Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 2 · Sermon 18
SERMON XVIII.
Pſalm CVII. 43.
Whoſo is wiſe, and will obſerve theſe things: even they ſhall underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord.
I Am pointing you to ſome obſervable things in the motions of Divine Providence, though the way of God in it be in many things unſearchable, and paſt finding out. Three Obſervations I have already made, juſtified them by plenty of inſtances, and endeavoured to give you ſome reaſonable account of them, and ſuted ſome Application to them. I proceed now to a fourth, which you may take thus:
Obſerv. 4. The Providence of God as to its works, relating to his Church and people, rarely as to circumſtances anſwereth the expectations, and confidences of the beſt of Gods people. I will open it in two things:
1. God never faileth the grounded expectations of his people, as to any thing which he hath promiſed. Pſa. 9.18, The expectation of the poor ſhall not periſh. Their expectation is upon God, and their Souls wait for God, Pſalm 62.5, and their expectation and confidence in him ſhall not fail; They that truſt in him ſhall not be aſhamed. It is made the portion of a wicked man, Prov. 11.7. Prov. 10.18, that his expectation ſhall periſh; but the hope of the righteous ſhall be gladneſs. The Wiſeman ſaith, His expectation ſhall not be cut off, Prov. 23.18; The reaſon is plain, The expectation of good men is an expectation of faith, and the object of faith is the word of God; and heaven and earth ſhall paſs away, before one tittle of Gods word, be it of promiſe, or precept, ſhall fail: Many promiſes as to the Jews, and as to Goſpel-Churches are fulfilled; ſome are yet to be fulfilled: Antichriſt is yet to be deſtroyed; The Jews (doubtleſs) are to be called in a more plentiful manner than they have yet been. There are many Scriptures that ſeem to aſſure a more united, peaceable, glorious ſtate of the Church. Now theſe Promiſes, are matter of Gods peoples expectations; and as to the things promiſed, the expectations of the poor people of God ſhall not periſh for ever: the things ſhall certainly be accompliſhed. If their hopes, and expectations, and confidences might fail; the word of God, the truth of God might fail: but this cannot be.
2. But ſecondly, as to circumſtances you ſhall obſerve, God rarely anſwereth the confidences and expectations of the beſt of men, unleſs they be part of the Promiſe. By circumſtances, I underſtand whatſoever is not eſſential to the thing promiſed. Particularly, 1. Time, when a thing is done. 2. Place, where a thing is to be done. 3. Particular perſons, by whom, as Inſtruments, God will do his work. 4. Particular means, or actions, by which the things ſhould be brought to paſs. Theſe and ſuch like I call Circumſtances, as to which Gods Providence often fails, not only the earneſt deſires and expectations, but the higheſt perſwaſions and confidences of men; yea even of ſuch as fear him.
1. As to perſons. Who, if he had not exactly conſidered the Promiſe, ſubjoined to what God had ſaid, they ſhould four hundred years be ſervants to the Egyptians, (and it was not like Joſeph ſhould indeed live ſo long); but I ſay, if he had not conſidered that, but only received a notion of the delivery of Iſrael out of Egypt, would not have thought Joſeph ſhould have been the man who ſhould have given conduct to that motion? Who would have expected it from Moſes, a poor Hebrew child, expoſed to the next tide in a thin Ark of Bulruſhes? yet by Moſes, Providence did the work. When Moſes had done that work, and given them forty years conduct in the Wilderneſs, and was grown an experienced Commander; who would not have thought, and expected that he ſhould have led them over Jordan, and given them poſſeſſion of the promiſed Land? But Moſes muſt die, and his ſervant Joſhua muſt do it. In the captivity of Babylon, the believing Jews doubtleſs had great expectation of a deliverance, according to the Promiſes ſo often repeated by the Prophet: and unqueſtionably they had their expectations upon this, and that perſon, probable to have done it; but who could have dreamed that Cyrus ſhould be the man? The Army of Iſrael under Saul, might reaſonably have expected that ſome or other of the great Soldiers, which were at that time doubtleſs in the Army of the Iſraelites, ſhould have encountred Goliah; Who could have thought of a Shepherd's coming and doing of it, with a ſling and a ſtone? There is a Promiſe under the New Teſtament for the bringing down of Antichriſt, the ruin of Babylon: how often have mens expectations been upon this, or that, or the other Prince to have done it? and to what ſtrange confidences have ſome, even good people grown? that this, or that perſon ſhould be the man, ſhould pull Antichriſt out of his Seat: we ſee hither to God hath failed all their expectations; the perſon appears not that ſhall do that great work; and when he ſhall appear, it is likely that it ſhall be one never talk'd of, never thought of.
