thy life.
And laſtly, Though God ſpeak not preſently, we muſt not be haſty, but wait his time: For when we wait for an anſwer, then are we put in a capacity to receive it. The Prophet waited for an Anſwer; and an Anſwer he obtains, ver. 2. And the Lord anſwered and ſaid, Write the viſion, and make it plain upon Tables, that he may run that readeth it. Note how opportunely God anſwers the Prophet upon his watch. An Angel revealed the welcome news of a Saviour to the Shepheards, keeping their flocks by night. And a Viſion is revealed to the watching Prophet: And becauſe the Viſion was principally for publick uſe and edification, it was to be writ in legible Characters, even Capital Letters, that any one might read it in tranſitu, and not ſtop.
Q. But when ſhall the Viſion come to paſs, might ſome ſay, When will it come? Oh! it's a long time a coming, and hope deferred makes the heart ſick. The Caldeans may quite ruine our nation: We may fall every one of us by the hand of the enemy, …efore this Viſion may be accompliſhed: Every minute is long, When? Oh when will the Viſion be performed?
A. To ſuch impatient querulous Speeches, I oppoſe the reaſon or ſtrong ground of incouragement from my Text, For the Viſion is yet for an appointed time, &c.
Which words contains a Prophetical Promiſe, incouraging, and a Text divided.ſpecial duty preſcribed.
As firſt, For the Prophetical Promiſe.
1. You have ſet forth the matter of it, A vision.
2. The limitation thereof, for an appointed time.
3. The truth of it, it ſhall not lie.
4. The ingemination for the certainty, it ſhall ſpeak, it will ſurely come, it will not tarry.
2. For the duty: It's ſet in oppoſition to haſtineſs of Spirit, Wait for it.
The words need a Paraphraſe: Let's review them apart.
Q. 1. It ſhall be asked, What's meant by Viſion?
A. You know, God ſpake at ſundry times, and in divers manners foreign, Heb. 1. 1.in times paſt to the Fathers by the Prophets: Sometimes by dreams, other times by Urim and Viſions; ſometimes vivâ voce, to the Fathers of old; to us by his Son, voce ſcriptâ, in his written Word; ſo that Dreams, Viſions, and Revelations ceaſe, which were extraordinary, and onelyonly pro tempore: We are to keep cloſe to the written Word, and take heed of being wiſe above what is written.
By the Viſion, ſome underſtand the Adminiſtration of the Goſpel of Chriſt, and his glorious Appearances: But Calvin, whom I follow foreign.(as much as any Interpreter ſince the Apoſtles times) by Viſion underſtands Admonition and Inſtruction to the People of God: And though this may be dark, it ſhall ſpeak and not lie, not in vain, foreign. Numb. 23. 19.ſo the 70. Not an foreign of the Word of God ſhall fail. God is the God of eternal Truth. Mercenary Balaam gives this true atteſtation: God is not a man, that he ſhould lie; neither the ſon of man, that he ſhould repent: Hath he ſaid, and ſhall he not do it? or hath he ſpòken, and ſhall he not make it good? God doth not delay his people, on purpoſe to deceive them, and fruſtrate their expectations, but to exerciſe their faith and patience, and to prepare them for the better reception and entertainment of a mercy when it comes.
Q. 2. But ſecondly, Why is it ſaid, it's yet for an appointed time?
A. 1. To ſhew that it is in the power of God alone to prefix a time: He created time, and limits time and ſeaſons according to his pleaſure: He ſets bounds and periods to all Kingdoms, Nations, Languages.
2. And ſecondly, For a Caveat to us to beware of limiting God to our times and ſeaſons.
3. To ſtop our running, not to make more haſte then good ſpeed, but to wait upon God in his own way, who will accompliſh his Viſion in his own time, for his own glory.
Q. 3. What's meant by waiting here?
A. Be ſilent, and murmur not, becauſe the Viſion ſeems to linger: Though ſence fails, yet let not Faith fail: It's the nature of Faith to wait for the execution of a promiſe, though it be long a coming: Faith hath a Prophetical vertue to ſee a Promiſe a great way off, and a Magnetical vertue to draw it near to it. So that if the Queſtion be moved to a Believer, What wilt thou do in theſe cloudy days? How wilt thou behave thy ſelf amidſt theſe dark paſſages of Providence? His anſwer is, I'le hope againſt hope, wait with Faith and Patience, and adhere unto the Word of God, and am reſolved not to let go my confidence.
However works of Providence may ſeem croſs, yet I'le depend upon the truth and faithfulneſs of God, I will wait and believe; though ſenſe be non-pluſſ'd, and I can ſee no reaſon why I ſhould wait on the Lord any longer. And here's the acting of Faith indeed in a true Believer, who reſolves, I will truſt my God, depend upon his Word, ſtay upon his Promiſes, rely upon his Attributes: Though he kill me, yet I will truſt in him, as Job reſolved.
Q. 4. Laſtly, Here ſeems to be a contradiction, though it tarry, it Job 13. 15. Argumentum ad hominem & creaturas, non ad Deum & creatorem.will not tarry: How can theſe be reconciled?
A. This is an Argument to Men and Creatures, and not to God and Creator: There's no tarrying in God: Time paſt, preſent, and to come, are all one in him: A thouſand years in his ſight, are but as yeſterday. We are then to diſtinguiſh between the Decree and the Mora reſertur ad ſeſtinationem noſtram. Caeterum ſi reſpicimus ad Dei co…ſilium nunquam moram facit. Calv. in Loc.Execution thereof.
The Decree tarries not, nor ſeems to tarry: But according to the execution of the Decree, as it falls under our apprehenſions and manifeſtations, it may ſeem to ſtay and linger: There is then no tarrying in God, but there is in the Creature. And though fleſh and blood cannot apprehend it, yet in tarrying God makes haſte.
You have here repreſented what Faith can do: David told Achiſh, when he was going to Battle, Thou ſhalt ſee what thy ſervant can doe: Behold here what Faith through the ſtrength of God can do. Faith meets with many Obſtructions, and many Repulſes, yet it will fall on again: Faith meets with many delays, yet it is not querulous, it waits, it ſtays at the Fathers door, it will not be driven away. A faithfull ſoul believes God upon his word. God ſaith, The Viſion ſhall come; the Believer ſaith, I have enough, I'le here caſt anchor, it's good being here. The Promiſe is my ſtrong hold, like Sampſons Locks, here my great ſtrength lies, becauſe it will ſurely come, it will not tarry. The Decree and Counſel of God never delays. God knows every minute of time, and gives a quick diſpatch unto his work. Faith believes it, though ſenſe cannot apprehend it, though (as I intimated before) the execution of the Decree, according to particular effects and operations, may ſeem to delay. Here then is the tryal of our Faith and patience, and here's a word moſt ſeaſonable to Preach and practice in theſe days of Jacob's troubles, when the Viſion or the word ſeems to be dark and to tarry. I ſhall winde up all into one bottom, and from the ſcope and ſubſtance of them lay this one intire Doctrine for the foundation of my Diſcourſe.
That in troubleſome times, when the viſion is dark, and ſeems to tarry, Doct. then in a peculiar manner we ſhould wait upon God for the accompliſhment thereof.
