Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
For Demonſtration of the Doctrine by Reaſons, and firſt from neceſſity of Precept.
HAving diſpatch't the Firſt Head ofHead 2. for Demonſtr. by Reaſon. my Diſcourſe, wherein I have proved the Doctrine, That God is, All-Sufficient, by Four convincing, and weighty Arguments; I come now in the Second place, to demonſtrate this Truth infer'd from the Doctrine, viz. That this Conſideration, that God is All-Sufficient, ſhould ingage us ſilently and quietly to ſubmit unto God, and ſtay, and depend upon his All-Sufficiency, amidſt our greateſt Loſſes and Afflictions.
The Truth of the Doctrine, I ſhall endeavour to demonſtrate by a Fourfold Reaſon drawn from the neceſſity, excellency and utility of the Duty, in quietly ſubmitting to God's Hand, and laſtly from the miſchievous Conſequences of repining, murmuring, and ſtrugling againſt God.
The Firſt Reaſon drawn from the Reaſon 1 from neceſſity of precept.Neceſſity of this Duty; and that's to be conſidered, as Neceſſitas praecepti vel medii. 1. For the Neceſſity of Precept. We are frequently commanded in the Word of God, to Exerciſe theſe great Duties of Waiting, Believing, and Submitting unto the Will of God. David's Faith was an Excellent Cordial to keep him from Fainting. Pſal. 27. 13. I had Fainted, unleſs I had believed to ſee the Goodneſs of the Lord, in the Land of the Living. And, What's the Duty, which he preſcribes? ſee Verſ. 14. Wait on the Lord, be of good Courage, and he ſhall ſtrengthen thine Heart: Wait I ſay, on th… Lord. He was much troubled about t… Proſperity of Wicked M…n: He preſcribes the ſame Duty of waiting on the Lord. Pſal. 37. 34. Wait on the Lord, and keep his Way, and he ſhall Exalt thee to Inherit the Land: When the Wicked are cut off, thou ſhalt ſee it. When he was troubled with treacherous, hypocritical, falſe-hearted Men, he preſcribed a Remedy, Pſal. 55. 22. Caſt thy Burden upon the Lord, and he ſhall ſuſtain thee. And his Reſolution is fixed, Verſ. 23. But I will Truſt in thee. David chargeth this Duty of Waiting, upon his own Soul, Pſal. 62. 5. My Soul, wait thou only upon God; for my Expectation is from him. And this Duty of Truſting, he frequently preſſeth upon himſelf and others, Pſal. 37. 3. 5. And he layeth down ſtrong Encouragements to truſt in God; for there is Security in the Practice of this Duty. Pſal 18. 30. He is a Buckler to all Pſal. 18. 30.thoſe that truſt in him. Pſal. 37. 5. Commit thy Way unto the Lord; truſt alſo in him, and he ſhall bring it to paſs. Prov. 29. 25. The Fear of Man bringeth a Snare; Iſa. 7. 9.but who ſo putteth his Truſt in the Lord, ſhall be ſafe. And there's Stability in Truſting in God. Pſal. 125. 1. They that truſt in the Lord, ſhall be as Mount Sion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. There's happineſs, Prov. 16. 20. Who ſo Truſteth in the Lord, Happy is he. A Bleſſing is their Portion, that Truſt in God, Pſal. 34. 8. Bleſſed is the Man that Truſteth in him. And what can be deſired more? Read further, Iſa. 26. 9. Iſa. 40. 31. And I need name no more Scriptures for Comfirmation of ſo clear a Truth.
But if Men will be ſo Mad, as to venture elſewhere, they ſhall ſmart for it; If Men will forſake a Fountian, and betake themſelves to Ciſterns: If Men will forſake God, and try Creatures, and put their Confidence in them, they ſhall pay dear for their Madneſs and Folly, and they ſhall never find what they expect from the Creatures. They put Truſt in them, but they ſhall find them Deceitful, as Jacob found Laban, Gen. 31. David's familiar Friends dealt Perfidiouſly with him, Pſal. 41. 9. wherefore he Communicates his Experience, not to Truſt the great Ones of the Earth, Pſal. 146. 3. And injoyns us to put our Truſt in God, Pſal. 118. 8, 9. It is better to Truſt in the Lord, than to put Confidence in Man. It is better to Truſt in the Lord, than to put Confidence in Princes.