Secondly, As to Time: We have a ſtrange curioſity to know the times and ſeaſons, which is not for us to know, but are reſerved only to God. Tell us (ſay the Diſciples) when ſhall theſe things be, and what ſhall be the ſign of thy coming, and of the end of the World, Matth. 24.3? Acts 1.6, Wilt thou at this time reſtore the Kingdom to Iſrael? There are three great Promiſes, or four, concerning the Churches of God, the fulfilling of which we yet expect, 1. That for the deſtruction of Antichriſt, 1 Theſſ. 2.7, 8. 2. For the full converſion of the Jews, Rom. 11.26, (to ſpeak nothing of many other Texts which look that way). 3. Chriſts ſecond coming, of which you know the Scripture ſpeaketh plentifully. 4. A more calm, and flouriſhing, and peaceable ſtate of the Church; which many Scriptures alſo ſeem to look toward: whether for a thouſand years preciſely, under the conduct of Chriſts coming perſonally, or no, hath, you know, been much diſputed: but the generality of the moſt inquiſitive Divines into the will of God, do think there ſhall be a more peaceable and calm ſtate of the Church of God. Now it is ſtrange to obſerve the curioſity of many in ſearching out the preciſe time when theſe things, or ſome of them, ſhould begin, or be. Some have fixed this year; ſome another. How many agreed in the year 1666, is known to thoſe any thing acquainted with books: we ſee the Providence of God hath hitherto failed all mens conjectures; and ſtill it holds, that of theſe days and hours knoweth no man; the beſt Prophets have proved but vain gueſſers.
I might give you a-like inſtances as to Places and Means: but you will generally obſerve it, That the Providence of God rarely, as to circumſtances, ſuteth any of our fancies. And the ſame thing we ſhall obſerve as to particular caſes of Chriſtians, who are ready to think, that if ever, by ſuch an inſtrument at ſuch a time, or by ſuch a means, they muſt, or ſhall obtain their deſired mercy. They obtain it probably, but by quite other means, and at other times, and by other inſtruments than they fancied, and ſuch perhaps as they never thought of; the thing is plain, and evidenced from a daily experience: let us a little enquire into the Reaſon of it. Hath God a pleaſure in fruſtrating the expectations of his people? or expoſing them to the worlds cenſures, as perſons pretending to more acquaintance than they indeed have with the Counſels of God? Surely no: But God by this method of his Provdience does two things: 1. He puniſheth the raſhneſs and vanity of his peoples ſpirits. 2. He more conſulteth the glory of his own name.
1. He by this means chaſtiſeth the vanity and raſhneſs of his people: there is a great deal of vanity in peoples ſpirits in this particular. Let me ſhew you the great evil of this in ſome few particulars.
1. There is in it an unwarrantable curioſity. Job tells us, chap. 11.12, That vain man would be wiſe, though he be like a wild aſſes colt. We have a great itch after knowledg of things, which God hath hidden from us. Now this is a great Errour, and you ſhall obſerve it continually checked by our Saviour, when any thing of it diſcovered it ſelf even in his beſt Diſciples: when they ſaid to him, Wilt thou at this time reſtore the Kingdom to Iſrael? He ſaith unto them, It is not for you to know the times and ſeaſons, Acts 1.6, 7. When Peter ſaith to him, John 21.21, 22, Lord, what ſhall this man do? Mark our Saviours anſwer; If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. When the Diſciples asked him, Matth. 24.3, Tell us, when ſhall theſe things be, and what ſhall be the ſign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? Jeſus anſwereth and ſaith unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. God of old had an Ark into which none might look. There are ſecrets of his Will, which are as yet the Ark of God: we would fain be looking into this Ark, there's our vanity. God chaſtens us in it with diſappointments, that we may learn, not to pry into Gods ſecrets; things which we cannot ſee, becauſe God hath hidden them; the things are ſure, the viſion is certain, and there is an appointed time, but that appointed time is not publiſhed.
