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GOD’S MERCY

MIXED WITH HIS JUSTICE.

by

John Cotton

GOD’S MERCY

MIXED WITH HIS JUSTICE.

by

John Cotton

Quinta Press

Quinta Press, Meadow View, Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, Shropshire, England, SY10 7RN

The format of this volume is copyright© 2019 Quinta Press

www.quintapress.com

For proof-reading purposes the line breaks are in the same place as the original, hence the stretched text

GOD’S MERCIE

MIXED WITH HIS

JUSTICEOR,

HIS PEOPLE’S DELI- verance in times of danger.

Laid open in several Sermons.

By that learned and judicious Divine, and faith- ful Minister of Jesus Christ

John Cotton.

LONDON, Printed by G. M. for Edward Brewster, and Henry

Hood at the Bible on Fleet-Bridge, and in S. Dunstones Church-yard, 1641.

To the Christian Reader.

WE r e a d o f E l i j a h t h a t z e a l o u s P r o p h e t , t h a t h a v i n g f i n i s h e d t h e wo rk o f h i s g r e a t Lo rd and Mas t e r upon ea r th , h e was r ap t a w a y b y a w h i r l - w i n d i n t o Heaven, and l e f t on ly h i s man- t l e b eh ind h im, wh i ch wa s p r e -

s e r v e d b y E l i s h a a s a s a c r e d r e l i c wh e r ew i t h h e wrough t wonde r s , d iv id ing the r ewi th the wa t e r s o f Jordan, 2 King. 2:11, 13, 14. Thus the reverend and mo s t l e a r n e d Au t h o r , a n o t h e r E l i j ah , a f a i t h f u l and zealous Prophet, bold ly rebuking s in, f requent, a nd f e r v e n t , a nd p owe r f u l i n p r a y e r , among t h e people whom the Lord had sent hint too; many years together, ac counted by some Ahab l ike spi r i t s an e- nemy to, and a troubler of Israel, which was true of themse lve s , he be ing o f a mos t mi ld and pea ceab l e d i spo s i t i on, main ta in ing war on ly aga ins t the s in s and corruptions of the t imes, was at last rapt out of h i s own Land i n t o an o t h e r Wo r l d , b y a t e r r i b l e whirl-wind of violent opposit ion raised by Satan and his instruments, through the permission of God, and ha th on ly l e f t h i s man t l e b eh ind h im, c a t ch ed by some p ious Eli sha’ s , I mean some broken Notes o f h i s p ow e r f u l s o u l - s e a r c h i n g S e rmon s t a k e n f r om

vi god’s mercy mixed with his justice—john cotton

his month by the diligent hand of some well-disposed hearrs and fol lowers; which as they wrought wonders wh i l e h e wa s h e r e d i v i d i n g b e twe en many poo r e r sou l s , and the wor ld and the i r lu s t s , and b r ing ing them home to God (where in s car ce any o f h i s Bre- th r en was more su c c e s s fu l ) s o i t ’ s hoped they may tend to the e f f e c t ing or fur ther ing o f the same good work for the future upon those that shall make use of them: And to that end as some pieces of that Man- t le have been presented to the Church fo rmer ly; so some other are here tendered, which I doubt not but the j u d i c i o u s Ch r i s t i a n w i l l k i n d l y a c c e p t f r om t h e hands of those that have preserved and presented them to their view.

I could say much o f the Author, thereby to make you in love with the work, and not pass the bounds of truth, and soberness; but the truth is I am too rude a limmer to draw the proportion of him, of his admirable learning, and more admirable graces: I t’s f i t only to be done by some sk i l fu l Apel les . And bes ides both the Universi ty, and the place wherein he wad sett led Pastor many years together; yea the whole Land al- m o s t , a s a l s o d i v e r s f o r e i g n p a r t s , t h e D i v i n e s whereof some came to enjoy converse with him, others had in t e r c ou r s e w i th h im by l e t t e r , have b e en a c - quainted with, and do retain in memory his parts and g r a c e s ; s o t ha t (a t P .w l f i i d o f Fi ru s ) h i sp r a t f e i s t n the Gospel, almost throughout al l the Churches. Ve- ry f ew tha t equa l l ed h im, s ca r c e any tha t ex c e l l ed him in the knowledge of the Arts and Tongues, and in a l l kind of learning divine and human, which made h im a s a S c r i b e , i n s t r u c t e d un t o t h e K ingdom o f

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Heaven; like a good House holder bringing out if his full treasury things new and old, for the comfort and refreshment of God’s family, over which he was set as a dispenser of the my Heirs of salvation: and whereby he was enabled in a very great measure to shew himself app r ov ed t o God, a wo rkman tha t n e ed ed no t t o be ashamed, r ight ly d iv id ing the Word o f t ruth, as Paul requires of his beloved Timothy, 2 Tim. 2:15. Scarce any of his Brethren were so diligent and pain- ful in the Lord’s Harvest, so instant in season, and out of season to preach the word. Neither did he feed his people with the empty husks o f vain dis courses, but he kept the true Pattern of wholesome words, a l l h i s Se rmons be ing e i the r Meat to f e ed, o r Me- d i c i n e t o h e a l h i s h e a r r s . Ne i t h e r wa s h e on l y a shining l ight by his Doctrine, but a burning light by h i s j e a l o u s a n d h o l y c o n v e r s i o n . H i s l i f e w a s , vita vocal i s , preach ing by h i s example that Pie ty, Just i ce, Sobriety, which he urged in the Pulpit. His a c t i on s we r e , t hough s i l en t , y e t r e a l Se rmons (a s Greg. Naz. sa id o f Bas i l . ) So tha t we had cause to cry out for the rapture of this Elijah (as Elisha for that other) O the Chariots of Israel and the Horse- men thereo f ! A g r ea t pa r t o f ou r s t r eng th b e ing l o s t i n h im . Bu t ou r God ha t h t h ou gh t g o od t o s e t h im a wo rk in ano th e r pa r t o f h i s v in e -ya rd . L e t u s t h e r e f o r e m a k e s o m e g o o d u s e o f w h a t w e e n j o y o f h im i n t h e s e a n d e t h e r o f h i s S e r - mons.

Good Wine ( s a i t h t h e Prove rb ) ne ed s n o t an Ivy-bush, Customers enough wil l f ind i t out, without a s i gn: Here i s much good wine , even fo rm o f

viii god’s mercy mixed with his justice—john cotton

those Flagons the Spouse desired to be cheered with by her Beloved, Cant. 2:5. Some of those wines on the l e e s we l l r e f ined, I say. 25:6 . Many swee t and seasonable Doctrines, to refresh the spirits, and to make glad the hearts of Christ ians, so that had men but a good appetite, were not their souls too full, this work needed not any Ivy-bush of commendation to be hung at its door.

Here we have the great love of our God discovered to us, the riches of his patience and goodness, and long- su f f e r ing in kno ck ing a t the doo r f ou r hea r t s , and wait ing, and suing for enter tainment, and promising most sweet and comfortable communion with himsel f, to the soul that opens to him by Faith and Obedi- ence. Never did God knock louder at the hear t s o f any people, then at ours, by the exhortations, admo- n i t i on s , i n s t r u c t i on s o f h i s f a i t h fu l Min i s t e r s ou t o f the Pulp i t and Pres s , by many ra re mer c i e s and adm i r a b l e d e l i v e r an c e s , and by op en in g s o f a i r a door o f hope to us now of f reedom f rom many pres- sures and corruptions we have groaned under, and of b e c oming a mo r e pa r t and g l o r i ou s chu r ch th en e - ver, O let us not make our good God wait any lon- g e r i n v a i n a t ou r d o o r s , bu t l e t u s h e a r a l l h i s knocks , even tha t whi ch he g ive s in the r ead ing o f these Sermons, and open to him that we may receiver much comfort from him.

Here we have a l s o God’ s powe r and me r cy l a i d f o r t h , i n d e l i v e r i n g h i s p e op l e ou t o f a l l t r oub l e s and t r ibulat ions, whi ch they meet wi th in th i s va le o f t e a r s . Omn i s Ch r i s t i a nu s c r u c i a nu s , s a i t h L u t h e r , A l l C h r i s t i a n s m u s t b e c r o s s - b e a r r s .

The 2. Ser- mon.

The Summme of the 1 Ser- mon, the Ti- tle whereof is mistaken.

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All Christophers that hone taken up Christ on the shoulders of their Faith, must wade through a Sea of A f f l i c t i o n s , d i s g r a c e s , o p p o s i t i o n s , P e r s e c u t i o n s . What a comfort and encouragement is i t to be assu- red that God will make this Ocean fordable and pas- sab le to his Saints , that they may go through i t to Heaven, and not be drowned.

We have he r e l ik ewi s e God’ s Mer cy t o h i s peo- p l e shewn by h i s Ju s t i c e t o h i s and the i r enemie s . H i s l o v e t o , and c a r e o f t h e g o od Co rn , i n bu r - n i n g u p t h e B r y e r s a n d T h o r n e s w i t h t h e f i r e o f h i s w r a t h , t h a t h u r t e d a n d c h o k e d i t , wh i c h ( i f e v e r ) w e s e e m a d e g o o d a m o n g u s a t p r e - s e n t : S o a s t h e r e a d i n g h e r e o f ( a s a P r o p h e - cy fu l f i l l ed in our t imes ) may s t i r us up to thank- fullness.

We have he r e l ikewi se la id open the c ra f t o f the wi cked, as subt l e Foxes to ent rap the god ly (which the late t imes have given many sad instances o f ) by reading whereof those that have avoided thei r snares may know whom to b l e s s f o r i t , e v en th e w i sdom and love and care of God over them, and may learn for the future to seek to be furnished with the wisdom o f Chri s t our Head, that the Phar i sees and Saddu- c e e s may no t p r e jud i c e u s by th e i r c r a f t and sub - tlty.

A l l t h e s e a s s o m a n y s w e e t C u p s o f W i n e a r e h e r e p r e s en t e d t o y ou , I i n v i t e y ou t o t a s t e , y e a t o d r i n k a b u n d a n t l y h e r e o f b y s e r i o u s M e d i t a t i o n a n d c o n s i d e r a t i o n , p r o m i s i n g m u c h c om f o r t a n d b e n e f i t t o y o u r s o u l s t h e r e b y , a n d r e q u i r i n g t h e p a y m e n t o f n o o t h e r s h o t , t h e n

The 3. Ser- mon.

The 4, 5, 6. Sermon.

x god’s mercy mixed with his justice—john cotton

o f y o u r P r a y e r s f o r t h e R e v e r e n d A u t h o r , a n d t h e w e l l - m e a n i n g P u b l i s h e r s h e r e o f . F a r e - well.

From my Study in London, May 20, 1641.

Thy Servant for Jesus sake,

Mat. Swallow.

GOD’S MERCY IN HIS

People’s deliverance.

Revel. 3:20.B e h o l d I s t a n d a t t h e d o o r a n d k n o c k , i f a n y

m a n h e a r m y v o i c e a n d o p e n t h e d o o r , I w i l l s o m e i n t o h i m , a n d w i l l s u p w i t h him, and he with me.

IN these words observe a note o f a t t en t ion and o f admira t i - o n , i n t h i s w o r d [ B e h o l d ] f o r [ B e h o l d ] e v e r r e q u i r e s a t tent ion; and of ten in Scr ip- t u r e , a dm i r a t i on , a s Es a . 7 : 1 4 . B e h o l d , a V i r g i n s h a l l

c o n c e i v e a n d b e a r a S o n , & c . 1 . B e h o l d : A t - tend to i t , and cons ider i t , and Beho ld i t with admira t ion , so here ; Beho ld , cons ider i t we l l , and stand and wonder that God should s tand in

2 god’s mercy mixed with his justice—john cotton

the door and knock there and offer such conditions there, that i f any man wi l l open the door and he wi l l en large hi s goodness and grace so f a r to such, a s tha t he wi l l come in and fea s t with them.

The first part is a note of attention and admira- ion, and then the matter to be attended unto what to behold.

In the matter of attention, there is,First , a double act of God, preventing us and

going before any care of ours in our turning to God: Standing and knocking.

Secondly, a double act of ours, fol lowing this doub le ac t o f God . Hear my vo ice , Open th e door.

Th i rd l y , Beho ld a l s o a doub l e a c t o f God , t h a t f o l l o w s t h i s d o u b l e a c t o f o u r s , I w i l l c om e i n un t o h im , a nd s u p w i t h h im : 1 . F e a s t with him, and be feasted of him: These be the parts.

A necessary counsel and charge to all the people of God, that live in a Church subject to luke- warmness, that have some affections st irred up, bu t w i th much wan t o f f e r vency and l i f e o f grace.

T h i s w h o l e v e r s e m a y b e f i t l y o p e n e d t o you in opening three pr incipa l notes , carrying an end the sense of the whole Scripture.

Fir s t , when our Saviour sa i th , Beho ld I s tand a t h e d o o r a n d k n o c k , & c . W e a r e f i r s t t o enquire , what th i s doo r i s , which we sha l l see in this one Doctrine.

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Doctrine. That the heart of a man is the door of the soul.

The heart i s the way of the entrance of God i n t o t h e s ou l , o r i n t o t h e who l e man : Fo r , when the Holy Ghost wi l l g ive us an example o f th i s very th ing of the opening of the doo r , speaking of Lydia, he expresseth it thus, whose h e a r t t h e L o r d o p e n e d , A c t s 1 6 : 1 4 . t h e d o o r to be opened, was the heart of Lydia, that was i t , a t which Chr i s t s t ood and kno ckd , and tha t she opened unto him, and so Psa l . 24:7, 9 . Be y e l i f t u p y ou e v e r l a s t i n g d o o r s , and wha t a r e t h o s e d o o r s : b u t t h e h e a r t s o f m e n ? T h e y a r e no t t h e doo r s o f a man s hou s e , no t t h e g a t e s o f a c i t y , f o r t h ey w i l l b e con sumed , bu t t h e s e b e e v e r l a s t i n g doo r s , a nd s u ch a s i n to wh i ch the k i n g o f G l o r y mu s t e n t e r , and they must be enlarged, th i s i s cer ta in ly meant of the heart of man, and of the willed mad which dwells in the heart.

Now for the Reason, why the hear t i s ca l l - l ed the door : fo r you might s ay , i f the hea r t of a man be the door of the soul , what i s the i nwa rd ch a i r o f t h e s ou l , wha t i s mo r e i n - ward, then the hear t o f a man? Sa tan can te l l what i s in a man’s fancy and many t imes what i s in a man’s heart that he knows nor, i f there be any s ec re t in a man i t i s in h i s hea r t and w i l l : Why i s i t t h en t h a t h e c a l l s t h e mo s t i n m o s t c l o s e t o f t h e s o u l , t h e d o o r o f t h e soul?

Reason. It is called the soul of the soul, because


of tha t author i ty tha t the hear t and wi l l ha th over the whole soul , and the power i t hath to r u l e b o t h s o u l a n d b o d y . A s i n c i t i e s , t h e s t rength of the c i ty i s in the ga te s , there was the i r Seat s o f Jus t ice in those days , and there was munition stored up for war, so that open the gates to an enemy, and you give him all, this com- mands all; give the heart of a man, and you have a free passage into the whole man, if a man get the ga te s o f a c i ty , he ha th a l l : So g ive God the hear t , and then you g ive h im the whole sou l and body too , J ohn 10 :7 , 9 . I am th e doo r , by m e i f a n y m a n e n t e r b e s h a l l b e s a v e d : T a k e Chri s t , and you take sa lva t ion wi th h im: you take Heaven with you, and a l l the bless ings of God a t once, that i f He be opened unto you, there is nothing denied you, or all the living treasures of the grace of God, have Him, and you have a strong entrance into your own salvation, have Him and you have a good call ing to any perso- n a l e s t a t e , i n F a m i l y , C h u r c h o r c o m m o n - wealth: so in this respect our Saviour cal l s the hear t o f a man the door ; g ive God the hear t , and you g ive h im author i ty over your whole s ou l , i n the who l e cou r s e o f you r l i f e . And t h e r e f o r e G o d s a i t h , P r o v . 2 3 : 2 6 . M y s o n g i v e me t hy h e a r t ; a s i f a P r ince l y ing be fo re the gates of a city, give him the gates, and you re- sign your selves in subjection to such a Prince, and so is it here.

Use. It doth shew you how far short we are from giving God any possession within us, any hold of


as , a s long a s we content our se lves wi th any measures of knowledge and grace , and do not change and open the heart : I f that a man were f i l l ed with a l l the t rea sures o f knowledge and wisdom, and ful ly enl ightened in his mind and judgement, so as he may know the whole body of the Scriptures, and if God have this, and only this, he hath yet nothing, he stands at the door: yea if this man should come off with many good a f f e c t ion s , somet imes wi th g r i e f fo r s in ; and somet imes t rembl ing a t the word ; and sometimes joy in hearing; as Herod rejoiced in John’s Doctr ine; and Ahab gr ieved at the threatening, and Felix trembled, and Jehu was zealous in ex- ecuting the word of the Lord, and yet God had as yet no part in any of them: Christ stood yet wi thout door s , and had no pa r t in Herod , A- hab or Jehu, &c. no place within them, yet i f a man were as forward as Herod to reform many th ings , Mark 6 :10 . ye t i f Chr i s t have not the heart, he hath nothing. And therefore this cal l- leth upon us all, never to rest in any beginnings of grace, nor in any measures of grace whatso- eve r t hey be , un t i l God have the hea r t , t i l l our wills receive and embrace him, and so open to h im, th a t he may come in conque r ing to conquer, and in subduing to subdue, our judgements and passions, and affections and speeches, t h a t God may p a s s t h r ough ou r who l e man f ree ly without di s turbance, t i l l then God hath nothing: I t i s t rue you may g ive a Pr ince the g a t e s o f a C i ty , and ye t he may f ind d i s tu r -


bance and ba t t l e in the marke t p l ace s and so t i t i s with many of the servants of God though we have g iven the hear t to God, and he hath t aken po s s e s s ion the reo f w i th some en t r ance i n to t he who l e man , y e t when he come s t o rneet with us in thi s and that bus iness wherein our affections are most stirring, there is some way or other , some insurrect ions made against God. Many times worldly business and strength or lus t s may oppose much; but i f indeed God have ou r hea r t s , g i ven h im, then though he have work enough with us, to subdue our pride and worldl iness and wantonness , and other di- s tempers in us , he sha l l have something to do when he comes to these passages, wherein nature i s more st i rr ing, many skirmishes there wil l be aga in s t God, but i f we have once g iven God the hearts in t ime he wil l have al l , and though h e mee t w i t h many s k i rm i s h e s , y e t h e w i l l prevai l in the end: so that le t not men sa t i s fy themselves in giving God any part of their l ives in the whole course of their conversation, or any affections, but give him the heart, and when he hath that then he wi l l take the res t , wi thhold that and give him all the rest, and he makes account you give him nothing.

Come we then to the second po in t , and to speak note fully of that,

Doctrine 2. The patience and bounty of God is great towards s inner s , even admirab le g rea t in ca l l ing them home to himself.

It is worthy all admiration to behold this pati-


ence of God. This i s expressed in the two first acts of God; it is very great patience of God, that he will stand and wait upon us, it is not a word of course that is there used to fill up the sentence, but it expresseth that in which we would express our patience, i f we stood it a man’s door from day today, and from week to week with strong desires to enter into it, is not that patience? And therefore when he fa i th, I s tand, i t argues the patience of God.

And th i s a rgues h i s bounty too, tha t he not on ly s t and s the re , bu t he u se s vehement and e f f ec tua l means to be hea rd , and such means as by which he might make way for opening to h imse l f : F i r s t , fo r God’ s pa t i ence tha t th i s i s done by God in cal l ing us home to him, that is the very scope of our Saviour in this Text.

And for his standing at the door, see his Pati- ence in that Rom. 10:21. All the day long have I stretched out my hand, &c. it was a long standing, and that day is not meant a natural or artif icial day, but a long season of grace, Luke 13:7. These three years have I stayed and looked for fruit, three years God stayed for i t , Yea, you read, Psalm. 95:10. God compl a in s , Fo r t y y e a r s l o n g wa s I g r i e v e d wi th th i s genera t ion . Forty years God sometimes s tays before he wil l threaten, that they shal l neve r en t e r in t o h i s r e s t : yea ye t longer ; My Sp i - rit shall not always strive with man, Gen. 6:3, 5. the sons of God, the bes t o f mankind are become flesh; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty yea r s , he wi l l s t ay fo r tha t genera t ion be-


fore he bring the f lood an hundred and twenty years.

Bu t t h a t I may mo r e f u l l y e xp r e s s t o you the pat ience of God in s taying thus for us , le t me shew you it in particulars.

1. First, in staying long before he do take any n o t i c e o f s i n , h e s a i t h n o t h i n g t h o u g h w e s in , and cont inue in s in , and mul t ip ly t r an s - gressions against him day after day, and year after year : God takes no not ice of any thing we do, but carries it, as if he saw it not, and heard it not , Psa l . 50 :20 , 21 . I he ld my tongue and sa id nothing: I s tayed so long as that thou thought- es t I did approve of thy evi l course, he thinks God look s a t h im now, a s he d id twen ty o r th i r ty , or for ty , or an hundred year s ago, and he never found check in h i s soul for what he had done, nor any judgement of God upon him in any remarkab le manner , so a s he th inks he hath done no evil.

2. Secondly, another act of his patience is not only a holding his peace so long, but when l ie d o t h b e g i n t o s t i r , h e d o t h a l w a y s u s u a l l y th rea ten be fo re he s t r ike , Amos 4 :11 , 12 . b e - c au s e I wo l l d o t hu s un t o t h e e O I s r a e l , p r epa r e to meet thy God, he usual ly threatens before he s t r ikes : he se ldom doth s t r ikc , a t lea s t i r reco- verably, till he give men warning.

3. Thirdly, when he threatens, he will not yet strike, but will yet stay a good time after he hath threatened, Hos. 11:7, 8, 9. My bowels are turned within me for thee, so that God when he is about


to s t r ike , i t comes into hi s mind, how sha l l I do i t , what would become of thee, i f I should take this course with thee, and so leave thee hope- less and helpeless for after time.

Four th ly , he doth not on ly so ; but suppose he do strike (as usually he doth) in the end, if all th i s p reva i l no t , ye t s ee how long he s t ands , h e d o t h w i t h d r a w h i s b l o w w h e n h e h a t h s t r i c k en , h e do th no t s t i r up a l l h i s w r a t h , but withholds the f ierceness of his di spleasure, a t leas t for a good t ime, and rather gives warning then breaks forth in his full displeasure, Ps. 78:38. Many a time he turned his anger away and did n o t s t i r u p a l l h i s w r a t h ; He d i d e xp r e s s h i s displeasure, and sometimes afflicted some of them, a nd s ome t ime s o t h e r s o f t h em ; bu t d i d no t consume them utterly: See it in the example of David ’ s ca r r i age to Sau l , when he cut o f f the s k i r t o f h i s g a rmen t , h e m igh t a s we l l h ave cu t o f f h i s l i f e : So Sau l when he wa s r i d ing to Damascus, to destroy al l them that cal led on t h e n a m e o f t h e L o r d J e s u s , C h r i s t m e e t s him, and s tr ikes him down to the ground, and s t r u c k h i m b l i n d ; h e m i g h t a s e a s i l y h a v e s t ruck him dead, and so hath done many, Act. 9 : 4 , 8 . The s ame s t r ok e t h a t s t r u ck h im t o t he g round , m igh t h ave s t ruck h im in to the grave, and from thence into the nethermost hell, bu t whe re had then been a l l Pau l ’ s g r a c iou s Ep i s t l e s and g lor ious su f f e r ing s and there fore wel l may we say, God was wi l l ing to shew an ex amp le o f l ong- su f f e r i ng towa rd s h im , e l s e


w h e n G o d h a d s t r u c k h i m d o w n h e w o u l d have there have let him lyen, and not let him r i s e aga in and g iven h im l eave to hea r more good counsel , that he might turn to God, and become a new man , a s he d id , wh i ch shews you the wonder fu l pa t ience of God before he fall upon a creature in the utmost of his displeasure.

Secondly, Behold also the bounty of God towards poor s inners , when he ca l l s them home to h im: I s t and a t the doo r and kno ck , tha t ex- p r e s s e t h s ome vehemen t u r g i ng t h a t s i nne r s might open to him.

Now what are these strokes of God by which he doth express this knocking?

1. First, he strikes with the hammer of his word, as many doors have hammers hanging at them, that make a shrill and a loud noise, that will wa- k en men t hough t h ey we r e a s l e ep ; s o God compares h i s Word to an hammer , J e r . 23 :29 . Somet imes , put s such weight upon h i s Word, that the Word spoken by the Ministers of God, to the hearts and consciences of men, rings a loud noise in the ears of men; so as a f terwards they cannot eat, nor sleep for thinking of the sad noise that word did ring in their ears.

2 . But 2. He knocks a l so by hi s judgements , and knocks a loud; there i s not any s ickenes s befa l l s us or ours , not any los s in our es ta te s , not any kind of evil that befals the places where we live, so far as it reaches us: but it is a knock o f G o d ’ s h a n d t o t u r n t o h i m , A c t s 1 6 : 2 6 .


When the Earth was smitten with a great earth- quake, so as that the prison doors were opened, and the power of God in them both did shake the heart of the Gaoler, that out of bed he escapes, and to the prison he comes, and there had like to have s l a in h imse l f , f e a r ing the P r i sone r s had been f l ed ; bu t s ee ing none o f them wa s run away, i t p leased God so to s t r ike in with that s t roke , tha t be pre sent ly f a l l s down and cr ie s ou t ; S i r s , wh a t mu s t I d o t o b e s a v e d ? When a judgement comes and makes the foundat ions o f a man ’ s hea r t to shake , i t s e t s h i s sp i r i t a t r embl ing , and put s h im in to a f ea r , so awa- kened w i th the power o f God , exp re s s ed i n some judgement , tha t he knows no t wha t to d o . Y o u k n o w h o w m i g h t i l y G o d k n o c k e d at Pharaoh’s heart, when as in sundry of the lat- t e r judgement s , the Text s a i th , Tha t h e s end s for Moses in haste, and confesseth that the Lord is r i ghteous, and that he had s inned, and comes of f very seriously, as if he would now wholly yield to God’s wil l , though before he had said, who is the Lord, such a mighty powers in the judgements of God.