For proof hereof, we have copious teſtimonies of Scripture: I Iſa. 8. 17. Iſa. 26. 8. 18.will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the houſe of Jacob, and will look for him. In the way of thy Judgements, O Lord, have we waited on thee: the deſire of our ſoul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. We have been with childe, we have been in pain, we have, as it were, brought forth wind▪ we have not wrought any deliverance in the M…cah. 7. 7.earth. Therefore I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my ſalvation, my God will hear me.
For the Methodical inlargement of this precious truth, I ſhall Method propounded.propound theſe Heads of Diſcourſe, which ſhall conſtitute my enſuing Meditations.
1. To explicate the nature of waiting, what it is to wait upon God.
2. To illuſtrate the duty from the practices of the Saints in the like caſe.
3. To demonſtrate the truth of the Point from convincing rational arguments.
And fourthly, To reduce all to point of practice by way of uſeful application.
I reſume the firſt Head propounded, to open the nature of Faith, 1. What it is to wait upon God.and waiting on God.
The inquiry is, What it is to wait upon God?
The Anſwer which I ſhall give to this particular Inquiry, ſhall be compriſed in this deſcription: Waiting is a chearful ſubmiſſion of our wills to the will of God, whereby the ſoul reſts in hope, exerciſeth faith, expects with patience, and improves a diligent uſe of means for the obtaining of a good end: This deſcription is made of theſe five following Ingredients.
1. It's the Chriſtians duty to wait chearfully: Swine roar when they 1. We muſt wait chearfully.have rings put into their noſes; Bulls and Bears cry out and roar when they are baited; and Slaves howl when they are beaten with rods: But Chriſtians are of another temper. Good children kiſs the rod that beats them: Not onelyonly ſo (ſaith Paul) but we glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience: And (ſaith Rom. 5. 3. foreign.James) the trying of your faith worketh patience. Likewiſe the Apoſtle mentions, For ye had compaſſion of me in my b…nds, and took joyfully James 1. 2. foreign, Heb. 10. 34.the… ſpoiling of your goods, knowing in your ſelves that ye have in heaven a better and an induring ſubſtance: Murmuring, repining, and reviling Language muſt not be heard amongſt Chriſtians. God loves a chearful giver, and a chearful waiter too. Hannah felt ſome ſpiritual illapſe, ſomething coming in as an anſwer to her Prayers, and her countenance was cheared up, ſhe was no more ſad: And ſhe ſaid, Let thine hand-maid finde grace in thy ſight; ſoe the woman went her way, 1 Sam. 1. 18.and did eat, and her countenance was no more ſad. You read of the ſingular chearfulneſs of the Martyrs, how they kiſſed the ſtake, wellcom'd Fire and Faggot, embraced the Flames: What a ſweet chearful frame of ſpirit did they diſcover amidſt their greateſt ſufferings, and were no whit daunted by the utmoſt cruelty of their Adverſaries? It would raviſh a Chriſtians heart to peruſe the Letters of Mr. Bradford that holy Martyr, then whom (as I apprehend) never man wrote more ſweetly, and manifeſted more chearfulneſs under the Rod. To ruſh upon trouble, to be forced to ſufferings, and to ſay, I will bear it, becauſe I cannot otherwiſe chooſe; and to murmur and rail againſt ſuch and ſuch Inſtruments, this is not thank-worthy: But to make a vertue of neceſſity, and to bear thy Croſs chearfully, to abound in inward conſolations amidſt outward troubles; to have thine heart inlarged, though thy body be Impriſoned; to ſmile in affliction, becauſe God ſmiles upon thee, even when he beats thee, this is the glory of thy ſuffering: And whenſoever God hides his face from us, and clouds his gracious countenance, let us with all alacrity wait upon him, and learn to bear chearfully his dealings with us.
A ſecond ingredient is, That it is the duty of Believers to wait ſubmiſſively 2. We muſt wait ſubmiſſively.upon God: It's not enough to ſay, I muſt ſubmit, I muſt be content; but to ſay, I will ſubmit, I will be content, that argueth a ſubmiſſive ſpirit, and not the other: Shall a Zeno ſay, after he Jam didici philoſophari. Zeno.had ſuffered Ship-wrack, Now I have learn'd to be a Philoſopher? Shall an Anaxagoras ſay, after the news of the death of his Son, Now I Scio me genuiſſe mortalem. Anaxag. 1 Sam. 3. 18. 2 Kings 20. 19.know I begat a mortal Son? And ſhall Chriſtians preſume to conteſt with God, and grudge againſt their Maker? We ſhould ſay with Eli, It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good: with Hezekiah, Then ſaid Hezekiah unto Iſaiah, Good is the word of the Lord which thou haſt ſpoken; and with Job, The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, Bleſſed Job 1. 21. Levit. 10. 3.be the name of the Lord. Imitate Aaron; Moſes ſaid unto Aaron, this is it that the Lord ſpake, ſaying, I will be ſanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified; and Aaron held his peace. David profeſt, I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, becauſe Pſal. 39. 9. Amos 5. 13.thou didſt it. And remember the counſel of the Prophet, Therefore the prudent ſhall keep ſilence in that time; for it is an evil time: It's not meant that we ſhould be tongue-tyed in the cauſe of God; for if we ſpeak not when Gods glory ſuffers, it's a ſign that we have a dumb Devil within us: But true Believers, which judge truly of calamities, and of their cauſes, ſhall in ſilence, and with patience worſhip Gods Juſtice without any murmuring or ſcandal. David falls not a railing at Shimei, he was better inſtructed, then to render railing for railing, but he looks at a higher hand, and ſubmits. So when Iliads of troubles ſurround thee, and one croſs follows upon the neck of another, as one Wave of the Sea upon another: Oh! do not break forth into curſing and reviling, but look at the hand of God, and ſay, Lord, I ſee thy hand, I deſire to know thy meaning, to be inſtructed with Ephraim, to ſmite upon my thigh. and ſubmit unto thy hand in every thing; and I beſeech thee, what I underſtand not teach thou me, and wherein I have done amiſs, I will do ſo no more.Job 34. 32. 3. We muſt wait patiently.
3. It's the nature of Faith to wait patiently. This is waiting indeed, when with a quiet frame of ſpirit I expect the fulfilling of the Viſion, whether it ſpeak good, or whether it ſpeak evil, I am content, my heart is of Davids temper; My h…art is fixed, (O God) my Pſal. 57. 7.heart is fixed, I will ſing and give praiſe: The Husband-man waits for the Harveſt; ſo muſt we wait patiently for the Harveſt; of deliverance. Delay is the ſickneſs of the ſoul; Patience is the cure of it: Patience is the very ſoul and life of waiting: Waiting without patience, is inraged ſury. We muſt bear Gods anger patiently, I will Micah 7. 9.bear the indignation of the Lord, becauſe I have ſinned againſt him, until he plead my cauſe, and execute judgement for me: He will bring me forth to the light, and I ſhall behold his righteouſneſs: We muſt wait for that we ſee not. If we (ſaith the Apoſtle) hope for that we ſee not, then Rom. 8. 25.do we with patience wait for it: Hence are we commanded, In your patience Luke 21. 19.p…ſſeſs ye your ſouls. There's a Philoſopher that hath this expreſſion; if the Gods would grant me my deſire, and bid me ask what I would have, I would ask of them this thing, That I might have the ſpirit of Socrates, ſuch a compoſed ſpirit as he had: It's obſerved of him, and of Cato likewiſe, that they were in ſuch a quiet compoſed ſedate frame, that they never changed their countenances upon any thing that. befell them. This ſhould ſtir up Chriſtians to beg of God, the ornament of a meek and quiet ſpirit (whereof the Apoſtle 1. Pet. 3. 4.ſpeaks) which is in the ſight of God of great price: Pray hard for the excellency of a quiet compoſed ſpirit: Come what will, if thou be armed with patience, it will ward off the blow.