Queſt. But ſome will complain of their own Weakneſs, and their Enemies Strength, and Combinations. For
Anſw. We muſt have recourſe to that ſtrengthening Promiſe, Iſa. 41. 14, 15, 16. Fear not thou Worm Jacob, and ye Men of Iſrael, I will help thee, ſaith the Lord and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Iſrael. Behold I will make thee a new ſharp Threſhing-Inſtrument having Teeth: thou ſhalt Threſh the Mountains, and beat them Small, and ſhall make the Hills as Chaff. Thou ſhalt Fan them, and the Wind ſhall carry them away, and the Whirle-Wind ſhall Scatter them: and thou ſhalt rejoyce in the Lord, and ſhalt Glory in the Holy One of Iſrael. And againſt all Aſſociations, and Combinations of Adverſaries, we have abundantly enough to Arm, and Incourage us againſt them, from Iſa. 8. 12. 13. 14. Say ye not a Confederacy, to all them, to whom this People ſhall ſay a Confederacy: neither fear ye their Fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of Hoſts himſelf, and let him be your Fear, and let him be your Dread. And he ſhall be for a Sanctuary, &c.
Others will complain of heavy Burthens, and the inſupportable Preſſures, Cares and Troubles inevitable; and they are ſo puzled and perplexed, as they know not how to get Rid of them: It's uſual with ſuch Male-contents to know more, what makes againſt them, than what makes for them. Wherefore let them be adviſed to take Counſel from the Word of God. Particularly we are Commanded To caſt our Burthen upon the Lord; to be careful in nothing, but Pſal. 55. 22. Phil. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 7.to make our Requests known with Prayers and Supplications; and to cast our Care upon him, for he careth for us. If God makes us drink the Wine of Aſtoniſhment, and Eat the Bread of Affliction; If we drink Water and Gall, and have a bitter Cup of Affliction mingled for us; let's not revile Inſtruments, let's not murmur againſt ſecond Cauſes; but let us imitate Job, who neither railed againſt the Sabeans, nor the Chaldeans, nor at Satan; but he acknowledged God in all, and quietly ſubmitted unto him, Job 1. 21. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, |foreign. verſ. 70. Iſa. 30. …5.Bleſſed be the Name of the Lord. In times of great Affliction, we are Exhorted, to a ſilent and quiet Behaviour, Jer. 8. 14. Let us be Silent, for the Lord God hath put us to Silence. And Zach. 2. 13. Be Silent, O all Fleſh before the Lord: for he is raiſed up out of his Holy Habitation. And Amos 5. 13. Therefore the Prudent ſhall keep Silence in that time for it is an Evil time. That time was a time of Perſecution, for we Read in the 12. v. They afflict the Juſt, and they turn aſide the Poor in the Gate from their Right. What's the Duty incumbent now, but to be Silent (i. e.)Taciti perferent injurias quicunque laeſi fuerint & …orabunt intus ſuos gemitus, quia non audebu… conquaeri. Calv. not to murmur, rage, and fret, and fume againſt Evil Inſtruments. And it's a great Point of Prudence, to exerciſe ſuch a quiet Behaviour, in ſuch Evil times. The meaning of that place, is not, that Men ſhould be Tongue-ty'd in God's Cauſe; but that they ſhould forbear all callumniations, and reproaches, which are uſually belcht forth, by way of perſonal Revenge. Chriſt, in a ſpecial manner Commends the Practice of Patience, Luk. 21. 19. In your Patience, Poſſeſs ye your Souls. It's the more Remarkable, that this Charge was given by Chriſt, by way of a Preparative, to fit and prepare them, for thoſe great Calamities, which ſhould befall Jeruſalem. Chriſt foretold Jeruſalems▪ Deſtruction, and he Commends this excellent Grace of Patience, which, at ſuch a time, will be of ſingular uſe and benefit. Thus you ſee Evidently, that there is a neceſſity of Precept.