3 . Th i rd l y , The re i s ano the r vo i ce o f God t h a t k n o c k s , a n d G o d i n t h a t s h e w s m u c h boun ty ; and tha t , i s when God i s p l e a s ed to knock a t the doors o f our hear t s by the work of his Spirit ; by opening our conscience, which i s a s a for t res s before the doors of our hear t s ; as in many great cities there are some out-works t o d e f e n d t h e g a t e s ; G o d s o c o n v i n c e s t h e


c o n s c i e n c e , a n d e n l i g h t e n s t h e m i n d , a n d i n f o r m s t h e j u d g e m e n t , a n d t h e m e m o r y and a f f e c t i on s ; s o a s t h a t a l l t h e ou t -wo rk s o f the soul a re subdued, whereby i t comes to p a s s t hey p ro f e s s t o God tha t i f he w i l l bu t s p a r e t h e m t o a c e r t a i n f u r t h e r t i m e , t h e y w i l l d o w h a t s o e v e r G o d c o m m a n d s t h e m ; thi s many t imes fa l l s out , that God takes hold o f t he m ind and j udgemen t and con s c i ence , and affections, so as nothing stands out but only the very door , the hear t i s on ly shut , J ohn 1 6 : 9 . Th e y a r e c o n v i n c e d o f s i n , o f r i g h t e o u s - n e s s a nd o f j u d g emen t , which a r gue s t h a t t he Spir i t o f God when he comes , he wi l l he igh- t en t he m ind , and conv ince t he j udgemen t , and l e t the wor ld p l a in l y s ee tha t the i r way i s wrong, snd that they are yet in a damnable e s t a t e , becau se they be l i eve no t in h im; th i s i s one o f the s t ronges t knocks o f God, when t h e m ind a nd j u dg emen t i s c onv i n c ed , a nd t he he a r t r e ady to condemn i t s e l f , and a c - knowledge that i f i t should now stand out any longer , the ca se would prove dangerous . And when God takes this pains, is there not a plenti- ful expression of his bounty to us.

4 . Four th ly , There i s on ly one s t roke more wh i ch God many t ime s do th fo l l ow the r e s t w i th a l , and a lway s do th when he in t end s to knock p r e v a i l i n g l y , a nd i t i s t h i s : He do t h many t imes break open the door of the hear t , t hough we be un r e ady and un l i s t y t o open , he le t s f a l l in some f avour o f the Lord Je sus ,


and some relish of the Spirit of Adoption Cant. 5 : 4 , 5 . tha t though the hea r t be d rowsy and de ad in s i n , y e t i t b eg in s t o a r i s e and open t o Chr i s t ; and then though Chr i s t b e gone , yet the hear t turns a f ter h im, and though she cannot o f a long t ime f ind h im, yet she con- t i n u e s t o s e e k h i m ; a n d t h i s i s w h e n t h e S p i r i t o f A d o p t i o n h a t h m a d e i t a b r o k e n heart.

Now, why s hou l d God b e t hu s wonde r f u l patient and bountiful in standing and knocking at the doors of out hearts?

Reason 1. The first and principal reason is taken from God himself and it is from the purpose he hath to glorify the riches of his mercy and grace to poor sinners, notable is that speech, and remember it for ever, & let it sink deep into your hearts like Myrrh which may pre se rve your f avour , Esa . 30 :18 . There fore wi l l the Lord wa i t tha t he may be g rac ious to u s : Thi s i s the f i r s t Rea son , why God wi l l thus wa i t and s t and and knock, and tar ry our le i sure , that he might exa l t the g lory of hi s r ich grace towards us , i f the King or some grea t man shou ld s t and wa i t ing long a t ou r doo r , i f h e shou ld s t and t en , twen ty o r an hundred yea r s , you would th ink he deba- sed h imse l f , to s t and wai t ing so long on such w re t che s a s we a r e ; bu t God ’ s t hough t s a r e not l ike man’ s , when he wai t s long; i t i s tha t h e m i gh t b e g r a c i ou s , a nd h e w i l l b e e x a l - t ed in so do ing : wa i t ing and exa l t ing i s pu t , the one to expre s s the o the r : They in te rp re t


and expound one another , to magni fy the r i - che s o f h i s pa t i ence he wi l l wa i t and not be weary o f wa i t ing , somet imes fo r some score s o f year s together , and indeed God i s not d i s- appointed, for such he wil l prevai l with in his own time to open to him, 1 Tim. 1:14, 16, 17. The grace of God was exceeding abundant towards me, I was a blasphemer and injurious, a persecutor &c. but the g ra ce o f God was exceed ing aboundunt towards me, and he tel ls you wherein God shewed forth his long sufferance to me, as a pattern of all those that should afterwards believe: And see how he ends that speech, ver s . 17. Now to the King im- mor ta l ; t o th e on ly w i s e God be powe r and g l o ry fo rever . Thus you see what this wait ing of God wrought , he wa i t s and knocks tha t he migh t be exalted in that day; that when they see, what a dangerous estate they are in, and yet see how pat ient ly God hath forborn them, and bount i- fully expressed himself towards them, and see in the end God hath broken in upon them, and will no longer s tand: then this grace was exceeding abundant towards me, and now God is exalted: t h e m o u t h i s f o r e v e r a f t e r o p e n t o G o d ’ s praise.

2. Reason taken from the will and purpose of God for the salvation of our souls. God is not s lack, when he is so flow in pouring out his devouring judgements, but patient to us ward, (2 Pet. 3:9.) who would have no man to perish, but all men to come to repentance: this i s the Reason why he is thus patient, and long-suffering, that we might


not perish, but might come to the knowledge of h i s wi l l : i t God were no t pa t i en t toward s u s a l l , and knocked bu t once o r tw ice , we had been crushed into the nethermost he l l , where had all his glorious Saints in Heaven, and all his grac ious servants in Earth been, i f he had not been a pa t i en t , and bount i fu l God; but he i s not willing we should perish. Every child of God had perished and that everlastingly, had not God magnified his patience toward them. He did not stir up all his wrath. Because, [Reason 3.] He remembered we were but flesh, a blast of wind, that goes away, and returns not again, Psal. 78:38, 39. as if he should say, i f God when we provoke his patience, and stand out long against him, should then st ir up a l l hi s wrath, we should have no hope to turn to God, for we are but dus t , b lown away and r e t u rn no t a g a i n . I f God s t r i k e a man w i t h death, what hope i s there that he sha l l re turn a g a i n : whe r e h ad Pau l been i f h e h ad b e en s truck to death as wel l as to the earth, he had never returned then to have seen the light of the l iv ing. God therefore that cons iders what sor- r y t h i n g s we b e , a nd t h a t i f h e s hou l d bu t s t i r u p a l l h i s w r a t h , w e s h o u l d b e u t t e r - l y u n d o n e , h e w i l l t h e r e f o r e s t a y m a n y years, before he pour out al l his wrath, and utterly consume us.

Reason 4. He waits and knocks long to leave all flesh without excuse that will not turn to Him, Rom. 1: 20. speaking of such as had but the light of nature, yet men are left without excuse, that they


do not acknowledge God, and g lor i fy h im a s God, how much more when he endure s wi th l ong p a t i ence , and s u ch l oud and vehemen t knocking at the heart s of men; and sometimes by taking the out-works of the soul , the mind and judgement, and affections, &c. he will leave men without excuse, if after all this they will stand out against him.

Use. To lead us to Repentance, Rom. 1 :4, 5. i t i s a pregnant place to this purpose; Despises t thou the patience and bounty, and long-suf ferance of God, &c. See what vehement reasons the Apo- stle useth to persuade and urge us to take advantage hereby to turn unto God by Repentance. See how he glorif ies these attributes of God by ca s t ing shame upon us , i f we repent not . De- s p i s e s t t h o u , w h o s p e a k s h e o f ? H e s p e a k s to the Romans, the great Lords of the world at that day, for none of the Nations were like unto them, for prowess and government and authority a n d y e t d e s p i s e s t t h o u ? T h o u R o m a n , w h a t thou that has t been exal ted above a l l Nat ions , thou whom God hath so highly advanced and a- dorned witha l manner of excel lencies , a s i f he should s ay ; Thou: Who ar t thou, or what a r t thou at the bed, who art thou that thou shouldest de sp i s e the bounty o f God , thou whom God hath brought up from so mean a condition, is it for thee to s tand contes t ing with God; le t me tell thee whoever thou beest, it is not for moral men, dust and ashes, a blast to despise the patience and bounty o f God; so tha t the Apos t l e


doth strongly press this duty of Repentance by an argument taken from the patience and bounty of God. How therefore should this awaken the heart of every one that hearts me this day, cal l every (thou) every one of your souls by name, and say , what thou, whom God ha th been so pat ient too, twenty, thir ty, fourty, an hundred y e a r s (Thou ) whom he h a th v i s i t ed w i th s o m u c h s i c k n e s s , ( T h o u ) w h o m G o d h a t h brought from a mean condition, to a large mea- su r e o f e s t a t e , (Thou ) whom God ha s t been thus patient too; despisest thou the patience of God? press this upon your hearts, and abuse his patience no longer.

And cons ider another s rgument . The bounty and long su f fe rance o f God; cons ider your danger , he in tends to te r r i fy the hear t o f the most s tubborn s inner , wi th what he speaks in ve r s e 5 . Thou t r ea su r e s t up wra th aga ins t the day of wrath, Treasurest up wrath, there is not a man that stands out the patience of God, but this is his case, he treasures up wrath against the day of wrath. A treasure consists not in trifles and sorry things, though a man have store of them, treasures are cho i ce th ing s , and va r i e t y and s to re o r such th ings makes a t reasure : Now what would the Apost le awake the heart to see and know? that a man that doth despise the patience and boun- t y o f God , he do th p rocu r e t o h imse l f s p e - c ia l , ra re , choice and extraordinary wrath and judgement , not on ly one or two, but var ie ty , cho i ce and s to r e , upon body , sou l and con-


sc ience upon ch i ld ren and e s t a te l e f t beh ind . And therefore suf fer the word of Exhortat ion, and receive this counsel from the Apost le, and t h a t t o y o u r h e a r t s , i f y o u d o n o t t u r n t o G o d , w h e n h e t h u s t u r n s t o y o u , y o u w i l l b e upb r a i ded by God , d e s p i s e s t t h ou ; o r e l s e the wrath of God, wil l in the end be treasured up in such rare and s ingular judgements upon you , t h a t h e t h a t h e a r s o f i t , bo th h i s e a r s shal l t ingle; Neighbours and Friends shal l s tand amazed to see the woeful judgements that be- f a l s t h e e : Now the r e f o r e d e l a y t h e t ime no longer , despi se God’s pat ience no more; t reasure up no more wrath, there i s enough gone out already, but even now turn to God with all thy heart.

Use 2. To teach sinners not utterly to despair, though sometimes they have s tood out long a- g a i n s t G o d ; f o r G o d i s i n d e e d p a t i e n t a n d long- su f f e r ing , he s t and s and tha t ve ry long : You see wha t pa in s he t ake s , and s t i l l s t ands to see i f we wi l l open to h im; and there fore l e t no man be d i scouraged , what i f thou ha s t s t a y ed t h r e e y e a r s , wha t i f f o r t y , wha t i f a hundred and twenty years, yet all this time God ha th s t ayed ; l e t i t no t now h inder thee f rom t u r n i n g t o God , f o r f e a r h e s hou l d d e s p i s e thee , or so much wrath be longs to thee , a s i s merc i l e s s . I t i s t rue , men may ju s t l y so f e a r , bu t a s l ong a s God wa i t s , a nd e s p e c i a l l y s o l o n g a s h e k n o c k s , t h e r e i s s o m e h o p e , i f thou wilt but open there is hope.


B u t y o u s a y , h o w s h a l l I k n o w t h a t G o d s t a n d s k n o c k i n g ? I f a m a n b e g r o w n o l d i n s i n , and h i s con s c i ence s e a r ed a s w i th an h o t i r o n : t h a t h e d i s c e r n s n o t a k n o c k o f God in h i s hear t , then t ime i s pa s t wi th h im. But as long as God stands and knocks, so long he hath a mind to enter.

B u t h o w s h a l l I k n o w w h e t h e r h e k n o c k or no?

Doth God hammer thy conscience, and a l l as upon an Anvil, the case is dangerous but if God strike and thou feelest it, there is yet hope, or if some judgement befa l thee, say i t be some inward anguish of soul, and doth it bring thee down and set thee a wrestling for grace, now God is a knocking: And if thou findest the Lord convin- c ing thy consc ience and pos ses s thy mind and judgement o f the danger o f thy e s t a te , and i f thou seest out of the Word, that God is now a laying siege to thy soul, surprizing the out-works thereof , accus ing and condemning thy consc i- ence, all this while there is hope in Israel, unless thou at length provoke God to further wrath, yet God waits s t i l l , that he may be gracious to ex- a l t h i s mercy , and the abundant r i che s o f h i s grace and his long-sufferance; therefore be not d i s couraged , bu t now t ake oppor tun i t y , l e ad thou go on to despise and seal up wrath against thee.

Use 3. To teach all those who have had experience of this patience and bounty of God, lea- ding you to repentance, and have found comfort


in it , now l ive chearful ly and magnify the r ich Name of the Lord Jesus, and his glorious bounty, and hold i t forth as a pat terns to a l l about thee, that thou has t s tood out so long aga ins t so many warnings and express ions and manife- s tat ions of God’s bounty, s ince that i s the end God a ims a t , l e t now h i s name and h i s g rea t pa t i ence and bounty be magn i f i ed and speak of it from one generation to another, that the memory of it may not die.

Doctrine 3. Such as do hear the voice and knocks of Christ and d o o p en t h e d o o r o f t h e i r h e a r t s t o h im , b e w i l l v ou ch sa f e f e l l owsh ip w i th th em, f ami l i a r and continual fe l lowship with them, feast ing of them and be feasted by them.

To he a r t h e vo i c e o f Ch r i s t , i s t o h e a r i t w i t h a b o r e d e a r , a n d w i t h r e g a r d a n d r e - v e r e n c e , h e s o h e a r s , a s h e n e v e r f o r g e t s what God speaks, he hears with an everlasting ear, Jam. 1:24, 25, 26. Mine ears hath God opened. Psa. 40: 6. God hath digged into a man’s ears (so it is in the Original) so Esa. 50:4, 5. The Lord hath opened mine ea r , s o tha t I was no t r eb e l l i ou s no r tu rned ba ck , J o hn 6 : 25 . h e he a r s w i th an eve r l a s t i ng e a r , i t i s a sound tha t neve r goe s ou t o f h i s e a r , whe the r God s p e ak t o h im i n h i s Word , o r in hi s judgements , or by the voice of hi s Spi- r i t in hi s hear t and consc ience, he hath heard the voice of his rod, Micah 6:9. this i s hear ing w i th a d igged ea r : Such an hea r ing a s Dav id s a i t h , I w i l l n e v e r f o r g e t t h y p r e c e p t s , P s a l m 119.


B u t h o w t h e n a r e w e s a i d t o o p e n t h e door?

By these several acts.F i r s t , We open to Chr i s t , when we be l i eve

a l l t h a t God h a t h s poken : f o r we may h e a r and understand much, but our hearts bel ieve i t not, and then we do not open the door of faith, and so do not open our hearts , i f we open the heart we give up our hearts to God to imbrace w h a t e v e r h e h a t h s p o k e n , A c t . 1 4 : 2 7 . W e believe the truth of the Word, and give credence and have assurance of the certainty and goodness of it to our souls, when we are able to say; good is t h e Word o f t h e LORD, t h i s i s t h e k e y o f Faith.

Second ly , We open the door o f our hea r t s , when we go to God and openly confe s s f rom our hearts all the despite and contempt we have put God’s grace too, when we in confession open the mouth and the heart together , and confess that all God hath spoken to us of our dangerous cour se , ha th been the Word o f h i s t ru th and goodnes s , when we confe s s fo rmer and l a t t e r sins, and judge our selves as unworthy of any mercy, he that thus confesseth and forsaketh his sins sha l l f ind mercy, Pro. 28:13. he that keeps hi s hear t f a s t locked, he keeps out God, and har- d e n s h i s h e a r t f r om good coun s e l , h e s h a l l f a l l into mischie f , and for him there i s no remedy , P r o v . 2 9 : 1 . bu t i f we con f e s s ou r s i n unto God; th i s i s the way to so f ten and open


Thirdly, I f we have made God s tay long before we open to him, this will further be found: We open ou r h e a r t s , when a s we d e s i r e t o g i v e u p o u r h e a r t s a n d s o u l s t o G o d , n o t on ly to r ece ive h im and h i s g r a ce , bu t even t o y i e l d p r o f e s s e d s u b j e c t i o n t o t h e G o s - pe l o f Chr i s t ; when ou r hea r t s p ro f e s s , i t i s t o o l o n g t h a t w e h a v e s t o o d o u t s o m a n y knocks , bu t now for t ime to come, we y ie ld and offer our souls to God, not to leave an hoof beh ind? bu t now Chr i s t sha l l have mind and judgement and conscience, a l l our endeavours , a l l tha t we a re or can be , 2 Cor . 9 :13 . when we y ie ld every thought to profe s sed sub jec t i - on t o Ch r i s t a nd h i s Go spe l , when we w i l l not a l low our se lves in any passage of s in, but y ie ld up our se lves , soul s and bodies and sp i- r i t s and a l l t o be gu ided by h im , to do and suffer his will, that we may be delivered from the wrath to come.

Now suppose we do thus, what will God then do to us?

Why Chr i s t wi l l vouchsa fe f ami l i a r communion with us, he will come in and dwell with us; to dwel l wi th a man i s to cont inue with him, and to grow to more familiar fellowship with him, give him your heart, and then he will never depart from you, Jer. 32:40.

He will sup with us, and we with him. Tha t impl ie s s t i l l more f ami l i a r communion

with him.We are sa id to sup with God: Firs t , when he


doth refresh us, set before us the fat things of his grace, set before us the Lord Jesus Chris t , and gives us his holy Spir i t , set before us peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and al l the gifts and graces of his Spirit, invites us to his Ordinances , and set s before us the comfort of them.

1. He graciously invites us to his Ordinances, 2. and there sets before us Christ and his benefits, 3. and then at supper time he carves us out some choise portion reserved for us, he gives us a testimony of our welcome in the dishes of his ordinance s , and in the mea t in them Chr i s t , and in the benefits he carves out to us, he saith, here is a part for thee son or daughter, here is not a dish upon the Table, but thou hast thy part in it, God will so take order, not one benefit of Christ Jesus, not a Sermon, not a Sacrament, not a blessing in Christian communion, but there is some- th ing in them to feed thee , and there fore see thou be strengthened and comforted in them, and built up by them, there is nothing but something i s for thee, no promise but i t s thine, no Com- mandement but i t belongs to thee, no example but for your good and imitation, and then are we said to sup with him.

But when is he said to sup with us? 1. When he wil l be present with us in every

duty, when he shews us his presence and 2. as- s i s t ance i n eve ry pe r fo rmance , and when he no t on l y s h ews h i s p r e s en c e and a s s i s t a n c e , but is pleased 3. to accept this and that duty, we


offer him our service, and endeavours and desires, whereby we bid him welcome to our house and then he shews us his acceptance of our duties, it is our meat and drink to perform Christian duties in a Christian manner, when you little think that God takes notice of them, yet he accepts it all. And,

F i r s t , Ch r i s t w i l l r e j o i c e i n u s . S e cond l y , some poor Chr i s t i an s tha t j o in w i th u s sha l l be glad to hear of such express ions come from u s ; t h e l o i n s and bowe l s o f poo r Ch r i s t i a n s shall be refreshed, and it shall be as much comfort to them, as i f you had layed a good mor- se l upon h i s t rencher . And a l l f rom th i s ; becau se we have hea rd Chr i s t ’ s vo ice and opened unto him; i f there be f i r s t a wi l l ing mind it is accepted, 2 Cor. 8:12. If God give us grace to perform any poor duty with a wil l ing mind, he accepts i t , this i s the best entertainment we h a d f o r h i m , a n d t h e b e s t c o u r s e s w e c a n take, we could wish our entertainement were better for him; but it is sufficient, for it is accepted.

Use 1. I t i s o f Exhor ta t ion to a l l tha t never knew what it was to sit down at table with God, this i s commended to you; I f any man wi l l hear my vo i c e , i f he wi l l but open the door I wi l l come i n t o h im, do s t thou de s i r e to be en te r t a ined a t the Lord ’ s Tab le , o r when thou comes t to any ordinance of God, wouldest thou have the Lord Jesus Chri s t to bid thee welcome, thi s i s the course that is commended to thee, set open an ever las t ing care to hearken what this day i s


spoken to thee, cons ider a l l the good counse l God ha th g iven you out o f h i s Word , ha rd en not your hearts as in the day of provocation, let none of the seeds of God’s word fall to the ground in vain, but what you have once heard, hear i t forever, Hebr. 2:1, 2. You have this day heard of the great patience and rich grace and large bounty of God, let not the word of his grace fall to the ground in vain, call it to mind and believe the truth of it, and in believing of it profess your hearts to God in an hear ty confes s ion, that indeed you have s tood out long against him, and against a l l hi s bounty, and truth, beseech him to break open the s tony door s o f your hear t , and bur s t the bar s of Iron in asunder, and to give you an heart to give up your soul and body and spir i t to him, which i s a reasonable serv ing of h im, g ive up mind and judgement and affection to God; and i f you f ind your hear t s s lugg i sh th i s way, remember on the one s ide , You w i l l t r e a su r e up wra th a ga in s t t h e day o f w r a th , i f you do not : and if you do so, then Christ wil l come in and s up w i t h y ou , t ak ing in good pa r t , wha t you pe r f o rm , and mak ing you a con t i nu a l f e a s t , Prov. 15:15. and others shall rejoice in your be- half, and this will be a supper to you; you shall need no more nor bet ter meat , t i l l you go so your everlasting long home, having gotten such a supper you may then go to bed when you will, and you shal l s leep most sweetly and comforta- bly, in another world he will make his last meal with you, when your eyes shall close up in ever-


lasting peace, remember this and make use of it for ever.

Use 2 . To teach the s e rvan t s o f Chr i s t tha t have sometimes supped with him heretofore, if you have not found Christ, carving out a portion to you of a long time, it is a direction to you as you would have Christ present with you, and his acceptance in al your duties, it behoves you so often a s you come before God, come with a boared ear, that every word may sink deep into you; and know that the reason why Christ was not present with you, in public or in private, was, because you either have not heard or not opened to him, you have not believed, not confessed your miscariages, not yielded to God your after-course, and hence you have come to duties, and neither your selves nor others better for them; set therefore open your hear t s to Chr i s t , and hear h i s voice , and g ive up your se lves to be whol ly taught of God for t ime to come, and then he wi l l readi ly accept you, and will carve you out a blessing out of every ordinance you come to ; and you sha l l f ind this verif ied, he wil l keep a feast with you this n i gh t , and the l a s t n i gh t you s l e ep , sh a l l be sweet to you, and you sha l l awake with comfort at the resurrection of the just.

FINIS.

THE

SAINTS DELIVERANCE

OUT OF TRI- bulations.

Rev. 7. latter part of the 14, ver. The s e a r e t h e y wh i c h c ame ou t o f g r e a t t r i b u l a -

t i o n , a n d h a v e w a s h e d t h e i r r o b e s a n d made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

FRom the n in th ve r s e o f th i s Chap te r you have a de s c r ip - t i o n o f G o d ’ s C h u r c h a n d peop l e tha t ob t a ined v i c to ry and del iverance out of a great d a n g e r w h i c h l a y u p o n t h e m s e l v e s , a n d t h e w h o l e

Church of God’; the judgement and danger is expressed in verse 1, 2. Their preservat ion by the


sea l o f God see upon them i s expre s sed f rom verse 3. to the 8.

In the ninth verse you have a description of the persons preserved and so delivered.

Fir s t , a s John did perceive them to be by hi s own view and hearing, I beheld, &c.

Secondly, a s he did learn them to be by the in format ion o f one o f the Ange l s . As he per- ceived them by his own discerning, he describes them.

1. First for multitude, a great multitude, so great as none could number them.

2. Secondly, for their country and the variety of them, They were of all people and nations and langua- ges.

3 . Th i rd l y , fo r the i r p l a ce , t h e y we r e b e f o r e t h e t h r on e , which appea r s f rom v e r s e 4 . had a place in the Church.

4. Fourthly, he discerns them by their habit , ver . 9. c lo thed wi th whi te robes and palms in the i r hands.

5. Fifthly. He describes them, as he sees them to be by their employment, what he heard or saw them do, they cried out with a loud voice, and he tells you what i t was , and how i t was conf irmed by the test imony of a l l the Angels of God: Their pre- servation in evi l and del iverance out of inward and outward evils they ascribe it all to God, that s i t s upon th e th r one , and to the Lamb. A l l the while that the judgement lay upon the earth, many of God’s people were carried to this false con- ceit and misconceiving of God and themselves,


in ascr ibing sa lvat ion to themlelves , too much respect had they to their own works and merits, but after God had been pleased to wash them in the blood of his son, they saw now that sa lva- tion from death and sin and affliction, was from him that sits upon the throne, and the Temple and from the Lamb, the blood of Christ.

This confirmed by al l the Angels, ver. 11, 12. They cried and said, blessing and glory and wisdom, &c. be unto our God forever.

And then he comes to descr ibe them in the V e r s e b e f o r e t h e T e x t , a n d i n t h e T e x t , h e d e s c r i b e s t h e m , b y w h a t h e l e a r n e d of them by informat ion, and that f rom one of the Elder s that s tood by and shewed him these things.