4 It's the duty and property of waiting Chriſtians, to exerciſe Faith 4. We muſt exerciſe faith upon the Divine Promiſes.on the Divine Promiſes. A Heathen, out of a Cynical ſtupidity, and by Moral Documents, may have patience and paſs by injuries; but he knows not how to believe againſt ſence; he's a ſtranger to Faith, he diſcerns no excellency in a Promiſe, he cannot live upon a word, he knows not how to relie upon a Crucified Saviour, and live by Faith on the Son of God. But a true Chriſtian waits believingly, he lays hold upon Jeſus Chriſt by Faith, and lives upon the Divine Promiſes, and applys them by Faith unto his particular condition. Faith gives the ſoul a firm bottom to ſtand on, a ſtrong foundation to build on, which is the Word of God: Faith (ſaith the Apoſtle) is Heb. 11. 1. Pſal. 27. 13.the ſubſtance of things hoped for, and the evid…nce of things not ſeen. There are two great words, foreign. I had fainted (ſaith David) unleſs I had beli…ved to ſee the goodneſs of the Lord in the land of Rom. 8. 28.the living. A Believer knows, that all things ſhall work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpoſe: Mal. 4. 2.Such Scriptures are his ſtrong Rock: But unto you that fear my nam…, ſhall the Son of righteouſneſs ariſe with healing in his wings; and ye ſhall goe forth, and grow up as calves of the ſ…all: For a ſmall moment Iſa. 54. 7.have I forſak…n thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. A Believer Matth. 28. 20.ſtays himſelf upon a promiſe, Loe, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. He fears not the oppoſition of men and devils againſt the Miniſtry; for he knows Chriſt will uphold them, and vindicate their quarrel. A Believer knows, that the rod of the wicked ſhall not reſt upon the back of the righteous; therefore he waits till God take it off. He knows that deliverance ſhall come to the Church, that the Lord will build up Zion, and appear in his glory, that all the enemies ſhall come and worſhip before the Churches feet, and the ſhaking of Nations is a harbinger to deliverance: Peruſe Hag. 2. 7.that great Promiſe, I will ſhake all nations, and the deſire of all nations ſhall come, and I will fill with glory this houſe, ſaith the Lord of hoſts. A Believer knows that God can bring light out of darkneſs, order out of a Chaos, ſtrike a ſtraight line with a crooked ſtick, make the wrath of man turn to his praiſe, and reſtrain the remainder thereof. By Faith Stephen ſaw Chriſt, when the ſtones were about his ears: And by Faith Job ſaw a Redeemer upon the Dung-hill: And by Faith Moſes ſaw him that vvas inviſible, amidſt Reproaches and Sufferings: Faith diſcerns a Sun-ſhine approaching, amidſt cloudyneſs and diſmall darkneſs: Whatever makes againſt a Believer in a carnal apprehenſion, the ſpiritual eye of Faith ſeeth ſomething to make for him: So that a Believer hath double, nay trebble even multiplyed hopes for ſingle fears.
It's the nature of waiting to have Hope for its companion: Waiting …. We muſt wait and hope. Lam. 3. 26. Heb. 6. 19.and Hope are conjoyned: It is good that a man ſhould both hope, and quietly wait for the ſalvation of the Lord. Hope is the Anchor of the ſoul, both ſure and ſtedfaſt, and which entereth into that within the vail: When thou art toſſed in the troubleſome waves of the World, caſt anchor, and let hope ſupport and ſtay thy ſpirit: Were it not for hope, the heart would break, in thoſe days of confuſion and miſery, where there are ſo many ſad thoughts and ſearchings of heart for the afflictions of Joſeph, and diviſions of Reuben; yet we are not without hope: Let's apply that of Ezrah amidſt all their ſorrows and perplexity, Shecaniah the ſon of J…hiel, one of the ſons of Elam, anſwered and ſaid unto Ezra, We have treſpaſſed againſt our God, Ezra 10. 2.and have taken ſtrange wives, of the people of the Land; yet now there is h…pe in Iſrael concerning this thing. They fall a making a Covenant, and O that we would bewail the breach of Covenant! and reſolve to keep that inviolable which we made in a day of diſtreſs, and for which there will be a day of account! we are a ſinking kingdom, and cry out, Lord ſave us, or elſe we periſh: Hope even holds us up by the chin. We are juſt as the Iſraelites coming out of Egypt, in ſtraights and intanglements, amidſt Rocks: When they were in Egypt, O what ſervitude did they meet withal, and cruel bondage! Now they come out of Egypt, they meet with difficulties, the Enemy overtakes them at Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the Sea over againſt Baal-zephon: Pihahiroth, was a Cave hem'd in with Rocks: Migdol ſignifieth a Cavernac rumbus incluſae.Tower: Baal was their God; and Zephon ſignifies ruri ſpeculatus eſt: And ſee what counſel is given, Moſes ſaid unto the people, Exod. 14. 13.fear ye not, ſtand ſtill and ſee the ſalvation of the Lord, which he will ſhew to you to day: For the Egyptians, whom ye have ſeen to day, ye ſhall ſee them again no more for ever. We are juſt as Jehoſhaphat was, in great ſtraits and know not what to do; but his practice muſt be ours, to fall a praying, O Lord our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might againſt this great company that cometh againſt us, neither 2 Chron. 20. 12.know we what to doe, but our eyes are unto thee: Hold out hope, and thus it will argue and plead, The Lord hath delivered us from our enemies, we hope he will not ſuffer us to deſtroy one another; The Lord hath done us much good, and wrought miraculous ſalvations for us; we truſt he will not now deſtroy us, after he hath done us ſo much good. Joyn Faith, Hope, and Patience, and thou wilt then wait to good purpoſe: Senſe fails, contrivances are diſappointed, Faith bids diſpute not, but believe: But Faith grows weak, then Hope interpoſeth; its good to hope in God: Happy is that man whoſe hope the Lord is: Art thou a tottering, ready to fall? hope underprops thee: Art thou ready to ſink? hope findes out a twig to lay hold on: but hope deferred, makes the heart ſick. Then patience ſteps in and argueth thus, Art thou a Believer? conſider, A Believer makes not haſte: Haſt thou hope? thou muſt wait for that thou ſeeſt not, quiet thy ſpirit and vvait upon God, caſt thy ſelf upon his providence, ſtay upon his wiſdom, rowl thy ſelf upon his love, and vvait quietly for his ſalvation: He that vvaits chearfully, ſubmiſſively, and patiently with Faith and Hope, is put into a ready capacity of receiving a gracious anſvver from God. Thus did the people of God, they waited upon a word of Promiſe, and relyed upon God for the fulfilling of the viſion, and they enjoyed the accompliſhment thereof, which is the ſecond Head propounded, viz. the illuſtration of the Point, from the practice and example of the Saints in former times.2. The Doctrine illuſtrated by examples.
2. I'le firſt inſtance in the promiſes made to Abraham long before they were fulfilled. There were two Promiſes made to Abraham.