2. There is as to theſe things an ungrounded confidence, which God alſo chaſtiſeth by theſe diſappointments: There is nothing more worthy of a Chriſtian, than a believing God upon his word, and a relying upon him for the fulfilling of it. There is nothing more idle, nothing more unworthy of him, than to be confident, where he hath no word to ſet his foot upon. Now ſuch a confidence as this, is the confidence of people as to circumſtances. It is true, as to the Jews deliverance out of Egypt, and out of Babylon, the promiſe did not only extend to the thing, but to the time: the four hundred years for the firſt were named, and the 70 years for the latter; yea, and the particular perſon Cyrus, by whom God would deliver them. But it is not ſo as to the promiſes which we live in expectation of the fulfilling of, as to the Church: God hath no-where revealed the year for the ruin of Antichriſt, nor for the calling of the Jews; nor when the halcion-days of the Church ſhall begin, or when Chriſt ſhall come to the laſt judgment. If people will expect any of theſe things ſhall begin, or be at ſuch a time, in ſuch a year, by ſuch perſons, their Confidences are without ground or bottom, their pretended faith but a rude and bold preſumption, a ruſh growing up without any mire, and a flag growing up without water; and it is but reaſonable, that God ſhould chaſtiſe theſe vain Confidences.
3. There is in theſe things a ſinful limitation of God. It is laid to the charge of the Iſraelites, That they limited the Holy One of Iſrael, Pſal. 78.41. When men tye up God to their circumſtances in the fulfilling of his promiſes, or his threatnings, they limit God. Now this is a great ſin, God is a free and a powerful Agent, he works by means, or without means; ſometimes by means that ſeem probable, ſometimes by ſuch as have no appearance of probability to produce the effect: he can work how, and when, and by whom he pleaſeth: he that fixeth God to his circumſtances, ſecretly ſaith, It muſt be thus, or no way; by this means, and by no other, now or never. What ground elſe is there for the expectation or confidence, if God hath no where revealed his Will as to particular circumſtances, only as to the accompliſhment of the thing in general? God will have us know we are not to limit him.
4. Such expectations and confidences are uſually but introductions to a greater unbelief. God hath promiſed the things in the plain letter of Scripture: the Viſion is ſure; vain man would be wiſe, and ſearch out when theſe things ſhall be, and where accompliſhed, and by what inſtruments and means; at length he fixeth his eye upon ſome inſtruments at work in the world, or ſome means which he fancieth probable to bring theſe words into a Being. Upon theſe he raiſeth up to himſelf high expectations, and groweth very confident, that in ſuch a year the thing will be; and ſuch a perſon ſhall be Gods Inſtrument, and by ſuch means he will effect it: It proveth no ſuch thing. What a temptation this often proves to men, to believe nothing of the thing; but becauſe they have deceived themſelves in expectations and confidences, for which they have no ground, to think alſo that God hath deceived them, and there ſhall no ſuch thing at all be as he hath promiſed?
5. And laſtly, Theſe expectations and confidences prove oftentimes very great temptations to the uſe of unlawful means, in order to the bringing about of what we would have, and know God will bring to paſs; and do but fancy that he will do it at ſuch, or ſuch a time, or by ſuch and ſuch inſtruments. The ſtory of the Anabaptiſts in Germany is a dreadful ſtory to this purpoſe; There is a world of evil in theſe vain confidences and expectations, and conſequent to them, which God ſometimes puniſheth in a more ſmart and ſevere manner, as he did to thoſe Ruſticks, that ſo much diſturbed the Civil peace in Germany; but generally puniſheth by diſappointments, to bring us to a regular truſt and confidence in him, where we have a plain and ſure word to fix our foot upon.
Thus I have ſhewed you the reaſonableneſs of theſe croſs motions of Divine Providence, in point of Divine Juſtice; that God might puniſh peoples ſinnings in them, and caution others againſt the like guilt.
2. Let me (in the ſecond place) ſhew you the reaſonableneſs of it in order to the glory of God; which I have often told you is the great end which God aims at in all his great Works, whether of Creation, or of Providence.