The Eld e r enqu i re s f i r s t o f h im, to p repa re him the better to understand it: Knowest thou what these be? John returns an answer of his ignorance, and likewise an expression of his desire after in- formation; thou knowest and art l ikely to know i t : who then returns him his answer, that they tha t thus s t and wi th ens igns o f v ic tory , These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have w a s h e d t h e i r r o b e s i n t h e b l o o d o f t h e L a m b . So then you have in these words a description of the estate of God’s people by a double argument.

First, by their deliverance out of affliction from great tribulations.

Secondly, by their prof i t ing under a f f l ic t ion, which have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.


These are not a description of the Saints glori- f ied in Heaven, though it be true of them, but he s pe ak s he r e o f t he s e r v an t s o f God upon Earth, for in the verse fol lowing it is said, They are such as serve God day and night in the Temple which in Heaven men are not said to do, there is no Temple there to serve God in; but it is meant of the servants of God in earth, described as you heard before.

These two particulars yield two doctrines. Doctrine 1. The tribulations of God’s people art sometimes great

and deep, but always safe and passable. Grea t and d e ep , grea t and deep t r ibu l a t ions ,

sore aff l ictions they were exercised with, but e- ven then safe and passable. These are they that are come out of their great tribulations, they are preserved in them, and sa fe ly del ivered out of them, and now they tr iumph in the Church of God with the presence of the Lamb of God, and sing Psalms to his praise. It was the earned Am- plication of Christ our Saviour to his Father, Mat. 26:39. I f i t be pos s ib l e l e t th i s cup pas s f r om me, his earnest desire was that the great tribulation he was then enter ing upon, which caused him to sweat c lods of water and blood, and made him cry out, God had forsaken him, he desires that it might be a pas sab le t r ibula t ion, that he might not be swal lowed up of i t , nor over-whelmed by i t , and he was heard in the thing which he prayed for, Hebr. 5:7. so as that this great tribulation, greater then which never any creature suf- tered, thi s cup pas sed f rom him, i t d id not o-


v e r -whe lm h im : And a s i t w a s w i t h Ch r i s t the head, so it is with all his members, what e- ver cup the Father mixes for us to drink, when we have drunk of it, it passeth from us, it doth not make us drunken as the cup given to Baby- lon did, their affl iction did so over-whelm them that they were the worse for i t ever af ter ; but God’s people’s affliction is passing great, and many ( for so the word s ignif ies , Psal. 34:19.) are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all, be they never so many and great , ye t the Lord de l ive r s them out o f them a l l , they are all of them safe in the bottom and in the i s sue , and a l l o f them pas sab le , Psa l . 40 :2 . He brought me out of the horrible pit, out of the horrible p i t o f t h e g r a v e and h e l l , o u t o f t h e m i r y c l a y , where he could f ind no bottom, and set him upon a r o c k , a n d t h e n h e f o u n d a b o t t o m , t h o u g h there was no bottom at the first to be found to his feeling, yet he found safety in it and a good issue out of it, Psal 71:20. Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me again, and sha l t b r i n g me a ga in f r om th e d ep th s o f t h e Earth: Suppose a man were fallen into deep afflictions, and lay under great and sore troubles, yet thou wilt revive me, and lift me up from thence, th i s God wi l l do , though the Apos t l e some- t i m e s s a y w e a r e i n d e s i r e , h e w a s t r o u - bled out of measure, and had received the sentence o f dea th in i t s e l f , but he ha th de l ivered us from so great a death, there is great tribulation, and that brings great death, and great


fear of death, which put him to great pain and anguish, and yet out of this the Lord delivered him.

You have some famous examples in Scripture that stand as guides in the way, to give light to them that pass by, what great a f f l ict ions God’s servants have been in, and yet preserved in them and delivered out of them: Daniel in the Lions’ d en , t h e t h r e e ch i l d r en i n Nebu c h a dn ezz a r ’ s f iery furnace, Dan. 3:6. Famous i s the s tory of J on ah i n the wha l e ’ s be l l y ; such examp le s a s these, s tand as Monuments of thi s t ruth, these are they which come out of great t r ibulat ions: Thus Jonah and Daniel and others like unto them that have been in great and sore dangers, when in the gates of death, and the waves have over- whelmed them in the gu l f o f des t ruc t ion: ye t God hath called them from thence, and lift them up and de l i v e r ed t hem. The Ægyp t i a n da rk - ness which God’s people suf fered in the house of bondage: The Babylonian capt ivi ty in which the people of God were a type of that great cap- t i v i t y , pa r t l y o f s in , wh ich God ’ s peop le a re subject to be drawn too, and partly of bondage, which the Church of God under Antichrist were l ike ly to endure , they both expre s s wha t the Church of God felt; now from all these it pleased God to redeem them, and put songs of sa l- va t ion into the i r mouths , and Pa lms of v ic to- ries into their hands.

Reason 1. Reas. 1. From the fellowship which God’s people have with Chri s t Jesus in hi s death and resur-


region, that is the first and principal ground, and of ten sha l l you read i t , Col. 2 :10. We are dead and risen with Christ : If Jesus Christ the Lamb of God, i f he die and rise again from the dead, al l his people shall have a time at one time or another to bring them as low as the grave, and yet out of the grave sha l l they r i se aga in ; for the death and resurrection of Christ is a pledge of a three-fold death and resurrection in us.

F i r s t , i n t h a t we a r e de ad i n s i n , we sh a l l rise from that.

Secondly , though dead to the grave , ye t we shall also rise from thence.

Thirdly, dead in a f f l ic t ions , yet we shal l r i se out of them all, none of all those evils that God’s people are subject too, be it sin or the grave or a f f l ic t ion, and what ever e l se ; by the death of Christ we die to all these, and by his resurrection, we r i se aga in out of them a l l ; there i s no e v i l we c an f a l l i n t o , bu t h e t h a t r a i s ed up Christ from the dead shall also quicken us, from s in , the g r ave , he l l , and f rom a l l a f f l i c t ion s : Timothy was a young Soldier of Jesus Christ, and Paul that was more beaten to that warfare, when he encourages him to suf fer as a good Soldier , he bids him remember that J e sus Chr i s t was r i - sen from the dead, 2 Timothy 2:5, 8. Do you think it is likely that such a great and eminent servant of God, as Timothy was, should forget that Chris t wa s r i s en a g a i n ; why t r u l y we do f o r g e t i t , as often as we are discouraged with af f l ict ions, but therefore that he might encourage Chris t i- ans to look at a l l a f f l ic t ions as dead matter , a s


a l ready c ruc i f i ed , look we a t a l l t r ibu l a t ions , and do but remember that Christ was dead and i s r i sen again, and i t wi l l be a ground for our Faith, whenever we come into affliction.

Rea s o n 2 . Th a t (wh i ch f l ow s f r om h en c e ) and it is taken from that great redemption, which the Lord Jesus by his death and resurrection hath w r o u g h t f o r u s . W e h a v e f e l l o w s h i p w i t h him in his death and resurrection, and from hence comes plentious redemption, Psa. 130:7, 8. so that if there be plentious Redemption in Christ, then though our t r ibu la t ions be grea t and p lent i fu l and deep, yet with the Lord is plentious redemp- t i on . Dav i d c om f o r t e d h im s e l f w i t h i t , when he was in deep a f f l i c t ion , ve r s . 1 . Out o f t h e de ep I c r i e d . Deep a f f l i c t ion , and deep t r ibulat ions, but no tribulation so deep, but there is redempt ion a s deep and more p lent i fu l , Zach. 9:11. By the blood of thy covenant, I have sent forth thy pr i soners out o f the pi t in which was no water , a n d h e m e a n s t h e B a b y l o n i a n c a p t i v i t y , n o comfort in i t , but by the plentious redemption purchased by the blood of Christ, but therefore we have comfort.

Reason 3. Taken from our Baptism, which God would have al l Christ ians well acquainted with, it was the first ordinance we were called unto under the fellowship of the Church, and that which we had need to l i ve by a l l our day s ; fo r the water doth not only type the blood of Chri s t , to wash away the guilt of sin, nor only the spi- r i t of grace washing away the s ta in of s in, but


water in bapti sm doth l ikewise f igure to us a l l those a f f l i c t ions wherewi th we sha l l not on ly be sprinkled, as some are, but sometimes drenched and dowsed all over, as was the old manner o f bapt i z ing ; th i s i s tha t we do enter in to in our first solemn Covenant, that we openly make with God in the face of the Congregation; our Fathers made a covenant before us, but this was the f i r s t on our par t , tha t we are d ipped into water, and yet rise again out of it , never a whit the worse, but better. Our Saviour cal ls Baptis- m, a f f l i c t i on , Mat . 20 :22 , 23 . Can you endure to be so drenched in the laver of God’s wrath, as I shal l be; they say they are able, but they spake they knew not what; but he answered, you shalt indeed be baptized, that is sprinkled, and he seals i t , w i t h a v e r i l y , v e r i l y , a n A m e n , t h a t a s sure as you have been baptized into the Family of the Lord Jesus, and your consciences sprinkled with the b lood of the Lamb, and the water of the Holy Ghost, so sure shal l you be drenched and d ipped in a f f l i c t i on , when a s the Apos t l e Peter had spoken of the deluge of water in Noah’s time, when but eight Persons were saved, 1 Pet, 3 : 2 0 , 2 1 . He wou ld f i gu r e Bap t i sm t h e r eby , tha t look a s the s ame wat e r tha t drowned the world, yet lifted up the people of God that were in the Ark; t ru ly , so i t i s in th i s ca se , a f f l i c t - ions answer our Baptism, the same afflictions that over-whe lm the whole Ear th , they l i f t up a l l that are in God’s Ark: All those that are wrapped up in the Covenant of God’s grace and peace, all


the wa t e r s o f a f f l i c t i on do bu t l i f t t h em up h i gh e r , f a r a bove t h e h i gh e s t moun t a i n s o f t h e E a r t h . A n d i t s h e w s u s , t h a t w e s h a l l be l i f t up ou t o f a l l the se sp r ink l ing s and a f f l i c t ions wherewi th God ha th drenched us to t h e s k i n , a n d w e s h a l l f i n d a b o t t o m a n d a deliverance in due time.

Reason 4 . Taken from that which f lows f rom a l l t h i s ; f o r God hav ing g i ven u s f e l l owsh ip with Chris t in suf fer ing, and wrought redemp- t ion for us thereby, and sea led up unto us a s- surance of preservat ion in a f f l i c t i on and de l i ve - r a n c e ou t o f them in ou r Bap t i sm ; i t i s mee t tha t he tha t p romi sed th i s , shou ld be pre sent with his servants to make all this good to them. This reason is taken from the presence of God with us in a l l our a f f l ic t ions ; so you read, Esa. 43 : 2. When thou passe s t th rough the wate r , I wi l l be with thee, and in the f i re, &c. which was expres- ly ver i f i ed in the t h r e e ch i l d r en in the f u rna c e , Beho ld , I s e e f ou r , and one o f th em l ik e the Son o f God, Dan. 3 :24, 25. He was the fourth that was there present wi th them. And th i s i s tha t you read, Exod. 3 :2 . The bush Burn ing and no t c on sumed , expre s s ed the e s t a t e o f the Church of God a t tha t t ime , which was a l l o f a l i gh t f i r e , they were scorched wi th sore a f f l i c t ions ; b u t n o t c o n s u m e d , b e c a u s e t h e A n g e l o f t h e Covenan t , the Lord Je su s Chr i s t , (ve r . 7 . ) was in the bush: So that hence it is that the servants of God do find some kind of supportance under their afflictions, in their deepest mire.


Use 1 . I t i s to p revent the d i s couragement s o f God’ s se rvant s in t ime o f a f f l i c t i on , and to n i l our hea r t s wi th f a i th and pa t i ence in our worst t imes, in the greatest evi l s and forest af- fe c t ions that can befal l us; in the midst of them al l , f i l l your hearts with Faith and Patience and conso l a t ion : No d i s t r e s s so g r i evous bu t may be f a l l t he be s t o f God s s e rv an t s , and ye t no g rea t dange r , fo r the re i s a rock in the bo t - t om , upon wh i ch we s h a l l s t a nd , a nd t h e r e w i l l be s a f e pa s s age ou t o f i t , Thou t ha t h a s t shewed me great and sore t roubles , then wi l t r ev ive me and l i f t me up f r om th e d ep th s o f t h e Ea r th . Hi s Fa i th a s su red h im God had l ed h im in to the one, and he would a l so lead him into the o the r . See how he s t ay s h i s hea r t by a l i ve - ly Fai th, Psal . 23:4. Though I walk in the va l l ey o f t h e s h ad ow o f d e a t h , I w i l l f e a r n o e v i l , b e - c au s e t h e p r e s en c e o f God i s t h e r e , t hy r od do th c omfo r t me; God put s some s ta f f o f former ex- per ience in to our hands whereby he comfor t s us . Thi s i s tha t which Paul expres sed of h imse l f in hi s worst houses , 2 Cor. 1 :9 , 10. When h e h ad s poken o f h i s t r oub l e s b eyond mea - s u r e , s a y s h e : A l l t h i s i s t h a t w e m i g h t n o t t rus t in the f l e sh, but in the l iv ing God, who hath and do th and w i l l d e l i v e r u s : so tha t a f f l i c t ions a re to draw f rom us Fa i th and pa t i ence , i t i s a po in t Chr i s t i an s a re too much ignoran t o f , when they come into af f l ic t ions they think no man i s so a f f l ic ted a s they are , and somet imes the reupon c a l l i n que s t ion , whe the r they be


Christians or no; I would only say to such souls whether were you baptized or no, and if so, was i t not into the death of Chri s t , and were you d rowned when you were bap t i zed , were you not rather l i fted up; did you nor then covenant with God, that whatsoever af f l ict ions you wra- stled with and were drenched in; that you would not look at them as any strange matter; the first day you came into the Church you were baptized , and God made account you shou ld look for aff l iction from that day forward, and if they be many and great and sore exercises, the greater and deeper your troubles be, the deeper you drink of Christ’s cup, the more sweet will it be in the bot tom; there i s something in the bot- t om w i l l coun t e r -v a i l a l l ; you w i l l f i nd t he b lood of Chr i s t in the bot tom, and the Spir i t of grace, and the presence of God there, and if you be dragged to deep? and sore exercises, yet comfort your selves in this, These are they which come out of great tribulations, and that will be great grace to you.

Come we now to speak of God’s peoples pro- fiting under afflictions, They have washed their robes and made them white.

Doctrine 2. The people of God that have come of well out of great tribulations, have washed their robes, and made them white with the blood of the Lamb.

I t i s p l a i n i n the Tex t ; t hey t r i umph wi th Palms in the i r hands, which is f i r s t , an ens ign of v i c t o r y , and a l so the Pa lm- t r e e , the more i t i s pressed down with weight , the more i t grows;


now these that come off gloriously out of great tribulations, see how they Triumph, and see how it fares with them, ver. 3, 4. The Angels of God sea- l ed them tha t they migh t have no hur t , and they come of f a l so wi th g lory and renown and v i- ctory.

Robes ] you say, were not many of them poor men, poor creatures, that lived in times of darkness , in the days of Popery, and many of them exe r c i s ed w i th deep t r i bu l a t i on s ; poo r men , yes, yet they were adorned with robes; had it not been enough to say, washed thei r garments; what must poor men be set up with robes? Yet robes they have, and white robes, and they washed in the blood of the Lamb: So that it shews you that the servants of God that come well out of tribulations, they get more royal spi r i t s then ever before; for r obe s become roya l Per sons and Pr inces ; when robes in good earnest are put upon any, they put upon them pr ince ly Maje s ty , a sp i r i t o f g lory and roya l ty i s put upon them; he carr ie s h im. se l f no more l ike a base drudge of thi s world, he is able to over-wrastle all tribulations and af- f l ic t ions of thi s world, and a l l the temptat ions a l l the prof i t s and p lea sure s thereof , he looks a t them as those th ings that are but husks , f i t matter for earthly minded men to seek for; but h i s o w n p a r t , h e g o e s o n a s b e c o m e s a Prince: And these endowments of a man’s mind they a re the appare l o f h i s sou l , when a man hath many royal endowments put upon him, they are princely garments.


But why are these cal led white robes? I cannot b e t t e r expound t hem then t h e Lo rd h imse l f doth, Revel. 19:8. it was given to the Spouse of C h r i s t t o b e c l o t h e d w i t h w h i t e l i n e n , p u r e and c lean, which i s the r ighteousness o f the Saints, so that these white robes are the righteousness of the Saints , the endowments of hol iness and r ighteousness which God puts upon them, and upon every Spouse o f h i s , eve ry poor sou l tha t he hath been pleased through his grace to deliver out of deep tribulations.

Righteousness, both imputed from Christ to us; All that his per fec t obedience and patience and r ighteousness asc r ibed to us i s made ours, 1 Cor. 1:30. A n d r i g h t e o u s n e s s o f s a n c t i f i c a t i o n , n o t o n l y Christ’s righteousness imputed, but the Spirit of grace works inherent r ighteousness in us; Faith and Pat ience, and Humil i ty and Zeal, and whatever grace accompanies Salva t ion; these be the royal robes of Righteousness God clothes his servants with, when they come out of afflictions.

Why are they said to be white robes? First,what is it to wash their robes? Thi s word wash ing , s ign i f i e s t r ibu la t ion l ike

water; tribulations are like mire and water mixed together, in which the people of God are afraid they sha l l s ink down, and never can recover , unt i l they begin to f ind there i s the b lood of Christ in that water, and finding the power of it, their garments that were besmeared with aff l ictions, are so scoured and rubbed off from their own r i g h t e ou sn e s s , a s tha t they a re g l ad to depend


whol ly on the r ighteousness of Chri s t : nei ther doth the garments of Christ’s imputed righteous- ne s s , s t and in need o f wash ing , s ave on ly the further assurance and light of it; but the garments of our Sanctification, the best whereof is like fi l- t h y r a g s a n d m e n s t r u a l c l o t h s , E s a . 6 4 : 6 . s o bespotted and besmeared with much f i l thiness ; Fai th mixed with much doubt ing; Pat i en ce with much unqu i e t n e s s ; Hum i l i t y wi th P r i d e ; Z e a l wi th c o ldne s s ; Love wi th much ho l l ownes s ; yea , our truest Since r i ty with much Hypocr i sy: So as that God’s people looking at their own righte- ou sne s s , a r e a shamed o f the i r be s t g i f t s , and b e s t p e r f o rmance s ; s o t h a t t h i s wa s h i n g i s a cleansing out this f i l thiness and worldliness and unfavouriness, that i s found in our best r ighteousness, the spots that were before found in our graces are now washed, and now we can be pa- t ient and fa i thful , and our doubtings are gone; whereas love of God and of the world were mixed together be fore ; now love to the wor ld i s gone; Humil i ty hath gotten victory over Pr ide ; every grace i s washed by the things we suf fer ; and this mire is turned into soap, whereby our corrupt ions and lus t s are washed away, but yet t he r e w i l l be some spo t s t h a t need s cou r ing o f f , a nd t h e r e f o r e h e s a i t h , They mad e t h em wh i t e . You may h ave s u ch wa sh i n g and rub- bing as gets out the fi l th and mire, and yet not be comely , but i f toge ther wi th wash ing they become whi t e , tha t i s per fec t and c lean washing.


Now they are made white, what is that? White implies three things.F i r s t , Pur i t y , they a re made pu r e and c l ean ,

according to that in Rev. 19:8. clean and white are put together, so purely washed and scoured, that now he shines white, & bright, clearly white, full of purity and brightness, so as that now there is some kind of pure semblance and lusture in their (graces) their ga rment s , not only soul spots and greater defi lements rubbed out, but l ikewise the graces of God are splendant and bright and clear without that mixture and dros s that somet imes lay upon them; Faith is pure and clean from doub- t ing ; Love i s f e rvent and min ing ; Knowledge and wi sdom i s c lea r and br ight ; Pa t ience and meekene s s now such a s b e come s and ado rn s t h e G o s p e l o f C h r i s t , s o a s t h e y a d o r n u s , and we by them adorn our pro fe s s ion ; th i s i s to wash and make them whi t e ; our graces , not such as we and our Brethren are ashamed to own, but such as both they and we rejoice in.

S e c o n d l y , t h i s b r i g h t n e s s o r w h i t e n e s s o f garments doth not only shew you their pur i ty and c leanness , but i t l ikewise shews their g lory and their excellency: when Christ was trans- figured, his raiment was white and bright (Matth. 17:3.) so as no colour upon earth was like unto it, it did set forth the glory of Christ, and so all such Christians as are thus washed and whitened, a spirit of glory, and of God resteth upon them, 1 Pet. 4: 4. so as they now can glory in tribulations, Rom. 5:2, 3. They are now made more like to the Saints in


light, that rejoice in the presence of God con- tinually.

Th i rd l y , Whi t e g a rmen t s exp re s s come l ine s s o f s p i r i t , j oy fu lne s s o f s p i r i t : When So l omon would exhort a godly man, whose works are accepted of God to a cheerful walking with God, Ece l e s . 9 :8 . he sa i th , l e t thy ga rmen t s b e a lways white, implying that a Christian spirit, that hath made a good use of his af f l ict ions, he hath not only put upon him a royal spir i t , but hath washed away all stains out of his old heart, and now his graces are more pure and more glorious, and more comfo r t ab l e , h i s s p i r i t more c l e a r and cheerful.

In the b lood o f the Lambe ] that i s in the sufferings of Christ Jesus, when we have made use of the sufferings of Christ to redeem us out of those a f f l ic t ions , the very same blood of Chri s t that pardoneth our s in in a f f l ic t ion, doth a l so hea l us therein, and doth a l so t r im up the spir i t to an holy purity and gloriousness before God and man.

And this is called the blood of the Lamb. Christ i s cal led a Lamb, because his is innocent, 1 Peter 1 :10 . and pa t i en t , Esa . 53 :7 . because he b lood is the blood of an innocent and meek and patient Christ, whence it comes to pass that such as are drenched and washed in his blood, rise out of af- f l ict ions, not only washed from spots and stains, bu t a re g rown to such Meekne s s and Pa t i en c e , and to such purity and cheerfulness and glory, as they are now made white in the blood of the Lamb.


Reason. This comes from hence, it is from the power- f u l e f f i c a c y o f a l l b l e s s e d a n d s a n c t i f i e d a f f l i c t i o n s ; a n d t h e i r e f f i c a c y i s t o s e t a l l the graces of God a work, and a l l the duty of Re l ig ion a work , and by which the b lood o f Christ i s applied to our souls , and that purif ies and glorifies a Christian.

1. See i t in part icular. First , Sanct i f i ed a f f l i c t i - ons have ever th i s work, they f i r s t , humble the sou l o f a man before God, Lev i t . 26 :41. i f your unc i r cumcised hear t s be humbled, he wi l l then de l i - ver you out of your afflictions; this is the nature of all s anc t i f i ed a f f l i c t ion , i t work s Humi l i t y : And God gives grace to the humble, 1 Pet. 5:5.

2. Secondly, Afflictions set a work confession of sin, Lev. 26:40. Now what wil l confess ion bring? It wil l l ikewise bring us grace, 1 John 1:9. i t wil l br ing us to c l eans ing f rom, a l l unr ighteousness , i t drives us to examination, and humble confession it besprinkles us with the blood of Christ, and so we are cleansed from all our unrighteousness.

3. Thirdly, They set Faith a work; afflictions are called the trials of our Faith, James 1:3. 1 Pet. 1:5. so they put us upon consideration, whence they come, and to what end they come, and Faith pu- rifies the heart, Acts 15:9. eph. 3:17.

4 . Four th ly , Af f l i c t i on s qu i ck en th e h ea r t o f a Christian to prayer, Zach. 13:9. They shall call upon m e , a n d I w i l l h e a r t h em : They l e a r n a man to pray, who was never acquainted with prayer before.

5 . F i f th ly , Aff l i c t i ons s e t pa t i en c e awork, these


trials bring forth patience, Rom. 5:3, 4. and pa- t ience, let it but have its perfect work, and it will m a k e y o u e n t i r e , w a n t i n g n o t h i n g , J a m e s 1:2.

6. Sixthly, Afflictions work obedience, for they pu- r i fy f rom it s in, and tra in us up to bring forth the peaceable and quiet fruits of Righteousness, Es a . 2 7 : 9 . Heb r . 1 2 : 11 . So a s now we g row more awfu l in our wa lk ing s be fo re God ; the sinful failings that were wont to be found in our obedience are now taken away.

And righteous duties are now performed with much qu ie tne s s and evenne s s ; be fo re we had much ado to pray, but sanctified affl ictions help this.

Use. It is 1. an Use of Trial, that any of us may make of our own af f l ic t ions ; how many of you have b e e n e x e r c i s e d w i t h g r e a t a f f l i c t i o n ; s o m e through anguish of conscience; some with deep and sore s ickness , some in body, some in sp i- r i t , some in es ta te ; we may most of us say , O Lord, thou hath shewed us great and sore troubles and yet i f a man should now come and ask me, who are these? We may say, These are they who have come out of great t r ibulat ions within a while, now God fo rb id , bu t wou ld you know whether we are come surely off f rom af f l ict ions or no, that we be not be mired; that the f lesh of our s ins s t ick not s t i l l about us , that you may carry Palms in your hands , while you l ive , and carry them to Heaven with you when you die: Why you sha l l know i t by th i s ; I f God have


brought you out o f g r ea t t r i bu la t i on s ; wel l , he hath taken your old garments from you, and hath, put upon you robes whatever you were before: If you were to pull a child out of mire, one of your f irst works would be to put other clothes upon him, God doth so to his servants, and the mire he turns into soap, and makes it cleanse us: What- ever frame of spitit you brought into affliction, it wi l l become a Robe when you come out of i t . Consider therefore what spirit thou hast now, art thou not ab le to over- look the wor ld, and a l l the comforts of it, nor to forbear the pursuit of it for a minute of an hour, why then they are still dece i t fu l t rea sures , there fore now gather up a sp i r i t o f an h igher r ank , thou thoughte s t before that the things of this l i fe were great and g lo r iou s th ing s ; bu t when the que s t i on wa s , whether you were a l ive or a dead man; what found you to be the answer: If you then found the wor ld to be but unpro f i t ab le s tu f f , when G o d s w r a t h l i e s u p o n y o u r s o u l ; a n d h a v e you now a more roya l sp i r i t and a r t ab l e to o v e r - l o o k a l l t h e w o r l d , a n d c a n s t d e s p i s e t h ine own wor ld l i ne s s and cove tou sne s s and a l l t h e s i n f u l d i s t e m p e r s o f t h y s o u l , a n d a r t a b l e t o o v e r come t h y s e l f a nd c h i l d r e n and yoke-fe l low, or whatever i t be, then thou shalt carry a Palm for an ensign of victory in thy hand; but if in this case with the young man you go away so r rowfu l , you wi l l have d i r ty r o b e s o u t u p o n y o u . A n d f u r t h e r i f t h o u c o m e s t f a i r o f f , thou wi l t f ind thy spot s t aken away,


whatever pride or Hypocrisy, unruly affections, wrathful speeches, i t i s the nature of af f l ict ion, i t washes them c lean out , so a s they sha l l be but l i t t l e to what they were be fore ; and th i s blood of Christ wil l make thee white, thou wilt be adorned with pure and precious graces, with l o v e a nd Zea l , &c . and pu t you i n to s u ch a f rame of grace, as wi l l make your heart s comfor t ab le ; s anc t i f i ed a f f l i c t ions wi l l make your spirits more cheerful in a Christ ian course, and make you bring more glory to God.