1. That the Countrey which God vvould give him, ſhould flovv with Milk and Honey.
2. That his Seed ſhould be as the Stars of Heaven: Here's Gods Word; but his works ſeem ſtrange, to run quite croſs unto it. This vvould appear to a carnal eye to be a very dark viſion: Abraham vvas commanded out of his ovvn Countrey: Now the Lord ſaid unto Gen. 12. 1.Abraham, Get thee from out of thy countrey, and from thy kindred, and from thy fathers houſe, unto a land that I will ſhew thee. As ſoon as he came into Canaan there was a Famine, he vvas ready to ſtarve: There was a famine in the land, and Abram went down into Egypt to ſojourn Gen. 12. 10.there, for the famine was grievous in the land. This Promiſe was not made good till the Iſraelites vvere ſeated in Canaan many hundred years after: and that his Seed ſhould be as the ſtars of Heaven; this vvas ſtrangely brought about, againſt all humane apprehenſion, as by the ſequel may appear: for Abraham ſtayed many years before he had Iſaac, the childe of the promiſe, and Iſaac ſtayed 20 years before he had a childe; and God bad Abraham kill Iſaac. Theſe vvorks ſeem directly oppoſite to the Word of God. But vve muſt not lay too much vveight upon the vvorks and thwarting paſſages of Gods providence, but depend wholly upon the word: What God promiſed unto Abraham, was fulfilled every tittle in its ſeaſon. So the viſion was dark to the Children of Iſrael. Joſeph told them that God would ſurely viſit them, and bring them out of that Land; yet they muſt wait the limitted time: And it came to paſs, at the end of the Exod. 12. 41.four hundred and thirty years, even the ſelf-ſame day it came to paſs that all the hoſts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. Hannah, Rachel, Rebeckah, waited Gods time; and Sarah waited for a childe, though againſt the ordinary courſe of nature: God had promiſed, and they muſt vvait upon his Word. Seventy years were appointed for the Babyl…niſh Captivity: The Jews muſt vvait till the expiration, then, and not till then, came deliverance. The impotent Cripple waited 38 years, at the Pool of Betheſdah, then Chriſt came and put him into the water and healed him. The daughter of Abraham waited 18 years, then Chriſt looſned her from her infirmity. The Woman waited 12 years on Phyſitians, who had the bloody Iſſue, and they left her uncured, and poverty to boot; when that time was expired, Chriſt came and healed her. Ten days tribulation were appointed to the Angel of the Church of Smyrna. Three days Plague to David. God in wiſdom hath ſet certain periods of time, known onelyonly to himſelf, all which while he will exerciſe the Faith and Patience of his children; at the end whereof, and not before, he will relieve and comfort them. What time God hath ſet for Englands deliverance, is a grand ſecret, locked up in his Cabinet: And whether our eyes may ſee a right ſettlement, a Peace eſtabliſht upon the baſis of Truth, no man can determine: We can ſay no more, then Pſal. 74. 9.with the Pſalmiſt, We ſee not our ſigns, there is no more any Prophet, neither is there among us that knoweth how long: Yet let us fall upon our knees, and be earneſt in Prayer for Zion: O that the ſalvation of Iſrael were come out of Zion! When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob ſhall rejoyce, and Iſrael ſhall be glad. Let us leave off murmuring and fall a praying, let's take off from anxious cares, and adde more fervency to our Prayers; let's not be ſo ſaucy, as to preſcribe times and ſeaſons unto God, not to limit the holy one of Iſrael to times or means. It's a received rule of Auguſtine, Let him, Eligal opportunitation, qui dat miſcricordiam. Aug.who ſhews mercy, chooſe his ſeaſon.
We have ſeen this duty tracked by the foot-ſteps of Gods people, let us goe and doe likewiſe.
In the third place, to give in the demonſtration of the Point, I ſhall 3. The Doctrine demonſtrated.draw a threefold Argument, from the neceſſity, equity, and utility of the duty.
1. From the neceſſity of the duty: Ye have need of patience, that Arg. 1. Drawn from the neceſſity of this duty.after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promiſe: And that is neceſſary, Neceſſitate praecepti & medii. For Precepts, the Pſalmiſt exhorts, R…ſt in the Lord, and wait patiently for him, fre… not thy ſelf becauſe of him, who prospereth in his way, becauſe of the man, who bringeth wicked d…vices to paſs. For evil deers ſhall be cut off: but th…ſe that wait upon the Lord, they ſhall inherit the earth. And the Prophet Zephaniah exhorts, Therefore wait ye upon me (ſaith the Lord) until Zeph. 3. 8.th… day that I riſe up unto the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may aſſemble the Kingdoms, to p…ur upon them mine indignati…n, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth ſhall be devoured with the fire of my jealouſie. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and Pſal. 27. 14.he ſhall ſtrengthen thine heart: wait, I ſay, on the Lord. Solomon counſels, Say not thou, I will recompence evil, but wait on the Lord, and he Prov. 20. 22.ſhall ſave thee. David layeth a ſtrict charge upon himſelf, My ſoul, Pſal. 62. 5.wait thou only upon God: for my expectation is from him. David could have taken opportunity to have revenged himſelf on Saul, he had him (as we ſay) at his mercy, but he waited Gods time: The Lord 1 Sam. 24. 23. 1 Sam. 26. 23.(ſaith he) render to every man his righteouſneſs and his faithfulneſſe: for the Lord delivered thee into my hand to day: but I would not ſtretch forth mine hand againſt the Lords anointed. David, though he had an opportunity, yet conſidered Saul was Gods anointed, therefore he would not embrue his hands in his blood.
2. Neceſſitate m…dii: For waiting is an inſtrumental means, Gods way of obtaining a grant of the thing deſired: Simeon waited for the conſolation of Iſrael, And behold, there was a man in Jeruſalem, Luke 2. 25.whoſe name was Simeon, and the ſame man was juſt and devout, waiting for the conſolation of Iſrael, and the holy Gh…ſt was upon him: The ſons of God waited for their adoption: And not onelyonly they, but our ſelves Rom. 8. 23.alſo, which have the firſt-fruits of the ſpirit: even we our ſelves groan within our ſelves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. And they wait for the coming of Chriſt, So that ye come behinde I Cor. 1. 7.in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Waiting prepareth us for the receiving of a mercy, whereas murmuring, querulous ſpeeches do indiſpoſe us for a mercy. Whineing, ſtrugling, and quarrelling, provoke God to laſh us more; but a quiet compoſed behaviour, an humble ſubmiſſion to the will of God, is a ready way to obtain the thing deſired, even a comfortable fruition of our expectation. God is moſt ready to help his people, when their hearts moſt long after him; for ſo runs the Promiſe, I will pour Iſa. 44. 3.water upon him that is thirſty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my ſpirit upon thy ſeed, and my bleſſing upon thine off-sppring. After the Church was in pain and travel, and endured many throws and hard labor, in expectation of deliverance, read the gracious anſwer, Thy dead men ſhall live, together with my dead body ſhall they ariſe: awake and ſing, ye that awell in duſt: for thy dew is as the dew of hearbs, Iſa. 26. 19.and the earth ſhall caſt out the dead.
So that waiting works two things.
1. It prepares us for a mercy, it ſeaſoneth our hearts, and diſpoſeth them for the entertainment thereof, ſo that we are as Veſſels throughly ſeaſon'd.