1. The work is more eminently ſeen to be the Lords, although he in effecting it, maketh uſe of inſtruments and humane means. God doth not always, yea, he doth not ordinarily work miraculouſly, but maketh uſe of rational means, and worketh in, with, and by them. Now if God in theſe workings ſhould make uſe of means, and inſtruments, and circumſtances, which our fancies preſcribe unto him; we ſhould be apt to overlook the mighty Power and Efficiency of God in the means; for the more we have a proſpect of an event in the ſecond Cauſes before it comes, the leſs we ſee of the firſt Cauſe in it. But when we ſee our ſelves diſappointed in all our expectations, as to time, perſons, means, circumſtances, and the thing brought about by perſons we thought not of, at a time we looked not for it, by means not at all in our eyes as probable to effect it; the more is the hand and power of God ſeen in the effect, while we cry out, This is the Lords doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
2. Again, God hath more Glory from the Prayers, Humiliations, and Praiſes of his people. By theſe things God is glorified, as his Will is done, as his Power is recognized. Diſappointments produce more extraordinary Prayers and Humiliations: when we meet with them, we ſee the folly of our raſhneſs, ungrounded confidences; and ſee reaſon to lye low before the Lord, with more fervent Prayers to God, to take his work into his own hand, and having manifeſted to us our follies, now to declare his own wiſdom, that having broken our arms of fleſh, he would now make bare his own holy arm; and the fulfilling of his word at laſt by means and circumſtances not known to us, produce praiſes, adorings, and admirings of his infinite wiſdom, and further confidences in God for the time to come; when we ſee arms of fleſh broken, and find our bruiſed reeds and broken ſtaffs but running into our hands, and wounding us, inſtead of helping us. I have done with the Doctrinal part of this Obſervation, I come now to the Application of it.
Ʋſe 1. The firſt Uſe may be, Not to wonder at diſappointments of this nature, and to take heed they be no temptations to us. Here are you ſee two branches: 1. Not to wonder at them. There is nothing more ordinary; it is not often that a Church, or body of people, or a particular ſoul, or perſon, obtaineth any great mercy or deliverance in the way they looked for it, or at that moment of time they expected it in. God delights to ſurprize his peoples hearts with joy and gladneſs: we are ſick, and we are ready to think ſuch a perſon, and by ſuch a means, muſt heal us: the cure comes quite another way. Naaman thought the Prophet would have come, and laid his hand upon his leprous body: the Prophet bids him go and waſh in the waters of Jordan. We are in terrors, in troubles of mind, &c. and we are ready to think, ſuch, or ſuch a Miniſter muſt ſpeak to us, and then we ſhall be relieved; he cometh, and applieth what help he can; we are yet diſquieted, and find no relief at all; the mercy comes at laſt quite another way: Mercy comes to Gods People, as Judgment (ordinarily) comes upon ſinners, in a way, and upon a day they looked not for it: when with Agag they ſay, Surely the bitterneſs of death is paſt: I ſay, ſo mercies ordinarily come to Gods People, in an unlooked-for time, in a way, and by perſons they looked not for it by.
2. Let not ſuch diſappointments be temptations to you: Let them not be temptations to make you diſtruſt the promiſes, or to uſe any unlawful and indirect means to obtain your deſires. It is not God that hath deceived you: you have but deceived your ſelves: God hath made you certain promiſes of the things; you will limit him to do it by ſuch a time, by ſuch means, by ſuch perſons and inſtruments: The promiſes expreſs no ſuch things, but have left God to his liberty. You have no reaſon to diſtruſt Gods word, becauſe you have diſappointed your ſelves.
Ʋſe 2. Let us make this uſe of the Obſervation, To embrace the promiſes, and to depend upon God for the fulfilling of them, without limiting him as to circumſtances. Let us do this as to thoſe great promiſes which are behind to be fulfilled: as to the deſtruction of Antichriſt, the calling of the Jews, the ſecond coming of Chriſt, the more happy and calm ſtate of the Church, &c. The Scripture ſeems clear as to the things, that they ſhall be; but it is far from being clear, that it ſhall be in ſuch a year, or by ſuch a mean or inſtrument; there is nothing particular of this nature for a good Chriſtian to ſet the foot of his faith upon. I have ſhewed you, there is a great vanity of Chriſtians in theſe things. I know Chriſtians have a very great curioſity to ſearch dark Prophecies, to find out the particular circumſtances for theſe things: I cannot commend their diligence; it is much like the hard labour and ſtudy of thoſe that have been ſtudying the Philoſophers ſtone; a great deal of money, and much more precious time hath been ſpent about it, nothing yet effected; no more hath there been in theſe things: men have wearied themſelves in vain, and their ſtudy hath been but labour and travel. 2. Again, As to promiſes that concern our particular ſouls, for comfort, for a victory over temptations, &c. they are many, they are exceeding ſweet; but they are general, not to this or that individual perſon, but to ſuch as love and fear the Lord, to perſons under ſuch or ſuch qualifications; they are exceeding ſweet, but they are not made with circumſtances. God will have his people truſt him, he will have them wait for him. Take heed either of ſaying, Theſe things ſhall never be: this is to give the lye to the God of Truth. God ſays thou ſhalt live: thou ſayeſt, I ſhall dye, I ſhall fall by the hand of this temptation: and take heed of ſaying, If it ever be, it muſt be by ſuch a time, by ſuch a Miniſter, it would have been by ſuch a Miniſter, &c. This is to limit the Holy One of Iſrael; thou knoweſt not the ways of God, it is a knowledg too high, too deep for thee: Providence uſually bringeth home, both the promiſes to the Saints, and the threatnings to the Sinners, in a way quite different from what they looked for, or it may be expected it in.