Use 2. To exhort you all in the fear of God to see what God requires of you; if God have delivered you ou t o f a f f l i c t ion , you mus t now wa lk a s becomes Kings and Pr ince s be fore God, look at afflictions as they be, that they are as soap and nitre to wash you, and know that by affliction you have a royal spir i t of grace and glory put upon you : Now the r e f o r e s u f f e r no t a s po t t o b e found in any pa r t o f thy conven t ion , be fo re G o d o r m a n , a n d n o w w a l k o n w i t h m o r e c h e e r e f u l n e s s a nd f r e edom o f h e a r t i n ho l y d u t i e s t h e n e v e r b e f o r e ; a n d w a s h t h y s o u l the b lood of the innocent Lamb, and be pat ient and meek f o r God unde r any a f f l i c t i on : Le t u s b e l i k e L a m b s u n d e r t h e m , a n d n o t s o much a s op en ou r mou th s ; bu t i f we b e a s proud as ever, as wrathful and passionate as ever b e f o r e , now t h en how poo r l y a r e we come ou t o f g rea t t r i bu l a t ion s . There fo re I cha rge you in the Name of the Lord Jesus, as ever you look to f ind comfor t in a day o f t r ibu l a t ion ,


ful ler not your se lves to be be spotted, but a- way with all passions and distempers that before def i led you, and walk so as the name of God, and h i s Gospe l may be be t t e r s poken o f f by you.

Use 3. It is a ground of comfort to all God’s poor servants, against their greatest tribulations, we know not what troubles and aff l ict ions may come, al l o f us may be sure to meet wi th t r i bu la t i ons in one k ind or other , long i t wi l l not be t i l l we see a change, but be not t roubled at i t i f they do come, be not di smayed at them, what ever may or can befal thee; know it is , but so much soap to cleanse thee, and to make thee white, they are but to wash thee from thy f i l thiness, and to make thy spirit more comfortable, and the frame o f thy carnage more g lor ious be fore God and man; and therefore fear not the evi l s that may befal thee in regard of thy Christian course, they will bring thee to such a comfortable frame that Min i s t e r s may s t and and s ay , who a r e the s e ; Some take these Elde r s to be Mini s te r s , but I take them to be (as in Chapter 4.) common Chri- st ians, and John i s the Minister that reveals this to the Church o f God : For many t imes i t so falls out that a Minister in a Congregation doth not know the good that aff l ictions have wrought in and amongst sundry of Gods people : That i f a Ne ighbou r shou ld come and a s k a Min i s t e r , what think you of such or such an one, it may be that he cannot tel l , they have been in great t r i - bulations; but what good is come of it I know not


but if they be come out well, so as that they are made whi te , thi s i s matter of Angular comfort , both to Mini s te r s and Neighbour s , and every man stands and wonders that a f f l ict ions by the mighty power of God’s grace, should meet with such a wonderful work as this is , to make such as before were stained and polluted and unfavou- ry are now made white and pure and clean and glorious and gracious; and this i s matter of joy and rejoicing both to Ministers and people, and therefore in thi scomfort your se lves . Onely in t h i s be c a r e fu l l w i th ho l y w i sdom in mak ing such a precious use of afflictions, yield your selves and brethren and sisters and Ministers, that comfort who shall enquire of you, or be enquired of concerning you, that you may have come so pure

and clean out of afflictions, that you and they, and all that ever may know and hear of

you may for ever rejoice in this Mercy and Goodness of

God to you.

FINIS.

GOD’S MERCY Ma-

nifest IN HIS Justice.

Esay 27. part of the 4. together with the 5. v.

Who wou l d s e t t h e b r i a r s and t h o rn s a g a i n s t me i n b a t t l e , I w o u l d g o t h r o u g h t h em , I w o u l d burn them together.

Or l e t h im take ho ld o f my s t r eng th, tha t he may mak e p e a c e w i t h me , and h e s h a l l mak e p e a c e with me.

THese words are part of an hea- v en l y Song , wh i ch t h e P ro - phet in the name of the Lord, e xho r t ed t h e p eop l e o f God to sing unto the Lord, at what t ime he delivered them out of the hands of the i r grea tes t e-

nemies, and when he under-took to preserve his


Church which he ca l l s h i s v ineyard, ve r s . 2 , 3 , and wil l watch over i t night and day leas t any th ing should hurt i t , because a v ineya rd o f r ed wine (which is the best wine, Prov. 23.) because even in the Church o f God , among the be s t grapes, and the best frame of spir i t , because a- rnong them are found many hypocrites, and such a s unde rm in e t h e p e a c e a nd we l f a r e o f t h e Chu r ch . The Lo rd man i f e s t s h i s me r cy t hu s f a r t o t hem, t h a t he t h r e a t en s t he i r d ange r , i f they continue in such an estate, but promises g r a c e and mercy , i f t hey tu rn f rom i t : l ook the re fo re wha t he commanded h i s peop l e in the Law, Deut . 20 :10 . to 13 . I f they went to make war wi th any peop le , they shou ld f i r s t offer conditions of peace, before they strike; so the Lord himsel f observes the same course and pe r fo rms the s ame work in th i s p l ace . 1 . He do th he r e l a y s i e ge t o a l l t h e ev i l membe r s in a vineyard of red-wine, to all the ill members in his Church, I wi l l , burn them together , a sore and a greivous threatening unto the hardest and most obstinate spirit, and best mounted and sen- sed with the strength of their own resolutions. But as he threatens what he will do in case they s tand out aga ins t h im: So he a l so of fer s terms o f peace , i f they th ink no good to t ry i t put i n b a t t l e w i t h me , i f t h e y t h i nk i t w i l l b e too hot a service for them, let them then take hold of my strength, if he see it be a safer course for him; Let him make peace with me, and he shal l be a t p ea c e ; even then when he g ive s them most


te r r ib le threa tn ings , then he a l so o f fe r s them gracious terms of peace.

In the words themselves observe the estate of ev i l men in the Church o f God, even in the v i n e y a r d o f r e d w i n e , i n C h u r c h e s o f p u r e s t grapes , among them there be such as are evi l . And they are ca l led br ia r s and thorns, who wil l s e t t hem in b a t t l e a g a i n s t me ? Which though some under s tand of v ices , ye t I choose ra ther with them, that think i t s meant of vicious and ev i l pe r son s . For God p roc l a ims war , no t so much against vices as against persons, Therfore thi s i s the es ta te and frame of evi l men in the Church, they are as briars and thorns.

Second ly , Obse rve he re the danger o f such men’s estates, when they do rise up against God, and set4, themselves against him in batt le, wil l they set themselves, or set one another? who will undertake if, let me see them face to face, what wi l l be their danger? I wi l l mar ch through them, (as i t i s in the Original) he wil l not hinder his work, notwiths tandmg a l l their oppos i t ion, he w i l l g o t h r ough t h em , a nd f u r t h e r h i s own work.

Thirdly, observe a redress or remedy to such, in such a dangerous estate, or an offer of mercy to such , who d i s ce rn ing themse lve s to be in such a dangerous es ta te , do think i t more sa fe for them to rake a wiser and better course, to come i n t o G O D , a n d t o y i e l d t o h i m , t o t a k e hold of God’s strength, and to be at peace with him.


From these words we may observe three several notes.

Doctrine 1. Evil men are as briars and thorns. For of these he speaks in this vine-yard o f r ed

wine; as in a vine-yard, unless much heed be taken, there wil l be br iars and thorns springing in i t : So wi l l there be in the Church of God, e- vil men will grow up in the Church, in a Vine- y a rd o f r ed Wine , and God e s t eems them a s b r i a r s and thorns , the ch i ld ren o f Be l i a l , Da- v i d t h e n w h e n h e s t y l e s h i m s e l f , t h e s w e e t f inger of Israel, least you should think he was in some poor f r ame o f sp i r i t embi t t e red aga in s t such persons, yet it was in his old-age, when his heart was most free, from all distemper and pas- s ion, and gives specia l charge concerning good government ; and a l so ca l l s to mind that fa i thful and gracious covenant which God hath made wi th h im and h i s house , no twi th s t and ing h i s own and his chi ldren’s unworthy walkings, yet 2 Sam . 2 3 : 6 , 7 . h e s a i t h , Th e s o n s o f B e l i a l sha l l be a l l o f them as thorns thrus t away, be cause they cannot be taken with hands, but the man that sha l l touch them must be f enced wi th i ron, &c. so I s a . 9 .18 . Wickedne s s bu rn e th a s a f i r e , i t s ha l l devour the b r ia r s and thones , &c. The same persons , meaning the wicked themse lves . And in Ezek. 2:6. Though thou beest with briars and thorns and dwe l l e s t among Se rpent s , ye t be no t d i smayed nor a f ra id. So that these are the styles which in Scripture are given to wicked men.

Now f o r t h e Re a s on . Whe r e i n s t a nd s t h e


resemblance between br ia r s and tho rns and evi l members of the Church.

Reason 1. First, Look as you see briars and thorns were the fruits of God’s curse upon the ground, Genesis 5:17, 18. So i t i s the curse of God upon s inful m a n k i n d , s i n f u l P a r e n t s , t h e g r o u n d f r o m whence we are taken, and also the curse of God upon the very Church and Common-wealth and Family, where ever any such live, it is the curse o f God upon them, tha t they y ie ld and br ing forth evil men.

Reason 2. As you see it is in Briars and thorns they are of an intricate and perplexing nature, hanging one within another, and such are wicked men who are knit and joined together in their confederacies, and pe rp l ex ing p r a c t i c e s a g a in s t o the r s w i th whom they l ive: So the Holy Ghost notes i t of wicked men, Psal. 3:5. to 8. I wi l l not be a f ra id though ten thousand of people beset themselves round about against me. So Esay 8:9. there is an association, and a confederating themselves together, implying that there is a certain kind of entangling, and a drawing one within another, a folding of themselves together, to pull them asunder, you cannot , t ake men that a re enwrapt and entangled within i l l company, you may as soon pul l one thorn or briar from another, as pull them asunder one from another; indeed sometimes, if they l ie pressed under some hand of God, they wil l promise to abhor it and to leave it, but as soon as ever they are but unfettered, and let to their own l e ng t h a g a i n , t h a t God a l l ow s bu t l i f e


and liberty, they are again entangled one within another, Psal . 2 :2. The Kings o f the Ear th s tand up and take counc i l toge ther aga ins t the Lot rd and h i s anno in t ed , broken and pul led a sunder they will not be, especial ly i f there arise any occasion of dealing against God’s people. And as their confederac ies are such, so i s thei r conveyance a nd w r app i ng up o f bu s i n e s s e s , c l o s e l y a nd strongly and secretly conveyed and folded up, he ut tere th hi s mischievous des ign, so they wrap it up, Micah 7:3, 4. The best of them is a briar, the mos t up r i gh t i s s ha r p e r t h en a t h o rny h edg e : So wise i s God in a l l his dispensat ions, that when be comes to visit such briars and thorns, it wil l be when the i r s i n s a r e pe rp l exed and fo lded together, the day of their perplexity shal l come as if he would suit them with a judgement fit for their s ins , as they have folded and wrapped up their plots against the godly, so as by no means they can escape them; so they shall be folded up in a judgement, such as they shal l by no means r i d t h e m s e l v e s o f , b u t s h a l l b e e n t a n g l e d within it.

Reason 3. As in Briars and Thorns, there is indeed an use and fruitfulness, but it is but a common use, as to serve for the use of Catt le , and so forth; for no other employment: So all the use, and the best service that evil men can do, is to be fruitful and helpful to beasts , to worldly and s inful men like them selves.

Reason 4. As in Briars and Thorns, there is a searching and pricking and stinging nature in them; so as who-


soever man touch them sha l l be wounded by them, e spec i a l l y i f t hey be to dea l w i th the se rvant s o f God, a s the poor L i l ly among the Thorns, Cant. 2:2, 3. The poor people of God l iving among these briars and thorns are expo- sed to continual pricking and fretting and galling; thus they do express themselves; therefore the Lord promise s , Ezek. 28 :14 . tha t when h i s Church and peop le sha l l be f reed and de l ive red f rom the i r ev i l Ne ighbour s , t hen Ti ru s and Sydon shall be no more a pricking Briar, nor a pierc ing Thorn to the house of Israel.

Reason 5. As Briars and Thorns, the best use that is commonly made of them, i s but to hedge and fence in: So many times it so falls out, that God makes use of these briars and thorns for the benefit of his servants, so as that they are kept in a marve l lou s innocen t f r ame to wha t e l s e they would be, i f they were not well fenced in, but l ay open , they would wander and s t r agg le a - b road , a s Ca t t l e do ou t o f un fenced pa s to r s ; t ru ly so i s th i s ca se ; God doth make such use even of all the evil neighbours of his Church, as tha t he doth fence in h i s Church wi th them, l e ad they shou ld run awry , Hosea 2 :6 . The r e - f o r e b eho ld I w i l l h edge up thy way w i th tho rn s , and make a wal l that she sha l l not f ind hi s paths, they shall be galled if they turn aside to the right hand or to the left, but God by this means, hedges and fences them in.

6. Last ly, Besides their perplexity in this l i fe, you read th i s l ikewise to be the end of them,


tha t wh i ch b r i ng s f o r th b r i a r s and tho rn s i s near unto curs ing, whose end i s to be burned Hebr. 6:8. they are in the end to be stubbed up and d r i ed , and so made f i t f ue l fo r the f i r e , 2 Sam. 23:5. they shal l be burnt together, and such is the end of al l wicked and ungodly men, without they make their peace, they shall be burnt, as it is here in the Text.

Use. It may serve to discover unto evil men that unworthy frame of spirit that is in them, they are not orely unprofitable in themselves, but preju- d i c i a l l i k ewi s e to the i r ne i ghbour s ; s e e how mos t unwor thy o f a l l t he t r ee s o f the F i e ld , they are neither fruitful nor serviceable for buil- d ing , a s Oaks and Cedar s a re , but to be on ly b r i a r s and tho rn s , wh i ch o f a l l o the r s h rub s are the most accursed trees. A man should therefore most of all bless himself from such a frame, though we should not be frui t ful in the places where we l ive, yet some good service we may do , Oaks y i e ld sma l l f ru i t , and a s l i t t l e do th the Cedar , but yet they are both harmless and use fu l , but these br iar s and thorns br ing for th no fruit, if any, it is but for beasts, and they are of no use, but to hedge in God’s people, and to p r i c k a nd g a l l t h em i f t h e y r un f r om God ; now what a most uncomfortable condition is it to be born and brought up a child of God’s curse: There i s a prof i tab le use of br iar s and thorns , but they were to grow only in hedgerows, this i s a f ru i t o f the cur se , tha t they g row in the midst of fields and pastures, for in all the Paradise


of God was nothing that did hurt, but when once the Ear th grows accur sed, i t br ings for th br i- a r s and thorns , in the bes t so i l s , in the mids t o f F ie lds and Meadows: So that then thi s i s a cursed condition, there to stand and grow, where a man shal l , and is apt to choke the best seeds that i s sown, and hinder them that e l se would be coming on to Rel igion there to l ive where he wi l l be p r i ck s in the eye s o f them whom he conver se s wi tha l ; th i s i s a f r ame o f sp i r i t ; however men may please themselves in i t , that t hey c an g a l l and s t i ng poor Chr i s t i an s , bu t do you con s i de r t h a t wh i l e you so do s t i ng and vex and f r e t t h e he a r t s o f you r Ne i gh- bours, is not this the work of briars and thorns, you are a curse to these Churches and Common- wea l th s and f ami l i e s where you dwel l ; th i s i s a f e a r fu l cond i t ion tha t a man mould expose himself to be a child of the curse.

When w i l l men do s e t t h ems e l v e s a ga in s t God , they do not hinder God’s work, but hasten their own burning, their own ruin.

Who wi l l s e t thems lvee s aga ins t me in ba t t l e : I f they set themselves or one another against me, s h a l l G o d ’ s w o r k b e h i n d e r e d ? N o , I w i l l keep my pace, so the word s igni f ie s , a s so ld i- e r s , I w i l l p ace o r march th rough them, no t o n l y h e w i l l d o t h a t w h i c h i s g o o d i n h i s own eye s , notwi th s t and ing a l l the i r oppos i t i - on, but I wi l l march an end, hi s servants sha l l not only carry an end their course, but march, nor retire disorderly, nor fly away as men routed


a n d d i s h e a r t e n e d , a s t u r n i n g b a c k , g i v i n g ground, or y ie lding to the opposi t ion brought aga in s t them, bu t I w i l l g o t h r ough t h em, tha t i s to say they by standing in the way shal l not h inder me, but what I mean to do, and what my se rvan t s a re to do , they sha l l do i t , they sha l l go th rough wi th an even pace , and not t u rn a s i d e t o e i t h e r h and . God ’ s work sh a l l n o t b e h i n d e r e d ; W h a t t h e n ? B u t I w i l l burnt them up together, that is to say, when their confederacies are most s trongly combined, and c l o s e l i e s t c ompa c t e d , a nd b e g i n s t o p r e v a i l w i th mos t s t r eng th , t hen God w i l l b eg in to set a f i re among them, and this wil l be the i s- s u e o f i t , w h e n G o d b e g i n s t o b u r n a n d begins to seize upon any one man’s conscience and burns tha t , and f a l l s upon h i s e s t a te , and we aken s t h a t , a nd c a s t s a f i r e i n t o a man ’ s t abe rnac l e , and wa s t e s the f ru i t o f h i s body , a nd b l a s t s t h e ende avou r s a nd wo rk s o f h i s h a n d s ; s o h e s e t s h i m a l l a f i r e , a n d h e wi l l burn them up together , when the f i re i s once kindled, i t wil l not cease t i l l i t have burned them a l l up; when a man hardens himse l f aga in s t God, and aga in s t the good counse l o f God’s servants , when God begins with him he wi l l kindle a f i re , that sha l l not go out t i l l a l l be consumed. There was a consp i r acy among t h e So d om i t e s a g a i n s t Lo t , G en e s i s 1 9 : 9 . We w i l l d e a l w o r s e w i t h t h e e t h e n w i t h t h em , a n d t h ey p r e s s ed upon h im, v e r . 11 . And th e Ange l s plucking him in, they st ruck al l them, and i t was a


c l oudy m i s t t o t h em, t h ey we r e a l l s t r u c k b l i nd , and wha t wa s the i s sue o f i t ? Why, v e r s . 24 . the Lord ra ined f i r e and br imstone upon them, and d e s t r o y ed t h em a l l , They r i s e up aga in s t God , aga ins t h i s Ange l s and servant s , and profe s sed they would do it , then God str ikes them; f irs t , with bl indness , a fa ir warning, and i f that wil l not se rve the turn , he wi l l burn them up toge the r , f ou r C i t i e s o f them in one day , and God set them forth as an example of hi s ven- geance to a l l them that sha l l come to the l ike w i ckedne s s : I f t he r e fo r e any sh a l l s e t t hem- se lves aga ins t God and hi s servant s , and make b a t t l e a g a i n s t h i m , h e w i l l g o o n w i t h h i s work in his servants , but them he wil l destroy and bu rn up toge the r ; t he r e i s no man th a t lives in an estate of nature, but is in a cursed e- state.

Reason, My true intent is to speak to this point, how men in a carna l f rame of sp i r i t , have in- t ang l ed themse l ve s i n s i n , and the r eby wa r - r ing aga in s t God do thereby draw themse lve s f rom the f e l lowsh ip o f God ’ s g r ace , I wou ld h e r e i n s h e w y o u t h e c o u n s e l o f t h e H o l y Ghos t ; tha t when God’ s p ro tec t ion and b le s - s i ng i s upon h i s Church , he wou ld h ave no man l i ve in h i s Church bu t be be t t e r fo r i t ; fo r God s a i th , Fury i s n o t i n me , t e l l no t me of br iar s and thorns , i f men wi l l be such then they sha l l be burned together ; but yet th i s he saith, his intent is to keep his vine-yard pure and f r e e f r om th e s e e v i l s , bu t i f t h ey w i l l h a v e


peace, let them take hold of my strength, and they shall have peace.

Reason 1. Taken from the just indignation that God doth conceive aga ins t a l l evi l men, when they do harden their hearts against him; if a man be born in a cur sed e s t a te , and a l low h imse l f therein, and to fa l l short of the grace of God, God takes this as a just matter and cause of pro- voca t ion , J e r . 7 :19 . Do th ey p r ovoke me t o an- g e r , and no t t h ems e l v e s t o t h e c on fu s i on o f t h e i r o w n f a c e s . N e v e r d i d a n y w a x f i e r c e a g a i n s t God and a prosper, Job 9:4. Esa. 45:9. Woe to him that s t r ive s wi th h i s Maker , God takes i t a s a matter of great indignation, when men resolve to live and die in an estate of nature.

Reason . I t i s t aken f rom the power put upon the Lord Jesus Christ ; God hath set him up on the holy hil l of Sion, and he hath given him the Heathens for his possession, and a rod of iron, whereby be rules in the midst of his enemies, Psalm 2:8, 9. Psa lm 110:2 . Whence i t i s tha t there i s a wal l o f f i r e r o u n d a b o u t t h e C h u r c h , w h e r e b y such a s g r i eve h im sha l l b e bu rn t and together.

Reason 3 . F rom the e s t a te and cond i t ion o f God’ s peop le , when God under takes the protect ion of his Church, he describes his Church to be a burdensome s tone , Zacha ry 12 :2 . men shal l cut their hand with i t , and ve r . 3 . J e rusa- l em sha l l b e a s a t o r c h i n a s h e a f , v e r s e 6 . and l ike a f ire among wood, and al l the people that come against i t sha l l be as dry s tubble; and he


wil l make Je rusa lem as a cup of poison or asto- ni shment, so as whosoever comes agains t J e ru- s a l em, i f he e i ther re f re sh h imse l f wi th doing ev i l to the Church o f God, or p ro f i t h imse l f by i t ; i t shal l be a cup of poison to him, so as a man cannot hurt the Church, but it will make h im to run mad , wh ich shews wha t ho t s e r - vice it is for men to take up any evil against the Church of God, he doth not hinder God’s work, but hasten his own mine.

Use 1. It may serve for a ground of strong consolation to all the servants of God that do bring forth red w ine , we l l r e l i shed , no t w i ld and un s avoury grapes, carnal fruits of the flesh; if sweet and savoury to God and our brethren, here is a promise o f h i s p ro tec t ion to them, noth ing sha l l hur t them, and i f br i a r s and thorns r i se up aga ins t t hem, ye t he w i l l go th rough them wi th h i s work, and he will burn up all their enemies together: So that when men live in places where they are ready enough to prick and gal l , and scratch a t the l i f e and l i be r ty o f God ’ s s e rvan t s ; ye t f ea r not ; there a re more wi th us then aga ins t us.

I saith a Christian, I should never fear the opposition of the sons of men, but here is my fear and danger, my own unworthy base heart is ready to start aside from God, and to dishonour him and the ways of hi s t ruth and grace, and I am apt to walk unworthi ly, how shal l I do in such a case?

Why here i s thy direct ion and consolat ion in


such a c a s e , God ha th p romi sed tha t he wi l l march through with his work, if God give us an heart to submit to his colours , and bring forth f ruit s that himsel f re l i sheth, then this wil l fol- l ow, God wi l l neve r r e t i r e d i shonourab ly to himself and his chi ldren, however they may be scattered, yet he will march an end, not only it, h i s own prov idence , in s t i l l ma in t a in ing and keeping h i s Church for good; but a s he h imse l f wi l l look to his own, so he wil l march an end in his servants, he will breath in them by his Sp i r i t o f w i sdom and power , th a t wha t eve r comes upon them, they wi l l keep Fa i th and a good conscience, according to al l the truth and goodnes s God ha th man i f e s t ed to them, they will march in his strength, and he will keep them that they shall not retire disorderly.