2. It ſets a higher price and eſtimate on the mercy when it comes: A mercy beg'd by Prayer, waited for with Patience, will, of all others, be the ſweeteſt to us in the fruition. Hannah had more children after Samuel, but none ſo valued as Samuel, the childe of her Prayers. Now if deliverance and ſettlement to the Kingdom come as an anſwer of our Prayers, O how welcome will the deliverance be! It's a comfortable experience recorded of the Church: And it ſhall Iſa. 25. 9.be ſaid in that day, lo, this is our God, we have waited for him and he ſhall ſave us: This is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoyce in his ſalvation.
2. The ſecond Argument ſhall be drawn from the equity of the Argu. 2: Drawn from the equity of the duty.duty: It's all the equity and reaſon of the World, that we ſhould wait upon God; we are Creatures, and is it not equal that the Creature ſhould wait upon the Creator? we are Servants, and ſhould not Servants wait upon their Maſters? Behold, as the eyes of ſervants Pſalm 123. 2:look unto the hands of their maſters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her miſtreſs, ſo our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us. We are children, and ſhould not children wait upon their Father? Theſe relations intimate the equity of the duty: we ſay, that Relations, though they be of leaſt entity, yet they are of greateſt efficacy. Doth not the Husband-man wait for the Harveſt? Doth not the Mother wait for the time of her deliverance? Doth not the Patient wait upon the working of the Phyſick? Now God is giving the Kingdom ſtrong Phyſick; a Purge to ſome, a Vomit to others; nay, have we not juſt cauſe to fear, that by reaſon of our Laodicean luke-warmneſs, God will vomit us out of his mouth? Let's wait and ſee what God will do; though we know not, yet he knows the reaſon of his own proceedings. God made Nebuchadnezzar a ſcourage to the Jews, and God calls him his ſervant; but becauſe Nebuchadnezzar acted his own malice and revenge, God will turn the wheel upon him. Jehu was made an Inſtrument to root out Ahabs Family, but becauſe his heart was naught, he aimed at the Kingdom for himſelf. God threatens to avenge the blood of Jezre…l upon the houſe Hoſ. 1. 4.of Jehu. God may raiſe up one to puniſh another, and when they have done, God may find out a ſcourge to puniſh the puniſhers themſelves: Theſe are Gods Acts, his ſtrange Acts, (for ſo are his judgements:) Iſaiah 7. 20.God will have a razor for that purpoſe: In the ſame day ſhall the Lord ſhave with a razour that is hired, namely by them beyond the river, by the king of Aſſyria, the head, and the hair of the feet, and it ſhall alſo conſume the beard: And notwithſtanding greatneſs of ſtrength and power in the hands of men, if they miſ-imploy it, God can give ſtrength to wounded men, to do great exploits: For though ye had ſmitten the Jer. 37. 10.whole army of the Caldeans that fight againſt you, and there remained but wounded men among them; yet ſhould they riſe up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire: And God can cauſe the lame to take the prey: Thy tacklings are looſed, they could not well ſtrengthen their Iſa. 33. 23.maſt, they could not ſpread the ſail: then is the prey of a great ſpoil divided, the lame take the prey: Let us leave off murmuring and repining, and wait to ſee what God will do with us, and for us: His time is next: He will bring to paſs his own work, his own way, to his own glory.
The third and laſt Argument I ſhall name, ſhall be drawn from Arg. 3. Drawn from the benefit of waiting. Iſa. 40. 31.the ſingular benefit and utility of the duty: Art thou weak? wait, and thou ſhalt receive ſtrength: They that wait upon the Lord, ſhall renew their ſtrength, they ſhall mount up on wings, as eagles; they ſhall run and not be weary, they ſhall walk and not faint: Art thou afraid of ſhame and diſgrace, leſt contempt and ignominy be caſt upon the Church of God? ſee what the Prophet Iſaiah ſaith, It is he that ſitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as graſhoppers; Iſa. 40. 22, 23.that ſtretcheth out the heaven as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in, that bringeth the Princes to nothing, he maketh the Judges of the earth as vanity: Doſt thou deſire Gods bleſſing? wait and thou ſhalt have it: And therefore doth the Lord wait, that he Iſa. 30. 18.may be gracious unto you; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: For the Lord is a God of judgement; Bleſſed are all they that wait for him: God knows when and how to help his Cum duplicātur lateres venit Deus. Iſa. 3…. 9, 10,people: In the mount God will be ſeen: When the Bricks were doubled, then came God and delivered the Iſraelites from their Aegyptian bondage: The earth mourneth & languiſheth, Leban…n is aſhamed and hewed down: Sharon is like a wilderneſs; and Baſhan and Carm…l ſhake off their fruits. Now will I riſe, ſaith the Lord, now will I be exalted, now will I lift up my ſelf. When helps from earth have been cut off, then help came from Heaven. When Abraham was ſtretching forth his hand to kill Iſaac, then the Angel ſaid, Stay thy hand: When David was hemm'd in on every ſide, then a way was made for his eſcape by the Philiſtines Invaſion: When Paul was a killing, and they were beating of him, to beat out his life: then came news of an Inſurrection in Jeruſalem, and by that diverſion Paul was repreived. God hath a way of eſcape for his people in Fire and Water: When thou paſſeſt thorow the waters, I will be with thee, and thorow the Iſa. 43. 2, 3.rivers, they ſhall not over-fl…w thee; when thou walk…ſt thorow the fire, thou ſhalt not be burnt, neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee: Sometimes they have their lives for a prey, other times they are made a prey, and ſuffer in a common calamity: Yet though the Saints ſuffer, they have an hiding-place: And a man ſhall be as an hiding-place from Iſa 32. 2.the wind, and a covert from the tempeſt; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the ſhaddow of a great rock in a weary land:. They have a Pella, a Zoar ſometimes, where they may ſecurely eſcape with their lives: yet they have always a refuge and ſhelter in the Divine Promiſes: They have a rock higher then themſelves, from the end of the earth (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: Pſalm 61. 2.lead me to the rock that is higher then I. It's an obliged duty to wait upon the Counſels of God: By waiting, we may look for good ſucceſſe, becauſe we goe Gods way; by murmuring or reviling we cannot look for comfort, becauſe we goe the way of fleſh and blood: By patience, the pain and anguiſh of our fore is mitigated; by impatience, it corrodes and is inrag'd.
Thus far of the Doctrinal part: I ſhall improve all unto four Uſe 1. For Terror.Uſes, viz. For Reprehenſion, Exhortation, Direction, and Conſolation.
It breathes forth terror and ſevere reproof unto the murmuring ſpirits of theſe preſent times: Never more complaining in our Streets: Oh! we would have peace upon any tearms, when will the Sword be put into the ſheath? when ſhall the Kingdom be ſetled? That complaint is frequently taken up: Haſt thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath thy ſoul loathed Zion? Why haſt thou ſmitten us, and Jer. 14. 1….there is no healing for us? we looked for peace, and there is no good, and for the time of healing, but behold trouble.