I have ſpoken enough already to take Chriſtians off this; but yet becauſe it is a great point, a thing wherein we are prone to ſlip, and wherein our ſlipping is more than ordinarily dangerous: let me ſpend a little time further to argue you out of this vanity, and to direct your Souls in the expectation of the fulfilling of Divine Promiſes.
1. Conſider how much the ſtrength of your ſouls is ſpent, and how vainly, in the expectations of your own fancies. As the expectation of that for ſubſtance, which God never promiſed, is but the expectation of our own fancy: ſo neither is the expectation of what God hath promiſed under ſuch circumſtances as are no part of the promſe. Now the ſtrength of our Souls runneth much out in ſuch expectations: Let a man but fancy, that in ſuch a year Babylon ſhall fall, The Jews ſhall be called; The thouſand years ſhall begin, That by ſuch a time the Church in diſtreſs, or his Soul in diſtreſs, ſhall be delivered: It is ſtrange to obſerve, how the Soul will ſpend it ſelf upon ſuch a Notion; the thoughts of men run upon it, their wits are bent to interpret dark Scriptures into their own fancies: it preſently becomes the main article of their faith, and the great argument of their hope, and the whole ſubject of their diſcourſes; and at laſt (poſſibly) they are enforced to acknowledg, that they had a lye in their right hand. The Prophet uſeth the expreſſions upon an higher argument; but yet they are applicable here: Why ſpend you your ſtrength for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which will not profit? There is nothing that is bread for a Soul, but the Word of God; it hath pitied my Soul many times to obſerve many (otherwiſe I hope ſerious perſons), how they have ſpent themſelves in ſuch Enquiries and expectations as theſe.
Conſider (ſecondly) how the faith of your ſouls is often endangered and ſhaken by your diſappointments in theſe things. I do but name this again; for I before enlarged upon it. How ready are we to diſ-believe the Promiſe wholly, becauſe it comes not in the circumſtances that we fancied it would come! The Apoſtle was aware of this great Evil; and therefore when ſome had been prophecying in the Church of the Theſſalonians, of a ſudden coming of Chriſt to Judgment, he writeth to that Church, 2 Theſſ. 2.1, 2, Now we beſeech you brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and by our gathering together unto him, that you be not ſoon ſhaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by ſpirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us; as if the day of Chriſt were at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means. The Apoſtle ſaw that this haſty and ungrounded expectation of Chriſts coming, under ſuch circumſtances as he had now here revealed, did not only tend to the troubling of Chriſtians when they ſaw themſelves diſappointed, but alſo to the ſhaking of their faith, as to the thing it ſelf: and therefore beſeecheth them, by the coming of our Lord Jeſus, and by their gathering together unto him: what can be the meaning of that, but this? If ever you expect the joyful coming of Chriſt, and would keep your faith ſteady as to it; if ever you would be with us gathered unto him, concern not your ſelves in thoſe who would limit the Promiſes to the circumſtances of their own fancying: Let them pretend Revelations of the Spirit, or wreſt the word of God; yet faith the Apoſtle, let them not deceive you. You have an eminent inſtance of this ſhaking of Chriſtians faith, ſo conſequential to this limiting of God to circumſtances, Luke 22.31. There was a Promiſe of redeeming Iſrael: Chriſt had been crucified, and three days were paſſed, and they had heard nothing tending to their expectation: ſay they, We truſted it had been he which ſhould have redeemed Iſrael: and beſides all this, to day is the third day ſince theſe things were done. Their faith began to ſhake as to the main Promiſe, becauſe Providence in the accompliſhment of them, did not fit it with the circumſtances which they had fancied.