And so it is a Use of Direction to admonish hs inthe fear of God to take heed (as ever we desire God should keep us safe from the workers of i n iqu i t i e s ; a cco rd ing to the ve r s e be fo re the T e x t , t a k e h e e d w e b r i n g n o t f o r t h w i l d g r ape s , much l e s s b i t t e r g r ape s , f ru i t s o f the world, and of the f lesh, and of the pride of our own hear t s ; bu t be sure we br ing fo r th good fruit s to God, and not only good, but in some kind generous, of the best spir i t s . Judah i s described by the redness of his eyes, Gen. 49. allu- ding to that excellent life and spirit that should be in him: the red wine i s the most generous , so Chr i s t i an s shou ld no t on l y b r ing fo r th good f r u i t , s u ch a s h a t h l aw fu l wa r r an t f r om t h e


word, and within bounds of calling, but such as hath in i t some measure of l i fe and sp i r i t and power of grace breathing forth in i t , and i f a t any time we be straightened, as many times we come off with much f latness in duties; we then c o m p l a i n o f f , a n d b e w a i l s u c h e v i l s b e f o r e God, and rest not t i l l God again renew us and enlarge us, that so God may defend us; or if any prosper against us, we may either be preserved secure therein, or i f I must and do retire, then t h a t we may come o f f f a i r l y , t h a t God may not be dishonoured, nor any evil report be raised against the Gospel, by reason of any ill walking of ours; see that there be li fe and spirit in your walkings before God in both your particular and general cal l ing; and then i f God transplant u s h e w i l l m a r c h b e f o r e u s , a n d w e i n h i s s t r eng th sha l l go th rough any en t ang l emen t s without being ensnared, it’s a world to see the per- plexities of some men’s consciences, who have ill carried a business, and defi led themselves in it , but i f the Lord keep us spot less , and our consc iences void of of fence, that we walk evenly with him, according to his truth and goodness, that whatever exercise God puts us too; yea, i f here move our v ine-yard, i t wi l l not make us b a r r en , bu t more gene rou s , and f ru i t f u l , we shall carry our root with us, and be set in another place and our fruit will be more sweet and savoury.

Now for the last part of the Text, it is a dire- c t i on t o a l l t h a r a r e no t a b l e t o make t h i s


good to thei r soul s they br ing not for th good clusters to refresh both God and man; i f we be not fallen into malicious opposition, observe we this point.

Doctrine 3. That such, as do take hold of God’s strength and make pea c e w i th h im though the i r c ond i t i on , we r e neve r so bad and mis ch i evous aga ins t God and h i s Church, yet if they take hold of God’s strength, they may make peace with him, they shall have peace.

Though they be b r i a r s and t ho rn s , and br ing forth cursed fruits of cursed ground, that never d id good to any but beas t s ; suppose your case were so, that you never did good in your place, but have grieved all the good ones about you in Church and Family, that every one have fared the worse for you, which is a fearful condition; but were it so and though perplexed in ill company and cannot get rid of them, yet behold here God makes a fair offer to you, stand not upon your own defence agains t him, but take hold of hi s s t rength , and make your peace wi th h im, and you sha l l be a t peace : Now th i s i s wonder fu l mercy; did you ever read of a promise to briars and thorns, not only weeds, but noisome, stinking weeds, yet if they think good to escape burning, let them take a safer course, and they shall be accepted.

Reason. Why God so graciously offers himself to such and gives them leave to lay hold on him?

1. First, Taken from the glory of his own name, when God shal l be pleased to pardon and heal such s inners , i t magnif ies the glory of the r ich


grace of God, Whais a God l ike unto thee? Micah 7 : 1 8 . Wheneve r God s h ews me r cy t o b r i a r s and thorns , such a s have pr icked and p ie rced God’s people, no man that sees it, but will have cause to wonder and stand amazed at the riches of God’s mercy to them: Who is a God l ike unto thee that subduest, that treadest down our high thoughts and imaginat ions? Who i s a God l ike unto thee that subduest such and healest such sins a s t h e s e b e ? T h i s G o d : w i l l d o i n s t e a d o f thorns shal l grow the Myrt le t ree, Esay 55:13. that this may be for a name never to be forgotten, that he might gain a name to rel igion, and make i t famous and g lor ious ; thi s sha l l be to the Lord for a name, to his Church and to such Christians for a name, as are thus transformed from briars and thorns, a name to the glory of His grace, and the power of his ordinances, it shall stand for an everlast ing remembrance never to be forgotten, it shall stand for a monument of his mighty power of the mighty power of God; this shall stand for a Trophy of glorious victory: And such an ensign was Paul, Gal. 1:2, 3. when they heard that Paul, sometimes a Persecutor, and now preached the Fai th, they glor i f ied God in me: When he was a pricking briar to the house of Israel, Christ meets him in the way, and makes him glad to lay hold on his strength, and thereupon he becomes a tall and eminent and straight tree in the garden or God, and the Church g lor i f ied God for him.

Reason 2. It is expressed in the first words of the Text, ta-


ken from the readiness of God to lay down his fury , when men lay a s ide the i r s in s , and God p lant s a v ine-yard o f red wine , the Lord wi l l water it, and nothing shall hurt it, and fury is not in me, neither against his Church, nor the bri- a r s and thorns , i f they wi l l l ay down arms a- gainst me: I f they wi l l f ight i t out then I wi l l burn them up, but if they will be saved, let them come and take hold of my strength, and they shall see that fury i s not in me; but let br iars come and make peace with me, and they shall find no backwardness in me.

Use 1. Serves to give counsel and exhortation to every soul , whose grapes are not yet sweet , tha t br ing for th f ru i t s to s in , and a re notab le to say, God hath filled their hearts with generous l iquour of savoury grace: Every Chris t ian duty i s wi thout l i fe , i f we br ing for th e i ther b i t ter o r f l a t f ru i t s , he re i s the cha rge and counse l given to you, to stand out no longer against God, but in the name of God take hold of his strength that you may make peace with him, but i f you st i l l s tand out and bring forth no fruit to God: consider of it if you will stand out against God, and wil l be hurtful and prejudices in your pla- c e s , y e t s h a l l b e con founded , he w i l l ma r ch forward and consume you root and branch but let a man take hold of God’s strength and make peace with him.

But you may say, how may I come to do i t , my fruits are f lat and dead, and do nothing but for fa shion sake, I am consc ious to my se l f o f


many evil offices I have done, wherby I have been an occasion of hindering others in well-doing; but how shall I now do to lay hold on God’s strength.

1. First, If you would lay hold on God’s strength then lay down al l your own weapons, a l l weapons of host i l i ty aga ins t God, do not only lay aside opposition against God’s Church, but what ever s in fu l f rame of hear t or l i fe thou has t in thy heart or way, cast it from thee, and have no more to do with it, Esay 55:6, 7, 8. lay aside all wicked imaginations and s inful lusts , a l low not y o u r s e l v e s i n a n y s i n , h e t h a t a l l o w s h i m s e l f i n a n y s i n , h e f i g h t s a g a i n s t G o d : and therefore away with a l l host i l i ty, and then God wi l l abundant ly be ready to fo rg ive and pardon thee; i f we would have God to pardon s in, i t i s for us to leave s in; a s long as we retain it, God never remits it, but when they shall forsake their evil ways, then I will heal their re- bellions, and my anger is turned from them.

2. Secondly, we are to lay down all confidence i n ou r own goodne s s , f o r i f s o be th a t God see we put trust in our own strength, in any gift we have rece ived, we sha l l be but weak creatures, and shall sti l l walk doubtfully of our con- dit ion: but i f we desire to f ind peace sealed up to our heart s , in such a case we must have no confidence in the f lesh, Phil. 3:2, 3, 4. We have no conf idence in the f lesh, and count a l l loss that I may l ay ho ld on Chr i s t ; a man mus t l ay down all confidence in his own goodness and educati- on , and i n a l l o r d i n ance s : Pau l r e l i nqu i s h e s


al l as that which had not see his heart through with God, Ephesians 6:10.

Thirdly, To bel ieve on the mercy of God, as his great power and strength; if he shall be good to such as we are, this i s to lay hold on God’s strength, when Moses makes intercession for such men, he would have them to lay hold on God’s strength, and f i t ly explains this Phrase in hand, Numb. 14:17. Let the power o f my Lord be g rea t , the me r cy o f the Lord i s g r ea t : The great power of God is shewed in making good this word of the forgiving the iniquities of his people; so that when a sou l t akes ho ld o f God’ s s t rength , he looks at it as a matter of God’s great power, that he should ever shew mercy to such an one as he was, that ever he should forgive such s ins, and subdue such iniquities, this is to lay hold on God’s s trength: Let men come and see and know that God must put forth mighty power and strength, i f ever he shew mercy to such wretches as we a re : As long a s a man looks a t s in a s a sma l l matter , and makes account God hath pardoned a s g r e a t s i n s a s h i s , and i f he de f e r h i s Re- pentance , the Lord have mercy wi l l s e rve h i s turn, this i s not to lay hold on God’s s trength, and so long a man makes himsel f uncapable of such a mercy, but when a man sees and knows he stands in need of the great power of God in forgiving and pardoning him, that God shall ne- v e r f o r g i v e s u ch s i n s a s h i s , un l e s s t h e mu l - t i tude o f h i s mer c i e s he put away h i s inqui t i e s , as long a s a man th inks tha t a sma l l mat te r wi l l


serve the turn, it ’s a s ign he sees not his s in to be out of measure s inful ; but when a man sees he stands in need of the treasures of grace, treasures of pat ience, powerful and great mercy to pardon such great and crying sins as his is, then he takes hold of God’s strength.

Fourthly, Let a man lay hold on God’s strength not only by Faith, but lay hold of him in prayer and in God’s promises and in all the word of God, and in h i s a t t r ibu te s and p re s s God wi th the greatness of his power, and of his promise, and the riches of his grace in pardoning such sins as hi s , and then, sa i th God in such a case , l e t me alone, as i f Moses had la id hands on the power, Exod. 32 . When the soul holds out with constant longings after God, and will not let him go til l it find some hope of pardon then it doth lay hold on God’s strength.

It may serve to exhort and st ir up every soul that knows his heart and life is unprofitable and never brought forth any sweet or savoury fruits to God to this day, to see now what God calls it too: as ever we desire to be free from everlasting burnings (as who is there that can dwell in e- verlasting burnings, Esa. 33. last) as ever you desire your souls might f ind peace with God, and to enjoy the benefit of the gracious offer, which God now tender s to you; so now lay ho ld o f God’s s t rength, lay down your quarre l s against the ordinances, and al l the s inful lusts that you have addicted your selves to; as Pride and Hy- pocr i sy , and whatever we have di sp leased God


with, forsake your imaginat ions, even your se- cretest thoughts, and put no confidence in whatever courses you will take, and put hoc of God, till you come to this or that age, or to this sick- nes s , or t i l l you be marr ied , and have prov i- ded your chi ldren such and such port ions; and p r e sume o f you r own s t r eng th and w i s dom, this will deceive you; but if you can bring your hearts to this, that if ever God do shew mercy to you , i t mus t no t be a c rumb, bu t a bo t tom- less depth of mercy, multitudes of great mercies, Psal. 51. Let it appear that it is power of mercy and r ich grace to you that ever you may have your s ins pardoned, t ake hold of i t , and look at it as a strong mercy that you must have and lay hold by a s t rong hand of Fai th, and by s t rong prayers and cr ie s , and s ighs and groans , and a constant pursuit after him in every ordinance of h i s ; s e ek God e a rne s t l y and con s t an t l y , And so shall you find him speaking peace and pardon to you, according to this promise here in the Text.

FINIS.

THE

WICKEDS CRAFT TO IN-

SNARE GOD’S People described.

Matth. 16:1, 2, 3.The Phar i s e e s wi th the Sadducee s came and t emp-

t ing h im, de s i r ed h im tha t he wou ld shew them a sign from Heaven, &c.

AF t e r t h e s e P a r a bo l i c a l s p e e - ch e s wh i ch a r e s e t down i n in the fo re-go ing Chapte r o f t h e S y r o p h œ n i c i a n w o m a n , t h e n ex t P a r a b l e wh i ch f o l - l o w s , w h e r e b y o u r S a v i o u r s e t s f o r t h b y s i m i l i t u d e h i s

Doctrine to the people is this. The Pharisees and Sadducees come to tempt him, and desire a s ign


and a s ign f rom Heaven; our Sav iour answers them according to their ques t ion, here proves both them, and their Quest ion, and shews the ground of it.

I t may seem by the dependence of his Chap- ter upon the former, that the Pharisees and Sad- uces came to our Saviour to demand a s ign f rom Heaven, before he had fed the people in the end of the former Chapter, where he fed four thou- sands of them with seven loaves and a few fishes, a miracle that fil led the mouths of them all with much rumour round about the country, and the Scr ibes and Phar i s ee s were not a l i t t le exerci sed therewith, they thereupon to dazzle the glory of this great work of God, come to him, des ir ing him not to put them off with such earthly signs as he had now done, in multiplying earthly loaves but to shew them a s i gn f r om Heaven, that they might see and believe; I guess this to be the occas ion of the di scourse, not only, because thi s mirac le was descr ibed immediate ly before: but because upon occasion of the l ike miracle, they came to him in like sort, and demanded the like sign, John 10:6. to 13. & 30, 31.

Now in the words read we have to observe two parts.

1. First, The demand of a sign, a sign from Hea- ven.

2. Secondly, Our Saviours rejection of this demand.

1. In the demand of a sign, observe the effici- ents or causers of it, Pharisees and Sadduces.


2. Thcend for which they did desire it, and that was to tempt him.

Now in our Saviour’s rejection of this demand you have two things considerable.

F i r s t , The reproof he g ive s them, and the i r persons: O you hypocrites.

Secondly, Observe the ground of hi s reproof of them and that is a conviction of their readness to believe more uncertain things upon less cre- dible ground, then they would believe him to be the Messiah sent from God, upon most certain and evident grounds, and this he shews them by in- s tancing in natura l th ings . I f the even ing be r ed a n d b r i g h t , y e s a y t o m o r r o w w i l l b e f a i r w e a - ther, and i t many t imes so fa l l s out; can ye dis ce rn the face of the sky, by such as probablilities as these be, and can ye not discern the estate of the estate of the times from all the Prophecies from Heaven, and all that assistance that you see in these works.

A note or two from the words, and first as they may be taken from those that demand these signs, the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Doctrine 1. Wicked men though enemies one to another, of ne- v e r s o c on t ra ry minds , yea and con t ra ry r e l i g i on s , yet can tel l how to combine and agree together to oppose the truth and to undermine it.

These Pharisees and Sadducees. They were men of contrary minds, of contrary Judgements and Religions and Professions, and could not suit by any means in ordinary course one with another, f o r s o w e r e a d o f t h i s d i f f e r a n c e b e t w e e n them.


First , The Phar i sees they did not only receive the Law, but did add to i t sundry tradit ions of the i r own, a s J o s ephus repor t s . These Sadduce s thought it arrogancy in the Pharisees to put upon t h e Chu r ch , t r a d i t i on s o f t h e i r own , wh i ch they renounced, and they did not only renounce their traditions, but rested only in the five Books of Moses: Whence i t i s observable by the lear- n e d , w h e n t h e S a d d u c e s c a m e a n d t e m p t e d Christ about the resurrection, (which they deny, Matth. 20:22, 23. ) Chri s t to convince them of the point of resurrection, he fetches a testimony, no t ou t o f the Prophe t s , becau se he thought they would not submit to it, but out of the Books of Moses; God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

A second d i f fe rence the Apos t le Pau l makes ment ion o f , Act s 23 :8 . The Saddu c e s s ay , th e r e i s n e i t h e r Re su r r e c t i o n , n o r Ang e l s , n o r s p i r i t s , bu t the Pha r i s e e s c on f e s s bo th : Both what? both the Resurrection of the bodies, and likewise the immorta l i ty of spir i t s ; and not of men’s spir i t s on ly , but o f Ange l s : And yet notwi ths tanding we must not look at these Sadduces as Epicures, though it be the next way to bring in Epicurism; for i f there be no spir i t s nor immortal i ty, then they may commit any wickedness; but though they did deny the Resurrection of the body, and the immorta l i ty of the soul , yet they did not deny the providence of God as Epicures do.

Another difference is also noted that the Phari- sees were more gracious with the people, found


greater applause , and greater respect , a s being accounted more holy men, Gal. 1. the strict sect of the Religion of the Pharisees: but the Sadduces though les s gracious with the people, yet pre- vailed more in the Court among great men; for great men love not strictness, but rather to take more l iber ty , and there fore i t i s that we sha l l sometimes f ind, the leaven of the Sadduces and of Herod, or of the Herodians put together, Mat. 1 6 : 6 . M a r k 8 : 1 7 . T h e y h a d a c o n c e i t t h e r e was neither reward nor punishment in another world. Thus they were of such contsary Rel i- gions, that they could not stand one with another; but if it come to under-mine the truth and to tempt our Saviour then they both agree toge- t h e r . T h e s a m e y o u s h a l l r e a d p r a c t i s e d i n Matth. 22:16, 16. The Pharisees and the Herodians c ame t o t emp t h im , s a y i n g , I s i t l aw f u l t o g i v e tr ibute to Cæsar or not? These Herodians did press upon the Jewish Common-wea l th Cæsar ’ s government, and the Pharisees, thought it not meet to submit to a foreign jurisdiction, they did not favour it: yet though these Herodians were every way contrary to the Pharisees, they agreed both upon this point, to tempt him; so Luke 23:7. to 1 2 . H e r o d a n d P i l a t e h a d b e e n a t e n m i t y a great whi le ; and when Pi la t e saw he be longed to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to him, and the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends; when it comes to the matter of crucifying Christ, then Herod and the Jews and the Roman soldiers can conspire together to put disgrace upon Christ


You have something suitable to both these Rev. 16 :13 , 14 . The r e we r e t h r e e un c l e an s p i r i t s l i k e f rogs came out of the mouth of the Dragon, and the beas t and the fa l s e Prophet , they are the sp i r i t s o f Dev i l s , wh i c h g o f o r t h t o t h e K ing s o f t h e e a r t h to gather them to the batt le of the great day of God A l m i g h t y . T h e D r a g o n i s t h e T u r k , a n d t h e Beast and fa lse Prophet i s the Pope and his crew: Now though these be of such contrary Religi- ons , that you would not think i t poss ib le that they should jo in the i r forces together ; ye t so the matter wil l come to pass that the factors of the one shall consult with the other and both of them join with al l the Princes of the World, at least the great Lords of the World, and draw them al together to the batt le of the great day of the Lords, when with one consent they shall fight a- gainst , nor only the Jews that shal l r i se against the Dragon of Constant inop le ; but against those Christians that shall arise against the Beast of Rome, and so shall join their strength to rise up against the Lord Je su s Chr i s t : so tha t th i s i s no new matter in the world.

Reason 1. Taken from the strong and greatest opposition that i s found between a l l t ruth and fa l se-hood then tha t wh ich i s found be tween any f a l s e - h o o d i n t h e w o r l d , t h e r e i s a f a r s t r o n g e r oppo s i t i on be tween l i gh t and da rkne s s , t hen c a n b e f ound b e tween one d a r kn e s s a nd a - no the r : The re i s s ome b lu sh o f b l a ckne s s i n a l l d a r k n e s s ; n o w t h e r e i s n o s u c h d i s t r o - po r t i on be tween t he g round s , and end s and


ru le s o f the Pope and Turk, a s between them both; and our Christian Religion, if once it ap- p e a r , a s n o w f o r s o m e y e a r s i t h a t h d o n e , tha t the g rounds o f Pop i sh Re l ig ion and the end they aim at i s worldly and carnal , a t their own wealth and usurpation; and if for that end they make u se o f the word o f God , and can make use of their traditions to be of equal val- ue wi th the Scr ip ture s : Grant them tha t , and wil l be no hard matter to conceive, that when Christ ians shal l s tart le that Beast , and the Jews f a l l upon the Turk , tha t when the Pope see s h e c a n n o t m a i n t a i n H e a d a g a i n s t C h r i s t i a n P r ince s , nor the Turk aga in s t the J ews ; they will conceive yet, the Bishop of Rome may main- t a in h i s own s t rength and author i ty , and ru le over such Princes, by his Canons and Decrees, and so wi l l j o in toge the r aga in s t the Gospe l of Chri s t , and a l l that profes s the t ruth of hi s Name.

Reason 2. It is taken from the wisdom of Satan, who though he can te l l how to make h i s own advantage out of the enemies of contrary factions and errors , one against another, yet when they both come to be opposed with the truth of the Gospe l ; i t wi l l not s t and wi th the wi sdom to mainta in any longer such fact ions in oppos i t i- on one to another, being opposed to Chris t ian Religion: It i s true, as long as fact ions and er- r o r s a r e f l a s h i ng one a g a i n s t a no the r , S a t an knows how to advantage himsel f by their contes ta t ions and tumult s and wars one with ano-


ther, to multiply conflation and disorder, and dif- fusion of Christian blood; in this respect the wicked spirit of darkeness fats himself in his course, and fil ls the gates of hell and of death: but now in case the Christian truth come to oppose such kind of errors as are at difference one with another, it will not now stand with Satan’s wisdom to suffer further continuance of dissentions among those of the other s ide; but he wil l then bend the wit s of a l l the subt le creatures he hath to take pains with the cheese on both sides, to lay down their weapons one against another, and to sheath their swords in the sides of a common ad- v e r s a r y . No wonde r t o s e e s ome t ime F r an c e or Spa in a t sharp war s : Le t them f ight , for i t h inde r s no t h i s k ingdom, tha t h i s own Sub- jects should fal l out one with another, so it be any th ing whereby God i s mos t d i shonoured : but i f that Christ ian Protestants , res i s t and oppo se the Ca tho l i c r e l i g ion , and s eek to roo t i t ou t ; i n such a c a s e you sha l l no t need to expect a s t rong oppos i t ion of him, and a l l h i s instruments ; and a l l the three Nations plott ing toge ther , and jo in hea r t and hand , tha t wi th one consent they might fight against the Prote- stant Princes ; and this our Saviour touches up- o n , E v e r y K i n g d o m d i v i d e d a g a i n s t i t s e l f cannot stand, Mat. 12:25, 26. and his reason is right; for though sometime one spirit wil l cast out a- nother ; and a good wi tch ( a s they ca l l them) wi l l heal what a bad witch doth, or one spir i t is too hard for another; yet the truth is our Savi-


o u r s r e a s o n s t a n d s f i r m , w h e r e t h e r e i s s o much p r ide , the re c annot bu t be much content ion , but i f Chr i s t come and oppose these s p i r i t s , and i f he w i l l c a l l ou t Dev i l s , S a t an cannot h inder h im: I f Chr i s t shou ld ca s t ou t Devi l s in the name of Belzebub, that ’ s no hinderance to Satan’ s k ingdom, but i f Chri s t cas t o u t Dev i l s i n h i s own n ame , t h en i t s t ime for Sa tan to s t i r , and there fore now h i s k ing - dom canno t s t and : and so you see the t ru th o f the Point.

Obje c t . I f th i s be t rue tha t men o f cont ra ry Judgements , can te l l how to sawder themse lves together against the truth; how then came i t to pa s s tha t Pau l f e l l upon such a strategem as he did in Act. 23. 6. to 10. per- ceiving one part was Sadduces, and the other part Phar i sees , the very same persons in the Tex t ; he though t tha t by th i s b r e ach between them in their judgements , he should c r e ep ou t o f t h e s n a r e , a nd t h e r e f o r e i n h e a v e n l y w i s d o m , h e t a k e s t h e a d v a n - t age o f i t , I am a Pha r i s e e , ( s a i th he ) and t h e s on o f a Pha r i s e e , and when t h e S c r i b e s , tha t we r e o f th e Pha r i s e e s pa r t h ea rd h im say s o , they beg in t o c on t end f o r Pau l aga in s t the Sadduces, and come out with a divine speech, w e f i n d n o f a u l t i n t h i s m a n ; i f a n A n g e l or a ap i r i t , tha t was wont to speak in any of the Prophets have sa id any thing to thi s man; let us not f ight against him, and then Pau l was s a f e enough ; now i f a Chr i s t i an


m a n m a y m a k e s u c h a n a d v a n t a g e b y t h a t m e a n s t o e s c a p e t h e e n m i t y o f t h e m b o t h h o w c a m e i t t o p a s s , t h a t b o t h t h e s e s e c t s d i d n o t c o n s e n t w i t h o n e c o n s e n t a g a i n s t Paul?

Answ. Paul had put the case unto them in such terms, as that he comes not upon them with a- ny Chri s t ian t ruth, he concea l s h i s opinion of any Christian truth at that time, which was op- posite to them both, but only names that which was on ly pecu l i a r to one o f the se s ec t s ; Pau l doth not say, he was accued for that he was a Chris t ian, for such a word would have combined them al l together against him; but he pro- fesses he was of one of these sects bred, and therefore they might imagine he was wholly on their s ide , and they knew he was a Phar i s e e , and i- magined there was no great dif ference between him now, and what he was before, and so they shel ter him, and the Sadduce s of the two were t h e f i e r c e r oppo s e r s o f Re l i g i on : t h ey we r e somet imes fu l l o f indignat ion, Act . 5 :17. They raged agains t Pete r and John, now therefore Paul t ook the be s t cou r s e , he wou ld e s c ape the i r hands that were the most cruel , though the o- ther were sought, yet of the two they were the better.

But you say, doth this become a sincere hear- ted Christ ian to say, he is of the profess ion of the Pharisees, which is such as unless man be l ieve and prac t ice bet te r , he sha l l never c o m e t o H e a v e n , M a t t h . 5 : 2 6 . w h e n h e


knows they a re men tha t our Sav iour had condemned for Hypocrites, and went up and down t o make p r o s e l y t e s t o t h em s e l v e s : w o u l d h e n o w p r o f e s s h i m s e l f t o b e a n Hypocr i te , a t rad i t ioner , to be a man tha t und e r p r e t e n c e o f l o n g p r a y e r s , d e v o u r w i d - d ow s h ou s e s , wou ld he p ro f e s s h imse l f t o be of that sect that was ever ready to carp at our Saviour , would he rank himsel f among them?

I confes s , i t i s that which t roubles Interpre- ters, how to excuse Paul in this case, to profess himself to be a Phar i see in the open Congrega- t ion, a great multitude, and before them al l , to p r o f e s s h i m s e l f a P h a r i s e e : W h e n a s a l l t h e w o r l d k n e w , w h e r e e v e r h e c a m e , h e b e a t down the whole sect of the Pharisees and Saddu- ces, and all their Doctrines and practises.