For Anſwer, I expoſtulate with Jehu, What? Peace? What? Peace with Rome? What? Peace with Benhadad? What? Peace with falſhood? Peace upon ſuch tearms, will prove but a Body maſſacring a Soul-murdering Peace: What? Peace with our luſts and corruptions? Till they be ſlaughtered, what peace can we expect? Can we expect a ceſſation of puniſhing, before there be a ceſſation of ſinning? Can we expect peace with men, as long as we continue at War with God? For all thoſe Monethly Faſts, and days of Humiliation, where's a ſerious Reformation of our hearts and lives? You know how haſty Saul was, he forced himſelf to ſacrifice, and would not ſtay till Samuel came, it coſt him his Kingdom. The Iſraelites would not wait Gods time, but were haſty for an encounter with the Amalekites, and you may ſee what they got by it, they fell before them, and were diſcomfited unto Hormah: Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites that dwelt in the hill, and ſmote Numb. 14. 45.them, and diſcomfited them even unto Hormah: And what's the ground of this haſtineſs of ſpirit? It's infidelity, becauſe we believe not God upon his Word; we are ſuch hot ſpurres, we out-run Providence, and antidate Deliverance: We go deviſed ways, untract pathes, according to ſecret impulſes, quite contrary to the rode of the Word; did we believe the faithfulneſs of God, That he is faithful that hath promiſed, that the gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt his Church; we ſhould poſſeſs our ſelves with patience, and wait quietly for deliverance: We uſually ſay, that haſty men never want woe. Raſh, preproperous, and prepoſterous practices, are the ruine of practitioners. An impatient man, is a gate without an hinge. Janua ſine cardine.What ſhame is it, for a Chriſtian to be like Hercules furens, or like the Demoniack (mentioned in the Goſpel) rending and tearing himſelf? An impatient male-contented perſon, is Felo de ſe, his own Executioner: What a weakneſs was it in David, ſo to be overwhelm'd in ſorrovv for Abſalom? and in Jonah, ſo to lament the loſs of his Gourd? The loſs of Revenues, profits in the Trade, Liberty, Oh how doth it ſtick near a man? But where's the acting of Faith? Now the juſt ſhall live by faith: and if any man draw back, my ſoul Heb. 10. 38.ſhall have no pleaſure in him. A true Believer lives by Faith, when Trading decays, Lively-hood and Profit decays. Now let's learn to live by Faith: Though thou ſhouldſt looſe all, there is enough in the Promiſes to make up all with Intereſt, if thou canſt but make them thine ovvn by particular Application. Much time is thrown away in paſſing our cenſures one upon another, reviling this or that inſtrument: I plead not in the leaſt for any, but utterly abhor any irregular practices or indirect ways; but I preſs patience and ſubmiſſion unto Gods will, to look thorow all inſtruments and ſecondary cauſes unto the firſt cauſe to hear the rod, and who hath appointed it: The Lords voice cryeth unto the city, and the man of Micah 6 ….wiſdom ſhall ſee thy name: heare ye the rod, and who hath appointed it. It's a doggiſh quality to ſnarle at a ſtone, and not look at the hand that throws it: Pray then fervently, and watch againſt infidelity, and an impatient and murmuring ſpirit: The Lord lay them not unto our charge. We might have been in Canaan long ere this, had we not been murmurers in the Wilderneſs. I know well that our condition is ſo lamentable, that we can neither bear diſeaſes nor remedies: And complaints finde no better entertainment, then in thoſe times wherein the beſt of Hiſtorians lived, and ſaid in his Preſace, That complaints Querclae ne tum quidem gratae cum ſorſan neceſſariae. Liv. Praef.are not pleaſing, no not then when they are neceſſary. There's much bitterneſs and implacableneſs upon mens ſpirits, devouring and calumniating one another: Such expoſtulations are riſe, where is the promiſe of his coming? Where's the reformation ſo much ſpoken of? Where's the removing of the burthens? letting the oppreſſed go free? breaking the bread to the hungry? cloathing the naked? ſuch are peculiar duties for a Faſt: Is there not rather faſting for ſtrife and debate, to ſmite with the firſt of wickedneſs? I aggravate theſe things no further, but onelyonly let me tell you, as there were foreign, ſo there are foreign, ſpots in your Faſtingdays, Let's bewail them with tears of blood; let's faſt for our former Faſtings, and be humbled for our out-ſide Humiliations, and lay to heart our negligent ſervices, and deprecate that curſe that hangs over our heads for performing the work of the Lord negligently: The Lord may call us to an account as juſtly as he did the Jews, Zech. 7. 5. Did ye at all faſt unto me, even to me?
In the ſecond place I proceed to an Uſe of Exhortation: Let me Uſe 2. For Exhortation.preſs home the duty of the Text, to wait for the fulfilling of the Viſion in theſe concuſſions and commotions, when men are at their wits end, and wonder what vvill be the iſſue. Oh let's take heed of impatience and murmuring, let's bevvare of tumultuous murmuring ſpirits, of tempeſtuous affections! Though there be a ſtorm abroad, vve ſhould endeavour after a ſerene quiet ſpirit at home. A calmneſs upon our ſpirits, vvill be of ſingular uſe for us amidſt the fluctuating condition of the Kingdom. Every one will be ready to ask, What ſhall we doe? How ſhall we demean our ſelves in theſe dark times? Such queſtions as theſe require an anſwer, and a word ſpoken in due ſeaſon, is like apples of gold in pictures of ſilver. I will adviſe nothing as a States-man (that's out of my Sphere) nor as a ſubtle Politician (for ſuch Policy is the bane of Religion) but from direct warrant out of the Word of God.
By way of advice, I commend unto your thoughts theſe enſuing Propoſitions, which I take to be Propoſitions of Eternall Truth.
1. It's unlawful to do any evill, that the leaſt good may come Prop. 1. It's unlawful to do evil, that good may come thereof. Rom. 3. 8.thereof. And not rather (ſaith the Apoſtle) as we ſlanderouſly reported, and as ſome affirm that we ſay, let us do evil, that good may come, whoſe damnation is juſt: God needs not our lies to maintain his cauſe. This was Rebockah's and Jacob's fault, for the compaſſing of a good end, to betake themſelves to indirect means: This is a broken refuge, Iſa. 28. 15, 17.and will fail: Becauſe ye have ſaid, we have made a Covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement, when the over flowing ſcourge ſhall paſſe thorow, it ſhall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falſhood have hid our ſelves: Therefore, thus ſaith the Lord, Judgement will I lay to the line, and righteouſneſs to the plummet: and the hail ſhall ſweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters ſhall overflow the hiding place. Auguſtine is reſolute, that if it was poſſible by an officious lie, to compaſs the Redemption of the whole World: yet ſo weighty and univerſal a good, muſt be rather let fall then brought about by the ſmalleſſt evil.
2. Another Propoſition for confirmation, is, That no good intentions Prop. 2. Good meanings cannot juſtifie a bad action. 1 Chron. 13. 10and meanings can ever juſtifie the doing of any evill action. Ʋzzah's intention was good, but becauſe againſt the rule he was puniſhed with death: He invaded the Prieſts Office, and therefore the Lord ſmote him dead upon the place.
3. It's the duty of Chriſtians to walk by rule, and keep cloſe to Prop. 3. We muſt walk by rule. Iſa. 8. 20.it, and that's the written Word of God: To the Law and to the Teſtimony, if they speak not according to theſe, it is becauſe they have no light in them. Let's not be a rule to our ſelves, nor follow extraordinary impulſes upon our ſpirits and revelations, but bring all to the touch-ſtone: Let's try all things, and hold faſt that which is good; and let the Scripture be the Umpire, & let's acquieſs altogether in its determinations: As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on Gal. 6. 16.them, and mercy, and on the Iſrael of God: 'Tis not any rule but this rule. If an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Doctrine then what is contained in the Scriptures, let him be accurſed. Whatever Seekers, Familiſts, Enthuſiaſts, &c. pretend to live above Ordinances (and ſo they are indeed, as much above Ordinances, as a Swine is above a Pearl, which it tramples under feet) I ſay, all their Lights, however new, are but Ignes fatui, falſe Lights, to lead us into dangerous deſtructive ways: Let's therefore, for every action, look unto the rule, bring every thing to rule, and ſquare all by the infallible rule of the word of God.