Thirdly, Conſider, it much hindereth that duty of waiting upon God, which the Scripture ſo often preſſeth upon us. I need not mention particular Scriptures: there is hardly any one duty more preſſed upon Chriſtians in Scripture, than this patient waiting upon, and for God. Now how doth that Soul wait upon God, that limits God to his circumſtances of time, place, means, perſons? he indeed waiteth upon thoſe circumſtances a while; but when he is diſappointed as to them, he knoweth not how to wait upon God any longer. The Soul which truly waiteth on God, leaveth circumſtances unto him. You will ſay unto me in the next place, What then is the duty of a Chriſtian with reſpect to the Promiſes, whether concerning the Church, or his own ſoul in particular? I anſwer, to receive and embrace them, and be perſwaded of the truth of them, and leave unto God the way, time, manner, and circumſtances for fulfilling of them, which he hath not revealed: going on in the way of our plain duty, till God ſhall pleaſe to give a being to his Word. You ſhall ſee your duty, Heb. 11.13, Theſe all died in the faith, not having received the promiſes; but having ſeen them afar off, and were perſwaded of them, and embraced them, and confeſſed that they were ſtrangers and pilgrims on the earth. What promiſes were theſe? The promiſes of Canaan, of the Meſſias. Abraham ſaw Chriſts day, and rejoyced (ſaith our Saviour); They received theſe promiſes in their ears, God revealed his will for theſe things; they ſaw them afar off, as things like to come to paſs many years after; they were perſwaded of them, of the truth of them, that God would give them a being: they embraced them with thankful believing hearts, and lived ſo, as that they confeſſed themſelves ſtrangers and pilgrims of the Earth; in a conſtant courſe of ſelf-denial, and fulfilling the will of God, and in a crucifixion to the World: they never ſtood troubling themſelves to ſearch out the particular time, and circumſtances, when, and which way God would do theſe things: but kept in the faith of the Promiſe; leaving circumſtances unto God: Let us go and do likewiſe. I ſhall conclude this diſcourſe with a Text of our Saviours, Luke 17.20, 21, And when he was demanded of the Phariſees, when the Kingdom of God ſhould come? He anſwered and ſaid, the Kingdom of God cometh not with obſervation: Neither ſhall they ſay, Lo here, or Lo there, for behold the Kingdom of God is within you. Let me a little open theſe words to you: The Kingdom of God, that is, the great things which concern the Kingdom of God; theſe are not brought to paſs, and come not with Obſervation, foreign, that's the Original phraſe, we tranſlate with Obſervation. There are divers interpretations given of that Text: Not with a ſuperſtitious obſervation of days, months, and years; ſo ſome make the ſenſe, according to that of the Apoſtle to the Galatians, You obſerve days, and months, and years: I am afraid of you, &c. And Rom. 14, 17, The kingdom of God is not in meat, and drink, but righteouſneſs and peace. Some underſtand it of external Obſervations of meat and drink, ſuch as God had commanded to the Jews: but the moſt, and moſt valuable Interpreters agree in one of theſe two ſenſes: which indeed well conſidered, both make but one.
1. So as it may or can be obſerved. Thus Brugenſis, Piſcator, and Beza, who indeed tranſlates it, Ita ut obſervari poſſit; ſo as it can be obſerved. Theophylact underſtands it of the time; ſo as the time cannot be fixed, nor the place neither. It followeth, Neither ſhall they ſay, Lo here is Chriſt, or lo there.
2. Not with a worldly Pomp, Splendor or Ceremony. Thus Stella, Chemnitius, Eraſmus, Piſcator, &c. This is the ſame indeed with the other: and therefore they generally add, ut obſervari poſſit, we do not uſe to obſerve the coming of a Kingdom, but by obſerving ſome Pomp, Splendor, &c. preliminary to it. Now (ſaith Chriſt) the Kingdom of God cometh not ſo as it can be obſerved, it ſtealeth upon men and ſurprizeth them: it cometh not by obſervation. Chriſt indeed hath given us general ſigns of his ſecond coming, and of the end of the World, &c. But he hath alſo added, Of that day and hour knoweth no man. I ſuppoſe the ſame thing is to be ſaid as to the Promiſes for calling the Jews: for the expected peace, and tranquillity of the Church of God, when the uſual years ſhall begin, &c. Believe the thing, pray, wait, that is all which we have to do in the caſe.