Answ . Had he s poken in such an aud i ence where he might have encouraged any man weak in judgement, the rather to have cleaved to the sect of the Pharisees, that they and their children might become Pharisees by his example, it could not then be excused; but Paul knew where he was; the people that was there, was either such good Christians as well knew his spirit , or such as were desperate enemies against Christ and his grace, the true Christians would take no offence, but would understand his meaning, and for his e- nemies, he knew he should dash them one against another , and tha t by tha t means he should e- scape, and therefore he only ins tances in such


parts of Phar i sees , as in which they did profess the truth; for the resurrection of the dead, and tha t there i s Angel s and sp i r i t s , and i t i s t rue he wa s a Pha r i s e e and b rought up a Pha r i s e e , and thus far he kept the phari sa ica l pr inciples ; so that thi s doth not hinder, but that in ordina ry cour se two cont ra ry f ac t ions , may com- b i n e a g a i n s t t h e t r u t h , y e t a Ch r i s t i a n may somet imes so s t r ike in wi th one, tha t he may seem not to be an enemy to both ; yea some- t imes by an over ru l ing p rov idence o f God i t s o f a l l s ou t , t h a t a Ch r i s t i a n may c a s t s u ch bonds , be tween two cont r a ry Re l ig ions , tha t the Church may fare the better for i t , but yet th i s wi l l not long hold , for in t ime they wi l l s awder toge the r aga in ; Pau l , though he now scapes by th i s devi se , i f he should have come before them, it would not have served his turn, h e wa s a Pha r i s e e i n one po in t o r two , and they thought he had been so in all; part of the truth, and part he conceals, and that was his wisdom.

Use 1. To teach all the Professors of the truth of Christ Jesus, neither to trust common enemies, though reconciled, nor to distrust one another to combine in any emulation or enmity one against another , not to t rua t common adver sa r ie s , l e t them make a league, never so f irm as you conceive with us; though they may have just reason to join with a Protestant King, and though they now pretend their grounds and rules and ends are the s ame ; ye t they wi l l soon break a l l bonds and leagues of peace with Christians and sawder


themse lves together aga in , and there fore t rus t not such, and if those that are of contrary Religi- ons, can take a course thus to combine together, to undermine a common enemy, sha l l not the Church of God so much the more, cleave together with one heart and voice, with one moul- der, and with all their strength as one man to re- s i s t a l l the enemies of the t ruth of God, sha l l God’s own servants be so ready to hang of one from another, mouldering out one another and supplanting one another; shall Pharisees and Sad- duces combine together, and shal l not the Pro- fef lbursof Christ join together as one man, and by one rule and to one end.

Use 2. It may be an use unto all men; Christian men and all men of understanding, not to be led away with the pretences of unity and peace, unless you see and know that you join together always in a common good cause; for even God’s own s e rv an t s s ome t ime s j o in toge the r unde r p r e - tence of unity and peace, which is not a sufficient reason; for there may be unity and peace even a- gainst Christ, and against his truth, and against a common cause of God; and therefore consider upon what terms you go, what ends you a im at , t h i s i s n e ede fu l i n a l l mu tu a l con f ede r a t i on and association in any business whatsoever; and take heed of Satan’s cunning in st irr ing up any contentions and strife among the people of God, but keep you your selves in a bond of union for the truth of Christ, least a common adversary come upon you and undermine the t ruth of God by your means.


Mt. 16. three first verses; T h e P h a r i s e e s a l s o w i t h t h e S a d d u c e s c a m e

unto him, &c.

COme we now to the second Point , the end o f th i s Ques t ion and De- m a n d ; t h e e f f i c i e n t s w e h e a r d , t h e Pha r i s e e s and Saddu c e e s , Th e y c a m e t o h i m a n d t e m p t e d h i m ;

tempting him to what end? Do you think they desire a s ign that they may believe, he had im- mediarely before in the latter end of the former Chap t e r , f ed f ou r t hou s and men w i th s even loaves and a few fishes: An evident sign that he that did work this miracle was sent f rom Hea- ven, they therefore did not demand a s ign that they might believe, but in truth that they might n o t b e l i e v e ; a n d n o w , i f h e s h o u l d a n s w e r them according to their desire, they would have found a cavil against it; and if not, they will set down and not believe, because he wil l not give them a sign from Heaven.

Doctrine 2. To demand a sign not to confirm our faith, but to h a r d en ou r s e l v e s i n ou r unb e l i e f i s t o t emp t h e Lord.

They desire a s ign that indeed they might be excused from bel ieving: he therefore f i t ly ca l l s


them v e r s . 4 . An e v i l a nd an a du l t e r o u s g e n e - r a t i o n , s e e k s a s i g n ; t h ey an swe r t h a t wh i ch an adu l te rous woman wi l l do , when her hus- band sends a servant to her or a letter to dispose thus and thus of such a business, and she though she know his hand full well, yet notwithstanding she wil l ask of the servant a token, whether he comes indeed from his master or no, which token she asks not for , a s a conf i rmat ion of the th ing to he r , bu t tha t she migh t be excu sed from doing that which she should do; just such is this adulterous generation; as if he should say, they do know t h a t J e su s i s a t e a ch e r s en t f r om God, and they know that what he speaks is the word of God, and h i s mes sage i s the t ruth o f God; and that i t i s his hand and seal , sea led i t with the work of his Spirit, and with the power of his miracles, and yet now they ask a s ign, is i t th a t they migh t be l i eve ? No, bu t to c av i l with the messenger, and that they might not believe.

But because this point i s very seldom spoken too, this tempting of God, and yet a point of no small consequence in daily practice: let me therefore make i t something more plane, the better to fit it for application.

F i r s t , The re fo re to shew you wha t i t i s t o tempt God; and then why th i s k ind of a sk ing a sign in this sort is such a tempting of God.

1. For the first, there is a two-fold tempting of God; one may tempt God as they in the Text, unlawfully, and manifest themselves to be gross


Hypocrites in so doing, they never meant to believe.

2. Secondly, There is on the other side, some- what a lawful tempting of God. To open them both.

First , For an unlawful and hypocrit ical tempting of God, such as provokes the indignation and wrath of God.

Tempting of God is nothing else but a trying what God can or will do for the fulfilling of our own lusts . To try what i s in God for that end, to put God to it , to shew forth his divine hand for the fulfi l l ing of our lusts, to set him a work to stretch forth his divine hand for the fulfi l l ing our own desires.

Now for c lea r ing i t f rom the word . To answe r you th i s Que s t i on , wh i ch may s tumb le some.

First, How can such a man as I put God to it, to shew forth his divine hand, and to set him a work; what can I do to put him upon it , so as he should think himself tempted by it.

Second ly , How shou ld I do i t to fu l f i l l my lus t s , an ins tance of th i s you have in so many word s , Psa l . 78 :18 . They t emp t ed God i n t h e i r heart, by asking meat for their lusts; in asking meat they put God to i t : Can God prepare a tab le , o r g i v e wa t e r i n t h e w i l d e rn e s s , and when h e smo t e t h e s t o n y r o c k , a n d g a v e t h em wa t e r , a n d g a v e t h em b r e ad , y e t c an b e g i v e u s f l e sh : Thus they put h im to i t ; do they a sk th i s to s t reng then their fa i th? No, but to sa t i s fy their lus t s , they grew weary of Manna.


But how can I be said thus to tempt God, or to put h im to i t , to force h im or to provoke h im to s t re tch out h i s mighty hand, be i t h i s power or any other at tr ibute for the ful l f i l l ing of my lusts?

An sw . The r e a r e t h r e e t h i ng s i n t h e way s o f t h e s on s o f men , by wh i ch God i s much s t i r red up to shew for th h imse l f , and we may tempt God by making use of any of them to ful- fill our lusts.

F i r s t , G o d i s s t r o n g l y p r o v o k e d t o w o r k i f we p r a y h im , t hu s a nd t hu s t o pu t f o r t h his hand to such or such a work for our sakes, a n d h e t a k e s i t t o b e a s t i r r i n g u p h i m s e l f this way: So in the Text, They came to him, and d e s i r e d h i m t o d o i t , J o b . 6 : 3 0 . S h e w u s a s i gn f r om Heaven, there was a des i re o f such a thing: and God is very sensible of prayer: men do not th ink there i s such force in prayer , a s there i s , an Hypocri te cannot put God to i t in p r a y e r , b u t h e f i n d s h im s e l f p r o voked , no t only out of h i s compas s ion to hi s people , but out o f h i s common goodnes s to the c rea ture , Psa l . 65 :2 . The young Ravens c ry not but God hea r s t hem, and Gene s . 21 . i f young I s hma e l c r y God h e a r s h im ; y e a a nd God h e a r s t h e ro a r i ng o f t he young L ion s ; God i s s en s i b l e o f any want , o f which the c rea tu re de s i r e s a supp ly f rom h i s hand , i f i t be but the prayer o f Sadu c e s , he th ink s h imse l f engaged by i t , and though they do but tempt him, yet i t provoke s h im; though he shew h i s j u s t d i sp l e a -


su re ag a in s t t he i r s o a sk ing ; t h i s s e t s God a work and h i s d iv ine hand a work , h i s who le g o o d n e s s i s s e t a w o r k . B u t y e t t h e r e i s s o m e t h i n g e l s e s e t s G o d a w o r k b e s i d e s prayer.

The re fo r e s e cond ly , F a i th exceed ing l y s e t s God a work, it i s an operative grace, whenever i t i s fastened upon any thing in God, though it he a mi sgu ided Fa i th ; i f Fa i th be s t i r r ing , o r i f i t wi l l not s t i r , unles s thus and thus answered: God is s trongly provoked to do something upon any work of Faith.

Sometimes Faith will force a man to trust upon God for extraordinary bles s ings , without us ing ord inary means , when they may be used : th i s i s a delusory Fai th, when God of fers means, i f men thrust themselves upon God in that sort: it provokes him exceedingly that a creature dares trust him in this kind, when he hath not promised to work : So when the Devi l tempted our S av iou r , I t c a s t h im s e l f d own h e ad - l o n g , when b e m i g h t c o m e d o w n a n o t h e r w a y , M a t t h , 4 : 7 . he an swer s h im, t h ou s h a l t n o t t emp t t h e Lord thy God: Though a creature trusts upon God bes ide s and aga in s t h i s p romise , i t s e t s h im a work, and were the thing according to his will , it would set him mightily a work, but however it provokes him much, sometimes a man urges God with a false Faith; such a Faith as in which they w i l l no t t ru s t God no t in o rd ina ry way s and means , unles s God wi l l shew his extraordinary power , and tha t i s a sou l abuse o f f a i th ; men


will not, nor dare further trust him, not in an ordinary way and means, in the use of their ordinary call ings, unless some expression of God’s extraordinary presence: So in Exod. 17:2, 7. Is the Lord amongst us or no, they doubted whether, the God wa s among s t t hem o r no , bec au s e t hey wanted something, they would have had some water by miracle, and because it is not easily rea- d y , t h e r o c k s n o t p o u r o u t w a t e r , n o r t h e Ear th c leave a sunder , and boi l up water f rom t h e g r e a t d e e p s ; t h e r e f o r e i s G o d w i t h u s ? though they had plent i ful experience God was wi th them, for he had by a p i l l a r o f f i re , l ed them that way; yet unless they have another extraordinary sign, they will not trust him in ordinary course; so our Saviour told the ruler, John 4 : 4 1 . U n l e s s y e s e e s i g n s a n d w o n d e r s , y e will not believe, this is not to trust God in an or- d inary way of h i s providence, but unles s God confirm it extraordinari ly, we wil l not bel ieve, and so God is exceedingly put to it; so that God takes himself to be tempted when men will not trust him in an ordinary way.

Third ly , Another grace in man that doth set G o d e x c e e d i n g l y a w o r k , a n d i f m i s g u i d e d provokes and tempts him much, and that is obedience; for God hath promised (Esay 1 :19, 21) much to obed ience , and cur se s d i sobed ience , Deu. 28. and Levit. 26. So that if we obey God’s wil l , i t provokes h im to per form hi s promise ; but now we may provoke h im prepos te rous ly and tempt him when as we dare not obey God’s


Commandements , i f we should obey his Com- mandment s , we fea r i t shou ld go i l l wi th u s , w h e n i n a w a y o f o b e d i e n c e w e f e a r h a r d measure f rom God, and wra th f rom him; th i s t empt s h im, and when in a way o f d i sobed i- ence, we expect a reward and a b les s ing f rom him, a good issue, this tempts God much, Num. 14 : 3 . God c a l l s t hem to the p romi s ed Land , and he sent sp ie s to see the f ru i t s o f i t : Now when the people heard such an il l report of the Land by ten of the sp ie s , they fe l l a weeping and a murmur ing , we and ou r ch i l d r en sha l l b e made a p r ey ; so tha t they dur s t no t go on to f i g h t , bu t b a c k a g a i n t o Ægyp t t h e y wou l d go , no go ing an end wi th s a f e ty , back aga in i s be s t ; but in a way o f obed ience , they fea r e v i l f r o m t h e h a n d o f G o d : S e e h o w G o d i s t roub led a t i t ; they have tempted me now these ten times, whereupon he tel ls them; Sure- ly this people shall net see that good Land; because they looked for mischie f in a good way, they shou ld f ind ev i l in a way o f d i sobed ience to h i s wi l l ; and so he t ake s tha t fo r a tempta t i - on ; t h en t h e p eop l e d i s c e r n i ng t h e i r e r r o r , ve r s e 40 , 41 . They te l l h im they wi l l go now and fight against the Canaanites; then saith Moses, why do you thus aga in t empt the Lord; But now when they look for the presence of the Lord, h e w i l l no t b e w i t h t h em : So t h a t you s e e if the creature shall put God to it, by Prayer or Fa i th , or Obedience, th i s s t i r s up God in thi s kind, and it is a tempting of the Lord.


Now men may desire it when it is for the satis- fying of their lusts.

When there fore we e i ther pray , or t rus t , or obey,or disobey God, for any thing thereby to ful- fill our lusts, this is to tempt God: So it is said of Annan i a s and Saph i r a , why a g r e e y o u t o g e t h e r t o t emp t t h e Sp i r i t o f God ; they in tend to put G o d ’ s p a t i e n c e t o i t ; t o s e e w h e t h e r G o d would bear with them in that di s s imulat ion or no , and t o s e e whe the r God wa s s o p r e s en t wi th the Apos t le s or no, to see i f Pet e r could d i s c e r n t h e i r d i s s imu l a t i on , a nd t h ey d i d i t f o r the i r own cove tou sne s s s ake . Now when t h e y w i l l t r y t h e p a t i e n c e o f God , a nd t h e power o f the Sp i r i t o f God, for the i r pre sent covetousnes s s ake , th i s i s to tempt God; they make use of God’s pat ience to mew himsel f in th i s k ind , to s ee whether h i s pa t i ence would b e a r i t o r n o . S o y o u r e a d i n t h a t f o r m e r p l ace o f Numbe r s , when they de s i re f l e sh and water , they des i red them to sa t i s fy their lus t s , a n d p u t G o d t o i t , t o e x p r e s s h i s m i g h t y p o w e r f o r t h a t e n d , a n d t h i s i s c a l l e d a t e m p t i n g o f G o d : Y o u a s k a n d r e c e i v e n o t , because you ask to spead i t upon your lus t s , I am. 4:3.

B u t y e t f u r t h e r , t h i s w i l l b e b e t t e r u n - d e r s t o o d , i f I s h a l l s h e w y o u h o w f a r w e may lawful ly tempt God with acceptance f rom him.

L a w f u l l y ; m a y w e t e m p t t h e L o r d , s o m e - times in our Prayers, sometimes in our Faith, and


sometimes in our obedience in a l l these being rightly ordered.

Somet imes in our ve ry p r aye r s we may a sk a s i gn and y e t no t b e s a i d t o t emp t God ; I mean, not in an ill sense, but it is only to let God a work to give us a sign.

Fir s t , I f God of fer us a s ign, then God takes i t i l l i f we do not ask i t , as was the case of A- haz, Esay 7:10. to 14. But because God in these day s do th no t o r d i n a r i l y o f f e r s i gn s , t h e r e - fore,

Secondly , We may pray for a s ign when the necessuy of our callings require it, extraordinary ca l l ings requireextraordinarys igns ,and ordinary anord inary s ign in the se dayes , Act . 4 .29 , 50 . shew forth signs and wonders for the confirma- t ion of thy t ruth, 2 Kings 8:13, 14. Where i s th^ Lord Godo f E l i j ah , he would see the Almighty Power of God that res ted upon Eli jah: And as for extraordinary; so a man may desire an ordi- n a r y s i g n t o c o n f i r m h i s o r d i n a r y c a l l i n g Notab l e i s t h a t , Speech o f Dav i d , many d i s - couragements he had, he was ca l led to a kine- dome, but every maaopposed h imj h i s ca l l ing wasan ordinary calling to succeed his Master in a place which he was wel l f i t ted for, but wanted a f i s n e t o ^ o n f i n r t e i t t o h i m , P s a l m 8 6 : 7 s h e w a t oken un to thy s e r van t f o r good , tha t th ey who ha t e me may b e a shamed wha t t h ey s e e i t : How shou ld Dav id be con f i rmed in th i s ? He knew he had a ca l l ing, but every man thought i t o- therwise, and therefore now shew a token unto


thy s e rvan t fo r good : Wha t an ex t r ao rd ina ry one? No no, but such an one at might confirm to him his calling that he had in hand, and foe, Psalm 41:11. By this I know that thou favourest me, b e c au s e mine enemie s do no t t r iumph ove r me . I f God preserve him from his enemies that’s a token to him for good; le t God protect him and as- s i s t h im, and guide him and enlarge him with gifts for his place, and that is a token to him for good; and thi s i s a l awful demand of a token: Ju s t a s Samue l gave to Sau l might have prayed fo r , he wa s a man f e a r fu l o f tha t c a l l ing , v e r . 22 . he s a i d , The wo r k wa s t o o m i gh t y f o r h im: But i f God g ive another sp i r i t , he sha l l thereby know his calling to it.

And there i s another s ign; for there are two so r t s o f s i gn s f o r one s o rd in a ry c a l l i ng , one more inward, the other more outward, in some outward providence that bear s wi tnes s to that ca l l ing ve r . 4 . that sha l l be one s ign to him: a stranger shall meet thee, and give thee two loaves of bread, which thou shalt receive at his hand, a s ign of encouragement , the sons of Bel ia l d i s- couraged him, but those whose hearts God had touched followed Saul, v. 26.

Now in such as case as this a man may ask an ordinary sign for the confirmation of an ordinary calling.

Th i rd l y , A man may a sk a s i gn to con f i rm him in his ca l l ing, when his fa i th wil l not up-


hold him; Gideon was doubt fu l , but des i res to have hi s fa i th helped by a s ign, Judg. 6 :36. to 40. and God answers him according to the desire of his heart; and when God shall cast us into such occasions that we shall see need of a sign, in regard of the weakeness of our faith, and the necessity of our calling, or else because God offer s a s ign, then i f Fa i th be d i scouraged; i t i s not to tempt God to desire a sign, but to fervehis providence, and to use his ordinances, and to see him a work for the strengthening of us in our callings.

And a s we may se t God a work in a sk ing a sign, so in Prayer also for the fulfilling of all our just desires, and especially to fulfil l his own will in us, to assist us in our work and there is no prayer you so make, but you put God mightily to it, i f you pray for a blessing according to his wil l ; he is provoked to shew himself, and to manifest all that goodness that is in him for you.

2. But secondly, we tempt God acceptably, i f our fa i th work in our prayers , Dan. 6 :26. Da- n i e l was de l ivered, because he be l ieved on hi s God; a s i f the ques t ion l ay be tween God and the l ions , whether o f them shou ld have mos t f o r ce ; he be l i eved God , no twi th s t and ing the king’s courtiers displeasure, God sent his Angels to stop the Lions mouths, and so manifested himself to be stronger then the Lions.

3. Thirdly, In a way of obedience God loves to be tempted, and calls not men hypocrites for so do- i ng , Mal . 3 : 10 . i f t h ey p a i d t i t h e s du l y t hey


thought they should rot have enough for themselves and theirs ; but faith God, pay them, and then p rove me upon tha t po in t , and s ee i f I w i l l no t pour upon you a b l e s s ing t i l l t he re be no room to r e ce i ve i t ; wh i ch shews th a t obed i ence i s t h e on l y way to p ro spe r : obey y o u , w h a t I c o m m a n d , a n d s a n c i f y m y name in my ord inance s , and then see wha t I wil l do; in this case a man may lawful ly prove wha t God w i l l d o ; bu t t h i s i s no t t o f u l f i l ou r l u s t s , bu t t o p e r f o rm th e du t i e s o f ou r ca l l ings , to be made ins truments of God’s service in our places; especial ly i f my faith doubt, whether I shal l be in larged or no, now prove God if he will not show himself for us.

Reason of the Point. I t i s a tempting of God, because th i s i s a sa t i s fy ing of the i r own lus t s , and not a sked for the fu l f i l l ing of any wi l l o f God in the dut ie s o f our ca l l ings , but to harden our se lve s in our unbe l ie f : I f God re fu se to give them their des i re , they might wel l re- f u s e t o be l i e ve , and i f h e d i d g i v e i t t h em, then they would have matter to cavi l at ; God’s w i l l i s t o g i v e no s i gn , bu t t o bege t o r i n - c rea se Fa i th ; tha t wa s the f i r s t in s t i tu t ion o f s igns , Exod. 4 :8 . S t range tounges a re to make men be l i eve more s t rong ly , 1 Cor . 14 :22 . to sat i s fy lust s i s incredul i ty, 2 King. 20:8. to 11. A n a n i a s h e t o s a t i s f y h i s c o v e t o u s n e s s ; a n d Herod to satisfy his curiosity, Luk. 23:8. to harden their hearts in unbelief, to strengthen them in their sins; this is an evil tempting of God.


Use 1. First. It serves to reprove the Popish demands of s igns f rom our Divines , they might i ly pres s upon u s f o r s i gn s and m i r a c l e s , t h ey wou ld have us to conf i rm our Doctr ine and Fai th by miracles: Now I would know but thus much of them; whether i f we should shew them s igns , would they bel ieve, or do they not a sk a s ign to excuse themselves from believing, and that is to sat i s fy their lusts , and al l such demands, are but so many temptings of God: I t was ver i f ied in our Sav iour s hearer s : Though he had done so many miracles among them, yet they be l i eved not on him, Joh. 12:37. nor did they mean to believe on him: No though one should have come from the dead; though we ecould raise up men from the dead to tell them the truth of the Reli- g ion we p ro f e s s , t h ey wou ld no t be l i e ve i t . I t i s s a id o f many o f the Jews , they be l i eved J ohn though he wrote no mirac le , J ohn 10 :41 , 42. and why cannot they believe us, though we work none, and the same exception they make against us, was made against John by the Scribes: I f we speak of our ordinary cal l ing, they make us where i s our succes s ion f rom the Pr imit ive times; if extraordinary; then where are your mi- r ac le s ; so they ques t ioned J ohn ; i f h i s ca l l ing was ordinary, where was his commission; i f extraordinary, where were his miracles : Why, he healed many a blind soul, and raised up many a soul from death to life, and fed many an hungry poor soul, and were not all these great miracles; and so i f God he lp Protes tant Mini s ter s to go


forth in the power of Christ to heal s ick souls, and to give light and life to dead spirits, and to g ive them s t rength and power to wa lk in the way s o f God ’ s Commandmen t s . I s no t h e r e bundles of miracles sometimes compact together in one poor Protestant Minister.

Use 2. This will serve to shew you a difference between a c av i l l i ng Hypoc r i t e , and an humb le Chr i s t i an : A cav i l l ing Hypocr i te a lways want s m e a n s t o b e l i e v e a n d o b e y : T h e s e h e r e i n the Text had seen even now f ive thousand fed with a few loaves and a few fishes, and why did they not then bel ieve, why they wanted a s ign f r om Heaven ; t h ey p r e t end th a t b e fo r e , bu t they be l i eved not ; becau se they want a s i gn , want means to be l ieve , and there fore he ca l l s them hypocrites, it is a true spirit of an hypocrite, h e be l i e ve s no t no r obey s , b e c au s e he con- ceives some reason to the contrary, but an humble Christian is of a quite contrary frame of spi- r i t ; h e e v e r s e e s h e h a t h m e a n s , c a u s e e - nough, ground enough to bel ieve and obey, be hath just reason to do all that God calls for: But oh! The hardness of the heart of an hypocri te: If this be a sign of an hypocrite for a man to ca- v i l a t want o f means to cause h im to be l i eve and obey, thee i t i s a good s ign of s incerity to con fe s s be fo re God and our b re thren tha t he hath great cause to believe all the truths of God; and al l the counsel of God, but he hath an un- believing heart, a straight spirit, and that grieves him to the heart ; he blames not God but him-


s e l f f o r h i s u n b e l i e f ; s o s h a l l y o u o b s e r v e i t , many men who are nor yet in an es ta te of grace, who yet l ive under means of grace, a sk h im why he do th no t b e l i e v e and obey : h e wi l l conce ive and s ay , the f au l t i s somet imes in God, and sometimes in the Minis ter , i f the Minister would preach so or so, and sometimes i f t h e S e rmon we r e mo r e p l a i n , a nd s ome- t imes i f more l ea rned , and somet imes a l i t t l e s ho r t e r , h e wou l d b e l i e v e a nd obey , s ome- th ing i s ever want ing in the means , tha t God p rov ide s f o r u s , and the r e i s no t enough in i t to bring us to bel ieve, but i f thy heart were honest and s incere thou wouldst not f ind faul t wi th God, but thus an hypocr i te put s God to shew for th some ext raord inary change in ma- k i n g p e o p l e s u c h a s h e s e l d o m m a k e s a n y , thou wilt l ive no where but shalt f ind Christ i- a n s many way s f a i l i n g , bu t God mu s t wo rk m i r a c l e s e l s e y o u w i l l n o t b e l i e v e : I f a l l C h r i s t i a n s w e r e s o h u m b l e , a n d m e e k a n d f a i th fu l , and he lpe fu l one to another , and so re jo ic ing one in another , then you could be- l i eve ; bu t i f you go f rom Ba rw i c k e to Dove r , and from one end of the earth to another, and if you should stay till you saw all Christians thus tempered, you should scarce ever believe, there may be cause enough in u s Mini s te r s to h inder you; but i t s doubt fu l , had you other Mi- n i s t e r s the Word wou ld f ind a s l i t t l e a ccep- tance, and therefore, lay not the fault where it i s no t , I mean not so much f au l t , a s to h in-


do you f rom be l i ev ing and obey ing , bu t l e t t he f au l t be whe re i t w i l l , t he r e i s no f au l t i n G o d ; l e t u s a l l s a y , t h i s m e a n s t h a t w e have i s suf f ic ient , because i t serves other men to tu rn to God by ; and why no t you , o the r men can be wi l l ing to be l i eve and obey , and though there be many fai l ings in Ministers and Chr i s t i an s , y e t t hey c an s e e c au s e why they should bel ieve and obey, and therefore let not the fault l ie upon God, but learn with fear and trembling to submit to the will and truth of God in whatever he calls for.