4. It's the duty of Chriſtians to keep themſelves in Gods ways, within Prop. 4. Chriſtians muſt keep within the compaſſe of their calling. Luke 4. 11.the compaſs of their Calling: We can expect a Bleſſing no further then we have a Calling for what we do: Ʋzzah and Ʋzziah paid dear for their irregular attempts: Whereupon Satan, an old cunning Sophiſter, when he tempted Chriſt, and urged Scripture: (And in their hands they ſhall bear thee up, leſt at any time thou daſh thy foot againſt a ſtone: for he ſhall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee, leaves out what made againſt him (in all thy ways) for there was a pair of Staires to go down:) To precipitate himſelf down from the Pinacle had been the quickeſt, but it was a deſtructive way.
5. We muſt obey God rather then man: When it comes to this Dilemma, either you muſt diſpleaſe God, and wound Conſcience, or Prop. 5. We muſt obey God rather then man.diſpleaſe a potent enemy; then thy reſolution muſt be with the Apoſtle, rather to obey God then man. When it comes to this paſs, thou muſt either chooſe affliction or ſin; thy reſolution muſt be to chooſe the greateſt affliction in the World, rather then to wound thy Conſcience with the leaſt ſin. See the practice of the three Children, they ſubmitted themſelves to the rage of the King, and the Fiery Furnace, rather then they would worſhip his Image. And Daniel Dan. 3. 21. Dan, 6. 16.was caſt into the Lyons Den, for not obeying the Kings Decree. Some State-Polititians might have inſinuated themſelves into Daniell, and perſwaded him to remit and abate a little of his Devotions, though for 30 days; but ſinful compliance is abominable, though but for a moment. Daniel prayed three times, as he was wont, notwitſtanding all bloody Edicts againſt him. Be then well reſolved: Is this thing I am commanded to do, a ſin or no? Is it agreeable to the rule of the Word? Can I do it with a good conſcience? Thus Catechize thy ſelf before thou ventureſt upon any thing: And do nothing doubtfully, for what is done doubtfully is not done believingly; and whatſoever is not of faith, is ſin.
6. We may not follow a multitude to do evil: For though hand Prop. 6. We may not follow a multitude to do evil. Exod. 23. 2. foreign. Pythag.joyn in hand, the wicked ſhall not go unpuniſhed: Multitudes, power, fear of men, cannot be a ſufficient Apology for me: Mens examples are no warrant for my imitation, for I am to walk by the rule of the Word, not by the examples of men. Pythagoras hath a ſaying, Walk not in the rode. Beaſts follow the heard, Non quà cundum eſt: ſed qua itur, (as Seneca obſerves) Thoſe that are Companions of Fools, ſhall be deſtroyed. Let us not bleſs our ſelves, becauſe we walk in beaten rodes, and follow multitudes, as if this was our commendation. Eliah was better alone, then if he had joyned with Baals Prieſts. Luther was better alone, then if he had joyned Unus homo ſolus totius orbis impetum ſuſtinuit.with the Popiſh party. It's ſaid of Luther, That he was the man alone that bore the violence of the whole world. Athanaſius was better alone, then if he had joyned with a multitude of blaſphemous Arrians. And Epaminondas was better alone, then if he had joyned Praeſtat ſolus ſapere quam cum multis inſanire. Epamin. Nunquam minus ſolus quam cum ſolus.with multitudes of drunken Thebans: The rule that he gives, was, It's better to be wiſe alone, then mad with a multitude. If thou beeſt ſingular in right ways, thou art not alone: Never leſs alone, then when alone; for thou haſt a good God, a good Cauſe, and a good Conſcience, and he that hath theſe, hath the beſt Company.
7. Chriſtians ought to believe God upon his word: All his Promiſes Prop. 7. We muſt believe God upon his Word. 2 Cor. 1. 20.in Chriſt are Yea, and Amen. Not the leaſt tittle of the Word of God ſhall fail: The Lord would ſuffer none of Samuels, much leſſe will he ſuffer any of his own words to fall to the ground: All the promiſes for the building of Zion ſhall be accompliſhed, and all threatning Menaces againſt Babylon ſhall be accompliſhed: Babylons ruine will make way for Zions raiſing: There ſhall be a joyful word among the Nations: Babylon is fallen, Amen, Allelujah: Whatever promiſes are made for the Church, ſhall come to paſs in their appointed ſeaſon. The Prophet Iſaiah complains, There is a crying for Iſa. 24. 11, 12.wine in the ſtreets, all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone: In the city is left deſolation, and the gate is ſmitten with deſtruction: But Dan. 9. 25.let's read the Prophecy of Daniel, Know therefore, that from the going forth of the commandment to reſtore and to build Jeruſalem unto the Meſſiah the Prince, ſhall be ſeven weeks; and threeſcore and two weeks the ſtreet ſhall be built again, and the wall even in troublous times: In ſtreits of times, God hath promiſed to build his Church: Hath not God ſaid, That the gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt his Church? Hath not he ſaid to his Miniſters, that he is their portion, he will be Matth. 28. 20.with them to the end of the world? Now if God be for us, who can be againſt us? If God ſpeak peace, who can ſpeak trouble.
Lets in the eighth and laſt place, in dark Viſions and troubleſome Prop. 8. We muſt wait pariently upon God.Times wait quietly upon God. Though paſſages of Providence are ſo intricate, like a wheel in the middle of a wheel; and our miſeries are revived, and the end of our trouble we may fear is like to be the beginning of another: Yet let us wait upon God, ſtand ſtill & be ſilent: He that hurts us can heal us. And a Reverend Divine ſaid long ago of England, That God would break us to pieces, and then ſet us together Mr. Davenport.again. We are all a rebellious people, and our provocations are many in all ſorts and ranks of men, even Magiſtracy, Miniſtry, People. God is doing great things, putting us into the Furnace; and if from thence we come forth as Gold, we ſhall be gainers by all our troubles: Let us then, in a reverential way, demean our ſelves and wait upon God in his various diſpenſations.
And if you demand, how muſt we wait? I ſhall ſhew you in the third Uſe, which now comes to be applyed, and that's for Direction.
This onelyonly rule I ſhall lay down for a ſatisfactory Anſwer: That Uſe 3. For Direction.we ought to wait upoa God in the uſe of all good means.
But what are thoſe means which are joyned with waiting? They are theſe following.