Use 3. Let it be an use of dissuasion to us from tempt ing o f God, and o f exhor ta t ion, to persuade us to lay down al l tempting of him in a- n y s i n f u l a n d h y p o c r i t i c a l w a y ; l a y a s i d e these Sadducean and Pharisaical deceits, meddle not with them, you see how much i t provokes God , he wa s wra th , becau se they had t emp- ted him, Psal. 78:18, 22. and he swore they should never enter into his rest, Psal. 95:9, 11. and there- fo re t ake heed how you t empt God , you s ay you do not ; l e t me say to you, i f any o f you sha l l wa lk in a way of d i sobedience , and in a c a rn a l e s t a t e , a nd b l e s s you r s e l v e s t h e r e i n , and s t i l l de fer thy repentance to thy l a s t end, thou now puts God to it , to shew forth an extraordinary patience day after day, and year af- t e r y e a r , how l ong mu s t God s t a y , mu s t h e sti l l reach forth patience, such as no man would extend towards any, take heed it be not to your own con fu s ion in the end : Annan i a s and Sa-


phira tried God’s patience till they were both sud- denly s truck dead: So there are many that l ive idly, and take no course to provide for themselves or theirs, but think God and friends wil l main- t a i n t h em ; s u ch t r u s t God b eyond o r d i n a r y mean s , and t empt h im to shew fo r th an ex- t r ao rd ina ry power . And o the r men the re a r e that make account they are grown ripe, and therefore wil l not pray nor hear; but when the Spi- rit moves them, and wil l not always attend upon the Word; i t ’ s for them to attend the Spirit and not to depend upon the letter, and so despise the means, it is a wretched tempting of God, to think God should reach out his Spir i t to bui ld up men ini good ways, and yet men use no means to that end, in hearing or prayer or conference; and if we stand delaying and deferring with God t i l l h i s S p i r i t b e s o p r ovoked , t h a t h e w i l l n e v e r o f f e r g r a c e m o r e ; i t w i l l b e w o e t o us.

Use 4. It serves to teach (notwithstanding) God’s own people; since there is a kind of tempting of God, which is holy and acceptable, wisely to ponder the difference of tempting of God, that we may make use of him when we are cal led to i t ; and therefore it is to teach us in some cases, with modesty and reverence and humility to be so hold a s to a sk a s ign , and ye t not to fea r we sha l l be re jected as Hypocri tes for so doing: I f God call us to an ordinary calling, which himself hath appo in ted u s , and we f ind our hea r t s f e a r fu l of the issue of it; in such a case you may faithfully


depend on God, you may pray for s igns upon that , as Elisha in his extraordinary ca l l ing, desires his Master’s spirit: So many a Minister, God hath furnished him with gifts, and the people call him out, but he it maybe through modesty is ti- merous and fearful to go on in the work, why now s a y , Lo rd he r e i s El i j a h ’ s p ro f e s s i on , a Minister’s calling; but where is the Lord God of Elijah, that should now furnish me with a spirit of wisdom and knowledge and zeal , to f i t me for th i s bus ines s ; so a Magi s t ra te , i f God put the mantle of a Magistrate upon any of you; i f you come with fear and trembling and distrust your own suf f ic iency, and a sk for the Lord God of that cal l ing, you may expect that God will give you another heart, you may say, Shew some token for good unto thy servant, that I may be kept and preserved in my cal l ing, and enlarged and walk in obedience there in; we sha l l not now tempt him sinfully; but in such a case God takes himself wrought upon, and then he will shew forth his divine hand, In al l things we have occasion to use him in; sometimes men fear the los s of wealth and honour and credit; if they should walk in away of close obedience with God, and so it hinders them from many a good work: but hearken to God ’ s Word ; do bu t p rove God , and see if he wil l not open the windows of Heaven to you in such a c a s e : do bu t p rove God ; i f you f ind your hearts too weak, entreat God to s trengthen you, and wait upon him for the ac- compl i shment of such promises a s where in he


hath promised help and assistance, and he would then take i t for a di shonour to his name i f he should not answer you above all that you can ask or think for.

I f God take i t wel l when we thus tempt him and i l l , i f we tempt h im in any prepos te rous manner; let this then teach us to take in good part i f God should tempt us . God i s wi l l ing to be see a work at our tempting of him in a good man- n e r . Why s hou l d no t we do t h e s ame , i f i t please God to tempt and try us, Gen. 22:1, 2. God tempted Abraham, and so God tempts hi s people , and leaves the Canaani t e s to tempt and to prove them, Deut. 3:3. Jer. 5:4.

There is a double temptation God is wont to put upon all his servants.

First, Make account there is no grace God hath given you, be it never so eminent, but God will take some time to prove yen in it, and how you may employ i t to the u tmos t good; God tha t gives talents will not have them put under a bush- el, he will one time or other put you to express the utmost strength of your strongest grace, whether it be obedience, or faith, or patience, or meekness, or love, or zeal; sometimes, indeed through the pride of a man’s heart, and sometimes by reason of the unthankful world, the best gifts in a man a re smothered , and so they reap not the comfor t o f them. But o therwi se , i f God g ive Jo s eph in hi s f a ther ’ s house a sp i r i t o f wisdom and gove rnmen t , he w i l l t ake a t ime to c a l l him to Pharaoh’s Court, Psa. 105:14. Junias takes


i t fo r the word o f e t e rna l l i f e , t i l l the word wa s f u l f i l l e d t he Lo rd J e su s Chr i s t t r i ed J o - seph with many exercises ; but Joseph had many e x c e l l e n t g i f t s , a nd h a d h e a lw ay s l i v e d i n h i s Fa ther ’ s house , he had been obscured : So i t God give you gif t s , he wil l put you to tr ia l ; i t i s a s ign God accepts hi s people , i f he take pleasure to try their gifts.

Some t ime s a g a i n , a s God w i l l t r y t h em in the i r be s t g i f t s , and honour h imse l f by them; so God sometimes tr ies the best of his people’s graces , that they may see their own weakenes- s e s , whe re in they a r e mos t s t rong ; God wi l l have a time to glorify himself, in shewing them t h e i r we akene s s , i n t h e i r b e s t c ond i t i on . I f God’s people fai l , i t i s in their best gifts , espe- c ia l ly i f t r ied by smal l occas ions ; i f we be tr i- ed in grea t occas ions , God wi l l in an espec ia l manner assist us; but in a small trial, in our grea- t e s t g i f t s , c ommon l y we f a i l mo s t ; Ab r a h am a man of an admirable Faith, if put to trial in sa- c r i f i c i n g h i s s on , h e c a n l oo s e h i s s on a nd the promises of life, and Christ in them, then he can hazard the loss of them al l : God then ment to try him in his great Faith, and he overcame; God t r i e s h im aga in in the s ame Fa i th , i n a f a r l e s s mat te r , in the King o f Ægypt ’ s cour t ; though God had promised to keep him, where e v e r h e c ame ; y e t t h e r e wa s h e a f r a i d : S e e how the f a i t h o f t h i s F a t h e r o f t h e f a i t h f u l warps in a smal l temptat ion, in his great Fai th h e s h e w s g r e a t w e a k e n e s s . M o s e s t h e m e e -


kest man on the Earth, yet impatience and want of meekness kept him out of Canaan: So Peter , mo s t z e a l ou s f o r Chr i s t ; and ye t i f h e mee t with the temptation but of a silly Damsel, about the forwardness of hi s Profes s ion, he then de- n ie s tha t eve r he knew Chr i s t , and so in h i s g r e a t e s t g i f t s , h e s h e w s h i s g r e a t e s t w e a k - ne s s . J o b , whose pa t i ence wa s admi rab le , ye t was chief ly wanting in patience upon trial : He- zekiah God left him to try him, in the business o f the Baby l on i an Ambas s ador s , and the re he was l i f ted up, 2 Chron. 32:31. When our tr ia l s are great, then we gather up our loins to God, and think we have much cause to draw near to God, and to pray and to use all our faith and o- bedience, and then God mighti ly helps us ; but in our bed gi f t s , i f God put us upon weak tr i- a l s a nd o c c a s i on s , we common l y t h e r e f a i l . David a man after Gods own heart , af ter God’s wi l l , who fo l l owed God ’ s w i l l i n h i s who l e cour s e , r e s t ed and r e l i ed on God ’ s w i l l ; and yet even David, in a smal l t r ia l , when a smal l t empta t ion i s s e t be fo re h im, he can lu s t a f - t e r ano the r man ’ s w i f e , and s o f a i l s i n t h a t g r a c e whe r e i n h e wa s mo s t e x c e l l e n t . Now there fore look to i t , s ince God honours h im- s e l f b y y o u r t r y i n g o f h i m : S o i f G o d p u t you to any t r i a l , c a l l you ou t to u s e a l l t he g i f t s a n d g r a c e s y o u h a v e : B e w i l l i n g t o s e r v e God ’ s P rov i dence i n s u ch a c a s e , and keep your hea r t s humb le , th a t God may u s e you to h i s advantage , and take heed tha t you


do no t then warp mos t when you have l e a s t o c c a s i on , bu t wa i t d a i l y upon Chr i s t , t h a t

h e may s uppo r t you , t h a t h imse l f may r e c e i v e honou r by and f r om you : When i t p l e a s e s h im to c a l l you

t o t r i a l , a nd h i s t r u th and c au s e may g a i n adv an-

t a g e by you . * *

*


Matth. 16:1, 2, 3.And h e s a i d un t o t h em , wh en i t i s e v e n i n g , y e

say it will be fair weather, for the sky is red.

WE now come to speak of the th i rd Po in t f r om the s e wo rd s , a nd t h e Doctrine is this.

Doctrine 3. That to pretend more ignorance, or unc e r t a in ty in d i s c e rn ing th e s i gn s o f

t h e t ime s , t h en th e s i gn s o f t h e wea th e r , i s me r e Hypocrisy.

You Hypocrites you can discern the face of the sky; you can tell, at least have a near guess by the colour of the sky in the evening, what weather the next morning will be, and by the morning what weather the day will be, but can you not discern the s igns o f the t imes: a s ign therefore that they are no better then Hypocrites, who are better acqua in ted and ab le to d i s ce rn the s ign s o f the weather then the signs of the times of their visitation.

Now give me leave, f i r s t to open you, what Christ means by the signs of the times.

2. What are those signs of the times, which de- clare men to be hypocrites for not discerning.

3. Why it is such a work of hypocrisy.4. The uses of what is delivered. For the first; for the s igns of the t imes, that (in


a word) is the evident mark or sign of the times and seasons , the day of their v i s i ta t ion by the Lord Jesus Chri s t , who now came to vi s i t and redeem his people, according to Simeon’s song; now is the time of their visitation by Christ, from whom they de s i r ed a s i gn f rom Heaven tha t they might know this was he. The same is men- t ioned, Luk. 19:41. &c. our Saviour wept over J e r u s a l em, and s a id , Oh tha t t h en had s t known the day of thy visi tation, but now they are hid from thine eyes: because they did not know the time of their visitation, therefore their case was misera- ble, that was the t ime of their peace, the t ime wherein God offered them terms of reconci l ia- tion and atonement with God, that’s the first time, the time of their peace.

Now what were those s i gn s o f t h e t ime s , fo r want of discerning of which, and yet being able to d i scern the s igns of the weather , our Savi- our argues them of mere hypocrisy.

There are three or four s igns o f these t imes of their visitation, which had they not been wil- lingly blind, they could not but have seen.

1. First, the time limited of their visitation was now accomplished; so as they could not but see it: The times fore-told of old by the Prophets, and that l imited time being now come to a period; Jacob had told them upon his death-bed, Genes. 49:10. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a Law-gi- v e r f r om b e twe en h i s f e e t un t i l Sh i l oh c ome , and unto him shal l the gather ing o f the people be; that t ime was now expired, the Scepter was departed


from Judah, and was in the dominion of Herod and the Law-g iv e r was taken away, the Roman Empire made laws, and ruled as it pleased them. Shi loh therefore now must needs be come, for God fore-told, they should not want sovereign authority among themselves till he came.

Ano the r t ime , bu t unde r the s ame head o f signs of times fore-told and now come to the pe- r iod i s that you read of in Dan. 9 :24, 27. The seventy weeks were determined unto the city and peo- p l e o f God, t o b r ing in ev e r l a s t ing r i gh t e ou sne s s ; these seventy weeks were now accomplished by their account, and according to the truth, and this was another sign of the time.

2. Secondly, Another sign of the times was certain Prophecies, of what should accompany the Mes s i ah , h i s coming and wha t h imse l f shou ld do a t h i s coming . I t wa s fo r e - to ld th a t God would send Elijah, or one in the power and spirit of E- l i j ah be fo r e h im, and he shou ld tu rn the hea r t s o f the Fathe r s to the ch i ld ren, &c. Mal. 4 :5, 6 . and that he would send his Messenger before him, Mal. 3:1. and that was John Baptist, Matth. 11:10, 14. Now J ohn was come a l ready , and they d id to him what themselves thought good. It was further prophecied, that in the days of the Messiah, The feet o f the lame should skip, and the mouth of t h e d umb s h ou l d b e o p e n e d a nd t h e e a r s o f t h e d e a f s hou l d h ea r , &c . Esay . 35 :5 , 6 . Why you read, Matth. 11:5. a t the same t ime when they came to him, he had caused the bl ind to see, and the deaf to hear, &c. and so had accomplished what


he had fore-prophecied should be done.3. Thirdly, Another sign of their time of visi-

tation by the Messiah was, in that it pleased God to assist Christ, as none of all the Prophets ever wrought be fore , J ohn 15 :24 . Such mirac le s a s never man wrought, a sign therefore, when they come to ask a s ign from Heaven, and see such s igns in him, a s was never wrought before , a t least not by any in their own name and strength; for them now to ask him a s ign, was an argument of gross hypocrisy.

4. Fourthly, Another sign of the time of their vis i tat ion, which i f they had not been wil l ful ly b l ind, and had had any di scerning of the ways of God, they could not but have seen, and that was that all the children of wisdom justified our Saviour, and fol lowed him, and depended upon his mouth, planted the strength and stay of their salvation, and redemption in him, Matth. 11:19. and tha t wa s a s i gn to them, when j ud g emen t should be turned into r ighteousness , Psa l . 94:3, 5. the judicious and right ordering of men’s ways, when that appears to be r ighteous; the upright shall see the wisdom of God in it; and the common-peop l e t h ems e l v e s s a y , when t h ey s aw Chr i s t r a i s e t he w idows fo rm f rom dea th to l i fe ; Doubte s s , s ay they, a g r ea t Prophe t i s c ome amongst us, and God hath vis i ted his people: these were evident signs of the times of their visitation, all bare witness to the gracious words that came out of his mouth, and gave up themselves to be taught by him, these were al l evident s igns and


p l a i n t o b e d i s c e r n e d : N i c o d e m u s s a i d W e knew thou a r t a t ea che r s en t f rom God, John 3 :2 . for no man could do these th ings except God were with him, and it was not only evident, but certain and sure, for 2 Pet. 1:9. they had a sure word of prophecy for it, and they saw certain and sure accomplishments of what was fore-prophe sied. So that it was evident without all exception, and a l l o f them such s igns o f such mat te r s a s neardy concerned them to have re spect unto ; but the signs of the weather is but conjectural , and many t imes f a i l s , and when they do no t fai l , they are not such evident s igns; but that a plain or wise man may be ignorant of them, and say, they were both certain and evident, yet do not so near ly concern us , as the knowledge of the s igns o f our v i s i t a t ion for our ever l a s t ing peace.

Now in the next place to shew you why this is such a s ign of Hypocr i sy , tha t men should be more weather wise, then wise to see the estate of their own souls, and should be better able to discern these obscure things and uncertain matters, then plain and most necessary things.

Reason 1. It is taken from the comparison of these two t r u th s t oge the r ; t h e s e t r u th s o f t h e s i gn s o f the weather , a re but conjec tura l and obscure , and altogether less necessary for a man to be ac- qu a i n t ed w i t h : The s e t r u th s conce rn ing t h e t imes of our vis itat ion, are certain and evident, and most profitable and necessary to be known: now for a man to be apt to be skilled in the wea-


ther, in matters more unsafe and obscure, and to pretend more skil l therein, then in matters that are more evident and ceitain, and more necessary, is plain hypocrisy.

For a little to speak to these things.I t i s t rue, many t imes i t fa l l s out when these

signs are given in the sky, that a red evening, a b r i gh t c l e a r , i s a s i gn o f a f a i r d ay the nex t day; but the reason of this, is neither so evident to every eye, nor always so sure, nor so evident and certain, but it may fail.

The be s t r ea son g iven , tha t I mee t wi th in this case is this, the brightness of the clouds in the evening is a sign, they say, of the rariety or thins of the air, in which these clouds are, and is thoroughly pierced by the beams of the Sun, and easily shed or driven away, and so the matter of f ou l we a t h e r i s r emoved : The c l e a r b r i gh t - ness of the c loud in the evening i s a s ign that the cloud is rare and thin, and the body of the c loud pierced thoroughly, by the beams of the Sun, whence i t i s tha t the mat ter or cause o f foul weather i s discipated. And so for a reason of the other; If the morning be red and lowring, you say i t i s a s ign of a s tormy day: So a l so I say, the reason of this is not easy for every man to discern, but these men resolve upon the con- c lus ion, whether they know the reason or no. But the reasons I meet with in nature are these in this case; they say, there is some rariery in some part of the cloud, but in that i t i s c loudy, i t i s a s ign there is thicker matter in the cloud then


t h e S u n b e a m s c a n r e a d i l y p i e r c e t h r o u g h ; and there fore because o f the heav ines s o f the matter, the Sun beams cannot drive those clouds away, not are able of a sudden to dis solve and d i s s ipa te them into wind or ra in ; but in t ime they make account wind and ra in wi l l fo l low: but the c louds be ing lowry and s ad , shew an easiness in the clouds, now to dissolve themselves and to water the Earth, and in the end will burst forth into rain and wind that day.

Now first , neither of these reasons is certain- ly evident, and every man that observes them to be evident , yet f inds them not a lways cer ta in: And those that are best able to discern the reason, and the natural causes are not able to say, t h a t e v en t h a th and w i l l a lway s f o l l ow ; bu t both these may fal l short of an answerable suc- cess ; for though evening clouds be red, and so those thin c louds l ikely to be wafted; yet who can te l l , but tha t the Sun may ga ther up new clouds, from the other s ide of the Heaven, before it r ise to us in the next morning: and if i t draw those vapors after it, as many times it doth, w e m a y t h e n h a v e i l l w e a t h e r . A n d a g a i n , suppose the morning do look red and louring, as many t imes i t doth, and therefore by reason t h e S u n c a n n o t p i e r c e t h e c l o u d s w h o l l y through, i t i s l ike ly to break for th in to wind or ra in before noon or one of c lock that day; yet it many times falls out that though clouds be red and louring in the morning, and of such an heavy weigh, that the Sun cannot peirce through


so soon as it riseth, but yet by that time the Sun i s g rown high, and the beams f a l l more d i re- ct ly upon the clouds, and so consequently bear more strongly upon them; it comes to pass that before noon the Sun hath piersed through, and scattered the clouds, that you have fair weather af ter a louring morning. This i s evident in ordinary experience, so that there is neither such sure, evident, unalterable truth in these things, nor such evident plainness, as these Pharisees per- suaded themselves there was in them.

But suppose these signs of the weather did e- ver fo l low, and the rea sons were ev ident ; ye t notwithstanding, nei ther the s igns of the weather, nor the causes of them are of such necessary consequence, as that a man mould busy himself with the observation of it, or the study of the reason of it , for al l the use of it , is but for what a man should do tha t day ; and a man tha t ha th bus ine s s , wi l l not be h indered by the f ace o f the sky , and whatever the evening shews , ye t he re so lve s h i s bus ine s s next morn ing , and i f he be c ro s sed , i t i s not g rea t ly mate r i a l wi th him. But for a man when he hath the s igns of the times set before him; for a man then not to know the day of his visitation, this being a mat- t e r tha t so nea r ly concern s h im, upon which hi s eternal weal or woe depends, not to know this, a matter so necessary, so easy to be discerned, so dangerous to be neglected; for a man not to do this, it is a sign his heart is full of guile and hypocrisy, he thinks he can see and discern the state


of the weather, but how to order his State and sou l be fo r e God , he ha th no unde r s t and ing , O you Hypocrites! It is the nature of hypocrisy to be very quick s ighted in points of nature, but very dull and heavy in matters of Religion and grace, Sott i sh chi ldren, Je r . 4:22. Luk. 16:8. The ch i ld ren o f th i s wor ld a re wi se r in the i r gene ra t ion then the children of the l ight; but in things pertai- n ing to God they are b l ind and ignorant ; the nature of hypocrisy is to be exact and curious in small matters, Matth. 13:25. but in more weigh- ty matters of the Law, about their everlasting e- s tate, they are therein bl ind: not to be able to d i scern spir i tua l things when they are mani fe- sted to us in a plain and a clear sign; this is gross hypocrisy.

Reason 2. Another reason for which our Saviour justly t axe s the se men o f hypocr i sy i s th i s : When a man pretends want of l ight in his understanding and judgement, when as indeed the want is in the subjection of his will to the thing set before him; they pre tend want o f l ight in the judgement , they would have the judgement convinced, that th i s wa s the Mes s i ah s en t f rom Heaven . Now signs are to convince the judgement and under- s t and ing , no man cou ld do such th ing s a s he d id , un le s s sent o f God; but tha t was not the Point; our Saviour truly cal l s them Hypocrites , there was no want of l ight to give them know- l edge s unde r s t and ing , they had s i gn s enough from heaven and from earth; and therfore there was no want of means to satisfy their judgments;


but a l l the hinderance lay in the wil ful lness of their own hearts , they were not wil l ing to believe.

Reason 1. Another argument of hypocrisy in them was this, that they are more ready to lay the fault or unbel ie f upon God, not giving them suf f ic ient helps, then upon themselves, who had means e- nough to leave them without excuse; for a man to charge upon God, the cause of unbelief, to pretend he could be l ieve i f he had a s ign , and a s ign can only be g iven by God, and they say , they be l ieve not , because God gives them not suf f ic ient means of be le i f : th i s i s the f rame of the spir i t of hypocrisy, to tax God for want of means o f Fa i th to be l i eve , which i f they had they pretend they would make use of , wherein God was not want ing to g ive them abundance o f means , J ohn 12 :37 . though he had wrought so many mirac les among them, yet they bel ieved not a s ign: God was not want ing to convince them of their unbelief , yet they bel ieved not.

Use 1. From hence we may learn every soul of us, to stir up our selves to a wise discerning the signs of the times of our visitation; As ever we desire to have any testimony of the truth and sincerity of our own heart s , a s we des i re not to be up- bra ided by the Lord Jesus himse l f our Saviour and judged for hypocri tes , i t behoves us a l l to be wel l acquainted with the s igns of the t imes of our visitation, and much more and better, then withal the signs of the face of the sky; you see how


much i t d id i ike and gr ieve our Sav ior , Luke 19 :41 , 42 . He wep t o v e r J e r u s a l em , b e c au s e s h e knew not the day of her visitation: As if he should say; it were a case most lamentable and fit for a- ny that ever wished poor Je rusa lem wel l to de- plore it with bitter tears; it is amost lamentable a nd m i s e r a b l e c a s e , t h a t p e r s on s a nd p l a c e s should not discern the times of their visitation; the estate of men that do not know such a time is an estate of hypocrisy, and a fore-runner of cer- t a in ca l ami ty Would a man know a fore-running s ign of fol lowing misery and calamity by; this is one (and none of the least) that sure that man’s or Churches’ calamity is near, that knows not the day of his visitation, takes not knowledge of the time that God offers him grace. It is ever a fore-running sign of a man’s lamentable and ut- ter ruin, when a man’s friends and all that know h im , may s i t and weep ove r h im , he knows not the time of his happiness, and now woe and misery is fallen upon him.

Now because this is a point of more then ordinary use, and yet I do not af fect curios i ty, yet meth inks our Sav iour would imply something i n compa r ing the s i gn s o f the t ime , and the s igns of the weather together. And God having usual ly made this world to be a map and shad- dow of the spiritual estate of the souls of men: therefore give me leave for the better discerning of things in this kind; learn we to discewrn the s i gn s o f our own t imes ; fo r the d ign s o f the weather in which our Saviour makes his compa-


rison, and there are certain signs and seasons of the weather to which a man may compare the e- state of his own time and season.

There are 3. or 4. seasons and times of visitation, which i t behoves Chris t ians to know them well, as they would avoid the imputation of hypocrisy and prevent danger of calamity.

F i r s t , There be t imes and s i gn s o f t imes o f grace offered, that is, the times in which God vi- sits men with offers of grace.

Secondly , There be t imes and s igns of t imes of grace received, and it is a very needful thing to know the time and sign of it.

Thirdly, There be also times and signs of times of graces decaying and withering.

Fourthly, there be signs of times of judgments removed, and of mercy’s breaking in upon us.

Fifthly, there be also times of judgements threat- ned, and signs of their breaking in upon us.

All these Christians should be well acquainted with, and if not, you see it is taxed by our Savi- our of palpable hypocrisy.