1. We muſt wait and pray: Never more need of praying, of Means 1. We muſt wait and pray. Iſa. 26. 16, 20.wreſtling, of tugging hard at the Ore: This God looks for, and his people have practiced: Lord, in trouble have they viſited thee: they poured out a Prayer, when thy chaſtning was upon them. Come my people, enter thou into thy …hambers, and ſhut thy doors about thee: hide thy ſelf, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation be over-paſt: We are in an afflicted condition, and the counſel of the Apoſtle is, Is any among you afflicted, let him pray: We are ſick and wounded: The ſame James. 5. 13.Apoſtle preſcribes, Confeſs your faults one unto another, and pray one James 5. 16.for another, that ye may be healed: the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. There's a dreadful tempeſt, the ſhip is a ſinking, we had need be awakened and cry unto God; we had need pray, Lord ſave us, or elſe we periſh. This God expects: Thus ſaith Ezek. 36. 37.the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the houſe of Iſrael, to do it for them: I will increaſe them with men like a flock. This duty of Prayer hath a commanding vertue: The expreſſion is very high, Thus Iſa. 45. 11.ſaith the Lord, the holy One of Iſrael, and his Maker, ask me of things to come concerning my ſons; and concerning the works of my hands command ye me. This is Solomons Pharmachum Catholicum, even a Medicine for all diſeaſes: O pray! pray, rowl your ſelves in the duſt; you deal for a Kingdom, you deal for the Church, the Goſpel, and its Ordinances, for the lives of millions; pray then in good earneſt, and joyn faſting with waiting. Antichriſt is a ſtrong Devil; this kinde goeth not out but by faſting and prayer.
2. Wait and ſtudy the Scriptures: Affliction (ſaith Luther) makes us Means 2. Wait, and ſtudy the Scriptures.underſtand Scripture, we underſtand now what is meant by confuſion and deſolation. Compare the times of Habakkuk with our times; and they come very near; they anſwer one another, as face anſwereth to face: Such a dark viſion is now, as was then. Let us ſtudy and ſearch whether the Witneſſes be ſlain or no: If they be ſlain, then we may expect glorious times, if not, worſe are to be looked for. As far as I can apprehend, by comparing Scripture with Scripture (though it's difficult to determine) by the Witneſſes, are meant the Magiſtracy and Miniſtry. Compare Rev. 11. 4. with Zech. 4. 3. and 14. Theſe are the two olive trees, and the two candleſticks ſtanding before the God of the earth: So in the Revelations: And in Zechary we read, And two olive trees by it, one upon the right ſide of the bowl, and the other upon the left ſide thereof: Then ſaid he, theſe are the two anointed ones that ſtand by the Lord of the whole earth: I determine nothing in this doubtful caſe, but the great contempt caſt upon both Magiſtracy and Miniſtry, (and greater yet is to be feared) even throughout all Kingdoms, makes it probable, that the time of their ſlaughter draweth nigh. We may not be over-curious in fixing particular times, leſt we incur the ſame check for our curioſity as they did: It is not for you to know the times or the ſeaſons, which the Father hath put Acts 1. 7.in his own power.
3. Wait upon God in his Ordinances: Yet you have them, and Means 3. Wait upon God in his Ordinances. Iſa. 30. 20.bleſſed be God, vve yet have a nail left us in the publick Aſſembly: That Prophecy is made good, That though the Lord give you the bread of adverſity, and the water of affliction; yet ſhall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes ſhall ſee thy Teachers: Yet we have a publick Viſion: The voice of the Turtle is yet heard in our Land: Let's wait at theſe Betheſdah's, at the Poſts of Wiſdoms Gate: we ſhould mourn for the great contempt that is caſt upon Ordinances, and becauſe others ſlight them, we our ſelves ſhould learn to eſteem them highly, frequent them diligently, and pray that God would teach us to profit by them. The Word, Sacraments, Sabbaths, Meditations, Conference, are advantagious Ordinances, even the food of our ſouls: Take away meat and drink, and you ſtarve the Body: Take away Ordinances, and you ſlarve the Soul.
Wait, and treaſure up your experiences: Review and call to Means 4. Wait and treaſure up your experiences.minde the mercies of old, what God hath done for you in former times: Thou haſt known a Famine, God hath provided for thee then: Thou haſt been in great ſtraits and dangers, and God hath delivered thee at that time: Thou haſt been at the Graves mouth, and a ſentence of death ſeemed to paſs againſt thee, God hath reſtored thee to tell his Praiſes, and to bleſs his Name: Thou haſt known Troubles, Tumults, and Commotions in the Kingdom, and God hath quieted and compoſed them. Thus then argue, God is the ſame God, he is in Heaven ſtill, and doth whatſoever he pleaſeth; he is as willing, as able, as merciful as ever: He ſets bounds to the Seas, and ſtills the raging of the people: He is not changed with the change of time: Chriſt is the ſame yeſterday, to day, and the ſame for ever: Though we are out of order, yet his Covenant Heb. 13. 8. 2 Sam. 2…. 5.is ordered: Though we are tranſient, yet his Covenant is everlaſting.
Wait in the right ſeaſon: Now is the ſeaſon perilous, and a time Means 5. Wait in the right ſeaſon.of waiting: Times of afflictions are waiting times: When all ſeem againſt thee, and thou canſt not tell how to conclude from ſuch premiſes, as were unheard of before: Now wait, and be ſilent: Be ſilent, O all fleſh, before the Lord: for he is raiſed out of his holy Zech. 2. 13.habitation: Be far from murmurings and reſponſations againſt God. Thou muſt wait upon God in the way of his Judgements; yea, in Iſa. 26. 8.the way of thy Judgements, O Lord, have we waited for thee: The deſire of our ſoul is to thy Name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Sixthly and laſtly, Joyn reformation with waiting: I preſs not Means 6. Joyn reformat… on with watching.all this while a lazy, idle waiting, a folding thy hands in thy boſom, but a working waiting: Wait and purge thy conſcience: Trim up thy ſoul for the entertainment of Jeſus Chriſt. God will not come into a Cage of unclean Birds. The ſoul muſt be purified. Mercy follows Reformation at the heels. Deliverance followeth Reformation. Many days of Humiliation we have had, and when one is done, we had need have another to bewail the failings of the former: So that many harveſts are paſt, and many Summers ended, and we are not ſaved. But if there was one day of through Reformation, the buſineſs would be done, God would be intreated for the Land: We may juſtly fear, that the Commiſſion given to the Sword is not yet called back; but God will ſend it again to avenge the Jer. 6. 8.quarrel of a broken Covenant: My advice from God to you is, Be thou inſtructed, O Jeruſalem, leſt my ſoul depart from thee, leſt I make th…e Amos 4. 12.deſolate, and a land not inhabited: Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Iſrael! and becauſe I will do thus unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Iſrael! Gather your ſelves together, yea, gather together, O nation not Zeph. 2. 1, 2. 3.deſired! before the Decree bring forth, before the day paſs as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon yoú, before the day of the Lords anger come upon you: Seek ye the Lord, all the meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgement; ſeek righteouſneſs, ſeek meekneſs, it may be ye ſhall be hid in the day of the Lords anger.
And for a cloſe of all, The laſt Uſe is a Word of comfort to a waiting uſe 4. For Conſolation.people: Mercy will be the portion of a waiting & believing people: And when it comes, it will be good meaſure, full preſſ'd, and running over: It will abundantly make amends for all thy waiting for it: Oh then, confirm the weak hands, and ſtrengthen the feeble knees! Learn to live by Faith in dying times: Whatever thou looſeſt, whether voluntarily or compulſorily, let not go thy Faith: Wait patiently and ſilently under dark Viſions, at the end the Viſion ſhall ſpeak and not lie. God is a God of Infallibility and Eternall truth, and will not falſifie his promiſes. Though it tarry, and thou haſt waited long; yet wait a little longer, it ſhall come and will not tarry. And it will be an exceeding comfort to the Saints, when after long waiting for a mercy, they can ſay by happy experience, Lo this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will ſave us: This is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoyce in his ſalvation.Iſa. 25. 9.