First, (because I would go no further then the Text) See it as in the face of the sky, God hath l a id down a r igh t obse rva t ion o f the s igns o f our vis i tat ion: How shal l I discern the s igns of the t imes of the vis i tat ion of my own soul, for grace offered; that this is the time that God offers grace to my heart, that I do not out-sit my time: How s h a l l I k now i t ? How do you d i s c e r n that God cal l s you to your business, to walk a- bout the duties of your particular calling: by the


same, may you discern, when God calls you to accept the offers of grace; the Apost le gives us evident l ight in thi s kind, Rom. 12:11,12. I t i s high time now for us to awake out of sleep; how doth he know tha t ? why the n ight i s f a r spent and the day is at hand? a man knows his time to rise he wil l for shame get up, when the day breaks and the Sun arises, and shines in at his window And is it not high time for a man to awake out of the darkness of ignorance, and the sleep of car- n a l s e c u r i t y , w h e n t h e l i g h t o f t h e G o s p e l sh ine s c l e a r l y , and the Son o f Righ teousne s s arises with healing in his wings, and stares into our minds and consciences, and will not suffer us to sleep, but wil l so forceably enter in, that we cannot but see and hear and be converted, un- l e s s we wi l l be wi l fu l l y b l ind : when the day dawns and the day s tar ar i se s in our hear t s , i s i t not now t ime to r i se , 2 Pet . 1 :19. The Law was a light, but it was in a Lanthorn, or in a dark p lace, and was not eas i ly d i s ce rned, but in the end t h e d ay s t a r a pp e a r s , th a t i s the p reach ing and d i s p en s a t i on o f t h e Go spe l , a nd t h e Son o f the Gospel , and so displays and manifest s him- s e l f , e v e n a s t h e S u n f o l l o w s t h e d a y s t a r ; i t i s c a l l ed the Shephe rd s s t a r , t he d ay s t a r ; a nd s o t h i s s t a r o f t h e Go sp e l i s t h e Shep - he rd s s t a r ; the Min i s t e r s a r e s t a r s when they a r i se wi th c lear and pure d i spensa t ions o f the Gospe l , and mani fe s t a t ions thereo f in the f a - c e s a n d h e a r t s o f t h e s o n s o f m e n : C h r i s t


himse l f fo l lows c lose the pure mini s t ra t ion of his Gospel , and that ’ s the day of sa lvat ion; the very sign of the time of grace offered, the time when the day s tar ar i se s , i f a man di scern not that to be his time, and put it off from this time to tha t , thou knowes t not how soon th i s day s tar may be taken away, and the Sun wrapped up in a c l oud ; and then maye s t t hou go f a r enough to s eek the l ike o f f e r s o f g r ace , tha t here thou hadst dispensed and never find them; and therefore i t behoves men to take notice of the s igns of the t imes of their vi s i ta t ion: Arise my l ov e , my Dove , and c ome away, Can t . 2 :10 . to 13. whence must she come? from the Babi- lonian darkenes s ; why so , what i s the s ign of h e r t ime t o a r i s e ? Fo r t h e w i n t e r i s p a s t a n d t h e Sp r i n g d r aws on ; t h e r a i n i s o v e r , t h e f l ow- e r s a pp e a r i n t h e e a r t h ; t h e t im e o f t h e s i n g i n g o f b i r d s i s c ome , and t h e v o i c e o f t h e Tu r t l e i s h e a r d i n o u r l a n d , &c . Ar i s e my f a i r o n e a n d c ome away ; See how he pre s se s her aga in and again and now to arise, and now it i s the t ime of her v i s i t a t ion and of fer of grace , when the w in t e r i s p a s t , when the co ldne s s and da rk- ness of ignorance and security and superst i t ion i s pas t ; and when the birds begin to s ing, and the voice of the Turt le i s heard; a bird famous fo r mourn ing a f t e r he r ma te ; when the t ime i s c o m e , t h a t G o d s t i r s u p h i s P r o p h e t s i n Judah, a s Zachar ia , Habakkuk and others , when they begin to s ing; and good Levites and good Min i s t e r s , tun ing the i r no te s , and tun ing fo r


the good of the people , and Chr i s t mourning for want of his Spouse, and for the hardness of men’s hearts, and longing for the conversion of the peop le , and wooing and a l lu r ing them to come home unto him; when this is heard in the Land, there is the face of a spring: some shew of godly ones , to come on to the ways of God’ s grace, and so some hopeful springing buds ari- sing in the hearts of God’s servants. This is one sign of the time of our visitation, when God be- g ins thus to shine upon us by the l ight of hi s G o s p e l , a n d t h e b e a m s o f h i s S p i r i t , a n d knocks thereby at our heart s , and yet we love to s leep and wil l draw about us the curtains of carna l secur i ty , and of our own lus t s . Now i t i s h igh t ime to awake ; O ye Hypocr i te s , can ye tell when to arise in the morning, and when t o go abou t you r bu s i ne s s , and t o s t i r you r se lves about your labours , and cannot you te l l when it is time to awake out of your blind coup- le s , where in you have l a in so many year s together.

The second t ime i s the s igns of the t imes of g race rece ived? and tha t i s wor thy any man’ s knowledge, to know the t ime, when God hath risen to his heart, and had respect to the same of his spirit, and promising fair weather; when the evening i s red; you say i t wil l be fa ir weather, for the sky i s red; so in this case, i f God have been pleased to vouchsafe to any Christian heart a blushing redness, a bright redness of counter- nance, for sense and shame of all his former evil


ways, i t i s an evident s ign of fa i r weather ar i- s ing to the soul , Ezra 9 :6 . O my God I am a- s hamed and b lu sh t o l i f t up my f a c e t o Heav en : After that God had done a l l those great things for them, God had given them a nail in his Ta- bernacle, and had given them a breathing time, and yet now again they have returned to evi l : now says he , I am ashamed and b lu sh t o l i f t up mine eyes to Heaven; so Ezra 10:2. There is hope of Is- rael, there is hope of Reformation, when God gives his people hearts to blush for shame for al l the ev i l s they have done in h i s s ight , a s ign God hath an intendment to do them good; when a man blushes and shames for sin, it is a sign that he grieves for it as it is, vile and filthy; not as it is dangerous to hi s soul or breeds honour to hi s confidence, for that a man more fears , then he i s a shamed o f : when a man i s a shamed o f s in in the presence of God, he blushes at it, and his hear t i s confounded in him, for what he hath done, J e r . 31:18, 19. I am con founded and ashamed, be cause I d id hear the r eproach o f my youth; When therefore it pleases God to give a man a blushing frame; for that he should l ive so long and understand so l i tt le; sees so many examples o f P ie ty and Godl ine s s be fore h im, and h im- s e l f s o s i n fu l , and i s i nwa rd l y a sh amed , and outwardly blushes at this ; there i s fa ir weather toward.

Yea f u r t h e r , t h e r e i s f a i r wea the r t owa rd s though these red clouds do but appear in the evening of a man’s days, if in the evening of a man’s


life, his heart be pierced with shame and blush- i ng f o r a l l t he v i l ene s s o f h i s cou r s e be fo r e God, and unworthy deal ing with God; that he mould put God to it, to wait upon him so long- if there be then these red clouds of blushing, it i s a good sign of an happy morning of resurrection in another world: on the other side, i f as you read, Jer. 6:15. they were not at all ashamed, they could not blush for a l l the evi l s they had done: there fore sa i th God in the day o f the i r v i s i ta t ion they sha l l f a l l , and never r i se aga in; t h e r e i s a s i g n o f f ou l we a t h e r , when men are convinced of s in, and yet cannot blush upon such occasions as this, then they shall fall and rise no more.

But a s a second s ign o f f a i r weather , i t was you hea rd , i f t he c l oud s we re th in , and the b r i g h t b e am s o f t h e Sun h ad t h r ow l y p i e r - ced and inflamed them, so that no longer thick- n e s s a n d d a r k n e s s w a s r e m a i n i n g , t h e S u n would soon dispatch them away; but when the sky i s red and lowring, there i s a s ign of foul weather , because the Clouds were too mass ie , t oo we i gh t y and h e avy t o b e r emoved , a nd b e c a u s e o f t h a t , I a m a p t t o t h i n k C h r i s t would give us some l ight for interpretat ion, of t h i s w o r d , b y a w o r d t h e E v a n g e l i s t s e e m s t o app l y t o t h i s po in t , i n wha t you r e ad i n t he l i k e c a s e , conce rn ing the young man in the Gospe l , he comes to Chr i s t i n the mor- n i n g o f h i s a g e , Ma t t h . 1 9 : 6 . a nd Ma r k 1 0 : 17 . He expre s s e s t so much , a s th a t the Tex t


f a i t h , Ch r i s t l o o k e d u p o n h im a n d l o v e d h im ; the re was a b lu sh o f co lour o f v i rue in h im, and had he come on and been a br ight c loud, and h ad been t h rough l y p i e r c ed , and en f l a - med wi th the beams o f Chr i s t ’ s love , he had had fa i r weather in thi s world and in another; bu t h e cou l d no t y i e l d t o a l l t h a t wa s l a i d down before h im, there was too much th ick- n e s s i n h i s h e a r t ; a n d t h e s a m e w o r d u s e d he re fo r lower ing i s the re u sed , Mark 10 :22 . He wa s s a d a t t h a t s a y i n g , i n the Or i g in a l i t is, stugn£saj, and so it is sad and lowering; he wa s l a d en w i t h a d e a l o f t h i ckne s s , s u ch a s would not su f f e r h im to y ie ld to Chr i s t , bu t h e g o e s a w a y l o w e r i n g ; w h e n t h e r e f o r e i t come s t o t h i s , t h a t t h e be ams o f t h e b r i gh t l i g h t , a n d S u n - s h i n e o f t h e G o s p e l s h i n e s into the hear t , and he wi l l se t h imse l f to th i s du t y , and to t h a t , bu t i n t he end he come s to meet with something that i s a l i t t le to un- wieldy for him, and then it comes to a stugn£saj, the re wi l l be a s to rm tha t day ; and the reupon saith our Saviour, O how hard i s i t for a r i ch man t o e n t e r i n t o t h e k i n g d om o f H e a v e n : S o tha t you may ea s i l y s ee wha t a f e a r fu l s to rm wa i t s upon s u ch a s ou l t h a t h a t h a l ou t i n g r e s i s t a n c e a g a i n s t t h e b r i g h t b e a m s o f t h e Lord Je sus Chr i s t , nay ra ther tha t r i se s up a- g a i n s t t h a t l i gh t , h e w i l l i n t h e end be r ed and lout ing , and tha t lout ing t ime of h i s i s a f o r e runn ing s i gn , o f a d e s p e r a r e s t o rm t h a t w i l l d r e n c h s u c h a s o u l t o t h e s k i n , h e


sh a l l f a l l , a nd b e u t t e r l y c a s t down ; bu t o - therwi se when the sou l i s in th i s f r ame, tha t t h e r e i s no t h i n g t o do o r s u f f e r ; b u t h e i s r e ady to do and su f f e r i t , t he r e i s i n h im a b l u s h i n g f o r s h a m e o f s i n c o m m i t t e d , a n d there i s no wras t l ing nor s t rugl ing aga ins t the way s o f God ’ s g r ace ; bu t wha teve r l i gh t the Lord Je su s s ends , he i s p ie rced th rough wi th i t , a n d w h e n t h e n a l l m i s t s a r e r e m o v e d and s c a t t e r ed , f a i r wea the r i s then a coming on.

3. A third sign of the time of our vistation is in respect of the s igns of the decays of growth in g r ace . How may I know tha t g r ace i s decay ing , o f tha t grace i s g rowing, and there i s signs of both.

F i r s t , You know i t i s a c au se o f da rken ing the Moon, i f there be an in terpos i t ion of the b o d y o f t h e E a r t h , b e t w e e n t h e S u n a n d i t , and i t i s a cause of the ec l ipse of the Sun, w h e n t h e b o d y o f t h e M o o n i s i n t e r p o s e d be tweene the Sun and the Ea r th ; so i t i s an e v i d e n t s i g n o f t h e d e c a y o f g r a c e i n a n y , when earthly things begin to take place in the heart of a man, when a man sets hi s heart upon e a r th l y th ing s , when they come be tween a man ’ s he a r t and the Lo rd J e su s Chr i s t t he Son of Righteousness , then there i s an ec l ipse o f g race , and tha t wi l l g row more and more , a n d i f t h e r e p r o v e a n e c l i p s e i n t h i s c a s e , g r a c e w i l l d e c a y . I f t h a t D a v i d f a l l u p o n Bathsheba , the s t a f f o f h i s l ive ly grace wi l l be


broken, when any thing takes up the heart , a- ny lus t what soever i t wi l l c loud and over- top t he be s t s e ed o f t he word i n a man ; i t w i l l w h o l l y d a r k e n t h e b e s t h y p o c r i t e s ; a n d i t dams up God’s people’ s graces exceedingly, a s in respect of the cares of this World; if a man’s hea r t be see upon the se , a s tha t he doth not en joy the th ing s o f th i s l i f e in the Lord and fo r the Lord , and f rom the Lord , bu t loo se s God in the crea ture ; i f a man loose Chr i s t in the honours and pleasures of thi s world, there i s an ec l ipse towards , and i t i s a l ready begun; Whereas on the other s ide, i f a man have and keep an hea r t open to heaven ly th ing s , t h a t the dews of Heaven are not restrained, and the l i g h t o f t h e Sun i s s h i n i ng upon h im , i t i s an evident s ign of the increase of grace; when do th the Moon inc re a s e ? i s i t no t when she i s g a the r ing toward s the Sun , and the beams o f t h e S u n d o c l e a r l y c a s t t h e m s e l v e s u p - on the Moon, and the nearer she gathers to the S u n , s h e g a t h e r s a n d i n c r e a s e t h m o r e a n d more in l i gh t ; and when the Ea r th l i e s mos t open to the dews o f Heaven , and the b r igh t b e a m s o f t h e S u n , i s n o t t h e n m o s t f r u i t - f u l , J o b 38 : 31 . The se were in f l uence s o f the seven s t a r s , tha t r i s e in the spr ing and se t in Au tumn , and th a t b r i ng swee t Ap r i l s ho r e s ; when the Ear th l i e s open to the dew of heaven , and to the br ight beams o f the5 Sun, i t g r o w w a r m a m d f r u i t f u l , a n d s o b e c o m e s bot thoughtful and profitable: so when the word


word o f God (wh i ch t h e Ho l y Gho s t c ompa re s to the se swee t in f luence s , Deu t . 32 :2 . ) when a man comes to the wordl, and finds that the sweet influence of the Spirit there is not restrained nor straightened; but the word drops like Heaven’s dew upon his soul , and that upon al l the parts of his soul and body, as being open to receive it; grace is springing now, and the fruits thereof i s g rowing up in h i s sou l , and i t wi l l thrive more and more when he sees the face of Chr i s t in the Gospe l , he i s t r an s fo rmed in to the Image of Chri s t , 2 Cor. 3:18. and he goes on from one glorious grace unto another, when there i s nothing l ies between a man’s soul and Heaven, it’s a wonder to see the strange growth of it, otherwise if the case stand, as you read, Levit. 26 :19 . when the Heaven i s a s i ron, the Ear th wi l l soon be a s b r a s s , when the hea r t beg in s to feel no power, in God’s holy and pure ordinances, no bedewing of his soul, from these the heart wil l soon grow barren and unfruitful, and wi l l br ing for th nothing but br ia r s and bram- b le s ; yea , and th i s may be the ca se o f God ’ s own Servants.

Another s ign o f g race decay ing i s th i s : I f a Ch r i s t i an be g rown up t o s ame s e l f - f u l ne s s , it is a fore-running sign of grace decaying, when you once become secure and to rest in the ful- nes s o f your own s t rength because the f avour of God hath been full upon you, and grace rich- ly communicated to you; i f you now grow big and full, then look for a wain shortly, when is the


Moon neare s t to i t s wain? i s i t not when she i s fu l l in her own orb, though she received i t a l l f r om the b r i gh tne s s o f t he Sun : So soon a s t h e Sun i s E a s t and t he Moon Wes t , t h e next quar te t she decreases , and so ext ingui sh- e t h , t h a t s ho r t l y no b e am s o f t h e Sun w i l l shine upon her: So is it with a Christian; when wa s the Moon in fu l l w i th Pe t e r , was i t no t when he came out with this saying, Though a l l men deny the e ye t w i l l no t I , Mat th . 26 :33 , 35 . but was very se l f - fu l l when he th inks he can stick closer to Christ then all the rest or his fel- l ow Di s c ip l e s , and migh t you no t then have f o r e - t o l d h i m , w h a t a w o e f u l w a i n h e w a s now falling into, as indeed he did that night, so Psalm 30:6, 7. I sa id in my prosper i ty I shal l ne- v e r he moved , i t was fu l l Moon now with Da- v i d ; bu t he wa s s oon i n t he wa in , and p r e - sent ly shat tered, and not a spark of hi s heroi- ca l sp i r i t l e f t in h im: Indeed , Psa lm 3 . Dav id was in good plight, when his faith recovered a- ga in, and then he feared not for ten thousand that rose up against him; but otherwise when he begins to fa l l , h i s hear t f a i l s h im; but when a man is full of the Lord Jesus, strong in his might and weak in h imse l f , Pr o v . 30 :2 , 3 . When a m a n b e g i n s t o f i n d h i m s e l f t o b e n o t h i n g , and yet can do more service for God then hi s f e l lows , 1 Cor . 15 :10 . and knows how to do any thing through Christ that s trengthens him, Phil. 4:11, 12, 13. that man is growing and thri- v ing ; and the more a man f e e l s h i s wan t o f


Chr i s t , the more he c l e ave s to h im, and the more he hath, the more he would have of him to stand fast in that l iberty wherein Christ hath s e t h im , now God g i v e s g r a c e t o t h e h umb l e , 1 Pet. 5:5.

3. Thirdly, It is a sign of grace decaying, when a man grows heavy and drowsy and undisposed to good duties. When was it that the Disciples be- gan to fail? was it not when Christ comes again and aga in and f ind s them drowsy and heavy , M a t t h . 2 5 : 4 1 , 4 2 . w h e n t h e y c o u l d n e i t h e r watch nor pray, and then the issue of it was, they fo r sook him. I s i t not a s ign of s in growing upon a man, When he cannot hold open his eyes in a good duty? when a man grows drowsy in prayer and hear ing, some temptat ion i s now a growing fast upon him; but if a man grow more l ively, and spiritual and vigi lant, that man is in a fair way to stand fast in all temptations.

4. Now for the 4th and last, and that is signs of the t imes of Judgement, both approaching and r emoov ing , o r o f j udgemen t s r emoov ing , o r mercies approaching,and there are signs of both; bo t h t h e i e t ime s do p a s s o v e r u s , a nd how mal l we difcerne them i For this I cannot give you a better s ign from the face of the sky then God h imse l f g ive s in Gene s i s , I f y ou f i nd and pe r c e i v e a b r i gh t r a inbow in a wa t e ry c l oud , i t i s an evident s ign the storm is a breaking up, and wil l be gone and b low over , Gen. 9 :13, 17. The Lord hath sworn he will no more over-flow the whole earth with waters, and therefore for a sign of the


Covenant , he ha th se t h i s bow in the c loud , and i f i t appea r the s to rm wi l l shor t l y ove r . Now what i s tha t ? to apply i t to the s igns o f the times of our visitation, when we may know that a judgement i s ready to remove. What i s God’s bow? In Scr ipture phrase , the bow of a man, i s the bent of a man. As Jo s eph h i s Bow abode in strength, Gen. 49:14. The bent of his spirit st i l l stood at the full bent and strength in the midst of all discouragements, and did not slug it, though his Brethren, and his Mistress, and his Master, and every one shot sore at him, yet his bow abode in strength; it was old Jacob’s blessing to him, and so the bent of hi s sp i r i t abode in strength and in vigour, he sti l l held his integri- ty ; then God’s bow i s God’s bent ; a s ign that the s torm i s a b lowing over , and fa i r weather is towards, what is the matter, i f God but set a f irm resolution, a spiritual gracious disposit ion, an inc l in ing and bowing o f the sou l tha t he bend the hearts of men to God, and to the ways o f h i s grace , and tha t in a watery c loud, tha t is , in a soft and melting heart, then there is no judgement wil l l ie long upon that soul, and no mercy wil l be long with-held from him; i f the hear t be s t rongly bent to walk with God, and that not in the pride of a man’s spirit ; but in a melting frame of spirit, much an one as this, whatever storms were upon him, now all judgements are a blowing over, and fair weather is towards, and such as that a man may know, there will be the brightness of God’s face upon his soul and


his favour to refresh his heart in al l inward and outward occas ions . David when he was fu l l o f h i s o w n s t r e n g t h , s u d d e n l y i n a c o w a r d l y manner ( i f I may so speak) his hear grew dead within him, yet before he was got to Mahana- im, he gathered up hi s sp i r i t s aga in, and girds up his vigour and strength afresh, and then he got a firm bent of a Christian spirit; this is God’s bow in the soul of a Chri s t ian man; but what c loud was i t in? Had i t been a s t i f f resolut ion o f h i s own s t rength , i t had fa i l ed h im, but i t was in a watery cloud, he and his people went up to Mount Olivet, weeping, 2 Sam. 15:26. to 30. and was grown into such a melt ing f rame, as that when the Priests would have carried the A r k a f t e r h i m , n a y , s a i t h h e , C a r r y i t b a c k aga in : I f th e Lo rd say I have p l ea su r e in Dav id , he wi l l br ing me back again, but i f not, here am I, l e t t h e Lo rd do w i th me wha t s e eme th h im good : Here is now a melting watery cloud, the beams o f t h e S o n o f r i g h e o u s n e s s h a d p i e r c e d i t through, which fore-tells the ruin and destructi- on of a l l danger, and shews that David’s resto- r ing i s near . As the hear t grows more humble and me l t ing be fo re God , and more f i rm and resolute in the Lord’s strength, so doth any cala- mi ty d i sper se i t s e l f , and any mercy break in upon us: There are many excel lent promises in Job 5:17. to the end of the Chapter, made to that soul , that i s wel l taught and nurtured by af f l i- ction, and there are many other promises made to peace and acqua in t ance wi th God, J o b 22 .


from ver s . 21. to the end of the Chapter ; now in such a case as this, when this is the bent of a Christian; when a man is so nurtured by affliction , a s tha t he grows more pa t ien t , and more humble and loving, and that a man thereupon acquaints himsel f with God, and puts away a l l iniquity our of his heart and hands, and if God then help us to live humbly and meltingly under his hand, and we bless him for his providence, it i s such an evident fore-runner of evi l avoiding and good a coming, as indeed nothing is more; and this we must he sensible of, as ever we de- s i re to have any s igns of comfortable days approaching, to grow strong incur bent in the ways of grace, and in that meekeness and lowliness , and melting frame of heart, as that you may see God’ s r a inbow i s se t in a watery c loud, look now for al l storms to blow over, but if you see that the bent of a man’s spirit begin to slug it, it is an evident s ign of a storm approaching: a weather gall, is but a piece of a rainbow, and hangs not from one end of the sky to another; and so it i s a fore-running s ign of foul weather , which ho lds for th thus much, when men wi l l do no more then they think good of , dea l by piece- meal with God: a storm is a coming to deal o- the rw i s e w i th them, i f t hey be long to God ; when the Church of Ephesus had unbent her spirit, and lost her first love, would not now keep so close to God, nor manifest her sel f so much for God it is way of God, as sometimes she had done, i t was a s ign that darknes s and t rouble ,


and danger was a coming to that Church, Rev. 2:3, 4. And which i s yet a worse s ign, when a man i s bent aga ins t God, and the ways o f h i s grace, and the Devils bow is set in a man, I know that then the Lord is determined to bring mis- chief upon such a man, 2 Chron. 25:16, I know the Lord is determined to destroy thee, how did he know that? He saw the Devil’s bow bent in the heart of the King, when he saith to the Prophet, Hold your peace who made you of the King’s counsel: So that if you see the Devil’s bent in a man, that he se t s h imse l f aga in s t God, and the ways o f h i s grace, he wi l l be le f t to most woeful mis- chief, according to that in 1 Sam. 2:24, 25. They hea rkened no t t o the vo i c e o f the i r f a the r , be cause the Lord would dest roy them: They would not be ungirt from their wicked course they had been addicted too, and that’s a manifest sign thar God will destroy them.

Use 2. This serves to shew you, that it is not utterly unlawful for men to make observation of the e- state of the weather, and face of the sky; our Sa- viour doth not reprove it in them, but only re- proves thi s , in that they were better ski l led in the face of the sky, and s igns o f the weather , then in the s igns of the t imes, Luk. 12:54, 55. When ye s e e c l oud r i s e ou t o f the Wes t , s t r a i gh t - way ye say the r e comes a sho r e , and so i t i s , and when ye say the South wind blow, ye say there wil l b e h e a t , a nd i t c ome t h t o p a s s , &c. he r e j e c t s not such kind of conjectures, there is a workman- ship of God in them, nor doth he mis l ike the study of nature.


Use 3. Let what you have heard be a provocation to every soul of us to take heed and beware of hypocrisy, you see how loathsome it i s to Christ , he neve r speak s wor s e word then th i s , O ye hypoc r i t e s , when he speaks with most detestat i- on, yet this i s the worst word he speaks of any men , O ye hypo c r i t e s , and the re fo re f a r be i t f rom the sp i r i t s o f Chr i s t i an men, Abhor you all seeds of hypocrisy, it’s very loathsome to God, when he threatens the worst evil to the worst sort of Ministers that ever the Church of God bore, Mat t h . 2 4 : 51 . Wha t w i l l t h e Lo rd o f s u ch a S teward do , when he comes to g ive h im h i s portion with hypocrites and unbelievers, a man would be loath to be coupled with a drunken quarre l some Rois ter , A man would b les s h imse l f f rom fe l lowship with such a man while he l ives, yet i f a man be an hypocrite, he shal l be ranked with such companions in hell; if therefore thou wouldest have no fellowship with such spi- t i t s a nd un f r u i t f u l wo rk s o f d a r kn e s s , b l e s s thy se l f f rom hypocr i sy , God love s t ru th in the inward par t s , Psa l . 51:6 . bet ter l ie open to les s torment , then to be yoked wi th such deboys t spirits in another world.

FINIS.

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